I was a massive fan of Jennifer Lyle’s debut Swarm (2023) and was delighted to feature it my YA Horror 400 almanac, her sophomore effort Snow Drowned is a decent follow up but does not grab quite in the same way as the giant killer butterflies do in Swarm. Snow Drowned starts off as an atmospheric snow bounded thriller set on an island off the New England coast. As the weather worsens many have left the island for the mainland, however, main character Gracie Hutchinson decides to stay behind, expecting to meet up with her parents before the storm reaches its peak. Island snowstorms are known to be deadly and every year there are casualties and disappearances, which partly form the backdrop of the story. Early in the narrative Gracie is intrigued to find someone else her age has stayed too—Joseph Wescott, whose mysterious and aloof family lives in Wescott Manor, descendants of the first settlers of Fall Island. Together, they stumble across something even more unsettling than the coming storm: the body of a man, murdered in a grim ritual in the local graveyard.

The two hit it off and the novel jogs along nicely as a thriller and possible romance, with Gracie wondering why she had never really noticed before. To say any more about the plot would head into spoiler territory and it headed into some wild unsuspecting directions, initially playing as a straight thriller before morphing into something much darker and decidedly supernatural. Expect cults, conspiracies, dark family secrets, generational curses, sacrifices, and something incredibly horrible. Although Snow Drowned was fun I was unconvinced it worked both as a thriller and a full blown horror novel, and apart from Gracie was populated with highly unlikable characters who would do anything to protect their own skins and wealth. This is one of those books which ends up a million miles away from where it started and was a major contrast to Swarm, which was the opposite, in that it had a hugely wild opening and a lower key ending. AGE RANGE 13+

I adored this author`s first book SWARM.

I was so excited to start this, but after two chapters I completely disconnected. I kept wondering if this was the same author I loved so much with her first book.

The plot sounded right up my alley but after a chapter, it was obvious that this is nowhere near as great as Swarm. Too many details that do nothing to move the plot along.

DNF'D at 20%

There was nothing wrong with this book. At the end of the day it just wasn't for me. Although, I can see others enjoying it.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Fire for the copy of Snow Drowned by Jennifer Lyle. The beginning was great, but the book slowed down so much that I was bored. Parts two and three got more interesting and the pace picked up, but I wish I knew there was a supernatural element and how dark this was. I loved the complexity of the story, but ultimately it wasn’t for me because I’m not a fan of bloody horror. If you do, you will love this one! 3 stars

"There's a saying on Fall Island: if you're not careful, the snow will get you."

As the storm of the century approaches, Gracie Hutchinson is frustrated that she had to stay on the island with her physician father. She'd much rather be on the main land doing something fun like her little sister. She's heard all of the stories about people going missing in storms like these, but she feels safe enough until she finds a murdered man and what looks like a ritualistic sacrifice. Now she's herded to the huge house on the hill where the island's founding family lives and hosts a snow party each year. As the storm rages on Gracie begins to uncover the secrets behind the missing on Fall Island and she worries that she will be next.

I had never thought of the snow as creepy until I read Jennifer Lyle's book. If you are in the mood for an atmospheric, spooky read then pick up Snow Drowned. This YA horror reminds me of the twisted stories I grew up reading like The Grounding of Group 6 or Flowers in the Attic. I love the isolation and the idea that you don't know who to trust. Teens who are looking for that next scary story will love this one.

"Snow Drowned" is a young adult thriller novel by Jennifer Lyle. Gracie is a teen who has lived on Fall Island (off the coast of Massachusetts) for her whole life. Her family has been there for generations. When a huge snowstorm threatens their island, Gracie's parents have to leave her due to work (both are doctors). Gracie discovers a ritualistic murder at the cemetery and things get even weirder from there when she needs to stay at the manor of the family that founded the island during the storm. A thrilling read that will appeal to fans of YA thrillers, especially those with a bit of the supernatural. A recommended purchase for YA collections where thrillers are popular.

A super cool mystery and one I’ve never read before The setting is great and the characters were intriguing. The pacing could be a bit better but overall a great read!

In Jennifer D. Lyle’s book, Snow Drowned, there is something sinister about snow.

Atmospheric and dark, the book opens with teen Gracie Hutchinson frustrated she is being forced to stay behind on Fall Island with her father while her mother and sister go to the mainland. With a hundred-year snowstorm, there is bound to be chaos, especially given snow always seems to coincide with disappearances on Fall Island.

Gracie’s apprehensions are realized when she and her classmate, the elusive Joseph Westcott, stumble upon a dead body in the cemetery just before the storm hits. Now Gracie finds herself in the middle of the mystery on the island, with the storm wreaking havoc on everything around her. Lyle does a great job creating ambiance in this book. The reader can feel the chill of the storm and the urgency of Gracie’s search. Adding in the Wescott house (as well as a cult) only adds to the ominous tone of the book. The plot includes some solid twists and turns with a few solid surprises. The first 75% of the book reads quickly as a result.

The last part of the book becomes a bit muddled because it goes on for too long and introduces a supernatural element that feels jarring compared to the rest of the story. Lyle does a fantastic job of creating mystery, but the ending feels too cinematic. The chaotic final scenes were unnecessary for such an intriguing story.

Overall, this is a fun read and a definite one to consider when packing for vacation.

As a New England girly who lives in Maine I was hoping to like this book more than I actually did. I LOVED the beginning and how it all started, but the further I read the more the twists got weird and to me a little unrealistic. Simply put this book just wasn’t for me, but I’m sure there are tons of readers out there who would absolutely love it!

Book:
SNOW DROWNED by Jennifer Lyle
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire (Out Nov 5)

Review:
3⭐
I was immediately drawn into SNOW DROWNED by the title. There's something about it that spoke to me, and I knew I needed to read more. SNOW DROWNED follows Grace and Joseph as they ride out a blizzard at Wescott Manor. It's safe, or is it? From the prologue, I was hooked by the disappearances, the snow, the weird symbols, the secrets, etc. It was like I couldn't think until I knew everything. As great as that sounds, I felt like the chapters drew on, circling around the plot and mystery instead of solving everything. It almost felt like a task to read this book because there were times where I was bored, which doesn't mix well when you want to know what's going on(the book did pick up halfway through which I appreciated even if it ultimately got boring again before getting better). Nonetheless, this book was interesting in parts with a mystery begging to be solved even though the book fell short for me.

What I Liked About It:
*the mystery
*the book's title

There's a saying on Fall Island: the snow will get you.

What a perfectly haunting novel. I am addicted to snow bound thrillers and grabbed this up without reading much about it. I am glad I did - it's a fantastic cross between gothic and science fiction, cults and island lore.

Gracie Hutchinson has lived on the small Northeastern Island here her whole life. She knows everyone there and everyone knows her. When a blizzard hits the island it's not too different from a Florida hurricane. Everyone knows the drill, everyone has a generator. Except this time Grace's mom is off island helping birth a child and her father is filling in as coroner when a body is found.

Through coincidental events, Grace comes across the very wealthy and mysterious Joseph Wescott. Joseph is barely ever on island as he is educated at a prep school and since his rich family founded the small community he is generally insulated from other members of the town.
Joseph invites her to his manor for the storm so she is not alone - what should she do?

Loved every bit of this haunting novel and you will too!
Thank you netgalley!
#sourcebooksfire #sourcebooks #snowdrowned #jenniferlyle

A great young adult read. Give me a cultish book any day and I will be a happy camper. I will absolutely be recommending this one.