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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
dark
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
Have you ever been doom scrolling on the clock app or on YouTube and come across one or more of those Reddit AITA videos that talks about, “My sibling was the golden child and could do no wrong and I was the black sheep…” videos? Well, take the general gist of all of those videos and that makes up some of the flavor of this book. Or maybe it accounts for the lack of flavor? I’m of two minds about it.
I wanted to like this book, and during the second act I was actually enjoying myself quite a bit; but during the first and third acts I just wasn’t feeling it. The first act felt forced and immature. The third act felt predictable and melodramatic. The book, as a whole, didn’t feel thrilling at all. I’m sure, like all of Pekkanen’s other novels, it will have no trouble finding its audience. It just wasn’t for me. 3⭐️
I was provided a copy of this title by the SMP Early Readers Program, with many thanks. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or under will not appear on my main social media. Thank you.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a chilling, twist-filled psychological thriller that dives deep into the complexities of sisterhood, identity, and the thin line between truth and delusion. From the first page, the story pulls you into the eerie, high-stakes world of Georgia Cartwright—a woman accused of murdering her adopted family’s biological daughter—and her reluctant twin sister Amanda, who must decide whether to trust the one person she’s spent her life avoiding.
The setting of the psychiatric institution is deeply atmospheric, adding an extra layer of unease to the already high-tension plot. Pekkanen does a fantastic job keeping you off balance, constantly second-guessing what’s real, who’s telling the truth, and how far people are willing to go to protect secrets. Georgia and Amanda’s dynamic is fraught, messy, and totally compelling.
There were a few moments where the pacing dipped or the plot got a little tangled, but the suspense and emotional stakes more than made up for it. If you love a thriller that leans into unreliable narrators, dark family secrets, and mind-bending twists, this one’s for you.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a chilling, twist-filled psychological thriller that dives deep into the complexities of sisterhood, identity, and the thin line between truth and delusion. From the first page, the story pulls you into the eerie, high-stakes world of Georgia Cartwright—a woman accused of murdering her adopted family’s biological daughter—and her reluctant twin sister Amanda, who must decide whether to trust the one person she’s spent her life avoiding.
The setting of the psychiatric institution is deeply atmospheric, adding an extra layer of unease to the already high-tension plot. Pekkanen does a fantastic job keeping you off balance, constantly second-guessing what’s real, who’s telling the truth, and how far people are willing to go to protect secrets. Georgia and Amanda’s dynamic is fraught, messy, and totally compelling.
There were a few moments where the pacing dipped or the plot got a little tangled, but the suspense and emotional stakes more than made up for it. If you love a thriller that leans into unreliable narrators, dark family secrets, and mind-bending twists, this one’s for you.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a chilling, twist-filled psychological thriller that dives deep into the complexities of sisterhood, identity, and the thin line between truth and delusion. From the first page, the story pulls you into the eerie, high-stakes world of Georgia Cartwright—a woman accused of murdering her adopted family’s biological daughter—and her reluctant twin sister Amanda, who must decide whether to trust the one person she’s spent her life avoiding.
The setting of the psychiatric institution is deeply atmospheric, adding an extra layer of unease to the already high-tension plot. Pekkanen does a fantastic job keeping you off balance, constantly second-guessing what’s real, who’s telling the truth, and how far people are willing to go to protect secrets. Georgia and Amanda’s dynamic is fraught, messy, and totally compelling.
There were a few moments where the pacing dipped or the plot got a little tangled, but the suspense and emotional stakes more than made up for it. If you love a thriller that leans into unreliable narrators, dark family secrets, and mind-bending twists, this one’s for you.
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
This was exactly the kind of twisty thriller I live for—layered, suspenseful, and constantly keeping me on edge. It all kicks off with a set of twins who were separated at birth, and when one of them is accused of murder, the other is suddenly thrown into a world of secrets she never saw coming. Not only does she have to grapple with the shocking discovery that she even has a twin, but now she’s also trying to prove her innocence—without any help from her adoptive parents, who are no longer around to answer the tough questions. Talk about emotional whiplash!
The pacing was tight, the mystery kept me guessing, and I loved how the emotional beats were woven into the thriller elements. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another layer peeled back and proved me wrong. If you’re like me and crave thrillers that combine family secrets, identity twists, and high-stakes drama, then definitely give this one a go. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t stop flipping pages.
The pacing was tight, the mystery kept me guessing, and I loved how the emotional beats were woven into the thriller elements. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another layer peeled back and proved me wrong. If you’re like me and crave thrillers that combine family secrets, identity twists, and high-stakes drama, then definitely give this one a go. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t stop flipping pages.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio ARC!
3.5 stars - the writing was good, the plot pacing was steady throughout. I was happy with the twist and the family drama. I think the narrator absolutely crushed this book. I feel like there wasn’t a huge mental health = evil trope which I greatly appreciated. The family dynamics were a huge part of this story, and I appreciated the constant POV changes to keep the storyline moving. I LOVED the epilogue, I was not surprised but thrilled to have been confirmed in my thoughts. 😈 a pretty standard thriller including sinister family dynamics, twins, psychological tension - if you like thrillers you’ll like this.
3.5 stars - the writing was good, the plot pacing was steady throughout. I was happy with the twist and the family drama. I think the narrator absolutely crushed this book. I feel like there wasn’t a huge mental health = evil trope which I greatly appreciated. The family dynamics were a huge part of this story, and I appreciated the constant POV changes to keep the storyline moving. I LOVED the epilogue, I was not surprised but thrilled to have been confirmed in my thoughts. 😈 a pretty standard thriller including sinister family dynamics, twins, psychological tension - if you like thrillers you’ll like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Medical trauma, Abandonment
Moderate: Self harm
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness
dark
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:
Complicated