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nerdygnome's review against another edition
4.0
I'll be honest, I'd just about written off Kierseten Modglin as an author that's just not the right fit for me, but when I saw this one available on NetGalley, I was sucked in by the description and cover. And boy was I pleasantly surprised! "Hemlock" has put her books back on my keep-an-open-mind list.
"Hemlock" starts strong with Maggie Ellis arriving back in her hometown, moving into a house she purchased sight unseen. She's shocked to learn that her ex-boyfriend is not only still in town, but is now her next-door neighbor. During her first days in her new home, she finds it isn't just his presence that unsettles her, though, because strange things are starting to happen in her house, too.
I loved that this book was genre bending, with notes of mystery, romance, and even hints of paranormal, too. I was immediately engrossed in it and curious to find out if her house was haunted or if someone was just messing with her. There's a light spice factor with a few open-door scenes, but nothing too over the top for those who prefer to avoid it.
"Hemlock" starts strong with Maggie Ellis arriving back in her hometown, moving into a house she purchased sight unseen. She's shocked to learn that her ex-boyfriend is not only still in town, but is now her next-door neighbor. During her first days in her new home, she finds it isn't just his presence that unsettles her, though, because strange things are starting to happen in her house, too.
I loved that this book was genre bending, with notes of mystery, romance, and even hints of paranormal, too. I was immediately engrossed in it and curious to find out if her house was haunted or if someone was just messing with her. There's a light spice factor with a few open-door scenes, but nothing too over the top for those who prefer to avoid it.
bookishgeek's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
gina_readsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
bookstagramming_through_life's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I absolutely devoured this story. There is a love triangle, a mysterious murder, and a house with too many secrets.
If you are a fan of cozy psychological thrillers with a side of romance then this is for you. You will not be disappointed in the ride this takes you on.
The narrator did a phenomenal job conveying the mystery and all of the other emotions each character felt.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the early listen of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
If you are a fan of cozy psychological thrillers with a side of romance then this is for you. You will not be disappointed in the ride this takes you on.
The narrator did a phenomenal job conveying the mystery and all of the other emotions each character felt.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the early listen of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
elizabeththebookwoman's review
5.0
Kiersten Modglin, the queen of thrillers, does it AGAIN but adds SPICE! I'm here for it!
Hemlock differed from other books I've read by her in several ways, but in short, this book HAS IT ALL. It is a page turner, has romance, suspense, intrigue, creepiness, and unpredictable plot twists.
This book was longer which allowed for better character development and understanding of each character's actions. She dives back and forth from present day to the past; this beautifully sets up the reader to better understand what everybody's prerogatives are throughout the story. In this book I also felt like I was better able to connect with the each character.
Hemlock, to me, was more of a romantic suspense than a thriller. This is not a bad thing, just an observation I made. I genuinely enjoyed Kiersten's style of romance mixed with thriller and I hope she continues writing this genre! This book really dove into the love triangle between Maggie, Clayton and Tucker.
Hemlock had more SPIIIIIIICE. Like I said, I am HERE for it! The books I have read from her have not been as graphic in that department and I enjoyed it! As a smut reader myself, I will say I think she did a great job without it being cringy or cheesy. The scenes were naturally placed throughout the book and not overly done either.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this; I couldn't put it down! I am so excited to see if she dives more into smutty thrillers. If your main interest in straight fast paced thrillers and not so much on the romance side, I would say to check out one of her other books, but if you do enjoy a good love triangle and the drama that goes with that PLUS some thriller I would recommend this for sure!
Thanks to Kiersten for allowing me to be apart of the review team and to have early access in order to share my honest opinions!
Hemlock differed from other books I've read by her in several ways, but in short, this book HAS IT ALL. It is a page turner, has romance, suspense, intrigue, creepiness, and unpredictable plot twists.
This book was longer which allowed for better character development and understanding of each character's actions. She dives back and forth from present day to the past; this beautifully sets up the reader to better understand what everybody's prerogatives are throughout the story. In this book I also felt like I was better able to connect with the each character.
Hemlock, to me, was more of a romantic suspense than a thriller. This is not a bad thing, just an observation I made. I genuinely enjoyed Kiersten's style of romance mixed with thriller and I hope she continues writing this genre! This book really dove into the love triangle between Maggie, Clayton and Tucker.
Hemlock had more SPIIIIIIICE. Like I said, I am HERE for it! The books I have read from her have not been as graphic in that department and I enjoyed it! As a smut reader myself, I will say I think she did a great job without it being cringy or cheesy. The scenes were naturally placed throughout the book and not overly done either.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this; I couldn't put it down! I am so excited to see if she dives more into smutty thrillers. If your main interest in straight fast paced thrillers and not so much on the romance side, I would say to check out one of her other books, but if you do enjoy a good love triangle and the drama that goes with that PLUS some thriller I would recommend this for sure!
Thanks to Kiersten for allowing me to be apart of the review team and to have early access in order to share my honest opinions!
sciencewhizliz's review
4.0
This book was fantastic and kept me glued to my air buds to find out what happened next. The ending was excellent.