Posted in Book Review

Review: The Wicked Girls, by Alex Marwood

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

Two little girls became fast friends, and on that same day, killed someone. Years later, they run into each other again despite all odds and a court order to steer clear of each other. What’s more, there’s a serial killer on the loose.

My impressions:

While the story itself was compelling and full of twists, I found the book a bit difficult to read. I’m well aware that this genre is full of violence against women, missing girls and dead ones. However, this book had a seemingly unusual amount of specifically sexually motivated violence, despite the fact that (minor spoiler coming here) the murder that makes up the backstory of the two protagonists is actually really more of an accident and a panicked cover up.

There’s certainly plenty of suspense, and the author writes with the same carefully unfolding style as Tana French and Lisa Jewell. If you can stomach the actual content of the story, the panache with which it is told will be, if not entirely worth it, pretty darn close. At the very least, it made me interested enough in the author’s style to want to read another of her books soon.

I recommend this one if you have a strong stomach and want a bit of a hard boiled case. Fans of Karin Slaughter will probably be able to handle this one just fine.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Last House on Needless Street, by Catriona Ward

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

What do a reclusive man, a Bible reading cat, and a teenage girl who isn’t allowed to leave the house have in common? Needless Street. Something is off about Needless Street, though, and it will take all of these peculiar characters and more to suss out the truth.

My impressions:

It’s difficult to properly explain the things I loved most about this book without entirely spoiling the ending, so I’ll just say this: question every assumption you have while reading it. This is not your average thriller, rather, it has layers upon layers of tightly woven together clues.

Personally, I couldn’t help being intrigued by this book from the moment I saw the cover. It looked spooky and whimsical, the cat catching my attention before my eyes drifted up to the review quoted at the top of the book, wherein Stephen King referred to the book as a “nerve-shredder.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but that got my attention. Something that visually reminded me of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s middle grade novels was clearly more than met the eye- and clearly much scarier than the whimsical cover implied. I knew immediately that I had to read it.

The novel itself is just as full of contrasts as the cover. By turns both whimsical (I know I know I keep using this word) and disturbing, this book demanded to be read in one sitting, and I was powerless to resist. Do yourself a favor and read this one ASAP!

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: Don’t Tell a Soul, by Kirsten Miller

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

Described as Rebecca meets Truly Devious, this gothic mystery features a tenacious protagonist named Bram and a possibly cursed, possibly haunted house. Bram goes to live with her uncle in his infamously creepy house, determined to unearth the truth of what really happened there.

My impressions:

Absolutely one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, this one really captured my imagination. Without spoiling too much, I want to say there was at least one twist so beautifully done that I found myself grinning ear to ear at the reveal, feeling clever for suspecting it and gratified that the story took such a satisfying turn.

If you love classic gothic authors like Daphne DuMaurier and Shirley Jackson, you’ll want to give this book a read. It’s a true love letter to the greats of the genre, and while it takes a modern spin on things, it still feels like a satisfyingly classic story. After all, it’s a tale as old as time: a girl in a spooky old house, a mystery to solve, and things that go bump in the night.

I highly recommend this book, which pairs well with a big cozy blanket and a dark night. If you’re reading on a phone or ereader, feel free to turn off all the lights and get swept away.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: What Big Teeth, by Rose Szabo

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

Eleanor Zarrin’s family is not normal. Estranged from them for years, she returns home after an incident at boarding school. While trying to come to grips with how she fits into her strange and spooky family, she uncovers secrets that reveal more darkness than she expected.

My impressions:

This book honestly blew me away. I loved every minute of it, from the luxuriously gothic setting to the Addams Family-esque characters. Eleanor was impossible not to root for, and I felt pulled along into her world as she settled into it herself.

If you enjoy whimsical gothics, you will almost certainly adore this book as much as I have. I get most of my books from the library, and I loved this one so much that upon finishing it, I bought myself a copy to keep forever so that I can read it as often as I want. The writing style is lush, sometimes bordering on almost purple prose, but to such magnificent effect you’ll want to keep a little notepad to write quotes down in while you read. It’s not often that I gush so unabashedly about something, but this is honestly one of the best books I’ve read in years.

Perfect for curling up with this fall, you’ll want to drink this book in with a strong cup of tea and a plate of cookies. Let yourself be chilled and enthralled by Eleanor’s spooky family, you won’t regret being along for the ride.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

A young woman is ensnared by the secrets of the
mysterious Sundown Motel While Working there as
the night clerk. Thirty years ago, her aunt worked
the same night shift -until the night she
mysteriously disappeared from work, never to
be found.

My Impressions:

Simone St. James is masterful at creating
gothic atmosphere, and The Sun Down Motel
is no exception. Every character – alive or
dead – is memorable and fits perfectly in the
spooky setting.

If you’re looking for a great chilly read
to curl Up with during the spookiest time
of year, this is the perfect book for you.
The thrills and chills of the Sun Down Motel
are bound to keep you on the edge of your
seat, reading long past dark to see what
happens next.

Sometimes you just need a good ghost
story, and this is one of the best.
It also has a bit of a detective noir
vibe, which makes for a thoroughly
enjoyable read.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

Three years ago, two teenage sisters disappeared.
Now, Cass has returned, with a mysterious story
that doesn’t quite add up. Forensic psychiatrist
Abby Winter is determined to get to the bottom
of what really happened when Cass and Emma
went missing three years ago, and why Cass
seems to be lying now.

My impressions:

Another fabulous thriller from Wendy Walker. This
book is sure to keep you on the edge of your
seat from start to finish, and the twists, which
feel both unexpected and completely earned, are
sure to entertain.

Cass is an enthralling narrator, and puzzling
out how reliable her tale is adds to the fun
of this suspenseful read. The twists are
setup well and executed beautifully.

If you enjoy Walker’s other books, you’ll
like this one too. It’s a fun scare, with
plenty of suspicious characters and
dubious clues.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: Don’t look for Me by Wendy Walker

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

To almost everyone, it appears that Molly Clarke
simply walked away from her life. A note is even
found in a hotel room, apologizing to her
family, and telling them not to look for her.
Her daughter, who refuses to believe Molly left
willingly, is the only one still determined to
find her.

My impressions:

This was an incredibly tense suspense novel, one
which I absolutely couldn’t put down until the end.
The alternating points of view add a lot to the
already intense suspense. With a cast of extremely
compelling characters, this is one thriller you’ll
want to stay up all night to finish.

Wendy Walker has a really well developed
authorial voice, which makes her books a
particular delight to read. I’m eager to read
more books by this author, as this one kept me
on the edge of my seat.

Fans of Megan Miranda and Ruth Ware are
bound to enjoy this nail-biter. If you’re looking
for a book you’ll want to devour in a single
sitting, this is just the thing for you.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

In 1950s Vermont, four girls at Idlewild Hall
bond over dark rumors about the supposedly
haunted girls’ school. When one of them disappears,
the school seems even more frightening.
In 2014, journalist Fiona Sheridan investigates
the disappearance of her older sister twenty years
ago-and discovers that she was not the first
girl to go missing at Idlewild.

My impressions:

This was such a lovely book, I put several of the
author’s other books on my reading list after
finishing it. Idlewild was such a living, breathing
entity in the book, it felt like a true old-fashioned
Gothic. I loved the tense, atmospheric tone, and
the characters were gripping and sympathetic.
One of my favorite things about this book is
that it leaves ambiguity around how much-if
any-supernatural forces are influencing the
plot until very near the end. In true gothic
fashion, we are allowed to question the
reliability of the characters, and that serves to
increase the overall tension.

If you’re looking for a great gothic to read
as Halloween gets closer, this is the perfect
thing. Great for fans of Nora Ren Suma, I
highly recommend this read-

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

A stranger has come to the Goode school, an
insular and elite prep school in Virginia. The
school, and it’s notorious secret society, will
soon be shaken up by this new girl – and
not everyone will make it out alive.

My impressions:

This book has it all – homoromantic tension,
secret societies, and murderous teen drama.
Atmospheric and full of posh little sadists, it’s the
perfect thing to scratch your itch for dark academia.
With an a vibe that felt reminiscent of Pretty
Little Liars, it’s sure to please fans of teeny-bopper
murder mysteries everywhere.

The protagonist feels almost eerily uncharacteristic,
essentially a chameleon, a vessel for the reader
to project their own assumptions onto. I’m not
sure whether that was an intentional move on
the author’s part, but either way, it works-
Within the book’s context, the lack of a fleshed
out protagonist feels organic, as if the
narrator isn’t sure yet who to be.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

Posted on by writingkat95

The book:

Fern has depended on her sister Rose for as
long as she can remember. She trusts Rose
absolutely, and when Rose mentions that she
is struggling to convene, Fern decides that she
should pay back Rose for a lifetime of help
by having a baby for her. In alternating
POV, this book explores the nature of
the sisters’ relationship, and reveals the dark
secrets behind Fern’s lack of faith in herself and
her depend and on Rose.

My impressions:

I’ll be honest, this book gave me a stomachache.
It’s an excellently written mystery, one that got
into my head and truly disturbed me. The
depictions of ableism towards Fern were triggering,
though, and I advise caution if that’s something
you aren’t comfortable reading about.

Aside from that, it really was an excellent book,
with plot twists that felt both surprising and yet
somehow inevitable. I absolutely could not put
the book down from start to finish. Fern and
Rose felt Fully fleshed out and were certainly
memorable. Hepworth’s writing style is near
iconic for the way suspense quietly builds
until the climax. If you’re looking for a
book to lose sleep over, this could be the
book for you.

Happy Reading!