Hemlock

Looooovvvved this book! lots of action and mystery with just the right amount of romance. A really good read!

Dark, sexy, mysterious and deliciously addictive, Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock paints a frighteningly realistic world where werewolves are nothing more than regular humans affected by lupine syndrome, and the people who hunt them - even more fierce, unpredictable and dangerous than their prey. Full of underlying meaning, symbolism, profound messages, bloody secrets and thrilling developments, this book will blow your mind. Auuuuuuu!!!!

It was our fault Amy was dead. All of our faults.
The best friend who had bailed; the boyfriend who had been running late; the guy who hadn't answered his phone.
Six days ago a werewolf had killed Amy, and we were each to blame.

Mac's best friend, Amy, was brutally murdered. Her body - shredded to pieces and discarded in a dark alley. A white werewolf was seen at the scene, the same one suspected of killing four other people, and infecting eight more with lupine syndrome. Now, the Trackers are in town and everyone is acting weird. People are both scared and desperate to hunt the white werewolf down, capturing and imprisoning as many others as possible in the process. Werewolves are evil, ferocious, unstoppable. They're not human, there is nothing human about them. All they feel is burning thirst for blood and hunger for flesh - they can't be reasoned with! But what if all that is not true? What if there's something entirely different going on in the eerie town of Hemlock? Haunted by the ghost of her dead friend and tormented by gilt, Mac's determined to do everything in her power to uncover the mystery behind Amy's death.

When it comes to YA novels featuring popular supernatural creatures (like vampires or angels), in most of the cases I end up being disappointed or at least not entirely satisfied. Werewolves are no different. It's very rare to come across a werewolf novel that would be good. It's even more rare to find one that would be thrilling and thought-provoking. And finding a werewolf book that would be realistic, thematically poignant and emotionally harrowing? That's just virtually impossible. And yet there's Hemlock. An absolute GEM of a book. A werewolf novel that is not so much a supernatural thriller, but rather a bone-chilling mystery, with elements of drama, romance, urban fantasy and paranormal. Kathleen Peacock created a world that is entirely original, yet very believable at the same time. I believed in her werewolves. They didn't seem like some weird mythical creatures, they seemed real, painfully authentic, and at times more humane than humans themselves. In fact, I don't even think about this book as a werewolf novel at all - Peacock's werewolves are metaphors for all things and people misjudged, alienated, wrongly accused and ostracised. Victims of prejudice - feared and hated for being different than the rest of the society. And the Trackers are not the mighty saviours in this scenario. They're the bullies, the inquisitors. Cold, rabid, discriminating, with hearts poisoned with hate and spite, they're a vivid example of everything that's wrong with modern society. Yes, I find Hemlock to be a very three-dimensional read, with layers upon layers of world and character building. Yes, it's absorbing and entertaining, full of tension, and with a swiftly moving storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Most of all, though, it will make you stop and ponder the many issues it brings to vivid light. It has the capacity to both excite and inspire. Hemlock is full of lessons. It's no cheap thrill. It's a memorable book, and one that should be taken seriously, as it really has something important to say.

From the very first pages of this book, I felt drawn into the world Kathleen Peacock so magnificently crafted. I love dark and creepy, and Peacock does it really well. I found myself connecting to the characters in more than one way. The author did a really great job depicting their pain, fear and guilt. Mac's internal struggle was very convincing and therefore absolutely heartbreaking, her grief and desperation - spilling from every page. It wasn't, however, overwhelming or overdone. Mac didn't just sit around feeling sorry for herself and depressing everyone around - she took action, decided to find the murderer herself, and she focused all her energy on it. I really liked that about her.

Overall, this was a really great book. Much better than I ever expected it to be. I devoured it in just one day, literally couldn't put it down and then thought about it long after. I strongly recommend this book to everyone!

I really enjoyed this book. I could not stop reading it. I can wait to read the second part. i hope it comes out soon.

This was one of the most spectacular book I have EVER read. When I picked it up, I thought it was going to be sappy like Twilight....
But..
IT SHOCKED MY PANTS OFF!!!!! :))) '3

The book that will give vampires a run for their money - absolutely loved it!

Great review! Will add it to the book page!

LOVED this one! It was absolutely amazing. Check out my review: http://www.abouttoread.com/2012/05/hemlock.html