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killmoore_'s review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was so fun.
A haunted motel. A thrilling mystery. Ambitious and intelligent MC who very much kept the vibe of "young girl" alive - there were so many points that were beyond frustrating, but it felt intentional because it was exactly what an early 20 something would do in that situation. Intelligence gets you nowhere without the life experience to back it up.
The ending was a bit meh in comparison to rest of the book, but it does end wrapped up in a nice little package, complete with a budding romance bow that normally isn't my cup of tea, but in this situation it was nice.
Overall, I truly enjoyed The Sun Down Motel, and would love to see a movie or mini series adaptation - just don't cast Cory Michael Smith as Hess please, because that's who I kept imagining and I just can't with it.
A haunted motel. A thrilling mystery. Ambitious and intelligent MC who very much kept the vibe of "young girl" alive - there were so many points that were beyond frustrating, but it felt intentional because it was exactly what an early 20 something would do in that situation. Intelligence gets you nowhere without the life experience to back it up.
The ending was a bit meh in comparison to rest of the book, but it does end wrapped up in a nice little package, complete with a budding romance bow that normally isn't my cup of tea, but in this situation it was nice.
Overall, I truly enjoyed The Sun Down Motel, and would love to see a movie or mini series adaptation - just don't cast Cory Michael Smith as Hess please, because that's who I kept imagining and I just can't with it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cancer, Death, Sexual assault, Murder, Grief, Rape, Stalking, Blood, Child death, Cursing, and Violence
boba_n_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Told in a dual timeline, we follow Viv in 1982 and her niece, Carly, in 2017 as their lives follow a disturbingly similar path in the town of Fell and at the Sun Down Motel. Viv disappeared back in 1982 and has not been found since. No one else seems to care what happened to Viv, so Carly decides to go to the Sun Down and figure it out for herself. Back in 1982, Viv is trying to figure out why the Sun Down is haunted and what its ghosts are trying to tell her.
I was held in suspense the entire time wondering what happened to Viv and how it's related to Carly in 2017, and the ending does not disappoint. I flew this creepy, paranormal novel! This is the perfect story to get you in the mood for spooky season.
I was held in suspense the entire time wondering what happened to Viv and how it's related to Carly in 2017, and the ending does not disappoint. I flew this creepy, paranormal novel! This is the perfect story to get you in the mood for spooky season.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, and Cancer
madalinejs's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, Cancer, Infidelity, Mental illness, Stalking, Death, Grief, Murder, and Blood
heath_mocha's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Blood, Child death, Infidelity, and Rape
cjcrawfish's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Mental illness, Violence, Stalking, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Cursing
paulrichard's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, and Child death
Minor: Cursing
maer's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Murder
Minor: Blood, Cancer, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
pplydm's review
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
My genre of choice mostly excludes paranormal and the supernatural. The Sun Down Motel, nevertheless, was an exemption because it was amazing to read! It's now one of my favorites and am driven to read more thrillers of the same author. It was effectively terrifying, I'd almost skip reading some parts. This is one of the books which I would yearn to continue reading but refrain from doing so, since I just did not want it to end. I hope that made sense, what I just said. One would slowly realize at the finale why it seemed necessary that the narration alternates between the two relatives, namely Vivian and Carly and the two timelines, 1982 and 2017. Nick, Viv and Jamie were notable characters. This taught about loyalty in friendships too, through the personas of Marnie and Alma. There's definitely a plot twist to look out for. The book cover was successful in presenting the 1980's aesthetic, it honestly looked alike an old book to me. This deserved a 5/5 star rating, indeed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Cancer, Abandonment, Infidelity, and Grief
Minor: Cursing
kathkas's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Grief, Racism, and Sexual violence
coolbeans's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Well, well, well, what have we here? A mystery/psychological/supernatural mashup with relatable characters and an atmosphere you can sink your teeth into? You bet. I had read The Broken Girls by Simone St. James when it came out a couple of years ago. It had that same supernatural mystery type vibe as well. I liked it well enough and thought it was a solid story. The Sun Down Motel swoops past that story and soars off into the shadowy sunset by far for me.
With similar tools as her previous novel, this story alternates between two timelines, one in the 80s and one in 2017. In the 80s, Vivian is hitching her way to New York when she finds herself in Fell, New York working at The Sun Down Motel. Aptly titled because the place gets much of it's business and attention in our narrative during the dark shadows of the night. Viv hears about the strange murders of local women that have happened in the town across the years and decides to do some amateur sleuthing while working the night shift at the motel. In 2017, Carly, Viv's niece, rolls into town to amateur sleuth her way into another mystery, someone's disappearance all those decades ago. You guessed it, her Aunt Viv.
As the timelines alternate and slowly converge into each other, the lights start to turn on in your head and you see just how all of the elements the author threaded through the plot work to give you a haunting but powerful story. Of the seen and unseen. This story had great relatable main characters. Strong main and supporting characters that felt normal and real. Like you could pass them on the street. These heroines weren't superhuman sleuths or helpless princesses. Just normal young women pursuing a fault line that life had opened up at their feet. The setting and atmosphere were also wonderfully dreary and foreshadowing. All elements worked together well.
Spooky, mysterious, unsettling, and tense at times. Loved it. Didn't see a certain major plot piece when it hit the board and it was a game changer for my rating this book even higher. Would recommend if like Scooby Doo, you like your mysteries to be supernatural but also reveal the scary fact that sometimes the true monsters you should be afraid of are still alive and breathing. Blew up my expectations in a good way. Would read more of her books without blinking. 5 out of 5 stars.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.
With similar tools as her previous novel, this story alternates between two timelines, one in the 80s and one in 2017. In the 80s, Vivian is hitching her way to New York when she finds herself in Fell, New York working at The Sun Down Motel. Aptly titled because the place gets much of it's business and attention in our narrative during the dark shadows of the night. Viv hears about the strange murders of local women that have happened in the town across the years and decides to do some amateur sleuthing while working the night shift at the motel. In 2017, Carly, Viv's niece, rolls into town to amateur sleuth her way into another mystery, someone's disappearance all those decades ago. You guessed it, her Aunt Viv.
As the timelines alternate and slowly converge into each other, the lights start to turn on in your head and you see just how all of the elements the author threaded through the plot work to give you a haunting but powerful story. Of the seen and unseen. This story had great relatable main characters. Strong main and supporting characters that felt normal and real. Like you could pass them on the street. These heroines weren't superhuman sleuths or helpless princesses. Just normal young women pursuing a fault line that life had opened up at their feet. The setting and atmosphere were also wonderfully dreary and foreshadowing. All elements worked together well.
Spooky, mysterious, unsettling, and tense at times. Loved it. Didn't see a certain major plot piece when it hit the board and it was a game changer for my rating this book even higher. Would recommend if like Scooby Doo, you like your mysteries to be supernatural but also reveal the scary fact that sometimes the true monsters you should be afraid of are still alive and breathing. Blew up my expectations in a good way. Would read more of her books without blinking. 5 out of 5 stars.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Rape and Violence
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, and Infidelity
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