Eventide by Sarah Goodman Pages: 336
Published by Tor Teen on October 6, 2020
Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Thrillers & Suspense
Source: eARC from Publisher
"Eventide is an evocative YA historical fantasy thriller by debut author Sarah Goodman, for fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Libba Bray.
MADNESS, SECRETS, AND LIESWheeler, Arkansas, 1907
When their father descends into madness after the death of their mother, Verity Pruitt and her little sister Lilah find themselves on an orphan train to rural Arkansas.
In Wheeler, eleven-year-old Lilah is quickly adopted, but seventeen-year-old Verity is not. Desperate to stay close to her sister, Verity indentures herself as a farmhand. But even charming farm boy Abel Atchley can’t completely distract her from the sense that something is not quite right in this little town. Strange local superstitions abound, especially about the eerie old well at the center of the forest. The woods play tricks, unleashing heavy fog and bone-chilling cold…and sometimes visions of things that aren’t there.But for Verity, perhaps most unsettling of all is the revelation that her own parents have a scandalous history in this very town. And as she tries to unearth the past, sinister secrets come with it—secrets that someone will go to violent lengths to protect….
A haunting tale of long-buried secrets, small-town scandal, and single-minded vengeance by talented debut novelist Sarah Goodman."
Eventide is a young adult historical fantasy thriller by Sarah Goodman. I really enjoyed the creepy atmosphere of this book, and I also enjoyed that it is a standalone novel. Perfect to pick up this fall or winter when you are looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading it. The book starts with our main character and her sister being sent on a orphan train to a small town, and things get weird from there. I loved all the spooky secrets and the small town in the middle of no where setting. It all added to the atmospheric reading experience. Eventide is a book that will satisfy readers looking for a good young adult thriller/suspense story. This one was actually spooky and is perfect for the Halloween season.
In Eventide we meet our main character, Verity and her younger sister Lilah. When their father goes crazy, her and her sister are orphaned and sent on an “orphan train” to rural Arkansas. There her younger sister quickly gets adopted by 17 year old Verity does not. In an attempt to try and stay close to her sister, Verity picks up work at a nearby farm, and that is when some weird stuff starts happening. A lot of it is centered around the woods that seem to have a mind of their own and a well at the center of the woods. But the people in the town are weird too, and as I was reading I was super excited to figure out just what was going on in this town. I know one thing is for sure, I do NOT want to visit the town of Wheeler. The fantasy/supernatural elements in the book are there but they do not overpower the story. I would say the main focus is on the town itself and Verity peeling back the mystery and secrets it keeps. I liked that the mystery plot progressed rather slowly because it added to the overall spooky tension I felt while reading Eventide. It was really well done!
Bottom line: Readers that love creepy atmospheric reads set in a small town setting, will devour Eventide. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and the plot was mysterious, kind of dark and just the right amount of creepy. I am still trying to decide if I liked the ending or not, but I think I have decided that I do like it because it fits with the tone of the story. Once you have read the book, come back here and let me know what you think of the ending and book overall!
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2020 New Release Challenge
- ARCtober 2020
- Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2020
Aj @ Read All The Things!
I recently added this one to my TBR list. I love atmospheric books, and I want to support standalone fantasy. I’m glad you enjoyed it.