I really wanted to like this book. I really did. The writing was weird and rambling. The whole story was bizarre. The ending was crazy.

ABSOLUTELY. CHILLINGLY. STUNNING.

But who in their mind let's a reader finish a book like that? If book hangover was real, I would have it for months.

Kurtagich did an incredible job of creating a truly scary world that gives you a feeling of hysteria and panic as the story goes on. Your imagination goes wild, Silla's unrealiable narrative gives you a feeling of uneasy but intrigue. This book is everything that we're scared of - our mind and the madness that lies beneath.

A really enjoyable read for Kurtagich and an unexpected surprise. I'm not usually a fan of horror books but after reading this, I will definitely pick up more. The atmosphere was eerie from the offset and it set the tone for the whole book. A very clever twist too.

Wow. This one had me shook guys. It was a deliciously psychotic dissent into chaos and I had no idea which way was up. But I was hooked. I had to know what was going on.

Years ago, three sisters created a protector but something went wrong - deadly wrong. Now when Silla and her little sister Nori arrive at their Aunt Cath's house seeking safety from an abusive father, Silla quickly learns that her mother may have been right and there's something wrong with Aunt Cath and maybe the house itself. As Silla tries to piece together what's happening, her reality keeps breaking down leaving her to wonder what is real and what isn't.

This book was creepy. Reading as Silla's mind was slowly breaking took us on a ride and Kurtagich really delved into the psyche here with the way she presented the book. Words were different fonts and sizes. There were diary entries with secret messages within. Every page was a mystery.

My issues were small. The mystery was such a mystery that at times I felt completely lost and it made me wonder if I was missing something. Then there was the ending itself. I had a few theories and one of them turned out to be right, but it was a little bit of a let down. I don't know, some things went really smoothly during the explanation that it was almost an injustice to this masterpiece that I had been reading. I almost wished it ended a little more open and bittersweet. I mean, I guess it was bittersweet in a way but....yeah, I don't know. Read it for yourself and see what you think.

Welcome to Crazy Land! I can't even begin to describe the experience of what it's like reading And the Trees Crept In. At times, I felt confused, scared, hopeful. To be honest, even after finishing the book I'm still feeling these emotions as I think about the plot. This is by far the most original book I've read this year. I can't even begin to describe the plot without getting into spoilers, but I urge readers to stay with the novel despite the major weirdness. Everything (sort of) makes sense by the end. The book will probably appeal most to fans of YA horror, but I think it has plenty of crossover potential. Expect a book hangover after this one!

Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon

The intermingling of formats and fonts, as well as the last-minute twist, may make this particularly good for readers who enjoy slightly less straightforward fiction. This could be a gateway drug to more complex ergodic literature like House of Leaves, but won't scare anyone off. Silla and her sister have escaped a terrible home situation to arrive at their family's ancestral home in the midst of a haunted forest. As the trees encroach on the house, Silla's sanity starts to give way. Can she trust her aunt? Can she trust the boy from the woods? Can she trust her own mind? Kurtagich creates a compelling tale of a girl pushed beyond her limits in a waking nightmare.

This is my second attempt at reading a Dawn Kurtagich novel and the second one I was unable to finish. I have come to realize, her books are not something that appeals to me personally.

An eerie and unsettling read. I was never really sure which characters were the good guys and which the villains. Not my cup of tea.

While this sounded like it would be a good book and it was interesting at first, after a while it became confusing and boring. I did not like the diary entries with a strange variety of fonts. I thought perhaps that was because I got a preview version, but I saw it mentioned in another review so perhaps not? It seems that some people actually liked that aspect. I did not at all. I skimmed to get to the end to find out what was going on, but even then, it was not satisfying. Thank you anyway and good luck with the book. I will not post a negative review online.

What began as a slightly scary mystery became a disjointed tale. Had I not been determined to finish the book, I would have stopped reading it a long time ago. I think the story of self forgiveness could have been told in a much less confusing manner. Young adults would not have given this book the chance that I did.

One of the creepiest books I've read in a long time! (Delightfully creepy.)

To escape their abusive father, Silla and her little (mute) sister Nori escape to their aunt's home - a cursed manor where the trees are seemingly creeping towards them inch by inch. Their visit starts innocently enough, however their aunt's behavior changes drastically once she spies the man out in the woods. Silla, with the help of a young man, tries to unravel the mysteries of the manor, her aunt's behavior, and her surroundings.

This was an interesting read, with flawed but strong characters, and while I'm not sure how I felt about the outcome of the story, it was an entertaining and surprising read. I'd be curious to read more from this author.

No matter what, don’t go into the forest or the Creeper man will find you.

An abusive situation leads Silla to seek refuge at her aunt’s hidden manor in the forest with her kid sister Nori. Life is quiet at first, and might have remained so if Nori had followed the rules and stayed away from the forest. Now the manor is cursed. And everything in it is starting to rot.

Although I got hooked by the premise and fast-paced beginning, I admit the story soon dragged on. I felt like an idle man running on the treadmill with a warm donut hanging in front. A glaze chocolate donut! It seemed that the more I read, the less the story made sense. Silla was going crazy and the romantic interest kept switching from prince charming to antagonist.

Regardless of the drag, the end is worth it, so hang in there and watch it all make sense.

AND THE TREES CREPT IN by Dawn Kurtagich opens with three young girls carrying out a strange and ominous ritual among the trees in a wood. Then the book jumps at least fifteen years into the future, to a world under the threat of war as two sisters, the daughters of one of these girls, 15-year-old Sissy and the much younger Nori, escape from an abusive home to the manor of La Baume where their mother grew up and their aunt will, they hope, give them sanctuary.
La Baume lies in the middle of Python Wood, a dark, impenetrable forest of tangled undergrowth, gnarled trees, deep swamps and dark secrets. At first, their aunt Catherine is delighted to see them and the three establish a home – possibly the first true home Silla and her mute, somehow deformed sister have ever known. But then Catherine retreats to the attics and becomes no more than endless footsteps, moving backwards and forwards above Sissy’s head. Python Wood, the lair of the malevolent Creeper Man is moving closer and closer to the house. The house itself seems to be sinking into the ground, and into a morass of damp, mould and mildew.
The children are abandoned, trapped and starving. Sissy makes one foray through the wood and experiences its true horror, only to find that the village beyond the wood is deserted. There is no one to come for them. She must go back and do her best for Nori who is playing games with a mysterious figure who comes for her in the darkness. Their only hope is Gowan, a boy who used to live in the manor, and who tries to save them, but Sissy won’t, or can’t leave. The world of AND THE TREES CREPT IN has a dream-like quality, ‘dream-like’ in the sense of dreams that make you afraid to go to sleep – a world of nightmares, enhanced by the way the narrative is transmitted: poems, notes, diary entries and a text in which the lines wander and line spaces vary, all of which carries the implication of dream – or insanity.
But this is not a simple story of madness, or even of a haunting in the conventional sense. It is an exploration of time, love, reality, life and death, and in the end, Kurtagich reveals the true horror that lies behind the nightmare of La Baume.
AND THE TREES CREPT IN is a dark, dark book, that, though it ends on a note of redemption, offers no easy answers to the dilemmas its world poses, a chilling world that Kurtagich has created. Highly recommended.

Creepy and atmospheric horror story of The Creeper Man. Keeps you on edge and you doubt all that you are hearing and seeing. Don't read with the lights off! Have already bought for my library's collection and will highly recommend.for horror fans. Dawn Kurtagich will be a must buy horror writer for me from now on.

I will not be reviewing this novel at this time, but thank the publisher for the ability to read it in advance.

The book started strong and I loved some of the imagery throughout. The plot started to drag in the middle, however, and the whole thing just sort of falls apart towards the end.

I was so blown away by this book! I don't even know how to start my review, because I'm still processing what I read.
I had already purchased this book for my library, and two of my teens had read it and were totally excited about it. They wanted so badly to discuss it with me, that I went home and immediately started reading it. Well, I read the whole book in one sitting, and could not believe how horrifying, disturbing, heartbreaking, and lovely this story is! It truly is masterful writing. I had no idea what was going to happen, but in the end, it was perfect! I cannot wait to read more from this author! Now I just have to figure out how to booktalk this book without giving anything away. I feel like this is one that is best to read without too much background. I may just have to talk about all the feelings I had while reading. So many feelings!!! Fantastic read!!!

'And The Trees Crept In' is one of the most original and unique books I've ever read. It's one of the few novels that you don't quite know how to describe your feelings or thoughts about - nothing you say will ever be enough. I'm still reeling from the story, and I don't quite know how this review is going to go. The writing is amazing. The book is written in the epistolary form, but with a large amount being first person from Silla's point of view. There are little letters by her Aunt Cathy and her younger sister Nori thrown in, along with journal entries that Silla writes. I love the epistolary writing style because it's so unique and fascinating - it really draws me in and keeps things exciting. I don't think this book would've had the same intense feeling if it had been written in any other way. The letters and entries bring a sense of fear and reality to the story, and I loved them for that.

Throughout the entire book, I was constantly asking myself if it was all really happening or if Silla was imagining all of it because she was crazy. I couldn't seem to get a real grip on the truth, so I followed the story into madness to find the answers. I was not disappointed in the least. There are a ton of twists and turns throughout the story, along with confusing situations and lots of scary thoughts and happenings. I never really knew where the story was going or how it would end, which is a huge plus for me because very few books can surprise me anymore. The characters were all well written and had unique personalities and traits that made them very realistic. Because the majority of the story is written from Silla's point of view, we get to know her on a deeply personal level - which I loved. I don't do spoilers in my reviews, so I can't go into the plot very much without revealing anything. The description sets the scene pretty well to begin with - and then you just have to dive into the world the author created. It was confusing, intense, and creepy - but there were also brighter spots were kindness and love came through. I want to go on and talk about it more, but I can't without giving anything away. Suffice it to say that this was one heck of a roller coaster ride and I loved every minute of it. I'll be re-reading it soon, now that I know all of the secrets, to see if anything pops out that I missed the first time around. I definitely recommend it to fans of horror and paranormal fiction, along with those who enjoy fantasy, contemporary, and even science fiction.