DNF this one - the writing and plot didn't work for me. Plus, the blurb felt misleading with what's in page and not.

I had a good time reading this. Honestly not the best book I've read, but I enjoyed it.

It follows Wendell, a young man whose fate is to become the vessel of the village curse. Every new moon, he turned into a deer-like monster and demanded a sacrifice from the villagers. Because of that, he was treated like an outcast, even by his own parents. The only person who cared for him was only his grandfather, until a lone traveller, Jaques, crashed at his place and their fate started to intertwine.

The prose is quite simple and straightforward, easy to read. The dynamic between Wendell and Jaques warmed my heart🥹

But there are some issues I had;
- it didn't feel like medieval Germany, even though the setting was in 1600s, it's more like something happened in the 80s-90s
- the arrival of the "inquisitors" didn't really help to solve the mystery behind the village curse, I mean, come on I need answer to what actually happened to Wendell
- there was a little to nothing about the curse; the Nightmare's backstory, what they actually were, were they summoned by the witch? Could they be separated from the vessel?

But with all those questions, are we expecting a second book? If this is a standalone, it somehow feels incomplete? Too abrupt?

Nevertheless, it's a fun YA read for me, I gave it 3.75⭐ rounded up.

I was so excited for this one and unfortunately it didn’t quite meet my very high expectations. The writing is a little choppy at times, but the overall story is still enjoyable. I enjoyed and it’s definitely got a good horror story at its heart.

Could Recommend - For those who’re in it more for the journey than answers, necessarily.

Blurb is at the end of the review, for those who aren’t into that sort of thing.

Historical fantasyish. MM romantic sub-plot.

This was a strange read, and trying to find a genre it technically qualified as was complicated. It also makes talking about it more difficult.

It’s set in what seems to the 1600s, in a remote village in Germany. It begins with Wendell, who seems to be the carrier for a mysterious curse that has plagued the village for generations.

Although the path for the story seems clear, we end up meandering down other paths at every turn. What started as the foundations for a mystery, or adventure, instead becomes more of a meditation on humanity and how they respond to perceived monsters. We encounter, and learn about, quite a few people and the villagers’ mindset and approach to the monster in their midst in glancing ways.

At its core, though, is a gently hinted at romance between Wendell and Jacques, and Wendell’s relationship with his grandfather who loves him.

There are many many unanswered questions by the end, but you get the impression that wasn’t ever the point of the story to begin with.

The story was fine for what it was, but the way it was setup did put me in a position where I wanted answers, not just to appreciate a story of growth and change. As a result, I was ultimately slightly disappointed by the way it finished.


Synopsis:
A small remote village in Germany carries a curse that is passed on generation to generation. Wendell, the current carrier of this curse, becomes a deadly and dangerous beast on the night of the full moon and must take a sacrifice, lest the village encounter worse fortune instead. Nevertheless, he is shunned by the villagers and has few kind or loving relationships in his life.

Jacques, a traveller, stumbles upon this village and its secret. But rather than just seeing a monster after being attacked, Jacques sees something worth caring for.

Thanks to NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing for the ARC copy of Deerstalker. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

Set in the seventeenth-century Germany,and with an ugly war raging the countryside, a village has been stalked and terrified by an otherworldly nightmare for years. The villagers have built their entire lives and personalities around their curse and the heavy monthly price it demands from them, pushing away new comers who could be affected by it.
Now, as winter settles in, the first snow coming in, a young traveler, Jacques, wanders into the unwelcoming village by luck (or misfortune). He comes face to face with the very thing that haunts it, and the boy most affected by this curse, young Wendell, setting in motion a series of events that threaten to pull it all apart, revealing how deep the hatred of the village reaches and how easy it can be to destabilized their world and view of it.

So, we start in hot, with Jacques already wandering through the forest until he stumbles upon the hidden cursed village, where he asks for food and nightly shelter so he can rest a bit in a bed for once, instead of the floor. But people there are reticent, looking at him like he spat at their faces and usher him to abandon the place at one. On the other hand, we have Wendell, who suffers under the curse of the village, having to transform in a wrong-formed deer once a month, which makes him an outcast, with only his grandfather on his side. And so these two come together when Wendell's grandfather accepts Jacques at their house for family dinner.

A strong point of Deerstalker is that the novel is dual POV, so we get to meet both characters right from the start, being able to know what they think and feel first hand, their side of the story and two extremely different perspectives on the curse: the bearer and the outsider. So, when Jacques gets attacked at night by Nightmare, the deer manifestation through Wendell of the curse, and ends on the apothecary's table, hanging on to life by a thread, Wendell and Jacques' lives get tangle together.

So, I enjoyed Deerstalker so much that I was conflicted about finishing it and was dreading the moment because I wanted to stay more with the characters and the world they inhabit, but I also needed to know how it would end, what would happen to our main characters and their friends and families, to see how things would resolve. And, for that, I needed to reach the last page. When I did, I felt relieved at how events had played out for Jacques and Wendell.
Honestly, I liked this book far more than I expected. The curse aspect is what mostly called to me along that stunning cover, but I wasn't convinced just yet after a few chapters, but I kept reading and eventually attached myself to the characters and their issues to the point of flying through the pages and using every little free moment I had to get down a few pages.

As I said, it starts slow, making sure to introduce the characters, their goals, fears, motives, possible secrets and the context they live within, mainly, the village that wants neither of them there and that ostracize the men to the point of isolating them at a place where they are not even welcome, because Wendell's parents, apparently, doesn't want him near either, and, by extension, Jacques. But they are resilient, hopeful, they get closer to each other and make friends with Wendell's grandfather, who is helping in any way possible as Jacques lays in bed as his wounds heal and Wendell treats these as penance.

Since I'm already talking about Wendell and Jacques' relationship, I want to say that this is what clearly carried the story for me, filling all the spaces and being the central element of the book. They were contrasting, with Wendell being more shy, kind and, overall, an open book with his emotions, while Jacques was more reserved about his life and more stoic, but they both were kindred souls and ended up sharing much more than just a dinner or a few days of recovery. I loved their relationship, so cute and pure, built on trust and a promise of mutual care. I don't like to choose favorites, but it'd be Wendell without a doubt; I want to do just as Jacques would: wrap him in a blanket and show him that there's far more good people out there than bad, ans thus protect him form the villagers' hate.

Also, I think that the secondary characters were well constructed, both the villagers and outsiders that come and go throughout the novel. I don't want to say much to avoid spoilers, but, eventually, some people come to offer their help with the curse and they are such an amazing group of characters. So different and so well-defined with ambitions and needs of their own; though there to give lessons and aid growth on other characters, they felt like their own. I found them entertaining and interesting. I'd definitely read a book about this helping group and get to know them better.

Finally, I do have some complains, but these are more hand in hand with my personal taste on books that an objectively bad aspect of the novel, per se. Meaning, that because I wanted more from this element, what is in the novel is enough for the story being told an paints a vivid and believable image. So, as you can guest, I'm talking about the world building. The village and the world it inhabits, which we get to know trough Jacques and outsiders that come through (mainly, that helping group I mentioned), while we get to know about the curse and such through Wendell, both with his thoughts and what he explains to Jacques, who has no idea, just like us.
So, the way these facts were delivered was good, without overwhelming the reader and in an slow but consistent stream/pace. It was interested, an original curse still base on other more usual ways of fantasy/historical fantasy novels. It also show how hate can take root by something that the outcasted people can not control and yet, no matter how others show the villagers that Wendell is no threat they do not learn, because they refuse to accept the truth no matter how much they see it.
So, my complain is that I would have like the book (and hence the author) to go deeper in it, in the details given to us, explore through the pages. I wanted more of the outside world, more of the supernatural aspect. The village could have been more developed, because at times it felt like a context for the characters, while other moments it came alive like nothing, looking like a place that could actually exist. Therefore, I think I could have liked this book a bit more if it would have been like the latter all the time. But, as I said, this is base on my taste for books, because this is never done in detriment of the story.

Overall, an enjoyable novel, a historical fantasy story touching on various themes like otherness due to uncontrollable aspects, which is the reality of a lot of people that will see their story in these pages, so totally recommending Deerstalker not only to these readers but to everybody

'Deerstalker' is fine. Just fine. I didn't think it was anything particularly good or bad and I didn't have a good or bad time reading it. It felt incredibly young for some reason?

Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

TLDR- It is a good book for those who like books that are not deep into horror but more on the fringes of the genre.

Deerstalker mainly follows two boys, Wendell and Jacques. Wendell suffers from a curse that has afflicted the village he was born in for centuries. Meanwhile, Jacques is a traveler on the run from his past. The two are brought together when Jacques wanders into Wendell's village right before the curse activates.

I found the story's plot to be a little basic. At no point was I taken aback or surprised during this book. I also found it to be light on the queer romance. So I think this book is better decsribed as lightly queer and midly horror. I am not a horror connoisseur, so if I thought it was light, that is saying something. It did feel like more of a horror story in the beginning versus the end. But I probably enjoyed it more with it being light on the horror since it meant there was a "happier" turnout.

As for the good- the writing was engaging. The characters were well developed. And the setting felt authentic. Being set in a historical time helped round out the story and not detract from it. It was also a pretty quick read.

Overall, I thought it was good for me and my lighter taste in horror, but I still wish there was more to the overall plot.

This one really just wasn’t working for me in any way. The writing in particular was clunky and overly written. The dialogue especially felt stilted and it didn’t have a historical feel to it at all.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free arc copy.
I was super excited to get this one. I love historical fiction, and blending it with a sort of grimms fairy tales setting was tempting. The cover is also beautiful. Unfortunately, I think this book lacked developmental edits that would have taken it to the next level. A few problems I had were the constant pov changes mid chapter, the lack of immersion (this didn’t feel like 1660s Germany. Literally could have been whenever), and weak prose. The romance also wasn’t compelling. Why did Wendell and Jacques like each other? Because the book says they did with no evidence. I don’t know. I really wanted to like this one but it just fell flat for me. I’m sure it will find its readers but unfortunately I am not one of them.
2 stars

ARC REVIEW, thank you so much to Nicole M. Zaunbrecher, Indigo River Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC. My review is not influenced by receiving an ARC. This is an honest review!

3.5 stars

Deerstalker tells the story of a cursed 1600s German village. The town itself feels claustrophobic. We follow Wendell and his grandfather, who allow an unwelcome young traveler to stay with them for his brief stay in the village.

This book has fairy tale/folk lore vibes, found family, LGBTQIA+ characters, curses, and sacrifices. I loved the body horror and gore that this had.

I enjoyed this book, but there is still criticism to be had. I don’t know if this can truly be considered a historical because it didn’t feel like it. The conversations didn’t read like a historical usually does. The romance is pretty minor in the story. I feel this book is being pitched the wrong way and will alienate some people who would have otherwise picked it up. It reads more like a cozy horror.

I wish we got to know things more about the world, the characters, and how everything worked. I’ll probably pick up other books the author makes because the story and concept were good. The execution wasn’t the best, which will improve with each book release.

Deerstalker tells the story of a traveler who wanders into a cursed village and the village outcast turned monster who haunts it.

Unfortunately, this book doesn’t know what it is. Is it a romantasy? In a way, but the love story is severely under-developed. It’s not insta love but it basically starts because Jacques is the first person to ever treat the victimized MMC with any bit of kindness. There is no passion, no banter, no deep vulnerable conversations. Is it a fairy tale retelling? Not any fairy tale I’ve ever heard of. Is it a mystery? I hope not because there is not a single satisfying reveal to be found.

What saves this from a 1-star rating is the setting- the Black Forest is fairly unique and nicely described, and good readability- it was easy to read in just a couple days.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

In seventeenth-century Germany, as an ugly war rages through the countryside, an otherworldly nightmare spends years stalking a small Bavarian village. The villagers have built their entire lives around their curse and the hefty toll it demands
A very sweet story hidden in a horror novel. I really enjoyed it.

Deerstalker is a dark, fairytale-esque fantasy that delivers an intriguing premise with a unique monster and an engaging setting. While I enjoyed the eerie, folklore-inspired atmosphere and the direction the story took with the Inquisitors, the book ultimately fell short in its execution.

One of the highlights for me was the cast of characters—particularly Wendell, Jacques, and, of course, Jacques’s grandfather. They brought some much-needed depth and charm to the story. The monster itself was also a strong point; it was original and eerie enough to keep me invested in how the conflict would unfold. The world Zaunbrecher created had a lot of potential, and I appreciated the way she wove elements of mystery and horror into the narrative.

However, the storytelling itself felt lacking. The writing style came across as clunky, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the world. The pacing was inconsistent—at times too slow, at others too rushed—which made it hard to get into a steady rhythm while reading. Most of the characters, aside from a select few, felt shallow and one-dimensional, which made it difficult to care about their fates or motivations. While the story had a solid foundation, it could have benefited from more refined prose and deeper character development.

Overall, Deerstalker had an interesting premise and some compelling elements, but its execution left a lot to be desired. Fans of dark fairytales and atmospheric horror may still find aspects to enjoy, but the writing and pacing issues make it a less satisfying read than it could have been.

Thanks to NetGalley and Indigo River Publishing for a chance to review this eARC.

A 17th century town is plagued by a curse. This curse is bestowed upon a child born under a new moon. They are doomed to change once a month starting around age ten and a sacrifice must be made or crops will fail, sickness will spread, drought will come etc. Everyone of course is terrible to the person that is stuck with the curse, this time a young man named Wendell, with the exception of his grandfather and the town's doctor. He spends most of his days and nights alone reading in the library just existing best he can. Then a mysterious traveler shows up and comes face to face with the creature and sets off a chain of events that threaten the little village in a new way.

Pros: The cover is beautiful, it's what made me look into what it was about. The premise contains so many of my favorite things. Creepy monsters, mysterious curses, secluded towns, queer characters and religious themes mixed with horror. The two main characters were distinct from each other, both flawed but likable. It was atmospheric and the woods and village felt like their own characters. The romance comes secondary which is what I prefer in a horror novel.

Cons: I believe this will be a favorite for someone, but sadly, not for me. The writing became repetitive and the halfway point is when the book lost steam. I picked up on repeated words and phrases. Folk horror rarely has many concrete answers but I did find myself wishing we got a 'why' or a reference to real folklore of that area. The random dancing bit towards the end was an odd addition. I think we were supposed to imagine what the dance was, but it wasn't very clear. Also this is one of areas where characters became very wishy washy. Towns people when from vehemently saying Wendall needed to stay away to a reaction of "oh I guess he's ok now" and this was after one afternoon. The ending in general was abrupt but not left in a way where a sequel would make sense. The inquisitor characters were a nice addition to give variety and have people on Wendall and Jacques side but when they showed up is when the time period seemed to fade away. The dialog was already clunky with a limited cast of characters but adding more just made me notice more issues with dialog and character discrepancies.

I am giving it a generous 3 and I'd pick up anything else published by this author in the future!

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately I just could not get into it. As other reviewers have mentioned, the dialogue is very clunky and basic and quite exasperating at times. The blurb is misleading - this didn’t feel very historical at all, and the romance was very teen. This was billed as a supernatural horror, which I think is to the book’s detriment - it’s really more of a YA or teen fantasy which I think affected my expectations. The story has definite potential but ultimately I struggled.

Thank you to Indigo River Publishing and NetGalley for an e-Arc in exchange for a review!

I really find the blurb of the book to be very misleading. It is not very historical, and I did not find that it was really a "tantalizing" romance either. If I didn't read the dates at the chapter titles, I wouldn't have recognized this to be taking place in the 1600s at all. The relationship between the two leads read sweet at times, but nothing really happened between them. It felt incomplete by the end of the book.

Overall, nothing really happened within the story. The writing and dialogue was very choppy, and with the abrupt changing of POVs during the first half of the book, it made the reading experience disjointed with no flow. The characters, who were supposed to be adults, did not feel like they were adults at all. This book read more like a Young Adult book or younger if anything.

I am actually quite sad I didn't enjoy this very much! The story is very interesting and I can feel the author's passion, which is part of what kept me going. It's clear what their favorite parts to write were (the monster scenes), as they are the best written. I overall enjoyed the story, but sadly, the prose was quite simply underbaked. It reads like a first or second draft. This feels very strongly like a book I would really enjoy after a couple more drafts, after a little longer in the oven.

The pros: The story itself is interesting. I like it conceptually, and I like it as it develops. The characters feel distinct and are fun to read and be with. The queer aspect was much more minor than expected/it's marketed as, but I like it. I very much loved the monster/horror scenes, they were the standout part of the book. It's easy to read.

The cons: It's... *too* easy to read. The prose was very lacking, even in the monster scenes where it is notably better. I can't quite call the characters "strong," because they overall feel very one-dimensional. I kept imagining Wendell as much younger than he actually is, which could be a me thing, but it certainly took me out of the romance at times. Speaking of, the romance feels underdeveloped, leading to a confession that feels pretty out of nowhere. The ending was abrupt and didn't feel like it was being built up too much at all. I think it *could've* worked, but in its current iteration, I felt kind of let down.

I really can summarize this as a victim of being undercooked. This has the passion of a novice writer, but also the prose of a novice writer. I would be interested in reading more from this author in maybe a couple years.

It was a nice story about a cursed boy finding a family among people new to town and gaining strength in them through their love and support.

The first half of the book is mostly told through snippets, with constant changes in pov and time, but the later half has fewer changes and longer scenes, which gives it a sense of stability and makes it feel more alive. This goes well with Wendell’s journey of starting to live as a person and becoming more than a cursed boy who must hide to survive. Still, throughout most of the book, the scenes are short and to the point, which can feel a little dry and doesn’t exactly allow for bigger emotional moments.

Being horror, I thought it would be scary, but aside from some slight body horror, the scariest thing was the actions of the villagers, who were just as monstrous as the monster they condemned.

I really liked the description of the cursed animals.

I wouldn’t classify the romance as tantalizing. It is a little understated. It's very sweet, the signs are there, and the characters are very supportive and protective of each other. It’s nice for when you need a break from over-the-top emotions, but not if you like going deep into the emotional state of the characters or a story that focuses on romance. Or if you are looking for spice, they don’t even kiss.

The story left me with a lot of questions. I wish they had been answered since I was most interested in the curse and how the couple was connected through it.

Thank you to Indigo River Publishing and NetGalley for providing an e-arc of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I'm afraid that this book isn't me, and I have had to DNF. The premise and jacket drew me in, but at a sentence level, the writing and characterisation just weren't complex enough for what I look for in a novel.

received the arc from netgalley, i would say thanks but i really don't want to.

i tried so hard but this is unreadable. this is the least historically grounded historical i have ever encountered. it reads fully contemporary, and like the author only did the most surface level, skimmed a wikipedia page research. the characters are flat, the dialogue is so clunky it reads like it is talking to a five year old, and nobody is going around casually asking others "are you religious" at the dinner table in germany in 1629. one of the more severe cases of people-don't-talk-like-that i have ever had the misfortune of reading.

i only made it 19% of the way in, but still. i encountered nothing that made me feel at all tense, or spooked. so much for horror?

anyways, really unfortunate that this didn't go well, the cover is really cool and the description was interesting but alas, we can't all be winners.