This was an odd and interesting mix of romance and horror, but it's not a dark romance. It starts off with pure horror, then switches to what you'd expect as the opening to a romance immediately. It was a bit jarring, I admit. (Before I forget, warning for death, including infant death). I will admit the opening prologue is what hooked me, and curiosity of where it would go next kept me reading. Eventually you're pretty deep into the story, and heavily invested in Jarod's life. I would've liked the horror and romance to be a little better blended throughout, but overall a fun spooky season read.

Thank you so much for this arc! This was my first time reading anything by Lee and I loved this story! I will definitely be reading!

This is definitely a dry horror, but nonetheless worth investing your time. This book gave me a midnight mess vibe with small town, religious groups, and good and evil in the middle. I would recommend but I'm still wrapping my head around the story. Great for horror fans to do book discussions with!

The pastors point of view did throw me off and took my enjoyment level down for this book but I greatly enjoyed everything else. I just couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end.

Strange happenings are happening in Anastasis. People disappeared or mysteriously died only to reappear as zombie-like creatures. It was thought that there was a demon taking souls. Pastor Zalmon of the Deliverance Tabernacle Church believed that it was a curse brought on by a local witch, Agatha Abbott. The only way to end the curse was to sacrifice Kara McPherson, a young woman, whom they consider an "sinner" for being a lesbian. However the story revolves around Jarod Huntingdon. He wants to help his town in any way that he can. He went home to be supportive of his friend, Scotty. Scotty’s father died. Jarod discovers he has feeling for Scotty. Overnight a violent rainstorm traps everyone in the valley, blocking roads and severing communication with the outside world. And one by one, local residents go missing. During the search, Jarod learns of a mysterious curse, one that defrocked Pentecostal pastor Zalmon plans to appease by finding a sinner to sacrifice…In order to break the curse for good and defend the innocent, Jarod must first confront his past and accept himself as a gay man before he can challenge the homophobic Covenant Trustees—and vanquish the evil the screaming cicadas have awoken. Will he be able to do that?

The author has written horror, supernatural horror, a dark mystery, and a psychological thriller. He melds all genres smoothly. This novel was a great read!

DNF @25%

[I have received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ]

While it isn't a bad book, it didn't capture me enough to continue the story. As someone who has been an SPN fan and read many as such, The Covenant Sacrifice feels like a story that I have read many times before, and it doesn't give the nostalgic feeling enough for me to keep on reading, unfortunately. If I finished it, it probably would have been a 3-star read.

DNF at 50%

Content warnings; homophobia, cults, human sacrifice

This book had an interesting horror premise, but unfortunately the writing was confusing, in my opinion.

For me, there were too many characters to keep track of, with point of view shifting constantly to the point that the narrative became muddled. Trying to decide which character(s) were the most important, and when events were going to tie together, became tedious. By 50% in, both too little and too much has happened — too little of the main plot, too much of side tangents where we see a character that we then never hear from again. Likewise, having journal entries from a homophobic pastor were unpleasant to read and in 1st person, which meant another stylistic shift.

I didn’t really get to the romance part of the book at 50% in, but the two male characters that were (I think) going to be involved in it were actually really well-done characters. There was just too little focus on them, and too much on others, for me.

I enjoyed this book. It’s funny how it was able to stick with me. I started reading this book Back in Oct, got away from reading for quite some time yet I still had this book with me when I picked it back up to finish it.

I'm probably a bit biased as I love anything about a spooky small town - throw in demons, a wicked cult and some romance and it's the perfect recipe for my favourite type of horror.
The characters were likeable, the pacing was good and the ending was satisfying! I do love karma. I feel like a certain character should have been much more distraught and traumatised by the events of his life, but I can roll with it, haha.
I wouldn't say this was scary or gruesome - more atmospheric and disturbing.
If you enjoyed the show Midnight Mass, you'll like this book!

Atmospheric and suspenseful. I loved the plot and how the author builds the story.
Many thanks to Three First Names and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I DNF'd this book at 20%. It just wasn't for me. There were interesting things happening from the beginning, but the writing didn't make me feel any suspense or anticipation to find out what would happen next. I like the concept, but I am not a fan of the writing. From what I read, there was a little more romance than I would prefer in a horror book - I am not sure if this changes as the book goes on. When I saw that it was LGBTQ+ horror I was expecting a horror with characters who happen to be queer and maybe there's a small side plot of romance. If you like your horror with a decent bit of romance, this book might be for you!

I do love small town horrors. I especially love how Howard essentially cut them off from the rest of the world. That amped up the fear factor in my opinion.

The only complaint I have is that there was more romance than horror in this book. I was happy for Jarod but I felt a little more could have been done to scare me.

All in all, this was a solid addition to the horror genre and I look forward to reading more of Mr Howard's offerings.

Thanks to Three First Names, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the opportunity to review this book

Another doozy from an author I’ve not read before.

Weighing in at 392 pages, it’s a heft read and took me a while – but not through a lack of enjoyment.

The book takes us to a backwater American town called Annastasis Creek still weighed down by religion, backward ways and local folklore. Our protagonist is returning to the town for a funeral – having escaped years before for reasons that unfold throughout the book. Once he is there, a massive storm traps everyone in the town as all hell is unleashed.

We have ghosts and demons and zealot preachers, we have good versus evil and evil masquerading as good versus evil. There’s human sacrifices and so much more.

Plenty to get your teeth into and the characters are very well portrayed, particularly Jarod and Scotty – childhood friends that were torn apart by the father of one of them and are finding their way back to each other in the middle of a crises the likes of which the town – or those that had undertaken the covenant – had hoped to never see again.

A great and enjoyable read with enough horror to keep it creepy yet with an underlying message that very much resonated with me. Highly recommended!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review NetGalley

I loved the premise of this book, a gay horror novel set in rural Pennsylvania but it never really delivered on the horror or the romantic subplot for me.

This book has ALOT happening to a detrimental extent that it bogged down the plot trying to keep all the people and plot threads separate. I think I caught and understood everything but who knows.

The religious aspect was compelling if a little on the nose.

The epilogue was perfection.

The Covenant Sacrifice by Lee Allen Howard is a terrifying tale of an obscure religious sect and the damage it does to a small rural community during an isolating stormy weather crisis. under Howard's expert hands, he takes us to the scary places that linger just beyond the underbelly of what is respectable and safe, he forces us to look past the lies we tell ourselves every day only to cut to the meaty bone at the heart of the matter.
i loved this book. i really did. the story moved quick and fast, not slouching on the gore when it was needed. the characters were unconventional and very lively, a welcome change. i loved the two sets of bad guys. that was killer good and unexpected.
to sum things up:
highly recommended
5 stars out of 5.

Interesting read. The hate from the religious fanatics seems very plausible in modern day America. Some creepy moments. Definitely an author I would read again.

i really wanted to love this book but i found it to be predictable, the characters mildly boring and needed more personality. the story was ok, however, again, predictable.

Lee Allen Howard's "The Covenant Sacrifice" is a remarkable blend of supernatural horror and psychological suspense. With his skillful use of language, Howard paints a vivid and chilling picture of Annastasis Creek, where the lines between life and death are blurred, and fear looms in the shadows.

The story follows protagonist Jarod Huntingdon as he uncovers an ancient curse that has plagued Annastasis Creek for centuries. Howard's writing is both lyrical and foreboding, immersing readers in the eerie atmosphere of the town. Themes of family and identity are woven into the narrative, as Jarod delves into his lineage and confronts concealed truths. As the story unfolds, secrets are revealed, and the community's foundation trembles. Howard masterfully balances spine-tingling scares with emotional depth, creating an engaging and haunting experience for readers.

"The Covenant Sacrifice" lingers in the mind long after the final page, showcasing Howard's storytelling prowess and the enduring impact of a well-crafted narrative. This novel is not just a story; it's an immersive journey that captivates and terrifies, showcasing the power of storytelling at its finest.

Jarod Huntington, a caring wound care nurse living in Pittsburgh is pressured to return to his hometown, Annastasis Creek. Even though the trauma of his past has been keeping him away, Jarod decides to attend the funeral of his high school best friend Scotty’s father.
Little does Jarod know that his hometown is home to more than just homophobic pastors and bad memories.
After the funeral a torrential rainstorm traps the town in through landslide and townspeople start to disappear including Scotty's niece. Alongside the disappearances, the dead seem to be coming back to life and so do the mysteries of the past.
With no other options, and unable to sidestep his feelings for Scotty, Jarod helps investigate the missing townspeople. Which leads him to a defrocked Evangelical Priest and the sins of the church’s past.
Lee Allen Howard does a phenomenal job of capturing how creepy and isolating living in a remote rural town can be, even when there are no supernatural forces at play. His story always brings out a side of rural America that is seldom spoken about, finding the courage to accept who you are and reach outside of the strict society norms that are placed on you.

THE COVENANT SACRIFICE
Author: Lee Allen Howard
Publisher: Three First Names
Page count: 379pp
Release date: 14th July 2023

The cicadas are screaming again.
And when they start to scream, evil beckons.
Every seventeen years, something wakes up from a sleep; something unnatural and hungry.
For those who signed up for the Sacrifice Covenant, their mission is to appease the beast with the blood of “sinners”. Sinners being the LGBTQIA+ community of the town or anyone not ‘like them’.
Jarod Huntingdon has headed back to his old hometown of Annastasis Creek for a funeral; the deceased is Roger, father to Scotty, his former best friend.
Jarod has the perfect girlfriend back home in the city, and feels pressure to move forward after yep years together, but their sex life has no spark. He doesn’t look at other women, that’s not the problem. The fact he notices how built and handsome Scotty is now, at a funeral, conflicts with his guilt and his complex relationship with religion.
Jarod had avoided the town for years because firstly, Roger had threatened him, secondly, his unresolved and closeted feelings towards his friend Scotty. As the author puts it, seeing Scotty resurrected “feelings he’d struggled to keep in permanent hibernation.”
Just like the creature hidden below ground.
Though we see the physical representation of ‘monstrous’ with the beast emerging from its sleep, it’s the cult leaders, the zealous reverend Zalmon and the bigots of Annastasis Creek who are the true monsters.
If you want a visual for the religious fervour here, think of Preacher in Poltergeist 2.
Zalmon used to serve at the Deliverance Tabernacle, now a gothic, boarded up, relic, where Jarod used to pray.
There are some fantastic characters in the book, particularly Twylah, who speaks to her friend Rose in Spirit, passing those messages on to those who needed her. It was Rose who guided her to move to Annastasis Creek many years ago.
She is a Spiritualist in her seventies, who used to spend her summers at camp – not bible camp or regular summer camp, but one dedicated to her own contentious religion. Lily Dale, New York, a town full of all things spooky and spiritual, said to be one of the most psychic or haunted times in America.
There’s so much packed in this book; violence, blood, metamorphosis – personal and physical – homophobia, coming out, the attitude towards those with disabilities, religious guilt, self truth and love.
We have the epistolary nature of Zalmon’s historical journal, the Abbots, present day narration and the tension of nature vs evil.
And amidst it all, are incredibly sweet and tender moments of romance.
Added to that is the potential for more stories with these characters and in this world.
It’s a great horror story that speaks of the human condition whilst throwing in cinematic style action.
But the thing I loved most of all? The heroes trying to solve the mysteries and defeat evil, are two young gay men. That, is his you write a cracking and emotional horror novel that gives positive depictions of queer love.