Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars.

I’ll start off by saying this book was very atmospheric and the descriptions of the setting was very good. I could picture exactly what the author was talking about. It’s a great book to read in the fall. The woods were very terrifying.

I could see people really liking this, but it just was not for me.

Personally I think it spent too much time focusing on building the relationship dynamics between the characters, which is kind of crazy for me to say because usually I am character driven while reading.

Since this was a horror novel I was expecting most of the moments to be eerie and scary with Chase trying to figure out what was going on. And there were a lot of moments like that, but most of the other times it was just her hanging out with Wilder or taking a trip into town or goofing off with friends. I did not care for those moments, and that really dragged for me. I didn’t care about their relationship. I just wanted the horror aspects.

I know it was told in the summary there would be a romance, but I wasn’t a fan of it so I didn’t think it needed to be in there.

The relationship wasn’t really fleshed out either. We were told Wilder and Chase spent a lot of time together, but didn’t really see them interact a ton and suddenly they were in love. The attraction between the two of them was there, but it wasn’t built up enough for me to root for them.

I liked Willow and Sasha a lot from what we saw of them, but they were in and out of the story a lot. I think I’d much rather see them form a friend group than focus on the romance. I just didn’t find it believable.

I’m also not a huge fan of books where you don’t know if there is actual magic happening or if it’s just in the character’s imagination. That was a big problem I had with “A Lesson in Vengeance.” I spent a lot of this book being like please let this be an actual horror novel where these things are happening and it’s not just the characters imagining it. I wish it was more clear cut earlier on which it would be.

The parents pissed me off so much. I was actually getting very angry any time they were negligent. I know they are supposed to make you angry, but I couldn’t stand it. It was infuriating to read. Which I guess that is good story telling that it made me that mad, but it was more annoying than anything.

Even Wilder frustrated me at times. I understand where he was coming from with his dad, but still to keep making Chase seem like she is crazy is not the move.

So many weird and creepy things happened and everyone other than Chase was like “yeah that was weird, but I’m sure it’s nothing” and I’m like what is going on?? You see that right in front of your eyes and you just ignore it? I know that was partially the case to keep the story going, but it goes back to I think

I know that was partially the case to keep the story going, but it goes back to I think this just didn’t work for me.

There were aspects of this story I liked, but at the end of the day there was a lot I would have changed, so I had a harder time getting through it.

I will be posting this review on Goodreads on 9/21/2024 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6811683405). I can post it to Amazon on the release day!

The book follows Chase and her family who lives in a bus and travels around. Until they decide to stay at this isolated fire lookout in Pando.

The main character is Chase, but it also tells a lot about her sister, Guthrie, who hasn't spoken since she got lost in the woods a while back.

I appreciate the author's ability to create an atmospheric setting of Pando, while simultaneously weaving a captivating mystery involving a lost girl and the discovery of her bones decades later.

This is not a typical horror story filled with gore or ghosts. Instead, it is a psychological horror story with a touch of the supernatural. The story explores themes of trauma and guilt, their coping mechanisms and healing.

Chase is super mature for her age, and she really loves his sister. I think she's the most rational, even more than her parents. That's what I like about her, but it also makes me frustrated with her parents. However, all the characters appear to be authentic and believable.

Annnndd, I know the romance isn't the main thing in the story, but it kinda bugs me a bit. I don't think it's really needed for the plot. 😅

Lastly, the ending brought tears to my eyes 🥺 If you're into psychological horror, there's this book you absolutely can't miss!

When a modern nomadic family trades life on the road in their converted school bus (or "skoolie") for a bit more stability living in an old converted fire lookout tower in Pando Aspen Grove - the largest and heaviest known single organism on earth as well as the planet's largest tree, with over 40,000 trunks all interconnected by a vast communal root system - they find that their shared traumatic experiences are perhaps not as healed and resolved as they once thought. In spite of the tentative roots that college-bound older daughter Chase begins putting down as she gets to know their new home, there is something sinister at work within Pando's many knots and branches that may threaten the entire family... and it has its sights set on Chase's silent, ten-year-old sister Guthrie.

The atmosphere and imagery in this book are beautifully done. The first few opening paragraphs set an amazing tone, and it carries on throughout the novel. It's easy (for me, at least) to identify with both girls: big sister Chase, protective and a bit self-flagellating, as well as younger sister Guthrie, the strange little girlcreature who collects bones and talks to trees. I appreciated the ways that the themes of independence and community were explored as the story drew on, including the reminder that "home" is often more the people than the place.

YA horror can be a tough genre line to toe, but the slow burn and creeping, mounting strangeness of Lonely Places gets it pretty much perfect. There's mystery, there's atmosphere, there's the fear of the unknown, and it all pairs beautifully (painfully) with the effects of Guthrie's own recent traumatic experience in another wood - one that she and her family are still grappling with the effects of.

If you're looking for more creepy atmospheric and dreamlike psychological scares than blood and gore, then this is the read for you. Many thanks to Flux and NetGalley for this ARC and the chance to share my thoughts!

the horror in this book was so well done and exactly my type of horror. this was so so enjoyable to read, even though it was a bit devastating. there were bits that sped through some aspects that may have needed more time given to them, i.e. around grieving, love, etc., but it completely sucked me in. the eeriness was unmatched and so well done. i was so enticed by the mystery of it all, but the fact it was a horror-mystery was just so perfect for me. i had a blast reading this, although I fear it may have spoiled me for horror for a while. it’ll take a lot to live up to this

Thank you North Star Editions and NetGalley for the ARC of Lonely Places by Kate Anderson.

The storyline of the family trauma with the twist similar to that of “Stranger Things” and the underworld really had me intrigued.
It’s a story about a family who has undergone several traumatic events starting with the parents and how they deal with unpacking and handling the effects of it all. It opens up your eyes to trauma and how you handle it starts at the top.
This is a coming of age story where the benefits of therapy are openly discussed and the protagonist, a teenage girl, is the leader of making that happen.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a really well-written young adult novel that draws from a lot of folklore/legend in the American wilds, as well as being a heartfelt family story with some suggestions of romance (but not to an overwhelming level). It has a good creepy through-line which should make it incredibly appealing for teen readers looking for something with a little bit of spooky, but not to the point of overwhelming.

The descriptions of the environment in this book were absolutely on point, and allowed for the reader to conjure exactly the kind of woods that they were in. The setting was beautifully described, and the idea of living in a fire tower is both kind of awesome and terrifying all at once. There were some really good character moments in the novel too, and I found myself invested in Chase's story, as well as that of the side characters.

I do wish there was a little expansion of what precisely was going on with Dad, and the history of the tower, but I can also appreciate that there was meant to be that streak of mystery throughout the novel too. All in all, this was a solid read, and I hope it does as well as it deserves to (especially as it doesn't talk down to a YA audience!).

Well written, eerie, and atmospheric. Definitely an enjoyable read with a little bit of an otherworldly twist.

The majority of the characters are teenagers but I felt that their interactions and manner was more-adult like, which I appreciated. The parents on the other hand, as a mother I just wanted to grab them by the shoulders and shake them, like lets completely ignore our obviously stressed out children and just go about life as usual *eye roll*. But overall, characters were good and I loved the growth and manner of dealing with residual trauma throughout the book.

This is a slow burn and there's no shocking twists or true edge-of-your-seat moments, but still an enjoyable read.

Kept seeing this book on goodreads so I was so happy to be picked to read it. Loved this book, very interesting and keeps you hooked until the very end.

I really enjoyed this book. The beginning intrigued me and left my dying to find out what was going to happen to these sisters, especially, would Guthrie begin talking again? There were a couple chapters during the build up to the unusual behaviors being noticed that I thought were rather slow, but I realize they were probably necessary to build the characters. I was just wanting more interaction with Guthrie and her fascination with bones. I was extremely happy when it finally came up again! Once they left for the camping trip, the pace started to pick up and then I couldn’t put the book down.

I enjoyed the eerie descriptions of the woods as well as the really well thought out descriptions of the characters' faces/reactions, particularly Guthrie. It’s very hard to convey a characters’ personality when the character doesn’t speak but I think Gus was the character I understood the most because even the narrator kept her feelings tight to the chest.

This book was a fantastic creepy take on family trauma and I absolutely loved it!

We start with our girlies, Chase and her younger sister Guthrie, that have lived on the road with their parents for nearly a decade, and after an incident that left little Guthrie selectively mute their parents are ready to dig some roots and settle down their family in the beautiful yet creepy Pando, Utah where their Dad takes a job as a fire lookout and move in to the Fire Tower in the middle of the forest to overlook the sea of trees of Pando. Soon we learn these woods are more than what they seem, along with the family secrets and traumas. I honestly loved this book and wish I could re-read it again for the first time. This was a slow, eerie, atmospheric and fully immersing read,a truly amazing read! To me it felt like I was watching a a24 film and wouldn't be surprised if it became one! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading this ARC.

Lonely Places was filled with trauma and the horror we can manifest into the world. Chase and her family experience the woods in different ways, yet it is a manifestation of their own, shared trauma. I greatly enjoyed how the horror in this book was portrayed, the eerie feeling of the woods and the trees who watch us. I've felt their eyes on me before so to read how Kate Anderson describes them so vividly brings me right back to that place. This novel is filled with all the right pieces of horror and I devoured it in a single afternoon.

3.5⭐️
This story follows a really interesting story especially if you have ever read any of the testimonies of people who have gotten lost at national parks. I really liked how the author kept things simple for the explanation of this phenomenon in able to reach target audience. I was fairly engage trying to figure out what happened that led to this move. Also, the woods mix with the horror of past events was excellent. MY major complain is this could have benefited from being longer to add depth to characters and atmosphere. It would have allowed to be more creepy and really understand Chases commitment to Gus.

This undoubtedly draws some inspiration from various creepypastas and urban legends (you’ll recognise it when you get to it), and is overall an enjoyable, easy read that I believe will appeal to teens more than adults. Lonely Places sits firmly in the “creepy,” genre, without being full-blown horror. The book puts more of a focus on trauma, self-doubt and the complex web of family relationships, while using unnerving themes and elements to add to the tension and propel the story forward. I was never truly frightened, but the writing does a great job of creating an ominous atmosphere and highlighting the loneliness and grief that permeates the underlying threads of the story. Fans of slow-burn, supernatural horror and poignant prose will find a satisfying read in this book.

A pretty standard, hollywoodesque ghost story reminiscent of a certain famous reddit series in r/nosleep (if you know, you know). It benefits from the refreshing point of view of a parentified teenager suffering her well intentioned but still neglectful parents.
The best parts are the overall imaginery and the wonderful amount of bones included.

This was a beautifully written book! This story delves through an atmospheric world that feels almost folk horror like. The whole book oozes with atmosphere, so you will have no problem immersing yourself into Pando, and even less of a problem attaching yourself to these well written, likable characters. This is a moving story that deals with trauma, indecision, and has underlying lessons that you can take away when you finish the book, but also? It’s so creepy! This was the first page turner I have read in a while. I can’t wait for more from this author.

First off, let me just say that this story had a great plot and it was solid almost all the way through. I related to the main character (Chase) so much, having parents that pick and choose when they want to be parents or just blatantly shrug off important situations. It irritates me to no end. Although sometimes Chase becomes paranoid and gets a bit overbearing, she’s one of the only characters that has her head on straight.
Although the story had a great build up and had me hooked after the first chapter, the ending was a bit anticlimactic and happened too fast for my liking. All the build up was diminished in less than a page and it wasn’t that good. I felt like Tessa Shaw’s story had so many plot holes and it didn’t make that much sense when it got down to it.

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FYI: on a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars ~ Nothing at all. Chefs kiss. No notes.
*4 Stars ~ It could us some slight adjustments here and there but pretty solid overall.
*3 Stars ~ Adjustments need to be made and rewriting needs to be done. Good but could be a lot better. I read it once and don’t need to do it again.
*2 Stars ~ This book needs a lot of work. Whether it be rewriting the plot, characters, style or ending. Something or everything needs to be changed.
*1 Star ~ Dumpster fire.

"Lonely Places" dives deep into the eerie and haunting mysteries of Pando Aspen Grove, taking readers on a journey through trauma and supernatural suspense. The story follows Chase and her family, who settle in a Fire Lookout Tower after a harrowing incident involving her younger sister, Guthrie.

Chase, the older sister trying to hold her family together, is drawn into the unsettling atmosphere of Pando. Her sister, traumatized into silence since a terrifying night in the woods, starts communicating with an old tree and collecting bones—an eerie obsession that mirrors the unsettling aura of the forest.

What really hooked me about this book is how the author crafted Pando as a character itself. The grove feels alive with unease and mystery, adding a layer of suspense that kept me eagerly turning pages. Chase's character development is also beautifully handled as she navigates guilt and tries to protect her sister from the eerie forces at play.

While it's not heavy on gore, "Lonely Places" builds tension through eerie encounters and the psychological unraveling of its characters. It's more about the creeping dread and the emotional impact of past traumas than jump scares, which I found refreshing in a horror novel.

I loved how the story integrates local folklore and the setting of Boone, NC, which added depth and made the atmosphere even more immersive. However, I wished for a bit more exploration of the Lonely Places themselves and a deeper dive into Guthrie's initial encounter, which felt like it left me hanging a bit.

Overall, "Lonely Places" is a haunting summer read that blends psychological depth with supernatural suspense. It's perfect for anyone who enjoys atmospheric horror and wants a story that lingers long after you finish the last page.

Lonely Places is the perfect summer horror read! I loved the way Anderson used the heat and the isolation of summer to pull out all the dark emotions in her characters and their experiences. She perfectly described the loneliness of life on the road and made Chase relatable and interesting. I enjoyed the sweet teen romance, and the tentative friendships felt real. Chase's relationships with her sister and her parents pulled at my heart without feeling sappy. I appreciate the way several recent flux books dig into dark and twisty stories without holding back, unafraid to explore complicated relationships and unusual magical/horror/sci-fi constructs, and Lonely Places is no exception. Lonely Places is a compelling, exciting read full of creative twists and unexpected feelings, and teens won't be able to put it down!

It’ll be difficult for me to describe just how much I loved this book. The elements of horror and suspense wrapped into a heartwarming story about family and facing trauma was so incredibly seamless and effective. I’ll definitely be buying a few books as gifts when it finally comes out. I miss the characters already.

Lonely Places is about a teenage girl, Chase, who moves with her family to a fire lookout, after a traumatic incident involving her younger sister, Guthrie. Her family has been on the move constantly for years, but all Chase wants is to go back to the town where she grew up. Chase gets a job at the nearby summer camp, where she starts hearing unsettling things about the lookout. At the camp she meets Wilder, who works as a lifeguard, and they quickly become close. But as Chase starts to spend more and more time with Wilder, she spends less and less with her younger sister, who has been acting strangely ever since they arrived. Chase has to try and protect her sister against all the strange occurrences that have been happening, until she suddenly disappears.

The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the setting, I really felt as if I were there myself, I had no trouble conjuring a picture in my minds eye and it made reading this book much more enjoyable for me. I haven't read this genre before, and although I enjoyed this book and I can definitely see how this could be an amazing read for others, it just didn't quite draw me in the way I had hoped it would. That being said I would say it's a good recommendation for horror fans!

Many thanks to Net Galley and North Star Editions for this opportunity to read and review this ARC!