This one just wasn’t for me. It sounded so atmospheric and intriguing but ended up feeling too muddled with too much going on and I lost interest. 

 

Energy: Agitated. Adamant. Capable. 

 

🐕 Howls Had the potential to be atmospheric (set in the fall), but I didn’t feel it. Descriptions didn’t deliver the spooky and cozy vibes I was hoping for. A bit boring (but maybe it’s for at a younger YA audience?). Story was very “tell, not show” with things explained in a quick unengaging way. So many little side plots going on with spirits, dimensions, creatures, family drama, romantic chemistry, book of secrets, spells, ingredients, supernatural abilities etc. but always stopped just short of me getting invested. 

 

🐩 Tail Wags The setting. The idea of supernatural sensory abilities. 

 

Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Caball Hollow, Appalachia in the US. 

Perspective: Our main character is a teen living in a close-knit family of sisters with a connection to the land and magical wisdoms passed through the generations. They can smell lies and recent events cause them to believe something is happening in the magical realms. 

Timeline: Current (2010s or 2020s). 🍂 September, October.

🔥 Fuel: Sense of adventure. Quests and journeys. Romantic tension. Race against time. Good vs evil. Why are people losing memories? What is happening to the bone tree? What are the intentions of others? Is our main character in danger? 

📖 Cred: Magical realism

 

Papery smoke. Burnt meat. Burning leaves. Bone tree. Magpie. Ginseng. 

 

Content Heads-Up: Physical violence. Blood, injury. Death. Vandalism. Prejudice.

 

Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Fair and deep brown skin tones.

 

📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley.