Compelling and dark, There is no greater contrast between the two sisters. One tall and dark and odd. The other was a small, lovely blond woman. Small Fires is the book for you if you enjoy folk horror. Beautifully written in a distinctive style that, in my opinion, brought the novel to life. In the best sense of the word, the sisters were a mystery that my mind was unable to solve. Its stunning finale is the only thing that surpasses the lead-up.

Small Fires by Ronnie Turner is the first book I've read by this author, so I didn't know what to expect. Though her writing style confused me at times, she really drew me into the folk horror of her story. To say things weren't as I expected at the end is an understatement!

Sisters Lily and Della Pedley are persecuted for the shocking murder of their parents, and they flee their home in Cornwall to a remote unnamed island in Scotland. The island is known for its strange happenings, but it will keep them safe from gossip and the prying eyes of strangers. Lily is afraid of Della and what she might do, and she realizes that on the island nothing is as it seems. The stories told by the Folk, as the islanders are known, seem to be much more than folklore. Della easily settles into life there, as the Folk are drawn to her strangeness. Lily, however, is haunted by unsettling dreams. An annual festival draws near, and Lily discovers she has much more to fear than she knew. Or does she?

This story was, in a word, weird. Very, very weird! I had a bit of trouble getting into the rhythm of it for a while. The author told the story from viewpoints of "Him" and "Her", and the timelines changed from past to present frequently. The characters and their family situations were very odd and unsettling. That word - unsettling - is the feeling the entire store invoked in me. People were not as they appeared to be. Not even close! Lily is the younger Pedley sister, pretty, petite and blonde, whereas Della the elder sister was dark and brooding and large; at least that was my impression of her. My sister and I are as different as night and day, except for the family sarcasm. These siblings, however, gave a whole new meaning to "sister"! They were both total opposites, but equally chilling. Their "games" were basically torturing each other. Talk about disturbing! The family dynamic among the girls and both of their now-deceased parents was scary. Should parents be terrified of their children's games?! Local Silas seemed like a normal person...at first. He had the same type of relationship with his now-gone sister Gaia as the Pedley girls did, and perhaps even worse. Silas seemed to be taken by Lily, and it first it seemed like a sweet relationship...until it wasn't. The Folk of the island were all quite, um, different than most. They believed "The Warden" watched over them all; he was the De vil who fell through the earth and lived there. He had to be appeased by the blood of children. The folklore of the Folk was nightmarish. They could give Grimm's Fairy Tales a run for their money! I was thrown for a loop at the end. I won't give it away. I did NOT see any of that coming! This was one eerie, compelling tale. I'm interested to see what else this author will come up with.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

WARNING: the unpopular opinion curse has struck once again!!

Right... I most definitely did NOT expect this to happen. I mean, I love myself a good atmospheric gothic horror story, and even more so whenever there is folklore involved. On paper, Small Fires should have been a perfect fit for me, and the premise itself sounded absolutely fantastic... But sadly it just wasn't ment to be. I'm not sure exactly where things went wrong and the fact that my reading mood has been particularly fickle lately without a doubt played a big role, but what I do know is that Small Fires simply was not my cup of tea.

Like I said before, I'm definitely at least partly to blame... Not only because of my particularly fickle reading mood of late, but also because I hadn't realized this book was actually part literary fiction. This isn't a genre that tends to work for me, so that might explain part of where things went wrong for me personally. There is no denying that premise of Small Fires is fantastic and I loved the unknown Scottish island setting though. It was such an atmospheric backdrop for this story, and the descriptions created the perfect dark, eerie and perfectly gothic vibe.

Where did it go wrong for me? I think one of the main struggles I had was with the writing style. Like I said, I'm not a fan of literary fiction, and somehow I just ended up clashing enormously with the writing style. It just felt way too vague and flowery, and it felt almost as if the characters were talking in riddles all the time. It was just all way too weird for me, and a lot of the things the characters said didn't even make sense... I tried getting used to the writing style, but after I caught myself starting to skimread one too many times I decided it was just best to leave things be.

I also struggled considerably with the characters. They are either weak or monsters, and I honestly couldn't care about any of them. Sure, I can't deny that Lily and Silas have an intriguing background, but I can't say that I enjoyed spending time with them as they are both basically human doormats. Related to this is the constant focus on very brutal child (sister?) abuse, which was honestly hard to stomach and really put me off this story. I don't mind things getting dark and gory, but I just wasn't a fan of how this element was incorporated into the plot.

What I did like apart from the setting and the premise was the folklore woven into the story. This is definitely what made the plot stand out and what took it to the next level. The history of the island and its inhabitants also made me want to know more... But it still wasn't enough to convince me to keep ploughing through a writing style I was so clearly clashing with. That, and the constant and repetitive abuse scenes of course.

You know something is wrong when you stop reading to check the reviews to see if you are the only one struggling, and you definitely know something is wrong when you keep inventing excuses to put down your kindle. And since I'm already struggling with a beginning reading slump, I decided it was for my own good to not force the matter any further... I know that I'm in the minority though, so definitely don't give up if you think you would enjoy Small Fires. This is putting in my own two cents just in case there is someone else out there who is wondering if they are reading the same book as everyone else.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. On the one hand it has a very suspenseful and intriguing setting and back story - a pair of sisters who apparently murdered their parents arrive in a bizarre, isolated and superstitious place and it seems like danger is all around. The sisters, Della and Lily, seem strange, but the entire population of the island they've arrived on also seem strange too.

It's disturbing to hear snippets from the sisters' childhood, with Lily recounting years of vicious bullying and threats at the hands of Della. It's also disturbing to discover more about the island's inhabitants and their strange ways. The locals think a Warden oversees them, who is basically like a devil, and to appease him they must make sacrifices etc.

However, I actually got a bit bored of all of this after a while. It started to feel tedious and drawn out.

On the positive side, the book has complicated characters and there's always a hint of menace even to those who appear well meaning or basically good. You are never quite sure of any of them. But somehow it wasn't quite enough for me to make this a great novel.

Oh how I loved this book. Eerie, creepy, disturbing, but wonderfully enjoyable. This is gothic folk horror at its best. 🔥
Meet Della and Lily Pedley. They are pariahs in their home, near Penzance in Cornwall, so they travel to Scotland. There, against the advice of others, they move to an unnamed island where the Devil is alleged to have fallen from the sky. This is the home of the Folk, who live in fear of the Warden. 🔥
Vaguely reminiscent of The Wickerman, Small Fires thrums with tension and unease. And then comes that superb ending. Brilliant. If any book deserves to be a best seller, this one does. 🔥
Many thanks to Trafalgar Square Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Della and Lily Pedley, two young sisters, were found in the house where the bodies of their mother and father were hanging. Siblings with very different reactions to the deaths. Lily, pretty and emotional, is distraught and lies under the feet of her mother. Della, a dark brooding young woman, is reserved and calm, washes dishes and shows no emotion. Despite investigations, there is no foul play suspected and suicide is the cause of death. Needless to say that the popular opinion is that the girls are to blame, one especially, and that witchcraft is the reason for the atrocity.

As pariahs in their home town and desperate to leave the gossip and accusations behind them, the young women leave Cornwall and travel to a remote Scottish island, where they find the quietness they need. The Folk on the island are ‘different’, with odd customs and practices, but soon accept Della because of her strangeness. Lily is taken under the wing of Silas, a man who is considered the hierarchy of the community due to his longstanding family connections, not really one of the Folk, but someone they look up to.

This is a story encompassing many stories. Some well known, others not so much so. Fairy tales, myths and legends abound, a book of folk horror, where the atmosphere is dark and claustrophobic.

I enjoyed the way the stories were brought together, and through them the lives of both girls and the islanders was underwritten. The isolation of the islanders and the island was almost supernatural, as though neither really existed.

Disturbing and sinister, but very enjoyable, with a good ending, a treat to read.

Thank you NetGalley and Orenda Books.

Della and Lily Pedley are run out of town after their parents were found dead.

"We were called godless women, pariahs, witches."

The two sisters couldn't be more different. One tall, dark, and strange. The other, a petite and sweet blonde beauty.

"Two sisters: one bitter, one sweet."

They decide to take a boat to an island even though they have been warned repeatedly not to go. Still, the man takes them knowing who these sisters are. Perhaps it's better if they are no longer on the mainland.

The nameless island, referred to as God-Forgotten, is a strange place steeped in folklore.

"They say the Devil came here. He fell to the earth long ago and he never left."

The inhabitants, or rather, The Folk, always wear white, and live in constant fear of the Warden who they claim watches over them.

The island never receives visitors so the arrival of the sisters causes a bit of stir. Silas, a man who has always lived on the island and whose family are the oldest descendants, becomes curious of the sisters. What has brought these ladies here?

You'll have to read this to find out!

If you're a fan of folk horror then Small Fires is the book for you. Exquisitely written with a unique writing style that really made the book come alive for me. The atmosphere and the word-building of God-Forgotten is perfectly done. The sisters were an enigma my brain could not unravel, in the best way possible. The lead up is only outdone by it's jaw-dropping conclusion.

The gorgeous cover caught my eye but it's the ever-so-strange story between these pages that will stick with me. Ronnie Turner has made a new fan. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Trafalgar Square Publishing - Orenda for my complimentary copy.

This book was different than what I normally read, but I’m glad I read it! The writing style is reminiscent of fairy tales and I found it captivating, albeit it took me while to get into the story. I wanted to read slowly so I could absorb everything. Lily and Della are fascinating characters and I truly didn’t know how this story would end.

While listed as mystery/thriller, I would say this also has an element of horror to it. It felt very otherworldly at times. In the book description someone compared it to the movie Midsommar, and I definitely agree. Not for everyone, but if you like that style of movie/book you’d love Small Fires.

What a tremendous book this was! Beautifully poetic with so much fascinating folklore blended throughout; it took me on one hell of a ride. The isolated island setting was fantastic and the overall mood was so sinister, it really kept me guessing!

Thank you NetGalley and Trafalgar Square Publishing for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.