5/5 ⭐️

Thank you Bantam Books for the invitation to read this title.


“But my craft had teeth, and I would not hesitate to use them. I was not so eager to be harmless.”

It’s been a while since I’ve consumed a non-romance story as fast as I have this one. Maybe because this book, at its core, is about love. The deep, unapologetic, almost animalistic love for life, in all of its forms. And the absolute disregard that most humans have for it.
The writing is brilliant, the plot engaging, the setting vivid and stunning, and Tess is absolutely justified in every action she takes in my eyes. She’s not vengeful enough if anything.
It is equally hopeful and heart wrenching. Tender and violent. Lovely and spiteful.
And unfortunately, deeply relevant.

“The devil came on the autumn equinox, as he always did.” was one hell of an opener, it sucks you right in and never really lets you go. A genuinely (delightfully) nerve racking experience. Will be recommending it to all my horror loving friends.

Oh my! I absolutely loved this book! I'm a big fan of both folk horror and the Appalachian mountain setting so this book to me was perfect. The writing style and pacing worked really well for me. This has become a new favourite horror, the ending is so good which isn't always the case with horror! A truly fantastic read

Fawn is a haunting, slow-burning descent into something far darker and more primal than it first appears. What initially feels almost whimsical quickly sheds that skin the moment the fawn arrives and from there, the story tightens its grip with quiet, creeping intensity until it becomes impossible to look away.

C. N. Vair crafts a narrative that feels deeply rooted in folklore and raw natural instinct, where every page carries a sense of inevitability. The horror here isn’t just for shock, it’s purposeful, unsettling, and at times genuinely heart-wrenching. As Tess’ world begins to shift, so too does the tone, revealing something feral, emotional, and unflinchingly bold.
There’s a powerful undercurrent of transformation running throughout the novel, of inheritance, of survival, and of what it truly means to belong to the land. It’s disturbing in the way it needs to be, never holding back from the darker truths it explores, and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.

By the end, Fawn leaves you hollowed out in the best possible way, emotionally spent, yet already longing to return to its world. Tess and her fawn linger long after the final page, their story refusing to let go. A beautifully dark, unforgettable read, and a clear sign that this is an author worth following closely.

This is not my usual type of read. I chose it because of Bantam Books brilliant teaser campaign (complete with playlist!) via Instagram. And boy, am I so glad that I did! ‘Fawn’ captivated me from that iconic opening line. It's a beautifully written book, brimming with atmosphere. C.N. Vair has shot straight to the top of my list of instant-read authors. No spoilers but I loved the setting, supporting cast of characters and the thread of feminism and opposition to patriarchy running through each page. Wonderful!

A feminist woodland horror-fest with so much bite. This kept me guessing the whole way through, unsure who would be the villain in the end. The tale gets darker with each page and the pacing is just perfect. Looking forward to whatever the author creates next. One to watch.

I decided to apply for a NetGalley ARC on a whim, and I’m very fortunate that I was approved. Fawn hooked me from the first few sentences and tightened its grip until the very last page. As a lover of the macabre, a story set in the Appalachian woods with a mix of folklore, a little gore, and all the raw emotion created a world I found myself wanting to protect as well.

Tess is such a compelling character. Watching her balance fear, responsibility, and this growing wildness inside her was honestly my favourite part. The horror isn’t just in the creature she finds (which, by the way, is very cute). It is in what the world demands of her and what she has to become to survive it. I was surprised by how deeply attached I became to this story. Beneath the folklore and horror, there is a raw exploration of belonging, grief, and the instinct to protect what one loves, even when the cost is high.

C. N. Vair’s writing is captivating and atmospheric without ever dragging. Each scene feels intentional, and the Appalachian setting is so vividly drawn that the magic and the land almost become characters in their own right. I am already looking forward to reading more of Vair’s work, and I know I will be thinking about Tess and her fawn for a long time.

Holy shit, this was Rachel Harrison meets Grady Hendrix with a slight David Sodergren twist at the end and I lapped up every single word 🖤

Tess will do anything to save her sanctuary and her magic even if that leaves a trail of blood in her wake. This book was a slow descent into darkness, accompanied by the literal devil, our rage-filled main character, Tess, and a fawn with a mouth full of anomalous teeth… if that doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will 🦌🩸

The writing in this book just had me hooked from the very first page and kept me latched through the intense, heartbreaking ride until the end where I didn’t know whether I would laugh or cry.

If you enjoy a slow-seeping folk horror that plants roots into your bones the you’ll be able to pick this book up on the 27th August, if you can wait until then! 📖🔮

This is one of those books that gets under your skin without really trying. From the very beginning there’s this uneasy feeling that something is off, like you’re being gently led into something that isn’t going to end well… but you keep turning the pages anyway.

Tess is a witch,. She’s also an animal control officer and has created this strange, almost comforting sanctuary for animals that don’t quite feel normal. That’s where things start to blur, especially when we meet the fawn. At first you almost want to dismiss it, small, fragile, awkward little thing with those spindly legs, but there’s an instant sense that it’s not what it appears to be. And that doubt just sits there in the back of your mind.

When the new pastor arrives with his family, everything tightens. He’s one of those characters you instantly dislike, and honestly, that reaction feels deliberate. He brings a heaviness into the story that shifts everything into darker territory, and from that point on it really leans into that creeping sense of dread.

If you like folklore style horror that doesn’t rush you, this is exactly that. It’s slow burn, but not in a boring way, it’s more like watching something rot slowly in real time while everyone insists everything is fine. You just know it isn’t.
It’s creepy, unsettling, and quietly addictive.

I received Fawn as an ARC from NetGalley.

I went into this book with no expectations, but within the first few pages I knew I was going to love it for the writing alone. The prose is everything I want as a reader: rich, descriptive, and dripping with atmosphere. I can truly settle into a story when an author has the ability to completely immerse me in the world they’ve created, and C.N. Vair does this effortlessly.

Tess lives within a wildlife sanctuary hidden in the Appalachian hills, a place established and protected through generations of magic after a deal made with the devil — a bargain her mother and grandmother always warned her against. “The devil came on the equinox, as he always did,” but this time his arrival coincides with Tess taking in a fawn that doesn’t quite conform to nature. What follows is the unraveling of everything she has built and fought to protect. To survive, Tess must step into the darkness herself, becoming the predator rather than the prey.

Marketed as Appalachian horror, Fawn is deeply unsettling, with witchcraft and ritual woven through its core. It isn’t overtly gory or relentlessly frightening, but that’s not the kind of horror I’m looking for anyway. I want horror with depth, intention, and something meaningful to say about the world around us. This novel delivers that in abundance, exploring themes of nature, feminine rage, and the morally ambiguous line between good and evil.

I genuinely think this debut is going to make a huge impact, and I cannot wait to see what C.N. Vair writes next.

I might be biased because I love anything with a touch of Appalachia and horror and The Devil Knows Her Name (Fawn) does both incredibly well. We follow a woman and her nature sanctuary as the town she tries so hard to protect begins to slip from her fingers - be it because of new people and ideas OR something much older and darker. There are town gossips, fear mongering preachers, generations of men that give me the creeps, and a fawn that has the town one edge. It was just the right amount of gruesome and there was more than one instance where I actually jumped.

At times the descriptions of nature got a bit overdone and could have been cut down, but I was intrigued enough with the rest of the plot to let it slide. I loved that I had no idea who or what to be scared of the entire time. Right to the very end I was unsure where my loyalties should lie. I really enjoyed our main character and once I began to understand our odd (and honestly, creepy as hell) little fawn, I loved her even more. I really enjoyed this read and recommend it to anyone looking for a eerie late summer read about a woman running on empty who isn’t going out quietly.

Make a deal with the devil once, shame on me. But make a deal with the devil twice?

I thoroughly enjoyed Fawn and found myself completely drawn into the story from the very first page. I was immediately invested in Tess and eager to learn more about her life, her past and the choices that had shaped her. Throughout the novel, I could feel her anger, determination and fierce protectiveness, which made her a character I could not help but root for.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was its setting. I have always found the Appalachian hills fascinating and loved how deeply the story is rooted in the region’s folklore, rituals and mysteries. There is a strong sense of old magic woven throughout the novel, creating an atmosphere that feels both haunting and captivating.

I was particularly fascinated by Tess’s contract with the Devil. Rather than feeling like a simple bargain, it became part of the folklore and mystery surrounding her story. What I enjoyed most was Tess’s refusal to be intimidated by him. Despite the power he represents, she stands tall, holds her ground and remains fiercely true to herself and what she loves. That defiance made me admire her even more and added another layer of depth to her character.

The combination of folk horror, nature, ritual and dark magic created an immersive reading experience that kept me turning the pages. Beautifully written and rich in atmosphere, Fawn is a haunting story that will stay with me long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.