Books Over Coffee : The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco

When I got the notification that I was approved for Rin Chupeco's The Sacrifice I was ecstatic! I love all things horror and this book is putting me on the right path to great spooky fall.

Title : The Sacrifice
Author : Rin Chupeco 
Genre :  fiction, horror, young adult
Pages :  332
Own/Borrowed/ARC :  eARC provided through  Netgalley
Publication Date :  Oct 04, 2022
Synopsis : An island oasis turns deadly when a terrifying legend threatens to kill off visitors one by one in this haunting novel from the highly acclaimed author of The Girl from the Well and the Bone Witch trilogy.
Pristine beaches, lush greenery, and perfect weather, the island of Kisapmata would be the vacation destination...if not for the curse. The Filipino locals speak of it in hushed voices and refuse to step foot on the island. They know the lives it has claimed. They won't be next.A Hollywood film crew won't be dissuaded. Legend claims a Dreamer god sleeps, waiting to grant unimaginable powers in exchange for eight sacrifices. The producers are determined to document the evidence. And they convince Alon, a local teen, to be their guide. 
Within minutes of their arrival, a giant sinkhole appears, revealing a giant balete tree with a mummified corpse entwined in its gnarled branches. And the crew start seeing strange visions. Alon knows they are falling victim to the island's curse. If Alon can't convince them to leave, there is no telling who will survive. Or how much the Dreamer god will destroy...

I want to start this by saying that I am not Filipino, I am Mexican, so I can not speak to how accurate the portrayal of the folklore being used, the language, or anything else about the Filipino culture is. If there is anything that I misspeak about in this post, please let me know. I am always open to listening to learning from other POCs. I am open to conversation, let me know what you didn't like, what I got wrong, and what I can do better. Thank you.

As many might already know is that I am a huge horror fan. I love all things that go bump in the night and this story was exactly what I needed to get out of a slump and begin looking forward to the spooky Fall season.

The story starts quickly with Alon being approached, or rather yelled at, by the American film crew that has set up camp on the island of Kisapmata as they look for someone to help act as a tour guide for them. Everyone else that they have previously to do so absolutely refuses due to the curse that inhabits the island. Alon having a sickly father to care for and being well acquainted with the island, agrees.

Tay was delighted when I'd told him about my new job. The money would be good. The Americans knew the risks. It's not my fault they won't listen, and it's not on me to protect them.

Right off the bat, weird things begin to happen and Alon tries to warn this film crew to leave before someone ends up hurt or dead. I'm not spoiling anything when I say that you get told that not is what it seems on this island. Something is happening but is it for the show? Are the people who live in the surrounding areas in on the joke? Are they just trying to terrorize the Americans off the island?

As the story progresses I enjoyed watching everyone try to make logical excuses for things, as is the par for horror in general, and ignoring the advice of someone who literally knows better. I also love that this book tackled the colonization and exploitation of countries for entertainment. When Alon first meets with the Americans, he warns them that they should not be on the island at all, they laugh and simply say that they have permission to be there since they filed the right permits.

The smile Goatee shoots my way is patronizing. "Kid," he says, as the sounds of digging outside resume,"we're just filming a TV show. We have permission."

It made me think of how murder tourism is a thing that has also given a rise in recent years with the uptick of popularity in true crime and I like that the book talked about those issues. The Americans destroy what they can to make themselves comfortable and insist that they have every right to be there. Of course, not all of them are that way but as it is with "Hollywood types" they have "the power," and even threaten Alon sometimes of firing him.

"Regale us with your scary stories. You do want money for your father's treatment, right? Is fishing going to be enough to support you both if we fire you?"

I look around, at the smiling faces, the amusement in their eyes. This is how Americans make threats, I think.

As much as we see the Americans try to reconcile trying to keep their job going, stay sane and figure out what is real or not, we also see Alon trying to understand these people and their way of life. Everyone is on this island for various reasons and he tries to navigate around their personalities and why are there. One person he finds a liking to is an intern who he finds strange is doing the work for free as she tries to explain what an intern does.

"They pay us in connections, in introductions to bigger names who can poach us for positions with actual salaries. I live with my folks, so I don't need to pay rent. I'm lucky. I know people who'd be better at the work than me but can't afford the job."

It is a strange thing to say, to afford a job.

As things get stranger and more dangerous, you see Alon clearly try to protect those that he feels don't deserve to be hurt. I don't want to say more out of fear of ruining anything.

The story moves at a steady pace letting you get used to everything around you before pulling the rug out from underneath you. It has a couple of twists and turns, some that you may see coming, some that you might not. The only thing that I did not like about this story was the romantic subplot, it just felt a little forced to me but loved the representation it brought nonetheless.

This is a perfect read for fans of movies like The Ritual, Apostle, and Grave Encounters.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.