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Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Thank you to Goodreads, Atria Books, and Jennifer Fawcett for the opportunity to read this book! It will be released on February 22nd, 2022.
I just know I am going to be seeing Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett on everyone’s October TBR. It releases next month but it will make for the perfect Halloween read! Chloe and her three friends, Lori, Monica, and Abby are a typical group of teenage girls. Near Lori’s farm, there is an old house hidden in the woods. It is called the Octagon House and there are rumors about a horrible murder that happened there before they were born. So naturally, they go to check it out. It is eerie and broken down, but something sticks out…an old metal door that leads to the basement. Flash forward twenty years and the group has gone their different ways. Chloe gets a phone call from Abby’s parents saying that Abby had overdosed and was found in that old basement and the last name she spoke before losing consciousness was Chloe. Now Chloe is forced to face her past and the evil that lurks there.
Keep going. That is the advice I am going to give you. There are moments where the information feels repetitive and then there are the different jumps in points-of-view. Just keep going. It all comes together and quite cohesively. There are several TRIGGER WARNINGS: abuse, child murder, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, drug abuse, suicide.
This is really a great haunted house tale for adults. I found it pretty relatable, especially from the teenager’s perspective. We all dared each other to do stupid things. In this book, there is no way to know the repercussions of those dares. The girls are all different and are struggling to find themselves individually and within their family units. Then there is also the connection I have with the adult characters. The emotions that one goes through when having a miscarriage can range so drastically but there are really no words for the depth of grief and how we internalize it.
The book starts strong and ends strong. There is a bit of a lull in the middle but there are so many details that readers need to pay attention to. It may seem repetitive but the author is dropping more clues during this time and it just feels so complete at the end. Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars!
Keep going. That is the advice I am going to give you. There are moments where the information feels repetitive and then there are the different jumps in points-of-view. Just keep going. It all comes together and quite cohesively. There are several TRIGGER WARNINGS: abuse, child murder, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, drug abuse, suicide.
This is really a great haunted house tale for adults. I found it pretty relatable, especially from the teenager’s perspective. We all dared each other to do stupid things. In this book, there is no way to know the repercussions of those dares. The girls are all different and are struggling to find themselves individually and within their family units. Then there is also the connection I have with the adult characters. The emotions that one goes through when having a miscarriage can range so drastically but there are really no words for the depth of grief and how we internalize it.
The book starts strong and ends strong. There is a bit of a lull in the middle but there are so many details that readers need to pay attention to. It may seem repetitive but the author is dropping more clues during this time and it just feels so complete at the end. Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Thank you, Stacy Willingham, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book!
“Because for the first time in weeks, someone believes me. Someone is on my side. And it feels so good to be believed; to have someone look at me with genuine caring instead of suspicion or worry or rage.”
A FLICKER IN THE DARK
When Karin Slaughter speaks, you listen. She told her readers to read A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham. I am so glad I did! What an incredible debut! Chloe Davis’ situation is unique. She is the daughter of a serial killer. When she is 12-years-old, six teenage girls go missing in her small town. She is the one who discovers the evidence police need in her own house. Now twenty years later, she is a psychologist. When one girl goes missing, there is concern, and thoughts from the past begin to haunt her. But then one of her patients goes missing, Chloe starts spiraling. Her father is in prison, so is this a copycat?
Trigger Warnings: drug addiction, kidnapping, PTSD, anxiety, murder, sexual assault, suicide
This book is addicting. We often get fictional books that revolve around serial killers or journalists and detectives investigating serial killers–but this book is about a daughter who is directly affected by the actions of her family. This book is suspenseful and filled with tons of twists and turns. Stacy Willingham is great at misdirection! But what really surprised me is that this book is incredibly gut-wrenching and emotional. Chloe had to deal with the realization of her father’s crimes at such a young age. She had to deal with people lashing out against her. She couldn’t have a normal relationship, she felt like she always had to hide her identity. But the guilt eats her alive. She obsesses over the fact that if she did something different, maybe the girls wouldn’t have died. She blames herself—even more so when her patient disappears. My heart absolutely broke for her.
I also love the moments when she claims her voice. She often mentions that she feels that people aren’t listening to her. There is one scene where she is talking to a detective and he keeps interrupting her and she finally shouts, “Will you stop interrupting me!” I wanted to scream, “YES!! Take back your voice!” As a woman, I felt that. Overall, this thriller is setting a very high bar for the rest of the year! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
Trigger Warnings: drug addiction, kidnapping, PTSD, anxiety, murder, sexual assault, suicide
This book is addicting. We often get fictional books that revolve around serial killers or journalists and detectives investigating serial killers–but this book is about a daughter who is directly affected by the actions of her family. This book is suspenseful and filled with tons of twists and turns. Stacy Willingham is great at misdirection! But what really surprised me is that this book is incredibly gut-wrenching and emotional. Chloe had to deal with the realization of her father’s crimes at such a young age. She had to deal with people lashing out against her. She couldn’t have a normal relationship, she felt like she always had to hide her identity. But the guilt eats her alive. She obsesses over the fact that if she did something different, maybe the girls wouldn’t have died. She blames herself—even more so when her patient disappears. My heart absolutely broke for her.
I also love the moments when she claims her voice. She often mentions that she feels that people aren’t listening to her. There is one scene where she is talking to a detective and he keeps interrupting her and she finally shouts, “Will you stop interrupting me!” I wanted to scream, “YES!! Take back your voice!” As a woman, I felt that. Overall, this thriller is setting a very high bar for the rest of the year! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide attempt
Twilight at Moorington Cross by Abigail Wilson
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
2.0
Thank you, Abigail Wilson, NetGalley, and Thomas Nelson–Fiction for the opportunity to read this book. It was released on January 11th, 2022!
I love a good regency romance. When it comes to regency romance or any type of historical romance, I know I am getting very little historical accuracy–and that is ok! I am in it for the setting and the romance. Twilight at Moorington Cross is the first book that I have read by Abigail Wilson. I was intrigued by the setting and the fact it was also labeled as a murder mystery. Amelia Pembroke was sent away by her late husband for her sleeping spells. She faints, sleeps often, and has sleep paralysis. She was sent to a hospital run by Dr. Cluett, who uses mesmerism to treat his patients. He is soon mysteriously murdered and his will read. The will states that Amelia will inherit as long as she marries one of two gentlemen suitors in 30 days. The solicitor, Ewan Hawkins had come to Moorington Cross to read the changes to the will, but after meeting Amelia, he sees what a horrible position she has been put in. Together, they will solve Cluett’s death and figure out which suitor will be best to marry—but what if she falls in love with someone who isn’t a suitor?
Predictable would be the first word I would choose when describing this book. Again, most historical romance books are predictable. It is obvious from the get-go that Amelia’s two suitors are not going to be the love interest. One suitor is handsome but a complete rake, the other cold and aloof. The question that is asked constantly: why are these men the choices? Well, the answers don’t come until way later but the suitors have the answers all along. At first, I thought the pace would move quickly as everything is introduced and Mr. Cluett murdered fairly quickly. But then the next 80% just drags. This book could have been a novella. I am not sure if some scenes were useless or if that was the author’s attempt at misdirection–either way it did not help the pace of the story. EVERYTHING gets spilled out in the last 5% of the book. My biggest issue is that the answers to the mystery aren’t revealed…they are explained, and rather quickly too. At this point, I did not care about the details of the murder. I was so disconnected from the story that it did not matter.
I did find the themes of mesmerism to be unique and interesting, as I have not read that in a book before. If the book was a little more organized, it would have come together quite nicely. Amelia was a sweet main character but rather typical. Overall, with some altering of a few scenes of the book, this book could be a favorite. For me, I rate it 2 out of 5 stars.
Predictable would be the first word I would choose when describing this book. Again, most historical romance books are predictable. It is obvious from the get-go that Amelia’s two suitors are not going to be the love interest. One suitor is handsome but a complete rake, the other cold and aloof. The question that is asked constantly: why are these men the choices? Well, the answers don’t come until way later but the suitors have the answers all along. At first, I thought the pace would move quickly as everything is introduced and Mr. Cluett murdered fairly quickly. But then the next 80% just drags. This book could have been a novella. I am not sure if some scenes were useless or if that was the author’s attempt at misdirection–either way it did not help the pace of the story. EVERYTHING gets spilled out in the last 5% of the book. My biggest issue is that the answers to the mystery aren’t revealed…they are explained, and rather quickly too. At this point, I did not care about the details of the murder. I was so disconnected from the story that it did not matter.
I did find the themes of mesmerism to be unique and interesting, as I have not read that in a book before. If the book was a little more organized, it would have come together quite nicely. Amelia was a sweet main character but rather typical. Overall, with some altering of a few scenes of the book, this book could be a favorite. For me, I rate it 2 out of 5 stars.
The Maid by Nita Prose
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
“I am your maid. I know so much about you. But when it comes down to it: what is it that you know about me?”
THE MAID
The Maid by Nita Prose was the perfect book to start off 2022. Our main character is Molly Gray and she struggles with social situations and has a very precise way she runs her life. She prides herself on being precise and that makes her great at her job. She works at the Regency Grand Hotel. One of the more important guests is Mr. and Mrs. Black. Mrs. Giselle Black is the second wife and much younger than her husband. But Giselle treats Molly like a person, instead of a freak or ignores that she is there. Molly senses something wrong with Mr. and Mrs. Black’s relationship and then Mr. Black ends up dead—and Molly ends up discovering the body. Now, she is the suspect.
This book has it all! It is impossible not to love Molly. It is never mentioned, but it is implied that Molly has Aspergers. Throughout the story, she is taken advantage of but she never loses focus and learns from every miscommunication. It also shows how ableist our society is and how easy it is to manipulate someone who doesn’t think like everyone else. But I am so glad that she gets a support system.
This book also has suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance. But it is the themes of family that really tie it all together. The mystery isn’t all that complex but the people comparing it to Clue is pretty spot on. I loved the contrast of dark and light humor as well. I think Florence Pugh is going to be fabulous in the adaptation! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
This book has it all! It is impossible not to love Molly. It is never mentioned, but it is implied that Molly has Aspergers. Throughout the story, she is taken advantage of but she never loses focus and learns from every miscommunication. It also shows how ableist our society is and how easy it is to manipulate someone who doesn’t think like everyone else. But I am so glad that she gets a support system.
This book also has suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance. But it is the themes of family that really tie it all together. The mystery isn’t all that complex but the people comparing it to Clue is pretty spot on. I loved the contrast of dark and light humor as well. I think Florence Pugh is going to be fabulous in the adaptation! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5.0
Game of Thrones is one of the best fantasy books I have read. (besides the classics like Tolkein and Lewis) The story takes place in a land called Westeros with many key places. To name a few...King's Landing, where the King rules on the Iron Throne. The Wall, in the cold North guarded by the Night's Watch. Winterfell, the land in North and home to the saying, Winter is coming. There are many, many characters and their stories all seem to intertwine. Very well written, Martin did not just create a story he created history, detailed backrounds that make the characters seem more real.
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
5.0
A Clash of Kings is the second book the series The Song of Ice and Fire. This book begins with Lord Stannis Baratheon also declaring his claim to the Iron Throne whose brother, Renly, who is also trying to claim the throne. Joffrey is still King and sits on the Iron Throne. Robb has been declared King of the North as well. Battles have begun. Robb has been in many battles against the Lannister family but still holds Jamie Lannister as his captive. However, Sansa is still a captive by Queen Cersei (the Queen Mother) and Joffrey.
Stannis decides to march on Kings Landing. Tyrion, who has been named The Hand of the King, desperately tries to prepare the city for battle and prevent uprisings against Joffrey.
Arya ends up at Harrenhall which is control of the Lannisters but she is still in disguise, there she meets a strange man named Jaqen H'ghar who will help her channel her strength.
Bran is the Lord of Winterfell, but gets invaded by an unlikely foe. He also is dealing with nightmares and dream that seem too real...and perhaps they are...
Jon Snow is still with The Nights Watch and along with his other men they march into the land beyond the wall to fight wildlings and whitewalkers.
Daenarys is the Mother of Dragons, yet her people take refuge in Qarth and beautiful city who is extremely interested in her dragons....
This is an excellent book. The character's develope as they grow older and face all the challenges that they come across. The sequel leaves you wanting more. The next book is called a Storm of Swords.
Stannis decides to march on Kings Landing. Tyrion, who has been named The Hand of the King, desperately tries to prepare the city for battle and prevent uprisings against Joffrey.
Arya ends up at Harrenhall which is control of the Lannisters but she is still in disguise, there she meets a strange man named Jaqen H'ghar who will help her channel her strength.
Bran is the Lord of Winterfell, but gets invaded by an unlikely foe. He also is dealing with nightmares and dream that seem too real...and perhaps they are...
Jon Snow is still with The Nights Watch and along with his other men they march into the land beyond the wall to fight wildlings and whitewalkers.
Daenarys is the Mother of Dragons, yet her people take refuge in Qarth and beautiful city who is extremely interested in her dragons....
This is an excellent book. The character's develope as they grow older and face all the challenges that they come across. The sequel leaves you wanting more. The next book is called a Storm of Swords.
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
5.0
A Storm of Swords is the third installment of The Song of Ice and Fire series and by far the most epic. All the kings clash in epic battles. Betrayals occur throughout the whole story but that is how the Game of Thrones is played. Bran is fleeing Winterfell after Theon sacked and burnt it. However he starts to discover there is more to him than just being a Lord of Winterfell. Arya is also making way to her family and, like Bran, having dreams...that might not be dreams afterall. Sansa is still held hostage in King's Landing, desperately trying to stay alive amidst they constant terror around every corner. Jon journeys past the wall, encounters the wildlings and is forced to make decisions that could make him break his oath. Another list of amazing characters come into play as well, in the most epic of the 3 books and also the most heartbreaking.
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
5.0
Feast For Crows by George RR Martin is the fourth book of the Song of Ice and Fire series.