June 2022 – Kat Pollock

The Hook:

Adventurous couple Lux and Nico are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, a job which Lux is more than eager to take. The group quickly bond, but the girls may be more than Lux has bargained for. The island itself has a reputation for grisly shipwrecks and tales of cannibals, and to the group’s surprise, is already playing host to golden couple Jake and Eliza when they arrive. Off the grid and each protecting their own secrets, the group of six are in for an unforgettable time on the island.

My Impressions:

As usual, Rachel Hawkins delights and entertains with her witty, snappy writing style and deliciously devious characters. I consumed this book in practically a single bite, surprised when I reached the end and saw how much time had passed. It felt like a much shorter read than it was, largely because it was such fun to devour.

I’m a huge fan of this sort of book, where several characters with hidden agendas and dark secrets are confined together in some beautiful setting, then shaken up like a snow globe to see how everything lands. Hawkins is excellent at this, carefully setting up each character before she knocks them down with precision.

Fans of Liv Constantine and Megan Collins are sure to enjoy this twisty tale of secrets and suspense, and if you’re looking for a good beach read this summer, you couldn’t ask for a better one than this.

Happy Reading!

The Hook:

On a remote island in Scotland, two sisters go missing, leaving behind their mother and a third sister. Twenty years later, the third sister, Luna, receives a call informing her that one of her missing sisters has been found. She rushes back to the island expecting to be reunited with her adult sister, only to find that the girl who has been found is still the same age she was when she disappeared.

My Impressions:

This is easily one of the most atmospheric and enjoyable books I’ve read this year, and I can’t recommend it enough. If, like me, you delight in being a little bit spooked, this is an excellent book to curl up with late at night.

The interwoven stories that come together in this book form a tapestry of lore and emotion that make it impossible to put down and impossible to forget. The landscape of the island is almost it’s own character, coming alive more and more as the story unfolds. Fans of gothic mysteries and changeling tales will find more than enough to love in this book, and in its enigmatic heroines.

If you enjoyed “Beneath the Stairs” by Jennifer Fawcett or “House of Hollow” by Krystal Sutherland, you’ll likely enjoy this book as well, and if you haven’t read either of those yet, I recommend them highly as well. We could all use a nice chilling tale to cool us off in the summer heat.

Happy Reading!

Month: June 2022

Review of: Reckless Girls, By Rachel Hawkins

Review of: The Lighthouse Witches, by C.J. Cooke