Reviews

3.5 stars rounded up.

I'm not sure why this is labeled as "horror" when it's more "mystery/thriller" and "drama." So, set your expectations accordingly.

I liked this! It was a very quick read for me. I loved the creepy haunted motel vibes and the characters (both main and secondary). It's mostly a drama that deals with grief and how different people process it, with a lite mystery/thriller element that helped emphasize the former. It really worked for me.

I could find kinship with Mira and Layla since I grew up as a Muslim. Loved the representation, and I'm sure others in the same situation might also be able to relate. (Although there were some elements in this novel that my mom would definitely object to if I read this as a teen lol).

Layla's struggle with being queer and Mira's struggle with grief and guilt felt very realistic. The author did well with getting her point across with their POV chapters.

I actually liked the photographs included in the chapters (I'm a visual person), although I had to view them on my Kindle app on my phone instead of my actual Kindle. I think they should be included either in the beginning or end of the chapters. Most were in the middle of chapters, and it was slightly distracting to jump from words to photos and back to words.

I do agree with other reviewers that sometimes it was hard to distinguish between Mira and Layla's POVs. They're labeled in the beginning of the chapters, but their voices sounded too similar. You could only tell them apart because Mira was the one grieving over her brother, while Layla held a secret crush on Mira.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this as a quick summer mystery/thriller.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) and NetGalley for this arc.

klutzykara's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

I am not sure what to make of this one. It was a book with horror or thriller elements, I suppose, but it didn't form a cohesive enough narrative for me to feel very invested or to get much of out of it. The dual POV also didn't work for me because I thought Layla and Mira read too similar to one another. I wouldn't rate it highly, and it won't stick with me, but I will round up to a 3 on the hopes this debut works better for other readers and I'd give the author another try.

kayladaila's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-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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