I received an advanced review copy for free from NetGalley

Welcome back to Ember Hollow, which we first visited in the gloriously Halloween-themed acid trip of Red Harvest. Consider yourselves warned: Grim Harvest is the sequel to Red Harvest and therefore, this review will have many spoilers for the latter. If you haven’t read it yet, you should probably stop right here.

It’s a year after the Pumpkin Parade Massacre, when Ragdoll Ruth (religious fanatic) and Everett Geelens (psychopathic killer) nearly destroyed the town, killing dozens, injuring even more, and causing untold anguish before being slaughtered themselves.

Among the walking (read: staggering) wounded is Dennis Barcroft, former lead singer of the Chalk Outlines and no-longer-recovering alcoholic. Now, he’s off the wagon and into a ditch, leaving behind the band, his friends, family, and Jill, the love of his life. Dennis’s younger brother Stuart is also suffering from a humiliating condition as a result of last year’s trauma, on top of the usual growing pains of puppy love and pubescent body image issues.

Candace Geelens, Everett’s sister and the only surviving member of their family, is in foster care hell. Reverend McGlazer’s faith is being tested in ever more horrific ways as the unholy presence in the church grows stronger, and secrets from the town’s past threaten to destroy its future.

And if all that weren’t fun enough, Nico Rizzoli, Ragdoll Ruth’s lover and partner in crime, has escaped from prison and is out for revenge. Bloody, gruesome, gory, creative revenge. I mean sure, he could just kill everyone with a gun or knife or chainsaw, but it just so happens that he knows a witch who knows a spell to turn Nico and his biker friends into werewolves for a little extra havoc-wreaking. And maybe, if Nico can figure out just the right spell and sacrifice just the right person, he could even bring Ruth back.

Grim Harvest, as I mentioned, is the second book in the Haunted Hollow series, and it’s my understanding that there will be at least one more. It’s a decent follow up to Red Harvest (which I legit LOVED), but it feels more like the middle of a trilogy than a complete work in and of itself, a bridge between a fabulous introduction and an explosive finale. Other reviewers have mentioned that if you haven’t read the first book, this one is hard to follow, and I can totally see that, but I don’t really count that as a flaw. It’s kind of the nature of a series - if you have no idea that Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, it makes no sense when he’s swinging on webs.

My issue is more the sense that Grim Harvest is a placeholder between the major parts of the story, instead of a major part itself. Sure, there are a couple of new plot lines and characters that have a complete beginning, middle and end, but our main characters just don’t get much movement. They’re in the book, but it doesn’t feel like they grow or change in any significant way, or even play as much of a role as they did in the first book.

Sure, they go to the places and do the things, but with so many characters and plot lines in barely 200 pages, they just don’t get to breathe the way they deserve to. All of the psychological fallout for each of them is explored in great depth and detail, throughout every scene, and in the end, each of them is fixed with a couple of sentences. It doesn’t feel earned.

One of the best parts of Red Harvest was the way the friends & families interacted with each other, the simple affection and humor that they had, and that feels somewhat lacking here. Even when Stuart and DeShaun are being their obnoxious thirteen year old boy selves, there’s part of Stuart that just can’t relax and enjoy the moment. It’s understandable, but it also undermines a lot of what made Red Harvest so much fun despite its horrific sequences. Ditto the group of punks - their friendship and banter were fantastic last time, and they don’t even really have a conversation this time.

So in the end, I’ll still read the next book, because Mr. Greene has never really let me down. I imagine that he’s got something incredible planned for the finale.

Spooky and gives a general vibe of dread through the multiple points of view. A good concept for a scary story, but the could be easier to follow and enjoy if the number of perspectives the reader receives were reduced. Some of the potential enjoyment I could have gotten from this book was lost, as I didn't know that this was a sequel.

I really enjoyed Grim Harvest. It is creepy and entertaining. The only thing that I wish was different is that it didn't follow so many point of views. Sometimes it got a little confusing on whose point of view I was reading until I got a few paragraphs in.

A lot of characters, multiple POVs, and a continuation from the first book made for a disjointed, confusing read. Given the high number of characters, it was only rational that some would reverberate more than others.

However, the author does have a quick hand for turning a macabre scene. While the writing itself was smooth, and the horror succinct, it simply took too long to appear for this reader.

Having not known that this was a second book when requested, I would highly recommend reading in order.

I liked that they story was about Halloween. It is the second book in the series. The story and characters were interesting. This is the first book I've read by this author. I enjoyed the book and would read other books by this author.

A great sequel to the first book. I really enjoyed both these books and they are perfect for this time of year. Fast paced and fun. I recommend this book to horror readers.

Ember Hollow was rocked by an especially violent Halloween last year, and this year will be just as bad. A biker gang has a spell to resurrect a mass murderer in the body of a local. Two teens have to help their friend Candace, who is convinced that her dead brother (called the Trick or Treat Murderer by the press) will come back from the dead in time for the holiday. As if that wasn't enough, Minister Abe McGlazer begins acting strangely after a secret passage is discovered beneath his ancient church. The clock is ticking until it's Halloween...

Even if you haven't read the first novel, there are more than enough references to the fatal night that it's simply back story to the current one. The title makes it obvious that this is a horror story, but for good measure, we open with Nico getting broken out of police custody in grisly fashion, his biker gang a group of transforming werewolves. Candace is deliberately mistreated by her foster parents so that her only comfort is the four-year-old girl she rooms with. Everyone else in town is living with the horrible memories of the year before, which gives them a sense of dread even as they try to achieve normalcy. The first third of the book clearly is the set up for the horrors to come.

I feel for Candace and her friends, as well as the beleaguered citizens as the biker gang starts to wreak havoc and the menacing presence starts to corrupt the reverend. The action at the end is horrific in more ways than one. The bloodshed and death is grisly and violent in one location, while in the other people have to deal with possession and infection.

This is definitely a fitting novel to read for Halloween.

There is a violent biker gang owing to town with a spell from the local witch that will turn his gang into werewolves. Why? The leader of the gang also has plans on resurrecting a mass murderess as he needs her help. Candace is in a foster home where her foster parents are not helping her get over a trauma she experienced. She is scared that her brother will return from the dead and kill her. Will he? Her two friends Deshaun and Stuart are determined to keep her safe and alive. The local minister has been sobered for some time but now is suddenly tempted with several bottles of his favorite alcohol. Will he be able to resist this temptation?

It’s a novel with several characters that are all being challenged for good or evil. The fascinating characters with powerful conflicts made this a book a must-read for me. It is a horror story with surprising and satisfying twists. It is a suspenseful, well-told and imaginative story though also a grisly reflection on human nature. I didn’t read the first story as I didn’t know this was the “second” book of this series. I think that you can enjoy it without reading the first book but I am going to read the first one.

The premise of this book sounded really interesting with the right amount of horror, but once I started reading, I realized that it's very important that you read the first book in this series before reading book two. The story was so disjointed and there were so many characters, I couldn't keep them straight or figure out what their backstories were. The writing itself was fine, I just couldn't keep the story straight.

For the most part I enjoyed Grim Harvest. It's everything I want in a slasher horror novel. My only issue is that I didn't realize this was a continuation of Red Harvest (which you need to have read first). If I had known that, I would have read it before this one.

A Perfect Read For Halloween!

I loved Red Harvest, so I was delighted to snag a copy of the sequel. I wasn't disappointed. The elements that made the first book of the series a great read are here again. The characters are interesting and the plot blends the criminal and the supernatural very well. The story's suspense begins building at once and will keep you turning pages.

This second book has a deeper undertone of sadness for those who survived the shocking events of last year's Pumpkin Parade. Life has moved on in the small town, though a few are struggling more than others. Friends and lovers have been separated, bad habits are causing some to stumble, and more trouble is coming for them all.

Now, I have to wait for the third book!

Grim Harvest by Patrick C. Greene
I am a fan of Mr. Greens Haunted Hollow Chronicles and was excited to be able to grab a copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publishers (thank you much!) Although this could be read as a stand alone I think if you can get your hands on Red Harvest the 1st book you would understand better what is happening in Ember Hollow! This book picks up roughly a year after Red Harvest which brings us back to Halloween time and whether or not the town and the residents could take another Halloween Parade and what could ensue. I was not disappointed in any way with this book and look forward to the next one in the series! Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for this book and letting me leave my honest opinion.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. It was an okay read, nothing special. I'm not sure if I'll read anything else by this author.

Grim Harvest, by Patrick Greene

Short Take: A too-brief visit with old friends.

(*Note: I received an advance copy of this book for review.*)

Good morning, nerdlings! I am mostly recovered after a late night out at the fair, where I was lucky enough to see Gabriel Iglesias, aka Fluffy live. He put on a fantastic show and my face still hurts (yes, I know, IT’S KILLING YOU) from laughing.

I also have to give a shout-out to local fairs, and all their fun traditions: corn dogs, rigged games, fried oreos, animal smells, cotton candy, rides with questionable safety ratings, and fried cheese on a stick.. Having always lived in a small town, I tend to take fairs for granted, and don’t go to them very much anymore, but it only takes a single whiff of the air to kick me right in the nostalgia-bone.

And speaking of nostalgia for small towns, dearies, welcome back to Ember Hollow, which we first visited in the gloriously Halloween-themed acid trip of Red Harvest. Consider yourselves warned: Grim Harvest is the sequel to Red Harvest and therefore, this review will have many spoilers for the latter. If you haven’t read it yet (dude, what?? Get on that already!), you should probably stop right here.

It’s a year after the Pumpkin Parade Massacre, when Ragdoll Ruth (religious fanatic) and Everett Geelens (psychopathic killer) nearly destroyed the town, killing dozens, injuring even more, and causing untold anguish before being slaughtered themselves.

Among the walking (read: staggering) wounded is Dennis Barcroft, former lead singer of the Chalk Outlines and no-longer-recovering alcoholic. Now, he’s off the wagon and into a ditch, leaving behind the band, his friends, family, and Jill, the love of his life. Dennis’s younger brother Stuart is also suffering from a humiliating condition as a result of last year’s trauma, on top of the usual growing pains of puppy love and pubescent body image issues.

Candace Geelens, Everett’s sister and the only surviving member of their family, is in foster care hell. Reverend McGlazer’s faith is being tested in ever more horrific ways as the unholy presence in the church grows stronger, and secrets from the town’s past threaten to destroy its future.

And if all that weren’t fun enough, Nico Rizzoli, Ragdoll Ruth’s lover and partner in crime, has escaped from prison and is out for revenge. Bloody, gruesome, gory, creative revenge. I mean sure, he could just kill everyone with a gun or knife or chainsaw, but it just so happens that he knows a witch who knows a spell to turn Nico and his biker friends into werewolves for a little extra havoc-wreaking. And maybe, if Nico can figure out just the right spell and sacrifice just the right person, he could even bring Ruth back.

Grim Harvest, as I mentioned, is the second book in the Haunted Hollow series, and it’s my understanding that there will be at least one more. It’s a decent follow up to Red Harvest (which I legit LOVED), but it feels more like the middle of a trilogy than a complete work in and of itself, a bridge between a fabulous introduction and an explosive finale. Other reviewers have mentioned that if you haven’t read the first book, this one is hard to follow, and I can totally see that, but I don’t really count that as a flaw. It’s kind of the nature of a series - if you have no idea that Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, it makes no sense when he’s swinging on webs.

My issue is more the sense that Grim Harvest is a placeholder between the major parts of the story, instead of a major part itself. Sure, there are a couple of new plot lines and characters that have a complete beginning, middle and end, but our main characters just don’t get much movement. They’re in the book, but it doesn’t feel like they grow or change in any significant way, or even play as much of a role as they did in the first book.

Sure, they go to the places and do the things, but with so many characters and plot lines in barely 200 pages, they just don’t get to breathe the way they deserve to. All of the psychological fallout for each of them is explored in great depth and detail, throughout every scene, and in the end, each of them is fixed with a couple of sentences. It doesn’t feel earned.

One of the best parts of Red Harvest was the way the friends & families interacted with each other, the simple affection and humor that they had, and that feels somewhat lacking here. Even when Stuart and DeShaun are being their obnoxious thirteen year old boy selves, there’s part of Stuart that just can’t relax and enjoy the moment. It’s understandable, but it also undermines a lot of what made Red Harvest so much fun despite its horrific sequences. Ditto the group of punks - their friendship and banter were fantastic last time, and they don’t even really have a conversation this time.

So in the end, I’ll still read the next book, because Mr. Greene has never really let me down. I imagine that he’s got something incredible planned for the finale.

The Nerd’s Rating: THREE HAPPY NEURONS (and some fried fair food cause I’m craving it again already.)

You have to read Red Harvest first, part one of the trilogy, to get the full enriched reading experience.
Grim Harvest being the second book in the trilogy does not simply move the story along so one can get to the final book. Grim Harvest is a crazy thrill ride thru bizarre situations, shocking violence and old favorite characters we've come to love. Highly recommended and I can't wait for the third book. Keep an eye on Patrick C. Greene!

I really enjoyed the first book Red Harvest,
so I was excited to get a copy of the sequel.
Maybe my expectations were too high but this was just an OK read for me. It lacked the momentum of the previous book and the story seemed to jump around too much.

This book took a while to get going but was once it did.. However, this is not a standalone; I feel that the prior book should be read first in order to really understand the story.

3.5 Stars

The writing of Grim Harvest has such an easy read quality to it. I was drawn in very quickly to the various plot threads that wove together and I really enjoyed the creepy vibe. It’s a perfect read for the upcoming Fall months. There’s a feeling of unease even as the book starts and it picks up as the story progresses.

The characters were unique individuals. And the creature feature vibe was fun! There was A LOT going on, but it tied together well into a fun finish.

Grim Harvest by Patrick C. Greene is the second book in The Haunted Hollow Chronicles but can be read as a standalone novel. There is some history to the characters that spill over into the second book, but I did not feel like I missed anything major by not having read the first book. Although, I enjoyed this one so much I will read the first one to make sure I catch up on all the characters and their development!

It’s filled with the supernatural, fantastical animals, magic, a fair amount of scary stuff and some truly likeable, relatable characters!

The story flows smoothly, and even though there are a number of influential characters, it’s easy to keep track of them and their actions.

I would reccomend this to readers who love this genre.

#netgalley #grimharvest #patrickcgreene

Very good read. I got through this really quickly and was invested in a number of the characters. My heart went out to Candace, Deshaun and Stuart right from the start. Spoiler alert, I was worried that Deshaun might not make it. In some ways the ending was a little bit of an anticlimax and I did feel that I would have liked it to be a little longer, but other than that great book and would definitely recommend to everyone