3 stars

An atmospheric and gripping story.

It wasn’t 100% for me because I found the FMC a bit annoying or maybe I just couldn’t fully see her POV the way we are expected to. But I do think it is a book many will enjoy. The author’s writing tho… love it, that’s what mainly sold me.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this ahead of time.

This is the 2nd book that I’ve read by this author. While
I liked her other book more (Our Wicked Histories), I still thought this was an entertaining read.

The setting is mostly on a train. The confined setting definitely created a suspenseful and tense atmosphere. There were a few creepy moments that I enjoyed.

The story is told in the past and present timelines. I thought the present timeline was more interesting than the past. I think I would’ve liked the story more if it was all told in the present time. The story did start off a little slow and it did take some time for things to get interesting.

The teen main characters got on my nerves a little. There was some drama that became annoying. I wanted more of the horror elements and less of the teen drama.

I loved how the author included Welsh folklore in the story. It made me want to look up more about the creatures in Welsh mythology.

Overall, this was a pretty good read that I think fans of YA supernatural horror and eco horror will enjoy. I look forward to this author’s next book.

3.5⭐️

Predatory Natures by Amy Goldsmith is a chilling and atmospheric literary horror that pulls readers in.
I’m a big fan of Amy Goldsmith’s previous titles.
And her newest title was no different.
Wickedly suspenseful and atmospheric, this is a story for the lover of gothic settings and dark twisty plots.
Goldsmith’s vivid storytelling and detailed research make the events both gripping and intriguing.

You may need to let yourself be hit by this book if you like YA Horror, Luxury train setting, forced proximity, eerie plants, botanical horror, welsh mythology.

I saw the details of this book and I knew. I knew I would need it. I had it preordered before I could even second guess myself, and when I had the opportunity to read it, there was no stopping me. Forced proximity with eerie plants and botanical horror? SAY LESS. And let me tell you, Predatory Natures did not disappoint. I was fully caught within the pages of this one the moment I cracked open the cover.

Predatory Natures lured me in with elegant writing, characters that were as alluring as they were mysterious and a setting that was unique and beautifully crafted. I was aching to find out more every time I had to step away from the book, and while I’ve now finished and stepped away from the story, I can already hear it whispering to me, begging me to return and start the journey in the pages once more.

Loved this book, was able to go between physical copy and ebook which meant I never had to stop reading besides when sleeping and running errands. This book was so unique and not one I personally have read before. The cover just screams summer to me and if you are looking for the pretty eerie summer read than grab a copy of and carve out some time to read!

Here is my review of predatory Natures thank you for allowing me to read this book early in advance in exchange for an honest review

Lara is running from an awful relationship with a man named Beckett someone she thought saw something in her she didn't see. After all he's handsome. has already graduated and lets not forget that he is wealthy. Sometimes though things just aren't as good as they seem and she starts withdrawing from all of her friends including Rhys the guy that she has had feeling for for a long time.

Fast Forward several months and she finds herself running from her past and from the memory of Beckett. She sees the chance to try and reinvent herself by taking a job on The Banebury a fancy train taking a off season trip with only a few passengers. Of course though Rhys is there as well unraveling all of her plans.

Then the twins show up, Gwen and Gwydion who are supposedly transporting plant matter for research purposes. They are very secretive about it and something doesn't seem right. It isn't the right season for these plants to be growing and why are they so determined to keep everyone out. What is it that they are hiding and why does it seem like whatever it is happens to be very dangerous especially when people start dying.

I Loved #PredatoryNatures by #AmyGoldsmith it is a great book!

Thank you to #Netgalley for the chance to read this in return for a fair and honest review

THOUGHTS

Who needs snakes on a plane when you can have plants on a train? I'm always in the mood for some botanical horror. And this book... has a moment or two. But a lot of the potential here gets lost in the execution.


PROS
Botanical Body Horror: Though this book falls short in a lot of ways, it does have some nice bits of body horror. I don't want to spoil too much, for anyone interested in reading the book itself. But seeds and spores sure can plant themselves in... unfortunate places. Some of these botanical abstractions are gross, in just the right way.

Train Travel: Look, I like the train. I love the train. I love being on the train. I love watching the world go by while seated on the train. I love not having to drive myself, because the train can take me where I need to go. I love not having to waste hours in the liminal space of an airport because the train's already waiting at the station. Boo to you if you don't like trains. And this book, well, this book is very much about trains. There's just something so enchanting, even in horror like this, about barreling through the Bavarian wilderness as creeping plants weave their way through the historic panels of a luxury train.

Locked Room Mystery: This is an off-peak luxury train taking disused routes across the continent. There's no help to be found, not even when the train crew decides to stop the train. Even stopped, there's no way out but onward... There's no way off. There's no way out. There's nobody to call for help, because there's no signal. And in the wilderness, plants reign supreme. When train-mates start dropping, when they disappear, well, there's just the sense that absolutely nothing good is coming out of any of this. And I loved that.


CONS
Plotting Problems: The biggest problem is the way this book prioritizes backstory. I like a good backstory as much as the next reader (though whether this backstory counts as "good" is quite debatable), but this book jumps back into time so frequently to a backstory that is, quite frankly, less-than-interesting that the tension of the current-day botanical horror slowly withers away. It's unfortunate. Maybe if I had liked the backstory more it would have worked, but even then, I think that there's just too much time spent looking backward that any tension just goes to the wayside.

One Dimension: Content Warning with this one, I suppose, but this book does touch on the subject of partner abuse. And the way it does so... is very on-dimensional. I don't know. I just never believed she liked the guy in question enough to get tangled up in him at all, let alone to an emotionally vulnerable state. Everything about him, about their relationship, is so black-and-white that it's not a useful depiction at all because it isn't, well, a real one.

Lackluster: As much as I liked the atmosphere of the train (and the general idea behind the plot here), there really isn't a lot of tension happening on the train. Part of that is the timeline jumps that I mentioned above. Another part is that everything just sort of drags. Which is incredible, given how condensed the actual timeline is here. Everything just keeps chugging along, and that... doesn't make for a great plot.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5/10

Fans of Rin Chupeco's The Sacrifice will like the creeping vines of this new botanical horror. Those who loved Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne will like the eldritch entities being summoned forth from this wilderness.

This eerie YA read had me hooked from the moment strange plant-filled train cars were added in the dead of night. Predatory Natures follows Lara, a teen trying to outrun her past (and her ex-best friend Rhys) by working on a luxury train. But secrets bloom, literally, when a pair of mysterious twins and their creepy botanical experiments come aboard.

The train setting is claustrophobic in the best way, and the horror is more unsettling than scary. Perfect for students new to the genre. I loved the atmosphere and the mystery, but the flashbacks slowed the pacing a bit for me.

A great pick for grades 9+ who like dark vibes, secret science, and a sprinkle of second-chance romance.

The plot, setting, and characters are intriguing, but please note that this is an extremely slow burn. The constant flipping back and forth between timelines drove me a little crazy…I felt like the author held back TOO much of the backstory, and I was constantly jarred out of the much more interesting present.

The plot revolves around Welsh folklore, which is always my favorite, and throughout the book, we’re trying to figure out what a pair of Welsh twins have brought with them (in three added, locked train carriages).

Lara is fleeing from something that happened back home in Wales that made her persona non grata to her friends, so she takes a new job aboard a luxury train in the off-season. To her surprise and dismay, her friend (and unrequited crush) Rhys has also been hired, and things are really awkward at first.

Add some filthy-rich passengers, other staff members, and a LOT of mysterious organic material that keeps escaping from its designated area, and 💩 starts to get real for everyone aboard.

For me, the big reveal didn’t work or make sense. I would love other thoughts on what transpired at the end, because I’m honestly confused. I’m ultimately rating this a 3.5, rounded up, because it maintained my interest, but my progress was rather plodding. I’m currently reading another book that is fascinating and reads fast, and this one wasn’t like that for me. There’s a good story here, but I think it needs some trimming to be more cohesive. Still, the author is very talented, and I look forward to whatever she comes up with next!

Trigger warnings: extreme botanical horror, abusive relationships, gore, medical horror, violence, claustrophobic situations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an early copy! All opinions are mine alone.

The atmosphere in this one was insanely good!
Wow, wow, wow. I went in with zero expectations, intrigued by the idea of a plant-horror themed YA book set on a train and I wasn’t disappointed at all.
I was served creepiness, a heroine with a good head on her shoulder and a thick and cloying sense of foreboding, which was felt as the tension of story picked up.



Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

For Lara’s gap year, she decides to get a job aboard a luxury train, attending on the wealthy elite. The trip across Europe is supposed to give her a clean slate after a series of complications in her life. Instead, there’s a confrontation with an old friend and train cars full of mysterious plants that appear to be more than they seem.

I gotta love some plant horror! The creepy factor was really well done, the insidious creeping nature of the plants slowly growing through the train. And the characters were all interesting. Lara and Rhys’s relationship was especially fascinating as we learn what they once meant to each other. And the ending actually made me gasp out loud.

But the flashbacks really killed the momentum for me. Every time one popped up, I ended up putting the book down and not picking it up for a while. And the eventual romance felt unnecessary.

I’d highly recommend this for people who enjoyed Overgrowth by Mira Grant or the Sworn Soldier series by T Kingfisher.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the opportunity to review this arc.

Predatory Natures blooms with originality, using its lush floral imagery to mask the creeping dread at the heart of its mystery. The idea of a luxurious train carrying a deadly greenhouse is rich with metaphor, plants that beguile and consume, much like the emotional baggage Lara carries from her past. The novel excels at creating an atmospheric setting where beauty and danger are entwined like vines, and the inclusion of rare, possibly sentient plants is a refreshingly unique twist. However, while the premise is compelling and the thematic use of flora evocative, the pacing wilts in places, and some character dynamics, particularly Lara's past with Rhys, feel underdeveloped compared to the potent worldbuilding. Still, for readers drawn to eerie elegance and botanical horror, this story offers a garden worth exploring, even if some of its petals don't fully open.

Creeping horror in a locked room (train) setting. Mix of Welsh mythology and hints of Bluebeard. Love women who realize they aren't weak and are more than what others try to make them.

“I have changed… But it’s been a long time coming.”

Lara Williams boards The Banebury, a luxury train and her last chance at reinvention after a disastrous year as a stewardess. Determined to leave the past behind—even with her ex-best friend Rhys now her coworker—she’s thrown off course when two strange carriages filled with rare, mesmerizing plants are added to the train. Their mysterious caretakers, siblings Gwen and Gwydion, claim it’s for research, but Lara senses something otherworldly growing among the leaves. As the plants begin haunting her dreams, Lara realizes escape isn’t so simple. To move forward, she’ll have to face the past—and uncover the secrets threatening to swallow her whole. As the train approaches its destination Lara wonders whether the journey was worth the risk, the memories and the mystery she is being forced into.

Predatory Natures is a dark, atmospheric thriller that blends botanical horror with a locked-room mystery aboard a luxury train. While the relationship between Lara and Rhys isn’t the emotional centerpiece nor at the forefront of the story, which was pleasant to see considering the genre, their tense dynamic added an engaging layer to the story. I, as someone who loves reading romance, enjoyed that the story was more rooted in suspense than romance. Fans of eerie imagery and prose and sinister secrets will find plenty to love in the lush, creeping horror of the mysterious plant carriages and the lies shrouding them. The pacing is brisk—maybe a bit too brisk near the end as I was still left with some questions—but the chilling tone and haunting setting made it hard to put down. Though Lara can be a frustrating narrator, her emotional struggles and the past she’s trying to outrun feel real and are especially engaging with the past and present narrative. With vivid writing and a unique premise, Amy Goldsmith delivers an imaginative and creepy tale perfect for fans of thrillers, killer plants, and confined settings. A great choice for horror lovers—especially if you’re reading it on a train this summer!

A spooky, mysterious story set aboard a claustrophobic luxury train with dangerous plants? I was so excited for this book and it really lived up to my expectations. The atmosphere was immaculate, the tension ramps up night after night, and the sweetness of the second chance romance helps ground the characters and their journeys. Bonus points for the Welsh mythology, it was a really cool touch!

🚂 Predatory Natures by @amygoldsmith_writes set on a luxurious train with a skeleton crew. They pick up mysterious passengers and even more mysterious train carriages…and the farther they travel, the more otherworldly everything becomes.

🥀Lara signed up to work during a gap year & she’s desperate to leave her messy life behind…but when a former friend joins the trip, she’s confronted by things from her past…& present that scare her more than Welsh mythology coming to life before her eyes 👀

🍄‍🟫More & more mysterious things keep happening, passengers are getting sick or even disappearing. But the train isn’t on a major line, they’re in the middle of nowhere/Black Forest…where they race to find a safe place before the creepy “things” take over everything.

🪾This book explores topics relating to females & the pressure toxic relationships put on them to change, which I found so relevant. Loved it!

Rating: 5🌟

🖤Basically, this is a perfect example of a “spooky fantasy” story (which I’m always looking to read). There’s mythology inspiration with magical elements, gothic atmosphere, some true “horror” moments which are great, but not TOO fear inducing so I have nightmares (basically the perfect amount of “scary fun” for me).

4.5 Stars

This eerie story, which is a perfect mix of Murder on the Orient Express mixed with Little Shop of Horrors, was full of body horror, mystery and welsh mythology. Told with flashbacks peppered throughout, Predatory Natures has a magical realism quality that helps marry the myth of Blodeuwedd and the real issue of losing yourself to an abusive relationship. I adored the flawed main character, Laura, and the friendship/maybe more she had with Rhys was fleshed out so well. I’ve never read anything like this story and could not put it down!

I’m not too into horror, but I love a good folk horror, or any new concept I haven’t read horror book.

This book was unsettling, but not actually scary. It’s eerie and the train setting is perfect for the isolated feel.

I didn’t mind the flashbacks, even if other readers didn’t like them tbh.

Very twisty. Love the whole idea of botanical horror stories!

This author really excels at writing YA horror where the setting is so distinct that it feels like a character of its own. This luxury train was the perfect spot for this story and I loved every exuberant detail.

The ramp up is a slower one which worked for me, letting you get to know the characters and the train, and wondering about the little spooky things that are starting to happen.

And then once the botanical horror popped off things got so eerie. The descriptions of the plants were somehow so unsettling, especially when they started developing a mind of their own. I didn’t expect the introduction of Welsh folklore and really enjoyed that aspect!

This is a wonderfully atmospheric, spooky read that definitely takes you on a ride.

Thanks to the publisher for the copy.