Ellerie Downing lives in the quiet town of Amity Falls in the Blackspire Mountain range--five narrow peaks stretching into the sky like a grasping hand, bordered by a nearly impenetrable forest from which the early townsfolk fought off the devils in the woods. To this day, visitors are few and rare. But when a supply party goes missing, some worry that the monsters that once stalked the region have returned. As fall turns to winter, more strange activities plague the town. They point to a tribe of devilish and mystical creatures who promise to fulfill the residents' deepest desires, however grand and impossible, for just a small favor. But their true intentions are much more sinister, and Ellerie finds herself in a race against time before all of Amity Falls, her family, and the boy she loves go up in flames.
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0Thank you so much to Delecorte Press and Netgalley for providing me an e-arc copy! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
After absolutely adoring House of Salt and Sorrow by this author, this was hands down one of my most anticipated releases of the year! I love creepy small town and no one writes ambiance like Erin A Craig.
And this book absolutely blew me away with its ominous vibe and haunting small town. This world was lush and descriptive and pulled me right into its darkness. Everything about this town felt isolated from time and the surrounding world. I really loved the world and atmosphere the author created - it had me on edge through the entire book!
But where this book without a doubt excelled at atmosphere, it fell a little flat on plot for me. I love a story that seems a little aimless until the reveal or conclusion - but the conclusion needs to deliver with a punch and unfortunately this one didn't quite hit that mark. The plot of this meandered as we watched the small town unravel which definitely added to eeriness but it carried on a little too long. And the final reveal just didn't hit me the way I wanted, it felt obvious and predictable, and the ultimate showdown was lackluster.
This sophomore novel was a bit of a mixed bag for me but I still 100% adore Erin A Craig's writing. This book definitely took some chances on the horror elements and wasn't afraid to make you hate a character (of which I did a lot). While this might not have been my perfect read, I think a lot of readers will still love this and I can't wait to see what this author releases next!
0**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
Erin A Craig returns with her small-town horror Small Favors. Readers follow Ellerie Downing, eldest daughter of one of the founding families in Amity Falls. Amity Falls is a small village where neighbors must support one another. The village typically gets two supply runs from the city a year, but when one of the supply runs fails it is the start of all manner of misfortunes for the village.
Craig has a talent for creating an atmosphere of dread. Not necessarily spooky or creepy, but just generally that something-bad-is-about-to-happen vibe. There is also a constant introduction of gradually more questions, the answers to which only spawn more questions. There are questions of possible supernatural issues, possible betrayal, and lots of who is this person really. Combine with a sense of being trapped by the seasons and building tensions in the village. Craig was really very successful in creating a big build up for the climax of the novel.
My biggest complaint, and really only complaint, is that everything was resolved so quickly and cleanly. Once the objective of how to fix things was discovered, it was carried out and new goals for moving forward were made with potential for a happily ever after. Happily ever after with need for extensive therapy maybe, but still. It was simply too easy, too quick, too tidy for all the tension and build-up.
I have enjoyed both of Craig's works so far, and have no issues recommending them. I eagerly look forward to her future works as well.
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