Book: We Are for the Dark
Author: Gretchen McNeil
Thank you, NetGalley and , for an advanced audio copy.
This one surprised me in the best way.
Religious horror is usually not my thing, but We Are for the Dark pulled me in and held on. The story follows Father Shane Ryan, a former FBI analyst turned newly ordained priest, and Constable Miriam Rideout, who together end up on a remote Newfoundland island that does not appear on any maps looking into a missing priest. What they find there is deeply unsettling.
The atmosphere is what makes this book work. The island itself practically becomes its own character. The sense of dread builds slowly and steadily, and the creepy locals and complete isolation kept me on edge throughout. McNeil does a really impressive job of blending folk horror and religious horror in a way that feels fresh and genuinely unnerving.
My one hesitation is the ending. I appreciate that it went somewhere unexpected but I was not fully sold on where it landed. It did not ruin the experience by any means but I walked away wanting just a little more from it.
If you are someone who usually avoids religious horror like I do, this one might just be the book that changes your mind.
Final Score: 4/5
Kristen's Book Korner 
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