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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I'll read and support Collins's books because she's a local author and super nice. I really like her writing style! This was super addicting, which is always welcome in my shitty reading life. Unfortunately, I completely predicted this ending. Like, 100%. A lot of the time I *say* I predicted it because I figured out the culprit but still couldn't figure out the circumstances or motivation, but with this one I literally predicted the entirety of the ending.
Find this review and others at Carlene Inspired.
Well-written, unique, and perfectly paced, Behind the Red Door is a tense suspense novel that had me staying up all night to get to the end. Fern, our unreliable narrator, has a childhood no one would ever envy and it has left her with some serious trauma. She helps children with difficulties in her line of work, but she fails to face her own anxiety and past. She covers it up and continues to starve for the attention from her father, a professor and fear researcher. When a trip home to help her father pack coincides with a major news event Fern realizes it may be her own memories that are suppressed and she may hold the key to helping locate a missing woman.
Behind the Red Door is the sort of book you just have to read, it's too easy to spoil. Megan Collins gives readers multiple unreliable characters, several plots, and a multi-faceted mystery that, despite guessing early on, had me turning pages as quick as I could. It's a smart thriller, it's clear Collins did her research to make it believable, and I really enjoyed the complexity of the psychological side of it. Twisted and atmosphere, this is the book for readers looking for a unique suspense read.
ARC provided.
Well-written, unique, and perfectly paced, Behind the Red Door is a tense suspense novel that had me staying up all night to get to the end. Fern, our unreliable narrator, has a childhood no one would ever envy and it has left her with some serious trauma. She helps children with difficulties in her line of work, but she fails to face her own anxiety and past. She covers it up and continues to starve for the attention from her father, a professor and fear researcher. When a trip home to help her father pack coincides with a major news event Fern realizes it may be her own memories that are suppressed and she may hold the key to helping locate a missing woman.
Behind the Red Door is the sort of book you just have to read, it's too easy to spoil. Megan Collins gives readers multiple unreliable characters, several plots, and a multi-faceted mystery that, despite guessing early on, had me turning pages as quick as I could. It's a smart thriller, it's clear Collins did her research to make it believable, and I really enjoyed the complexity of the psychological side of it. Twisted and atmosphere, this is the book for readers looking for a unique suspense read.
ARC provided.
Synopsis: Fern Douglas returns to her hometown in New Hampshire to help her father pack for his move to Florida. She realizes she recognizes the woman on TV who was kidnapped 20 years ago - and that she might have known her. Her husband doubts it and that it might just be memories from the news coverage back then. Until Fern reads Astrid’s memoir and more memories start trickling in - or are they dreams? Fern investigates her own town to get to the bottom of it.
Thank you to Atria Books and @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! Book is out August 4th!
My Review:⭐️⭐⭐.5 / 5 stars
I really enjoyed The Winter Sister - and excited for Megan Collins’ new book. I loved the theme of fear throughout the book through Ted’s (Fern’s father) research. Fern has many different things going on in her head - from her mind, it felt like everyone was a suspect and knew more than they should. I had my hunch from the start on who the kidnapper was, but a few twists and turns made me doubt myself. The mystery/thriller is a page-turner, but the ending was a bit disappointing. I also could not stand her parents (which was written like that on purpose, I’m sure). Child neglect is just as damaging to the child as physical abuse seems to be the theme.. Especially in the case of Fern Douglas. I did enjoy this and devoured every page, but I definitely liked Winter Sister more..
Thank you to Atria Books and @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! Book is out August 4th!
My Review:⭐️⭐⭐.5 / 5 stars
I really enjoyed The Winter Sister - and excited for Megan Collins’ new book. I loved the theme of fear throughout the book through Ted’s (Fern’s father) research. Fern has many different things going on in her head - from her mind, it felt like everyone was a suspect and knew more than they should. I had my hunch from the start on who the kidnapper was, but a few twists and turns made me doubt myself. The mystery/thriller is a page-turner, but the ending was a bit disappointing. I also could not stand her parents (which was written like that on purpose, I’m sure). Child neglect is just as damaging to the child as physical abuse seems to be the theme.. Especially in the case of Fern Douglas. I did enjoy this and devoured every page, but I definitely liked Winter Sister more..
3 STARS.
Thank you so much to Atria for the gifted copy! ❤️ I have been looking forward to reading this book for so long and I’m so happy I finally got the chance to read it! Behind the Red Door is out 8/4 so make sure to check it out
Thank you so much to Atria for the gifted copy! ❤️ I have been looking forward to reading this book for so long and I’m so happy I finally got the chance to read it! Behind the Red Door is out 8/4 so make sure to check it out
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the performance of the narrators was unbelievably good
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy of this book.
First off I barely got through this book. Between the abuse and the main character being whiny that she just annoyed me it was lucky I did finish it.
Unfortunately this book was just not for me. The writing was good but the plot was predictable. Maybe if I connected with the characters more I would of enjoyed it.
First off I barely got through this book. Between the abuse and the main character being whiny that she just annoyed me it was lucky I did finish it.
Unfortunately this book was just not for me. The writing was good but the plot was predictable. Maybe if I connected with the characters more I would of enjoyed it.
I think the author really captured what it’s like to have anxiety, so much so that I felt myself getting anxious while reading. I like that the kidnapper wasn’t completely obvious and because Fern wasn’t always a reliable narrator, I felt like I had to figure it out on my own. In the end, I think it was fitting how it all came together.