Natasha
What a great way to start the new year. This is the third in a series, but I didn't know that before I was kindly given the #alc from #netgalley (a thousand thanks - it was brilliant!) and honestly it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all.
The narrators of this audiobook are sublime, they brought the characters to life - a bumbling yet loveable old professor stuck in his ways, and a feisty, fiercely intelligent trailblazer of an antiheroine that you will love despite yourself.
This is a mystery spanning two timelines about the disappearance of a boy back in 1971 and the discovery of a body in 2006 at a prodigious private school. It was riveting, haunting (sometimes down right spooky) beguiling and beautifully written. Highly recommend. I'm going to find the first two in the series now and savour them like a fine wine.
2.5 stars. This was a fast paced, run of the mill thriller. A fun time? Yes. Anything groundbreaking? No, but not all books have to be.
The premise appealed to me - the five sole survivors of an horrific and unexplained massacre return to their home town (the scene of the crime) when their lives are threatened in a mysterious letter. Here they have to face their grizzly past and try to unravel the threads that lead to their families' and friends sudden demise.
The plot set up was awesome, I was sucked right in. But unfortunately the execution and resolution of the plot left me feeling a little meh. I had to suspend my disbelief multiple times (and I'm pretty tolerant of unrealistic plot twists) and there were a few eye rolls here and there.
There were enough interesting twists to keep me going and I'm sure fans of Kiersten Modglin will enjoy this most recent addition to her substantial catalogue.
While this is a very important story, one that needs to be told over and over again until EVERYONE understands the concept and importance of consent, unfortunately the execution of this particular novel fell flat for me. I didn't feel any connection to the characters, and the plot felt disjointed. I HATED the way some of the male characters talked about and to women (although, this sadly may reflect real life?). I liked what the author was trying to do, but did not enjoy the way it was done.
2.5 stars. Oh how I wanted to love this book. While the writing was good and the carnival atmosphere creepy, the plot read like a children's book with a weird ass Disney ending?!? Granted, I may not be in the particularly best mood for a book like this. So it probably a case of “it's not you, it's me”.
Not sure how I feel about this one yet. It is beautifully written but there is not much plot to this novel. All the tension (and there is a lot) comes from the internal struggles, imaginings, delusions- from the psyche of the disturbed and disturbing Mrs March. I would go as far as to say there are some psychological horror aspects to this story, the imagery is potent and left me feeling quite uncomfortable.
I consider myself relatively hardcore when it comes to horror, I'm not usually squeamish and can handle a fair amount of gore and body horror. But at 35% I had to give up on this book - when someone (spoiler?) ate their own eyeball, and that wasn't even the worst of it believe me. This book is gruesome and grotesque and not at all for the faint of heart - if it sounds like something you can stomach go for it. I'm going to find a cosy little haunted house or serial killer book now
2.5 stars. If you are after a feel-good ghost story this Halloween, then this is it. After losing her mother, Amy accompanies her detective father to the town of Seabrook where he is investigating a missing persons case. There she meets a rancher, Ryan, and they spend a beautiful day together. But something is a bit off about Seabrook. People keep staring at her, random people know her name, and the crumbling, inoperative lighthouse begins to shine again.
I prefer my ghost stories a little darker, but if you like romance with a hint of supernatural mystery then The Lighthouse is for you.
When a privileged, seemingly perfect family are targeted by vandals with increasing malice each member begins to suspect its their own secret that is the cause. This is a fast paced, low stakes thriller that touches on darker undercurrents, but never quite goes there. I prefer my thrillers with a bit more bite, but if you feel like a fun read without too many stabby bits - this domestic thriller is for you.
4.5 stars. The long awaited new Paula Hawkins has arrived, and it really is what it says on the tin. A slow burn. If you expect twists and turns and jump scares on every page, you will be disappointed. This story takes its time to build characters, relationships and backstory - and if you have the patience, it all comes together in the end and I think it has a decent payoff.
I loved how one of the strongest characters was a usually disregarded woman in her 80's. Life for a woman doesn't begin and end in her twenties, and Hawkins included a range of female protagonists in all stages of life who had agency and motives.
Despite the lukewarm reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this audiobook. It helped that it was narrated by the sublime Rosamund Pike.
I'm not quite sure what I just read. The premise and title of this book sound so spooky and intriguing, I expected creepiness, atmosphere and a dark slow burn. But, this was just bad, I'm sorry to report. There was no coherent plot, the characters were two dimensional at best and the writing felt wooden and stilted. Poor, unrealistic dialogue, strands of storylines floundering desperately without any sort of tether. There may be an audience out there for this, but I didn't connect with it at all.
