Title: Fierce Little Thing
Author: Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Fierce Little Thing" by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

My Opinion:

"Fierce Little Thing" was quite a read that brought in willpower and survival. But, what will happen when Saskia finally gets friends and starts a new life that will be broken due to a traumatic event? As the story goes on through mysterious letters, they will have to come back 'Home,' due to a secret that is threatening to be revealed.

For the most part, the characters were well-developed, but some were not to my liking. For example, some of the scientific names of plants and animals were somewhat overdone; however, after reading the whole story, there was some understanding of why it was done that way. Be ready for an account with lots of suspense and past secrets, as it will all come together with Saskia and her friends.

"Fierce Little Thing" was a long read [141 chapters], but if you can keep up with all that is happening as it will rely upon it all from the past to the present, presenting the reader with a suspense-told read and a satisfying ending.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review Fierce Little Thing before its release date. ( )

I'm having trouble writing up my thoughts on this one which makes it sound like I didn't like it which wasn't the case. I just don't know how to put into words how I felt about this book so be patient with me. This book is dark. Like dark, I didn't expect it to go there even when I had inklings, dark. It won't be for everyone. But it was also really good and such a compelling read. In this book it is basically told from two different storylines: the present day where Saskia is being faced with having to return Home being the first storyline, a place that she once loved but where things ended very badly for her and her friends, and then also the storyline where we see Saskia as a young teenage girl and how she ended up at Home and her experiences living there. I'm trying to be as deliberately vague as possible so I don't spoil anything. The book goes back and forth between those two storylines seamlessly. And the entire time I was reading there was this feeling of dread almost that was present in both of the storylines. That feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak. It really ratcheted up the tension and feelings of suspense that were present throughout the book. Throughout the book I could never get a full read or understanding of Saskia. I knew that there must be more to her story but wasn't exactly sure what it could be. And the author drops these hints....enough that you know as the reader that something really terrible happened in her past even if you don't have the full story yet. Just wait. Because this is a compelling read that kept me engrossed within its' pages even if I wasn't sure that I wanted to be there. And the ending...whew. Even when I had parts figured out, I cannot begin to explain how I felt about that ending. It left me clearly at a loss for words even now. I'm actually eager to see what other readers think of this one and to discuss it. This is an author that I will definitely be watching from more of because wow - she crafted a story that I won't be forgetting about any time soon!

Overall, it feels wrong to say that I enjoyed this one due to the content but I do still think it was a really good read. I don't think it will be for everyone and message me if you need some specific content warnings before going into it. But if you enjoy books about cults, character focused books, and a suspenseful read that you won't forget about anytime soon then pick this one up. Recommended!

Bottom Line: A dark but very compelling read!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own. ( )