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rwilkinson's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
problemreader's review against another edition
3.0
3-3.5 stars
Good read. Loved the setting. A little slow for me.
Good read. Loved the setting. A little slow for me.
rachelsb00kreviews's review against another edition
3.0
The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James
October 26 — 27 (Book Review Pages: Facebook | Instagram)
Do you ever just buy a book expecting the story to be very different than what it is? Well, that’s what happened with this book. I liked it but it wasn’t exactly the creepy ghost story I thought it would be and the mystery in it wasn’t as great as it could have been either. It’s a very quick read, set in Italy during the mid 60’s with various references to that era that were fun—which all give it positive points and made this historical fiction lover happy. However, for my last October read, which was meant to be mostly mysteries/thrillers, I give it a 3.5
October 26 — 27 (Book Review Pages: Facebook | Instagram)
Do you ever just buy a book expecting the story to be very different than what it is? Well, that’s what happened with this book. I liked it but it wasn’t exactly the creepy ghost story I thought it would be and the mystery in it wasn’t as great as it could have been either. It’s a very quick read, set in Italy during the mid 60’s with various references to that era that were fun—which all give it positive points and made this historical fiction lover happy. However, for my last October read, which was meant to be mostly mysteries/thrillers, I give it a 3.5
bethinohio's review against another edition
4.0
4.25⭐️
A touch of history, a wisp of the supernatural, a mystery, romance, meta horror- The Woman in the Castello has it all, wrapped up in an enjoyable, easily readable package. I enjoyed flying right through this unputdownable read in a single summer afternoon.
Patricia Santomasso did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook.
Thank you Kelsey James, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.
A touch of history, a wisp of the supernatural, a mystery, romance, meta horror- The Woman in the Castello has it all, wrapped up in an enjoyable, easily readable package. I enjoyed flying right through this unputdownable read in a single summer afternoon.
Patricia Santomasso did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook.
Thank you Kelsey James, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.
bookishpsychologist's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this novel from a promising new author! I found it a bit hard to categorize, as it combines elements of historical fiction, feminism, family drama, mystery, and suspense, but they all worked together to create a fast-paced and captivating read.
Set in mid-1960s Italy, the story follows the protagonist, Silvia, an Italian-American single mother and aspiring actress, who returns to Italy with her young daughter in tow at the behest of her mother, who is dying of cancer and desires to spend her remaining days in her homeland. There, Silvia reunites with her affluent estranged aunt, a former actress who resides in a castello (castle) in the Italian countryside. Silvia manages to land the lead role in a horror movie (think a Hitchcock-inspired film), which ends up being filmed on the grounds of her aunt's castle. Things quickly go awry, however, as her aunt suddenly vanishes, Silvia begins to uncover family secrets, and she becomes the recipient of threatening messages and gestures, realizing that life may actually be imitating art.
Overall, this was a solidly 4-star read for me, and the audiobook version was great, as the different voices and accents of the characters were entertaining. I look forward to future novels by this author!
Thanks to Kensington Books, NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the audiobook access to this novel! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Set in mid-1960s Italy, the story follows the protagonist, Silvia, an Italian-American single mother and aspiring actress, who returns to Italy with her young daughter in tow at the behest of her mother, who is dying of cancer and desires to spend her remaining days in her homeland. There, Silvia reunites with her affluent estranged aunt, a former actress who resides in a castello (castle) in the Italian countryside. Silvia manages to land the lead role in a horror movie (think a Hitchcock-inspired film), which ends up being filmed on the grounds of her aunt's castle. Things quickly go awry, however, as her aunt suddenly vanishes, Silvia begins to uncover family secrets, and she becomes the recipient of threatening messages and gestures, realizing that life may actually be imitating art.
Overall, this was a solidly 4-star read for me, and the audiobook version was great, as the different voices and accents of the characters were entertaining. I look forward to future novels by this author!
Thanks to Kensington Books, NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the audiobook access to this novel! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
mhoffrob's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like this novel tried to do too much and fell short. The characters weren't as well developed as I would have liked, the mysterious disappearance didn't hold attention, the twist at the end was predictable, as was the wrap up. Every book has it's reader of course, this one and I were not a good match apparently.
lackadaisical_ally's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was just okay. I think I wanted it to be spookier; the focus of the book is definitely the film making, which just didn't interest me as much. There were twists I didn't see coming, but I am not one to actively guess twists.
caitdamp's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
meredith_sparks's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the advanced reader's copy!
I really wanted to love this. A haunted castle, an aspiring actress in Italy during the 1960s, and a horror film. It was so promising. Then the mystery of the missing aunt who owns the castle and only Silvia the MC seems to be concerned. I just couldn’t connect with Silvia. She was a little whiny and annoying. I did enjoy the ending though.
I really wanted to love this. A haunted castle, an aspiring actress in Italy during the 1960s, and a horror film. It was so promising. Then the mystery of the missing aunt who owns the castle and only Silvia the MC seems to be concerned. I just couldn’t connect with Silvia. She was a little whiny and annoying. I did enjoy the ending though.
boiler_bookworm's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75