Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Avery Hood is discovered one night, covered in her parent's blood after they are murdered.  She can't remember much about that night except for flashes of silver.  Now living with her grandmother, she longs to remember what happened to her parents.  But something dark and evil is evading the woods around her house and it's after Avery too.

But now I realized I hadn't understood longing at all.  It wasn't about hope.   It was about want, pure and simple.
p.55 ARC

Y'all, this book is super creepy.  From the very first moment when Avery is found covered head to toe with her parent's blood next to their mutilated bodies all the way to the very surprising ending.  Creepy.  It really kept me guessing and gave me the shivers.  It managed to evoke a quiet, chilling atmosphere while providing an interesting murder mystery and a few paranormal elements.  It was well-written and the main characters were well fleshed out.

I really liked this book.  I would have loved it though if it didn't include the supernatural element that was Ben, the new boy at school.  I mean Ben the character was fine and his connection thing with Avery was actually fine.  It provided a necessary though mostly unexplained reason for his character.  It's what Ben is that bothered me.  It seemed unnecessary though I suppose plot-wise it actually was necessary.  I just wish it had been different.  But I liked the supernatural aspect of Avery and thought it was pretty neat and different.  Can't win them all.


Sidenote: I bet the real book is beautiful.  The ARC has a little bit of what I think the whole book will be, with red at each chapter break and it is gorgeous.   I'll have to pick up a regular copy to see.

Hogwarts: Defence Against the Dark Arts
R.I.P. (mystery)