Unholy Terrors was one of my more anticipated ARCs this year...and so it really pains me to leave this review. So, let me preface this all by saying you may fall in love with this book and it has so much going for it, but for a couple of reasons, it fell flat for me.

So, first, the pros:
-I am a sucker for all things blood magic and the way that Clipstone uses it here is incredible. I loved every single gothic touch, from the wall that weeps blood to the bone armor that the wardens cover themselves in. Also, the surprise inclusion of "vampiric" creatures (the wolf-like vespertine monsters) was a huge plus.
-The first chapter sucked me right in. I loved the writing style and the action. I loved the insular world the wardens lived in, and I loved the religious themes. It reminded me very much of two of my favorites: Wuthering Heights (for the moors and mist) and His Fair Assassin (for the killer nuns and death-y magic).
-The romance and tension between Raval and Everline is incredible. Truly enemies to lovers at its finest, and one of my favorite romantasies of the year in that sense. Everytime they were on the page together, it felt electric, and, let me shout it from the heavens, hetero romances usually don't do it for me! This one did.
-The whole third half was twisty and turny and just generally excellent. I loved the multiple layers of monstrosity, religion, and betrayal at work here, and I could feel all the themes coming to a head...

However!
-For as much as I lauded Clipstone's lush writing style in the beginning, it almost started to hinder my connection to the plot/characters as the story went on, ESPECIALLY because we have relatively few characters. Dialogue was few and far between, so I couldn't get a great sense of any of them. Other than Everline and Raval, the few secondary characters (Everline's half-sister, Briar, mainly) blended into the background.
-The magic system and worldbuilding were cool but felt almost too insular. I thought it would expand after Part 1, but it never really did. Other than the wardens, the Thousandfold, and the vespertine, what else is there? This could be explained by Everyone's sheltered upbringing, but never was, so it just left me feeling a little claustrophobic.
-Someone else described this as "all vibes, no plot" and I kind of agree? Don't get me wrong, I'm a character-driven girlie so I don't necessarily mind a thin plot, but Everline's character growth got buried beneath a lot of similar phrasing/repetitive scenes. I would have loved to have a more propulsive plot OR more character focus.

So, yeah. This one was not for me, but is definitely deserving of a read (necessary caveat).

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Children's Publishing, and Lyndall Clipstone for granting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

If you love blood-drenched, gothic fantasies with purple prose and a slow pace, give UNHOLY TERRORS a try.

Unholy Terrors follows Everline, a misfit warden who strikes an unholy vow with a monstrous boy. Unlike other wardens, Everline is unable to access her magic and is, therefore, a bit of a disgrace to her father. When a vespertine attacks, she notices instead of it looking like typical monsters the wardens fight, it looks almost girl-like. As she questions what has happened, it appears her father has secrets hidden that relate to her past. Everline is determined to unearth them. As she embarks on her quest, she is forced to swear a vow to the monstrous boy who can help her get the answers she hunts.

This book won't be for everyone. It moves slow and the writing is very lyrical/poetic. There's a lot of religious imagery and a dichotomy cast between things which are holy and sacred versus unholy and sinful. This religious type belief is the foundation for the world building -- conflict between the wardens and the vespertine.

There is also a LOT of blood imagery. Blood is used for casting spells. There's sharing of blood to seal vows. And there is a bit of a romanticization of sharing blood that may be off-putting for some readers.

Overall, I appreciated the beauty of the prose. There were a few exchanges of dialogue that I found beautiful and highlighted as I read. But otherwise, this book was just "okay" for me. I would have liked to be grounded a bit more in the world, and while Clipstone's descriptions are visceral and beautiful, I didn't really understand the purpose of the wardens as a whole and why the vespertine really presented such a threat. It felt like some elements of world building were missing. However, the drive and tension Everline feels between her vows as a warden and the growing affection she feels for a monster boy, were intriguing. The last 50-ish pages I found myself really glued to the outcome, whereas before I'd have probably been able to put it down and walk away.

Thank you Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cracking the cover on Unholy Terrors feels like stepping onto the bloodsoaked moorlands of someones darkest nightmare. Its so grim and enchanting that you won't want to wake up.

I have never read a book with such a thick atmosphere such perfectly matched prose, it is stunning. Everlines conflict between duty and desire is compelling and exciting, and the tense threads connecting each character are a joy to unravel. I loved this book once it got going, but for me, it was a slow start. The setting is beautiful and the atmosphere is so well done, but so much time was spent introducing these things, that I felt like the story didnt start until about halfway through the book. That said, I enjoyed every page.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC, but this book was, unfortunately, a DNF for me. I hardly ever DNF and I really tried to get into this book and just couldn't. A lot of book friends enjoy Clipstone's work and I was really excited to read UNHOLY TERRORS because it the plot description sounds ideal for my reading preferences. However, Clipstone's writing really grated on me because there was hardly any dialogue and the inner workings of Everline's mind annoyed me. If you don't like the main character and it's a single POV novel, it's difficult to get into it. I read the first 150 or so pages before calling it quits. My sincere apologies to Ms. Clipstone and other people who enjoy her work--this book just wasn't my cup of tea.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, and I debated for a while about what my final rating would be.

This is not a fast-paced, action packed, plot-driven novel. It’s more of a meandering, poetic story which I absolutely love.

Lyndall Clipstone’s writing is different from anything I’ve ever read before. It was so stunningly visceral and aching.

This book feels like a hazy, blood-drenched fever dream. A vicious nightmare turned poetry. It’s all blood magic and black lipstick, satin ribbons in silky braids and armor laced with the bones of monsters, soft femininity interwoven with brutality.

It such a unique and tender exploration of what truly makes a monster… or what it means to love one.

I've been a fan of Lyndall Clipstone since her original duology came out, and this book is a wonderful addition to her list of titles. Monster Boy loves will continue to be happy with this release, just in time for fall/winter.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me. I was really looking forward to this book because I thought that the synopsis sounded great, but the writing just wasn’t for me.

It felt like there was barely any dialogue in this book for the first 100 pages. A lot of the story was just Everline’s thoughts. I struggle with reading very dense super detail heavy book so this was not my thing, but if you like a lot of details than this book may be for you.

I also was really confused a lot of the time. I didn’t really understand what was happening with the Wardens and the book wasn’t holding my interest enough for me to want to keep reading to find out more. I started skimming pages and that’s when I knew I should put down the book.

If you like a spooky book with lots of detail and an intricate plot than this one might be for you.

First let me say THANK YOU very much to Fierce Reads and NetGalley. This book was at the top of my spooky season TBR for the year and I was absolutely thrilled to be chosen as a giveaway winner. That being said, all opinions are my own, this is an honest review.

Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone is exactly what you should be reading to fall into that sliver of midnight whisperings, rain-drenched settings, and undeniably vicious magic. This is about a girl who doesn't fit in the world as she knows it, and she's desperate to find something, anything, that makes sense. It's about a monstrous boy, forsworn vows, and sinful alliances. I fell hard and fast for this story, these characters, reading this in only a matter of days.

This is a dark book, with graphic violence and romance, so I highly recommend that this stays in mature YA readers hands. I follow the author on Instagram and she has gushed multiple times that this is a goth book, and I couldn't agree more. I loved the little, dark details that were pieced together to create the characters, the magic system, and setting that is completely unique to anything in my reading experience. Does this mean I need to read more goth books? If so, (and if they are anything like this novel) I am not complaining!

When I say I loved everything about this book, I do mean everything. But I think my favorite thing is the interactions and subtle intimate moments between these characters. Not just our main romance couple, but the side characters too. Family, best friends and, of course, enemies. There were a lot of "small" moments that captured the way people behave and respond, I honestly could not get enough of it.

As far as I can tell, this will be a standalone as the story wraps things up pretty well. (Though, I wouldn't mind a sequel!)

Thank you to PRH and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

Not only is the cover amazing, the story is just as amazing.

I am absolutely blown away by this book. This is everything in a YA dark fantasy I could want and then some. It's vampires...but not. It's delicious, dark and exciting. This book is beyond addictive. I didn't want to stop reading it. It definitely verges on being more towards the upper YA/NA side, but it isn't terribly explicit.

It also has tropes I love

⭐ enemies to lovers
⭐ "vampires"
⭐ sisterly relationships
⭐ very gothic/dark fantasy

Everline, I really liked her, I mean, I knew in a way what was going to happen, but I still very much enjoyed reading her story. I was spellbound by her. I would definitely love to see more of her, because I feel like she did have a very powerful type of self discovery journey, and that this book was very prominent on healing, learning to love oneself etc, and I thought it was well done.

Another thing I liked was Everyline's and Ravel's relationship. There was a lot of fraught tension between them, and it was a slow burn (for a standalone at least) which is one of my favorite things to read. Loved every minute of it.

I also like how family came into play in this book, again, I thought it was woven well within the plot, and didn't feel awkward. The pacing too, really worked for me. I didn't get bored, and I didn't feel like it was going too fast.

There was lovely prose and imagery in this book, I was addicted to it, I felt like I could feel and taste this world...

I cannot say anymore without spoiling the book, but it was so very good. I already want to reread it.

This book is definitely going to be one of my top books of 2023.

It was very underwhelming and I couldn't stop comparing it to Vespertine. I enjoy gothic fantasy and was hoping to like this more but the world building was lacking and I didn't enjoy the story overall.

After some internalizing, I've come to realize that I really have almost nothing good to say about this book... so I've lowered the rating to 1 star. Anyway, to be straightforward: this book was weird as fuck. I felt genuinely disturbed and uncomfortable while reading this one, and I'm not sure if that was entirely intentional. I'll try to break it all down.

WORLD BUILDING AND LORE
Well, the world building was absolutely non-existent, which was definitely a shame. The concept behind the Vespertine and the religious background behind everything would have been so interesting to read about if everything was just fleshed out properly.

PLOT AND PACING
For a book that's almost 400 pages long, maybe less than a hundred pages were used for the actual story. Majority of the book focused on, well, something else. I will say, though, that there were a few surprising twists toward the end, amidst all the very predictable ones. (Yes, I'm willing to give this book some credit.)

CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Girl, please. None of the characters had any personality. The author only really attempted to give the main character a sob story background and left the rest of the characters up in the air. I honestly don't even remember any of the characters' names. A don’t even get me started on the romance — I don’t even know if I can call it that.

WRITING STYLE
There were SO MANY repetitive scenes and repetitive descriptions. This thing could make you feel like you're stuck in a time loop, wondering why the hell this scene you're reading sounds insanely familiar... and that's because you've read basically the same thing ten pages ago.

OVERALL
As a people-pleaser, it's difficult for me to say that I wouldn't recommend this, but as a terrible liar, I also can't say that I would. Do with that what you will.

After reading this and the Lakesedge duology, I don’t really think this author is for me. I did love the dark atmosphere and of course the monster boys, but nothing else really stood out to me. I found myself wanting to skim a lot especially over the repetitive & excessive descriptions. The main characters were alright but I didn’t really care for anyone else, especially the sister and the whole sister/best friend dynamic.

I enjoyed the parts when the romance came into play, but I wasn’t super invested in the relationship overall. Ultimately it wasn’t a bad book so I would still give it 3 stars. If you enjoyed Lakesedge I’m sure you’ll enjoy this as well, but I don’t see myself reading any more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan for the ARC!

A gothic high fantasy. I found myself wishing for more to be fleshed out in this as the setting was so gloomy and well described I wanted to know more about the world.

You know that face in that meme that goes… oop-wait-mmmm-okay maybe. That’s how I felt with things like I was kinda just…not so much bored but like it was average-ish.

First of all, that cover though. I’m obsessed. Luckily, what’s inside is just as good!

Unholy Terrors was a fast paced story with badass female characters! I absolutely loved Evie, Lux and Briar! I loved their dynamic and how they grew in their relationships.

I also loved the enemies to lovers aspect of this book! I think it developed really well.

I think the ending was perfect and fitting for the story and the characters!

I thought this was going to be the magic warrior goth girl book of my dreams.

But it's like M. Night Shyamalan directed it.

So... Yeah.

This is one of those ~all vibes, minimal plot~ books, which is definitely not my thing at all. So, if it's your thing, then it might work out for you. Three of my bookish friends thought it was very meh and I totally agree with them.

Anyway, this book theoretically had the perfect mix of creepy vibes, blood and bone magic, warrior maidens, etc. It was such a perfect recipe of everything I want and love in a dark fantasy with a female heroine, but holy shit, the author fumbled the ball like no other.

So, two stars because the vibes were vibing. But only for a hot minute.

I swear to god the author has a weird fetish with blood. Blood magic is pretty much the only type of magic in this world, but goddamn. There's so much finger pricking, rubbing blood on bone shards, rubbing blood on each other's lips, drinking blood???, literally blood on everything. Like to the point where I'm totally kink shaming.

(Idk much about blood libel and Judaism so I can't comment on that aspect.)

Anyway...

I absolutely hated the writing style. The prose was purple af. I'm not exaggerating when I say that every other sentence is an analogy or simile. There were so many overwrought sentences that it was such a chore to get through.

It felt like the author was so in love with her writing that literally everything else suffered because of it. The characterization was bare minimum. The world building was even worse. The plot was so thin.

This entire thing could work as a novella or short story, but definitely not a full length novel. This needed like 25-30k more words to flesh out every single concept because all we got was plain toast with butter while I'm sitting here expecting a whole ass sandwich.

The world building SUCKED. Everline and co. apparently live in a world with heather and gorse, moors, rain and fog, ruins filled with chapels, and barely there enemies called vespertines who sorta look like wolves or something (idk on this one because it wasn't described thoroughly).

Oh, yeah. Did I mention heather and gorse? And rain and fog?? So much rain!!! There's literally no sun?? I was so lost. Is this a land of perpetual darkness? There were so many chapels too holy shit. Why was nothing fully explained???

It's like playing an RPG that's not open world and you keep hitting the invisible wall where you see the rest of the world, but you can't go through. As someone who loves open world RPGs (and descriptive world building), I hated this so much.

And the characterization? What characterization?

Apparently the warden's chapel is filled with wardens (are they all young women?? Also there's a DUDE in charge of them??? Like a middle-aged dude?? And everyone's cool with it?? How is this not weird???), but the only warden characters we're introduced to are the FMC (Everline Blackthorn [lolll]), Briar, Lux, and Fenn (dad in charge). So it made me think that this was a small rundown out of the way chapel, but nooooo, there are other wardens who live there too???


***SPOILER ALERT***


Also, while I haven't read a lot of monster romances, it's something that I'm totally into, but wtf was this romance? Two bland ass characters in a bland ass romance.

So, like, I honestly thought Ravel had a literal wolf face or a wolf/human hybrid face with a snout. So I was trying to imagine the logistics of them kissing. But apparently he just has sharp teeth and claws?

Like I said, practically nothing is fully explained. As the reader, you're left to fill in some big ass blanks.

Also, like wtf was the whole nightshade berry scene where Everline just pops it in his mouth and poisons him??? It was THAT easy? Lmao wtf


***END SPOILER ALERT***


Oh, and everyone's wearing chipped nail polish, have lip piercings, uses a shit ton of ribbons (why no rope or leather strips? where are they getting these ribbons??), has long enough hair to braid (does no one have short hair??), and they're all wearing dresses to walk around in the mud and rain and fight these evil wolf creatures? Huh??????

Also, does no one eat??? No one hunts?? Or farm?? Or forage???

Imo, this was so rough that it shouldn't be published in its current form. It needs soooo much more of everything. It felt like I accidentally read book 2 in a series where I missed all the world building and character introductions in book 1.

Oh well, on to the next magic warrior goth girl/monster boy romantasy.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) and NetGalley for this arc.

This book was an incredibly enjoyable experience that I want to take another crack at now that the spooky season is upon us. I enjoyed the worldbuilding but couldn't connect to the characters the first time I read through, I'm going to be giving it another shot.

This book is really interesting and unique, but I have to admit that I just wasn't feeling it. Gothic horror and monster vibes that I absolutely loved. An intense enemies-to-lovers relationship that I liked. There are a lot of good things in this book, but overall, it just didn't hold my attention.

This is about a community of Wardens that fights and kills Vespertines. The mc does not completely fit into this group, so I really loved that detail and the attention to the feeling of not being enough.

Overall, I think this is a good story, and I do recommend it, but it just wasn't for me right now.

Out October 17, 2023

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Atmospheric and otherworldly, it felt a bit like a dreamscape. You're immersed into this enchanting world that feels dusky and moody and just decidedly not our own--and that's not always the case with fantasy! Really loved the lore and the way LC wove in religious elements. The prose is gorgeous and adds to the over all effect.

This is a story of a girl who didn’t feel like she belong. Living in the shadow of her mother’s unknown broken vow. Everlane feels lost, powerless, and desperate.

When the walls of the magic weaken and an oddity in the monsters they hunt cross paths with them. Everlane dare risk her vows to discover what lies beyond the ward in the unknown land. Why did her mom forsaken her vows?

This story is rich in descriptive metaphors but most of the time it felt disjointed and overwhelming. It took time to piece what kind of scene Chipstone wanted. However she set the setting well - story was definitely set in hues of red and orange and dark tones. It gave off dangerous and horrorish vibes. There were touches were I glimpse similar vibes of Bonesmith - the skeleton armor, the bone barrier wall. Although where that story was very clear in direction I felt Unholy terror was shroud in its entirety. Perhaps Clipstone was going for that vibe but it definitely made you work to enjoy the story

Lots of blood and gore.
Enemies to lover
Opposite attracts
Vampire like creature

It was a okay slow read for the Halloween Season to come.