Book Review: Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé

I finally got my chance to read this!

I just want to say that sisters are hell but they’re our hell and this seems to be the running theme in this book.

Skye is the older sister to the very weird, very creepy as fuck Deirdre. Deirdre likes to do things like collect animal skulls, hiss at her neighbors, and just be irritating as fuck. Skye’s world is turned upside down when on her watch Deirdre goes missing and she’s sent on a Blair Witch esque mission to retrieve her sister even if it means losing pieces of herself along the way.

So, I liked this novel a lot. The writing was absolutely phenomenal and beautiful, Amelinda Bérubé is a beast at invoking feelings and world building. I felt as though I were actually viewing a horror film. I loved Skye as a character. I totally understood her and her stance as the annoyed older sister who is sick of her sister’s weird shit. I have 3 younger sisters and although its lessened since we’re older the amount of times I’ve wanted to drop kick them…I get it. Skye also defends the hell out of her sister and as the novel progresses we see her mood shift from I don’t care to give her back now. It’s nice to see and also very realistic.

My problem with this book is while it delivers on the creepy factor, I feel as though nothing really came out in the end. The climax was half hearted and the pacing was often confusing. I was literally on the last page of the novel and was like wait??? That’s it? That’s how this ends? It’s a shame because the first half of the book was brilliant and cohesive but the second falters and leaves you puzzled.

Also, Skye’s friends are annoying. I’m sorry but Sophie please take your bullshit elsewhere when somebody’s daughter is MISSING. I just…Never has a character infuriated me as much.

ANYWAY, this was a really cool book and you should definitely check it out if you like movies like The Blair Witch Project because it definitely reminds me of it. A nice spooky read with some hiccups but definitely worth reading.