So, I’m going to warn you that much of the behavior in this book is toxic. It’s an uncomfortable reminder that many humans are simply trash.

The book is good. Although there’s teen angst to the 1 bajillionth degree, there’s a palpable undercurrent of heartbreak, violence and real life horrors.

I loved our main character. I also wanted to wrap her up in bubble wrap or something so that she’d be protected. I also loved her father – that’s a nice change because so many of these books feature worthless parents. He’s not perfect, but he’s loving and he tries so hard.

The description of the book is accurate, but it’s not really what the book is about. I wish I could say more without spoiling it. I’ll just say that you might not get exactly what you came for, but you’ll likely be very satisfied with what you get.

Much of the book made me unhappy – and highly vengeful – but I enjoyed the read!

*ARC via Net Galley

“The Violent Season” by Sara Walters is an addictive, beautifully-written, masterful debut novel that is hands down a must-read.

When November comes around, residents of Wolf Ridge are overcome with a desire to inflict violence. The kind people don’t come back from like the murder of Wyatt Green’s mother. Everyone thinks it’s an urban legend or horror story passed down from one generation to another to keep children in line. Except, outsiders are beginning to notice something isn’t right with the people of Wolf Ridge. Even Wyatt begins to notice the unnatural all-consuming hunger for violence in her best friend and lifelong crush, Cash.

As Wyatt looks into her mother’s death and the sickness that plagues her town, memories begin to unravel, secrets ruin trust, horrible events result in bloodshed, hostilities rise, lives are endangered, and everything everyone knows about one another and the town is brought into question.

There aren’t too many novels that resonate with me to the extent whole paragraphs have been highlighted, lines are so beautifully written they sucker-punch me in the gut, and the story leaves me feeling chilled and numb as it circles through my brain. The novel makes me question what I understand about violence, evil, and what humanity is capable of. It brings back the nostalgia of old crushes and the small-town vibes of knowing everyone or knowing of them. The town and people of Wolf Ridge feel familiar and unfamiliar as the story progresses, which was a really neat experience.

Cash and Wyatt’s relationship was a fascinating aspect of the story. The way their friendship works, to their highs and lows, and their isolation from everyone else, showing how their perceptions of each other are warped. Even Wyatt’s crush on Cash is both sweet and alarming in its consuming nature, as it’s expected of a teen who is deeply enamored by a boy and yet shows signs of being unhealthy. The two aspects were very well written.

The concept of violence striking every November was unique and drew me to the story right away. Why November? Why this town specifically? What happens when residents are consumed by violence? Is this going to be like Purge? Some of these questions were answered and some, unfortunately, were not. I really wanted the violence that hits this town to be more personal, more intimate with the characters and readers. Some of it hit close to home while other acts of violence were only mentioned in passing. Either way, for a debut novel, Walters did a spectacular job depicting the ways in which people are consumed and overwrought with the need for violence. Even the characters are well-developed and have an interesting growth throughout the novel that read like a thriller or crime mystery.

I would highly recommend giving this novel a read. “The Violent Season” by Sara Walters is expected to be published on October 5th, 2021.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a free e-arc of this novel and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.

Whaaat? This freaking nerve bending, claustrophobic, intense, disturbing small town mystery scared the living daylights out of me!

Think about a town becomes violent at each year’s 11th month: freaky November. ( every town has its own Mike Myers!) Somebody always gets killed! Somebody loses control! Guess who’s gonna be the victim and who’s gonna the killer this time !

I liked the haunted town premise! The hunger and thirst for violence at Wolf Ridge never end! This time the victim is Wyatt Green’s mother. And she finds out Cash the boy she’s yearning for a long time is affected by contagious violent feeling turning the town’s people into animals in human furs.

Being friend with Cash’s old time nemesis Porter is such a mistake but she cannot help herself which brings out more secrets and get her into more complicated situation she can deal with.

The premise and intriguing execution of mystery, high tension of the claustrophobic story and sad conclusion made me enjoy my reading.

I’m still having second thoughts about the love triangle. Was it necessary for the story’s development? Well, I’m still not so sure about it!

But I’m still rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 this dark story still affected me and gave me creeps stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.