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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
No
Well I loved this. It was exactly what I needed and I read it in one sitting. I loved the messy parents, the messy kids, and the amazing FBI detective piecing it all together. This had so much drama, was fast paced and had a few heart pounding, dangerous moments. It felt like something that could absolutely truly happen on a college campus and was written so well to bring out all your emotions.
Note: I loved the audiobook and how it perfectly elevated the level of stress and drama.
Thanks to the publisher for a free audiobook; my review and thoughts are my own.
Note: I loved the audiobook and how it perfectly elevated the level of stress and drama.
Thanks to the publisher for a free audiobook; my review and thoughts are my own.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had high hopes for Parents Weekend, and it didn’t disappoint! It was binge-worthy, entertaining and suspenseful.
The story was primarily told through the POV of the college students parents. Nearly all of the families had a ton of drama going on behind the scenes, which kept things interesting.
I was obsessed with FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller! Honestly, I think she’s my favorite character I’ve encountered in a good while. She was like-able, smart, compassionate and humble. You could just tell that she knew how to get things done and do them well.
The only reason this wasn’t a five star read for me was the ending. I’m not really the type of reader who tries to guess how a book ends, and I didn’t do that here either. However, I will say that it wasn’t all that surprising and didn’t pack as much punch as I had expected.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.
Read if you like:
✨ Academic settings
✨ Legal thrillers
✨ Multi-POV’s
✨ Family drama
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
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
At first, I didn't think I was going to love this (though I do really enjoy the author's other books). However, very quickly I was absorbed into the story. A group of college students go missing on parent's weekend. When they are all supposed to meet up with their parents for dinner none show up. The parents are mostly very wealthy prominent people, so they instantly realize that something is terribly wrong.
I won't tell you what happens because a whole lot does, and I could easily slip and spoil something. This book has some good twists and turns and an ending you'll never see coming.
I listened to this on audio and loved it. The narration is fantastic, and it really brings the story to life. If you are a fan of this type of media, I highly recommend giving this a listen but otherwise it's definitely worth the read!
I won't tell you what happens because a whole lot does, and I could easily slip and spoil something. This book has some good twists and turns and an ending you'll never see coming.
I listened to this on audio and loved it. The narration is fantastic, and it really brings the story to life. If you are a fan of this type of media, I highly recommend giving this a listen but otherwise it's definitely worth the read!
Guess I should have read the entire summary before reading the book? Then I wouldn't have wondered throughout the first half why FBI Agent Sarah Keller's previous cases sounded so familiar! I like that she has become a recurring character. This time, the set up is a maze! Is it the kids who are hiding all the secrets that might be causing the trouble? Or is it their parents' secrets coming back to hurt them? Parents' weekend is a great premise to bring a multitude of otherwise unrelated people together to see how things play out and it was used to great effect here! I love when there are several very plausible ways stories can go. Can't wait for the next one from Finlay and hope it includes Special Agent Keller!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
I'm a little sad to say this one didn’t quite work for me. It started off really strong—I flew through the first half—but the second half fell a bit flat, and the ending didn’t quite make sense for me. However, it is a quick read and some will enjoy it if you're not looking for anything too twisty.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for my advanced e copy in exchange for my honest review
Publish date: May 6, 2025
Enjoyable read! The premises is set during a parents weekend when the parents of 5 college students visit their campus for the weekend. While preparing for a dinner with the families and students, their kids do not show up for the pre scheduled dinner. Annoyed but not panicking, the parents decided to have a good night on their own assuming the kids were just being typical college aged students. When none of the families hear from them, they discover that something more sinister is lurking in the shadows. Emotions were already high as there was a death on campus earlier that week, that “appears” to be an unfortunate accident… Keller is new to the area, but she dives into this investigation head first and she is determined to bring these kids home and return them to their families.
Overall, an entertaining whodunnit thriller. The narration was amazing as always, as Brittany Presley is one of the best out there. She really brought life to these characters, the pitch, tone and emotion was perfect. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.
Overall, an entertaining whodunnit thriller. The narration was amazing as always, as Brittany Presley is one of the best out there. She really brought life to these characters, the pitch, tone and emotion was perfect. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
dark
mysterious
tense
Thanks to @stmartinspress for a gifted eARC.
Parents Weekend also kept me hooked from start to finish. Five college kids go missing during, you guessed it, Parents Weekend. Besides the kids add in some sketchy, high-profile parents and secrets galore, and you’ve got the perfect binge read. This story unfolded layer by layer as we tried to figure out what actually happened.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of at first, but once I got into the groove, I couldn’t put it down.
Parents Weekend also kept me hooked from start to finish. Five college kids go missing during, you guessed it, Parents Weekend. Besides the kids add in some sketchy, high-profile parents and secrets galore, and you’ve got the perfect binge read. This story unfolded layer by layer as we tried to figure out what actually happened.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of at first, but once I got into the groove, I couldn’t put it down.