Sadly I couldn't read this book. I just notice it was in the middle of a series that I had not read before. This is my fault and I am so sorry!

Whispers, Chlause, and Kyo…..Oh My…..

Book Information

Memento Mori was written by Rosie Cranie-Higgs. It will be published on April 18, 2023 and is 374 pages. This is the 3rd book in a series. Thanks to BHC Press for providing me with an advance reader copy for review.

Summary

Kira McFadden is all alone in a strange land. She is back in the Whiteland, a realm separate and apart from our own. She has one driving intention, find her missing friends and family. She travels with Freya, who was once a monster but is now human and trying to help. They travel from place to place—are attacked, solve riddles, deal with monsters, ghosts, witches…all the while searching for Kira’s loved ones and trying to figure out how to not only find them but to get them home.

My Thoughts

I think this is a well-written book. I say think because the prose was good, descriptions were excellent, atmosphere was all encompassing and characters were complex……but in the end, I was lost 75% of the time.

This is part 3 of a series. In my experience, you can generally pick up a series midway through and jump in. While you may not get every reference or fully track with some subtle character motivation, you can still enjoy the book. In this case, I would not recommend jumping into book 3. There is zero background provided. Zero redundancy. There is an entire world that has been created (incredibly imaginative and beautifully described) that new readers will have no understanding of. What is a Whisper, Chlause, or Kyo? What’s a Huldra? How about Urnäsch? Some of these I figured out eventually---some I never really did. To add to this, everyone Kira is searching for has different names so new readers have twice as many characters to understand and internalize.

The writing is very good and the world is fantastic. I just wish there was a bit of background provided for those that haven’t read the previous two books. I really wanted to enjoy it more.

Recommendation

If you read the previous two books in the series and enjoyed them, read this one--its probably fantastic. If not, don’t start here, start with book one.

Rating

3 Confused Stars

First of all, I’m grateful to NetGalley for the ARC of Rosie Cranie-Higgs’ new book, ‘Memento Mori.’ This is the third volume in her Whiteland Novels series, and should be read in the right order: it’s the finale of the series. I believe, however, that if you can take it, it can also be read first, so that it whets your appetite for the other books in the series. A lot of it rests on Scandinavian folklore, so it’s a sort of folk horror; the relationships and the characters, though, are unusually well-drawn for that genre: there’s an intriguing mix of flaws and virtues, growth and stagnation, all immersed in a wonderful setting, revolving around a fantastic plot. ‘Memento Mori’ is, once again, about Kira McFadden, but this time she has along Freya, a huldra monster turned human. They travel back to Whiteland to find Kira’s sister, and things get really complicated from there. There’s a couple of twists, one of which I didn’t care for, but the book kept me going. I enjoyed it, overall, and would recommend it to anyone who likes great plotlines, interesting characters, and satisfying series endings.

I loved the chemistry between Kira and Callum. The world of whiteland was so interesting. Definitely recommend.

I did not realise that this was the third book in a series so my review is not going to be the best one for an opinion in that respect. I enjoyed this enough to go back and read the preceding two books. The world building and twists of imagination were immersive. Loved the Scandinavian folklore too.

Beautifully written but had a really tough time staying engaged. Just couldn’t hold my attention.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

The third instalment in the Whiteland series Memento Mori tells the story of Kira McFadden who has to travel back to Whiteland and find her sister.

The unique mix of Scandinavian folklore and dark psychological twists and turns is so interesting and just draws you into the world of Whiteland. Memento Mori keeps you on the edge of your seat, from creepy monsters whilst also following an emotional journey that Kira goes on. This is really interesting and spooky, however it can not be read as a stand-alone and you need to know parts of the previous books to read this.

I just want to thank Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't realize when I started this book that it was in fact a series and the third book. Which meant it was a bit confusing for me to jump into not having already set the foundation with the characters. It's best to read this one after following the previous two. The world building was very confusing. Although I did enjoy the writing and may even go back to read the others!

Memento Mori... a complex storyline with an ocean depth of imagination.

The world building is immersive. A true poetic visualization.

You want to get lost in this novel because the descriptions are so vivid, you actually feel as if you're there. Seeing the sights, smelling, feeling the cold of the snow or water washing over your face.The writing really brings the backdrop to life.

The main character, Kira, thinks in realistic tones. Memories swipe through her mind, she ponders on them, often getting lost in them. She commiserates in a way that is human, and relatable.

It was gratifying to watch Kiras' courage grow into a fiery warmth when facing the creatures, the strange land, ever changing landscape, and dangers.


You love to dislike Freya. Her sarcastic, ego centric personality and her quipy nature. Her transformation from antagonist to ally weaves an interesting relationship quandary. Which leaves you hanging on every sentence.

The folklore creatures, the multitude of them, act in accordance with their folklore history. However, the author weaves some of her own surprises in their details.The beasts speaking patterns can only be explained as other worldly. This gives an elegant feel to the dialog, almost like a song.

You can venture on the journey with the characters and still feel just as lost and confused as they are. The tricks and crafty nature in which the creatures and inhabitants use their words seeps with a clever, deceitful art, and adds to the challenges within the story itself.

Creatures, monsters, entities that change form. The scenes make your head swim in a good way.

This book is dark and full of frigid peril, laced with a strong undertow of fantasy. A journey book like no other, a mix of old and new. A re-read for sure.

3.0 Stars - Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an arc for this book. I was really excited for this one but I don't think I am the right reader this book is for. At least, not the kind of horror that I enjoy or am more drawn to. I don't think this is a bad book by any means either. It's perfect for fans of Darcy Coates and more supernatural horror that leans heavy on suspense. I just like my horror to be more... unsettling.

I struggled with this one because the characters and whatever is going on are likely established in the previous book. So I came in like "who? Where? With who? What?"
I was extremely lost and I almost gave up reading it entirely.
This is a book that requires basic knowledge of the established world and characters. So you absolutely need to read the first book before reading this one.
That's on me for picking up an ARC like this.

Pretty writing though. Keep it up.

Thank you to BHC Press for this opportunity to read this book. It is out April 18, 2023

This is the 3rd in the series and the main character has my last name so I had to read it. I was utterly and completely creeped out. Like leave the lights on creeped out. The twists and turns of the story had me nail biting! Kira must go to save her friends and family in Urnäsch so she joins for Ed with Freys a huldra monster turned human. I enjoyed their dynamic. The pace of the story was steady and I couldn’t get enough of the tension the story gave me.

This series is a wonderful pull for fans that crave atmosphere within their horror reads.

You can't help but feel cold as you follow Kira McFadden back into Whiteland as she searched for her sister.

Longtime fans of this series will easily fall back into the bone chilling cadence of Higgs writing. There's no redundancy here as the characters show significant growth and change from previous books.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it tied in beautifully to the first novel. I’d recommend this to other readers!

I tried reading this and it just wasn’t for me. This book was so out of my comfort zone. And it just was too strange for me.

This book right here gave me so many chills! Just within the first page! Rosie is a fantastic author and now I want to go back and read the other two books in the series because if this book was this well written I can’t imagine how spooky these other two are!!

This is the third in a series, and while I enjoyed the first two, this one I found lacking. It feels unpolished in its writing style. The story is spooky and very good, but the writing itself is what threw me off.

Beautifully written but better to read the other books first as it is part of a series. Full of folklore, monsters, and trickery.

I made a mistake and did not read the description as well as I though I had, because this was part 2 in a series. So, hm, yeah, that’s on me.
Because this is the second instalment in a series naturally, I was left horribly confused but, I’m sad to say, also bored. I have no intention of reading the first book after reading its continuation.

Unfortunately I did not like this book much. The writing style put me of and the story line I couldn't follow.