[Book Review] Chills by Mary SanGiovanni

Chills by Mary SanGiovanni is an intense tale about a freak snowstorm in May where the residents of a town don’t just need to worry about the amount of snow piling up, but the dangerous things that are alive in the snow as well…  and that’s not even the worst of it.

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on Chills by Mary SanGiovanni

The opening line of this book was:

Jack Glazier had worked Colby Township Homicide for going on nine long New England winters, but he had never seen blood freeze quite like that.

As soon as I read that line, I knew this one was going to be a hit for me! This is yet another one of those books that you need to just jump right in to, so I’ll keep my notes below light.

I absolutely adored the characters, especially Kathy. I loved how she put up a very thick outer shell to protect herself, but that she was very vulnerable on the inside and let bits of that show through from time to time. I really enjoyed her time spent with one specific character as we got to see her let her guard down and relax a bit. I’m looking forward to seeing more about her in the next book!

The plot paired with excellent pacing made this a story that was difficult for me to step away from. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, but I also dreaded it at the same time. 

I loved the creatures and how violent and intense all of their scenes were! My goodness… They were all so interesting as well! There’s SO much I want to gush about here but I’ll leave this discovery up to you! 

One additional thing I wanted to note, was how seamlessly the author weaves the gore in. Throughout the novel, I felt super unsettled and nervous. When the action scenes kicked in, I was totally immersed. But then, occasionally, I found that the gory details were added in a way that made me have to double back and make sure I actually just read what I thought I had read. I LOVE when that happens! 

My Favorite Passages from Chills

Jack Glazier had worked Colby Township Homicide for going on nine long New England winters, but he had never seen blood freeze quite like that.

There was nothing alive as far as she could see, except for her…and the giant creature scaling the side of the hospital’s mental health ward in the moonlight. 

The entire town was coated and shades of blue and white, silver and gray. Crystaline sheaths of ice leant a surreal, somehow hunted quality to cars, park benches, fences, telephone poles, and signs. Houses bore rows of long, sharp icicles in a snarl above people’s heads. The heavy snowbanks that ate sound, burying it beneath mini avalanches from roofs and eaves, reminded the few survivors that terrible silent things were still out there. And the wind, the low and mournful moaning and wailing, was always around the head, in the ears. 

People didn’t like to believe that they could share any traits with child-killers and molesters, cannibals, necrophiliacs, rapists, serial murderers, and the like, because it meant that, deep down, they would have to acknowledge that anyone could be that kind of monster, even a loved one. Even oneself.

My Final Thoughts on Chills

Looking for a book that will chill you this summer?

I highly recommend checking this one out if you enjoy stories centered around amazing characters that is also filled with intense violence, a very chilling atmosphere, and super terrifying creatures!

Whew, I am so glad that I read this on a hot June day! The title of this one is so perfect, as I totally had chills while reading this!

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Thanks for reading!
For a book in a similar vein, check out Snowball by Gregory Bastianelli!