For the first half of this book I was convinced it was going to be 2 stars. The flowery prose, explaining the colour of the sky every other page, it was making me want to tear my hair out. Then we got to 50% and things started happening. The second half of this book was creepy, heartfelt with beautiful themes and imagery. I was also confused because when I reread the synopsis (trying to work out if I should DNF) I realised there was supposedly a sapphic love thread. There was... It just takes a bunch of time to actually meet her but she was my favourite character.

I think the Bavarian influence was intresting. My rudimentary German kept me entertained for a lot of this, especially in the slower moments. Still, I definitely struggled with the pacing. There's lyrical prose and then there was this, fine but too much a lot of the time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

I have reviewed this title for book sales and recommendation site LoveReading.co.uk, please see link for full review. It’s been chosen as a LoveReading Star Book and Liz Pick of the Month.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of Season of Fear.

Season of Fear is a horrific fairy tale full of atmosphere, tension, and emotional healing.

This book is absolutely for all the late-diagnosed autistics and people with complicated relationships with family members who weren't capable of loving them in the way they deserved. But even if that doesn't describe you, there is so much to love about this book.

***You can expect:*** a feminist horror story, emotional healing, high tension and strong atmosphere (I was gripped from the first page), German folklore come to life, a gently autistic-coded protagonist, the creepy forest being a major character, a sexy closed-door sapphic romance that helps the protagonist heal and grow, found family, sisterly love, and explorations of fear, courage, and the trauma of living in a world that feels hostile to you. The villain is difficult to defeat, and he's scary both because he's a powerful monster and because of how he thrives on and delights in women's fear.

***I would not recommend it if any of the following is a deal-breaker for you:*** books that are more horror stories than traditional fantasy, body horror, books where the romantic feelings develop perhaps a tad quicker than you'd expect.

It's also worth noting that although this book is set in Germany and makes heavy use of German mythology, there was at least one mildly jarring change. In the book, Hexennacht celebrations have been moved from the 30th of April/1st of May to autumn, but a lot of the German vocabulary used to describe the celebration in the book still has May in its name — the Maibaum (May pole), Maibowle (May wine/punch), etc.

Season of Fear
Emily Cooper
August 28, 2025
Simon & Schuster UK

Season of Fear is Emily Cooper’s utterly engrossing, spine-tingling debut perfect for fans of Rachel Gillig & Ava Reid. Hauntingly beautiful and horrifying in equal measure, Season of Fear is a gothic feminist fairytale that explores the terror society inflicts on women and young girls, and the power of difference and self-acceptance.

BLOOD SPILLS FROM VEINS, SKIN STARTS TO CRACK,
IGNORE THE FOREST; TURN BACK, TURN BACK…

Born without the ability to feel fear, Ilse Odenwald dreams of being afraid. Because In the village of Heulensee, women’s fearfulness is holy, protective, and, above all, required. The Hexenwald, the monstrous forest that borders the village, attacks every time the sky turns blood-red. The townsfolk’s only defence is the women’s terror, which feeds the Saint of Fear who protects the village in exchange for their fear. But when Isle cannot bring forth the terror the Saint demands, it threatens to devour her sister. Unable to lose Thea, or produce the required fear, Ilse enters the Hexenwald, hoping that the monsters it harbours will finally scare her. But the forest is hiding a multitude of secrets and Ilse is about to discover that there’s much more than fear to be found within…

EYES BECOME SOCKETS, FLESH MELTS TO BONE.
THE FOREST IS HUNGRY; GO HOME, GO HOME.

Season of Fear is one of the most original, compelling debuts I’ve ever read. Full of monsters, horror, and Sapphic yearning, the beautifully-written book captured my attention from the first page to the last. I loved the gothic forest, the spine-tingling suspense, and the excruciating slow burn romance. Coupled with the found family, the book was equal parts dark horror and sweet sensuality - a rare and difficult combination to pull off!

THE HEXEN WON’T REST ‘TIL YOUR BLOOD IS SHED.
IGNORE THE WARNING, YOU’RE DEAD, YOU’RE DEAD.

The Hexenwald forest - full of flesh-eating trees, blood-sucking monsters, and terrifying illusions - was a highly effective and original use of the green world literary device. Where Shakespeare wrote green world comedy (to borrow Northrup Frye’s term), I would argue Emily Cooper employs green world horror. Cooper uses the monstrous forest not only as the setting for the journey of discovery the characters take in its bounds, but also to highlight the true horror facing girls is not the magical, carnivorous forest, but the world of man. Cooper deftly reveals the true monster terrorizing young girls is found much closer to home.

The book asks us what society asks of women and young girls, and at what cost.
Who is the real monster, the real cause of the terror?

Tropes & Comps:
Found Family
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Sapphic Romance
Gothic vibes
Monsters!
For fans of Rachel Gillig & Ava Reid

Season of Fear is out in the UK on August 28th. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Season of Fear is one of those stories that sinks its claws into you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Atmospheric, emotional, and laced with horror, it’s a book that’s equal parts nightmare and fairytale, and I loved EVERY SINGLE minute of it.

Inspired by Bavarian folklore, this is a dark feminist fairytale full of horror, heart, and a sapphic romance that absolutely delivers.

Ilse lives in a village where fear is sacred and protection requires the women offering up their terror to an ancient Saint. But Ilse was born without fear. When her sister’s life is threatened, Ilse ventures into the monstrous forest that borders their town, hoping it can teach her to be afraid.

As a German speaker, I loved the use of German words throughout the story. It added so much atmosphere!
The forest is filled with nightmare fuel, and some scenes are horrifyingly descriptive. But beneath the horror is also a powerful story about being different, not fitting in, and learning to accept who you are.

Ilse is such a strong and compelling main character. I was completely rooting for her. And then there's the slow-burn sapphic romance, which is EVERYTHING. If you're looking for yearning and tension, look no further.
The side characters were so fun and charming, too. And the ending? What a beautiful conclusion. The final chapters had me on the edge of my seat, and the epilogue genuinely made me cry.

This was a haunting gothic fairytale I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

5 stars.

Hard hitting and very unsettling. I was hooked from the get go.
It was a story that kept me interested in the world and the characters without feeling dull and overly complicated for no reason.
If this is a debut I am very excited with what else Emily Cooper brings to the table

From the very first page, this is a story that pulls you into its shadows. It’s tense, unsettling, and quietly furious, a tale of one woman standing her ground while the world around her looks the other way. She’s not easy to rattle, and that defiance becomes the heart of the novel. The ending doesn’t tie things up neatly, but it lands with weight.

A great hard hitting visceral tale. Dystopian in the extreme but so much better for that. Not dystopian but very real is the way the women are treat within the society and this is something that really hit home and will stay with me. A great story though.

I'm so thankful to have been able to read this book. A unique premise coupled with the mythology of my own culture made me interested in the first place, and by no means have I been disappointed. All the characters were well-written, the story beats kept me interested from start to finish. I've been putting off writing this review for some reason and I cannot recall all the details, but the things I remember make me want to read it again. Despite being inspired by Bavarian folklore, this book is neither a textbook disguised as a novel nor a reimagining of an existing story like most Greek mythology books these days are.
Rather, it uses the overall feeling created by the setting straight out of one of Grimms' fairy tales and mythological creatures some of which are rarely seen in fantasy books to its advantage to make this magical world believable. In similar novels, the characters can sometimes feel out of place, as if they have experiences they couldn't have gotten from the environment they live in. The author of this novel does not make this mistake. Everything feels organic. The characters - yes, including the main character! - are likeable, the mysteries of this world are intriguing. I was invested in the story almost immediately and I loved the fact that the forest was going to be the main location for the story to take place. It just fit so perfectly with the horror genre and with the German vibe the author was going for. She made it shine even more by making the forest a living entity that interacts with the characters.
The only thing I wasn't so sure about was the concept of Ilse having no fear. How does one define "having no fear"? Sure, the word "fear" wasn't used when referring to Ilse's feelings, but aren't words like "angst", "worry" or "dread" all related to "fear" in some sense? Ilse worries a lot throughout the book. About her sister, about not being able to sacrifice her fear to the God, about losing the people she cared about. At one point, she even says that she's a coward. She may not experience the fear to be physically hurt or even die, but she definitely fears for her loved ones. It's hard to leave out a crucial emotion like fear, I guess, and I feel like writing it any other way would have hurt the story, so I won't complain any further.

All in all: A fantastic book! I wouldn't complain about a sequel.

I enjoyed this exciting novel which is inspired by Bavarian folklore. The novel is set in a German rural village which has been terrorised by horrific monsters that live within the dark forests on the edge of the village. For centuries the women of the village have prevented the monsters taking over their homes by allowing their fear to be seen and heard loudly as they scream into the forest holding the monsters at bay

We meet young girl Lise who knows that she’s different and separate from her mother and sister in that she alone does not feel fear .
Otherness and difference is covered in this book where the narrator is the only woman in her village that does not feel fear. Lise sets out on a journey to the middle of the forest to try and protect her family.

The first time I read this book, I found the first couple of couple of pages so terrifying that I had to put it aside. I wasn’t really in the mood. I’ve picked up again to give it another go now. And I’m glad I did It’s actually not as frightened as I thought it was going to be and it blends magic and reality well

This novel reminds me a bit of the Twilight series with its teenage protagonists and focus on adventure. There is a cute lesbian love story in the middle of the book as it turns out that not only is she different in terms of her lack of fear she is also different her sexuality
I don’t read a lot of novels of this sort but I did enjoy this one. It’s fresh fast paced and very atmospheric. The author has a clear easily read writing style and I think the novel might be better placed in the young adult section the library
I read an early copy of the novel in on NetGalley UK in return for an unbiased review. But is published in the UK on the 30th of September 2025 by Simon and Schuster UK.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, StoryGraph, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicSarahS books.wordpress.com after publication it will also appear on Amazon and UK and Waterstones

A young woman must enter the monstrous Hexenwald forest to find her fear and save her sister. A modern Grimm fairytale, with unique worldbuilding and a feminist twist. While the characters are interesting they lack emotional depth or nuance to their struggles, and the central romance is heavy handed. The plot is clever but overall the book struggles with pacing. Not one for me.

Emily Cooper’s Season of Fear is a gorgeously unsettling debut that wraps folk horror, gothic atmosphere, and a deeply personal coming-of-age story into one haunting package. Set in a village where fear is both currency and sacrament, this novel grips you with its eerie premise and doesn’t let go—even after the final, chilling page.

Ilse Odenwald is an outsider in her own home. In a community where women cultivate terror to feed an ancient Saint—a being that, in turn, shields them from the horrors of the Hexenwald forest—Ilse’s inability to feel fear marks her as defective. Worse, when the Saint discovers her secret, it issues an ultimatum: Learn to fear, or watch your sister be devoured. What follows is a desperate, nightmarish journey into the heart of the Hexenwald, where Ilse must confront not only the forest’s monstrous inhabitants but the darker truths lurking beneath her village’s rituals.

Cooper’s worldbuilding is exquisite, blending fairy-tale dread with visceral horror. The village’s devotion to fear is both fascinating and grotesque, a twisted mirror of religious fervour and survivalist pragmatism. The Hexenwald itself is a character—a place of whispering leaves, half-seen horrors, and a suffocating sense of being watched. Every description drips with atmosphere, making the setting feel alive and hungry.

Ilse is a compelling protagonist, her struggle for belonging tangled with questions of faith, duty, and selfhood. Her quest to manufacture fear—something others take for granted—forces her into increasingly dire choices, and Cooper doesn’t shy away from the story’s grim stakes. The supporting cast, from Ilse’s devout sister to the village’s secretive elders, adds layers of tension and ambiguity. Is the Saint a protector or a predator? Are the village’s traditions sacred or sacrificial? The answers unfold with slow, creeping dread.

Fans of The Year of the Witching and The Bear and the Nightingale will adore this book’s blend of folkloric horror and feminist defiance. But Season of Fear carves its own path, offering a fresh take on monster myths and the things we worship to survive.

3.5⭐️. Season of Fear felt like a modern Grimm fairytale, with a strong feminist undertone and lots of fantastical, horror elements. Ilse lives in Heulensee, a town where women (because the men argue that fear was a woman’s gift) serve the Saint of Fear by feeding it their terror. In return, the Saint protects them from the monsters living in the adjoining forest, Hexenwald. However, Ilse cannot feel fear, a fact that’s left her feeling isolated and lonely with her sister, Dorothea, as her one close companion. When the Saint discovers Ilse’s lack of fear, he threatens Dorothea and she has to embark on a journey through the forest to find her fear and save her sister.

There was a lot I liked about this book - it was well written, descriptive and created an interesting and unique world. I liked that the emphasis was on Ilse’s relationship with her sister and I also really enjoyed the way her friendship developed with Hans, her brother in law, who journeys with her into Hexenwald. I think if you like the style of Alix E.Harrow and Kat Dunn, you would probably enjoy this book.

That being said, there were some elements that brought the rating down for me, which were:
- Without giving away any spoilers, some of the magic (particularly the aspects you learn more about in the second half of the book) felt underdeveloped and it therefore fell a bit flat for me.
- The main romantic relationship also felt underdeveloped and I think the book would’ve been stronger without it, if it had instead just focused on the familial relationships.
- For some reason, which I can’t quite pinpoint, I never fully connected with the characters, which meant the book lacked emotional impact for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

I finished this in ONE SITTING , just wow !
What may orginally seem like just a horror, this book is so so so much more!!! We follow Ilse, who is born without fear in a town that feeds their fear to an ancient saint on the rite of their 18th birthdays, something that only the women follow as they are the ones that battle with the most fear. By feeding the saint, it protects their village from the monsters of the hexenwald, a forest of horror and monsters that can tear their flesh and kill them with ease. But on the night of her rite, the saint notices her lack of fear, giving her an ultimatum. She must find her fear in 30 days or it devours her sister!!
From the get go I was invested in the story, the horrific details in the prologue felt straight out of a horror movie. The descriptions were brutal yet poetic and set the initial tone for the book. What I wasn’t expecting was to fall in love with the characters we are introduced to as the book progresses. There is found family elements, a blossoming side plot of a sapphic relationship and honestly some incredibly powerful scenes of the women that battle their fear throughout the book. The epilogue and ending had me emotional and it’s safe to say Emily cooper is incredible at building characters that you can fall for! This was such an incredible and unique read that had some amazing twists and just was such an amazing reading experience!
Thank you to Simon and schuster and netgalley for this early E-arc copy !!

Arc review ✨

So thrilled writing this review! This was a great read and I absolutely needed a win right now as I’ve been on a DNF streak a lot lately and not much seems to keep my attention, but this book was filled with female rage and I loved it. Right out of the gate, introducing us to the horror going on in this little village had me hooked.

We follow Ilse, a young girl who cannot feel fear when fear is the only thing needed, found that to be a unique spin. I was fully invested in all the characters throughout as each are introduced. I absolutely loved the found family vibe. The mystery of what the heck is going on and the journey she took to try and save her sister was written well. Every twist and turn had me on the edge of my seat. I ate this up for sure, finished it in a little over a day.

Will absolutely read more from this author and look forward to purchasing the beautiful edition from
Goldsboro!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for a review!

Ilse Odenwald is not like the other women in her village. She cannot feel fear. But in Heulensee, women’s terror is revered, commodified and demanded. Ilse must venture into the world beyond the village in order to discover what she needs to do next.

Season of Fear is a dark fantasy, with elements of horror mixed into what feels like an old fairytale. It’s creepy and gorgeous, much like the setting. It feels too simplistic to try to break this down into tropes.

The story around Ilse’s otherness, and the way she fits (or doesn’t, as the case may be) into her home and family is so well written that I cried more than once while reading. This had me thinking about gender roles, my relationship with my mother, and the burden and strength of defiance.

There is romance in this story, and while it’s certainly not the main plot, it’s present and maybe one of my favourite parts.

The references to Bavarian folklore help make this story feel haunting, and set the tone perfectly.

On reaching the end, I felt disappointed that it was over- this isn’t a criticism of the pacing or length of the book, which was actually great. I just really didn’t want to leave the characters.

I’d recommend this if you love:

Darker fantasy

Folklore & fairytales

Sapphic romance

Found family

Creepy, haunting horror

Forests, monsters and rituals

Disappointing and confusing. This book wants to be The Year of the Witching very badly but trips up on its own convoluted plot, leaving the reader scratching their head at the end. I’m also very tired of most plot relevant things in YA books happening within the characters’ own lifetime, especially if it involves immortal beings like gods.

Points for a nice brother in law character though, that’s rare.

HOLY SHIT THIS BOOK!!! my jaw in on the floor!

season of fear is non stop from the very beginning. the plot constantly has something happen -- you're whizzed from one thing to the next with no time to come up for air in between. i struggled to put this book down at the end of the night so i could sleep (i just wanted to keep going!).

this book opens with a scene straight from a horror book/movie/whatever. the opening scene is so captivating and sets the tone perfectly for what's to come. when it's ilse's turn to take the "rite", she fails. the saint of fear then threatens ilse, where she then decides to take matters into her own hands. a large portion of this book takes place in a forest. as with any great forest, this one's filled with horrific creatures determined to cause as much pain and suffering as possible.

from the get-go, i adored ilse. she was a captivating and intriguing main character. i liked how she wasn't fragile but actually very strong and determined. i was weary about hans at first, because all the men in this book were depicted as selfish and greedy, however he became my favourite character swiftly. i hoped so hard that nothing would harm his kind soul.

as the pair make their way into the forest, we meet ash (an absolutely wonderful woman) and her brother. they team up with ilse and hans on their mission to save the women of heulensee.

the romance in this book is minimal but it does play a large role. i found it so cute to read. it is a sapphic romance, which i found very fitting for this particular story.

the plot twist towards the end!! i genuinely didn't see that coming! (what an oblivious queen). there was just so much that happened in such a short space of time but nothing felt rushed. i will say though, that the ending (while happy and wholesome) made me really sad. i may or may not have shed a tear. or two. maybe five. i wasn't counting.

thank you so much for the chance to read this early! this is easily my new favourite book.

Season of Fear by Emily Cooper is a dark and atmospheric tale set in the haunting village of Heulensee, where fear is not just a feeling but a force of nature. In this village, the people’s only protection from the horrors lurking in the monstrous Hexenwald forest is the Saint of Fear, an ancient entity that demands the women and girls of the village offer up their terror in exchange for safety.

Ilse Odenwald, however, is born without the ability to feel fear. This makes her an outcast in a place where fearfulness is revered as a virtue. As much as she tries, she cannot summon the dread that the Saint demands. When the Saint learns of Ilse's lack of fear, it threatens to devour her sister, Thea, unless Ilse can find a way to experience fear.

In a desperate bid to save Thea, Ilse ventures into the terrifying Hexenwald, hoping that its monsters will finally evoke the fear she so desperately lacks. What follows is a tense, action-packed journey into the heart of darkness, where Ilse uncovers secrets far darker than she could have ever imagined—and discovers that fear is just one of many powerful forces at play.

Cooper's writing is haunting and immersive, drawing readers into a world where the line between fear and desire, safety and danger, is constantly shifting. The book skillfully blends elements of horror with romance, creating a compelling and emotionally charged narrative. The dynamic between Ilse and her sister Thea adds depth to the story, highlighting the bonds of family and the lengths one will go to protect those they love.

What sets Season of Fear apart is its thought-provoking take on gender inequality. The story explores how fear is manipulated and used as a tool of control, particularly for women, and the impact this has on their agency. Cooper cleverly weaves this theme into a tale filled with mystery and suspense, making it both a thrilling and meaningful read.

The twist at the end is gasp-worthy, adding an unexpected layer of complexity to the plot and leaving readers eagerly turning pages until the very end. Season of Fear is a perfect blend of horror, romance, and social commentary, making it an unforgettable read for fans of dark fantasy and psychological thrills.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Season of Fear is an exquisitely captivating tale steeped in darkness, evocative of the timeless Grimm fairy tales. The author masterfully explores themes of female resilience, sacrifice, community, folklore, the complexity of love, and the profound bonds of chosen family.

From its opening pages, the story unfolds with a chillingly original concept: young women must surrender their fear to a saint. This eerie concept sets the tone for an utterly gripping narrative, and the premise is executed with such precision that I was captivated right from the start.

I devoured this book in a single day, compelled by its incredible twists and turns. Every moment was an irresistible pull, and stepping away was excruciating. The plot is an adrenaline-fueled ride, blending action, the unearthing of deeply buried truths, and emotional depths that connect you so deeply with the characters.

I recommend Season of Fear to anyone who loves their fantasy unique and laced with a touch of horror. It’s an unforgettable tale that you won't want to miss.