Hello, people!
If you know Rosetta Yorke from Twitter (I guess from other social media, too) and the writing group she used to run, you know she is a very sweet and lovable lady. Knowing she is an author, you could easily assume she is writing sweet children’s books, but! Instead she writes gothic horror, time travel, dark fantasy and quite a few other genres.
And she is the author of Island of No Return.
I’ll be honest. I’ve never been that terrified while reading a book.
Not the “put it down and scream” kind of scary… Well, it did that, too, but I meant the physical, restless kind. With Rosetta Yorke’s Island of No Return, I caught myself reading a few lines, slamming the book shut, pacing around my room, coming back to pick it up again, and… repeat. Like someone trying to touch fire while knowing it’ll burn, yet can’t resist it. And what a fire that story was!
“That can’t happen from prose alone.” But it did!
What makes the book so terrifying is that it’s written with remarkable restraint. There’s very little shouting. Very little action that plays out like a movie. Instead, the tension comes from what’s unsaid, what’s hinted at, what waits just beyond the edge of comprehension. Except for the finale, I couldn’t name a single “cinema-like-impressive scene”. It’s just… quiet. Too quiet.
But don’t get me wrong. Quiet isn’t boring. Quite the opposite!
In fact, that’s precisely what does the “damage”.
Early on, when the tension releases and the story settles into a calmer, breathing rhythm, you let your guard down. Maybe once. Maybe twice. But then, you notice the pattern. The calm isn’t peace – it’s bait. You start recognising it. This is where something awful is being built up. The relief becomes another form of dread. More intense than the actual “action scenes”, too, dare I say.
Many horror writers play their hands openly. Rosetta plays poker with a face you can’t read. You don’t know when the next card will drop. You only know that it’s coming. And the waiting masterfully builds the atmosphere and the suspense.
And the ending – when it finally comes – doesn’t disappoint. The resolution of the situation feels remarkably true to the metaphysical and parapsychological dimensions of the supernatural. For those of us who believe in such things, it adds an extra layer of realism and satisfaction. Rosetta doesn’t cheapen the mystery with explanation. She deepens the horror by treating the unseen as genuinely real, governed by rules we barely understand.
To sum everything up, this is one of the scariest horror stories I’ve read in years. And I still can’t believe it did to me what it did, with such a gentle voice.
Great job, Rosetta!
And by all means, I’d recommend this book to anyone who is into this genre.
Fair warning: if you are as brave as I am – which is less so than a chicken – make sure you read this when you are alone. You don’t want people to see you pacing up and down, do you? And not before you go to bed. Yeap! Not!
To find Rosetta Yorke on WordPress, click here.
To find Island of No Return on Amazon, click here.
And to find all her books and her author page on Amazon, click here.
That’s all. Have fun, or get scared, and… oh, bloody hell! I just realised there are no nude guys in this book! 😱
Love and Kisses!
Yorgos KC
How lovely of you, Bunny!
Thank you so much for such a wonderful, appreciative review. 🖤
I’d say I was sorry I scared you but… nah, I’m not! A little bit of heart racing does you good, remember!
I am sorry I forgot to include any nudes for you, though! 😁
Love & hugs, Rosetta x
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💖💖💖💖💖
You are very welcome!
It was an amazing read. Your story is wonderful, and your writing is exceptionally gripping. 🤩
I’ll pretend I didn’t read that line about Bunny health. 😜 But I’ll say this: it would have been my loss not to read this amazing story.
As for the nudes… I’ll forgive you this time. In return, please remember to include plenty in your next book! 😇😈
On a more serious note: You are amazing, Rosetta! 💖😍💖
Love and kisses!
💖💖💖😘😘😘
Yorgos KC
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👻🖤🖤🖤🖤👻
Even more hugs & love, Bunny dear.
Hmm… well, that’s true – nudes and horror would make a gripping combination! 😁
Xxx
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A very honest and sincere posting of what horror entails! I’m not particularly appreciative of this type of genre but your reactions do make me wonder. Thank you for sharing this. As for the lack of nude guys, just imagine all the characters clothes free! LOL! 🙂 Naked hugs, my friend!
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Thank you so much, my friend! 💖
I’m delighted that my review made you curious about the story! Although I don’t avoid horror, it’s certainly not what I usually read. Just being scary is not reason enough for me to like a story – it can be a reason to avoid it, actually. 🤣
But there is so much more in this than the scare. The pacing, the atmosphere building, the focus… I honestly think that if you try it, you won’t be disappointed.
As for your advice… yeah… there is a certain guy in the story I’d love to imagine him naked… in my bed… 😇
Once again, thank you for your lovely comment!
Love and Kisses!
💖💖💖😘😘😘
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I grabbed a copy as soon as I saw the new cover (I was shamefully unaware of it before then). I started reading that night when I should have been going to bed and proceeded to read until my brain shut down and I fell asleep on my screen. I picked up again as soon as I could and just loved it.
You’re so right about the opening chapters. I got a genuine sense of the Tombs of the Blind Dead movies, where long silences and building dread speak volumes that screaming never could. And then, when things start to pick up, there’s a real sense of pervading horror.
Great review, for a great story!
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Thank you so much! 💖
I’m delighted you enjoyed both the story and my review!
And yes, you are absolutely right! Rosetta doesn’t need to throw horrors at us from the very first page. She lets the atmosphere do its work, and by the time we realise what’s happening, it’s already too late!
Although I must say, falling asleep on your screen sounds like a much more peaceful experience than the one I had while reading! You are brave!
Thank you again for your lovely comment!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed my story, Ray. 🖤Thank you for taking the time to read Yorgos’s review and dropping by here to comment.
Now I’m intrigued – I’m not familiar with the Tombs of the Blind Dead movies. Clearly this is a major lacking in my education! 😂 I shall go in search of them…
Rosetta x
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