Hey there bibliophiles,

How’s it shakin’? Hope you’re doing well!

It’s book review time again, and this time I read Stolen Tongues by Felix Blackwell.

Iseult Murphy and I did this as a buddy read, and I want to give a quick thanks to her for doing this and being super patient with me (the hold at my library took way longer than expected). You’re the best!

This post will be my individual review, soon to be followed by a Buddy Read & Rant, so I hope you’re ready for some scary fun. Let’s get this review started!

Blurb

A romantic cabin getaway doesn’t go exactly as planned.
High up on the windswept cliffs of Pale Peak, Faye and Felix celebrate their new engagement. But soon, a chorus of ghastly noises erupts from the nearby woods: the screams of animals, the cries of children, and the mad babble of a hundred mournful voices. A dark figure looms near the windows in the dead of night, whispering to Faye. As the weather turns deadly, Felix discovers that his terrified fiancée isn’t just mumbling in her sleep – she’s whispering back.

Originally a contest-winning story on reddit.com’s horror community NoSleep, Stolen Tongues has received widespread acclaim and is now being adapted into a feature film.

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Amazon

***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

Although I had a lot of fun with this book, this ultimately ended up being something of a mixed bag for me.

This novel centers on an affianced couple Felix and Faye. After years working themselves to the bone, the two force themselves on a retreat to a cabin Faye’s parents own. But soon after they arrive strange voices and other phenomena plague them, quickly making the vacation a nightmare, one that doesn’t end after they get home. Can Felix and Faye thwart whatever evil is following them?

Some things really worked for me in this novel.

The horror element was great and kept me engaged, especially in the beginning. I rarely get the heebie jeebies, but I did the night I started this alone in my house. The chills were both atmospheric and literal, though they skated along atmospheric for some time. In every chapter there is something unsettling or spooky that occurs, and that kept me going. At the same time, it wasn’t perfect. Some scenes felt a bit repetitious and lost shock value after a while. The horror element kind of died off by the end for me.

I liked Felix as the main character. His care for Faye shone through, and he was determined to get their life back on track no matter the cost. I liked that he was a skeptic of the paranormal, and he had courage and resilience that made him easy to root for.

Faye was interesting too, but after a while she got on my nerves, much like she did with Felix in certain spots. I also didn’t care for her mother much, though Nathan, Tiwe, and William the ranger were decent supportive characters.

My main issue with this book was the resolution of the horror element. Horror fans might say that resolution is just as important as the setup, and I am one of those individuals. The resolution felt much too sentimental and convenient, especially given the Native American roots behind the story. I would’ve much preferred a solution from said roots, and felt disappointed in the ending.

All that said, this was just an okay horror read. If you can stomach a not so great ending and enjoy horror, you might like this.

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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