I was very excited to be invited to review this ARC as I've been a massive fan of all of Shine's books. But this was a letdown for me.

The first half overall is stronger than the 2nd half.

Mired in internal monologue, drowning in constant, CONSTANT flashbacks, confused with too many POV characters, characters actions and motivations don't make sense sometimes—or change suddenly.

Someone who seems nice turns bad. Surprise! Someone who is bad through and through suddenly turns good, because, reasons. Surprise! A guy says he isn't going to attack you and will let you go... Nope! Psych! Now he's chasing you with a knife. Why? Absolutely no idea.

The character who we believe to be the main character, isn't the main character?? I'm unclear.

A lot of Shine's beautiful prise is missing and replaced with A Big Twist every single chapter. By the end, I felt exhausted, frustrated, and just pushing through to the end.

I'll continue to recommend A.M. Shine to others and probably will reread his other books again, but this one obviously wasn't my biscuit.

2 🌟

A hauntingly atmospheric modern gothic horror tale based on mythology where an ancient evil is awakened on a lonely island of the coast. Family secrets come to light, a terrible evil has been disturbed and she will find herself dragged back into a living nightmare that threatens to engulf you whole.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐚 & 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐀. 𝐌. 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞

“Is this what faith has become? Had the world strayed so far from the Lord that they now sought out the sanctity of the devils?”
I was so ecstatic when it was reviled that A. M. Shine has a new book coming up next year, and to be approved for the ARC a few weeks later felt like I’ve received the grace of God /pun intended/.
I will keep my review tamed, because there are good twists that can be easily given away. I didn’t know the plot at all but still had some expectations base on Shine’s previous works. I am so happy to report that this book is indeed everything I hoped for – rich Irish folklore, unsettling atmosphere, flawless prose, unexpected twists, and pure horror, just as I like it.
This book was very emotionally charged thanks to the distinct and flawed characters, for which I still cared about. Let me just tell you I got actual goosebumps on 64% and I couldn’t predicted this twist even if I was actively trying to. I was just enjoying reading, being on that island with the islanders, which was so scary and sad at the same time. I loved that we got a short perspective from almost everyone, but my favorite character is most definitely Father Richard.
Another big positive for me was the body horror, so visceral and actually terrifying, this is what was lacking for me in the last Shine book – Stay in the light. But here it was done exceptionally well. This book fits right into the world of The Watchers and Stay in the light, without being a sequel. I could absolutely picture these events taking place during the same time as the ones in the previous two books took. Also, the setting reminded me so much of one of my favorite TV series - Midnight mass.
If you liked the previous works of the author I can absolutely recommend you this book as well. Even if you’ve never read from him before, this could be a really good starting point. Since I’ve read all of his published works, I think this one is absolutely sharing the top spot with The Watchers. I couldn’t pick which is the better book, as they are both an amazing folk horror and I have an emotional attachment to both of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries | Aries for providing me with the ARC.

Grace returns to the island of her birth after the death of her birth mother. A place where the inhabitants harbour secrets and guilt decades long.

This is a grim look at what people are prepared to do for a better life as part of folk horror. It explores the complexity of the human character and while some areas of the plot needed greater detail in my opinion ( the orphanage) this was a great read.

No spoilers so this will sound vague but I hope this is the start of a series due to the source of the creature.

Grace is my first experience with A.M. Shine’s work—and it definitely won’t be my last. From the very first chapter, I was pulled into a chilling, atmospheric story that lingers in your thoughts long after the final page.

What sets Grace apart from other horror thrillers is how well-rounded and realistic the characters are. They feel like people you know—or could know—which only heightens the tension as the story unfolds. Every decision, every bit of dialogue, feels grounded in the real world, which makes the eerie elements hit even harder. The Bodach is a frightening, and deranged creature that takes pleasure in its killing.

It’s also one of those rare books that you can see playing out on screen. The pacing, setting, and suspenseful build-up feel tailor-made for a film adaptation. I can almost guarantee this will be a movie in the future—and if it is, I’ll be first in line.

If you’re a fan of intelligent horror with sharp writing and deeply human characters, Grace is a must-read. A.M. Shine is clearly a rising star in the genre, and I’m already adding his other books to my list.

4.5 /5 stars. Really entertaining read.

Grace is a dark, atmospheric dive into Irish folklore, where ancient myths twist into visceral, body-horror nightmares. I loved it!

A. M. Shine has excelled at crafting a haunting setting—damp, eerie, and genuinely dreadful. The horror is both physical and psychological, rooted in the land and its secrets.

The folk elements are rich and unsettling, evoking a timeless fear of the otherworldly. However, multiple POVs slightly weaken the impact. The characters all seem to blur together at some points (I still don't know who Mary is). Still, for fans of folk horror and creeping unease, Grace is a chilling, memorable read.

Perfect for fans of: Andrew Michael Hurley, Benjamin Myers and Michelle Paver.

First off, I want to thank the publisher, A.M Shine and NetGalley for an ARC of ‘Grace’ in exchange for an honest review! I almost missed the email but goodness am I glad I didn’t!

Wow, what a book from start to finish. I’m not the best at keeping things succinct, especially when a review has to be spoiler free, so I’ll try my best.

Evoking feelings reminiscent of how I felt watching ‘the descent’, A.M Shine, once again, enshrines himself as an expert in all things Modern Gothic/Irish Mythology. Being Northern Irish myself, I do love to see the folklore, that haunted my dreams as a child, brought to life.

Shine does a great job at building a chilling atmosphere, great protagonists that are likeable and you actually root for and making sure you’re saying an extra prayer before bed.

I couldn’t tear myself away from this book, I had to know how it concluded— and what a conclusion it was. Tied up well, a satisfying ending, I thoroughly enjoyed the read as I knew I would.

Although, if I could make one critique, since this is an honest review after all, I think this story could be told just as well with less point of views. Even 80% into the book, new POVs are sprinkled in and it’s a little jarring.

But overall, a great read, enough to send a shiver down your spine and have you trawling through the internet to make sure *he* isn’t coming for you next…
4.5⭐️

When Grace receives a mysterious phone call about her unknown birth mother, she finds herself heading to the small island of Croaghnakeela. It is a strange island, with secretive residents, suppliers that won’t set foot on land, and no children at all…

Once again, A.M. Shine cements himself as a master of Irish folk horror. His descriptions and use of multiple POVs allow the story to slowly unfold in unexpected ways, and really ramps up the tension. The horror and suspense build slowly, with small chills that creep down your neck like rain drops that build to an intense storm in the finale.
There are some very sweet moments in this story, some unexpected twists, and a lot of Shine’s trademark use of dread-inducing folklore that requests the reader stretch their imaginations in a heart-stopping, adrenaline-fueled nightmare against an unseen/unstoppable foe.
The characters are generally likeable, warm, and complex. I loved Grace, and the clever way in which she leads the reader to the unexpected. This was not the book I thought it would be, and I loved Grace that Shine surprises me every time. Do I think this is his best? No, The Watchers still holds that title, and I felt the ending of Grace was a little rushed. But does this cement my belief that A.M. Shine is a master of Irish folk horror? Yes. Yes it does

Until the last 30% or so, I thought I’d found a new favourite. The story opens dripping with folk horror atmosphere and raising a lot of intriguing questions about the island. The pacing was great and well matched to the story unfolding. I liked Grace and Robin as characters.

But then… as the secrets of the island are revealed, we diverge from our two MCs and start perspective hopping around to islanders, the pace speeds up to absolute breakneck, and suddenly it’s over. I found the ending a bit disappointing (and kind of twee) and was left holding a few questions.

Certainly worth the time I spent with it, but The Watchers is still the one to beat for me!

I love A.M. Shine books and how they're based around Irish mythology and folklore, there are so many creepy and scary and interesting folklores to choose from so I hope he never stops. 'Grace' was atmospherically scary and slow burn creepy until you're kept awake wanting to finish but feeling terrified

Possibly the creepiest and most disturbing AM Shine novel yet.

"Grace" is a thirty-something woman, whose life is suddenly upended when she discovers her birthmother has died and left her a house on an isolated island off the west coast of Ireland. She barely remembers her mother, having been adopted at an early age, but she feels drawn to the island, and so sets off to say her goodbyes to a woman she never knew. Arriving on the island, she is immediately struck by the surly and inbred community of islanders, and the distinct lack of children on the island.

Very quickly she is drawn into a dark and frightening environment, where people have secrets, fears, and suspicions which grow as she learns more about the terrible events of thirty years ago.

As with his previous books, the author beautifully paints his story against the bleak, wild and unforgiving backdrop of rural Ireland - this time even creepier, as it's a wild and isolated island. There's also ancient evil, bad people, weak people and good people. There's a priest with a hidden past, villagers held together by a dark secret, and a pub which holds its own share of secrets. Each character is well developed, so we're invested in their fates, even as their motives are laid bare. As the story unfolds, Grace struggles to uncover the biggest secret, and to escape the fate her parents tried so hard to avoid thirty years ago. There's a scattering of flashbacks which fill in details nicely, and tease the inevitability of certain people's fates.

"Grace" is based on the Scots/Irish legend of the Bodach - a malevolent spirit which often appears as an old man and which which steals away children from their homes. Here the author has added in a community of people in an isolated community, which will ticks every folk horror fan's boxes.

Heartily recommended.

A.M. Shine never ceases to amaze—he has a real gift for crafting deeply atmospheric and haunting stories. Ever since The Watchers, I’ve been hooked on everything he writes. Grace is no exception—absolutely worth checking out!

A slow burn folk horror tale with a surprising ending and lots of atmospheric eeriness. I was struggling a bit with the different povs and the fact that it took a while till things really picked up

Truly terrified this is a slow burn that shakes your very bones. It's terrific, terrible and tragic and kept me reading to all hours, scared of every creak and shadow. It's also set in Ireland where ancient curses and shadows haunt the darkness.

𝙄𝙛 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙝𝙚’𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪.

4.5💫 Haunting, tense and atmospheric, this gothic folk horror rooted in Irish myth and legend is one for reading with the lights on.

What begins with ghostly knocks on the door of her little bookshop, quickly develops into a descent into Hell for Grace as she heads to Croaghnakeela, the small island off the coast of Ireland where she was born before she was sent to the mainland and put up for adoption.

Following the news of her biological mums death, she heads home, to the island shrouded in mystery and deep-rooted secrets, and Grace quickly discovers that some secrets should be left buried.

Multiple POVs made this book a little confusing at times as I struggled to get my head around who’s who, but this was a really enjoyable and aptly eerie read with a wholly unexpected ending. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!