A little while ago, I read a little book called Harrow Lake – and it kept me up at night, searching the shadows for strange figures and listening out for the sound of jitterbugs. That book has stayed with me ever since. So when a brand new release from the same author appeared in my inbox, getting my hands on it was a no brainer!
Step into Burden Falls – home of blood feuds, strange symbols and a girl with no eyes…
Huge thanks, as always, go to Dave at The Write Reads for the opportunity to be part of this particularly exciting #UltimateBlogTour!
Blurb: Ava Thorn has always thought of the legends of her hometown Burden Falls as just that – legends. But ever since the horrific accident she witnessed a year ago, she can’t stop having nightmares, and the town’s creepy stories are starting to feel more like fact than fiction.
Then her school nemesis is brutally murdered, and Ava finds herself the primary suspect. Why do all of Burden Falls’ tragedies seem to lead back to her family? And who is the nightmarish figure haunting her steps?
Whatever secrets Burden Falls is hiding, there’s a killer on the loose. And they’re coming for the Thorns.
Review:
Ava Thorn thinks life can’t get much worse. She’s lost her parents, her home and is on track to fail out of school. But then a girl turns up dead, her eyes an unsettling milky colour and the whispers of the legendary Dead Eyed Sadie start up again. The bodies start piling up, their eyes missing and Ava can’t help but wonder if the ghost that haunts the Thorn estate is out for blood…
If there’s one thing that Ellis seems to do consistently well is to create unsettling environments that have you checking over your shoulder for haunting figures. The sprawling Thorn estate, the eerie silence of the Copper Bell Dam and spine tingling power of the waterfalls at Burden Bridge all succeeded in me pulling the duvet a little tighter to ward off an imaginary chill. As far as the urban legend aspect goes, if you’re a fan of ghosts who are missing their eyes popping up unannounced beside the river or on the other side of your bedroom window, you’re in for a treat. Dead Eyed Sadie’s description was enough for me to see her a little too clearly in my mind, gaping eye sockets and all. As with all good urban legends, we also get a bit of Sadie’s background to root her in reality and have Ava, and us, question just how real she could be. The murders combined with tales of witchcraft and bloodthirsty ghosts gave me the same vibes as Fear Street (by R L Stine, but also now on Netflix) so if you enjoyed that, this book should most definitely be on your TBR.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good pinch of unsettling urban legend with their murder mysteries! Dive into the world of Burden Falls where if you whisper your troubles to the water, they might just come back to haunt you…
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
You can check out the thoughts of some other wonderful book bloggers on this book throughout the rest of the Wicked Little Deeds blog tour by following along over on social media!
#TheWriteReads #UltimateBlogTour #WickedLittleDeeds
Are you looking forward to reading this book? I’d love to know your thoughts on it! You can always find me over on Twitter if you’re looking for a book chat! 😌
Hannah's Bookshelf 🌸 
Great review!
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