Eleven books this month. All but one were on audio, since I was working hard on getting book stuff done this month. As we get closer to the end of the year, the less time I’ll have to read. And in the spirit of the season, I’ll say I’m forever thankful for audiobooks. So, let’s get into it.
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
A great book. Had a very dark and creepy atmosphere. Felt like I was walking alone down a dark alley the entire time.
The flow between past and present and the slow trickle of clues was so well done. I couldn’t wait til the ending to put it all together.
The twists at the end gave me whiplash. I knew her hunch couldn’t be right – it would have been too simple – but I had no idea who the real culprit was until I turned the page on it. Excellent read.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Wow. That’s all I can really say.
I enjoyed the read – learning about the characters and the relationships between them. And of course, trying to get to the bottom of the murder. There were so many emotions going on it was hard to keep up with.
But then the twist! This might be my favorite book of the month, and it’s only my second read. I’m going to read it again and see if I can find any clues I missed. Fantastic experience.
Vicious Lost Boys 1-4 by Nikki St. Crowe
I tore through these four books so fast I don’t think I could separate the details enough to give each book a review – haha
The lore behind the retelling was very well thought out. I really enjoyed the backstory for each character and their different relationships.
There were a broad range of emotions as well. I laughed, felt tense, a little sad at times, and then of course blushed at the spicy scenes.
Already a great group of books. I hope there will be more to come in this series.
The Haunting of Belford Manor by David Viergutz
An okay read overall. The spooks were spooky and the setting really did its job at making everything creepy.
But why did Marcus ‘lose time’? I feel like that was a lose thread. And I didn’t quite buy the budding relationship with the girl from town.
I guessed the reveal pretty early on, but it was okay. And the end was a little cheesy.
Not bad, but I feel like it could have been better.
Pucking Around by Emily Rath
I don’t know why I actually finished this book. Probably because I used an audible credit and didn’t get it from the library. But the plot was lame. And the characters were weak.
I hate insta love. Lust, fine. Love, no. And this was definitely a case of overusing words and it had be rolling my eyes.
And probably the part that bugged me the most – Rachel. She’s some big shot, smart doctor and her career is so important – but let’s go ahead and have a hunch of dirty three-way/four-way sex in public and jeopardize everyone’s jobs. Major eye roll. Wish I’d dropped it before I even got halfway through.
Zero Days by Ruth Ware
This was a very thrilling read. Every near miss kept my heart racing and me on the edge of my seat.
The character relationship were amazing. Even with only the short time interacting with her husband, you can tell they have a strong bond.
And even when I’d suspected I knew who was responsible, I had to keep reading so I could see how it all turned out.
Really good and will be picking up more by this author.
Gallows Hill by Darcey Coates
Wow. This book was a very slow burn, but very much worth it. If anything, the slow build up just really set the scene and built up the atmosphere of creepy and uncertainty.
And then, when the shit hit the fan, it didn’t pull any punches.
There were a few twists I expected, but even more that I didn’t. And the ending was so very satisfying.
My only complaint is how Margot reacted to most situations like a dumb horror movie character. But it added to the story. Enjoyed this book a lot.
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett
An interesting story that really played on all of my emotions.
The characters were all so dynamic and had so much to work through and traumas to deal with.
I really liked reading about the taxidermy. I really appreciated how the information never felt like an info-dump, and just a natural part of the story.
A great read.
A good round up of books for the month. And that makes my total 102 books for the year so far. So, I’ve reached my goal of 100 books (and didn’t even notice until just now). Anything else will just be bonus. Check back next week to hear about my favorite book of the month – The Silent Patient.