I don't know...

As I was reading this, I kept hoping that our author had some indigenous culture beyond a 1% Ancestry.com DNA test, but...I don't think so. They may have some Scandinavian background or just a deep and abiding love of Vikings, though.

Our indigenous character is pretty thinly drawn. Our Viking convict is sort of...Thor.

There are logic issues here - the main one being every little thing about our female MC. I need someone to sit me down and very slowly explain to me how anyone on earth would think girlypop is a sniper. (Sorry - I have a teen and Gen Z slang is living wildly in my brain today.)

The truth behind everything is certainly surprising and would likely be far more logical after consuming vast quantities of mead.

The book does move quickly and I think the author had fun writing it. I just expected something else.

* ARC via Publisher

What a ride. This was a super fast moving book that I couldn't put down. Mystery and horror the whole way through. The creatures that S T Ashman threw in along the way were impressive to say the least, and lets not forget scary.

Esther has spent two years hunting for her missing sister, with only one clue a black SUV that takes people every year like clockwork. When a soldier offers a lead, she takes the chance, (she will do anything to find out what happened to Jasmine) slipping into the role of the world's best sniper on a top-secret mission. Destination? Unknown. Objective? Deliver the cargo to the checkpoint. But as the forest turns against them and enemies that shouldn’t exist close in, Esther realizes finding her sister was never going to be easy maybe it might be impossible.

“Not in a million years did I think I’d die in some Norse spin on The Blair Witch Project,”

This book was absolutely fantastic thrilling, eerie, and norse mythology in a book! Imagine a perfect blend of horror and thriller, woven with Norse mythology and Native lore, creating a story that feels both ancient and chillingly relevant with its modern day setting. I found myself completely immersed in the beliefs, legends, and eerie superstitions of both Norse and Native traditions, all while being terrified. S.T. Ashman did an outstanding job writting a story that’s both deeply unsettling and deeply fascinating. Also I love the small reference to her other book (Yeah I caught that!)

First book I've ever read by this author which I've newly discovered. Absolutely loved it and will read their others. The style and descriptions are fantastic. I loved all the ancient and natice cultural references and it had me researching those I didnt know about! This is my kind of book. Mystery meets crime meets horror. A story of survival. Loved it! Highly recommended!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, S. T. Ashman and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

1.4 stars

This was described as “True Detective” meets “Vikings” and clearly my brain turned off after I saw “True Detective” because “Vikings?!?!?” Why would I have requested this?

Esther’s sister disappeared two years ago and she is desperate to find her. I’m telling you, I don’t think anyone in any book I read grows up with a sibling who doesn’t go missing. If you aren’t the MC, you are in bad, bad trouble. But I digress.

Someone finds out about Esther’s sister being gone, maybe someone in the military (this is never explained) and a woman in the military offers her place there to Esther so she can go on a super secret mission into New Hampshire (site of so many secret missions) where her sister might be located. Please note that the military member Esther will be replacing is a SNIPER and I don’t think that Esther knows how to fire a gun. So this seems well planned.

Oh, and it matters that Esther is part Native American, and there’s also a murderer with a heart of gold in there named Ryder (of course,) and a Viking (here he is,) oh, and multiple terribly scary things, plus a big bad, and I won’t spoil any of that because….well, in case you decide to read this rather convoluted mess.

I will admit, there’s a lot going on here. Plus, the books I read hardly ever have snipers in them.

Aubrey has gone missing and no one seems to care about her.

As a struggling addict she seems to know her life is not worth worrying about but her sister Ester seems to care.
She discovers a government experiment that may concern her sister and travels deep into the mountains to find her.

This is a unique plotline and one I really enjoyed.

It is a well thought out read and I loved the 'coldness' of the surroundings

It is a a mix of thriller, horror and political read and all the characters have something to offer the story.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

Wow, wow, wow. This has got to be the best book I have read this year. I literally could not put this one down. I don't even know what genre to fit this one into because it has a few mixed in. This one is a thriller mixed with so much more! I don't want to give anything away. I went in blindly to this one and was so glad I didn't know what to expect. It starts as a mystery to figure out where groups of missing people are disappearing to...is it a serial killer or much worse? The main character is an amazing woman who has overcome so much only to keep getting stuck having to fight to just be content in life. Very relatable! She is looking for her sister and will do any and everything to find her...at first I thought, ok, this is going to be like every other missing person read. Same basic concepts. NOPE!! This book had me Googling so much during the read and I learned a lot about ancient and native cultures, it was fascinating! The main man in this one has also had to overcome his own demons, and I felt for them both main characters during this adventure. This is definitely the sort of read I dream of when I start a new book! I cannot wait to read more from this author now and I am SO grateful for the publisher for allowing me this ARC read. It was a thrilling ride! :)

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this book. I’m a thriller girl and this book did not disappoint. This has a little horror, mixed with psychological thriller, mixed with Norse mythology. It’s a wild ride and I think y’all should go into this book blind. It will not disappoint!

I found the writing to be sloppy and uninspiring. I couldn't even finish it. I am sure this is book is for someone, but it was not for me.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed the plot of the story and found the characters enjoyable and engaging. I was immediately drawn into the story from the beginning and found myself trying to guess what would happen next. There wasn’t a dull moment. I will recommend this to other people who enjoy the genre.

First book of the year since I've been so busy and I'm not disappointed. I absolutely love her writing style and the book has gripped me since the first page !! I'm impatient to read more of this gem of an author !

4.5 this was great!! So totally went into this blind and loved it. I needed to know what was happening and what was going to happen. I really liked the twist of the woods, now I can’t say much about it since I would consider it a spoiler, but you need to read this book.

A Native American nearly qualified vet called Esther takes the place of a sniper fighting unknown enemies in a strange environment to try to find her missing sister in mountains. There’s some wolves and foxes in it and a murderer is part of the team, released from prison for the mission. A very very bizarre story, albeit a well written one, and certainly not one I usually go for but I enjoyed it! More a fantasy type book than a thriller I’d say but an educational one.

I just finished the book. And holy cow! It was so good. Twists and turns all the way to the ending. Norse mythology is so intriguing and I’ve been wanting to explore it lately so that was perfect timing. I didn’t know who to really trust at the end. You did it again my friend. Took me only 3 days to read and earned 5⭐️ from me.

This kind of thriller genre was unfortunately not for me! But what is not for me, may be for others! I’d still recommend it.

With that said I will be giving this book a 4 star review as I said the writing style was great. Thank you for the opportunity to read/review this.

Sorry I sent the incorrect review. I will edit this one with link and everything once I finish your book.

Wow!
Fast paced, suspenseful, thrilling and unputdownable. What a wild ride!

I didn't really know what to expect going into this and I'm glad I went into it blindly. I had zero expectations and I was completely swept away by the storyline.

Highly recommend this book if you're looking for a thriller with dynamic characters that easily grow on you throughout the story. If you like some adventure in your thrillers and enjoy an exciting setting, you won't be disappointed. If you're in a slump, this gripping read is sure to get you out of it.

Happy reading Pals! Don't miss out on this one!