Review: The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Title: The Wicked Deep
Author: Shea Ernshaw
Series: Standalone
Genre: Urban Fantasy/YA/Romance
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: March 6th, 2018
Edition: Hardcover, 310 pages
Source: Purchased, Bookoutlet
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | BAM

Synopsis:

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

  Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

  Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

  Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

  Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

  But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

Review:

This is a strange book to review. I loved it while reading it. I had theories about certain characters, and they were all wrong. The twist kind of caught be off guard, but I read three books at a time and might have missed the clues that other people seem to have caught (I always read the spoiler reviews after I finish I a book.) 

I finished this book late last night, and over night my brain muddled through my feelings for how things went. And while in the moment, the twist was really cool and not what I was expecting, this morning I kind of hate it. It took everything I was loving about the book away for me. I was growing to really love these characters and watching them grow together, and I feel like it was stolen from me.

The atmosphere of this book was the best part, this hidden island town in Oregon. The tragic history of the town. I felt like magic could have been a bigger part of the story, the Swan sisters not seeming to have actual magic until after they were put to death. I feel like it could have been better if they had been actual witches, not just vengeful spirits who inhabit the bodies of local girls.

I still have a theory that Bo is from near my hometown. I grew up in Washington State, "near the middle", about a 30 minute drive from what I call apple country, I moved away around the time wineries started popping up, when people started growing more grapes and fewer apples. So my headcannon is that he's from near my hometown.

I wish there had more to the "after" chapter than what we got. Something about it felt off. I wish I knew how to hide spoilers in this post so I could talk about all the little things that I am unsure how to feel about. 

I still have this book 4/5 stars on Goodreads, because I still had a good time reading it, I just wish there was a little more to some aspects. Somethings felt a little unfinished. On her goodreads page she mentions that she has an outline for a sequel (probably more of an companion book) for this, so maybe if she gets a chance to write it some of those unanswered things will be answered.