Review: Winterkill

I received this book for free from FTC: Exchange for honest opinion, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Emmeline knows she’s not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother’s insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent. When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it’s an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean—even if she has eyes for another. But before she’s forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can’t help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn’t careful, she will be next.

So I have not read this type of book in a while. I think that last civilization I read was “The Forest Of Hands & Teeth” where there was a civilization  out in the middle of the woods, aren’t allowed to leave, etc. So I was pretty interested in what this story has to offer.

Plot: This is about a group of people who leave out in the woods following a strict amount of rules. The live under religious restriction and are forced to do whatever the “brothers” tell them too. I found this story interesting because of the way they live. And of course the one girl who rebels, breaking rules, going deeper into the forrest. The plot also dives deep into the past on how this little town got started and why. I loved following the character, learning more of the why and how’s.

Rules: A lot of the rules are the keep the people in fear as well as trapped there. No one comes back from the forrest so they are forced to live there. That is until the reader learns that there is indeed more outside of the forrest.

Ending: The ending leaves for more to be explored. I really like the outcome and would like to read more “beyond” the forrest should there be a second book. It also ended on a happy, cheerful note, that even though so much was exposed, there is still much to be changed.

I really enjoyed this book. It certainly wasn’t what I expected but it had certain parts that had me completely immersed. Winterkill is an crafty thriller with lots of twist and turns.

I give it 4 BITES!

Happy Reading!