In the rural town of Harrow there is an orchard. An unusual orchard with seven unusual trees. The trees produce an apple that is such a deep red as to be almost black. The taste of the apple is incredibly sweet and eating an apple from one of these trees will have you wanting another. And then another. To say they are addicting is to understate their power.

One person knows the secrets of the orchard and one fall, just at harvest time, a stranger arrives in Harrow and the magic in the apples is revealed and those rare few who haven't taken a bite of the precious fruit will find themselves in mortal danger.

I will admit from the start that I am not particularly objective because I really like Chuck Wendig's writing. It is just the right shade of dark and dreadful.

Wendig gets just every part of this story just right. The characters are to die for (pun intended). Everyone here is carrying baggage. We may not see it or be privy to it, but we can sense it's there by the way the carry on, by the way they interact with others, by the very fact that Harrow has such a hold over them. Our central characters have baggage, but also promise and it's this promise that keeps us going because there's no way we would want to spend much time here if we didn't think someone would step up and fight.

The story is simple and yet, like a tree, it's roots are deep and sprawling. Pay attention to those prologues!

One of the many things I like about Wendig's work, and this book in particular, is that even in the early portion of the novel, when things are still at their brightest, there's still a sense of dread spreading through the story and then it just hits - almost without warning (except truth is, we've been warned from page one) we're in a horror novel and it's too late to back out. You can't spit out the apple once you've punctured its flesh with your teeth.

This is a long novel, even by today's standards (600+ pages) but it moves along well and you don't really get the feeling that it's somewhat epic. The story is well contained and tight and it needs no pruning.

Looking for a good book? If you enjoy being brought into a world and then having that world shaken up and take a dark, eerie turn, please let yourself go into Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Nergalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I personally bounced off of this one - I know everybody else loved it, so I suspect it's a personal defect.

Omg what did I just read? My head is still spinning.

Dan Paxson is down on his luck. Widowed and raising his teenage daughter by himself, Dan finds himself stuck in a rut of failure and self destruction. That is until he discovers a magical apple tree. Soon he is on top of the world, thriving just like his apple orchard that contains his prize apple (named by his daughter) The Ruby Slipper. However, something isn’t quite right about this apple. It’s almost too good to be true. Dan finds himself changing. Is this apple a cure all for humanities failures or is there something more nefarious, hidden in this forbidden fruit?

I’m still in shock over this book. The characters are perfect, the setting is comforting yet brings all the chills of small town horror, and the gore, the gore, the gore! There’s so much gore and disgust throughout this book it creeps into your mind and leaves your stomach reeling.

I absolutely loved Calla and Jonie. I also adored John. I found myself deeply invested in the characters and their lives as events unfolded. I must say I was pleasantly surprised with Calla’s growth and ultimate sacrifice in this novel.

If you’re looking for a read that will shock you, disgust you and scare your socks off, this one is for you. Think cults, gore and all the weirdness that can be thrown in by Chuck Wendig. This book is a masterpiece.

What a fantastic storyteller! Chuck Wendig never disappoints. I will never look at an apple the same way again. This great combination of character building and storyteller is a delete to read. All horror fans should gather around the nearest apple tree and partake of this skillfully crafted story. I loved the connection with local native american history.

This book was crazy and I really enjoyed every grotesque moment of it. The world building and characters were really well written and thought out. The storyline was paced really well and there was always something sinister happening to keep your attention. It's one of those books that's best not knowing too much going in besides the synopsis. If it sounds interesting, definitely check it out. Though it's a very thick book, it did not feel as though it dragged or took forever to get through. And if you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend this one.

This was my first introduction to this author, though I've had other books on my list to get to. This one has definitely placed Wending higher up on my TBR. Can't wait to see what else is in store.

Chuck Wendig knows how to write the perfect horror novel and Black River Orchard is no exception. While it was long and drawn out it gave off perfect creepy vibes and was a great fall/spooky season read. Wendig’s storytelling is akin to Stephen King’s and this story was just as fun and entertaining but also equally as creepy and sinister.

I really tried to like it. I did. I will choose not to be too negative here, so let's just say this book isn't written for me.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Holy hell! This book was so much more than I was expecting it to be! I love Chuck Wendig’s style of writing and how he builds a world and its characters. It did feel a little on the long side but I enjoyed it nonetheless and would definitely recommend to any horror fans out there! I will be reading more of his work for sure and will think twice next time I pick up an apple for a snack!

Shocking and twisted and wholly original. Small town, evil apples, people who basically turn into evil apple consuming zombies of their former selves…monsters and god complexes. What a ride.

This was weird, mostly in a good way. Unique. There were parts that dragged for me while others I was deeply sucked into. Overall, characters were all good and the overall story certainly interesting. Not my fav by Wendig, but still good.

Another brilliant offering from Chuck Wendig, who somehow continues to get better with each outing. Following his growth as an artist since the Miriam Black series has been delightful, and with each new novel he not only earns the comparisons to author like Stephen King, he continues to demonstrate his ability to deftly blend multiple genres into a single, powerful reading experience.

You may think apples are ordinary, innocent fruit – good as a snack, in pies, candied or dipped in caramel. Think again. Seven trees in a small orchard in Harrow, Pennsylvania produce unusual, addictive apples. The kind that mend bones, cure cancer, and correct eyesight among other things. Those who consume them become obsessed with the flavor and everything they offer. But there’s always a price in the end.

The history of these apples, the town, and its citizens is revealed through flashback chapters and showcases the uglier characteristics of mankind – racism, sexism, and casteism to name a few. But not everyone drinks the Kool-Aid, and these characters are the primary focus of the story. The character development is off-the-charts magnificent – a teen girl whose father owns the orchard, a newly arrived lesbian couple from the city, a man investigating the death of his friend, and a couple with a hate-filled neighbor. Love them or hate them – all are shades of gray – they all felt real to me and helped immerse me into this bizarre story.

At over 600 pages, this is a long novel, but I honestly don’t know where it could have been cut. With its peculiar premise, it reminded me of early King novels. I also learned a heck of a lot of fascinating details about apples. Make sure to read the author notes at the end that give insight to the origin of this story. Highly recommend to horror fans.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Chuck Wendig is in the midst of a period of mind-blowing productivity, releasing his third 500+ page book in three years. More impressively, his batting average remains high, and Black River Orchard is not just great Stephen King pastiche (small town, cursed apple, the dark side of wishes), it’s the work of an author stepping out from the shadow of King and establishing his own voice. Some day soon horror fans (myself included) are going to have to drop the comparisons.

It’s good to see Chuck Wendig getting more love and attention on Goodreads and in bookstores both online and in person stores. I fell in love with his style back in the Miriam Black days and have enjoyed each book he’s put out since. Orchard is no different, and the world he builds is fascinating and written in the way only he can develop. Loved the plot and story, five horrific stars!

Chuck Wendig is such an underrated horror author. I've loved his work since Blackbirds and was SO excited to finally get approved for one of his books on here. Black River Orchard is rich in character, plot, and genuine creepiness. It also got me craving apples like no other when I was reading this. (Probably ate more apples while I read this book than I've eaten in my entire life...) The way Wendig writes creeping dread is just amazing, and he reaches the peak of some of his best writing with this novel. I highly recommend and can't wait to read more of his work!

Black River Orchard was a miss for me though I appear to be in the minority because it’s highly rated on goodreads. This is my second Wendig book - I really enjoyed Wanderers and was excited by the premise of this one. I felt like he walked a razor’s edge with Wanderers with the nods/homage to Stephen King and that continues here but more awkwardly. The thing is, this is simply not a completed book. This is a draft. The middle section is so repetitive that I stopped in the middle of a chapter to ensure that I hadn’t somehow backed my Kindle up and was rereading a previous chapter. Wendig’s attempts to write from a female perspective are cringe, specifically from the teen girl. I would imagine even the people that liked it would tell you that it could lose 200 of the 640 pages without missing a single story. Nothing would be lost. Many of the bad reviews are about how “woke” the book is and IDGAF about that (or those reviews) - this is an excellent story idea that is simply not finished. It’s really too bad because there were some moments and scenes in this book that show you not only that he has great ideas but that he could deliver on them. I think a serious hatcheting by a competent editor could remove 5-6 characters and 300 pages and turn this book into a thrill ride and amp up the horror by creating better pacing and more dread. There is a villain within the story (think Randall Flagg but dressed in white) but as the Big Bad he is barely in the story and … it could’ve used him. I can understand why people enjoyed this one and why they could look past the warts because the high points are very high and the idea is outstanding but for me the execution is just not worth the 640 pages. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Pub. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

I read about 40 pages in and loved it instantly. I stopped and wanted to purchase it. All I can say is I'm excited to finish, Chuck Wendig never let's me down. I frequently purchase a book that I want to have in my collection and this one of them.

Who knew a horror book centered around an apple could be so good! I loved this one.

Dan wants to fulfill his father's dream of having an orchard. The apple growing in his orchard, though, is a variety that's been unseen for years and has sinister side effects when eaten.

This book really surprised me with the depth of the characters, the social commentary, and the creepy vibes throughout.

Apples now scare me. I’d say that’s a win for the author! I’m surprised this isn’t getting more buzz. Thought it was really well
Done! Creepy, and kept me wanting more!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book I heard lots of my book friends talking about...something strange is happening in the town of Harrow. The trees are not only changing leaves but their apples are having magical powers. When people bite into them, they get more powerful and can't stop eating the apples. Then things really get dark...I should have read this book in the fall when I first got it, the timing would have been better but this was a scary and imaginative book unlike any Ive ever read. Its very dark and twisted and I was speechless but I also loved that about it!