All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains #1), By Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, LGBTQ, Light Romance, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 9th, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: The blockbuster co-writing debut of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, All of Us Villains begins a dark tale of ambition and magick…

You Fell In Love With The Victors of The Hunger Games.
Now Prepare To Meet The Villains of The Blood Veil.

After the publication of a salacious tell-all book, the remote city of Ilvernath is thrust into worldwide spotlight. Tourists, protesters, and reporters flock to its spellshops and ruins to witness an ancient curse unfold: every generation, seven families name a champion among them to compete in a tournament to the death. The winner awards their family exclusive control over the city’s high magick supply, the most powerful resource in the world.

In the past, the villainous Lowes have won nearly every tournament, and their champion is prepared to continue his family’s reign. But this year, thanks to the influence of their newfound notoriety, each of the champions has a means to win. Or better yet–a chance to rewrite their story.

But this is a story that must be penned in blood. (Goodreads)

If you’re on Goodreads or follow a lot of book bloggers, you’ve probably heard a ton of buzz regarding All of Us Villains, the first book in a planned duology by well known YA authors Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman. After spending the weekend completely spellbound, I’m happy to say that it’s entirely worthy of all the hype.

While the book definitely gives off Hunger Games with magic vibes, it actually goes much further than that and is completely different from anything else I’ve read. I do want to say that as far as the competing champions go, none of them are truly villains. Flawed and tortured, perhaps, but evildoers, not really. While there are seven of these champions, the chapters alternate between just four of them, so naturally those are the ones I connected with the most. My personal favorite was Alastair Lowe whose family do deserve first prize in villainy. What they’ve done to him since childhood in order to “prepare” him is inhuman and had me both outraged and heartbroken. The one constant in his life has been his older brother Hendry, and their relationship was one of my favorite things about this book. The other main characters are very complex and intriguing, and I completely connected with them as well, even when they weren’t at their best. The world building and magic system is utterly fantastic and I’ve never come close to anything similar in the fantasy books that I’ve read. Everything in this story is flawlessly detailed and try as I might, I could not discern where one author left off and the other began.

For me, All of Us Villains is a picture perfect beginning to this duology and while the ending answered a few important questions, there are plenty more, and it perfectly sets the stage for the next book. One word of caution: there are a few graphically gory scenes particularly with some of the spells and curses being used. Therefore I recommend this for older teens.

Without bragging, after my many years of reading, I’ve gotten fairly good at predicting outcomes of stories, but this has left me at a loss as to what will come next for Alistair and the surviving champions. I have a feeling it will involve heartbreak, and I do know it’s going to be an interminable wait for the sequel.

Shattered Midnight (The Mirror #2), By Dhonielle Clayton ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

1920s, Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ, New Orleans, Racism, Romance, Segregation, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 5th, 2021

304 Pages

Synopsis: The Mirror: Shattered Midnight is the second novel in the innovative four-book fairy-tale series written by Julie C. Dao, Dhonielle Clayton, J.C. Cervantes, and L. L. McKinney, following one family over several generations, and the curse that plagues it.

Zora Broussard has arrived in New Orleans with not much more than a bag of clothes, a beautiful voice, and a pair of enchanted red shoes. Running from a tragic accident caused by her magic, Zora wants nothing more than to blend in, as well as to avoid her overbearing aunt and mean-spirited cousins. Music becomes Zora’s only means of escape, yet she wonders if she should give it all up to remove the powers that make her a target, especially as a Black woman in the South.

But when Zora gets the chance to perform in a prominent jazz club, she meets a sweet white pianist named Phillip with magic of his own, including a strange mirror that foretells their future together. Falling into a forbidden love, Zora and Phillip must keep their relationship a secret. And soon the two discover the complicated connection between their respective families, a connection that could lead to catastrophe for them both. In the era of segregation and speakeasies, Zora must change her destiny and fight for the one she loves . . . or risk losing everything. (Goodreads)

I loved the first book in The Mirror series: Broken Wish, by Julie C. Dao, so much that I have to admit I was a little nervous that Shattered Midnight wouldn’t be able to match it even though I’ve enjoyed Dhonielle Clayton’s previous books. After racing through this in under three hours I’m thrilled to say that my fears were entirely unfounded.

Here’s a quick recap: The Mirror series is to be compromised of four books by some of today’s most popular YA authors that follow a multigenerational family who possess a magical heirloom, but are also dogged by a devastating curse. Broken Wish beautifully kicked things off in 1865 Hanau, Germany. Shattered Midnight skips to 1928 New Orleans and while the previous tale was more fairytale in nature, this is more of a historical fantasy with a slight nod to Cinderella, and a dash of Romeo and Juliet.

I found everything in this book perfectly crafted, from the sultry setting of New Orleans in the Jazz Age, with its colorful speakeasies and darker side of racism, segregation, and mob-run bootlegging operations, to how magic has continued to be passed down through Zora’s family. And the characters are so well developed I half expected them to pop out from my tablet fully formed. I absolutely adored Zora and felt her pain and confusion over the power of her magic. Likewise, her feelings of fear and resentment regarding the racism that was such a prevalent part of society. Phillip is a wonderful partner for her in both music and romance and I found myself hoping against hope that their relationship would somehow defy expectations and prevail. The entire story is filled with suspense not only regarding the curse, but also the ever present danger looming over Zora and Phillip should their romance be discovered. When the ending came, well, let me just say that unsurprisingly it’s not your typical happy ending, but it does leave you with hope.

The Mirror series is shaping up to be one of my favorites in my many, many years of reading YA fiction. Shattered Midnight is a picture perfect example of exquisite storytelling that I guarantee will pull you in and not let go until you’ve reached the very end. Even if you don’t usually read YA, I HIGHLY recommend these books if you love fairytales and fantasy with exciting storylines and characters who tug at your heartstrings. The next book, Fractured Path, by J.C. Cervantes, is to be set in 1965 San Francisco. Unfortunately it’s not coming out until July 2022. It’s going to be extremely difficult to wait that long!

The Witch Haven, By Sasha Peyton Smith ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Attempted Sexual Assault, Diversity, Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ, Mystery, New York City, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 31st, 2021

448 Pages

The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.

In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.

Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.

Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined? (Goodreads)

The Witch Haven is the first book in a planned duology, and what a grand debut it is. If you’re thinking this is another tale relying on the same old ubiquitous magical boarding school trope, let me disabuse you that notion quickly. While Haxahaven is a school of sorts for female and non-binary witches of all ages, including adults, it’s less about teaching girls and women to embrace their power, and more about hiding and controlling it to fit in with the misogynistic New York of 1911. 

Frances is a headstrong seventeen-year-old who suddenly comes into her power when the owner of the shop she works in attempts to sexually assault her. After killing him by accident she thinks she’s landed in a sanctuary when she’s brought to Haxahaven, but while she and her new friends and classmates are being bored to their wits ends with lessons teaching them how to use magic for ordinary household chores, the school and its headmistress are hiding dark and dangerous secrets. In addition, Frances is desperate to discover who murdered her brother William and why, and although she’s a highly intelligent young woman, her emotions tend to get the better of her and she makes some rather foolish decisions that not only put her life in danger, but others as well. Despite this, I wound up liking and connecting with her, even when a few of her actions had me groaning. The other integral characters are interesting and each have unique qualities which add to the story. I especially liked Lena, who as a Native American child was forcibly separated from her family and put in a government-run school. Her plight is timely in light of the recent news stories regarding boarding schools for indigenous children in Canada, which has caused the U.S. to again re-examine its own shameful past. There is a love triangle but if you’re like me and can’t stand this particular plot device, rest assured that there’s not a lot of time spent on it.

The setting is very atmospheric and 1911 New York City is vividly brought to life in all its dark grittiness through Smith’s detailing of the rampant misogyny, abhorrent child labor, sweatshops and suffragette movement. Even the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is brought up. 

There are several twists, and while I correctly guessed a couple, the answer to the central mystery: who killed William and what was their motive, eluded me until shortly before the reveal. The ending is quite shocking and sets the stage perfectly for the next book.

The Witch Haven truly is a fascinating read, and if you choose to try it I believe you’ll find it a challenge to put down once you’ve begun reading. If you enjoy historical fantasies with flawed yet strong female characters, and like authors such as Libba Bray, I enthusiastically encourage you to pick this up.

Mine, By Delilah S. Dawson ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Juvenile Fiction, Mystery, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 7th, 2021

256 Pages

Synopsis: A twisty, terrifying ghost story about twelve-year-old Lily, her creepy new home in Florida, and the territorial ghost of the young girl who lived there before her.

Lily’s new house is a real nightmare. . . .

Lily Horne is a drama queen. It’s helped her rise to stardom in the school play, but it’s also landed her in trouble. Her parents warn her that Florida has to be different. It’s a fresh start. No theatrics. But this time, the drama is coming for her.

The Hornes’ new house is awful. The pool is full of slime, the dock is rotten, and the swamp creeps closer every day. But worst of all, the house isn’t empty . . . it’s packed full of trash, memories, and, Lily begins to fear, the ghost of the girl who lived there before her.

And whatever is waiting in the shadows wants to come out to play. (Goodreads)

Mine is a spooky middle grade reader that sent shivers up my spine, so I have no doubt it will do the same with its targeted audience.

The lovely Lily is a drama queen after my own heart. Unlike her parents, I absolutely loved her theatrics and found her thoroughly engaging and likable. For most of the book I couldn’t understand her parents’ attitude toward her, particularly her father’s. It’s hinted that she’s done something terrible that results in him losing his job, but what happened isn’t revealed until the end of the book, and even then I still was left with a few questions. Thankfully their relationship is on the mend by the end of the book.

I loved the central ghost story and the creepy setting which was wonderfully detailed. The way in which Lily winds up bringing the haunting to a satisfying conclusion made me love her even more as she displayed courage and compassion.

Overall, Mine is an entertaining page-turner with just enough scares that will appeal to a wide audience of upper elementary and middle grade readers who are looking for a quick read that will make them think twice before turning out the lights!

 

Cackle, By Rachel Harrison ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Alcoholism, Humor, Magical Realism, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 5th, 2021

304 Pages

Synopsis: A darkly funny, frightening novel about a young woman learning how to take what she wants from a witch who may be too good to be true, from the author of The Return.

All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.

Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, magnetic Sophie, who takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That’s how Sophie lives. Annie can’t help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, despite the fact that the rest of the townsfolk seem…a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie’s appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power…but she couldn’t be…could she? (Goodreads)

I enjoyed Rachel Harrison’s The Return, so Cackle has been one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and I’m pleased to say that it surpassed my expectations.

Annie spends a good portion of the book dealing with the breakup of her long term relationship with Sam. Some readers may be put off by her wallowing in misery and insecurities, but having gone through something similar, I completely understood the process she went through. Balancing her tendency to rely on alcohol to numb her pain, is her sharp sense of humor which had me laughing out loud more than once. Slowly, over the course of the story, she comes to realize who she wants to be, and I loved watching her journey of self-discovery. Sophie, while seemingly confident and self-possessed, has her own insecurities underneath which come out near the end of the book, but for the most part she turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to Annie.

The story itself is scarce on scares, but full of charm, whimsy, and black comedy. And, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think Ralph the adorable spider has cured my arachnophobia! Seriously though, Cackle is deliciously wicked and fun, and I easily gobbled it up in one sitting. While the ending wraps everything up, in my humble opinion there’s also plenty of material for another book and I’m hoping Rachel Harrison will revisit the small town of Rowan, its inhabitants, and Annie and Sophie. This is coming out the beginning of October which is wonderful because it’s an ideal read for the Halloween season!

Holdout, By Jeffrey Kluger ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Climate, Deforestation, Ethnic Cleansing, Politics, Science Fiction, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 3rd, 2021

352 Pages

Synopsis: When evil forces are going unchecked on Earth, a principled astronaut makes a spilt-second decision to try to seek justice in the only place she knows how—the International Space Station.

Walli Beckwith is a model astronaut. She graduated at the top of her class from the Naval Academy, had a successful career flying fighter jets, and has spent more than three hundred days in space. So when she refuses to leave her post aboard the International Space Station following an accident that forces her fellow astronauts to evacuate, her American and Russian colleagues are mystified. For Walli, the matter at hand feels all too clear and terrifying for her to be worried about ruining her career. She is stuck in a race against time to save a part of the world that seems to have been forgotten, and also the life of the person she loves the most. She will go to any length necessary, using the only tool she has, to accomplish what she knows is right. (Goodreads)

Holdout is the first book I’ve read by author/journalist Jeffrey Kluger, and while it’s well meaning (though not very plausible for more than one reason), it’s also obvious he’s written extensively about space. Without going too much into spoilers, I thought this was going to be set mostly in space, but the story mainly seesaws between the International Space Station which Walli has taken over, Brazil and the deforestation of the Amazon, and Washington D.C. Personally speaking I could have done without the political theater which I thought was somewhat overwrought. The way the politicians here are portrayed, veer from the stereotypical greedy, corrupt, and power hungry, to last minute embraces of consciences that just wasn’t believable. The more entertaining passages of the book are when the focus is on Walli and her niece Sonia who’s part of a medical relief agency working with indigenous tribes in the Amazon. Lots of drama here as well, but highly entertaining with more than one twist. The ending was a little too pat for me, but as I liked the characters, overall I was happy with the way things resolved for them. Holdout is a bit bumpy and rough at time, but for the most part it kept my attention and I found it an easy read.

 

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow, By Christina Henry ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Assault, Attempted Rape, Child Murders, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ, Mystery, Suspense, YA/Adult Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 28th, 2021

320 Pages

Synopsis: In this atmospheric, terrifying novel that draws strongly from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the author of Alice and The Girl in Red works her trademark magic, spinning an engaging and frightening new story from a classic tale.

Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt’s grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it was said the Horseman chased the upstart Crane out of town. Brom says that’s just legend, the village gossips talking.

Twenty years after those storied events, the village is a quiet place. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play Sleepy Hollow boys, reenacting the events Brom once lived through. But then Ben and a friend stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, and the sinister discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods. (Goodreads)

Before I even begin my review of Horseman, we need to address the cover. How gorgeous is that? Aren’t your fingers just reaching for it under their own volition? Well, I’m happy to say that the actual story just about lives up to that perfect cover.

I took me a few chapters to warm up to fourteen-year-old Ben, who is born female, but knows in his heart he’s a boy, and insists on dressing and acting like one. This puts him in direct conflict with his prim and proper grandmother, Katrina who has raised Ben along with Brom Bones after the death of his parents when he was young. I kept trying to remind myself of his age and the fact of his fighting against the societal norms of the time period, but at first his combativeness got on my nerves. As the story progresses I warmed up to him and I love the close relationship he shares with Brom. The relationship between Ben and Katrina eventually develops into one of open communication and mutual understanding, which is a welcome change to the hurtful arguing they both engaged in at the beginning. In addition to Ben, I think all the characters here are ingeniously written, especially the ones that readers of the original tale of Sleepy Hollow are familiar with. Katrina and Brom are particularly well written and while flawed, they’re also likable and relatable.

The story itself is quite dark and at times graphically bloody, but it’s an imaginative continuation of the original story that pays homage to Washington Irving’s classic, yet takes its own unique and unexpected path, especially in regards to the Headless Horseman mythology and the mystery of what happened to schoolmaster Ichabod Crane. I absolutely loved the ending and thought it the perfect way to wrap everything up.

Mixed in with the mythology are some real life issues including three child murders, Ben’s aforementioned transgenderism, a violent physical attack on him, and an attempted rape. Because of these scenes and a few other gory ones, I would recommend this for ages 16 and up. I’ve read a couple of Christina Henry’s previous books which I’ve enjoyed, but I believe Horseman is her best yet. As it’s coming out on September 28th, this really is the perfect horror tale for the Halloween season.

The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess, By Andy Marino ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, Substance Abuse, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Redhook for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 28th, 2021

304 Pages

Synopsis: From a thrilling new voice in horror, Andy Marino, comes a haunting tale of a woman whose life begins to unravel after a home invasion. She’s told she killed the intruder. But she can’t remember, and no one believes her…

Sydney’s spent years burying her past and building a better life for herself and her eleven-year old son. A respectable marketing job, a house with reclaimed and sustainable furniture, and a boyfriend who loves her son and accepts her, flaws and all. But when she opens her front door, and a masked intruder knocks her briefly unconscious, everything begins to unravel. 

She wakes in the hospital and tells a harrowing story of escape. Of dashing out a broken window. Of running into her neighbors’ yard and calling the police. What the cops tell her is that she can no longer trust her memories. Because they say that not only is the intruder lying dead in her guest room, but he’s been murdered in a way that seems intimately personal. 

When she returns home, Sydney can’t shake the deep darkness that hides in every corner. There’s an unnatural whisper in her ear, urging her back to old addictions. And as her memories slowly return, she begins to fear that her new life was never built on solid ground-and that the secrets buried beneath will change everything. (Goodreads)

The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess is a very different type of horror story which has left me torn over how I feel about it. I liked Sydney because she’s the poster child of an unreliable character and she kept me guessing through most of the book. A former drug addict, she’s turned her life around and seemingly has a wonderful life now with her loving, supportive boyfriend and her sweet eleven-year-old son Danny. But then she walks in on a home intruder and her life quickly begins to spiral out of control, and as this happened I increasingly felt as though I had fallen down a rabbit hole. There are several nonlinear time jumps that I found jarring and confusing, and I wound up more than once, having to go back a page and reread the section I just finished. The storyline also took a strange turn to science fiction which I personally didn’t care for, and I hated the ending although some readers may like the unexpectedness of it. The reason why this is getting 3.0 stars from me is because I really did like Sydney and her determination to forge a better life for herself and Danny, and I appreciated the uniqueness of story, but these weren’t enough to completely save the book for me. Overall, The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess had some bright spots, but didn’t quite live up to its potential. 

A Terrible Fall of Angels (Zaniel Havelock #1), By Laurell K. Hamilton ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Religion, Romance, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, Urban Fantasy

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest honest review.

Release Date: August 17th, 2021

560 Pages

Synopsis: Angels walk among us, but so do other unearthly beings in this brand new series by #1 New York Times Bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton.

Meet Detective Zaniel Havelock, a man with the special ability to communicate directly with angels. A former trained Angel speaker, he devoted his life to serving both the celestial beings and his fellow humans with his gift, but a terrible betrayal compelled him to leave that life behind. Now he’s a cop who is still working on the side of angels. But where there are angels, there are also demons. There’s no question that there’s evil at work when he’s called in to examine the murder scene of a college student—but is it just the evil that one human being can do to another, or is it something more? When demonic possession is a possibility, even angelic protection can only go so far. The race is on to stop a killer before he finds his next victim, as Zaniel is forced to confront his own very personal demons, and the past he never truly left behind.

The first in a new series from the author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series. (Goodreads)

Way back in 1993 a friend recommended the first Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter book, Guilty Pleasures, and I was immediately hooked. That is until several books later when the series grew more and more into soft porn featuring way too many orgies, which turned me off completely. I haven’t been tempted to pick up a Laurell K. Hamilton book for years, but then I began hearing some rumors about this new series she was working on about angels, and even better, early reviews were overwhelmingly positive. So, I took a deep breath, contacted the publisher and requested an eARC, and I’m thrilled to say after reading A Terrible Fall of Angels that LKH is BACK!

My main critique concerns the massive amount of information and world building relayed here, especially in the first half of the book. Added into this heady mix is the introduction to a large cast of characters. Needless to say it slows things down a little as you acclimate yourself to a world with deities, angels, demons, and other magical and supernatural creatures. But it’s worth reading through everything, because in my opinion, this storyline and its disparate cast of characters are better than even the early Anita Blake books. Zaniel is a fabulous hero, who as a creation of Hamilton is of course a kick-ass gorgeous tough guy, but he’s got a sweet vulnerable side as well. While he’s dealing with angels and demons, etc… he’s also trying to save his marriage and reunite with his estranged wife Reggie and three-year-old son. Although some of Zaniel’s background is revealed, including a little of his childhood in the cultish College of Angels and what caused him to leave it, I’m looking forward to learning even more in subsequent novels. The same is true of all the characters. There are so many of them and while we get a brief introduction to each and their backgrounds (Zaniel’s lieutenant is a voodoo priest, another character is a wiccan priestess and so on), I’m craving more.

The main focus of this first book though is setting up this fantastical world and balancing that with an intriguing, exciting, and at times, somewhat gruesome mystery involving a demon serial killer. Despite some of the less action-filled parts of the book, I was completely enthralled and found myself increasingly reluctant to pull myself away when real life intruded. Despite it being well over 500 pages, I easily finished this in two days and was a tad disappointed when I came to the end. I am excitedly looking forward to the second book.

For readers who, like me, gave up on Hamilton due to the overwhelming sexcapades that eclipsed everything else in her books, I urge you to give her another chance and pick up A Terrible Fall of Angels. For anyone new to her storytelling, this is a wonderful and imaginative introduction to a world filled with wondrous beings, where it’s not always discernible exactly which side is the right one. I will be shocked if this doesn’t make it to the top of the bestseller lists.

 

The Perfect Escape, By Leah Konen ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 4th, 2022

384 Pages

Synopsis: The perfect girls’ weekend turns deadly in this twisty unforgettable thriller that is perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and Riley Sager.

A girls’ weekend to die for.

New friends Sam, Margaret and Diana are thrilled to be getting out of the city for a girls’ weekend—they’ve bonded over their messy divorces, and every mile on the odometer feels like another step towards putting their exes in the past. But when car trouble halfway into their trip strands them in the most unlikely of mountain towns, they come face-to-face with the hurts and betrayals they were so desperate to leave behind.

When Diana doesn’t return home after a night out, Sam and Margaret’s search for her reveals just how little they know about their friend. As eerie coincidences and secrets begin to pile up, and an ex-boyfriend arrives in the tiny town, the women realize that their detour may not have been a mistake…and that someone wants to guarantee that they never make it out. (Goodreads)

The Perfect Escape was a little slow to begin, but it didn’t take long to gather steam. Let me get my main criticism out of the way first. I did not like any of the characters. I found them annoyingly immature, and the switching between first person narratives at times confused me because they sounded so much alike. Usually when I find myself unable to connect with any of the characters, the story loses me as well, but in this case, the it was so much fun with it’s claustrophobic setting and many twists and turns that much to my surprise I wound up really enjoying this. After the first few chapters the action began to pick up and the farther I got in the harder it was to put this down. The finale made it even more difficult to get this out of my head and I found myself mulling it over hours after I finished. Because of the characters, The Perfect Escape wasn’t absolutely perfect for me, but it turned out to be a thoroughly entertaining read, and I’m quite glad I requested it. I’ll definitely be checking out Leah Konen’s next book.