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blessedjess's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, what a ride! A twisty, atmospheric thriller that has just the right amount of mystery. The author does a great job of using duel time lines to tell the horror of twisted infatuation that results in murder. A young lady, an invitation to a house she vaguely remembers, friends who come along, and spooky dolls all add up to a slow at first but fast finishing story that had me on the edge of my seat. While at times the plot was a little convulated I still enjoyed the twist and didn't see it coming. Definitely worth a read! I received a copy for an honest review from Netgalley.
thebookstrologist's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
zarco_j's review against another edition
2.0
This could have been so much more. The parts set in the past flowed nicely and gripped me, but once the story shifted to the present I lost all interest due to the choppy flat writing.
This is touted as a gothic thriller, set on a locked island. It reads more like a cheap made for tv melodrama.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This is touted as a gothic thriller, set on a locked island. It reads more like a cheap made for tv melodrama.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
jayfr's review
2.0
This could have been so much more. The parts set in the past flowed nicely and gripped me, but once the story shifted to the present I lost all interest due to the choppy flat writing.
This is touted as a gothic thriller, set on a locked island. It reads more like a cheap made for tv melodrama.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This is touted as a gothic thriller, set on a locked island. It reads more like a cheap made for tv melodrama.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
han_cat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
miss_red's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
the_sassy_bookworm's review
5.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am giving this one 5 stars because it was a blast to read. I finished it all in one sitting and freaking loved every moment of it. I could read locked-room mysteries all day, every day and never get bored. This one was well written. Well paced. Creepy. Had a suitably atmospheric setting. Plenty of twists and turns. A good mix of likable and annoying characters. And the ending was a crazy ride!
I am giving this one 5 stars because it was a blast to read. I finished it all in one sitting and freaking loved every moment of it. I could read locked-room mysteries all day, every day and never get bored. This one was well written. Well paced. Creepy. Had a suitably atmospheric setting. Plenty of twists and turns. A good mix of likable and annoying characters. And the ending was a crazy ride!
mpr2000's review
4.0
There’s no perfect family, we all have our little secrets and half truths. So, when Alice, our main character, starts having flashbacks from a childhood she can’t really remember, she will try to discover the truth, but at what price?
This is a story about family and parenthood; grieving and love; all this terms are not dangerous per se, but in a twisted mind they are enough to kill; so, what will stop it?
This story is told between two time lines; the present and the past, the present, where Alice has been invited to a remote island where nothing is what it seems. And then we have the memories from the past, two siblings, one of them is Alice’s father, their difficult childhood and how their relationship was broken.
Ok, let’s be honest, being invited in a remote hotel island from someone you don’t know is not something I would trust or accept the invitation from, even if my best friend is excited by it, it smells bad, really bad. Then, let’s mix-up some characters we don’t know but that seem to have some dangerous secrets and a missing boat to return to firm land… we have all the ingredients to have the perfect scary thriller!
It was easy to enter to the story, even if Alice is not a sweet character you can understand her need to discover what his father hid from her and who is threatening her. Also, the multiple characters of the story makes the reader make their own plots to discover the truth, because there’s someone with a twisted mind that is ready to kill.
Are you ready to visit “The Island House”?
This is a story about family and parenthood; grieving and love; all this terms are not dangerous per se, but in a twisted mind they are enough to kill; so, what will stop it?
This story is told between two time lines; the present and the past, the present, where Alice has been invited to a remote island where nothing is what it seems. And then we have the memories from the past, two siblings, one of them is Alice’s father, their difficult childhood and how their relationship was broken.
Ok, let’s be honest, being invited in a remote hotel island from someone you don’t know is not something I would trust or accept the invitation from, even if my best friend is excited by it, it smells bad, really bad. Then, let’s mix-up some characters we don’t know but that seem to have some dangerous secrets and a missing boat to return to firm land… we have all the ingredients to have the perfect scary thriller!
It was easy to enter to the story, even if Alice is not a sweet character you can understand her need to discover what his father hid from her and who is threatening her. Also, the multiple characters of the story makes the reader make their own plots to discover the truth, because there’s someone with a twisted mind that is ready to kill.
Are you ready to visit “The Island House”?
emmajaynii's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5