mostlyliterate's reviews
140 reviews

You'll Never Know I'm Here by Kiersten Modglin

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I received an advance review copy of the audiobook You’ll Never Know I’m Here by Kiersten Modglin from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for feedback. Thank you!

This is a pretty short thriller, and I was surprised when I realized I was halfway through. I enjoyed the characters and didn’t mind the strong romance elements. 

While I found the narrator to be overly expressive, it didn’t take away from the story. The writing also seemed very preachy at times, but not so often it was a dealbreaker. 

Things went downhill for me at the end of the book. The conclusion felt abrupt and left some plot points unaddressed. I like a crazy ending as much as anyone for a thriller, but this was absurdly unbelievable. 

For readers looking for a thriller about a group of friends on vacation uncovering secrets and danger, I would recommend In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware or The Guest List by Lucy Foley.  
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Fractured by Karin Slaughter

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4.0

Don't Let Her Go by Willow Rose

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dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.75

I received an advance review copy of the audiobook Don’t Let Her Go by Willow Rose from NetGalley and Bookouture Audio in exchange for feedback. Thank you!

I struggled to get through this book, but wanted to give it a thorough review. I found the writing to generally ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’, and found it difficult to connect with the characters and narrative. This was not helped by the at times absurdly monotone narration of the audiobook. 

While interesting on the surface, the plot ended up feeling contrived and formulaic. The big reveal at the end was very predictable, and had an unbelievable premise. 

For those interested in the adventures of a lesbian detective, I would recommend A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King for a more nuanced and natural inclusion of sexuality in a thriller. 
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Who to Believe by Edwin Hill

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I received an advance review copy of the audiobook Who to Believe by Edwin Hill from NetGalley and Recorded Books Media in exchange for feedback. Thank you!

I loved this book! It was one of the best uses of multiple POVs that I’ve read in a while. Not only were all of the narrators great, each character given a POV was compelling and genuinely interesting. I really liked having sections for each narrator rather than alternating back and forth. 

I also thought this book had great world-building, especially for a thriller, where I think that can sometimes be overlooked. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a coastal New England town, but I felt very immersed in Monreith. 

I would recommend this book to fans of the domestic thriller, particularly those who’ve enjoyed Seraphina Nova Glass and Tana French. I definitely plan to read more Hill!
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Past Crimes by Jason Pinter

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adventurous dark funny 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? Yes

4.5

I received an advance review copy of the audiobook Past Crimes by Jason Pinter from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for feedback. Thank you!
This novel kind of blew me away! Science fiction can be very hit and miss for me, and this is definitely a hit. Ellen Quay is a fantastic narrator, and the plot kept me riveted until the last page. 
The characters are complex and engaging, and the not-so-distant future that they inhabit is close enough to home that there’s a certain edge to this book’s experience. I often found myself thinking that although we don’t currently have murder-themed amusement parks, the exploitation and fixation supported by the true crime industry  hold tremendous influence in contemporary society. 
In its triumphant balancing act between bleakness and hope, I think that Past Crimes will be a hit this year. I would especially recommend it to fans of Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s works. 
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Like a Mother by Mina Hardy

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

My rating: 3.5
I received an advance review copy of the audiobook Like a Mother by Mina Hardy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for feedback. Thank you!
I love when a thriller has plot twists and reveals that are unexpected but not unbelievable, and this book delivered on that for me! I really enjoyed the story’s tension and liked Sarah as a main character. 
One thing I would have put in the plot description of this book is that it has major religious themes. A significant amount of time is spent discussing Judaism and Christianity and how they are practiced by some of the characters. 
For me, the biggest issue with this book was the audiobook’s narrator. I found her narration difficult to get used to. My cat was startled awake by one of the narrator’s imitations of a child’s voice- the first time he’s ever reacted to an audiobook. 
Overall, I would recommend this book to thriller fans, particularly those interested in religion. 
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The Resort by Sara Ochs

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

My rating: 2
I received an advance review copy of the audiobook The Resort by Sara Ochs from NetGalley and RB Media in exchange for feedback. Thank you!
I’m a sucker for a pretty cover, and I thought the plot description sounded compelling, so I put in a request for this book. The narrators did a good job, and I listened to the full 10.5 hours. 
Although I really enjoyed the first third of this book, in the later sections I found myself frustrated with the plot and characterization. 
I finished this book because I had received an ARC and wanted to give a complete review, but if not I would have dropped it when
Cass’s family backstory was revealed. I had many issues with the portrayal of mental illness and mental health in this book, but I found Cass’s father particularly unrealistic and harmful. I think it is a tired and dangerous strategy to rely on the stigma of a condition like bipolar to make a character irredeemable.
Overall, this book fits the formula of a tense thriller set in a gorgeous location with a mysterious cast and plenty of plot twists. It reminded me a bit of Alex Michaelides‘s The Silent Patient, which was eventful enough to keep me reading but (in my opinion) ultimately unsatisfying due to its prioritizing unpredictably over a rich narrative. 
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Triptych by Karin Slaughter

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4.0

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

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4.5

The Girl on the News by Elisabeth Carpenter

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mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

My Rating: 3.75
I received an uncorrected advance review copy of the audiobook The Girl on the News by Elizabeth Carpenter, narrated by Zoe Mills, from NetGalley and Bookouture Audio in exchange for feedback. Thank you!
I requested this book primarily because of how interesting the plot description sounded, and I’m glad I was able to read it!The audiobook is about 7 hours long, and I listened to it all in one day. Mills did a fantastic job on the narration! 
I really enjoyed the variety of POVS throughout the story and found the characters interesting and complex. While some of the plot twists were fairly guessable, others kept me questioning until the very end. 
I did find the ending to be a bit rushed- I would have enjoyed more details on the reveal at the end and more insight on some characters’ motives.
Why did Mark marry Jessie? Did Billy commit the murders on his own? What were Liza’s intentions when establishing context with Jessie?
I understand the appeal of an open-ended conclusion to the story, but I think that could have been done while answering some of these questions.)
Overall this book was just what I want in a thriller: a mystery to be solved, intriguing narration, and plenty of suspense. I would recommend it to fans of authors such as Katherine Faulkner, Freida McFadden, and Lisa Jewell. 
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