jennathewildwitch's reviews
235 reviews

Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

4.0

I found this story to be incredibly engaging. I was hooked pretty quickly and was super invested in figuring out how this was all going to play out. A slow burn thriller with some real good red herrings. Also loved the family dynamics at play - they were raw, dealt with some seriously tough stuff, and provided a solid foundation to the entire novel.

The Santa Suit: A Novel by Mary Kay Andrews

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

I Let Her In by Maria Frankland

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! It was a great thriller with a lot of moving parts that all come together in an excellent ending. There was mystery, intrigue, twists, and a sense of danger throughout. I had an inkling at who was the bigger bad, but the very final twists were not as easily spotted.

As far as audio narration goes, I found it to be a good one. Narrators can make or break a book and this one was well done. 

Thanks Netgalley + Bookouture for the audio arc

Halloween Party Murder by Leighann Dobbs

fast-paced

1.0

A meh of a mystery. Not enough character development, and what was done made the FMC Juniper seem terrible. The premise sounded fun, and I was expecting way more out of this based on the blurb. Also, I legit checked three times during this to see if it was indeed book 1 in a series because it started with details that absolutely made it feel like I missed a few books... but nope, this is the 1st.

The whole book was predictable, and it's a really short read... if it wasn't, I would have just DNF'ed.

A Halloween Homicide by Tonya Kappes

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

5.0

I just absolutely adore Holiday Junction and the chaos that Violet finds herself stumbling upon each season! She's such a fun journalist turned sleuth and has some great sass. I loved getting to see what trouble the town found itself in during the Halloween season and their annual Halloweenie fest. A whole lotta small town drama, history, suspects, and twists in this one! The cozy Halloweenie vibes had me craving fall treats & wishing for a good old-fashioned town square Halloween party!

 This series is a favorite of mine because you can read each as a stand-alone, which I do during each holiday happenings

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

dark tense fast-paced

5.0

I haven't had a novel actually creep me out and give me a feeling of low-key dread in decades - and finally finally finally, I found one that did. This was such a well written, atmospheric read. The fact that it's written from a child's perspective had a major impact, and the overwhelming sense of dread was palpable. For the first time in forever, the age-old demonic / poltergeist / exorcism horror trope has a sudden breath of fresh air with Malerman bringing something new and truly creepy to the game. I have a feeling I'll be thinking about Other Mommy for quite some time.

Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

This was a great domestic thriller! Multiple POVs, dueling realities, sketchy coworkers, marriage drama, and a missing husband - all blend together into a seamless, fast-paced, and thrilling read.

I really enjoyed the setting and the characters - enough there to build the landscape and people in my mind, but not so much that it throttled the pace. The mystery of what happened to Jake seems pretty straight forward but by the end you're left questioning a few other characters before the truth is finally revealed. I also liked the ending... for once, a domestic thriller with an actual ending and not just fade to black! An excellent book!

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

dark mysterious medium-paced

2.0

Let's just say, I'm glad I read The Paris Apartment first.... because if I had read this one first, I probably never would've picked up the author again.

This one felt like a run of the mill thriller with a poorly executed ending. It's a miss for me.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0