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!
Tag: mystery
Review: The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
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!
Review: The Hunting Wives by May Cobb
The Hook:
After moving to a small town in Texas, Sophie
becomes increasingly obsessed with her
neighbor, Margo. Margo invites her to take part
in her exclusive club, the Hunting Wives, and
Sophie finds herself drawn further and further into
the twisted secrets of the other women. When
someone turns up dead, Sophie fears one of
the Hunting wives might’ve had something to do with
it.
My impressions:
Everything’s bigger in Texas-and apparently
that includes the secrets. Despite all the crime
and deception, this book was a refreshingly fun
romp without too much disturbing content.
The underlying current of tension that pervades
the interactions between Margo and Sophie
felt palpable, really lending the book some
extra suspense.
Fans of Finlay Donovan is killing it are likely
to enjoy this darkly funny thriller. The
atmosphere is spot on, the heat and humidity
of Texas practically seeping through the
pages. If you’re looking For a fun read with
a side of murder, this just might be the book
for you.
Happy Reading!
Review: House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
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!
Review: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
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!
Review: The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
The Hook:
Stevie Bell, notorious for solving the
Ellingham cases, takes on her first case
outside of the school. This time, it’s the long-
unsolved case of the slaying in the woods
at camp Wonder Falls.
My impression:
As a longtime fan of the Stevie Bell mysteries,
I knew right off that I would enjoy this
book. While I do think it suffered from
the absence of some of the atmosphere
of the previous books, I felt that it was
still a solid mystery.
Stevie’s investigation plays out in her usual quirky
Poirot – esque fashion, and despite the grisly
nature of the case, it felt like quite a romp.
If you’ve enjoyed the previous books in the
series, this one will feel like seeing old
friends again, and you’re bound to enjoy
going along for the ride as Stevie sets
her mind to solving another case.
Fans of YA mysteries like” A Good Girl’s Guide to
Murder” will likely enjoy this book as well
as the rest of the Stevie Bell mysteries.
Happy Reading!
Review: The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman
The hook:
Mia meets Emily at an audition, and
after doing a seemingly simple favor for her,
winds up as the only person who knows Emily
is missing. When another woman shows up, claiming to be
Emily, Mia suspects something dark is going on, and
sets out to find out what happened to Emily.
My impressions:
This book kept me guessing the whole way
through. While the pacing felt slow at first, it
picked up speed and momentum as it went along.
Mia read quite believably as an average
person in over her head, which is a character
archetype that doesn’t always come off this well.
The further readers get into the tangled mess
of Emily’s disappearance, the harder it will be
to put this book down. While it isn’t a fast
read in my opinion, it makes for a fun reading
experience if you’re the sort of reader who likes
to speculate and form theories about what will
happen next.
I would recommend this to fans of Tana
French and anyone looking for a complex
mystery that gives you plenty to chew on.
Happy Reading!
Review: All These Beautiful Strangersby Elizabeth Klehfoth
The Hook:
Seventeen year old Charlie is haunted by
her mother’s disappearance ten years ago.
Determined to let go of the past, she focuses
instead on life at Knollwood, the exclusive
private school she now attends. She is soon entwined
in a dangerous game as part of the initiation
process for a secret society known on campus
as “The A’s.”
My Impressions:
This was a great quick read, perfect for curling
up on the couch with and reading over a
weekend. The characters felt well fleshed out, and
their motivations drove the story forward. Charlie
is a nice, active protagonist, who feels realistic
in her choices throughout the book.
If you liked Karen McManus’s books, this
will scratch that same itch. The secret society
plot was less predictable than most, and I
felt genuinely surprised by some of the plot
twists. With plenty of suspense to go around,
it makes for a fun quick paced read on a
slow day.
I recommend this book for fans of Karen
McManus and Kara Thomas who are looking
for a slightly more hard-boiled vibe.
Happy Reading!
Review: Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh
The Hook:
Aarav’s mother disappeared ten years
ago and was never found. Now, as memories
resurface from the night she vanished, Aarav
is determined to uncover the truth of what happened
that night.
My Impressions:
With memorable characters and stylish narration,
this book makes for an excellent weekend read.
Each revelation spurred me on until I finished
reading the book in a single sitting.
Aarav makes an entertaining protagonist,
lending a certain sense of humor to the
dark themes of the book. The other characters
were memorable and distinct, and while there
was plenty of suspense, the pervasive feeling
the book evoked was tragedy. Aarav’s
mother is rendered with such humanity, it’s
impossible as a reader not to feel the
acute loss of her.
I highly recommend this book to mystery
fans. It’s a quick read, and impossible to
put down before the end.
Happy Reading!
Review: The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
The Hook:
When Sadie Loman disappears,
her family becomes suspicious of her
best friend, Avery Greer, a girl from
“the wrong side of town.” A year
later, Avery works to uncover the
real truth behind what happened
to Sadie.
My Impressions:
This book kept me on my toes from start to
finish. There were twists along the way
that even made me gasp out loud.
Sadie felt like a tangible presence,
haunting me until I read on to find
out what became of her.
Megan Miranda’s narrative style works
wonderfully to create a sense of
tension and even claustrophobia as the
tight knit Maine town Avery grew up in
becomes more and more menacing as
her suspect list grows.
This book is an excellent read for mystery fans,
and serves as a perfect entry point to
Miranda’s works.
Happy Reading!
Kat Pollock 