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3.0
A Fate Worse Than Drowning: A Novel
ByPublisher Description
One deal with the devil makes a fool. Two? A villain...One deal with the devil makes a fool. Two? A villain...
A year ago, Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister. Now, they live on a desolate spit of land beyond Halifax harbor. Elle, as lighthouse keeper, steers unsuspecting sailors to their destruction; those are the terms of her bargain. Liney need never know the cost. Her safety is worth every drop of blood.
But a sinner’s pact is not so simple. When the devil returns, demanding more – more shipwrecks, no survivors – Elle knows what she must do to keep Liney safe...
Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil’s name.Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil’s name.
Then a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As Liney and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break Liney’s heart, or forfeit her own soul.
Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself…
Souls and sisterhood, fate and fire – what must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?Souls and sisterhood, fate and fire – what must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?
A year ago, Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister. Now, they live on a desolate spit of land beyond Halifax harbor. Elle, as lighthouse keeper, steers unsuspecting sailors to their destruction; those are the terms of her bargain. Liney need never know the cost. Her safety is worth every drop of blood.
But a sinner’s pact is not so simple. When the devil returns, demanding more – more shipwrecks, no survivors – Elle knows what she must do to keep Liney safe...
Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil’s name.Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil’s name.
Then a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As Liney and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break Liney’s heart, or forfeit her own soul.
Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself…
Souls and sisterhood, fate and fire – what must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?Souls and sisterhood, fate and fire – what must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesA Fate Worse Than Drowning: A Novel Reviews
3.0
“𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: A Fate Worse Than Drowning by Sarah L. Hawthorn
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fantasy
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 21, 2026
📍 Devil's Island
🪢 Strong Familial Bonds
🔥 Deal With the Devil
💢 Escaping Abusive Spouse
🔄 Dual POV
This one sucked me in immediately. Our FMC, Eleanor, made a deal with the devil in order to save her sister, Liney, from an abusive marriage and now she must sacrifice the souls of sailors to fulfill her debt.
Elle's unflinching loyalty to her sister is definitely her character's best quality. Though she's continually forced to make sacrifices and is rightfully going a bit crazy, she will do literally anything to protect Liney.
I loved the banter between Elle and the ghost of the lighthouse keeper, James. Considering the circumstances, he's rather genial. I also enjoyed getting to watch the sweet relationship between Liney and Bridget bloom.
Perfect for anyone looking for a horror featuring a sister who'd risk it all, a bit of mystery, and just a smidgen of romance.
Thank you so much Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy.”“I really liked this book, and I will definitely have to check out more books by this author.
In this story, we follow two sisters, and we get both of their perspectives in first person. Right from the beginning, we know they have fled from something, but we don't know what happened or why they had to run. They end up on an island with a lighthouse, where they hope to start over.
We also know that the older sister has killed a man, and his ghost follows her wherever she goes, which creates a really interesting dynamic throughout the story. Meanwhile, the younger sister is completely unaware of what her sister has done and lives in her own fantasy world. But things slowly begin to shift, and everything changes.
While reading, I kept wondering whether I was dealing with a reliable or an unreliable narrator. That uncertainty made me want to keep reading because I just had to find out what was really going on.
This book blends horror, fantasy, and historical fiction really well. Everything takes place on Devil's Island, and the name alone gives you a feeling that something dark is waiting there.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is that it felt a little slow at times. It interrupted the otherwise good pacing, and because of that, the horror elements didn't feel quite as strong as I had expected.
This book was given to me by NetGalley and I chose to share my honest thoughts.”
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