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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
This was a fast pace book and not what I normally listen too. My favourite author Jeaniene Frost said she read it and enjoyed it so I thought I would give it a go. I did enjoy it, murder mystery, with some paranormal aspects. No spice. Like the narrator too.
Very intriguing plot - very involved with the characters and their progress.
Well done twists.
The leadup could be improved - there were occurrences of dark magic as well some hints to the culprit. I feel like it could been more developed - also seemed more like a background aspect rather than driving the plot.
Well done twists.
The leadup could be improved - there were occurrences of dark magic as well some hints to the culprit. I feel like it could been more developed - also seemed more like a background aspect rather than driving the plot.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'll start this off by saying I'm a big Kelley Armstrong fan. Which makes me a little unsure about the last few books of hers. I've read almost all her novels, except the children's or time travel series.
I find her old stuff much better. It was smooth, it transitioned better from page to page. The last few books I've read by Armstrong start off great and then have jarring messages sprinkled throughout. It feels a lot like she's trying to hit a quota of politically correct things in each novel. 2SLTGTBQ+ and race isn't a plot device, it's normal, so it always seems weird to throw this in randomly when it has literally no bearing on the entire novel. It feels forced, a lot like "look, I'm everyone friendly! I have this "type" of character and this "type" of character." etc. An author who deals with queerness better in novels would TJ Klune, or (gasp) even how it's done in the Fourth Wing series - it's not a plot device, it just is.
I didn't see the first twist coming - but let me tell you how much I hate that all characters knows something the reader doesn't. I mean we do KNOW what it is , but it's not till like 200 pages or something in that it's mentioned. And by then you're just like "eh," since it's been mentioned at least 2 dozen times.
The characters are childish even though they're grown adults. Hanging out with people who have treated you like shit for 20 years? What? The decisions they make to run around the island continuously are just ridiculous.
The second twist.... another jarring politically correct issue. I generally perceive true "horror" novels as adult reading but I think Armstrong has a hard time picking a genre now after swinging through so many. This felt more YA romance, not horror.
I find her old stuff much better. It was smooth, it transitioned better from page to page. The last few books I've read by Armstrong start off great and then have jarring messages sprinkled throughout. It feels a lot like she's trying to hit a quota of politically correct things in each novel. 2SLTGTBQ+ and race isn't a plot device, it's normal, so it always seems weird to throw this in randomly when it has literally no bearing on the entire novel. It feels forced, a lot like "look, I'm everyone friendly! I have this "type" of character and this "type" of character." etc. An author who deals with queerness better in novels would TJ Klune, or (gasp) even how it's done in the Fourth Wing series - it's not a plot device, it just is.
I didn't see the first twist coming - but let me tell you how much I hate that all characters knows something the reader doesn't. I mean we do KNOW what it is , but it's not till like 200 pages or something in that it's mentioned. And by then you're just like "eh," since it's been mentioned at least 2 dozen times.
The characters are childish even though they're grown adults. Hanging out with people who have treated you like shit for 20 years? What? The decisions they make to run around the island continuously are just ridiculous.
The second twist.... another jarring politically correct issue. I generally perceive true "horror" novels as adult reading but I think Armstrong has a hard time picking a genre now after swinging through so many. This felt more YA romance, not horror.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.75
I feel really split on this book; part of me savored the suspense of wondering what was happening on the isolated island. Intruders? One of the disgruntled family members with sights set on vengeance? And I don’t think in a million years I could have correctly guessed.
But I also struggled with the amount of drama and backstories displayed within the group, which sometimes felt like it fed into the overall story, and at other times, it veered everything off course. It felt like too much time was dedicated to the in-fighting and past secrets, which ultimately didn’t add to the over-arching plot.
I think the tipping point is that I, personally, just didn’t enjoy the ending of the book. It was unexpected, yes, but far more unrealistic than my original notions of the novel.
I feel really split on this book; part of me savored the suspense of wondering what was happening on the isolated island. Intruders? One of the disgruntled family members with sights set on vengeance? And I don’t think in a million years I could have correctly guessed.
But I also struggled with the amount of drama and backstories displayed within the group, which sometimes felt like it fed into the overall story, and at other times, it veered everything off course. It felt like too much time was dedicated to the in-fighting and past secrets, which ultimately didn’t add to the over-arching plot.
I think the tipping point is that I, personally, just didn’t enjoy the ending of the book. It was unexpected, yes, but far more unrealistic than my original notions of the novel.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
Complicated