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mkfaucher's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Death of parent, Car accident, Miscarriage, Rape, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
pamshenanigans's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A promising book that kinda fell short towards the end. I was pretty interested and engrossed in the story given that it was told in different timelines and from different POVs. From the beginning, I wanted to know more about what really happened and how it all connected in the end. But somehow, even the main character broke… “character”? And I hate when that happens just for the sake of furthering the plot or serving a plot twist.
One of the things I liked about this book, though, is the audiobook narration!
Trigger/Content Warnings: Violence, Murder, Abuse, Kidnapping
One of the things I liked about this book, though, is the audiobook narration!
Trigger/Content Warnings: Violence, Murder, Abuse, Kidnapping
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Violence, and Kidnapping
arnold_shelby's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This was a straightforward, quick read. I would have loved a lot more of the events from 2000, with the investigation, but after a certain point we didn't get any more of that which I thought was too bad.
I was sucked right into this one! But would have liked another layer of complexity.
I was sucked right into this one! But would have liked another layer of complexity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Child abuse
Minor: Kidnapping
aas's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Gore, Abandonment, Murder, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Rape
brielowrey's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Infertility, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Abortion, Child death, Death, Stalking, Torture, and Violence
karleevoelp's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
This book was faced paced, I loved the 3 storylines, and I believe they came together fairly well (until maybe the end, I think it could have remained in the present day POV). Kept me on my toes for sure!
As someone who truly has not read many thrillers at this point, I have not come across all the stereotypical tropes and predictable endings that I know come with most thrillers. That being said, unlike many of the reviews I've read, I did not really predict the ending as early on as it seems some people did. I actually really believed that Ethan was the culprit and that this was a very poorly written mystery (looking back now, silly), until that was obviously not a plausible case anymore. I think there was just the right amount of interjection of Randy throughout the past POV that I kind of forgot about him when I was predicting who I thought must have done it, but once it was revealed, had a bit of an aha moment. And honestly felt stupid after remembering Randy was literally in the barn on the same day Josie found Ethan's body lol.
NOW, where I have issues is the last 15-20% of the book. A) I think the presentation of the big who-dunnit mystery was a bit...lackluster...I excepted a little more. Don't ask me what that entails because I don't know but it felt not super emotional?? idk. B) I was almost laughing at how many times Wylie FAILED to make any sort of effectful impact on the man she was fighting against FOR HER LIFE. I think there had to be at least 6+ opportunities for her to hit him aside the head with the array of different tools she acquired along the way, and she failed every time lol. I saw a review say it was Michael Myers-esque where they simply just would..not...die. While the rest of the book felt fast paced and kept me entertained, toward the end I kept finding myself asking... how is this not over yet??
All in all, a good book and I would recommend reading!!
As someone who truly has not read many thrillers at this point, I have not come across all the stereotypical tropes and predictable endings that I know come with most thrillers. That being said, unlike many of the reviews I've read, I did not really predict the ending as early on as it seems some people did. I actually really believed that Ethan was the culprit and that this was a very poorly written mystery (looking back now, silly), until that was obviously not a plausible case anymore. I think there was just the right amount of interjection of Randy throughout the past POV that I kind of forgot about him when I was predicting who I thought must have done it, but once it was revealed, had a bit of an aha moment. And honestly felt stupid after remembering Randy was literally in the barn on the same day Josie found Ethan's body lol.
NOW, where I have issues is the last 15-20% of the book. A) I think the presentation of the big who-dunnit mystery was a bit...lackluster...I excepted a little more. Don't ask me what that entails because I don't know but it felt not super emotional?? idk. B) I was almost laughing at how many times Wylie FAILED to make any sort of effectful impact on the man she was fighting against FOR HER LIFE. I think there had to be at least 6+ opportunities for her to hit him aside the head with the array of different tools she acquired along the way, and she failed every time lol. I saw a review say it was Michael Myers-esque where they simply just would..not...die. While the rest of the book felt fast paced and kept me entertained, toward the end I kept finding myself asking... how is this not over yet??
All in all, a good book and I would recommend reading!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Blood, and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.25
Finished reading: February 1st 2024
“Homes were supposed to be safe havens, meant to protect. It was supposed to be a shelter from the elements, a fortress to keep out evil, and her home had betrayed Josie in the worst possible way.”
WARNING: another unpopular opinion review!
My first two experiences with this author were excellent, so I fully expected to have a great time reading The Overnight Guest as well. The premise has everything I love in a thriller: a bookish angle, a remote setting, a bout of bad weather to further isolate the main character... But in the end there was something about the execution of the plot that didn't hit the mark for me. Is it just a case of wrong expectations and not being in the mood for the story that was presented instead? Maybe. But the fact is that somehow this story just didn't work as well for me personally. This has a lot to do with the structure of the plot. The Overnight Guest is divided into three storylines, and only the present POV is the one as described in the blurb. Then there is a flashback POV to 2000 where we see the events surrounding the crime that took place in the house featured in the present POV... And last but not least, a POV that has serious Room vibes following a young girl and her mother locked up and being abused. Especially the third POV kind of came out of nowhere for me, and it wasn't a POV I particularly liked even though it was well written. Reading about active (child)abuse just wasn't what I had signed up for when I started this story...
The pace in general was also a lot slower than expected, but I think this has a lot to do with the constant POV switches. These switches were way too frequent in my opinion, and the story would have benefitted considerably from staying with one storyline more than a couple of pages. And while part of me can appreciate how everything was woven together in the end, it also ment having to accept way too many coincidences and it just wasn't credible anymore. I did love the ominous atmosphere of the present POV, and the storm is very well done. I think my reaction to The Overnight Guest is the result of overcomplicating the plot, and as a result it all felt a bit disjointed during most of the story. And while I can understand the third POV featuring the girl being included, I would have enjoyed this story SO much better without it. In short: interesting start, WAY too many POV switches, undesirable POV and over the top conclusion with way too many coincidences. Not the story for me, but most people do seem to enjoy it better so it might just have been my fickle reading mood acting up again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Vomit, Miscarriage, Stalking, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Infidelity, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Physical abuse
o_holynight's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Again I LOVE a multiple perspective story. I thought I knew where this was going at times, only to be right about half of the time. Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire read. Another one of my favorites; able to retell the entire story to my coworker with very animated reactions (bc same).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, and Rape
Moderate: Miscarriage
missgrangerr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is practically perfect. Intersecting storylines separated by decades, a scary storm, a recluse, dangerous people, and a scary night in August.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape and Domestic abuse
maceyberndt's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Unfortunately pretty disappointed by this one. I picked it up after hearing it has a snowed-in winter setting. While the setting for that portion of the book WAS great for this time of year, I didn’t know that there were multiple timelines that wouldn’t revolve around that winter theme. I found the multiple timelines extremely predictable and I guessed the “twist” about who everyone was way too early on for my liking. Overall just not my cup of tea, maybe for people who haven’t read many thrillers yet!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, and Murder