thain's review against another edition
5.0
Another great standalone from Bolton, this time set around a creepy old church and graveyard in an insular town with strange rituals.
Disturbing content warning:
Disturbing content warning:
Spoiler
child sexual abuse and murdersrturner's review against another edition
3.0
This is probably a much better book than the three star rating I gave it. The characters are well drawn and the mystery is creepy and the twist a surprise. However, I guess I just wasn't in the mood for a suspense/thriller, and the writing and storyline just couldn't draw me in.
skrau's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars really, since I've been trying to decide between 2 and 3 stars since I finished it last night, but I did enjoy the writing and the setting enough to round up.
I want to like S.J. Bolton's books. I feel like I really should like them. But this is the second of hers that I've given a try, and both ended up a bit of a struggle. I read it totally on a whim, after coming across it at work and I started reading it still at work because it sounded genuinely intriguing, but now I kind of regret pushing aside the number of other books I have waiting for it. It just didn't do it for me, but mostly for different reasons than why I disliked Now You See Me.
I liked the writing a lot more in this one, but the first hundred pages felt like it took me a hundred years, and then once the plot started to get going, I still just didn't really care. There were a few moments where I was genuinely creeped out and most of the characters were likable or interesting enough, but I still just didn't really care.
It would have definitely been three stars had the ending been more surprising, but I had already assumed most of what was revealed by sometime around the halfway mark to be honest, and the parts of the mystery I didn't see coming still didn't surprise me. This was one of my problems with Now You See Me actually, and part of why I enjoyed that one even less. I actually quite like being proven right when I read mysteries and thrillers and try to work out the ending, but I like having to work for it, and this book didn't make me work for it at all; it seemed kind of obvious to make certain assumptions early on, despite the well-written attempts at spooky distractions.
I want to like S.J. Bolton's books. I feel like I really should like them. But this is the second of hers that I've given a try, and both ended up a bit of a struggle. I read it totally on a whim, after coming across it at work and I started reading it still at work because it sounded genuinely intriguing, but now I kind of regret pushing aside the number of other books I have waiting for it. It just didn't do it for me, but mostly for different reasons than why I disliked Now You See Me.
I liked the writing a lot more in this one, but the first hundred pages felt like it took me a hundred years, and then once the plot started to get going, I still just didn't really care. There were a few moments where I was genuinely creeped out and most of the characters were likable or interesting enough, but I still just didn't really care.
It would have definitely been three stars had the ending been more surprising, but I had already assumed most of what was revealed by sometime around the halfway mark to be honest, and the parts of the mystery I didn't see coming still didn't surprise me. This was one of my problems with Now You See Me actually, and part of why I enjoyed that one even less. I actually quite like being proven right when I read mysteries and thrillers and try to work out the ending, but I like having to work for it, and this book didn't make me work for it at all; it seemed kind of obvious to make certain assumptions early on, despite the well-written attempts at spooky distractions.
treehuggeranonymous's review against another edition
5.0
Really kept you guessing right to the end. Heck even the epilogue is a bit of a mystery.
syren1532's review against another edition
5.0
Harry is the new vicar of Heptonclough. Evie is a psychiatrist treating a young woman who’s daughter was killed in a fire but who is convinced the little girl is still alive. The Fletcher”s have just moved to the village and the three children kep hearing strange voices. Fantastic read - was sucked in after just a few pages and couldn’t put it down.
danirikku's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
paperlove's review against another edition
5.0
Eine richtig fesselnde Geschichte. Nur das Ende fand ich zu abrupt und etwas unbefriedigend. 4.5 Sterne gibt es trotzdem dafür!
melissa_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Not my usual genre.
Couldn't read it after mid-afternoon to avoid nightmares- I'm such a baby!
Very interesting and twisted story...
Couldn't read it after mid-afternoon to avoid nightmares- I'm such a baby!
Very interesting and twisted story...
lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition
5.0
Reminded me of a really dark "Hot Fuzz".
As usual with Bolton books, I didn't sleep while reading Blood Harvest, both because it was just too creepy and because I couldn't stop reading it! A bit predictable as far as the who-dun-it aspect goes. But the relationships were great! I would actually love a follow up to this stand alone because I would love to know how the characters develop.
Three things I now know to fear thanks to all of Bolton's books: old churches in small English towns, underground water systems, and the patriarch of a small town, especially if he owns 50%+.
As usual with Bolton books, I didn't sleep while reading Blood Harvest, both because it was just too creepy and because I couldn't stop reading it! A bit predictable as far as the who-dun-it aspect goes. But the relationships were great! I would actually love a follow up to this stand alone because I would love to know how the characters develop.
Three things I now know to fear thanks to all of Bolton's books: old churches in small English towns, underground water systems, and the patriarch of a small town, especially if he owns 50%+.
matth719's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0