I really really enjoyed “The Lost Village” by Camilla Sten. It was a fast paced read that kept me glued to the pages until the very end. The characters were well fleshed out and you really found yourself caring what happened to them all. I also really enjoyed how I wasn’t quite certain if it was going to flip into horror or not and was pleased with the outcome. I’m a sucker for reading about cults and documentary filmmakers who may have too much bravado and this book delivered. The translation was also very very well done. I’ll be looking for future Camilla Sten titles for sure.

3 stars

This novel is billed as a mashup of _The Blair Witch Project_ (BWP) and _Midsommar_, and that description hooked me. Unfortunately, I did not find the description to reflect the novel, and I did not love the construction of the mystery.

The premise does have a BWP vibe in that a young woman and several contacts/friends from her past go into a small town where something strange happened in an attempt to make a documentary. While the m.c., Alice, seems to have a clear interest in the project, she is also a terrible planner and has chosen to bring along some folks who are...not well chosen. At times, it feels like Alice should have seen some of this coming. She really should have had some more in-depth conversations and/or worked through some issues with nearly all of these folks BEFORE trusting them to take part in this venture.

As far as the plot is concerned, the premise is promising, but there is nothing surprising here. It felt too formulaic and predictable for me, and I found the _Midsommar_ comparison odd. Not everything Swedish gets to automatically be connected to that masterpiece, FYI: this included.

This is a cool concept, but if you are interested because of the description and/or you need believable, developed relationships between characters and some mystery involved in, well, your mystery novels, you may experience some of the same frustrations I did.

This is a dark one to be sure. It is horribly mysterious and makes your hairs on the back of your neck tingle. I did find it a very sad book and the end was quite horrible. I cannot say that I enjoyed it as such but it held my attention throughout. It was a very interesting read
Not sure of wishing to repeat the experience though.

Thank you Minotaur Books for granting my wish and allowing me the pleasure of reading and reviewing the eARC of 'The Lost Village!'

I devoured Sten's novel and was completely engrossed in the story from start to finish. It had everything I wanted: creepy village, international destination; mystery; murder! The Lost Village takes place in an abandoned small village in Sweden. One summer day in 1959 the entire town disappears without a trace leaving behind a dead body and an infant child. Years later a descendent from the lost village returns with a film crew with intentions of creating a documentary. That is until strange things begin happening while scouting the location.... *cue creepy music*

I greatly enjoyed this horror/thriller/mystery. The main protagonist was flawed and unlikeable at times but it made the story real. I enjoyed the character development and the suspense it created. Though I could see the twist begin to form, I was still a bit surprised by the end of the story. It was haunting and a bit disturbing at times. I have listed the trigger warnings below for readers to keep in mind if any subjects present discomfort while reading.

Highly recommend!

Trigger Warnings: suicide, depression, anxiety, discrimination/violence again persons with disabilities

This novel was full of horror, suspense, and a very unexpected plot twist. The author did an amazing job at explaining how nearly 900 occupants of a town went missing 60 years ago. The whole book gave me goosebumps and made me check to see if my doors were locked. Be warned, once you pick up the novel it is hard to put down.

My only complaint was comparing it to "The Blair Witch Project" and "Midsommar." I personally despised both those movies, which made me reluctant to read the book.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press and allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not huge into scary movies, so I’ve never seen The Blair Witch project. But when it comes to scary stories, I do love horror books with copious amounts of suspense!

Alice is determined to make it in the film world. In an attempt to make her name in the documentary world, she’s gone in search of the mysterious town know as ‘The Lost Village’; where 60 years ago the entire town vanished overnight. With the help of a group of her friends, Alice is finally realizing her dream. But as the group starts to unravel the truth of the town strange events start to take place and things start to go missing. Is someone still living in the town? If so how have they gone unknown for the past 60 years.

Told in alternating time periods and alternating point of views , the back and forth really added depth to the story line. It also pulled me straight into the mystery that the past timeline is alluding to. The pacing of this book is fabulous and really adds to the horror & suspense of the story. While I didn’t get totally freaked out by this story, there is plenty of tension to make you jumpy. It even has a a very supernatural vibe without actually creeping into the fantasy realm.

I did enjoy this book but I was left wanting just a bit more from the story. The ending did surprise me and I did become invested into the story even if I was not extremely connected to Alice, our main character. I would totally jump on watching this as a television series though, and think it would make a great script.


The The Lost Village hits shelves March 23, 2021. Huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my Advanced Copy in exchange for my honest review. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

A solid thriller with cold, creepy Swedish vibes (because, well, it is Swedish lol) perfect for someone wanting Scandinoir or a Midsommar-y book (with less gore). It did leave a few things I was unsure of, and comes with a few trigger warnings, that said.

The progression was slow and creepy, with a small, five person documentary crew arriving in a famous "lost village" where 900+ residents disappeared in 1959. The main POV is Alice, granddaughter of one of the "survivors"--who missed whatever happened because she'd been living in Stockholm at the time. But Alice wants to figure out what happened to her great-grandmother, great-aunt, and everyone else and hopefully also find her big break, re: making a documentary feature. This trip is to get preliminary footage to hopefully get funded.

Things start off well enough but then creepy things start happening--are they really hearing footsteps, laughter, seeing people in the rain? Or is one of the crew keeping a horrible secret?

The start was slow, but going in knowing the premise, it's a delicious build as small things happen... then Alice & co make more and more discoveries. The narrative is intercut with a third person POV of Elsa, Alice's great-grandmother in the last year before the village disappeared. All you, the reader, and Alice know going in is that they found a woman stoned to death in the town square and an abandoned newborn. I hit a point round 30 percent and then couldn't put the book down for hours--I had to make myself stop at 60% and go to bed, ha.

This is one where the answers were satisfying, however, I think my favorite part was the escalation in act two? It was such a delicious read. It was still a good third act, but I was left with some head scratching/questions that if I think too hard about, it kind of unravels. So you do have to suspend disbelief a tick to roll with the logic at the end. Ultimately that aspect diminished the book for me a bit--I'm having a really hard time with the logic bits. But I still enjoyed the reading experience and recommend it to those looking for creepy horror.

This was a pretty gripping story. I wasn't sure while reading if there were paranormal things going on or a psychopath causing the problem or even if it was one of the group. I also love mysteries where people disappear without a trace and was intrigued that a whole town would go missing.

The story bounces between now as Alice and her crew travel to an abandoned village in an attempt to discover what happened, and the village's past where we slowly see what happened to the people. I liked the back and forth, it was easy to keep track of when we were and seeing first hand what happened was more interesting than seeing Alice learn about it.

Alice is a bit of a mess and not a perfect character, but I liked that she was driven to find out what happened and that she cared about her friends and wanted them safe. There were a few creepy moments that had me checking the shadows as I read and the ending was well done. I think this would make a really cool movie and I'm looking forward to more books from this author!

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

In The Lost Village, a filmmaker takes a small crew to document a a deserted village only to find out they are not alone. This novel started out with a creepy vibe and a very strong sense of place; however, the characters and plot did not quite come together for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

“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