Week 1 Review: The Afterdark

From Goodreads:

Queer horror at a boarding school with a Lovecraftian twist in this new YA novel from E. Latimer, author of the acclaimed The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray.

Northcroft is an elite boarding school with a deadly secret. Each night as the bell tolls and the shutters slam down, cutting off the outside world, the Afterdark descends, turning the surrounding old growth forest into a macabre copy of itself. A negative photograph crawling with horrors.

Evie Laurent is certain of one thing from the moment she sees Holland Morgan on the front steps of Northcroft: she wants to know everything there is to know about her. But there are some things about Evie herself that are better kept secret. Especially the fact that she let her sister drown. And that it's getting harder to ignore her dark impulses . . . 

Holland Morgan knows falling for Evie is just one more terrible choice in her long history of terrible choices. The problem is, she's not sure she cares.

As attraction turns slowly to obsession, they find themselves playing a dangerous game. Something out there is calling to each of them. Beckoning to the shadows within.

Do they fight the call and protect one another, or answer, and embrace the darkness?

My Review:
This was such an incredible read! I've only read the one other book by E. Latimer as far as I'm aware, and I really enjoyed it, and I was excited to pick this one up! The synopsis sounded really fantastic, and oh, it was such a great read!

The beginning is pretty shocking, given that it starts off with her twin dying, and that she didn't help her. The story told us why, but it was still pretty shocking. It really set the tone for the rest of the book, creepy, off-putting, and so entertaining to read! 

I loved the dual perspective, Evie who has family history with the school, and Holland, her crush, but also who was somehow involved with her sister. Which was a really complicated situation. Plus there was a good mix of rational and wild, and oh, when we got answers, and the balance started to tip? So good! 

To find out what was going on, I really enjoyed the girls' invergation, into what the secret society was hiding, into Evie's dad and what was going on with him. It was such a thrilling story, and that ending, with that one big reveal, was awesome! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by E. Latimer! 

Author: E. Latimer 
Read: January 1st, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing, and it's a SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Tundra Books 
Expected Publication: January 7th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars