'Spit Back the Bones' is a haunting and atmospheric horror story, featuring a chilling mystery. The eeriness of the setting was easily one of my favourite parts. This book explores complicated subjects such as grief, addiction, familial abuse, religious trauma, and overpowering anger.

The heroine is a flawed person who struggles with strong emotional outbursts. It made sense for her character, especially after everything that she’s lost. Some of her choices could be confusing and she often said the wrong thing. But at the end of the day, she’s young, full of fire, and loves her family.

Mila's relationship with Roe was sweet, if a little underdeveloped. She’s softer when she’s with him and they understand each other. The two of them were already friends before the story started, which helped to make their romance flow smoothly.

The downside to this story is that it could be a little too slow-paced and obvious. Some of that was typical of the horror genre. But oftentimes this book had too much narration compared to action and dialogue. I also would have preferred for the investigation to come up with more results instead of convenient deductions.

This book might be of particular interest to fans of Krystal Sutherland and Ginny Myers Sain.

Thank you to NetGalley, Turner Publishing Company, and Keylight Books for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Holy mother of Jesus, did not expect to love this book that much. It was well written, the cover is gorgeous, the title made me want to jump right in and I am so grateful I did! Go into it blind- trust me!! It was amazing. Highly recommend, will be buying asap

I absolutely loved the whole bog monster vibes in this book! It was fun and it really made me care a whole lot about the characters in this book. The ending was fantastic and definitely a great way to wrap up all of the events in this book.

I really wanted to love this, the story/plot was unique and interesting! I just found the descriptive atmospheric parts a bit repetitive & the pacing was a little all over the place! But I did love the actual story being told!

Thank you, Netgalley and Turner Publishing Company, for the advanced readers' copy. All opinions are my own.
2/5 stars. Look.. this book isn’t for me. I didn’t click with any of the characters and didn’t care what happened to any of them. The main female character was honestly extremely annoying, and I struggled to listen to any of the dialogue due to her behavior. The main love interest was boring, and I am glad that I don’t have to keep reading about how “innocent and good” he is. Roe could have been so much more than that. Honestly, that could be used to explain how I felt about all the characters. They could have been so much more, instead of the two or three words that get continuously used to describe them.
The setting was awesome, but it lost its dread and spooky factor after the fourth explanation of the characters going into the bog. I think the problem is that they went into the bog too much, if that makes sense. It made it seem that the place was safe when it wasn’t because of what haunted it. I will say that the use of flies was amazing and terrifying.
Calling this book a Horroromance doesn’t sit right with me. Just because the book had romantic scenes doesn’t make it a romance book, and the scene felt so jarring and out of place that when they did happen, I was completely thrown out of the rhythm of reading. I personally believe that the romance scene should be taken out and the main focus of the book should have been about the horror and grief themes.
Another thing, this book reads as a weird young adult novel that would randomly throw in these “adult” scenes (gore, the moment at the graveyard, ect) and then go straight back to the young adult writing style and it loses all of its momentum in these intense “adult” moments

For me this is a 3.5
This book had me gripping my chair, filled with family intrigue, generational trauma and small town secrets and politics and romance. All is well protrayed and you really feel of the fmc Mila. I like her fiery personality, her emotional aptitude and the fact that she doesnt fall apart easily, shes spiteful, vengeful but for a very very good reason.

I really liked this line :
"People used to call my grandmother a witch. But me?
Well, they just call me a liar."

This idea of times changing , generational trauma and the views of people is so intriguing,

I liked the main themes of the book, the small town horror has such a charm but I did find the writting a bit brusk in certain instances, moments where I wish we spent more time exploring ect. Some of the conversations and aspects felt a bit propy, the scenes with the sherrif felt like that type of conversation was expected.

4.25 🌟

This book was so good! I wasn‘t convinced in the beginning but stayed for the characters and the writing style, which could be a bit repetitive but it pulled me in and was very engaging! The plot really picked up at about halfway through and I read the last 50% in one sitting!
This reads like a ya/na horror (which i love) and would be a great read for someone wanting to start reading horror!

This was a haunting and emotional read from page one. Having grown up in an evangelical community in Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, this book is uniquely specific to my life experiences. So much of it tugged at my heartstrings in a bittersweet way.

The writing and characters were supremely enjoyable and even though this is outside of the genres I typically pick up I found it so captivating (and also a bit horrifying!)

I was absolutely terrified reading this book. I could not put it down (I read it in 2 days) because I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next. The writing is phenomenal and I was genuinely scared to go to bed. If this were a movie, I’d sleep with the lights on! The plot twist was insane and everyone got the ending they deserved. I will definitely not be going anywhere near a bog ever again!

Mila can hear the dead's voices coming from the bog. Her friend Roe can feel the bog. Mila's brother went missing three years ago. Now, her sister is missing too. Mila and Roe team up to figure out why so many go missing in their town, and why the bog is calling out to them for help. It's angry. And vengeful.

I was pulled in by the intriguing premise and it kept me hooked the whole time. At times it got a little repetitive, and other times a bit confusing. It felt like the main characters kind of had some plot armor at times during the dangerous scenes. I enjoyed the ending. Felt a bit too YA for my taste for an Adult labeled book.

I rated it 3.75/5 rounded up to 4.
Thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing Group for the ARC!

I had really high hopes based on the cover of this book. You know, the thing you always judge a book by.

This book has <i>beautiful</i>, haunting prose balancing descriptions of the foulness found in the bog with the fear and trepidation Mila feels as she tries to figure out what is <i>wrong.</i> Some of the the scenes are downright anxiety-inducing.

I was a little let down by the reveal of the "bad guy" (which was totally expected) and by the romance (which could've been skipped). A solid, creepy read.

Thank you to Netgalley, publisher, and author for the opportunity to read.

3.5 stars.
The bog is definitely the main character in this book, which makes reading the book from Mila's perspective a bit disconnected.
The atmosphere felt tight every bit of the way since the moment Mila sets foot back in town. I felt this thightnessin my chest whenever I was reading. However I do think the writing style was a bit choppy and made the reading feel awkward.

This was a interesting book, there are definitely a lot that I liked about it but also some that things that I didn't like.
It was an incredibly easy read, the pages just flew by and very quickly too. The beginning of the book did not gain my interest at all, so it was a bit of an effort to get though, but by the end I was speeding through the chapters.
It was a very predictable book, which in some cases would be a bad thing, but I kind of liked that. I knew what to expect and it was in a way satisfying that the events played out exactly how I expected them too.
I know the book centers around a magical bog, but the constant telling of that became annoying rather than enticing and interesting.
Its meant to be a horror book, but I didn't find this book to be horror, creepy or scary in any way shape or form.
Overall, I think this was a good and enjoyable book, I would recommend it.

I was so insanely excited to get my hands on this ARC — the blurb promised atmospheric horror, family secrets, and a second-chance romance buried under layers of dread. And while there were parts I enjoyed, this one wasn’t quite what I expected.

First off, Teagan Olivia King has a gift for vivid, unsettling imagery. The way she describes the bog, the bodies, and the decay of the town is deeply atmospheric — but at times, it felt like the descriptive writing overpowered the actual story. I love lush prose, but here it slowed the pacing and occasionally pulled me out of the moment.

The horror element leaned heavily into gore-centric horror rather than a creeping, psychological dread. And while I’m all for some good blood and guts, it didn’t quite deliver on the romance aspect I was hoping for. The connection between Mila and the reverend’s son lacked the depth I wanted, and Mila herself felt a little contradictory as a character — acting one way in one chapter and the complete opposite in the next without much internal reasoning.

The pacing was also a bit uneven, with some sections dragging while others felt rushed. That said, despite its flaws, I did enjoy the book. The creepy folklore vibes of the bog, the small-town secrets, and the occasional gut-punch of a scene kept me turning the pages.

If you’re here for the vivid horror and family drama, you’ll find something to enjoy — just don’t go in expecting a heavy romance element.

Spooky, romantic, sumptuous; Spit Back the Bones has it all

Mila is a tough cookie. Roe is a moody heartthrob. The bog is angry, and I am here for it.

If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I love atmosphere, and Spit Back the Bones has it. Each scene starts, or is embellished with, the rush of the bog, or the light through the trees, or the way the emotion laces through Mila’s body. It’s immersive and spooky. It’s balanced perfectly between the action though, so it’s not overwhelming. No J.R.R. Tolkien happening or anything. 😉

Mila and Roe share their suffering at the hands (…waters?) of the Thomas Bog, and it actually brings them closer. They rely on each other, and that kindles their romance. It added just enough levity to an otherwise tense plot. I don’t know about you, but I really hope horror-romance as a genre sticks around.

The story weaves back and forth between what Mila knows, and what the bog knows, and the sinister truths the dark waters of the bog hold. What comes from the bog (vague, for spoiler’s sake) is truly terrifying, not just on page, but also because it can actually exist in everyday life. It’s a gruesome metaphor that speaks to the complexity of human nature—how our choices shape us, and can even shape our children. How family trauma goes well beyond the first bad seed, and how, if we don’t rip out what’s hurting us, it will only fester.

So. if you’re looking for a little bit of introspection with a story that thrills, Spit Back the Bones is definitely for you.

I had the opportunity to read a free advance review copy of this book, with thanks from Turner Publishing and NetGalley. My review is honest, and given freely.

3.5 ⭐️
horror/ horromance is not typically a genre i lean towards but the cover is stunning and the title reeled me right in so i managed to get an arc on netgalley (thankyou!!). the description sounded intriguing and different from anything i’ve read and i did really enjoy the mysterious, haunting atmosphere and the writing style was painting a vivid picture of each scene in my mind. one thing i’d say is at some points the dialogue could’ve gone into a bit more in depth as it was feeling a tad rushed at times and I wish it was a bit longer!! overall i did really like it and I’d read more from this author. 🤌

Rating: C

Spit Back the Bones is a new adult / young adult horror novel set in a swampy small town that hides a dark secret bubbling under the surface. Mila-May has returned to see her family and wish her sister success as she leaves for college, but when she arrives, she discovers that her sister is missing. Much in the same way that her brother went missing 3 years prior.

I can't say I really enjoyed this book. The character's voice felt like she was both a teenager and a writer, dropping poetic similes and metaphors every second sentence. She was edgy and angry and would say likes like, "No one deserves to die...except maybe you." It all felt like it took itself too seriously and going in I wasn't sure what to expect.

The book is promoted like midnight mass (something I haven't seen) and as a horrormance. But to be honest the horror aspect is the main portion and the romance is basically nonexistent, it's not a typical romance story and it's not quite functional enough for my tastes as a horror. It's trying to be gross and shocking but the constant mentions of smells and scents over the physical feelings and the comical fighting took me out of the novel constantly.

I struggled with the main character's voice and how every single time she looked at her boyfriend she would bring up the torment in his eyes or how tormented everyone was. It was good for characterising the group but it didn't appeal to me.

I will admit that the novel does feel very small town, southern USA and I appreciated the environment and claustrophobia but I didn't enjoy this one that much.

A summer horror book where the bog is this supernatural entity that seeps into the surrounding town like the plague from an age old curse??! The supernatural elements and visceral horror imagery in this were incredible , I literally had to swat my face because the buzzing of the flies simmering throughout the plot of the book actually made my skin crawl. This has some religious trauma seeped in throughout the book, mixed in with things like grief and trauma. A couple of things that I will say is that the pacing of this was somewhat all over the place and there wasn’t as much consistency as expected . I also would say that this book felt YA unti some parts of the story where it seemed like it was actually an adult book which I think did make it slightly confusing with what audience the book is capturing/ marketing towards! Nevertheless I think this was such an enticing summer horror with such unique supernatural elements and I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to net galley and turner publishing company for the e-arc in exchange for a honest review !

This story had such a great blend of romance and mystery, with some unexpected twists that kept me hooked. The way the main characters connect felt natural and different, and I think horror romance might just be my new favorite genre. There was love, loss, suspense, and a real sense of self-discovery—it all came together in such a powerful way.

Big thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read this early!

* Thank you NetGalley & Keylight Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

I have some unfortunately mixed feelings about Spit Back the Bones. I loved the cover, I loved the name, and I loved the premise. The execution itself... I was not as big of a fan of. The writing was good, if a bit clunky at times. And I had such a hard time connecting with the characters. I don't want to sound like I hated the story, because I didn't, and in a lot of ways I was really intrigued, and will be sure to try whatever the author writes next. If you're a religious horrormance fan, you may like this more than I did, so give it a try!