🩸 Horror Fiction

Where Dark Things Rise

✍️ Andrew K Clark
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$19.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A teen controls shadow creatures to save her friend from a predatory preacher.

Clark explores the intersection of rural poverty and occult power through Mina’s eyes. The story examines how systemic neglect and family trauma can force a reluctant hero into action. The text highlights the danger posed by charismatic figures who exploit vulnerable youth for mystical purposes. Clark uses the backdrop of the Appalachian region to ground the fantastical elements in a gritty reality. The narrative avoids typical coming-of-age tropes by focusing on immediate physical peril rather than abstract emotional growth. Readers will find a fast-paced plot where magical abilities are tools for survival rather than gifts for glory.

Key Themes
supernatural creature control teen trafficking rural poverty
Literary Context

The work is set in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, reflecting regional struggles with poverty and religious extremism. Published in 2025 by Quill & Crow Publishing House, it engages with contemporary horror tropes involving shapeshifters and mystical brothels. The IngramSpark Editorial Selection highlights its place in current young adult horror trends.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
Caitlin R. Kiernan · Poppy Z. Brite · Clive Barker
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Quill & Crow Publishing House 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781958228982

📝 Description: Where Dark Things Rise

Andrew K Clark presents a supernatural thriller centered on Mina, a sixteen-year-old student in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Her academic excellence contrasts sharply with her impoverished life in a trailer park and her family’s dysfunction. While her mother holds fanatical religious views and her father struggles with alcoholism, Mina harbors a hidden ability to command the Shadow Faces, a group of supernatural creatures. She desires only to leave for college, but her path shifts when Gabe, a boy she likes, is targeted by a shapeshifting preacher who operates as both wolf and clergyman. The narrative focuses on this preacher’s trafficking of teenagers for a mystical brothel. The stakes rise when he kidnaps Mina’s best friend, Erin, following a failed conversion therapy attempt. Clark structures the plot around Mina’s reluctant acceptance of her powers to rescue Erin and other victims. The author qualifies his expertise through this 2025 IngramSpark Editorial Selection in Horror. The book suits readers interested in young adult horror with elements of gothic tension and supernatural combat. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted romance or purely academic historical fiction.

💎 Our verdict on Where Dark Things Rise

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Clark delivers a potent supernatural thriller that effectively merges rural realism with occult horror. The narrative excels in portraying the intersection of systemic neglect and mystical power through Mina’s eyes. By focusing on immediate physical peril rather than abstract growth, the author maintains a gripping pace throughout. The depiction of predatory figures exploiting vulnerable youth adds necessary weight to the stakes. This book suits readers who enjoy young adult horror with gothic elements and supernatural combat. It avoids lighthearted romance, offering instead a tense exploration of family dysfunction and survival. The grounded setting enhances the fantastical conflict, making the threat feel tangible and urgent.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a visceral blend of young adult horror and gothic tension will find this narrative compelling. It offers a gritty, fast-paced plot where magic serves as a tool for survival rather than glory. The story appeals to those interested in psychological horror and the dangers of charismatic exploitation. It is ideal for fans who prefer immediate physical peril over abstract emotional growth. The book provides a unique perspective on how trauma and poverty intersect with occult power. Those weary of typical coming-of-age tropes will appreciate the focus on reluctant heroism. The Appalachian backdrop grounds the fantastical elements in a harsh reality, offering a refreshing departure from standard fantasy narratives.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Clark delivers a potent supernatural thriller that effectively merges rural realism with occult horror. The narrative excels in portraying the intersection of systemic neglect and mystical power through Mina’s eyes. By focusing on immediate physical peril rather than abstract growth, the author maintains a gripping pace throughout. The depiction of predatory figures exploiting vulnerable youth adds necessary weight to the stakes. This book suits readers who enjoy young adult horror with gothic elements and supernatural combat. It avoids lighthearted romance, offering instead a tense exploration of family dysfunction and survival. The grounded setting enhances the fantastical conflict, making the threat feel tangible and urgent.

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