I will begin with the pros:

Good writing style, good syntax, and all, in all, it was easy to sink into and a very quick read.

My cons:

Full of misandry. Now, I am all for a girl-power, stick-it-to-the-patriarchy protagonist, but I am not about hating or mistrusting men for the simple fact that they are men. Which is exactly how the protagonist reads. That is the main reason my rating is what it is; I am sure this may appeal to some people and perhaps even me if and when my husband gets on my nerves, but I am just not onboard for a 200 page male hate-fest.

That being said, the sapphic/ magical love story was, frankly, adorable and it was probably one of the only reasons it didn't make my DNF list. That, and the "magic" itself.

Angry, sapphic with witches! I will put this on the "your choice" list for my first year experience class. I loved Wood Song and it has been a strong choice with some students. I think this book will appeal to those who love a darker novel.

This part of the forest is magical and dark. It's where a family of witchers live, And it's where girls have been going missing. Della must work with Natasha to fix the magic that's broken and find the missing girls. Who will make it out of the woods alive?

I love how the setting of rural Tennessee was so integral to the storyline that it was practically a character itself. I also liked the accuracy of the social hierarchy between Della and her family, Grange, and Natasha with her family and friends. I most appreciated that the author introduced Della as a one-sided caricature of a Smoky Mountains "hick", but at the height of the story arc, we see Della's personality depths with every interaction with other characters, making her a multidimensional person. This is in stark contrast to Natsha's personality, which becomes consumed by vengeance.

I appreciated the author utilizing Natasha and Morgan's friendship as social commentary on the racial disparities among missing women and law enforcement efforts to find them. However, it felt like it was either added as an afterthought or a poor attempt to stage the next storyline/book in this location. It would have been nice to have a little bit more of Morgan's experience woven throughout Natasha's storyline. Overall, I really liked the book and would recommend it to my friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Dark, haunting, bone chilling. This story has made Erica Waters a must buy author for me. Her writing is phenomenal and I love the whole vibe of the book.

I listened to the audiobook and found myself unable to keep track of what's happening because the writing feels very much in a sense of stasis and detachment, which is very disappointing considering I loved the author's other book Ghost Wood Song

witchy southern gothic queer vibes that feel like a warm hug in sticky air. While managing to uphold an eerie, dark feeling, there was also a softness to the characters and their love.

Erica Waters is an exceptional author, one that you should definitely read. Both this and her previous book, Ghost Wood Song, have such whimsical writing, the perfect spooky atmosphere, This one was so creepy at the right moments, it was angry and it had sapphic romance--something that I love as not so many authors can pull this one effectively.

Thanks so much for giving me the chance to review this masterpiece!

This was a spooky read for sure, which is a genre I don't often read. Pleasantly, I enjoyed this. I liked the mystery, magic witchiness, and lesbianism. I only think the beginning was a bit slow, so I rate it 4 stars.

What a amazing book! I feel in love with this one. The story is spectacular, all the characters are super vivid. I recommend with my heart.

Holy. Honestly that's all I have to say. It's beautiful, it's dark, it has literally everything I look for in a novel. I felt as though I were being torn in two while being sewn back together in the same instance. I can't explain what this book did to me, but it was a joy to read. I want more and more and more.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. The story is so magical and mysterious as well steeped with Appalachian folklore. Seeing Natasha's transformation as she learns more of the history of the Bend as well as Della's protectiveness of the mother she believes is a monster just added to the magic of the story.

Such an interesting book that I included it in a booktalk for local high-schoolers! Dark and lush, atmospheric, with queer romance and female rage...excellent! Waters knows how to make the setting a true, living character and to create the perfect sense of foreboding and dread. I look forward to her next novel!

This one took me some time to get into. And it wasn't until around 40% that I really started enjoying it. I liked the LGBT feel and the contemporary thriller plot. The POV worked well overall and I would love to see another book by this author.

This book unexpectedly drew me in with its lyrical prose and intriguing plot. There were a few moments where my interest wavered, but the story kept me going through these scant occasions!

Well-written with a diverse cast of characters. This genre-blending thriller uses generational magic that is going corrupt to offer a scathing commentary on men who prey on women.

I loved the earth witch vibes of this book. I need more books like it! This is another story of a girl looking for her missing sister. One half of the story is told from Natasha’s perspective as she follows leads trying to find out what happened to her sister. The other half of the story is told from the perspective of Della, a girl whose family has lived in the area a long time, creating spells for the locals. Della is harboring family secrets and Natasha needs help finding her sister. These two girls form an unlikely friendship and there may or may not be beautiful, witchy, sapphic vibes here.

Erica Waters has crafted a deep, dark, winding adventure full of strange and lovely things. A great read for lovers of Maggie Stiefvater and Holly Black.

I loved the LGBT+ rep in this book, but the writing was not to my taste. i will most definitely be interested in reading more books by this author though!

The River Has Teeth is the YA fantasy mystery of the year! The writing is highly atmospheric and eerie throughout. The blend of genres is done very well. It's a mashup of mystery, fantasy, horror, gothic, and a touch of romance added in. The setting is written beautifully. Natasha is searching her sister whose car was found abandoned. Della's family has channeled magic from the bend for generations, only recently it's gone bad and Della doesn't know why. It turned her mother into a beast she's afraid is taking girls. Can the two come together and help each other out? The story is intense and filled with twists. It's an engaging read. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a fresh YA mystery blended with fantasy. This is a great one to check out!