Daughters Unto Devils Book Review

Buy it today: https://amzn.to/2JmfYEm

Who knew that Harlequin books dabbled in novels not related strictly to bodice ripping romance? Curiosity led me to picking up Amy Lukavics debut horror fiction, Daughters unto Devils and it surprisingly takes a reader along for a creepy ride.

Daughters Unto Devils - mayhem in the prairie

Photo by Clark Young on Unsplash

Amanda Verner has a secret. A secret that she hopes to keep away from her parents at all costs. When her family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to a vast prairie; she hopes to start anew. The past winter hadn't been kind to her family. Living upon the mountain in a crowded home brought on a terrible case of cabin fever.

The 16 year-old looks to the relocation as a silver lining in a dark cloud of bad memories. But when the Verners arrive arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood and fat flies. And as the days pass, it's obvious to Amanda that something isn't quite right on the prairie.

Sins of the past weigh heavy on her heart. Amanda isn't certain if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.

Little House on the Prairie meets Stephen King

This book is often described as the above title. I'm not quite sure about the latter part but it is about a  prairie family that worries about the basics of survival in harsh, struggling times. As is with strict devout times where the Almighty is ever-present, the topic of sensuality is used to tempt the females in the stories. In this case, Amanda Verner and later on her younger sister.

Being a Harlequin book, I wasn't certain Daughters Unto Devils would keep me interested. A horror story by the oldest publishing company that writes pure romance? Who would have guessed? I suppose then, I was in the wrong. I'm glad that I did pick it up as a summer read. A short book it took all of two hours to read from page to page. But I didn't once put it down during that interval.

Photo by Philipp Reiner on Unsplash

The creepy factor isn't up in your face like true horror novels. However, there's enough psychological bits and pieces that lets the reader put the puzzle of the mystery surrounding the Verner family and the prairie itself together.

I will say the only con about this novel is that there were filler scenes that I felt weren't necessary to put into the book. For example, a detailed recount of their daily life right down to stooping down and picking things up. Those parts simply seemed unnecessary and added a bit of boredom to an otherwise satisfying prairie paranormal story.

Toward the end, there is a roller coaster of a ride to look forward to as the events reveal themselves to the fullest. My recommendation is to browse it for at least two chapters to get the gist of the novel. If by then you're not pulled in this paranormal thriller may not be for you. Just don't forget that this isn't a true horror novel in the sense but that isn't to say it doesn't have its creepy moments either.

Daughters Unto Devils Book Details:

Originally published: September 29th, 2015
Author: Amy Lukavics

Daughters Unto Devils Book blurb: 

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner’s family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn’t right on the prairie. She’s heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can’t be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul

Next Book Review: Julie Garwood's Ideal Man

Buy it today: https://amzn.to/2LC07hh

My next book review will be Julie Garwood's - The Ideal Man - a contemporary romance thriller. Until then, happy reading!