The Winter People - Rebekah L. Purdy

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

 

Salome been been extremely scared by winter ever since she fell through the ice as a kid. This winter, it might prove she was right to be scared, for there are creatures lurking in the dark woods...

 

I think I'll have to conclude this book wasn't for me. The emphasis really was on the romance part and I never really like that normally but this one was tedious at the best of times. Salome apparently can't think logically and not just when her phobia is concerned, but also around boys. In the time span of approximately one week she goes from being bullied for her fear of snow in a place where there is a lot of snow, to three boys fighting - sometimes literally- for her in this love triangular pyramid. All three of them show her very early on that they are more than just a little bit weird. These things combined would suggest to me a cacophony of alarm bells ringing and getting the Hell out of there. But not for Salome. She's even thinking 'It's weird', but doesn't do anything about it. An explanation is given later on, but failed to really convince me, as it felt more of an easy plot device.

 

With her life in constant danger Salome decides THIS year must be the year she must overcome her fear and do anything. And while she has all kinds of episodes, all her parents do is make her an appointment with her shrink. I, personally, don't understand why her grandparents would ask her of all people to look after their house (especially as Grandma knows more what is going on) with Salome being so extremely scared. It didn't make sense to me.

 

The ending gave some explanation, but parts of what was said went completely against all of the folklore I know about it (which is, I'll admit it, not too much, but still). Overall, this book wasn't for me. One mediocre metaphor: breath smelling like rotten mangos...