I was lucky enough to score an ARC from @netgalley of Hemlock Island by @kelleyarmstrongauthor - an author I discovered almost 20 years ago (not to age either of us us!) when I read Personal Demons and became hooked to her Women of the Otherworld series. As an added bonus, she's a fellow Canadian, which makes her loads cooler.

This standalone was a quick page-turner of a read with a really unique premise that I don't want to give away. It reminded me of why I fell in love with her in the first place!

Pick this up when it comes out September 12!

When Laney gets a panicked, late-night call from her latest renters that they’ve left her secluded vacation home on Lake Superior because of a haunting scene in a guest bedroom (clawing scratches and blood on the inside of a closet door), she and her niece race out to see what’s up. This is the latest in a string of every incidents at the high-end home on Laney’s private island getaway, a gift from her ex-husband. Speaking of whom, at the dock, he and his sister show up, alerted by Laney’s niece, to help uncover what’s going on. Soon two other friends show up, and tensions and fear rise as the group sets pit to discover what’s going on. But as a storm closes in, they’re forced to determine if these are really just “pranks,” or something way, way worse.

The official book description doesn’t do this story Justice, IMO. This isn’t just an ordinary locked-room mystery, with a hint of creepiness, it’s a full-on romp into ghostly full-on terror and thrills, with an ever-present sense of “you can’t trust anybody” thrown in. Because of course there are secrets among the group. And everyone has a motive for screwing with everyone.

But things get really weird, really fast. And it’s a great spooky story for anyone that is looking for a truly spooky mystery. The ending is just open ended enough to keep you guessing, like any good thriller, but with enough resolution that you’re satisfied. It was perfect.

The only thing that was slightly annoying was how many crazy theories everyone came up with to avoid facing the truth. It was kind of frustrating that they were saying such far-fetched things that could never happen in the real world, I was rolling my eyes at them at times, but I guess I get it. Who wants to believe the worst case scenario?! And none of that took away from the story. It was still a great time.

This book was an amazing read and a great thriller/horror tale. It’ll be a must read heading into the fall season!

Laney has been renting her vacation home to strangers even though this invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks. Unfortunately renting it out is the only way she can afford to keep her Hemlock Island after her divorce. Incidents are escalating from dangerous campfires to bloody bones, hex circles, and now blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet. The latest incident has caused the renters to flee in terror and now Laney needs to find out what is going on.

When Laney shows up with her niece, she soon realizes her ex, kit and his sister Jayla were also informed of the ongoing issues and show up at the same time. If that wasn’t already a lot for her to deal with, an old friend Sadie and her brother Garrett show up too. The group has tension and buried secrets they don’t want getting out but before they can even get to that, there’s something lurking in the woods. They soon find out there’s something sinister happening. Body parts and bodies are being discovered, and their only way off the island is gone. Someone or something doesn’t want them off the island.

Wow! My first Kelley Armstrong book and it did not disappoint! Let me just tell you that you will not want to put this one down. It lures you in with so many questions and sets your up for a truly sinister plot twist. I don’t want to say too much but wow… what a chilly twist, absolutely terrifying. I loved that any questions you may have had were answered and wrapped up in a nice horror filled bow. I love the turn it took and it is easily binge worthy. I’m telling you, set aside the time when you pick this one up because you will not be able to put it down. Hemlock Island is out 9/12/23, perfect for spooky season.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the ARC and the chance to read and review it honestly.

I really wasn’t sure what kind of genre this was going to turn out to be. I’m most familiar with Kelley Armstrong from her Rockton series (which I adore) and this was not that. It’s not a genre I spend much time in, or one I enjoy spending much time in, but I think despite that, it was a pretty good story. The tension kept me invested and it was downright unsettling at times. Though I prefer Rockton/Haven’s Rock, I wasn’t disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this book.

Lacey receives house on Hemlock Island as part of her divorce. She has to rent it out to strangers to pay the bills. But strange things start to happen while the renters are there so Lacey and her niece decide to got here to investigate. Lacey finds her Ex-husband Kit has shown up too because he was informed of the issues. They search and try to figure out if someone or something is creating these issues. Then they wonder if they will ever get off the island.

Twists and turns throughout get me at the edge of my seat.

"Hemlock Island" by Kelley Armstrong is a deliciously spooky late summer read. It's the perfect book to get a reader in the mood for shorter days, cooler temperatures, and the advent of the Halloween season. After receiving a terrifying call from the people who were renting her remote island home, Laney goes to investigate. She, her friends, and her ex-husband become trapped on the island and soon discover they are not alone...

I enjoyed this story very much and was fully engaged from start to finish. There were many surprising twists and turns, including an ending that I absolutely did not see coming! Part thriller, part horror, and completely engrossing, this atmospheric, fast-paced book kept me guessing and thoroughly entertained. This was my first book by Kelley Armstrong, but it definitely will not be my last!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this fabulous book!

"A standalone horror novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it's the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who've fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out...and failed.

When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who's now a cop.

There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it...But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they're trapped with someone - or something - that doesn't want them leaving the island alive."

I love people being trapped on islands with killers...

This book!! Way to give me the creeps! The suspense just builds and builds and I really enjoyed how it moves along. I do recommend.

This was not good -- I kept trying to finish it but ending up giving up about 60% in... the story was fantastical to the point of boring because it was so far from reality. All the characters were terrible. The plot was terrible. I love this author's Rockton series but I don't think her other works are for me. Thank you for the opportunity

Laney rents her private island vacation home to strangers so that she can afford to keep it after her divorce. Her guests have never displayed ideal behavior, but recently things have been escalating. Laney is called to the island after a panicked guest found blood and claw marks inside a closet. Her ex-husband and ex-best friend also show up, along with a few others from their past. As they begin to investigate the property their discoveries become more and more gruesome.
I really enjoyed this book! I love the "locked room" premise in thrillers and horror, and usually the tension and panic from that setup alone is enough, but Armstrong manages to take an already terrifying situation and make it worse than one could imagine. It did not go in the direction I predicted but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The plot is very unique and I really liked Laney's character. The pacing is very quick, making this a quick read. Perfect for fall and spooky season!
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Ebook/Horror: This book took a wild turn about 65% in. It reminded me a lot of my favorite horror book, The Ruins, by Scott Smith. I've only known Armstrong as a serial writer, but this is a standalone.
I want to thank Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book because there's nothing better than a murder or two in an isolated island. If an island sells on the cheap, there's a reason why. Without giving anything away, did I like it? Yes, and I'm glad I read it. I'm giving it five stars because I'm going to be thinking about the plot and how I would handle the situation for a while.

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this creepy title**

This was my first book by Kelley Armstrong, and I went in mostly blind. I was expecting a locked door thriller/mystery, and Hemlock Island turned out to be so much more.

I found Hemlock Island to be downright scary at certain times, partly stemming from the surprise and the "wtf is happening" when I realized this was actually a horror book more than it was a thriller. Reading this book into the wee hours of the night probably contributed to the spooky factor as well.

While I found the characters to be downright annoying at times and wanted more of the occult/hex circles/creepy wind chime action, I thought this book was a great read overall. Definitely check this one out if you like thrillers, isolated islands, the occult, and lots of drama amongst your characters!

3.5⭐️
Pub date- 9/12/23

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

Hemlock Island is a blend of thriller, horror and supernatural. This chilling story takes place on isolated Hemlock Island, where a group are stranded due to creepy circumstances and a storm. It starts out as them thinking it’s a prank to quickly realizing something sinister is on this island.
Kelly Armstrong does a great job at creating this eerie atmosphere and there’s plenty of gore for horror fanatics.
I enjoyed this story but I just had some trouble with the characters. Their interactions at times seemed way to Young adult when they are probably all in their 30s. Also, a bit odd that they would be discussing their drama/relationships during fighting for their lives.
Besides that the story in itself is good. The author has talent for creating vivid imagery. Especially the gore! 🔪
Horror fans, pick up Hemlock Island September 12, 2023!

Wow This was a mindblowing story, I dont have words to describe it , this was a great read , intriging and jawdropping , one of the best this author has written!

So here i am in bed and in the dark and i just finished Hemlock Island and i am creeped out by this book.in a good way.

Kelley Armstrong as always, delivers. A horrific thriller but one that makes you engrossed and you cant stop reading til your at the last page


Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for review.

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Suspense: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 4/5

This is certainly a book that will play on your fears and claustrophobia. The isolation that the reader senses is very strong in this book……..TRIGGER WARNING:

Laney Kilpatrick must begrudgingly rent out her vacation home on Hemlock Island after her divorce from her now ex husband.and some financial instability.. Not only is she dealing with that, her sister died and now she is raising her niece as well. She has been fielding calls from guests saying they have heard strange noises and saw things like hex circles and wind chimes made of bones and other very strange instances on the island that continued to frighten them. Although Laney herself never saw or heard any of the intimidating and scary noises on the island However, one night she receives a phone call from the current Air BNB. guests letting her know they were leaving due to being scared to death by scratching noises in the guest bedroom and upon checking it out they make a gruesome discovery.
Laney decides it is time she goes to her beloved island and, her niece insisted she was going to tag along. What they find is something straight out of a horror movie. In the closet of the spare bedroom there are claw marks and blood that appear to be from someone trying to) get out from being locked in.

From here the secrets fly, neighbors whisper and the stories twists and turns are thrown at the reader to keep you enthralled and engrossed while feeling trapped yourself. The writer does an impeccable job of telling this story and while dropping a few hints here and there while making sure not to make the story predictable at all. I found the characters to be somewhat secretive and mysterious but overall well developed, flawed, and their personal relationships were very plausible. Overall the book is 4/5 stars for me.

Release Date September 12, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

I had. No idea where this story was going - and I loved it! I wanted to know more about the characters lives before the island and what would happen after the island!

3.5 ⭐️!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kelley Armstrong for a free arc in return for an honest [spoiler-free] review.

I have read Kelley Armstrong before, so I was excited to get my hands on this arc! This was the perfect mixture of suspense, horror, and supernatural elements. Definitely read the trigger warnings, but I think the author dealt with the topics well. I would have given 4⭐️ but the supernatural aspects came a bit late in the book and everyone seemed to believe them a bit too easily without any build up, and there were some plot points that I guessed ahead of time, and I wish I had been more surprised. With that said, I still greatly enjoyed the book!

This was very good! I love Kelley Armstrong women of the other word and Rocktown novels, so this was an automatic request to read.
This was spooky, and tense and kept me guessing right up to the last 90%.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I've read many of Kelley Armstrong's novels before, and felt great anticipation upon receiving a copy of Hemlock Island through NetGalley. I was initially intrigued based on her past writings and I like to support a Canadian author.

My first impressions from Hemlock Island, it seemed to have an interesting plot which made me curious where the story may lead going further. The book was a page turner which left me waiting in anticipation to find out the next plot twist and story development. The characters were well developed and contained diversity amongst them, including gender, color, and sexuality. The description of the island was beautiful and created intrigue to want to visit there myself. I loved how strong and sassy Madison, her niece/daughter was, her character made for an enjoyable read.

The main character Laney was a struggling author/teacher herself, and her genre of fiction was horror which helped to tie into the genre of Hemlock Island itself. It felt fitting within her character growth.

I do wish the island was located within Canada, to stay true to Armstrong's roots and knowledge of the land. The only character Aunt Laney, as she had the personality of a "goody-goody". No woman is going to play nice with another woman, who is attempting to take her man away. Alternatively, every-time something happened during the story she would claim to see it out of the corner of her eye, repeatedly, whereas no one else did. The same reference of "out of the corner of her eye" was used continuously and became repetitive.

In regards to the ending, and Aunt Laney making a promise to stay on the island from spring to the first frost (never leaving the island during those months), this made little sense as a conclusion. For instance, she was planning on having a child with her ex-husband in the near future, which would mean realistically she would have to leave the island at times for necessities (i.e. doctors appointments, delivery, medical attention).

Lastly, the Island having no connection to the mainland (smoke signal, radio, wi-fi, cellular service) was unrealistic to renters of the land in the event of an emergency. They would have no means of connecting with the main land if something occurred, which should be a concern if you're the landlord.

I take this with the consideration that this novel is fiction, it doesn't need to make entire sense, but as a reader who is detail oriented I found these elements to be areas which neglected reality and common sense.