This seemed like a book that was right up my alley - queer girls who spend the weekend at a horror lovers summer camp and have to survive a night of horrors - what’s not to love?

The plot was really interesting and I really enjoyed the characters, but I was confused for the majority of this book. The very beginning seemed to start with you, as a reader, being in the dark and having to learn about the lore and history of this spooky camp. But as I kept on reading, the confusion just grew and grew. I think this book was trying to do way too much without really focusing on a single plot point. It felt very reminiscent of Friday the 13th, mixed with Cabin in the Woods, mixed with Evil Dead, but then also mixed with so many other well known horror medias that it just got so muddy and a bit frustrating to read. 
I did like the book and the premise of it, I just feel the execution was way off mark and could have used a few edits to cut out the fluff that didn’t add to the story.

Overall, this was okay. The writing is a bit confusing and you are left in the dark for 90% of the book, but it was creepy, spooky, and most importantly, a little gay. 

Thank you NetGalley and Amulet Books for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun and thrilling read about culture, community, and what we are willing to do to protect the ones that we love. 

This story takes place in a world previous to our own and it feels almost steampunky, with machines and technology beginning to encompass every aspect of our lives.The main character, Nhika, is the last known bloodcarver, an individual who can alter your internal bodily functions with the mere touch of her hand. However, Nhika has to hide her talents because of the fears and unwarranted misinformation being spread about her kind and culture. Nhika is unfortunately found out and is taken to a black market type of warehouse where she is bought for an exorbitant amount of money by a young girl who tasks Nhika with healing the only survivor who may have witnessed the death of her highly esteemed father. Nhika is thrown into a world very different from her own and is met with both resistance and fear of others finding out who she really is, and she must learn to harness her powers and connect with her culture in order to survive.

I really enjoyed this book and how the act of ‘soothing’ (bloodcarving, however its mentioned that her kind wishes to be known as heartsoothes) was described. It was very visceral and detailed, you can see and feel the energy flowing through the body and how it’s dispersed. The characters were a little one note, especially the family she works for, but I really enjoyed the journey Nhika took to reconnect with her culture and family history. 

My one downside of this book was the romance element. It just felt unnecessary, especially if the author was trying to go for an ‘enemies-lovers’ route, it just felt rushed and very instant love. I personally wouldn’t want to shack up with someone who belittles me and my intelligence, but hey, to each their own! Also, I don’t feel like there was any rhyme or reason for Nhika to do some of the things she did, especially the ending. I guess love will really make you do bonkers things. 

Thank you NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.