Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mallory Quinn is a recovering drug addict - she is eighteen months sober and trying her hardest to rebuild her life. Mallory's sponsor believes she will have a higher chance of success if she has a change of scenery, so he introduces her to Ted and Caroline, the parents of five year old Teddy. Mallory is hired as a live-in babysitter for the summer and moves to Spring Brook, New Jersey for a new life. Everything is going perfectly - Mallory and Teddy form a very close bond and his parents are grateful for all the hard work Mallory is doing to keep their household in order - at least until Teddy's imaginary friend Anya causes Mallory to worry. Teddy begins to draw violent pictures at Anya's request, and Mallory is determined to find the truth behind the drawings and Teddy's imaginary friend.

Hidden Pictures was so much fun, and I will come right out and say it - this is the only book that I have read this year that has an ending that completely shocked me. I mean... talk about a twist! And it's a good one! Not to mention the fact that once you finish the book, you look back and realize all of the hints/clues you missed while reading! I was so impressed with this book and the story!

This is also a great portrayal of addiction - Mallory's struggle is evident throughout the narrative, but it wasn't used as a character trait, which I found very refreshing. I also think the judgement that many recovered addicts experience when trying to rebuild their lives is really nicely touched on in this book! Mallory's relationships in this book are really special, and the evolution of her character was great to witness, too!

Hidden Pictures is a slow burn, which I personally love, though I can understand why other people may not enjoy that!  The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is because I felt like the ending was abrupt! The pace of the book was perfect in my opinion, but the ending and the epilogue are rather quick in comparison! 

Overall, I loved Hidden Pictures! It was really well written, fun, and the twist at the end really surprised me! I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers and/or mysteries! It's totally worth it and this is by far my favorite thriller I've read this year!

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
⭐⭐

Emma Davis seems to have her life together. She has a promising career as a painter, and she's considered an up-and-coming artist in the NYC art scene. No one but Emma knows that beneath each of her paintings are hidden three missing teenage girls. Having been the last person to see them alive, Emma is haunted by her past and these three girls, with whom she spent a summer vacation at Camp Nightingale. On the 15th anniversary of the incident, the camp is reopening, and Emma gets the opportunity to return as a camp counselor. Determined to solve the mystery of her missing friends, Emma must face the guilt and the ghosts that have followed her all these years. 

I really enjoy Riley Sager's books, but this one just didn't work for me! I felt like it was a hodgepodge of different thriller elements thrown together, and unfortunately, that approach didn't put a cohesive story together. Every bit of angst and tension was put onto the page, even when it didn't fit the narrative or mesh with the characterization/logic of the story.

I would've enjoyed more of an investigation on Emma's part, more history, and more realistic relationships and characters. The flashbacks were the most interesting parts of the book, so I wish they had been lengthier with more depth. I feel like 300-400 pages is just too short for a fully realized, immersive thriller with decent characterization and a well thought out ending (although those are thoughts for another time lol). 

The ending also left me wanting more as well! The first twist was very predictable for me, though the second twist definitely surprised me. Even so, I didn't really enjoy the ending. I felt like it was a little forced. 

Overall, this book was a bunch of pointless chaos and the ending felt like it was supposed to be a tidy lil' bow, but I just really wanted more. The Last Time I Lied just wasn't a book for me! And that's okay! Not all books can be winners. Lots of people loved this one, though, so if you're interested in the synopsis, check it out and give it a chance! It just didn't leave much of an impression on me!

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
by Holly Jackson
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Five years ago, Sal Singh allegedly murdered his high school girlfriend, Andie Bell, and later committed suicide. It is widely believed by the town that Sal perpetrated the crime, despite Andie's body never having been found. Seventeen year-old Pippa Fitz-Amobi never truly bought into Sal's guilt and, with a secret agenda in mind, chooses to base her senior year project on the crime. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder follows Pip as she uncovers her hometown's dark secrets and the truth of what happened that night five years ago - because Sal couldn't possibly have done it... right?

From front to back, this book was awesome. I was so impressed that this is marketed as a YA novel. Not only did we have a strong, intelligent, and determined female lead, but she was funny as hell, too. If I ever decide to actually grow up, I want to be Pip. 

The story dealt with some heavier themes such as s*xual assault, dr*g abuse, abuse of power, and racism. Holly Jackson did a phenomenal job weaving these darker topics into the narrative, as well as discussing and portraying them realistically. Our secondary characters (especially Ravi, Sal's younger brother who aids Pip in her investigation) added to the heart of the story and served to highlight some of Pip's best qualities throughout the book. 

This would've been five stars, but the ending was partly predictable for me. That's okay though, because A Good Girl's Guide to Murder was otherwise incredible!

Overall, this book was fun, dark, perfectly paced, intense, thought-provoking, and funny. Pip is a character that will hang around for a while in my mind. I highly recommend this one if you like mysteries and/or thrillers! I can't wait to read the sequel! 

- trigger warnings - s*xual assault, r*pe, su*cide, dr*g abuse, racism

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

The Paris Apartment 
by Lucy Foley
⭐⭐

The Paris Apartment introduces us to Jess, a twenty-eight-year-old bartender who is on the run from her past, as she reaches out to her brother, Ben, a journalist, for help. She travels to Paris to stay with Ben in his somewhat new apartment until she can get back on her feet. When Jess arrives to find her brother missing and his cat covered in what looks like blood, her journey to finding her brother begins. Looking for help from Ben's neighbors, Jess realizes that the other tenants in the Paris apartment aren't who they seem to be, but can she trust them?

I don't want to say it, but I like to be fully transparent - this is in the top five worst books I've read this year. So many people loved it! I wanted to love it, too!! I really did!!! But no matter who hard I tried, I just couldn't do it. 

I'm keeping my criticisms brief because this is all personal opinion and I'm not going to condemn a book just because I didn't like it. Firstly, every character, with the exception of Jess, was unlikeable and there was no depth to any of them! They were all one dimensional! Every chapter is from a different person's perspective, but they all read like the same character. Sophie and Jess were the most unique characters, but everyone else had the exact same voice. It was also very predictable for me (except for the very end, but even then, I wasn't blown away). 

Aside from the ending, there was nothing really redeeming about this story for me. I wanted to like this, I really did, but I came extremely close to DNFing it. Ultimately, I stuck with it until the end, but unfortunately, it just wasn't my cup of tea. However! As I always say - different strokes for different folks! 

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

 *TRIGGER WARNINGS* alcoholism, addiction, domestic violence, themes of death

The House Across the Lake
by Riley Sager
⭐⭐⭐

Casey is a recently widowed actress with a heavy reliance on alcohol. When her alcoholism becomes front page news, Casey's mother sends her to the family lake house to break her habit, which also happens to be the very lake her husband drowned in. One day, Casey rescues her new neighbor - gorgeous supermodel Katherine - from drowning. Casey and Katherine become fast friends, and as Casey's alcoholism and loneliness worsens, she takes to watching the house across the lake, in which Katherine lives with her husband, Tom. One night, Casey witnesses the couple have a fight and the next day, Katherine is missing. Thus begins Casey's twisted journey to finding her missing friend.

The House Across the Lake was a really fun thriller! I enjoyed it for what it was, and Casey's sense of humor was killer! I loved the idea of women protecting one another and Casey's devotion to finding out the truth behind Katherine's disappearance. The setting of the lake was really fun and eerie, and I was a big fan of the twist and the ending!

I rated this book 3 stars because, despite really enjoying it, the portrayal of Casey's alcoholism was kind of lighthearted and unserious. Riley Sager isn't the most character driven of authors, which is fine, but I would've appreciated a darker, more realistic approach to addiction. I also am never a fan of male authors having their female leads give a feminist monologue - it just doesn't sit very well with me. 

Overall, The House Across the Lake was a fun thriller perfect for this time of year! The twist and ending really worked for me as well. If you're looking for a twisted thriller, I definitely recommend this one!

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

 *Trigger Warnings* rape, abortion, molestation, sexual assault, themes of death, gore

My Heart Is a Chainsaw
by Stephen Graham Jones
⭐⭐⭐

In this story, we meet Jade - a slasher-obsessed 17 year old who is almost positive that a real-life slasher has come to her small hometown. She's an outcast though, the black sheep of the town, and everyone is pretty sure she's just delusional (or a little crazy). The moral of the story? Always listen to teenage girls. My Heart Is a Chainsaw is one of the most unique books I've read this year!

First and foremost, this book defies all genres. It's a mixture of horror, slasher, and thriller all while simultaneously being a revenge AND a "coming of age" story. I found my feelings about this book constantly changing! At multiple points in this story, I had to stop and reevaluate my opinions - originally, I thought Jade was a terrible main character. I thought she was immature and that there was no way I could read an entire book with her... but I did! And I'm glad I did! Jade's character development was so worth it!

Stephen Graham Jones commented on a lot of social issues in this book - racism, misogyny, sexual assault, capitalism, colonialism, small town America, gentrification - and he did so with such ease that it blew my mind! The gore aspect of this story is also really fun, although one of my criticisms is that the slicin' and dicin' takes a very long time to begin! 

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I was going to! I liked the character development, the gore, the political awareness, and the twist at the end! I wish the story was a bit more fun though, but I can totally see why so many people love this book! I'm very eager to see what the sequel will be like! I definitely recommend My Heart Is a Chainsaw if you enjoy thrillers/slashers!

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
⭐⭐⭐

Maggie Holt doesn't remember what caused her family to run away from their newly purchased manor when she was a little kid, but the book her father wrote about their paranormal experiences there has certainly haunted her for the last 25 years. Home Before Dark introduces us to Maggie right after her father dies and she inherits the very house that has practically ruined her life. As she enters Baneberry Hall to renovate and resell it, Maggie attempts to uncover the truth behind her family's departure all those years ago - because she's pretty sure her dad was lying about the ghosts... right?

So many people enjoyed this book, and I can totally see why! Baneberry Hall is practically a time capsule (or tomb) and the spooky/ghosty vibes are strong in this one! I loved the atmosphere of the story and the house itself was beautifully built by Riley Sager. I also really enjoyed following Maggie as she retraces her past and tries to connect the dots and dredge up memories that are better left forgotten.

There were a few things that detracted from the story, however. Firstly, the story takes a while to begin. Nothing really starts popping off until the halfway point, which isn't necessarily a negative thing, but the ending is so suspenseful, and I wish the beginning had been that way as well. The twist(s) at the end was great, though a tiny bit predictable. Riley Sager is a pro at the "double twist" endings though! Maggie's character development was very well done, though the one dimensionality of the supporting characters left a lot to be desired. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a lot! Riley Sager puts together amazing thrillers and this book is perfect for Fall/Halloween season! I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a fun, creepy story to jump into!

The Summoning by J.P. Smith

The Summoning
by J.P. Smith
⭐

Ah, The Summoning... I'll try my best with this review, but I make no promises. Generally, I always try to keep reviews positive, even if I disliked a book. This book just made me angry, though.

In the beginning of The Summoning, we meet Kit, a struggling actress who lost her husband during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. When her daughter falls into a coma, Kit becomes desperate to make money to pay for the cost of keeping her daughter alive. Having no choice, she decides to become a false medium - she can make some easy cash whilst helping others get through their grief. One day, however, Kit starts to believe that she really is having visions and hearing the voices of spirits.

I hated it. I really can't find a single good thing about it. Firstly, this is NOT a ghost story, nor is it anything that even resembles horror or suspense. The characters are all one dimensional with zero growth or development whatsoever. The twist in the story was only there for shock value, because otherwise, it made literally no sense. The ending was like a slap in the face. 

Some people enjoyed this book but I don't think we read the same thing. I would absolutely never recommend this to anyone. It was, hands down, the worst book I've read so far this year!

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

The Final Girl Support Group
by Grady Hendrix
⭐⭐⭐⭐

In The Final Girl Support Group, we meet Lynette - a Final Girl whose real life horror story has made her live her life in lockdown, cutting out all relationships and refusing to leave her apartment, except to attend the Final Girl Support Group (which is exactly what it sounds like). Every week, every Final Girl (women who are the sole survivors of a mass murderer) gets together to work through their past trauma in a therapy setting… until one day, one of the girls doesn’t show up, and each woman seems to be targeted by a mystery threat. 

I loved this book. Each character has a unique personality, voice, and response to trauma. It is very rare for a book to have a large cast of characters that don’t bleed into one another. Grady Hendrix did an impeccable job building these characters in a realistic and totally believable way. I also loved how funny the story was. There were no laugh out louds or punchlines, it was more of a social ineptitude that caused many snorts of mini laughter. I just loved Lynette and her inability to interact with any other human in a somewhat normal capacity. She is a pretty unreliable narrator, which also adds a fun twist to this story. Due to her trauma and PTSD, she fears and distrusts every person she comes into contact with, so you’re really as confused as Lynette is throughout this entire story. 

Generally, the story moves fast - it’s a page turner for sure. The twists are great and the effort that Grady Hendrix puts into world building and fabricating things like newspaper excerpts, movie reviews, and Final Girl interviews really adds to the story and makes it even more enjoyable. 

I would have given this book five stars but its ending was rushed and felt a bit unsatisfying. The ending wasn’t bad, it was quite good story-wise, but the climax at the end was too quickly pushed into a resolution. There was so much good about this book, so much that really stood out. I just wish the ending had been a little better. I still really enjoyed this book though and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of horror movies. This is definitely a story for you! 

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

The Chain by Adrian McKinty
⭐⭐⭐

The Chain by Adrian McKinty hooked me in from the very beginning. With a premise full of potential, this was a thriller that I was really looking forward to! 

On what should be a perfectly normal weekday, Rachel Klein's daughter Kylie doesn't make it to school. As Rachel is on her way to a potentially devastating doctor's appointment with her Oncologist, she receives an anonymous phone call. Kylie has been kidnapped and unless Rachel abducts another child, both she and her daughter will be killed - Rachel has no choice but to continue The Chain. 

This story had so much potential, however, I can only give it three stars. I was totally invested in the story for the first part of the book. I resonated with Rachel's devotion to her child and her willingness to do whatever it takes to secure her safety. It felt real and like this could possibly take place in our society today, but as the second part of this story begins, the plot becomes nonsensical and unrealistic, sometimes bordering on predictable as well. It starts with a bang and maintains that intensity for the entirety of the novel though, which is definitely a plus in my opinion. 

I liked The Chain just fine, but the ending disappointed me very much. It felt like two different stories that were stapled together. If this premise interests you, I see nothing wrong with picking this book up, but don't get your hopes up - this one won't be the "Next Best Thriller," but it was enjoyable nonetheless! 

Falling by T.J. Newman

Falling by T.J. Newman
⭐⭐

Falling by T.J. Newman is a story about humanity, survival, terrorism, and what people are willing to do when faced with a life or death situation. In this book we meet Bill, a pilot who accepts a last minute job request, much to the chagrin of his wife, Carrie. It should be an easy job and Bill’s biggest worry is Carrie’s anger - at least until he receives an email with a photo of his wife and children, bound and gagged, attached. Sam, an immigrant from Kurdistan, has an agenda and he offers Bill an ultimatum. The veteran pilot can either crash his plane, killing everyone on board, or helplessly watch as his family is killed instead. 

I wanted so badly to like this book! Its premise was so promising and it’s the exact kind of psychological manipulation that I typically adore. Plus, so many others loved it (including my dad)! Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. 

Most of the characters felt very one dimensional to me. They just simply existed within this crisis. Towards the climax of the story, the author includes back stories that by that point, are completely unnecessary. It felt like an attempt to fluff the book up - delaying the resolution to the story in hopes of having a thicker book. Even characters that were not important to the story received backgrounds that eventually became more of a nuisance than an addition. Why wait until 2/3’s of the story to offer histories for each character?

I felt that the premise was strong but just not executed the best. There were definitely positives in this story though! The first of which is the pacing. This book is quick and the tension created as a result of that intensity is a nice effect. I looked forward to the parts of the story that centered on the flight attendants. Those were by far the best moments in my opinion!! Also, politically speaking, this book made many great points and offered a wonderful conversation about privilege, the United States, the murders we commit in the name of justice, and the oppression of other races and groups. 

Overall, this wasn’t my cup of tea. It felt like an action film that took itself a little too seriously. I wouldn’t really recommend picking it up, but who knows! Maybe you’ll enjoy it! So many people did! It just wasn’t for me! 

Billy Summers by Stephen King

Billy Summers
by Stephen King
⭐⭐⭐

Billy Summers left me feeling very conflicted. On one hand, I really enjoyed the story as well as the characters - I found myself genuinely caring for both Billy and Alice. On the other hand, however, I feel as though I may have read a different book than the mass majority of other readers who have thoroughly enjoyed and claimed that Billy Summers is King’s best work in years. 

Let me preface this by saying that I am a massive Stephen King fan, and I personally feel that his best book in years is The Outsider. I highly recommend that one! I have high expectations for King, and this one just fell short. 

Much of what I would like to include as examples in this review would be spoilers, so I am choosing to be incredibly vague intentionally! I feel as though this book was written as a script - like King wrote it with the sole purpose of making a television show or a film in mind. He follows the overwritten and overplayed trope of a hitman giving his last hurrah. Just one more job before he leaves it all behind. What could possibly go wrong?

The character development is well done, as usual. At this point it is well known that this is Stephen King’s most well-honed skill. The amount of research done on the Iraq war, the mafia, and small town America was by far the shining star of the story. Unfortunately, it doesn’t change the ‘badly acted cop TV show on cable television’ vibe I got from the dialogue in the book. 

The dialogue feels inauthentic and even a bit robotic. Often in the story, King utilized dialogue as a tool to replay and remind readers what was said or done previously in the story. It wasn’t horrible, but it definitely caused Billy’s story to feel unrealistic. It brought me out of the story a few times as well. 

As a fan, the little mentions of previous books was thoroughly enjoyed but King could have taken it a little further. I feel like that could’ve really enhanced the story and that it was a missed opportunity on his part. 

Overall, I gave Billy Summers 3 stars (more like 3.5), because it was an enjoyable story. The research was well done, I cared about the characters, and the story was decent enough to want to find out what happens. But this doesn’t feel like a Stephen King novel. Some people find that wonderful, but I feel different about it. It was an okay book.

Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives by Adam Cesare

Clown in a Cornfield 2:
Frendo Lives
by Adam Cesare
⭐⭐⭐

It is the one year anniversary of the Kettle Springs' Massacre and Quinn is finally adjusting to her new life as a trauma survivor. As is customary to most horror sequels, an anniversary is an invitation for all hell to break loose! Frendo lives - and a lot of people die.

This was a pretty successful sequel! I loved catching up with our cast of heroes - Quinn, Rust, Cole, and Quinn's father. Fast paced and a wild ride, I really enjoyed the changes that took place in this story compared to the first book. The new Frendos and their reasons to commit such murderous carnage was unique and creative! 

I definitely have a few criticisms however! The horror and slasher qualities of the first story didn't really exists in this sequel. I feel like the original story had more of a sense of humor about the dramatized gore - it knew exactly the kind of book it was. This time around, it seems like Adam Cesare took a more serious, realistic approach. This isn't a terrible thing, but I definitely missed that in this story. I also wasn't a fan of the character development throughout the story. I felt like some of the decisions made by certain characters didn't feel authentic to those characters. The ending was also rushed and predictable, although it was still enjoyable!

I adored the new characters we meet in Frendo Lives as well! Jerri in particular was one of the best parts of this book in my opinion! Overall, despite the few criticisms I have, I thought this sequel was fun and very politically aware. It was a page turner for sure and I had the best time reading it!

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

Survive the Night by Riley Sager
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Surviving the Night was a rollercoaster ride worth taking! Charlie’s best friend Maddy was murdered by the so-called “Campus Killer.” Charlie, lost in grief and guilt, chooses to leave university and return home. Feeling like she needs to flee as quickly as possible, Charlie enlists a stranger’s help to make the long drive home. However, the strange man that took Charlie’s offer so eagerly could be a dangerous psycho or a knight in shining armor. 

Thrillers these days, whether novels, film, or television, struggle to create a story that has depth, emotion, and real suspense - it’s a difficult genre to find success in. Oftentimes, we rely on cheap thrills, random twists, and frequent plot holes in order to create and maintain suspense. I was so relieved while reading Survive the Night that this book did not fall victim to this trend! 

I must be honest and say that in the beginning, as we meet Charlie, I was very skeptical. Immediately we learn about her past, which is riddled with trauma. Without spoiling anything, I will say that Charlie has a very interesting coping mechanism for when her brain is overloaded by stress. It is a coping mechanism that causes her to float in and out of reality. For the first 100 pages, I felt very neutral about the story. My feelings were that the characterization and portrayal of mental illness and trauma responses was rather dramatized. By 150 pages in, my feelings changed and I was hooked. 

Every decision, twist, and plot device in this story is intentional. The suspenseful energy is maintained until the very end and the character development gives this story the emotional depth that thrillers often lack. The ending was exactly what this story needed. It was well thought out and planned - every twist made sense and aided in enhancing the narrative as well as the experience for the reader. 

Survive the Night is a highly recommended book! It was absolutely superb! Great characters, great twists, great story, and great writing. I am definitely looking forward to further exploring the rest of Riley Sager’s catalogue!

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

Clown in a Cornfield
by Adam Cesare
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Quinn is the new girl in town - a city girl who, after the death of her mother, is looking for a fresh start. She unknowingly falls into the cast of reckless, rebellious teens who are “ruining” the town of Kettle Springs. Oh. And there are clowns. And they’re murderous. Things begin going downhill very quickly. 

Clown In A Cornfield is a fantastic ride from beginning to end. I hope this is a book that gets made into a film - it would definitely be a fun one to see on the big screen! A really great aspect of this story is that practically every character is unlikeable. They are obnoxious, rude, and lack all common sense, however Adam Cesare is killer (no pun intended) at offering every character a redemption moment. Thanks to character development throughout this story, by the end, you really do begin to root for these characters. One of my favorite parts of this story is the relationship between Quinn and her father Glenn. It’s a realistic portrayal of a father/daughter relationship and I genuinely enjoyed those moments shared between them. 

I could go on and on reviewing this book but it all comes back to this: this is a great slasher. It takes place in small town America. It’s about a murderous clown. There is blood and gore. There’s not much more than that to be said! It was fun, it was suspenseful, and it was bloody! It moves very fast and is a page turner. If you enjoy horror films or slashers, please do yourself a favor and pick up this book. It’s so much fun!

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Behind Her Eyes
by Sarah Pinborough
⭐

This is honestly a difficult review for me to write, mainly because I almost never rate a book this low or dislike a novel entirely. I always try to find something redeemable or something I enjoyed but this one was a struggle for me. There was not one thing I found positive about this novel. I know I am in the minority for this one.

From beginning to end, there was not a single character that I liked or rooted for. Every character was toxic and annoying in their own way. I found myself exhausted by the main character (Louise) making the same mistakes repeatedly. Another thing - nobody communicated. David and Louise, David and Adele, Adele and Louise, Louise and Sophie, etc. There is definitely dialogue in this book - lots of it, actually - but nobody COMMUNICATES with one another. 

The twist at the end wasn't a twist for me. I saw it coming from around the halfway point of the story. I didn't predict every detail or anything, but it was obvious enough to me that I didn't enjoy the ending at all. Overall, it felt like it was a badly made psychological thriller that took the cheapest route to a decent twist. 

I have read another novel by Sarah Pinborough in the past and I find myself just as underwhelmed with her writing style as I was back then. There is no character to her writing. Not every author has to be lyrical, poetic, or even have a distinct style to be a writer, but there should be some kind of "voice" that comes through. For me, this style of writing was like reading a newspaper. No emotion, voice, or character. This isn't a slight toward Pinborough - it's more of a personal preference. 

One star still seems rough to me because I rarely rate that low, but to give it any higher would be lying. I really wish I would have enjoyed this book more, but it just wasn't for me. 

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

 *Trigger Warnings - self harm, themes of death, murder, child death, child abuse, child cruelty

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sharp Objects seems to be a very controversial novel - I've seen people adore it just as much as I've seen others swear that this is the worst book they've ever read. I actually really enjoyed this book even though generally, it is definitely an uncomfortable reading experience. 

In Sharp Objects, the narrative follows Camille, a journalist in her thirties who gets sent home to her small town to pursue the story of a string of child murders. Very early on, we become aware of some of the trauma that she carries within her as well as the tumultuous relationship she has with her mother. Once Camille arrives home, her inner world shatters as she's confronted by all of her demons, the ghosts of the past, and her neurotic mom. 

I enjoyed this book mainly because of how interesting it was. It was unique in all of its unpleasantness. In my personal opinion, the plot of the story is not the real narrative here. This is more of a comment on mental illness, genetic trauma, and toxic relationships that you can't escape from.

Camille is an extremely unreliable narrator and I loved that! Very often, mental health can warp our experiences and sense of perspective when it comes to our daily lives. This is extremely prevalent when it comes to Camille's point of view. As a reader, we can't clearly interpret everything that she observes and experiences because she may not be seeing the true reality, which also adds to the mystery of whodunnit. 

I really enjoyed Sharp Objects! I thought the depiction of mental illness, though dramatized, was decently accurate. A lot of femme-lit as of late has brought into question the portrayal of the "hysterical" woman. I definitely stand behind the efforts to normalize mental illness in general, but it does seem to be misused as way to invalidate the emotions of women a little too frequently. For that reason, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers!

The Institute by Stephen King

The Institute by Stephen King
⭐⭐⭐⭐

In The Institute by Stephen King, we meet Luke Ellis, a 12 year old genius already planning to begin college. Luke is special in another way as well - referred to as a TK by the Institute, Luke also has telekinetic abilities that, although minimal, puts him on the Institute's radar. One morning, Luke wakes up in a bedroom that is nearly identical to his at home. As he explores his new environment, he meets other children of varying ages who are also TKs or TPs (children with telepathic abilities). The Institute conducts awful experiments on the children, though the children don't know why - yet. Luke's life changes drastically and thus his journey of surviving the Institute begins. 

The Institute was a great read - I enjoyed it so much! The story contained a plethora of themes ranging from coming of age (a favorite of King's), institutionalism, government conspiracies, to the strength children find to endure and survive. All of these topics were explored beautifully.

By far, the children are the best part of this story. Forced into such a traumatic and violent situation, we follow these kids' character development from innocent rascals to war worn veterans, hollowed out and left to wither away in the depths of the Institute. It's painful but meaningful and sheds light on the children that our society fails when they are placed in an institution where the powers that be view them as a herd and not as individuals. 

The kids' relationships with one another in this story is one of the best parts of the book. They love and protect each other despite the horrors they are all facing, time and time again. The children are the heart of this story and I don't think I would have enjoyed it much at all if it weren't for them. 

I've been reading books with rushed endings lately and I just can't get away from them! The Institute would've been 5 stars instead of 4 if the ending wasn't so abrupt. The whole book is detailed and well paced, so the ending being so quick was disappointing. Otherwise, I was satisfied with the conclusion that takes place in the final pages. 

Overall, I love Stephen King and The Institute is another book to add to my list of favorites by him. I highly recommend it if you enjoy fantasy and horror!