Truly terrified this is a slow burn that shakes your very bones. It's terrific, terrible and tragic and kept me reading to all hours, scared of every creak and shadow. It's also set in Ireland where ancient curses and shadows haunt the darkness.

Possibly the creepiest and most disturbing AM Shine novel yet.

"Grace" is a thirty-something woman, whose life is suddenly upended when she discovers her birthmother has died and left her a house on an isolated island off the west coast of Ireland. She barely remembers her mother, having been adopted at an early age, but she feels drawn to the island, and so sets off to say her goodbyes to a woman she never knew. Arriving on the island, she is immediately struck by the surly and inbred community of islanders, and the distinct lack of children on the island.

Very quickly she is drawn into a dark and frightening environment, where people have secrets, fears, and suspicions which grow as she learns more about the terrible events of thirty years ago.

As with his previous books, the author beautifully paints his story against the bleak, wild and unforgiving backdrop of rural Ireland - this time even creepier, as it's a wild and isolated island. There's also ancient evil, bad people, weak people and good people. There's a priest with a hidden past, villagers held together by a dark secret, and a pub which holds its own share of secrets. Each character is well developed, so we're invested in their fates, even as their motives are laid bare. As the story unfolds, Grace struggles to uncover the biggest secret, and to escape the fate her parents tried so hard to avoid thirty years ago. There's a scattering of flashbacks which fill in details nicely, and tease the inevitability of certain people's fates.

"Grace" is based on the Scots/Irish legend of the Bodach - a malevolent spirit which often appears as an old man and which which steals away children from their homes. Here the author has added in a community of people in an isolated community, which will ticks every folk horror fan's boxes.

Heartily recommended.

I love A.M. Shine books and how they're based around Irish mythology and folklore, there are so many creepy and scary and interesting folklores to choose from so I hope he never stops. 'Grace' was atmospherically scary and slow burn creepy until you're kept awake wanting to finish but feeling terrified

Grace is a dark, atmospheric dive into Irish folklore, where ancient myths twist into visceral, body-horror nightmares. I loved it!

A. M. Shine has excelled at crafting a haunting setting—damp, eerie, and genuinely dreadful. The horror is both physical and psychological, rooted in the land and its secrets.

The folk elements are rich and unsettling, evoking a timeless fear of the otherworldly. However, multiple POVs slightly weaken the impact. The characters all seem to blur together at some points (I still don't know who Mary is). Still, for fans of folk horror and creeping unease, Grace is a chilling, memorable read.

Perfect for fans of: Andrew Michael Hurley, Benjamin Myers and Michelle Paver.

When Grace receives a mysterious phone call about her unknown birth mother, she finds herself heading to the small island of Croaghnakeela. It is a strange island, with secretive residents, suppliers that won’t set foot on land, and no children at all…

Once again, A.M. Shine cements himself as a master of Irish folk horror. His descriptions and use of multiple POVs allow the story to slowly unfold in unexpected ways, and really ramps up the tension. The horror and suspense build slowly, with small chills that creep down your neck like rain drops that build to an intense storm in the finale.
There are some very sweet moments in this story, some unexpected twists, and a lot of Shine’s trademark use of dread-inducing folklore that requests the reader stretch their imaginations in a heart-stopping, adrenaline-fueled nightmare against an unseen/unstoppable foe.
The characters are generally likeable, warm, and complex. I loved Grace, and the clever way in which she leads the reader to the unexpected. This was not the book I thought it would be, and I loved Grace that Shine surprises me every time. Do I think this is his best? No, The Watchers still holds that title, and I felt the ending of Grace was a little rushed. But does this cement my belief that A.M. Shine is a master of Irish folk horror? Yes. Yes it does

Grace is my first experience with A.M. Shine’s work—and it definitely won’t be my last. From the very first chapter, I was pulled into a chilling, atmospheric story that lingers in your thoughts long after the final page.

What sets Grace apart from other horror thrillers is how well-rounded and realistic the characters are. They feel like people you know—or could know—which only heightens the tension as the story unfolds. Every decision, every bit of dialogue, feels grounded in the real world, which makes the eerie elements hit even harder. The Bodach is a frightening, and deranged creature that takes pleasure in its killing.

It’s also one of those rare books that you can see playing out on screen. The pacing, setting, and suspenseful build-up feel tailor-made for a film adaptation. I can almost guarantee this will be a movie in the future—and if it is, I’ll be first in line.

If you’re a fan of intelligent horror with sharp writing and deeply human characters, Grace is a must-read. A.M. Shine is clearly a rising star in the genre, and I’m already adding his other books to my list.

4.5 /5 stars. Really entertaining read.

Grace returns to the island of her birth after the death of her birth mother. A place where the inhabitants harbour secrets and guilt decades long.

This is a grim look at what people are prepared to do for a better life as part of folk horror. It explores the complexity of the human character and while some areas of the plot needed greater detail in my opinion ( the orphanage) this was a great read.

No spoilers so this will sound vague but I hope this is the start of a series due to the source of the creature.

First of all, may I just give the biggest thanks to Zoe Giles, Marketing Manager for Head of Zeus, for inviting me to read Grace, via NetGalley. I absolutely did not expect it, and was thrilled when I received the email, as a longterm fan of A.M. Shine's work. Thank you so much for inviting me for the opportunity to read it before it actually hits the shelves, I appreciate it more than you know.

Now, on to the actual review.
I adored this. I adored this even more than the Watchers, and that's saying a lot.

I wasn't entirely certain about it at first, not really knowing what I was going to get into. But, once Grace set foot on the island, and I got a glimpse of what I was strapping myself in for, I was sold.

It's definitely not for the faint of heart, and if you scare easily it will definitely keep you up at night. But, if you like horror, especially horror based on Irish folklore & mythology, this is definitely the book for you.

A hauntingly atmospheric modern gothic horror tale based on mythology where an ancient evil is awakened on a lonely island of the coast. Family secrets come to light, a terrible evil has been disturbed and she will find herself dragged back into a living nightmare that threatens to engulf you whole.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐚 & 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐀. 𝐌. 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞

“Is this what faith has become? Had the world strayed so far from the Lord that they now sought out the sanctity of the devils?”
I was so ecstatic when it was reviled that A. M. Shine has a new book coming up next year, and to be approved for the ARC a few weeks later felt like I’ve received the grace of God /pun intended/.
I will keep my review tamed, because there are good twists that can be easily given away. I didn’t know the plot at all but still had some expectations base on Shine’s previous works. I am so happy to report that this book is indeed everything I hoped for – rich Irish folklore, unsettling atmosphere, flawless prose, unexpected twists, and pure horror, just as I like it.
This book was very emotionally charged thanks to the distinct and flawed characters, for which I still cared about. Let me just tell you I got actual goosebumps on 64% and I couldn’t predicted this twist even if I was actively trying to. I was just enjoying reading, being on that island with the islanders, which was so scary and sad at the same time. I loved that we got a short perspective from almost everyone, but my favorite character is most definitely Father Richard.
Another big positive for me was the body horror, so visceral and actually terrifying, this is what was lacking for me in the last Shine book – Stay in the light. But here it was done exceptionally well. This book fits right into the world of The Watchers and Stay in the light, without being a sequel. I could absolutely picture these events taking place during the same time as the ones in the previous two books took. Also, the setting reminded me so much of one of my favorite TV series - Midnight mass.
If you liked the previous works of the author I can absolutely recommend you this book as well. Even if you’ve never read from him before, this could be a really good starting point. Since I’ve read all of his published works, I think this one is absolutely sharing the top spot with The Watchers. I couldn’t pick which is the better book, as they are both an amazing folk horror and I have an emotional attachment to both of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries | Aries for providing me with the ARC.

4+ ⭐

Shine is an autobuy author for me.
Here, as with all his books, he hits just the right notes of creepy, then ratchets it up with a sprinkle of horror.
It all starts innocently enough, but certainly doesn't end that way.
Dark and atmospheric, and a very good read.
Exactly what I expect from this author.

Grace by A.M Shine. Oooh this book was so different! I loved it. It’s about Grace, a woman who gets summoned to a strange little island off the coast of Ireland when she gets a mysterious phone call. The ferry operator won’t even step foot on the island, so she’s a bit apprehensive about why this is. Grace was adopted when she was 4 years old, and this little island had something to do with that… something sinister… because there hasn’t been a child born on that island for 30 years, and it seems she was lucky to escape. There’s definitely something evil afoot and as the story unfolds it gets creepier and creepier. I enjoyed the ancient evil, there’s something very scary about a force that can’t be reasoned with. This is a slow burn mysterious horror, the uneasiness sneaks up on you. Lots of suspicious characters that had you second guessing yourself.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thankyou to NetGalley, A.M Shine and the publishers for this advance copy in return for my honest opinion.

𝙄𝙛 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙝𝙚’𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪.

4.5💫 Haunting, tense and atmospheric, this gothic folk horror rooted in Irish myth and legend is one for reading with the lights on.

What begins with ghostly knocks on the door of her little bookshop, quickly develops into a descent into Hell for Grace as she heads to Croaghnakeela, the small island off the coast of Ireland where she was born before she was sent to the mainland and put up for adoption.

Following the news of her biological mums death, she heads home, to the island shrouded in mystery and deep-rooted secrets, and Grace quickly discovers that some secrets should be left buried.

Multiple POVs made this book a little confusing at times as I struggled to get my head around who’s who, but this was a really enjoyable and aptly eerie read with a wholly unexpected ending. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

If you like your reads creepy, brooding, grim, hopeless and claustrophobic, then Grace is the book for you. I do, and I adored being led by the hand under gloomy skies of grey across stark landscapes and into ancient lairs.

The tale starts off lightheartedly enough as we meet Grace, who runs what many of us would deem a dream shop of rare copies of books. A call from the blue informs her that the biological mum she never knew has died whose house and estate is bequeathed to her. It's on an island off the coast of Ireland.

Grace sets off to meet the priest of the island, who called her. However, the priest isn't privy to the evil secrets of the island and was under strict instructions to keep Grace away. And that's when things begin to take a darker turn. And darker. And more grim and WHAT THE HELL?

So oppressive at times it left me breathless, this book is perfect for dark nights with a candle burning and a glass of whiskey. Intelligently written (as we have come to expect from AM Shine), with twists and turns we simply do not see coming and a gradually tightening belt of foreboding and angst that pays off in dramatic and bloody ways.

An utter joy to read, I am so thankful for the opportunity to review this ARC.