2.5 stars
I thought this would be more fantasy, but it was surprisingly contemporary and the mystery around Link's death and the magical lake seemed to take a back seat to the relationship drama. Because of this, I felt like the plot was so slow and wanted more of the creepy things going on. There are ghosts and dreamed up creatures and people dying, why didn't we focus more on that?

Noemi is difficult to relate to, she almost comes across as neuro-divergent because of her difficulties socializing and relating to others, but that's never addressed. She can be too blunt and hurts people's feelings a lot. I did like that she wanted to protect her friends and went to lengths to do so.

Jonas was kind of a boring character. He just sort of exists, he gets bullied but doesn't stand up for himself, unless he totally loses it and gets expelled from school. He also invades Noemi's privacy more than once and tries to act like a 'nice guy'. I didn't think he and Noemi were good together and their drama was boring.

I think we really missed out on Amberlyn and Lyle's relationship, only seeing small glimpses of it. They were cute together but got little page time. I also would have like Gaeten to be more involved, he's probably the most complex character of the book.

The mystery and magic had a lot of potential, but sadly wasn't the main focus. The ending seemed resolved too easily and I wanted more of creepy Link and his ghost. There were also creatures that we didn't learn about that I think would have been cool.

This burned too slow and didn't focus on what I wanted it to. I did appreciate the LGBTQA rep and how asexuality was explained.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

DNF

Unfortunately, I just can't get into this book. I'm not connecting enough with the characters or the writing, but I'd definitely like to give it another try someday because I'm intrigued by the mystery and the lake.

We Were Restless Things features a grieving and bewildered Scooby Doo type friend group with a new-comer set off on discovery. The diverse characters all bring a different element to the plot while not being typecast. There is a romantic trope intertwined with the narrative. It is portrayed with a slight twist, because of that I wasn’t completely disturbed.

Although there are many point of views, the center stage surrounds itself with Noemi. Pieces of her intricate dream journal are found throughout the book. Not only does it play into the plot, but it reveals more to the reader. A creative way to Noemi’s psyche without being told outright, especially since she is reticent.

Cole Nagamatsu’s imagery had its roots gripping me. I could almost hear the breeze rustling the tree leaves and feel the lupine flowers gliding across my finger tips. The setting is far more contemporary than expected sprinkled with fantasy elements which I adored. In doing this, the atmosphere played more to my attractiveness of the suspense and lingering questions about the plot. The only consequence is that it results in an overly slow burning plot which could feel exasperating at times. Every couple chapters, one can find a grammatical error but it is not excessive. With that being said, I did still feel myself being pulled to continue onward and tremendously enjoy this work overall.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire and Cole Nagamatsu for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is difficult to describe.

I was truly lured in by the gorgeous cover and the premise of the story. The idea of a strange lake that appears and disappears in the middle of the Minnesota woods; the idea of the body of a high school boy found in the woods, dead by drowning with no lake in sight; the idea of a possible ghost sending texts to his living friend ... all of these things sound like the makings of a really fascinating read. And yet ...

There are definite nuggets of "fascinating" in this book, to be sure. I felt myself wavering between intrigued and bored, with "bored" ultimately winning out. The book seemed to almost be two books Frankenstein-stitched together. The teenage relationship elements felt really teenager-y. I felt I was reading "Eclipse" without vampires or werewolves, just drama. What makes this book better than that, though, is that it fully embraces the exploration of queer relationships. This story includes two girls becoming interested in one another, in addition to very long and fraught discussions about asexuality and what sex means to a relationship. I almost couldn't believe I was reading this in some chapters, and reading about a ghostly figure, a disappearing lake, a creepy lighthouse exploration in another!

In addition to frank discussions about sexuality, there is a heavy overtone of grief for the whole of the book, owing to Link's death and the impact that left. There is also a brief mention of physical and emotional abuse by a parent. And there is mention of self-harm.

Grief, asexuality, lesbian relationships, self-harm, abuse ... AND ghostly lake creepiness. Perhaps this is much like Maggie Stiefvater's books, as I seem to recall reading one and having many of these elements show up. As it is, these types of reads just aren't for me.

2.75/5

I honestly had no idea how to feel, or even piece together my thoughts once I had finished this. On one hand, there were elements that I really enjoyed, and would even go so far as to say I loved. On the other, there was so much here that put me off that it was impossible for me to fully be immersed.

The magical aspects of the book- the lake and everything that comes with it- was wonderful. It was easily the best part of this novel. Strange, unsettling at times...it was exactly what I wanted and had expected. Unfortunately, the parts involving the lake were few and far between.

Most of the book felt like filler. A lot of wandering around and talking while nothing of relevance is actually happening. And then, there would be parts that made it look like the characters were going to actively pursue then mysteries of the lake but then...not? For some reason? For example, there’s a part where they had a clear opportunity to discover truths but then didn’t take it for seemingly no reason whatsoever other than to extend the page count. And from that point on, the opportunity was a constant and STILL it took them forever to actually pursue it.

None of the characters, apart from Gaetan, who I greatly enjoyed, did much for me. I didn’t dislike them, but I never felt anything. I think this could be in part because many times I was told things about their personalities through the perspective of another character without being shown. One example I can think of off the top of my head is when Jonas is talking about Noemi and says that at school, she goes out of her way to confront bullies, speak to kids who look lonely. And yet, I felt like none of that was ever reflected in any of her actions.

The (of course inevitable) romance between Jonas and Noemi I hated. Hate is a strong word, but it’s the truth. Firstly because I am so over these step sibling type romances, especially when another of the characters says that they look like one of those couples who could be cousins...yeah no thanks. Secondly because some of the things they did together were simply disgusting. Noemi at one point like...fed Jonas a cupcake from her own mouth? DIS.GUST.ING. I have no idea how you even do that, like if it just means she held it there for him using her teeth or like...she chewed and they made out? LET’S MOVE ON because I don’t want to think about that.

The other romance, a sapphic (yay!) romance I didn’t mind. I thought it was cute. Not much to say about it though, since it felt very backseat in comparison to everything else in the book.

That’s another aspect I enjoyed- the representation. Of course we have our sapphic romance, but Noemi is also asexual. I can’t speak on whether this representation is great, but the book talks about it at great length, and Noemi even mentions that this is just her own experience and can’t say whether it applies to everyone else.

While most of the book was boring, the ending was PERFECTION. It gave me everything I had hoped this book would be. Unfortunately it came far too late.

One thing I do want to say unrelated to the actual content is that the cover is amazing. Good job on that front!

This book wasn’t what I expected it to be, which was one more focused on the stranger elements. I’m not sure what type of person to recommend this to. Maybe it’s just one you’ll have to take a chance on and hope it works.

All of us who have been through our teenage years know that just being that age is hard enough. Adding death and a mysterious, evil lake to the mix only makes high school an even more unbearable experience. Yet that’s what Cole Nagamatsu puts in her book, “We Were Restless Things,” which makes for a good read of angst and mystery.
Nothing has been the same in the small town of Shivery since Link died. How he died just wasn’t right — he drowned. In the forest. The only problem is, there’s no lake or river, or really any body of water in the forest. People have come up with a lot of reasons as to how he could have drowned in such a dry place, but Noemi knows better.
Noemi has been to the lake in the woods several times, though it’s a mysterious place. It seems like it has been there for years, yet she only found it recently. Once more, when Noemi tried to show the lake to the police after Link’s death, she could no longer find it. It’s as if the lake itself hides when it doesn’t want to be seen.
The mystery keeps building for Noemi. She keeps receiving texts from Link, even though he is most-assuredly dead. The more she explores the lake, the harder it becomes to leave each time, and mysterious creatures keep appearing in the water. Noemi’s not only going to find out just how Link died, but with the help of some of her friends, she’s going to learn and accept herself along the way.
This book felt like a love letter to high schoolers trying to find themselves and the scary lake apparitions only made it that more enjoyable of a read. One of the bravest debuts I have ever read.

Reviewed by Bailey Day, author of “The Amazing Imagination Machine” by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine.

What I Loved: First, we can all just go ahead and say this is a beautiful cover! The lyrical prose throughout the novel was just as lovely. The writing style overall was great - short chapters, multiple points of view that weren't confusing, beautiful illustrations and journal entries. I also loved having a wlw character and an asexual character. 

What I Didn't Love: Here's where we get critical. There was an amazing whimsical/fantasy element to this book but it just wasn't followed through enough for me. It felt very disjointed. For a while you were just reading about average teenagers and then there was a magical lake popping up in the woods. I didn't connect to any of the characters and there seemed to really be a lack of plot.

Overall, I gave this book a three star rating because I enjoyed the writing style and wanted to know what happened to the characters. Although I. was left wanting more, I hope to read more from this author in the future.

This book is thought provoking, omniscient and lyrical.
It takes menial things and gives them such a magical and dream like quality.

The characters are gritty, each with their own traumas and secrets, none of them are perfect or whitty or overly charismatic. They are real. They feel real.

For the most part, it felt like the woods was our protagonist, I have never read a book like this one before, I wanted to know more about the woods, how and why it was created. Why it chose the little girl with wild hair to hold on a pedestal.

We Were Reckless Things is a book unlike any other, cloaked in a dreamy quality, this book will have you engrossed for hours, trying to connect the dots.

This YA novel takes place in a fictional Minnesota town named Shivery. The main characters; Gaetan, Lyla (Lyle), Amberlyn, and Noemi are grappling with the death of Lincoln (Linc), their friend and brother who drown in the woods. The newest person to arrive in town, Jonas, has to filter through the brief mentions of Linc and the reasons why no one wants to talk about the strange circumstances surrounding his death.

I really enjoyed the descriptive writing and world building in this book. The plot moves at a slow pace but I didn't mind that as it allowed the characters to develop and have depth. As they learn to trust each other enough to revisit the woods and work on finding out what really happened to Linc, the plot starts to twist. I wasn't entirely in love with the ending, it felt a little unfinished and yet, I liked that it was left up to me to interpret and sort through. I kept thinking about the woods, the lake, and the bits of us we leave as we go though life. I loved that gender identity and asexuality were represented through positive, empowering characters. Overall, I give this book a 4 star rating. Recommended for fans of YA fantasy and mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Cole Nagamatsu for an advanced eBook copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

This story certainly has a great atmosphere, but the plotline was a bit too disconnected in my opinion. I really enjoyed the concept of this book, but there wasn't enough there to pull me in and feel completely invested in the story. It could be a good read for the fall if someone enjoys a spooky atmosphere.

Intriguing premise and gorgeous prose. Ultimately, these characters felt flat to me, so it was hard to stay invested in all of their points of view. But I really liked the lyric phrasing and the eerieness of the setting.

We Were Restless Things is a twisted fairytale, YA, coming of age story. It touches on loss, friendship, love, and loneliness. I’d you are intrigued by the strange and bizarre, then this book is definitely for you.

I absolutely love the concept of this book, the synopsis had me hooked before I even finished reading it, and it did not disappoint. Nagamatsu’s writing style is poetic and imaginative. The book is told through varying viewpoints, and the mystery of Link’s death continues to keep you captivated.

𝚆𝚎 𝚆𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 is about a group of friends as they navigate their lives after one of them has died in a mysterious way. There is a magical hidden lake that only shows up when Noemi is around. Sometimes there is a lighthouse, sometimes there are magical creatures. There are text messages from the beyond and strange dreams that blur into reality.

I really loved this book. It was strange, mysterious, heart felt, relatable, and extremely imaginative!

We Were Restless Things follows characters who are exactly as the title says, trapped in a town suspended in time with people satisfied with being alive rather than actually living. While the premise sounds great, a fantasy mystery catalysed by the drowning of a teenage boy in the middle of a forest, it unfortunately fell flat.

This is a snail of a book, and it was a hard push to get through the first half to the more intriguing sections. This is exacerbated by the fact that the characters are not particularly endearing, to the reader or each other (not the tight-knit, rag-tag family of dreamers I was expecting), and it was extremely hard to form any emotional connection with them to keep me invested in the story. There were also several romances that seem unnecessary to me, and hindered the story.

Nagamatsu's writing is simply gorgeous though, with vivid imagery that is not so overdramatic that it takes the reader away from the scene, but evocative enough that a distinct, fantastical atmosphere was created. I greatly appreciated seeing an asexual main character in the forefront of the narrative as well.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed it were I younger, and more interested in this kind of story but I do not think I am the target audience for this book.

The whole feel of this book -- the cover, the description -- was haunting and intriguing and I was really excited to see how this mystery story would straddle the realm of fantasy, but I have to be honest, this book was not for me.

The story made me restless. It's not plot driven and it moves very slowly. In fact, it feels like the story doesn't so much move as it does circle around on itself in one place, lingering in the mundane daily lives of those left behind in the wake of their friend's death.

I like stories that leave me meandering about, clinging to their characters as opposed to the story itself, but the characters have to be able to carry that weight and I'm not sure if these characters did. I mean, they were fine characters, but I wasn't overly drawn to any of them, and I wasn't even sure what it was I was supposed to be getting from them. I figured that would make itself known the further I read, but the whole story was very murky, and everything was just sort of gray and blended together. It created quite a tone, it's very atmospheric, but I'm not sure it ever really became something more than that.

The fantastical elements were littered throughout, but it was all kind of the same thing, something we learn early on and then don’t really learn much more about as we go through. I was really intrigued by the mystery, and I think that is what kept me reading, but it was kind of a disappointment in the end as well.

I certainly didn't care much for the romance parts. One came out of nowhere for me, without hardly any build up or tension at all which made it really hard to care about. There was a lot of diversity in sexuality among all the characters which was great, but a glaring issue surrounded a really interesting conversation about asexuality that seemed to completely negate itself a page later. This was frustrating and just very confusing.

I'm having a hard time of putting into words what I felt about how this book was put into words. There were some really beautiful passages and Nagamatsu is clearly a talented writer, but I kept coming across awkward bumps in the prose that threw me from the story. Words that seemed to fall out of line with the rest of them, making me double back to make sure I read it correctly. This was more than an editing error, I don't think it was because I was reading an ARC, it seemed to be part of the written voice and I found it jarring.

I really don’t know what to say about this. My lack of words isn’t because my breath was taken away, it stems more from confusion and uncertainty and because of that, I have to give this a lower rating. I would be interested in reading something else by the author, but this book just sort of drowned me.

We Were Restless Things is a young adult fantasy novel. Sure, there's your typical prom and homecoming mentions... there's also a boy named Link who drowned in the middle of a (dry) forest and a mysterious spirit that seems set on taking more lives. 

The story follows three friends on their quest to discover the truth about what happened to Link. While the premise was unique and creative, I got lost in some of the descriptive sections which employed unclear metaphors. (I received a pre-release copy, so perhaps the sections in question were changed before publishing.)

If you're into coming of age novels with a paranormal twist, give this book a read!

A group of three teenagers of someone finding the truth about a murder. Their lives intertwine and now they must discover how Link died in this fantasy book. I really enjoyed this book and thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

So I didn’t really like this sadly.

The beginning started off well but it kind of lost me in the middle and couldn’t make up for it in the end. The writing was fine but the plot was almost non-existent in that it was much more of a character driven book WHICH IS FINE I love character driven books. However, the characters here were somewhat unlikeable and I could not find myself to connect with them.

Like I said, beginning picked off and it sort of faded away as the story progressed. But very interested to see more books from this author because of the writing itself!

This would have been so much more powerful had this been told from one or maybe two POV, not all the ones we get here. I particularly liked Jonas' voice, his lost feeling as he tries to fit into the world his father has created and the house he's now living in. Noemi just didn't feel as real, to be honest, and I would have loved more about her photography. The mysterious lake and what happened to Link was resolved, but the very end didn't work for me (no spoilers). It all tied up in what felt like a falsely tidy manner, where a little chaos could have worked better.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

This book feels good on paper: an emotional premise, eerie writing, representation, and an excellent ending that ties into thematic ideas. I only wanted more ensemble cast, and maybe a bit less of whatever was going on with the romance.

We Were Restless Things follows the mysterious death of Link Miller by drowning… in the middle of the woods. In various ways, they all hurt from this: Noemi as she grieves for the boy she had feelings for, Amberlyn as she grieves her brother, Gaetan as he grieves his best friend, Lyle her friend, and new kid Jonah as he tries to find a place in their group.

The indisputable best part of this book is the amazing imagery. This book was eerie and the more fantastical chapters are wonderfully written. They rem

Noemi is asexual. This arc was by far my favorite in the book; she processes her sexuality in both healthy and unhealthy ways, depending on the time. The way her feelings about herself and more specifically, how people would perceive her, impacted her relationships hit me hard. When this came up between her and Jonah, it originally struck me as a romantic arc, but it’s really not; the focus remains on her development. I wanted a bit more out of her ending, if anything.

Some very solid positives over here. Unfortunately, this was not a perfect reading experience for me.

First of all, it’s a book that in structure does not pick up until around 50%. Until then, these characters are essentially just getting to know each other. This isn’t technically a problem. On its own.

But besides Noemi, none of these characters feel as if they have a significant or resonant character arc. Who are these characters? I don’t feel as if I quite know. But We Were Restless Things left me craving… more from its ensemble cast.

As we’re talking about the characters, I want to bring up romance. The dynamic between side characters Amberlyn and Lyle (yes, this is sapphic content) is solid and sweet. The other romantic dynamics… were another area. Noemi is, over the course of this book, technically lusted after by three different guys, one dead. Both of her romantic arcs are… frustrating.

Jonah and Noemi are a well-written couple, except when the premise of their relationship is so fundamentally unromantic. Yes, I understand that two stepsiblings who know each other from childhood are very different from two people who meet for the first time at seventeen. I get that. But as someone who has a stepbrother, one, this entire trope is just nasty, and two, this book uncomfortably leans into that element of siblinghood.

On a more positive note, it’s interesting that this book that was comped to The Raven Cycle also contains two main characters whose relationship is not based on kissing, though for very different reasons. It’s one of those accidents that would still make a wonderful essay about parallels.

To be completely fair to this book in criticizing it, I think I partially have shifted in what genres I prefer over the past couple of years. Had I read this at seventeen, high off my Raven Cycle phase, I’m fairly sure I would have enjoyed my experience far more. So if that’s you… this might very well be worth a try. It’s well-written, and though I wanted more from four of the five leads, they’re all likable.

This had some good parts. I just do not think I was the target audience.

“Whether the lake was rainwater or just difficult to find—whether it was a cursed ocean that only existed when certain people were around to perceive it, like the crack of the proverbial tree falling in a forest—the truth of it wouldn’t bring him back.”

Have you ever felt uneasy in a waiting room or a motorway rest area or a wide expanse of wilderness? Have you ever heard about liminal spaces? They are places of transit, places in-between other places and even in-between time. Now that you can get a grasp of the feeling we are talking about, you will understand the essence of this book. We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu feels exactly like a liminal space, like the very mysterious “lakeless” forest that drowned the protagonist’s friend, Link, and it is deliciously eerie.

Before this novel, Nagamatsu’s short stories had been featured in a great variety of print and online publications. All of her works are, in some way or another, linked to nature and the power and influence it has and will always have over people who dare to immerse themselves in it. We Were Restless Things is Cole Nagamatsu’s first full-length work and it is definitely a novel full of potential. Despite the book presenting the typical minor slips of a debut work, it has the strongest and most wonderfully gripping atmosphere in the YA sphere of the last couple of months. Cole Nagamatsu creates a sense of eeriness that becomes deeply unsettling in the best kind of way, and that is one awfully complex task to fulfil.

The dreamlike, oneiric contemporary fantasy, based in the strength of wilderness is very reminiscent of The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, both relying on the power of nature and the unsettling aura that great expanses of forest give off. Nature is personified to the point where it becomes a character in its own right within the narration, something that is brilliantly disturbing and beautiful. In terms of the writing style, again, Cole Nagamatsu is a very promising author. While there is a somewhat overuse of similes, they do fit beautifully within the style of certain scenes where the fantasy she creates reaches its full capacity. This is especially the case in the fragments of Noemi’s dream journal, where Nagamatsu makes the most of her lyrically descriptive style and creates a whimsical ambience that truly takes your breath away.

In terms of plot and characters, however, the novel does fall a bit flat. The narration does not seem to follow a clear timeline, set of events, or a personal development of the characters, so their actions seem rather pointless and it is hard to know where the narration is going. Even though getting to the bottom of Link’s mysterious drowning is the driving force of the story, the characters do not appear to be excessively worried about it most of the time and so both the rhythm and pace of the narration also slip away. Consequently, the most compelling sections of the novel are those that focus on unravelling the mysteries of the forest and its disappearing lake, but they are spaced out in the narration enough to lose their breathtaking shine. However, the author does makes the most of the narration and dialogue to deal with extraordinarily relevant topics, such as the stages of grieving and accepting someone’s passing, coming to terms with one’s sexuality and the effect abuse can have on people and how they treat others.

Finally, in terms of the characters, the three focalising characters—Noemi, Jonas, and Amberlyn—are, paradoxically, the less rounded. It is quite difficult to establish a connection with either of the three, as their personalities are not developed to their full potential and their flaws, even if realistic, overpower them. At the same time, there is also no real feeling of connection between the characters themselves. Even though they all have varying levels of friendship, their interactions feel stiff and lacking a mutual respect for emotional and personal boundaries. This is especially upsetting in the case of Noemi and Jonas whose relationship is quite difficult to read, since neither Jonas nor Noemi herself seem to respect her sexuality—she is asexual (most likely sex-repulsed). In the case of Amberlyn, who could have been a truly wonderful character, which we can see in the blooming relationship she has with Lyle (Noemi’s best friend), she just feels like a ghost of what she could become. Her chapters do not seem to be connected at all to Noemi’s and Jonas’ and barely add any relevancy to the plot development. However, Link and Gaetan, who take more of a secondary role, steal the spotlight for the most part of the novel. These two characters are beautifully nuanced and mysterious at the same time, which makes the reader want to continue discovering more about their personalities and their past.

All in all, We Were Restless Things is a rather solid debut, despite having its flaws. Cole Nagamatsu is more than well versed in the art of establishing a convincing atmosphere and a setting where the most outstanding events can happen. There is no doubt that there is a bright future ahead of this emerging author, and we cannot wait to read her future works, where we hope nature will have as big of a role as it has in We Were Restless Things. We definitely recommend you answering the calling of the forest and diving into the mysterious lake of Shivery…if you are able to find it, that is, because its eeriness is mind-blowing.