Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Available September, 26, 2023

He did it again! Chuck Wendig has gifted us all with another terrifying, enthralling, and completely irresistible novel. This time, instead of causing an irrational fear of groups of people walking down a street, Wendig has instilled in me an irrational fear of apples and their glorious homes, apple orchards. I currently have six apple trees on my property, just one tree shy of the notorious Ruby Slipper apple tree from Paxson Family Orchards, and after reading this book, I can’t look at them the same way. I just can’t.

From the Publisher:

It’s autumn in the town of Harrow, but something besides the season is changing there.

Because in that town there is an orchard, and in that orchard, seven most unusual trees. And from those trees grows a new sort of apple: strange, beautiful, with skin so red it’s nearly black.

Take a bite of one of these apples, and you will desire only to devour another. And another. You will become stronger. More vital. More yourself, you will believe. But then your appetite for the apples and their peculiar gifts will keep growing—and become darker.

This is what happens when the townsfolk discover the secret of the orchard. Soon it seems that everyone is consumed by an obsession with the magic of the apples . . . and what’s the harm, if it is making them all happier, more confident, more powerful?

Even if something else is buried in the orchard besides the seeds of these extraordinary trees: a bloody history whose roots reach back to the very origins of the town.

But now the leaves are falling. The days grow darker. It’s harvest time, and the town will soon reap what it has sown.

This book has everything. It has small town drama, teen angst, a mysterious magical element, creepy woods, diverse characters, and all set over a frighteningly realistic timeline. In our story, we follow Calla Paxson, high school senior who is willing to do anything to get her and her boyfriend Marco out of her small town. Her father, Dan Paxson, carries a grudge against all the townspeople who helped steal his father’s farm and push him towards an untimely death. Emily and her wife Meg have moved from the big city to start over in the small town of Doyle’s Tavern only to let the Unspoken Thing fester between them. Joanie Moreau grew up the tough chick from the wrong side of town, only to come back to a wealthy and confident businesswoman. Lastly, John Compass, military veteran turned apple hunter, who is on a mission to find his former best friend.

And what ties all of these characters together? The Ruby Slipper Apple. An apple so dark red it’s almost black. An apple that makes you feel like you can conquer anything. An apple with power. The paranormal elements are brilliantly interwoven with the real world, small town drama that our poor characters are caught up in. I found myself completely invested in their survival and was so stressed out, in a very good way, I read this in just two days. I HAD TO KNOW how this book ended.

I thoroughly enjoyed how the history of the apple was woven into the story. It added a richness to the setting and a real depth to the characters without feeling like you were in a history lesson.

Black River Orchard is a compelling and terrifying novel full of dark humor and enthralling horror. I can’t wait to see what Wendig brings us next!

If you would like to add this amazing novel to your shelf, you can click on the cover above or here for ordering information.

This post may contain affiliate links, such as Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.