A chilling folk horror fuelled by feminine rage that will creep you out and make you want to scream into the wind. I had such a great time reading this book and would love to read more by this author.

4 ✰

The trees are watching you… and they’re hungry.

This book is undeniably atmospheric. From the very first pages, you’re plunged into an oppressive and disorienting folk horror setting, with dark forests and hidden presences lurking in the shadows. On top of that, the story unfolds in a village ruled by strict laws, rituals, sacrifices, fear, and control, where doubt simply isn’t allowed.

The worldbuilding isn’t particularly deep. It serves more as a backdrop than a fully fleshed-out universe but the atmosphere is so strong that it completely takes over. You’re swept along without needing to understand everything. And honestly, for a short book of just over 200 pages, I wasn’t expecting more in terms of complexity.

When it comes to plot, there’s not a lot of action or twists. But again, the atmosphere does all the heavy lifting. The book builds a strong sense of danger and tension that fully pulled me in!

The characters also match the tone of the book — cold and distant. I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of them, but the main character, Hyacinth, did surprise me. She’s a young woman who refuses to live by the rules others impose. What she wants is to truly live — or, in the worst case, to choose her own death. She’s full of defiance and rage in a world that wants her silent and obedient.

The writing created a completely immersive experience. I’ll definitely be checking out more of this author’s work if she continues to craft such haunting and atmospheric worlds.


─── ⋆⋅༄⋅⋆ ───
•Folk Horror
•Forest as an entity
•Rituals
•Sacrifices
•Feminism
•Female rage
•Freedom


જ⁀➴ Thanks to the author and NetGalley for this eARC <33

The Bone Drenched Woods is a book I fell into don't think I ever climbed out. It has stuck around in my mind ever since finishing it. The combination of the folk lore and cultish society with the spooky threat of what's just beyond the woods made for a thrilling read.

This is a short horror book that follows our main character Hyacinth in a village surrounded by terror, death and eeriness. This has an interesting premise and was very atmospheric. The woods and the village felt alive and ever present.
However, I wish this had more of a plot as we are not working towards anything in the story, we just follow the character move through her days in this terror without a bigger overarching cause or search. While following Hyacinth, it also wasn't a character study, nor did it explore her in an in-depth, engaging and unique way. I wish we had gotten more flesh on the main character and the others in the book because they felt rather flat and generic. I also wish that we had more explanation and knowledge on the world. While well-built, it didn't answer or try to speculate on why the world was that way or the causes. As in I could picture the world she described I just didn't know how it came to be and I needed that. It's really more a book on vibes to explore the world and the set, but I needed it to have a structured plot, stronger main characters or to be much scarier and horrifying. It was still a fun read overall; I just left it wanting more answers and more structure.

The coolest thing I noticed about the folklore fantasy novel The Bone Drenched Woods was how its main character, Hyacinth, balances freedom and safety in a world designed to prevent both (moderate spoilers follow).

Hyacinth is a young, unmarried woman living in a village surrounded by dense forest. The forest is home to monstrous Wendigo-like creatures known as “the Teeth” that slaughter anyone who doesn’t pay their respects through offerings of flesh and bone, preferably human. The residents of the village can leave, but that won’t help — the other settlements they know of are no better, and some have it much worse.

So the villagers do what they can to survive. Over time, they’ve developed a religious faith that places male elders in control of everyone and everything. Women and girls are at the bottom of the social order and under constant scrutiny for sin and witchcraft. Punishments for even imagined crimes are swift and often deadly, and it’s soon apparent that this is at least partly designed to fuel offerings for the Teeth.

Hyacinth’s older sisters were married off to men in other villages, never to return. Hyacinth despises her own marriage prospects and many of her contemporaries have already been sacrificed to the Teeth or met other, no-less-terrible fates. So when she and a friend hear of a mythical tribe of witch-women living in the forest, they agree to run away and join them.

Their plan goes horribly wrong, however, and Hyacinth learns the hard way that there really are only two paths forward in life: a miserable and probably short marriage, or the Teeth. And even this choice is taken from her when the village elders force her to wed one of their own, a disfavored elder bound for exile. Hyacinth’s new husband is bitter and cruel, but they’re soon forced to cooperate in a stranger and more dangerous place.

So to recap: The village elders don’t have the ability or even the will to overcome the teeth, so they placate these monsters by sacrificing the most physically and emotionally vulnerable members of their society. And Hyacinth has no way to escape the villages or overthrow the elders, despite attempts to do both. This makes safety the exact opposite of freedom. The two simply can not coexist in her world.

Real life works this way, too — everyone gives up at least some freedom and safety to survive and get what they want. But in the world of The Bone Drenched Woods, these ideas are completely incompatible, and this plays out in a way that obviously hurts women. Because women in the villages are physically weaker, raised to be obedient, and are otherwise held back by abuse and non-stop pregnancies.

This makes them perfect targets for the elders who want one thing, above all else: not to be eaten by the Teeth themselves.

In summary, human civilization has given up. It has adapted to the unstoppable predators in the forest by discarding what makes humanity exceptionally powerful: willing cooperation, in service of a better world. The elders have embraced their role as middlemen in the Teeth’s meat supply.

How does Hyacinth navigate this? Very reasonably, given her upbringing and what she faces: She first tries to free herself by running into the forest, then adapting to married life, subverting married life, subverting her entire society, and finally by escaping in an entirely different and far more dangerous way.

None of these efforts pay off, at least how Hyacinth expects. But over time, one thing becomes clear: Hyacinth isn’t a rebel so much as a human being. She never gives up on trying to make the world better — mostly for herself, but often for others. Hyacinth never accepts that she’s just meat, even when all the evidence says otherwise. Even when her choices get people killed, and she hates herself for what she’s done.

That’s not rebellion or even agency — that’s humanity. And in the end, this is what leads Hyacinth through The Bone Drenched Woods.

This was not a book that I enjoyed. There were too many adjectives and the dialogue felt a bit choppy. I went on hoping for something that felt like T Kingfisher and this was definitely short-sighted in my part. I think this book will land with some audiences for sure, I am just not that audience.

The Bone Drenched Woods is what I refer to as "atmospheric dread" rather than horror. You come out of it feeling like slimy hands and sticky fingers tried to grab you.
The Teeth have victimised Hyacinth's village for generations, lurking in the woods in a reign of terror.

The setting reminded me a lot of Extasia by Claire Legrand : girls in a small village have to bear the punishing religious belief of elder men.

Hyacinth is a "wild thing" in comparison to the very tame, submissive behaviour expected by her community, dreaming of freedom and woods. Cruelty is her only reward. Cruelty and the grief that follows.

However, the metaphors for women's rights, religion and sapphic feelings ended up giving a very fuzzy feeling of cautionary tale.
I wanted more reflection on the Teeth, the patriarchal system and the women upholding it, but The Bone Drenched Woods undeniably made me feel cold dread and feminine rage.

5 Stars – A Haunting, Lyrical Masterpiece of Folk Horror

The Bone Drenched Woods is the kind of novel that burrows under your skin and stays there. L.V. Russell delivers a gorgeously dark, atmospheric tale steeped in folklore, female rage, and eldritch terror. From the first page, I was completely hooked—this is a book that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.

The writing is utterly mesmerizing, with vivid world-building and an eerie, immersive atmosphere that feels both ancient and urgent. The village, the rituals, the ever-hungry horrors lurking just beyond the trees—every detail pulses with dread and beauty.

Hyacinth is a fierce, unforgettable protagonist. In a world that demands her silence and submission, her defiance burns bright. Her journey, shaped by tragedy, rebellion, and survival, is as emotionally powerful as it is terrifying. I loved every second of her voice, her choices, and her refusal to bow to a world built on blood and fear.

While the ending may feel slightly ambiguous to some, I found its rawness fitting—it left me breathless and aching for more. This novel is perfect for fans of The Witch, folk horror, and stories that revel in the dark magic of womanhood and vengeance.

L.V. Russell is now on my must-read list. The Bone Drenched Woods is a bold, beautiful nightmare—and I loved every word.

4/5⭐️ First of all, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an arc of “The bone drenched woods”. I’ve enjoyed quite a lot of things from this book, mostly all the scenes related to the woods, the Deep and the Teeth. The only “negative” thing i have to say is that in some parts I feel it was confusing to know what was happening and to whom, or if someone was present or not (mostly the dog). Nonetheless i really enjoy books related to creepy woods with “things” lurking within, and i really enjoyed reading this book!

Haunting and unsettling, steeped in superstition and sacrifice.
This horror had me in a chokehold listening to the songs of the teeth.
I do hope that the inconsistencies in the last 50 pages were fixed for publishing though, I am giving those the benefit of the doubt because I loved this so much.

Interesting premise and it started off quite strong. However, I felt like this book needed to be fleshed out more. Little of the world was explained and there was not much in the way of character development or plot. There were also inconsistencies within the text. For example, her pet dog was suddenly missing and in danger of being drowned from the storm - when the dog had been with her, safe, during the storm in the previous chapter.

Overall while it was well written, when I finished, I was left wondering what the point was.

This is so well written and some of the best descriptive writing I’ve come across in a long time.
Even being set in third person perspective I felt completely immersed in the setting and was living in the same fear of “the teeth”.
The folklore horror is fairly new to me but after this I am completely obsessed.
An amazing read

Man, this was a disappointing read. With how great the cover and premise was, I was really expecting a chilling and atmospheric read. I didn’t get that.
Character development and world building is pretty much non-existent. You don’t find out the why to anything and foreshadowing happens and the is seemingly forgotten. Plot seems to be created to get people in certain locations vs the story happening organically, so it ends up reading for disjointed and piecemeal.
A lot of editing needs to be done and the timeline needs a hard look, because none of it aligns, and I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times people’s noses touched when they got too close. The same phrases were reused over and over again.
Also, calling this a book with feminist themes is just wrong. The protagonist has zero respect for any other woman in the book and she herself does not but speak loudly and then let men follow through. There’s also a big difference between being outspoken and strong, and being whatever the protagonist is.


Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

The Bone Drenched Woods
L.V Russell

Drawn in by the cover, this book did not disappoint. It gives you that dark, creepy folk tale vibes that gives you goosebumps as the reader.

This wasnt my typical read, but I still greatly enjoyed it. I enjoyed the tale that was told, even if i did wish it went a little deeper.

Great read if youre looking for something a bit different.

Do I know what actually happened in this story - no
Was I confused for 90% of the book - yes
Did I enjoy the confusion and WTF the whole time - ABSOLUTELY

Can I tell you what the end was about? No, I cannot.

Can I tell you what the deal was with either the Teeth or the Deep? Not a clue.

Did I enjoy watching Hyacinth go increasingly feral as her feminine rage increased? Heck yes I did.

I wish that I'd understood the very end a little bit better. Parts of the world were never fully explained, but since we stick to Hyacinth's POV, we never learn more than she does. I'm fine with that, but I would have liked to have my hand held a little bit more during the finale in terms of what to make of that conclusion. Other than that, I felt that the book could have used one more round of edits; there were some clunky moments in the writing.

Other than that, if the blurb and cover appeal to you, yes, you're getting some very dark fantasy with a side of religious trauma. While the violence of the story is very in your face, I felt like it had a purpose. It's Puritanical folk horror. I quite enjoyed the atmosphere and the relentless horror of trying to live in a world where nobody can be trusted to be kind. IDK, felt pretty relevant. The sister, Briony, was the worst, and reminded me of every woman I've met who gleefully upholds the status quo because at least she gets to have moral authority over *SOMEBODY.*

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. Good for fans of Morgan Dante.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quill and Crow Publishing House for providing this digital advanced book! I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Atmospheric as heck! In this folk horror novel, we follow Hyacinth, a young woman living in a village that reminded me of Puritanical times (the dress and lifestyle) but that featured ancient wood and sea gods, Elders that wear masks made of real animal faces, and spooky protective traditions involving carved bones. The village Elders are in charge of meting out judgment and punishment for any wrongdoing, the threat of what lives in the woods constantly on everyone's mind. Hyacinth's father is one of the Woodsmen, a group of villagers designated to work in the forest, clearing paths and attempted to appease the eldritch wood gods with bone offerings.

After a life-altering decision, Hyacinth finds herself betrothed to one of the most fearsome Elders and set to start a new life with him in a sea village. They must first cross the dark woods to get there.

Overall, this book was eerie and displayed vivid dread. There is palpable folklore in which the woods, and later in the story, the sea become strong characters that drive the actions of Hyacinth and her neighbors. The author does a great job detailing the damp conditions, rife with chilly winds and the mercurial whims of the gods. There is rot in nearly everything, a miserable life controlled by fear and judgment. Ultimately, it seems impossible to win without sacrificing the very core of who you are: either the eldritch gods devour you or the Elders catch you in some committed act of sin.

It was sad to witness the forced transition of Hyacinth from girl to woman. It happened in such a jarring way, too soon for someone as free-spirited as I could tell she was. For the rest of the book, I imagined she spoke in a near monotone, that's how empty I felt she was. The light gone from her eyes. There is a dog friend character, also! Hyacinth shows more of a personality spark around the dog and it was sweet to see.

Toward the end, I got a great gothic vibe. It was the rolling mist, the crawling tension creeping from the woods, the freezing spray of the surf against the cliffs. Long walks in the dark, the stifling isolation. I applaud the atmosphere in this book and would recommend to anyone seeking a folk horror thrill set in a woodsy village.

4/5

I really loved this one and found it to be so unique. It was beautifully written, with lush descriptions, while being quite creepy at the same time. I don’t think I’ve ever read scenes so eerie in another book, it was phenomenal.

This book was so much fun to read and I adored the fact that we had a strong FMC for once! Such a fun read, I will be recommending this one to friends from this day forward.

“You will have to choose the teeth that feast upon you.”

This book sits heavy on me, I can easily see the past of a female ancestor in every woman living this book. Whether they burned, hanged, or were fed to some God for being ‘wicked’ ‘heathen’ ‘loud’ for being a woman with autonomy, with thoughts, and dreams, a woman who laughs and screams and doesn’t cower. Or they sat with the injustice and the rage all because they were born as the “lesser” sex.

Should we fear the Teeth? The unknown? Or the men who hold our lives in their cruel hands?

This is such a harrowing display of feminine rage, most books start with a woman filled with rage.

This book shows you how rage is born.

How far can you push a sheep into a corner before it sheds its skin and flays the flock?


I like to think Hyacinth ended up exactly where she belongs.

I was so excited to read this book. When I picked it up I was expecting huge character growth, Hyacinth growing into her feminine rage against the cult-like misogynistic community she’s grown in. Instead she just felt completely unlikable, and NO plot happened. I was also expecting more from the creepy atmosphere in the woods and world-building about what the Teeth and the Deep actually are. I think there was one or two scenes I liked towards the end where we got a glimpse of what the monsters? are but generally there was very little actually scary. I think this could’ve been a really good story with a lot more detail around the lore and an actual direction to the story.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and Quill & Crow Publishing House for giving me an e-arc in return for an honest review. All thoughts expressed here are my own