A fun. trippy horror-sci-fi blend. Theo is a park ranger still broken from the loss of her younger sister to the forest, which her mother (and half their small Appalachian town) blame her for. She's still looking, and she's determined to find her. And then Theo starts to get a little too close, and the Federal Bureau of Reality steps in to stop her from getting any closer, even if it means eliminating her.
But Theo, my beloved disaster gay, cannot be stopped.
She assembles a team consisting of her long-time, long-suffering best friend/coworker, her ex that shattered her heart, a conspiracy theorist, and an agent that has left the Bureau. And the world's best boy, Bear. Together, they're going to expose the Bureau and get Flora back. Plus, there's a fancy heist. Man, I love a fancy heist.
It's a fun, fast-paced read. Theo is a great narrator; she's so messy. The team is great. It's somewhat light on the horror, from my opinion, but that's fine. It was a great read.

Megan Bontrager’s debut, Eye of the Ouroboros, is INCREDIBLE. For me, her prose is likened to that of Taylor Swift- sharp, witty, metaphorical, and from the soul. Bontrager builds a world made of truth, fear, grief, and love. Her descriptive and in depth writing is a style that I had a hard time looking away from. This is a book with twists, turns If you love Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror, please give this a try!

Theo is stabby, brave, and emotional all while battling the darkness of addiction, familial trauma, and loss. Now a Park Ranger, Theo uses her skills to continue the search for her younger sister, Flora, who went missing when they were kids. Some might say she’s a bit of a mess- but her tenacious heart keeps you rooting for her throughout her journey. I think most people could see a bit of themselves in the relatable Theo- and the rest of the gang. Theo is joined by her ex-girlfriend Delilah and loyal friend, Quinn, throughout the search for Flora in the woods. Ya know… THE WOODS. You couldn’t catch me in those woods even with a crew of creatures and friends to protect me along for the ride! I am a sucker for a good search and hopeful rescue story, and Bontrager’s does not disappoint.

Not only are we thrown into the search for Flora, but others that have gone missing in similar manners. Dive into a world of mirrored universes, creepy crawlies around every turn, and deep feels. It's a five star adventure!

To Megan Bontrager- I can’t wait to see you shine. ✨

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager.

The debut novel follows park ranger Theo as she hunts for any leads on her sister Flora’s disappearance. It was meant to be simple; Theo was not expecting to stumble across a door standing in the woods and ignoring every warning bell, she enters the infinite corridor and garners the attention of the Federal Bureau of Reality, an organisation willing to do anything – even murder – to remain secret.
I enjoyed reading “Eye of the Ouroboros”, it wasn’t a book I normally pick up as I usually read fantasy, but I decided to give it a go and I was pleasantly surprised. It was nail bitingly thrilling and I found myself so involved with the narrative that I felt exactly how Theo must have been feeling while she hunts for her sister through infinite doors and corridors.
In the beginning I felt that Bontrager hadn’t fully-fledged her characters out, that they were unfinished as I couldn’t get a sense of who they are as people. Especially Wesley (conspiracy theorist extraordinaire) and Roman (Ex bureau worker) as we knew next to nothing about them. However, Theo knew nothing about them and despite it not being first person it was very much Theo’s story, her lack of interest in their back grounds was used as an excellent technique to show Theo’s hyper fixation of finding Flora.
This is especially apparent when we get to know Delilah (Theo’s ex) and Quinn (her best friend). I loved both of these characters, as well as Theo, whose flaws and grief helped me connect with her so well. I liked that there was sapphic subplot, but it didn’t override any of the plot. The romance was hidden and entangled within the horror.
I found that much of the scary parts of the book were created in the beginning. The suspense was built brilliantly, using lore that is often known throughout the world such as “think you hear something, no you didn’t,” or “don’t run in the woods” the author was able to create fear on just the unknowing of the woods. I found that stories I knew from the Appalachian Mountains helped fuel my fear, and this fear continued as the author began to twist tales about monsters and grief.
The tension did ease up around the 50% marker, and at first, I was disappointed it did. My problem is that I no longer feel fear when the killer or monster has been revealed, and this is what happened in the book. At first, I thought the culprits were skin walkers or wendigos, but it was revealed to be something else the tension eased. But the rest of the book created intrigue and a different type of tension urging me to finish the book.
The ending was incredibly satisfying, and I really enjoyed it all, I recommend this book to horror and supernatural lovers.

**4.5-stars rounded up**

💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙

Eye of the Ouroboros is one of those rare books that I picked up on a whim. I knew nothing about it, had heard no buzz, but did notice it on a graphic of April 2024 Horror releases. There was just something about the cover that called to me and then the title, I was intrigued by that as well.

We follow Theodora Buchanan, who goes by Theo. She's a park ranger for NPS. More specifically, she's part of the Search and Rescue team and patrols the forests surrounding her hometown of Mill Creek, West Virginia. No one knows these woods like Theo. She's been searching them most of her life, looking for her little sister, Flora, who went missing years ago.

The Buchanan family has never received answers on what happened to Flora, and Theo, who was watching her on the day she disappeared, has been riddled with guilt ever since. While she has been able to maintain her job, the rest of Theo's life is a bit of a mess. She's numbed her pain with alcohol for way too long to be healthy and everything just seems completely out of control.

At the beginning of the book, we follow along with Theo as she searches for a little girl, who went missing while camping with her family. Of course, on every search Theo is also looking for clues as to what happened to Flora. After the girl is found, some evidence pops up in the aftermath that leads you to believe, these aren't regular woods. There's something much deeper and more mysterious here than in your average mountain range.

This had such an intriguing start, by 10%, I was hooked. Theo was someone I wanted to learn everything about. I've mentioned before that I'm sort of a sucker for MCs that drink too much, and Theo definitely fits that bill.Her family dynamics, following the disappearance of her sister, they're an absolute disaster. I really felt for her, as I felt like if her parents had handled it differently, perhaps Theo could have dealt with it better herself, instead of letting it overtake her life.

After Theo starts noticing really strange things in the woods, she begins going in more and more. It's like when you think you see something, but you're not sure if it was real, and you try to recreate what you were doing at the time to see if it will happen again. This whole aspect, I was so into it. I needed to know if those things were real as well. I felt like I was investigating right alongside her and it was creeping me out.

The vibes of this made me think of T. Kingfisher's The Hollow Places, which I loved. If you were a fan of that, I feel like this one could really work for you as well. It definitely takes some unexpected turns, and I adored the characters that are introduced to help Theo in her investigation. Eventually it turns into a kind of Found Family situation, with Theo's best friend, her ex-girlfriend, and a high profile conspiracy theorist, all joining in the fun.

Part The Gunslinger, part Men in Black, the concluding portions of this book had me flipping pages so fast, I'm surprised my fingers didn't catch on fire. Oh, and the baddie in this, Sator, I was totally picturing Agent Smith from The Matrix for him. Every scene he was in, Agent Smith was in my head. Sator was really well done, a super convincing antagonist.

Overall, for a book I picked up on a whim, this couldn't have gone better. It was SO WEIRD and SO GOOD. Never in a million years would I have guessed how swept up into this I would become. It may have thrown off my monthly TBR, but I regret nothing. A Portal Fantasy Horror story with fantastic characters, gripping action, believable baddies and emotions to boot! I'm so glad I took a chance on this one.

Thank you to the publisher, Quill & Crow Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will definitely be picking up more from this author!

I think this story would have benefitted so much if it was strung out between 2-3 books! And that’s not something I usually say. Theo’s inner monologue was a little exhaustive, but I would’ve loved getting more insight into the other characters - most of them fell flat and some seemed a bit cliche. And I needed much more world building - I feel like we only scratched the surface of the Ouroboros and everything connected to it!

I feel like there were many loose threads that weren’t fully explained, some characters just felt like plot devices, a lot of the action sequences felt a bit rushed/were confusing to follow, and the tone didn’t really feel consistent throughout the whole book.

All in all - I just wish this story was better planned because I feel like it had so much potential!

This book is told in first person from the perspective of Theo while she battles guilt, loss, and alcoholism when faced with the memory of her sister Flora, who wandered into the woods when they were young and never came home. Now she works as a ranger, helping search for missing hikers and children. In the fringes of her small town, she encounters the Ourobouros and unwittingly calls attention to herself when she interacts with agents of the Federal Bureau of Reality. With the help of Quinn, Delilah (a local journalist and her recent ex), and a so-called conspiracy theorist named Wesley, Theo goes on a wild adventure full of loss, the inexplicable occult, and revenge.

The cast of characters is small, which meant the world building had to be exceptional. It felt a little 2D at times, but the explanations of the "magic" system made sense and the descriptors were beautiful - an infinite carpeted hallways with endless doors to endless realities. Each character had their own story and bakground and they were all solidly tied to the main character - no one was just an add-on. One thing that I wasn't too fond of was how easily they all were okay with murder. I understand the stakes were high and things were moving fast, but it was jarring. The "bad guy" was also difficult to get behind. He had no characteristics besides being rich and willing to kill everyone for something he wanted. He could be fleshed out more or be a little less supervillain-y.

Overall, I had a great time reading this book. It was a good mystery thriller with great atmosphere and interesting characters.

This book was really amazing! I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but it was eerie cosmic horror. I also love the LGBTQIA+ representation. I love a good dark woodsy book, and this was just perfect for that. I also am happy that Pilot Mountain got a mention because I literally live like 8 minutes away and have been looking for some books that take place in the Sauratown Mountains with no luck.

This book was a sole cover pick and I did not read the synopsis (I think this added to the story and mystery). We follow Theodora aka ‘Theo’ as a park ranger in search of her long lost sister. In the small town of Mill Creek West Virginia there is a mysterious occurrence of missing persons including Flora (Theo’s sister) in the woods. Family dynamics be damned, Theo is actively searching for any sign of her sister. We follow Theo in her grief as she steps in to the unknown and will do anything to get answers.

This story feels more SciFi than Fantasy to me. I loved how this book started right in the heat of a rescue and grips you. Immediately I was drawn in to Theo’s character and strong FMC as she is living with the reality and refusing to believe that her sister is dead. I really enjoyed Theo’s character, humanity, and tenacity. Theo is fiercely loyal and a passionate person. There is a great platonic relationship between Theo and her associate and how we can lean on one another in terrible circumstances. I feel like this writing is gripping however the flow of the story and plot wasn’t as vetted out. Almost like the ‘SciFi’ scenes and components were written after the original story. I wasn’t sure what to expect while reading this book. The idea is phenomenal and overall a good book that held my engagement. This book left me with what did I just read vibes and what really happened. I could have gone without some of the plot points in this book but overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Quill & Crow Publishing House, and Megan Bontrager for the digital ARC copy of this book.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher.

Honestly this book was bad. I feel terrible to rate an ARC so badly but it was a pain to get through.
This read like a conspiracy theory blog written by a maniac. Not in an entertaining way more like a wtf kind of way.
Non of this was explained, the author just kept throwing random theories and characters at the reader and it just got more and more ridiculous.
There are so many subplots here (Theos relationship with her family, her relationship with Delilah etc etc) it’s just so hard to keep track of the plot.
And can we talk about the severe alcoholism in this book? Theo is drinking non stop and if she’s not drinking she’s thinking or talking about drinking. Personally I don’t think it’s bad to have a character with an alcohol problem if it’s executed well.
In this case I always felt like Theos addiction was used as an edgy and cool trait even though it’s definitely not. And I think this is nothing to normalize.
All in all I just think none of this made sense, it lacked depth and the author repeated themselves over and over.
The only reason I’m giving this 2 stars is because of Bear - the real (and only) hero of this book.

I think this one had major potential, but what I thought it was going to be and what it actually was were completely separate. I could hardly focus while reading this. I think partially it was because I hated Theo’s character. The self sacrificial, self saboteur role with an alcohol problem is getting old to me, and it’s ALWAYS a woman that can’t seek to forgive herself for something totally not her fault. I would have liked to see her in a more empowering role. There is nothing wrong with giving women confidence!!!

I also wish the world development was a bit more complex. I felt like the actual in between worlds concept would have had more duality.

Per usual I find this one coming to a close too quickly, I’m not a slow burn fan, the major build up to 20 pages of excitement just isn’t my cup of tea.

Good not great. 3 ⭐️

Theo has always tried her best and gave it her all and has typically come up short in love, her job, and mostly in her mind being a big sister. Flora has been missing for years and though she’d be an adult by now Theo still thinks one day her sister will come walking out of the woods. But sometimes things appear in the woods as opposed to leaving them, hounds, mysterious stair cases, even toilet seats in trees… But where is this all coming from and why are things getting more and more unexplainable everyday?

I may have not chosen this book for myself but the cover drew me in. And though it was a bit slow going i’m glad i stuck through and finished it.

I enjoyed reading Eye of the Ouroboros by
Megan Bontrager. Thank you to netgalley and Quill and Crow Publishing House for an arc in exchange for an honest review

The title and the book cover interested me enough to request this book. The book has a fantastic start. The first scene where Theo sees her lost sister literally gave me the chills followed by nightmares that very night. The narration of this portion basically got me going with this book. The book was getting stagnant at some point but I’m not one to give up on books and the authors effort that easy. A lot of elements blended in this book - horror, sci-fi etc. It does get too complex in some areas but it was a good read overall. I didn’t personally like the idea of Theo being favored by the thing for the reasons provided. But that’s just me. Read the book for sure and you will have fun enjoying the varieties of areas discussed. Dark but fun!

Theo is a woman driven by failure. Her failure as a lover, a daughter, and most importantly of all … as a sister. One summer day, Theo’s sister Flora went missing in the West Virginia woods and was never found. Neither Theo nor her parents have forgiven Theo for not being there, for not finding Flora. It’s led Theo to a life as a Park Ranger, searching for missing hikers, searching for Flora.

Theo finds a girl, Olivia, a child who seems to have been lost for longer than she’s been missing, who whispers about music in the woods and is missing toes. For all that, Theo is able to hand Olivia to her parents, all while wishing she had found someone else instead. Between depression, despair, and drunkenness, Theo stumbles across stairs in the middle of the forest. Stairs that, quite obviously, don’t belong. Neither does the creature that chases her through the woods, the toilet stall by the river, a stag trapped in a cave it couldn’t have gotten into, dogs that … aren’t quite dogs, and men in black clothing and sunglasses hunting her. It’s a lot, and it calls for a drink.

However, drinks don’t help the voices in her head, the visions of her sister in the woods, or the loneliness eating away at her. Drinks don’t keep Theo from kissing her ex and wishing things had been different, and they don’t help her deal with her mother who refuses to forgive her. When a stranger reaches out, telling Theo he knows about her sister and where to find her, Theo is at first angry and then desperate. Something, anything has to change.

And it does. Stairs in the woods, doors that lead to other worlds, and the five-faced man keeping her sister from her. Maybe Theo should be scared. Instead, Theo’s angry. And she’s going to get her sister back.

Just to put it out in the open, this is not a book with an easy ending. It’s not a book where the good guys win and the bad guys lose and lost children are found. It’s a book about grief, with time travel, alternate dimensions, and undercover organizations. There’s no explanation of who did what to whom or why, no tying up of loose ends, no redemption arc or happy ending. It’s not going to be a book for everyone; however, if you’re a fan of vibes or No Sleep stories, you might have fun with this one.

Theo isn’t a good person. She’s not terrible, she’s just … normal. She drinks way too much, using it as armor and weapon against her mother — who is a terrible person; a woman who grieves so much and so publicly for the daughter she lost that she has thrown away the daughter she has left — as well as the world. She pushes herself, believing her mother’s lies that she’s responsible for what happened to her sister, a story that is never really told or gone into. One day Flora was gone; that’s it, and Theo was left behind.

Delilah is a local reporter who, at the time of Flora’s vanishing, was Theo’s girlfriend. After Delilah reported on the case, something Theo felt was a violation of their closeness, of her own tightly held and private grief for her sister, the two of them parted ways. Theo still misses her, still wants what they could have had, but that’s all behind her. Now, Delilah is both someone to hate and someone who, at the very least, she can trust to always be Delilah.

Along with Quinn, Theo’s best friend and an all around good guy, and Wesley, the conspiracy theorist who introduces Theo to the Ouroboros, it’s up to Theo and Delilah to try to get Flora back. And … that’s all I’ll say about that. The plot is half vibes, half hand waving, and best experienced, I think, from reading the book. Any explanation or summary I give will both lessen it and point out the holes in it. Now, the holes aren’t bad; they’re just areas where logic and story have rubbed up against each other and — as it should — the story won.

I had fun with this book, but I’m pretty sure that this is going to be one of those books that will either very much work for you … or very much not. For me, it did.

DNF @ 69%

the premise of the book sounds so good but when I started it, I had a hard time getting into the book until I believe 10% than I was kinda enjoying it. after the 50% mark I started losing interest again and I don’t have any motivation to continue but that could just be because I had different expectation of how this would end. I really wanted to know what happened to Theo sisters but I can’t bring myself to continue, reading at least at the moment.

I 100% love our characters I just think it’s the plot for me tbh. but I would definitely say give it a try because you might end up loving it.


might come back to this later and give updated review if I ever finish it.

thank you netgalley for an arc, in exchange for a honest review.

First of all, Happy Pub Day!

I was truly blown away by this one. Did not know what to expect at all coming in but it was definitely worth the read. Eye of the Ouroboros presents itself as a beautifully written work with text that comes to life through amazing word choice. Megan Botrager did a phenomenal job at creating multiple realities filled with journey and heartstring-tugging scenes. This was a book of continuous battle and a fight to repair a relationship culminating into a devastating fight in the end. Enjoyed this one immensely and can only look forward to more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quill and Crow Publishing House for the ARC in exchange for an honest rate and review!

In the beginning stages of this book I thought there’s no way I'm making it to the end of the story, but hear me out because it got better. At least, plot-wise. Even though it ended up being a mediocre enough experience, I think I should air out my grievances before I forget what frustrated me so much about this read.
My main issue with this thankfully wasn’t the creativity or entertainment, legends know i hate a snore, but the main character. GOD WAS SHE INSUFFERABLE. The whole time she was either starving, bleeding, drinking, or all three in tandem. Not once was I saying onika burgers. So she’s mentally ill and an alcoholic, along with half the population on this planet. But she’s also supposedly in her mid thirties and still absolutely incapable of taking care of herself or making mature decisions. Literally how was I supposed to root for this girl? The whole time I'm questioning if she’s actually an adult or if she’s just a preteen pretending to be one. Her life objective is to find her sister who disappeared in the woods OVER A DECADE AGO, and maybe that would be admirable if it made any sense, but she has absolutely zero leads or clues that this sister is even alive AND she makes sure to mention plenty of times how it’s her fault she went missing in the first place. So… her guilty conscience has caused her to throw her life away and pursue a delusional quest? The premise of the situation is based on some ridiculous self-pitying selfishness that I just couldn’t get on board with. Plus, I never learned how exactly it was supposed to have been her fault that her little sister wandered into the woods alone at nighttime? Does she feel guilty for passing down the stupidity gene? Anyway, I refuse to attend that pity party.
After a while I got pretty hooked and started to think fine, I can overlook this weird complex and just enjoy the story. But no. What really started to get on my nerves was the way her behaviors were laid out. It almost sounded like she was bragging about not eating for a whole day or knocking back a bunch of hard liquor as if these are acceptable things in times of grief. I felt like the narrative was to admire her perseverance for fighting through all these crazy activities despite severe injuries and nausea. Girl SIT DOWN A SECOND. And these things were never addressed! I’m pretty sure she’s drunk the entire time, constantly pulling out a flask or random bottle of vodka. And then she complains about drinking on an empty stomach, like bitch I’m certain there is a McDonalds within a five mile radius go get yourself a goddamn apple fritter and shut tf up. At one point her ankle was described to be practically hanging on by a thread and the next page she's on her feet bashing someone’s head in. ??? No amount of ibuprofen can make someone shrug off a severed ankle, trust.
I’m not sure the pity ploy is the worst part, though. What got me is how she has two extremely dedicated friends who she supposedly cares about very much but constantly puts their lives in danger because she just can’t be rational. I’m not asking for some altruistic teresa from the maze runner look-alike, but when you care about people you usually try to keep them away from your danger and delusion, not drag them into it. Plus, I just could not get over the whole situation with her ex-girlfriend. She’s a journalist… they met because she wanted to do a piece on our mc… she publishes a piece and mc acts like she betrayed her honor? Why else was she there in the first place? What about a journalist publishing a story she told you she was writing betrayed mc’s trust?? She was too honest? Made you sound like a lunatic? BITCH YOU ARE A LUNATIC AND YOU KNOW IT! Make it make sense.
Anyway, the story was actually pretty good. I was super entertained by the shit that went on, just totally unimpressed by how the characters were written, specifically mrs. Theodora feelsorryformemore-a. The pacing felt great, twists were unpredictable (if only for how absurd mc’s thought processes were), and I felt satisfied by the end. The writing was good enough despite some cringe one-liners in the first few chapters. Adequate ⅗.

I'm typically more into Fantasy, but I decided to step out of my genre comfort zone with this book and I was not disappointed! Eye of the Ouroboros is beautifully written with great world-building, well-written characters, and a very intriguing plot. If you have a soft spot for flawed FMCs, LGBTQIA representation, heartfelt relationships (romantic and platonic) all with a mix of action, horror, and a bit of conspiracy theorism, you'll definitely enjoy this read!

This was an interesting meditation on the choices we make for ourselves and others set against an SCP/Control-esque background. I'm not quite convinced that the ending followed the characters' story arcs (at least not in my interpretation) but I loved the parallels and comparisons between the protagonist's single-minded pursuit and the antagonist's similar journey. The equal importance of romantic, familial, and platonic relationships in Theo's life was extremely compelling and endearing.

Megan Bontrager’s “Eye of the Ouroboros” explores the complexities of relationships and the sacrifices we make for loved ones. Theo, the protagonist of this emotional journey, is a character who is flawlessly imperfect, leaving a lasting impact on readers with her struggles and triumphs.

What I loved about the book
Rich and Descriptive Writing

Megan Bontrager’s Eye of the Ouroboros takes you on a captivating journey through the interwoven web of relationships and reality. Bontrager’s writing is undeniably rich and descriptive, painting a vivid picture of the world within the pages.

Authentic Characters

Theo’s authenticity shines through, her struggles and flaws rendering her refreshingly human amidst the chaos. The characters in the narrative won my heart, especially the core group introduced later. The dynamic between the characters, from the troubled sister to the conspiracy theorist, was flawlessly shown, highlighting their stark differences.

Sapphic Representation and World-Building

The sapphic representation is a standout feature, adding layers of complexity to the narrative and enhancing the richness of the world-building. Bontrager skillfully blurs the lines between reality and the unknown, keeping you hooked until the final page.

What didn’t resonate with me
Slow Start and Pacing Issues

While the depth of character development is commendable, some readers may find themselves grappling with the pacing. The slow start, though crucial for character introduction and immersion, may test the patience of those seeking instant gratification. It’s not until chapter eight that the narrative truly gains momentum, which could deter some from continuing. I feel like the first half of the book was better paced than the last part.

Unresolved Plot Threads and Confusion

Where Eye of the Ouroboros falters is in the sheer scope of its plot. While ambitious in its execution, some may find the narrative threads too many and unresolved. The occasional confusion and rushed pacing detract from an otherwise immersive experience, with random elements disrupting the flow of the story.

If you enjoy flawed female characters, creepy forests, parallel realities, and action-packed horror, then you should definitely give this book a try.

Do you remember the late 2000s, when CreepyPasta was all the rage and one could spend hours going down the rabbit hole of horror that could be found there? That is precisely the vibe of Eye of the Ouroboros: a sometimes chaotic, sometimes horrifying, entertaining ride through a mix of horror, scifi, and human nature. None of the characters, except Quinn, are good people, and honestly I liked it that way. I loved the grief and unhealthy ways it manifested in nearly all the cast. Was Theo a drunk and borderline abusive to her friends sometimes? Sure. Was she also grieving and dealing with trauma and reacting in a very human way? Also yes.

I'll admit there were some wild plot twists, and not always in the best way. There were some odd shifts in theme and some things just came out of nowhere. But if I'm just going on vibes, this book was a lot of fun.

"You fight and fight— for what? To die valiantly ? Or to die at the hands of your own hubris?”

There are some genuinely poignant and meaningful lines throughout. The ending brought me to tears over several chapters and I wouldn't change a thing about how it ended. Not a thing.

I believe this is a debut novel for this author and if so, this is a great first impression. I'll be watching for more from Megan going forward!