Small Favors is an atmospheric YA horror story from Erin A. Craig, who brought us House of Salt and Sorrows. The world building is phenomenal, filled with tension, small town secrets and mystery and tense, bristling relationships between characters as things begin to go awry. This story was creepy and fascinating, and though at times, the pacing felt slow, I think that really added to the tension of the story and didn't take away the reading experience for me.
**Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!**

When unseen monsters begin tearing her isolated community apart, a beekeeper's daughter must trust an enigmatic stranger and her own intuition to keep her family--and her whole town--from destruction.

Another chilling, grounded, folklore-infused horror novel from Erin A. Craig. She masterfully keeps us turning pages while keeping the narrative focused on family, community, and the protagonist's self-discovery. An essential addition to any YA collection. I highly recommend it!

This was a story that felt very vintage. It gave the feel from the movie The Village which was great. I loved the mystery and the characters but sadly the story itself was just boring. At around a 100 pages in I DNFed it. I was so bored out of my mind. I wished that the pacing would have been faster and just more. This authors other book I devoured so fast and this one just so slow that I lost interest and had to put it down.

I cannot stop thinking about this book. I really enjoyed House of Salt and Sorrows, so when I was given the opportunity to read this I had high hopes for Small Favors. It did not disappoint!

I will say at the beginning of the book, it was a little tough to follow the different families for me and I found myself referring back to the list of families at the beginning of the book. Once I really got into the story, I was immersed in Amity Falls and Ellerie Downing's tale and found it easy to follow along.

This was just a wonderful read as the character building and the scene setting throughout are just done so well that I could absolutely picture the town and the townfolk.

Congratulations to Erin Craig and thank you so much for writing this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacourte Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Small Favors is a good balance of historical and horror. It's not gory or too gross. It's not a heart-pounding, thrilling rush to escape from something monstrous. It's a slow meander through a haunted woods where every detail, every moment, every event builds and builds and builds toward the ending.

The setting and writing are super atmospheric and really pull everything together to give this book the right kind of eerie vibe. The horror aspects aren't over-the-top or too horrific to be unbelievable. They're a good balance of unnerving and spooky.

The premise of the story is good too. The idea is based loosely on the Rumpelstiltskin tale, but that aspect doesn't come into play until the end. How it's included worked, though, even if it's a tiny part of the bigger picture.

This isn't a fast paced story. There is a lot of stuff that happens as the story moves, but it's slow, building one piece at a time. It was fascinating to read about this town as they slowly lose their minds to the dark presence in the forest.

This is a good, spooky story for someone like me who doesn't normally read spooky stuff. It's slow, it's interesting, it's intense. The characters are realistic and complicated. There are a few things I guessed early on in the story, but I was happy with the reveals about what was going on. The only thing I didn't like was the ending-ending. I felt like it moved a little too quickly and didn't quite give me the resolution I'd been hoping for. Things get pretty crazy in the last few chapters, and this book could have benefited from having an epilogue to wrap everything up and answer a few "what happens next" questions.

But overall, I enjoyed this one, even though I don't normally read horror, and I'm definitely looking forward to more by Erin A. Craig.

I loved reading is his book! The characters were well defined and the story flowed well. I felt a part of the town with it’s weird happenings. A definite must read.

I was surprised by this book in a good way. It was more historical fiction than I was expecting with a twinge of fantasy. Some of the plot was predictable but overall it was an original story with interesting characters.

Wow, I really enjoyed this book. There is so much going on, and it all creates this amazing story. The characters are well built, and the world-building is rich with vivid descriptions that draw you in. The town is full of secrets, the people are full of secrets, the woods are...full of secrets. This is a YA fantasy/horror mix that will have you guessing all over the place about what is happening. It's dark and devilishly amazing! I highly recommend it!

Also, this cover is such a stunning representation of the story, and I think it was so well-thought-out!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I knew as soon as I saw Small Favors that I’d love it. I loved House of Salt and Sorrows and the dark brilliance of Erin Craigs writing. I wasn’t let down and Ms. Craig will have a fan for life!

In the small isolated town of Amity Falls, Ellerie Downing lives with her family. They are apiarists in a town that has rules to ensure survival and good will amongst neighbors. The thriving town takes a downfall first when their supply run is thwarted by large evil beasts and then again when Ellerie’s family experiences a violent act that injuries a family member. Ellerie’s parents are forced to head through the pass just before the winter storms close it off. With just herself and her siblings left to run the farm and look after the bee’s, the Downing’s and the rest of Amity Falls fear starvation. None of them could predict the madness and mayhem that would ensue when good folk get scared and are given the right push in the wrong direction.

The world-building is phenomenal – vivid and descriptive; I had a perfect vision in my mind of the town, its outskirts and the forest beyond. The community is rich with personalities that slowly reveal their flaws as desperation and outside influences prevail. There’s magic, monsters and beasties and I loved every page!

Darkly haunting with a beautifully set eerie atmosphere that kept me completely absorbed, this is one I’ll be recommending to everyone.

Erin A. Craig is a master of telling the creepiest stories! She writes terrifying stories that center around families in small isolated towns.

Small Favors like her debut, House of Salt and Sorrows, is both a charming and horrifying retelling of a faerie/folktale. Ellerie Downing lives in her small town with her apiarist father and large family. All she wants is to follow in her father’s footsteps and spend time with her best friend, Rebecca. Soon, strange things begin happening in town and an even stranger boy shows up on her Ellerie’s doorstep. As Winter approaches and an accident befalls her family, she must do everything she can to protect her family.

This was one of my favourite books of 2021. I can wait to reread House of Salt and Sorrows to be even more thoroughly creeped out!

Dark fairytales make me happy. ✨🖤

Small Favors takes place in a rural village called Amity Falls. It’s isolated, and the community all work together to survive on the edge of thick pines and removed from city life. This society has 1700s colony vibes. They rely on one another and the rulings of the town “Elders” to keep their society safe and happy.

However, the simple life in Amity Falls takes a sinister turn when huge wolffish creatures are seen lingering in the woods, and grisly attacks take place. When a group of people go into the woods and never return, people understandably begin to worry. Then, they begin to get crazy.

The characters, the atmosphere, and the level of suspense in this novel were all well done. It was a slow burn and had some lulls, but I enjoyed all the dark fantasy elements and it reminded me of a Young Adult version of Needful Things.

Some aspects of the book felt drawn out and intended for a younger age group than me (because it is) but I still loved it & it’s beautiful cover, too. 😍 I now want to read other works by this author.

Okay, first impression is Rumplestiltskin meets The Village. And wow have I discovered a love for what I’d call Appalachian horror. I loved Erin Craig’s first book as well so maybe I’m biased but ahhhh so good! I had no idea what was going to happen next!

Ellerie Downing and her family of apiarists live in Amity Falls, as their family has for many generations. But strange animal sightings, a missing supply party, and mounting suspicions of neighbors begin to slowly change this sleepy village into something much more sinister. Ellerie won’t be sure who she can trust when the time comes but she must race to figure out this evil and save her family from its jaws. I don’t want to say much more because I think it’s better to not know much going into this book. Just know that if you love light horror and fairy tales, you’ll love this book!

Ps. Thank you Erin Craig for not being afraid of giving even a scary story a hopeful ending. :)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a review copy of this book. All opinions stated are my own.

I found this fantasy novel to be full of twists and turns that kept me wondering what was going to happen. In essence, this is a story about wanting change, and then dealing with the consequences of the unexpected. Thank you for the e-arc.

Small Favors was the quintessential summer read, in my opinion. Let's start with that cover. Has a more beautiful cover ever existed? I think not. I was a big fan of Craig's writing in HOSAS, so much so it was my favorite read in 2019. And that pretty much held true for Small Favors. No one masters atmosphere in her books the way that Craig does. Her writing is so elegant and really just effortlessly sucks you into Ellerie's world and life in Amity Falls. The chaos and struggle for survival that overtakes Amity Falls gets louder and more creepily terrifying as the book goes on, which I found reflective of the issue of mob mentality and hysteria both in the novel and real life. I also like the way that Craig writes families in her novels and resilient young heroines who step up for them. Ellerie's story gets more and more interesting as lines are drawn and loyalties broken. I very much liked Ellerie and Whittaker and hated Sam. So much. I was VERY interested in the turn the book took in the latter half of the novel with the Kindred and the Brotherhood of Light, and I do wish that this had been more emphasized in the first half, which moved a bit slow and was the main reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me. But all in all, I think that Small Favors was a solid novel that transcends genre and has a bit of mystery, horror, fantasy and romance all mixed together into one package. Small Favors is a story of survival and how it can either fortify a community, or rip it apart.

4.5 stars.

SMALL FAVORS is the second novel I've read by author Erin A. Craig. Here we have a small, mostly self-sufficient town, where everyone knows one another.

There is danger though--deep in the surrounding woods. Creatures--or something--whose eyes glow in the darkness.

In the town's list of Rules you'll find:
"Enter not the forest deep. Beyond the Bells, the dark fiends keep."

Ellerie Downing and her family are one of the farms on the outskirts of the town. The tension starts out immediately, with slow burning intensity. A series of malicious rumors set more "vicious" acts into action.

I really enjoy the author's writing style. I loved the characterization, and the continuous changes they went through emotionally. Everything felt a "natural response" to the events unfolding. This is one of the biggest aspects fo a book that get me into believing in the characters and the story.

While there were some parts to the mystery I quickly guessed, there were many more aspects that I did not. This tale had such depth to it! When one thing was happening before us, there were so many more layers to peel off in order to get the COMPLETE picture. I was kept speculating until the very end.

Overall, this was the type of novel I love to get lost in. The multi-layered approach made it so nothing could be taken at face value. Rather, each event hinged on a multitude of others. The complexity of the story and well developed characters made this an instant favorite for me. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Recommended.

**I received an arc copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**
Publication is July 27, 2021.

Well that was wild.

You know, this is not my typical taste. I like fantasy, but I'm not usually into when things become warped and chaotic. Deformed animals? Lord of the Flies mentality? Murder frenzy? Not usually my thing. However, this author writes in a style that just speaks to me. She did the same thing with her debut. There is something about her writing that my brain responds with "more please."

Let me just say - I love the name of this book. When I finally figured out what it meant, I felt like it was so clever and kind of went with the theme of the book itself.

So let's see... What did I love... The atmosphere was fantastic. I felt the same about House is Salt and Sorrows - she can really create a creepy setting and make it feel as if you're there. I also found Ellerie, Merry, and Sadie all likable and Whitaker was intriguing throughout the book. I think that twist was easy to guess, but I also think it was meant to be easy to guess because you spend the whole book on edge that Ellerie isn't seeing what's right in front of her.

What did I not love... Deformed animals representing an evil presence kind of makes my stomach churn, but that's more of a personal thing. I think my main complaint is that there were *a lot* of characters and it was hard to keep them straight at times. Also, why such a heavy focus on bees and sugar and making cakes? I feel like cakes were mentioned in almost every chapter. Just seemed a little weird to me.

Also, Sam sucked. Really sucked. It's been a while since I hated a character so much. I honestly did not find a single thing about him redeeming and I didn't like that his storyline with Rebecca didn't really have a conclusion or explanation.

I really think this is going to be an auto-buy (or auto-request) author for me. I enjoy her writing style so so much and I'm already pumped to see what she'll come up with next.

"I wasn't a man. My place in the world was nebulous, a malleable concept only given definition by the space I occupied. When I was in the classroom, I was a schoolgirl. At home, I was a daughter. When someone eventually courted me, I'd be a wife, a mother. But until then, what was I? Who was I?"

Again, Erin A. Craig slays me with her immersive world-building and atmosphere-- homey and creepy by turn, veering steadily towards the latter as the story slinks onwards. As the bizarre, catastrophic events striking the town of Amity Falls multiply and worsen, hysteria creeps in, neighbor turning on neighbor, friend betraying friend. Everything is covered in a film of suspicion. There's that ominous teeling that you don't have all the puzzle pieces to understand the horrific events unfolding, and you're just as mystified and nervous as the characters. It's DARK on all kinds of fronts: psychological, gore, social critique. I found myself eating it up.

Our protagonist, Ellerie, is a stalwart guide through all the dark chaos. She's a dutiful, big-hearted, tough-as-nails heroine who cares for everyone around her, especially her family. She carries the weight of others' needs and wants on her back while holding their secrets safely locked away. Ellerie wants recognition from her father and her community, but she is in the awkward position of being a girl, leaving her with limited opportunity. On the flipside, I wasn't sure for most of the book if her twin brother was actually evil or just a terrible, obnoxious person, but he fueled my hate fire singlehandedly.

God, this book was good. It defies a single genre with historical homesteader elements, creepy thriller vibes, a dash of fairy tale inspiration, and lurking supernatural presence. It's a slow, consuming build and I highly recommend it.

I am so very thankful to have been given the opportunity to receive an ARC as this book was amazing. It has been a long time since a novel kept me guessing while holding my breath with high hopes for the characters. This has got to be made into a movie!

Ellerie Downing lives a simple life on her family farm. She helps her mother with her younger sisters and helps her father with the bees. The town she lives in, Amity Falls, is quiet, peaceful but rumored to be surrounded by monsters. When a new trapper stops by the farm, strange things start to happen in the town including phantom sightings, mysterious animal deaths, mutations, and Ellerie's long-lost uncle turning up again. Will Ellerie's town survive not only these things but also a winter without supplies?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. Once I started this book, I found it difficult to put down. I hurried home, so I could read more. It was so compelling. I loved the characters Craig crafted (Ellerie and Whitaker especially) and knew she did a fantastic job when I soon began to loathe Sam. This book was such a perfect mixture of fantasy, horror, and romance. I loved every minute of it and cannot recommend this enough!

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I’ll be waiting in line for her third no matter what it is.

Don’t be deceived by the calming, flower-filled cover. Inside is a chilling, dark fantasy that will make you hesitate before entering the woods ever again. I count the movie The Village directed by M. Night Shyamalan as one of my favorites, and this book shares many similarities with it – a small, tightly knit community, strange activities in the town, deadly creatures in the forest, and a MC who’s determined she and her family will survive. There are also shades of Stephen King’s Needful Things with some of the townfolks’ deepest desires being fulfilled.

The first few chapters introduce readers to a simpler kind of life and allow them to become acquainted with the isolated town, its residents, and their daily activities. Ellerie’s idyllic life of learning beekeeping from her father, cooking with her mother, and playing with her little sister begins sliding away a piece at a time after a supply party goes missing. Visitors, a rare event, show up in town, and one is especially intriguing to her. Whitaker’s motivations were a mystery to me throughout the story, and I wasn’t sure if I should trust him. Soon the town is plagued with deformed animals, strange bouts of weather, and lack of food before neighbors turn against each other in vengeance and hatred. I’m talking a serious spiraling of events, folks. Some of these scenes aren’t for the faint of heart.

This slow burn dark fantasy pulls you in a page at a time, and before long you’ll notice the book is super glued to your hands. It felt like 350 pages instead of nearly 500 to me. Fans of The Village, Needful Things, and dark fantasy will spend several engrossing hours reading Small Favors and shutting out the world around them. Just be careful when you go into the woods.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.