Member Reviews

I felt the first part of this book in my soul. It just took me a while to read this one because I have had too many children and I do too many chores. Finally sitting down with this book was a balm to my soul. Also terrifying.
I liked Avery because I like grumpy angsty teens. I also related to her mom because if half my stories are true (they are) then I am indeed one of the only survivors in my graduating class. Teens have got to learn to listen to their moms.
I love the little creepy details. They were truly scary.

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3.5/5 Stars

When out on a run in the woods, an indigenous teen named Avery discovers a pool of black water and unknowingly awakens something sinister.

I think Avery is a very relatable character, especially when it comes to her anxiety about change. I did find her a bit annoying at times, especially when she would continuously mention Key in every other sentence. I get that she was in love with him, but it got very repetitive very quickly. I think the pacing was a bit off, which made it hard to become fully immersed in the story. A lot of the time something suspenseful would happen, and then Avery would have a long monologue that didn't necessarily make sense in that section of the story. I did really enjoy the parts where Avery was seeing things that weren't there, I thought the visuals and descriptions of those moments were really well done.

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This was a spooky season read for me that I'd been looking forward to for a bit. The combination of "spooky woods" and "ancient, unknowable horror" is like straight dopamine for me, and I was ready to love it from the jump. Unfortunately, the actual book felt unfinished (ha) and confusing in a way that left me disappointed and, quite honestly, a little bummed out.

Avery has never connected to her Mohawk heritage, but she gives some credence to their legends and knows to stay safe when running in the woods. So, when she discovers a hidden meadow with a deep, black pond inside, she knows to run, not talk, in the other direction. When people start disappearing in town shortly after, Avery knows the force that is to blame and must work together with her friends and local elders to stop the Blackwater before it drowns the whole town.

I'm going to get the big thing out of the way at the beginning here - Avery sucks. She is grumpy and inconsiderate and, honestly, a bit of a dick. She covers this all up by making excuses every time she says or does something hurtful, and her saintly friends forgive her. But walking around next to one of the most angsty teens I've ever encountered was no picnic. There was also a lot of stupid dialogue that grated on my nerves, but I can chalk that one up to teens being teens. (I really did almost put my book down on the "third sandwich" scene though.)

The horror elements of this were done pretty well. I liked the creeping horror of the Blackwater, even if I could have really used a better explanation past "Yeah, it's a lake that's really pissed." The Unfinished themselves were super unsettling. I don't like stuff without faces, and I could see these things. The nightmare sequences were also pretty cool and reminded me of Stephen King's It - Pennywise and the Blackwater can alter your reality, and there's nothing you can do about it.

Overall, this really just felt like it needed to be fleshed out more. I liked the creatures and lore that was there, but this was a really big concept that leans into the Lovecraft/folklore space, and those genres tend to need a good amount of exposition to make them effective. Again, Avery was a huge dick and that hurt the narrative for me probably more than anything else. I didn't really want to root for her. But even when she went to fight the Big Bad at the end of the story and I was on her side, I felt like the motivations of the Blackwater were so flimsy that I didn't have too much of a choice.

Cool concept, ok execution. I would be interested in reading more from this author when they come out with their next story.

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The Unfinished is a book with a great premise, where the MC, Avery, finds herself unknowingly awakening an evil that only her people really know about. The concept was an interesting one, however, the execution was not it for me. It felt underdeveloped. I appreciate the author's note at the end because it really helped give an explanation of what she hoped to achieve with this one. Had it not been for that, I think I would have left feeling confused.
The story felt a little flat, but also as if it dragged on and, unfortunately, was anticlimactic. The characters, however, were not a hit for me. I absolutely despised Avery. She was entitled, irritable, instantly annoyed by anyone who wasn't Key, jealous, and obsessed with Key. She had no clue what was going on with her "friends", no clue of her friend's fears, all she cared about was Key. This character really acted as if the world revolved around her and was shocked when she realized it didn't. The mention of Key in every other sentence made the book more and more difficult to get through. It occurred at the most unnecessary times as well. "Oh, there's sand at the beach. Well Key likes rice with egg." I did not enjoy the constant mentions of Key at all. The other characters were alright but very one-dimensional. I wish this book gave a little more.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Cheryl Isaacs for this ARC.

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Dark secrets, sinister legends, and the call of Indigenous cultures gives depth and lays a wonderful foundation for evil to haunt before unleashing its deadly intentions.

Avery loves to run, and as most serious athletes, takes her training seriously. During one morning run down one of her more favorite paths through nature, she follows the voice in her head to take a slightly different path. And this is a mistake. She discovers a dark pond and unwillingly releases an ancient evil onto the town. When the boy she's always adored disappears along with others in the town, she knows it's time to step up and embrace her indigenous culture, despite her desire to ignore it before. The stories of her relatives hold the key to saving the town, and she's determined to stop the monster no matter what the cost.

Starting on the very first page, this tale dives head-first into tension. The dark forest fits Avery's own emotions and mood, and sets the perfect scene to set off the story. It was a bit confusing, at first, with the thoughts playing around in her head, but the entire uncertainty in that beginning scene matches with Avery's own life as the secrets begin to come to light. These continue to unfold bit by bit, as the tension and danger mount. All along we learn more about Avery's own struggles and life. This creates an enticing weave, which lures in and allows the eeriness to sink in its claws. The legends add depth and richness, while never threatening to overshadow the chills and thrills. Even the monsterly evil is more of a lurking danger, which doesn't poke out its head unless necessary. The constant unease raises tension and adds a dangerous whisper in the shadows to let unrest grow.

This isn't a fast-paced read from beginning to end but takes time to ease down as necessary to allow Avery, those around her, and the surroundings to gain more depth. It's also not a slam-it-in-your-face horror, but rather, gives secrets room to work their magic and the horror the lovely space to taunt with deadly promise.

In other words, it's worth a peek for paranormal horror fans and works especially well for the upcoming, spooky season.

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The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs is a beautifully woven tale that captures the intricacies of love and the impact of unresolved dreams. Isaacs' evocative prose brings the characters to life, inviting readers to reflect on their own journeys. This heartfelt novel will stay with you, reminding you of the beauty in both beginnings and endings.

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I heard about this book and it immediately became one of my most anticipated books. I think I bought this in two different formats because I was so excited. And even though I didn’t give it what I thought I would, it still didn’t disappoint.

Hands down the best part of this book was the spooky bits. I’m usually not a huge fan of horror books with water because there’s just too much unknown in those areas. Like the deep,deep water where no one can go? Yeah that scares me. But this one isn’t exactly about that, so it wasn’t all bad. In this one the main character finds a pond of Black water on her run. This water just so happens to be a thing that’s being talked about in her hometown and there’s so many different rumors surrounding it. Including the fact that there are people going missing because of this pond. Now this water ends up showing up at the weirdest places and it’s always only visible only to her, which makes this all the more creepy. I thought the creepy was done really well, but I DO wish the creepy had something to do with the Indigenous/Mohawk culture. But alas, that wasn’t the part of the book that the culture influenced. (According to her author’s note at the end.)

The other part of the spooky was the shadow people thingies. They were weird af! I’m not going to lie I wish we had more descriptors about them because just thinking that they looked like the people they kidnapped was creeping me out.

The main character was the goat tho. The things she did was crazy! I think I would have left them there a couple of times lol But she was a bad ass and took care of things each and every time. Idk if that means bad ass or just crazy, but yeah, here we are. I did feel bad for her never feeling comfortable in her skin with her heritage tho. No one should ever feel like they don’t belong or they don’t deserve to know something about their heritage. It wasn’t ok. Especially as a teen, she was still learning about herself. She deserved to know about that part of her too.

I don’t want to talk about the romance because I think it might include spoilers, but you’ll understand as soon as you read it. It’s actually really sweet. Idk how she was able to keep it all together. But I mean I get it. If this was my husband, I would also be doing the things she did when trying to keep him safe.

There were some things I was disappointed by in this one, but for the most part I really enjoyed it. Enough to put it on the list for my Tournament of Books 2025 picks. Definitely enough to be creepy, something to teach them about a culture other than their own, and a really good story to boot!

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Cheryl Isaac’s Unfinished is an eerie and unsettling horror debut, that will leave you with goosebumps. It moves forward at a breakneck pace, throwing you immediately into a creepy horror story set in a small town, with a dark and mysterious legend around it. It’s a pretty fast read, and quite an immersive one - just creepy enough that I did not like to read it before bed lol. Our protagonist Avery is headstrong and uncertain - and in a teenager, that is quite a combination. This is partially a coming-of-age story, with the regular growing pains of teenage hood, and crushes, and challenging family dynamics, but woven in is a mysterious legend, and an evil presence, that’s hungry, and won’t stop until it’s eaten it’s fill. This book read a LOT like a horror movie - in that it was quite evocative and atmospheric (I could picture so many of the scenes so well), but also in the way that we didn’t get a lot of time to develop relationships, and just had to rely on limited interactions and Avery’s narrations to paint our picture for us. I enjoyed the weaving together of Indigenous cultures and storytelling, into a fresh and creepy horror story. This was a really promising debut, and a genuinely scary story, and I’m so excited for more from Isaacs.

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I was super excited to read The Unfinished since Indigenous characters and culture is something practically nonexistent in young adult literature. The beginning of the story captured my attention as Avery ran off trail in the woods and came upon a mysterious, dark pond that housed something sinister in the water. This sinister being ends up haunting her where Avery feels like she is being followed and experiences nightmares while sleeping and hallucinations while awake. I decided to stop reading at the 35% mark because the feeling of being followed and nightmares/hallucinations were all that had happened. There didn't seem to be a plot unless it picks up later in the book. I am willing to give The Unfinished another try in the future, though. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this.

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This book completely blew me away as a debut novel, especially for a YA folk horror tale. The story follows Avery, a Mohawk high school runner with dreams of a scholarship, but her quest for a challenge leads her off the beaten path—and into a chilling town secret. From the moment she steps off the trail, the story becomes unsettling, creeping under your skin until it grabs hold and doesn't let go.

Isaacs brilliantly intertwines Mohawk folklore with Avery’s journey, in a way that felt authentic and not forced. The imagery was haunting, and what’s even scarier is the underlying truth within the story—the harrowing reality of missing First Nations women and children. That comparison gave the book an even deeper meaning, making it feel like more than just a horror story.

For a YA novel, it starts off at a steady pace, but once the halfway point hits, it's a relentless horror ride of tension and high stakes. I couldn’t put it down. This was really easy to read, and I sped read right through this. A reader that stops and savors every word might feel the pacing slow down, though.

The terror felt real, with each scene unfolding like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. And the characters? I found myself really rooting for them. At times, I even felt like they were my own friends, which just made the stakes feel higher.

One thing that really resonated with me was the depiction of Avery’s anxiety. As someone who also struggles with anxiety, I found Isaacs nailed it—the overwhelming feelings, the constant second-guessing, and the paralysis it can cause. Yet, this wasn’t just a story about fear, but about overcoming it. Avery’s battle with her inner demons is just as important as the external threat she faces. All in all, The Unfinished is a powerful, creepy tale that blends folklore and real-world issues in a way that lingers long after the last page.

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Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

It was just alright. The book unfortunately dragged quite a bit for a long time so my reading experience wasn't the best. That being said, the story and plot weren't bad at all. If the pacing was a little faster, I think I would have had a great time because the story would have just been fun and exciting instead of dragging.

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Filled with dark and beautiful imagery, Isaacs tells this fabulous ya horror tale of an evil pouring in and one girl’s tether to her forgotten culture.

Avery discovers a pond in the woods on a practice run. The pull to it was involuntary. She had ventured off the paths even though the lesson had been instilled in her by her mother for as long as she can remember: Stay on the trails! Now, the black water is following her everywhere and the ways in which the author describes this, you really feel the utter terror Avery feels.

Her trip to the water has brought something back… something that nobody in town seems to remember, but warns against all the same. Whatever she woke up has been here before and she turns to the indigenous culture she has never participated in to learn how to stop it. She has no choice when her best friend is one of the people that start going missing in town.

I liked the ways Avery connected to her Mohawk culture. She discovers a lot about herself, like the power she holds.

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This stressed me out but not really in a good way. I feel that this suffered from the same thing that Riley Sager's most recent novel suffered from--incredibly repetitiveness in thought and action. The super repetitive thinking in this book was just a slog to get through. I also felt like nothing happened, except the cyclical thinking, for way too long in the book. And by the time it picked up a bit, I just really didn't care. Which sucks because the ending actually ended up being okay, but the rest of it was not for me.

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Ooooof. The repetitive, cyclical thinking took me outttt on this one. Nothing really happens for most of the book. It ended up being okay at the end, but just wasn't my favorite overall.

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This one sounded really good when the publisher reached out to me about reviewing it. I always like to read about different cultures, so this had that going for it as well. There was a lot of creepiness to it, between the ghosts or raggedy man, black water, whatever it was called throughout the book. The characters were great as well. I even liked the bits that were related to the Mohawk legends/customs.

However it wasn't perfect for me, as you can see by my lower rating. The book dragged all the way through for me. Even with the creepy bits throughout, at times it just felt slow and didn't keep my attention. It's possible that was done on purpose, to show hos the black water was dragging out slowly the things that were happening. It just wasn't enough to keep my attention. I almost put it down a few times, but did finally get through it, and I was definitely satisfied for the most part with how things were wrapped up. I don't feel all questions were answered, or maybe I was just glad to be finished and didn't read the ending as closely as maybe I should have.

The publisher was nice enough to send me a finished copy of the book as well as the e-galley I read, so I will still be adding it to my school library collection, and maybe one of my students will not have the same issues I had with it.

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A debut horror by a Mohawk author - count me in! This was a twisting tale about a small town with a big secret. Avery goes for a run and awakens a horror in a small pond that few in town remember or can speak of for some reason. She has to reconnect with her culture’s stories to get a better understanding of what’s going on and how to defeat it. As the black water starts to immerse itself in her daily life, more and more people from town go missing. She’s running out of time and losing friends trying to get to the secret beneath. I devoured this book. It has me guessing and engaged throughout the book. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for something a little creepy. Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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A young adult horror story that mixes in Indigenous folklore and psychological terror! Avery is a small-town athlete who's morning run takes a sinister turn when she discovers a pond deep within the forest.... her discovery triggers a series of very strange events that seem to awaken an evil ancient force buried deep inside the pond. Avery soon finds herself at the center of this horror and must find a way to save her best friend/long time crush Key, who as suddenly disappeared. This was definitely a unique horror story and I liked the small town atmosphere and the mixture of Indigenous folklore into the story, however I just felt that the actual plot felt really stagnant and slow paced for me. It's not a bad read at all and I do think that young readers will have fun with this during spooky season, and the rep in this was super cool. Definitely add it to your tbr this halloween season.

Release Date: September 3,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | Heartdrum for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

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Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
I can say I fell in love with this book and author. For a debut YA horror novel, she did a phenomenal job.
It was so captivating, dark and intriguing that I just could not put it down, I had to finish it!!
Well the the horror aspect of the book was subtle, it was done very well. I will recommend this book to others when it comes out!

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**"The Black Water"** by Cheryl Isaacs is a mesmerizing debut that weaves together Indigenous folklore, psychological terror, and a gripping mystery. Isaacs, a Mohawk author, presents a chilling narrative that explores the intersection of personal identity and ancient horror with a fresh and evocative voice.

The novel centers on Avery, a small-town athlete whose routine morning run takes a harrowing turn when she discovers a strange pond deep in the forest. This seemingly innocuous discovery triggers a series of unsettling events that awaken an ancient and malevolent force long buried beneath the surface of Crook’s Falls. The black water, a monstrous entity hungry for souls, begins to encroach upon the town, and Avery finds herself at the center of the unfolding terror.

Isaacs crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread as the black water becomes a relentless presence in Avery’s life. The water’s shifting forms and its encroachment on Avery’s sanity create a tension that grips the reader from the first page. Avery’s descent into fear and confusion is both visceral and relatable, making her struggle against this supernatural force all the more compelling.

The story’s depth is enriched by Avery’s complex relationship with her Kanien’kéha:ka (Mohawk) heritage. Her detachment from her Indigenous culture and the traditional stories she had once heard contrasts sharply with the urgent need for her to reconnect with these roots in order to confront the evil threatening her town. This cultural conflict adds a profound layer to the narrative, as Avery must reconcile her personal doubts with the wisdom of her ancestors to save her community.

The stakes are heightened when Avery’s best friend and secret crush, Key, becomes one of the black water’s victims. Avery faces a heart-wrenching choice: adhere to the guidance of the Elders and sacrifice her own desires, or risk everything to rescue Key, potentially dooming the town in the process. This dilemma not only drives the plot forward but also deeply engages the reader with Avery’s emotional journey.

*The Black Water* stands out as a must-read for fans of atmospheric horror and psychological suspense. Isaacs’s ability to merge Indigenous lore with contemporary fears creates a unique and captivating narrative. The novel's haunting imagery, emotional depth, and intricate plot ensure it will leave a lasting impression on readers who appreciate horror that is both chilling and meaningful.

With its compelling protagonist, eerie setting, and rich cultural backdrop, *The Black Water* is a striking debut that establishes Cheryl Isaacs as a powerful new voice in the genre. For those who enjoyed the eerie atmospheres of Trang Thanh Tran’s *She Is a Haunting* or Claire Legrand’s *Sawkill Girls*, this book offers a similarly immersive and unforgettable experience.

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Thank you netgalley for the book to review I loved it. This book was fabulous, female heroes and monsters and the whole will she sacrifice the world for the one she loves its just amazing. The indigenous folklore really captured me and tbh I want to do more research because it was just so interesting to read about and see what happens. Avery really captured my attention and I wanted her to get to her goals by the end of the book. Her finding this mysterious lake and then finding out stuff is going wrong and why, it was a wild ride. Also I have to talk about the cover its gorgeous I cant wait to have a copy of this book on my bookshelf.

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