3.75 rounded up to 4.

Laney is a recently divorced teacher, who lives with her niece after the untimely death of her sister Anna. After receiving a complaint from the renters in her summer cabin in Lake Superior, she has to drop everything and go to the island. As a collection of people from her past join her, the secrets pile up almost as high as the dead bodies.

This book was a fantastic mix of suspense, mystery, and supernatural. I was expecting a situation similar to the season 4 Buffy Halloween episode. But was pleasantly surprised with how the overall story wrapped up.
The island itself provides the perfect spooky ambiance, being cut off from all communication, the only way on or off being by boat. As someone who grew up on Lake Ontario and vacationed in the Thousand Island region, I can picture this island perfectly.
I do think this would crossover to a theatrical adaptation remarkably well.
I am a longtime Kelley Armstrong fan and would read the phone book if she wrote it, but thankfully this was much better than that.
I received an arc on netgalley. My opinions are my own

Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? The early reviews have come in for Canadian writer Kelley Armstrong’s new standalone horror novel Hemlock Island, and they haven’t exactly been kind. Trade publisher Kirkus says this book is “a mishmash of mayhem, with wilderness adventure, supernatural phenomena, environmental activism, teenage angst, and #MeToo feminism all vying for the whiplashed reader’s attention. Hard to imagine the audience for this.” Ouch! Publishers Weekly is a bit more kind, but notes that “the supernatural reveal, when it comes, is a bit rushed … and leads into a slightly unearned climax.” This goes a long way for me to say that I’m not the only one who questions the artistic quality of the book. I have good things and bad things to say about it, but I’m getting a little ahead of myself. This is one of those novels that is trashy and meant to be fun — though how much fun might be a matter of debate. This is also one of those books that might have worked well as young adult fiction if it weren’t for the fact that the book is very gory in parts. So gory that even Stephen King might blush. So, Kirkus is right in suggesting that the audience hasn’t been thought about too much for this book, and Hemlock Island might have been better off being only for the amusement of its author. Perhaps it could have stayed on her laptop or whatever tool she uses to write. But saying that might be churlish, and I don’t want to be.

What’s the book about? It’s about a thirtysomething woman named Laney who has been gifted an island in the middle of Lake Superior by her ex-husband. To pay the bills, she rents out a home the two built there to strangers, who usually manage to desecrate the property. When she gets a complaint from a more responsible tenant who complains of blood dripping down a closet door, Laney sets out to investigate with her teenage niece, Madison, in tow. Joining her on the island, is her female ex-lover, Jayla, and Laney’s ex-husband Kit, along with Sadie — an uninvited guest — and her police officer brother Garrett. When Laney starts to play detective, weird stuff begins to happen, and things (quite literally) go bump in the night. Soon, dead bodies begin to be discovered and Laney and her cohorts find they cannot get off the island. The corners eventually get painted to the point where no place is safe — even the house built on the island.

I’ll be charitable and discuss what’s good about this novel first before getting to my criticisms. First, I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (and please don’t with this one), but I really like the atmospheric cover art — even if it’s an obvious stock photo image because the house in the picture doesn’t match up with the house as described in the book. Two, the book is a bit of a nice no-brainer read in its opening chapters (until you start skimming through it to get to the good bits). This is the sort of thing you’d want to curl up with in a warm blanket in front of a fire on a cool autumn day. Three, the ending, even if Publishers Weekly found fault with it, features a particularly strong villain and is gripping — at least when it isn’t aping directly from something out of a later period Hitchcock movie. (You’ll know which one I’m talking about when you get there if you wind up reading this thing.) The other thing that is nice about the book is that it throws in a few queer main characters: Laney, for one, is bisexual. You don’t often see queerness too much in mainstream horror fiction — gays and lesbians are usually relegated to the background (or chopping block).

What’s bad about the novel? Quite a few things. For one, it’s overlong. This is the sort of thing that might have made a better novella — as the novel has lulls and feels padded in places. There’s also a problem with consistency: We’re told that the island is five acres in size, which isn’t particularly large, but the characters seem to find places to go off exploring. Third, the characters are rather one-dimensional and exist, in typical horror novel form, to be knocked off in gruesome ways. Fourth, the author frequently breaks the show, don’t tell rule by having explanations for things put in gratuitous dialogue. The characters sure like to also talk about their feelings for one another, which is a bit unrealistic given that their lives are in constant danger. Finally, the characters also act in unbelievable ways. For instance, when Laney discovers a dead body that belonged to someone near and dear to her, do the other characters offer condolences and inquire into Laney’s emotional and mental state? No. They’re more concerned with preserving a crime scene for when the cops invariably arrive. And it’s also not clear if the island has cell phone reception. I’m assuming not, but then why hasn’t Laney prepped the house with a satellite phone? Surely, that must have been needed to rent the place out, especially given that there’s a large cliff that renters seemingly have a problem walking off of.

In the end, Hemlock Island is a disappointment because the payoff takes too long to come. It feels more like an amateurish first draft than something a bestselling author (which Armstrong is) would write. I don’t mean that to be a personal attack, but that’s just how I feel about this novel. The book was probably rushed into production because its plot capitalizes on the recent pandemic, and the publisher may have been looking to strike while the iron was hot. Admittedly, there is a time and a place for bubblegummy, disposable reads. If you’re in the mood for something that you won’t have to think about too deeply, Hemlock Island may be the perfect book for you. Even though I wasn’t too impressed with the read, there’s bound to be someone out there who is going to enjoy this novel immensely — any book can become someone’s favourite. Alas, Hemlock Island is for the undiscerning reader. Its intentions are not to be high art, but surely it could have been better edited. To that end, ladies and gents, this might be one island that you should be wary of visiting unless you’re the kind of person who likes to be thrilled by thrills alone and like books with no deeper meaning. There’s not much to this, which is why I ultimately recommend taking a pass on it.

This was a fast paced horror that scares and thrills. Laney doesn't know what she is getting into when the call comes in about things happening on Hemlock Island. When she arrives her island paradise is anything but a calming magical place. It is a horror show that will change her life forever.

This was a very good story that had a certain edge to it. It was thrilling and full of danger. It was almost like a story that has a deeper hidden meaning. As if it was a message from mother nature itself. It was written in a very gripping and mysterious manner that had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning. While it was not what I was expecting, I can say I was not disappointed.

The premise of this novel definitely had me intrigued: a recently-divorced woman tries to keep her property on Hemlock Island by renting it out to make ends meet. And, it is well-written and kept me reading to see what the finale would be. Nonetheless, overall I found it to be just an o.k read chiefly because a bit more than halfway through, the storyline took a a very sharp turn and seemed wholly farfetched and really disjointed, requiring the reader to have much more than a mere willing suspension of disbelief. And, I am really not into the horror genre all that much, but if you like a decent thriller with a hefty dash of paranormal horror thrown in, you most likely will really enjoy this one.

Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read prerelease copy for honest review. This is not the type of book I would normally choose. It was a very strange story, but it really kept my interest. There was some horror and a little science fiction. The main characters were well developed. It will probably be very successful, especially at Halloween.

“I will be the wise crone, and I will be the terrible crime. I will be what the island needs me to be, and I will be what I need myself to be, and most of all, I will be happy.”


First off, thank you @stmartinspress @kelleyarmstrongauthor and @netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book, right here, is why Kelley Armstrong is my favourite author.

It grips you right from the beginning and doesn’t let go.

The character development is perfection with both the main character and the side characters. And yes we do have Armstrong’s signature strong female characters that I love.

The plot and story are evenly paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

The atmosphere is chaotic and creepy in the best way.I started reading this while sleeping in a remote hotel, which probably wasn’t the best idea and needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep.

Honestly, I would recommend this book to any horror/thriller fan. I don’t think you would be disappointed!

I was hoping for some good spooky vibes from thus story but it didn't deliver. The writing was simplistic and choppy and I had a hard time staying in the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy. Pub date 9/12/23.

I had no idea going into this book that it was going to turn paranormal. Paranormal is not my favorite, but other than that I loved this book. It was so good and creepy and I couldn't put it down.

Newly divorced Laney gets her vacation home in the divorce settlement. Laney is strapped for money, her sister died and she is now caring for her niece. To make ends meet she is renting out her vacation home on Hemlock Island to strangers. She gets a phone call one night from her renters that something strange happened in one of the bedroom closets. Laney and her niece head to Hemlock Island to go check it out and everything spirals from there.

This book is a perfect fall/Halloween book, and if you like paranormal you are going to love this one!

Thank you to @StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #HemlockIsland. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. Based on the blurb, I expected a locked room type mystery (replacing the locked room with an isolated island in Lake Superior). What it IS is a supernatural thriller which I'm OK with, but this one missed the mark for me.

As a thriller, it kept me turning the pages because I had to find out what the hell was happening on that island. But the supernatural premise was a little too unbelievable for me. The backstory of the characters (high school friends) added some mystery & tension to the plot, but the characters were two-dimensional and annoying. I honestly didn't care about what happened to them.

✨ Hemlock Island ✨⁣
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⁣This book was bananas… b-a-n-a-n-a-s! ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Lainey owns a beautiful home on a private island, but unfortunately must rent it out after a divorce leaves her unable to afford the upkeep. One night, she receives a call from renters claiming they found a closet covered in blood. Lainey heads to the island to investigate what she assumes is a prank and is joined by her nieces, ex-husband, and three old friends. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣I enjoyed the remote, private island atmospheric part of the book. It had lots of creepy, WTF moments that kept me reading and a little confused. Unfortunately, Lainey also was very annoying; she was a total doormat and repeated herself a lot! Plus it felt like the characters spent half the book alluding to their dark history together, but only in half statements. Annoying! ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣I did appreciate the ending and how the author was able to wrap up such a bizarre book! Three stars! It was fine and fans of horror might enjoy this one more than I did! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in return for my review. Hemlock Island publishes on September 12, 2023.

I'm obviously not going to reveal the twist to this one but it's weird that this is this is the second book of it's kind, with the same kind of twist, I've read in the last few months. The difference, though, was the added layer of fraught inter-personal dynamics and the slow reveal of a big secret from their past.

And, I mean, it wasn't that big of a reveal. Armstrong laid some pretty heavy clues as to one of the elements that went down but the other? Yeah, that took me by surprise.

All that to say, if you are looking for a locked-room style mystery with that sense of foreboding claustrophobia, this is the book for you. You may also never want to visit a remote island or, like, camp ever again. Nature gets nasty in this one and really shows her teeth. Just more reason to never leave the house!

Trapped on this remote island is an unlikely group. Laney, her niece, her ex-husband and his sister, her sorta ex-bestie and said ex-bestie's brother. And when I say this is an unbalanced mix, hoo boy. None of them are particularly all that developed because the tension around their history, their secrets, is what drives the dynamic. And for this kind of story I guess that's all you really need. Plus, I mean, not all of them survive so why waste the word count! I can't say I'm mad about who bit the dust, it feels rather deserved (one especially deserved much worse because they were a garbage creature in human form), but the reveal of the why it was all going down, and the resolution? Interesting choices, I guess. Moreso the latter bit. The other does kind of.. beg you to suspend disbelief but hey if you can do that, you might really enjoy the ride.

For me there was just.. something that didn't quite grab me. And maybe it just ties into the fact that I may be on the outs with what has to be my most-read author. I think we've grown apart. But the spooky bits were spooky, and rather gory (be warned), and if you want to curl up and get into the spoopy season vibe, you could probably pick a worse book than this one. But sadly I don't think it'll be all that memorable for me and it does not stand out. But it passed the time.

2.5 stars

Ohhhh this was fun. Hemlock Island was just what I needed, and just in time for late August when the beginning of the fall spirit starts to hit me as we get closer to fall and Halloween. This is the perfect autumnal read and would hit perfectly when the weather actually starts getting chilly and the leaves start to fall. While it doesn’t have the small town setting essential for cozy autumn reads, the creepy vibe is still great for cozying up with a pumpkin spice latte and a couple hours of reading.

As soon as they announced that Hemlock House was on an island with zero wifi, phone service, or connectivity, I knew exactly how this was gonna go. Apparently that is the appeal for people who would rent the place for a vacation home, but I can’t see how that would be even remotely appealing. Wanting to unplug is one thing, but being completely cut off and not having the ability to call for help is another. A nightmare waiting to happen and I was zero percent surprised it ended up being a house of horror because it’s way more likely for someone to terrorize you if they know you literally can’t get help.

The start of the book very much gives off murder mystery thriller vibes (which I do enjoy but the genre has become a bit stale and overdone to me) so I was happy to find that this actually is a paranormal story rather than a standard whodunnit thriller like it first appears to be. Adding paranormal elements made this much more interesting to read. I was kind of mehhh about this book until I got to the 80% mark and WOW THE ENDING WAS SO GOOD. The last 20% especially was a wild ride and so much fun. I recommend this for the ending alone.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

A vacation home on an island in the middle of Lake Superior sounds like a dream. The perfect place of rest, relaxation, and spending time with loved ones. But what happens when your dream place becomes a nightmare?

Laney Kilpatrick's ex-husband gave her Hemlock Island and the home they built there during their divorce. Laney loves being there but the upkeep is expensive and when she is not writing, she is a teacher. Wanting to keep the property, she takes on renters. One night she gets an upsetting phone call from her latest renters who have found blood and fingernail scratches in a closet in the home.

Laney and her sixteen-year-old niece, Madison come to investigate but they are not the only ones. Her ex-husband Kit and his sister Jayla are there plus her former school friend Sadie and her cop brother Garrett.

There is tension galore as this is not a happy reunion for all of them. Plus, there are secrets amongst the members of the group. One of them will take off leaving the rest stranded on the island. As they settle in a gruesome discovery is made. It will be the catalyst for more gruesome discoveries which are traumatic, shocking, and horrific.

This book has a creepy and tense vibe throughout. I love the trapped feeling in this book. No one can get off the island and the danger increased by the second. Plus, the dark skies and incoming storm provide atmosphere and add to the chilling and creepy feel of the book.

Kelley Armstrong likes to incorporate the supernatural into her books. I enjoy this touch and it makes for an interesting element. Having said that, things got a little OTT in the end. I loved everything about the book until the last 15% of it. Things do get summed up, but I wanted to tell two of the characters (Laney & Kit) to communicate, why didn't you communicate? That was my mantra while reading this. Plus, I also said "Grow up already" about one of the characters. What does it say when the sixteen-year-old in the group is more mature at times than the adults.

Other than my minor issues with the book, I enjoyed this and found it to be a fast read. Kelley Armstrong is one of my go-to authors, and I look forward to what she writes next.

Atmospheric, chilling, dark, creepy, and fast paced.

I love this type of book - a book that really should be a movie. It was fun to read and I was able to visualize easily the action and characters. I mean I was there. How cool is that?

Laney has been renting out her home on a private island as a vacation retreat for those who want to unplug. But when renters start reporting seeing blood and strange happenings, Laney is forced to visit the island. So with her niece, ex-husband, best friend and two other friends, who also show up, they set out to discover what is really happening on the island. Leaning more to horror, than mystery, Hemlock Island becomes a suspenseful murder island with plenty of twists. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher, St. Martin’s Group for an early copy. This review is my honest opinion.

6 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/09/05/hemlock-island-by-kelley-armstrong-review/

At its heart, Hemlock Island is a mystery or supernatural thriller masquerading as horror. The creepiness is upstaged by the squabbling, the mystery, the romance for so long that when it finally takes center stage it fails to capture the imagination, the attention it desires. Now, it’s not a bad mystery or thriller, but in trying to cover too many genres, the plot somewhat fails to do any of them too well.

The first (and arguably biggest plot-hole) is Sadie. If I dropped in on one of my childhood friends (someone I really never talk to anymore) and offered to help with that one big problem that they had that I should in no way know about—there would be some questions. That’s what Sadie does here. She and her brother just show up, “to help” after being estranged for many years—and no one bats an eye. It’s not explained any further, nor even questioned afterwards, and it bugged the heck out of me.

One of the more disappointing aspects I discovered was the divorce (and/or romance). See, I generally disparage add-on romances in fiction, but this one—a pandemic-fueled divorce—is quite essential to the plot. Or it would be if it made any sense. Now, how to explain this without spoilers?

Obviously we can’t get into the actual plot, but I’ll give you the crux of it. The pandemic was taxing on so many relationships because it forced people to confront how little they understood their partner, how little they actually had in common, or how far apart they’d grown without noticing. Now I realize this is an oversimplification, but bear with me. That’s not the issue in Hemlock Island. Instead it’s… they didn’t talk about it. That’s it. And to have that presented as a pandemic-fueled divorce seems like a lie, not to mention a tremendous disappointment.

Don’t get me wrong—this was an interesting read. Immersive, if not captivating, fast-paced and thrilling, mysterious in most good ways. The plot of Hemlock Island is… sufficient. In that I mean it’s immersive enough when you’re reading it, but don’t expect to ruminate over its complexities upon completion. It’s more the kind that you’ll forget the story within days of its passing. But that’s okay. Grab this for a long commute, a layover, a travel-day. It’s not going to blow you away—but should be sufficient to entertain (and even thrill) no matter how many distractions you have to put up with.

This book was fabulous. I am a longtime fan of Kelley's - I discovered her through her Rockton series - and I expected no less for this book. I was not disappointed - I absolutely loved it! Our characters were brought to an isolated, haunted island in Lake Superior, and hijinks ensued. I don't want to give you details in case I spoil anything, but MAN was it a ride! 4 stars.

When your favourite author switches genres yet again after already mastering all of the others that she decides to try out you jump on the bandwagon right away and dive deep into a type of book that you don't normally read. I was so excited to get approved for this book and while horror books are not usually my go to I really enjoyed this one. This book had everything I've come to expect from Kelly Armstrong's work. It had very intense and fascinating characters all a strong personalities and backstories and if that isn't enough to make you love her work the plot lines are impeccable! They start off with just enough information to get you hooked on what is going to happen and every plot point from then on pulls you deeper into the characters lives that you can't wait to see how they're going to end up. With this being her first actual horror novel I knew that I shouldn't expect anything less than greatness and I wasn't disappointed. This block gave the perfect sense of fear that a great horror movie gives the audience. The book is all about our main character Laney look it's a call from a person renting her cottage. The next day she goes herself to check out the complaint and that is when the story really takes off. Is this just a prank from some locals trying to scare her off or is something more sinister taking place here? That is what Laney is determined to find out. This book was much darker than I was expecting however because of that it made for the perfect horror novel. I also loved how even though it was very dark it wasn't overkill on gory descriptions you were given just enough to understand what was going on without glorifying the crimes. This was the kind of book that makes you clear your entire schedule because you have to know how it is going to end. Great read and I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to check it out. This is one book that I can't wait to see hit the shelves because I can't wait to read it again and again. The only part I was a little disappointed in was the ending it just wasn't quite my favorite.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong. All opinions are my own.

Our main character Laney must go to the home and island that her ex-husband gave her in their divorce to check on suspicious activities that is scaring her Airbnb guests. Activities in the neighborhood of the occult that may or may not be pranks. When she arrives with her niece Madison in toe, she finds several of her childhood friends and her ex-husband have come to help. As always in these types of circumstances all the friends come with secrets from the past and baggage. By baggage we are not referring to luggage.

I remember reading Armstrong's Otherworld and Carnesville Series back in the day and enjoyed them, but Hemlock Island is truly in the horror genre. Literally from the first chapter on I was engaged. Also kept me guessing till 75 - 80 percent in to guess what was causing everything to happen. If this was her first leap into the horror genre, she did a bang-up job. Setting was atmospheric and creepy. Characters were believable and enjoyed how the author took her time giving the reader the backstories of all the childhood friends and how that related to Laney. There was just enough body gore to keep it entertaining, but not going overboard. Loved the ending as well. I recommend this to any horror readers for sure, but I also believe it might be a good starter book into horror as well for those wishing to dip their toes into the genre. Hemlock Island will be available next month, September 12, 2023. Happy Reading.

Laney Kilpatrick has a dream vacation home on Hemlock Island that she got to keep in the divorce. However, in order to afford it she has to rent out her vacation home to strangers which she hates doing. When a renter flees the home and island in the middle of the night calling her to tell her they found blood and other things in the house Laney has no choice but to refund their money and go check it out. She decides she’s going to bring along her teenager niece who she’s the guardian so she doesn’t have to be left alone. When they get to the boat they are greeted by her ex husband and three other people who all intend to help her face the problem. When they get to the island to discover bloody handprints and hexes things take a turn for the worse quite quickly.

Hemlock Island was a fast binge worthy novel that reads like a horror movie and I’m here for it. From the creepy dead hand to the hexes to the not so dead people and everything in between this book packs a terrifying punch. I loved this one and read it pretty quickly. It’s a perfect read for the upcoming spooky season.