House of Splinters
Gripping, haunting, chilling, dripping with atmosphere and creepy vibes, Laura Purcell once again delivers with House of Splinters. As with her previous books, House of Splinters is beautifully written, well thought out, dark, and brooding. I loved the setting, the eerie vibe, the foreboding, and the sense of dread which jumped off the pages! If you loved the author’s book The Silent Companions, you will want to get your hands and eyes on this book!!!! Belinda Bainbridge and her husband, Wilfred, move to his family home when his father dies at The Bridge. Belinda will now be a lady of a manor. She is pleased to be moving away from her mother and into her own home. Unfortunately, the estate is struggling financially. The villagers whisper about the estate and Freddy; their young son is saying strange things and seems obsessed with the silent companions (wooden figures) once owned by her husband’s family. Belinda feels unsettled in the home and when their daughter is born and Wilfred’s younger brother, Nathan, makes an appearance, things begin to look and feel more dire and more tense. Laura Purcell knows how to write a Gothic, eerie, and dark book which is equal parts chilling and thrilling. I could feel Belinda’s unease dripping from the pages. This book is also full of family secrets, dread, danger, and unease. She also did an amazing job with the vivid descriptions while creating the setting which oozed tension and danger. I could feel the something-isn’t-quite-right vibe from the very beginning of the book. There were times I wanted to yell at the characters to look out, to get out, to be safe, to make better choices, and to listen to their intuition. I felt as if I were a silent observer (not to be confused with a silent companion) in the home with all the characters. This book definitely got my pulse pounding and my finger turning the pages. Dark, unsettling, creepy, beautifully written, perfectly paced, and hard to put down. The Silent Companions delivers the chills, thrills, while haunting readers! If you have not read a book by Laura Purcell before, you are missing out!!!!! Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them
Informative, eye-opening, educational, interesting, and, at times, humorous, 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them was a captivating book. Ashely Alker, M.D., is an emergency room doctor who has seen it all, experienced it all, and written about it in this book. I enjoyed the chapters and the examples she has provided from her own real-life experience as a doctor. This book was quite engaging and intriguing. I thought a medical book such as this might be dry (boring) but 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them was not! I smiled a few times while reading, chuckled at others while often making a note to self – don’t ride a camel (oops! already done), get rid of old medications, don’t swim in certain places, avoid ticks (who really wants to encounter one?), beware of parasites, bacteria, infections, mother nature, and a boat load of other things! I enjoyed how she wrote most things in lay man’s terms, and this book was an easy read for a non-medical reader. Overall, this was an intriguing book which educated and entertained. The author does not make light of death but uses her humor in describing some situations and experiences which are written about in this book. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Invite
Old friends, a lake house, an invitation, and murder are the names of the game in The Invite! I found this book to be gripping, mysterious, fast paced, and entertaining. College friends receive an invitation to a secluded lake house to reunite with Lexie, a friend they have not seen in person in three years! Intrigued they all accept the invitation, each has their own reasons for doing so, and each has his/her own secrets! When a body is found floating in the lake the morning after they arrive, old tensions, resentments, and secrets begin to bubble to the surface! It appears as if one of their own could be a cold-blooded killer, but who????? I enjoy a good mystery mixed with old friends reuniting and The Invite fit that bill perfectly. I enjoyed the tension, the suspense, the pointing of fingers, and the assumptions of blame that popped up along the way. I also enjoyed the interactions the group had with the local investigators. There was a nice underlying of dread that simmered throughout the book as the book progressed toward the end. I enjoyed doing my own super sleuthing, trying to pin down whodunit. My list of suspects changed throughout the book as more secrets, twists, and turns came into play. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Good Animal
Raw, heartbreaking, beautiful, and powerful. A Good Animal is a beautifully written book that is part coming of age, part romance, and part historical fiction. Sara Maurer brilliantly captures what it is like to grow up in a rural community, what it is like to be a farmer, to raise and breed livestock, to be a teen wanting more, to be a teen being happy with how life is, and about the hard choices one must make in life. Everett Lindt grew up on his family’s sheep farm. It is all he knows and all he wants. He loves the land, the animals, and the way of life. It’s not an easy life, but it is the life he wants. Mary is the new girl at school. She has moved a lot in her young life due to her father being in the Coast Guard. Mary is restless and wants more out of life. When they fall for each other, they will be faced with first love, with adult feelings and desires, with tough choices, and with teen dreams. This book is beautifully written, moving, heart wrenching, and raw. This is a book that meanders along yet never felt slow to me. I was engrossed and captivated by the plot, the characters, and the rural setting. I grew up in a small town and could relate to both of the characters. The pull of the land and the pull for something more was captured so eloquently in this wonderful gem of a book. I had both the book and the audiobook which made for a delightful reading experience. I found the audiobook to be very well done. Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Dark Is When the Devil Comes
Dark, horrific, eerie, creepy, gripping, and brimming with unease, Dark Is When the Devil Comes was unsettling and hard to put down! Nothing good ever happens when you go walking deep in the woods at night! Nothing good ever happens when a stranger makes an offer to you…… Hazel has returned to her hometown on the heels of her divorce. She has agreed to house, and cat sit for her parents who are on vacation. Hazel then decides to reach out to her estranged sister, Cathy. New beginnings and all that. When Hazel fails to show, Cathy becomes worried and begins looking for Hazel. Hazel finds herself in a scary situation after accepting an offer made to her by a stranger and quickly learns that she is not alone… This book was overflowing with atmosphere, unease, danger, secrets, and tension. I never quite knew what was going on or what was real and what wasn’t. This added to my enjoyment of the book. I wondered if this was the author’s brilliant way of having readers feel what both Hazel and Cathy were feeling. Something isn’t quite right; in fact, something is very wrong! I loved the dark, eerie, and creepy vibe of this book. Daisy Pearce dazzled me with Something in the Walls and blew my socks off with this book, Dark Is When the Devil Comes!!! I can’t wait to read what she writes next! Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Alpine Retreat
A retreat spa in the Swiss Alps sounds like heaven, doesn’t it? A chance to relax, unwind, recharge, be pampered, and detox! But this little slice of heaven comes with a price. It’s a steep one. The resort caters to the wealthy, celebrities, and social media influencers. They must turn over their smartphones and anything else deemed unhealthy. What they get in return is an AVALANCHE! This little slice of heaven just became a nightmare!!!!!!!! Chilling, mysterious, and dangerous. Those who survive the avalanche will need to rely on the resources at the retreat, each other, and themselves. The avalanche isn’t the only danger. There are wolves in the woods surrounding The Alpine Retreat, and mother nature has already unleased her worst upon the retreat guest, but mother nature and the wolves are the least of the survivors’ worries. One amongst them is even more dangerous!!!!! This book has that trapped feeling that I like in books. Plus, it is set in a cold unforgiving setting which I also enjoy in books. As the guests do their best to survive, the tension and mounting danger begins to build. So why three stars? While I enjoyed the setting, the atmosphere, and the chilling vibe of this book, I found the book to be slow in parts and I struggle with slowness in books. I also didn’t feel a connection to the characters. With an avalanche and mounting danger, one would expect more tension and suspense. I didn’t quite feel it. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
House of Splinters
Gripping, haunting, chilling, dripping with atmosphere and creepy vibes, Laura Purcell once again delivers with House of Splinters. As with her previous books, House of Splinters is beautifully written, well thought out, dark, and brooding. I loved the setting, the eerie vibe, the foreboding, and the sense of dread which jumped off the pages! If you loved the author’s book The Silent Companions, you will want to get your hands and eyes on this book!!!! Belinda Bainbridge and her husband, Wilfred, move to his family home when his father dies at The Bridge. Belinda will now be a lady of a manor. She is pleased to be moving away from her mother and into her own home. Unfortunately, the estate is struggling financially. The villagers whisper about the estate and Freddy; their young son is saying strange things and seems obsessed with the silent companions (wooden figures) once owned by her husband’s family. Belinda feels unsettled in the home and when their daughter is born and Wilfred’s younger brother, Nathan, makes an appearance, things begin to look and feel more dire and more tense. Laura Purcell knows how to write a Gothic, eerie, and dark book which is equal parts chilling and thrilling. I could feel Belinda’s unease dripping from the pages. This book is also full of family secrets, dread, danger, and unease. She also did an amazing job with the vivid descriptions while creating the setting which oozed tension and danger. I could feel the something-isn’t-quite-right vibe from the very beginning of the book. There were times I wanted to yell at the characters to look out, to get out, to be safe, to make better choices, and to listen to their intuition. I felt as if I were a silent observer (not to be confused with a silent companion) in the home with all the characters. This book definitely got my pulse pounding and my finger turning the pages. Dark, unsettling, creepy, beautifully written, perfectly paced, and hard to put down. The Silent Companions delivers the chills, thrills, while haunting readers! If you have not read a book by Laura Purcell before, you are missing out!!!!! Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them
Informative, eye-opening, educational, interesting, and, at times, humorous, 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them was a captivating book. Ashely Alker, M.D., is an emergency room doctor who has seen it all, experienced it all, and written about it in this book. I enjoyed the chapters and the examples she has provided from her own real-life experience as a doctor. This book was quite engaging and intriguing. I thought a medical book such as this might be dry (boring) but 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them was not! I smiled a few times while reading, chuckled at others while often making a note to self – don’t ride a camel (oops! already done), get rid of old medications, don’t swim in certain places, avoid ticks (who really wants to encounter one?), beware of parasites, bacteria, infections, mother nature, and a boat load of other things! I enjoyed how she wrote most things in lay man’s terms, and this book was an easy read for a non-medical reader. Overall, this was an intriguing book which educated and entertained. The author does not make light of death but uses her humor in describing some situations and experiences which are written about in this book. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Invite
Old friends, a lake house, an invitation, and murder are the names of the game in The Invite! I found this book to be gripping, mysterious, fast paced, and entertaining. College friends receive an invitation to a secluded lake house to reunite with Lexie, a friend they have not seen in person in three years! Intrigued they all accept the invitation, each has their own reasons for doing so, and each has his/her own secrets! When a body is found floating in the lake the morning after they arrive, old tensions, resentments, and secrets begin to bubble to the surface! It appears as if one of their own could be a cold-blooded killer, but who????? I enjoy a good mystery mixed with old friends reuniting and The Invite fit that bill perfectly. I enjoyed the tension, the suspense, the pointing of fingers, and the assumptions of blame that popped up along the way. I also enjoyed the interactions the group had with the local investigators. There was a nice underlying of dread that simmered throughout the book as the book progressed toward the end. I enjoyed doing my own super sleuthing, trying to pin down whodunit. My list of suspects changed throughout the book as more secrets, twists, and turns came into play. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Good Animal
Raw, heartbreaking, beautiful, and powerful. A Good Animal is a beautifully written book that is part coming of age, part romance, and part historical fiction. Sara Maurer brilliantly captures what it is like to grow up in a rural community, what it is like to be a farmer, to raise and breed livestock, to be a teen wanting more, to be a teen being happy with how life is, and about the hard choices one must make in life. Everett Lindt grew up on his family’s sheep farm. It is all he knows and all he wants. He loves the land, the animals, and the way of life. It’s not an easy life, but it is the life he wants. Mary is the new girl at school. She has moved a lot in her young life due to her father being in the Coast Guard. Mary is restless and wants more out of life. When they fall for each other, they will be faced with first love, with adult feelings and desires, with tough choices, and with teen dreams. This book is beautifully written, moving, heart wrenching, and raw. This is a book that meanders along yet never felt slow to me. I was engrossed and captivated by the plot, the characters, and the rural setting. I grew up in a small town and could relate to both of the characters. The pull of the land and the pull for something more was captured so eloquently in this wonderful gem of a book. I had both the book and the audiobook which made for a delightful reading experience. I found the audiobook to be very well done. Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Dark Is When the Devil Comes
Dark, horrific, eerie, creepy, gripping, and brimming with unease, Dark Is When the Devil Comes was unsettling and hard to put down! Nothing good ever happens when you go walking deep in the woods at night! Nothing good ever happens when a stranger makes an offer to you…… Hazel has returned to her hometown on the heels of her divorce. She has agreed to house, and cat sit for her parents who are on vacation. Hazel then decides to reach out to her estranged sister, Cathy. New beginnings and all that. When Hazel fails to show, Cathy becomes worried and begins looking for Hazel. Hazel finds herself in a scary situation after accepting an offer made to her by a stranger and quickly learns that she is not alone… This book was overflowing with atmosphere, unease, danger, secrets, and tension. I never quite knew what was going on or what was real and what wasn’t. This added to my enjoyment of the book. I wondered if this was the author’s brilliant way of having readers feel what both Hazel and Cathy were feeling. Something isn’t quite right; in fact, something is very wrong! I loved the dark, eerie, and creepy vibe of this book. Daisy Pearce dazzled me with Something in the Walls and blew my socks off with this book, Dark Is When the Devil Comes!!! I can’t wait to read what she writes next! Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Alpine Retreat
A retreat spa in the Swiss Alps sounds like heaven, doesn’t it? A chance to relax, unwind, recharge, be pampered, and detox! But this little slice of heaven comes with a price. It’s a steep one. The resort caters to the wealthy, celebrities, and social media influencers. They must turn over their smartphones and anything else deemed unhealthy. What they get in return is an AVALANCHE! This little slice of heaven just became a nightmare!!!!!!!! Chilling, mysterious, and dangerous. Those who survive the avalanche will need to rely on the resources at the retreat, each other, and themselves. The avalanche isn’t the only danger. There are wolves in the woods surrounding The Alpine Retreat, and mother nature has already unleased her worst upon the retreat guest, but mother nature and the wolves are the least of the survivors’ worries. One amongst them is even more dangerous!!!!! This book has that trapped feeling that I like in books. Plus, it is set in a cold unforgiving setting which I also enjoy in books. As the guests do their best to survive, the tension and mounting danger begins to build. So why three stars? While I enjoyed the setting, the atmosphere, and the chilling vibe of this book, I found the book to be slow in parts and I struggle with slowness in books. I also didn’t feel a connection to the characters. With an avalanche and mounting danger, one would expect more tension and suspense. I didn’t quite feel it. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
