Winterkill

Cover image and summary from Goodreads:

Emmeline knows she’s not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother’s insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.

When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it’s an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean—even if she has eyes for another. But before she’s forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can’t help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn’t careful, she will be next.

This book has been on my radar for some time. I liked the premise and eventually picked up a copy from the library.

I enjoyed this book: the writing, the setting, the characters, and the story. The world building was interesting, and I enjoyed the way more and more of Emmeline’s world was revealed throughout the book. The romance was sweet, and I found the ruling council and its means of keeping people in line chilling.

As I read on, I found myself unable to put the book down, and really wanting to know what would happen in the end (I was also curious to see how accurate those Goodreads comparisons to M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village were, but I won’t tell you – you’ll have to read the book for yourself!).

I just don’t have much else to say about this book. I didn’t love it, but I liked it. It was a fun read, with some action and mystery. Recommended.