“The Lost Village” by Camilla Sten was a much darker and colder book than I typically read. While it was so dark and depressing, it was well-written. Was it a style of book I would wish to read again? No. Do I regret reading it? No.

This novel focuses on a film maker who wishes to make a documentary centered on a village that was mysteriously abandoned. Alice, the film maker, is especially interested in the Swedish town because her family has ties there. When she and her crew arrive, they all have an eerie feeling that something isn’t right. They also begin to know quickly they are not really alone there.

Though not my style at all, the book was engaging. But it was also sick and cruel. I wanted to stop at many points of time, but I was drawn into seeing how it all ended. All in all, not a book for me, but was well-written and I can definitely see many people enjoying.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of “The Lost Village” by Camilla Sten in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

“Only in silence can we become free. Only by allowing the darkness to embrace us can we step into the light.” - The Lost Village.

This book follows Filmmaker Alice Lindstedt as she sets out to make a film about the missing residents of the old mining town dubbed “The Lost Village”. In 1959, her grandmothers entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy and even since the unanswered questions about the only two people left, a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn, have plagued Alice. She’s gathers up a small group of friends to go to the village and make a film about what really happened. However, not long after they have set up camp, mysterious things start to happen and one thing becomes very clear, they are not alone.

Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and Camilla Sten for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was a fun read. While it took me a little while to get into the book, once it started to pick up my interest was captured. There were a few twists along the way that kept me guessing but also some that I was able to pick up on before they were revealed. In addition, I felt that the end was a little rushed and some things weren’t quite explained. However, the atmosphere in this book is quite eerie and I loved that we were able to see the story both from the present and the past when the residents first disappeared. I also love books about strange villages and cults so this was right up my alley! I would recommend this book to other thriller or mystery lovers or those who like reading about creepy religious sects. This book will be released on March 23, 2021!

Thank you to the author, Camilla Sten, the publishing company, Minotaur books, and NetGalley for an ARC for my honest review.

This book started off slow and calm, but then it started to get creepy and became a bit of a horror type book. This becomes a story of a film crew who visits a Swedish town, that has a past, in which hundreds of people disappeared from there without a trace. Alice, who has always been infatuated with this story, put some people together to spend a few days here in order to see if they can figure out what happened in the past.

Complete suspense, a perfect ghost story, and a great read.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about The Lost Village. Some parts I really loved and was sucked into instantly. Then there were some parts where my attention just couldn't hold. Regardless of my own opinion, I think this novel will find readership at my library. Thank you for the chance to read it early!

A truly chilling story set in one of the most creepy places in the world. This book was well worth the read.

I absolutely loved the premise behind this novel. Abandoned towns and documentary crews are usually right up my alley. I enjoyed the initial setup in the first few chapters with the focus on social media and kickstarter campaigns. However, once they actually got to the village, I was underwhelmed.

The story is told over two perspectives and I found the present day much more engaging than the past. Despite being set in the 1950s, the older timeline read like it was set much earlier. A lot of the older timeline involves reading letter which is not a narrative format that I enjoy. 

As for the story itself, my biggest sense of disappointment came from my expectations. I thought this would be a suspenseful and atmospheric read, but it really wasn't. Instead, this read like general fiction and I was never interested enough in the characters to care for them outside of the mystery aspect. The ending did pick up with some action, but by that point I was no longer invested in the story.

Overall, this slow burning thriller missed the mark for me, but hopefully other readers will have a different experience. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The Lost Village is a gripping, thrilling masterpiece! You will be glued to the pages reading as Alice and those from her past.

Letters and anguish emerge- leaving you wondering/questioning everything as the group tries to work on the documentary.

While reading this book- it left me feeling like I was watching my hubby playing one of his video games. FarCry5 in a sense.... Those who have played/watched this game-- am I right?

Going back in time and being in the town was heartbreaking! The Author does a superb job of making you feel like you are there in the town yourself!

I'm trying to be vague in this review. I don't want any spoilers given.
Let me just say--those of you that love a gripping, disturbing, thriller... trust me, you will devour THE LOST VILLAGE!
Be prepared for some WTF moments. Some you might say out loud! HA (oops #sorrynotsorry #lol)

Thank you to Minotaur books for this early reader copy in exchange for an honest review!!!

5 hauntingly beautiful stars from me.

*I look forward to reading more by this author!*

3.5 stars

The Lost Village follows Alice, a filmmaker obsessed with figuring out what happened in this Swedish mining town where everyone disappeared and the only person found was a woman tied to a post and stoned to death. Alice's grandmother used to live there with her family before she left for Stockholm. Alice found some letters that she hopes will help her understand what happened there.

This book was a quick and creepy read. Overall, I found it sad, bleak and sick, hating what happened and I still can't comprehend how some people can act this way and yet, sadly I'm sure something like it could have happened in real life. Even though I didn't particularly love the characters, I still cared when things started to go wrong.

<i>(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

Entire disappearing families? Sign. Me. Up!

This was a twisty, dark, crazy story and I was along for the ride. I don't want to give away anything so no spoilers here...but this was a fast, fun and wild ride!

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

The Lost Village definitely had some creepy vibes throughout the book - especially in the beginning - but for some reason, I wasn't invested. I won't lie, I questioned a lot of things that were happening in the beginning. It also took me a while to get into the groove of going from past to present too. Yet, things were still slightly predictable to me.

I think the only thing that was pretty interesting to me was the ending. It definitely kept to the theme of the whole book but unfortunately, I still wasn't invested in any of the characters to begin with. So, it was okay for me but a bit anti-climactic. Maybe it's because I've read more books with horror or creepiness that this just disappointed me in a way.

Or maybe it's just me being weird when it comes to this book. It had potential to be really good but ending up being okay.

I do love Scandinavian Noir! And this one is creepy, scary, and oh so gory! Once I started reading it I could not stop. Okay, I could, but I didn’t.

Alice wants to make a documentary. She’s low on money and equipment but she has a good friend who will put up some money if he can come along. An old friend/enemy has also agreed to come and Alice hated asking her but she is good and interested.

Alice has been a bit obsessed with the residents who just vanished from the old mining town. In 1959 the mine closed and that same year her grandmother’s entire family disappeared. Sure people came in and looked around but all they found were empty houses and in the square one dead woman tied to a pole and in the school, a baby crying. They took the baby and the town was just forgotten. But not by Alice.

When her small team arrives the place is deserted. It looks as if people got up from dinner and never came back. From the first night, they all can feel something isn’t right. They are not alone here. As things heat up they don’t even trust each other. Every one of them has secrets and one is a real shocker.

Reading this book was like watching the Blair Witch Project. You wanted to turn away but you wanted to know the who and why of everything. I loved every scary, gory moment of this one!

NetGalley Review/ March 23rd, 2021 by Minotaur Books

Wow what a book! I don’t believe I have read a book so intense has this one was! It keeps you in suspense from the start and I couldn’t guess at the end what would happen. I would give this 10 stars if I could because it was that good. Anyone who loves mystery and suspense should read this.

This book really captured the essence of the horror indie-film maker vibe. Really creepy, lots of unexpected twists and turns, and definitely kept me hooked!

Really enjoyed this, I read it essentially in one night. Although, I did predict one of the main plot questions, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. An easy, but engaging read.

Dark and a bit intense, The Lost Village is the perfect winter storm read. Definitely some shades of The Blair Witch Project! Well written, creepy and sometimes disturbing. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this free ARC.
A great atmospheric horror novel set in the middle of nowhere Sweden. I could see how it was ending, but Camilla threw in a nice little twist. I'm excited to see if any of her other works will be translated into English.

This book is different from my usual genre. I am glad I switched it up
I found this book to be Erie, and engaging. I would definitely read more books by this author
Thanks so much for the chance to read it

The Lost Village is an unputdownable horror novel set in an abandoned Swedish village- a bit of a low build initially, but it quickly escalated while switching timelines from past to present.

Eerie and atmospheric and better-left read in daylight. I found myself bundling up tightly under the covers while simultaneously checking I wasn’t too close to dangling a foot off the bed. Just in case.

I loved exploring and learning about the village. I was on the edge of my seat every time I felt the tension build, and I was screaming (silently to myself) when I knew that the situation was escalating!
This book is a great read if you’re looking for something to keep you up all night on the edge of your seat.

Synopsis: Alice is a documentary filmmaker obsessed with the happenings of Silverjarn finally realizes her dream when she gets the funding to go ahead with creating her documentary. Alice's grandmother was from Silvertjarn and had moved away shortly before the rest of the townspeople disappeared, including her mother, father, and sister. Alice and a small group - Emmy, Robert, Max, and Tone - journey to Silvertjarn for a five-day stay to get preliminary photographs and videos for the documentary.
Immediately upon arrival, everyone feels an eerie sense of foreboding. Strange things begin to happen. The film crew feels as if someone is watching them. They hear whispers and giggles emanating from the buildings. On their first day exploring, Tone severely injures her ankle but refuses to leave for the hospital. Things progressively get worse from there.
The story moves back and forth between 1959 and the present to learn more about the town’s history, how the village’s people lost their hopes with the closing of the mine, and how the arrival of a new pastor gave them the false hope they desperately needed.

My Evaluation of the Book: Silvertjarn is a thoroughly creepy setting. The descriptive writing makes you feel like you are exploring alongside the film crew. The combination of past and present timelines made the story more compelling and added to the suspense. I could not put this book down, like Alice I became obsessed with knowing what happened to the residents of Silvertjarn. How could that many people just disappear?
I was shocked when Tone suddenly disappeared despite having an injured ankle. This had me wondering if Tone lost her mind and was behind the events happening to the remaining crew members or if something else entirely was going on. I could not wait to see where this story led, however, I knew the mine would come into play eventually since that was the only place was never examined. I'm glad I stumbled upon The Lost Village on NetGalley.

So I have to admit I did not like this one as much as I was hoping for. I've read too many similarly plotted books this year to not be letdown by the common threads. 1. A manipulative preacher who uses religion against this town of suffering people and 2. The fact that the entire town is/has been locked in the mine. Granted details are different but those two concepts were too predictable for me and while I loved the journey through the book the end just ruined it for me. I'm saddened by this because more than once this book appeared to be more than it appeared-perhaps even supernatural at times. However this is never fully explained especially once Aina (a survivor from the 50's) shows herself as the killer and stalker. We do have some unexplained phenomena like hearing children singing, on the fritz walkie talkie nonsense and Tone going into a funk, but not much more than that. Everything Aina said can't really be scrutinized since she's clearly off her rocker and has been alone for 50+ years. It's also kind of a bummer that the preacher took everyone down into the mine to sacrifice them all. It's clear he most likely had plans for himself to escape with Aina but instead his plans were set astray when the mine caved in killing them all. I mean that's kind of dull, I wish more had happened. Like Aina realizing the preacher was a fake and killing him herself or something. A cave in is too easy and boring for all the groundwork he laid. The townspeople down on their luck after the mine closes are essentially the perfect specimens for a cultist takeover and the preacher just walks right in and pulls a Charles Manson on them. It was an OK read overall. I mean one can't deny the power of religion and how in the right hands and with the right voice it can be used for soooooo much evil. I wish the end of the book continued on more with the supernatural or unexplained aspects instead. At the very least still allowing the MC's to film their documentary even if just in honor of their lost friends, but instead they leave with nothing.