Enjoyment: 3.5
Total rating: 3.93


Arlee feels like she has always lived in her mother's shadow. With the added pressure of being perfect, she fails to live up to her mother's harsh expectations. Her mother enrolls her at an exclusive summer program, hoping to, well, fix her. Not a fun way to start a summer.

At Camp Rockaway, nothing and no one are what they seem; before she knows it, Arlee will discover exactly what looms in the woods. After all, she is a legacy.

I will preface my review by advising you to check the content warnings before going into this book. I did deduct points for the way some of it was handled.

I loved the queer representation in this book, it felt natural, and it was meaningful to the plot. I also really enjoyed the overall story and tone of the prose. Primal Animals is committed to its themes of cult (secret society) and darkness. I enjoyed Rubin's writing enough to pick up other books by her, but Primal Animals wasn't for me. Some of the contents were too disturbing; I like my dark horror less graphic and shocking. If you have a strong stomach, you will enjoy it more than I did; Be warned - Rubin goes FAR.

Primal Animals is a fast-paced read and utterly unpredictable – two things I enjoy.

Suzy Jackson did a phenomenal job narrating this book. While staying true to the source, she brought a lightness that I appreciated.


Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of Primal Animals.

Arlee Gold is afraid of bugs. She's on her way to the same summer camp her mother went to in her youth. On the outside it looks too good to be true, fancy, beautiful guests, one in particular catches her eye and a crush develops pretty quickly.
Between being treated like an outcast for reasons she can't quite figure out and being invited to join a secret society, Arlee has a lot to figure out.
This book was weird, and it sort of felt weird for no reason? By the end of the book I felt like there were points trying to be made and this book was hanging out just slightly to the left of the goal?
I enjoyed this book, but I was ready for something slightly more.

Primal Animals by Julia Lynn Rubin

Arlee Gold goes to summer camp that her mom attended when she was her age. Her mom has some reputation from the camp and it carries forward for Arlee. Arlee is a little bit odd in her mannerism she does not have many friends and does not make friends easy but going to camp she wanted this to change. Arlee is a gay teen.

The description what I said above you would think this is an everyday read but it is not the rituals and weird stuff in the book just did not work for me. The descriptions where creepy so the horror aspect I guess was spot on but the story plot just felt so broken and weird.

The protect the girls aspect did not work for me it was over the top to much in my opinion. The author missed the mark on this story it was so far fetched in some aspect and some aspect it was interesting. The rituals in it that the girls participated in was not that bad it was the other stuff to it. I know the story is dark but it just went beyond where it needed to be.

The cult feel and the behavior of all the women covering up all the bad things going on was just not working for me. It took 85% of the book before you get to this in the book. The blurb of the book just did not pan out the way the book was put together. I hate being critical because I tend to be fair to authors because they put there heart and soul into their writing. This was just a flop for me it was just to weird all the way around. The only part I liked was Arlee and roommate lesbian love for each other.

The narrator Suzy Jackson did a great job with telling the story but it is not her fault for the flop.

Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for a free copy of the audio book for an honest review.

Primal Animals by Julia Lynn Robin was a book I couldn't put down (or turn off, as I happened to be listening to the audiobook). That isn't to say I enjoyed the book. In fact, the further into the book, the more I found myself exclaiming "WTF?" While the book started out merely unbelievable with character relationships jumping without truly developing, it quickly turned into a literary train wreck. If you are looking for a deeply disturbing YA book that will have your jaw drop in shock, it might be worth checking out. For me, this was a complete miss for both content and writing.

This story was super bizarre and intriguing, but it just wasn’t for me. There were parts I liked and others I could have done without. There were parts that were over the top and others that felt underdeveloped. The ending also felt rushed. I did like the secret society aspect and Arlee did make a good unreliable narrator.

2.5 rounded to 3

I enjoyed the narrator of Primal Animal. I felt like they did a great job bringing the story to life. However, I found the story to be a bit disjointed and not all that enjoyable. I feel like it just didn’t make sense. In addition, the way it ended was very blunt and matter of fact but without any explanation just implication that o was upset about it.

I was excited for this book from the moment I saw the cover, but unfortunately I just wanted a bit more from it. Think and additional 100 pgs building out characters and lore would have helped a lot.

The queer romance seemed like an add on because we never learned much about the love interest. She was just kind of there and… well *spoilers*. I would have liked more time getting to know her and the other campers more.

I typically don’t mind gore in horror books, but so much of it is in this book was not explained or tied back so it just seemed kind of pointless. I think I more time spent expanding the lore would have help. Additionally the book never managed to build the tension that I typically like from horror novel. Maybe someone with a fear of insects would feel differently, but for me a spider hanging out in a wall is enough to make me start to get nervous.

While the book was enjoyable at times, I had high expectations that it didn’t quite meet.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.

Trigger Warnings: Underage drinking, animal corpse/death, past cheating, child abuse, corpse, drugging, vomit, homophobia, murder, panic attacks, racism, self harm, sexism, sexual harassment, violence

Representation: Queer, Lesbian, Gay, Trans

Primal Animals is a YA horror about Arlee who is attending a college prep summer camp. While there, Arlee develops feelings for one of her bunk mates. When she is then chosen to join a secret society, Arlee is asked to do something extremely dangerous.

This book was so scary! Although I’m also a baby when it comes to this stuff. The story is very engaging and a quick read. This is a great book for the beginning of summer! Summer camp and a sapphic romance was a perfect balance for the creepy horror that felt like storytelling around a fire. This book was very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat! The story has many twists and turns that I never saw coming.

The characters in this book were great! Arlee has such great development and the other characters as well. There was also great representation of the world we live in, where queerness is not our only identity. I also really appreciated Arlee for her depth and thought the author did a great job with writing her. My only critique would be the balance between creating this world and the plot. The ending feels a bit rushed due to so much world set-up.

The narrator did a great job and truly brought these characters to life!

I received an advanced audiobook copy from Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way influenced my review all opinions are my own.

*Before picking up this book read the trigger warnings!

This story is so disturbing, anxiety-inducing and shocking but I couldn't stop listening to it! It read like a modern day Lord of the Flies but with an elite college prep summer camp backdrop. Just when you think things are starting to settle down more secrets and lies sneak up on you! Noone is as they seem in this story! NOONE!!! Its human nature at its worst and most raw animalistic form and teenage love in its purest moments. And a secret society that will blow your mind! The very last line of the book made my jaw drop! It truly left you saying wtf?!

The narrator Suzy Jackson did an amazing job! The transitions from character to character were perfect and distinct and honestly she just enhanced the book so much more. I don't think it would've hit as hard if I was reading it myself. Suzy draws you in from the first line. It was like listening to a friend spill the tea lol.

I'm giving this book 4/5 stars because it truly is disturbing ,leaves a pit of dread in your stomach while you're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop and it's addicting (I dont know what that says about me) and I'm pretty sure I have now developed pteronarcophobia

3.5 Stars

I really liked the narrator, she was able to help assist me through the novel for I know I wouldn't have been able to finish on my own.

Love the LGBTQ in it and Cult vibes, however, there wasn't a lot of actual horror in it. At 68% of the audiobook was when things started to get interesting. But most of the 'horror' element, in the beginning, was about the main character's anxiety.

Would recommend Audiobook, a mid-tier story.

I really liked the summer camp part of this book, though this summer camp is way different than my idea of one. The friendships made were special and necessary. I'm not really sure how I feel about this book but I'm wondering where the fantasy part came in, I never saw it. There were some good parts and some horrifying parts.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for an ALC of this!

I really enjoyed this one, and I'm glad I waited for the audiobook! I thought the pacing was good, a great narrator, and overall a great read!

Summer camp horror! Oh my this was so good and I need to stop expecting happily ever afters from horror because my heart 😭

I don't read a ton of horror and was immediately drawn in by this one. I loved the weird generational element and the open ending. Here for this stuff!

Um, I'm not sure how to feel about this one. The plot of a secret society of girls was interesting to me and I wanted to know more about it and see how dark it got. I also thought Arlee and Winnie were cute and the crush was adorable. Then there are the many dead animals and descriptions of mutilation that went too far into the gross category and didn't seem that necessary to the story. I think it could have been less graphic, but I guess the author was going for a shock factor?

If the story had just focused on the society and the question of can you take justice into your own hands if the law won't do anything, I would have really loved it. I thought all the extra parts about Arlee's trauma and possible mental illness and the animal killings took this in a weird direction that I didn't enjoy. Plus, the ending is pretty unresolved and left a lot of confusion on my end. I'm not sure if it's left that way because it's a horror book without a true happy ending, or if the author wasn't sure where to go.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Wednesday Books for the copy.

The cover was definitely what drew me in. Once I finally read it was "horror " I was a bit iffy because fantasy is my boo, but this book is so fast pace I was immediately sucked in.

I feel like this is a little more on the adult side of YA.

I see a lot of people warning of dead animals.... so there's dead animals..... And people..... Wasn't really that bad in my opinion considering I've seen the 13th warrior. 😅

My biggest complaints was the "love interest" I don't know just didn't care for her..... But the last like 2 sentences of the book 👀 LOVE.

I want the mom's story now tho!!! Because.... I need it

i'm not sure what i was supposed to make of this but its portrayal of violence and revenge strike me as...banal? shock value-y? and the message at the heart of it is vaguely moralistic.

This story starts off so strong and is really hard to put down once you start. Primal animals is a young adult horror novel that follows Arlee Gold, a high school student whose mother thinks she will benefit from the summer camp she went to for college prep classes. However as soon as Arlee arrives, she notices a distance from the other girls when her last name is spoken. And then she’s brought into a secret society of women who will do anything to protect each other. As events unfold and Arlee begins to see another side to the camp, the society and the woman who raised her.

Arlee is a great main character, she’s very relatable. She’s not popular and fitting in instantly, she has a crush on one of her bunkmates, and she’s just trying to figure out everything about the camp and its secrets. Her character is relatable and not too much. The support characters are just as well written to pull the story together. They all add something to the overall story.

I had a really hard time putting Primal animals down. I alternated between the e-galley and the audio-galley; they were both extremely enjoyable. I’m so glad to see a new horror book in the young adult category. Its not as common and stories like this one should be shared more and I craved as a teenager. I found primal animals just as enjoyable as an adult. The feel of the story has a mature feel without all the excessive drama that tends to be thrown into to young adult stories.

Primal Animals is a great camp story perfect for anyone who likes suspense, mystery and horror.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

The Primal Animals audiobook is definitely one I recommend. The narrators voice suited Arlee’s character so well. It felt like it set the scene just right. I feel like it’s the kind of audiobook you could listen to on a camping trip or at the lake. It has a summer feel and it is the perfect summer listen.

Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book. This book is really intriguing and the characters were fun. This book was creepy for sure but not overpowering just enough to make you unsettled. I felt like the unveiling at the end could have been improved but overall really good. I would like to read more by this author.

This is a tough book to review as I think its best to go into this blind. There is definitely some trigger warnings with this book so please go and check those out before you dive into this book. That being said I enjoyed reading this book. It was definitely dark and not exactly an easy book but the story was interesting and I definitely wanted to know more as I read. If you like horror and don't feel like the triggers are to much for you I would definitely recommend this book. Its a little slow to start but once it does its amazing.

An elite summer camp, a family legacy, and a masked secret society? Arlee's summer is spinning out of control.

This was a very atmospheric read, I felt like I could hear the crickets chirping and feel the oppressive heat.

The main characters anxiety was represented really well. She was a relatable anxious bean.
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What I really loved about this book was it's exploration of toxic relationshipa including a parental relationship and how hard it can be to untangle ourselves from them.

I loved the weird and Arlee's fear of bugs. I also loved the dark competitiveness. I do think the writing and characters, especially the side characters who blurred together, were a little bit flat and could use a bit more fleshing out. However I think that will come with time and the author is on the right track.

The narrator was very expressive and brought a lot of drama and atmosphere to the tale.

A 3.5 star book for me. I'll continue to check out the author's work.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an Audio Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.