An engaging murder mystery with southern gothic charm and magic wielding sapphics. Erica Waters combines vivid imagery and spooky storytelling to make this book come alive. I liked the main characters and the alternating POVs (something I typically struggle to enjoy) were done very well but there were things I think could have been a bit more fleshed out. Georgia played an important part in many plot points but was otherwise absent from the story. I wouldn’t have minded exploring her character a bit more. I also felt like the romance between Della and Natasha began a bit abruptly, but I was quite in love with the two of them by the end.

Natasha's sister is missing and Della's mother is a monster. Della's family has protected and wielded the magic of the Bend for a century, but it is quickly careening out of control. Natasha had settled into her life of safety and comfort, but the disappearance of her sister, Rochelle, sends her life into a chaotic spiral. The mystery of Rochelle's disappearance sends Natasha to the Bend, where she and Della forge an unlikely bond. But how can two girls stand against the world?

This wonderfully dark southern gothic tale had me guessing the whole time. It has been a long time since a thriller has grabbed my attention like this, but I absolutely devoured this book. The twists and turns were unexpected and had me on the edge of my proverbial seat. I loved the way you could feel the characters' emotions coming off of the page. Natasha's rage and Della's desperation. As a reader, I could genuinely feel and understand all of their actions and reasons.

Normally, setting is not a big deal for me when reading, but the ambiance of this book truly drew me in which makes sense. The Bend is such a major plot point to this whole story and honestly almost feels like one of the characters. Oh, and speaking of the characters, the LGBTQ+ rep is *chef's kiss*. Beautifully done. I'm going to have to pick up Waters's other book now.

This story is both creepy and interesting and perfect for fans of mystery and or earth and water magic. This definitely falls under Young Adult so a teen might not be as critical. The story contains racially diverse characters as well as gender fluid characters. I felt Georgia's character should have been more fully developed. Her actions affected critical plot points, but I did not feel as connected to her as I should have. This is the only reason I gave the title 4 instead of 5 stars.

WOW!! This book was amazingly written and carried out. If you're looking for a great woodsy, eerie book with an amazing plot twist and ending, look no further! The River Has Teeth, has now become one of my FAVORITE books! I cried, I laughed, I got angry and I just fell in love with this book completely; the book that helped me out of a reading slump. I highly recommend this creepy, powerful and astounding book to everyone! One thing I truly loved in this book is the awareness it actually brings to certain situations we are facing in the world currently, and have always faced. This is also an LGBT friendly book and I am just in love with the enemy to lovers story. Keep an eye out for this beauty hitting shelves on July 20, 2021!

♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♡︎/♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎♡︎
𝙸𝚗 𝚊 𝚗𝚞𝚝𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕: A southern gothic tale with magic and mystery between every page

𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠: Natasha’s sister is missing, and the case is slowly falling apart- much to Natasha’s anger.
She will do whatever she can to find answers, even turning to the resident witch, who supposedly deals in dark magic.
Della knows that Natasha is going to need her help, and she won’t take no for an answer. But as she starts to help Natasha, she starts to realize that she just may know who the monster is...Della’s own mother.

This is a dark and sinister tale about the horror of not knowing where your loved one is, and just how far you are willing to go to try and figure it out.
Natasha was FILLED with pain and anger, it radiated from the pages as you dived into the story. And sometimes, it seemed a bit too much, making her chapters hard to read since she couldn’t see past her initial opinions and anger.
Della was easier to enjoy. She was so wrapped in her own mystery and drama, that each one of her chapters balanced her own struggle with Natasha’s struggles.

The whole story was just full of mystery, magic, and dark vibes and I loved it.
It can sometimes be somewhat confusing at certain points, but each point just matches up so great that it ends up in a wonderfully written story.

𝚁𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘: If you’re looking for a dark and magical tale, full of anger and plans for revenge- then you’re gonna love this!

Monsters. Murder. Magic. Two girls forging an unlikely friendship. When Natasha's sister goes missing, desperate for answers, she seeks the help of Della a rumored witch whose identity is rooted in the legacy of her family's magic and loyalty. Told in two alternating POVs, it was easy to get into the minds of these girls and truly understand their anger, anxiety, worry, and motivators for their choices. The story unfolding through their alternating perspectives added a layer of truth to what was happening, and it made it even more suspenseful!! I wanted to yell at them both so many times.

“It’s an ugly thought, but maybe the Bend makes monsters of us all.” In a lot of ways this felt like a coming-of-age story, these two young women in a world not on their side, finding understanding and trust in each other. Della and Natasha are strong in their convictions but when their paths cross, they both must decide what risks they are willing to take for their themselves, their families, and for each other.



“With power like that, imagine what women could do to the men who want to break them.” Beautifully atmospheric and tense, each scene is lush and visual, transporting you to the Bend. Each character is fully realized and complex, including the Bend. With its witches, monsters, and missing girls, the story unfurls in stunning prose.. The family magic is fascinating and roots the story in its setting. This is a love letter to the earthbound magic of the rural South and to angry, unruly queer girls, The River Has Teeth is a hypnotic, suspenseful, and refreshing read in the horror genre. Perfect for fans of Southern gothic horror and feminism.

Magic. Mystery. Murder. All three components come together to make The River Has Teeth a book you won't want to put down.

The story pulls you in with the first interaction between Della and her mother, who's being kept in an abandoned prison to protect her and everyone else from her. Off the bat, we see a hint of the complexity of their relationship with her mother's drastic mood changes, Della's perceived indifference to her mother's hurtful actions as well as the way she takes care of her. When news spreads that two girls have gone missing in the woods nearby the prison, Della's first suspect is her mother because, despite her love for her, she understands the true nature of the monster she's become.

Next, we're introduced to Natasha Greymont. Her sister, Rochelle, has gone missing, and the police have no leads, so Natasha's angry. Angry enough to do the things no one else will do. Angry enough to make a deal with the devil to get her back. Though in this case, her devil is a witch named Della.

As the story progresses, Natasha learns her sister's secrets, finding that maybe she didn't know Rochelle as well as she thought. Della, on the other hand, struggles to not only reconcile the mother she knew with the monster she's become but also with the knowledge that her mother is most likely responsible for the disappearances. As the two work together to uncover the truth, one thing's certain: sometimes we need a little bit of magic.

This book really captures the immense rage and despair that often comes with grief and loss. The way anger can result in isolation, and the need to take back control - the lengths one will go to to regain that control. Natasha's pain is palpable, and while I did think she could be egocentric at times, I didn't hold it against her. Her anger and need for retribution were only a means to distract her from her loss. Though her fixations annoyed me at times, I could understand where she was coming from. I only wish her anger was directed into more fruitful pursuits.

Della's endurance and unrelenting love for her mother really speak to her character. The way she steps up and takes charge, in situations, someone at her age definitely shouldn't have to deal with-- shows her resilience. I loved her POV, but some of her inner monologues did become repetitive at times. She's hilariously ridiculous. There's nothing I love more than a character who can piss everyone off with just a few words. They both have their flaws, like all characters do, but watching their story unfold was beautiful.

A beautiful, angry, powerful love song of a book.
Natasha’s sister is missing. In desperation, she turns to a family of outcasts, rumored to be witches, for answers- does she get more than she bargained for?
Della’s family has used the magic of the land for generations, and after her own personal loss finds herself drawn to the angry Natasha- is she just another paying customer, or can they help each other?
Traversing gender identities, grief and loss, family dynamics, abuse, and “yes all men” with a firm but delicate hand, Erica Waters tells a story with depth and soul.

Oh WOW!
So many twists and turns interwoven with magic, suspense, love, witches and more. I felt so close to the characters and was immersed in the plot that was staying up late to soak up as much as could.

Thank you for the approval to read this book before it was published. I will recommend!

4/5 stars.
An intense story of magic and monsters - both figuratively and literally. I did find one of the main characters to be a little... much. Her anger and frustration towards her friends was pretty awful, even given the circumstances. Regardless, the overall story spins a solid tale of a murder mystery. The setting of cursed/magical woods was very enjoyable.

Note: I received and ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The book hits the shelves this July!

The Gist: Two girls, Natasha and Della, forge an unlikely friendship whilst searching for Natasha’s lost sister. More girls go missing in the cursed river bend, and a bloodthirsty shapeshifting madwoman is afoot! It’s up to Della and Natasha to vanquish the monsters of the bend before it’s too late!

What worked: I enjoyed the spooky atmosphere surrounding the bend and all of its enchanted winged creatures. The mystery of the missing sister was well spun, leaving me with so many questions the moment they found her abandoned car out in the woods. I do enjoy a good whodunnit—especially one with magic and shape-shifting monsters lurking in the woods. There’s also another mystery within the mystery involving Della’s mother, her dead aunt and some woo woo magic—such fun!

What irked me: Female empowerment is great, and I love that it’s becoming more of a trend in pop culture. That said, the “we don’t need men in this world” message in the final chapter of this book didn’t sit well with me. I like to think of myself as a left-leaning feminist, but I’m not down with misandry.

Overall: Needless to say, I have mixed feelings about this one. If this becomes a trilogy, I may give it another chance since there’s so much more to Natasha’s story nowt that she knows a bit more about herself and what’s fueling her deep-seated rage. Also, I’m interested to see what else is lurking in the cursed bend!

The most beautiful aspect of this book was when the land and the honey locust tree gave part of its life to save the life of Natasha. Unfortunately this beautiful moment was hidden between too many pages of vengeance and wrath. Natasha’s sister goes missing and she is determined to prove her sisters boyfriend was the culprit. During the investigation Natasha befriends Della a local witch who is able to communicate with the land called the Bend. There was almost too much happening in this book and it made it difficult to complete. Missing girls, murder, magic, magical beasts, teenage love and lots of vengeance.

The imagery was so well executed. I couldn't put this book down once I started it!
The plot, setting, backstories, and characters were all so well written. I'm looking forward to the official release date so I can purchase a physical copy for myself.

Highly recommend for anyone in search of LGBT+ rep, adoption rep, spooky magic stories, mystery, and especially the gods-blessed trope of dislike-at-first-sight.

We often hear about the second ‘difficult’ album or novel in which the creative juices which fed the debut struggle to flow, the second release from Erica Waters completely blows this old wife’s tale from the water! The River Has Teeth is a superb second novel and considering that Ghost Wood Song (2020) was a highly accomplished debut, this is an author to watch very closely and if she decides to continue writing dark/horror YA fiction is destined to become a leading light of the genre. Although the plots of completely different they have some similarities when it comes to themes, music (bluegrass to be precise) dominated Erica’s debut and although it does not dominate the sequel, it also plays a role of some significance. Also, both novels feature bi-sexual female teenage characters who are poor and might be described as coming from the wrong side of the tracks. If you read and enjoyed Ghost Wood Song, you will absolutely adore The River Has Teeth. It vibrates with its own type of magic, which is no vibrant, believable, and beautifully described you will probably end up believing it!

The action takes place in a small town in Tennessee where teenage girls have been disappearing and seventeen-year-old Della believes her mother to be the culprit. Della’s families are what we would probably call hillbillies and live in a ram shackled house outside of town and make ends meet by selling remedies and potions to superstitious locals. Della is the youngest of a long family line of witches whose magic is connected to the land where they live and cultivate for the potions they create. However, they believe the magic has gone bad and this turns her mother into a creature when night comes (don’t worry it’s not a vampire or werewolf) and as the police and others come snooping what can Della do to protect her dangerous mother? The story is told in a slip first person narrative, between Della and Natasha, whose sister disappears. Natasha comes from a rich family but has her own problems from being adopted and accepting she is bisexual. After the police draw a blank Natasha comes to Della for help and after an initial personality clash the novel documents their developing friendship and more.

The River has Teeth was convincing on several levels and although magic never dominated the novel, it had an ‘earthy’ type of feel to it and within the restrictions of the book and the way the family operated was excellent. The conflict between the two teenagers was also a pleasure to read, both having their own problems, issues and clashes. The way in which everything came together was top notch, I enjoyed the fact that the killer was not the most obvious character (or the second most obvious!) for a very satisfying finish. Both novels by Erica Waters have specialised in giving the reader terrific ‘outsider’ characters to root behind and I cannot wait to see what she gives us next.

This story is told from alternating points of view: Della and Natasha. Della Lloyd (age 16-17) is descended from a family of witches in Tennessee. Five generations ago, Della’s great grandmother immigrated to Tennessee from Scotland. She brewed moonshine and sang magic into each batch. A rival moonshine gang drowned her as a witch so she sang every drop of her magic into the land for her descendants to use. The river, known as the Bend, which borders the Wood Thrush Nature Park, is the source of the Lloyd family’s magic. Each member of the Lloyd family has a different power. Della’s magic works with growing anything in the soil. Her mother, Ruby, sings magic from the water. Her Aunt Sage can heal, and her son, Miles, can track anything through the woods. The family has always made potions and brews to sell to the townspeople. They are usually potions used for revenge.

Natasha Greymont and her older sister, Rochelle Greymont, (age 21) were adopted six years ago into the wealthy Greymont family. Rochelle is dating Jake Carr, a musician, when she disappears. Her car is found abandoned on the side of the road next to the Nature Park next to where the Lloyd family lives.

The story begins with Della visiting her mother, Ruby, at an abandoned prison. Della and her father have been keeping her there for everyone’s safety. A year ago, Ruby and her sister Sage were working on a spell down at the Bend, when it went horribly wrong. Della and her father came upon them just in time to see Ruby, transformed into a monster, known as a River Siren, dumping Sage’s mutilated body into the river.
Ruby transforms into the River Siren every night, but during the day, she is not the same. She cannot communicate and gets violent at times. Della’s job is to bring food to her mother each day. Della suspects that her mother is getting out of the prison each night because she notices blood on her hands and face. At the same time, girls have been disappearing and Della worries that her mother is the one responsible for the missing girls.

The way the author describes the magic of the Lloyd family is very credible. Their magic is enmeshed with the river and the nature around it but something is wrong with the magic of the Bend. Can Natasha trust Della to help her find her sister or does Della know more about her sister's disappearance than she's letting on?
The twists and turns of this thriller kept me reading until the very end.

I'm going to preface this review by saying that I approach reviews with the mindset of finding books suitable for upper middle school/lower high school classroom libraries - this book made me uncomfortable. I was already iffy about the book given the amount of language that was present in the first 100 pages, but then we get to the scene at the club with the roofies and I just felt really uncomfortable, especially given the context that the other character in this book sells potions to people that they have to slip into food or drinks to punish them for something. The idolization of the person who just admitted to drugging his girlfriend also made me deeply uncomfortable. I do not think this is suitable for younger readers at all. I do wonder if this idea of drugging people is explored further into the book, but the context of that scene along with the premise of the other character's family profession just raised a lot of red flags for me.

This book is dark. It is well written but I think this book struggles with the "YA" tag because YA has become such an expansive age range for readers and this would not be something I recommend to the younger range of young adults due to some of the content included.

Erica Waters proves once again that she can write atmospheric, engaging mysteries with incredible twists and turns. Her writing is lyrical and her imagery is arresting. I loved everything about this novel and it pairs excellently with Waters’ previous novel, Ghost Wood Song. I strongly recommend this book for YA readers who love moody mysteries featuring strong female characters.

This sapphic title is for you if you enjoy spooky southern woods, gay girl magic, and mystery rolled into one. It also had two POVs— one from each MC who is motivated by family and secrets to keep and mysteries to unravel. There were a few times I felt the dialogue was too expositional between the missing sister’s BFF and the MC.

The River Has Teeth is an expertly plotted mystery with a southern gothic feel. It follows two girls in their search to uncover the truth about a missing girl. It explores themes of grief, guilt, and longing while remaining engaging. The main characters are relatable and real. The mystery is twisty. Overall, this is excellent read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Natasha’s sister has gone missing and she is desperate to find her and very very angry at everyone. Della and her family are witches and she tries to help Natasha while keeping some major secrets.

Funny that I read The River Has Teeth immediately after finishing Girl One when they have so much in common—missing mothers, a bit of magic, a budding romance between the main characters. I liked Della but didn’t care for Natasha. Too much anger for the first 2/3 of the book and absolutely no reason for her to be only 16.