Bea Reviews Hunter's Trap by Anne Michaud

Publisher: Sad Ghost Press
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 10, 2014 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Smashwords*
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

"Ghosts don't believe in you, either."

Seventeen-year-old Dayton Mulligan is stuck looking after his little brother Jeremy when their father goes off on his annual hunting trip. But when Dad’s last phone call ends in a shotgun blast, it's enough to send both boys out into a blizzard to search for him.

Caught in the killer weather, Dayton and Jeremy take refuge in an abandoned hunting cabin, which isn't as empty as it first seems. A ghost inhabits its walls and promises to reveal the truth behind their father's disappearance, but the brothers doubt their host's sincerity as the spirit demonstrates its hatred for anyone who trespasses on its land.

Far from the safety of civilization, Dayton must swallow his fears, fight for himself and for his family before it’s too late and Hunter’s Trap claims them all, forever.

Bea's Thoughts:

Horror isn't my usual genre. The author is an acquaintance though so when she asked for a review, I said yes. I did warn her that it's not my preferred reading. With that said, I enjoyed the book more than I expected. This horror novel has ghosts, some good, some evil, and a terrifying story of two boys fighting for their lives while they try to find their missing father. The story is really about two families, both dysfunctional, one trying to survive and one that is looking for both vengeance and peace.

"Hunter's Trap" was truly horrifying; the evil that humans do and that their ghosts are capable of doing is disturbing and was all too realistic. Michaud looks at the choices we make and their consequences; there are always ripples. Some ripples you ca predict but others you can't and there's always a price to pay. There's a lot of violence but not too much gore so that worked for me though I did skim in a few places. It took a while for me to understand why some people could see the ghosts but not others; once I did though it made sense. Michaud takes her time building her world and explaining things which was occasionally frustrating but I appreciated not being spoon-fed everything.

Dayton and Jeremy felt like real kids and their sibling quarrels rang true. They love each other but also annoy each other. Their missing father wasn't the best father but we see that he truly loved them even though he had trouble expressing it. The story is told from Dayton's perspective so we get to know him better than any of the other characters although we get to know the ghost fairly well. The ranger, Brooke, was very convenient, too convenient for me, especially her knowledge of ghosts. But despite that, "Hunter's Trap" was engrossing, and a frightening read.

If you want a print copy, there's a giveaway for 3 copies at goodreads, open to readers in the US, Canada and Great Britain - https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/103358-hunter-s-trap