Tag: 2023

Book Review

Summer Rental

TheShelfLife

Summer Rental by Rektok Ross

Publication Date: June 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A thriller with some good jump scares, but only worth the quick read if you can put up with lackluster writing and suspended reality.

2/5 Stars

Book Summary: Summer Rental tells the story of a group of recent graduates who rent a house on remote Palm Key Island to have one last party before college. Even though they are a seemingly close group of friends, everyone is hiding something from one another. When a hurricane hits, they are cut off from the rest of civilization and trapped inside the house. This is only the beginning of their problems however, as they soon find one of their group has been murdered. As the body count rises, everyone is forced to confront their secrets.

My Analysis: I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise is very intriguing and overall the plot moves forward at a nice pace. There are a lot of ‘jump scare’ moments that I enjoyed and added to the thriller aspect of the novel. I did not see the twist towards the end coming until it was just about to happen, which I appreciated as the reader. The language that the author used however, drove me a little crazy. Making the characters very clear that they were teenagers was way overdone – the slang she included detracted from the story. I also did not appreciate the toxic friendships that were portrayed in the narrative. I understand why the author wanted to show this, but it is not a great example for teen readers to see characters acting this way toward one another. I think she could have gotten her point across without them being quite so awful to one another, even if many of them were entitled. Overall it is a quick psychological thriller that may be enjoyable if you can get past the writing.

Book Review

Wolfpack

TheShelfLife

Wolfpack by Amelia Brunskill

Publication Date: June 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: An intriguing story told in verse. If you are willing to only gain a surface level understanding of the characters and cult life, it is worth the quick read! Realistic fiction with a mystery twist.

3.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Wolfpack shares the story of a group of girls living in a remote location that they are told is a safe haven from the outside world. Under the leadership of a man named Joseph, these girls live life by his code and readers see a glimpse into their experiences. When one of the girls goes missing and no one seems to notice, the group starts to investigate the cause of her disappearance.

My Analysis:

This book is written in verse, and is a very quick read. It is broken up into chapters each focusing on one of the ‘wolfpack’ girls, but the author does little to really dive in to each specific character. If it wasn’t indicated, each chapter could have been the same characters perspective. I wish more time had been spent getting to know the individuals, I think it would have made for a larger impact to the story overall. It is also important to note that if you are looking for a book that dives into the inner workings of cults, that this is not what you’re looking for. Although it is clear these girls have grown up in a cult environment and that is key to their story, only surface level information about the cults inner workings are revealed throughout. Overall it did hold my attention and I was curious to know the outcome of the mystery that is presented as the story unfolds. The inner thoughts of the girls at Havenwood are intriguing and their bond with one another helped to garner emotion. If the characters and the cult life went a little deeper, it definitely would have added greatly to the story.

Book Review

The Scarlet Veil

TheShelfLife

The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin

Publication Date: September 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Give it a read if you really enjoyed the Serpent and Dove series and it’s characters and are willing to put up with a slow moving and sometimes predictable plot.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Set after the Serpent and Dove series. Celie has taken her vows to become the first female Chasseur. A new evil is on the horizon, resulting in many dead bodies. As Celie works to investigate, she finds herself in the company of vampires. How far is she willing to go to do what is right? What will she learn about herself in the process?

My Analysis: I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it fell short for me. I am a big fan of Mahuin’s Serpent and Dove series, and as soon as I heard this was coming out, it was immediately on my TBR list. The same world and characters and the inclusion of vampires? Sounded like a win. Overall there were some really interesting parts to the book, and I thoroughly enjoyed the vampire characters. To me, getting to know them was absolutely the best part. My biggest hang up with this story was Celie’s character development. I can understand the author trying to share the feminine side of this protagonist, but to me she seemed to come off as way too weak and innocent. More so than she really needed to be to get her point across. The Scarlet Veil is written as Celie’s story and as such the first 60% of the book was rough for me to get through because of her character. The story does pick up though towards the end and it is action packed (although somewhat predictable) until the last page. Ultimately, if you really enjoyed Serpent and Dove, want to read more about those characters and can put up with a slower pace, this is worth a read.