Scan barcode
bexbooksandstuff's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book for the most part, it was dark and twisty. The story showed Bella trying to find her way after her son moves to Uni, heading to a Wilderness retreat bought as a gift from her sister. It begins in the vein of many locked cabin thrillers, isolated, remote small group of quirky characters, phones locked in a box etc. I was waiting for the inevitable pile of dead bodies to stack up while the guests all questioned each other.
However it was not like that, most of the darkness seemed to be psychological and in Bellas paranoia, she became very unreliable and at times quite annoying with her paranoid thoughts and actions and there was a lot of repetition.
However after a slow middle the story pace picked back up again and we did see some action.
It wasn't my favourite ever psychological thriller but it was an easy read that could keep you hooked. I didn't fully guess the twist at the end, rather parts of it. I can see many people may really enjoy this, it just wasn't quite dark enough for me.
I read it using the pigeonhole app.
However it was not like that, most of the darkness seemed to be psychological and in Bellas paranoia, she became very unreliable and at times quite annoying with her paranoid thoughts and actions and there was a lot of repetition.
However after a slow middle the story pace picked back up again and we did see some action.
It wasn't my favourite ever psychological thriller but it was an easy read that could keep you hooked. I didn't fully guess the twist at the end, rather parts of it. I can see many people may really enjoy this, it just wasn't quite dark enough for me.
I read it using the pigeonhole app.
blissbubbley's review
4.0
First book I’ve read from this author. I found it was good and would read more.
It was quite a page turner but it wasn’t creating a lot of suspense, it had a predictable storyline though.
It was quite a page turner but it wasn’t creating a lot of suspense, it had a predictable storyline though.
fernweh85's review
3.0
I received an ARC of this book and I was really excited to get stuck in. I'm a fan of creepy books set in Scandinavia and this book had an interesting premise.
We follow a motley crew of characters as they settle in to a wilderness retreat in Sweden. Unfortunately the whole week promises to be anything but settled.
The main character, Bella, is pining for her son who has just started university and is using the time to work on her latest soundtrack composition. While some of the other guests may be a little annoying, she's embracing the programme until a blast from the past turns up. Add in some creepy notes and Bella's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and paranoid.
The main downfall of this book was Bella, to be honest. I got the feeling the reader was supposed to be rooting for her but I just didn't care what happened to her and got more and more annoyed with how stupid she was as the book went on.
There was also a lack of any meaningful twists and turns, some storylines were far-fetched or, again, just illustrated Bella was an idiot who jumped to conclusions.
It was a quick read and the concept had a lot of promise but it fell flat for me.
We follow a motley crew of characters as they settle in to a wilderness retreat in Sweden. Unfortunately the whole week promises to be anything but settled.
The main character, Bella, is pining for her son who has just started university and is using the time to work on her latest soundtrack composition. While some of the other guests may be a little annoying, she's embracing the programme until a blast from the past turns up. Add in some creepy notes and Bella's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and paranoid.
The main downfall of this book was Bella, to be honest. I got the feeling the reader was supposed to be rooting for her but I just didn't care what happened to her and got more and more annoyed with how stupid she was as the book went on.
There was also a lack of any meaningful twists and turns, some storylines were far-fetched or, again, just illustrated Bella was an idiot who jumped to conclusions.
It was a quick read and the concept had a lot of promise but it fell flat for me.
emimclarty's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mystikai's review against another edition
3.0
This sounded like a book I would like after reading the blurb.
The retreat sounded like an amazing place to visit for a week, but as soon as phones were taken away, I knew it was going to turn sinister.
Bella was a character I liked, I could relate to her, a single mum, an only child leaving the nest. It is a sad time for most parents.
Secret notes that vanish, guests that were falling ill all of a sudden. Who is doing it to them all, and why?
I liked the book but I did find it quite repetitive.
The retreat sounded like an amazing place to visit for a week, but as soon as phones were taken away, I knew it was going to turn sinister.
Bella was a character I liked, I could relate to her, a single mum, an only child leaving the nest. It is a sad time for most parents.
Secret notes that vanish, guests that were falling ill all of a sudden. Who is doing it to them all, and why?
I liked the book but I did find it quite repetitive.
onepersonbookshow's review against another edition
3.0
The Wilderness Retreat follows Bella, an up-and-coming composer, who is gifted a trip away to a health retreat by her sister and beloved son, Asher. After making her way to the secluded, luxurious lodge in Sweden, she begins to experience strange events - ominous notes, scratching from inside the walls, and unwanted visitors from the past. She realises that the cosy retreat is not what it appears to be.
This novel was a confusing one for me; I enjoyed it but simultaneously found a range of areas lacking in comparison to what I usually expect in thriller/crime novels.
The story was a quick, well-written read with an atmospheric and claustrophobic setting. I found Bella to be an interesting protagonist. There were several moments where her relationship with Asher was quite unorthodox, so I couldn't tell if she was just an over-protective mother or somewhat obsessive about her son, causing me to question her reliability as a narrator at the start of the book. Also, I appreciated the effort that went into constructing the secondary characters into separate, distinct personalities.
With that said, there are certain aspects of the book that could have been improved. Firstly, the pacing of the novel was relatively slow and only picked up about halfway through the book, causing the ending to feel abrupt. Additionally, the motivations of the antagonist weren't as believable as I was expecting. I found the explored themes engaging, but the abundance of red herrings took away from the overall motivations of the antagonist. I wish there were more subtle hints about the pivotal motives within the story.
Overall, this wasn't a bad read, there are components here of a page-turning thriller, and I'd recommend this novel! I'm looking forward to seeing what the author writes next.
I would like to say a huge thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review this book! All opinions are my own!
This novel was a confusing one for me; I enjoyed it but simultaneously found a range of areas lacking in comparison to what I usually expect in thriller/crime novels.
The story was a quick, well-written read with an atmospheric and claustrophobic setting. I found Bella to be an interesting protagonist. There were several moments where her relationship with Asher was quite unorthodox, so I couldn't tell if she was just an over-protective mother or somewhat obsessive about her son, causing me to question her reliability as a narrator at the start of the book. Also, I appreciated the effort that went into constructing the secondary characters into separate, distinct personalities.
With that said, there are certain aspects of the book that could have been improved. Firstly, the pacing of the novel was relatively slow and only picked up about halfway through the book, causing the ending to feel abrupt. Additionally, the motivations of the antagonist weren't as believable as I was expecting. I found the explored themes engaging, but the abundance of red herrings took away from the overall motivations of the antagonist. I wish there were more subtle hints about the pivotal motives within the story.
Overall, this wasn't a bad read, there are components here of a page-turning thriller, and I'd recommend this novel! I'm looking forward to seeing what the author writes next.
I would like to say a huge thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review this book! All opinions are my own!
glen2glen's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75