Srivatsa
3.5 rounded up to 4
Loved the atmosphere and the internal monologue of the MC. Felt the paranormal aspects of the book could've been fleshed out (pardon the pun) a bit more or even left out completely since the psychological nature and the creepy atmosphere was well enough. Still applaud the author for intertwining both aspects seamlessly. If anything, the dialogue, especially from one of the characters, could have been better. Had my eyes rolling a couple of times. Overall a quick read, may not be the best book out there but an entertaining one nonetheless.
3.5 rounded up to 4
For the most part of this book, I was perplexed. “What's going on? What am I even reading?” But by the halfway mark, the author very cleverly revealed certain aspects of the story. I will say if you can get past the strange first half and multi POV narrative, you may not only guess the twist but also like the book. At the end of it all, I think I liked the way the author handled certain real life issues.
Horrible...Horrible...Horrible...the only thing which was nice in the book was the way the author separated the chapters into “his” and “hers”, apart from that it was quite boring. The characters are so annoying. If this was an english murder mystery Agatha-style, both of them would have been bumped off in the first few chapters. How did this book win awards is beyond me!
4.5 (rounded up)
Was it the best written book ever? No
Was it over the top towards the end (2 books released in 2023 come to mind)? Yes
Did I have fun? Absolutely
The last RS book I genuinely liked was Lock every door and after the misses with his last 2 books, I was hesistant with this one. I think the premise and setting was good with a suprisingly unannoying MC. He did a good job of maintaining the suspense with the backstory. I do think it got a bit repetitive and slow at times. I honestly didn't mind the twists. As I said, I've read two popular books this year with crazy twists, so coming into this, I was sort of prepared
I am on the fence with the last 5% but overall this book was excellent. Just be prepared for the difficult subject matter. Wish there were more chapters on Sally.
I'm confused. The writing is great and the fragmented narrative was interesting, but what was the connection between the main plot and the story within the story? I'm sure there's a deeper meaning.
Wish it was a novella. Felt like there were too many characters with whom I could not connect with. The writing and the horror aspect was great though. Would recommend and try another book from this author.
This book was rather racy where the male lead had a personality akin to a plank of wood, a peabrain protagonist who takes forever to read a manuscript containing THIRTEEN chapters and somehow the only thing remotely interesting was the pov of a vegetative manipulative woman. That ending may have shocked a lot of people, I found it hilarious.
Fairly solid start with a spooky setup. But the inconsistencies in decision making and the general silliness of the second half (everything past the plot twist was hilarious) really dropped the score for me.
I have no idea how I managed to miss the “WARNING” sign for this book. I honestly thought I was picking up a fun slasher, wow was I wrong. This was grotesque, brutal, vile, disturbing, stomach churning and I think I will pay more heed to the warnings next time. This is definitely not for the faint hearted and I would not recommend this unless you are a true extreme horror fan. With that said I struggle to give this a rating since I was not prepared for the carnage.
Great setting with the isolated atmosphere, however, that middle section was a drag. Quite literally nothing happens. Also I'm sure most people would agree that Lauren should've taken Alec's place. Very annoying character. Overall, quite an average thriller with a nice setup but predictable ending.
I think what stood out for me with this book was the writing style. It flowed very naturally. Loved the insertion of journal entries. Helped develop the characters a lot more. I will say as I got closer to the halfway point I did have an inkling of what the twist might be. I think if the author had added a few more red herrings without making it too convoluted, it may have had a more ‘woah' impact on me. I wish the ending was a tad bit different as well. A few reveals and developments may have felt unnecessary. But all things aside a good thriller.
The writing is beautiful, a bit inconsistent at places and parts of this book made me realise I was not the intended audience, but the story was really good. I think what bumped my initial score of a 3 to a 4 was the second half. The character progression of Constanta and her relationships with the others was really well written. I wouldn't mind a full length novel to continue where this story left off.
2 stars for the final girl trope and the witty chapter names. This book was an utter snooze fest, who needs the Dream King when you can just read this book? What awful characters, predictable ending, and just one of the worst pacing in thrillers. The beginning wasn't anything to rave about but wow that middle section was a nightmare to get through. Skip this one at all costs.