Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of this second novel from Erin, whose prose I fell in love with after also receiving an ARC of her debut book-- House of Salt and Sorrows. Let me just say right up front that if you enjoyed that retelling, you will LOVE Small Favors. Erin has a penchant for taking fairy tales and unraveling them, taking the bones hidden inside and building a whole new beast out of them; not unlike the twisted creatures encroaching upon Amity Falls. I would not have even known this was a Rumpelstiltskin re-imagining until the climax of the novel if I hadn't seen hype for it on Twitter. THAT'S how effective and unique this author is. She has crafted a stunning world all her own in this work.

We are introduced to Ellerie Downing and her family. They live in a small, rule-driven town surrounded by forests and completely cut off from civilization. The Downings' role in this town revolves around their bees-- her father is an apiarist, and her mother creates treats and other crafts with the wax and the honey. They are closely tied (for better or for worse) to the other families in the town, and adhere to the restrictions set by the Elders of the settlement. However, things start to fall to pieces quite quickly-- the author wastes no time bringing in the conflict while still showcasing the characters and their personalities. A supply run is laid to waste by strange animals with deformities, hunters come across impossible game that they can't explain, and all the people in Amity Falls start to feel mistrust towards their fellow man as things go missing, are destroyed, or are revealed.

After a horrific accident, Ellerie is left in charge of her two sisters. Even with the crippling weight of seeing her family through the hardest winter she's ever seen-- Ellerie starts to fall for a mysterious trapper who opens her eyes to the luck (both good and bad) surrounding her. As things escalate in the town, Ellerie has to summon all of her strength and ingenuity to figure out what supernatural forces are at work before all of Amity Falls goes up in flames. It is a thrilling roller coaster ride, and has so much to offer. It's a story about family, love, and aplomb. In addition, it is a STUNNING dark fantasy-- guaranteed to make your hair stand on end and look for silvery eyes staring back at you from the forest, and the absolute body horror will bring the utter devastation and unheard of malformations in your nightmares; Erin is a master of description, bringing stags with too many horns and colts with exposed spines to life in haunting detail.

Honestly, I am already foaming at the mouth for Erin to release another novel in this vein. It hits so many particular story-telling kinks for me, and in a time where it's been a struggle to make myself relax enough to enjoy reading-- this book was something I always looked forward to at the end of the day. It really and truly transported me to the tainted atmosphere of Amity Falls, and it was hard for me to put it down. These books (including House of Salt and Sorrows) fill a specific niche in the YA community that I consider sorely missing-- because though there are an infinite amount of retellings, (art is either plagiarism or revolution) most are not as imaginative and intrepid as I find these. I want so much more YA horror, and I hope we are lucky enough to get more of it from Erin.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Erin A Craig returns with her small-town horror Small Favors. Readers follow Ellerie Downing, eldest daughter of one of the founding families in Amity Falls. Amity Falls is a small village where neighbors must support one another. The village typically gets two supply runs from the city a year, but when one of the supply runs fails it is the start of all manner of misfortunes for the village.

Craig has a talent for creating an atmosphere of dread. Not necessarily spooky or creepy, but just generally that something-bad-is-about-to-happen vibe. There is also a constant introduction of gradually more questions, the answers to which only spawn more questions. There are questions of possible supernatural issues, possible betrayal, and lots of who is this person really. Combine with a sense of being trapped by the seasons and building tensions in the village. Craig was really very successful in creating a big build up for the climax of the novel.

My biggest complaint, and really only complaint, is that everything was resolved so quickly and cleanly. Once the objective of how to fix things was discovered, it was carried out and new goals for moving forward were made with potential for a happily ever after. Happily ever after with need for extensive therapy maybe, but still. It was simply too easy, too quick, too tidy for all the tension and build-up.

I have enjoyed both of Craig's works so far, and have no issues recommending them. I eagerly look forward to her future works as well.

Small Favors is a beautifully written tale about the human condition, reminiscent of the fairytales of the past. When I say fairytales I don’t mean Disney. No Small Favors is actually a loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and more aligned with the blood soaked versions from the Brothers Grimm.

Set in a quaint Valley, the pioneer town of Amnity Falls is concluding their end of summer preparations and getting ready for another winter. The story follows Ellerie Downing, the towns beekeepers oldest daughter, as she tries to keep those she loves safe when chaos descends on their town, and the monsters of legend haunt the pines beyond the towns borders. The world is beautifully crafted, drawing you into this idyllic town and family.

Ellerie is an 18 year old girl trying to find her place in the world now that she is no longer a child, but an adult ready to move on to the next phase of her life. Ellerie is so well written and relatable. The fears and insecurities she has when she perceives her best friend and her twin are leaving her behind while they race off into the next phase of their lives together without her feels so authentic. The hopelessness and inadequacy she feels when she finds herself thrown into a role she isn’t prepared for and doesn’t think she can bear is easy to empathize with. Through it all she remains kind and courageous. Risking herself for just the glimmer of a chance that it would save not only her family but the town she loves.

As with all good fairytales Small Favors is riddled with commentary on humanities virtues and flaws alike. Throughout the book you see how a few well placed favors, a lie here, a seemingly meaningless token there could topple a community turning friend to foe and neighbor to executioner. All it takes is desperation and pressure and all civility and even humanity seems to get stripped from the townspeople. Through it all Ellerie looks to her families bees for strength and inspiration.

Small favors is one of those books that leaves you changed when you flip that last page. The true horrors that lie within its pages don’t belong to the monsters in the woods but in the hearts of those they watch. But even with all the ugliness that is humanity love and hope can survive.

I was given a review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an eARC of Small Favors in return for my honest review...and here it is.

4.5/5
This book was so utterly different than any other YA book I have read. The entire time I was reading it, I was trying to fully understand what was going on, but Craig's writing kept me beautifully in the shade, making me wonder if <i>I</i> was the one going crazy. Every single time I thought I had figured something out or predicted the ending, everything changed and I was very very wrong.

The writing is incredibly captivating, spinning a tale that reminded me of The Village.
The characters are each deep and I was always trying to find out everyone's true intentions.
The Plot was stellar. Like I am actually considering rereading it right now.

The only issue I found was that the ending was just so abrupt. I kept flipping the pages looking for an epilogue or <i>something</i> to give me just a little bit <i>more</i>. I might come back and make it a full 5/5 stars after I've had more time to cool down, but I can't help that I loved this world so much that I wanted more.

Now i'm off to read Erin A. Craig's other book, [book:House of Salt and Sorrows|39679076] because if it is anywhere near as good as Small Favors, I'm already in love.

Thank you to the publishers, author, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

Small town rivalries reach a boiling point in Erin Craig's spooky sophomore novel. Amity Falls, the perfectly named remote valley town, finds itself unraveling when neighbors begin to turn on one another as threats from the forest pin them in and a lack of supplies rots them from the inside out. Our guide through the madness comes in the form of Ellerie Downing, the eldest daughter of the local beekeeper who is trying to find her place in the town (before the ill-fated supply run).
I was not expecting this to be a loose retelling of Rumplestiltskin, but Craig's eerie prose was undoubtedly a skilled one spun from something better than straw.

This was a mixed bag for me. I had high hopes going in (though I hate 'The Village'), and about halfway through, it had hooked me completely. I read it in one day. However, in the end I didn't think the plot came together well (everything was explained a bit too neatly/in a way that didn't really make sense), and I really disliked the love interest plot. (I'd've hoped that YA as a whole would have moved away from this toxic relationship trope by now, but I guess not.) Also, when the synopsis compares this to Stephen King's 'Needful Things,' take that seriously. It is VERY similar to that novel, to a fault by the end. It was kind-of amazing (and over-the-top perversely hilarious) to see that done in a YA book, but I do wish there had been some variation with that plot.

Small Favors is the next book I so desperately wanted to read from Erin Craig. House of Salt and Sorrows is such a spectacular book and I just knew that whatever Craig came up with next would be at the top of my MUST READ list.

Craig leans into her forte of using older stories or myths to craft a new tale of darkness. Small Favors takes place in an unknown time, in an unknown place, and this absolutely works for the story. WIth mood and tone immediately set, the pacing then pulls the reader through mystery and love without a whole lot of time to catch a breath. Much like her first book , readers should expect to carve out some time to binge read these pages; it demands to be read and will not let go easily.

I found the characters believable and quickly fell in love with Ellerie and others. There are a few places where I wish I knew more and others where I was a bit confused or saw what was coming, but I was so wrapped up in story and this world that I really didn't care. And I think a lot of readers will feel the same way. I find myself anxiously ready for her NEXT book; it can't come soon enough.

After finishing this book I needed some time to marinate in the story line and to sort out my feelings. I have come to the conclusion that this is a really good, spooky story that is based more in the tension and physical pull then relying of scary aspects; and I really think that makes this a much more enjoyable read.

The story has a slower telling to it, it creates tension, pull, angst in the reader. This has the reader in a certain state that helps the mystery of the story feel more potent. I loved the characters and their vulnerable aspects as well as the unique town/setting the story takes place. There is so much just under the surface in this story that a re-read might be in order to full appreciate it.

I liked the plot and the ending and I think that this is one of those stories that is going to be for readers who have a appreciation for writing as a craft and storytelling as a form of art, more so then those readers just looking for a fun ride. I very much enjoyed this and hope others do as well. I received an ARC via Netgalley and Random House Publishers and I am leaving my honest review. 4.5 stars.

In Amity Fall, there’s something terribly wrong. I enjoyed every minute of the town’s crawl toward doom. The characters were all memorable, and Ellerie and Whitaker’s was the perfect salve to all the terrible things happening. The ending is open-ended but enjoyable. Pick this up if you’re into mayhem and character’s questioning their sanity.

There is no other way to describe the writing in this book besides beautiful! This book was so unique and gorgeously done, and I loved the mystery element that I wasn't quite expecting. I would recommend this book to my friends who are YA lovers and atmospheric readers.

I loved Craig's previous book House of Salt and Sorrows, and was incredibly excited when I was approved for Small Favors. As in the previous book, the atmosphere in this book is phenomenal.

The book was a bit too slow in the beginning for me, and I was unsure if I would end up loving it or even sticking with it, when I started reading. However, I loved HoSaS so much that I wanted to give this one a fair shot. I'm so happy I did. About halfway through the book really picked up and I loved the second half.

The characters were so engaging, and I simply adored some of them while really despising others, which speaks to the author's talent. I did feel the book ended a bit abruptly, and I would have liked to see perhaps the beginning be a little shorter and the end be more fleshed out. However, overall I greatly enjoyed this book.

<b>3 stars</b>

This is a book I was really excited for. I loved Craig’s debut, A House of Salt and Sorrows and when I went into this book I was looking forward to it. I’m honestly not sure what went wrong for me to be honest. I was into it in the beginning, and I think that it was an intriguing idea. But something…somewhere it fell off for me and about midway I was starting to struggle through it. So you can imagine I am so disappointed I didn’t like it more than I did. But this will definitely be a book for some people. To be clear it was a good book, it just wasn’t what I was expecting and parts of it didn’t work for me.
First off, I think people who like Stephen King or lite horror will love this book. It certainly was atmospheric. Another book that has similar vibes is Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton. They both have this eerie feeling that builds as the book goes on. Small village, cut off from the rest of the world, something lurking beyond the borders…those are the main parts of this novel. Like I said, it is atmospheric and moody which were major points. Craig is really great at doing things with atmosphere.
The major issue I had I think was the pacing. The pacing felt off to me. It’s supposed to build and unfortunately, I think it built a little too slowly for my tastes. I felt instead of building it dragged a bit by the middle. Some parts felt a little too repetitive. It get what the aim of it was, but it still didn’t totally work for me. And that I think was the main crux – the pacing didn’t work for me which made the later parts of the novel not as interesting.
I also didn’t love the romance aspect of this book. I felt that it was a bit strange addition, especially the further we get into the book. I also felt the characters didn’t hold up as well as they could have. I don’t mind that Ellerie didn’t figure out what was going on, but I did have issues because it felt like once something happened nothing happens for several more chapters.
What I did like about the characters is you’re suspicious of everyone. You have no clue who is who or who is bad or who is good and I really liked that aspect of this book. It was well done because it kept you guessing all the way until the end of the book. I certainly didn’t see the twist coming at the end, and I was surprised.
The other thing is this book feels like it’s supposed to be a fantasy world, but it also feels like it is supposed to be set in our world, which is a little confusing for me to be honest.
Craig is a great writer, and the writing is good, and enjoyable to read. I don’t feel like I was struggling with the writing at all. It was clear and concise and helped as I said build up such a creepy atmosphere. I could see this as a good story for the summer or the fall. It is definitely mystery/thriller/creepy/horror lite.
Overall, I think it is a good book and will hit the spot for some readers and miss the mark for others depending on what you like. For me, it just didn’t go far enough and then in some ways it was too slow. Apparently, this was supposed to be a partial fairytale retelling, but I didn’t get that in this book. I wouldn’t say it was a retelling. My final comment is I think I enjoyed it, but not as much as her debut book.

After having read Erin's first book and loving it, I was so excited to receive an eARC of SMALL FAVORS! And it certainly did not disappoint. This book was described to me as having The Village vibes, and that totally fit! It was deliciously creepy and dark without being grotesque or too horror-y. And the way that you slowly feel the villagers going mad was so expertly done! Erin A. Craig is 100% an auto-buy author for me, and I will always recommend her books to everyone I meet!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House Children's for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are entirely my own. I was very excited to read Small Favors because I have heard good things about the author's first book and the plot looked pretty interesting. The book was about Ellerie Downing and strange events going on with the community in her small town. The book includes magic, mystery, and romance. I really enjoyed the book but it did seem a bit long and slow at times. I think it would be a good read for anyone who likes YA fantasy books with a hint of mystery as well.

I definitely enjoyed Small Favors more than House of Salt and Sorrows. I found that to be very repetitive. I loved the setting of Small Favors and the slightly creepy vibe. Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook!

I liked House of Salt and Sorrows better than Small Favors. I was enraptured with the story until the 45% mark when I realized nothing was really happening. This book is very long and much of it was fillers that could have been deleted. The story seemed to follow the pattern of something happens, filler for a few chapters, something different happens, more filler, something else happens, etc.

The romance was awkward and could have been left out or at least written differently. During Whitaker's second interaction with Ellerie (the first and second totaling maybe 5 minutes), he flirts and puts the moves on her which set off red flags. Ellerie basked in his attention despite knowing he was evasive and never told her the truth about anything. They both somehow fall in love over a course of months with meager interactions.

I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn't been as lengthy. Plus, I guessed the twists from the beginning so I had to endure Ellerie's thought process for hundreds of pages until she connected the dots. Overall, this was still a good read that reminded me of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.

There are not enough Rumpelstiltskin retellings out there, and even if there were, this one would blow them out of the park. Erin A Craig's second book does not disappoint. Small Favors brings incredible world building, simmering slow-burn romance, and heart-pounding spookiness It's spooky, dark, and atmospheric, with well built tension, I was drawn into this mysterious town's life and wanted to know what was going on. I do think that there are some very predictable elements of the story, but there were also some surprises as well. I would recommend for fans of The Village. Overall an excellent read.

Small Favors is a slow-build, horror fairy tale that would be the perfect read for the Halloween season!

There are a lot of things to love about this book: the quaint feel of the town, the bees, the relationship between Ellerie and her sisters, the building sense of panic and claustrophobia, the encroaching darkness, and the mythology. Craig has delivered another dark, mysterious retelling that becomes more and more horrific as the plot progresses. However, I do have a few issues. The beginning of the story feels quite long; Craig takes a lot of time to establish the town and provide evidence of the strange occurrences, and while I appreciate having a thorough sense of Amity Falls, I was definitely ready for some action long before it arrived. I also had quite a bit of difficulty keeping all the townspeople straight, and although there was a list of characters at the beginning of the book, I got tired of flipping back and forth. Part of this stems from the fact that many of the townspeople felt flat and almost interchangeable, although the main cast was better developed. Finally, the ending seemed abrupt. There's a fantastic build-up to the finale, and then we're left with a lot of questions and not a lot of resolution. I'm not exactly displeased with the ending, but I would've liked an epilogue or something to give me a bit more closure.

Having said all that, I really did enjoy this book. Ellerie and her sisters really sold the story for me. Their relationship is sweet and solid, and I loved how they cared for and supported one another. The sisters suffer a lot in this book, but they don't let their experiences tear them apart--a reality seen in many of the other families in town. Instead, they step into their new roles and do their best, even if that means having to make sacrifices. The Downing sisters' maturity is a stark contrast to the reaction of the rest of the town as their supplies dwindle and tensions and violence rise, and I appreciate that Craig portrayed this strong sisterly bond that couldn't be broken despite all the chaos. The same can't be said for Ellerie's twin, Sam, who further contrasted the love between his sisters and in fact put their lives in danger many times. That's not to say that the sisters are perfect--they still grumble and disagree and keep secrets from each other--but they still stick together, and their dedication is what eventually saves their lives.

And about that threat to their lives: Craig's villains take a number of forms in this novel. Presented first as supernatural monsters in the forest, the tone quickly shifts to the monsters within the townspeople themselves, who become more and more erratic as unexplained accidents and attacks occur and as leaving Amity Falls becomes essentially impossible. It's enthralling yet horrifying to see the citizens' paranoia grow until you begin to wonder if there are truly any monsters in the woods or if it's all the work of human monsters. I won't say that I was surprised with the reveal of the villains--what are the odds that random trappers would show up in the woods around the town at the same time that the town's supply parties are getting butchered by animals in the woods--but Craig does a good job of keeping up the suspense and creating an interesting mythology around the monsters. The villains are also where she ties in the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, albeit loosely up to the point where it's blatantly obvious, but I still liked the inclusion and the cleverness required to guess the head villain's true name.

Small Favors isn't a perfect read, but it's a satisfying one. Craig has once again presented a retelling of a less-popular fairy tale and created a fascinating narrative that will keep readers up past their bedtimes. Although it's a little long and the secondary characters are a little bland, Ellerie, her sisters, and the unyielding sense of panic eventually keep the pace moving at a breakneck speed until the final page. If you're looking for a seemingly innocent but dark read to make you wary of the dark woods or things glimpsed in the corner of your eye, Small Favors is definitely the book for you.

Oh my goodness....THIS BOOK! I cannot begin to put into words how much I enjoyed this book. I picked up without even knowing what it was about, mainly because I loved Erin's debut, House of Salt and Sorrows. Since the cover is so bright, I wasn't expected such a dark story but OH MAN. was I surprised---but in the best possible way! I binged-read this book in two days and pretty much let netflix parent my kids so that I could keep reading. This book kept me guessing right up until the very end. It has major THE VILLAGE vibes which is one of my favorite movies so I ADORED that about it. I don't want to say too much because I really do think this is the type of book you want to go into without knowing a whole lot, but if dark fantasy with a twist of magic and mystery is your thing, then I highly recommend this book! Erin Craig is an INCREDIBLE story teller and she has really outdone herself with this one! I LOVED HOSAS but SMALL FAVORS is my new favorite. It was incredible!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Your friendly neighborhood mermaid enthusiast is back! Naturally, I grabbed House of Salt and Sorrows because mermaids. I grabbed this one because I enjoyed Craig's first book. I definitely think she's growing as a writer and trying new and different things, which will prove interesting when she finds her niche!

Like House of Salt and Sorrows, this was a mostly enjoyable read. Craig is excellent at vivid world-building, which she achieves here as well. The story is definitely haunting, though more "campfire ghost story" scary than "gothic" scary. (There wasn't really anything to imply it was a gothic story, but I did make some assumptions based on the names of the locations.)

The pace on this one is very, very slow. It takes place over an extended period of time, which is a bit unusual for a YA novel. The characters are likable enough and you can easily cast suspicion where it belongs. (If you ever thought you could survive a horror movie, this book is for you.) However, the ending wasn't very strong or conclusive compared to the rest of the novel. Based on other (shorter) things I've read, I can tell what she was aiming for and didn't quite succeed with.

Otherwise, a pretty decent scary read to pass the time if you're in the mood!