This book had a lot of potential and a great premise but ultimately fell flat for me. I found it hard to stay engaged with the plot or the cbaracters.

*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review*

Give me all the spooky witch stories! This was kind of a teen Hocus Pocus? Super easy read and one I recommend if my student doesn't want to be scared too much.

The Wicked Deep was quite easy to predict. Though the read does fly, and the character development is sparse and trivial, the novel itself does prove to be a fun read for the Halloween scene. Though I wouldn't say the plot twist towards the end really provided a big shock, it was enchanting to read about the Swan sisters and have the juxtaposing chapters of past and present give more insight to who these characters were before they were accused of witchcraft and drowned.

I think I expected too much of this book. The synopsis and cover made me think I was diving into a moody enchanting read and while there were elements of that, I felt like the real life/high school aspects overshadowed them. Which might not be a problem for most readers, considering the intended audience, just not something I was looking for. I also wanted more from the world-building and magic but I don't really know what was missing for me, just that there was <i>something.</i> Overall a solid book but definitely more of an average read for me.

I really wanted to love this book, but I struggled to feel a connection to the characters, and I still felt somewhat distant from them even later in the story. The premise of the story is what really interested me, but the execution wasn't perfect and I was left with questions that remained unanswered. I think for the right person, it could be a great read, but I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone.

I attempted to read this twice and couldn't get into it. I only made it about halfway. I do plan to try again in the future, but for now I'm thinking this book isn't right for me at this time.

LOVE witchy stories. The Wicked Deep features an interesting tale set in a secretive town :) It had that Sleepy Hollow, Covenant, Secret Circle kind of feel. Not to mention the main character, who does her fair share of sketchy stuff and tramples all over the line between good and evil.

That said, the pacing is a bit slow. It wasn't until about 50% that the suspense really kicked in and after that, the story moved much more quickly.

Overall, I would recommend!

DNF @ 16%

It's sad because it sounded like a me read, but I just can't get into this book. I love anything and everything about witches, but I'm not invested in this one, and I don't have any interest in finishing it.

I gave The Wicked Deep a shout on the Barnes and Noble Teen blog! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/teen/6-ya-novels-set-in-dangerous-waters/

It was an interesting tale, but the main character was not very likable. The secrecy behind the town and the love interests' involvement seemed contrite. I really had no sympathy for the main character, as I felt the idea of using someone else's body the way the she did made her unworthy of a readers' empathy. The pacing was a bit off, but around about 2/3 in it did become more suspenseful. Overall, I would not recommend it to the casual reader, but I would recommend it to someone who has a deep fascination with fantasy.

A lovely atmospheric read! The story was compelling and loved that I didn't see what was coming! Definitely looking forward to more from this author in the future!

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me this e-ARC!
The plot was absolutely intriguing, though ever since I’ve heard that this book is about witches, my interest was piqued and I was 100% sure I’ll love it. My only complaint is that everything was quite predictable. Both of us were able to figure out what was going on, I think we didn’t miss any plot twist, to be honest and that rarely happens to me because I’m usually too lost in the book to try to unravel the secrets. Besides that, it was a very atmospheric read that I would totally recommend during Halloween.

Very enjoyable read. Set in a spooky island town, this story weaves through a town where three sisters come back annually to haunt and murder. With lots of twists and turns, this book will keep you on your toes and is very well done. Thank you for the advanced copy.

Content Warning: Underaged drinking/Drunkeness, Drunk Driving, Murder, Drowning, Death, Possession, Abduction, Premarital Sex

“Tonight’s party is the start of a season that will bring more than just tourist dollars--it will bring folklore and speculation and doubt about the town’s history. But always, every year without fail or falter, it also brings death.”

I was approved for an eARC of The Wicked Deep by Netgalley (thank you!) but was unable to read the entire thing because my edition was incomplete. I had only made it about thirty pages in before calling it quits with the eARC and waiting for the book to be published so I could continue on reading it.

The Wicked Deep has been popular ever since it hit the shelves (and before) this year. I’d say it’s for (mostly) good reason that this book has gotten so much attention. While there isn’t much to take away morally so-to-speak, the story itself is captivating enough to be simply, a good story. It’s a book that could easily be read in one sitting, as it’s capable to hook its devious claws into the reader and hold their attention right until the end---at least, that’s how I felt. The Wicked Deep encompasses a majority of traditional Young Adult tropes and themes; romance, betrayal, revenge, strong female main character, etc. However, the setting and the style in which this book was written made it stand out for its formatting.

World Building

Being set in a small coastal town place like Sparrow, Oregon immediately captured my attention. Everything screamed ocean and all of its moody attributes. The harbor and its tragic history made the story more ominous in nature, and somehow, more intriguing. Set in current times, the story builds upon snippets of the past that are divulged between the main chapters. These snippets give vital information about the Swan sisters two-hundred years prior, and how they came to reside in Sparrow. I appreciated the author using this tactic to reveal elements of the story rather than dumping loads of information.

The Wicked Deep is fantasy-lite if you ask me. While there were obvious fantasy elements, (i.e. the paranormal factor of the Swan sisters) the rest of the story felt very normal. In fact, it felt very comparable to a contemporary YA read. I believe this is because the author, instead of emphasizing the talents in witchcraft that the Swan sisters possessed, or didn’t possess (it remains a debatable point) superstition and prejudice became the actual culprits to the Swan sisters’ demise. These two traits have possessed Sparrow for over two-hundred years, which show how ideas left unchallenged can be very dangerous and damaging.

Pacing & Readability

The pacing is actually quite slow throughout this story. Because of its reflective nature, I think the pacing was appropriate for the content and the way the story develops. In fact, the pacing, however slow, worked well with building suspense until the climax and major revelations were given.

Point-Of-View & Characters

“I believe that I’m stronger than most girls---that I’m not so easily fooled by the sisters’ ethereal voices. My mother used to say that we are like the Swan sisters---she and I. Misunderstood. Different. Outcasts living alone on the island, reading fortunes in the cosmos of tea leaves. But I wonder if it’s even possible to be normal in a place like Sparrow. Perhaps we all have some oddity, some strangeness we keep hidden along our edges, things we see that we can’t explain, things we wish for, things we run from.

The main character, Penny Talbot, lives on Lumiere Island with her mother. The two are accustomed to their ostracized lifestyle. Penny clearly is a loner. She has few (really only one) close friend and has a difficult time being around others. Despite this character trait, she’s rather confident in who she is. I believe she will be a character that the reader will either understand completely or find rather unlikeable because of her melancholic demeanor.

What I liked most about Penny was that she didn’t lack in depth. She was a deep thinker, with a past that impacted significantly her present. The fact that her father disappeared three years ago thrust her into a role of “caretaker” for her mother whose mental state shattered when her father never returned. There is an element in Penny’s character that requires close attention. I cannot say further due to spoilers, but PAY CLOSE ATTENTION!

Rose is Penny’s closest friend. Wanting to be an artist and being much more social than Penny, the two are rather opposite. Perhaps that is why they are so close. Rose’s artisticness allows her to understand Penny’s oddities. Rose is also extremely compassionate, which puts her in situations where she acts before she thinks.

Bo, the mysterious out-of-town stranger was my favorite character of them all---until the end. The way he reacted when revelations to his secrets where divulged were all revenge-driven. I like a character who can think objectively, especially when the world around them is crashing down. Along with that, I simply desired more purpose for Bo’s character than he had.

“Good morning,” Marguerite spoke elegantly, as if she were raised by royals, when in fact all three sisters were raised by a woman who’d lewdly dabbed perfume between her thighs to entice her lovers.

I’m going to lump the three Swan sisters together, as they all pretty much have the same purpose. Birthed by a woman that had obviously skewed morals, Marguerite, Aurora, and Hazel Swan all inherited their mother’s beauty. Their beauty (and skills of enticing men) ultimately led the sisters to their death. Each sister had their own tactics for making men fall in love with them; each conquest had a meaning. But for one, her only conquest was not borne from lust, but from love.

”We both carry it. A mark on our skin, a brand burned into flesh from the weight of our past. Perhaps only those with similar scars can recognize it in others. The fear rimming our eyes.”

Despite the genuineness that this love held, the townsfolk believed the sisters to be witches, and therefore, drown them. Despite all of the terrible acts that the sisters did, the grudge they held against the town was strong enough to curse Sparrow for the next two hundred years, so that they may enact their revenge.

Major Themes

⇒ Prejudice

"To them, he had never belonged here in the first place. For this, a part of me hates this town, this place, and these people for being so callous. They fear anyone and anything that isn’t them. Just like they feared the Swan sisters two hundred years ago...and they killed them for being different."

While prejudice probably isn’t the main theme throughout The Wicked Deep, it's definitely one to touch upon. Prejudice mainly surfaces around the Swan sisters and how the townsfolk assumed them to be witches. Because they were not liked by most (for a valid reason, I mean, anyone who goes around seducing any man in town no matter his relational state, is not a person I’d idolize) they were accused and sentenced to death based on superstition (i.e. odd birthmarks.) Penny also notes several times about how the townsfolk never accepted her father, who wasn’t a Sparrow native. A reason isn’t really given, other than them being “suspicious” of outsiders. Prejudism has the potential to be dangerous, as was exemplified here.

⇒ Revenge

“It’s not like the girls come out of the water and announce that they’re Marguerite or Aurora or Hazel--they need to blend in, act normal.”
“Why?”
“Because they don’t inhabit bodies just to be alive again; they do it for revenge.”
“Revenge on who?”
“The town.”

Revenge is probably the main theme throughout the entire plot. Exacting revenge to “get back” at those who wronged others is the go-to decision for multiple characters. This was one of the biggest problems I had with this story. Everyone wanted what they wanted, without thinking of the consequences. At times, it was rather infuriating because nothing good comes from revenge!

⇒ Death

”It’s rare to know your death is approaching, waiting for you, death’s fingers already grasping for your soul. I felt it reaching out for me. I was already half-gone.”

I don’t really need to dig too far into this one. Death is a common occurrence in Sparrow, especially during the Swan season. If you aren’t one for morbid tales, then steer clear of this one.

⇒ Love

“Perhaps this one thing is enough---to fall in love? If love can bind something, can it also undo it?”

Another theme twisted into the picture was love. While I appreciated that this was an attempt to redeem all of the bad happening in the rest of the plot, I don’t think it was enough. Not to mention, it was just downright odd. Because of how this theme appears in the story, I won’t discuss it more. It’s nearly impossible to discuss without revealing too much.

Overall Feelings

Things that I liked:

⇒ The style in which the author wrote the book.
⇒ The atmosphere.
⇒It's readability.
⇒ The twists.

Things that I didn’t like:

⇒ The...odd...relationship aspect.
⇒ The lack of lessons/morals to take away from the story.
⇒ Bo’s purpose and reactiveness.
⇒ The Swan sister's conquests.

The Wicked Deep is definitely a step away from typical Young Adult literature this year. It is a fresh take on a genre that has been done in numerous ways, relating to some, but definitely standing out. While it lacked in overall purpose, I was simply entertained by the story, and appreciated being able to settle into this story of Sparrow without any hindrances. If you are looking for somewhat spooky, but quick and light reading, this may be one for you.

Vulgarity: 33 words.
Sexual content: Premarital sex without explicit scenes.
Violence: The act of drowning, discovery of drowned individuals.

My first impressions of this book was awe. Every time I opened my Kindle to read it, I became excited and was easily sucked into Ernshaw’s dark and mysterious world.

While reading, it was easy to picture the dark, damp feeling that Sparrow held. Even with the amount of tragedy that happens in this town, none of the scenes were too graphically described. The storyline was fast-paced as the reader got to know both present-day Sparrow and centuries-ago Sparrow. I thought the small glimpses of when the Swan sisters were alive were clever and smoothly done. To be honest, I would have loved more background and insight of their past lives.

When looking at characters, I really enjoyed the array of personalities. Quiet and reflective Penny, mysterious Bo, naive Rose, and despondent Penny’s mom. When looking at development, though, the most developed character was Penny, as the book was written in her perspective. There were times when I questioned if anyone else were developed more. Bo, the love interest, was given a motive for entering Sparrow, but I don’t think this constitutes as development. In general, every else was fairly one-dimensional.

I would say there were a few plot holes. For instance, there is much mention about Penny’s mom’s depressed state, and even though we get a basic reason why, I feel there is more to her story that could’ve been explored more. Without giving too much away, we never learn the current state of Bo’s family. It also would have been nice to know what happened to the girls that were affected by the Swan sisters. Lastly, I would have also liked to know how were the three sisters able to survive all those years, how were they able to return, and where do they normally go when they aren’t possessing three girls?

As a fair warning, there is talk about death (as mentioned earlier) and sexual intercourse between teenagers. The sexual scenes, though not many, were described enough for young people to understand what was happening.

Even with its lack of character development and some plot holes, I found the pacing to be fast, the storyline creative, and an overall joy to read. I will definitely be looking out for more of Shea Ernshaw’s works! I would absolutely recommend this to those who enjoy reading young adult romance novels with some paranormal activity.

I was supposed to work with this author to do an author spotlight but that didnt end up working out as she got extremely busy. I read and really enjoyed this book and once I post a live review I will update this.

The concept that this book was like hocus pocus was a bit of a stretch. Aside from there being 3 sister there was really nothing else in common with the beloved movie. That being said, I still enjoyed the story and didn't see it coming when the final sister was revealed.

This lyrically written, carefully crafted modern/historical tragedy is a delight to read. I enjoyed it and was sad to have it end.

I read this book in literally one sitting because it was so good. it was one of those books that you go into not expecting much and then it completely surprises you! I loved the ghostly elements and thought it was done very well and was quite creeped out by it. That plot twist was also just... wow. I'm still a little surprised by it. However I did feel like the ending was too quick and there wasn't enough explanation for some things.

One of my favorite read of 2018. Had no idea that she was Hazel at the end. It was so different than anything Ihave read. I loved every minute of this story.

Beautiful story, fantastic characters! We really enjoyed this book, and think it'll be on shelves for a long time.