his spooky, atmospheric book made me forget that it is only August - bring on October! Laney has managed to hold on to one thing from her divorce from millionaire nice-guy Kit: a private island with a stunning home, where she can escape with her niece, Madison, to rest and to write. But to make ends meet, she’s forced to rent it out for most of the year, and the renters leave destruction and trash in their wake. When one couple flees the island after insisting that they saw blood and claw marks on the inside of a bedroom closet, Laney knows she and Madison have to make the trip to Hemlock Island herself to investigate - or, at least, to clean up whatever mess the renters have left for her this time. Kit shows up with his sister Jayla, and they’re followed by another former friend, Sadie, and her brother, making for an uncomfortable reunion on the island. As the island reveals signs that increasingly impossible to ignore - or understand - long-kept secrets and regrets are shared, and no one will leave the island unchanged.

This is the first thing I’ve written by Kelly Armstrong, but it will not be the last. This book was genuinely creepy, with characters I was rooting for, and I raced to the last page.

The characters in this book were all obnoxious and the writing was repetitive. It mentioned the pandemic way too much, it kept talking about the main character's and her ex husband's divorce. And they kept mentioning something that happened but would never give any details. The character kept acting like they were detectives and kept making stupid decisions. They especially were acting the main character was a detective just because she wrote murder mysteries. One of the characters was actually a detective, but he was new to the job and an idiot.

I was introduced to Kelley Armstrong through her Otherworld series (which I love!), and then went on to read her Cainsville and Nadia Stafford series, both of which I really enjoyed too. So I was excited to see what her turn into straight up horror would be like, and it was okay….

Hemlock Island took a bit for me to get going, I would say I was about half-way into the book before I really got intrigued. While it wasn’t a slog to get there because Armstrong was putting together the back story and letting us get to know the characters (some who were well written, others, a bit more one dimensional), it also didn’t make me want to not put the book down. This one should have taken me a day, two, tops, to read, but it was closer to five days just because I wasn’t drawn back to it.

Armstrong had the thriller part of the story down, which isn’t surprising since that, and suspense, is her usual genre. It was a ride with the characters going all over the island, finding one crazy thing after another. I was really enjoying it and thought it would be heading in a certain direction. And then it took a turn….

I really enjoy watching and reading about the supernatural, so while the turn was interesting, it also felt weird. I can appreciate where she was going, and the ultimate conclusion for the main character was good, it just felt like the horror aspect didn’t meld that great with the rest of the book.

An entertaining read that flits back and forth between thriller and horror about a group of people unexpectedly trapped on an island in the middle of the Great Lakes. This book went in a direction that I didn’t expect, but it still kept me hooked. I do think that some of the many subplots didn’t need to be in the story - it gave it a bit of a young adult feel. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book!

2.5 stars, rounded up. I will always give anything Armstrong writes a try, despite her being hit-or-miss for me. Honestly, I think maybe she's trying to put out too many books a year. I admire her efforts to expand the genres she writes in, and this is (I believe) her first horror novel. It's not a long book, just 300 pages, and there's a bit too much packed into the story for my tastes. Lots of characters, lots of past history, lots of secrets revealed, all while a group of people are stranded on a remote island in Lake Superior with a murderer on the loose. The story gets pretty gruesome, and Armstrong does a great job of building the tension and ramping up the spookiness, but all the tangled relationships and betrayals and communication issues gave a cluttered feel to the plot, and it also meant the characters felt very one-dimensional. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital review copy.

A great summer-fall bridge book, this story takes place on a private island as creepy things keep unfolding over the course of a couple days. The island setting makes it great for summer/early fall, while the creepy horror content makes it very fall-like as well. Definitely a lot of gore throughout, but if that doesn't bother you, then go for it!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review .

This book had literally had my heart pounding. It was very thrilling, and terrifying. I loved it!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Summary:
Laney has been renting out her vacation home to strangers. Though it makes her feel uneasy it’s the only way to keep her Hemlock Island. It’s all she has after her divorce. There are secrets, whispers in the woods, strange things happening seemingly ritualistic leaving renters terrified.

#read #readmore #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #stmartinspress #hemlockisland #horror #thriller #suspense #bookworms #tbr #5star

This horror novel takes place on an island in Lake Superior. When Laney Kilpatrick's marriage blew up during the pandemic, she was awarded the island home she and her husband had built. However, as a high school English teacher, Laney needed to rent out the home and island in order to make ends meet.

When her tenants cause problems, she regrets her choice, but renting is her only option. None of the offers to purchase the retreat have been tempting since she loves the island. But then the strange things start of happen. A hex circle or two and eerie wind chimes are the start. Blood and claw marks inside a closet are the end for the latest renters.

Laney and her niece travel to the island to find out what is going on. She doesn't know that her ex-husband and his sister who is her ex-best friend are also coming because they heard about the problems. And she certainly isn't expecting another ex-friend and her police officer brother to join them.

The tensions between all the adults are palpable. It seems everyone is keeping secrets that gradually get shared as the group deals with find a dead body or two and having the boats that would let them leave the island sabotaged. And then a storm comes...

The story was entertaining and not too horribly scary. I liked Laney even though she was sort of a doormat who isn't willing to fight for what she wants out of life.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an early copy of this novel. Below you'll find my honest review.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my immediate go-tos when it comes to books. Pretty much everything she writes is a resounding YES from me, and Hemlock Island is no different.

Kelley's first foray into full-length horror (she has a history of horror shorts in anthologies) is gripping and tense, dark and atmospheric, with a pace that will drive you to keep on reading late into the night.

While I must add some content warnings here (sexual assault, gore, murder, self-harm), the book is a typical horror in that it doesn't shy away from tough subjects, and in King-esque fashion, really builds on the history of who these characters are, deep inside, to push the story forward.

I did feel a little unsatisfied with certain aspects of the ending, so it was a four star read for me, but if you're a fan of horror, Kelley Armstrong, or well-developed characters in an absolutely perfect setting, then this one is for you. Definitely recommended.

A private island. An author. Some creepy things. What more could you ask for?

Hemlock Island is a perfect pick for a read for spooky season. It will give you chills and increase your anxiety, especially if you're reading in the dark before bed.

I was about 80% through the book and had NO IDEA how it was going to turn out.

I give Hemlock Island 4/5 stars.

I got this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Eh.....I wanted to like this. An isolated island on Lake Michigan. A woman going through grief after her sister's death, while also going through a divorce. Her beautiful home on the island that she wanted to use primarily for writing her novels is now an AirBnB.

Her current visitors call in a panic after yet another occult type surprise, Laney runs directly to the island, with her niece in tow. Her ex, Kit, has also been notified and arrives with his sister as well. Then....her ex friend, Sadie, and her cop brother, ALSO arrive.

This turns into a locked room/island mystery where everyone suspects everyone else. BUT THEN....BUT THEN.....it becomes supernatural and....dumb. I understand what this was trying to do, but it moved the story in the oddest direction, one which I did not care/enjoy.

I think some people might enjoy this more than me, but be prepared for the story to drag a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Very gripping and fun to read, with wonderful setting and atmosphere. I enjoyed the writing and the characters as well. It had some truly creepy moments, which is always appreciated. I'll happily recommend this to fans of the genre.

This book solidifies that I will love any book written by Kelley Armstrong! I’ve only read her two A Rip Through Time series books so I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading a totally different genre from her, but Hemlock Island pulled me right in.

Hemlock Island takes place on an island in the middle of Lake Eerie that is owned by our main character, Laney. To make ends meet, Laney rents out the house on the island and when one of the guests finds blood with claw marks in a closet, Laney sets out to investigate. In tow are her 16 year old niece who is in her care, her ex-husband and his sister, and an ex friend and her cop brother (who invited themselves along). Things start to go horribly wrong when one of them goes missing and they find a severed hand in the yard.

This is such a fast read- I read it in a couple of days but could’ve read it in one. It immediately sucks you in and you can’t put it down because you need to see what happens next. It has the best concepts of horror/mystery/thriller and doesn’t shy away from horror elements.

As usual with Kelley Armstrong books, romance isn’t the main plot device you should be focusing on, but I couldn’t help but root for two of the characters to get together.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong, 304 pgs, Pub date: Sept 12th
Genre: Horror
Overall (out of 5) ⭐⭐⭐💫
Prose⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pacing(1=slow 5=fast)⭐
Character Development ⭐⭐⭐
Scary (1=mild 5= terrifying) ⭐⭐💫
Gore (1=clean 5=splatter)⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Library or Buy-worthy: Library

***Caution Spoilers Follow***
Similar vibe: Phantoms by Dean Koontz, Whisper Island by Carissa Ann Lynch, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Witchy things are happening at Hemlock House. Owner Laney Kilpatrick is trying everything she knows to hold on to her post divorce home, including renting it out. After charred animal bones were found in the boathouse, a hex circle under the crawlspace rug and feathers and bones hanging from the gazebo, now a renter has discovered bloody claw marks in a closet. Laney and her niece have to travel out to seriously examine the property.

I'm a horror reader as well as a fan of Kelley Armstrong's various other series. Hemlock Island is set in Lake Superior, in Autumn which gives it the ultimate spooky gothic atmosphere. This book has all the horror elements I usually like. The whole book reminded me a bit of Rebecca, with it's grand house, boats and mystery then morphs into a Scooby-Doo episode that morphs into Night of the Living Dead that finally ends with Phantoms by Dean Koontz. The ending was my favorite part. It took too long to get to those "scary" parts for me but I loved the fully fleshed characters. Laney, the main character, is a very relatable, bi-sexual, divorced woman, supporting herself and her deceased sister's daughter Madison. During her drive through the scenic fall foliage on the way to Hemlock House, Laney's memories of happiness with her ex-husband Kit seem to portend trouble coming. It gets more suspicious when he and others from Laney's past unexpectedly appear. The story then takes a pass by the "me too" movement, that in light of the supernatural event happening, didn't really fit at all. The pacing is super super slow and plodding. If you start this book do not give up before 75%. I lost interest twice and read other books while finishing this one but the ending made up for it. Kelley Armstrong's writing has always been great but there's a cinematic quality to this story that is pleasing, think Lifetime Horror. Most of the book is written in a stream of consciousness style which makes you question the narrator. I won't reveal more than that. Even though I usually abhor stories told in s.o.c. I didn't hate it this time. My issue is I didn't love it either. The writing is solid. I felt at times that the supernatural event happening got totally forgotten to the point that it felt unnecessary behind all the domestic drama until the ending. All in all a fantastic ending but I wish the whole book was like the ending. I wanted KA to really go hard for her first horror book. The ending made me glad I'd read the book but not scary enough for me.

A private island sounds good in theory…

but Hemlock Island cured any desire I might’ve had to live on one!

This story is heavy on atmosphere and plot, and light on character development. I loved the intensity and claustrophobic feel, but I would have liked more character depth.

The relationship drama felt out of place, given the circumstances. If I was finding dead bodies, I don’t think I’d be worried about who my ex slept with. But, hey, that’s just me.

This is one of those books that, if you examine the details too closely, you’ll see fault lines, but the intensity won’t give you much time to think. In the end, the story provokes a lot of thought on the essence of life and nature, more than who the characters were or what the did along the way.

*Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC!*

Terrifying and I loved it! Laney owns a tiny island, disconnected from the world, but she’s low on funds so she starts renting her house to vacationers. That’s when trouble begins, starting with mysterious bloodstains in a closet. She and her family and friends go to the island to investigate, and what happens there is horrifying.
I thought it was so creative and compelling, scary and intense, while still developing character arcs. I loved the pacing, while I tried to figure out what was going on along with the characters.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy of the ebook!

This is a complete page-turner, read-in-one-go kind of book, there's no portioning this one out. Really dark and thrilling.

I finished this book in 5 hours and all I have to say is it was quite the ride. I definitely didn’t expect Armstrong to take this route with her story but I’m glad she did. When reading horror, they say expect the unexpected and believe me when I tell you that THAT was unexpected. I enjoyed every part of this twisty, terrifying and heartbreaking book that has a slight homage to nature itself. I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a book that starts off running and doesn’t stop. I never read books in a day so this one is special!

After a divorce, the only way Laney Kilpatrick is able to keep her vacation home on Hemlock Island is by renting it to strangers. She hates doing it, but it is her favorite place in the world so she will do anything to hold onto it. After a renter calls complaining about strange markings and blood in a closet, Laney takes a trip with her niece, ex-husband and two friends to investigate. Before long, there are broken boats and broken bones. Completely isolated, with no boats and no cell phone service, someone is trying to make sure they never get off the island.

This book grabbed my attention from the very first few pages and did NOT let up til it was over! The isolated setting of the island, sprinkled through with gore, was everything I love in a good thriller/horror book! Atmospheric and dark, the tension was palpable as secrets came to the surface amongst the group. When I thought I had an answer as to what was happening, the author threw another curve ball and had me second guessing. It all worked brilliantly and I can’t believe this was the first book I read by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kelly Armong for the ARC! “Hemlock Island” will be released September 12th. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

This was the horror story I didn't know I needed this year! Tense, claustrophobic and full of creeping dread. Not going to hide the fact that, as much as I love horror, I'm also a big scaredy cat so I may have read this with the lights on and my dog next to me!