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vj_thompson's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Death, Murder, Infidelity, Stalking, Violence, Addiction, and Blood
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Child death, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Bullying, Eating disorder, Sexism, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Racism
redefiningrachel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Infidelity, Grief, Gore, and Death
Minor: Drug use
cde10's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Cancer, Alcoholism, and Drug use
grimviolins's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, Cancer, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Child death
Minor: Car accident, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
maddycumerlato's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The novel is split into two perspectives; the first, a young Vivian Delaney looking for a new start in NYC but ending up as a night clerk for a seedy motel, and the second, Vivian’s niece Carly who follows her footsteps 35 years later. The two stories interweave with each other as
The characters of this novel were strong and multi-faceted, realistic in their words and their actions, but not too overly developed (is that a thing? Personally I think it is, so we’re going with it).
I absolutely love this book and i think it’s perfect for a bit of a spook!!
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Stalking
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Drug use, and Mental illness
bookswithmybulldog's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Stalking, Sexual violence, and Death
Moderate: Rape and Blood
Minor: Death of parent, Cancer, Infidelity, Drug use, and Alcoholism
wordwilderness's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and Stalking
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
coolbeans's review
- 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
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.
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Rape and Violence
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, and Infidelity