Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics Review

Title: Daughters Unto Devils

Author: Amy Lukavics

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Horror

Series: Standalone

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

                I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

                I’ve been a fan of Amy Lukavics for a long time now: We read Nightingale for one of the book clubs I go to, and a friend from there begged me to read The Women in the Walls so we could talk about it. I finished The Ravenous a little over a week ago, and when Amber and Dusk wasn’t working for me, I decided to push Daughters Unto Devils up to the top of my stack. I devoured this chilling, creepy book in less than a day, and I still can’t get the ending out of my mind. This book has been billed as Stephen King meets Little House on the Prairie, and I’d say that’s pretty accurate. Amy Lukavics has become one of my very favorite authors, and I’m in awe of her talent! I’m just bowled over by it.

                Amanda Verner knows that she’s a sinner, and she’s scarred by a traumatic event that happened the previous winter. After sleeping with the post boy who comes to the mountain periodically, she finds that her rash decision carries terrible consequences. Add to that disturbing visions, the wailing of her disabled baby sister, Hannah, and sounds outside, as well as the feeling she’s being watched, and she fears she’s losing her sanity. But Amanda soon discovers that even the land may be infected with an unshakable evil, and that her family is in mortal peril…

                I really enjoyed this book! I’m a huge fan of Lukavics already; I’ve read almost her entire body of work, but this one is one of my favorites. I never imagined that the vast, empty prairie could be terrifying, but this book changed my mind. Amanda’s voice was chilling, and the sense of dread and unease was so sickening at times that I had to put the book down to fully process it. I just finished it on Friday night, and I’m still haunted by it. The twists and turns, as well, were so intense that I felt like I was getting whiplash. But perhaps the most terrifying part of this book was Amanda’s family, and watching them all unravel, as well as the last, final nailbiting moments. That ending! I just closed the book and sat in the tub, numb with shock. This could be one of my favorites of hers; she’s for sure one of my favorite, to-die for authors! I hope I get to meet her someday! The bottom line: Dark, chilling, and as isolated as the prairie itself, Daughters Unto Devils was a fantastic horror novel! Absolutely unforgettable! Next on deck: All the Bad Apples by Moira Fowley-Doyle!