twerkingtobeethoven's review against another edition
4.0
What do you get if you cross Peter Straub's [b:Ghost Story|19581|Ghost Story|Peter Straub|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441771752l/19581._SY75_.jpg|445057] and Stephen King's [b:Carrie|10592|Carrie|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1166254258l/10592._SY75_.jpg|1552134]?
tfrohock's review against another edition
4.0
I initially picked up this book, because Wells mentioned on Twitter that her urban fantasy fans didn't want to read her Southern Gothic novel. It was nice to stumble into that conversation, because I told her that after reading her blurb, High Lonesome Sound seemed right up my alley, and it was.
For those who avoid horror because it's usually equated with gore, High Lonesome Sound isn't in that category. This is excellent Southern Gothic that explores the seedier side of religion and small town secrets without drowning the reader in graphic violence. While there are certainly moments of dread and spookiness galore, the overall theme is uplifting and Wells avoids the downer ending. I loved the exploration of women in small town dynamics, too.
Wells shows a deft touch of subtlety with her characterization, which made all of the people seem very real. The tension remained high right up until the end, and I greatly enjoyed the read.
For those who avoid horror because it's usually equated with gore, High Lonesome Sound isn't in that category. This is excellent Southern Gothic that explores the seedier side of religion and small town secrets without drowning the reader in graphic violence. While there are certainly moments of dread and spookiness galore, the overall theme is uplifting and Wells avoids the downer ending. I loved the exploration of women in small town dynamics, too.
Wells shows a deft touch of subtlety with her characterization, which made all of the people seem very real. The tension remained high right up until the end, and I greatly enjoyed the read.
kpkulski's review against another edition
5.0
This is much more than a horror story. Wells paints her characters as flawed people, existing at many points in the spectrum of human quality. The setting of Moon Hollow is as tangible as it is fantastic, filled with natural wonder as well as a claustrophobic darkness that has a way of sinking into your bones with each page.
madarauchiha's review against another edition
0.25
✨🌠 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 🌠✨
dnf 14% i ain't reading this misogyny trauma porn trash. shitlist !
▪ As he watched them file past, he realized that each of those suspicious faces was lily white. His own white skin meant he wasn’t used to being an outsider, but in Moon Hollow he wasn’t just an outsider—he was the stranger. Maybe that’s why it was unsettlingly easy to imagine what might happen if a stranger with the wrong skin color stumbled into town.
rolling my eyes loudly and hard
major alcoholism, animal cruelty, child abuse, grief, parental death, physical abuse, violence
medium death, drowning, religion christianity,
minor college professor student relationship, whorephobia
dnf 14% i ain't reading this misogyny trauma porn trash. shitlist !
▪ As he watched them file past, he realized that each of those suspicious faces was lily white. His own white skin meant he wasn’t used to being an outsider, but in Moon Hollow he wasn’t just an outsider—he was the stranger. Maybe that’s why it was unsettlingly easy to imagine what might happen if a stranger with the wrong skin color stumbled into town.
rolling my eyes loudly and hard
major alcoholism, animal cruelty, child abuse, grief, parental death, physical abuse, violence
medium death, drowning, religion christianity,
minor college professor student relationship, whorephobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death
daniellecheri's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! What a ride! I love everything Jaye Wells puts out and this is no exception.
We get the story from several characters' perspectives (some relatable and likeable, but some not so much). At first I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep all the characters straight in my head, but it was very easy to follow. With short chapters, this book was a good read for me with most of my reading being over my lunch breaks.
The overall story was very fascinating. The book is set in a small town where everyone is in everyone's business. I felt like I knew these people from my own small-town experience.
But unlike other small towns, there's something otherworldly happening. Mostly it's little glimpses that something truly evil might be lurking in the woods. It was just creepy enough to make my skin crawl, but then it went back to the mundane for a while and I almost those things. Then there were longer looks until you finally get the full story of what goes on in Moon Hollow.
This story spoke to me on many levels. Loved it!
We get the story from several characters' perspectives (some relatable and likeable, but some not so much). At first I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep all the characters straight in my head, but it was very easy to follow. With short chapters, this book was a good read for me with most of my reading being over my lunch breaks.
The overall story was very fascinating. The book is set in a small town where everyone is in everyone's business. I felt like I knew these people from my own small-town experience.
But unlike other small towns, there's something otherworldly happening. Mostly it's little glimpses that something truly evil might be lurking in the woods. It was just creepy enough to make my skin crawl, but then it went back to the mundane for a while and I almost those things. Then there were longer looks until you finally get the full story of what goes on in Moon Hollow.
This story spoke to me on many levels. Loved it!
leeaeverett's review against another edition
4.0
I normally don't read horror but this was the perfect level of creepy for me, in a great spine-tingling setting. Great characterizations and a story I devoured in basically one sitting.
3j0hn's review
5.0
Took me a while to get through this one, but it is really good. Creepy, atmospheric, and sometimes downright scary.
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