REVIEW: And the Trees Crept In

And the Trees Crept In
Author: Dawn Kurtagich

This book is a brilliant nightmare....one of those late night terrors where muscles are paralyzed and there's something lurking in the darkness. A monster comes closer. Dragging steps scrape across the floor, coming up next to the bed. The nightmare feels.like being awake and asleep at the same time, aware of danger but unable to get away. That feeling....remember it? That's how this book will make you feel.

What a wonderful, creepy read!

Silla and Nori come to stay with their aunt, escaping from abusive parents. For awhile, they are happy. But then Silla starts to notice the house is getting darker. There are strange noises. Weird smells. And the trees in the forest -- the forest they have been warned never to enter -- appear to be getting closer to the house. The Creeper Man is coming and there is nowhere to run.

Kurtagich's writing is masterful and she shapes this tale using every tool at her disposal. I love the handwritten passages, font changes and word art. It adds to the creepy, horrific atmosphere of this story. The build up and pacing are perfect.  The story builds slowly at first and then tumbles down a cliff of WTF to slap the reader right in the face at the end.

The ending is nothing new, but the journey to get there was creative, new and engrossing. So, I didn't bat an eye or mutter "This has been done before.''  This makes an old plot device or two seem new.

Dawn Kurtagich is also the author of The Dead House, another creepy read. I've had it on my TBR for quite awhile....reading it next!

For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.dawnkurtagich.com