As I've mentioned before, I was lucky enough to get ARC copies of several Flame Tree Press books coming out next month. This is the second one I've read, and I enjoyed it as much as the first.
I love this cover, btw. The colours, the trees and those eyes all capture so much about the story.
Kate and Andrew Woodson are a married couple who have been through a lot.
Kate suffers from an autoimmune disease that has robbed her of a normal life. She's always at home, mostly bedridden and takes a cocktail of medication that knocks her out for hours at a time. At least she has her trusty companion by her side, a beagle called Buttons.
Andrew isn't just her carer, he's also the one who has no choice but to go to work so they can afford her ongoing treatments. But he's a very angry guy, and his anger has already gotten him into plenty of trouble with strangers. At least he has his running to help fight back some of the simmering rage.
When Andrew has enough after Kate undergoes a particularly hard treatment, he surprises her by renting a house in Maine. They'll get to spend a summer by the lake, and enjoy each other's company without the shadows inside their house or the responsibility of work.
But it doesn't take long for the couple to realise there's something in the woods, and it's not going to let them leave...
Wow. I enjoyed this book so much! As soon as I started, it was easy to get comfortable with Kate's voice. I knew I was going to get hooked. And when Andrew's POV was added, I found it hard to put the ARC down.
There's certainly plenty of gory horror, the unfolding mystery begs to be solved, and the slow-burn suspense kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. But at the very core of everything is the love story between an ill wife who wants to offer her husband so much more than her body lets her, and a husband whose devotion knows no bounds.
This is a beautiful, tragic love story with some pretty horrific consequences.
I absolutely adored Kate, Andrew and Buttons. They made such a loving and wonderful family together. So nice that my heart ached for them way before the horror manifests itself. Their banter was one of my favourite things. I loved how they still poked fun and teased each other regardless of all the pain they constantly faced.
It's always refreshing to read a story about a married couple who truly love each other, no matter the obstacles placed before them. Because there's plenty of things trying to get in the way, so much that should've torn them apart but instead made them stronger.
There's just SO much to love about this book, and one of those things is Hunter Shea's writing style. His POVs were engrossing and different from one another, giving the narrative the multiple angles needed for the reader to get the whole story.
Creature is an amazing story about the strength of the human spirit. It's also about survival. But for me, it's mostly a heartbreaking love story between two passionate people who are forced to face some of the worst betrayals life can provide. Ultimately, it's a tale of true sacrifice that made me teary.
I'm glad I already have a few Shea books on my Paperwhite.
Plus, I'm really into the Flame Tree Press books. Bring on the next ARC! 😉
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