AND THE TREES CREPT IN by Dawn Kurtagich || Twisted and messed up andeverything else you could want in a horror novel!

Review by Natalie

AND THE TREES CREPT IN
By Dawn Kurtagich
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown (September 6, 2016)
Language: English
Goodreads | Amazon

A stunning, terrifying novel about a house the color of blood and the two sisters who are trapped there, by The Dead Houseauthor Dawn Kurtagich

When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt's home, it's immediately clear that the "blood manor" is cursed. The creaking of the house and the stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too--the questions that Silla can't ignore: Who is the beautiful boy that's appeared from the woods? Who is the man that her little sister sees, but no one else? And why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer?

Filled with just as many twists and turns as The Dead House, and with achingly beautiful, chilling language that delivers haunting scenes, AND THE TREES CREPT IN is the perfect follow-up novel for master horror writer Dawn Kurtagich.

Scary stories are either a hit or miss. They either make me consider checking myself into a psychiatric hospital or bore me to death with the d r a g g i n g pace. I was a victim of the former option thanks to this book.

It was creepy. I don’t know what else to say about that. I was frightened on a number of occasions, causing me to silently close the book and gingerly set it aside lest I somehow disturb the beasts within. The thunderstorms at night while I was reading were of no help to the situation.

The author manipulated the English language, fonts, bold/italics, and pure talent to create a very real atmosphere. Every time she wrote creeeeeak I could hear it as if it were right behind me. Every time a new chapter began with a creeptastic poem, I shriveled up a little bit more. And most important of all, as Silla, the main character, grew more and more hopeless with each page turn, I did too. I was completely and utterly discouraged, I mean I had absolutely no hope for her situation. None. Zip. Zero.

Quick summary: Silla takes her little sister Nori away from their less than ideal home life to go and live with their never-before-seen Auntie Cath in La Baume Manor. To get there, they have to cross through Python Wood, which has a reputation to letting people in no problem but not letting them out. As cliché as it sounds, everything is definitely not as it seems. Cakes are not to be trusted. And teeth will be lost.

I only have one complaint, which really isn’t even practical, but I think I only feel this way because I called the ending. I can’t say much without spoiling it for you, but I wanted it to be, and I’m gonna say it in latin so I don’t spoil it for you unless you want to google translate it yourself, I wanted it to be verum. Everything that happened. But the ending made sense.

This story was twisted and messed up and everything else you could want in a horror novel. Long halls full of doors with minds of their own, an Aunt that’s rapidly going insane, fleshy walls and balls, a tall Creeper Man that likes to scuttle, boys that appear out of nowhere with an apple for you, and as the title suggests, trees that have a tendency to encroach on your personal space.

Happy Reading (with a light on)!