A solid 4.25 stars. A really intriguing YA horror with a mystery I desperately wanted to see solved.

Mercy Farr has resigned herself to her fate: her family (along with two other families) have been cursed for decades by the Sorrowing as a result of covering up the murders of the Gracey family. The Sorrowing is an entity all on its own: slowly rotting and decaying the town of Arbor Falls, but especially preying on the families involved in the cover up. Make plans to leave? You'll find your travel plans cancelled for some unbeknownst reason. Want to open a new business? Prepare for a storm to come through town and completely destroy the building. Mercy knows this, she's lived it all her life. It's what took her mother from her. All that changes when the Bowens move in and don't know they're one of the cursed families. When Mercy finally tells the Bowen's son, Matteo, he refuses to take it lying down. Along with their friends, they begin a journey to find out what really happened the night of the Gracey murders - and if there's a way to finally break the curse.

This was a beautifully written story. I could picture the town, the rot, everything so clearly and I think that added to the horror in a great way. I couldn't put the book down, waiting for the next thing to go wrong or for the Bowens to finally get what was happening to them. You could really feel how resigned everyone was to having to live with the Sorrowing; they knew the rules and how to live without aggravating it. Matteo coming in and refusing to settle for this life was the jumpstart Mercy needed, and I'm so glad she had it. The mystery of this had me hooked and each unveiling of a new clue had me eager to turn the next page.

I would have liked to see the Sorrowing interact more with the families - is that awful to say?? I know the families have essentially learned their lessons over the past 70 years with the exception of the Bowens, but there were definitely times in the story that I expected the Sorrowing to interact more with Mercy or Cody.

I would definitely recommend this, especially in the fall for spooky season.

Thank you to HarperCollins for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wish we could do half stars so I rounded this one up.

Let’s start with the good: the prose? Chef’s kiss. Atmospheric, spooky, and soaked in haunting folklore. You can feel the weight of grief and trauma on every page. The story about Mercy’s mom… the explanation of the curse.. it keeps you reading and wanting more… but then you don’t get more. The curse is interesting but not very well defined. I think that made me lose interest a few times.

The plot kind of wanders. And by “kind of” I mean I occasionally wondered if I’d accidentally skipped pages. Several times I found myself trying to figure out why things were happening.

Overall it was a decent ride! I would recommend it as an easy read.

As I said, 3.5 stars .. Rounded up because I’m scared the sorrowing will find me!

Thank you NetGallery and HarperCollins publishings for the opportunity to read this one early!

This book should come with a warning label: if you have depression or anxiety you may want to pass on this book. The author is THAT GOOD at setting the mood. I was depressed by chapter 8! I wanted to know how Mercy was going to make it through adulthood. I adored AJ for being by her side no matter what. I cheered when Matteo would push her to think about WHY things were the way they are. And I absolutely needed to know WHAT HAPPENED all those years ago. A definite must read.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Patricia Ward’s “Mercy” is a haunting, slow-burning supernatural mystery set in the cursed town of Arbor Falls. While marketed as horror, the book leans more toward atmospheric suspense, creating a story of generational trauma, buried secrets, and the weight of history on those who remain. With its compelling themes of racial and cultural discrimination, small-town insularity, and the desperate fight for truth, “Mercy” is a gripping read for fans of YA mysteries with a supernatural twist.

Mercy has always lived under the weight of the Sorrowing—a generational curse that has plagued her family and several others in Arbor Falls for decades. The Sorrowing acts like a creeping infection, manifesting as black soot that spreads across the town, sickening those most connected to the sins of the past. The curse keeps the affected families stagnant, preventing them from growing, dreaming, or leaving behind the town’s shadowed history. But when the Bowen family returns to Arbor Falls, everything changes. Their ignorance of the town’s unspoken rules sparks a chain reaction, forcing Mercy to dig into the dark history of the Sorrowing. As she unearths long-buried secrets—ones that involve erasure, racial discrimination, and the cover-up of a wealthy white man’s crimes—she realizes that the only way to break the curse is to finally confront the truth.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its immersive world-building. The Sorrowing is not just a metaphorical burden but a tangible, eerie presence—marked by the relentless appearance of black soot, the physical decay of the town, and the strange, selective way it afflicts certain families. This curse serves as a powerful allegory for the slow deterioration of rural towns weighed down by their own unspoken histories. The book also excels in its exploration of justice, guilt, and complicity. Mercy’s journey is not just about breaking a supernatural curse; it’s about challenging the lies and cover-ups that have allowed injustices to fester for generations. The book’s commentary on cultural and racial discrimination is brought up naturally into the story, adding depth and relevance without overshadowing the story’s core mystery.

The characters are another highlight. Mercy is a compelling protagonist—resigned to her fate at first, but gradually evolving into someone who refuses to accept the silence that has defined her town. The side characters, including Mateo, all contribute meaningfully to the story. Rosie, with her hopeful attempts to beautify the town, provides a stark contrast to the curse’s destructive presence, though I do wish her role had been further developed.

While the book’s mystery is engaging, some aspects of the curse’s mechanics feel inconsistent. The Sorrowing’s reach is sometimes unclear—certain extended family members are affected, while others seem untouched without explanation. Additionally, the pacing can feel repetitive at times, with certain revelations drawn out longer than necessary. For those expecting outright horror, Mercy may not fully deliver. While the atmosphere is undeniably eerie, it leans more into supernatural mystery and generational trauma than outright thrills. Readers looking for jump scares or intense horror elements may find the story a bit slower than expected.

Overall, “Mercy” is a beautifully written, deeply atmospheric book that explores the weight of generational curses—both literal and metaphorical. Its themes of racial injustice, small-town secrets, and the necessity of truth make it a thought-provoking read, especially for YA audiences. Ward definitely delivers an engaging supernatural mystery with an ultimately hopeful and satisfying ending.

You can so tell this is YA and didn't have anything really that I thought was edge-of-your-seat thrilling. It kinda of fell short for me

There is a lot of goodness with this novel. Recommend for lovers of YA mystery and darkness.

Pros
Most characters add a necessary element to the story
Unraveling of the mystery
The ending (yes, it's "happy" but the conflict is resolved)

It got a bit redundant and repetitive at times. Seemed to be a mismatch of who was affected by the Sorrowing. At times, extended family could be impacted (Rosie) but then other times some seemed immune. Wanted more about Rosie and her enthusiasm to beautify the town.

3.5 stars. This was an average young adult read. It felt like most of the other supernatural mysteries geared towards teenagers. Not bad at all, but not thrilling either.