Weaving together science fiction, mystery, body horror, and climate fiction, the concept of this book was so cool and it has such a gorgeous cover. I had no idea that mushrooms could be so unsettling! With rich descriptions of nature, particularly fungi, strange and supernatural elements, and a puzzling mysterious entity, there were so many aspects of this book that I really enjoyed!

While I appreciated Erin’s perspective, there were just so many characters to keep straight and I didn’t feel a connection with any of the side characters. They all seemed similar and it would have been helpful if they had been more fully developed to make it easier to connect with them.

If you’re looking for a fungal horror story set in a creepy little town, a mysterious forest, and a sinister presence lurking in the woods, you may enjoy this more than me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this book!

I've been excited about this book for over a year, when it was initially announced. I sadly didn't love it like I'd hoped I would: I felt like there were tonal shifts that didn't fully work for me and threw me off from chapter to chapter (sometimes things felt almost Scooby-Doo-ish, but then they'd veer splatterpunk/super gorey or meditative and quiet).

I think this is a great eco horror book. I am realizing eco horror is not my preference of horror. I was not a huge fan of the writing style, but this writing style is also something I see used in book that do incredibly well, so I think due to that, this book was executed well and is wonderful. It is not for me though, and I did not find myself interested in continuing my journey with this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this eARC for free. I am leaving this honest feedback voluntarily.

3.5 ⭐️


How do I even describe this book? It feels like that friend we all have who promises a wild night out but then spends half the evening texting someone else instead of fully committing to the party.

The story follows Erin Harper, a freelance writer on a mission to unravel the mystery of her brother’s disappearance in the shadowy Mt. Hood National Forest. Wagner sets the stage beautifully with the description’s of damp moss, glowing fungi, and a creeping sense that the trees might just swallow you whole.

Erin’s quest takes a turn when she finds a body in a creek, only for it to vanish from the morgue like a magician’s assistant, leaving behind fingerprints at a murder scene. Is it a serial killer? Alien spores? The forest itself?

And while the mystery keeps you guessing, the resolution left me scratching my head, wondering if I’d missed a trail marker. I won’t spoil, but sometimes I was like, “what?” and also “who is this again?” Because it felt like there were 20 characters that are just Count Olaf in a different costume.

The Girl in the Creek is an eco horror book about mushrooms gone bad. The first chapter really caught my attention and drew me in. The premise is interesting and feels unique even in the trend of fungal horror (ie The Last of Us). I especially liked the twist at the end. The characters did feel a bit contrived at times but overall it was an enjoyable read. As a ln Oregon native I also really enjoyed all the local references in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really wanted this novel to be eerie eco-terror driven by fully-realized characters, but the concept aside, every element of this novel fell flat for me. Despite being drawn in by the book description and the first chapter, I struggled to keep reading, even when the plot picked up about halfway through. I would have loved this novel, if not for the cardboard-thin characters, inconsistent motivations, cringey dialogue, and writing that was often so childish, I was pulled out of the story completely. (We're talking "ice-blue eyes," "she looked like a sports model and carried herself like a black belt—which she was," and so on.)

It’s a shame because when the body horror finally makes an appearance, it does pack a gleefully gruesome punch. But the horror elements — violence, death, terror — felt incongruous with the juvenile quality of the writing, making for an uneven and uninspired read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started this read, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was a little thrown off and had a hard time following the plot.. Instead of giving up, I stuck with it and fell in love with the descriptive writing throughout.

A bit slow to start but once the action started, the book pulled me right in. It introduced a body horror element to what "The Strange" was capable of and really brought the story into the horror genre. Very good descriptive writing, I could smell parts of this book.

I may be the only one who thought this but The "Strange" refers to the symbiotic fungus but it just made me think of the slang term for female anatomy..... maybe the fungus should just be called "The Strangeness" to avoid the association. I blame all the crime drama I watch.

I was pleasantly surprised with the twist at the ending. The implications are terrible. I think the young adults at the library will like this one.

A brilliantly written spore horror novel with memorable characters and a fast paced plot that is relentless and thrilling. 4.5 out of 5 stars. Full review to come soon.

Awesome book! Very Different from your usual scary spooky stories. I have always preferred those horror novels with the person being possessed by an evil spirit. This book is such a good example of what I mean. Also I love the outdoors and the woods people hike and study. This even has a tunnel and cave so serious stuff. Just go ahead and read this to get into a super story you will enjoy. Love the surprise ending too. I don't like to tell in the review what the book is about except to say I enjoyed it a lot and it's scary!

This book was a very interesting read. The suspense was top notch and I really enjoyed the pacing. The characters felt relatable either in the sense that they seemed like me or a friend. I really enjoyed reading it.

In Wagner’s upcoming horror novel, we follow Erin Harper as she arrives in Faraday, Oregon, to attempt to uncover what happened to her missing brother. While looking for her brother, she instead discovers the body of a missing girl. After the girl’s body mysteriously vanishes from the morgue and more people end up dead and/or missing, it’s clear there is something more sinister going on in the town of Faraday.

I was immediately impressed by how atmospheric this read was. It does justice to the botanical horror genre by heightening the reader’s senses with the use of super descriptive writing. The contagious strange fungi described in this book seemed to seep through the pages, and I often felt myself become itchy when our characters found themselves in super uncomfortable situations. I loved these elements!

I also must commend the author on the amount of research they must have done for this book. While we were following the POV of the ‘Strangeness’ (another fantastic element to the book), the writing seemed to shift and felt more alien and beautiful.

My struggle with the book comes from the amount of characters and the unclear relationships they all shared. I struggled to keep them straight and at one point, there was an error (I believe), where a character was called by a completely different name… at least I think it was a mistake? I know I was reading an unedited ARC, so I am sure this will be corrected before release, but it still threw me for a loop. The start of the book was rough for me due to not fully understanding how everyone knew each other. While I did enjoy the ending, I felt the climax was rushed.

Overall, this was a really fun read. I was reminded heavily of Nick Cutter’s The Troop at times, so if you are looking for a similar atmospheric botanical horror with X-file vibes, I recommend adding this one to your TBR when it’s released!

Special thanks to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!