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maesreadingworld's review
4.0
Whoa I just finished Gretchen by @shannonkirk_books and let me tell you this books had me
icameheretoread's review
4.0
I saw a couple of reviews called this book "bat-shit crazy" and I'm not going to lie: that's what spurred me on to read it. And it did get wild. Without giving anything away, this book goes places you would never expect and does things you won't easily forget. I really liked it. A lot.
That said, it's not perfect. I was put off with the jumping around and the flashbacks. Luckily, all of that made sense later in the story, so if you are struggling now rest assured it will all be important later.
I loved the idea of a "Jenny" and Lucy's view of the world is pretty great. I don't think I ever fully understood Gretchen and at one point I was like, she's a bit annoying and creepy but I was expecting a monster and then, oh, there it is.
Gretchen gets one full star for these lines, "But she can't wander in thought on romance bullshit now. She has work to do..."
That said, it's not perfect. I was put off with the jumping around and the flashbacks. Luckily, all of that made sense later in the story, so if you are struggling now rest assured it will all be important later.
I loved the idea of a "Jenny" and Lucy's view of the world is pretty great. I don't think I ever fully understood Gretchen and at one point I was like, she's a bit annoying and creepy but I was expecting a monster and then, oh, there it is.
Gretchen gets one full star for these lines, "But she can't wander in thought on romance bullshit now. She has work to do..."
piepieb's review
3.0
The beginning of this book was really intriguing, where Lucy and her mother are supposedly on the run from somebody. The novel did hit a couple of slow bumps for me, and toward the end I was expecting more of a "wow"/"icky" factor. I wish a couple of loose ends had been tied up as well. All in all not a bad story but nothing is compelling me at this time to pick up another book from this author. Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc.
iwanttoreadallthebooks's review
5.0
Gretchen by Shannon Kirk is one of the most unrelenting, intense gothic suspense/horror novels that I have read in a long time! Lucy is a fifteen year old girl who has been on the run with her mom for thirteen years. While she does not know why they are constantly running, she knows that she must never engage with strangers, always wear her colored contacts, and be prepared in an instant to move to the next place. After leaving abruptly when Lucy mistakenly locks eyes with a stranger, Lucy and her mom go to their eleventh state, New Hampshire. There, they find a seemingly perfect rental property on the grounds of an isolated fortress, complete with hanging traps and electric fences. Their landlords are Jerry, a pianist, and his teenage daughter, Gretchen. It is evident that Gretchen is unusual and doesn't have any friends but she soon becomes Lucy's first real friend. But as their friendship develops, Lucy realizes that Gretchen's intensity has become controlling and unsettling. Gretchen's obsession with puzzles, particularly puzzles with dark themes, concerns Lucy. While Lucy has always honored her mother's wish not to look into her past, Gretchen begins to share who Lucy is. And as Lucy's backstory and secrets begin to unravel, Gretchen's own secrets come to light in a horrifying dangerous way.
WOW! Gretchen is an absolutely crazy thrill-ride that had me hooked from the very first page. This story is so dark and intense that I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time I was reading it! It is full of WTF moments and I stopped trying to predict what was going to happen pretty early on because it was full of surprises and shocking moments that I don't think any reader could predict. Kirk's writing style is tailor-made for the suspense/horror genre and held me captive until the very last page. I thought her character development was superb. Each character was carefully crafted and was distinctive, even the minor characters. I thought Lucy was a particularly strong protagonist and her voice was appropriate for a 15 year old girl. There are multiple plot lines in the book but they all weave together well by the end.
I loved this book and how it completely captivated me. Kirk is an absolutely amazing storyteller and I definitely have to read In the Vines now! Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
5 STARS!
WOW! Gretchen is an absolutely crazy thrill-ride that had me hooked from the very first page. This story is so dark and intense that I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time I was reading it! It is full of WTF moments and I stopped trying to predict what was going to happen pretty early on because it was full of surprises and shocking moments that I don't think any reader could predict. Kirk's writing style is tailor-made for the suspense/horror genre and held me captive until the very last page. I thought her character development was superb. Each character was carefully crafted and was distinctive, even the minor characters. I thought Lucy was a particularly strong protagonist and her voice was appropriate for a 15 year old girl. There are multiple plot lines in the book but they all weave together well by the end.
I loved this book and how it completely captivated me. Kirk is an absolutely amazing storyteller and I definitely have to read In the Vines now! Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
5 STARS!
sarahblessing's review
4.0
This book was WILD. I don’t really wanna say anything for fear of spoilers because wow literally endless twists I wasn’t expecting, all I’ll say is if you need a fun thriller then definitely check this one out.
ssaurer's review
5.0
So, I started this book at 7 pm yesterday. I live in rural MN, with no close neighbors. I wasn't creeped out by the particularly dark night, nor the wind or insect noises coming through my open window. The coyote howls from the river at the edge of our property, however . . .
After a nice, sleepless night (I imagine the bags under my eyes rival Gretchen's), I can declare this the creepiest thriller I've read in a long time. You'll get 3/4 of the way through and think everything's wrapping up nicely. Then, you'll look at the page number and think, "Huh. The book still has 75 pages left. That's an awful long epilogue." And then, my dear fellow readers, you'll be taken on the wildest roller coaster of wtf this genre has to offer. Enjoy.
After a nice, sleepless night (I imagine the bags under my eyes rival Gretchen's), I can declare this the creepiest thriller I've read in a long time. You'll get 3/4 of the way through and think everything's wrapping up nicely. Then, you'll look at the page number and think, "Huh. The book still has 75 pages left. That's an awful long epilogue." And then, my dear fellow readers, you'll be taken on the wildest roller coaster of wtf this genre has to offer. Enjoy.
aprileclecticbookworm's review
3.0
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
Crazy, just bizarre. It started as a thriller and turned into a kind of modern gothic horror. I don’t think you could have fit any more bizarre bonkers into this. The tie-up for Laura was a little too neat but I am curious to know just what Mag did to Paul. I think this could be a 5 star read for anyone that likes creepy WTF moments.
Crazy, just bizarre. It started as a thriller and turned into a kind of modern gothic horror. I don’t think you could have fit any more bizarre bonkers into this. The tie-up for Laura was a little too neat but I am curious to know just what Mag did to Paul. I think this could be a 5 star read for anyone that likes creepy WTF moments.