Hi bookworms! Today is my tour stop for Shantallow by Cara Martin, which is being hosted by Xpresso Book Tours. Be sure to check out the other amazing bloggers taking part in this tour here.

Shantallow

Author: Cara Martin

Publication Date: 16 June 2019

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 223

Publisher: DCB Young Readers

Tanvi isn’t the girl of Misha’s dreams; she’s the girl from his nightmares. She has appeared in his chilling dreams before he even meets her; when he DOES meet her, he falls for her.

Their relationship turns stormy, bordering on abusive, and takes a dramatic turn when they are held captive by a group hoping to extract money from Tanvi’s wealthy family.

But there is something more sinister at work, and the kidnappers and their victims find themselves struggling for survival as a supernatural force from Misha’s nightmares makes itself known in the real world.

With the upcoming spooky season upon us, after reading the premise for Shantallow, I knew that I definitely needed to read this book. While I don’t typically read horror (I’m a huge chicken), I’m such a sucker for supernatural horror (apparently my brain thinks that they are different).

When I first started reading this one, I was incredibly confused because I wasn’t sure what was a nightmare and what was reality. The story opens with Misha having recurring supernatural nightmares that involve the same girl. One day while doing his landscape work, he sees her. Rather than run for the hills (I mean she’s literally from his nightmares), he becomes infatuated with Tanvi. They become a couple, and at first things are what you’d expect. However, things start changing thanks to a lot of jealousy and assumptions, which results in a toxic and abusive relationship. I’ll be honest, this part of the story line was not my favorite just because I’ve witnessed relationships like this, and it’s always just bad news.

The story really kicks off when Tanvi and Misha are kidnapped. The kidnappers think that they are in for a big pay out by holding them for ransom since Tanvi’s family is wealthy. What they don’t account for is the supernatural monsters from Misha’s nightmares that are now after all of them. Now they must find a way to band together to make it out alive.

The creepiness factor is this book is definitely on point. This is one of those books that I recommend not reading before bed. The world building was also well done. Overall, if you’re looking for a fast paced supernatural horror that will bring chills down your spine, this is it.

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for providing a copy of this book. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

Are you reading any spooky reads this fall season?