I am a huge fan of Erin Craig's writing style and her books and was so excited to see her coming out with an adult novel! A Land So Wide was a grim and adventurous read filled with mystery and horrors. It follows Greer Mackenzie and her town of Mistaken. Mistaken was founded by a Scottish lumberman who started the town but soon realizes the horrors of the new land. Mysterious bright-eyed creatures that wreak havoc and violence upon the people. The difference is that Mistaken is protected by warding stones to keep these bright-eyed creatures from entering the town. Greer dreams of a world beyond Mistaken and her wish comes true when her beloved Ellis wanders past the warding stones just before sunset. Greer follows Ellis into the wilderness determined to find him. Along the way she meets a mysterious Noah Finn who helps her on her perilous and unknown journey. She also comes face to face with the bright eyes and they are even more horrific than she could have imagined. She starts to uncover not only the truth about Mistakens past and history but also her parents' connection to it as well as the mystery surrounding the bright-eyed creatures. This story is perfectly paced and definitely reads like a horror adventure. It was a very unique read, and I think readers will love this one.

3.5 Stars! I love Erin A Craig so much so when I heard she was returning to a creepy forest setting like in Small Favors, I was so excited. The first 50% of the book was impeccable. I was in the woods with Greer, I could hear and feel everything that she heard and felt. Where the story fell apart for me was unfortunately when it was supposed to get exciting. Greer leaves the safety of her town to save the love of her life and the pacing of this last half of the book felt so bizarre. The introduction of Finn and his constant fading in and out of the story made it so that I never felt connected to him, never felt the chemistry we were meant to feel. Then there were deaths and huge pieces of action that felt like they were brushed over. I had to read one section twice to make sure I understood who died. This especially applies to the climax - it was…anti climactic. I hope that will another round of edits before publishing these things can be fixed because I loved the lore and atmosphere, but as it stands now, we didnt get enough time with the Bright Eyed, with Finn, or even with Elowen. I would have happily read 100 more pages if it meant I felt any emotional attachment because the bones of this story are great! Thanks for the ARC and I look forward to Craig’s next work.

A very original and captivating standalone! The description of this book is so spot on - it’s incredibly atmospheric and feels like a grim fairytale in its eeriness and sense of adventure into the unknown. This has a really unique spin on a classic story of a girl being isolated in her world and understanding, but then finding the bravery to break away and find her identity. I was incredibly hooked in by the lore of this settlement and the dark nature of magic and beasts that haunt the town. The pacing was mostly consistent throughout and I loved that the romance was more subplot but still had a lot of great depth and yearning. My only complaints would be the abruptness of the ending and the plot twists felt a bit predictable in parts. Would definitely recommend as a solid switch up from classic romantasy!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Amazing high-fantasy dark fairytale featuring love, loss, and plenty of adventure!

A little more than 100 years ago, Resolution Beaufort cast his sights on wealth and power - a feat he hoped to accomplish by milling special trees in a remote destination. Stars in their eyes, workers and their families joined him in the voyage to claim their new lives. Now, the ancestors of those families find themselves the victims of a curse - unable to leave the confines of their settlement, Mistaken, but protected from the dangerous (and magical) creatures that lurk just beyond its borders.

One of its residents, however, has dreams of exploring beyond the limits afforded to her. Greer Mackenzie, dreaming of a life with the man she loves, and of adventure, is crushed when her father promises her hand in marriage to another man. She watches as the man she loves escapes Mistaken, a task thought impossible. The impending results of that escape will forever change her life and the lives of everyone inside (and outside) of Mistaken.

This story is perfect for those who love dark fairytales, high fantasy, monsters, magic, folklore, fantastical creatures, 'The Chosen One', reluctant heroes, supervillains, magical quests, forbidden love, and clean romantic fantasy.

I have loved every moment of my time spent with the characters in this story.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

The premise of this one was so intriguing, but ultimately, I found myself not loving it... Just felt a little slow at points, I didn't really love any of the characters, and ultimately, I think this just wasn't for me.

I loved this book. Erin does such a fantastic job writing in a way you feel immersed within the book. It’s spooky but also fun. Greer is a great main character to follow. I’d recommend reading this book to everyone.

*3.5
Oh my goodness this setting was so eerie and atmospheric, it was lovely. I do think that some things could’ve been fleshed out more and the pacing was a little off — it dragged at some points, but then the ending wrapped up really quickly and kind of abruptly — but the mystery of it all was soooo gripping. Definitely a good pick overall for some creepy vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage for the arc!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was just alright for me, I think the beginning was really interesting, but the love triangle didn't really do it for me, and after reading this authors other work, the more raunchy scenes felt out of place. I'm not sure what was off about the tone for me but it just didn't really hit the same as her other books.

A Land So Wide opens with the tale of how Mistaken was formed, and quickly dives into the life of Mistaken’s inhabitants and the harsh, secluded lives they lead within their borders. It draws you in as surely as the Warding Stones and keeps you caught up tightly until the last page… and even then you’re left hoping for more. The story of Greer and her family, her friends, who she is, and who she becomes was fantastic, creepy, wonderful, and engrossing. I can’t wait to see if we return to Mistaken in the future!

I'm so glad I was picked for an ARC for A Land So Wide! It held my attention and took me to a land that was so perfectly described. Erin A. Craig has a talent for creating not just good imagery but also a vibe with her stories and this book is no different. We are given a forest with danger, a town with lore, an eccentric FMC. This is a romantasy. Without the romance, the story isn't there, but it isn't a spicy one.

The book description is a solid one and is a true representation of the story. Without giving anything away, it is a story of love and self discovery. I would give it 4.5 stars but we can't use half stars on here. If you pick up on foreshadowing cues, there will be predictable moments but not enough to spoil the story halfway through. If you're a reader who is along for the ride, there will be some surprises.

If you liked One Dark Window, you will probably like A Land So Wide.

As a big fan of Erin Craig’s other books I was so excited to receive this book as an arc. I was expecting the disturbing and eerie but pretty vibe that her other stories have and I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The imagery was beautifully described and it felt reminiscent of the town in Small Favors, which I loved. I loved Greer’s devotion to her faith and keeping her people safe. The older main character fit really well and I appreciated the way her naive, sheltered mind worked even in her late 20s. I also loved the idea of the Reaping and the Hunt, it all felt so authentic.
However, after the first half the story took a turn that I personally wasn’t a fan of. I don’t like creature features and that’s what this felt like to me.
I still love Erin’s writing and will be waiting for Lenore’s story, which I expect to have a good amount about her grief, (HOSAS spoiler) as a lone triplet. I believe this book in particular was just not for me.

3.5 stars!✨

I need to start off this review by stating that I am Erin A. Craig’s biggest fan. She is absolutely an 100% auto buy author for me, and I find myself resonating with her stories very deeply. I love how she always creates a dark and mysterious atmosphere with strong characters. However, I need to be authentic with my reviews and personal opinions. Let’s get into it ✨

“I’d know if one half of my heart had stopped beating. I would.”

Thank you to Pantheon and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In “A Land So Wide” we are introduced to the town of Mistaken. A small settlement created by a Scottish lumber merchant. Being surrounded by lush trees and forests, the townsfolk are extremely aware of the dangers that lurk outside of their borders leading them to come to a truce with a group called the benevolence. They have crafted stones to keep the creatures away, including the horrifying “bright-eyes.” The one setback? They are unable to leave home. After spending one night in Mistaken after sunset, anyone’s soul is bound to be trapped within their home forever.

Greer Mackenzie is the daughter of a powerful man within Mistaken. She is a map maker and has dreams of one day travelling wherever her heart may lead her, whilst knowing that is truly impossible. She is undeniably in love with a boy named Ellis and has a plan to be wed within her home’s traditions, despite her father’s adverse opinions about him. Her world comes crumbling down when she witnesses the love of her life slip past the border after sunset, being chased by a bright eyed monster into the unknown. Courageously, she discovers a way to break through the stones and save Ellis’s life. Thus begins the biggest adventure Greer has ever been on, with creatures haunting her every move.

I adored the beginning of this story. The characters, scenery, and plot had the recipe for a wonderful journey. I really sympathized with Greer being so spiritually devoted while also craving more for her life. Her love for Ellis was sweet and sincere. I felt that after the 50% mark the story slowed down a bit and we spent a lot of time in Greer’s thoughts. The plot twists were slightly predictable and a bit too convenient for the storyline.
Craig ALWAYS delivers when it comes to a dark fantasy, but personally I felt this one too be tamer in terms of horror imagery than her YA releases. This is her first adult novel, but I found stories such as “House of Salt and Sorrow” and “The Thirteenth Child” to explore much more complex themes more suited for mature audiences. I feel as though her usual antics were more held back in a sense, which was a slight let-down.

The ending was beautiful, exciting, and magnificent. I almost feel as if we could get a sequel to this book, diving further into Greer’s future and what certain revelations mean for her future.

All this being said, I did enjoy the story and loved Mistaken.❤️

Erin Craig is an automatic yes author for me. Her writing is so compelling and I am forever amazed at her ability to write something so vivid and beautiful while eerily unsettling at the same time. She’s the spooky season book queen. As she always does, in A Land So Wide, Erin completely transports us to Greer MacKenzie’s home in Mistaken and leaves us absolutely consumed by the imposing wilderness, terrifying creatures, dark secrets and suffocating boundaries of her life. No matter how many of her books I have read, I am always completely blindsided by the dark twists that are revealed later in the story and I LIVE for those moments.

A Land So Wide kept me in its grips throughout the entire book and my only wish is that it hadn’t ended as abruptly. I felt as though the final confrontation and ending was a bit rushed and I would have liked a little more of the final pieces of the story before having to say goodbye to it. But overall, I loved every second of spooky anxiety this book gave me!

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage for the ARC! This was my first chance to read and review an ARC and I am thrilled it was this one! Cannot wait for everyone to get a chance to read this when it comes out in September!

4.75🌟🌟🌟🌟💫✨

It is safe to say that I was over the moon when i got approved to read this arc (and that’s an understatement). Erin Craig is one of my favorite authors and I am always captivated by her ability to completely transport you into a story. Throughout this entire book, I felt like I was right alongside Greer as she goes on this harrowing journey. The world and writing is spellbinding in the creepiest yet best way, and so many times I had full body chills. The atmosphere of Mistaken and the world beyond kept me turning page after page, craving every little detail I could gather.

In addition to this being my favorite Erin Craig book, Greer Mackenzie is my favorite fmc she’s ever written! Her wanderlust, her loving heart, and her compassionate spirit made me want to give her the biggest hug and I love her so much! She is a character driven by love, and even when she struggles with her identity, that love remains and guides her, a compass in what feels like a never ending storm. Greer is a beautifully crafter character and I would follow her adventures anywhere!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PICK THIS BOOK UP IN SEPTEMBER!!

HUGE thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the e-arc!!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the ARC of A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig.

This is my first Erin A. Craig novel, and the description reminded me a bit of A.G. Slatter's books. When I started reading, I immediately had M. Night Shyamalan's The Village vibes for the first 47% of the novel. From here, my reactions to the book are complicated. Honestly, I felt like I was reading two entirely separate books. In the first 47% we are in the village of Mistaken where Greer and her fellow townspeople swear fealty to an entity known as the Benevolence who keep them safe from the monstrous Bright-Eyed who would attack them outright if the Benevolence had not established protective stone wards that keep the evil out. Greer's life is simple - she wants to create maps and explore the narrow confines of her island home, marry Ellis, her childhood sweetheart, and stay safe from the evil outside the town boundaries. Greer's uncanny hearing makes some of the townspeople wary, but as the daughter of the richest man in the town she is given a wide berth for her oddities. When Ellis wanders outside the ward stones safety on the same day he is supposed to be marrying her, Greer heads off into the woods to save him. After this point the book shifts wildly. It's not a bad change, and it's full of interesting developments, but it doesn't feel like the same setting, the same story or the same character motivations. Everything feels flipped on its head. For me, parts of the second half linked well with the first, but others.... others I wish I had another 200 pages of writing to dive into for all those ideas to be fully fleshed out. As it stands, so much of it seemed like only the smallest thread of a story was given that it didn't feel solid to me at the end. The novel finishes without needing a sequel, but I would have liked SO many more details to feel like I really understood everything that happened.

I also kept highlighting passages thinking "Is this a plot hole? That doesn't line up with what was said a chapter back" and found that a lot of those instances were intentional for "gotcha' moments later in the novel. This made for a bit of a frustrating reading experience, because I would get caught up in the falsehood and then felt like it was a cheap reveal saved for later that kept happening again and again and again.

I also was frustrated with Ellis's characterization - his letter to Greer apologizing for leaving completely solidified for me that they should not be together - and the mentions Ellis makes in his letter of what the Council told him, etc. is never explored in-depth, he just claims to be protecting Greer, even though he must know by leaving that he's dooming her to a wildly unhappy marriage to someone else. I would have preferred he be selfish and say he was doing it for his family, not for her, because it was a shit move if it's how he was considering her. Granted, Greer's behavior in return in the second half also makes me think she shouldn't be with him, so I'm a bit frosty at any characterization that this is a love story - though, again, similar to A.G. Slatter's horror/gothic vibes.

Greer also confused me a bit any time she reflected on her mother. Her mother died when she was 20, 7 years earlier than the story takes place, but the way Greer seems to remember her is all wrapped up in when she was a child. It made it feel like there was a very odd time distortion. I also struggled with placing the timeline of Greer's mother's history into the context of the story, and will write those notes specifically for the publisher due to potential spoilers/plot holes.

It's a bit hard to write this further, especially to dive into some of my confusion with the second half, because I don't want to give away any spoilers on how the story shifts. I will say there is all of a sudden a magic system and other creature-based developments at play that were very interesting, but were minimally detailed. I had trouble understanding the magical system/the relevant history/how Greer played into all of this/what abilities Greer actually possesses or does not possess - it all felt really fast-paced and really rushed. Again, I would have taken another 200 pages if it meant I could understand all the elements of the story more.

Oh my, Erin A. Craig has done it again.

Erin A. Craig is my auto-buy author, and she did not let me down this time around. I was fully immersed by the time the second chapter rolled around - I am a sucker for small town horror. Craig does extremely well with descriptive scenery and historical horror.

Rounded down to 4 stars as I felt that at the 50% mark, the plot dragged a bit, and I struggled with not feeling connected to any secondary characters - I would have felt more engaged if Louise had a larger part to play (she was there for a minute, and then just never really brought up again? I think for a best friend, she should have more depth, and the lack of thought from Greer towards her supposed best friend was confusing).

The ending did in fact feel rushed and I felt like there was something missing - perhaps more passion between characters.

I did enjoy reading A Land So Wide and ate it up in about two days. I am so grateful to have been able to read an early copy.

If you enjoyed the film Red Riding Hood (2011), I’m almost certain you will love this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pantheon, Knopf, and Erin A. Craig for providing me with the digital ARC in exchange for my review. Many gratitudes.

Greer Mackenzie lives in a tiny town with a protective border bestowed by the Benevolence, protecting them from the monstrous Bright-Eyeds. When her fiance Ellis goes missing, Greer ventures into the forest after him.

This book was so fun to read, instantly pulling you in with Craig's immensely immersive writing. The first half seemed a little disconnected from the rest, but only because Greer changes as a character throughout, and the story has no issues connecting both aspects with both suspected and jaw-dropping revelations. Each page will have you anxious and wanting for more. This book does not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The story is told from the perspective of the FMC, Greer MacKenzie, who lives in a small village called Mistaken, protected by the warding stones. The villagers offer their blessings in return, believing that kindness keeps them safe from the bright-eyeds — malevolent monsters that have already taken lives. Fortunately, the stones mark the boundaries of the village, keeping the wild forest and its lurking dangers — the bright-eyeds, beasts, and other horrors — at bay. Crossing this boundary is forbidden; but some girls who dared in the past never returned.

An interesting aspect is the hunt, a ritual where girls hide in the forest, waiting to be found by their future husbands.

I didn't read the synopsis; it seems I've automatically started picking up everything the author writes. I've read three of her books, and I really love her style!

"A Land So Wide" caught my interest from the very first chapters, featuring a little town with its secrets and monsters. There's a bit of a love triangle, which I don't particularly enjoy, but I liked both love interests here. However, I wouldn't say the fmc was deeply in love with the second one, so I didn't really mind the triangle (in a good way). It's really more about inner strength and the fight for freedom.

The plot kept me on edge, with the atmosphere of the cold forest, the sounds of animals... I recommend reading it in the dark! A dark fairy tale with elements of folklore, a journey into the unknown for the sake of love.

The book is not difficult to read; I just wished for a bit more description of certain details.

When I finished, I felt stunned and a bit shivery. Thats all, finished?...

The main character didn’t annoy me, but I often forgot how old she was; I felt like she was no more than 20 (but that’s just my take).

It also reminded me of the series "From"

I’m so glad I read this book! Woman, please keep writing because I need more!

Sometimes you have to step beyond the limits to discover more.

Plot Twists:
🪨 Forbidden Love
🪨 Mysterious Forest
🪨 Small Town
🪨 Love Triangle
🪨 Childhood Friends to Lovers
🪨 Magic
🪨 Monsters

It has been a WHILE since a book captivated me so much, I didn’t pick up my phone. This book was INCREDIBLE. It was eerie, heartbreaking, suspenseful and everything a book should be.

It’s no secret that @penchant4words is one of my favorite authors, the way she writes is so beautiful and dark and will leave you thinking about her books long after they are over. This is her adult debut, and it was an amazing read! Greer, Finn and Ellis will be living rent free in my mind.

If you love vampires, romance, exploring the unknown and books that pull you in make sure you add this to your tbr immediately! Thank you to @pantheonbooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review. PUB DATE: 9/9