Reviews

Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier

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zaineylaney's review against another edition

4.0

Are you looking for a Horror book about amusement parks? If you haven’t read it yet, I want to talk about the re-release of:
Amusement Park - In the pacific northwest there is an amusement park that everyone loves to visit as well as work at
Missing Guys - but let’s totally disregard that fact that every once in awhile, guys go missing
Dead Body - until a dead winds up under the Ferris wheel
Secrets - this is the start of so many secrets, all threatening to come to light

I have read quite a few of Jennifer Hillier’s books and she is the queen of twists. This one is no different where so many twists get thrown at the end, I felt blindsided. I also liked that a character that shows up in her book Little Secrets is also in this book. So here is the bad news - this book comes with it’s fair share of trigger warnings. If you don’t like to read about grooming, spicy scenes, or assault in general, this is not the book for you. At times I felt so uncomfortable, especially listening to this book. However, I still felt like it was well told and completely shocking.

hey_ny's review against another edition

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Uninteresting became bored

micherable's review against another edition

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3.0

some inconsistencies, some loose ends, a pretty abrupt ending, but i enjoyed the story.

julia11's review against another edition

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5.0

First of all, I loved the setting of this book. It was so creepy and fun. I loved the way we got into all the characters heads and they became less 1 dimensional. Jennifer Hillier is the queen of twists. I've been binging her books lately and I'm honestly surprised at how often she surprises me. I think I thought every character was the killer at some point.
Another fantastic read with my KTC bookclub. Loved reading this on fable with them and getting everyones hot takes on the characters.
Give me ALLLL the Jennifer Hillier books!

mystical_owl's review against another edition

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4.0

Hmmm- I wanted more amusement park creepiness.

cutenanya's review against another edition

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3.0

Wonderland is a thriller about the dark secrets hidden beneath a small-town amusement park. Vanessa Castro, the new deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington, has to deal with a dead body and a missing teenager on her first day on the job. As she investigates, she uncovers a trail of disappearances and murders that goes back decades, and a sinister connection to the park's history and owners. She also has to face her own past and protect her family from a ruthless killer who is playing a twisted game.

As a fan of Stephen King, I was drawn to this book by its premise and setting. I enjoyed the character-driven story that was told from multiple perspectives, giving me insight into the lives and motives of the different players. The author created a vivid and atmospheric picture of the amusement park, with its creepy attractions and hidden tunnels. The story had all the necessary elements to make it a hit for me: suspense, mystery, horror, and twists.

However, I was disappointed by the ending, which I felt was rushed and unsatisfying. I think the author did not provide enough clues or development for me to accept the identity and motive of the killer, who was one of the only characters I liked in the book. It is almost as if the author just picks a character and slaps him or her with a killer label. I also found some parts of the story implausible or unnecessary,

Spoiler

such as the plotline involving Uncle Nick. I don't understand how two people can fail to notice he is still alive and I still do not comprehend why he was kept alive for years for no apparent reason

. I felt that some loose ends were left unresolved or unexplained.

Overall, I think Wonderland is a solid thriller that could have been better with more attention to detail and logic. I liked the idea of using an amusement park as a setting, but I have yet to find a novel that truly shines in such a scenario. If you have any recommendations for a good thriller set in an amusement park or carnival, please let me know!