Review – Fallow Heart by K.C. Finn (3/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Horror
Length: 406 pages
Publisher: Odd Voice Out
Release Date: November 30, 2018
ASIN : B07H1MGNVQ
Stand Alone or Series: This is the first book in the Hallow Heart series
Source: eGalley from Netgalley.com
Rating: 3/5 stars
“When a gruesome murder spree leads to the door of a teenage loser, she is forced to face the reality that something demonic is growing inside her.
Fallow Heart is the story of Lorelai Blake, a self-conscious, overweight seventeen-year-old who discovers that a demon has pierced her heart, sparking an incredible transformation. Sleepwalking, fits of rage and impossible strength force Lori to accept that part of her is no longer human. It was hard enough fitting in before, and now that hurtful voice in her head has taken an even more sinister tone. Worse than this, bodies are being discovered. People in Chester are dying and they have only one connection: a nocturnal killer who savages its prey.
Lori seeks help from the D.C., an organisation formed to treat infected children, but even they can’t protect her from the Harvest. When her powers reach their peak, the beast that infected her will return to consume those powers, killing her in the process. She learns the awful truth from a rebellious new friend, Kasabian, who seems to have found a way to avoid this grisly fate. With a detective on her back and a demon in her heart, Lori must master her darkness and follow the murder trail before it reaches the people she loves, and all before the terrifying Harvest sets in. Along the way, her outward insecurities pale in comparison to much bigger problems.
When you’re becoming more demonic by the day, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”
Series Info/Source: I got a copy of this book through NetGalley to review. This is the first book in a series (which definitely isn’t made clear by the synopsis or on any media sites).
Story (3/5): This was a decent read but yet another book in a slew of recent reads that I didn’t like all that much. It’s about an overweight teen (Lori) whose heart is pierced by a demon and then she starts to become that demon. This is the first book in a series which I did not realize. As a result this book doesn’t really tie up any of the mysteries presented and pretty much just leaves the reader hanging. I wasn’t looking to start a new series, so I was a bit frustrated by this.
Most of the story involves Lori trying to figure out how to deal with the changes that are happening to her and how to survive them. Lori also struggles with figuring out who to trust in this new-to-her demon infested world. The story was fairly predictable but I liked the darker tone to it and the way demons were dealt with. There were some really interesting ideas around demons and possessions and “sowing”.
Characters (3/5): I struggled a bit with this story in general because I had trouble relating to or engaging with any of the characters. Lori also did a lot of things that just didn’t seem to make a lot of sense when her “smart” girl persona was considered. Most of the characters are fairly selfish and not all that pleasant to read about which just isn’t my thing.
Setting (3/5): The story is set in Chester, but could have been any generic city setting. There weren’t a ton of iconic moments that featured special areas of the city. Most of the story takes place at the trailer park Lori lives in or at her college. It was fine but the setting wasn’t the main driver behind the story.
Writing Style (3/5): I seem to be in a bit of a reading slump lately, I think this is the fourth or fifth book in a row I’ve given 3 or less stars to. This book was okay, technically it was fine to read. I just always felt like Finn keeps her readers at a distance. We never really get to engage with the characters or story but are kept apart from it. This made it hard for me to really dive into the story and enjoy it. As mentioned above I was also really disappointed to find out that this is the first book in a series; it should be advertised as such so that readers know what they are getting into.
My Summary (3/5): Overall this was an okay read about a girl turning into a demon (kind of) and trying to control the side effects. There is an interesting secret world built around demons and the main character struggles with figuring out who to trust. This is the first book in a series, so this story leaves the reader on a cliffhanger. I didn’t engage with the characters or the story all that well, they all felt a bit distant. I don’t plan on continuing this series.
