The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

The Wicked Deep

by Shea Ernshaw

Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic meets the Salem Witch trials in this haunting story about three sisters on a quest for revenge - and how love may be the only thing powerful enough to stop them.

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Two centuries ago, in the small, isolated town, 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 from the depths, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them down to their watery deaths.

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 or the fact that his arrival will change everything...

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.

Reviewed by leahrosereads on

3 of 5 stars

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I feel like I've read all of my 5 star reads in the first half of the year, and now, I'm reading hyped books that just aren't doing it for me.

This is one of those books.

What worked the best for this entire story is the atmosphere of the story. It was dark and a little whimsical and pretty interesting. Shea Ernshaw has beautiful writing that lends itself so well to that vibe. Unfortunately, her characters fell very flat.

They just felt very one dimensional and unsubstantial in this setting. It felt like Penny could've been more. It felt like the sisters should've been more. It felt like the townspeople met needed to be more...and it never happened.

Oh and the plot twist/big reveal...I guessed it so early on that when it happened, I damn near rolled my eyes.

And the ending, ugh, don't get me started on that. I can't share anything because it's spoilery as fuck, but this ending may have been one of the most lackluster endings I've read in a while.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 10 June, 2018: Finished reading
  • 10 June, 2018: Reviewed