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avkesner's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun, quick-read mystery. Told from the perspectives of two sisters: one alive and trying to uncover the truth behind her childhood lake house and her father's mysterious disappearance, the other is dead and trying to also discover the truth. I wished I had heard more from the dead sister and had trouble connecting with the main character, June. That said, it was an engaging read that I didn't put down. I figured out half the mystery, but the other was a surprise. 3 stars.
I just reviewed What You Never Knew by Jessica Hamilton. #WhatYouNeverKnew #NetGalley
I just reviewed What You Never Knew by Jessica Hamilton. #WhatYouNeverKnew #NetGalley
ianthereader0's review against another edition
What You Never Knew
Jessica Hamilton
Out Now
⭐️⭐️✨ Rounded Up
What You Never Know is a thriller that follows two sisters, June and May- one alive, one dead. That’s right, one of the perspectives in this story is from a dead woman. The story revolves around the living sister, June, returning to a cabin on an island that used to belong to her family when she was a child. At least, that’s what she thought. Turns out, her mother hid the fact that they still owned the cabin in an attempt to keep her family distanced from the mysterious disappearances of June and May’s father decades ago. What follows is a twisting, mysterious journey, that I had very high hopes for.
Unfortunately, this book did not really meet my expectations. I saw a lot of potential in this, and was very intrigued by the premise and the “dead narrator” hook. The problem I mainly had with this was the fact that it seemed like the author started a lot of things that didn’t really add to the plot or story in much of a meaningful way. The best example of this is actually May’s postmortem narration. While it was an interesting addition, I feel like it’s actual execution and effect on the plot was not a meaningful justification for its presence in the story. I think the story would have been more or less the same had it been told entirely from June’s perspective- maybe even better, as May’s narration occasionally revealed too much about the plot twists to come.
I think that the author had a lot of good ideas, but I just wish they had been a bit more effective. Another example of this is the setting. I liked the small-town, abandoned cabin, mysterious island setting, but felt like there were more opportunities to dive into that atmosphere that weren’t really taken advantage of.
Ultimately, I think this is entertaining, but it did not meet my expectations. Maybe you will feel better about it, so if the plot sounds interesting, I encourage you to try it. I will pick up whatever this author writes next, just to give the potential I see another chance to be satisfied.
Thank you Netgalley, Jessica Hamilton, and Crooked Lane Books for an early copy of this audiobook. What You Never Knew is available now.
Jessica Hamilton
Out Now
⭐️⭐️✨ Rounded Up
What You Never Know is a thriller that follows two sisters, June and May- one alive, one dead. That’s right, one of the perspectives in this story is from a dead woman. The story revolves around the living sister, June, returning to a cabin on an island that used to belong to her family when she was a child. At least, that’s what she thought. Turns out, her mother hid the fact that they still owned the cabin in an attempt to keep her family distanced from the mysterious disappearances of June and May’s father decades ago. What follows is a twisting, mysterious journey, that I had very high hopes for.
Unfortunately, this book did not really meet my expectations. I saw a lot of potential in this, and was very intrigued by the premise and the “dead narrator” hook. The problem I mainly had with this was the fact that it seemed like the author started a lot of things that didn’t really add to the plot or story in much of a meaningful way. The best example of this is actually May’s postmortem narration. While it was an interesting addition, I feel like it’s actual execution and effect on the plot was not a meaningful justification for its presence in the story. I think the story would have been more or less the same had it been told entirely from June’s perspective- maybe even better, as May’s narration occasionally revealed too much about the plot twists to come.
I think that the author had a lot of good ideas, but I just wish they had been a bit more effective. Another example of this is the setting. I liked the small-town, abandoned cabin, mysterious island setting, but felt like there were more opportunities to dive into that atmosphere that weren’t really taken advantage of.
Ultimately, I think this is entertaining, but it did not meet my expectations. Maybe you will feel better about it, so if the plot sounds interesting, I encourage you to try it. I will pick up whatever this author writes next, just to give the potential I see another chance to be satisfied.
Thank you Netgalley, Jessica Hamilton, and Crooked Lane Books for an early copy of this audiobook. What You Never Knew is available now.
bookishlychar's review against another edition
4.0
A story about two sisters, one living and one dead. May died right after finding out that her mother had kept a secret and her sister has to clean up the pieces, including returning to Avril Island and unravelling the secrets of her past.
This was a good book with lost of twists and turns to get to the truth of two missing dad's. I loved the atmosphere of Avril Island and just the creepy feel it gave off. I really liked how June learns more about the story of Avril Island through the people that knew the Bennett family in the past. Holes in June's story is filled in by many people, including her sister May. May adds important key pieces to the story, which I thought was a good add on to the book. I wish that we were able to see more of the relationship of May and June as adults, but I also understand why it was done the way it was. In the end this was a book that kept me wanting to read and there were spots that I just couldn't stop turning the pages as I went. I look forward to seeing what Jessica Hamilton writes in the future.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.
This was a good book with lost of twists and turns to get to the truth of two missing dad's. I loved the atmosphere of Avril Island and just the creepy feel it gave off. I really liked how June learns more about the story of Avril Island through the people that knew the Bennett family in the past. Holes in June's story is filled in by many people, including her sister May. May adds important key pieces to the story, which I thought was a good add on to the book. I wish that we were able to see more of the relationship of May and June as adults, but I also understand why it was done the way it was. In the end this was a book that kept me wanting to read and there were spots that I just couldn't stop turning the pages as I went. I look forward to seeing what Jessica Hamilton writes in the future.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.
bergamotandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 STARS
Still reeling from the grief of losing her sister, June travels back to her childhood summer home on Avril lsland in search of answers to a family mystery. As she digs, she begins to notice strange things happening on the island--missing family possessions showing up, doors locking on their own, unexplained noises in the night, shadowy figures disappearing into the woods. It takes June no time at all to realize that her childhood summers at Avril Island were not at all what they had seemed to be. . .
.
.
.
Always game for a book full of juicy family secrets, I knew that WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW would be right up my alley! Told in a dual narrative between the sisters (one living, one dead) the story slowly unravels to reveal a dark and deadly scheme - and family secrets that someone may have killed to keep. Although I did figure out one of the twists, I still thoroughly enjoyed this debut.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC! WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW is out now.
Still reeling from the grief of losing her sister, June travels back to her childhood summer home on Avril lsland in search of answers to a family mystery. As she digs, she begins to notice strange things happening on the island--missing family possessions showing up, doors locking on their own, unexplained noises in the night, shadowy figures disappearing into the woods. It takes June no time at all to realize that her childhood summers at Avril Island were not at all what they had seemed to be. . .
.
.
.
Always game for a book full of juicy family secrets, I knew that WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW would be right up my alley! Told in a dual narrative between the sisters (one living, one dead) the story slowly unravels to reveal a dark and deadly scheme - and family secrets that someone may have killed to keep. Although I did figure out one of the twists, I still thoroughly enjoyed this debut.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC! WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW is out now.
kgnade's review against another edition
3.0
I received an advanced reader copy of What You Never Knew from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley, in return for my honest opinion.
What You Never Knew by Jessica Hamilton is a story about grief and family secrets. The summer that June Bennett was twelve years old her father disappeared. Now forty, her mother is gone and June has spent the past several months dealing with debilitating grief due to the sudden death of her sister, May.
May and June’s mother claimed to have sold Avril Island – the family cottage shortly after their father’s disappearance, but this is only one of the first secrets that the sister’s will discover about their mother. June has returned to Avril Island to spend time alone in her grief, but soon discovers more family secrets eventually leading her to question everything she remembers about her time spent on Avril Island.
This was an excellent story, told in alternating points of view between June (living) and May (dead)- I do love an untraditional ghost story. What You Never Knew is available now.
#jessicahamilton #whatyouneverknew #netgalley #arcs #advancedreadercopy #mystery #mysterybooks #mysterythriller #thriller #thrillerbooks #readin2021 #crookedlanebooks #whatthebook #bookreviews #readersofinstagram #bookaholic
For more of my reviews visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/WhattheBook/ or http://whatthebook-reviews.tumblr.com/ or follow me on Instagram @whatthebook__.
What You Never Knew by Jessica Hamilton is a story about grief and family secrets. The summer that June Bennett was twelve years old her father disappeared. Now forty, her mother is gone and June has spent the past several months dealing with debilitating grief due to the sudden death of her sister, May.
May and June’s mother claimed to have sold Avril Island – the family cottage shortly after their father’s disappearance, but this is only one of the first secrets that the sister’s will discover about their mother. June has returned to Avril Island to spend time alone in her grief, but soon discovers more family secrets eventually leading her to question everything she remembers about her time spent on Avril Island.
This was an excellent story, told in alternating points of view between June (living) and May (dead)- I do love an untraditional ghost story. What You Never Knew is available now.
#jessicahamilton #whatyouneverknew #netgalley #arcs #advancedreadercopy #mystery #mysterybooks #mysterythriller #thriller #thrillerbooks #readin2021 #crookedlanebooks #whatthebook #bookreviews #readersofinstagram #bookaholic
For more of my reviews visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/WhattheBook/ or http://whatthebook-reviews.tumblr.com/ or follow me on Instagram @whatthebook__.
hmhurst's review against another edition
4.0
*I received an advanced reader’s audiobook copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Only work phone calls could keep me from finishing this in one sitting. The narrators did such a great job of evoking the atmosphere of the island and the sisters' feelings of confusion over what happened when they were younger. I had to keep listening to find out what happened.
Only work phone calls could keep me from finishing this in one sitting. The narrators did such a great job of evoking the atmosphere of the island and the sisters' feelings of confusion over what happened when they were younger. I had to keep listening to find out what happened.
emilyc89's review against another edition
3.5
3.5 - a bit predictable but still enjoyable overall. I absolutely loved the setting for this story.
samalvarez823's review against another edition
5.0
Do you love stories with ghosts points of views? Alternating characters thoughts and memories are one of my favorite things because it keeps the story flowing magically.
I’m honestly shocked this is Jessica’s first novel, it read like something from a seasoned writer. The way the story threw out twists and revelations a little at a time was truly brilliant. I absolutely loved this book and read it easily and quite fast. Great plot and characters mixed with a wonderfully written story made this a definite 5 star read.
After the sudden death of her sister May, June ends up at her childhood summer house. Her sister and her thought it had been sold after a tragic summer where her father went missing. Determined to find out the actual truth she ends up at the house not knowing what will happen. Will she find out the real truths of Avril Island or will it keep hiding it’s ghosts?
Special thanks to the author, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the review copy. It is now available wherever you buy your books and I highly recommend this one. A perfect rainy afternoon read!
I’m honestly shocked this is Jessica’s first novel, it read like something from a seasoned writer. The way the story threw out twists and revelations a little at a time was truly brilliant. I absolutely loved this book and read it easily and quite fast. Great plot and characters mixed with a wonderfully written story made this a definite 5 star read.
After the sudden death of her sister May, June ends up at her childhood summer house. Her sister and her thought it had been sold after a tragic summer where her father went missing. Determined to find out the actual truth she ends up at the house not knowing what will happen. Will she find out the real truths of Avril Island or will it keep hiding it’s ghosts?
Special thanks to the author, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the review copy. It is now available wherever you buy your books and I highly recommend this one. A perfect rainy afternoon read!