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Guy Garvey recommended Catalpa by Jolie Holland in Music (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Family Plot in Books
Sep 16, 2021
Dahlia Lighthouse and her siblings were all named after various people murdered by serial killers. Her parents are obsessed by true crime, and the children were raised in an isolated island home known as the "Murder Mansion" to the locals. Each sibling left when they received their inheritance, except for Dahlia's twin brother, Andy, who disappeared when they were sixteen. Dahlia's been gone from home for seven years when she reluctantly returns after her father's death. Once home, the family receives some terrible news; someone is already buried in their father's plot: Andy, his skull split with an ax. As Dahlia tries to work through her grief over Andy and attempt to figure out what happened to him, she begins to realize that it may trace back to her island home and her family.
"I have to find out what happened to Andy. Then I have to leave this place for good."
This is a dark thriller that will appeal to true crime fans. The Lighthouse family embodies true crime--home schooled, the kids write reports on various serial killer victims and they perform rituals related to their deaths. The obsession with death and murder runs deep, and it's certainly unsettling at first. Dahlia's mother lost her own parents in a gruesome way, and it's definitely apparent that this family isn't quite right.
The first half of this book was really fascinating for me. Weird yes, but oddly interesting as you get to know this messed up family and all their dark secrets. Dahlia seems like a sister grieving the loss of her twin brother, and you find yourself wanting to know what happened to him. There's certainly a limited pool of suspects (small island) but the book keeps you guessing.
The second half did not seem as strong as the first. The weirdness factor ratchets up to almost unbelievable. Dahlia's older siblings are annoying and too much. The limited pool of subjects becomes almost cloying, suddenly making things seem too obvious as the plot thickens and become a bit too bizarre. Things get incredibly grim at times.
Still, while this is a strange read, overall it's a page-turner and something kept me reading. It's like a trainwreck from which you cannot look away. Collins definitely includes some good points about the bonds of family and people's obsession with crime and murder. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Atria Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
"I have to find out what happened to Andy. Then I have to leave this place for good."
This is a dark thriller that will appeal to true crime fans. The Lighthouse family embodies true crime--home schooled, the kids write reports on various serial killer victims and they perform rituals related to their deaths. The obsession with death and murder runs deep, and it's certainly unsettling at first. Dahlia's mother lost her own parents in a gruesome way, and it's definitely apparent that this family isn't quite right.
The first half of this book was really fascinating for me. Weird yes, but oddly interesting as you get to know this messed up family and all their dark secrets. Dahlia seems like a sister grieving the loss of her twin brother, and you find yourself wanting to know what happened to him. There's certainly a limited pool of suspects (small island) but the book keeps you guessing.
The second half did not seem as strong as the first. The weirdness factor ratchets up to almost unbelievable. Dahlia's older siblings are annoying and too much. The limited pool of subjects becomes almost cloying, suddenly making things seem too obvious as the plot thickens and become a bit too bizarre. Things get incredibly grim at times.
Still, while this is a strange read, overall it's a page-turner and something kept me reading. It's like a trainwreck from which you cannot look away. Collins definitely includes some good points about the bonds of family and people's obsession with crime and murder. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Atria Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Need (Finding Anna, #2) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
This book was reviewed as part of a blog tour on Lily Loves Indie and the whole review can be seen here http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/?p=185
This book was very hit and miss for me. There were some aspects of it that were brilliant, yet there were others that just failed to grab my attention, and left me struggling to pick the book up once I put it down. That being said, I still had a desire to find out what happened, and I still read it from cover to cover with considerable speed. Hence why this review is rather bitty, and hit and miss, rather like the book. I really want to like it, but there are just some more niggles that build on those from the first in the series.
So, grumbles over, what did I actually like? Well, there's plenty, as you're about to find out. I LOVED the fact that at long last, Brianna and Stephan actually 'got together'! And boy was it well written. Delicate, just like their love, and completely consensual. There was a real message in there to a lot of younger people out there who perhaps don't go about sex in the right way. Also, unlike sex in a lot of other books I've read in the last few years, it was rather beautiful and so sensitively written, that you could imagine that having actually been someone's first time (without the background of Brianna of course).
This book was very hit and miss for me. There were some aspects of it that were brilliant, yet there were others that just failed to grab my attention, and left me struggling to pick the book up once I put it down. That being said, I still had a desire to find out what happened, and I still read it from cover to cover with considerable speed. Hence why this review is rather bitty, and hit and miss, rather like the book. I really want to like it, but there are just some more niggles that build on those from the first in the series.
So, grumbles over, what did I actually like? Well, there's plenty, as you're about to find out. I LOVED the fact that at long last, Brianna and Stephan actually 'got together'! And boy was it well written. Delicate, just like their love, and completely consensual. There was a real message in there to a lot of younger people out there who perhaps don't go about sex in the right way. Also, unlike sex in a lot of other books I've read in the last few years, it was rather beautiful and so sensitively written, that you could imagine that having actually been someone's first time (without the background of Brianna of course).
My Darling Mr Asquith: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Venetia Stanley
Book
This is the true story of one woman's life set against the backcloth of the great events of the...
No is a Four-Letter Word: How I Failed Spelling but Succeeded in Life
Book
Chris Jericho is a six-time pro-wrestling champion, international touring musician, three-time...
Noel Gallagher - the Biography
Book
Noel Gallagher is as well-known for his singer-songwriter talent as he is for his controversial,...
Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore
Book
Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2177 KP) rated Smothered in Books
Feb 24, 2021
This Sequel Was a Little Too Whipped
Alene Baron is finding herself irritated by Stanley Huff, who owns the gym next door to Arlene’s café. Not only is he an inconsiderate neighbor, but Alene questions some of the things he sells. Alene is shocked when she finds him dead one morning. When the police begin to look at one of Arlene’s employees as a suspect, she can’t help but try to learn what really happened. Can she uncover the truth?
This was definitely a mixed book for me. Most of my issues were things that could have been smoothed over with a strong edit – a few dropped plot threads, the dreaded timeline issues, and a few conversations that were summarized for us instead of including us in them. On the other hand, there were things I enjoyed. We have a large cast of characters. Since it had been a while since book one, I had to remember who every was again (the cast of characters at the beginning helped), but once I did that, I appreciate the growth in the characters we saw here. The heart of the mystery was good, and I especially appreciated how Alene figured it out, which lead to an entertaining climax. Alene’s café features vegan recipes, so the recipes we get at the end are vegan as well. If you enjoyed the first, you’ll want to pick this up and see what happens to the characters next.
This was definitely a mixed book for me. Most of my issues were things that could have been smoothed over with a strong edit – a few dropped plot threads, the dreaded timeline issues, and a few conversations that were summarized for us instead of including us in them. On the other hand, there were things I enjoyed. We have a large cast of characters. Since it had been a while since book one, I had to remember who every was again (the cast of characters at the beginning helped), but once I did that, I appreciate the growth in the characters we saw here. The heart of the mystery was good, and I especially appreciated how Alene figured it out, which lead to an entertaining climax. Alene’s café features vegan recipes, so the recipes we get at the end are vegan as well. If you enjoyed the first, you’ll want to pick this up and see what happens to the characters next.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2177 KP) rated Furbidden Fatality in Books
Feb 24, 2021
Glad I Adopted This Debut
Kari Stuart had been working as a waitress in a town in the Catskills until she won the lottery. She’s not quite sure what she is going to do with her winnings until she hears about an animal sanctuary on the edge of town that is for sale. Impulsively she buys it and sets about getting it ready to reopen. Unfortunately, that’s also when she runs across Bill Myers, the local dog warden, who seems to have targeted the sanctuary. After Kari finds Bill dead just outside the sanctuary’s fence in the middle of the night, she becomes the police’s prime suspect. Can she figure out what really happened?
I started to hear some early buzz about this book, so I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. This may be the first in the series, but I already love the characters. Kari leads a great cast, and there are just as many charming four-legged characters as there are humans. The plot is inventive, with plenty to keep us engaged over the course of the story. Yet everything Kari uncovered helps make for a satisfying resolution when we reached the end. While this is Deborah Blake’s first mystery, she has written quite a few other books, and that shows through in the writing. If you are looking for a promising new mystery series, adopt this book right away.
I started to hear some early buzz about this book, so I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. This may be the first in the series, but I already love the characters. Kari leads a great cast, and there are just as many charming four-legged characters as there are humans. The plot is inventive, with plenty to keep us engaged over the course of the story. Yet everything Kari uncovered helps make for a satisfying resolution when we reached the end. While this is Deborah Blake’s first mystery, she has written quite a few other books, and that shows through in the writing. If you are looking for a promising new mystery series, adopt this book right away.