Theo lost her sister, Flora, to the woods when she was a child, and has spent her life as a Park Ranger trying to continue the search for her. These woods are a common place for people to go missing and strange things to happen. When a set of stairs appears to Theo she decides to go through and discovers things are much more complicated than she realized.

This book has a great premise. It starts off strong and I really like the atmosphere in the beginning, especially with the time spent in the woods with the mystery surrounding Flora's disappearance. The random staircases in the middle of the woods were a cool touch. I was ready for it to get a bit darker, especially after the opening scene, For some reason I had a hard time getting through the book around the halfway point. I didn't connect with the main character very much. I don't know if it was all the drinking and self destructive tendencies that didn't help, but something just kept me from sympathizing with Theo. Especially driving very drunkenly. I did enjoy Quinn, and of course Bear the dog, quite a bit! I was also a little confused at times with how things were connected with some of the realities.

If you like sci-fi and alternate realities, and understand things like the ouroboros you should give it a try! I thought the writing itself was good, and would read more from Bontrager. I think the plot of this one just wasn't quite for me. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.

Title: Eye of the Ouroboros
Author: Megan Bontrager
Genres: Horror, LGBTQIA
Pub Date: 15 Apr 2024
Pages: 270
Format: EPUB
Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 (2.5/5), rounded up to 3 on NetGalley for the author's first attempt.

This debut novel felt like it would tick a lot of boxes for me: horror/sci-fi mashup, queer park ranger, a mystery to solve, all set in moody Appalachia? Brilliant!

Things start off relatively strong despite the first-person narration (something that really needs to be done with intent to work well), with a tense first chapter, but overall this novel could really have used stronger editing.

Others have already expanded on the plot points and where they falter, but for me the characterisation is the weakest link here. The MC lacks individuality, and the supporting cast are a cookie-cutter collection of Good Ol' "Normal" Folks, "Weird" Folks, and I Read Too Much Creepypasta. It's a shame, because the writing itself is solid enough, and it's clear that with better support & guidance there was the capacity for depth here.

The setting also never really feels genuine; I don't know if the author has spent much/any time in rural West Virginia, but the descriptors always just felt like Generic Backwoods Americana rather than anything approaching the distinct & tangible identity of this region. Don't get me wrong, there've been plenty of badly-pigeonholed takes on WV/Appalachia in general, but this doesn't just feel sanitised - it feels displaced, and the novel may as well have taken place anywhere, and could have done with just a few words swapped about.

I concur with others who mentioned the time/space-bending qualities of the 'Loki' TV series - the comparison is pretty linear, and I didn't enjoy the author's attempts at this any more than I did the series. No points off for that, however, as it's just not my cup of tea.

I did my best to finish this, as I really wanted to give this novel every opportunity to improve, but unfortunately I DNF at 78% - I honestly just didn't care enough about the characters, or find the plot or writing enjoyable enough, to push the rest of the way through.

Thank you to Quill and Crow Publishing House, NetGalley, and the Author for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

#EyeoftheOuroboros #NetGalley

Megan Bontrager's "Eye of the Ouroboros" takes readers on a thrilling journey through a blend of horror, sci-fi, and human emotion reminiscent of the golden age of internet horror storytelling.

The story kicks off with a classic creepy premise: mysterious disappearances in national parks, setting the stage for an exploration into the unknown. Our protagonist, Theo, driven by the loss of her sister, delves into a world of conspiracies and cosmic horror as she searches for answers.

While the initial setup grips readers with its eerie atmosphere, the story struggles to maintain momentum halfway through. Plot threads are introduced but left dangling, leaving readers with more questions than answers. Despite these shortcomings, Bontrager's prose shows promise, and her ability to blend genres keeps the narrative engaging.

What sets "Eye of the Ouroboros" apart is its willingness to explore different themes and genres. From isolated horror to espionage-style intrigue and a sci-fi horror finale, the story takes unexpected turns that keep readers on their toes. Bontrager effectively balances supernatural elements with genuine human emotion, creating a compelling and sometimes unsettling narrative.

Although some plot twists may seem outlandish, the emotional depth of the characters grounds the story, particularly in Theo's journey of grief and trauma. Flawed yet relatable, the characters add depth to the narrative, making it a captivating read despite its flaws.

In the end, "Eye of the Ouroboros" delivers a chilling and thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the final page. With its mix of horror and human drama, it marks a promising debut for Megan Bontrager, leaving readers eagerly anticipating her future works.

An amazing debut from a new author to watch, Eye of the Ouroboros is poised to be an instant classic. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to check this one out!

I know that this review is a little late but I wanted to finish this book. I thought that this book started off strong but by the end, I wasn't really feeling it. I thought that the premise was good and I hoped that I would enjoy it but it was in the middle of the road. I did love the setting and that the forest seemed to be its own character, but Theo kind of got on my nerves after a while. The fact that you could tell that she was dealing with her trauma in what seemed to not be the greatest and that her parents blamed her for what happened to her sister drove me crazy. I think that this book could have been a little longer (I don't often say that about a book), but I think that if things had happened a little bit differently this book could have had some potential. I think that I may give this author a second chance if they decide to write another book

How far would you go to save the ones you love? Megan Bontrager’s debut novel, Eye of the Ouroboros is a cosmic horror story of love, loss and sacrifice set in the woods of West Virginia, guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Eye of the Ouroboros follows protagonist Theodora (Theo) Buchanan, a grief-stricken park ranger of The National Parks Service Search and Rescue Team. Blaming herself for her sister’s mysterious disappearance into the woods of West Virginia more than a decade ago, Theo has made it her life’s mission to get her sister back, even if it means denying herself a life of her own.

Where local townsfolk have already presumed her sister long dead, Theo’s haunting search for Flora is one that is wracked with guilt and desperation. Each time she saves yet another lost child from the woods, she can’t help but wish it was Flora instead. But one day, reality is ripped out from under her feet when she breaks ranger rule number one: going through a random door in the woods. Her reckless manoeuvres finally catch the attention of The Federal Bureau of Reality - sentinels of the Infinite Corridor where endless realities converge, and must be kept away from prying human eyes.

Eye of the Ouroboros is a fast paced, action-packed prose, punctuated with skin-picking suspense. I was also drawn in with the poetically illustrative language that usually eludes this genre, for the most part. I have so many highlighted lines on my Kindle. Bontrager has skillfully weaved sci-fi jargon with literary elements seamlessly, making for a truly immersive reading experience.

The magic limitations in the Eye of Ouroboros was fantastic, playing on blood sacrifice and the concept of giving an eye for an eye. In my opinion, this concept very much supported the character development and made it more emotionally gutting to have to say goodbye to the characters.

Bontrager’s beautiful prose made her debut novel so impressive, paving the way for her future works to be anticipated greatly. I am looking forward to her next book already!

That ending surprised me! An eldritch horror fuelled by unhinged desperation that is both heartbreaking and amusingly comforting through the characters. So atmospheric with the woods and parallel realities. Also, secret bureaus, platonic soulmates, sapphic love, and familial tension along with a missing sister. Quite a read; recommended.

Full review will be posted on the blog on May 02nd and updated here.

Megan Bontrager's "Eye of the Ouroboros" has two distinct feels to it -- creepy-disappearances-in-the-woods and mind-bending-sci-fi -- which didn't really meld together for me. There felt like a clear demarcation from one storyline to the second, without much of a transition and without tying the two together, giving the sense of almost two different books. Regardless, it is a fun read and easily reels you in. I've found myself thinking about this book for days long after I finished it. It has this dreamlike -- nightmarish? -- tone to it, almost like floating. The phrase that kept coming to mind for me was liminal spaces. Very reminiscent of T. Kingfisher's "The Hollow Places," which endeared me to it that much more.

Ironically, I started this book on an afternoon after I had gone for a long hike. And climbed a staircase in the woods...

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was, as the kids say these days, mid. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. Despite what promised to be an interesting plot, I was pretty bored for most of the story.

There's a dash of sci-fi, thriller, heist, mystery, and even some literary fiction vibes, but all through that I simply did not connect with anything in the book. Not the characters, not the plot, not the setting. And it wasn't like the writing was bad or anything, it just didn't capture my attention at all.

I think there is certainly an audience out there for this book. I've seen other commenters compare it to the Loki television series, so maybe fans of that would enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.

Publication Date: April 15, 2024

The beginning of the story had a horror feel and it remained a bit creepy throughout. But this is really a sci fi multiverse plot. It did a reasonably good job and the story was interesting, with a somewhat unexpected turn near the end. My main issue was unlikeable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Full disclosure: I was kind of in a shit mood while reading this, so my opinion may have been negatively swayed.

The initial premise is rather interesting, albeit not completely original. I don't really care for this cast of characters, although I certainly sympathise with their motives. I wished this book contained more dimension travelling to strange and bizarre worlds; there were a few snippets of the different universes, but for the most part, that went unexplored. The main focus of the book is on the characters, and less so the world-building and exploration.

The overarching plot and the ending were certainly climatic; however, I feel that it was resolved too easily, the antagonist was not as menacing or threatening as I thought he ought to be, and he was rather two-dimensional.

Overall, an entertaining read, but not as entertaining as I had hoped.

I was mesmerised by this book! It was so fun, yet eerie and emotional and world-flipping (both literal and metaphorical). Theo was a wonderfully written character, multi-dimensional, deliciously imperfect and empathetic and kind of calamitous, but in a good way. I was in particular drawn by her desperation to find her sister — her arc where Flora was concerned was so heartwarming and agonising to witness! The horror itself and the worldbuilding around it oscillated between insular and individual, and catastrophic and eerie, which I really enjoyed seeing the juxtaposition of. Honestly, I wish I could read it again for the first time, because I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and wished it lasted longer!

A fun. trippy horror-sci-fi blend. Theo is a park ranger still broken from the loss of her younger sister to the forest, which her mother (and half their small Appalachian town) blame her for. She's still looking, and she's determined to find her. And then Theo starts to get a little too close, and the Federal Bureau of Reality steps in to stop her from getting any closer, even if it means eliminating her.
But Theo, my beloved disaster gay, cannot be stopped.
She assembles a team consisting of her long-time, long-suffering best friend/coworker, her ex that shattered her heart, a conspiracy theorist, and an agent that has left the Bureau. And the world's best boy, Bear. Together, they're going to expose the Bureau and get Flora back. Plus, there's a fancy heist. Man, I love a fancy heist.
It's a fun, fast-paced read. Theo is a great narrator; she's so messy. The team is great. It's somewhat light on the horror, from my opinion, but that's fine. It was a great read.

Megan Bontrager’s debut, Eye of the Ouroboros, is INCREDIBLE. For me, her prose is likened to that of Taylor Swift- sharp, witty, metaphorical, and from the soul. Bontrager builds a world made of truth, fear, grief, and love. Her descriptive and in depth writing is a style that I had a hard time looking away from. This is a book with twists, turns If you love Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror, please give this a try!

Theo is stabby, brave, and emotional all while battling the darkness of addiction, familial trauma, and loss. Now a Park Ranger, Theo uses her skills to continue the search for her younger sister, Flora, who went missing when they were kids. Some might say she’s a bit of a mess- but her tenacious heart keeps you rooting for her throughout her journey. I think most people could see a bit of themselves in the relatable Theo- and the rest of the gang. Theo is joined by her ex-girlfriend Delilah and loyal friend, Quinn, throughout the search for Flora in the woods. Ya know… THE WOODS. You couldn’t catch me in those woods even with a crew of creatures and friends to protect me along for the ride! I am a sucker for a good search and hopeful rescue story, and Bontrager’s does not disappoint.

Not only are we thrown into the search for Flora, but others that have gone missing in similar manners. Dive into a world of mirrored universes, creepy crawlies around every turn, and deep feels. It's a five star adventure!

To Megan Bontrager- I can’t wait to see you shine. ✨

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager.

The debut novel follows park ranger Theo as she hunts for any leads on her sister Flora’s disappearance. It was meant to be simple; Theo was not expecting to stumble across a door standing in the woods and ignoring every warning bell, she enters the infinite corridor and garners the attention of the Federal Bureau of Reality, an organisation willing to do anything – even murder – to remain secret.
I enjoyed reading “Eye of the Ouroboros”, it wasn’t a book I normally pick up as I usually read fantasy, but I decided to give it a go and I was pleasantly surprised. It was nail bitingly thrilling and I found myself so involved with the narrative that I felt exactly how Theo must have been feeling while she hunts for her sister through infinite doors and corridors.
In the beginning I felt that Bontrager hadn’t fully-fledged her characters out, that they were unfinished as I couldn’t get a sense of who they are as people. Especially Wesley (conspiracy theorist extraordinaire) and Roman (Ex bureau worker) as we knew next to nothing about them. However, Theo knew nothing about them and despite it not being first person it was very much Theo’s story, her lack of interest in their back grounds was used as an excellent technique to show Theo’s hyper fixation of finding Flora.
This is especially apparent when we get to know Delilah (Theo’s ex) and Quinn (her best friend). I loved both of these characters, as well as Theo, whose flaws and grief helped me connect with her so well. I liked that there was sapphic subplot, but it didn’t override any of the plot. The romance was hidden and entangled within the horror.
I found that much of the scary parts of the book were created in the beginning. The suspense was built brilliantly, using lore that is often known throughout the world such as “think you hear something, no you didn’t,” or “don’t run in the woods” the author was able to create fear on just the unknowing of the woods. I found that stories I knew from the Appalachian Mountains helped fuel my fear, and this fear continued as the author began to twist tales about monsters and grief.
The tension did ease up around the 50% marker, and at first, I was disappointed it did. My problem is that I no longer feel fear when the killer or monster has been revealed, and this is what happened in the book. At first, I thought the culprits were skin walkers or wendigos, but it was revealed to be something else the tension eased. But the rest of the book created intrigue and a different type of tension urging me to finish the book.
The ending was incredibly satisfying, and I really enjoyed it all, I recommend this book to horror and supernatural lovers.

**4.5-stars rounded up**

💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙

Eye of the Ouroboros is one of those rare books that I picked up on a whim. I knew nothing about it, had heard no buzz, but did notice it on a graphic of April 2024 Horror releases. There was just something about the cover that called to me and then the title, I was intrigued by that as well.

We follow Theodora Buchanan, who goes by Theo. She's a park ranger for NPS. More specifically, she's part of the Search and Rescue team and patrols the forests surrounding her hometown of Mill Creek, West Virginia. No one knows these woods like Theo. She's been searching them most of her life, looking for her little sister, Flora, who went missing years ago.

The Buchanan family has never received answers on what happened to Flora, and Theo, who was watching her on the day she disappeared, has been riddled with guilt ever since. While she has been able to maintain her job, the rest of Theo's life is a bit of a mess. She's numbed her pain with alcohol for way too long to be healthy and everything just seems completely out of control.

At the beginning of the book, we follow along with Theo as she searches for a little girl, who went missing while camping with her family. Of course, on every search Theo is also looking for clues as to what happened to Flora. After the girl is found, some evidence pops up in the aftermath that leads you to believe, these aren't regular woods. There's something much deeper and more mysterious here than in your average mountain range.

This had such an intriguing start, by 10%, I was hooked. Theo was someone I wanted to learn everything about. I've mentioned before that I'm sort of a sucker for MCs that drink too much, and Theo definitely fits that bill.Her family dynamics, following the disappearance of her sister, they're an absolute disaster. I really felt for her, as I felt like if her parents had handled it differently, perhaps Theo could have dealt with it better herself, instead of letting it overtake her life.

After Theo starts noticing really strange things in the woods, she begins going in more and more. It's like when you think you see something, but you're not sure if it was real, and you try to recreate what you were doing at the time to see if it will happen again. This whole aspect, I was so into it. I needed to know if those things were real as well. I felt like I was investigating right alongside her and it was creeping me out.

The vibes of this made me think of T. Kingfisher's The Hollow Places, which I loved. If you were a fan of that, I feel like this one could really work for you as well. It definitely takes some unexpected turns, and I adored the characters that are introduced to help Theo in her investigation. Eventually it turns into a kind of Found Family situation, with Theo's best friend, her ex-girlfriend, and a high profile conspiracy theorist, all joining in the fun.

Part The Gunslinger, part Men in Black, the concluding portions of this book had me flipping pages so fast, I'm surprised my fingers didn't catch on fire. Oh, and the baddie in this, Sator, I was totally picturing Agent Smith from The Matrix for him. Every scene he was in, Agent Smith was in my head. Sator was really well done, a super convincing antagonist.

Overall, for a book I picked up on a whim, this couldn't have gone better. It was SO WEIRD and SO GOOD. Never in a million years would I have guessed how swept up into this I would become. It may have thrown off my monthly TBR, but I regret nothing. A Portal Fantasy Horror story with fantastic characters, gripping action, believable baddies and emotions to boot! I'm so glad I took a chance on this one.

Thank you to the publisher, Quill & Crow Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will definitely be picking up more from this author!

I think this story would have benefitted so much if it was strung out between 2-3 books! And that’s not something I usually say. Theo’s inner monologue was a little exhaustive, but I would’ve loved getting more insight into the other characters - most of them fell flat and some seemed a bit cliche. And I needed much more world building - I feel like we only scratched the surface of the Ouroboros and everything connected to it!

I feel like there were many loose threads that weren’t fully explained, some characters just felt like plot devices, a lot of the action sequences felt a bit rushed/were confusing to follow, and the tone didn’t really feel consistent throughout the whole book.

All in all - I just wish this story was better planned because I feel like it had so much potential!

This book is told in first person from the perspective of Theo while she battles guilt, loss, and alcoholism when faced with the memory of her sister Flora, who wandered into the woods when they were young and never came home. Now she works as a ranger, helping search for missing hikers and children. In the fringes of her small town, she encounters the Ourobouros and unwittingly calls attention to herself when she interacts with agents of the Federal Bureau of Reality. With the help of Quinn, Delilah (a local journalist and her recent ex), and a so-called conspiracy theorist named Wesley, Theo goes on a wild adventure full of loss, the inexplicable occult, and revenge.

The cast of characters is small, which meant the world building had to be exceptional. It felt a little 2D at times, but the explanations of the "magic" system made sense and the descriptors were beautiful - an infinite carpeted hallways with endless doors to endless realities. Each character had their own story and bakground and they were all solidly tied to the main character - no one was just an add-on. One thing that I wasn't too fond of was how easily they all were okay with murder. I understand the stakes were high and things were moving fast, but it was jarring. The "bad guy" was also difficult to get behind. He had no characteristics besides being rich and willing to kill everyone for something he wanted. He could be fleshed out more or be a little less supervillain-y.

Overall, I had a great time reading this book. It was a good mystery thriller with great atmosphere and interesting characters.

This book was really amazing! I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but it was eerie cosmic horror. I also love the LGBTQIA+ representation. I love a good dark woodsy book, and this was just perfect for that. I also am happy that Pilot Mountain got a mention because I literally live like 8 minutes away and have been looking for some books that take place in the Sauratown Mountains with no luck.

This book was a sole cover pick and I did not read the synopsis (I think this added to the story and mystery). We follow Theodora aka ‘Theo’ as a park ranger in search of her long lost sister. In the small town of Mill Creek West Virginia there is a mysterious occurrence of missing persons including Flora (Theo’s sister) in the woods. Family dynamics be damned, Theo is actively searching for any sign of her sister. We follow Theo in her grief as she steps in to the unknown and will do anything to get answers.

This story feels more SciFi than Fantasy to me. I loved how this book started right in the heat of a rescue and grips you. Immediately I was drawn in to Theo’s character and strong FMC as she is living with the reality and refusing to believe that her sister is dead. I really enjoyed Theo’s character, humanity, and tenacity. Theo is fiercely loyal and a passionate person. There is a great platonic relationship between Theo and her associate and how we can lean on one another in terrible circumstances. I feel like this writing is gripping however the flow of the story and plot wasn’t as vetted out. Almost like the ‘SciFi’ scenes and components were written after the original story. I wasn’t sure what to expect while reading this book. The idea is phenomenal and overall a good book that held my engagement. This book left me with what did I just read vibes and what really happened. I could have gone without some of the plot points in this book but overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Quill & Crow Publishing House, and Megan Bontrager for the digital ARC copy of this book.