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beautyblob's review against another edition
3.0
I'll admit that time travel often leaves me a bit confused and this is a book you definitely need to pay attention to as it follows a "groundhog day" pattern, where the last six hours are repeated over several times with little clues peppered throughout as to what is happening with the locked door murder mystery. Combining sci-fi with a murder mystery, this was an interesting book and keeps your brain thinking.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Netgalley, Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books and the author.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Netgalley, Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books and the author.
thereadingrogue's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
themarkword's review
5.0
I received this book through the Abominable Book Club.
This was a fun sci-fi fantasy murder mystery. I have a tendency to figure books out and I was able to identify what would probably happen by about 2/3 of the way through BUT that wasn’t the whodunit was not the sole reason for reading.
The characters were enjoyable (or insufferable), the locked room mystery was honestly refreshing, and the fantasy elements were layered in thinly as to not be overbearing or to distract from the real story.
This book is for people that like mysteries and can suspend disbelief long enough to accept the sci-fi and fantasy elements.
This book is not for people who want to gasp in horror or in shock about the ending of a book. It’s pretty cool how it reveals itself even if it may seem obvious.
This was a fun sci-fi fantasy murder mystery. I have a tendency to figure books out and I was able to identify what would probably happen by about 2/3 of the way through BUT that wasn’t the whodunit was not the sole reason for reading.
The characters were enjoyable (or insufferable), the locked room mystery was honestly refreshing, and the fantasy elements were layered in thinly as to not be overbearing or to distract from the real story.
This book is for people that like mysteries and can suspend disbelief long enough to accept the sci-fi and fantasy elements.
This book is not for people who want to gasp in horror or in shock about the ending of a book. It’s pretty cool how it reveals itself even if it may seem obvious.
bookqueen82's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cleverkrowreads's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
amread's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.25
Finished reading: March 31st 2024
“And the wolf ate time.”
I was blown away by this author's debut Five Minds when I read it back in 2022, and I've been meaning to read this second book ever since it was published that same year. I'm not sure why it took me this long, especially since I have a weak spot for locked room thrillers... But better late than never right? I'm glad I finally did read Black Lake Manor though! While it didn't quite hit the spot as his debut, there was still a lot to love in this story. There are three main timelines in Black Lake Manor: 1804, 2023-2025 and 2045-2046. The main focus seem to be on the last two though, as the majority of the story switches between those timelines. In fact, I kind of wish the 1804 timeline would have been developed more, because as it is it mostly felt like an afterthought... That said, I absolutely loved the time travel angle with everything it entails including its history. The fact that the characters only go six hours back in time makes the time travel subtle, but it was interesting to see the little changes. Certain parts of the story were a lot slower than expected though, and as a result it took me longer to actually finish this story. The building up of suspects in this locked room thriller is well handled, and it was interesting how Ella reacted to the shifting situation. Could I have done without the love triangle vibe? Most definitely. Were there cliches involved that distracted at times? Again yes. But as a whole Black Lake Manor is a cleverly constructed sci-fi thriller that takes you on a journey that will become more apparent (and more powerful!) over time. I also loved Ella's connection with the octopus Scarlett! All in all a solid second book, and I will be looking forward to read whatever this author will come up with next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
kirstycarson1's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0