Tag: dark

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!

Posted in Book Review

Review: House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

When Iris Hollow’s sister, Grey, goes missing,
she is forced to confront the strange dark
things in their childhood. She begins to
unearth unbelievable fairy-tale like secrets,
and must decide what is and isn’t true.

My impressions:

Reading this book was like an excellent Cup of
hot coffee. It woke me up and got my brain
going inthe best way. The characters were
beautifully written and felt both real and
surreal at the same time. Many books use
the setting to create a feeling of wonder
and suspense, but in this book, it’s the
characters themselves who feel like magic.

I don’t know whether to call it gothic or
magical realism, but the atmosphere in this book
is gorgeous. IF you’re looking for a book to
read slowly and savor, this one is sure to
be delicious. Fans of the Hazelwood books are
likely to enjoy the style and tone of this book,
which has a similar fairy-tale like mood.
Also, fans of Erin A. Craig will enjoy the
characters and world building.

All in all, this book was refreshing and Fun
to read. I highly recommend it to anyone
looking for something out of the ordinary
to read.


Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

When Mariana’s niece, Zoe, tells her that one of
her classmates has been found murdered, dark
specters of Mariana’s own past begin to haunt
her. She is convinced that the enigmatic
classics professor Edward Fosca is responsible,
and she sets out to prove it or die trying.

My impressions:

I really expected to like this book, and for the
most part, I did. Unfortunately, the longer the
book went on, the more it seemed to unravel.

The twists didnt feel organic, and some of the
plot points felt more like the author trying to be
clever and less like natural consequences of
the characters interacting.

Still, despite all that, it was a thoroughly fun
read. The atmosphere was wonderfully spooky,
and I loved the almost gothic vibe of the
setting. If you like dark academia, you’ll
probably enjoy this book.

Happy Reading!