I really wanted to like this one and it has some elements of good horror but it ultimately fell flat. The writing style also made certain passages confusing and I found myself rereading often. Overall it was fine, but forgettable and I wouldn’t recommend.

Hyacinth’s story drew me in immediately. Her worried is haunted and harsh. The monsters are in the woods surrounding her home but also permeate her society and rituals. When the Teeth take her father and she’s traded in marriage, Hyacinth travels to a new village in the edge of the forest and also bordering the sea where more monsters lurk in The Deep. Now the Teeth, the Deep, and the village elders all demand their pounds of flesh from Hyacinth and the rest of the village in this oppressive world.

Thank you netgalley for this E-ARC.

I was so excited to get my hands on this and read it, however I personally found it lacking when it came to world building and character development, this unfortunately led me to be unable to fully connect to the characters. Whilst I appreciate the aspects of folklore horror which is a genre I truly enjoy, I found this book to lack in certain aspects. A promising book but poor execution

I had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The gothic setting was wonderfully moody, and I enjoyed the dark, atmospheric vibe throughout. The characters were intriguingly flawed—refreshingly unlikable—but I never felt truly invested in any of them. The whole concept of the Teeth and the Deep left me puzzled, and the sacrificial elements felt underexplained. I usually prefer a more structured plot, and this story felt more like a slow, surreal drift than a clear narrative. That said, the ending worked well and felt true to the protagonist’s journey.

I am not entirely sure what I have just read - all I know is it was brilliant and I could not put it down! Hyacinthe's story was full of suspense, blood, death, and misogynistic men as wicked as what dwelled in the Teeth and the Deep.
L.V. Russel crafts a story that grips you from the start and leaves you unsettled with more burning questions while also being sated by wild, femine rage. The raw, disjointed but captivating writing style, while confusing at some spots, really fit the essence of the story. This book was very reminiscent of the TV series Salem with a touch of The Witch and the wild of Yellow Jackets. If all of that sounds up your alley, please pick up this book!
Thank you R.V. Russel and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC ❤️

Fresh and creepy, The Bone Drenched Woods captivated me from beginning to end.

Hyacinth Turning lives in a world where she is taught to be good and quiet for her own safety, the problem is, she's neither. Sent away, wed to a new husband, Hyacinth will soon learn that danger lurks around every corner and that the otherworldly terrors of the world sometimes pale in comparison to the human ones.

This is a strange little story, with breakneck pacing, and a head scratching conclusion. If you want a little strangeness infused into your reading world, The Bone Drenched Woods is a fine choice.

The Bone Drenched Woods was so intensely dreadful. The atmosphere was incredibly dreary and the tension was immediate and unrelenting. Absolutely nothing in this book felt comforting. The forest, the town and the people all feel so very unsafe.

The story is heavy with cult horror and the people in the town were absolutely terrifying. I was more scared of them than I was the actual monsters. There's a brutal quality to this town, just completely grim.

There wasn't a ton of character development or deep world building. We don't get deep lore or huge emotional arcs, although the main character is seen going through some changes. In this case though it really works. It's mainly focused on what is happening now and survival against the way things have been for ages.

Vibes: folk horror, cult energy, constant dread, vicious & violent world, people who are worse than monsters

Folk Horror- I am here for it
I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into with this book, honestly I am still not, but man was it good. I can’t keep thinking about it. The backdrop is folklore based, a simple time. With that of course women don’t have a say, they do what they are told, or they are labeled a witch. There is an unknown evil they are all working together to be safe from, but as men do, there is abuse of power, and violence.

I thought this was a cool concept, but unfortunately it failed in execution. I liked the prose and atmospheric writing, but that was about it. There was a lot of telling and not enough showing in the writing. There was no world-building or explanations for anything. What are the teeth? Why do they carve bones? How did this all start? Character development was nonexistent, and the protagonist was insufferable. She was her own problem, always making the situation worse for herself. The ending left me unsatisfied with a multitude of questions.

"Share the stories, keep the faith, bring the bones, carve the bones. There was nothing beyond that."

ˋ° *⁀➷ Rating: 2.5/5 ✰

The Bone Drenched Woods is a gothic fantasy about superstitious villages trying their best to stay safe and "pure" in the face of all the hungry and evil nature spirits that crave their flesh. It has interesting cult-y vibes and I would've loved to learn more about the villages and their beliefs/practices, as well as just general knowledge about the world, but unfortunately that just wasn't happening here. The writing was decent, and the characters served their purpose, but there just wasn't anything really grabbing me here honestly.

Even though this was a short book, I struggled to finish it. It was definitely creepy and did a good job keeping everything mysterious, but it honestly felt pretty aimless, and that only solidified with the ending. I tend to like open-ended stories with lots of room for interpretation, but this just felt a bit too open, and overall there was a lot of messiness with the story. There was even a plot hole scene with the dog - it seemed like Hyacinth left him behind while running from her house, but then suddenly she was mad at someone else because the dog was supposedly at their place the whole time. I'm not really sure what happened there, but it made the book just feel a bit sloppy.

Closing thoughts:
Decent if you enjoy reading books with the sole purpose of creating a spooky atmosphere, but if you're looking for a strong story or multifaceted characters then this probably isn't for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and not sponsored in any way

Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this novel.

This one gripped me from the beginning. The cultural traditions of the villages, the tangible feelings of hopelessness and despair, the monstrousness of the Teeth and the Deep, the extremism of the religion governing this world and Hyacinth's fight to find her own place in it, free of these concerns and the obligations placed on her by this culture--the symbolism and visuals in this book were so visceral. I think this novel posed a really great question--is there really nothing more to life than suffering? And I think that is what Hyacinth was trying to find; something more than the bleakness of the life laid before her.

If you like a whole lot of world-building, this is probably not the book for you. It kind of just immerses you into Hyacinth's world from the start and leaves you trying to figure things out, which personally worked for me in this novel. I think I was also okay with it knowing that this was a stand-alone and not part of a series, and there's only so much world-building you can do in a stand-alone without inundating the book or making it really long. I think the author did a great job of building Hyacinth's world for the reader without focusing too much on the world alone instead of Hyacinth and the others as characters. I do wish there had been a bit more a backstory for the Teeth and the Deep provided to help give the reader a bit more understanding behind the rituals and religion of the novel, but overall I think the lack of it works because I believe it lends an air of mystery and horror to them and not knowing where they came from or the drive and motivations behind their takings.

I also wanted to see a little more of a resolution between Morgan and Hyacinth and felt a little like Hyacinth got cheated in the end. I was a little confused by the ending and wasn't sure of its meaning, but maybe that was the point. Either way, I really enjoyed this novel; it's a little outside of my typical genre as I don't tend to lean towards horror novels, but when I read the blurb of this one it quickly piqued my interest. This one was a quality step outside of my comfort zone and I am so glad I was able to read it.

🖤 Feminine rage
💀 Folk Horror + Cult Vibe
🖤 Dark & Haunting
💀 Yearning
🖤 Beautiful Prose

I would say that this is not a very plot-forward story... it's more of a slow dismantling of our protagonist and her wicked surroundings.

I enjoyed it so much.

Hyacinth lives in a blood-drenched world. If you aren't claimed by the teeth (which are giving a little bit of eldritch abomination + deity), you could be burned for being a witch, hung for breaking the village rules created by bloodthirsty elders or left to fester as sacrificial food, for the birds and the teeth. But that's alright. Human bones are collected and carved to keep the terrors away.

This story is very eerie and unsettling throughout. You can't help but root for Hyacinth despite the blood-soaked world she calls home. The world-building + setting is purposefully ambiguous because it's more about how we can succumb to wickedness through fear than it is about getting from point A to point B. Is there a moral high ground when both sides are wicked? Is it really wicked to punish those who offer their neighbours on a silver platter for sins created and outlined by men? The writing is stunning. The story is very quotable, and I found myself frequently highlighting passages that resonated with me.

If you're looking for a concrete story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, this might not be the right choice. But if you want to lose yourself in the horrors and a little bit of ambiguity, I think this is a wonderful choice. It's dark and gruesome, but also oddly... lovely.

Carve the bones.

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓰𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓵𝓵 & 𝓒𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝓟𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓗𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴. 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷.

~

"𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓸𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓱, 𝓸𝓻 𝔀𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓮𝓭, 𝓸𝓻 𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓭. 𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓪𝔃𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓭 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓯𝓾𝓵, 𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓰𝓻𝔂. 𝓑𝓮 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂, 𝓫𝓮 𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓮𝓽, 𝓫𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭. 𝓞𝓫𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓽."

"𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷 𝓰𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓸𝓻𝔀𝓪𝔂, 𝓫𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓫𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼. 𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓲𝓭 𝓼𝓸."

Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for providing me a copy to review.

I wanted to like this more than I did but it was just okay for me. I really enjoyed the vibes and setting of this gothic story, and I liked how unlikeable the characters were, even though I didn't particularly like anyone. Honestly, I found the Teeth/Deep and their purpose and the sacrificing kind of confusing. Personally, I like to know what a book's plot is but this book didn't seem to have much of one. I think the ending suited the book and the main character's journey.

A creepy world built on fear, patriarchy, religious devotion, and an ominous god that hunts them
This Folk Horror is such an eerie, off putting, gruesome story. The FMC doesn’t believe the fearful devotion instilled into them, especially the women. She’s fiery, demanding, head strong and cunning
The story is very much like a folk legend- no defined story, just a way of life ; with commentary on human nature to find a belief in higher powers and also human nature to weaponize that entity- preying on the weak

Thank you Netgalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

L.V. Russell’s “The Bone Drenched Woods” is a visceral plunge into folk horror, a genre that merges nature’s raw power with mythic terror—and this book executes it with both eerie precision and poetic rage. Think of a blood-soaked fairytale where secrets rot beneath the soil and women are punished for daring to speak.

Set in a grim, coastal world ruled by the monstrous forces known only as the Teeth and the Deep, the story follows Hyacinth Turning who is a defiant, sharp-tongued woman whose refusal to conform makes her a target in a village where noncompliance is met with bloodletting and sacrifice. After a brush with death and the traumatic loss of her father, she’s forced into a politically convenient marriage and exiled to a remote seaside community even more ominous than the one she left behind.

Russell’s prose is rich and atmospheric, perfect for the setting and tone established throughout the book. The world she crafts is deeply sensory: mist-heavy woods, salt-stung air, and bone rituals that feel ancient and terrifying. The villagers wear hare-skin masks, chant incantations that feel like spells or curses, and follow eldritch traditions that make your skin crawl. The story thrums with dread from the first page, and the sense of unease only deepens with every chapter.

At the center of it all is Hyacinth, who is unapologetically messy, angry, and fully human. She’s not the “strong female lead” archetype; she’s louder, rawer, and far more complex. She may be a bit unlikeable at first as she makes some frustrating decisions throughout, but it’s this emotional authenticity, this refusal to sand down her rough edges, that makes her so compelling. Her relationship with the brooding outcast Morgan simmers with bisexual longing, while the ghost of her lost love Abelia lingers hauntingly in her dreams, adding both romantic and emotional depth to the story.

The story does stumble a bit in the middle, caught in a loop of Hyacinth’s inner turmoil that slows the momentum. And while the lore is fascinating—the Teeth, the Deep, the rituals—there’s a frustrating lack of explanation. Russell leans into ambiguity, which adds to the dreamlike dread but may leave some readers craving more clarity. Is it magic? Myth? Madness? The story doesn’t say. It just is, and you’re either willing to be swept away by it or left knocking on doors that never open.

Still, the power of “The Bone Drenched Woods” lies in its mood and message. It’s a furious scream against patriarchal control, a gothic ode to the “bad girls” who burn instead of bow. It’s not about finding safety but surviving in a world that wants to silence you, and maybe, just maybe, finding your own kind of monstrous power in the process.

Overall, I recommend this book for readers who crave lush horror, rebellious women, and the poetry of blood and bone. “The Bone Drenched Woods” is a haunting, hypnotic read that will keep you thinking long after you finish the story. Just don’t expect answers—only echoes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy to review.
All opinions shared are my own.

*Please check the content warnings before reading this book*

Wow!! Genuinely enjoyed my time with this one. The world itself is creepy, gross, and cold. For readers who don’t mind gore and body horror, this one would be a good addition to your fall TBR.

The story follows Hyacinth and her journey through marriage to a village elder, traveling to a separate village plagued by the Deep and the Teeth. Human sacrifices need to happen to keep these forces at bay, but what if they stops working?

I LOVED the imagery we got of the Teeth and the Deep, I just wish there was a bit more exploration into them. You see Hyacinth struggle against the rumors of her being a witch, while being the wife to an elder. The tension between the two because of their sins while trying to protect one another for their own safety is an interesting dynamic given the world they live in. She was unapologetically herself throughout the whole book, but you see her mature as the story progresses, especially after she arrives at her new village.

I do wish we got more of a structured timeline so I could have a better grasp on the time gaps between certain parts, but it was still an enjoyable read. Overall, I think folk horror was done well throughout this books, but it wouldve thrived with an extra 100-150 pages and some dates included at the beginning of chapters.

Thank you again to NetGalley for providing me with a copy!!!

This is a short horror book that follows our main character Hyacinth in a village surrounded by terror, death and eeriness. This has an interesting premise and was very atmospheric. The woods and the village felt alive and ever present.
However, I wish this had more of a plot as we are not working towards anything in the story, we just follow the character move through her days in this terror without a bigger overarching cause or search. While following Hyacinth, it also wasn't a character study, nor did it explore her in an in-depth, engaging and unique way. I wish we had gotten more flesh on the main character and the others in the book because they felt rather flat and generic. I also wish that we had more explanation and knowledge on the world. While well-built, it didn't answer or try to speculate on why the world was that way or the causes. It's really more a book on vibes to explore the world and the set, but I needed it to have a structured plot, stronger main characters or to be much scarier and horrifying. It was still a fun read overall; I just left it wanting more answers and more structure.

This was a spooky, atmospheric book. I really enjoyed the VVitch vibes, and the spiky heroine captured my heart from the beginning. A quick and immersive read!

This is a creatively written book, that at times borderlined on being confusing. The whole book is a mood but there was not much to the plot. This is a must read if you liked The Mist, or if you are into an atmospheric vibe following a FMC who was raised in a forest cult.

Carve the bones.
One for the gate, one for the door,
two for the mantel, and three for the floor…

Hyacinth is a mouthy woman in a world where women with thoughts and opinions are hanged or burned for being witches. The village people are warned to keep in line for fear that The Teeth will come out of the woods and devour them and their wickedness. After tragedy hits her family, Hyacinth finds herself wedded to a monster of a man, who is also an Elder of her village. After the wedding, she is shipped off to live with her new husband in a neighboring village by the sea, which introduces a new fear into Hyacinth’s life - The Deep. Hyacinth must toe the line between being obedient and being herself, while keeping safe from The Teeth and The Deep.

The Bone Drenched Woods is a fantastic work of women’s fiction. It is atmospheric and terrifying, while also being smart and witty. Hyacinth quickly became one of my favorite women in fiction and I couldn’t wait for the next time she pushed back. I found myself smirking right along with her. I found the ending satisfying and I was glad to see it stayed true to its horror/fantasy elements.

There were a few noticeable typos or timing issues in the book that probably should have been caught in editing. For example, the Elders call Hyacinth by another mistress’s name a couple of times in one scene. In another scene, the dog is mentioned as being present but then is missing the next day. However, it didn’t change my opinion of the story. This is one of my favorite reads this year.

A review can be found at the links in my bio.