Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The sleepy little farm that Laurel Early grew up on has awakened. The woods are shifting, the soil is dead under her hands, and her bone pile just stood up and walked away.

After dropping out of college, all she wanted was to resume her life as a tobacco hand and taxidermist and try not to think about the boy she can’t help but love. Instead, a devil from her past has returned to court her, as he did her late mother years earlier. Now, Laurel must unravel her mother’s terrifying legacy and tap into her own innate magic before her future and the fate of everyone she loves is doomed. 

Review:

Wake The Bones, by Elizabeth Kilcoyne is the perfect book for a late summer, or autumn read.  It has a moody atmosphere, young characters at a crossroads, and creepy supernatural elements.  I loved the small town element, and young people just out of high school trying to find their way.  The title refers to Laurel's ability to sense the final moments of an animal from touching their bones.  But the title seems to go deeper than that.  I took it to mean finding your place in the legacy of your family and community.  Laurel and her friends are all in that moment when you decide where you want to (or need to) go with your life.  For Laurel, it means dealing with the death of her mother, and her (possibly being a witch).  For Isaac, it means fleeing a dangerous home situation.  And for brothers Ricky and Garrett (who love Laurel and Isaac, respectfully), it means deciding what your willing to do for love.

This was a beautiful book with supernatural elements, and a "big bad" coming for the group.  This could represent many things, and I loved that one could interpret this in a variety of ways.  If you love horror and YA, you will really enjoy this book.

What I Liked:

Moody Atmosphere:

This small farming community in Ohio is one I have never experienced in real life.  The people, young and old, work hard.  They are up at dawn and doing manual labor like fixing fences, and picking weeds.  It's backbreaking work, but Laurel and her friends are in it together, so they still manage to have a few laughs.

But, there is an underlying current of doom.  The land is not as fertile as it once was.  And Laurel has an unusual hobby.  She is a taxidermist.  She scours the land for the remains of animals who have died and brings them to life as still life sculptures.  It's her way of connecting to the land.

Lauren also lost her mother when she was a small child.  Did her mother kill herself?  Or did she die trying to protect Laurel from an unspeakable Evil?  Will the bones reveal the secrets of the land?  Is her mother a ghost?  Who, or what is the Evil thing that may be trying to kill Laurel?

via GIPHY

Diversity of Paths:

I liked that even though the main character, Laurel, drops out of college, her life is not over.  For many people, college is just not for them.  There was some sadness that she has to start over to find the right path.  But Laurel always knows that her farm is where she wants to be.  There is no real struggle to leave, which I found to be refreshing.  One can make a life, a good life, anywhere.  And some people feel a strong connection to where they grew up.  So many times in YA, the characters can't wait to leave their small town.  And some of these characters do feel that way (with good reason). But I really liked that the author presented a counterpoint.

Characters:

Laurel is still trying to understand her mother's death.  This legacy comes with a heavy burden.  her uncle has raised her, and she feels a deep obligation to help out at the farm.  She also knows that her uncle is grieving too.  So she feels like she can't talk to him honestly about her mom.  This is hard for Laurel.  She really has no one she can really talk to about all of this.  

Laurel's friends will break your heart.  She has three male friends who are also trying to figure out their life paths.  Brothers Garret and Ricky are hometown boys all the way.  They like where they live and have no desire to leave.  But Garret is secretly in love with Laurel's other friend, Isaac. Garret and Isaac both want to be together, but how can they do that in a homophobic town?  Isaac is sick of living in the shadows, so he desperately wants to leave to a larger city.  Also, as his father is an abusive alcoholic, Isaac really needs to leave if he wants to keep himself safe.  These are Laurel's "ride or die" friends.  They believe Laurel when she tell them something evil is on the way.  Even with all their tensions, they are always there for each other.

Story:

This story is one of growing into an adult, but also of dealing with the baggage of one's family, all with the backdrop of a supernatural suspense thriller.  The group keeps finding grizzly dead animals around the farm.  Is someone (or something) trying to mess with Laurel?  Was her mother an actual witch?  Could Laurel be, as well?  There is evil all around, but also there is the earth, the natural healer.  I loved that Laurel and her friends are so in tune with the land that they can sense something bad is coming.  When it does arrive, it takes all of them to drive it away.  There will be a cost, but not one I saw coming.

Trigger Warning for domestic violence & suicide

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  July 12th, 2022

Author: Elizabeth Kilcoyne

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: YA Contemporary Horror

Page Length: 320 Pages

Source: NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation: This was a moody, scary read.  I loved it.  If you enjoy horror, you will love this book.