whatsleahreading

  Living an idyllic, small-town life in a seaside cottage, Gabe, Pippa, and their small girls Freya and Asha appear to have it all. Despite the ominous reputation of "the drop," the coastal cliff that lies just beyond the couple's house, Gabe and Pippa's dream home is everything of their wildest dreams. That is, until the latest visitor to "the drop" is someone Gabe knows. When her plunge over the cliff sparks an investigation into her strange, apparent suicide, everything Gabe and Pippa have built is threatened--and secrets that have long laid dormant awaken once more. For readers familiar with Sally Hepworth, she has an uncanny knack for producing binge-worthy, well-written thrillers with well-developed characters & refreshingly-original twists. "The Soulmate," while not my favorite by her, still delivers in all aspects & was a breezy delight to read. While delving too much into the plot threatens to spoil it, this is certainly one o...

  Twenty-two years ago, Naomi Shaw was brutally attacked in the very woods that had become a haven for her & her childhood friends, Cass and Liv. Barely escaping the woods with her life, Naomi's eyewitness testimony to her own attack put a deranged serial killer behind bars and gave her a new lease on life. But what if all of it was a lie? "What Lies in the Woods" is a slow-burn, mind-twisting mystery that alternates between Naomi's present-day return to her hometown of Chester, and the infamous summer when she was attacked as a young girl in the deep woods. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Naomi is not the only one with secrets that drove her to lie in her testimony that led to a killer's conviction all those years ago. A promising thriller with an interesting (albeit predictable) premise, I had high hopes for this title that in some ways turned out, and in many others, did not. The overall development of the plot felt slow, and the twists that...

  "Houses remember." Those are the somber words that begin Mari Godrick's critically-acclaimed horror masterpiece "Lilith Rising," which, decades after it's publication, still echo in the present-day world of Emily and her celebrity best friend, Chess Chandler. A wellness guru taking the world by storm, Chess brings Emily along on a summer escape to Villa Aestas in Orvieto--the very same villa where tragedy struck for Mari Godrick and her loved ones in 1974. As the summer pulses on, Emily--a writer herself--finds herself enthralled not only by the mysterious roots of "Lilith Rising," but by Mari's story as well. If you couldn't tell by that brief synopsis, "The Villa" is a layered story. It's a book, within a book, within a book, and yet none of the plot lines felt developed enough to really hold my interest. The premise here was beyond promising; an Italian gothic setting, a past-revisited storyline, and the fuses of susp...

  For young Clare, the opportunity to study at University of Edinburgh means a chance to reinvent herself. Looking to leave the shadows of an unruly past behind her, she quickly finds herself unmoved by the mystique of Scotland and longing for excitement to find its way back to her. Enter Tabitha and her group loyal confidantes. What begins as an intriguing friendship soon proves to be much more than Clare bargained for, as their lives become intertwined in dark and devious ways. "The Things We Do to Our Friends" tried nobly to establish itself amongst the ranks of timeless, dark academia novels. Unfortunately, it fell completely flat for me, due mostly in part to its one-dimensional character development. Despite Clare, Tabitha, and the rest of our cast of characters having the bones of what makes for a great dark academia story (morally-ambiguous, complex personal histories, a yearning for beauty & the finer things), they ultimately felt shallow and overly-simplistic...

  If there's one name to know in the publishing world, it's Roza Vallo. A world-renowned feminist horror author, Vallo is the preeminent inspiration for aspiring writers like Alex, whose recent fallout with best friend Wren has left her in the throes of isolation and severe writer's block. As Alex's hope of rediscovering inspiration to write wanes, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity falls into her lap: a coveted spot in Roza Vallo's exclusive month-long writing retreat at her home Blackbriar Estate, which holds its own renowned history. But not only is the retreat that promises fame and a seven-figure book deal to one lucky attendee is more than it seems, Roza Vallo didn't get where she is by being a conventional writer. At first glance, I loved everything that "The Writing Retreat" promised: a book about books, an eerie, near-gothic setting at a historical estate, and a propulsive, fast-paced plot. The pacing and plot both wove together beautifully;...

  Nantucket sweetheart Lizbet Keaton is ready to start over. When she's  unexpectedly named General Manager of the once-renowned and since-haunted Hotel Nantucket by mysterious billionaire Xavier Darling, she pours every ounce of herself into reviving the hotel in time for the summer season. Surrounded by a staff of island folk and newcomers alike--many looking for the same fresh start--Lizbet dives headfirst into the bustling world of vacation hospitality, unaware of the new beginnings that are on her horizon. Well readers, the Queen of Beach Reads has done it again! I’ll never get enough of the summery, magical Nantucket Island setting of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels. As far as setting goes, "The Hotel Nantucket" was no exception and makes for a great vacation read that will instantly transport you to the bustling island coast in the heart of summer.  The large cast of characters between hotel staff and guests was admittedly a bit hard to keep track of,...

  The murder of 6 year-old January Jacobs sent shockwaves through the small, rural town of Wakarusa, Indiana back in 1994. Decades later, though the case has gone cold, the ghost of January's story still pulses through the community as her unknown killer roams free. When Margot Davies returns home to Wakarusa to care for her uncle, she finds herself propelled back to when her childhood friend January was murdered. Before long, another little girl just one town over goes missing, and the parallels between cases are enough to convince Margot: the killer is back. Sure to please fans of small-town crime fiction, I was so close to loving "All Good People Here," but its abrupt ending (loose ends left untied, be warned) and lack of descriptive writing made it a middle-of-the-road read for me. Reminiscent of Jess Lourey's dark midwest crime, the story is fast-paced and will keep you guessing. There are emotional elements throughout, but none profound enough to really tie me...