Heather

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC. 

I wanted this book to be more, so in the end it didn't live up to the hype. 

Was it twisty and entertaining? Yes... So why only a 3.75? 

Rosie was unredeemable to me. She was super immature and I just couldn't root for her. All the characters really were, they were wild. It just made it a little too far fetched and really toxic stuff was forgiven too often. 

I also didn't love the heart transplant storyline. I know it was supposed to make Rosie a more sympathetic character but instead it made her immature more wild to me. 

This was totally Taylor Swift breakup album coded for sure.  But in story format it's a bit too wild to be a five star read. 

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

This story was beautiful, I absolutely loved this journey! I'm a sucker for a good post apocalyptic book, it's my favorite genre. This one was such a beautiful tale. 

Its told through 13 year old Nonie's eyes and I loved seeing her growth through this. It reminded a lot of Life As We Knew It, one of my favorite series from a long time ago. 

This is definitely a slow burn journey, alternating time periods of Nonie's life to tell the story. But it's a beautiful tale and beautiful journey. I absolutely loved getting thrown into this world of the world ending but finding your tribe in the middle of it all. 

A Killing Cold... I had to start this one in the middle of a ice storm and it was perfect for that!

This was such a refreshing thriller, it was more a family mystery than the normal who-dunn-it. I really loved all the layers. 

It's a small cast of characters, a totally toxic rich family at their winter lodge... So could you guess some of the twists? Sure probably. But I kept going back and forth so much I definitely never settled on the full story. 

Really enjoyed this for a winter read!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

This book was a really unique and atmospheric book. I would definitely rate it more a horror than the thriller it's billed. It's one of the spookier books I've read the past year. 

I really adored the MC Mina and the other focus Alice, they were the highlights of the book. The town was a fantastic nosy small town too. 

I unfortunately guessed the twist very early but enjoyed the journey and pieces that led us to the end. I enjoyed the ending too. 

I can't say much about this without spoiling because it really is a journey. A journey of small towns, superstitions, and fighting your demons (inner and whatever is in the wall 😂)

Wow I loved this book. I honestly wasn't expecting to love it - the topic at the forefront being foster kids and an abusive, narcissistic home. It was FAR different of a story than I expected and it kept me guessing until the last page. I won't say much on this review because I don't want to give anything away. But WOW this is a good read and great story, the sisters are incredible. Really enjoyed every bit of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC. 

First off, this was a really enjoyable thriller. The setting was fun, I liked the characters, and I didn't see the twist coming fully. It's a really good police thriller. The problem is that it felt marketed as something different. I absolutely loved the depositions mixed in too

The things I didn't love that pull down the rating:
- I thought the creepy old orphanage would play a bigger role. I wanted atmospheric creepy vibes and you don't go into the orphanage but twice. Sure it's central to the story but not much of the setting. 
- This would be a fantastic winter read, I am a little confused by an April publication. The winter setting is the most atmospheric part of the book. 
- Alex does some really stupid things, I really don't know how she doesn't get herself killed. 

If this would have been marketed as a police procedural thriller without the creepy vibes and I had read this in the depths of winter I think it would have been rated much higher. However the expectations were off on the marketing and I feel like I owe it to try and set them more right for future readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC to read. 

This was a fast and twisty novel that I really enjoyed reading. The flashbacks were very interesting. I flew through this and it was well written. 

What I didn't love might just be on me, but I predicted the twists early. Plus I am a little fatigued of past coming to haunt you + unreliable narrator combo recently. Plus none of the characters are redeemable. 

Regardless, definitely a fun twisty novel if you want something quick & enjoyable!

3.75/5.00

The Inheritance Games was a 5 star book and somehow this was even better. Now deep into the mystery, knowing all the characters, it really got good. So many questions answered, so many unexpected twists and turns. I didn't expect so many of them and so many I never guessed at because so much was happening. I also adore every single character so much. This is truly an amazing series & I can already tell it's cemented itself as a favorite. I devoured this book & I can not wait to hear more about these characters and what mystery is next. 

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

This book was exactly what I expected White Lotus to be before I realized that while it's a great show, there's just drama and not much thriller. This instead was a perfect balance. It's full on rich people drama with a ton of thriller. 

The twists and turns were a lot of fun, I did have a suspicion they could happen but there were still parts I did not expect. 

I really enjoyed all the POV in the book as well. We're the characters likeable? No but they weren't supposed to be. 

This really is a great read for summer vacations, to dream of vacation in Italy, with maybe a few less missing people though. 

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. 

I got this ARC a bit back but held onto it for spooky season just to set the mood. It was a perfect intro to spooky season. 

Normally I'm more of a paranormal horror person and not monsters or slashers. However this one was more a slasher/monster vibe but I still really enjoyed it because the story was so great. Honestly this is more a tale of friendship, growing up, and old wounds. 

I loved the honest tale of Max and Erin so much. The author showed their flaws, their vulnerabilities, and their strengths all in this tale. I won't say much here because I think this is a tale you just need to read yourself. 

Though I can't relate to Erin or Max's old wounds as their journey isn't mine, I loved getting to see through their eyes and learn from them. Truly, the worst monsters are human, and that's a fact I can 100% relate to. 

This was not drawing me in at all. I really didn't connect with the writing style. At this point I didn't want to invest 600 pages into this. 

I haven't had a romance that was really heart warming and lovely in forever. This one was it though!

I adored the characters, I love Meadowlark, and it really made me smile. I can not wait to see what's next for the Ryder family. 

This was definitely the most horror book I've read in the past year for sure. 

I was drawn to it because Other Mommy sounded so in line to “Boo” my imaginary childhood friend. Apparently after my house burned down as a kid, I told my parents I met Boo in the woods and he would guard my bedroom door of the mobile home we were in as we rebuilt and he was burnt. I don't remember this at all, but kids can be scary right?! 😂 

It definitely had all the creepy vibes and I enjoyed the child being the narrator. Though I think she was more 5/6 instead of 8. The maturity level wasn't there. The parents were pure chaos too but now that I'm 34 I realize if this was happening to me I would be too. 

The ending was what brought the rating down. I just wanted more but it also wasn't the worst. Overall creepy vibes and definitely a different book. If you love Coraline but want an adult version, this would be it!

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC. 

This truly was a unique book, I've never quite read anything like it. I also don't know how to review it without giving anything away. 

It's almost like a collection of short stories with an overarching story. Every switch of the story I groaned unsure if I would like the next one and every time I was sucked in. 

This book was haunting, it was beautifully written, and I really enjoyed it. It takes you through time and across the world. 

I only went with a 4/5 because I wanted to know the why a little more. However I'm not sure that would have been satisfying either. 

If you are looking for something unique that will stick with you, this is it. 

This one just couldn't catch my attention. I think it just wasn't for me because I couldn't quite put my finger on what wasn't dragging me in. The mystery wasn't a forefront as I wanted, I was not vibing with any of the characters, and I just didn't have a pull to finish or find out what happened. I also didn't love how exaggerated the accents were written. I'm Southern myself with a thick accent but sometimes it's just distracting in reading. 

This was my first Riley Sager book I've read, though I've been very excited to read his work. 

I loved this book! It was a strangely beautiful tale about neighbors. I love the ghost addition, loved the eeriness of the Hawthorne Institute, and I loved every character. This was def fully Stranger Things/It vibes with the flashbacks to the kids. I thought it had enough vibes without being a copycat. 

I also didn't expect what exactly happened and it kept me guessing. 

Overall loved this! I feel like it was more thriller than horror, just a tinge of ghost added. Either way it was fantastic!

Wow, what a beautiful book. 

This was completely different than I thought this book was going to be and I'm so glad. 

I thought I was jumping into another summer thrilled but instead I got one of the most accurate views of small town dynamics I've ever seen. 

I don't want to say much on this because this slow burn tale you just have to experience. You won't be disappointed, it's such an intriguing and great tale. 

The author also did the best job with multiple timelines and POV I have ever seen. There's 6+ timelines and more POV than I can count. The author painted the people and times so well that I never once questioned who was talking or where I was in the story. The chapters with a brilliant timeline made it so easy too. 

Seriously one of the best books I've read, it's really a must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC. 

I was so excited for this book after loving Hotel Magnifique by this author last year. This book did not disappoint, it was even better. 

I was completely engrossed in this world and I did not want it to end. It was a perfect stand alone fantasy. I loved the adventure, the mystery, and the characters so much. This could have definitely been a series too as there was so much more to explore. 

I loved the dark academia vibes and how much of this book was set in a school. A lot of times books are based in school but not much time is spent in the school, but the majority of the book is here and I loved that. 

Really this was a beautiful adventure and I don't want to spoil anything. If you are a fan of fantasy worlds, magic, and Harry Potter-esque tales. This one is a must read. I don't want to go back to the real world now. 

I bought this book on a whim... Because I judged a book by it's cover, it's lovely. This ended up such a magical ride. I wanted a one off book, as I had far too many series. It left me wanting more of the world but gave all the story to be perfect. It was a slow burn story but I think that really added to the mystery. It was a really unique perspective to the main character, as many times there aren't consequences to character actions. This twist completely surprised me in the end too. I know this world and characters will stick with me!

Thank you NetGalley and Pantheon for this ARC. 

First off, I hate AI so much, always have. This book makes me hate it even more. I'd be good to never hear the words AI again and for us not to go down this path. This dystopian near future hit way too close to home. As I type this on my smartphone I'm thinking maybe I should go off grid after reading this lol

For real though this was a very unique book and definitely felt like an episode of Black Mirror. I loved the journey, the characters, and the story. The only thing I didn't love was the ending. A lot of loose ends were still there and it felt very anticlimactic. Though I don't know how they could have ended it differently. 

If you love Black Mirror and dystopian, this is a great read though. The journey is worth it either way!

Hated everything about this book. It was a book of grief. Went and spoiled the ending and glad I didn't. Just what?!

It was really slow but the ending definitely has me intrigued to finish it. The whole Travis/Harry thing just seemed to drag on & was pointless since she ends up alone now. Seemed like Ryan just felt like she had to be like Twilight and have a love triangle. He's hoping to a better sequel, I had super high hopes in this book!

Loved the first two in this series. This one seriously is summed up in the description. It could and should have been great. Miranda is back to spoiled. Alex is like a different character and I hated him. And Julie is now the little angel? It just seems like she forgot her characters completely. So disappointed!

Really good book! Loved the characters and actually didn't guess the twists!

I love Stephen King but it took me months to read this. It's just too long. It felt more of a chore at the end than enjorable. Good book just far too long.