A review by abookwormwithwine
Games for Dead Girls by Jen Williams
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.0
I knew after reading A Dark and Secret Place that I would always read Jen Williams' thrillers and was so excited to get a copy of Games for Dead Girls. This is an atmospheric slow burn, and I thought Williams did an impressive job setting the scene. The book alternates back and forth between Charlotte (Charlie) and Emily as children from when they first meet to what happens next, and Charlie as an adult who is not only trying to hide from her past but also trying to solve the case of missing girls in Hithechurch. I enjoyed how the two different stories worked in tandem with each other until we find out what happened in the past and get fully immersed in Charlie's present. I loved the exploration of urban legends in the area (which is how the book actually starts), and how that became a very real scenario for the girls. There was another viewpoint as well that popped up on occasion, but you can just wait and see for that.
The end of the book gets SO creepy, and I was definitely on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what was going to happen. There are things that readers will probably find implausible like Charlie carting her niece Katie around an area where young girls are going missing, but I was so lost in the story that I wasn't even thinking about those things. I also loved the audiobook and Mhairi Morrison was the perfect person to narrate and bring Charlie to life. I would highly recommend the audio to keep yourself invested as well, and audiobooks are my favorite thing when there is a book that is on the slower side. Especially when the narrator adds to the atmosphere which Morrison certainly did. I did find myself getting a little confused about who some of the characters were, and I would recommend making sure you are paying attention. I am such a huge fan of Williams and Games for Dead Girls was just as dark and delicious as I was hoping it would be.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The end of the book gets SO creepy, and I was definitely on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what was going to happen. There are things that readers will probably find implausible like Charlie carting her niece Katie around an area where young girls are going missing, but I was so lost in the story that I wasn't even thinking about those things. I also loved the audiobook and Mhairi Morrison was the perfect person to narrate and bring Charlie to life. I would highly recommend the audio to keep yourself invested as well, and audiobooks are my favorite thing when there is a book that is on the slower side. Especially when the narrator adds to the atmosphere which Morrison certainly did. I did find myself getting a little confused about who some of the characters were, and I would recommend making sure you are paying attention. I am such a huge fan of Williams and Games for Dead Girls was just as dark and delicious as I was hoping it would be.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.