The Church Beneath the Roots (Stolen Tongues, #0)

"The Church Beneath the Roots" is a masterful intertwining of eerie suspense and deep character exploration found in "Stolen Tongues." The narrative pulls you in from the start, crafting a chilling atmosphere that stays with you long after you've put the book down.

Blackwell excels at creating multidimensional characters, each adding their unique perspective and emotional depth to the story. Their interactions and development keep the plot engaging, allowing readers to connect with their struggles and fears.

The suspense builds expertly throughout, culminating in moments that will genuinely send a chill down your spine. Overall, the seamless blend of character-driven storytelling and a haunting plot makes this book a compelling read for anyone who enjoys a thrilling experience. If you appreciate narratives that delve into the darker aspects of human nature while keeping you guessing, this one should be at the top of your list.

3.5 rounded up to 4

I probably had too high of expectations for this book to be able to be fair to it. ST was a top read for me when I first read it and I've been waiting for this since the moment I heard about it.

There wasn't really anything technically wrong with this book, but much of the first half-2/3's felt slow. There was a lot about life on an Indian reservation and the struggles with the church moving in, that felt well research and realistic, but maybe a bit much for the horror story to stay propulsive. It's a great character study, but I wanted a little more creepiness.

The ending picked up pace and it did answer many of my leftover questions from ST, and I enjoyed the moments of Tiwe and his father as we could see the truth becoming legend, becoming forgotten stories that would end up in ST.

also I'm not much of a TW person, but there are a few big one sin there that you might want to check:
mass shooting event & dog death