Readers Imbibing Peril XIII Sign Up!

This is one of my favorite challenges of the year!

The purpose of the R.I.P. Challenge is to enjoy books that could be classified as:

Mystery.

Suspense.

Thriller.

Dark Fantasy.

Gothic.

Horror.

Supernatural.

I'm going for Peril the First, four books:

1) Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

2) The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie

3) The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

4) Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5) The Complete Dracula by Leah Moore
6) Murder on Millionaire's Row by Erin Lindsey
7) Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
8) Private London by James Patterson and Mark Pearson
9) All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

And Peril the Short Story:
1) Hannah-Beast by Jennifer McMahon

I'm also going for Peril on the Screen, where I watch scary movies and shows:

1) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 1
2) The Nun
3) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 2
4) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 3
5) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 4
6) The Haunting of Hill House: Episode 1
7) The Haunting of Hill House: Episode 2

This challenge starts September 1st!

Review: The Prisoner in the Castle

Title: The Prisoner in the Castle

Author: Susan Elia MacNeal

Publication Date: August 7, 2018

Genre: Spy Thriller/Psychological Suspense/Mystery

Recommended If You Like: homages to Agatha Christie entrenched in spy tales

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

The Book:

A group of agents in World World II are secreted away on an isolated island, made prisoners because they know too many secrets. Maggie Hope is desperate to get back so she can help the war effort, but soon she finds herself desperate to stay alive as her fellow island inmates begin dropping dead. 

What I Liked:

This book had so many homages, big and small, to Agatha Christie and And Then There Were None, and I loved it! It was so fun finding them all, and made me really happy.

The mystery is twisty, and the setting and murders make this a creepy suspenseful page turner. I found myself invested in the characters and what was going to happen to them, especially Maggie. I also really liked the side plot about a series of murders that took place on the island years ago.

Anything I Didn't Like?

This is just a personal preference, but I wasn't as interested in the spy storylines. I think this was because the mystery storyline was so captivating that I wanted to stay with it.

So...?

This was a fun, scary, eerie, suspenseful, clever read that used its Agatha Christie references really well. 

Review: The Party

Title: The Party
Author: Robyn Harding
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Genre: Psychological
Recommended If You Like: exploration of high school hierarchies, female friendships, and family ties

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

The Book:

When a sweet sixteen party goes terribly wrong, the terrible aftermath crumbles the foundations of friendships, family, and status.

What I Liked: 

This book is so full of palpable, believable tension! Harding writes people that feel so real, and I get so caught up in their stories. This was a real page turner for me, having to know what was going to happen to each character, and what truly happened at the party that night.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I felt like two of the side relationships, one involving the dad, one involving the mom, weren't as interesting and didn't ring as true. The one with the dad especially felt rushed and didn't make a lot of sense in context.

So...?

Both of Harding's books I've read I've really enjoyed and flew through because I couldn't put them down. I'm still thinking about the last chapter of The Party-it gave me actual chills.

Review: She Was the Quiet One

Title: She Was the Quiet One
Author: Michele Campbell
Publication Date: July 31, 2018
Genre: Psychological Suspense
Recommended If You Like: stories about twins, boarding school mysteries, the complexities of teenage emotions

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

The Book: Twins Bel and Rose start at Odell Academy, a boarding school full of wealth and opportunity, but also temptations and malice. As the sisters choose sides, their relationship, and that of those around them, change for the worse, leading to destruction and tragedy.

What I Liked:

This book starts out with a lot of suspense. The first few pages pack a real punch, and had me flipping pages to find out what had really happened.

I also really liked the use of police interview transcripts. I thought this was a really clever way to hint at what had ended up happening.

Anything I Didn't Like?

This book became very predictable for me about 1/3 of the way through. I knew what was going to happen essentially every step of the way, and what did happen seemed very cliched to me.

So...

This book wasn't bad, it was an interesting read, but it was far too predictable and cliched. It felt like a subject that had been done before, and done better.