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…
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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.…
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The Haunting of Ashburn House
The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist I went into The Haunting of Ashburn House hoping for a good, spooky time—ghosts, creaking floorboards, mysterious family secrets. You know, the classic cozy horror experience. Instead, I got 300+ pages of yelling at a protagonist who seems to have the decision-making skills of a soggy paper towel. The Details Let’s talk about Adrienne, our fearless (read: clueless) main character. She inherits a creepy old house in the middle of nowhere, and instead of asking any questions about its sketchy past, she just shrugs and moves in like it’s a quaint Airbnb. Because nothing…
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Ghosts
Ghosts by Edith Wharton My rating: 5 of 5 stars Edith Wharton’s Ghosts is an absolute gem that beautifully combines her literary brilliance with the timeless allure of ghost stories. Wharton’s collection of supernatural tales is not just haunting but also exquisitely crafted, balancing spine-tingling suspense with her signature wit and elegance. Wharton uses the ghostly theme to explore deeper emotions like regret, longing, and the unseen forces that shape people’s lives. Her ghost stories are not about cheap thrills; they are about the eerie undercurrents of human experience. The haunting is subtle, making it all the more unsettling. Each story in the collection is distinct, but they all share…
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The Vanishing Hour
The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Vanishing Hour in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Seraphina Nova Glass’s The Vanishing Hour is a thrilling, atmospheric page-turner. It masterfully combines psychological suspense with emotionally gripping drama. From the moment you open the book, you are thrust into a tense, chilling narrative. It keeps you guessing until the very end. The Details Glass’s ability to craft complex, layered characters is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The protagonist, Grace, is immediately relatable. Her vulnerability…
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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…
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The Cloisters
The Cloisters by Katy Hays My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Cloisters in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Katy Hays’ debut novel, The Cloisters, is a captivating and atmospheric blend of historical mystery and academic intrigue. It keeps readers on edge from beginning to end. Set primarily within the mystical, ivy-draped walls of The Cloisters, a gothic museum in New York City renowned for its medieval art collection, this novel explores the dark undercurrents of ambition, power, and obsession. The story follows Ann Stilwell, a young academic who…
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The Things They’ve Taken
The Things They’ve Taken by Katie McElhenney My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Things They’ve Taken in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Things They’ve Taken by Katie McElhenney offers a unique blend of fantasy, adventure, and young adult drama. It follows the journey of Lo, a girl whose mother has been taken by a supernatural force. To rescue her, Lo teams up with a mysterious and brooding guide named Shaw. They venture into a strange and dangerous world filled with magical creatures and perilous challenges. The Details…
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Don’t Believe It
Don’t Believe It by Cindy R. Wilson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Don’t Believe It in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea is a gripping and enthralling mystery that captivates readers from the first page to the last. Donlea masterfully crafts a suspenseful narrative filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end. The Details The story follows a true-crime documentary filmmaker who delves into a decade-old murder case. As she unravels the layers of the investigation, secrets…
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Women of the Dunes
Women of the Dunes by Sarah Maine My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Women of the Dunes in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Sarah Maine’s Women of the Dunes is a haunting and atmospheric novel that seamlessly weaves together the past and the present, exploring themes of family, legacy, and the enduring power of myth. The Details Set against the rugged backdrop of the Scottish coast, the story follows the intertwining lives of three women separated by centuries but connected by fate. In the present day, archaeologist Libby Snow…
