Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

72 reviews

jmkendall0218's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Stalking, Alcoholism, Child death, and Addiction

nykolereads's review

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent, Cancer, Child death, and Stalking

bek_p87's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This was a disappointing read. I think I would've enjoyed it more if there were either no ghosts, or if the ghosts played a material role in the story - as it was, the ghosts were simply just there. The story was slow to get going, and I was probably halfway through before I picked up the thread of the plot. I kept reading because I needed to know what happened, but then when it reached the conclusion that had been signposted a fair distance out, I was left unsatisfied. The prose was unsophisticated at times, and - while this is a tiny insignificant irrelevant plot point - I really didn't like the focus on these two young women's "virginity".

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, and Violence

Minor: Rape

bek67's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Definitely some creep factor with this book which is just what I wanted. I liked the time line, switching back between 1982 and 2017. Definitely a twist I wasn't expecting in regard to missing Aunt Vivian. I did get irritated with some of the ridiculously stupid decisions made by Vivian and Carly, hence only 3.5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Stalking, Violence, and Death

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

genevieveokeeffe's review

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Violence and Sexual violence

Minor: Gun violence, Stalking, Grief, and Death of parent

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

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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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Blood, Child death, Infidelity, and Rape

maryy_r0se's review

dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

"I'm the one you didn't kill."
•
It’s 1982. Viv Delaney works the night shift in the Sun Down Motel. At least, she does until one night when she disappears and becomes another name on a long list of murdered woman from Fell, NY.

It’s 2017. Carly Kirk works the night shift at the Sun Down Motel. After the death of her mother, she impulsively moved to Fell, NY, desperately trying to find answers to her aunt Viv’s tragic disappearance. 

Last October, I decided to read only spooky books, and I discovered so many good ones. This was no exception. I know The Broken Girls got a lot of hype, but this was the first Simone St. James book that I read, and I can’t wait to explore more! 

I’ve always thought that supernatural horror works best when it has a strong emotional core. After all, isn’t there something deeply sad and tragically sentimental about ghosts walking the earth or a place being haunted? This book firmly captured that emotional core, which was one if its strongest assets. Also the setting was immaculate. I mean seriously, a nearly abandoned motel? What a perfect and positively eerie use of a liminal space; people drift in and drift out but never really stay (and sometimes, never really leave). I read some of this book at night in an almost empty diner, which was absolutely optimal reading conditions for this story.

Usually in books that have different timelines I find myself preferring the whichever timeline is older, but I thought the 2017 timeline was just as strong as the 1982 one. I would highly recommend this book, especially for true crime enthusiasts, fans of 80s horror, and anyone looking for a contemporary and nuanced take on the classic ghost story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, and Stalking

mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Stalking, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child death, and Confinement

air92302's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Death, and Stalking

Moderate: Child death