Intriguing thriller that would resonate with most people. How far would YOU go to find a cure? I devoured this book in a day and just couldn't put it down! A must read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review: The Remedy by Shade Owens

This book hit so close to home for me—honestly, I felt every ounce of Audrey’s struggle. Having been through my own baffling and painful health journey, there were moments while reading The Remedy where I was practically squirming in my seat. That sense of desperation, of hoping for a cure that never comes… Shade Owens captured it perfectly. I’ve been there—the fatigue, the frustration, the feeling like your body is sabotaging you. So when Audrey took that leap of faith, I completely understood why.

The story kicks off when five strangers—including Audrey—arrive at a secluded forest sanctuary, lured by the promise of a miracle cure. For Audrey, after years of ineffective treatments and false hope, it feels like a last resort. At first, everything seems almost magical—too good to be true, really. And that’s exactly the point. Because the cure they’ve been offered isn’t healing them… it’s feeding on them.

Told from multiple perspectives—mainly Audrey, Oksana, and Benjamin—with chilling police transcripts layered in, the story slowly unfolds into something far more sinister than I expected. Oksana, in particular, really stuck with me. I didn’t connect with her right away, but by the end, I understood her in a whole new light. The way this book reveals its characters—flaws and all—feels incredibly human.

The atmosphere? Absolutely eerie. The isolated setting, the unsettling "calm" of the sanctuary, and the creeping realization that something isn’t right—it all added up to a haunting, suspenseful read that I couldn’t stop thinking about. Shade Owens knows how to build tension and twist a story just when you think you’ve got it figured out. That ending? Completely threw me… and yet, when I looked back, it made so much sense. Genius.

If you love psychological thrillers with short, impactful chapters, morally gray characters, and a steady, creeping sense of dread, this one’s for you. There are definitely some tough themes and trigger warnings (mentioned at the beginning of the book), but if you’re up for the emotional ride, The Remedy delivers a gripping, unpredictable experience.

What an outstanding book!! All I can say is WOW!

A small group of people, all suffering from painful , or psychological conditions, sign up for a 1 year, rehabilitation program.
When they arrive at a remote compound in the woods of North Carolina, they find themselves being treated with herbal supplements, and meditation activities. There is a lot of mystery surrounding their “ therapy”, including the elderly doctor who is treating them. However, most of the patients are beginning to feel better.
What is happening appears to be a miracle, until one patient, a woman fighting drug addiction, disappears, and is reported dead.
From that point in the story, the entire focus changes to the real reason this compound exists!

This book was riveting and engaging, from the first page to the unexpected last page!
Shade Owens really knows how to write a terrific mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and Book Sirens for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased review.

I received an ARC of this book. The book started great...a promising plot. But then it took a strange turn and fell flat for me. It felt like the author was stretching on the reason for the retreat and how it all unfolded. It was slow in several parts and I thought the ending was rushed.

I really enjoyed this book!

Pros:
- dual POVs
- creepy wellness retreat vibes
- supernatural/horror elements
- relatable characters you actually cared about

Cons:
- the ending wasn’t all that twisty once you got to Ben’s POV. I definitely saw that twist coming.

Even with seeing the ending twist coming, this was a 5 star book that left me reeling from each POV. From the very beginning, I needed to know what was going to happen to Audrey and Oksana. This was a unique perspective for the wellness retreat from hell.

'The Remedy' was filled with dread. Five strangers are taken to a remote forest getaway. The purpose is to cure them of their chronic illnesses. All goes well for awhile until things start to get strange. With no one to count on except themselves, they need to figure things out fast. For the truth is even worse than the lies they have been told. 4 stars.

Thank you for letting me be an ARC reader for this book. It was very interesting. Kinda slow in the beginning but it got better further more u read. I enjoyed very much the three person perspectives on the storyline which helped pull everything together. Not as thriller as id hope but it was overall a good book.

The Remedy
An intense, twisted thriller!
How far would you go for a remedy to cure your drug addiction or chronic illness? 5 strangers are invited to a remote place deep in the forest to finally find a cure, but at what cost?
A must-read! 5 stars

received this as an ARC. The beginning of this book was fantastic. Sucked me in real quick and it moved fast. My favorite author released a book just days after I started this one and I was anxious to get through her book to get back to this one. And that is saying a lot, however this book took a weird turn and fell really flat and left me scratching my head asking what in the heck just happened. There was little to no substance or back story for the reasoning for the retreat. I think the book moved very quickly in the beginning and almost too quickly for the end. I just did not like the way the story ended, and I think it had so much potential to be a really unique and great book, but with the end falling very flat with many holes, I’m giving this three stars.

I was so surprised by this book!! For a minute, I thought I may not like where it was heading but holy cow I love how it all came around and ended up!! Such a fast, creepy read that definitely keeps you guessing! Would highly recommend to any thriller readers out there!!Thank you Negalley, Red Raven publishing and Shade Owens for this ARC!!

Suspenseful, tense and a unique story.
If you’re looking for a twisty, atmospheric thriller with an international flair and a strong emotional pull, This book delivers. It’s the kind of book you’ll fly through in a weekend and think about afterward, especially once the final pieces fall into place.

What would you do to cure your chronic illness? Agree to go to a yearlong retreat with 5 strangers and a promise to solve your problems even after you are cured? Set in a creepy, unsettling remote location in the woods with cult vibes this thriller pulled me in from page 1. Short, easy to read chapters and twists that kept me guessing, kept me engaged until the end. I did find some of the middle to be a bit repetitive, and I would have enjoyed getting to learn a little more about the other characters at the retreat. The ending left me with a lot of questions and wanting more but, overall, I really enjoyed this book and will recommend it. Thank you, Red Raven Publishing, and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

How far would you go to save yourself from chronic illness or substance abuse? Would you accept free treatment at a remote location when you have nothing else to loose? Why not if you’ve already feel you’re at rock bottom..

This thriller kept me intrigued from the absolute beginning! Numerous unexpected twists, that I simply don’t believe anyone would see coming. There was WAY more to this story than I could have ever imagined! I absolutely loved these characters (the good ones haha) and the dual POVs made me love them even more, hearing their direct thoughts. Oksana’s back story was definitely a highlight of the book as it was great for the story and had significant relevance.

Excellent story, great conclusion, and well written! This is my third thriller by Shade Owens and she is officially being an author that I’d go in blindly if her name is on it.

“The Remedy” is a psychological thriller about a group of people - all with some type of chronic illness - that get invited to a mysterious retreat that promises to heal them of their pains. The story is pretty slow-paced but I did like the cast of characters. There are a couple that I found myself rooting for throughout the story. Unfortunately I didn’t feel very intrigued by the plot and the ending was a bit unsatisfying. It was a pretty quick read though so worth picking up and trying if you a thriller fan.

Thanks to Red Raven Publishing, Shade Owens and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I loved following this mystery, it definiteyl had me invested enough to want to know the truth behind the cure. I only felt more hooked as secrets unravelled and the darker it all became.

The Remedy brings together a group of people with chronic and mental illnesses who are promised a healing retreat—but right away, you can sense something isn’t right. Is it a peaceful cure or a sinister trap?

Told through multiple POVs, the story dives into each character’s personal struggles. The perspectives felt real and thoughtfully written, and the short chapters made this an easy, fast-paced read. I loved the eerie atmosphere and how horror and supernatural elements were woven in without being over-the-top.

The twists—especially at the end—caught me off guard in the best way. I just wish there had been a bit more development in the story and a clearer resolution for the characters. Still, it was an entertaining and thought-provoking read with some genuinely chilling moments.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a supernatural twist, The Remedy is worth a read!

This book had me hooked from the beginning! Though, be prepared for a suspense filled ride where you have to suspend belief and remember it’s fiction.

The book starts out simple enough, following Audrey and understanding life with chronic pain. I could FEEL the depths of her despair. While her journey to the holistic trial headquarters is questionable at best, it again proves the level of desperation she was at. Here’s where things get weird- in a good way. Now there are five members, all apart of this top secret holistic approach to wellness that has them cut off from the world. From all different backgrounds, each person has a need to be there. I felt like each character was developed “enough”, but would’ve loved a deeper connection with each of them.

This story was amazing - I truly didn’t know which way it was going to go. The anticipation had me in a choke hold to get to the end. The pacing was a bit off, spending a little more time on the ending and the explanation would’ve made this a five star read. My only other dislike was when part two started and the new character’s dialog felt very juvenile. I attributed it to being an intentional representation of how the character played out his thoughts, but I almost stopped reading the book at that point. I’m glad I finished because I really did enjoy it! Thank you NetGalley and Red Raven Publishing for the ARC!

This book, at the beginning, was a little slow for me to get into. Once they got to their destination, I was more intrigued with what was happening. I have to say, their first meeting with the Dr. is when I really got interested in what was going to happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed this book, although I’m left with a lot of questions and wanting more. If set up for a sequel kudos to the author, I would be interested in following the series to get into the nitty gritty of what is really going on here.

This book follows patients with mental and chronic illness as they join what they have been told is a wellness retreat to cure them naturally of their ailments. But we all know that’s a facade, there were twists at the end that I didn’t expect but also left me with my unanswered questions. I enjoyed the different POVs and how the story was narrated.

This book roped me in from the very beginning! I didn’t see any of the twists coming and I loved it!