Happy Wednesday! Let me start out by saying, I really enjoyed this book. Like, really really enjoyed it. Small Favors has been on TBR for a while now, but I hadn't made the time to read it. I thought it would be a perfect read for spooky season, and it did not disappoint. Erin A. Craig is a fantastic author, and I can't wait to get my hands on more of her books. I think I may have found a new favorite author.
Synopsis of Small Favors
Small Favors follows the story of Ellerie Downing. "Ellerie Downing lives in the quiet town of Amity Falls in the Blackspire Mountain range--five narrow peaks stretching into the sky like a grasping hand, bordered by a nearly impenetrable forest from which the early townsfolk fought off the devils in the woods. To this day, visitors are few and rare. But when a supply party goes missing, some worry that the monsters that once stalked the region have returned". Sound like something you'd be interested in? Here's my review!
Warning: The rest of this post contains spoilers. If you haven't read it, and you want to, come back later!
What I Loved About Small Favors
This book was creepy. Not too scary, but had enough suspense to keep me holding my breath at times. The monsters in the woods remained a mystery until the end, and it took me a while to figure out what they actually were. Small Favors has a touch of romance, which you guys know I liked. Most of the time, I don't enjoy books completely devoid of romance. I need just a little bit to stay interested in the story as a whole. That being said, if a book doesn't have romance and I say it's still really good, read it. You won't be disappointed, I'm sure. But I digress.
Aside from that, I also enjoyed the characters. Sam, Ellerie's twin brother, was kind of a jerk, but it added to the storyline so I didn't mind. Ellerie was a strong character, and managed to carry her family through a harsh winter when her parents had an emergency towns away and couldn't come home. She took care of her sisters with grace, and even though she was terrified, she didn't show it. Whitaker remained a mystery until the very end, though I guessed he had something to do with the monsters a few pages away from the ending.
The monsters were a nice twist, in that they weren't monsters at all, but shape-shifters who could appear human. Their M.O. was to play tricks on the townspeople until they turned against each other, just to watch it burn to the ground. Apparently that's highly entertaining. I'm not sure I would enjoy being a part of that, but it made for an interesting story.
The ending was great. Ellerie guessed the leader's name, and was able to leave the disaster of her town. Whitaker also came with her--he was also fully human, and no longer a monster. Yes, he was a monster. I forgot to mention that. But he had a good heart, and he did his best to protect Ellerie and her family from harm (with good luck charms).
What I Didn't Love About Small Favors
The book was a bit slow for my taste, but that's a small complaint. I wish the parents had been a bigger part of the story, but I think that was the point. The ending also felt a bit rushed. I think the story could've kept a better pace, with more details added near the end. I did feel like the story wrapped up nicely, though.
Overall Rating
I give Small Favors four stars. It was a creepy story, but not terrifying. It would be perfect for 12+, which is good considering it's a Young Adult novel. I'm finding I love YA horror/thriller novels. Did you read Small Favors? What did you think? Will you give it a read? Let me know in the comments!
-xxAlycia
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