Small Favors
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4.8 • 5 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the critically-acclaimed author of House of Salt and Sorrows comes a mesmerizing and chilling fairy-talesque novel about Ellerie Downing, a young woman in a small town with monsters lurking in the trees and dark desires hidden in the shadows—in Amity Falls, nothing is more dangerous than a wish come true.
"Unique, enchanting, and haunting."—Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of the Cursebreaker series
“Full of beasts, bargains, and blood, Small Favors is a folk horror tale that feels like a classic but is utterly fresh. Sweet, dark, and complex as wildflower honey.”—Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf
"A deliciously dark fairy tale filled with bone-chilling horror and breathtaking romance that will keep you turning the pages long into the night."—Kara Thomas, author of The Cheerleaders and That Weekend
“As dark and romantic as it haunting, Small Favors is an eerie fairytale that I couldn’t put down.”—Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching
Ellerie Downing is waiting for something to happen. Life in isolated Amity Falls, surrounded by an impenetrable forest, has a predictable sameness. Her days are filled with tending to her family's beehives, chasing after her sisters, and dreaming of bigger things while her twin, Samuel, is free to roam as he wishes.
Early town settlers fought off monstrous creatures in the woods, and whispers that the creatures still exist keep the Downings and their neighbors from venturing too far. When some townsfolk go missing on a trip to fetch supplies, a heavy unease settles over the Falls.
Strange activities begin to plague the town, and as the seasons change, it's clear that something is terribly wrong. The creatures are real, and they're offering to fulfill the residents' deepest desires, however grand, for just a small favor. These seemingly trifling demands, however, hide sinister intentions. Soon Ellerie finds herself in a race against time to stop Amity Falls, her family, and the boy she loves from going up in flames.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The terror of grudges spiraling into violence haunts Craig's (House of Salt and Sorrows) American frontier fantasy, but is left unresolved. In the isolated, presumed-white religious farming community of Amity Falls, rules and rituals repel the woodland monsters that haunted its founders—monsters that tenderhearted beekeeper Ellerie Downing, 18, thinks are a myth. But when members of the semiannual supply train are slaughtered by massive silver-eyed beasts, the town's luck sours: apparitions appear and harvests wither, and violence stirs among the townsfolk. The mythic monsters have returned to destroy Amity Falls, and Ellerie must protect her farm and siblings—and the cocky, broken-nosed trapper who she's falling for might be the key. Accomplished prose and a love of beekeeping warm this horror-tinged landscape, but the plot quickly loses momentum in repetitive threats and vague omens, and its insistence that only outside enemies cause social strife may well repel some readers. Even so, fans of Brenna Yovanoff and Erin Bowman will enjoy this lushly built, ominous rural America. Ages 12–up.
