Tag: secrets

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: The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

Posted on by writingkat95

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!

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!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

Posted on by writingkat95

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!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman

Posted on by writingkat95

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!

Posted in Book Review

Review: All These Beautiful Strangersby Elizabeth Klehfoth

Posted on by writingkat95

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!