Published by Mirror House Press Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller
Format: ARC, eBook
WOWZA!!!!! Faith Gardner has delivered another mesmerizing, gripping, and riveting book! I had a hard time putting down The Mirror House Girls as I was glued to the pages both wanting and dreading what would happen next. I loved the tension and the feeling of unease that this book evoked in me. This book touches on the need to belong, the need to be accepted, the need to dominate, power, and manipulation.
Winona rents a room at Mirror House hoping to make friends. What she finds is a ‘family’ of sorts and begins working with Simon Spellmeyer, the ‘group’s leader who insists on self-improvement through exposure exercises. She is uncomfortable yet intrigued and soon finds herself as part of a ‘found family’ and moves with them….
Holy Moly! This book was good. I loved how Gardner wove the story showing how the cult changed and grew. What felt so welcoming to Winona soon spiraled as Simon became more controlling, more demanding, and the group dynamics changed. I thought Gardner did an excellent job showing cult group dynamics, how a charismatic leader can manipulate and prey on others. I was on the edge of my seat with my fingers crossed for several of the characters. I hoped for the best for all of them (except for one) while dreading what could happen.
I also loved the of a documentary paired with music and how Gardner utilized them to enhance the story. Although I could have done without how the lyrics were shown on the page. I’m not a big fan of writing going down the center of the page and having to read that way. But the rest of the book was so exceptional that I was able to overlook that aspect.
Whew! This book was excellent and is now my favorite Faith Gardner book. I loved the nod to Jolvix in this book. Very clever! This book was wonderfully written, well thought out, atmospheric and thought provoking.
Highly Recommend!
Thank you to Mirror House 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.
