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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Toxic friendship
Welcome to Amontillado, Ohio where your last name is worth more than money and secrets can be kept…for a price.
Tiger King meets Edgar Allen Poe's The Cask of Amontillado!
*Disclaimer: While this is a retelling, it would be best to view it as it's own work with inspiration from the Poe title.
When Tress's parents go missing after taking her best friend, Felicity, home, Tress's life is upended. She's sent to live with a kooky family member who owns a zoo of sorts, while Felicity is safe and sound in her own bed. This is only the beginning of the inevitable demise of their friendship. Tress wants answers and she's tired of getting the work-around. She's had just about enough when one day, she snaps. She needs to know what happened to her parents.
I enjoy Mindy McGinnis, but this one was a trip. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it entirely. There were moments where I was completely engaged, then the next it felt as if it was droning on and I was bored. The story is interesting enough, but I didn't feel a particular attachment to any of the characters. It ended on a cliffhanger, but I believe there is another one coming, which I'm hoping ties up all the loose ends. Overall, I'm at a loss. 3 stars? I still don't know how I feel.
*I received this book as an advanced reader audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Disclaimer: While this is a retelling, it would be best to view it as it's own work with inspiration from the Poe title.
When Tress's parents go missing after taking her best friend, Felicity, home, Tress's life is upended. She's sent to live with a kooky family member who owns a zoo of sorts, while Felicity is safe and sound in her own bed. This is only the beginning of the inevitable demise of their friendship. Tress wants answers and she's tired of getting the work-around. She's had just about enough when one day, she snaps. She needs to know what happened to her parents.
I enjoy Mindy McGinnis, but this one was a trip. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it entirely. There were moments where I was completely engaged, then the next it felt as if it was droning on and I was bored. The story is interesting enough, but I didn't feel a particular attachment to any of the characters. It ended on a cliffhanger, but I believe there is another one coming, which I'm hoping ties up all the loose ends. Overall, I'm at a loss. 3 stars? I still don't know how I feel.
*I received this book as an advanced reader audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Genuinely do not know how to feel about this. It starts off really good then gets very messy and the end didn’t make much sense to me? There’s an entire plot line of a panther and he gets his own pov..confusing. I’ll prolly read the other book in the duology tho to see if anything more makes sense
Another reviewer put it perfectly: “One things for sure, Mindy McGinnis will ALWAYS fuck me up.”
That ending. Holy. Shit. I closed the book and just sat there for a solid minute. What did I just read.
After getting the opportunity to meet the author and hear her talk about this book, and hearing about chapters from the POV of a panther, I was intrigued. And this book did NOT disappoint. I flew threw this it in one day, totally engrossed in the very complex story and underlying mystery.
But that ending - horrifying and leaving me with so many questions. Thank God there’s going to be a sequel I CANNOT WAIT
That ending. Holy. Shit. I closed the book and just sat there for a solid minute. What did I just read.
After getting the opportunity to meet the author and hear her talk about this book, and hearing about chapters from the POV of a panther, I was intrigued. And this book did NOT disappoint. I flew threw this it in one day, totally engrossed in the very complex story and underlying mystery.
But that ending - horrifying and leaving me with so many questions. Thank God there’s going to be a sequel I CANNOT WAIT
Seven years ago, while driving her best friend Felicity home, Tress’s parents disappeared. Felicity was found, shivering, and injured on a riverbank but there were no signs of Tress’s parents or their car. But that night, Tress also lost everything else: her friendship with Felicity, the status her family brought, and the security of her family’s money. But Felicity? Felicity still has it all: friends, family, money. And Felicity has the secret Tress wants: what happened to her parents seven years ago? The high school students are set to gather at the abandoned Allan house for one last big party before the house is demolished. The perfect spot for an epic blow-out of a celebration and for Tress to get her revenge.
Even if you are not familiar with Edgar Allan Poe’s eerie tales, Mindy McGinnis’s story will pull you in and bury you … pun intended. But if you are familiar with Poe’s work, you will find Easter eggs abound and, even though you know how Poe’s tales end, you will still be on the edge of your seat, absorbing every disturbing detail of Tress’s revenge. This is dark, it is creepy, every detail is vividly depicted (please, no more vomiting … oh, great … someone else got the flu … and now someone else … make it stop!) while also leaving curious questions unanswered and me wondering “Why didn’t I want for both books to be published? Why? WHY?!” Oh … yeah … because I happen to love having Mindy McGinnis pull me into deep, dark, terrifying tales. And I just couldn’t wait to read this Edgar Allan Poe retelling.
So, I wait. For a year. For the sequel. To find out all the answers.
Even if you are not familiar with Edgar Allan Poe’s eerie tales, Mindy McGinnis’s story will pull you in and bury you … pun intended. But if you are familiar with Poe’s work, you will find Easter eggs abound and, even though you know how Poe’s tales end, you will still be on the edge of your seat, absorbing every disturbing detail of Tress’s revenge. This is dark, it is creepy, every detail is vividly depicted (please, no more vomiting … oh, great … someone else got the flu … and now someone else … make it stop!) while also leaving curious questions unanswered and me wondering “Why didn’t I want for both books to be published? Why? WHY?!” Oh … yeah … because I happen to love having Mindy McGinnis pull me into deep, dark, terrifying tales. And I just couldn’t wait to read this Edgar Allan Poe retelling.
So, I wait. For a year. For the sequel. To find out all the answers.
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've now read this book twice and it's just as good the second time around. It's a wild ride, but I wouldn't expect anything else from Mindy McGinnis. And as a Poe fan, I love all the references to his works throughout the book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated