A fast-paced YA thriller that is perfect for the winter, hence the name Snow Drowned. A bit graphic at times, but an interesting story with a bit of mystery mixed in.

Just when you think you have this one figured out… Gracie is stuck at home in the snow storm of the century. A series of circumstances lead her to weather the storm in the mansion of Joseph-heir to all the wealth and influence of their tiny island. Only Gracie discovers that things are not as they seem and the “old” religion of the island may be demanding a sacrifice-hers! This wintry YA horror novel will leave you guessing. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

I love mystery/thrillers in winter settings. I liked the idea behind the book, but the plot and the characters were boring. The story had little direction and it was hard to stay in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A suspenseful gothic that kept me guessing, and I read it in one day! It was a little slow starting, but the pace picked up, and it didn't stop until the last page!

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire | Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

Gracie has lived on an island her whole life and knows that blizzards there lead to bad things happening. When she and Joseph, a classmate, discover a dead body, it seems like there might be a killer on the island and they might be after Gracie.

I thought this sounded really interesting, but I think the way it was written made it really slow. It took a long time for things to really get going for me. I also was surprised that it had more horror elements than the synopsis really made it out to seem. I think it would be worth including that more in the description, as it sounds more just like a thriller right now.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to read an eARC of this title.

I really enjoyed this book, could not put it down - read it in a day!
Grace Hutchinson is stuck at home on Fall Island while a blizzard, the biggest in decades, moves in. But after she and Joseph Wescott find a mutilated corpse in his family's mausoleum, Grace has more that just snow to work about. As she waits out the storm at Wescott Manor, she witnesses strange events, uncovers generational family secrets and secrets about the island itself. Soon she is not sure who she should trust and has to fight for her life.
This was a perfect twisty, creepy, dark horror. It was refreshing to see a platonic relationship between the two teen leads. I will definitely be purchasing this one for my High School Library.

Content Warnings:
Blood / Gore
Violence
Murder (some ritualistic)
Language
Recent death of a grandparent

I was pleasantly surprised that this was a modern folk horror story (the islanders have "the old religion" and the "old ways" entwined town founder lore) with some awesome gothic elements like a spooky house on a cliffside, isolation, the town "crazy person," and family secrets. I read a ton of horror and this had me genuinely surprised with the twists it takes, which are at times pretty brutal. If you put Stephen King's Storm of the Century, blended it with winter solstice celebrations, and added a dash of classic gothic tropes (especially Lovecraftian) you'd get this book. There's a scene reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Massacre that has stuck in my mind since I finished it. Highly, highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley & Sourcebooks Fire for letting me read this early in exchange for an honest review.

This is my favorite book I've read for a while, and I'm going to be thinking about it. I absolutely love scary settings where our protagonist gets cut off from the rest of the world, like here where she is trapped on an island in a winter storm. There are several other elements that are done well, but it's more fun to go into this without knowing them, because being on the edge of my seat was really fun. I was reading this earlier and just couldn't put it down. The first thing I did when I got done was look for more books by this writer.
This is definitely YA, but it's a little gruesome. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this

SNOW DROWNED is subtly scary YA Horror encouched in mundane family issues, sibling competition, classism in an isolated Island setting (quite isolated), against a background of Legend upheld by the local religion, with overtones seriously occult. To me what is SO scary in this novel is its subtlety! The reader (and characters) go along thinking "Everything is fine. This too shall pass." Then BAM! All Chaos breaks out! Or conversely, here one moment, disappeared the next; stability is as assured as if the characters resided atop a sinkhole!

Okay I could not put this book down. I read it in one sitting, because I genuinely could not stop. It is that compulsively readable. It's dark too, which I loved, and just... look, I am trying to not say too much because it is so full of twists and turns and jaw-dropping moments that I really want you to just read it for yourselves! Like- every note on my Kindle is just notes of shock and awe because this book was that much of a roller coaster!

The atmosphere was on point, I was invested in the characters and the story, and I needed to know all the things. I did wonder if perhaps it was to be continued, based on how the story ends. It ends in a satisfying enough way as to not be frustrating, but also lends itself to the possibility of a sequel.

Bottom Line: If you like thrillers with a touch of supernatural and a whole lot of darkness and twists, this is the book for you!

As a native New Englander, I love snow, and, when I saw Jennifer Lyle's Snow Drowned and read the synopsis, I knew it was a must read. Admittedly, I didn't realize it was YA, but it ultimately didn't matter, because I loved it. It's creepy and fun, and the supernatural elements made it everything I wanted in a twisty winter (or anytime) read.

The cover of this book screams winter thriller. I enjoyed the fast paced story and would recommend it for readers who like popcorn thrillers set in the cold bleak winter backdrop.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Snow Drowned is a book that sits at the pinnacle of YA Horror. It starts strong, is dark, and holds true the entire way through. I really enjoyed reading it, and will certainly be looking for more of Ms. Lyle's works! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

You know how YA reads tend to open horror books with lame teen-y content? Not this one! Right from the start, we get a girl who disappears during a snowstorm, a town where people go missing every winter, a creepy nun and a really messed up murder. Gracie is going to spend the worst snowstorm in decades with her aunt but otherwise pretty much on her own. She’s OK with it though, until she meets the rich boy in town and they both find a crime scene at the cemetery. From then on, things go from bad to worse. She and her aunt have to take refuge at the fanciest manor, isolated in general but even more cut off by the storm. The big mansion is awesome but creepy, and the way it is described is as if you’re right there, with Gracie. The plot never slows down and goes from one twist to another till a big reveal so unexpected that I was floored. I really liked the characters, especially Gracie and her friend Joseph. Their banter was funny and brought some light to an otherwise very dark story. The rest of the characters are well done, when they reveal parts of their personalities that were hidden, they stay consistent and little details that didn’t seem important when first introduced, become significant later. The nature of the threat is reminiscent of a famous author that I won’t mention here because it would be a spoiler. Many modern writers try that angle and it usually loses me. This time, I loved it. It made perfect sense and set up the perfect ending. Fast, entertaining and horrifying. Five stars.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Sourcebooks Fire.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jennifer Lyle for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Snow Drowned coming out November 5, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I’ve honestly never heard of drowning in snow. So that was interesting to me. Gracie definitely made some choices I wouldn’t agree with. She was slightly naive and annoying, but I think this book is more in the YA genre. It did have some violence. The supernatural aspects seemed a little out of nowhere. But overall, I enjoyed this book. I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror stories!

I went into this book not knowing what to expect, and honestly, the beginning was a bit slow for me. But I'm so glad I stuck with it! The story took a dark and twisted turn that had me hooked. The setting - an isolated island with thick snow-covered woods, raging seas, and an impending storm - was literally the stuff of nightmares. It was like the island had its own sinister personality.
The mystery surrounding the island had me obsessed, and the characters' complex motives kept me guessing. Who could I trust? Who was hiding secrets? And then, BAM! The final chapters dropped a massive plot twist that left me speechless. I did NOT see it coming. The author completely flipped the script, and I loved every minute of it. This book lingered in my mind long after I finished reading it. It's a masterclass in suspense and intrigue. If you're looking for a thrilling ride, add this to your TBR ASAP!
Thank you, NetGalley and the Publisher, for providing a free ARC. I'm happy to share my honest feedback.

However dark you think this book might be, it’s darker. The way it’s advertised I went into this thinking it was a locked room murder mystery, when it’s actually more like Midsommar (which imo is way better and makes a much more interested read). This description might be kind of insane to say but this was like, Midsommar meets Gilmore Girls: winter edition. And I say Gilmore Girls only because Fall Island is like if Stars Hollow were evil and undesirable to live in. It has the same tight knit small town vibes and does feel a lot like Stars Hollow, but this time in a bad way. It’s like Stars Hollow horror edition if it had crazy dangerous winters. Residents of Fall Island are told “stay safe or the snow will get you”. All their horror stories take place in the winter because “nothing good happens here when it snows”. There have been a lot of weird deaths throughout the centuries involving snow on Fall Island, enough to make it weirdly like a pattern and be gossiped about online amongst ghost story enthusiasts, and it makes me wonder why people still wanna live on this island to begin with? Creepy and weird.

I thought this would be a book about being in a manor in a small town during a snowstorm, where everyone who chose to remain on an abandoned island hunkers down for safety but they start getting taken out by a killer. The way it’s advertised, you’d think it will be that kind of book. But nope whatever you’re expecting it’s way worse! This is not a thriller and is most definitely horror. Which again, much better in my opinion, at least for my personal preferences. I went into this expecting more of a thriller but since this was horror, I ended up liking this more than I was anticipating.

This is one of those best kinds of books, the ones that are so unputdownable. My biggest book pet peeve are books that feel like a chore to get through to get to the end when it finally gets interesting, but this book was never a slog to get through and I was always excited to pick it back up. Even when it’s just setting everything up, the scenery is so atmospheric, so bleak, that it’s never boring. I can’t say the same for a lot of the other books I’ve read, including others in the horror genre. I really COULD NOT put this down. I was reading this as I was getting ready for a Halloween party, reading this while pacing around in heels breaking in my shoes, I just couldn’t put it down, and this was before I was even at the 30% mark. No boring beginnings or set ups here! It’s been a while since I’ve had a book like that. I think the reasoning is because the setting of Fall Island is so atmospheric and it drops enough information about how weird this island is to keep you hooked, without giving you all the answers.

This book was horrific. The people in this book are horrific. I cannot even begin to explain to you how messed up these people are. I found it crazy, almost unbelievable, how these people are willing to fervently accept something so demented to the point where they will commit countless horrific acts because they deeply believe in it so strongly. Like….why? Everyone has their own innate moral compass, so I find this almost unbelievable how these people are doing these things, genuinely thinking they are in the right. I get that when you’re raised in a cult it’s easy to take everything at face value and believe what you’re told when you’re a child, but once you grow up that’s when you truly make the decisions for yourself on what you believe and what your morals are. Even if you’re raised to have certain morals, everyone has an innate moral compass. So how can all these people be so….unfazed and unaffected by violence and evil and just go with this insanity still thinking they’re in the right? Books like these make you contemplate morality because how can people be (probably) mentally sane and commit acts like these. This book really is a study of morality and psychology.

Only reason I took off a star is because I think there were some loose ends at the ending that I still had questions about. Some unanswered questions and points of confusion. But, this genuinely was one of the most memorable horror novels I’ve ever read and far better than I was expecting. This was really visual, atmospheric, easy to picture, and never boring. Not to mention, unpredictable near the end. This was one of the craziest YA books I’ve ever read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Gracie lives on Fall Island, which is rumored to have creepy snowstorms that has claimed lives of many. As a storm approaches, she seeks refuge at Westcott Manor. She soon begins to fear something more sinister is happening on Fall Island than just snowstorms.
The book drew me in and kept my interest; it pulled me out of a reading slump!
The writing is captivating and atmospheric with so much detail that the author’s words painted vivid images in my mind.
Dislike- cultish/ritual topics. It’s not my thing and I didn’t realize the book was about that. I will recommend this book, but will mention the use of these topics.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC via NetGalley!

This book quickly gripped my attention & didn’t let go. It wasn’t at all what I expected & had me guessing until the end. There were plot twists I didn’t expect. I loved Gracie’s personality & her quick wit, she made me laugh often with her comebacks.

This book has me sucked in from the beginning. I was invested in Gracie and the mysteries of Fall Island. The plot was a little bit far fetched; but the epilogue really ties in the loose ends in the middle of the book and really gave clarity! I love a good ending.