Review: The Ice Twins

Title: The Ice Twins
Author: S.K. Tremayne
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publication Date: May 19, 2015
Recommended If You Like: thrillers, psychology, creepy children, unhappy families, uncertainty, the possibility of the paranormal

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of this book, or my review itself.

The Book:

Angus and Sarah Moorcroft once had two daughters, identical twins, Lydia and Kirstie.

But Lydia died, and the remainder of their family has moved to a small island, easily isolated, in an attempt to start over. This attempt is shattered when their remaining child claims she is Lydia, not Kirstie--that they have been mistaking her identity for months.

As their daughter seems to break down, so do Angus, Sarah, and their marriage; until finally, one night, when the terrible truth comes crashing down around them.

What I Liked:

This is a book that keeps you on your toes. Is Kirstie actually Lydia? What really happened the night one of the twins died? What does Angus know? And Sarah? Is there something paranormal occurring? I appreciate a book that keeps me guessing, especially one with an ending that catches me completely by surprise.

Anything I Didn't Like?

This book took me longer than I thought it would to get through--and at times, it did feel like I was getting through it. It was so so dark, without really any spark of light. I read a lot of dark books, and love them, but something about this felt almost overbearingly sad.

It might have been that children were involved. I tend to have trouble with books where bad things happen to kids, and this was centered around that theme.

It was also hard to find any character really to root for. All the adult main characters were so unlikable, and Kirstie/Lydia felt difficult to connect with because of the innate strangeness of her situation.

So...?

I wanted and expected to like this book more than I did, but that doesn't mean I didn't find it a good read. I think I just felt weighed down in all the darkness. A little levity, even just a dash here and there, would have made a big difference for me.


ARC August Total To Date:

1) The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay
2) I'm Judging You by Luvvie Ayaji
3) Murder in the Secret Garden by Ellery Adams
4) The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne