That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall Review: Paradise Has a Dark Past
Love Me Stone Book Review
That Which Feeds Us
A Hawaiian Gothic
Paradise has a past—and something buried beneath its beauty is still hungry.
Get the BookThat Which Feeds Us is a haunting, atmospheric story that transforms an island paradise into something unsettling and impossible to escape.
Kōpaʻa Island Resort offers the world’s wealthiest guests a luxurious, technology-free retreat renowned for its persimmon orchard and promises of rejuvenation. For Lehua, however, this carefully manufactured paradise is the last place her missing twin sister, Ohia, was seen.
Lehua follows her sister’s trail to the isolated resort, only to find herself cut off from civilization when the island’s boat leaves without her. Surrounded by privileged guests, enigmatic staff, and unanswered questions, she begins searching for the truth.
Beneath the polished luxury and sweet fruit lies a history that refuses to remain buried.
My Review
Keala Kendall creates a vivid sense of place, balancing supernatural horror and mounting suspense with an emotionally powerful story about sisterhood, identity, and belonging.
The contrast between the resort’s carefully curated beauty and the history concealed beneath it is especially effective. Every luxurious detail carries an undercurrent of unease, making the island feel as captivating as it is threatening.
This is more than a missing-person mystery. It examines the lasting harm caused by colonialism and asks who gets to control the land, preserve its stories, and profit from its past. The supernatural elements deepen those themes rather than distracting from them.
Dark, thought-provoking, and deeply affecting, That Which Feeds Us is the kind of Gothic story that lingers long after the final page.
Perfect for Readers Who Enjoy
- Hawaiian Gothic fiction
- Indigenous horror
- Supernatural mysteries
- Missing-person stories
- Complicated sisterhood
- Dark island settings
- Socially conscious horror
Book Details
The Final Sip
Paradise has never felt so unsettling
Gorgeously atmospheric, emotionally resonant, and filled with creeping dread—a powerful Hawaiian Gothic about reclaiming land, stories, and identity.
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