The Wicked Deep

I loved "the wicked deep". I loved the characters, the setting and all the mysterious vibe around it. Unlike a lot of YA books I read in the past few years, It seems that this one was particular, unique. I actually have three very young kids, so to tell you that i finished the book in three days says a lot about how much I liked it. I just could not put it down. If i could describe it in three words, i would say addictive, dark and mysterious. For the sentimental readers, they will find what they are looking for in "the wicked deep".

The witches are back. And there's hell to pay.

Although Marguerite, Aurora, and Hazel Swan were drowned many moons ago, these wicked sisters still come back every summer to haunt the little town of Sparrow. A town where their souls will forever be rooted in because this is the town that took their lives.

These young women were accused of practicing witchcraft and drowned to death, and as long as their souls still haunt the waters surrounding Sparrow: the Swan sisters will come back every year, inhabit a body, and kill whomever they choose. They kill for what was wrongfully done to them, they kill for revenge, and they will show the same amount of mercy that they were given on that very tragic day: none.

Two centuries later...

Hazel Swan is torn, she loves her sisters, but she does not want to kill anymore. Her heart still yearns for the boy she loved, the life she never got to live with him by her side, and the places she never got to see. Hazel Swan is done seeking revenge. Instead, she is ready to forgive the unforgivable.

"Love is an enchantress--devious and wild.
It sneaks up behind you, soft and gentle and quiet, just before it slits your throat."

Bo Carter has just arrived in Sparrow with an appetite for vengeance. With no job or place to stay, Penny kindly offers him shelter by letting him reside on Lumiere island with her and her mother. Unaware of each other's dark secrets, they both are about to discover that they are the key to each other's happiness and some much-needed closure.

This is a wickedly tragic story about murder, betrayal, loss, and forgiveness. It's a perfect cross between Hocus Pocus and Tuck Everlasting. I cannot recommend this book enough, so mark your calendars because The Wicked Deep comes out on March 6, 2018.

Thanks a million to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. Quotes are subject to change upon publication.

I enjoyed this so much! The plot twist came out of nowhere (literally) and it took me a couple chapters to figure out what was actually happening. I liked that it was a relatively simple story that Ernshaw added details to elaborate into something magical. I liked the characters and found them easy to read and relate to, even after the twist. I cannot wait for this to be released so I can read it again!

First the obligatory disclaimer. I received an eARC of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Also, what follows may contain light spoilers, depending on your personal definition of what constitutes a spoiler, so read on at your own risk.

I think it is safe to say that I absolutely adored this book. I finished it in a single reading, in just over 3 hours. I could not bear to put it down. From start to finish, Shea Ernshaw drew me in with her vivid sensory imagery and haunting prose, and then entrapped me with memorable characters and a heart achingly beautiful story that left me in the best kind of pain when I finished it.

The town of Sparrow and it’s dark history is as intriguing and foreboding as the stormy sea it sits beside. The way the residents have embraced the macabre Swan Season, and the tourist industry that sprung up around the annual drowning deaths was echoed in my own desire to continue reading and learning about the story unfolding.

The love that grows between Penny and Bo is honest and difficult and tragic. While their romance comes on quickly, almost like the “instant love trope”, I believe they fall so quickly in love because they are both similar souls- seeing the same pain and scars of loss reverberating in each other, tying them tightly together yet always keeping them that little bit apart.

“Love is an enchantress- devious and wild. It sneaks up behind you, soft and gentle and quiet, just before it slits your throat.”- The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

This story is atmospheric, magical, romantic and elusive. I wish we could have spent more time developing all three Swan sisters, but the fact that I am wanting more is a testament to how great the past and present story lines wove together. In my dream would, Ernshaw will write a prequel to tell the sister’s story in full detail. A reader can dream right?

The ending was perfect. It left me torn, a little broken, glimmering with hope and wholly satisfied. It is not a traditional YA happy ending, it is streaked with sacrifice and sadness but also with love, second chances and the promise of peace.

I am definitely going to be adding the hardcover to my library when this book comes out, and I’m anxious to see what the author writes next- please be a Swan Sisters prequel, don’t make me beg!

I highly recommend sitting down somewhere cozy, with a cup of tea, maybe sometime when the rain is falling outside your window and the world is dark and washed cleaned and giving this one a read. I do not think you will be disappointed.

This book reminded me a lot of Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic. It creates a beautiful yet dangerous atmosphere and fills it with love, revenge, innocence and betrayal. It’s a very romantic, fanciful read that I think Alice Hoffman fans would really enjoy.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw was an incredibly well written, captivating, spooky read! Atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful, even the cadence of the prose lent itself to the ambience of the witchy wickedness of the cursed harbour town of Swallow.

The story is successfully macabre, dark and, you know, old-lighthouse-on-a-small-island creepy, the teenaged characters are all well developed with (thankfully) non-angsty chemistry between the ones who matter, and though I really do get that the instalove could annoy some readers, I'm not mad at it. Honestly. I mean, he's an attractive boy with beautiful green eyes and a past full of secrets. He needs a job. She's stuck on an island with her tea-leaves-reading, not-all-there mum. The lighthouse and environs needs some TLC. It's a small town and they're young. Hell, it's written so well that I almost believe that it can, and does, happen across any of the towns along coastal Oregon. But I digress. Anyway, despite a few twists and turns, the story wraps itself up in the way you probably would expect, but the ending, eeriely enough, seems to hold on to you for a bit. I'm still not sure how to feel about my feelings...

Shea Ernshaw's The Wicked Deep was really really good! Spooky and satisfying down to the very end. It was a fantastic debut! I am wholeheartedly excited to read whatever eerie delight Ernshaw concocts for us next.

I absolutely loved this book. I had such a fun ride with it. It was exactly what i wanted. Dark. Gloomy. And just the perfect touch of romance too. I was completely lost into this story. I found it entertaining and fast-paced. The mystery was well-done, trying to figure out everything was engaging. The story of the Swan had me hooked from the start. And reading their parts was really interesting. I also LOVED our characters in this one. Both Penny and Bo were fantastic. I was surprised by twists too which is always a plus. The ending left me feeling a bit sad, but i still found it satisfactory.

Overall, i have to say this was a great surprise. If you’re looking for a good, dark storyline with murder and witches, this one’s a good pick.