Tag: Thriller

Book Review

Sun Don’t Shine

TheShelfLife

Sun Don’t Shine by Crissa-Jean Chappell

Publication Date: January 2024| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: More realistic fiction than thriller, but gives an intimate view into those who are homeless and struggle financially. Super quick read!

4/5

Book Summary: Reeces father abducted her from home 10 years ago. Ever since they have been on the run and Reece has had to follow her Dads rules for staying safe. Living in cars, the woods, shady motels and pulling food from dumpsters is all she has grown up knowing. When Reece meets Shawn, she starts to question how she came to be in this life and starts to uncover secrets her father has been keeping from her for years.

My Analysis: This is marketed as a thriller, but I felt it to be more realistic fiction. It did have some suspenseful moments and the pace was quick (as was the novel) which is more true to that genre. This story is about a girl who was abducted, but the focus is less on that and more on her living situation. Reece and her father have done whatever they need to do to survive, and the author does a nice job painting a picture of their struggles. I felt it provided an intimate look into homelessness and financial difficulties. This was one of those books that when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I liked the character development throughout, especially Reece. There were a few times were I questioned why the characters did or did not do certain things that seemed to be pretty obvious, but that didn’t detract from the story at all. Overall it was a quick read and if you want to get to know some interesting characters, you should give it a try.

Book Review

Tag, You’re Dead

TheShelfLife

Tag, You’re Dead by Kathryn Foxfield

Publication Date: December 2023| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Geared toward a younger YA audience.

3.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Social media influencer Anton begins a city-wide game of tag, with the prize to become one of his personal assistants. As contestants chase each other around London, their motives for joining the game become more apparent and secrets are revealed. When someone posing as the ghost of one of Anton’s former assistants interjects themselves into the game, everything begins to fall apart.

My Analysis: I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated I would. It was very fast-paced and kept me hooked to want to know what would happen next. The writing is geared more towards a younger YA audience, but if you can get by that it’s a solid thriller for anyone to read. I liked the concept of a city-wide contest and teenagers will definitely appreciate the social media presence throughout. Not sure how the parents of some of these kids are cool with them running around the streets of London unsupervised, but not going to let that detract from the story. You may figure out a few things along the way before the characters do (as I did) but the author does a nice job of making everyone look guilty. If you’re looking for a unique thriller that’s a quick read, give this one a try!

Book Review

The One That Got Away With Murder

TheShelfLife

The One That Got Away With Murder by Trish Lundy

Publication Date: April 2024| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Drama-filled and reads like a telenovela. If you can get passed how unrealistic some details are, it’s a fast-paced thriller.

2.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Lauren moved to a new town for her moms new boyfriend, and also to escape some mistakes of her past. When she meets Robbie, they strike up a casual relationship. Lauren quickly learns however that Robbie and his brother also have a past- including two dead girlfriends. While navigating new friendships, she attempts to discover exactly what happened as everything begins to close in on her. When Lauren finds a new piece of evidence, she knows there’s no turning back.

My Analysis: I’ll admit I have mixed feelings about this one. To me it reads as more of a telenovela style story where it’s intriguing and drama-filled but you know it’s so unrealistic that all of this could possibly happen. If you’re able to get passed that, it is a super fast-paced read. I ended up reading it in just a couple days. What I liked: the supporting characters. They were interesting and I liked what little growth was shown in them. What I didn’t like: the main protagonist. She was really tough to root for, with her personality and decision-making. Something to be aware of with this one- there is a lot of mentions of casual sex, drug use and alcohol. May be better suited for older YA readers who are mature enough to handle the actions of the characters throughout.

Book Review

And Don’t Look Back

TheShelfLife

And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow

Publication Date: October 2023| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: This one will keep you in suspense with multi-dimensional mysteries.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Harlow and her mother have always been running from something, never staying very long in one place before moving on to another. When her mother dies suddenly, Harlow is forced to confront her mothers past and the secrets that she has kept hidden all these years. With the ability to choose her future for the first time, Harlow must decide how much to let in and just how much she really wants to know.

My Analysis: I couldn’t put this one down, and just had to know what was going to happen next. And Don’t Look Back was very suspenseful and I appreciated that it had multiple mysteries going on at once in the plot. There were a couple of moments that I thought were a bit annoying, and that the characters had an overreaction to an event, but overall I enjoyed it. Seeing the main protagonist come into her own was also very intriguing. After so many years of having to pretend to be others she can finally discover who she actually is. That combination of self discovery alongside the uncovering of family history is secrets made for a satisfying read. If you’re into thrillers and mysteries, I recommend this one!

Book Review

What Stalks Among Us

TheShelfLife

What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell

Publication Date: September 2023| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: More thriller than horror. May appeal more to younger YA readers who can tolerate the repetition of the story.

1/5 Stars

Book Summary: Best friends Sadie and Logan skip their senior trip and find themselves exploring a seemingly abandoned corn maze. Before they know it, a fun outing turns dark and twisty when they come across their own dead bodies. Time works strangely in the maze, and the two continually find themselves restarting over and over again. Determined to figure out what they need to do to escape, Sadie and Logan take risks, and learn about themselves in the process.

My Analysis: Cornfield maze and murder?! I was hooked on the premise. However, contrary to what seems to be popular opinion with this book, I was not drawn into the story. I found it tedious and repetitive (which yes, I get there has to be a certain amount for this to work, but it was too much). I think that it was too easy for the characters to figure certain things out and others were too obvious. But then the things that the reader would want to know more about, there was zero explanation. I was also expecting a horror book, and this was definitely not. It was not creepy in the slightest. If you’re dying for a thriller and have exhausted every other option, this may work for you. I hate to speak negatively so much about a book, but I honestly can’t determine one thing I actually enjoyed about this one. I kept pushing through hoping it would improve, but to me it did not. Perhaps the younger side of YA readers would appreciate this one more.

Book Review

Everyone Here Is Lying

TheShelfLife

Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena

Publication Date: July 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Adult title that has YA crossover potential. A straightforward thriller that shares a suspenseful story, even if the tropes are a bit overdone.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Dr. Wooler has been having an affair, up until it’s horrible end this afternoon. When he arrives home early to unexpectedly find his daughter Avery home, he loses his temper. Later, it is discovered that Avery has gone missing. As the police search for her, secrets of a small town come to light.

My Analysis: This is an adult title, but I can see the YA crossover potential. It is extremely suspenseful right from the start, a classic thriller. The events that occur are a bit overdone in this genre of lit, but it doesn’t diminish the overall story. I just didn’t love all of the things that happened, and think it could have been better if some things were changed a bit. I really enjoy Lapena’s writing however, and it was very interesting to see multiple perspectives of different characters. She really dives into the heads and thoughts of each character which really drives the plot. If you’re looking for a straightforward thriller give this one a try!

Book Review

Where He Can’t Find You

TheShelfLife

Where He Can’t Find You by Darcy Coates

Publication Date: November 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A creepy page turner that will keep you invested in intriguing characters, so long as you can suspend disbelief of reality.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Abby and her friends have a set a rules to keep them safe from the Stitcher, who haunts their small town with disappearances and murder. When her sister goes missing, she will stop at nothing to uncover the secrets of the Stitcher.

My Analysis: I was unsure about how I would feel about this book, but I gave it a try because it had a very interesting premise. I throughly enjoyed it and found myself looking forward to when I could read more. The author does a nice job of writing in some pretty creepy moments. Some of which are a bit gruesome in description, so be aware of that. I also enjoyed the historical aspects of the characters that were intertwined with the overall story. It was very interesting to hear personal past experiences from characters. The biggest challenge with reading this book though is that the reader has to suspend disbelief in reality for it to really work as a novel. That does go along with any kind of supernatural elements, but there are other moments throughout that you just have to accept instead of question the likelihood of it actually happening.

Book Review

Last Girl Breathing

TheShelfLife

Last Girl Breathing by Court Stevens

Publication Date: November 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A suspenseful thriller that focuses on deep character development, trauma, and the lengths people will go to to protect and survive.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Lucy has never been able to escape the tragedy that took her younger brothers life. Years later, she is focused on making the Olympic Air Rifle team when disaster strikes her small town again. Two murders that occur on the same land where her brother died push her into investigating secrets and suspicion seems to be pointing at everyone.

My Analysis: I enjoyed this book! I am a fan of Court Stevens, and the writing did not disappoint. It is a little slower paced at some points, but overall the characters keep you guessing throughout. Although it is written for a YA audience, I can see some of the younger side of that demographic struggling to get into the story. This novel is more depth than pure entertainment to read. I like that the author included a female protagonist that is interested in air rifle shooting. This is something that could be appealing to some readers who don’t usually get to see that combination represented. I really appreciated the character development throughout and the comprehensive nature to the story which combined together past and present events. So long as you’re able to put up with the slow burn pace, this is a thriller you don’t want to miss.

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.