FIRST IMPRESSION:

The first thing that caught my eye about 'To Break a Covenant' was the sapphic romance that I saw early reviewers talking about. YA horror and a sapphic romance to boot? How can I say no to that combo? You don’t usually see me reviewing horror on this blog because I frankly am too chicken to read much of the genre. But this book and its blurb just compelled me to sign up for this tour somehow and oh boy! I am glad I did!

THE STORY:

The story is set in Moon Basin, a mining town that is famous for its supernatural happenings since the mine blew up in an explosion, taking all the miners inside with it. Technically, everyone moved to the borders of Old Moon Basin since the explosion because there is ash raining down and a whole host of weird stuff happening in the abandoned town, so the protagonists live in New Moon Basin. No one has entered the mine since then and come out the same, and now no one literally ever goes in.

Clem is our main protagonist, who lives right next to whip-smart Nina. They have been best friends since they met in the cemetery on the day they buried Clem’s father. A few years later they met Lisey, who seems to have a sixth sense and a budding friendship with crows, and took her under their wing, making them an inseparable trio.

Piper moves into town when Moon Basin recruits her dad, Charles, to check the possibility of the mine collapsing. By chance, Piper meets the girls and they all hit it off, spending their days together and being literally the sweetest bunch of girlfriends ever! But then Piper’s dad offers to take them down to see the mines one day and they come out shaken. Things start happening; strange, creepy things with no sane explanations that start happening all over town. Soon the girls start to suspect that something is wrong and decide it’s up to them to investigate.

THE CHARACTERS:

The four girls, Clem, Nina, Lisey and Piper, absolutely stole my heart! They were such innocent girls trying to live their normal lives in the town that is anything but normal, and it is hard not to want to protect them from everything that keeps happening to them. I was also glad to see that each of the four girls had their own distinct personalities though they spent most of their time together throughout the story.

Besides the protagonist and her three friends, the story really did not focus on the secondary characters. Though it seemed odd at first this really gave me the feeling that these four girls were truly on their own and had to get by on their own wits. Just more reason for me to love them and root for them really.

THE WRITING:

I loved how the author conveyed the chilling, unsettling vibes of the story through her writing. I was constantly on edge while reading even during the first few pages of the book! The atmospheric writing really nailed the overall chilling mood of this story, and I would go so far as to say it is one of the book’s strongest aspects too!

One of the most disquieting aspects of the story was the mixed-media format the author chose to go with. The book is scattered throughout with scripts of deleted or unused footage of ghost hunters and paranormal sleuths who have come snooping around Moon Basin. I was dreading these snippets honestly because I found them super creepy!

THE PLOT:

Surprisingly, I did not find the plot that complicated. I could pretty much guess what was going on based on the current events going on in the story as well as the deleted or unused footage scripts that were scattered throughout the book.

However, this did not take away from the strengths of the story for me. I guess it could be because of the constant wariness that kept me fearing for the girls’ safety. I really liked the pace of the story as well, it was very measured and ominous but without major plot twists for me. I never thought the absence of plot twists would appeal to me but in this case, it really did!

I also feel like I should say that the romance in the book was soft and budding. Clem is a lesbian and Nina is bisexual, if I am not mistaken, and the romance was honestly very slow, but I felt that kept it real because focusing on a relationship in the middle of everything else these girls go through would be just plain weird.

THE WORLD-BUILDING:

Moon Basin and its history and myths were absolutely terrifying. I have always been afraid of any show that is about ghost hunting or anything faintly supernatural, so Moon Basin with its utter definition of a ghost hunter’s dream town is a scary concept for me.

But the author did a great job at bringing this cursed town to life and the ordeals its people have lived through up to this point. I ended up Googling to check if there was actually a real place called Moon Basin because the possibility of there being a place with such a horrifying history scared me. So, I think it’s safe to say that this small town horror really nailed it!

FINAL VERDICT:

Reading 'To Break a Covenant' by Alison Ames took me into a terrifying world of small-town horrors and four young girls trying to survive the odds stacked against them in this debut novel. The chilling writing and the terrifying world-building surprised me with its excellence since this is the author’s debut, and now I can’t wait to read more of what Alison Ames has in store for us!

I found To Break A Covenant written by Alison Ames a great supernatural, YA horror story, as it has all of the things that a good horror story has: spooky atmosphere, a strange threat of some form and a town struggling with it all. But it brought something different to the table and that was beautifully written friendship with great LGBTQIA representation. If you are looking for a spooky read, this is definitely the one for you.

The plot development was really good and it definitely kept you hooked as you wanted to know more about the mine. The characters were all loveable in different ways that made you feel for them because of what they were going through and the friendships between our four main characters was beautifully built from the start to the end. I did find the pacing to be slow in places, especially more at the beginning, but once it picked up it did not stop.

The way that To Break A Covenant built atmosphere and creepiness was really great and as a horror fan I really loved it. The language used to help covey that was really good in my opinion. I also loved the way that the author showed the history of the mine through the use of paranormal files between the chapters to help the readers understand the history.

Overall, a brilliant creepy supernatural young adult story that has great LGBTQIA+ representation, its one to read during this spooky season! Thank you to Netgalley, Alison Ames and TBRandBeyond for giving me a copy to review.

What a bizarre, wonderful book!

From the publisher: Moon Basin has been haunted for as long as anyone can remember. It started when an explosion in the mine killed sixteen people. The disaster made it impossible to live in town, with underground fires spewing ash into the sky. But life in New Basin is just as fraught. The ex-mining town relies on its haunted reputation to bring in tourists, but there’s more truth to the rumors than most are willing to admit, and the mine still has a hold on everyone who lives there.

The core of this book though, is the relationship between four girls, Nina and Clem, who have been best friends since they were small children, and later, they add Piper and Lisey into their world. The four of them complete each other. After a tragic accident in the mine, the four girls try to escape this town and its ghosts by running away, but they discover that the things that haunt us never truly leave us.

Books don't usually give me nightmares, but this one did. The atmospheric worldbuilding, the haunted mine and the haunted town and the haunted people gave this book so much and it was so well done.

I loved the friendship between the girls, the sapphic love interest that was so beautiful. These girls have a rare and wonderful relationship and I wanted to fall into the story and be a part of it. This is a book I'll be thinking about for a long time.

CW: Death, ghosts/other horror creatures, profanity

The Story: Moon Basin was a mining town and after a mine explosion that killed sixteen people, it is said to be haunted. Now called New Basin, the mine still has its hold on everyone and no one ever leaves this place. When the residents of New Basin begin to experience strange phenomena, Clem and her friends decide to begin their own investigations on this mysterious mine.

My thoughts: What an enjoyable YA horror! It was creepy, haunting and I loved how the author keeps the suspense going throughout the story. I mean I had to keep turning the pages to find out what is really going on down in the mine!

There were snippets from unused footages from different paranormal shows in each chapter. It was fun reading the interviews where people talked about their supernatural encounters in this town. It was refreshing and added more spookiness to the story.

I think the strongest point for me in this story is the friendship. The characters are so endearing and I loved how different they are. I think I liked Lisey the best. Hey, who doesn't like a girl who can train crows right?

In a nutshell, this is a great read for this coming spooky season! It has all the small town creepy vibes and characters you would love!

Pub. Date: Sep 21, 2021

***Thank you Page Street Publishing, author Alison Ames and NetGalley for this gifted reading copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***

From the first pages of To Break a Covenant, I was sucked into Alison Ames' writing style. The plot premise was deliciously dark and mysterious, and I couldn't seem to stop reading. To Break a Covenant's Cover was simply irresistible to me, and it perfectly suited the story's tone. I can really picture the atmosphere of the Old Town from the descriptions in the story, and it is a delightfully haunting visual. This was an extremely strong debut, and I will be excited to see what Ames will write next. To Break a Covenant was spooky, thrilling, and just the sort of read to get me into the fall spirit!

My Recommendation-
If you enjoy dark and haunting stories with queer characters at their forefront, I would strongly recommend picking up a copy of To Break a Covenant. I would especially recommend this book to fans of The Haunting of Hill House and The Sawkill Girls!

To Break A Covenant is a perfectly eerie read for spooky season! Set in the creepy mining town of Moon Basin the story follows best friends as they experience some pretty wild and paranormal stuff. The mine plays a huge role in the storyline and it's definitely a huge creep factor! I loved the strong female representation, the characters were such badasses! This was such a great example of YA horror at it's finest, if you love creepy mines, original scares and ideas of what true terror is and vivid descriptions then don't miss To Break A Covenant!

This book is a great example of YA horror that works. Following four female protagonists in a quest to save a loved one, and hopefully everyone else, from a haunted mine that has been ruining (and taking lives) in their town for decades. This book genuinely creeped me out toward the end and I took a small break but wanted to keep reading because it was so engrossing. It's not often that I am genuinely scared by YA/MG horrors. It's fast-paced and keeps you guessing what will happen next.

Pros:
- horror without being overly violent or gory
- strong female friendships
- different personalities that mesh well and each have strengths
- fun little interludes that lighten the tone without seeming out of place in the book
- manages to show complex emotions of teens without reading as melodramatic
- queer representation

I received an ARC from TBR Beyond Tours and the author for an honest review

Trigger warning: ghosts, madness, PTSD, death & claustrophobia.

This book could be made into a perfect horror movie for teens quite easily, and I would watch that; I almost was as I read and imagined the scenes.
Switching between ghost hunting filing shots and the perspective of a group of girls in the town Moon Basin, we see how deeply the city is affected and haunted by the mine explosion and what starts as wives tales become real.
While this story was slow in the beginning, the last half brought fear and anxiety! I was so concerned for these characters because they watched Piper's dad go insane when they were half-jokingly told their whole lives that the mine wasn't something to play with but not evil, yet this shows that it is.
The romance wasn't there yet also was through the story, and I honestly enjoyed that - I loved the lgbtq+ rep and the friends to lovers, but they knew their priorities. These girls understood the assignment, which was to beat the haunted mine and stay alive, not focus on their love; that would be for the future, the future safe from the haunted mine. My main focus was seeing how the madness was streaming in the town and how going into the mine affected the girls, and FOR ONCE, the group runs from the haunting in a book/movie! I was so happy until ... the ending because that was so sad and bittersweet!

4.5⭐️ out of 5 (but I rounded up for Goodreads)

To Break a Covenant was the perfect mix of summertime friendships and serious YA horror.

I absolutely loved the friendship/relationship between Clem, Nina, Lisey and Piper. Like they are the friends everyone needs, the ride or dies. Literally. These girls know each other. Even when one of them is the newest member of the group. They have each other’s back and go through some *stuff* for each other.

I also absolutely loved the “ghost hunter” chapters! The stories, the creep factor they add, and the chilling scene settings they provide only add to what the girls are doing/are up against.

If you are looking for a book that will give you chills, and have you sleeping with the light on- this is for you! I’m so glad I read all of the scary bits during the day because even then I was like “Nope! No way, absolutely not!” And the comedic relief was perfect. Like I would be seriously spooked and then all of a sudden I was laughing out loud at these fantastic characters.

Really the only thing I can say that I wish was different about the book, was that I wish there was more!

I really enjoyed this book but I think the audience is more YA or it could even be upper middle grade. Overall it was a well thought out book, it was interesting enough to keep me reading! Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To Break A Covenant focuses on a group of girls in a small town that is intermittently plagued with supernatural experiences relating to a mine where a deadly explosion took place in 1964. The arrival of newcomer Piper whose father has been contracted to check the integrity of the mine sets off a whole new wave of paranormal phenomena, leading to the girls becoming desperate enough to take matters into their own hands, at great peril to themselves.

Debut author Alison Ames has crafted a superbly spooky and unsettling YA horror novel that contains the most heartwarming friendship circle and adorable sapphic romance at its core. This wonderful complexity means that the reader is put through heart-pounding scenes of terror in one moment, only to unwind in a light-hearted scene with the girls bantering with each other in the next. As the hauntings become more tangible and threatening, creating a high level of anxiety in the characters AND the reader, these breaks in tension are very welcome.

It also serves to ensure that we are heavily invested in Clem, Nina, Lisey, and Piper’s wellbeing as we bond with them along the way. These girls feel so real and three-dimensional, we would all want to be friends with them! The group dynamics between each of them are different (for instance, Nina instantly envelops Piper into the group whereas Clem is more aloof at the start), but they’re most definitely squad goals as they form a firm alliance and stand together in the face of danger. What I particularly appreciate is how the author doesn’t introduce contrived conflict for the sake of it, but she also steers away from an unrealistic ideal of ‘perfect’ friendship. There are times when one or more of the girls understandably become frustrated and lash out, however it isn’t drawn out for maximum drama while still allowing them to be angry, bitter or resentful as any of us would in their shoes.

Clem is our narrator with the story told from her first-person perspective, but there are sporadic clips of ‘unused footage’ from various ghost hunter shows that have visited Moon Basin to delve into the truth behind its haunted reputation. These clips are a fun way of expanding the folklore surrounding the mine and its impact on the nearby town residents, and make perfect sense in our society that reality tv shows would flock to cash in on a place with the reputation of Moon Basin. At the beginning, the clips are fairly innocuous and reveal more about the workings of the tv industry as we see presenters and camera men trying to drum up excitement from fairly hum-drum occurrences. But as the story progresses and the girls in our main arc face greater danger, the clips also take a turn for the grim and foreboding, increasing our fears for their safety.

On the whole, this book is lovingly polished and delivered with the confidence of a seasoned writer, whose characters stand on their own and occupy a town that feels fully lived-in, thanks to atmospheric descriptions, its background cast of quirky characters and unique folklore. There is a minor issue with pacing in the second half of the book where it feels as though the girls are going around in circles and their plan isn’t properly explained so it’s difficult to follow their thought process and understand why the plot seems to be taking a meandering detour. In addition, readers who aren’t fans of ambiguous endings may be left dissatisfied at the loose ends left unresolved by the final page.

To Break A Covenant is an eerily haunting read that’s sure to raise goosebumps and leave your heart racing in dread. Its protagonists are a fun, charismatic bunch who are easy to root for as they seek answers and struggle to save their town from the malevolent force that has festered within the mine for decades. Try and read this one after dark if you dare, but don’t be surprised if you have to turn on the light to chase away night terrors!

Thank you to Page Street Kids for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thissss. This was what
I needed heading into spooky season! Moon Basin is haunted, and everyone knows not to go into the mines. Everyone who does disappears.

This had all the creep atmospheric vibes, and my goodness this gave me some WHACKY dreams. If you want a suspenseful, thriller, YA horror, this is the one for you. I loved the sapphic paranormal vibes and the sweet friends to lovers.

The group was fantastic, and I loved the mix of personalities. The ending is technically open ended, but dang was it AMAZING! Definitely recommend this! Out 9/21!

To Break A Covenant focuses on a group of girls in a small town that is intermittently plagued with supernatural experiences relating to a mine where a deadly explosion took place in 1964. The arrival of newcomer Piper whose father has been contracted to check the integrity of the mine sets off a whole new wave of paranormal phenomena, leading to the girls becoming desperate enough to take matters into their own hands, at great peril to themselves.

Debut author Alison Ames has crafted a superbly spooky and unsettling YA horror novel that contains the most heart-warming friendship circle and adorable sapphic romance at its core. This wonderful complexity means that the reader is put through heart-pounding scenes of terror in one moment, only to unwind in a light-hearted scene with the girls bantering with each other in the next. As the hauntings become more tangible and threatening, creating a high level of anxiety in the characters AND the reader, these breaks in tension are very welcome.

It also serves to ensure that we are heavily invested in Clem, Nina, Lisey and Piper’s wellbeing as we bond with them along the way. These girls feel so real and three-dimensional, we would all want to be friends with them! The group dynamics between each of them are different (for instance, Nina instantly envelops Piper into the group whereas Clem is more aloof at the start), but they’re most definitely squad goals as they form a firm alliance and stand together in the face of danger. What I particularly appreciate is how the author doesn’t introduce contrived conflict for the sake of it, but she also steers away from an unrealistic ideal of ‘perfect’ friendship. There are times when one or more of the girls understandably become frustrated and lash out, however it isn’t drawn out for maximum drama while still allowing them to be angry, bitter or resentful as any of us would in their shoes.

Clem is our narrator with the story told from her first-person perspective, but there are sporadic clips of ‘unused footage’ from various ghost hunter shows that have visited Moon Basin to delve into the truth behind its haunted reputation. These clips are a fun way of expanding the folklore surrounding the mine and its impact on the nearby town residents, and make perfect sense in our society that reality tv shows would flock to cash in on a place with the reputation of Moon Basin. At the beginning, the clips are fairly innocuous and reveal more about the workings of the tv industry as we see presenters and camera men trying to drum up excitement from fairly hum-drum occurrences. But as the story progresses and the girls in our main arc face greater danger, the clips also take a turn for the grim and foreboding, increasing our fears for their safety.

On the whole, this book is lovingly polished and delivered with the confidence of a seasoned writer, whose characters stand on their own and occupy a town that feels fully lived-in, thanks to atmospheric descriptions, its background cast of quirky characters and unique folklore. There is a minor issue with pacing in the second half of the book where it feels as though the girls are going around in circles and their plan isn’t properly explained so it’s difficult to follow their thought process and understand why the plot seems to be taking a meandering detour. In addition, readers who aren’t fans of ambiguous endings may be left dissatisfied at the loose ends left unresolved by the final page.

To Break A Covenant is an eerily haunting read that’s sure to raise goosebumps and leave your heart racing in dread. Its protagonists are a fun, charismatic bunch who are easy to root for as they seek answers and struggle to save their town from the malevolent force that has festered within the mine for decades. Try and read this one after dark if you dare, but don’t be surprised if you have to turn on the light to chase away night terrors!

The perfect spooky read for the fall! I picked this up when I first heard there was a girl who trains crows, but I fell in love with this whole book. And this book has a queer romance, big YES!
This book was haunting, beautiful, sad, hopeful, and funny.

To Break a Covenant is a beautifully creepy and mysterious read, following a group of girls investigating paranormal goings-on in their town which centre on an old mine. It’s intense and compelling—I read the entire book in a single sitting, as soon as I could, and didn’t want to put it down for even a second.

Primarily, what drives the book is the relationship between the four girls: Clem, the main character, Nina, her best friend (and who she is also in love with), Lisey, a… strange girl, shall we say, who trains crows, and Piper, whose dad has come to the town to investigate the mine and becomes the centre of everything that’s happening. It’s these girls that you’ll fall in love with straightaway. It’s one of those intense friendships that sucks you in and keeps you absorbed in the story. The girls would die and kill for one another and that’s what, amongst the hauntings, makes the story so compelling.

I mentioned the happenings and, really, that’s the best part of the book. The world consumes you—it feels as though you’re right there with the characters. It also makes things a hell of a lot creepier. I read this book in the daytime and, honestly, I was so glad to have made that choice. This book would have given me nightmares if I’d read it at night (although part of that could have been because I’m easily scared). I think the sheer absorbingness of this book comes from the intensity of the friendship between the girls, the slowbuild of the mystery surrounding the mine, and the creepiness of it all. It’s like a chill up your spine, a tap on your shoulder, the unease of the book encroaches on you as you read.

I also loved the way the present day narrative interspersed with content from previous investigations into the mine, in the form of clips from shows, podcasts, and other reports. It helped to build the sense of unease in the reader that something was wrong before it started to build in the characters. In general, though, I really enjoy when books slot in different mediums within the story, and I think it was done very effectively here.

As someone who doesn’t read a whole lot of horror, I’d say that this book pretty well balances being scary and being creepy. I think it’s one that would suit both regular horror/paranormal readers, and ones who are here just because it’s gay (for which I can’t really blame you).

And if you’re still on the fence after all that, let me just say that this book is among the best I’ve read all year.

Okay, this debut author hit a home run with this one! Beautifully written with relatable characters told in a seemingly haunted or cursed town. The four main characters are multi-dimensional and feel completely real. If I had the terrible misfortune of growing up and living in Moon Basin, I would want these girls to be my constant companions!

Moon Basin lies in the shadow of a terrible tragedy - a mine worker purposely damaged the coal mine that runs under the town, killing many workers and forcing townspeople to evacuate the original town for safety. Ever since, the residents and any unfortunate outsiders (including a slew of unlucky paranormal researchers) have been afflicted with thoughts, images and actions not under their control, and many of them lead to horrible deaths and mental breaks. This is just a fact of life in Moon Basin and something Nina and Clem have to deal with as they come of age in a "haunted paranormal hotspot." But when their circle of friends widens, so do the possible victims of the mine and the girls have to try to save the town, their families and themselves - by any means necessary!

#ToBreakaCovenant #NetGalley

i love a gothic bitch house vibe so i had a feeling i was gonna love: gothic bitch mine~

the author understands how to create a genuinely tense and spooky atmosphere, as well as how to have fun with YA voice and it strikes a nice balance. no spoilers but she also understands breaking hearts. I got really invested in this little crew, all in all a great debut novel that makes me want to read whatever she decides to write next! extra points for the Sadie-esque serialized segments throughout that the author uses so effectively to build that sense of mystery and dread.

cheers to netgalley and the publisher for fronting me a review copy!

(For transparency, I read parts of this book while it was still being written. Thanks, Aly!)

!!! Terrifying, atmospheric, and twisty. I could never get a full picture of the supernatural villain at its heart, until almost the end, which made the entire thing even more terrifying. Gave me tastes of Plain Bad Heroines, Gold Diggers, Now and Then, and the Baby-sitters Club turned very scary. I loved the friendships at heart, and I loved the excerpts from videos and interviews interspersed throughout -- all of which are turned absolutely blood-curdling chilling due to a detail revealed at the end. Incredible work, I am so excited to see this in the world!

To Break a Covenant is everything I hoped it would be and so much more. I am blown away by how good this book is, and I will be recommending it to everyone I know.

A great spooky read, I felt this one would be more suited for me in the fall, so I haven’t quite finished it yet but so far so good. I’ll update my review once I finish the book.