Reviews

Silly, unbelievable plot with v annoying characters. Should have DNF’ed but unfortunately I powered through 🥴

*Thanks to LIBRO.FM for the gifted ALC, y’all are the best 🫶🏻

pandasbookshelf's review against another edition

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5.0

Leave the Lights On is a standalone domestic suspense by author, Liv Andersson. It was my first read by this author, but won’t be my last. The story follows main character, Beatrice who we know isn’t who she seems and who has an explosive backstory that you just have to read to find out. Beatrice is a character who you’re not sure if you like but you just have to know about. When her husband’s mistresses’ son goes missing, what follows is a suspenseful rollercoaster set in a unique scenic coastal asylum which is being remodeled into an artistic retreat. You just know with that setting something chilling is going to happen. I enjoyed this well-paced suspense and found myself reading long into the night to get to the end. While my first by this author, I can already tell I’m going to be a huge fan and can see myself going back to read her other book, as well as keeping an eye out for future releases.

reading_under_covers's review against another edition

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2.0

Beatrice has been happy with her life with her husband Josh. Sure, he has a secret family that he doesn’t know she knows about, but who doesn’t have a skeleton or two in their closet. When a boy gets abducted from their small community, Beatrice fears her own darker and deadlier secrets might begin to show.

LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON by Liv Andersson tried to do a whole lot without accomplishing anything really.

This book had so many interesting plot points (the red flag being there were way too many) and none of them actually came to fruition.

The weaving together of the timelines and various storylines also had many gaping holes and Beatrice’s actions in the end made next to no sense.

A stunning cover, but, unfortunately, a storyline littered with fragments of ideas led to this one not being a favorite for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: October 17

Content Warnings

nematome's review against another edition

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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

2.0

jeehernandez87's review

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medium-paced

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

2.0

I really wanted to love this book but it seemed like there was a lot going on but I found it underwhelming. I didn’t connect with the characters which made it hard for me to really be drawn into the book. ***SPOILER****I was intrigued when I read what the book was about but after it took a conspiracy theory twist, it lost my attention. I found myself annoyed with the FMC and was disappointed with how the plot unfolded. I had high hopes. I do want to thank the author, Liv Anderson, the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

canada_matt's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Liv Andersson, and Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

In the world of thrillers, those of a psychological nature tend to be my favourite. Keeping the reader on the edge of their seat while they delve deeper into the story is a sure way to provide a great deal fo excitement for the attentive reader. Liv Andersson does just that with this piece, as she formulates a strong story on the surface but adds the impact of a secondary, and darker, tale with connections to the primary plot. When a small child goes missing, Beatrice Wicker takes notice. This child has a horrible way of reminding Beatrice of the issues within her marriage. While the hunt for the child and their kidnapper continues, Beatrice remembers an event from her past that she hopes to keep secret. However, that secret could all be revealed too soon and the reason for the kidnapping may not be what everyone is thinking. Andersson does well to keep the reader engaged throughout with a great ending.

Life in Cape Morgan, Maine is as peaceful as it could be, which Beatrice Wicker has enjoyed since arriving. Living in a massive home on the coast with her husband, Josh, there is noting that Beatrice could want more. As Beatrice begins making plans to turn an abandoned asylum into a captivating art retreat, she is happy to see things coming to fruition. Nothing can derail her, even that Josh will occasionally sneak off to see his other family, something that no one knows about and Beatrice chooses to ignore.

While he thinks himself sly and able to muffle it all, Josh is completely unaware that Beatrice knows about his indiscretion and hopes to keep it that way. Beatrice is also harbouring a deep secret from her past, which has had her running from many of the small towns in which she lives. Should it all come out, the utopian life she’s become accustomed to could come crashing down.

After an explosion leads to the disappearance of a young boy, the community is in a panic. Beatrice knows that this is Josh’s son, but remains calm in hopes that he will admit the truth and be able to panic or grieve. Yet, Josh remains stoic and does not tip his hand, which only angers Beatrice more. While they watch others in the community comb the area, Josh and Beatrice are stuck in this circular waiting game, each unsure what they other knows.

The hunt to find little Oliver is exacerbated when a clue turns up one day outside the family home. As Beatrice tries to brush it off, she is left to wonder if her own secret is about to come out, which could ruin things and force her to admit that she is not as pristine as she lets on. A struggle to find the boy, trap the kidnapper, and yet keep the truth from spilling out is all part of this thrilling psychological book that keeps the reader flipping pages well into the night.

Liv Andersson makes a glaring impact on the genre with this piece, sure to shake loose many of the cobwebs for the passive reader. The story is well-constructed, strengthened by a strong narrative core. As it moves at a brisk and yet reasonable pace, there are characters who develop and find their own footing throughout. The story uses some of these central characters to drive things along, though it is the essence of the secrets that both Beatrice and Josh keep that provides the greatest impetus. Plot development is strong and finds itself merging with every passing moment, keeping the reader on their toes as things take a turn for the worse. How will Beatrice face the truth of her past? Will Josh be able to play the role of protective father that he wants? Who is eyeing the children of the community as part of their larger game? All these answers can be found within the pages of this book, though Liv Andersson does not allow the reader to meander through this story.

Kudos, Madam Andersson, for a great and impactful read. I will have to look into some of your other work.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:

http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

Be sure to check for my review, first posted on Mystery and Suspense, as well as a number of other insightful comments by other reviewers.

https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/leave-the-lights-on/

haylee_reads's review

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I am DNF-ing this at 54%. The premise of this book sounded really interesting and the writing was…fine.

However, the main character is such a frustrating and deeply unlikeable character that I literally cannot continue to read this. I really can’t go into details as to why she’s this way without spoilers. But honestly I was so disappointed in the way she was written and the fact that instead of escaping the island after some shit went down, she ran out into the rain to scream and then pained a mural of some mermaids.

This was clearly written to be a TV show of some sorts and that’s very clear.

Also, I love frustrating and deeply unlikeable characters. Normally. Beatrice had absolutely zero depth to her.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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