Reed and Leighton thought all their family secrets died with their parents. That is, until the siblings received a call from their estranged grandmother, Violet, who had been searching for them for years. She gives them surprising news: their grandfather Royce will pass soon, and a sizable inheritance awaits them on one condition-they pay a visit to Ashfeld Manor, their ancestral home.

The siblings, each with their own hidden motivations, agree. But nothing at Ashfeld Manor is as it seems. The house is falling apart, a humming noise fills the stale air, the sourwood trees around the property are rotting, and a strange creature roams the night sky. As they uncover the roots of their family tree, Reed and Leighton unveil horrific secrets that will forever transform them. Together, they must save each other from their cursed bloodline.

Sourwood by Logan Spurgeon is chilling and haunting in the way the story slowly builds, each heartbeat of the novel uncovering the darkness at the heart of Reed and Leighton's family. Logan Spurgeon builds this dark tale with subtlety and strangeness wired deep into the story as the siblings discover the rot and decay along with the secrets their grandparents are hiding. This is a powerful story about breaking family cycles and remaining true to yourself.

Both Reed and Leighton are sympathetic characters. From the very beginning you feel for the pain that they have suffered on losing their parents and readers will easily feel how strange Ashfeld Manor is, how dark and forbidding. The horrifying culmination is impactful especially due to the slow and dark build to the story.

If you like a dark spin on family secrets and horror, Sourwood is an enthralling book with compelling characters in Reed and Leighton. I loved the vampiric twist on the family fortune and the ending was impactful. This is creepy, scary and a terrifying story that will make readers stay up with the lights on.

Rating: 5 out of 5 pills ~~ Andrea Rittschof