The Girl in the Dark – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Girl in the Dark

Author:- Deidren Palmer

Date published:- will be published on September 11th 2023

Publisher:- Storm Publishing

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

As the January wind whips down the stairs to the train platform, Ellen Randall huddles into her coat, shivering. Suddenly, a flash of red catches her eye and she turns. It’s a scarf. Red and cream, in a large, checked pattern. And the person wearing it— No! It can’t be …

Three weeks later. In the dimly lit depths of the abandoned station, an eerie silence hangs heavily in the stale air, wrapping around the young man like an invisible shroud. Every step he takes echoes through the tunnels. Cautiously, he ventures deeper into this forgotten place.

His pulse quickens as he stumbles upon her, a small figure huddled in a worn sleeping bag. The girl looks cold, hungry and very frightened. Carefully, he approaches her. “Please tell me how I can help you.” His voice is gentle. She meets his eyes, and his heart twists with worry and protectiveness. If someone’s hurt her—

Then, she laughs; a ripple of sound that rises to the arched roof and echoes around them. “I killed somebody,” she says. “And, before you ask, I meant to do it…”

A totally unputdownable psychological thriller, perfect for anyone who loved The Doctor’s Wife by Daniel Hurst and anything by Shalini Boland.

Ellen and Rosanna are sisters. Ellen is a worrier while Rosanna is fun loving. Rosanna falls in love with a married man named Matt and gets pregnant with his child but Matt leaves her. Ellen meets Matt on the train and while in the train, Ellen accidentally kills Matt–and that’s how the story starts.

This was at first slightly a slow burner to me and there were many characters in the book, although the main focus was towards Ellen and Rosanna who in my opinion are the main protagonists of the story. There some twists and turns along the story but I think it became more fast paced towards the middle part of the book. The writing was really great and I have to say there were some boring parts and confusing parts in the story. However, the ending was great with the unexpected twist at the end.

Overall, this book worth 3 stars in my opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm publishing for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Deirdre writes women’s fiction, with strong themes of family, friendship and love, and the challenges ordinary people face in their everyday lives. She also writes under the name Zara Thorne. Her novels are published by Crooked Cat and Fabrian Books.

Deirdre also writes short stories and is published by D C Thomson for The People’s Friend magazine.

Day 14 – 30 Day Reading Challenger – It’s One of Us – Book Review

Title:- It’s One of Us

Author:- J.T. Ellison

Date published:- February 28th 2023

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3.5/5

Everybody lies. Even the ones you think you know best of all . . .
 
Olivia Bender designs exquisite home interiors that satisfy the most demanding clients. But her own deepest desire can’t be fulfilled by marble counters or the perfect rug. She desperately  wants to be a mother. Fertility treatments and IVF keep failing. And just when she feels she’s at her lowest point, the police deliver shocking news to Olivia and her husband, Park.
 
DNA results show that the prime suspect in a murder investigation is Park’s son. Olivia is relieved, knowing this is a mistake. Despite their desire, the Benders don’t have any children. Then comes the confession. Many years ago, Park donated sperm to a clinic. He has no idea how many times it was sold—or how many children he has sired.
 
As the murder investigation goes deeper, more terrible truths come to light. With every revelation, Olivia must face the unthinkable. The man she married has fathered a killer. But can she hold that against him when she keeps such dark secrets of her own?
 
This twisting, emotionally layered thriller explores the lies we tell to keep a marriage together–or break each other apart . . .

Trigger Warning:- Deals with sensitive issues such as miscarriage and infertility

Olivia Bender and her husband Park had been trying to have a child together but their rounds of IVF was unsuccessful. When the body of a woman who had been missing was found dead, the police knock on the door with shocking news. There was DNA found at the scene and the DNA presumed to belong to a part of Park Bender–meaning that the killer was Park’s son. But Olivia knew that it cannot be until a secret that might threaten their marriage is revealed.

This was as I mentioned earlier dealt with some sensitive issues so I think I need to give kudos to the author for writing this topic well. This to me was initially a slow burn at first and there were too many POV’s–the wife, the husband, the daughter, the mother, the brother and of course the murderer. I also kind of predicted who the murderer could be but it was revealed by the middle of the book. There was so much tension and drama in the book as a whole. I do understand Olivia’s struggles and actually feel empathy for her. There were some twists and turns in the book but above all, in my opinion, this was an OK thriller as a whole. Worth three and a half stars.

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes urban fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.

With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.

J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

The Hotel- Blog Tour – Book Review

Title:- The Hotel

Author:- Emily Shiner

Date published:- 7th September 2023

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

No. of pages:- 303 pages

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

As we welcome the Rowe family to our beautiful clifftop hotel, a shadow passes over my husband’s face. In that moment I see my husband is hiding a terrible secret. Has he put us all in danger?

Mark and I pride ourselves on giving visitors to our hotel, high on the rugged Maine cliffs with views of the ocean, a vacation they won’t forget. But the Rowes are strangely over-familiar when they arrive with their teenage daughter. The wife puts a hand on Mark’s forearm and her husband meets my eyes with a knowing look as I hold my little son tight. They gush that they loved their previous stay here… But I’m certain I’ve never seen them before.

Mark reassures me that the Rowes are just being friendly. We have so many visitors, maybe we forgot meeting them. When I am locked in the master bedroom for over an hour, he later soothes my panic and says it was just an accident. But I know one of the Rowes was out in the hallway listening to me cry for help. I hear one of them whispering a lullaby to my baby on his monitor. I cannot trust these people.

But as the relentless icy rain gives way to the biggest blizzard of the season and we become cut off, I realize my son and I are trapped. Mark knows more about the Rowes than he’s letting on. I’ll do anything to protect my gorgeous baby boy. But how far will I have to go, to keep him safe?

This was such a fast-paced thriller!

The story starts with Abby and Mark allowing the Rowes family to book an entire hotel for the few weeks. But then when the Rowe family reaches the hotel, there was something mysterious and dark going on between the Rowe family and Abby and Mark. What started with minor things become a cat and mouse chase game with one of them ended up dead and Mark owing someone money.

This was a fast-paced thriller. The story is told from Abby, Mark, Lottie and Lottie’s daughter’s point of views so it is interesting to know what each of the characters are thinking about each other. The whole story was fast-paced and there were some unexpected twists and turns. I actually really liked the ending–with a cliffhanger in the end and as a reader you would really want to know, what is really going to happen next. Overall, if you have read Ruth Ware’s One by One book, and liked a thriller with a locked room mystery, then this book is one for you. Well written, gripping and atmospheric–worth five stars!

Many thanks to Bookouture for making me a part of the blog tour. The book is based on my honest opinion only.

Emily Shiner always dreamed of becoming an author. After spending years devouring stacks of thrillers, she decided to try her hand at writing them herself. Now she gets to live out her dream of writing novels and sharing her stories with people around the world. She lives in the Appalachian Mountains and loves hiking with her husband, daughter, and their two dogs.

It’s nice to meet you!

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Day 13 – 30 Day Reading Challenge – Icebreaker-Book Review

Title:- Icebreaker

Author:- Hannah Grace

Date published:- April 23rd 2022

No. of pages:- 435 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 2/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 2.5/5

Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA.

A competitive figure skater since she was five years old, a full college scholarship thanks to her place on the Maple Hills skating team, and a schedule that would make even the most driven person weep, Stassie comes to win.

No exceptions.

This book had so much hype on Tiktok and Instagram and so I decided to get this book.

Here’s a warning–some books are worth the hype but most of the books are not worth the hype and Icebreaker was one such book.

I know this is going to be one of the unpopular book reviews as I have seen many raving reviews on this book but I didn’t find this book…that raving.

Meet Anastasia Allen who is an ice skater at a fictional university UCMH. She meets Nathan Hawkins, who is the hockey captain of UCMH. The two cannot stand each other but then eventually they form a relationship between.

Truthfully, I did have high expectations on this book. This is a debut book by Hannah Grace and I really thought there must be some thing that would have made this book so much hype. But I didn’t see any. This book really reminded me of Fifty Shades a little except there was no BDSM. I didn’t really like the character of Anastasia. Too many main characters in my opinion although the story was told by Nathan’s and Anatasia’s POVs mainly. This was a romance book and I felt like this book dragged on and on–this was more than 400 pages and I feel like romance books shouldn’t be more than 400 pages! I couldn’t really get into the story, and I was really bored with some parts. I nearly DNFed but then I don’t usually DNF the books so I had no choice but skim through the book because I really want to finish the book. It dragged on and on, felt like there were some repetitions as well. However, the good thing about the book is, the author can write well. Despite the fact that I didn’t enjoy the book, I want to try more of her books out in future. Worth 2.5 stars in my opinion.

Day 12 – 30 Day Reading Challenge – Love and Other Words – Book Review

Title:- Love and Other Words

Author:- Christina Lauren

Date published:- April 10th 2018

No. of pages:- 432 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

The story of the heart can never be unwritten.

Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother…only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

Love, loss, friendship, and the betrayals of the past all collide in this first fiction novel from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Autoboyography, Dating You / Hating You).

Christina Lauren has officially become my favorite author! Well favorite romance authors. And this book has become one of my favorites!

The story begins with Macy Sorenson who is having coffee with her college roommate. She was getting married to someone and she is working as a pediatric resident at a hospital. Then she meets Elliot after having no contacts with him for many years and after an incident caused Macy to break up with Elliot. Macy realizes that she still has feelings towards Elliot and she was deciding if it was a good idea to get married to Sean or going back to Elliot.

I actually enjoyed reading this story. Some of the romance books are over-hyped but I feel this book worth the hype. The book divides into then and now–then when Macy meets Elliot for the first and now dealing with the present situation. I really felt the chemistry between Macy and Elliot and I was really rooting for the couple to get back together. The writing was really great, not too much spice in the book but overall, this was a good romance book. I actually enjoyed reading this book and I have to say, this book is one of the best of Christina Lauren. Worth 4.5 stars!

Lie By The Pool – ARC Book Review

Title:- Lie By The Pool

Author:- Susan Walter

Date published:- will be published on 12th September 2023

Publisher:- Lake Union

No. of pages:- 276 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A desperate woman. An irresistible invitation. An escalating nightmare of secrets, lies, and murder.

Bree’s new home is luxurious and private, with a fancy Beverly Hills address. What a shame it’s not hers. Widowed, penniless, living in her car, and out of options, she’s climbed the fence and crashed in the pool house. All she wants is a good night’s sleep. But when Sophie, the absentee owner, finds her, she gets a whole lot more.

Sophie invites Bree back for a party. When it winds down, Bree can’t resist sneaking upstairs to sleep in a real bed. But the next morning, she wakes to find Sophie’s dead body floating in the pool. As the resident vagabond, she’s both the only witness and the prime murder suspect.

Bree knows she shouldn’t run, but her husband’s death was mysterious, too. If she’s going to clear her name, she’s going to have to work fast. Because the killer is still out there, and she’s next.

This was a fast paced and twisty thriller and I couldn’t put this book down.

Bree is barely surviving by conducting piano classes and is homeless, living in her former home. Then the owner of the home have a Halloween party and the next day, a body was found lying in the pool, murdered.

The story is told from multiple character POV Bree, Carter, Sophie, Luke. Luke is the contractor and Brees husband and Sophie worked for Luke. This is also a page turner and the twist at the end was completely unexpected. Overall, this was actually a good thriller that will keep you hooked from the first page onwards. Worth 4.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. the review is based on my honest opinion only.

The winner of the (not terribly) prestigious WIFTS screenwriting award for “All I Wish,” the film she wrote and directed starring Sharon Stone, Susan Walter is excited to add “novelist” to an eclectic resume that includes “failed concert violinist,” “unwatchable TV news reporter,” and “dazed mother to two teenage girls.” A native of Boston, she suppresses her irresistible accent to avoid stink eye from sports fans across Los Angeles, where she now resides. She has an AB in government from Harvard, which she has so far failed to put to good use, and enjoys skiing, lazy bike rides, and wicked strong coffee. Susan’s first two novels, “Good as Dead” and “Over Her Dead Body,” were Amazon First Reads editors’ picks, and both hit number one on Audible across all categories. “Lie by the Pool,” a novel of suspense about a woman who witnesses a murder while stowed away in a Beverly Hills pool house, is scheduled for publication on September 12, 2023. For “behind the scenes” content or to join her mailing list, please visit her at www.susanwalterwriter.com, and thanks for stopping by!

Day 11 – 30 Day Reading Challenge- The Kind Worth Killing – Book Review

Title:- The Kind Worth Killing

Author:- Peter Swanson

Date published:- February 3rd 2015

No. of pages:- 320 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

A devious tale of psychological suspense involving sex, deception, and an accidental encounter that leads to murder. Fans of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train will love this modern reimagining of Patricia Highsmith’s classic Strangers on a Train from the author of the acclaimed The Girl with a Clock for a Heart—which the Washington Post said “should be a contender for crime fiction’s best first novel of 2014.”

On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that’s going stale and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start—he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit—a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliché.

But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.” After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. . . .

Back in Boston, Ted and Lily’s twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda’s demise. But there are a few things about Lily’s past that she hasn’t shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth.

Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.

This book has been mentioned in Bookstagram and Tiktoks that I decided to give this book a try. I have read Eight Perfect Murders by this author before and the plot of this novel sounds really interesting. And yes, this was actually really good!

Ted and Lily meet in London Heathrow Airport as they are ready to board on a flight to Boston. While having drinks, Ted tells Lily about his wife Miranda who is cheating behind his back with their contractor Brad. Both Ted and Lily start plotting to murder both Miranda and Brad and even meet each other when they land in Boston. But soon, this becomes a cat-mouse chase game…

The book is divided into three parts–in the first part, the story is told from Ted and Lily’s POV. Then the second part if told from Miranda’s Lily’s and a detective is introduced in the story Henry Kimball’s POV.

The story is fast-paced and I have to say, this book was nearly impossible to put down. Things start getting interesting towards the middle of the book, when the greatest twist was introduced in the story. I was literally put on the edge of my seat as I was reading this book and I simply couldn’t put the book down as I really want to know what is going to happen next. Lily is a very interesting character and truth to be told, I like how Lily is killing “bad” people or people who have harmed her or her friends. The writing was really great and I have to say, this was way better than Eight Perfect Murders. For the whole time, I was feeling like I was watching a movie that I was really hooked into.

For anyone who is interested in an action packed thriller filled with twists and turns and is a page turner, I recommend this book–worth 4.5 stars!

Peter Swanson is the author of six novels including The Kind Worth Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award, and finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, Her Every Fear, an NPR book of the year, and his most recent thriller, Eight Perfect Murders. His books have been translated into 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and features have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine.

A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, he lives in Somerville, Massachusetts with his wife and cat.

Her Radiant Curse – ARC Book Review

Title:- Her Radiant Curse

Author:- Elizabeth Lim

Date published:- August 29th 2023

Publisher:- Hodder and Stoughton

No. of pages:- 384pages

Genre:- Fantasy

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

From the New York Times bestselling author of SIX CRIMSON CRANES comes a tale of two sisters—one as beautiful as the other is monstrous— who must fight to save each other when a betrothal contest gone wrong unleashes an evil that could sever their bond forever.

One sister must fall for the other to rise.

Channi was not born a monster. But when her own father offered her in sacrifice to the tiger witch, she was forever changed. Cursed with a serpent’s face, Channi is the exact opposite of her beautiful sister Vanna—the only person in the village who looks at Channi and doesn’t see a monster. The only person she trusts.

Now seventeen, Vanna is to be auctioned off in a vulgar betrothal contest that will enrich the coffers of the village leaders. Only Channi, who’s had to rely on her strength and cunning all these years, can defend her sister against the cruelest of the suitors. But in doing so, she becomes the target of his wrath—launching a series of vicious gladiatorial fights, a quest over land and sea, romance between sworn enemies, and a choice that will strain Channi’s heart to its breaking point.

Weaving together elements of The Selection and Ember in the Ashes with classic tales like Beauty and the Beast and Helen of Troy, Elizabeth Lim is at the absolute top of her game in this thrilling yet heart-wrenching fantasy that explores the dark side of beauty and the deepest bonds of sisterhood.

Usually, I am not really a fan of fantasy novels but Her Radiant Curse is an unputdownable and heartbreaking fantasy novel I have read, and a fantasy novel that I actually enjoyed reading it without having any second thoughts.

I haven’t read this author’s previous books Six Crimson Cranes but Her Radiant Curse is apparently the prequel of Six Crimson Cranes. The story starts with Channi, who was offered as a sacrifice by her father to a tiger witch. Channi was then cursed with a serpent face as a result of the curse. The tiger witch however promised that Channi will get her face back after sixteen years if Channi brings Vanni, Channi’s younger sister in return to exchange the curse. Now flash forward, Vanni has grown into a beautiful woman and she and Channi are very close together. When Vanni is auctioned off to find a potential suitor, Channi is then become a wrath of one of the suitors and Channi must learn to survive through her ability to fight and cunningness. Meanwhile, Channi wanted to fight and defeat the tiger witch so nothing will happen to her sister Vanni.

To me this book was an emotional and heartbreaking read. I was rooting for Channi and I really liked the sisterly bond that was shared between Channi and Vanni. Channi’s way of protecting her sister against the enemies, despite the fact that she got cursed with a serpent face. Channi in my opinion was brave and courageous. Reading this book, helped me feel like I was in this fantasy world with Channi and Vanni and the author actually did a good job making the reader feel that way. This was fast-paced which is a good thing and I was immensely hooked into the story. The ending was sad but overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book and this became one of my favorite fantasy novels I have read. As a matter of fact, I cannot wait to read more books form this author! Worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Elizabeth Lim grew up on a hearty staple of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Her passion for storytelling began around age 10, when she started writing fanfics for Sailor Moon, Sweet Valley, and Star Wars, and posted them online to discover, “Wow, people actually read my stuff. And that’s kinda cool!” But after one of her teachers told her she had “too much voice” in her essays, Elizabeth took a break from creative writing to focus on not flunking English.

Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel — for kicks, at first, then things became serious — and she hasn’t looked back since.

Elizabeth loves classic film scores, books with a good romance, food (she currently has a soft spot for arepas and Ethiopian food), the color turquoise, overcast skies, English muffins, cycling, and baking. She lives in New York City with her husband.

Day 10 of 30 Day Reading Challenge – Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Finlay Donovan Series 1)

Title:- Finlay Donovan is Killing It

Author:- Elle Cosimano

Date published:- February 2nd 2021

Genre:- Comedy Thriller

No. of pages:- 355 pages

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Finlay Donovan is killing it…except, she’s really not. A stressed-out single mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: The new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written; her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her; and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet. She soon discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moments.

Wow…I didn’t expect this book to be really good!

Finlay Donovan’s life is almost falling apart. She is suffering from writer’s block, her husband has moved on with a woman named Theresa and is fighting for the custody of her two children. So while at Panera, while Finlay is discussing about the plot of her suspense novel with her literary agent, a woman overhears her conversation and mistakes Finlay as some contract killer. And Finlay realizes that solving real-life murder cases, when it involves a Russian mob is not as easy as fictional cases.

Initially, the first part was slightly boring but then soon, it became fast-paced and witty. Fin is such a lovely and funny character and she and Vero, the nanny who was fired by Finlay’s ex-husband make a good pair of solving the murder cases let alone getting entangled in one! The writing was really great and I was immediately hooked into the book despite the first chapter being a bit boring. There were some funny moments in the book which will make you laugh out loud that literally you will cry with tears! Finlay became one of my favorite characters and overall, I couldn’t wait to see what the ending was and actually enjoyed the reading! This is the first book of the Finlay Donovan series and so I cannot wait to read more books from this series!

The Blackout – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Blackout

Author:- Sarah Goodwin

Date published:- will be published on 31st August 2023

Publisher:- Avon

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 2/5

Overall rating:- 2.5/5

When Meg and Cat arrange a night out in Bristol, it’s the perfect distraction from Meg’s grief over her brother. But, after accidentally spending their cab money on drinks, they must walk home all the way across the city. Hungry, exhausted and barefoot, they decide to take a shortcut along a dark canal path.

That’s when they notice the two men silently following them.

Suddenly forced to run for their lives, Meg and Cat scramble into an abandoned house and hide for hours before eventually the police show up to rescue them.

But then the night goes from bad to worse…

This book actually had a promising storyline and plot. However, this was actually a disappointing book in my opinion.

Meg and Cat go out for the night for drinks but when they spent all the money on the drinks, they were forced to walk together alone in dark alley. And while walking, they realize that the two men were following after them. Frightened Meg and Cat hide in the abandoned cottage and call the police for help. When the police come for help, they believe that help has finally arrived but then their night starts getting worse.

As I mentioned, the whole plot has a wonderful storyline. However, the way the plot was executed was the main issue here. Too much of repetitions, there were some parts that were not relevant to the story, some parts were a bit of slow burn in my opinion and not fast paced. In story like this, you would expect a heartbeat moment and being on the edge of the seat wondering what is going to happen next but with this story, I did not feel any of that. Only the ending was OK but not overly great. There were not many twists or jump-scare moments in the book. Overall this book only worth 2.5 stars.

I have read books from this author but I have to say, this book wasn’t her best. If you want to read books from this author, I would say The Stranded is probably her best book, which kept me on the edge on the whole time.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the invitation. This review is based on my honest opinion only.