This is Arlee Gold's first camp at the illustrious summer camp her mother attended. Overshadowed by her mother's dubious reputation and issues of social anxiety, Arlee has some trouble fitting in. The only ones who seem to overlook these problems are her bunkmates and a mysterious secret society. At first excited to belong to this secret society, the more Arlee learns about it, the more she feels that she made a terrible mistake. This book is an interesting look into the dark side of human nature, and all the ways that protection of vulnerable groups can go wrong.

I think one of my favorite things about horror novels are unreliable narrators. The author really nailed their ability to create a tense environment for the reader. I easily finished this book within a day, and found myself questioning the ending and all of the little loose ends that never got tidied up. The loose ends didn’t bother me however, because a little mystery at the end of a book makes you think about it longer.

I read this book to satisfy my constant need for sapphic horror, and "Primal Animals" did not disappoint on that front! This book follows high school student Arlee as she attends a summer camp prep school with more than its fair share of secrets, number one being its all-girl cult.

What I loved most about this book is that it is genuinely creepy. The bugs, the horse masks, and the dead animals are seriously freaky, and a setting like this no-tech summer camp where it’s impossible to access the outside world is the perfect breeding ground for creepiness. The imagery used, both scary and beautiful, made this a really atmospheric read. I also liked the cult aspect, especially with it being all girls; this book certainly helped fill the "Yellowjackets"-sized hole in my heart in that regard.

Next, this book nails the summer camp environment. It’s a VERY different summer camp than what I went to, but some parts of it perfectly encapsulated my feelings and experience at camp. That was a fun little bonus!

Finally, I really liked the bit of romance in the book. It was imperfect and a little messy, sure, but I found it a more believable romance that a lot of others I’ve read. I am rather picky about romance. It helped that this was a camp setting, where people really do bond that fast. I just thought they were really cute!

However, I did have some critiques for this book.

I was really unsure what the message of this book was. It was definitely trying to say something, I’m just not sure what. It could’ve been something pro-feminism, a critique of feminism, anti-misandry, or even commentary on income inequality, but I could not say for sure what it was with any degree of confidence. There was a lot of material to work with in terms of gender and social class issues, which was very interesting, but it wasn’t clear to me what the message really was.

To improve pacing, this book probably needed to be longer. Arlee very quickly joins and becomes loyal to the cult, happily calling the members her sisters. However, she only knows the names of a few other members; she only actively likes one of them; and after the induction meeting she barely talks to them again. I would’ve liked to see Arlee get to know more of her “sisters,” have more ordinary cult meetings, and actually see an instance where the cult does something she approves of to explain why she’s so into it. What’s already there is great but I wished the book was expanded and Arlee spent more time with the cult before things went downhill.

Additionally, the ending was a bit rushed. If there was just one last chapter showing what happens that would’ve been more satisfying than being told in one paragraph what happened. I was pretty content with the ending, I just would’ve liked it to get a chapter of its own.

I do have a few other minor complaints. Like I mentioned before, there was an issue with telling rather than showing. Arlee constantly tells the reader how she feels and how she’s all these different versions of herself, but I would’ve rather her actions speak for themselves with less internal explanation. A lot of Arlee’s thoughts could get repetitive, too.

There were also just too many characters. A number of the characters, especially the counselors, could’ve been combined into fewer people, and I would’ve rather seen Arlee spend more time bonding with her “sisters” than all of her cabinmates or the guys at her lunch table. Unfortunately, I struggled to remember most of the names, personalities, or physical descriptions of the numerous side characters.

Lastly, there were a handful of typos and little mistakes, but I’m sure these will be resolved before publication.

Overall I liked reading "Primal Animals" and thought it had a lot of fantastic elements, like its imagery, creep-factor, the summer camp setting, and the sapphic relationship. Honestly my criticisms were mainly due to how high my expectations were set from the parts I really liked. This book would be a good choice for anyone else who loves reading about cults and sapphic horror stories!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!
I really wanted this to be a favourite, but the writing didn't vibe with me at all. I found it to tell more than it showed, which is always an issue for me but particularly in horror, which is meant to be atmospheric enough to suck you in and terrify you. The pacing of the book also didn't work for me. By the halfway point nearly nothing had happened yet except for some poor exposition, which did little to reveal the context of the story. I felt like I should know the protagonist more at 100+ pages in, but there was nothing about her that particularly stuck out to me. All in all, this might have just not been for me, but I wasn't impressed with the scares, the pacing, or the character work in this book.

I really did enjoy the themes in this book. I felt like I was getting a mix of AHS 1984 mixed with Scream Queens with that added old school horror cult vibe to it. I liked the fact that as I kept reading, the hysteria within the plot seemed to grow and grow, even it if was subtle. The LGBTQ rep was also a huge plus since you really do not see that representation in horror novels like that. The reason I felt like rating it 3/3.5 stars was because I felt like the storyline got rushed at the end. Overall it was a good YA thriller!

I liked the first sixty something percent of the book when nothing was really happening, but I had mixed feelings about the rest of the book. I feel like it was trying to hard to have a moral of the story, when it could/should have been something different. I liked the main character for the first half, but when it got to the reason she hated bugs so much, I felt a little underwhelmed and she just kept going downhill after that.

This could have been so good- it had all the elements of a great book- rich kids at a summer camp, secret societies, murder, but I just didn’t like it. The writers writing is really good, and I do like her style, but I just didn’t like this book. I think the book was supposed to be some big feminist power move but it just… wasn’t. Overall, a quick read that I just didn’t enjoy.

Thank you to the publisher for an Advance Reader Copy (egalley) of Primal Animals. I was honestly intrigued by the cover of this novel as I had never heard of this book before. The book opens quickly and draws you in. I love reading about girls at school/camp/etc so this fit right into this troupe. I was disappointed in the ending however. I thought it was rushed and with all the buildup with the story was definitely a let down. The author writes well and I would read another of her books but would hope to see a less rushed ending.

Primal Animals is a twisty, weird ride. There are so many unhealthy relationships and coping mechanisms. I just don't know what to say. I don't know if I liked it or not. I suppose I did, because I read it straight through. The writing is tense, dark, and terrifying. There were instances of foreshadowing that weren't followed up on, and there were several loose ends. A sequel doesn't seem likely, so I suppose they will stay loose ends. That part isn't a big deal, because I hate when a conclusion is all tied up in a neat little bow.
I'm having so many feelings about this book.

Julia Lynn Rubin’s Primal Animals had some very cool promotional hooks including “like a queer version of The Wicker Man” or “The Female of the Species meets Midsommar for fans of Yellowjackets” but ultimately it is not as good as anything it is compared to and is held back by a horror trope which is being flogged to death in YA dark fiction. Some YA novels adults can read without realising they are not the target audience, but this was not one of them and girls aged 13-17 are going to enjoy this significantly more than I did. When the story kicks off sixteen-year-old Arlee Gold is arriving at Camp Rockaway, an elite summer program in a remote part of the North Carolinian wilderness which combines academic catch-up with outdoor pursuits, bonding and networking for college programs and beyond. In a nutshell, outsider Arlee gets sucked into a secret society with terrifying and deadly consequences.

Primal Animals is told via Arlee’s first-person narrative and we quickly realise she has a lot of quirks and issues. Struggling at school, her highly successful mum and alumni of Camp Rockaway, hopes the summer will help Arlee shake off her phobia of insects, meet new friends and aim for top colleges. Arlee’s integration into the camp is nicely handled, but it takes ages for anything dark to happen and instead concentrates on her personal insecurities, panic attacks, suspicions and sexuality, when she finds herself attracted to one of her cabin mates. Teen readers should enjoy this slow build up, but as a veteran of countless camp or boarding school novels I had a serious bout of déjà vu. There were some nice suspenseful moments along the way, such as why was Arlee’s mum spoken about in such hushed tones? All of which added to the rising paranoia. Ultimately Primal Animal was all about a teenage girl finding her voice, which Arlee does in style, dropping multiple f-bombs along the way! AGE RANGE 13/14+

Primal Animals read like a slice of life story for me.That life just happens to be threaded with sinister undertones and entwined with a heaping dose of nostalgia!
You'll follow Arlee Gold as she spends her first summer trying to figure out where exactly she fits in at the prestigious Camp Rockaway. Both atmospheric and transportation you'll feel both the summer breeze and the terror as you discover things aren't exactly what they seem.
In Truth, Primal Animals falls in that grey area between a three and four star for me. It's a complete story but it left me longing for a bit more.
Thank You to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

~Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!~

4.5💫Stars
•This book was out of my normal genre range and I was excited to leap to a thriller/mystery book. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I overall really enjoyed it.

PLOT
•I loved the pacing as the faster speed helped make the book appear mysterious and like a race against the clock. The twists and turns also killed me and were so unexpected. It was so thought out and complex with small details thrown in to make you wonder.

CHARACTERS
•I loved Arlee and her anxiety was portrayed in such a good way as someone who struggles with anxiety as well. Her emotions were so relatable and I constantly felt for her and related to her. Winnie and the others also were so deeply complex and I felt the whole story meshed perfectly with each character.

OVERALL
•This book was a change of pace and I loved it, and I read it in less than 24 hrs.

Where do I even begin...
If you like feeling unsettled, this is a great book for you. If you like sapphic yearning, this might be a great book for you. If you like unreliable narrators you might really enjoy this. If you're okay with gore, you'll be able to read certain scenes in this. If "dark academia summer camp with creepy crawly bugs and creepy people" sounds good, read this.
That being said, I was a smidge let down by two things in this book. 1) It was pitched as something that it didn't really follow through on fully. The secret society BARELY shows up. She has one good meeting with them, and by the time she meets up with them again she already wants to leave them. Theres like maybe three meetings total? I was really hoping to see more meetings, more secret society shenanigans. She signed on with them awfully quick, was obsessed instantaneously and calling them "sisters" and then you get whiplash by how quickly she hates them.
2) the ending was, again, so abrupt it felt like hitting a wall in a speeding car. It will not leave you satistfied, or at least it didn't for me. This was all set up with no good pay off. We spent way too much time in the main characters head rather than in the secret society we were promised, and then it just ends. It was eerie in atmosphere and had good prose, but plot wise it left a lot to be desired.

I’m a sucker for a dark, twisty story about a queer teen girl. Primal Animals follows Arlee Gold as she attends a summer camp where there’s more going on than meets the eye. Her mother’s ominous reputation has been passed down to these new campers, and there’s a secret society that puts Arlee in dangerous situations.

I appreciated how twisted this book got. It didn’t seem like it was pulling punches for a YA audience. There were some truly grotesque descriptions in the story. The plot also went in directions I wasn’t expecting when it came to the “protect the girls” angle.

In the beginning I did have a bit of trouble figuring out who all the different campers and counselors were. There were so many names and descriptions tossed out that I found it hard to keep up with everyone. As I got further into the book I was able to zero in on the important people, but a lot of the side characters still blended together in my mind.

I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as Trouble Girls, Julia Lynn Rubin’s previous book. I think because that one followed a smaller amount of characters it was more focused and didn’t become muddled like Primal Animals did at times. But overall I liked the book and I’m excited to see what she puts out next. She goes places with themes that feel a bit unpredictable, in a good way.

Arlee Gold is a new camper at an exclusive camp but she's surrounded by mystery. At first she finds solace in her fellow cabin mates, but when she's invited to join a secret club, she's brought into the world of death. Primal Animals follows her journey in her camp experience and what happens when the secret club reveals its secrets.

I enjoyed reading Primal Animals. I'm a sucker for a camp story, especially when there's sapphic romance involved. I loved the interactions of Arlee and her fellow cabin mates and how quickly they involve her in their lives even though they've been together for years. I also really liked the cult aspect as we learn more about the secret club that Arlee's brought into thanks to her mother's past involvement. It felt like joining a very scary sorority.

The only aspects I didn't like were the fact that there wasn't a lot of in depth knowledge of the secret cult. The author briefly goes into the history, but nothing in detail and I would have liked to seen more. I also felt like the ending was really rushed. When I saw there was only 5% left and still a lot of the story to tell, I wondered if this was going to get a sequel, but the last chapter made it seemed like it was wrapped up and it left me feeling a little deflated. I wanted more to the story and know what happens next, at least a little bit more so I could get closure! Overall, I would recommend it to a reader looking for a quick, interesting read, but I probably wouldn't read twice.

This was everything I wanted and more!! I was completely mesmerized by this story and I cannot wait to read more from this author. Such fascinating characters and wonderful, Mysterious, And perfect plot!

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced e-reader copy of Primal Animals in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a fun read! Arlene Gold is sent off to an intensive summer camp by her mother. Arlee is quite anxious and has an incredible fear of bugs, making her transition a little difficult. Arlene’s growth as a protagonist in this novel is incredible to watch. I love the depth she is given as a character.

This book has everything. It has LGBTQ romance, disturbing and thrilling moments, and a secret camp cult. I have to say, I really enjoyed this one. If you are someone who likes something fun, disturbing, and thrilling with a lot of depth, I definitely recommend giving this a read.

Overall, this was a great read with an ending that packed a punch. It gave me all the suspense that I could possibly want. Again, it was such a fun read and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to check it out!

Review will also be forthcoming on Instagram @ivy.haunts.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Primal Animals in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, to be a sapphic teenager bunking with your crush at a tightknit summer camp that might also be a cult.

For the most part, Primal Animals is a gripping yet campy (both literally and tonally) read. I do think the narration occasionally talks itself in circles and spells things out just a little too heavy-handedly for the teen audience its trying to reach, but it felt more like a narrative quirk then the book actually talking down to the reader.

Thank you, Wednesday Books, for allowing me to read Primal Animals early!

I don't really have that much to say about Julia Lynn Rubin's Primal Animals, Julia crafted a bone-chilling atmosphere and I really liked the idea per se, but I thought it lacked that "je ne sais quoi" to make it shine. It is probably a case of "It isn't you, it's me" and I am sorry about that.

I loved Trouble Girls by Rubin.
Once I seen this gorgeous cover for another Julia Lynn Rubin book you can beat your pretty heart I jumped all over this request!
And she didn't disappoint either!

Primal Animals
By Julia Lynn Rubin
YA Horror is an absolute favorite of mine!
Rubin sure as hell exceeded all my expectations here.
An enthralling, wild, engaging read.
This book instantly hooked me, with its phenomenal writing skills and brilliant characterization. The characters were realistically portrayed and emotionally engaging.
The plot is another thing that really makes this book stand out.....
Such an engrossing, suspenseful, and utterly enthralling story.
This was a fast paced read filled with nervous tension and dramatic moments.
A total page-turner and I ended up devouring it in a day!
It sucked me in instantly and I didn’t wanna put it down. 
You won't want to miss this intense and enchanting read!

Wednesday Books,
I can't thank you enough for this amazing eARC Widget!
I will post and tag to my platforms closer to pub day!