So I know this one is not coming out until next year but If you loved the Blair Witch Project, this is for you! A documentary team explores village in Sweden where decades before every single citizen disappeared except for two, a dead woman in the town square and a newborn baby. This book was really fun and while I do recommend it, I didn't love the ending.

A deliciously creepy book that keeps you up past your bedtime!

I enjoyed this story very much! Kept me guessing! There were several times that I questioned whether I should be reading this before bed…

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I received The Lost Village by Camilla Sten from Netgalley in exhange for an honest review. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

The reader is introduced to Alice Lindstedt, a woman dedicated to create a documentary film about an old mining town and the residents of that town that all seemed to vanish into thin air. Alice, along with a group of friends (and foes), ascend on to the mysterious town Alice has a close connection to. Alice hopes to uncover many unanswered questions surrounding the town and those few townspeople that didn't vanish. What seems like a an opportunity to get answers and catapult Alice and the stories of The Lost Village into documentary fame, takes a turn for the worst rapidly and leaves Alice wondering if some questions are meant to remain unanswered.

This book was so well written. The characters all had their special quirks and flaws which allowed them to see more real. They were dealing with deception, mental illness, romantic feeling and family secrets. The descriptions of the town interwoven through the pages left me with goosebumps, imanging a small town and the occupants just vanishing with no trace and only a few left behind not able to fully explain what happened. As Alice and her friends explore the mysteries of the town, the reader is invited into the history of the town as the book shifts from the past to the present which added a great touch and was not hard to follow at all.

I enjoyed the different elements of mystery and whodunit throughout the book. There was a twist of religion and a cult like feel that really made the book ten times creepier and lent way to a great plot. However, the one thing I disliked was the ending and how it was all wrapped up. I felt it was very rushed and disjointed and an alternative ending would've sufficed with a little more explanation.

I would highly recommend this read on a spooky October night.

Alice Lindstedt, a young filmmaker is keen on making a film documenting the disappearance of the residents of a small Swedish mining town in the late 1950’s, one of which was her Grandmother. Together with a small group of friends they set out to investigate and document the remains of the town, search the few homes, the school, church and chapel and armed with notes Alice has collected from her Grandmother, come up with some answers.
Everyone in her Grandmother’s family has disappeared and the only two people historic notes show that were left were a woman who was tied in the town square and stoned to death and a small newborn baby girl.
What happened to all of the residents? Who is the woman who was stoned to death and why? What happened to the baby and all of the residents in this small close knit town? And with all of these mysterious things happening to the group - their automobiles are destroyed, equipment is missing, unexpected injuries to members of the group it is clear someone wants them gone and will do anything to get rid of the group as soon as possible regardless of the cost.

Nothing seems quite right and it doesn’t take long for odd incidents to start occurring. The eerie atmosphere of the story is well developed and the unexpected plot twists are great. This story is unique and entertaining and impossible to put down.

A riveting story from an author I wasn’t familiar with but heartily recommend. Impossible to put down, you will not see this end coming!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC that was provided to me in exchange for my comments.

This book is the best kind of horror: subtle with ever-growing dread. There are so many twists and turns that readers will be kept guessing until the very end. The story builds slowly as the book goes back and forth between 1959 and modern day and the reader learns what happened to the disappeared villagers at the same time that the protagonist does. Highly recommended!

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 #𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, #𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐨𝐟 #𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.⁣⁣
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"𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘥𝘶𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘥 “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘦,” 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘐𝘯 𝟷𝟿𝟻𝟿, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵— 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯—𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘚𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥."⁣
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An abandoned village. An unidentified child. A cult. A dangerous mineshaft. Possible ghosts and witchcraft. This book has EVERYTHING you would want in a spooky season read. This is Camilla Sten's English debut (translated by Alex Fleming) and it is an extremely compelling read! I couldn't put it down. When it was described as The Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar, I KNEW it was for me. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll keep this review brief.⁣
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I loved that the story was told in different times/ perspectives; Filmmaker Alice and her great-grandmother, Elsa. The tension between the characters was palpable and the setting was deliciously terrifying. This was a very cinematic book- it was certainly comparable to watching a film! ⁣
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#𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃 ⁣
As with many folk horror novels, mental illness and disability played a role in this novel. I think that Sten did a great job of flouting folk-horror conventions but it took a long time to find out that she wasn't just using mental illness in the same way as other novels. I think that folk horror inherently leans towards these subjects because so much of folklore is based on the fear of the other and of difference that it naturally occurs in these secluded folk groups. While I won't say that Sten did a perfect job, it was certainly doing more work than most to flour convention which I appreciate. Giving full backstory and character development to those with disability or mental illness is an important start in representation. ⁣

Imagine living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. Then imagine that on one fateful day, the entire population of the town mysteriously disappears. That’s what happens to the inhabitants of the small Swedish mining town of Silvertjärn in 1959 in the book The Lost Village. Two policemen checking on the welfare of the village come across a terrible scene: a dead body tied to a pole in the middle of the town square. The inhabitants of the village are all missing, except for one baby left in the village school. In the present day, five young people set out to visit the still remote area where Silvertjärn remains in ruins in order to work on a documentary about what happened in the town and to solve the mystery. Alice, the driving force behind the project, is the granddaughter of a woman who left the village just before everyone disappeared. Alice has grown up listening to her grandmother’s stories about the village and her missing relatives, and she decides to tell the story to the world. The documentary film project is still short of funding, so on this trip, the 5 crew members are planning to make a short film to drum up interest (and hopefully investors) for the full-length project. The modern-day events are interspersed with chapters narrated by Elsa, Alice’s great-aunt. From her perspective, the village of Silvertjärn is shown back when it was inhabited. By the 1950s, when Elsa’s story is taking place, the town is already starting to go downhill. The townspeople have just learned that the mine where nearly everyone is employed is going to be shutting down. It is at this time of despair that a new person comes to town and the villagers begin to see some hope where there had been none before. Back in the present day, a variety of bad events begin to befall the film crew. As they begin to suffer more serious accidents, they begin to wonder if the village is deserted after all, or if whatever evil happened in the village all those years ago is still present. The story has an interesting premise and I was interested to see how the mystery would eventually be solved. The only quibble I had was that the main character, Alice, was a bit too whiny and self-absorbed for most of the story. Still, it was a very suspenseful and ultimately satisfying story. It would make a fantastic film!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Netgalley. This is one I had very much hoped to receive. The premise of a mysteriously abandoned Swedish village and a documentary crew exploring the site seemed full of potential mystery and eerie atmosphere. Sweden has become a good source of mystery and horror in recent years with such books and films as Adam Nevill's The Ritual, Yrsa Sigurdardottir's I Remember You, and Ari Aster's film Midsommar (all highly recommended). Indeed, the atmosphere and descriptions of the decaying village lend great weight to the rest of the story. The alternating stories between the present-day investigation and the past events leading up to the mystery were also managed well. In particular, the past accounts of a charismatic. Priest gradually gaining fanatical influence over the village was quite chilling. I would only have liked to see more development of exactly how and why he gains such an almost supernatural influence. The story also manages to keep the reader in suspense as to whether their are supernatural or human forces at work in the present day village. The eventual resolution is not the one t had hoped for but is effective nonetheless. Overall an entertaining read and an author whose work I would continue reading.

loved this book, it's amazing. There's suspense as well as romance. I loved the characters and breathlessly followed every word A Great book. . #NetGalley

This was fantastic. Part horror part thriller part psychological. It had everything. It would make a great movie.

I am so happy I got a chance to read this book. Alice has grown up hearing the story of her great-grandmother and The Lost Village. The entire village, including her family, disappeared completely. The town is deserted, and everything is left in their homes as if they intended to be right back. Of course, this is the story that grabbed my attention. I was curious myself about The Forgotten Village. Well luckily, Alice and her film school friends have decided to make a documentary investigating the situation.

They head off to the town to begin their investigation. Everything is still exactly as her great-grandmother described in her letters from years ago. Alice has a secret she's been keeping from the rest of the group regarding one of the group members. Let me tell you, I was shocked and also happy that the reveal happened early in the story. Alice uses the letters to explore the town for the truth of what happened. It's pretty shocking what happens in the town during the time Elsa (Alice's great-grandmother) was alive.

I loved the flashbacks, and then also reading the letters in present. The story left me literally putting the family tree together in my mind. I would love a sequel as to what Alice did with the information she gathered. I would also love to know about Margaret's life.

The Lost Village pulled me in and didn’t let go. I felt as if I was there with Alice and her crew. The creepy atmosphere, mixed with the feeling of dread, had the hair on my neck standing on end throughout much of the book. I legitimately felt very creeped out at certain parts. Not only is this a great mystery, but also a horror story in its own way. I say horror because what these people go through is nothing short of horrific. There was definitely some paranormal elements that intensified the creepiness of the book. The Lost Village is a book that will stick with me for a while. I highly recommend giving it a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC.

This book caused the dilemma of whether to - not put it down or pace myself and savor every bit. The atmosphere and mystery of the village was so compelling, I found the writing/ details so perfectly creepy. I would definitely read more by Sten and I can't wait for release to buy a print copy for my shelf.

So, I got a kick out of this one. It definitely kind of has Blair Witch Vibes.

It had a bit of a slower start for me because it took me a bit to relate to the characters. I just…didn’t like them at first.

However, once the strangeness started, I was in. The atmosphere is bleak and chilling and it just works!

The author does a good job on our 2 timelines, though I did find our historical one a bit more compelling.

Overall, I enjoyed this. I’d read the author again.

*ARC provided via Net Galley

This book is a good example of quiet horror. There is nothing too graphic but unease does mount and there are scares. Silvertjarn is a rural village in Sweden where over 800 inhabitants mysteriously vanished in 1959. Alice heads up a film crew making a documentary about the disappearance and the book alternates between "then" and "now." Both stories are equally engaging. Relationships are key not only among the documentarians but also between the movie makers and the villagers from the past. This is an excellent novel for those upcoming long, dark nights.

An incredibly dark, highly captivating and very thrilling read. Really enjoyed, recommended. Thank you!

Alice, a documentary filmmaker returns to the Swedish village where the residents mysteriously vanished in 1959, This included her grandmother and her entire family. Only two residents were left and their survival has haunted the emotionally fragile Alice for years. She brings with her a crew of her friends to make a film exposing the truth of these mysterious events.

Of course, as soon as they arrive things begin to go wrong. People begin to disappear. Is some mysterious force trying to stop them from uncovering the truth?

I really enjoyed this book but be forewarned it is incredibly dark and gory. It is also is unputdownable. I am very big on atmosphere and this book has it in spades- you can almost feel the cold, isolation and terror. This book is creepy without being supernatural. It is more thriller than horror. It is hard to say a lot without spoilers so I will leave it at this, if you like your books dark with lots of atmosphere, a creepy town, a compelling mystery and twists you didn’t see coming, then this is the book for you. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reading copy for an honest and fair review.

This was actually a very interesting book for me. While it didn't feel like a total supernatural book, it totally was, but in a very understated way that worked.
Alice is a documentary filmmaker and she is really into the Lost Village. The lost village is a mining town where residents have disappeared. She and a small crew of people decide to travel to the Lost village to find out what really happened.
There is a lot of Blair Witch Project tone to the book. In fact in my head, I saw it play out in the fashion of Blair Witch (which I loved by the way)

The crew has only planned for five days. Five days in things they could never imagine happening, happen. The tension builds as you read each chapter and I really liked that aspect of the book. It didn't just start big from the beginning and then fall flat as some tend to do,. You can literally feel the tension coming from each character and in turn, you the reader, can't help but feel the tension as well.

While I wouldn't call this a scary book, I would totally call it a creepy book and it will leave you unsettled!

Thank you #NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book has everything: a creepy deserted village, a decades-old mystery, and a documentary crew led by someone with familial ties to the missing villagers. Will their investigation help unearth what really happened in the village in the 1950s, leaving the place deserted except for a newborn baby in the school?

The book's setup was like catnip for me, and for the most part, it delivered. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end and I'm always a sucker for a dual POV/timeline. The relationships between the four people on the documentary crew are complex, and secrets emerge as their investigation continues.

That said, the characters weren't quite as developed as I hoped, which made some of the more climactic scenes a little less effective as they could have been. It also wasn't quite as creepy and scary as I was hoping. But, overall, an enjoyable ride with a central mystery that comes to a satisfying conclusion!

This book reeled me right in until the very end. I will say I saw a lot of it coming a mile away, but it didn’t take away from the story. The actual story is sad, I mean I was angry and sad and sickened by some things. Although, things like this happen every day. Well, not the creepy lost village but the evilness of asshole people.

I enjoyed the atmosphere, the characters, the edge of your seat and even the stupidity of some things the characters did because I felt like I was watching a scary movie where I yell at everyone!!

The book is not a traditional horror book, more like horrific things happened to innocent people.

* Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for a digital copy of this book.

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾