ARC Review: The Things We Do to Our Friends

 

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.

Wow, is this a haunting and disturbing read, in all the best possible ways.

Clare moves to Edinburgh (loved the setting!) in an attempt to shake loose her past and reinvent herself. While taking classes there, she meets Tabitha and her group of friends, and is drawn into their world. When Tabitha proposes a plan she has been developing, Clare realizes she is already in too deep to say no, and what has become codependence is quickly turning dangerous.

I definitely recommend this read. 

ARC Review: Blaze Me a Sun

 

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

This is a story about crime and its repercussions.

When the prime minister of Sweden is assassinated the same night a serial killer calls in their first murder, it sets off a chain of fear and investigation that lingers through decades. Different characters are affected in different ways, but everyone is affected somehow, sometimes in ways it takes them years to understand.

This book could be really slow moving for me at times, even with the powerful punch of the assassination and murder happening on the same night. But nonetheless there was something compelling about this story that made it so I couldn't put the book down. Whether it was following the characters along on their own personal journeys, or having to know the solution to the mystery, or a combination of both, I'm not sure, but I wasn't able to stop reading (despite having considered it once). And I have to say the big final twist was a really shocking one, and brought everything together in a really satisfying and emotionally hard hitting way.

ARC Review: The Blackhouse

 

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 Blackhouse is a story tied to the past, and questioning the future. When she was five years old, Maggie claimed that a man she had never met was murdered at a place she had never been to. Now, as an adult, Maggie revisits that island to discover the truth about the mystery man, and the truth about herself. But with the truth may come events and knowledge Maggie will wish she'd never experienced.

This was a bit of a slow moving book, but this mimicked the slowness of life on the island, so it worked. Maggie is a complex character I was immediately drawn to, and she is surrounded by a unique and crucial cast of characters (sometimes it felt there were too many characters and I got a little confused with who was who). The mystery is compelling and unusual, and the reveals are powerful and shocking. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Reviews: The Villa, and The House in the Pines

 I received ARCS of these books from the publishers in exchange for honest reviews. This did not affect my opinion of the books or my reviews themselves.

Emily and Chess are writers, and best friends, who head off to Italy to stay at what Emily describes as a "murder house". What is now considered the lap of luxury was once a fancy villa where a musician was killed, a woman was inspired to write a famous horror novel, and another woman penned a bestselling album. As both Emily and Chess work to find their own writerly inspirations, Emily begins to suspect that there might be more to the story of the murder house than anyone knows.

This book has so much going for it-a murder house, a horror novel, and a mysterious past laid out from flashbacks. Hawkins also, as she has before, expertly explores the roles and regulations surrounding women, and what happens when a woman tries to subvert the space she has been allotted. I have really enjoyed everything Hawkins has previously written, and this book was no exception.

This marks the second time Maya has watched a woman mysteriously die in front of Frank. The first time was her best friend. Both times Frank didn't touch the women, but somehow Maya knows Frank is responsible. Desperate to figure out what happened, Maya goes back to her hometown to face her past head on.

The premise of this book is a great one, so mysterious and full of so much intrigue. I was pulled in right away. The only thing is that I did guess one of the big twists pretty early on, which took away a bit from my enjoyment of the book. However, there was another big twist I didn't see coming at all, which was very well laid out and revealed.

This isn't a favorite of mine in this genre, but I still enjoyed it.