Aloha! I've been living the life the last few weeks, snorkeling, hiking, and zip-lining in Hawaii, but I have made time for reading on the beach (obvi), and I just had to tell you about Bird Box by Josh Malerman. It is so good and so creepy! Actually, reading it on a sunny beach is a good idea because it will give you chills.
The story opens with the narrator, Malorie, preparing to flee the boarded up house she has been living in for four years with her two children. Her goal: to get to the river behind her house and paddle 20 miles downstream. The catch: they must all be blindfolded. Why? Because five years ago unknown creatures appeared and anyone who sees them goes mad and either commits suicide or murder in horrific ways.
The story that unfolds follows Malorie from the beginning of her experiences with the creatures through to the fateful day the children were born to the present trip down the river. I don't normally go in for creepy, but this is a great book. Well written, wonderfully interesting without being overly explanatory (leaving you with some things to ponder), and definitely disturbing. I told my sister the whole story and she was freaked out just hearing about it.
It's still early days so it's not available on Edelweiss, but I will absolutely be talking about it more and will share when it's out. I'm also hopeful it will be turned into a movie because that would be amazing.
– Annie
PS: The author is the lead singer of the band The High Strung, FYI.