Broken Trail

Broken Trail 

Broken Trail is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. It sounded very interesting, and the cover really caught my attention. This is the debut novel from Amanda Casile, so I’m really interested to see how talented of a writer that she is. 

I also always think there is something super special about any author’s debut novel, and I love reading them. I felt the same way when I went back to read Ryan Hyatt’s book, The Death of Rock and Roll, after reading a number of his other stories. 

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I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t read a ton of horror novels, especially in the month of December, but also try to challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone and read different genres periodically. Just because the same things can become boring, so why not mix it up a little bit? 

If you are like me, I challenge you to step outside your comfort zone and read something new. You never know when you’ll find a hidden gem that you otherwise would have overlooked. 

Have you read Broken Trail? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Broken Trail 

After a series of bad decisions lands Clara and her family in a forest full of malevolent spirits, she must overcome her fear of taking charge in order to defeat the spirits and get her family out alive.

This trail will break you …

After criminal psychologist Clara’s divorce shatters her family, she retreats into her work. But, instead of finding comfort there, Clara develops a growing obsession with one patient, a young woman accused of murdering her boyfriend on a remote hiking trail. 

Desperate to discover what happened and to mend the bonds between her and her estranged daughters, Clara makes an ill-fated decision: to hike that very same trail, with her family in tow. Once they hit the trail, however, violent visions plague her dreams, and when a close encounter with a mysterious presence splits them apart, what began as a family bonding trip becomes a battle for survival. 

Clara must confront her own demons and the thing that prowls the forest to find her family and get them out alive before the forest claims them all, for good.

For readers and listeners who enjoy Wonderland by Zoje Stage, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King, and Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough. 

Broken Trail Genre

• Horror Fiction
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Dark Fantasy
• Paranormal Fantasy

Thoughts on Broken Trail 

Broken Trail is a shorter novel at just two hundred and fifty six pages. Which is perfect during the busy holiday season. Longer novels are easily forgotten simply because I can’t read them in one sitting, or can’t find enough time during the day to read at all. I love short stories for this exact reason. 

This was an interesting read, to say the least. I wasn’t really sure who was the crazy one here, Clara or Julianna. The first half of the book had me wondering. But it was a great journey to the end. The second half really picked up once Naomi was gone, and it was just about Clara. That was where things really started to get interesting and I found myself driven to read more. 

Clara is one main character who makes some very questionable choices, and is definitely a hot mess both career-wise and in her parenting skills and choices. She isn’t the most likable character to start with. But she develops into a stronger character as the book goes on. If you are a mother, you may relate to her more than I did. 

It was obvious that she wasn’t prepared to go out into the woods on a hike. They did try in regards to gear and supplies, but the number one thing I talk about when it comes to supplies is to practice with them before going out and trying to use them in a real situation. 

My biggest complaint here is that there were too many characters, and far too many nicknames used for each of them. I have no idea if Tills, Tilly, and Matilda are the same person, for example. It was confusing. Not to mention the side characters we never actually see, like Jay and Emilio. I’m not even sure who Jay is, other than he’s supposed to be the magical lifesaver that never shows up. 

With so many characters and names for them, it is really hard to become invested in them or connect to them. This is why once a few of them started dying off, it was much easier to keep track of and it became a lot more interesting for me. The last twenty five percent or so, I was really on the edge of my seat. Before that, I would read a couple chapters here and there, and then be distracted by a short story instead. Broken Trail never totally sucked me in and made me read only that. 

In that regard, it started as a very slow burn. But once it picked up, it was more worthwhile than I had anticipated it being. 

Final Thoughts on Broken Trail 

I’m calling Broken Trail a four star read. I can’t call it a five star because I will never read it a second time, nor will I buy it for anyone I know. I also can’t call it a three star because it was memorable. I still enjoyed reading it and that is why I’ve settled on a four star rating for it. 

I went to look at other reviews for Broken Trial once I was finished with it, and every one of them is a five star. Which means either I’m the odd duck in the bunch for not calling it a five star read, or other readers have different criteria for five stars than I do. 

For this being Amanda Casile’s debut novel, I’m expecting great things from her in the future. She did a pretty decent job here, and practice makes perfect. So I am anticipating that her writing will only continue to improve and I am looking forward to her next novel in the future. 

Discussion 

Have you read Broken Trail from author Amanda Casile? Are you a fan? Do you enjoy horror novels? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Amanda Casile has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. Her mother still keeps a two paged story about a lonely unicorn that Amanda penned in kindergarten and read for show and tell. Since that first public reading, Amanda has continued writing and has published several short stories. 

Broken Trail is her debut horror novel. Despite having always enjoyed reading and writing, Amanda pursued a different but related career in speech pathology. In her practice, she has focused in part on literacy and narrative structure, and she loves seeing kids “click” with stories for the first time. When not writing or teaching kids to talk, Amanda spends time with her own nice kids and her two naughty cats. 

Acknowledgments

This book is a kaleidoscope view of my worst fears, all mixed together and magnified. 

Considering that, one would think it would have been very difficult to write, but it was deceptively easy (as far as writing books goes!), thanks to my amazing support systems. I would not have been able to do this without you. 

First off, I have to thank my mom, who showed me what strength was, and who has always supported my writing efforts without question. Also thanks to my wonderful family for allowing me to disappear into fantasy lands for hours (okay, fine, days) at a time. And thanks to my BFFs Adrienne and Candace, who are fortunately nothing like Naomi. 

I can’t forget my Coven writing besties: Tanya Pell, Taylor Grothe, Rae Wilde, Jess Mitacek, and Thea Lyons, who supported me through so much more than tricky plot holes and bad syntax. And of course everyone else who read early versions: Poppi Multz, Mo Asher, Vesper Doom, Ellyn Franklyn and more. 

I am so grateful for the fabulous editing of Elana Gibson and the long conversations in which she helped me puzzle through the most difficult plot points. And thank you to the team at CamCat books who have been through so much these past two years and still manage to be supportive as hell. 

And thank you, dear reader. I never truly believed that my words would be in the hands of a real live person who wandered into a bookstore or library and picked my book off the shelves. It is you most of all who has truly made my dream a reality.  

Purchasing Broken Trail 

• If you are interested in buying the hardcover version of Broken Trail, click here.
• Click here for the Kindle version.
• Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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