Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Into The Sublime
Author: Kate A. Boorman
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Korean character with parasomnia, MC with asthma
Recommended For…: young adult readers, psychological thriller, mystery, horror, cave exploration, urban legends
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Genre: YA Psychological Thriller
Age Relevance: 13+ (death, gore, drugs, violence, cursing, panic attack, animal death, animal injury, animal attack)
Explanation of Above: There is death mentioned and shown in this book, along with violence mentioned and some gore involving blood, dead bodies, injury description, and vomit. There are some drugs briefly mentioned and a panic attack shown. There is some cursing and there are depictions of a dog having died in the book, along with a rabid dog injury to a human and animal attacks from both bats and a dog being described.
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Pages: 368
Synopsis: When the cops arrive, only a few things are clear:
– Four girls entered a dangerous cave.
– Three of them came out alive.
– Two of them were rushed to the hospital.
– And one is soaked in blood and ready to talk.
Amelie Desmarais’ story begins believably enough: Four girls from a now-defunct thrill-seeking group planned an epic adventure to find a lake that Colorado locals call “The Sublime.” Legend has it that the lake has the power to change things for those who risk—and survive—its cavernous depths. They each had their reasons for going. For Amelie, it was a promise kept to her beloved cousin, who recently suffered a tragic accident during one of the group’s dares.
But as her account unwinds, and the girls’ personalities and motives are drawn, things get complicated. Amelie is hardly the thrill-seeking type, and it appears she’s not the only one with the ability to deceive. Worse yet, Amelie is covered in someone‘s blood, but whose exactly? And where’s the fourth girl?
Is Amelie spinning a tale to cover her guilt? Or was something inexplicable waiting for the girls down there? Amelie’s the only one with answers, and she’s insisting on an explanation that is more horror-fantasy than reality. Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between?
After all, strange things inhabit dark places. And sometimes we bring the dark with us.
Review: I really liked this book! I thought it was an excellent horror book that incorporated the back and forth methods of storytelling well and read like a horror movie like The Descent. It reminded me a lot of The Rules for Vanishing actually! The book had great writing and the world building was very well done and atmospheric. I also liked that the greatest enemy the reader and the characters face is their own psyche.
However, I did have some issues with the character development and I wished it was a bit more brought out. I was also a little confused by some of the motives, but I think it’s because this type of book requires a reread.
Verdict: It’s good!
Book Info:
Into the Sublime by Kate A Boorman
Genre: Young Adult Horror
Publishing Date: July 26, 2022
Synopsis:
“Gripping and breathless, Into the Sublime is equal parts terrifying, claustrophobic, psychological, and cunning.” —Wendy Heard, author of She’s Too Pretty to Burn and Dead End Girls
A new YA psychological thrillerfrom the author of What We Buried about four teenage girls who descend into a dangerous underground cave system in search of a lake of local legend, said to reveal your deepest fears .
When the cops arrive, only a few things are clear:
– Four girls entered a dangerous cave.
– Three of them came out alive.
– Two of them were rushed to the hospital.
– And one is soaked in blood and ready to talk.
Amelie Desmarais’ story begins believably enough: Four girls from a now-defunct thrill-seeking group planned an epic adventure to find a lake that Colorado locals call “The Sublime.” Legend has it that the lake has the power to change things for those who risk—and survive—its cavernous depths. They each had their reasons for going. For Amelie, it was a promise kept to her beloved cousin, who recently suffered a tragic accident during one of the group’s dares.
But as her account unwinds, and the girls’ personalities and motives are drawn, things get complicated. Amelie is hardly the thrill-seeking type, and it appears she’s not the only one with the ability to deceive. Worse yet, Amelie is covered in someone‘s blood, but whose exactly? And where’s the fourth girl?
Is Amelie spinning a tale to cover her guilt? Or was something inexplicable waiting for the girls down there? Amelie’s the only one with answers, and she’s insisting on an explanation that is more horror-fantasy than reality. Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between?
After all, strange things inhabit dark places. And sometimes we bring the dark with us.
Content Warning: claustrophobic/risky situations, violence, discussion of pet death, panic attacks, dysfunctional family
Book Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58484026-into-the-sublime
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/125019170X/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/into-the-sublime-kate-a-boorman/1139890169
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Into-Sublime-Kate-Boorman/9781250191700
Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/into-the-sublime/9781250191700-item.html
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250191700
About the Author:
Kate A Boorman is an award-winning author from the Canadian prairies. She was born in Nepal and grew up in the small town of Rimbey. She writes speculative fiction and has a mild obsession with abandoned places, memory, and the darkest parts of the forest.
Kate holds a MA in Dramatic Critical theory and a resume full of a bizarre assortment of jobs, from florist to accordion accompanist to “person-who-held-the-drywall-sheet-in-place”. She has participated as a guest and presenter at a variety of Festivals and Conferences in Western Canada.
Kate usually lives in Edmonton, Alberta, with her family. She has recently returned from living in a faraway land, where there are many baguettes.
Author Links:
Website: https://kateaboorman.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateBoorman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate_a_boorman/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5282455.Kate_A_Boorman
Tour Schedule:
PopTheButterfly Reads 
One thought on “Into the Sublime by Kate A. Boorman”