This book tried to be Dan Brown meets fantasy meets military thriller meets mythology primer… and honestly? It lost the plot. Quite literally. I went in expecting a dark, suspenseful ride, and instead got a fever dream full of mythology deep-dives and highly questionable plot decisions. A veterinary technician somehow manages to convince the world she’s a Navy SEAL sniper, while tangled in a convoluted web of Norse and Native Abenaki mythology. Toss in some secret societies, magical creatures, intense action scenes, and 20 pages of end-of-book mythology cliff notes, and you've got You Can’t Stay. And I, frankly, wish I didn’t.
Technically, it's a mythology-fueled fantasy thriller, but it felt more like an overambitious first draft of several books smushed into one. Esther was supposed to be a badass, but I couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough to buy into the premise. A vet tech posing successfully as a Navy SEAL sniper?? No. Just no. Ryder was interesting, but even his storyline just seemed like a plot device. The side characters, some of which even got their own randomly thrown in POV chapters, were forgettable or used as props to fill out the story. The whole thing was over-stuffed with mythological references that never fully clicked into place. The plot was disjointed, and there was just too much going on. Instead of building intrigue, it drowned the story in random lore and confusing logic gaps. I believe it was intended to explore themes of self-discovery, identity, and maybe power through deception, but it was hard to tell because those main ideas were overshadowed by all the chaos.
The pace was inconsistent. Some scenes dragged, while other jumped wildly with little setup. It felt like I was constantly trying to catch up to a story that didn’t know where it was going. The writing was serviceable, albeit repetitive in parts, and the storytelling needed serious tightening. And then, the author plugged another of her books inside this one! That broke the immersion completely and honestly felt random, if not a little self-indulgent. I was more frustrated than anything while reading. I kept hoping it would redeem itself or wrap up with clarity, but even the ending was more confusing than cathartic. Are we seriously trying to set up a sequel? Gods I hope not. It didn’t land for me, and by the time I finished, I was just relieved to be done.
This was a hard pass for me. Between the unrealistic character dynamics, the mythology overload, and the plot that required a guidebook to understand, You Can’t Stay just did too much and not well. I love when authors weave in cultural and mythological depth, but this felt more like an info-dump than an immersive experience. I would only recommend this for readers with extensive mythology backgrounds who enjoy deciphering layered references, anyone who wants a wildly unrealistic thriller with a heavy fantasy twist and doesn’t mind suspending disbelief to the max, or people looking for something… very, very different.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to review this title in advance!

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7451806328
Date published: 4/10/2025

I rate this book 3.5 stars

This was so different to anything I've ever read before. It starts out a little slow, hard done by woman, who can't make anything of her life. Family is dead, sister is missing, and no one wants to help her.
Around 25% of the way through, I almost ALMOST stopped reading.
But then it all completely changes up, and all of a sudden, you can't put the damn thing down! There's some brutal, gruesome scenes, theres fear, panic, theres creatures of your wildest nightmares.
I had not heard of this author before, received this as an eARC from Netgalley. And I really enjoyed it. Will definitely be looking at the authors' other books to read

As a fan of S.T. Ashman’s previous thrillers, I was excited to dive into “You Can't Stay”, but unfortunately, this one missed the mark. The story took an unexpected turn into science fiction and Viking lore, which threw me off completely. It felt disconnected from the authors usual style, and I found it hard to stay engaged (as the plot shifted in a direction I wasn’t expecting). The main character, a vet tech, somehow switches places with an ex-military person to run a high-risk operation — it’s a concept that could work in fiction, but it just pushed the boundaries of believability too far. I know it’s fiction, but it went past the point where I could suspend my disbelief and still enjoy the story.

Ashman is a great writer, but this book just didn’t hit the mark for me.

Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a mood reader I'm always looking for something that grabs me and keeps me reading.
When I started this book I got immediately pulled in by two usually unmixing culture, the North myth and the native Americans believes.
Something unexpected.
The characters were likable easy to get into their skin, to understand their motivation even the secondary characters were interesting.
I enjoyed the Story a lot, finished in three days with limited time to read.
Also, it was easy to read even For a non native English speaker person.
It was interesting till the end, unpredictable and grabbing.
I recommend it 😊💕

Oh and just one more thing

Spolier ahead
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.
.
.
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. I loved that there was no forced romance. Thank you eternally for that!

First book in a short while that I absolutely couldn't put down! Very impressed, this was a quick read, fast paced, and lots of action. More of a horror fantasy than pure horror, and unlike a lot of people I wouldnt compare this novel to "The Ritual". It reminded me more of the film "Predator" but with Nordic monsters and spirits, instead of aliens. As for the Native American history and mythology... I was surprised to see a book about this written by a white woman in 2025. I'm not Native American so I can't speak to whether this plot line was done well, or not. But I do wonder why it was needed? Is this the writer to tell this story? Undecided. Overall, it's a bit of dumb fun, an easy holiday read.

Absolutely love the writing style just like her previous work this one didn’t disappoint!! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc of this novel!

Well written story with lots of twists and turns. I liked her book called “I Kill Killers” the best. But this one was worth reading

You Can't Stay
by S. T. Ashman
Pub Date: Apr 30 2025

I received an e-ARC and here is my review. I was introduced to S.T. Ashman by a friend at book club and glad she recommended this book which is my first by this author and new to horror genre.

I do not write reviews which contain spoilers. The character I loved most was Esther. She’s a very strong woman! I was introduced to Norse mythology which is also new to me but seemed different to be in a horror genre.

I read this book in two days as I was captivated from the beginning. If you’re looking for a new genre or a new horror book I do recommend reading this.

Thanks to NetGalley, S. T. Ashman and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC.

An absolute blinder of a horror-thriller! Horror isn't my usual genre, but the synopsis totally hooked me and I had to read it! Im so pleased that I did.

Esther is determined to find her sister, Jasmine, who disappeared two years ago. All she really knows is that once per year, a black SUV takes a group of people into the forest and they never return. What happens to them?

A lead from a member of the military gives Esther the opportunity to go undercover and try to find out the truth. The fact she will be there under false pretences as a sniper when she can't shoot? Oh well! It was never going to be easy!

Fascinating characters, mythology and danger are the order of the day here and I found myself liking Esther and Ryder more and more as I got to know them, especially Ryder. As well as a gripping plot, I enjoyed reading about the indigenous people of the area.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, S. T. Ashman and Victory, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Hmm. As a norwegian I have to admit the "viking" stuff was sort of ridiculous.. Anyhow. I understand what the author was trying to do, but the story was too messy and all over the place. I felt no connection to the fmc at all. Breaks my heart, but I didn’t enjoy this.

I read this because I loved Ashman's <i>I Kill Killers</i>. This book was quite different!

I think if this book finds the right person, they would likely enjoy it, but best to know what you're getting into. First: you will need to suspend disbelief. (A vet tech impersonates a Navy Seal sniper...a prisoner (murderer) is released for the purpose of leading a super secret mission).

So already we're not terribly grounded in reality. And then there are mystical/supernatural things going on, maybe from Norse gods and goddesses? Indigenous spirits? There's a lot going on here.

All that said, I did like the two main characters and their relationship. But magical mysticism is not my preferred cup of tea. Readable, though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me with an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Publishes April 30, 2025.

4.5 stars rounded up

S T Ashman is definitely on my go to author list. I loved her first 3 books and loved this one as well.
You can’t stay is very different to her other 3 books but definitely lived up to the others. It was dark and twisty from the beginning and kept me gripped there was so much going on throughout the book which kept me engaged all the way to the end.
I hope S T Ashman releases another new book soon because I will definitely be picking it up.

that book heald my heart for the entire book. it was so much more than i thought it would be. i have no idea but as soon as i came across this book i got this darkened doom feeling, in all the right ways for a book i immediately want to read. and as i read further and you learn about a few of the topics in the book i was almost asking myself whether this had indeed been giving off a "feeling" ha!
there is sooooo much darkness to this book that fills you and surrounds you and also keeps you reading with that almost heartbeat like uncertainty all the way through the book.
i couldnt put this down. i wanted to make sure our main character was ok because this woman was one strong and brave woman. and i also wnated to know jsut what was going on. at first i thought how is this author going to weave a beleivable story into these disappearances. surely it cant? but oh oy was i wrong and it was so much better than i thought.
this book is outstanding it hits every single note for a thriller and in that deep chilly and uncertain feeling that books give you sometimes. one of the best thriller type feelings you can wish for from a book!

You Can't Stay
by S. T. Ashman
Pub Date: Apr 30 2025
Interesting thriller that kept me invested.
Esther's sister disappeared after getting into a black SUV and Esther is determined to find her no matter what it takes . In her search she has found that every year several people disappear in the same area. When Esther is approached by a stranger offering to allow Esther to take her place in a top secret assignment that will most likely help her discover the truth, Esther, a naturally gifted vet school dropout feels she has nothing to lose.
Ryder, a highly trained soldier in prison for murdering his son's coach with his bare hands, is suddenly pulled from his cell and given a chance to earn his freedom by being a guide on the same top secret mission. He wants his freedom and to see his son again so he agrees to join the team.
Their mission seems simple enough. Take a shipment through the woods to the drop off and return. But something's not right. Esther's Native blood and Ryder's Viking roots are telling them the woods are restless...maybe even dangerous. Afterall, why would they need a team of highly trained soliders for what seems like a simple mission and what happened to the last team that was assigned this mission?
The team soon becomes ensnared in an ever changing woods filled with giant wolves, Vikings from days past, and Native whispered warnings. This is no ordinary mission, and if they make it out alive, it will be a miracle.

Good read. I would classify as a magical/mythical realism thriller.

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review!

I really enjoyed this, it was such a good book and exactly what I needed. Incredible survival horror with the added complexity of Norse gods and more, as well as a forest that is truly alive and doesn’t want the characters to make it through. I had a hard time putting this down and loved both POVs and both characters. It was so interesting seeing a character with full, brutal knowledge and one with none. This was a very good book, perfect for fans of survival horror and Norse myths!!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book!! It was very interesting to learn about these characters and the mythology behind it all!! This book wasn’t bad but I thought it was part of a series and I was confused for most of the book. The character I loved the most in this book was Esther. She’s strong, independent, and never gave up fighting for and fighting to find her sister. I liked the action and adrenaline that I felt when something went wrong. I loved the veterinarian parts of the book as well because I am a huge animal lover like Esther. My other favorite part about this book was the white fox appearances. There were some funny parts and some serious parts that I enjoyed a lot. This was very good and well written. I am a big horror lover and this was right up my alley!! I look forward to reading more books in the future!!

Every year, the government sends a group of people deep into New Hampshire’s White Mountains.

And every year, they don’t return.

This book was so much MORE than I was expecting based on just the synopsis!! Horror, YES... but also suspense, action, adventure, and fantasy all wrapped up in one fantastic gripping story! This is an expertly written novel that keeps the reader fully engaged the whole way through, start to finish! Highly recommend if you're at all interested in any of the genres mentioned above. You'll love it!

"You Can't Stay" really gripped me from the start. I started this book and didn't think i was going to like it but boy was i wrong. I enjoyed it so much. Also gave me spooky vibes which i enjoyed. Thank you so much for the ARC.

I don't know...

As I was reading this, I kept hoping that our author had some indigenous culture beyond a 1% Ancestry.com DNA test, but...I don't think so. They may have some Scandinavian background or just a deep and abiding love of Vikings, though.

Our indigenous character is pretty thinly drawn. Our Viking convict is sort of...Thor.

There are logic issues here - the main one being every little thing about our female MC. I need someone to sit me down and very slowly explain to me how anyone on earth would think girlypop is a sniper. (Sorry - I have a teen and Gen Z slang is living wildly in my brain today.)

The truth behind everything is certainly surprising and would likely be far more logical after consuming vast quantities of mead.

The book does move quickly and I think the author had fun writing it. I just expected something else.

* ARC via Publisher

What a ride. This was a super fast moving book that I couldn't put down. Mystery and horror the whole way through. The creatures that S T Ashman threw in along the way were impressive to say the least, and lets not forget scary.