Synopsis 
 Hallie's life fell to pieces when her sister Martha's husband left for war. Without Thom to help run the farm, the chores are too much for Hallie to handle and things are slowly falling apart, much to the disappointment of Martha. When Hallie thinks she sees Thom returning from war she's overjoyed, but it's just another veteran making his way home and she must grapple with the thought that Thom might never return home. Hallie hires the veteran on for the winter to help, but the monsters of the war have followed him. As the Twisted Things begin to invade the farm, Hallie begins to question if the Wicked God is really dead and just who is the young man she hired? 
 Thoughts 
 Really interesting premise. However, the numerous metaphors and overly poetic language made it a bit of a clunky read. It also felt more like an adult read to me than YA. While there are creatures still lingering from the war to be dealt with, the heart of this story is the relationships and picking up the pieces after war and tragedy have struck. Hallie and Martha's relationship is strained under the weight of their fear and grief (or the denial of grief) as well as their past. Hallie's friends and neighbors have also had their own experiences with the war and there is anger and bitterness and a whole lot of pride. I did enjoy how people weren't who they were labeled to be. They never fell prey to being stereotypes. A story for readers who enjoy a story with a slow, reflective pace. 
 Thanks to HMH Book for Young Readers for the ARC. 
 Publication Date: October 6, 2015