Monday, March 22, 2021

ARC Review: The Lost Village by Camilla Sten

Title: The Lost Village
Author: Camilla Sten
Publication Date: March 23, 2021
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Pages: 352
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Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed “The Lost Village,” since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother’s entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left—a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn—have plagued her. She’s gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened.

But there will be no turning back.

Not long after they’ve set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice:

They are not alone.

They’re looking for the truth…
But what if it finds them first?


When I saw that this book was being compared to The Blair Witch Project and Midsommar, I knew I had to have it! I immediately preordered but was lucky enough to receive and ARC through Goodreads giveaways. I jumped right in... and then put it down. I picked this book up off and on over about a month before finally finishing it. Brief cult mentions set in Sweden does not equal a Midsommar comp. Neither does a documentary film crew equal Blair Witch Project. Those two comparisons definitely set my expectations way too high. Despite being one of my most anticipated reads of 2021, I'm disappointed to say I did not love it. 


The Lost Village is about a documentary filmmaker Alice and her crew, who venture into an abandoned mining village to scout for an upcoming film they hope to make. The village reminded me of Roanoake at first, having suddenly been abandoned without any trace of the inhabitants. I was hoping I would be kept on the edge of my seat. Instead, the first three quarters of the story follows the group moseying around the village, one person getting a sprained ankle, and Alice maybe seeing someone twice. 

The atmosphere is plenty creepy, but nothing really happens for most of the book. I did like that I was never really sure whether the creepiness was supernatural in origin until close to the end. However... 

Spoilers
The big reveal that the other presence was an 80 year old woman who managed to blow up a van, and overpower and kill multiple 30-something-year-old adults was ridiculous. And how did she survive? There was brief mention in the epilogue about the old woman surviving off food in the village homes, but someone please explain how she had enough food to last for 60 years, leaving enough for the film crew to find food to eat once their supplies were destroyed.

I wanted so much to love this book. It did pick up in the final hundred pages and I liked the alternating timelines a lot. I did like the ending explanation for what happened to the residents. I would have honestly preferred if the whole book was set in the past and focused more on the cult aspects. I would not consider this a horror novel. There were some moments of tension and the atmosphere was unsettling, but I never found myself feeling particularly frightened. 


If you're looking for a thriller with a spooky mystery and creepy atmosphere, you'll probably love The Lost Village! If you're hoping for horror reminiscent of Blair Witch, this is not it. 



Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Top Ten Tuesday #296: Spring 2021 TBR


Today's Topic: 
Books On My
Spring 2021 TBR


Happy Tuesday! I love these topics every single time even though I rarely read all the books on my list. I do have most of these preordered though! I'm especially excited for the sequels here: Rule of Wolves and The Crown of Gilded Bones. I can't wait to see how both the series continue!  


Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
The Nichan Smile by C.J. Merwild
The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Sunday, March 14, 2021

Weekly Recap: 3/7 - 3/13


HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG

Hi, everyone! Shockingly, I have not posted this week. I have no excuse, I just haven't been feeling it. I'm trying, but I've just decided I'm not going to push myself. I've been blogging for just under seven years and I'm not going to burn myself out by making myself post when I don't feel like it. For now I guess stay tuned? I still have that SJM post I'm scared to post saved as a draft, so that may be coming soon. 

This week I decided to finally pull the trigger on art for my library. I purchased several art pieces and frames for them. Frames are up and now I'm waiting on art! I always feel like my room is finished, but then I find something else I want to change. I just want it to be warm and cozy and the perfect reading room. 

I did finally dive back into A Court of Silver Flames. I have a lot of feelings, but I'm saving them for when I get to the end (eventually). I want to check out reviews but I'm scared of spoilers! Did anyone NOT give it five stars? While I was putting off ACOSF, I was reading Manacled. Apparently it's a nearly 1000 page fanfiction, which I didn't realize going into it. It is HEAVY on trigger warnings, but it killed me and I loved it. 


NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK

  


THIS WEEK I READ

 


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

😬


UPCOMING REVIEWS



I'm linking up to Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post!
Saturday, March 6, 2021

Weekly Recap: 2/28 - 3/6


HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG

Hi, everyone! Can you say reading slump? I finished my reread of the Captive Prince series and literally everything was THE WORST! I couldn't even read ACOSF despite really wanting to start it the day it released. I'm currently reading three books and a fanfic and have only finished one audiobook this month. Whoops!

As you can also see, I have not blogged. I wrote a post and then unpublished it because it was an unpopular opinion and I'm scared of people. So I'll just ask here. Do you think it's strange that Rhysand's and Tamlin's traumas have gone unexplored in the ACOTAR series? Rhysand was sexually abused for 50 years and seems to be fine. Tamlin was made a villain. Discuss. 


NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK

    
   


THIS WEEK I READ




IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Nothing, I chickened out and deleted it.


UPCOMING REVIEWS

🤷🏻‍♀️


I'm linking up to Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post!