The Haunting by Natasha Preston My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist Let’s be honest: The Haunting by Natasha Preston is anything but haunting. The title promises chills and suspense. What we get instead? Teen angst, repetitive characters, and a plot that leads nowhere. If there was a ghost in here, I must’ve blinked and missed it. The Details Preston recycles the same protagonist in every book. Boring, naive, and completely forgettable. This one stumbles through the story with zero awareness, no real growth, and even less personality. It’s like watching a cardboard cutout try to solve a mystery. The pacing drags. The tension fizzles. Every time something interesting…
-
-
The Lake of Lost Girls
The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Gist The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene is a tense, emotional thriller that blends sisterhood, secrets, and suspense. Lindsey Fadley returns to Southern State University, where her younger sister Jessica disappeared during freshman year in 1998. Decades later, a new clue pulls Lindsey back, and she’s ready to uncover what really happened. The Details The story moves between two timelines: Lindsey’s present-day search and Jessica’s final days on campus. The suspense builds steadily. Greene nails the eerie tone—empty dorms, foggy walks, hushed conversations. Lindsey’s grief and guilt feel raw and real. Her need…
-
Together We Rot
Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Gist Together We Rot is a moody, intense YA horror novel. It digs deep into themes of grief, neglect, and abandonment. The story follows Wil, a lonely and furious teen. Her mother has vanished, and no one offers answers. The adults in her life remain distant and silent. Wil is left to face the darkness alone, fueled by questions and betrayal. The Details Arndt builds a strong atmosphere. The setting feels heavy and decayed—swampy, dark, and full of tension. The horror blends well with Wil’s emotional state. Her anger and distrust feel real. Arndt doesn’t soften Wil’s…
-
Gone Too Far
Gone too Far by Natalie D. Richards My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Gist Gone Too Far opens with an intriguing idea. Piper, a high school senior, finds out someone is using her photos to expose cruel classmates. She gets pulled into a dangerous game of vigilante justice. The setup feels fresh and full of potential. But the story never quite takes off. The Details Piper is meant to be relatable. She’s quiet, thoughtful, and trying to do the right thing. But she often comes across as naive and indecisive. Her thoughts loop in circles, and she hesitates too long before taking action. In a thriller, that hurts the…
-
One Was Lost
One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Gist One Was Lost starts strong. A group of teens heads into the woods for a school camping trip. Then a flash flood cuts them off from their teachers. When they wake up, they find disturbing words written on their arms—like Damaged and Deceptive. One adult is unconscious. No one knows who to trust. It’s the perfect setup for a tense psychological thriller. The Details But while the idea is great, the execution misses the mark. The tension fizzles as the story goes on. Much of the middle drags. The characters wander, argue, and worry—but not…
-
Nothing Ever Happens Here
Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Gist As a longtime reader of Seraphina Nova Glass, I’ve come to expect certain things from her thrillers—clever plots, strong pacing, and a knack for throwing in just enough twists to keep me hooked without going off the rails. Nothing Ever Happens Here fits that mold in many ways. It’s another gripping, well-plotted story that proves once again Glass knows how to construct suspense and deliver an engaging narrative. That said, this one left me with mixed feelings, mostly because of the characters. The Details Let me start with what worked: the premise and pacing.…
-
A Certain Kind of Starlight
A Certain Kind of Starlight by Heather Weber My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of A Certain Kind of Starlight in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Heather Webber’s A Certain Kind of Starlight is a heartwarming and enchanting tale. It beautifully blends magical realism, love, and family ties. Set in a small, picturesque town, the story captivates from the first page. The story drawing readers into a world where ordinary life is touched by just a hint of magic. The Details Webber excels at creating vivid, memorable characters, particularly the…
-
The Mystery Guest
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose My rating: 1 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Mystery Guest in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Nita Prose’s The Mystery Guest promised an intriguing return to the quirky, engaging world of The Maid, but unfortunately, this sequel falls flat in several key areas. It struggles to maintain the freshness, depth, and emotional resonance that readers might have expected after The Maid’s success. The Details The novel follows Molly, the lovable hotel maid from the first book, who now faces a new challenge: solving another…
-
Just Another Week in Suburbia
Just Another Week in Suburbia by Les Zig My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Just Another Week in Suburbia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Les Zig’s Just Another Week in Suburbia offers a peek into the seemingly mundane life of Casper Gray, a man whose world is upended by a shocking discovery. What starts as a routine week in suburban Melbourne quickly spirals into a whirlwind of paranoia, suspicion, and self-reflection as Casper grapples with the reality of his marriage and the choices he’s made. The Details The…
-
Cold Fire: Shakespeare’s Moon
Cold Fire: Shakespeare’s Moon by James Hartley My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Cold Fire: Shakespeare’s Moon in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist James Hartley weaves a captivating tale in Cold Fire: Shakespeare’s Moon. This novel, the second in the Shakespeare’s Moon series, masterfully intertwines the timeless themes of Shakespeare’s works with a modern-day setting. The Details The story revolves around a mysterious boarding school where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur. Hartley’s writing is both engaging and thought-provoking, drawing readers into a world where Shakespearean motifs…