Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me an eARC of this novella.

Eye of the Ouroboros was the first cosmic horror book I have ever read. Although this story personally wasn't for me and I found myself becoming more confused as the plot thickened, there were plenty of elements to this story I absolutely loved. The exploration of the relationship between the two sisters in this book and the found family trope were some of my favourite elements in this little sci fi novella. I may consider reading more of Bontragers work in the future!

This book has a strong start, with an interesting premise anyone who has read classic creepypastas and r/nosleep posts can appreciate. It takes the idea of park rangers finding creepy, mysterious objects and beings in the woods and expands on it, leaning into the cosmic horror angle. Our main character, Theo, has made it her life's mission to find her sister, who was lost in the woods years ago. She is soon launched into a world of conspiracies and shadow government agencies, infinite corridors and nightmarish creatures.

Unfortunately, the book started to lose me around the halfway mark, and never recaptured my interest. It was difficult to finish toward the end. The story is a little too big for its breeches, with a lot of concepts and plot threads introduced without ever being explained or picked back up again. I found myself making the same annotations over and over again: "How did the characters figure this out?" "How does this work?" "Why is this happening?" The majority of my questions went unanswered, and the rest got a half-baked answer at best.

The prose is decent throughout, if stylistically inconsistent. The paragraph structure and tone can use some work; there is a lot happening in this book, but it somehow feels so slow. Even the big, climactic scene where the bad guy is confronted drags its feet. That being said, I think the author has a lot of potential once she hones her voice.

Eye of the Ouroboros
Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Megan Bontrager
⭐️⭐️⭐️

• ɢᴜɪʟᴛ • ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ • ʀᴇꜱᴄᴜᴇ •

The synopsis really made me curious about this book and I was looking forward to reading it.

I found the start to be slow and the pacing stayed that way throughout the book.

There were quite a few things that were left unanswered or just not developed and explained as much as others. It made the plot feel rushed and I was never actually sure about what direction the book was going in.

I liked how creepy and eerie the woods were. The atmosphere helped to keep me curious enough to continue reading.

Theo's character was developed well and it was easy to see how devoted she was to finding her sister. She was too reckless at times, though, which was a little annoying.

While this book wasn't for me, I think it definitely has potential

*Thank you to @Netgalley, the author, and the publishers for providing this ARC. This is my own opinion and an honest review, which I am leaving voluntarily*

I wanted to like this book so badly that I read it twice. I was convinced there must be something wrong with me because all the ingredients were there - mystery, queer representation, horror, another dimension, troubled protagonists with something to prove. Hell, I have ouroboros jewellery because I love the concept so much (thanks Red Dwarf, I guess). But both times, after around chapter 10 my interest and ability to focus on the story dropped off a cliff. It started off so strong but it just lost me in the middle and the end wasn't satisfying. No matter what I tried, I just couldn't stay in the story anymore. I have to say I'm very disappointed - maybe I would've enjoyed it more in another format or something. Unfortunately this put me in a slump for a bit, and I didn't enjoy the majority of the book. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Quill and Crow Publishing House and Author Megan Bontrager for this Advanced eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager available from April 15th 2024.

This book is an epic style read.
Horror slash sci-fi slash supernatural, all my favourite things.
The first half of the book just flows effortlessly as we get introduced to the main character Theo a self loathing alcoholic, who has spiralled since her younger sister Flora went missing in the woods that Theo now works as a park ranger saving others. As the horror of the woods starts to unravel we start to get glimpses of what lurks beyond and the tension builds all the while we are getting pulled more deeply into this world of mysterious sightings and objects.

As a seasoned horror lover it takes a lot to scare me and I genuinely had some moments that I loved while I gasped, little touches like the carousel music stayed in my mind and creepy apparitions always get me! The hounds where brilliantly written and I could see and hear them perfectly.

The building of the characters really made me feel like I knew them all and I loved the human emotions that where interweaved in stories with each character and the MC which balanced all the horror /sci fi elements of the story.

I feel the second half of the book changed, whether intentional or not it became a little less horror more mystery/sci fi. I had to take a minute to get back into the story but still enjoyed it. I do feel that the second half just didn’t answer the questions I had though but I’m hoping that maybe there’s another? Would love to know more about the (redacted)
The description of the Ouroboros was exceptional, I loved the whole descriptive explanation and could really feel I was in that Infinite Corridor at times. I so want to open all those doors and have a new story behind each one!!!!

Like I said I really hope there is more of this story yet to be told and I give this a very big 5 stars just for creating this amazing world I want to jump back into!

I was really fascinated by the idea of this book, I knew it was a horror book with a sapphic main character about a woman looking for her long lost sister. When I started reading it it was so easy to get invested. Theo, our main character, is a mess. She drinks too much, is obsessed with finding her sister to the point of that obsession taking over her life and she pushes away people who care about her. She's not a likeable character but at the same time she's so easy to understand.

Unfortunately the plot of this book felt too big for what we got. Maybe if this story was split over multiple books it would work better. So many threads of this story felt like they should lead to some further exploration and they never do. A child is found in a forest possibly attacked by someone and there doesn't seem to be any police involvement. There's a random toilet cubicle in a place it shouldn't be and no one seems to be informed to get it removed when it was a possible danger to the public. It very much felt like the author had an idea of where the story should go but not exactly how we will get there so some vital developments of the story seem completely skipped or we switch how we get there as if the author forgot another path was already being established.

This book was at its best when we were still in the confusion and creepiness of the beginning and the more answers we were getting the less invested I became.

Also I personally think it's heartbreaking we never find out what breed Bear is.

A solid 4 stars.

Overall I really enjoyed the story. A lot of really interesting things happened between the pages and I’ll definitely read more from Megan Bontrager. The first 40% was a full five stars.

What I loved:
~The whole concept is exceptional. I love the premise.
~Megan’s writing is gorgeous, heartfelt, and evocative. Her descriptions are vivid and I love her dry wit.
~I adored the main character because of her duality. She’s strong-willed, dedicated, tenacious, and a force to be reckoned with. She’s also a hot mess—a raging alcoholic and abrasive. Her mouth knows no filter. I love her flaws and quirks as much as her positive attributes (makes her gritty and real).
~Loved the found family of misfits. Wesley, Delilah, and Quinn. Wesley was a great source for comedic relief, but at the same time oddly competent. Loved Delilah’s take-charge attitude and Quinn’s devotion to Theo.
~Loved the romantic subplot (but further notes in the spoilers section)
~I adored the whole horror vibe that spanned the first 40% of the book.
~I loved how well-written Theo’s mother is. She’s such a despicable character and I loved to hate her.
~Enjoyed the naming easter eggs (Delilah Duchovny as a nod to David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder (X-Files) and I wondered if Theodora was named for Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House character (the final line of this book confirms that theory).
~I was pleased with the ending.

What didn’t work for me: <contains spoilers>
~The shift from horror to heist/sci-fi thriller threw me. The second half of the book has a much different vibe from the first half. I was in the mood for horror and there was much less horror in the second half (although I loved the body horror parts).
~Theo’s alcoholism wasn’t consistent in the second half. I get that booze wasn’t exactly free-flowing in the Ouroboros, but after years of alcohol dependence I would have expected more in the way of withdrawal symptoms.
~I wanted more from the romantic subplot (I felt like it fizzled/was anticlimactic). I get that this is not a romance and there will be no HEA, but I would have loved for Delilah and Theo to have had a make-up moment before Theo went ahead and did what she was going to do anyway (which would have made the ending more poignant and bittersweet).
~I’m disappointed we never found out why Flora went out into the woods in the first place.
~I loved the detail of the carnival music and the carousel horse in the beginning (it was such a cool and creepy detail that stuck with me) but then it’s never brought up again when Theo is in the Ouroboros (except for one small comment in chapter twenty-seven). It felt like a missed opportunity.
~I still don’t understand how two Theos can make a world collapse and yet there can be five Sators in one place without the world collapsing.

But, like I said, overall I really enjoyed this story. I would recommend it and can’t wait to see what Megan comes up with next.

Ultimately, it wasn't for me.

The book wasn't bad, but through the very beginning, we can see some traits of the main character that tend to put me of (alcohol abuse is one of them, so beware of that if that's an issue for you, too).

It's a well written story, with interesting characters and a good plot, but I believe I am not the main target audience and did not enjoy it as much as I hoped to.

"She was on the good side of this forest’s history. I was not."

EYE OF THE OUROBOROS brought me back to my love for stories with all-consuming forests and those fighting against—and from within—them. Bontrager voice is visceral, and the way she brings characters and settings to life meant that the worlds of both Mill Creek and Infinite Corridor alike had very quickly nestled under my skin from the first few chapters, refusing to let me go.

"I had burned for her and been burned as a result. My heartbreak ran in shades of violent crimson, and I drowned in it willingly. It was safer than the lonely blue underneath."

The cast of characters are both loveable and absolutely infuriating in the same breath; and being a part of their journey—delving with them into the darkest corners of their worlds in search of answers, and light—was one that I truly enjoyed every heart-breaking, ghastly and vivid moment of. Without spoiling the progression of the plot, I don't usually find myself drawn to books like EOTO, and yet, I didn't stagger in my understanding of the storyline and themes. Bontrager does an incredible job at marrying complex plot points and a pace that doesn't take away from any of that.

"She decided to rot here all on her own."

Please do grab yourself a copy of this book, or pre-order it, for its April release this year. It was an absolute delightful (and heart-wrenching) read. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read the eARC.

i love horror and am always looking to read more of the genre, but i wish this book had more. i was interested in the beginning and began to slowly lose interest in the storyline that i was constantly looking to see if i was close to finishing the book.

it was a good read until it wasn’t. i wasn’t a big fan of the ending either. theo and flora were the only characters we got information on in the end, more flora than theo, when we followed several significant characters throughout the book. they kinda disappeared from the story, or just lost their relevancy (?), when it switched to flora.

The Eye of the Ouroboros was sent to me through NetGalley and the Publisher so thank you for a chance to read and review this ARC.

This book was a bit weird for me. The concept was interesting and the blurb on the book sounded promising - a woman looking for her long lost sister with a horror/supernatural/sci-fi premise. However, it felt a little choppy and there were parts I was (and still am) confused about. The Ouroboros itself was explained, but it felt like it wasn’t super well flushed out. The backstory of Theo and what happened to Flora all those years ago was glazed over, but never really explained. With those two crucial elements feeling absent, I had a hard time getting invested in the story.

Overall it was a fine read, and the author does do a good job of setting a scene - the woods, the wilderness was well depicted.

Eye of the Ouroboros was a carefully crafted sci-fi thriller that fans of X-Files and Fringe will love.

When I first started the book, I'll admit I didn't get immediately hooked. It felt more like a gritty true crime than the fantastical story the synopsis promised me. But I only had to keep reading, keep following the little tidbits of information, just like Theo, to get to the bottom of the unfolding mystery. Bontrager managed to balance the suspense and horror of the plot with the emotion and conflict of her characters, which, despite all the excitement and action, are the true heart of this book.

I'm not certain if Bontrager plans for this to be stand alone novel, or if she intends to dive back into the world of The Federal Bureau of Reality. But I'd love to delve back into this and its lovable characters and jaw-dropping worlds.

The Eye of Ouroboros follows our FMC, Theo, who is still grieving and dealing with the loss of her sister, Flora, that disappeared in the woods when they were children. Theo has taken up the role of park ranger in the woods that claimed her sister in the hope that one day she will find her again. Theo isn't your usual perfect heroine, in fact, she's messy, abuses alcohol and she's not even entirely likeable but this comes with the trauma of losing her sister and the parental neglect that she's suffered. All in all, she's a well-rounded and well-written lead.

Things really kick off when Theo starts discovering odd things in the woods such as a random staircase or a toilet cubicle suspended in the trees. Weird, right? The first 50% of the book is a spooky, cosmic horror taking place largely within the woods, which had be gripped throughout.

The second half goes more into sci-fi territory with more action and world-jumping. The concept was excellent anything around parallel worlds but I found myself a little lost at points between the worlds. Also, I couldn't picture the Ouroboros clearly — I wish we had some more of a backstory and history to it.

I also came away with a lot of unanswered questions but overall, I really enjoyed this book! I cannot believe that it was a debut too. I look forward to reading more from Melissa Bontrager.

This story was super creepy and unsettling! I loved that the characters were all very flawed, and found myself curious about what was coming next the entire time.

Eye of the Ouroboros

Rating :⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars.

Review: First, thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this arc for an honest review. This book initially caught my eye because it seemed like a mystery and that is right up my alley! However, throughout the book I kept bouncing back and forth between wanting to read to see where it was going and then not really know how the plot got to where it was. I think this book had a lot of potential, but maybe it was just too short and was missing something for me.

I didn’t dislike it enough to DNF, but I’m not sure if I’d pick it up again had I known the full plot.

This is an absolutely epic book. It spans worlds. It stands astride realities. It enveloped me entirely as King and Barker books have previously and I am already missing the characters in it. I feel genuine loss having said good bye to them when I finished this.

Our protaganist, Theo (DO NOT call her Theodore) is a self loathing, hard drinking, straight talking badass park ranger who spends every waking hour of her life obsessivley seeking her sister, whom went missing in the woods as a child. And other people keep disappering in the same woods, and she manages to find lots of them as she continues her search for her sibling, but never her sister.

Strange things begin to unfold, incongruous objects turning up in the woods like staircases and toilet stalls and the pace increases as Theo keeps turning back the layers of her reality to unearth other realms and realities. It escalates with stand offs and battles - all read through winces, cheers and tears, depending on the outcomes.

Outlandish storylines delivered with absolute credibility make this a beauty to read. Characters are spot on (friends, family, exes, dog), with full buy in from me with all of them and the pace is fast and brutal at times. Deeply gratifying to read and I cannot wait for more!

Full marks and thank you to Megan Bontrager for her magnificent debut (REALLY? HOW?) novel and thank you to betGalley for the opportunity to read it. FIVE SHINY STARS!

i was invested in what was going on based on the cover. It had a great overall feel to the world and uses the horror element in a way that I was hoping for. The characters were everything that I was looking for and loved the use of West Virginia. Megan Bontrager writes a great story and I wanted to read more in this world and from Megan Bontrager.

**Thank you so much Quill & Crow Publishing House and Megan Bontrager for the arc! All words and thoughts in this review are my own honest opinion!**
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The Storygraph
Posted on: 23 March 2024

3.6 (rounded up to 4) out of 5 stars.

Wow. The little girl in me who grew up reading those reddit search and rescue stories was *beyond* excited to read this! I mean, if I had the time to just sit with it, I really think I could’ve finished this in one sitting. I really wanted to and I think when my physical copy comes in, I may dedicate time to do just do that! There was just *something* about the way this read that made me devour it (as it devoured me- it was so hard to get this book out of my mind!)

The writing was pretty enjoyable. There were some bits where the details kind of went over my head, but I tend to read in inconvenient places and times (usually during my downtime at work or late at night before bed) so that could very well be the reason.
I also definitely noticed the complaint a few other readers noted on how the pacing was off, and I can agree. There were a few times where I had to read back a few pages to make sure that I hadn’t just glossed over something on accident. This leads into one of *my* desires for the book- I wish it had been longer! I loved the characters for the short time we have them, but I wish we would’ve had them for *longer*. Since the book is in Theo’s POV, I kind of feel like we miss out on some development opportunities (not saying the book had none because I grew to love the cast a lot). I was left wanting though, and I feel that if the book had been longer, some of the jumps with information and plot points could’ve also been better smoothed out. In my personal opinion though, I still throughly enjoyed the storyline we are given. I loved the mystery, the eeriness, and the creepy atmosphere with the Ouroboros and those involved.

There was something else that I noticed often while I read, and it’s the fact that the *vibes* of this read carry. Do you know when horror movies/video games have scenes that build tension over normal actions by playing eerie music in the background instead of giving much dialogue to explain what’s happening? That’s what this book felt like at times. I could practically *hear* the rising violin or the slow drags of dissonant notes before it abruptly cuts off. I could feel the unsettling air that Theo is thrown into. I’m not sure if that’s just the little me who read SARs stories making up music as I read, or if the prose itself allowed for this space to be created- whatever the answer, I loved loved loved it!

I have a few scattered notes I took as I read that don’t quite fit with my aforementioned thoughts above, so I’ll dump them here rapid-fire style:
- The action that happens in the story hits as it’s happening- if that makes sense. The setting is already building up on eeriness and dread, that feeling like you know something is gonna happen but you don’t know *when*. But you also don’t really expect what will happen until you’re suddenly thrown into the scene.
- This book consumed me. It became a fan-favorite *fast* for the fact that I love this genre of horror. I’m a big fan of the Kids on Bikes TTRPG game ‘Kollok 1991’ and this gave very similar vibes! And if I haven’t stated it enough, I loved SARs stories growing up. This was everything I forgot I loved wrapped into one with a door leading straight into the thick of it (get it? Doors are kinda problematic around here- I’ll see myself out now…)
- I feel like this was horror in that it was creepy, but not too scary? It has some gore though, wonderfully done action scenes IMO that I could almost see when I sat down and focused on reading. I really would say that this is great for people who don’t like to get scared but kind of want a nice little chiller.
- Sometimes the characters grated me by how they acted? Theo has some development, but she says stuff that kinda contradicts? An example- she mentions that a conspiracy theorist isn’t really a bad thing because it means somebody out there is ‘crazier than her’ and also means she’s ’not alone in her belief’. But another scene further in, she uses ‘conspiracist/conspiracy theorist’ as an insult/thinks of them insultingly. It’s little things like this, but I feel like it’s just showing how Theo grows along the way too. Her thoughts do kinda change later/she eventually learns to work with different people. I think it’s the fact that Theo is tough to love at first (but man does she fight her way into your heart by the end)

Phew- didn’t mean to write near an essay about this book, so I’ll leave it with one final thing:
The ending was nice! It had enough closure to make me feel content with things, but was also open enough that I’d almost love and continuation somehow? I really did just enjoy this read so much! It was lacking in some parts as I mentioned above, but overall I loved the energy it brought. I can’t wait to make the time to just- sit and let this book consume me all over again once my preorder comes in!

Not what I was expecting, it immediately sucks you In, creepy and foreboding, a wild ride that made me a little dizzy.
Confusing without clear distinction on changes in time, location or what’s happening, I spent most of the book wondering what on earth was going on. A little too unbelievably scifi for me, paranormal investigations, parallel dimensions, FBI agents of reality.. conspiracy theorists and lots of messy action.

I really like Theo, the other characters, and the premise but it’s just too wacky for me, I want more logic and to understand how it all works.
It’s well written and intriguing but I didn’t love it, I wanted a better resolution, this felt sad and unsatisfying

At its core, Eye of the Ouroboros is an emotional journey about relationships, and the lengths we'll go for the ones we love. Theo, our deeply flawed and relatable main character, is willing to leap through tears in the fabric of reality if it means a chance at finding her missing sister, Flora. Theo's lifetime best friend Quinn and ex-girlfriend Delilah tag along for the wild ride, giving us a deeper look into Theo's life and the few relationships she's been able to maintain between her obsessive search for Flora, work as a park ranger, broken ties with her parents, and drinking habit.

Bontrager's writing is rich and descriptive, even if the world building left me a bit confused at times. There are still some questions I'd love answers to, but I think that was by design- the narrative seems to purposefully keep you guessing, right up through the end. Eye of the Ouroboros is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, and definitely one I'd recommend if you're looking for an emotional, queer, horror/sci-fi read.