"The Devil's Tree" weaves a chilling tale of grief, ghosts, and the battle against an evil spirit that threatens to claim more lives. Susan McCauley takes readers on a harrowing journey through the supernatural, exploring themes of loss, love, and the resilience of the human spirit.

The story unfolds around seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn, a girl yearning to break free from the shackles of her challenging home life. A seemingly innocent excursion to photograph the notorious Devil's Tree with her friends takes a nightmarish turn when a malevolent force takes the lives of her boyfriend, Hunter, and best friend, Keisha. Left grappling with grief and the unexpected emergence of romantic feelings for the remaining friend, Dylan, Kaitlyn becomes the reluctant hero in a battle against a vengeful spirit.

McCauley skillfully blends the paranormal with the emotional, delving into Kaitlyn's internal struggles as she copes with loss, love, and the haunting presence that threatens her existence. The character development is strong, especially as Kaitlyn confronts her feelings for Dylan and grapples with the weight of survivor's guilt.

The pacing of the story keeps readers on the edge of their seats, with each chapter building suspense and urgency. The quest for resolution takes Kaitlyn and Dylan on a journey that combines elements of horror, romance, and a dash of the supernatural. The incorporation of a Catholic priest as an ally adds an interesting layer to the narrative, blending traditional and paranormal elements seamlessly.

While the premise is engaging and the characters well-drawn, there are moments when the plot feels somewhat predictable. Certain elements follow familiar horror tropes, and some readers may anticipate the twists before they unfold.

"The Devil's Tree" is a compelling read that successfully combines horror with heartfelt emotion. McCauley delivers a story that goes beyond the scares, exploring the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss and supernatural threats.

I was hoping for a fun YA horror book, but found myself bored at every turn. It felt a little childish and the dialogue did not seem authentic. Did not finish.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A fun horror novel that is perfect for Halloween Month 🎃

The devils tree - Susan McCAuley

I’m sorry I just couldn’t get into this one it didn’t work out for me. It didn’t hold my attention at all

While I might not review horror on this blog too often, I love a good horror novel. Even better if it’s YA Horror – I don’t see a lot of YA Horror novels out there. Well, The Devil’s Tree is an exception to that rule and I’m here for it. I’m using the CAWPILE method of reviewing for this book.

Characters
I have to say that I found the main characters, Dylan and Kaitlyn, to be very likable. The book dealt lightly with racism and classism, both of which are shown in how certain characters1 interact with and talk about other characters. It also goes into a bit of how one person might think someone else’s situation isn’t as bad just from seeing it on the outside.

I was intrigued by how the dead remained characters in the book even after death. I won’t tell you who, but I will say it is very interesting how the author handles the ghosts in this book. I love a good ghost story, and this one was very good.

Atmosphere
This book is set in a small Texas town. Now, I’ve lived in Texas and I’ll say this – while I lived in a medium sized city, this was a great description of how Texas can be, at least in my personal experience. Not saying this is every small Texas town, but it’s a pretty good description.

The Devil’s Tree itself is a place you don’t want to be… and Susan McCauley does an excellent job of making sure you’re at least a little bit on the creeped out side. That is one nasty tree! It makes for an excellent background for this story and believe me, without it you won’t have a story!

Writing Style
If you’re looking for a horror novel that is easy to read, possibly in just a day or two, The Devil’s Tree is the book for you. Susan McCauley’s writing style gives you a fast paced, easy, fun to read novel. You won’t have to labor with too many details and you won’t be bored to tears because the book takes forever to get moving. It’s quick, easy read that will give you the creeps, unless you’re a real lightweight when it comes to horror2
Plot
The Devil’s Tree has a plot that isn’t your standard horror novel plot. Most horror novels have one person who is terrorizing the area… and while technically that is the case with The Devil’s Tree, it’s a whole lot deeper than that. This plot requires some digging into the past to get it sorted out and solved.

This plot isn’t predictable – you won’t be saying “oh this is where this happens” or “knew it”. You’ll be kept on your toes for the duration of the book.

Intrigue
Now some novels don’t have much intrigue because they’re not meant to. Horror novels though, should have at least some intrigue to them. Trust me, this one does. The entire story behind The Devil’s Tree (the actual tree in the book) is a mystery that has to be unraveled. You don’t know what’ll happen next or what the reason behind the tree’s curse – and you’ll want to know. What is up with that tree? You’ll definitely want to keep reading to find out.

Logic
It’s a horror novel. Logic goes out the window for most horror novels – that’s part of why they’re horror. Yes, there is a sense of logic in the novel as the mystery of the tree is being unraveled, but it’s not like you’re going to find the entire thing logical. There’s nothing logical about a tree that seems to cause people to die. But some of the steps Kaitlyn and Dylan take to figure out the mystery behind the tree and how to stop it are going to be logical and make perfect sense. Others, not so much. I’ll let you read it to find out which are which.

Enjoyment
Unless you’re a fan of horror, and YA horror at that, you’re probably not going to enjoy this book overly much. As a huge fan of both horror and YA horror, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have no idea why I let it sit on my shelf for so long without reading it. I will definitely be looking for more of Susan McCauley’s books in the future.

If you are a fan of horror, especially of the YA variety, I highly recommend you look for and pick up this book. It’s a great, quick, creepy read for those who love a good horror story.

I really enjoy reading The Devil's Tree by Susan McCauley. I am going to give it four and a half stars.

"A ghost story of love, revenge, and redemption" this was exactly what I wanted from this book and it delivered. The characters were amazing and the world was great. It was a great horror novel and I enjoyed this.

finally a great horror/ghost story! this was what i was looking for! the book is a real page-turner and keeps you always wanting more and more after each page. The characters are interesting and the story comes together in the end with twists and turns on the way which is great amazing love them!. A great YA horror a genre very low publish

The Devil’s Tree by Susan McCauley was a quick read. There was way too much trivial drama in this story. Despite it reading like a teenage paranormal horror novel, I gave it a thumbs up. This is story is really about ghosts, suspense and occult presence. The main character Kaitlyn has a boyfriend named Hunter. Kaitlyn also has a best friend named Keisha. Keisha’s boyfriend is Dylan. The story starts off with the four of them out on a joyride to investigate the devil’s tree. The story takes a turn for the worst when they have a terrible auto accident speeding away from the devil’s tree. Two of them are killed in a crash and the other two are left to continue mourning over their friend’s death, seeing their ghostly figures, and continuing an investigation about the devil’s tree. I do recommend this book to others who are enthusiastic about reading books where the characters experience drama, dysfunctional family settings and personality development.

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I had to dnf it. The racism got too much for and and I couldn’t vibe with the writing style. I

This book gave me the creeps! I would mainly read at night to enhance the spooky experience and I don't regret it! this is the type of book that will keep you up at night and give you nightmares. If you scare easily this book may not be for you. As a Texas resident, I've always heard of the haunting stories of the real Devil's Tree, but this book made the tree even scarier.

The Devil's Tree is a very spooky story. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and is a real page turner. The characters are interesting and really fit into the story. The story really comes together in the end with twists and turns on the way. If you like reading YA horror, you should check this book out!

Oh wow 🤩! I liked this book a lot! It didn’t take me too long to read this story. I feel like it should be a ya horror book. I had mixed emotions during reading this story.

I received a complimentary copy of The Devil’s Tree from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Great paranormal book! I haven’t read any quite so original in a while. I enjoyed the characters, the spooky historic storyline of a poor scorned mother; an evil, haunted tree; the dynamics of friendships that forge across economic class and racial barriers.

Kaitlyn Karly and her boyfriend, Hunter McMaster, are out with Kaitlyn’s best friend, Keisha Richards, and Hunter’s best friend, Dylan Anderson, who are a couple. The plan is to drive down to the edge of town where Dylan plans to shoot photos of a supposedly haunted tree called Devil’s Tree for a local magazine.

A ghostly presence chases them from the tree, and the bodies of Keisha and Hunter are found by the townsfolk. However, the funeral is not the end. Kaitlyn and Dylan begin to be haunted by the ghosts of an utterly frightened and subdued Hunter and an angry Keisha, both far removed from their personalities in life.

Kaitlyn appeals to Fr Eduardo Alvares, the Catholic priest who officiated at the funeral. At first, he doesn’t believe her, and refuses to get involved. Later he tries to help them, and suffers a setback himself. Now Kaitlyn and Dylan have to do what they can to bring peace to their dead friends. Leaving their dead-end town and heading out to college isn’t an option, not unless their friends are at rest.

Finding answers will mean spending time together. Strangely, a nerd like Dylan has begun to evoke strange feelings in Kaitlyn but the ghost of Keisha has already warned her to stay away from him.

For Kaitlyn, living in a trailer with an alcoholic single mother, getting away from town is the only way out. But will they find a way to bring peace to their friends or will they be the next to die.



The book is written in the first person PoV of Kaitlyn. The writing was good, but not quite what I’d come to expect of the genre. There was too much of romance eating into the facetime that should have rightly belonged to the horror genre. I would have liked this book even more if the romance had been toned down, or if Dylan and Kaitlyn had begun to date each other towards the end.

At first I didn’t take to Kaitlyn, but gradually I began to like her. She turned out to be a strong character who got over her challenges and grew to embrace her strengths. The loyalty she displayed towards her friends was a good character trait.

There were few characters in the book but most of them stood out. Only Dylan’s dad seemed to be unbelievable in his snobbishness. Among the minor parts, Kaitlyn’s mother’s character was particularly well written.

The townspeople turned out to be a character. Their refusal to accept Hunter who hailed from a respectable family and Kaitlyn, as also the opposition they had to white Dylan dating black Keisha was an obstacle that loomed through the book.

Every time the author wanted to talk about something disgusting, she came up with a roach analogy, and truly, there is nothing more disgusting than a roach.

I liked the way the book made itself relevant to today’s times by talking about issues such as racism, hatred and forgiveness in the face of judgement and prejudice. It also makes a case for acceptance of homosexuality.

Another thing I liked about this book was the total lack of foul language. She even made the horror and the dread evoked by the demon appear believable without having to use cuss words. So many books nowadays can’t seem to get a sentence out without using bad language.

Kaitlyn’s arc was well written, and I liked the ending and the message it carried. I especially liked the fact that her mother’s issues weren’t magically resolved.





There were only a few errors. The father was saying something and other statements like these with the words, the father, as the subject should have been changed to the priest.

In Chapter 9, Kaitlyn makes a reference, give a confession. It should be make a confession.

Why the funerals are held in the Catholic Church isn’t explained in a believable manner. The fact that Dylan’s dad is willing to foot the expenses is insufficient explanation as neither Hunter nor Keisha are Catholics.

All in all, a good book. Not too scary, just the way I like it. A ghost story tempered by hope and redemption.

(Closer to 2.5 stars.)

This book is, to put it simply, the literary version of a "B-movie" in the (mild) horror genre mixed with a made-for-TV romance from the early 2010s. It toes the line between cringe-inducing cliche and genuine entertainment while playing hopscotch on a lot of common tropes - some fine and some... troubling. That is to say: it's basically what you'd expect from what I described.

Just like "B-movies," it handles matters of poverty, race, identity, and sexuality with all the care of a wild animal set loose in a room full of priceless, breakable items. While I did try to look beyond some of the less pleasant tropes - mostly because they're extremely prevalent in the horror genre - these issues did leave varying degrees of lingering, bad impressions.

I keep trying to articulate some of the worst issues, but a list is easier and I'm kind of mentally drained for reasons unrelated to this book (welcome to 2020's sequel, right?). So here we go:

* The black character, Keisha, dies first. Nobody is surprised, since this book is basically trying really hard to be a horror movie. (But still, it's a bad trope!)

* People living in trailer parks and surviving through the aid of welfare money are shamed intensively by the narrating character, Kaitlyn.

* Keisha's struggles with racism and being in an interracial relationship while living in a small town are explored not as part of her character but rather as something for her white friend, Kaitlyn, to gawk at, pity, and awkwardly attempt to relate to after she's been killed.

* The "I don't like this person at all, but wow they get the hormones flowing, maybe I do like them after all... eew gross of course I don't... wait maybe I do..." trope plays heavily in this book, to the point I found it sickening. Kaitlyn is basically a tsundere at several points in the book.

* A possessed teenager is used to taunt a gay man, implying that because he's gay he'd automatically be interested in the seventeen-year-old. I get that it's a "demons are gross" moment, but the implication is messed up and a very harmful misconception present in society. The book would have been better without this scene.

* Keisha is turned into a catty, jealous brat as a ghost. I'd pretend to be surprised, but that attitude is a common trope applied to black women/girls in media.

* Kaitlyn frequently compares her experience as a white girl in a trailer park to those of minorities facing bigotry - all while patronizingly pitying them and waxing poetic about what a good, non-bigoted person she herself is, and virtue signaling how much she feels for their struggles.

* Kaitlyn belittles Dylan - allegedly one of her friends - for being unattractive... until, of course, he takes his glasses off and magically becomes hot. (Yay for driving home the negative association for people with glasses?)

Those are just the questionable tropes. The standard fare for horror, YA, and romance are also peppered throughout in large quantities, making this (very slightly) unique story feel as if I've read and/or seen it a million times. That's a shame because quite a few of the story elements are fascinating or entertaining but the excess tropes and a completley unlikable, terrible person as the narrating character ruin the book for me.

Kaitlyn is the kind of two-faced, judgmental, self-centered person I actively avoid in real life. She thinks she's somehow better than other people who live in trailer parks (and the south in general), has horrible judgmental opinions of even the people she allegedly likes, and can't quite grasp that her life experiences as a straight, white girl will never be the same as those of minorities who face bigotry. (And don't even get me started about her virtue signaling!)

And you know what else? She's a crappy friend, too! At one point, Kaitlyn insults a friend for offering financial assistance so she can grieve the loss of her boyfriend and cites refusing to "accept handouts" like her mother who gets welfare (which, by the way, also goes to her since she's a teenage dependent). She even has the disrespectful audacity to demand the best friend of her dead boyfriend stop using the nickname she outright admits he liked just because her selfish butt doesn't like it - and she doesn't ask nicely, either; she yells and scolds as if it were a slur or something instead of a nickname. It's just 'Hunt' instead of his full first name of 'Hunter,' not something demeaning like 'Shnookie Wookie Pookie BooBoo Child.'

This doesn't set well with me at all, and the constant whining of Kaitlyn made me want to drop a clue-by-four on her so many times that it took away from the enjoyment of the book. Likewise, every time Kaitlyn went on a tangent about her virtues vs. the racism around her or started being a whiny brat, I wanted to put the book down and walk away.

I didn't pick this book to read some fictional white girl be a mouthpiece for the experiences of a black character killed off in the first few moments of the story. (If that's the focus of the story, maybe don't kill the black character and instead let her tell her own story!) Nor did I pick it to read the illogical hot-and-cold thoughts of a girl who berates her dead boyfriend's best friend for wearing glasses, being intelligent, being less attractive, and having 'nerdy' interests yet also gets inappropriately "hormonal" (the tacky term used in the book) when he simply touches one of her legs while offering emotional support. All of this comes with a bunch of cliche Southern-isms peppered in for good measure. You know the kind: ludicrous analogies spoken by stereotypes on TV but only rarely, if ever, used by us in real life. (“You’re three gallons of crazy in a two-gallon bucket, Dylan Anderson, you know that, right?”)

I rolled my eyes in annoyance at a few scenes, but at others I found myself drawn to the story and eager to discover what might happen next. I vaguely felt sorry for Kaitlyn's lot in life, then I wanted to smack her for being a terrible person. And it would be fair play, since she thinks it's okay to smack the guy she likes-but-denies-liking hard for simply smiling at the very same quote I shared in the previous paragraph. So yeah. It was a bit of a rollercoaster getting past the narrator and obnoxious tropes to actually enjoy the story.

Like I said: it has the same traits as a B-movie. It's annoying but also entertaining with mediocre but not terrible writing. The plot is just slightly unique enough to keep interest, but the ending isn't worth the mental exhaustion caused by trudging through Kaitlyn's headspace and the lore is... questionable at best.

I hoped for so much better from this book and honestly feel quite let down. Were it not for wanting to make progress toward my reading goal, I'd have quit reading this one midway or sooner. I definitely wish I'd quit reading before the final chapter, which takes an already unsatisfying ending and amps it to eleven. I'm disappointed, because the story this book tells could have easily been a perfect match for me. But alas, it just wasn't meant to be.

(Note: I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. The review is made voluntarily and contains my own, personal opinions. I am not compensated for sharing this review.)

Experienced readers of horror fiction will probably know what to expect with this one, but Susan McCauley does a wonderful job with the material in this early work of hers.

Kaitlyn, Hunter, Dylan and Keisha are going to photograph the devil tree. After this, they are having a car accident and only 2 survive and they are going to find out what happend to the ghost of the tree. Spooky story.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Don't pee on cursed trees. Maybe if Kaitlyn's boyfriend hadn't done that, the whole plot of this book wouldn't have happened. I love horror novels, but this one fell flat. Kaitlyn isn't a sympathetic character and for most of the plot I felt like it was something I'd already read in the 80s because it was such run of the mill horror stuff. The book has a strong message and it spells it out word for word, multiple times. This one definitely wasn't for me.

Kaitlyn and Hunter are going out with Dylan and Keisha to photograph a tree. Dylan wants to end the myth of the “devil tree.” Kaitlyn doesn’t believe in ghosts but doesn’t want to go there. Hunter, her boyfriend talks her into going. While Dylan takes picture, a ghostly witch appears. Running back to Hunter’s truck, they all get in and Hunter drives out immediately. Thinking that it safe, Kaitlyn doesn’t understand why he is driving so fast. When Hunter sees the ghost, he ends up not making the cure of the road and drives into a tree. The Only Dylan and Kaitlyn survive the rash. Hunter and Keisha died. When Dylan wants to go back to the tree, Kaitlyn says no. Will she go back? Dylan and Kaitlyn want to find a way to save Hunter and Keisha from the tree. Can they?

The novel is written a harrowing plot. It is a fast-paced atmospheric story that vibrates with tension and suspense. It is well-told scary story. I enjoyed seeing how Dylan and Kaitlyn worked together trying to free Hunter and Keisha from the tree and witch. I was surprised by how enthralled with this novel.. The novel is a mix of horror, mystery and romance. I hope to read more of the author’s work.