I found Primal Animals disturbing. It's a page turner, for sure, but left me feeling that it was incomplete somehow. It would be a good beach book tho.

You’ll be hooked from page one. Trigger warning if you don’t like bugs. Great writing and story that keeps you guessing, wanting to know what happens next! Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy!

I really enjoyed this book! Although the horror aspect wasn't as strong as I anticipated, especially in the first half of the book, I really liked the interactions between Arlee and the campers. Arlee's mom's story was really interesting, too, and I wish that the author had gone more in depth about that, rather than leaving us to wonder what Arlee's mom did that was so bad for most of the book.
Arlee's social anxiety was extremely relatable, and I liked reading her inner monologue as she tried to act normally and feared that everyone else was watching her.
I also loved Arlee's and Winnie's relationship, and although the ending of the book wasn't what I wanted, it was still satisfying.
All in all, I would have liked a bit more horror and a bit less drama between the girls at the beginning, but the horror aspect that was there was so creepy and very well done.

Primal Animals is a thriller/dark academia (but make it summer camp) novel about Arlee going to an elite college prep summer camp. It features a secret society with bizarre rituals, sapphic romance, her mother's mysterious past, murder, and conspiracy. It does a great job creating an increasingly unsettling atmosphere and a lot of interesting ideas, but struggled to tie them all into the story. Would be a great beach read for thriller fans.

This was not good for me. The premise of "Primals Animals," did draw me in -- but it failed to achieve much of anything. It's not a feminist statement or one of sisterhood. It meanders and while it tries to leave a mark, the overall book is fairly toothless. The story follows Arlee, who is dropped off at a summer camp. Arlee is socially awkward, terrified of bugs, and not really looking forward to time away at this ultra-rich, college prep summer camp. When she arrives, everyone seems to be afraid of her. But why? After being invited to join a secret society, Arlee just might find out.
My issues with this book are although it wants to be like a feminist statement, it really just says nothing. Like, yes, murder is wrong but I just felt like Arlee's self-riotousness was annoying and actually sympathized with the villains of the tale. Was I supposed to walk away from this novel rooting for Arlee? Because I did not. Instead, the mysteries never paid off and I think Rubin wanted to write some sort of statement but it didn't. And you know what? We should skin rapists. Like, Arlee was disgusted by that and I was disgusted that Arlee didn't want to skin rapists. I wanted vicious antiheroes, badass women striving to fuck up the patriarchy and all I got was horse guts and murder is wrong. This was not the book for me.

I was immediately intrigued by the cover and premise of this book. The plot and setting is really interesting and it's a definite page-turner.

This had so much potential, but a completely wasted execution. The elite yet mysterious summer camp is the perfect moody backdrop and great pains are extended to ramp up the tension and the "not quite right" air about things. However, among other things, the pacing is completely off, with absolutely nothing happening for nearly half of the book. There is a painful amount of time spent on the main character's extreme fear of bugs (interesting choice then to attend an outdoor summer camp in the south--and my god, you'd think with ALL of the bug descriptions, there would be some sort of payoff), her vague allusions to something "terrible" she did months prior, and her zoning out or inexplicable screaming/crying bouts. From fairly early on, the protagonist never really clicked with me and her personality pretty much started and ended at "extremely afraid of bugs." With the slow start to this story, you'd think there would be a wonderful set up of all of the characters, a nice slow introduction to the secret society, and a build up to the eventual house of cards crumbling--but nope. Too many characters are introduced too quickly; relationships aren't given an opportunity to grow or evolve in such a way as to produce a feeling of shock or betrayal by the ending. This is just a very shallowly written book with nonsensical shock value events sprinkled in, void of any emotional impact. Waste of such a cool cover and idea.

So I rounded up but actually gave this novel a 3.5/5. There was a lot to like. The main thing I enjoyed was the plot and atmosphere. It was strange, disturbing, weirdly fascinating, and most importantly original. I want more of these kinds of disturbing books to be honest. I won't go into too many details but I literally found myself as shocked as the characters during certain scenes. The author did a great job of capturing the pure horror of what was happening but unfortunately, I did have a few issues with it. I found that I wasn't as connected with the characters or the romance as I could have been. I wanted to like Arlee and the love interest together but they felt kind of forced and too instant-lovey for my liking. I also found the pacing to be a bit weird in some places and the ending happened all too quickly.

Overall, it is something I'd recommend to people who don't mind a little bit of a gruesome story.

Rubin is definitely a great writer. Her words immediately immerse you into her characters' worlds.

I liked individual aspects of this story and appreciated the "what the heck is happening" tension but the wrap-up didn't hit the high that I was expecting.

It's weird, creepy, and mysterious all in a good way but I wish it had been more cohesive in the end.

I look forward to more from this author!
#NetGalley

I’d like to start by saying I’m not much of a horror person. It’s not something I generally go looking for, but I was emailed a link to download the arc, and so I decided I’d go in blind.

I think going in with little information made this that much better of a read. It gives you that extra room to really feel like you’re there, and you’re finding out each next plot point right with the story.

What you learn early on is that it’s set at a summer camp and there’s a secret society. And it just continues downhill in the way the best horror stories do. And it definitely delivers on the spooks and thrills. I think one of the reasons I don’t generally care for horror stories is because of their predictability, but this book took several turns I was neither expecting nor prepared for.

My favorite thing about this book was the sapphic romance aspect. While it’s not the primary focus, it’s so good. I am so much likelier to read and even enjoy a book if it’s queer.

Primal Animals has all of the elements of a good horror novel: rich kids at an elite camp, secret societies, family legacies, creepy rituals, murder. But it never quite comes together--the timeline is too short, and doesn't allow characters, discussions, or events to occur at a realistic pace, and the abruptness and unexplained-ness of character actions and changes keeps things from making sense. The queer romance is sweet, but feels almost tacked on, and the multitude of non-sequiturs in camper and adult behavior make for more of a mess than a chilling narrative.

This book delivers exactly what it says it will, in the most creepy way possible. Holy cow. Wilder Girls meets House of Hollow meets What Big Teeth and oh my gosh it's good. Just the kind of horror you need and want in your life. Thank you to NetGalley and Julia Lynn Rubin for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest and constructive review! Check it out!

Thank you Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book!

I really enjoyed this author's first book and I burn the patriarchy message, so I was super pumped for this book. Rubin's writing is gorgeous just like in her debut novel. She has a way of describing emotion that sticks, that'll get your heart pumping and draw you into the story. This book has that, and it really draws you into the main character Arlee's head. She feels everything so incredibly much, good and bad and that's a lot until she doesn't feel anything at all.

If you're not into gore, especially gore involving animals, this book isn't for you. One thing you can take away - this is a horror novel. Unfortunately, much of it seemed to be for purely shock value instead of really adding anything of substance to the story. I wish we'd gotten a little more exploration of Arlee's thoughts and motives, It was confusing at times, and all I knew while reading was 'this book is dark and something's wrong with this girl'. I guess I just would've liked a deeper look into the psychology of it all. It felt unfinished in some places.

Overall, not a favorite. The prose was fantastic, but the plot could use some work.

Thank you to NetGalley, et al. for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been on a bit of a thriller/mystery kick lately, so one set in a summer camp, with a secret society, and it's sapphic? SOLD.

Based on other (non-spoilery) reviews I read before diving into this one, I was expecting this to be... a little more disturbing? Creepier? Don't get me wrong, it gets dark. Maybe I'm just desensitized based on previous books, but I wasn't as shocked as I was expecting to be.

Which is not to say, of course, that I did not enjoy this book. I definitely did! It was a wild ride, and there were a couple turns it took that I was not expecting (and some I was).

Overall, this was a good read, with well-drawn characters and a nice, creepy setting.

"Primal Animals" was a wild, enthralling story. I did not want to stop reading until the book was done; and I read it in a night. Arlee Gold is horribly afraid of bugs, leading to panic attacks at times, and resulting in some very embarrassing moments. Attending a summer camp in the woods would seem ill-advised for someone like Arlee. However, Camp Rockaway is where Arlee's mother, Samantha (Sam), made lifelong friends and developed connections that have served her well in her career and in life. Sam is convinced that Camp Rockaway will help Arlee get her life back on track and set her up for future success. Arlee has been struggling academically and socially. Deep inside her is a rage and a feral quality that infrequently breaks through, but when it is does, it has a lasting and transformative impact. There was an incident in the woods near her home that profoundly changed her, and which she cannot speak of to anyone.

The summer at Camp Rockaway gets off to a rocky start, especially as her mother appears to have quite the reputation, but not a good one. A number of the campers seem to dislike Arlee or want nothing to do with her because of who her mother is, but she has no idea why her mother seems to be so disliked (as her mother has portrayed Camp Rockaway in such glowing terms), and no one will tell her why. She does make friends in her cabin, especially Winona (Winnie), as well as with people in other cabins, including Lisha, whose friendship is frowned upon by some in her cabin. Arlee feels that something is not quite right about Camp Rockaway from the very beginning and her suspicions are soon confirmed, especially when she is invited to join a secret society of girls/women at the camp, the Order of Equus. The sacred motto of the Order of Equus is praesidio puellae -- Protect the Girls -- and that is an obligation that must be followed at any cost. Arlee soon finds herself mixed up in something that cannot be forgotten or undone, and which she finds both empowering/enticing and horrifying.

The story has a little bit of something for everyone -- teen summer camp; nerds; athletes; influencers; horses; archery; musical talent; romance; competition; LGBTQ characters; a secret society; fear; power dynamics; lighthearted and comedic moments; serious moments; strange events/behavior; philosophical discussions, etc. The characters are diverse and the main characters are well developed with a lot of depth, especially Arlee. The plot is creative and flows well. The author does a good job of portraying the inner struggle of Arlee as she attempts to be the person she wants other to see, but yet has the very public manifestations of her fears to contend with, as well as the primal/feral part of herself that she feels obliged to keep hidden, but that comes out at times. Watch out for yourself when that happens, because while Arlee often seems timid, she can be quite fierce when necessary. I would highly recommend "Primal Animals."

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Young Adult finest. at its finest. Beautiful cover made me look. GreT characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

To say this book is chilling is an understatement! It's YA horror that takes place in a summer camp with an elite secret society; what could possibly go wrong?? Young Arlee is excited to follow in her mother's footsteps as this camp promises to encourage academic tutoring in addition to activities such as archery, swimming, and horseback riding. Arlee has some fears of her own though (bugs, moths, flies, etc) that seem to seek her out at the most inopportune times (and. now I'm a little afraid of those too)! The vibe is downright creepy even as the campers make friends and attempt to complete "normal" summer activities; the tension is always there though--right below the surface until it spills over into real life. So read at your own discretion (and note that I gave it 5 stars as Rubin's prose is fluid and ever-shifting)! This one will haunt me for a good long time (but it's worth it)!

The first thing I want to say is that this would make a really good movie. Maybe for fans of Midsommar.


*minor spoiler warning (nothing too important)*


Camp Rockaway promises its guests an upscale summer retreat that allows for special SAT practice as well as a number of traditional camp activities such as horseback riding and archery. Arlee Gold's mother, Sam, was a regular at the camp when she was in high school, and now it's time for Arlee to follow in her footsteps.

Since she's in an older age group than the other girls are when they started, Arlee doesn't expect to fit in, but she also doesn't expect to be constantly judged and feared by the other girls. All anyone will tell her is that it's because of her mom, but Arlee wants to know exactly what Sam did to earn this reputation.

So when she receives a golden envelope from one of her cabinmates asking her to join the camp's secret society of girls, she can't say no. But after her first meeting, which involves a blood ritual, cult-like intimidation by the counselors, and another universally shunned girl in a zombie horse mask, she realizes that the group isn't only about the bond between sisters, but about protecting each other no matter the cost.

Arlee is also trying to navigate her attraction to her cabinmate, Winnie, and she reports to the sisterhood when one of the boys starts sexually harassing and stalking Winnie. But she never could've imagined that the sisterhood would retaliate by killing the boy. Now they want Arlee to help cover up the murder. Arlee is terrified of going against their rules, but she also sees how easily the group can manipulate each other into anything-- which could put herself and Winnie in danger as well.


Similar to Kate Alice Marshall's books, this book is definitely more graphic than most YA horror, and these scenes do involve both humans and animals, so if that's something triggering to you, maybe don't read it. But if you're into horror in general, or stories about cults (Those Who Prey, Girl in a Bad Place, The Project, etc) this should be a must-read.

Arlee isn't one of those protagonists who makes dumb decisions just to keep the thriller aspect going. She's constantly struggling to decide what's right, and you'll get so attached to her that you'll only want her to do the best she can. She's already been through enough shit before she even gets to the camp, and at the end, when she decides to do the right thing for everyone involved (and someone actually faces consequences!) you'll be so relieved. I do wish there was more of an epilogue, because I wanted to see how Arlee's life would be at the end of it all (maybe a year or so later).

Sam, the mother, is very sympathetic too, and I kept forgetting that she was supposed to be the villain to Arlee. I don't really think she was evil (there was an actual main villain, after all), but I think she started out like Arlee did and eventually fell for it all. In fact, she was really similar to Trixie from the author's most recent book, Trouble Girls.

As for the real villain, I can't say too much without spoiling everything, but I will say this: if they do make a movie based on this book, she needs to be the "if evil, why hot" type and played by one of the many middle-aged dramatic actresses the sapphic young-adult community loves.

I'm not going to say much about what Primal Animals is about because I think it's best to go in not knowing much. All you really need to know is that it takes place on a summer camp girl gets pulled into a secret society there.
This book is something else, from the plot to the setting to the characters, I was invested in all of it.
I love horror that gradually gets under your skin and this story delivered exactly what I wanted and then some.
Primal Animals is haunting and beautifully written and if you like horror thriller with a sapphic romance, I definitely recommend this book!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.