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adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC of this one!
I went in blind and thought this one had such a good premise! Loved the setting and buildup that the author made with all of the descriptions. Having lived in Italy for a summer makes it a sweet spot for me.
I did think that this was a bit slow in action. I didn’t get as many hints in the mystery solving as I needed to stay intrigued, and I tended to space off while listening.
I did still enjoy and think I’ll try another of the author’s books! The narrator did a great job with ALLLLL of the Italian locations, names, and accents while still being comprehensible (at 1.75x speed!) so an interesting read!
I went in blind and thought this one had such a good premise! Loved the setting and buildup that the author made with all of the descriptions. Having lived in Italy for a summer makes it a sweet spot for me.
I did think that this was a bit slow in action. I didn’t get as many hints in the mystery solving as I needed to stay intrigued, and I tended to space off while listening.
I did still enjoy and think I’ll try another of the author’s books! The narrator did a great job with ALLLLL of the Italian locations, names, and accents while still being comprehensible (at 1.75x speed!) so an interesting read!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing, and Netgalley for the ARC!
This was a fun novel that combined haunted house, complex backstories, and murder mystery. I loved the character of Julia, her balance of smart and naive. The conspiracy that surrounds her and the house, the haunting of her ancestor, and the current killer out to end her allowed for an interesting plot. However, I had to suspend disbelief in the first few chapters of the book, as it was far too easy for her to just inherit that house and be located. I know that it later becomes relevant, but I almost put the book down from that. Otherwise, everything was fun and enjoyable in the way a thriller should be.
This was a fun novel that combined haunted house, complex backstories, and murder mystery. I loved the character of Julia, her balance of smart and naive. The conspiracy that surrounds her and the house, the haunting of her ancestor, and the current killer out to end her allowed for an interesting plot. However, I had to suspend disbelief in the first few chapters of the book, as it was far too easy for her to just inherit that house and be located. I know that it later becomes relevant, but I almost put the book down from that. Otherwise, everything was fun and enjoyable in the way a thriller should be.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!
I was really excited to start this one as I’m always in the mood for a good mystery. But even though the setup was intriguing, I struggled to stay invested in the story. It felt a bit slow for me, and I didn’t find the plot as gripping or suspenseful as I expected. That said, I know this will hit differently for other readers who connect more with the themes and pacing.
The highlight for me was definitely the audiobook performance. Maria Marquis is a fantastic narrator and truly carried the experience. She brought a lot of warmth and personality to the main character and had a great range when it came to differentiating voices. One of my favorite parts of her performance was the Italian accent she used throughout the book—it felt natural and added a richness to the scenes that involved Julie’s family and cultural background. Even when the story wasn’t fully clicking for me, Maria’s voice kept me engaged and made me want to keep listening.
If you’re someone who really appreciates a strong narrator and character-driven narration, this is one to consider picking up on audio. While the plot wasn’t a personal favorite, the performance made it a worthwhile listen.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!
I was really excited to start this one as I’m always in the mood for a good mystery. But even though the setup was intriguing, I struggled to stay invested in the story. It felt a bit slow for me, and I didn’t find the plot as gripping or suspenseful as I expected. That said, I know this will hit differently for other readers who connect more with the themes and pacing.
The highlight for me was definitely the audiobook performance. Maria Marquis is a fantastic narrator and truly carried the experience. She brought a lot of warmth and personality to the main character and had a great range when it came to differentiating voices. One of my favorite parts of her performance was the Italian accent she used throughout the book—it felt natural and added a richness to the scenes that involved Julie’s family and cultural background. Even when the story wasn’t fully clicking for me, Maria’s voice kept me engaged and made me want to keep listening.
If you’re someone who really appreciates a strong narrator and character-driven narration, this is one to consider picking up on audio. While the plot wasn’t a personal favorite, the performance made it a worthwhile listen.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes