A Book A Week

Many of my most anticipated reads this summer are set in the woods. Something about the rugged wilderness instantly adds mystery and suspense to a story, so it's no surprise that so many authors are choosing to have their stories unfold in this setting. Add Wilderness Reform, the second novel by Matt and Harrison Querey, to the list. Fans of their smash horror debut, Old Country, have been eagerly awaiting this release. Fortunately, their publisher generously provided me with a copy, and I quickly dived in.

Life hasn't been easy for thirteen-year-old Ben. Under the guardianship of an abusive aunt, he has turned to petty crime to fill his days. When he's caught trying to escape the scene of his latest misdeed, Ben is arrested and taken to court. Rather than sentencing him to a juvenile detention center, the judge sends him to a wilderness camp, promising that the experience will teach him the discipline and survival skills he needs to turn his life around. Upon arriving at the remote Montana camp, Ben is greeted by overly friendly counselors who seem too good to be true. From the start, Ben senses something is off. There's an undercurrent of menace throughout the camp, and as he delves deeper into its history, he uncovers a terror beyond his wildest imaginings.

After thoroughly enjoying Old Country, I approached Wilderness Reform with high expectations. The remote campground setting and the protagonist's redemption arc promised a compelling horror read. Brothers and writing partners Matt and Harrison Query start this new novel with a terrifying bang, one that left me breathless and eager for more. Unfortunately, that gripping opening scene turned out to be the best part of the book. The page-turning prologue gives way to a slow burn that struggles to gain momentum. While I appreciate the importance of building tension and developing characters, this book fails to do so effectively. The characters lack depth beyond their superficial roles, and the spooky undertones never develop into anything frightening or thought-provoking. Instead, Wilderness Reform became a tedious read that left me underwhelmed. It's a surprising miss from a duo who previously delivered a highly entertaining novel.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads. 

(2024, 53)

Moving to the remote property in rural Idaho was supposed to be a fresh start for couple Harry and Sasha. Harry was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, and he and Sasha felt that leaving their big city jobs for the respite of country living would be just the antidote they needed. They couldn't have been luckier with the property they found. Their beautiful home sat amongst 40 acres of sprawling forest and bountiful meadows. It was the perfect home. Their neighbors, the elderly couple Dan and Lucy who farmed the land next to theirs for decades provided a warm welcome to the area and promised to help them acclimate to their new life. It wasn't until Harry and Sasha met their neighbors for dinner that their paradise began to crumble. 

The evening started just as you would expect it to. Pleasantries were exchanged among food and drink, and Dan and Lucy ensured their young acquaintances felt supported. It was when they separated into different rooms, Dan with Harry and Lucy with Sasha, that things turned odd. Dan pulled out a binder and handed it to Harry. He went off proclaiming about how the land was cursed and that spirits would make their presence known. As long as Harry and Sasha complete the corresponding tasks to specific signs, the spirits will do no harm. Harry grabbed Sasha and stormed away from Dan and Lucy's house, not sure if these old wives' tales are some kind of delirium or worse, a sick joke. Either way, he will have nothing to do with any kind of paranormal nonsense. By spring, the couple has all but forgotten about the alleged curse. But then the first indication of the evil appears, just as Dan and Lucy foretold. Like it or not, Harry and Sasha are about to live through their worst nightmare. 

Old Country by Matt and Harrison Query had quite the unlikely beginning. The genesis of this horror story began as a Reddit thread posted to the notorious r/NoSleep. Matt Query posted to the site for years before his short story "My Wife and I Bought A Ranch" went viral. Matt turned to his screenwriting brother Harrison to flesh out the story into a full novel. Grand Central Publishing, who also provided me with an advanced copy of the work for review, published Old Country, and the book has already been picked up by Netflix for an adaptation. I'm an unabashed horror junkie, so I had high expectations for the book. It drew me in from the very start, expertly combining an already eerie setting with a legend that seemed just believable enough to get under my skin. The pace was quick, the scares were plentiful, and the characters were given enough depth to ground all of the paranormal into a sense of reality. Everything came together into a conclusion that was as terrifying as it was satisfying. If you're looking for a spooky read, go ahead and add this one to your TBR. You won't regret it!

For more information visit Amazon and Goodreads. 

(2022, 36)