ARC Review: The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle // Just in Time for Halloween!

Tuesday 20 October 2015
The Accident Season, by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
Publication: August 18, 2015, by Kathy Dawson Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: ½


Every October Cara and her family become inexplicably accident-prone. Some years it’s bad, like the season when her father died, and some years it’s just a lot of cuts and scrapes. They know what they need to do—stock up on bandages and painkillers, cover sharp table edges with padding, banish knives to locked drawers, switch off electrical items. They buckle up, they batten down.
But this accident season—when Cara; her ex-stepbrother, Sam; and her best friend, Bea, are seventeen—none of that will make a difference.
Because Cara is starting to ask questions. And the answers were never meant to be found.
A haunting, untethered, addictive read that perfectly captures that time in our lives when our hearts crack open and the raw secrets of our true selves burst forth—whether we are ready or not.

My Thoughts:

Horror stories are my loves. No, for real. Especially those spooky ones that come with some aspects of dystopian sci-fi concepts that are so unreal to even try to understand. With Moïra Fowley-Doyle's mysterious tale, I loved every part of it and am proud to call it my new favourite novel. It's something I've been looking for, for ages, and I am now so satisfied and excited for the fact that I adored it. I read it a while ago, but I can tell you this: It's the perfect novel for the October fall spirit, and it's one of my favourite books of the year and from BEA. The writing is excellent, and I'm now pretty much afraid that I'll be stuck in some kind of accident season as well.




The Accident Season stars a kick-ass protagonist and her family who begin to be part of this "force" that occurs every October, but only to them. They keep getting stuck in accidents. Things have been horrible some years, like when Cara's father died, and other times there were minor injuries like broken limbs. It's seems pretty minor to them, and they now are used to it and know that they'll have to save themselves. This year, Cara's seventeenth year, she begins to want to uncover the truth because she simply just can't take it no more.

"We bite back the things we can't say and we cushion every surface for the inevitable moment when they all come fighting out." (172)
This is a beautiful concept. I just can't believe the kinds of things that just popped out of this magical, frisky and sexy story made for teens of all ages. Yeah, there's some fantasy themes presented, but nothing is unbelievable. You can just picture the majority of the book's events happening in real contemporary society today. The way Moïra presented the characters and their perspectives was quite interestingly, since most of the time we'd expect a fast paced story coming out of this. No, this was slow paced and enjoyable, but perfect for the mood of the book.



Once again, this isn't the kind of book that you're going to end up bawling of fear to. It's creepy, not too scary in a horror gory movie way, but in a way that makes you question society and the way science works. It's interesting to read about the family life that Cara and her siblings have, since year by year things keep getting more and more horrible to deal with. I can't say that I relate to this story somehow, but it truly enchanted me. 

Cara, the protagonist, is lovely. She's selfless and there for all of her siblings. Instead of doing things for herself, she puts the people she loves first and takes risks. Agh, I love characters like her. She seems so real and someone many readers could become friends with. Her story is like it's off the news, frightening but more realistic than ever.


"I think she means we're celebrating that it's almost over for another year, but there's something in her toast I find unsettling. Like the accident season shouldn't be acknowledged so openly. Like if we call it by name too often, it'll become even more aware of us. Like it's actually some creature that wants to do us harm." (37)

It's like this accident season is a physical force. It's like this book is based on savaged humans and the way evil and karma could come back at us. All in all, this is one thought provoking read.






When a book provokes crazy thoughts in a reader's mind, it shows that the author has succeeded into creating a fan of their writing. More than that, it illustrates that they have chosen a beautiful story that thankfully popped into their mind one day and voila, created this. This story is powerful. It features a mistaken romance that could be questioned, but I feel that it works all the way. I need more from this amazing author or I'll literally freak. Read this or else the accident season will happen to you. I guess that's my only way of bribing someone?


*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!*

If something unreal has been happening to you/your family for years, would you look into it?

4 comments :

  1. I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! I really did too. I thought the concept was so great and I was so hooked intot this story and mystery! I liked that it didn't have to be super quick-paced although the middle did lag a BIT for me. Lovely review! :)

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    1. YES! I was so grateful that I got the chance to read this early and see the author at BEA! It's definitely one of the better books of the year! Ahhh, yes! There were some slow moments (like every book) but I ADORED IT! :D

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  2. I have heard of this one and already have it on my TBR. It sounds like it is going to be SO GOOD. I love a good creepiness factor, and the concept of this one does sound new and unique, and unlike anything I have ever heard of before. I can't wait!

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    1. IT IS REALLY CREEPY but definitely in that good, acceptable way. You won't start shaking or anything like that, but it is touching and different. YOU WILL ADORE IT, I PROMISE! :)

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