A Light Most Hateful, by Hailey Piper

Fair warning: I love Hailey Piper’s work. She’s a tad prolific, which meant a game of catch-up after discovering her via short stories, but so very worth it.

I was therefore beyond happy to receive an advance copy of ‘A Light Most Hateful’, and I’ve been eagerly waiting to publish this review!

Olivia is a girl trapped in small-town America. Nothing supernatural about it; she’s just unable to leave, even after running away briefly. I’m sure many of us can relate to this situation as a young person - wanting more from life but unable to move, obliged and without the resources to simply find our own way.

The most important thing for Olivia is Sunflower, her best friend (and secret crush). One stormy night, Sunflower disappears. And very strange things start to happen. The town is transforming somehow; does Olivia try to escape again, or does she find Sunflower? What about her family? And what is going on to make everyone she’s ever known into a potential killer?

I really don’t want to say too much about the plot here, because it starts gently and then ramps up fast. Olivia is a sympathetic heroine and the reader is confined (heheh) to her perspective. We find things out as she does, and this was a great part of the ride for me - no multiple POVs or dramatic tension. Just mentally (for the sake of those around me) yelling at her to GET OUT or DON’T GO IN THERE! Sometimes she even acknowledged that… before doing it anyway.

Olivia isn’t stupid, but she is young. Her dreams are powerful, but so are her feelings for those around, including her home. The ‘point of no return’ seemed to lurk in the background, both physically in terms of the road out and subconsciously - those she cares for calling her back as she desperately tries to find both herself and a solution to this crazy transformed space.

The supernatural aspects are imaginative and genuinely scary, with constant paranoia and fear of just what the hell will come next. Don’t discount anything, because you absolutely cannot anticipate what Olivia will be facing in the next chapter.

Gorgeous writing, a truly memorable heroine and a unique setting that stayed with me - especially when I was picked up the book on a stormy night (big mistake!).

Coming of age with teeth. Join me in adding Hailey to the Must Buy list.