She Never Left by C.M. Harris #BookReview #Thrillers #Horror @RachelMayQuin @0neMoreChapter_ @NetGalley_UK #NetGalley — Rain’n’books
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Phew, magic mushrooms, psychedelic drugs, abuse, stalking, She Never Left by C M Harris has lots of this and more.
Sci-Fi thrillers have never been my strong point, so once the story about the thicket in the town of Ketchum began to take shape, I was in two minds about continuing the story. The expectation was a cold case of a friend missing for 20 years and how it has affected Jane and TJ, cousins as well as working partners but there are quite a lot of subject matters that characterize this atmospheric thriller.
C M Harris creates a spine-tingling creepy atmosphere with her vivid description of the woods and the Donzerely light so much that it is definitely gonna be hard for me to look at mushrooms again. The spider eyed mushroom had me in its clutches that I was sure I would be having nightmares. Amazingly, the author never gives off any on your face horror, coz there’s a slight fantasy element to the tale, but that gooey and under the skin itch that she crafted thru her writing was magnificent.
The story is told thru Jane and sometimes thru Lincoln and flashbacks keeps the reader reeled in even though the first part of the book is slow in pace. Some parts focus on the imagination of Jane and TJ once the hallucination begins and it generates a dizzy feeling for the reader and if this was done on purpose, then hats off to the author coz those sections literally make your head take a spin.
The love and intense need that TJ and Jane feel for each other was touching but knowing that they are both in their late 30’s and willingly acting immature never worked out well for me, and the behaviour repeats several times. The stalker angle thru Lincoln and his ramblings could not have been any more weirder.
She Never Left is a sci-fi thriller with spooky suspense that will be gobbled up by fans of the genre. Engaging 3.5 stars 💦 💦 💦 💧
Many thanks to Net Galley, One More Chapter, Rachel Quin and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
SOMETHING IS STIRRING IN THE HEART OF ILLINOIS
Cousins and writing partners Jane and TJ have carved out new lives for themselves amidst the skyscrapers of Chicago, a far cry from their isolated hometown of Ketchum.
Neither has returned since the night TJ’s first crush, Evie, disappeared into the woods in a flash of amber light. Along with Jane’s childhood friend-turned-stalker, Lincoln, they were the last people to see her alive.
When TJ’s writer’s block threatens both their careers, they agree to attend their high school reunion in the hopes of reigniting her creative inspiration.
But Lincoln is still waiting. He remembers the night that claimed Evie like it was yesterday and the woods have been whispering to him ever since. As Jane and TJ arrive home, the voices call to him again, hissing three solitary words…
She is here.
Sharp Objects meets Stranger Things in this razor-sharp small-town thriller — perfect for fans of Josh Malerman and Stephen King.
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Originally published at https://rainnbooks.com on November 19, 2021.
