3.5 stars. This was promising, but it became too convoluted and messy as it went on. Pacing-wise, it was too slow and then way too fast. Some of the horror elements felt forced/lame as the story went on. I was SUPER hooked for a while, until I saw where it was going. I did like it, but I was ultimately disappointed.

Erin A. Craig is a very talented writer. In both her novels, it's clear that she is skilled at writing descriptive settings and creating an intriguing world. However, once again I was unfortunately underwhelmed by the plot. My issue with Small Favors was that for a majority of the book, not much happens. And because of the slow moving pace and lack of action, the story had trouble keeping my attention. The book has an interesting premise and definitely gives off some creepy The Village vibes, but the execution fell a bit short.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to review this title.

While Small Favors starts out feeling a bit creepy, there wasn't much to it beyond a family going about life in a small village and squabbles amongst neighbors as they run low on supplies for the winter. There were some tense moments and feelings of dread throughout the book, but I honestly don't know that I would classify this as horror.

The setting was never explained and I didn’t know what time period this was set in. I’m sure it was intentional but it was hard to set myself in the story if I didn’t even know where I was placing myself.

I wanted to like this book but I couldn't get through it... the beginning was boring and dragged on. I love the author and her previous book but this did not read like that one. Maybe I will try again later but this didn't hold my attention.

I enjoyed reading this book and I loved the storyline. The characters were great and thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

*Spoilers*

3.5 stars probably, but I'll round up since this is the first book I've actually wanted to finish in quite awhile.

So, I really enjoyed *most* of this book. There was a lot happening. Everything was very mysterious, and I was very very intrigued. The small, remote town, the special town rules, the family histories and feuds, the supernatural elements, oh and the bees! It was all very exciting and interesting. I really enjoyed the idea behind the story, I really enjoyed the mystery, however, when it actually got down to the details, things sort of unraveled.

I feel like the main plot points and premise were fairly predictable, but I didn't mind because I was very interested in the world building and the brilliant reveal that would explain everything. Unfortunately we never really got there. All of the important elements to the story seemed to either get vaguely wrapped up off screen and explained to Ellerie after the fact, or were just never explained at all. Where was God's Grasp? And why were they so isolated from all other towns? When was this even taking place? Did Ellerie's father and mother actually make it to town or were they murdered on the way? Why didn't they come back? What was the reason for her brother to be such a loser? He seemed to go from a great brother to a total psycho willing to sacrifice his sister for no good reason. What was the point of the bees?? And for that matter what was the point of Whitaker? The love story felt very tacked on and half hearted. I could go on but I don't want to pull the whole book apart.

I really did enjoy reading probably 75% of it. However, it felt like a LOT of build up and no payoff to speak of. The ending felt like and she could be with Whitaker so they all lived happily ever after, the end. Never mind that the town was in flames and where were they even going and oh Ellerie barely knows Whitaker.... Frustrating. They had one good scene together but the rest was mostly Ellerie pining and Whitaker being MIA.

Like I said, I'm going to round this to 4 stars, because the idea was there. And this is the first book I've wanted to finish since my horrendous pandemic reading slump set in. So, points for that. I just wish it had felt more complete. It felt like it fell apart at the end, all the great ideas weren't fully fleshed out, and that was disappointing.

Completely adored the authors first book so I definitely had to give this a try and while I didn't love this book as much, I still greatly enjoyed it. Enough so that I made it the August YA pick for my Instagram book club.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured Erin A. Craig's HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS so I was excited to get my hands on her next novel, SMALL FAVORS.

The small town of Amity Falls is isolated from society by an impenetrable forest. The townspeople live a simple life following the rules the founders of Amity created. The early settlers had to fight off monsters and they lined the woods around Amity with bells believing the sound would keep the town safe.

As odd events start happening in town, talk of the monsters returns. Eighteen year old Ellerie Downing just wants to prove to her father that she's just as capable of tending to their bees as her twin brother (who keeps shirking his chores to run off... somewhere), then she meets a stranger at the edge of the woods - when no strangers ever come to Amity. While he's handsome, Ellerie is wary. As much as the town doesn't want to admit it, the monsters are real, and they grant the people of Amity their biggest wishes... for one small favor.

As the town begins to fall apart, Ellerie tries to figure out what's going on before it's too late. While some of the twists were fairly obvious, that didn't detract from the plot. SMALL FAVORS is a study in how discord can destroy society.

This is a different tone and feel from HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS but I got hooked on SMALL FAVORS just as quickly. I enjoyed the strife and the outcome, though I wish there had been just one more chapter taking the end a little bit further so that readers would know what happened next.

The horror, the chaos, the immense feeling of eldritch gods messing things up behind the scenes. Dead bodies, mutilated bodies, burnt bodies. Introducing the world’s most deceiving cover and bees. I originally posted that as a comment on Goodreads at a measly 40% of the way through the book. But, oh, has a comment never been more true. I'll admit I didn't read as much research about this book as I should have, which may have led to some of its deceiving storyline. I've been following Erin A. Craig on Instagram and Twitter for a while now and kept seeing and hearing about this book, so the minute it popped up for request, I said OF COURSE.

And then I read the inside which said it was a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin tale and there was no hope for me not loving this book. Enter the mutations. Followed by the dead bodies. Followed by a whole slew of morally grey and kind of a bunch of butthole characters, and we're introduced to the pure chaos Amity Falls has become. No one trusts anyone and it starts to feel like the Salem retelling you've always wanted in your hometown. Ellerie Downing just wants to be the one to take care of her family's bees, contributing to the town, following its rules, and maybe, further down the line, fall in love. She's a family girl first, which is why she can't understand how her twin brother Sam doesn't feel the same way. He's been missing more often than home, leaving Ellerie to get her wish sooner rather than later.

She notices the town feels more hateful as late, starting with diminishing supplies, missing supply runs, accusations left and right, and some despicable actions that have horrible consequences, including something that sends Ellerie's mother and father into the city, leaving her and Sam in charge of their younger sisters. The town spirals deeper into chaos as long lost relatives come back to town, a mysterious group of trappers arrive, and people begin to see silver eyes everywhere. And those silver eyes tend to come with people only some of the town can see.

Taking the power of a simple small favor, Erin A. Craig explores just how much humans are willing to sacrifice to have what they want...and the consequences those favors can have when granted. While much of the book kept me on the edge of my seat, literally skipping over words and paragraphs to discover just what was going to happen next to this town, the ending disappointed me just a little. I don't know what I expected, but I think a big part of me wanted the ending you believe Ellerie will give into when it's offered. However, the path she chose is the one that more closely follows who she was before the chaos rather than who she was starting to be during the chaos. I'm leaving it vague for a reason people! Enjoy your descent into the horror that happens to Amity Falls.

Erin is such a beautiful writer. This story was gorgeous and captivating from the moment I started reading it. Oddly enough, I have had a dream that is somewhat similar to the relationship Ellerie has with her twin brother in this story. That made me swoon all the more for it. The characters are well developed and you feel so attached to them from the get-go. It's unique yet I think will be loved by anyone who reads it! Highly recommended!

Small Favors is a quiet YA horror novel that entirely sucked me in. It's creepy and atmospheric with slow-building tension, small town secrets, and fraught relationships. Definitely worth a read.

Ellery lives in an isolated small town governed by rules created by the founders. It's a close knit community where neighbors are always there to lend a helping hand. But things start going very wrong. It starts with the deformed animals, the rotting crops, and then relationships going awry. Through it all Ellery struggles to keep her family together and help them survive. I don't want to say too much more, but I loved a lot about this. It was creepy and fascinating. Towards the later part of the book I thought the pacing could have been better and we got explanations of some things a tad too early in my opinion. Dragging it out a bit more would have kept up the suspense. But overall, a very strong book and I love seeing this kind of slow burn horror show up in YA. I received an advance copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

In terms of content notes, there is a lot of violence, some gore, death, lost of loved ones, manipulation, gaslighting etc.

I was unsure at first, but this book kept surprising me. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it to other readers of the horror/thriller genre.

Small Favors is a slow burn, young adult, creepy, mysterious read. While parts were a little too slow, I appreciate how different the story and characters were. Some fairy tale elements were a little too shoe-horned in, but I ultimately liked it a lot. Craig is really good at incorporating fantasy in a way that's not cheesy or typical.. just there. I also love that it's a stand alone read. We need more of those in the young adult book space!

I really liked this book, even though at times it was really difficult to read. It's very dark, with a lot of death and a lot of mean characters. If you're squeamish or hate animal death (like me!), then this will be a tough read. I powered through because I really liked the story and love Craig's writing. I wish the end had been a little more flushed out, but overall, it was pretty satisfying.

“Small Favors is haunting, like a lullaby sung to ward off nightmares, it stays with you. Craig crafts a rich landscape, spinning an eeriness like music into the fabric of her story, filled with the most terrifying monsters.”

Cecelia Beckman, Sheaf & Ink

Small Favors is a perfect read for those who love a good story of the uncanny sprinkled in with some gruesome horror similar to Stephen King’s The Shinning.

I was instantly drawn into Craigs beautifully, yet eerie prairie frontier story. Where a rural village is cut off from the rest of the world and their only path to civilization is cut off. And something lurks within the forest. Something otherworldly, ghastly, and grotesque.

it is the haunted eeriness that propels the story forward. Wrapped with a red bow of delicious romance that will have you ache for more. And Craig does not shy away from primal feelings. Its as if the forest itself amplifies the more feral and base or primitive feelings and instincts. And like King’s The Shinning, when you’re cut off from the rest of the world, starving and the weeds of mistrust and survival of the fittest kicks in, there’s only so much time before the house of cards comes crumbling down.

And friends does Craig make this happen in ways that will make you feel the unsettling layer of dread seeping into the village like rot and decay.

I only had one minor critique which was towards the end. When Ellerie confronts someone in the end, she is tasked with guessing something. It’s the way Craig ends that particular chapter that made things confusing. I understand why she ended the chapter that way, leaving readers in limbo. No knowing if anything was resolved, but I think it would have been less confusing if she had ended it differently (for me anyway).

Rather than ending it with Ellerie saying “Wait!” and then moving on to the next chapter without any reference of a possible conversation, I think had Craig had the person respond with a question of what Ellerie wants, ending it with that would have been more sufficient.

Small Favors is brimming with sinister bargains, wild creatures, luscious romance, and horrifying outcomes. It’s a book that will sweep you away into a Grimm-like fairytale, it’s current pulling you under and holding you tight with sharp claws, ready to draw blood.

Delivering in equal parts dark and sinister as it is delicious and sweet, make sure to grab your copy.

Happy Reading ̴ Cece

Thank you so much to Delacorte Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Small Favors is set in Amity Falls, a small town surrounded by a dark forest in the Blackspire mountain range. Twice a year, a handful of villagers cross the pass into the city for supplies, but when no one comes back, and a handful of visitors appear, something is not right.

The monsters with silvery eyes that the founders fought off from the woods are back, and Ellerie Downing is doing everything in her power to keep her and her family alive and safe.

I really don't know how Erin A. Craig does it, but her writing and story telling really just suck you in! I'm not normally one for horror, but she is just about the only author I can read from the genre. It's spooky, mysterious, and enthralling, and I did not want to put it down!

It was 90-something degrees out, and I sprawled acorss my couch, reading this book well into the night. It's the kind of gripping mystery/horror that you shouldn't read at night, but you don't care enough to put away. It's dark and twisty, and just when you think you understand what's happening, someone else claims they did it.

There is also some romance. I saw some other reviews mention it came out of the blue, but I don't think it did! It was something that started from the beginning, and in it's strange way it was really sweet.

I have a feeling this would make for an awesome audiobook, and I'd love to see a Netflix series!!!

If there is one thing Erin A. Craig has taught me about her writing, is that it is extraordinary. Her ability to put new spins on old tales and make them darker, richer and better, is unbelievable. And while this wasn't necessarily an "old tale or retelling" like her debut, it was every bit as dark and delicious as her first and every bit as hard to put down.

I absolutely adored this. The characters, the crazy messed up mysterious setting and the even ore mysterious and sometimes dark characters. The whole premises on this story was truly unique and irresistible. Craig once again shows she knows how to write and she does it well! I look forward to more from this author.

I wanted to like this book but I couldn't get through it... the beginning was boring and dragged on. I love the author and her previous book but this did not read like that one. Maybe I will try again later but this didn't hold my attention.

"Once you saw behind the illusion of a trick, it was impossible to believe it had ever been magic."

Content warnings: animal death, death, murder, stalking

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Small Favors is a loose Rumpelstiltskin retelling, with an ominous atmosphere that will leave you with chills. In what is reminiscent of the setting of The Village, Ellerie lives in the isolated town of Amity Falls with her parents, twin brother, and two younger sisters. Their family comes from a long line of apiarists, and Ellerie wants nothing more than to one day inherit caring for the bees herself, instead of her twin Sam. If only she realized this would be the least of worries in a year after the town starts getting more strange and terrifying every day...

Erin A. Craig is one of my favorite authors, so requesting this ARC was a no-brainer. I had already pre-ordered a signed copy at her local bookstore when I found myself with an advanced copy of this and screamed loud enough that my neighbors were probably concerned. 🙈

I really enjoyed this book, but it could not beat House of Salt and Sorrows for me. I was enthralled with the chilling and suspense atmosphere, and Erin's writing is superb, but I didn't find myself loving the conclusion. I also struggled to get attached to the characters because I couldn't tell which ones were themselves or... behaving differently...

I was still excited to read perhaps my first Rumpelstiltskin retelling and found this to be one of the most stunning covers I've ever seen! I would recommend this book to fans of The Village, fantasy thrillers, and/or bees!

I read and adored House of Salt and Sorrows, so I knew what I was getting into with Small Favors, the slight horror around the edge of the story, then a drastic ending. But I wasn't quite expecting it to be that drastic and chaotic.

Sue me, but I am not a big fan of books with lots of death or mostly unhappy endings, so this wasn't the right book for me.

Following in the same vein as House of Salt and Sorrows, Small Favors is a dark and twisty fantastical read from Erin A. Craig.
Ellerie Downing and her family live in a small town called Amity Falls, located in a secluded valley surrounded by forest. What starts out to be a kind and peaceful place quickly turns into a mysterious scene full of seemingly random attacks, vandalism and unexplained hatred. Ellerie is determined to figure out what madness is plaguing her town, with the help of a new stranger who’s just arrived.
I didn’t even realize this was a Rumpelstiltskin retelling until after I was done reading it but it definitely makes sense with the plot and considering the fact that the author’s first book was also a retelling. I feel like I understand the direction of the story so much more now that I know that.
This one was definitely similar to House of Salt and Sorrows in that it has some fantastical elements and darker storylines included. I also found the writing style to be very consistent between the two books. The writing was immersive and really added to the atmosphere of the story.
One of the main things I enjoyed about this book was the small town setting of Amity Falls, surrounded by a dark and mysterious forest. This definitely added to the creepy-factor of the story while also keeping the reader engaged in solving the mystery of what darkness has overtaken the town.
This small town dynamic did come with a very big cast of characters. There was a list of townspeople and families at the beginning of the book which was helpful but some things did get confusing when there were big town gatherings and trying to remember how everyone is connected. Having this larger group did bring a lot of drama with it though, and I enjoyed following the various storylines between characters. The romance felt a bit too insta-lovey for me and I was much more interested in the mystery plaguing the town and the Downing family dynamics than the relationship between Ellerie and Whitaker.
This was an interesting take on a classic fairytale and I really appreciated how original it was. The story was riveting and the pacing felt well done throughout.
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!