Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release: 8th October 2015
Genre: YA, Horror, Historical Fiction
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis:
"Sometimes I believe the baby will never stop crying.
Sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner fears she is losing her mind. When her family move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, Amanda hopes she can leave her haunting memories behind: of her sickly Ma giving birth to a terribly afflicted baby; of the cabin fever that claimed Amanda's sanity; of the boy who she has been meeting in secret...
But the Verners arrive on the prairie to find their new home soaked in blood. So much blood. And Amanda has heard stories - about men becoming unhinged and killing their families, about the land being tainted by wickedness. With guilty secrets weighing down on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or within her soul..."
Review
YA Horror is growing ever more popular and Daughters Unto Devils is a delightfully creepy new addition to the genre. Although a short book at just over 200 pages it packs in a lot of chills and thrills making it a very quick, satisfying read that’s perfect for curling up in bed with on Halloween night for a good scare!
The book follows sixteen year old Amanda Verner. After barely surviving the harsh winter that stole her sanity Amanda has been sleeping with the post boy to escape the memories of what happened that winter and the dark thoughts she has about her new baby sister.
With the family now too large for their cramped cabin in the mountains they seek a new life in the prairie only to find the walls of their new home soaked in blood. Something sinister lurks in the prairie and with local stories about slaughtered children Amanda must protect her siblings, and her secret unborn baby, whatever the cost.
What I love about Daughters Unto Devils is that it doesn’t read like a YA novel. The creepy, gory parts don’t feel watered down to not scare a younger audience. The horror here is just that - horror making it genuinely scary on a level that would affect most readers despite age. There was one particular scene that really creeped me out – let’s just say that if you weren’t scared of scarecrows before you will be after reading this!
Daughters Unto Devils is a standout debut that I couldn’t put down because I had to know what would happen to Amanda and her family next and I hope for more of the same from Amy Lukavics. Pick this one up, if you dare!
