Avery is good at one thing: running, and she is fine with only two close best friends. Her life is a mess anyway; her parents have split, she isn't sure how she can afford college, and she has a secret crush on her long-time best friend, Key. On top of all that, she has felt like she has never really fit in since she is part Mohawk. But, when she goes off trail on a run into the forest one day, she stumbles across the Black Water. A legend that her people have told for years has morphed into an urban legend that proves to be true. Avery has awoken something ancient in the Black Water, taking people from her town. When Key is taken, she gets help from some Kanien’kéha:ka elders and is willing to do what no one else in the past has ever done: end this once and for all.

While I sometimes wished the author had sped the story up a little bit, it was still a fun and exciting read. I loved learning Kanien’kéha:ka words that are spread throughout the story. The character's growth was well-rounded, and I was so proud when she decided she was ready to learn more about her Mohawk side and stories. The horror aspect of the book was subtle. It reminded me a little of IT with the idea of an ancient evil that sleeps and awakens now and then and sleeps again.

Cheryl Isaacs's debut is a masterpiece of the modern Indigenous perspective in YA fiction.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books | Heartdrum and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

"The Unfinished" is a young adult fantasy thriller novel by Cheryl Isaacs, a white and Kanien'kéha:ka (Mohawk) author. The main character of her book, Avery, is also Kanien'kéha:ka with a white father who is largely absent in this book. Avery is out running when she discovers a mysterious trail in the woods that wasn't there before. She follows it to a black lake where the water is still like a mirror. She hears voices in her head telling her to go in, but she manages to escape and get back home. After this encounter, she has nightmares and starts seeing "unfinished" people (blank faces as if they are not fully made yet) around town and the black water (though no one else can see it). Everyone in town seems to shake it off as if something is making them forget it, and those that seem to know about it aren't talking. Avery and her friends decide to take action.
A memorable and dark thriller with a likeable protagonist, readers will zip through this novel to see what happens. A must buy for YA collections where thrillers and the supernatural are popular.

This is an amazing YA horror book with deep themes about Indigenous knowledge and inheritance as well as a focus on love and community. It definitely starts fast and strong, and I loved the way the horror ramped up over the first half of the book. In some ways, it felt reminiscent of some adult Indigenous horror books of late like 'Bad Cree,' with its focus on collective attempts to repel insidious environmental evil, and it manages to focus on those heavy topics in a way that works in a YA context. The ending may wrap up a little quickly for some people's taste, but I do think it leaves things open for a sequel, which I'd be more than eager to read!!

Fairly good YA thriller, but it felt sort of repetitive. The story was great and there were great elements of inclusion. The characters background was threaded into the thrilling aspects, though it felt rushed. The characters were not very deep and the connections between characters was not easy to feel. I also felt that the main character was sort of selfish, and had little thought for other characters. Sure, she was going through a lot, but there being like a paragraph of “wow. I really dont know my best friend at all” had no development. The atmosphere was wonderful, I just wish it could have been developed on more.

While there is a lot of love about this book, I just found that it wasn't quite for me! I loved the creepiness of it, but I found that the pacing wasn't exactly for me. It definitely doesn't mean the book is bad, as I think a lot of others will enjoy it!

For a debut, the plot and characters work well. Each character pulls the reader into the story in their own way. The plot works well and unfolds properly, revealing mysteries to be solved.

My biggest issue with the story is the beginning. There needs to be more build up in the opening chapter. Avery needs to go back again and again. There isn't enough texture early in the story to believe all the events happen to Avery immediately. I wanted more of a build up and wanted something to keep pulling her back even though she knows she shouldn't. For me, there isn't enough buy-in early on to truly understand character motivations throughout the rest of the story.

I would recommend this book, though, for lovers of horror and mystery and the amazing.