I really wanted to love this one, but ultimately it did not work for me. The thriller elements are interesting, and I like how strange and surreal the horror was. I had forgotten the blurb when I picked this up, so given the grounded beginning, I did not expect it to go as all-out with the fantasy elements as it did.

There were some great bits of imagery, things that will definitely stick with me for a while. I also really liked the romance between Theo and Delilah--they are ex-girlfriends and I love their dynamic. It was the thing that really kept me reading.

The main issue, though, was that everyone acts quite silly. There are leaps of logics the narrative makes that don't hold up to scrutiny, and the characters continuously do things that didn't make sense to me, personally. I therefore found it very hard to buy into the story and believe anything that was happening. Instead, I found myself quite frustrated with everyone involved, and the fact the narrative seemed to reward them for their not-so-smart moves. I also didn't love the treatment of Theo's alcoholism, but that's a personal taste for thing.

This definitely has the vibe of an airport thriller and would work okay there, but this just otherwise was not a book for me.

Content Warnings: Blood, Graphic Violence

I thought this book started with a strong premise. Theo is a Park Ranger with a drinking problem and a talent for locating lost people in the woods, both spurred from her devastation of losing her younger sister, Flora. Theo is the strongest part of the book, with a clear, consistent character and indomitable spirit. There’s also some solid horror imagery with the Ouroboros as a cosmic horror and as an infection, particularly in how it warps humans in different ways.

However, the longer the book goes, the more confusing and less interesting it becomes. Everything dealing with the multiverse critical to the plot is underexplained and bland, down to the name of the Federal Bureau of Reality. Characters don’t feel three-dimensional, so when major events happen, it’s hard to feel much about them. The antagonist of the piece had potential, but again, was too underdeveloped. Finally, though being marketed as LGBTQ+ fiction, there’s very little queer content.

I do think this author has potential, though, and would be willing to give a future book of hers a read.

There is no way I can write a review that can do this book justice. Theo is flawed but she has the kindest purest heart. She has been suffering over the loss of her sister for years and has built her career on finding missing people in the woods. She is good at it.
She is also a raging alcoholic.
Her crew includes an ex girlfriend and her soulmate bestie. This book has all the important things, true friendship, love, and complicated family relationships. It also has doorways where they should not be, monsters, and staircases in the woods.
The end hurt and I also got it.
Of course Theo would do that.

2.5* rounded up

An interesting concept and main character that starts strong but is let down by slightly muddled sci-fi elements and confusing action.

The beginning of this book had me hooked. Our MC, Theo, is a park ranger whose sister went missing in the same woods she now patrols and where weird occurrences - a child found with missing toes, a staircase out of nowhere, a toilet abandoned in a tree - are happening. Theo is - quite frankly - a mess but an entirely understandable one.

However, it lost me in the middle. I found the description / explanation of the Ouroboros confusing (like I found myself re-reading paragraphs and it still was not making sense to me) and there were various parts where I just lost the thread of what was happening (for example, there's a heist mid-book were the plan felt nonsensical).

I also never really got a good sense of any of the other characters. Perhaps the best example of this is Roman, a rogue member of the Federal Buruea of Reality, who gets a great introduction but then proceeds to just *exist*, making few contributions to the story except random mentions that were very 'oh, he's still there?'

There were a lot of moments I really liked scattered throughout out this book but everytime it engaged me it later lost me again, making for a very mixed reading experience.

Overall, I think sci-fi/ horror readers could still potentially enjoy this, but it wasn't for me.

The Ouroboros serpent is meant to be a positive symbol that represents unity and the natural eternal cycle of destruction and re-creation…..

I had no idea what the ouroboros was until
I came across this book and upon further investigation I knew I had to read this, because I mean what’s no intriguing about that!

This was a great read as a palette cleanser between genres as I don’t normally read paranormal/horror but this was just the right level of creepy for me!

I really sympathised with main character Theodora (Theo),who was basically ostracised from her family following an event that left her younger sister missing and unresolved trauma from this .

Feeling the weight and responsibility for the disappearance Theo has made it her role to continue to search for her sister, becoming a park ranger and living in the forest/woods where it all happened and throughout the years children and adults continued to disappear.

Until one day when Theo has a vision of her sister and stumbles across a number of deserted objects and strange men in the woods. Is she really seeing this or has the alcohol created the illusion before her?!?

Filled with eerie forest setting, creepy carousel music, hauntings and not of this world FBR (federal bureau of reality) brings this one is sure to have your heart pacing and brain racing.

3 stars from me as I felt character description and relationships weren’t super strong or detailed so it didn’t really elicit any strong emotion for me, but I enjoyed it all the same!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this novel!</i>

I think a major issue with this book is that it's trying to do too much. I thought this was going to be a psychological horror with a cat and mouse chase through different realities. That wasn't the case at all. The first quarter of the book almost reads like literary fiction with a touch of mystery (and I mean the smallest touch, it was basically just Theo feeling bad for herself the whole time). Then, there was a random heist that took up another large chunk of the book (I genuinely have no idea why this heist happened, I was so confused the whole time). Only for the story to kind of end with a cat and mouse chase, not a particularly engaging one, but still. I just don't really know who the audience is for this book. I feel like the people who enjoy the first half aren't going to like the second half and vice versa.
Personally, I didn't really like either half. I found it boring (I actually did kind of like Theo's ending though, that was pretty interesting). I wouldn't have even finished it if I hadn't been provided an e-arc. The description sounded so cool, but this just was not for me.

A tense, sapphic cosmic horror that takes some forays into heist and thriller territory along the way. Possibly the most horrifying part about this book is Theo's family.

Theo is a ranger looking for lost girls, but especially for her sister. The woods seems to be eating the girls.

Although this started out so so well, it fell a bit flat about halfway through, and it slowed down. The story itself was a tad convoluted and confusing, so that I always thought I missed something.

this book is basically the tv series loki but if the shows are from the "people in charge" pov this one is from the "citizen" pov but isn't done right.

the story is a mess; it has this very awkward pace between chapters that gets you confused and makes you have to return to the previous chapter to understand what's going on. the lack of depth in the world building was really underwhelming and finishing this book felt like a chore to me.

the idea of this type of story is not that original; you can find books or movies with this story line, but it doesn't have something that "original" enough to make this book its own, if that makes sense. i expected more when i first read the synopsis, but it's disappointing.

This was a super slow read for me. I kept getting distracted from the story. And this is one you need to focus on to pick up on all the sci fi/horror elements. Overall the idea is appealing, searching for her sister, found family, and queer relationship steeped in horror. I just felt lost most of the time.
Perhaps I will pick it up sometime and re read it when I have no distractions at all.
I received a ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Theo is a member of the National Park search & Rescue Team. Tirelessly, she explores the Appalachian Forest, seeking answers about her missing sister and anyone else who vanished in its depths. With no results for years, her life spirals downward until she unexpectedly becomes entangled in an incredible true conspiracy.

The way the world-building unfolded, revealing more about the Ouroboros and the characters’ relationships, was something I found particularly enjoyable. I found the story line to be both engaging and easy to follow and there wasn’t a dull moment. With that said, I found the pacing to be slightly off in the middle. There was a moment when I wanted the story to move at a slower pace, allowing for more elaborate scenes and character interactions. Apart from that, I found this reading experience to be highly enjoyable!

Delilah and Quinn have intriguing relationships with Theo, the main character. More scenes between Theo and Delilah would have been great, as their chemistry was fantastic, and the anticipation and tension built up beautifully. It was refreshing to come across a story about Quinn and Theo, who are like brother and sister despite not being related, and their platonic soulmates connection.

Megan Bontrager’s magnificent debut sets the stage for her promising publishing career.

Many thanks to @megbontra @QuillandCrow & @Netgalley for a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me an eARC of this novella.

Eye of the Ouroboros was the first cosmic horror book I have ever read. Although this story personally wasn't for me and I found myself becoming more confused as the plot thickened, there were plenty of elements to this story I absolutely loved. The exploration of the relationship between the two sisters in this book and the found family trope were some of my favourite elements in this little sci fi novella. I may consider reading more of Bontragers work in the future!

This book has a strong start, with an interesting premise anyone who has read classic creepypastas and r/nosleep posts can appreciate. It takes the idea of park rangers finding creepy, mysterious objects and beings in the woods and expands on it, leaning into the cosmic horror angle. Our main character, Theo, has made it her life's mission to find her sister, who was lost in the woods years ago. She is soon launched into a world of conspiracies and shadow government agencies, infinite corridors and nightmarish creatures.

Unfortunately, the book started to lose me around the halfway mark, and never recaptured my interest. It was difficult to finish toward the end. The story is a little too big for its breeches, with a lot of concepts and plot threads introduced without ever being explained or picked back up again. I found myself making the same annotations over and over again: "How did the characters figure this out?" "How does this work?" "Why is this happening?" The majority of my questions went unanswered, and the rest got a half-baked answer at best.

The prose is decent throughout, if stylistically inconsistent. The paragraph structure and tone can use some work; there is a lot happening in this book, but it somehow feels so slow. Even the big, climactic scene where the bad guy is confronted drags its feet. That being said, I think the author has a lot of potential once she hones her voice.

Eye of the Ouroboros
Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Megan Bontrager
⭐️⭐️⭐️

• ɢᴜɪʟᴛ • ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ • ʀᴇꜱᴄᴜᴇ •

The synopsis really made me curious about this book and I was looking forward to reading it.

I found the start to be slow and the pacing stayed that way throughout the book.

There were quite a few things that were left unanswered or just not developed and explained as much as others. It made the plot feel rushed and I was never actually sure about what direction the book was going in.

I liked how creepy and eerie the woods were. The atmosphere helped to keep me curious enough to continue reading.

Theo's character was developed well and it was easy to see how devoted she was to finding her sister. She was too reckless at times, though, which was a little annoying.

While this book wasn't for me, I think it definitely has potential

*Thank you to @Netgalley, the author, and the publishers for providing this ARC. This is my own opinion and an honest review, which I am leaving voluntarily*

I wanted to like this book so badly that I read it twice. I was convinced there must be something wrong with me because all the ingredients were there - mystery, queer representation, horror, another dimension, troubled protagonists with something to prove. Hell, I have ouroboros jewellery because I love the concept so much (thanks Red Dwarf, I guess). But both times, after around chapter 10 my interest and ability to focus on the story dropped off a cliff. It started off so strong but it just lost me in the middle and the end wasn't satisfying. No matter what I tried, I just couldn't stay in the story anymore. I have to say I'm very disappointed - maybe I would've enjoyed it more in another format or something. Unfortunately this put me in a slump for a bit, and I didn't enjoy the majority of the book. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Quill and Crow Publishing House and Author Megan Bontrager for this Advanced eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager available from April 15th 2024.

This book is an epic style read.
Horror slash sci-fi slash supernatural, all my favourite things.
The first half of the book just flows effortlessly as we get introduced to the main character Theo a self loathing alcoholic, who has spiralled since her younger sister Flora went missing in the woods that Theo now works as a park ranger saving others. As the horror of the woods starts to unravel we start to get glimpses of what lurks beyond and the tension builds all the while we are getting pulled more deeply into this world of mysterious sightings and objects.

As a seasoned horror lover it takes a lot to scare me and I genuinely had some moments that I loved while I gasped, little touches like the carousel music stayed in my mind and creepy apparitions always get me! The hounds where brilliantly written and I could see and hear them perfectly.

The building of the characters really made me feel like I knew them all and I loved the human emotions that where interweaved in stories with each character and the MC which balanced all the horror /sci fi elements of the story.

I feel the second half of the book changed, whether intentional or not it became a little less horror more mystery/sci fi. I had to take a minute to get back into the story but still enjoyed it. I do feel that the second half just didn’t answer the questions I had though but I’m hoping that maybe there’s another? Would love to know more about the (redacted)
The description of the Ouroboros was exceptional, I loved the whole descriptive explanation and could really feel I was in that Infinite Corridor at times. I so want to open all those doors and have a new story behind each one!!!!

Like I said I really hope there is more of this story yet to be told and I give this a very big 5 stars just for creating this amazing world I want to jump back into!

I was really fascinated by the idea of this book, I knew it was a horror book with a sapphic main character about a woman looking for her long lost sister. When I started reading it it was so easy to get invested. Theo, our main character, is a mess. She drinks too much, is obsessed with finding her sister to the point of that obsession taking over her life and she pushes away people who care about her. She's not a likeable character but at the same time she's so easy to understand.

Unfortunately the plot of this book felt too big for what we got. Maybe if this story was split over multiple books it would work better. So many threads of this story felt like they should lead to some further exploration and they never do. A child is found in a forest possibly attacked by someone and there doesn't seem to be any police involvement. There's a random toilet cubicle in a place it shouldn't be and no one seems to be informed to get it removed when it was a possible danger to the public. It very much felt like the author had an idea of where the story should go but not exactly how we will get there so some vital developments of the story seem completely skipped or we switch how we get there as if the author forgot another path was already being established.

This book was at its best when we were still in the confusion and creepiness of the beginning and the more answers we were getting the less invested I became.

Also I personally think it's heartbreaking we never find out what breed Bear is.

A solid 4 stars.

Overall I really enjoyed the story. A lot of really interesting things happened between the pages and I’ll definitely read more from Megan Bontrager. The first 40% was a full five stars.

What I loved:
~The whole concept is exceptional. I love the premise.
~Megan’s writing is gorgeous, heartfelt, and evocative. Her descriptions are vivid and I love her dry wit.
~I adored the main character because of her duality. She’s strong-willed, dedicated, tenacious, and a force to be reckoned with. She’s also a hot mess—a raging alcoholic and abrasive. Her mouth knows no filter. I love her flaws and quirks as much as her positive attributes (makes her gritty and real).
~Loved the found family of misfits. Wesley, Delilah, and Quinn. Wesley was a great source for comedic relief, but at the same time oddly competent. Loved Delilah’s take-charge attitude and Quinn’s devotion to Theo.
~Loved the romantic subplot (but further notes in the spoilers section)
~I adored the whole horror vibe that spanned the first 40% of the book.
~I loved how well-written Theo’s mother is. She’s such a despicable character and I loved to hate her.
~Enjoyed the naming easter eggs (Delilah Duchovny as a nod to David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder (X-Files) and I wondered if Theodora was named for Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House character (the final line of this book confirms that theory).
~I was pleased with the ending.

What didn’t work for me: <contains spoilers>
~The shift from horror to heist/sci-fi thriller threw me. The second half of the book has a much different vibe from the first half. I was in the mood for horror and there was much less horror in the second half (although I loved the body horror parts).
~Theo’s alcoholism wasn’t consistent in the second half. I get that booze wasn’t exactly free-flowing in the Ouroboros, but after years of alcohol dependence I would have expected more in the way of withdrawal symptoms.
~I wanted more from the romantic subplot (I felt like it fizzled/was anticlimactic). I get that this is not a romance and there will be no HEA, but I would have loved for Delilah and Theo to have had a make-up moment before Theo went ahead and did what she was going to do anyway (which would have made the ending more poignant and bittersweet).
~I’m disappointed we never found out why Flora went out into the woods in the first place.
~I loved the detail of the carnival music and the carousel horse in the beginning (it was such a cool and creepy detail that stuck with me) but then it’s never brought up again when Theo is in the Ouroboros (except for one small comment in chapter twenty-seven). It felt like a missed opportunity.
~I still don’t understand how two Theos can make a world collapse and yet there can be five Sators in one place without the world collapsing.

But, like I said, overall I really enjoyed this story. I would recommend it and can’t wait to see what Megan comes up with next.

Ultimately, it wasn't for me.

The book wasn't bad, but through the very beginning, we can see some traits of the main character that tend to put me of (alcohol abuse is one of them, so beware of that if that's an issue for you, too).

It's a well written story, with interesting characters and a good plot, but I believe I am not the main target audience and did not enjoy it as much as I hoped to.

"She was on the good side of this forest’s history. I was not."

EYE OF THE OUROBOROS brought me back to my love for stories with all-consuming forests and those fighting against—and from within—them. Bontrager voice is visceral, and the way she brings characters and settings to life meant that the worlds of both Mill Creek and Infinite Corridor alike had very quickly nestled under my skin from the first few chapters, refusing to let me go.

"I had burned for her and been burned as a result. My heartbreak ran in shades of violent crimson, and I drowned in it willingly. It was safer than the lonely blue underneath."

The cast of characters are both loveable and absolutely infuriating in the same breath; and being a part of their journey—delving with them into the darkest corners of their worlds in search of answers, and light—was one that I truly enjoyed every heart-breaking, ghastly and vivid moment of. Without spoiling the progression of the plot, I don't usually find myself drawn to books like EOTO, and yet, I didn't stagger in my understanding of the storyline and themes. Bontrager does an incredible job at marrying complex plot points and a pace that doesn't take away from any of that.

"She decided to rot here all on her own."

Please do grab yourself a copy of this book, or pre-order it, for its April release this year. It was an absolute delightful (and heart-wrenching) read. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!