Cedar Mills by Dylan James

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🌟 Cedar Mills by Dylan James 🌟

📚 Genre: Sci‑fi, Horror

📅 Release Date: August 1, 2025 — Purchase Link (*only $2.99 now!)

🖊️ Publisher: Savage Realms Press

🔗 Goodreads: Cedar Mills on Goodreads

💫 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

When a disgraced homicide detective and a handful of grieving high schoolers team up to investigate a string of deaths and disappearances in their town, they uncover something far more terrifying than they ever imagined. ⏳

My Thoughts 💭

🔍 Why I Picked This Up

I was intrigued by the blend of small‑town mystery and sci‑fi horror. As someone who hadn’t read much sci‑fi before, the premise felt like the perfect entry point. I want to give a huge thank you to Dylan James, along with Savage Realms Press, for reaching out and providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

✨ What I Loved

I absolutely loved how the characters jumped off the page. From the ex‑detective haunted by his past to the teens driven by their own emotions, I really cared about them and felt genuinely invested in what happened to them. Their struggles, feelings, and motivations felt real, and I appreciated how layered they became as the story progressed. Cheering them on during the eerie moments made the stakes feel much higher without ever tipping into exaggeration. 🕯️

The plot had me hooked from start to finish. It begins with subtle hints of something lurking in the woods and steadily ramps up into edge‑of‑your‑seat suspense. 🌲 Just when I thought I was settling in, a new twist would hit and pull me back under. The pacing is tight, the dread is constant, and the ending does not disappoint.

✍️ Room for Improvement

My only real qualms were two moments where women were judged on their appearances and a few too many exclamation points. They didn’t ruin the experience, but they did stand out.

🥈 Overall Takeaway

Cedar Mills is a fantastic bridge into sci‑fi horror for newcomers and a fresh thrill ride for seasoned fans. Its combination of authentic characters, tight pacing, and genuine dread makes it a must‑read! 📖

💡 From The Margins

• Mood Board: small‑town mystery, haunted pasts, creeping dread, dense and dark forests, babbling creak.

*Price subject to change. Not a sponsored post; this is an honest, unpaid review.