The family hunting cabin has been empty for years, ever since Ryne’s dad and uncle had a falling out. Now Ryne and his friends, Noah and Shawn, are staying there. All three have had tragic, life-altering experiences, and they are hoping that a hunting trip with lifelong friends will help them all heal. Spoilers: that’s super not going to happen.
First, Shawn kills some kind of sentient buck and Noah eats it. Mistake. They split up. Mistake. Shawn doesn’t get bitten by a dog but his leg starts rotting off anyway, so they split up again. Mistake. Then Ryne discovers his family had been keeping a secret from him his whole life about the woods, the animals, and their ancestors. There’s a lot of pain and a lot of well-deserved vomiting. The family secret is super fun, from a horror fan perspective; I have never seen this story from the point of view of a descendant who has no clue what is happening.
The Broken Places evokes a proper sense of dread which stems from the feeling that from page one everyone is doomed. It’s also just dark in a way that I didn’t need today. Another commenter used the word “bleak”. This story starts off bleak and only gets more painful from there. Luckily there’s a tiny bit of hope in the last chapter which allows me to give this book a decent rating, but damn would I have liked a survivor or two.

Do yourself a favor and don't read this alone, at night, while watching a scary movie, trust me. This book reminded me a lot of The Ritual by Adam Neville. Guy friends going out into the woods and crazy things begin to happen. Books set in wilderness, especially during a snow storm, already freak me out but this book REALLY freaked me out. The author did a fantastic job of setting up the atmosphere perfectly to where I was actually cold while reading this. And the animals! *Insert horrified book here*. It takes a lot for a horror book to actually freak me out and this book made me never want to go camping in the woods, ever. The ending even made me a little sad which I wasn't expecting.

Ryne Burdette and his two friends — Shawn and Noah are going to Ryne’s cabin that he inherited. It’s been in the Burdette family for a lon time. It’s been a bad year or all three of them so Ryan thought that a weekend trip to the cabin could give them a chance to start over. Something strange is happening in the woods. When a winter storm moves in the animals start acting strangely. Soft voices are being heard. The storm is getting stronger causing the wood to be darker. The three friends start looking into the Burdette family lineage. The horrible truth that is discover is something no one wants to see.

A suspenseful story that is folk horror. The feeling of dread sets in. It doesn’t stop until the end. It’s a novel that I won’t forget. It’s a very well written novel even though it seemed a little slow to me in the beginning. I’m glad that I got to read it!

A cold cabin, a group of boys now men come back to spend one last week in the midst of their crumbling lives. I liked getting to know the guys on this trip, their log friendship and their recent struggles.

I found the first creepy moment, the deer just starting at them, well-written to really raise the hairs on your neck. But somewhere in the midst of their daily struggle, it kept getting bogged down with details that felt repetitive. At times it was hard to tell the men apart, each voice was pretty similar and I kept having to remind myself of which history was which.

But the atmosphere and cold were well written and kept the suspense up and I did like the final conclusion even if I didn't find it surprising.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

The Broken Places is an amazing horror achievement. i was astounded to discover this was Blaine Daigle's first novel. the prose is crisp, stark and left me breathless as to what would happen next. The Broken Places is folk horror at it's finest. i've seen many comparisons made to Adam Nevill's The Ritual and i would agree with this. yes, The Broken Places is that good.
there's not much more for me to say, except don't miss the experience of reading this book. after 50 years of reading horror, i rarely get chills anymore, but Blaine Daigle got to me. i can't wait to see what this author does next.
to sum up:
highly recommended.
5 stars out of 5.

Wow! Each chapter would end with a gasp for me. Whether it was the description of the cold or wind… you could feel it. The transition of the present and past was smooth and not confusing.
What a family keeps close and what friends do for others no matter what was shocking and amazing.
Not sure about the ending though~why would she go look in that area after everything.
Great page turner!

[ Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC! ]

~ 3.5 stars rounded to 3 stars ~

This was an absolutely wild ride! There were some great moments that literally gave me goosebumps, and the end was devastating in the best way. I requested this read because of the vibe I got from the cover and the description, and honestly, it completely delivered. There were many terrifying scenes, and the sense of dread was just immaculate. I was also pleased that, even though I had some ideas about where the story was going, it still blew me away at parts. Definitely recommend this one to fans of folk horror.

All of that said, I did have some issues with the writing, mostly involving the characters. I wasn't a fan of the POV changes throughout the story. I felt like the author was really bad about telling instead of showing so there were a lot of repetitive passages telling us the thoughts, opinions, and ailments of the characters. I think that aspect could've been been handled better. However, this is a debut novel so I'm more willing to forgive this, especially because the plot itself was so much fun. I know I'll be keeping my eye out for the author's next release!

"The Broken Places" by Blaine Daigle is a haunting tale that immersed me in a chilling and atmospheric exploration of a twisted family legacy set in the Yukon wilderness. I felt the descriptions and slow burn (it did move along quite slowly overall considering the short length of the book) steadily built up the suspense - the book delivers a satisfying horror experience that, while flawed, left me chilled.

From the very beginning, the allure and unease of the woods are palpable, which captivated me. The old hunting cabin in the Yukon wilderness becomes a character in itself, housing secrets and horrors waiting to be discovered.

I mentioned earlier the very slow vburn - "The Broken Places" has a very slow burn which I assume is to allow readers to become acquainted with the complex dynamics between the main characters, Ryne, Shawn, and Noah and to slowly build that tension. I just feel it could have done more with less.

I really enjoyed the author's descriptions of environments and characters that helped me become immersed despite the pace of the book, so I can't fault pacing issue that too much (I know I've said itma few times' and I apologise', but read it and you'll see). To his credit, Blaine is certainly a skilled horror writer who understands the genre and uses horror themes and tropes successfully throughout.

The ending of "The Broken Places" is satisfying. It ties together the narrative threads. Without revealing spoilers, it can be said that the conclusion feels organic and fitting.

Special thanks to Blaine Daigle, Wicked House Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

I really need to lay off horror novels for a while and go read something nice and fluffy and light instead, perhaps involving tiny kittens or frolicking unicorns. Because, man, I have read some really bleak books lately, and The Broken Places is right up there with the bleakest of them. I mean, I suppose most people don't read horror expecting sunshine and rainbows, but this one was particularly dark. The characters are broken people with broken lives, and the woods at the heart of this story are filled with broken creatures.

That's not to say that this novel wasn't riveting – I finished it in under twenty-four hours. But at the same time, I can't say that I exactly enjoyed it. It was engrossing, for sure, but also depressing and more than a little bit repetitive. Did you know that Noah died in a grain silo? Well, you're going to because it's going to be beat into your head for the entire book. I don't know what it was about the grain silo incident either, but it ripped me out of the story every time it was mentioned. I think because drowning in grain is such an unlikely thing to have happen?

Despite my criticisms, however, this novel also had its strong points. The setting , for one, was fantastic. How many books have you read that are set in the wilds of the Yukon? And the descriptive writing was great – I felt as if I were right there with the characters in the cold with the snow swirling around me. Also, the plot, while not entirely original (it was very reminiscent of The Ritual), was certainly captivating. Finally, as a big fan of Robert Frost, the inclusion of “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” was a welcome bonus.

And now the TL;DR summary for those of you that skipped over my novella above: it was entertaining but bleak and somewhat repetitive. There was poetry.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book to review!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of the broken places. this was an interesting horror book, i dont usually go for horror but i was not let down.

A little bit of a slower pace than what I typically like, but once it got going, I was invested. Part horror, part folk-tale, this was a bleak story of tremendous loss.

Ryne inherits a cabin deep in the Yukon wilderness. At first, he wants nothing to do with the cabin. But, after having a tough year, Ryne decides to venture up to the cabin with his two best friends, Noah and Shawn. Just as the men settle into the cabin, a viscous winter storm moves in. Strange things start happening - the animals in the woods are behaving in an unnatural manner and whispers echo through the woods and cabin. By this point, it is too late to leave the cabin. The storm is unrelenting. The three men have to figure out what or who is behind all the creepy occurrences.

This book was just okay for me. It was a slow burner and a bit dry at times. For being a horror novel, I did not find the creepy. I think the book would have been much more effective had it been shorter. The writing was somewhat weak. The premise itself is interesting, but it just felt a bit long-winded and receptive. And most importantly, lacked a lot of the horror elements.

Thank you Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

An isolated cabin in the woods with three friends trying to recuperate from their lives? What could go wrong? This title delivers a story that is simultaneously menacing, claustrophobic, and compelling.

The Broken Place was amazing. It’s wilderness, folk, generational curse, and everything you want to be scared by.

When Ryne and his two best friends make a last trip to the cabin he inherited from his uncle, they discover he’s inherited far more than he bargained for.

Absolutely loved it, easy five stars, and impatiently waiting for his next book.

The woods have always fascinated me and yet thoroughly creeped me out, so when I read the description of The Broken Places and saw that it takes place in an old hunting cabin in the Yukon wilderness, I was keen to read it. Coupled with that chilling cover, I was completely sold.

It's a bit of a slow burn to begin with as we learn more about Ryne, Shawn, and Noah and the brotherly but somewhat strained dynamic between them. But when our characters reach Ryne's family cabin just outside the town of Wolf's Bone, things slowly begin to go very, <i>very<i> wrong, and the sense of dread grows with each page. Piece by piece, we begin to learn more about the strange-behaving animals and wilderness surrounding the cabin and the history of Ryne's twisted family legacy there. There was some great classic horror blood and gore in this book (but not too over the top) and some body horror sprinkled in for good measure!

A real strength of The Broken Places was Daigle's use of descriptions, particularly for the various environments and settings - it really helped me imagine each scene as I read. As an Australian, my experience with the bitter Yukon cold detailed in this book is extremely limited, so I especially appreciated Daigle's use of imagery and descriptions for the ominous, snowy winter storm outside the cabin.

Finally, I won't discuss the ending here because I really think it should be experienced first-hand, but I will say that I was satisfied. To me, it felt like we had been building towards that conclusion throughout the course of the story, and so I finished the book feeling somewhat saddened that it was over but glad that I had read it.

Thank you to Blaine Daigle, Wicked House Publishing, and NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93038460-the-broken-places" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Broken Places" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1675192641l/93038460._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93038460-the-broken-places">The Broken Places</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/25085884.Blaine_Daigle">Blaine Daigle</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5552033150">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
The Broken Places was…just wow. I’m in awe of this book, from the cover to the last page, I didn’t expect it to be this good.<br />First, you have the set up, and this particularly one will always suck me in: a remote hunting lodge in a remote part of the world with snow and storms and some friends and oh no! there’s something weird in the woods. I immediately thought of The Ritual by Adam Neville, and because I love both that book and movie, I was pretty jazzed.<br />The story opens with Ryne in a cabin with his dad and uncle. He wakes up at night and can’t find his uncle, but finds the front door open. Outside, he sees his uncle, naked in the snow, and something with antlers. His father immediately intervenes and puts him back to bed, explaining that his uncle had been out there investigating an animal in a trap or something like that, and he must have been dreaming the rest of it. As Ryne is going back to sleep, he can hear his father and uncle arguing about whether or not the “time is right” for Ryne, with his father vehemently against whatever is happening, and the uncle for it. <br />We then jump forward to a weekend getaway. There are three friends in this story: Ryne, Noah, and Shawn. They’ve been friends since they were kids, and Ryne recently inherited his family’s cabin after his father and uncle died. All the friends have had a very hard time recently, almost to the point of unbelievability, as if they were somehow cursed. We know something terrible besides his father’s death has happened to Ryne, as he thinks about it often, his friends dance around it, and a terrible police officer in the remote village near the cabin remarks on it, but we don’t have the full story.<br />The story weaves in and out of various timelines and character POVs, but it never felt too confusing to me. We get more of a backstory on the three men and on the village. We find out a Robert Frost poem can be insanely creepy. We find out that you should never eat meat you killed in the forest. We know that the villagers look at Ryne and his friends strangely, and that there’s something up with the church. And we know the animals are acting…very weird.<br />The animal behavior is one of the starting events in the book, and I don’t remember ever reading such a long passage about an animal, particularly its eyes, and being terrified the entire time. It was at this point that I thought, “Reading this in bed on my phone in the dark alone was probably not THE BEST idea,” but it’s rare that a book just viscerally creeps me out the way this one did. More and more events start happening as the men realize they are becoming trapped in the cabin due to the storm and other forces, and more and more strange events are happening. Reading it is like being in a fever dream.<br />I honestly couldn’t believe that this was the author’s debut novel. It’s simply fantastic. It’s creepy, well written, it has a good ending, and it leaves some things unexplained, but in the best way – you don’t always need everything spelled out, especially in a horror novel. I can’t wait for the next book from this author!<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3558474-ashley-granger">View all my reviews</a>

After finishing this novel, I read it has been described as The Ritual meets The Terror. To me, this story felt like The Ritual meets The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones in some ways. In saying that, it definitely stands on its own without need for comparisons. The author did a great job making the setting feel like its own character and the cold and despair are palpable at times.

One of the better horror reads for me in a while!

This is under 300 pages and yet it felt more like 500 or something because it was extremely slow-paced. With the horror genre, if it’s slow-paced, I’m more inclined to like it if it’s a movie than a book. Nothing really against the book or its author – just my personal preference.

The book focuses on 3 friends who travel to a secluded cabin – it’s in the family of one of the men. I very much could not tell the friends apart, whoops, so I can’t really tell you anything about them? I remember things that happened to them before the book – leg injury, something about drowning or ice? But I can’t tell you their names or which name belongs to which character (and who had which incident happened to whom). Which, this book is like 98% solely these three men; so I should’ve known their names before the 50% mark or something. That’s half on me and half on the book, in my opinion? Like, of course you should make an effort to remember their names (even if your memory is bad like mine) and differentiating the characters and such. But also it’s up to the writer to make sure no two (or three) characters are the same.

The horror was well-written, I’ll give it that. It’s a very slow one but it has all the elements of “spooky things start to happen and we start to notice them”. That’s something I like a lot. It’s fun to see the weird things happen – often before the characters do, because of course, they don’t know they’re in a horror book so they often don’t think xyz is weird until the weirdness increases/an actual injury occurs.

There was a big Indigenous/folk tale subplot but unfortunately it happened in the second half of the book – when I was already bored of most things – so I didn’t pay as much attention as I should’ve. I did like what I read – most of what I can remember – I liked. It tied in a lot with the main character’s family, but as I said, I don’t remember much so I think it made it all the more confusing to try to remember anything.

I am sad that I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would because when I saw the comps I thought “oh wow yup I’ll love this extremely”. And it let me down because I didn’t really care about the characters much. I forgot most of the plot and basically everything that happened but the other books I read around the same time as The Broken Places I remember much better.

A bit of a slow burn for a plot that is not hard to figure out but well written and the characters are fleshed out well. I would have liked more back story on the family and the forces in the town. It almost felt like "why are they doing this again?" Seemed to gain very little but I read this fairly fast and give it a 3.5. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Books like this are the reason I get freaked out when booking a cabin in the woods kind of holiday.

After inheriting an old cabin deep in the Yukon woods, Ryne and his two friends, Shawn & Noah, travel the cabin on a hunting trip, and end up spiralling into a dark place of isolation and creepy folk-horror.

I'd heard a lot of people comparing The Broken Places to Adam Nevil's The Ritual, and whilst the stories may share similarities, I can say for sure that they are both their own. Each possesses its unique essence, setting them apart in a league of their own. Personally, I found The Broken Places to be extremely unnerving, and enjoyed it much more than The Ritual.

Daigle does an ace job at character development and world-building. The dialect all feels so real, and it really felt as though I were in the room with them.

I'm definitely looking forwards to picking up more by this author!