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shesflippinpages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, Addiction, Death of parent, Abandonment, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Drug use, and Violence
bringmybooks's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
✨Bring✨ | Borrow | Bypass
Thank you to NetGalley, Marysue Ricci Books, and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
Notes: I have genuinely REALLY enjoyed every single Megan Miranda book I've read (this is the 8th!) and I think she's only gotten better with each one. This one had a lot of red herrings, a lot of small twists and bigger twists, and was near impossible to put down!
Here's my "official" ranking of the ones I've read thus far:
1. The Perfect Stranger (2017)
2. The Only Survivors (2023)
3. Daughter of Mine (2024)
3. All the Missing Girls (2016)
4. The Last House Guest (2019)
5. The Last to Vanish (2022)
6. The Girl from Widow Hills (2020)
7. Such a Quiet Place (2021)
Overall Rating: ★★★★ / 4.13
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Car accident, Addiction, and Gun violence
Minor: Suicide
aileron's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence and Car accident
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Suicide
booklvrkat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Hazel’s family is cracked. When she arrives from out of town because her stepfather recently passed, she finds out that he has left the lake house to her solely. This was entirely surprising to her since she’s not Perry’s blood relation, and her mother left her when she was younger. Not surprisingly, her brothers are incensed with her windfall of the house, her best friend is married to one of them, and her high-school boyfriend is now back in town. Family secrets unfold on top of the mysterious story as each chapter unfolds, marked by ‘days without rain’, a car has been found in the lake, and Hazel leans into her suspicions on the owner of the car.
As each car was surfacing, as each secret expanded, my mind was constantly spinning with each hint given. The lake house was creepy enough, but I cheered when Hazel made the decision to upgrade the home security, much to the dismay of her brothers. A small-town mystery, secrets cloaked in shadows and citizens that might not actually believe her kept me keenly listening. Inés del Castillo, narrator, holds us in the palm of her hand until the very last reveal. Amazingly fast read, if you like suspenseful mysteries, this is a good one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident and Drug use
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Hazel comes back to Mirror Lake after her father's death. At the same time, cars are being found in bodies of water and they seem to be linked to her father.
While I found the mystery, for the most part, fairly predictable. The murderer was one of the obvious choices. Some of the other twists were interesting while others were predictable as well.
That said, the journey was enjoyable. I didn't find most of the characters that likable though. Which made it harder to enjoy.
Narrator Rating: 4.75 stars
The narrator did an excellent job, but just wasn't quite to 5 stars, but I can't put my finger on why.
While I found the mystery, for the most part, fairly predictable. The murderer was one of the obvious choices. Some of the other twists were interesting while others were predictable as well.
That said, the journey was enjoyable. I didn't find most of the characters that likable though. Which made it harder to enjoy.
Narrator Rating: 4.75 stars
The narrator did an excellent job, but just wasn't quite to 5 stars, but I can't put my finger on why.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Drug use, and Gun violence
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Murder, Death, and Drug abuse
booksbytheglass's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
this is megan miranda’s best yet!!! it has the perfect amount of twists, spine-chilling mysteries, and spooky wtf moments 🤯 I could not put this one down and ended up binging it in less than a day!
following hazel, a daughter returning to her hometown after her father’s passing, and her brothers, the plot was definitely a slow burn thriller with a TON of family drama - but the payoff was so worth it! every time I thought I had the mystery figured out, megan miranda threw me another curveball!!
what I love most about small town thrillers is the fact that no one can keep a secret!! everyone knows everyone’s business, and it’s only a matter of time before the reader is given enough clues to put it all together!!
hazel’s effed up family was definitely the center of the attention in this story, but it was truly the town itself that felt like a main character to me. between the murky depths of the lakes to the cul-de-sac-like roads that bind everyone together, I really felt the claustrophobic elements here!
and of course, while I swore I figured out all of the plot twists, I was fooled yet again 🤡 I loved every second of this one, even though most of the characters were assholes and idiots
this one’s out in april and you don’t want to miss it!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: williamette valley pinot noir
following hazel, a daughter returning to her hometown after her father’s passing, and her brothers, the plot was definitely a slow burn thriller with a TON of family drama - but the payoff was so worth it! every time I thought I had the mystery figured out, megan miranda threw me another curveball!!
what I love most about small town thrillers is the fact that no one can keep a secret!! everyone knows everyone’s business, and it’s only a matter of time before the reader is given enough clues to put it all together!!
hazel’s effed up family was definitely the center of the attention in this story, but it was truly the town itself that felt like a main character to me. between the murky depths of the lakes to the cul-de-sac-like roads that bind everyone together, I really felt the claustrophobic elements here!
and of course, while I swore I figured out all of the plot twists, I was fooled yet again 🤡 I loved every second of this one, even though most of the characters were assholes and idiots
this one’s out in april and you don’t want to miss it!
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: williamette valley pinot noir
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Car accident
Minor: Drug abuse and Alcoholism
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