Lisa
Had I not figured out the big twist of what was happening, I would have been completely blown away and given a higher reading. I guess I read too many thrillers, because while it was clever, I had read this type of twist before and guessed it pretty early on. The characters are all unlikeable, but that's part of the story. I loved the spooky vibes and the poems that related to the deaths. The deaths were also very well thought out, and reflective of the characters. I didn't like all of the flashback chapters, I feel like many of them could have been cut. The last 50 pages or so packs many twists, and the minor ones I didn't guess, and were pretty satisfying. This would make a fun miniseries!
This book is a perfect description of grief and how differently people can be affected by it. It was beautifully written, and even with the length and not a ton of dialogue I still finished it in one day. Initially I had picked it up to try out a chapter and ended up reading the entire thing. I love the writing style and how we as the reader were meant to be Kathy. I loved Sally's character and the story she told of a grief that spanned decades. Beautiful.
I couldn't put this book down, it consumed me for an entire day. I absolutely loved everything about this. The pictures scattered throughout were such a great addition to the story and made me feel so involved. I loved the mystery threading through, loved the babysitting aspect of it, and was shocked by that twist ending!!!!! I need this author to release another book, this is definitely my type of writing style, I absolutely loved it. I have to choose my next book carefully, it will be a challenge to find something that lives up. Phenomenal.
This is one of those books I will be thinking about for a very long time. It was haunting and unsettling trying to piece together what was happening, with an ending that was truly shocking and completely unexpected. I'm surprised I enjoyed a book so outside of my comfort zone as I don't usually like “weird” horror. This book gives me such A24 horror vibes, I can't explain it.
I LOVED the mixed media format and reading the podcast transcript, the emails, and letters throughout. I also loved reading about the different magic tricks, it was all very fun. The last 25% of the book got a little too weird and confusing for my liking
Writing style was too choppy for me. Flashbacks and present day were within the same chapters and I couldn't tell what timeline I was in. Would have rather liked shorter alternating timeline chapters back to back!
This was so scary and unsettling because it felt so real. The women depicted in this book definitely exist, and it was such a thought-provoking read in today's times. I loved everything about it. I had heard it was slow, but I felt that was necessary because I felt attached to Maeve. A few creepy sprinkles throughout kept me reading compulsively. I thought there would be more of Maeve's upbringing incorporated, but I'm glad there wasn't. I feel like it was just enough to parallel what was happening in present day. The creepiness does not let up, even up until the last chilling words. Will be thinking about this for a long time.
This book was too slow for me. I was quickly wrapped up in part one and then loved Drew's focus in part 2 but then it got very repetitive. I kept waiting for something big to happen with Ruby as it was alluded to in the description and made it feel like it would go somewhere. The last part played out way too quick, and I would have enjoyed more of a cat and mouse chase.
Least favorite of the three of his books. The writing style was very unusual. The voice was meta, but every act jumped around in timeline and was confusing. The narrator foreshadows a big event and nothing was really shocking except that Lana was faking her death. The affair was obvious but after that part it was strange. Also the epilogue was nice to see The Silent Patient Easter eggs, but spoils the book for those who haven't read in publication order but also seems like it was thrown in there just to do it.
This was so unique. Very Black Mirror meets Cabin in the Woods and a thought provoking and interesting concept.
I loved this book in the first part. The rich people drama and the flashbacks to childhood. Billie had a rough childhood and the chapters intertwining were written in a way that was leading up to a big twist or reveal. The synopsis says how a baby was stolen, but I was not expecting the baby to be given back in the very next chapter. Also once we reach part 2, it's like the backstory of killing Wade was just included to show Billie's upbringing, it had nothing to do with the story. I wanted either (or both) Billie to run away with Ella leading Cassie on a hunt OR during the investigation, they unearth that Cassie killed Wade all along. That would have made a much better story and connected the two timelines. Also the random inclusion of Alex, and how he just takes her back at the end?????Had so much potential and on track to a 5* but part 2 on ruined it for me.
This book on track to a 3.5 until the epilogue. I love when mysteries like this end are tied with a bow, a play-by-play of the entire novel with reveals of what was really going on along the way. It should have been obvious, but I did not ever expect Iris as the killer and that the reason why is because Pierre was Beth's father. I can see some readers not liking this reveal, but I did probably only because of how well it was illustrated in the epilogue.
Was so readable. I loved the past and present chapters, and the multiple POVs. This wasn't as thrilling as I thought going in, it was more of a character study on abuse and trauma. Miss Fairchild was cunning in her abuse. Her methods of learning her girls, and then weakening them through punishments was kind of hard to read at times. Really enjoyed the final chapter of how the baby bones got under the house. It adds to the depth of Miss Fairchild and gave some insight on how she came to be.
I tried picking this one up a few times and put it down because I didn't like the synopsis and where I thought it was going. When the story started to shift I really enjoyed it. I wasn't shocked by anything at the end, but it was a nicely paced read. Glad I stuck with it.
Very boring. I liked Lettie's perspective more than Alex's but it didn't really read like a teenager and was too over-dramaticized and her emo nature and the love interest's bad boy felt like caricatures. I could not put up with it for another 300-some pages
Very beautifully and vividly written. I related to so many different parts of Adelaide, and every time I picked up this book I felt comforted. A sweeping story of love; but at its core loving yourself. I especially loved the epilogue. so happy Adelaide got the happy ending with Bubs (and peace with losing Rory) she truly deserved
This book had all the components of me loving it, but I feel like it couldn't decide between being a horror or a literary fiction. The family drama parts were fine for a while, but then they got repetitive. It took me awhile to get a hold of all of the different perspectives. I wish they were written in first person, they all felt one-dimensional and the same. There was a lot of foreshadowing to a build up, but I found the ending very lackluster.
This was a hard one to rate. I absolutely LOVED Ruby's chapters following around “Mrs. Killmore” as she met and killed her previous husbands. It was all very fascinating and very Evelyn Hugo. The alternating chapters of Jules and Camden were not nearly as good and I kept waiting for the next Ruby chapter. I found the stolen baby/alternate family plot line confusing and by the end I had no idea what was happening. if the book was all Ruby, it would be a new all time fav, but it wasn't quite there.
My problem with this book is I went into it with an entirely different idea of what it would be, and it did not deliver. I was so excited when this book was first announced because it apparently would take place New Year's Eve 1999 at a Blockbuster. I really thought the entire book would take place in this setting and it would play out like a closed room thriller, intertwined with a modern day copycat murder. I was hoping the chapters in the past would read like “No Exit” where I'd be questioning everyone and everything introduced and have a nail-biting experience. Unfortunately only about 5 chapters of the book take place in the 90s and instead of being in the action, you spend the novel following around detectives. I don't normally read or enjoy detective thrillers, so my opinion could be unpopular, but I really had a hard time following what was happening. There were so many side stories going on with way more characters than I enjoy reading about that I had no clue what information I needed to keep with me to solve the case. When the killer was revealed, I didn't really care. The only perspective I enjoyed was Ella's. I thought the final girl perspective was fun, but I also think more past chapters would have been more enjoyable to read. I'm a bit disappointed because I really enjoyed “Every Last Fear” from this author, but this one didn't hit like I had hoped it would.
This book was not as engrossing as I had hoped. The island vibes were nice and being in the situations that took place would be scary. I liked having character backstories in between chapters but I had predicted the ending pretty early on in the book. I also feel like there was some slow parts in the middle and then the ending felt a little rushed.