Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for my copy of Cormorant Lake by Faith Merino in exchange for an honest review. It published February 2, 2021.
I had high hopes for this book, it had such a strong premise, but I felt like it was too experimental and weird. I found myself skipping over scenes with a certain character, as they made me uncomfortable.

I finished this book months ago and I cannot stop thinking about it. I might include it in future Book Riot roundups.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

A very odd book.

I was approved to read an advance read copy for NetGalley back in 2021. For whatever reason, it didn't get finished in the allotted amount of time. The book became available via the Hoopla app (thanks to our local public library) so I took the time to read it.

I was going to start the book "part way in" as I had read some of the book; but I was very glad to have started at the beginning. Otherwise I probably would have been confused.

Children of a recovering addict are taken by the care taker. She takes them back to where she left a decade or more earlier; not to her mothers home but to the home of the lady that cared for her. Of course its a small town and everyone is nosy, including her mother who was also pretty neglectful.

Nan is having memory lapses and other mental health concerns.

When you take some kids, you are always on the run. How do you do that when you need to earn money?

It seems that you can never completely run from your past.

Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Congrats!

Thank you to NetGalley (and Hoopla) for the opportunity to read Cormorant Lake. As well as Faith Merino the author and Blackstone Publishing. Published Feb 2021.

This was a quick read that kept me engaged. The writing was excellent and atmospheric; I could imagine myself in all of the conditions, weather or otherwise, that were depicted. A good book to read in winter. It is a little dark and depressing. Everyone’s lives felt so bleak and hopeless.

Cormorant Lake is a story of choosing your own family, generation after generation. It begins as Evelyn is fleeing with two children she has, more or less, kidnapped from their incompetent and addicted mother after she found the youngest half-drowned in the bathtub. Evelyn had been caring for those kids while the mother took off and her recent return just put the girls in jeopardy. She drives north to Nan, the woman who took care of her when he own mother, Jube, failed her leaving her to live, more or less, on the porch.

Nan is haunted by her past, the child she lost in a miscarriage, and the boy “without a face” whom she cared for while her friend worked in a lumber camp. She is also bothered by local gossips and small-town life. Evelyn moves in with Nan and they settle into a routine with Evelyn working two jobs while Nan cares for the kids.



Cormorant Lake is one of those books that can haunt you. Nan and Evelyn are women who had the love and courage to be a mother to children who were neglected. Jube is interesting, a woman we initially think of as a bad mother, but then we learn how much she loves. Evelyn and Nan seem so much more loving, but they have their own failures. It is a fascinating story of finding love and family where you can.

The language is entrancing, particularly when she describes the land. The story has elements of magical realism, though maybe the ghosts are guilty consciences.

I received an ARC of Cormorant Lake from the publisher through NetGalley

Cormorant Lake at Blackstone Publishing
Faith Merino author site.

I loved this book. Not what I expected but the plot captured me from the beginning. Highly recommend.

Cormorant Lake by Faith Merino

This was not my kind of book. I found it depressing. Main characters were good. Boo0k was full of guilt, depression, addicted families who didn’t care for their children. Evelyn meant well. She didn’t want to see the children suffer from their Mom’[s neglect.

Thank you Net Galley for sending vice an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

A brilliant novel…the characters stay with you long after you’ve finished the book. Not my usual genre, but boy I really enjoy this one. The author did such an amazing job of creating such unique, rich characters that I felt invested in every scene and kept turning the pages wanting more. This is definitely a MUST read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was exceptional. Dark & twisty but discussed themes such as motherhood and community in such an interesting and unique way. I can’t believe this book was just over 200 pages because it was so rich in content. I loved that it had a “jigsaw puzzle” feel to the story and the author made you think and attempt to work a few of pieces out yourself. It was very literary in its themes but also had a well rounded storyline. Overall, highly recommend this one! Thank you @netgalley for my review copy :)

Unsettling! This book made me think about friendships, motherhood, womanhood, who is more important - the mother that gives you birth or the mother who brings you up and molds you into a full human being? It also mixes present and past and real times with magic. It´s left me flabbergasted, wanting to reach the end to learn how would everything mix together and end. It´s a lovely reading, entertaining, full of mystery and food for thought.

3.5 ⭐️Thank you Netgalley and publisher for ARC. This was a mixed bag for me. I loved the themes of women doing the best they can despite hardship both financial and emotionally, and the strength and maternal instincts of the two main characters, as well as the guilt that the three main characters suffered from. The setting also added to the story. But this book was also a little out there for me and the plot ultimately didn’t really seem to go anywhere

The premise of the book made me interested to read this and it sounds all mysterious. Evelyn Van Pelt abducts the two underfed and neglected little girls of her roommate and brings them to her hometown in Cormorant Lake. She has not been home for fourteen years and when she shows up to her foster mother house with two kids in tow, she suddenly has to reconcile with her guilt, responsibilities of parenthood, her coming to terms with her independence and the sudden presence of her biological mother. Evelyn faces and confronts the secrets that her family tries to bury a long time ago.


The book deals with the intricacies of one’s relationship with mothers, the imperfections and and all its complications. I like the atmospheric and the mysterious vibes it gives. Though I find that the story slowed after a very interesting start. I was more than half into the book and waiting for something to happen. The ending also leaves me with more questions.


Thank you for NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for advanced e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: February 2, 2021

Faith Merino is a truly skilled writer that has the ability to conjure vivid imagery. Her debut novel certainly had several "things that make you go hmmm...", but it was compelling and moved along at a rather fast clip. The story and setting were melancholy and somewhat dark as the deeply flawed characters were put in unforeseen situations. Their impulsiveness constantly kept me guessing about what would happen next.

I'll admit, I struggled with several decisions made by the individuals, but at the same time, there was the understanding that this was all they knew. That knowledge allowed for some grace.

Overall, this was a solid debut that will hit the shelves February 2nd.

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me with this early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Evelyn thinks she's doing the right thing when she takes Mora and Lila from their mother Erin and flees home to Cormorant Lake. This is a novel about motherhood and obligation with a dose of magical realism and secrets. Evelyn's mother Juba didn't really raise her- just left her to roam free which might sound good but doesn't. She was taken in by Nan, who pit structure in her life. Now, though, Nan is talking to a ghost, Juba is back in town, and Evelyn is imagining that Erin is making odd things happen. It's a hard plot to describe but an engaging one. You will definitely find yourself judging these women, who are well drawn but not wholly sympathetic. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A nice debut and a worthy read.

I feel like I say this about every book, but I really loved this book!

The entire book had this air of love but there's something almost melancholy just in the background.

It raises questions about justice and morality and shows so many variations of motherhood. The common running theme is love without boundries and acceptance. The family dynamics are well explored and flawless.

The writing is lyrical and cohesive. Merino has an excellent talent for conveying imagery to the reader, every scene in this book I could see clearly in my own head.

This book really lends itself to escapism. A chance to leave behind this world and know the characters in Cormorant Lake.

A really great 5 star read that I know I'll definitely be reading again.

Thank you Faith Merino, Blackstone publishing and Netgalley for an eArc of this book in exchange for review.

Evelyn steals her roommate's daughters one night and takes them to her hometown, Cormorant Lake. While she's acting like the mother of the two girls, she also manages to reconnect with her biological mother, Jubilee and her foster mother, Nan.

This book covers a lot of topics especially family, motherhood, and a mother/daughter relationship. We really got to know Nan, although I do wish we got to know Jubilee a little bit more. Overall, the relationships and the characters were pretty solid.

I didn't expect this book to me so mystical, but I enjoyed that aspect of the story. I personally didn't really like the ending, but I will say that it did go very well with the magical/mysterious atmosphere going on during the entire book. The author was really consistent with that!

I was surprised to find out that this was the author's debut novel. I will definitely be on the look out for the next book Faith Merino comes out with because I enjoyed the writing. If you're a fan of Brit Bennett's books, I recommend giving this one a shot as it gave me similar vibes!

Thanks NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Faith Merino for an ARC to review.
Honestly I'm too awed right now to talk about this book! Seriously just wow!
I finished it in one sitting, it's past midnight now.
Excellent, different than anything I've ever read before!

“𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙪𝙥 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩,” 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙.

𝙉𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙥 𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙚, 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙧.

𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙, “𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚.”

When Evelyn Van Pelt decides to abduct her roommate’s little girls from California, it is a rescue mission and one that forces her to return to Cormorant Lake and Nan, a place she fled years ago. This time, she plans to hunker down in the mountain and protect the love starved children who will now be her own. “Nan liked stories about defiant women”, surely she would understand this fight for survival. It started with the little girls’ neglectful mother and her vanishing acts. Evelyn knows all too well about bottomless hunger and unfit mothers, there is not a chance she can ignore the dangers Lila and Mora are drowning in even if it means giving up her freedom. Jube, Evelyn’s own mother, had raised her to wander and fend for herself, until Nan came along and fostered her. What is a mother really? Is mothering in the blood or the heart? This isn’t something Evelyn dreamed of, never having much experience with nurturing, a lonely child with little expectations until Nan came long, but in the girls’ she sees something of herself, a fierce love is born.

With winter settling in around Cormorant Lake, the protection of the mountains and the land could serve as the perfect place to hide and defend them, but against who or what? Unquestionably the little girls’ mother will come looking for them, all mother’s fight for what is their own don’t they? What if people start asking questions, prying into their business? Even Nan is aware of the threat, having been subject to meddling locals all her life. Too, Evelyn must confront Jubliee, with the way news travels. Evelyn’s mother Jubilee is the same as always despite years of wear and tear. Everyone has a history, is it possible Jube didn’t know better, that she herself wasn’t mothered either? Ever present is the lake itself and it’s peculiar tragedy involving a derailed train haunting the place still. Something seems to exist alongside the natural world, a sort of veil that Nan senses. All these things are merging, much bigger than Evelyn’s struggles, but the past is crackling to life with her return.

Nan is often between then and now, seeing things that remind her of the betrayal she is responsible for, a terrible thing that can never be undone, no matter how long she lives. It is about friendship and the heart’s poor choices. Her tale is full of sorrow and the pain of never being able to make amends. Atmospheric and haunting, Cormorant Lake is about the wreckage of mothers, shame and regrets that shadow our choices. It is the things that pulse in unseen places and what caring for others asks us to sacrifice. Yes, read it!

Publication Date: February 2, 2021

Blackstone Publishing

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"On a cold November night, Evelyn Van Pelt steals her roommate’s two underfed and neglected little girls from their beds and drives to the northwestern hometown she fled fourteen years earlier—Cormorant Lake."

I was very interested in reading this based on the blurb. It started out strong but lost steam mid-way and didn't really recover its ground. Overall, an okay read.

2.75☆