Brackenbeast

How it reads

Brackenbeast is horror (young-adult folk horror, specifically), and its dominant mood is eerie. It's atmospheric and uncanny, with a sense that something is wrong. The pace is moderate — neither a page-turner nor a slow burn — so it holds up whether you read it in long sittings or short ones.

It's set in a small town setting, in the present day, told in the third person, staying close to one character. Its central concerns are nature, survival and secrets. In weight it sits in the middle: substantial without being heavy going.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending resolves happily. At 272 pages it's a quick read. It's a hidden gem — known to relatively few readers.