🌟🌟🌟.5
The cover of HEMLOCK ISLAND caught my eye and I had to read it. This is my first book by this author, who writes fantasy and quite a few book series, so that’s not a surprise.

I’d describe this novel as part thriller, part horror/supernatural, with a dash of romance. It’s different than my typical reads and I jumped in without reading the blurb, but I’d seen several great reviews.

The audiobook kept me riveted and has an excellent narrator. The first half is fast-paced with characters who end up stranded on a private island together. Friends since childhood, they are entangled by secrets that I was dying to find out. The tension is wild as they stumble over bodies and long-buried island mysteries during their search for a way off the island. My attention dwindled when the story turned to horror and supernatural. That’s what I get for not reading the blurb! This isn’t my cup of tea but anyone who enjoys this genre will probably find it riveting. It’s filled with twisted surprises, and an eerie atmosphere, and will make a great spooky read for October.

Sincere thanks to Macmillan Audio and St. Martins Press for providing these complimentary ARCs through Netgalley and EW. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

#HemlockIsland #KelleyArmstrong #macmillanaudio #stmartinspress #netgalley #edelweiss #audiobookreview #bookreviewer #SMPinfluencers #justfinished #newrelease #giftedARC #igbookreels #thriller #honestreview #thrillerfriendsunite #mysteryandthrills #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #suspense #mystery #lovetoread #bookworms #lovebooks #lovetoreadbooks #fortheloveofbooks #booknerd

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
Horror. Paranormal.
Laney Kilpatrick owns Hemlock Island, a remote spot in Lake Superior. It’s free of daily intrusions such as internet access or phone lines. Laney rents the house out to pay bills but recent problems from tenants has her returning to the island to investigate blood and scratches in a closet and other complaints. Finding a severed hand causes terror and then one of their party goes missing along with their only way off the island.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook edition of this book narrated by Angela Dawe. The performance was compelling and chilling. I enjoyed the tenseness of the playback and could clearly hear uneasy feelings turning to terror as the story continues.
I found the best speed for me was 1.5 which is my standard.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher @MacmillanAudio.

From the start, this book was incredibly creepy. There is a house that is rented on a private island with hemlock surrounding it. Laney manages this home as a rental and her ex-husband, Kit, still plays a large role as well. However, there are signs of witchcraft at the house, and there are consistently problems. Laney had to go to the island which, of course, does not have Internet access, after renters called her saying that there was blood in a closet. Thinking that it must be someone trying stage scary things to get her to sell her property, she goes to investigate. Kit, along with a cast of characters, including Madison, Laney’s niece, arrive at the island and things start to get very bad.

There are times when you’re wondering if this is an actual person or if it is some malignant spirit. I was definitely kept guessing. The writing is extremely descriptive, and a big gory at times.

The narration was excellent.

A island owner gets a phone call from her tenant saying there’s blood in the house and they’re leaving and they want their money back. This is it a very scary read. It’s a fruitful fun ride for people who into a creepy books like me. This is my first time for reading and Kelly Armstrong.book and I will be reading more. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the advanced copy of this book to me.

I often love Kelley Armstrong. I never hate Kelley Armstrong. This was more of the latter. The characters seemed far too similar to really tell them apart. They all made equally ridiculous mistakes that defy belief. I feel like this book was rushed.

This was a very interesting book because it was kind of a horror mixed with relationship drama between all the characters. The horror side of things was SO GOOD and I loved it and especially loved what the reveal at the end is. I think the relationships side of the book was the weak point here. The lack of communication between all the characters was horrible. Like all their problems could've been solved by them just talking to each other instead of just believing lies told by others. I did like the relationship between Laney and Madison and I feel like that was done really well.

Laney owns a gorgeous house on a remote island in Lake Superior, which has become a huge draw for renters during the pandemic years. Lately though, there have been complaints about pranks and the cleanliness of the house, so Laney heads out to investigate the latest claim with her niece. What she discovers is much more sinister than housekeeping doing a mediocre job, and she also has to deal with her ex husband and an estranged friend showing up with multiple other people in tow. But now things are getting really weird, and they may have more trouble getting off the island than any of them ever anticipated...

This book was CREEPY and I mean that in the absolute best sense of the word! I couldn't tell which direction the plot was going to go, and I fully loved the resolution of this story — both the horror component and the reveal of Laney's secrets. Hemlock Island is a pretty short read, and it flies by as you stumble through all these crazy happenings with Janey and her interconnected web of friends/family. It's also pretty graphic horror without being over the top. I highly recommend it if you love dark spooky reads!

Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for my advance audio copy.

This was great! I have read quite a few of Kelley Armstrong’s books over the years (not even close to the number that she has written though) so I was eager to dive into her newest offering. I was thrilled, and a bit surprised, to find that this book made me feel like I was watching a scary movie. It was such a delight to find that one of my favorite authors had written a horror novel and had done it amazingly well.

Laney owns a house on a private island that she rents out to strangers on vacation. She needs the money that the rentals bring in to be able to afford to keep it. Strange things have been happening on the island so she goes to check it out along with her niece. Her ex-husband Kit, his sister Jayla, and a few other friends also show up to help. Everything came together to form a recipe for the perfect creepy novel. I couldn’t wait to find out what was really happening on the island. I loved all of the creepy vibes and I wanted to scream at the characters when they ventured off into the woods alone. There is some relationship drama, and even a bit of romance, along with plenty of surprises worked into the story.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Angela Dawe did a fantastic job with this story. I loved the voices that she used for each of the characters that play a role in this story. I thought that she was able to bring just the right amount of emotion to her reading to leave me hanging on every word. I am certain that her performance added to my enjoyment of this story. Overall, this was a wonderful read and I hope that Ms. Armstrong plans to tackle more horror in the future!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press.

First, I want to say the narrations was great! Zero complaints there. Actually, I have zero complaints about anything, truly. But for some reason, this one just didn’t click for me. It has all of my favorite things, but I just couldn’t connect to the story.
The ending was perfect.
The descriptions were disgusting, in the best way.
Clearly something is just wrong with me lol

This audiobook book was amazing!!!! Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong in exchange for an honest review. When I saw there was a standalone thriller coming out by Kelley Armstrong, I was so excited. As soon as I got the ARC I started hopping up and down in happiness. Then I saw the audiobook and had to listen to it as well. I thought I knew where this book was headed and the storyline, but everytime I thought I knew, there was a twist and everything changed. It was such an exciting book that was so hard to put down, even to eat or potty breaks. I kinda want to start it all over again and see if I missed anything. I'm afraid if I start describing it, I'll give away spoilers, so I'll just say, read this book, you'll love it.

Airbnb: Hemlock Island
Are you an introvert or just looking to vacation with your family away in your own private paradise with NO OTHER
people? Want to stay in paradise away from civilization? And by that we mean isolated on a remote island in Lake Superior with NO CELLULAR SERVICE. NO LANDLINES and NO INTERNET SERVICE? Than Hemlock Island's mansion and grounds is perfect for you!
Doesn't this just sound a little too good to be true, well for the owner of the island, Laney it is a god damn nightmare! She just wants to live there alone in peace without renters but can't afford to. Unfortunately as everyone is about to find out, it's going to become an inescapable nightmare for the entire family!! Be careful what you wish for because Laney is about to get her dream come true!
1 got this book as an audiobook arc from netgalley and found it to be a fun listen. My only problem is my adhd brain doesn't tend to retain as much information as it should compared to when I read a physical book. I found the story to be fun and enjoyable cosmic ecological horror story mixed with crime thriller that tackled issues of family life post divorce and post Covid in a very positive way. Good light read, written for the general adult population and unique narrative overall. I'd love to give 3.5 but goodreads won't let us do things on halves.
Thank you Macmillan audio for the arc and the narrator was amazing. She tried and made listening fun and wasn't annoying.

Hemlock Grove by Kelley Armstrong: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Format: ALC courtesy of MacMillan Audio and NetGalley

I’m not gonna lie, I applied for this book with very little knowledge about it. Kelley Armstrong has written a number of books and series, but I hadn’t come across them before. I believe this may have been her foray into horror writing. Honestly, this book caught my eye solely because of the stunning cover. I read the blurb and thought “Sure, why not?”, and was delighted when my request was approved!

Less than 24 hours after pressing play, I am done with the novel and boy, what a WILD ride! It was not what I was expecting at all. I was compelled to listen as much as I could all day, because I needed to know what would happen next. All of the setup for the story that is described in the blurb takes place in the first 7% of the book.

Listening to this book felt like watching a horror movie like Scream. You’ve got a cast of characters well known to each other, a remote isolated location, things going bump in the night, and no one knows what is happening or who is behind the horror! Like in many scary movies, some of these characters were not making the brightest decisions, but for me, this only increased the entertainment factor! The story was so disturbing and unsettling that I pictured the entire story happening at night, it was so creepy and there was a lot unknown. Even at 80-85% of the way through the book I still had no idea where it was going. The ending was a little surprising in that I did not consider the villain in the story to be who they were, and the resolution was very fast and left me wanting some more answers.

Overall, I was very entertained by Hemlock Island and would recommend it to horror readers- I don’t know why I thought this would be more of a creepy suspense book, because although it is definitely creepy, HORROR is the prevailing genre here. Be sure to check your content warnings before reading this if that speaks to you.

Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review of Hemlock Island, which publishes tomorrow, September 12th.

After her divorce, the only way Laney Kilpatrick can afford to keep her vacation home on Hemlock Island is to rent it out to strangers. She loves this home. It's the only connection she feels she has left to her ex-husband Kit. Late one night, Laney receives a frantic phone call from the current renters saying they discovered blood inside a closet. Laney and her niece, Madison, head off to the island to check things out.

When they arrive, her ex, Kit, and his sister, Jayla, are there due to Madison calling Kit and filling him in on what has happened. Then, Sadie, an old high school friend, and her brother, who is now a cop, show up. Realizing the renters have fled, the group starts to look around. They do indeed find blood in the closet along with a hex circle. Is someone trying to push Laney into selling the island or is something more sinister happening?

First thing, horror is a not a genre I typically pick up. Why then would I choose to read this? Kelley Armstrong. Armstrong has become an auto-read author for me. This story SCARED me. Not only scared but DISTURBED me. If body horror is too much for you, SKIP this one. If you can handle it, give this one a try. I highly recommend listening to this via audiobook. The narrator, Angela Dawe, does a wonderful job! Listening to horror on audio makes it feel as if you can't get away from it...it adds to the scare factor.

The reason I gave this a 4 star rating was the ending. It wrapped up a little too nicely for me. I want to be shocked, angry, or confused when I finish a horror story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Macmillian Audio/St. Martin's Press) for allowing me to read/listen to this story early. All opinions are my own!

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio, and @kelleyarmstrongauthor for the opportunity to read this #advancedlistenercopy in exchange for my #honestbookreview! Hemlock Island will be published tomorrow, September 12.

Following the death of her sister Laney Kilpatrick takes over care of her niece, Madison, and begins renting out her secluded property on Hemlock Island. This is the only way to preserve the property she loves and ensure a sense of normalcy for Madison after her pandemic-induced divorce. But a string of pranks reported by renters pull Laney out to the island to find investigate and rectify the situation. It doesn’t take long after arriving back on the island for Laney to realize that something far more serious than some petty pranks are at play on the island. What will it take to survive and escape Hemlock Island?

This is ✨the✨ book you need at the top of your fall/spooky season reading list. It’s got all the perfect ingredients: paranormal and creepy ish, a dysfunctional romance you can cheer for, family drama, and a super secluded and eery island setting. I was pulled into this immediately and loved the pacing. Just when you start to get clammy and heart palpitations a little family or friend rift will pop up to level your pulse a bit. I highly recommend for someone looking for a creepy fall read!

TW: SA, gore, d@te r@pe, loss of a loved one, unknown/surprise adoption

👻👻👻👻💀 - 4.5/5

Kelley Armstrong's HEMLOCK ISLAND is the heart-pounding horror story that horror enthusiasts have been craving. As a devoted fan of Armstrong's work, I was thrilled to see her mastery extend into yet another genre. The narrative unfolds on the isolated Hemlock Island, where Laney Kilpatrick is forced to rent her vacation home to strangers in order to maintain ownership amid a post-pandemic divorce. Armstrong adroitly builds tension and intrigue as seemingly innocuous pranks escalate into something far more sinister. Laney's quest to uncover the island's dark secrets, alongside a group of old friends and her teenage niece, unleashes a creeping sense of dread and foreboding. The characters are beautifully developed, each harboring secrets and personal baggage that add depth to the story. As chilling discoveries emerge, the reader becomes ensnared in the unfolding nightmare. HEMLOCK ISLAND is a perfect blend of horror and psychological suspense, and its cinematic potential is undeniable. It's a captivating and creep-tastic read, ideal for those seeking a spine-tingling tale to devour, especially during the fall season.

I really liked this one at first, and I found myself super invested. But then it just honestly got a little unbelievable, and went downhill.

Following her divorce, Laney has been renting out the summer property, Hemlock Island, that she and her husband bought while they were married and she got in the divorce. She always thought they would grow old together there, so she doesn’t love the idea of renting it, but after the death of her sister and taking custody of her niece, she needs income so she decides to do it. Unfortunately, with that comes a complaint from renters who have run from the island after making a gruesome discovery in one of the bedrooms, so she decides to head over there and see for herself, expecting it to be some prank that the guests before them left for her to find. When she and her niece arrive on the island, she finds her ex husband there, and her best friend has met them there as well so that they don’t have to face whatever this is alone. But then some unexpected visitors decide they are going to join the investigation and things quickly take a dark turn.
This was an eerie blend of atmospheric horror and mystery together with an isolated island and. Occult imagery. There was lots of tension between all the characters and it’s not revealed until way into the story why that is (although it is super predictable once it is finally revealed) but the bottom line is nature gets her revenge with this one!
The narration was fairly well done on the audiobook. I enjoyed listening and the characters were well distinguished.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review

So, I love the Rockton series & Rip Through Time series by @kelleyarmstrongauthor but Hemlock Island is now hands down my favorite of Kelley’s novel. I am looking forward to more horror novels by her🖤

The story is incredibly creepy and surprisingly emotional. I found myself rooting for Laney and Madison against the past secrets and gruesome finds on the island. The audiobook is well narrated and the narrator does an excellent job of giving the different characters their own unique voice. I highly recommend grabbing this one tomorrow when it publishes!

Thank you @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress and @netgalley for allowing me to listen to the audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really awesome creepy book! It was giving me horror movie vibes for sure and I loved it.
I love when there's characters named Sadie in books! But I am not a fan of this Sadie lol. I do not want to be associated with her level of manipulative bitchiness. That being said, she is by far a super interesting character as the story progresses. All of the characters in this story are compelling. There's a lot of unspoken history that gives some great tension at the beginning before the tension of being trapped on the island comes into play. And the stuck on an isolated island in the middle of a storm vibe was so wonderfully tense combined with the question of whether or not the things happening on the island were done by humans or something more.

I loved everything about this book except the big bad and how it ended. The rest of the book is so amazing and spooky and claustrophobic that the end just didn't live up to the rest of it for me. It is absolutely still an amazing read that I recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
What a ride of an audiobook. This was a true locked room (island) horror book. Laney, the main character was very likable, as was her niece Madison and her ex husband and his sister.
Sadie and Garrett not so likable. I originally thought this was going to be just another mystery, however it is definitely true horror with some graphic details. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it. Once I started listening to it I couldn’t stop for a day and a half. Good ending as well. Great job by the narrator. This one is five stars from me!