First ARC of the year and what a book to choose. I loved every single page of this book.

The first chapters built the character of Theo so well that it felt like you had known her all of your life. The tangible sense of grief and blame was apparent from the offset. The way that the family dynamic was portrayed perfectly demonstrated how the loss of a family member can affect a family.

Each early chapter left just enough unanswered, small hints of the unknown, that you just had to read on.

As the story developed, the new world and the old world of Theo merged excellently.

There wasn’t a single plot line which wasn’t needed, even if I didn’t always like the outcome (won’t spoil it). A superb story.

4 star rating for this title.

I chose this title simply due to its cool cover. I've picked many books this way and although not all are necessarily good, doesn't mean there aren't any bad ones either. "Eye of the Ouroboros" was somewhere in the middle. The premise of the book after the cover is what got me to download the book and I eagerly finished my library book to immediately start this right after.

I felt like this could have been a 5 star read had the author not put in so much fluff when Theo was in her own headspace while describing things. Do we really need ostentatious descriptions? It also started off really slow, of course you get to know all the characters really well, BUT the caveat is that it kind of starts to drag after awhile. No real juicy bits of information start to flow until chapter 8. To me that was way too long. I'm not one to stop reading a book unless I find myself dreading to finish it, but I can see why anyone would want to do that to this book. Once you get to the crux of the story things still aren't fast rolling, but nonetheless you get to the climax. And it's GOOD.

What made me give this 4 stars was the reason Theo finds herself in the situation that she is in. I don't want to give away any spoilers so I won't mention what it is, but I really liked that part of this book! It was fun to read what the author cooked up for that and it really made me think about a lot of things. If you're a fan of the paranormal, the strange, or the unexplained then you will like this book. It reminded me of the podcast "Monsters Among Us" I could not stop thinking about the podcast while reading this.

Besides the fluff and the slow going story, the author has a unique way of writing that made me love the characters. Messy as they were or extremely loyal and loveable. These characters are ones I probably won't forget for a long while. Megan Bontrager really knows how to write a character and for that I applaud her for writing this book.

The fact that this is a debut is INSANE. Bontrager’s prose is to die for, and so visceral that I could literally see, smell, and taste parts of this book. (Yeah, it’s just as unsettling as it sounds. In the best way.)

Theo might not be everyone’s cup of tea but damn it she is mine, and her story had me hooked from the very beginning. She’s a grumpy park ranger trying to unravel the mystery of her sister’s disappearance and the creepy forest where she works while dealing with the grief and guilt that comes with it. From portals and conspiracy theorists, to the mysterious stairs and doors in the woods a la r/nosleep, I loved all the supernatural and horror elements and could not put this down.

I was SO surprised by this book! Part thriller, bit horror. Hemlock Grove, Slenderman, Dark Matter and The Umbrella Academy vibes. SO AMAZED.

#EyeoftheOuroboros #NetGalley

I requested this book simply because of its description. I haven't heard about the author before and had no idea it was a debut novel. I was very pleasantly surprised. This book doesn't seem like a debut. The plot is very well crafted, characters are easy to like and root for, the language is very good and the pacing doesn't let you take a deep breath. I will definitely follow the author to see her future work. It deserves 5 stars.

actually amazing. i'm a big r/nosleep lurker and this was like a wet dream to read. horror/sci-fi novels are notoriously hard for me to not be picky with, but i thoroughly enjoyed this one. Theo is an amazing FMC and she sacrificed everything for her sister. i loved Quinn and Wesley too. the little bits about equivalent exchange and the Truth scratched my little FMA loving brain. definitely recommend to people who enjoy freaky stuff alongside some portals and a kickass FMC.

I recived this book as an arc from NetGalley. A solid four star read. Would recommend to anyone who loves horror and thriller books. With some sapphic and I was sold I could not put this book down. This books reminds you, you never know what’s out there in the woods.

Eye of the Ouroboros is an intriguing tale, as it feel very much like the story pulls us through a few genres. At first we have a sort of isolated horror "what's in the woods" vibe. As the story progressing a more X-files / almost espionage style and then as the story concludes more of a sci-fi horror finale.

While they may sound confusing at best, Bontrager really pulls it off - in fact I'd say its one of the highlights of this story is that is goes different places, and isn't afraid to mix tropes up a little. Overall the story is creepy as hell and Bontrager does a great job at not only suspending our disbelief at the supernatural elements, but also having a touching human side to the story. This is harder that it seems to make happen, especially with horror as a genre often lamented for its lack of significant characterisation and motivation.

This is the first story I've read in ages that actually gave me goosebumps and the ending most definitely will stick with you! Most highly recommended.

Theo's sister went into the woods one day and did not come out. Theo has dedicated her life and career as a park ranger to finding her. What Theo finds is a supernatural conspiracy, and only she can stop it.

This was such an atmospheric read. The woods, and later the Bureau, were well described. The tension and mystery was maintained well. I found myself really caught up in the action. The emotion, especially Theo's, was quite raw.
That being said, I struggled to connect with the characters. Theo was standoffish for most of the book. While I totally get how her past affected her present, I just personally didn't like her a lot. I did like Quinn as a character, but he didn't get a lot of page time. I didn't feel that I had time to get to know any of the other characters.

This is a fantastic novel that mixes cosmic horror with conspiracy theories, secret government agencies, and inter-dimensional portals to a bizarre and terrifying alternate reality.

A young woman named Theo is a park ranger who has a passion for search and rescue operations. Her younger sister disappeared into these woods years ago and Theo is obsessed with finding her. She's a bit of a mess as well. Her mentally unhealthy obsession leads her to over drinking, barely being able to have friends or a social life, and blames herself for her sister's disappearance. Her mother is overbearing and there's an active hostility between them.

We're going to find out that disappearances in this area are common place and pretty soon, Theo is going to experience some creepy things in those woods. Upon a little digging around, she's going to meet some conspiracy theorists who might not be as crazy as the seem. And there are some very dark, fantastical, and horrifying secrets going on.

This novel blends the best of cosmic horrors with the mysteries of a secretive government agency who she must now escape. It's full of emotionally impactful grief and it's written so well it's easy to believe and suspend your disbelief. I highly recommend it.

A girl walks into a door in the woods...

There's no punchline, just r/nosleep and those YouTube videos about backrooms that are equal parts harrowing and goofy getting married and having a baby named EYE OF THE OUROBOROS.

The GOOD:

- our wayward Park Ranger narrator, Theo, who some might be inclined to love to hate but I will defend until my dying breath (she's my daughter now btw) who is angry but so full of heart (reminiscent of a Grady Hendrix heroine, tbh, mostly Kris from We Sold Our Souls). I knew I would love her from the opening scene, even with how she fumbles and falters 😭
- found family when your real family sucks and your sister got gobbled up by the woods; they're a group of weirdos who have so much trust in Theo 🥹
- smart story telling with a ton of care and nuance on Difficult Subjects like grief, and abuse, and GUILT (o, the guilt)
- the platonic love story of my dreams (QUINN!!) that runs parallel to an actual (queer) love story that doesn't take up all the breathing room
- pulls no punches and begs to be read in the dark so you freak yourself out about what's looking at you from the shadows; the descriptions are visceral and cinematic and *gripping.*

THE BAD

- there's not MORE? I need a prequel about [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] and the FBR!! PLEASE.

Genuinely can't wait for more from this author after such a stellar debut.

One of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading, Eye of the Ouroboros injects pure chills into your veins, with a happy helping of fantastic side characters, queerness and incredible storytelling that made me want to keep coming back for more. Bontrager has expertly woven an intriguing plot with characters that you root for (Quinn my beloved!!) and a host of topics that are near and dear to my heart. This is a book I will continually recommend to friends and family alike, and I can't wait to see more from this author.