Burn the Dark isn't exactly my wheelhouse, which is why it gets a three star. Initially I wasn't sure if I would be interested enough to read this whole novel, but huge props to S.A. Hunt who got me interested in a premise that I wasn't sure that I would be into. The cast of characters grew on me and I loved the YouTube aspect of this novel. Definitely a great start to this series, but just not for me.

This reads more like a preview of book 1 or maybe even a prequel. Generally we get a lot of set-up for the overall world (ours plus magical elements). S.A. Hunt establishes the history, characters, present day situation, and what is likely to be plot moving forward in the series. Sadly Burn the Dark lacks a depth and ends up feeling too generic for me; like many common stories pasted together into one.

Urban Fantasy with Humour
I will confess I much prefer a whole new world different from our own in fantasy novels. The urban fantasy where magic or creatures are added to our existing present on Earth is less appealing to me. I blame Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris for over saturating me decades ago with their series Anita Blake and True Blood respectively.
The difference here is that Hunt knows she's writing a bit of a comical story and so plays it up! I really appreciated the cute pop culture references and lines like:
"Cram your light up your ass, Zulu, I won’t your Keymaster."
Note: if you are too young to know this reference please immediately rent the original Ghostbusters from the 80's, forgive the special effects (it was the 80's after all) and sit back to have some fun.
Because Hunt took the approach to not take her world too seriously overall this worked much better than it might have otherwise. Urban worlds always feel a bit ridiculous and so the humour fit right in for me.

Haphazardly Put Together
My biggest complaint about Burn the Dark is that there are three storylines with different characters happening and I couldn't find even a glimmer of reason why I was being told them or how they would come together. Of course they do, because otherwise why tell these perspectives; but I really wish a bit more foreshadowing had happened so I at least felt like I was reading the same book when the point of view changed. This took me out of the story quickly when each character's time came as the point of view was so drastically different. This is an issue I've had before with books my Michael Crichton (as an example) where it all feels a bit too abstract for too long. I don't need the convergence of stories to happen sooner; but some subtle hints about how they may (or may not) connect would be appreciated.

Self Help Book?
I must admit at times I felt like I was ready a caddy self help book. There are a lot of comments and references to being badass, to fighting back, and to overall self confidence. As I'm not big on overstating self-help style adages I found this a bit tiresome and annoying. Although I did really appreciate this one for it's humour and more pop culture references:
"Adapt and overcome. When life gives you a problem, you gotta adapt and be stronger, you know? Be the Hulk. Be better. Be bigger. Be badder."

The Roller Coast Ending
The last 30 pages (or so) are a horror filled ride of ups and downs; and easily my favourite part. Things get gruesome, horrifically creative, and fast paced! If the last few pages are an indication of future plot style in the next few books then sign me up. I'd love to have that crazy plot and speed of story right alongside the humour to create a silly; but intelligent and a bit scary series. That would be the kind of urban fantasy I would love to get on board with.

Overall
Given I know what to expect now I might read book 2. This first book felt more like a teaser, prequel, or pitch to get you invested in the series; drop a bit of excitement in the end to hook you in for book 2. A little more plot and character development would have been nice but that can always come in the next book or two. As TOR was very generous and I also have book 2 & 3 as eARCs on my TBR I will be getting to them sooner rather than later. This is likely to be a good series for when you need a brain break and just want to be along for a fun, if silly, and probably bloody ride.

"Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review."

Poor Start to Near-Epic Finish

This book started off with a bunch of bad sayings, that made no sense whatsoever. Well, it was a review copy, so may have been updated by the time the book was released, but there is nothing more off putting (well, perhaps there is) than a bunch of author-created nonsensical sayings.

But, once I got into the book, despite the horror edge to the story, I actually quite enjoyed it. A few laughs, a few gory moments. A few excellent characters to top it off, with a few interweaving storylines.

The witches themselves are devious. And there is just something not right about that house… Yet Robin manages to go back to where she grew up and find out more about her past than she could have wished for, gaining a handful of trusty sidekicks along the way.

I might not understand much about the background or culture (typical Brit trying to watch US TV dramas and failing to get the context), but all in all it wasn’t bad at all.

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

I can definitely see the appeal here. The vibe sounds right up my alley - and I love unique takes on “monster” hunting.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. I didn’t enjoy or dislike Robin. She was too bland and the story felt like it was trying too hard to be cinematic.

I want to *feel* the story. And I just didn’t feel anything here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary review copy. This did not affect my review in any way.

Burn the Dark is an excellent combination of modern-day fantasy, internet fame, and witch hunting from a protagonist you’d be desperate to follow on YouTube. Hunt manages to combine loads of characters alongside witch-lore and horror elements to create a world that’s brimming with intrigue. Every minute of the book was a joy to read and left me ecstatic to find it’s the first in a planned trilogy.

Writing Lessons Learned

-How to incorporate loads of characters in a smart and necessary way. Burn the Dark is loaded with characters and we somehow get to know all of them well without the story feeling bogged down by unnecessary extras. This method made me connect with the town on a much deeper level and kept me invested in the plot from start to finish.
-How to write everyday dialogue. It’s eye-opening to read a book with dialogue that just feels so real. Burn the Dark has extremely realistic conversations, both in dialect and in content. In real life, people don’t go around making perfect exhalations that are philosophical and infinitely smart. Dialogue is messy, filled with imperfections that seep in from a person’s personality and their history. Hunt does a great job of giving us that realistic look.
-How to incorporate dark settings into a story. I’ve studied the importance of setting endlessly and wrote a few papers on it back in the day. Without a strong setting, that picture in your mind won’t fully form. Burn the Dark is loaded with vivid settings, both magical and terrifying. I could picture every little detail, leaving me excited to read long stretches without dialogue. That can be very difficult to achieve.
-Horror can be a part of a fantasy novel without overwhelming it. Burn the Dark is more of a fantasy but when it takes an exit into horror, the passages terrify with the best of them. It’s the kind of writing that pulls you in and makes you forget your surroundings. I could picture every moment and was impressed at how masterfully each sentence was crafted.

Plot Structure Analysis

Burn the Dark feels unique as you wind through the chapters. The narrative switches between our protagonist, the badass and infinitely cool Robin, and a group of kids who are unwittingly walking into a nightmare of ghoulish proportions. The beginning goes back and forth in time, switching between characters as we get the lay of the land. It’s a meandering path into the present, and I found it to be a great method of getting the reader to fully inhabit the story. There are small conflicts aplenty, but we don’t start to get into the intense action until much later in the story.

Most impressive was the incorporation of horror elements into the plot. They often come out of nowhere or during a witchcraft discussion or investigation. Flipping the switch between supernatural and horrifying can be a fine line and Hunt does it with ease. I can still picture the Red Lord in my head and it’s quite the imagery. This behind-the-scenes monster is always lurking, leaving a constant state of dread alongside the every-present threat of witches who want to gobble up the world for one more day of life.

There were a lot of elements that made this such an engaging read:

-The concept of an internet-celebrity witch hunter whose expertly edited real-life encounters masquerade as fictional filmmaking.
-An off-the-beaten-path town filled with mysteries and a gaggle of characters who lend charm and unease to the setting.
-The age-old plotline of a new family escaping the city only to find themselves in an old Victorian house haunted by evil spirits.
-A realistic representation of witches as life-hungry beings who will do whatever they can to remain in the world, no matter how much it destroys their surroundings.
-A history for both protagonists that is filled with epic magic and mysteries yet to be unveiled.

Burn the Dark is definitely meant to be read alongside the rest of the series. With the unfinished conclusion, the book seems more like a longer episode of a great TV show. Personally, I think that adds to its charm. That guarantee of a full story makes it all the more exciting.

Character Analysis

Burn the Dark makes expert usage of characters to connect the reader to the plot. It’s been awhile since I’ve had to track so many characters through a narrative. As a reader, I typically struggle with remembering names and circumstances to a point of no return and confusion. Hunt is able to make each character a unique and fascinating being, complete with back stories, personalities, and traumas that define who they are. Each character has some kind of shared experience and that brings them together as a cohesive group. While Robin and Wayne are clearly the protagonists, the other characters are equally important. Somehow, the book only covers a few days in this strange town, but it feels like you’ve known this place and its people forever. Hunt doesn’t need long passages devoted to each of the characters, instead choosing to piece together their stories through conversations and little details here and there. This method keeps you in the story, giving you a natural flow of character introduction that doesn’t stick out as a necessary writing element. Overall, Burn the Dark is a great look at character development and how to juggle past and present effectively.

I was hoping for an action packed witch hunting story but all I got was a boring story about a girl and she doesn't even really do any witch hunting. :(

This was described as Supernatural meets Stranger Things, so of course I had to pick it up! I’d love to see this come to life on the screen. It definitely reminded me of those shows.

This was an interesting book that is really hard to sum up and describe. A lot is happening within these pages. There are a lot of characters being introduced and at first it was a bit confusing. But, once their story lines come together it meshes very well. My only real complaint is that there is so much back story and set up in this book, that not a lot really happens overall. I think the next book in the series will be much more plot driven and get into the main adventure.

The action scenes are fantastic, though. It's very high energy and atmospheric. Robin reminds me a bit of Lisbeth Salander, who happens to be one of my all time favorite characters! I really enjoyed Robin's character and I'm excited to see what happens next. Overall, I think this was an entertaining read and definitely worth picking up.

I loved the main character attitude and humor. Robins flaws and way of seeing the word felt very relatable. She was very down to earth and portrayed youtubers in a better light than the last book I read with that element in it. The flashbacks of her life helped explain her motivations, but the switch was a little jarring at first. After her mother died and Robin started blaming witches the state sent her to a psychiatric facility. There she went through all sorts of treatments like shock therapy to help with the trauma and hallucinations. The experience was unpleasant and I was disappointed to see mental health workers being portrayed in such a negative light. I really enjoyed the relationship that developed between Robin and Kenway. I thought they were well suited for one another. Being a vet who's seen combat, Kenway didnt go running when Robin explained about her past and the witches.

There's also a bunch of other perspectives and I'm not sure if they were all necessary. They each had a distinct voice so they were easy to tell apart, but that could be the amazing way the audiobook narrator portrayed each character. I do think the witch and the man who had supper with them could have been cut out, especially since they didnt bring much to the story and there's so many other points of view to follow. Going from following a badass witch hunter to a school kid with no ties to the witches took me out of the story. It's not what I'd signed up for, but I became more invested in Wayne's point of view once it tied back to Robin and the magical elements of the story. I think Joel was one of my favorite characters because of how much he made me laugh. He always had the best responses and this way facing the truth head on. I loved his friendship with Robin.

The whole youtuber filming herself hunting witches was a lot of fun. After taking down a number of witches Robin finally feels ready to return home and take on the witches who killed her mother. At least that's what were told. She doesnt really do anything about the witches in this first book besides running into one of them by accident. Instead Robin goes to movie night with Joel and his friends. There she meets Kenway who she ends up hanging out with playing cornhole. I wish some of the scenes between the characters took place while Robin was doing recon on the witches instead of her just sitting around eating or playing games. This monster entity called the red lord is mainly what kept things exciting for me, but we also get a serial killer, magical doors, and a snake bite.

The southern setting gave me some nostalgic Trueblood vibes. The dark atmosphere and grotesque witches totally captivated me. The cinematic horror vibes I got from the descriptions was just awesome. I love the combination of youtube and witches. The mix of today's technology with the fantastical elements was really interesting. I thought the magic system could have been explained a little better, especially since there's so many different types of magic mentioned. I did enjoy what we did learn about the red lord and exploring the abandoned carnival. I'm assuming this first book was mostly a set up for the sequel where the plot will pick up and the magic will be explained in more detail, but I loved the characters so much I'd pick the sequel for that alone.

I gave this book a 4.5 Stars

I'm all for anthing about witches, so when I saw this book about a YouTube sensation Witch Hunter, I knew I needed to check it out.

 This book has got some really intersting descriptions... It makes the story super fun/ny while getting into the horror of these awful witches that suck the life out of the areas they settle in. The way that they are able to control humans through overtaking their bodies with their feline familiars was pretty cool. It was also an interesting concept that they grow their own "life fruit". 

 I really enjoyed the characters and their backstories.

 Robin is a badass! I love her style and the fact that she has such a crazy past. She was taken in as a teen from a mental institution and trained to destroy the witches that tore her family apart. She has made a good living making YouTube videos taking them down one at a time, though no one knows they are real.

 It was a blast to watch Robin grow as a character, share her story and make some friends along the way. I can't wait to get to the next book in the series (which I was also able to obtain through Netgalley 🤗). It has been an entertaining ride so far, to say the least.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Publishers for and e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

There were so many mash-up comparisons of this book that I thought I had to try it. I noped out of it about halfway through.

I'm not a huge youtube fan to begin with, but the blurbs set high expectations.There was a lot of eye-rolling and moments where I put it down in disbelief. And then I finally didn't pick it back up. *shrug emoji*

STUNNING!! Riveted me from Page 1 and never turned loose: a marvel of urban fantasy plus ancient Supernatural with thrumming resonances of original Grimm! Witch-hunter Robin has seen the evidence for herself, and dedicated her life to destroying witches. No, not Wiccans. Real witches, those whose hearts (quite literally) have been surrendered to Ereshkigal, and who need blood-fruit produced by dreads so that immortality avoids aging.


NA age group, rated 18+ due to language and violence and situations. Totally rad! Do not miss! First in series Malus Domestica.

Was really disappointed with the ending that left me very unsatisfied and made me feel like I wasted my time.

I absolutely loved this book. Sure, it didn't tie things up at the end, but that's ok. It makes me ready for the next book.

There are a lot of characters in this book, but I love what S. A. Hunt has done in this first book. Hunt has provided us with the back story first for all of the characters. A young woman is cast as the witch-hunter (think Lisbeth Salander from "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series). She's trained by some big, scary dude on how to kill witches. There are poor kids, a gay guy, a disabled veteran, and an African-American family with a single dad. There are people who are suffering from loss, grief, alcoholism, drug overdoses, etc. They're just regular people that are going through life with their own problems, all brought together a little serendipitously.

I believe that whatever comes after "Burn the Dark" will be more of the adventure and the 'why' this tribe was brought together. This book is more of the background story behind what is about to happen in this series. Most people do not like books like that, but I believe for this series, this introduction was needed so that you can become invested in these characters.

My favorite character is Wayne (nicknamed Bruce Wayne). He's the new kid in town. He recently lost his mother. His father is broken down and drinking away the pain. They decide to move to this new town to get away from Chicago, because Wayne is starting to fall into bad crowds, and Dad (Leon) really needed a change of scenery. They move into the witch hunter's old house.

This house is where Robin (the witch hunter) lived as a little girl. Her father killed her mother. Robin was thrown into a mental institution because she tried to tell the truth about what happened. But there's no such thing as witches, right?

When Leon and Wayne move into this house, it awakens the Red Lord. Or is it the fact that Robin is back in town that the Red Lord has awakened? But what exactly is the Red Lord? And why does he want Robin?

Wayne's mother's ring though is the most interesting thing about Wayne and Leon's story. When Wayne looks through the ring, he can see doorways, even the Red Lord. I still find it interesting that one doorway led him to Joel, who had been kidnapped. There has to be some significance to this that has yet to be revealed. Perhaps it is the house that ties all of their stories together? Maybe it was not coincidence why Leon/Wayne settled with this particular house to move into.

I liked Hunt's homage to comic books. Fisher (one of the kids Robin's mom used to babysit) runs a comic book store. His favorite character is the Hulk. Why? Because when the Hulk gets mad, he gets stronger. I liked that take on the Hulk. So Hunt throws a little love Marvel's way and a little love towards DC Comics with nicknaming Wayne, Bruce Wayne.

The story also takes a bit of a dark turn when we discover the history behind the abandoned amusement park, the husband to one of the witches, and how the Red Lord came into being. I wasn't expecting this part of the story, so I guess you can say that Hunt put a lot of misery into this book's history. I guess it has a lot to do with the struggles that people go through in life.

There are a lot of dark places these characters are emerging from. A lot of this emergence is about discovering their own identity and how they are coping with the things that broke them inside. That's what is so significant about each character. They are all broken, but somehow they've found each other. Even the kids from the trailer park are part of this story, because they come from broken homes.

They don't know what they are fighting against. They may think they know, but then they discover that maybe everything is not what they believe it is. That's where this book leaves us at the end. Yes, there are questions, but the answers will lie in the next book.

For those looking for a book for the trans/nonbinary author prompt in their reading challenge, look no further.

I loved this book: it's different from the other urban fantasy, well written, gripping and entertaining.
The MC is fabolous, well written and interesting. The plot is gripping and kept me hooked till the end.
Can't wait to read the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The story was really unique and a little bit dark sometimes. It was definitely a different and enjoyable read for me. Author created really interesting and complex characters. I can't wait to continue this series.

Burn the Dark is the first novel in S.A. Hunt’s Malus Domestica series. Technically speaking, this isn’t a new series. It’s just that this is the first time we’ll be getting a chance to read it in English. Which is great for me!
The series is an action-adventure horror series, much in the same tone as Stranger Things. Basically, picture a bunch of kids/teenagers off on a witch hunt, and you’ve got an understanding of the core of the theme.
Robin is your average teenager. Well, if by average you mean that she lives in her van, runs a YouTube channel, and hunts witches. Yeah, okay, so not exactly normal. She’s been filming her witch hunting escapades for months, and pawning it off as some sort of Blair Witch Project for the sake of income.
The real question is; why did Robin start hunting witches? And how far can she go, when working solo? As it turns out, she won’t be by herself for very long. As for the reason she hunts witches? That’s personal.

“They die from the inside out. The deadness slowly makes its way to the outside.”

Warnings: Most of the heavier subjects covered within Burn the Dark are actually pretty commonsense, and thus the sort of thing you can easily expect. There are hints towards animal death (incidental and implied), abuse, burning, and other things along those lines.

Burn the Dark was a fun and interesting read. Whoever came up with the idea to compare it to Stranger Things was pretty spot on. Though it did feel like the leading characters were slightly older – but that kind of works, given their backstories.
Robin’s whole backstory and character arc was actually pretty fascinating. And I’m not ashamed to admit that hers was by far my favorite of the perspectives, though I enjoyed reading about everybody else, of course. Hers felt the most human, as well as being the epicenter of the plot.
This was a fast-paced read, with something happening at almost any point. It helps that the characters kept splitting off and getting themselves into more danger. Well, it helps the reader. The characters not so much.
I feel like this series is a darker twist on the urban fantasy trend, and I’ve got to say, I’m all for it. I loved the tone and feel of this novel, and would love nothing more than to see a whole lot more like it. Well, not exactly like it – you get what I’m trying to say here. The blend of horror and fantasy was very well done.
This is the first novel I’ve read by S.A. Hunt, but I enjoyed it. I think I’ll probably try to set aside some time to follow the rest of this series (as it gets translated – I have to look into that). I’m curious to see how far they push this.

This is a book about a punky Youtuber, Robin (Malus to her online audience) who travels round in her van filming as she hunts and kills witches, trying to avenge the death of her mother. 
The story gets off to an action packed start but lags a little in the middle before picked up in spectacular fashion in the last third.  However, personally I was not a fan of all the sound effect 'words' the author uses (e.g. grrraaaaaagh, frrrwww, grrrruh, mrrrr, fffffk...).  Perhaps these are used to give the book a comic book feel to appeal to a wider audience?  I don't know.  I admit I didn't notice these kind of words so much as the book went on so maybe I got used to them or there simply weren't as many. 
A quirky book with an engaging and quite original premise but even though the story was quite dark at times for me it had more of a young adult feel than a book for older readers. Sadly this was not a great read for me even though I love all the things it has been compared to (Buffy, Sabrina, Stranger Things.  I would also add True Blood to the list as there is one character that is virtually identical to Lafayette).  Having said all that I am sure that this is a book that will be greatly enjoyed by many many readers, and I am very said that I didn't love it myself :(

I am so sorry but I just couldn't finish this book.

I think the whole idea about a popular youtuber with a witch hunting channel is absolutely wonderful. But for me the execution was completely lacking.
The characters were all so lacking. No depth, very stereotype, 12 in a dozen.
Apart from that the book is trying to be dark, but is just well... annoying.

I normally don't DNF books... but I just can't continue on with this one.

This was a case of me not you. As much as I loved the sound of the premise and wanted to like this, the reality was that I struggled to get into it. I think I just didn't jell with the writing style and couldn't connect with the characters. So rather than struggle through it I decided to put it down.

I'd recommend Burn the Dark if you're a fan of the vibe of True Blood or Buffy. Do check it out if you're interested because it wasn't necessarily bad it just wasn't for me.

“The Red Lord will find you.”

Robin has a mohawk, a cherished fifteen year old stuffed mosquito called Mr. Nosy and a popular YouTube channel called ‘MalusDomestica’. Her subscribers think what they’re watching is fake, but it’s anything but. [If you’re wondering, ‘malus domestica’ is Latin for “the common apple tree”. You’ll learn the significance of this name during the book.]

Robin travels around the country in her van hunting witches. Robin’s father was convicted of killing her mother but Robin knows the witches were responsible. Now, after spending time in a psychiatric facility and subsequently honing her witch slaying skills, she’s returned home to Blackfield to face off with the local coven.

“You witches killed my mama!”

Witches. Demons. Ancient sigils. The quest for immortality. Cats that aren’t just cats. Murder. A pizza guy. A “big blond Viking dude”. Sound effects - “grum-grum-grum-grum”.

Before I began reading I saw several comparisons made between this book and ‘Buffy’, so I expected to witness a lot more slaying. Witches are dispatched of in flashbacks but I don’t recall any scenes where a witch meets their maker taking place in the present. I expect the sequel to well and truly make up for this.

A fair amount of time is spent on characters’ backstories and explanations of the supernatural aspects of the story. While it is well written I did spend a lot of the first half of the book anxious for some present day action scenes.

There were plenty of pop culture references in this book, from ‘Batman’ to ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘The Simpsons’. Had I realised there would be so many of these references I would have made a list and asked other readers to let me know which ones I’d missed.

I liked most of the characters but the one that I was most interested in, Heinrich Hammer, Robin’s mentor, didn’t appear in person until the very end of the book. I’m looking forward to seeing them in action in the sequel.

Content warnings include mention of domestic violence, racism, death by suicide and mental illness.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.