Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand is a dark YA Fantasy story of missing girls, a mysterious figure, and a dash of horror.

“Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep.

He’ll follow you home, and he won’t let you sleep.

Who are the Sawkill Girls?

Marion: the new girl. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she’s sure she’ll never find.

Zoey: the pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she’s broken—or maybe everyone else is.

Val: the queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives, a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.

Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires.

Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight… until now.”

This book was oddly satisfying. It’s definitely hitting on the unique side with a contemporary beginning that morphs into a paranormal, fantasy realm about a third of the way through.

I am a huge fan of the darker storylines, so once I really got into the story, I was able to get sucked into the concept of the missing girls and this mysterious, possessed-like figure that we get tiny snip-bits on. I couldn’t help but continue on just so I could begin to wrap my mind around what is behind this creepy, evil thing was.

The writing style set up the horror elements nicely without being overly ‘scary.’ The mystery behind the monster and the gorey control he has over some of the characters is just the beginning. I loved this unique vibe!

There are also a F-F relationship in this story. I don’t want to get too in depth with the characters because I think not knowing helps to really get the full experience of the writing style.

Overall, I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars. There were parts that I wasn’t as involved with and kind-of glazed over, but then there were chunks that I flew through. This story will keep you on your toes, and you will have no idea what is around the corner!

Published: 2 October 2018

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy / LGBT

Pages: 450

How I Read It: Hardcover from Library

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