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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Subtle, well-written, and difficult to put down.
I picked this up on a whim at a charity shop & I am so pleased I did!
This felt like a good old-fashioned gothic mystery in a modern setting & I loved it!
I especially loved the use of water as a motif throughout, that was brilliantly done
What I also really liked about this book was that there was intrigue and suspense without it being overly dramatic. There’s talk of past cheating with the OW being a character + a past lover & his new girlfriend, & while some books could have used this to cause extra drama that wasn’t done here & I liked how they were both discussed/handled
I also think the pacing was perfect, for a short book I don’t think it felt rushed at any point & I wasn’t left wanting more
Would definitely reccomend!
This felt like a good old-fashioned gothic mystery in a modern setting & I loved it!
I especially loved the use of water as a motif throughout, that was brilliantly done
What I also really liked about this book was that there was intrigue and suspense without it being overly dramatic. There’s talk of past cheating with the OW being a character + a past lover & his new girlfriend, & while some books could have used this to cause extra drama that wasn’t done here & I liked how they were both discussed/handled
I also think the pacing was perfect, for a short book I don’t think it felt rushed at any point & I wasn’t left wanting more
Would definitely reccomend!
Arrowood by Laura McHugh is based on a century old home which holds a lot of family secrets and how unreliable our memories can be when we are young.
Arden Arrowood was 8 years old when her 20 month old twin sisters disappeared while they were in her care. Even though there was a suspect he was never convicted of the crime and the mystery of what happened to the twins was never solved. The guilt over the tragic loss followed Arden throughout her life. Her mom and dad separate not long after the disappearance of the twins and while mom tries to find solace by medicating herself, her dad turns to alcohol.
After the death of her father Arden inherits the old family home. There she meets a reporter investigating the mystery and discovers her memory of that day might be deceptive. There are some ghostly appearances, a fortune teller and a needy caretaker adding to the mystery. Will Arden ever be able to find out what happened to her sisters and can she actually trust her memory of the events that occurred that day?
The book started a little slow for me as there were a lot of attention given to details about the house and its architecture. The book though is very well written and picks up pace half way through. I would give this book 3 ½ stars and another ½ star for the ending. It was a little surprising but left with some unanswered questions. I guess the author leaves it for the readers to guess whether justice was finally served.
Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Arden Arrowood was 8 years old when her 20 month old twin sisters disappeared while they were in her care. Even though there was a suspect he was never convicted of the crime and the mystery of what happened to the twins was never solved. The guilt over the tragic loss followed Arden throughout her life. Her mom and dad separate not long after the disappearance of the twins and while mom tries to find solace by medicating herself, her dad turns to alcohol.
After the death of her father Arden inherits the old family home. There she meets a reporter investigating the mystery and discovers her memory of that day might be deceptive. There are some ghostly appearances, a fortune teller and a needy caretaker adding to the mystery. Will Arden ever be able to find out what happened to her sisters and can she actually trust her memory of the events that occurred that day?
The book started a little slow for me as there were a lot of attention given to details about the house and its architecture. The book though is very well written and picks up pace half way through. I would give this book 3 ½ stars and another ½ star for the ending. It was a little surprising but left with some unanswered questions. I guess the author leaves it for the readers to guess whether justice was finally served.
Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
dark
sad
slow-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
4 to 4.5 stars, I found this book twisty and suspenseful in just the right ways. It kept me going, and I did not want to put it down - and though I figured out some parts along the way, others took me by surprise (in a good way!).
3.5-3.75. Good writing and a good but not terribly unique story with a few good twists thrown in.
I liked the history of a dying mid-western town. Arden's parents left her birthplace not long after her twin sisters disappear on Arden's watch. After almost 20 years and the death of her father, Arden goes back claim her inheritance. There is much to think about when it comes to a child's memories and what really happened.