Mini-Review: Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication: November 12th, 2022

Hardcover. 256 pages.

About Leave the World Behind:

"A magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong 

Amanda and Clay head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter, and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week. But a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and G. H. are an older black couple—it’s their house, and they’ve arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area—with the TV and internet now down, and no cell phone service—it’s hard to know what to believe. 

Should Amanda and Clay trust this couple—and vice versa? What happened back in New York? Is the vacation home, isolated from civilization, a truly safe place for their families? And are they safe from one another?"

When Amanda, Clay, and their two children embark on a short family getaway, they hope to have a nice time to reconnect and relax. Unfortunately, as tends to happen to plans with the best intentions, things do not go according to plan and the owners of the house they are renting for the trip show up unannounced–and the reason why only creates more problems. Leave the World Behind is a slow-paced, creeping sort of thriller that builds up much of its dread-induced atmosphere through the writing and small actions of the characters that leave you feeling uneasy. This is not an overt horror or fast-paced thriller, but rather one of those leaves you feeling unsettled without really knowing exactly why, and also relies on poking at your imagination to make things more ominous. 

What I liked: This is not an overt horror or fast-paced thriller, but rather one of those that leaves you feeling unsettled without really knowing exactly why and also relies on poking at your imagination to make things more ominous. This narrative style worked perfectly for this book and had me absolutely captivated. I think a lot of the criticisms of this book are a result of misleading marketing where readers may have expected something a bit more “page-turning” and exciting, when in reality it’s only page-turning if you find yourself invested in this manner of storytelling. Nothing major really happens for a lot of this book, but the implications and actions and thoughts of the characters are what made it so compelling and ominous for me and I just loved it. I don't think this will be for everyone (and based on reviews, it's clearly not!), but if you click with it I think you'll really love it as well. 

 
What I didn't like: As much as I enjoyed how the writing built up the tension in the plot and between characters, I can easily admit that this book is a tad overwritten at times. The prose borders on being too 'purple' at times and inputs some odd, heavy-handed word choices that sort of stick out as the author trying to sound a bit too deep or dramatic. Perhaps this is meant to reflect the characters, but I'm not sure it worked. Similarly, there's a weird oversexualization of characters and actions at times, and some questionable sex-related things in general, such as a grown woman having weirdly sexual thoughts about a grocery bag boy who may be a teenager. There were definitely some weird writing choices in this book that threw me out of it every once in a while. 

 

Overall, I ended up giving Leave the World Behind 4.5 stars! Despite my quibbles with the writing, I actually enjoyed this book way too much to give it something lower. It's not a book for everyone, but if it sounds interesting to you, I'd recommend you give it shot–but maybe get it from your library first, just in case. 

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Mini Thriller Reviews–Winter Style: One by One by Ruth Ware & The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

One by One by Ruth Ware
Scout Press
Publication Date: September 8th, 2020

Hardcover. 372 pages.

About One by One:

"Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them? 

When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?"

One by One is a carefully crafted locked room murder mystery set at a ski chalet in the French Alps. We follow the perspective of Erin, one of the two members of staffing working at chalet, and that of Liz, one of the guests visiting for the company retreat. Unfortunately, what was meant to be a relaxing retreat soon turns into a trip full of tension and eventually fear as one member goes missing and some more sinister things begin to happen. 

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book because I found it compelling and hard to put down while reading, but at the same time I really didn't enjoy one of the POV narratives that much and found many of the characters a bit frustrating. I also sometimes had a difficult time remembering who was who, which is never good in a book where it's important to remember the details. That being said, I think Ware did a great job of crafting a very atmospheric setting where I could really feel and experience the emotions that ran through the group as things seemed to continue to take turns for the worse. I also found myself really enjoying the friendship between Erin and her fellow staff member Danny and appreciated the dynamic that they both brought to the plot and in their interactions with the guests. 

This book wasn't quite what I expected by "company retreat gone wrong" because it never once felt like a retreat–it was just tense and uncomfortable the whole time. I initially gave this book four stars after finishing it, but I really think it's more of a 3.5 star overall for me. It was entertaining and kept me engaged, but I don't really feel that much towards it having finished. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick thriller set in a snowy, closed mystery setting, but I'm not sure if it's one that will necessarily blow your mind. 

Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2021

Hardcover. 390 pages.

About The Sanatorium:

"An imposing, isolated hotel, high up in the Swiss Alps, is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But she's taken time off from her job as a detective, so when she receives an invitation out of the blue to celebrate her estranged brother's recent engagement, she has no choice but to accept. 

Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge. Though it's beautiful, something about the hotel, recently converted from an abandoned sanatorium, makes her nervous - as does her brother, Isaac. 

And when they wake the following morning to discover his fiancée Laure has vanished without a trace, Elin's unease grows. With the storm cutting off access to and from the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic."

The Sanatorium, much in the same vein as One by One, takes place at a luxury resort in the Swiss Alps and is just as full of tensions and secrets. The resort itself has been converted from an old, closed sanatorium into this new, modern resort, and our main character Elin Warner has been invited to visit for her brother's engagement celebration. But someone goes missing, and another turns up dead, and things take a quick nosedive. And, just like in One by One, a snowstorm and avalanche eventually trap everyone together in the resort. 

I enjoyed this one much less than One by One, and that was largely because I really didn't care for the main character and actually found myself somewhat annoyed with her actions and interactions with her fellow characters. I never felt like anyone really liked each other in this book, and I know that sounds like a dumb thing to say in a thriller like this, but there was no real connection between any characters and it made it hard for me to care about them, either. There was just something off about this entire story that I really didn't connect with or care for, and I found myself asking myself why I was reading this at a few too many moments. 

I also felt as though the titular sanatorium element was sort of ignored except for when it was relevant, and I was a bit disappointed that this element wasn't utilized more or in a more creative manner.  There were a lot of things that didn't work for me with this book, and the atmosphere didn't really give me that claustrophobic locked room vibe that I look for in books with similar premises. Because of that, I've given The Sanatorium 2.5 stars. 

Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan & Road of Bones by Christopher Golden

 

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

 

May is packed with releases, which means we are once again going to be featuring three books each week for Can't-Wait Wednesday because one or two are simply not enough. :)

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Publication: January 11th, 2022

Harper Voyager

Hardcover. 512 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm. 

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind. 

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince. 

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos."

This sounds absolutely beautiful and right up my alley! I cannot wait to have a chance to finally dive into this gorgeous book. 

and...

Road of Bones by Christopher Golden

Publication: January 25th, 2022

St. Martin's Press

Hardcover. 240 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"A stunning supernatural thriller set in Siberia, where a film crew is covering an elusive ghost story about the Kolyma Highway, a road built on top of the bones of prisoners of Stalin's gulag. 

Kolyma Highway, otherwise known as the Road of Bones, is a 1200 mile stretch of Siberian road where winter temperatures can drop as low as sixty degrees below zero. Under Stalin, at least eighty Soviet gulags were built along the route to supply the USSR with a readily available workforce, and over time hundreds of thousands of prisoners died in the midst of their labors. Their bodies were buried where they fell, plowed under the permafrost, underneath the road. 

Felix Teigland, or "Teig," is a documentary producer, and when he learns about the Road of Bones, he realizes he's stumbled upon untapped potential. Accompanied by his camera operator, Teig hires a local Yakut guide to take them to Oymyakon, the coldest settlement on Earth. Teig is fascinated by the culture along the Road of Bones, and encounters strange characters on the way to the Oymyakon, but when the team arrives, they find the village mysteriously abandoned apart from a mysterious 9-year-old girl. Then, chaos ensues. 

A malignant, animistic shaman and the forest spirits he commands pursues them as they flee the abandoned town and barrel across miles of deserted permafrost. As the chase continues along this road paved with the suffering of angry ghosts, what form will the echoes of their anguish take? Teig and the others will have to find the answers if they want to survive the Road of Bones."

This recently came to my attention because of a Goodreads giveaway (which I won, so hooray!) and I am so intrigued about the combination of elements in this book. I'm not sure how it's all going to go, but I am so down to try it and can't wait to start reading it. 

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Review: The Night Before by Wendy Walker

The Night Before by Wendy Walker

St. Martin's Press
Publication: May 14th, 2019

Hardcover. 464 pages.

About The Night Before:

"'Laura Lochner has never been lucky in love. She falls too hard and too fast, always choosing the wrong men. Devastated by the end of her last relationship, she fled her Wall Street job and New York City apartment for her sister’s home in the Connecticut suburb where they both grew up. Though still haunted by the tragedy that’s defined her entire life, Laura is determined to take one more chance on love with a man she’s met on an Internet dating site. 

Rosie Ferro has spent most of her life worrying about her troubled sister. Fearless but fragile, Laura has always walked an emotional tightrope, and Rosie has always been there to catch her. Laura’s return, under mysterious circumstances, has cast a shadow over Rosie’s peaceful life with her husband and young son – a shadow that grows darker as Laura leaves the house for her blind date. 

When Laura does not return home the following morning, Rosie fears the worst. She’s not responding to calls or texts, and she’s left no information about the man she planned to meet. As Rosie begins a desperate search to find her sister, she is not just worried about what this man might have done to Laura. She’s worried about what Laura may have done to him…"

It had been a while since I'd picked up a good thriller, so I figured I'd rectify that and check out Wendy Walker's upcoming release since I enjoyed one of her previous books, All is Not Forgotten. Unfortunately, I'm sorry to report that this book did not live up to my hopes in any way and ended up being quite a disappointment. With thrillers, I like to keep my reviews on the vague side since almost every detail can be an important reveal. That being said, there's not a whole lot within this book that's surprising--the majority of things in this book were fairly predictable, with a few exceptions that I'll get into.

In The Night Before, we follow sisters Laura and Rosie, two women who have led extremely different lives, but who still hold a strong bond with one another. The two women grew up with childhood friends Gabe and Joe, the latter of which is now married to Rosie, and the foursome continue to hang out and spend time with one another as adults, especially since Laura decided to move back to live with Rosie for the time being. The friendship dynamic is fairly normal overall and although there is no present drama that the group deal with, but there is the thriller favorite 'momentous life-changing event that happened during childhood and changed everything' trope at play, which adds an underlying element of drama and suspense as we get to uncover what happened throughout the book.

The first problem I had with this book is that I didn't care about any of the characters. Okay, scratch that: I thought Rosie and Joe's son, Mason, was relatively harmless. He was also a toddler and hardly in the book at all, but you know, he was cute. Laura was...well, Laura has some personal struggles that she's been working through since she was a child, which makes her a somewhat difficult person to get behind. I never judged her for her actions that occurred as a result of her childhood, as I know well how trauma can cause lasting effects, but I was still frustrated with her actions throughout the book--she would blatantly and repeatedly tell herself not to do things, but she still did them. Even when she had a very easy out of the situation. I know we all do things like this in some format, but in Laura's case it was beyond reckless and potentially dangerous. 

Rosie was slightly more interesting than Laura and I appreciated that she took Laura's disappearance seriously from the start, but she's also rather forgettable. Same goes for Joe and Gabe--I'll probably forget everything about them in the next week or so and I really don't have much to say about them other than the fact that Joe seems like a really solid, stand-up guy. And speaking of boring characters, the person who ends up being the 'villain' in all of this was probably one of the most lackluster, utterly predictable, and uninteresting ones I've seen in a while. I'm really not trying to trash this book, but I just had such a hard time with it, especially the characters.

Despite all of the negative things I've mentioned, I will give this book the props it deserves in created one pretty big twist that I didn't actually see coming. It was extremely out of left field to me so it took a second to understand what it meant, but it worked in adding some depth to the thriller aspect of this book. I appreciate the ideas that went into this book, but it didn't execute very well for me.

Overall, I've given The Night Before two stars. I debated lowering it, but I wouldn't say I hated it enough to give it a one star; I can appreciate Walker's attempts to add in some new ideas, but the result ended up being predictable and like something I've read a thousand times already. Most of the early reviews so far are 4+ stars, so perhaps I'm just missing something, but nonetheless I can't say I enjoyed this book that much. I would still pick up another book by Wendy Walker in the future because I know she can write a good book, this just wasn't it. 

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

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All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker
Security by Gina Wolhsdorf
Grist Mill Road by Christopher J. Yates

Pendle Fire by Paul Southern Blog Blitz

Hey, everyone! Today I am excited to share with you my part in the blog blitz for Paul Southern's latest release, Pendle Fire! This is a dark, thrilling book that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. Below you'll find some information about the blog blittz, the book itself, and my own review. 

About the book:
Bloodhound Books
Paperback, 254 pages
ISBN: 9781912604098
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository
Social worker Johnny Malkin is battling a crippling workload and a hostile local community. That’s on a good day: things are about to get a whole lot worse. 

Two fourteen-year-old girls are found wandering Aitken Wood on the slopes of Pendle Hill, claiming to have been raped by a gang of men. With no female social workers available, Johnny is assigned to their case. But what, at first, looks like yet another incident of child exploitation takes a sinister turn when the girls start speaking of a forthcoming apocalypse. 

When Johnny interviews one of the girls, Jenna Dunham, her story starts to unravel. His investigation draws him into a tight-knit village community in the shadow of Pendle Hill, where whispers of witchcraft and child abuse go back to the Middle Ages. 

One name recurs: The Hobbledy Man. Is he responsible for the outbreaks of violence sweeping across the country? 

Is he more than just myth?

About the author:

Paul Southern was born in the 1960s to itinerant parents who moved from city to city. He lived in Liverpool, Belfast, London and Leeds, then escaped to university, where he nearly died of a brain haemorrhage. After an unexpected recovery, he co-formed an underground indie group (Sexus). Made immediate plans to become rich and famous, but ended up in Manchester. Shared a house with mice, cockroaches, and slugs; shared the street with criminals. Five years later, hit the big time with a Warners record deal. Concerts at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Melody Maker front cover, Smash Hits Single of the Week, Radio 1 and EastEnders. Mixed with the really rich and famous. Then mixed with lawyers. Ended up back in Manchester, broke. He got a PhD in English (he is the world's leading authority on Tennyson's stage plays!), then wrote his first novel, The Craze, based on his experiences of the Muslim community. He has three other published books and has written for ITV. He was shortlisted for a CWA Dagger award in 2002 and received positive reviews from national and international press, including The Guardian, Arena, Radio 4, Ladsmag, and Kirkus, amongst many others.
Links:
www.paulsouthern.org 
https://www.facebook.com/paulsouthernauthor 
https://twitter.com/psouthernauthor

Review:
Pendle Fire starts off dark and only gets more chilling as the story goes on. This is the second book that I've read by Paul Southern, and it has already become apparent that he has a talent for crafting dark, thrilling stories with complex characters, and that he is unafraid to tackle difficult subjects. I'm keeping this review brief because I don't want to give away any part of this book, as this is definitely one of those thrillers that you should experience knowing as little as possible about what is going to happen.

Johnny Malkin is a great protagonist to follow, largely due to his strong work ethic and desire to connect more with the children he comes across while working as a social worker. Of course, his overworking does have negative effects on his personal life, but it's hard to fault someone with that much passion. Malkin is one of those characters that you can't help but feel connected to and become invested in his life.

Southern is a whiz at creating characters that are authentic and actually come across as real people, both good and bad. There are so many grey areas involved in people's actions, and Southern always seems to incorporate those ideas into his work extremely well. Before I picked up this book, I was also slightly skeptical about the supernatural addition to this story, but it was also what intrigued me so much about this book. I ended up really loving how this element successfully mixed myth with modern day life and created a unique but fascinating storyline.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the bigger issues that framed the story, such as doing what is right versus doing what is easy, open-mindedness versus close-mindedness, and so many more incredibly relevant topics that I think we can all benefit from discussing more. Southern does a fantastic job of taking risks with his writing, and I love that; nothing seems to be off-limits, and he handles his subjects extremely well. I zoomed right through this book due to how suspenseful and well-written it was, and I found myself having a hard time putting this book down--I just wanted to keep reading and find out what would happen next.

Before I wrap up, I also just want to add this isn't a book for the fainthearted, so if difficult subjects aren't for you, this might not be for you. However, I still recommend anyone who wants a great, page-turning book pick this one up and give it a shot.

Overall, I've given Pendle Fire  four stars! If you're looking for a dark, shocking thriller with a bit of a supernatural edge then look no further and pick up a copy of Pendle Fire.

*Huge thanks to Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of Pendle Fire and including me on their blog blitz!*

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All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker

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All is Not Forgotten is now available!

All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker. St. Martin's Press, 2016. 320 pages. Paperback/Softcover.

**I received a review copy of All Is Not Forgotten courtesy of St. Martin's Press.**

All Is Not Forgotten is a psychological thriller that left me in complete awe at the mastery of Walker's storytelling. This book completely messed with my head, and I loved every minute of it.

This book has one of the best unreliable narrator situations that I've read in a long time, and it was amazing. There was such a slow development of the narrator's personal descent from appearing to be an objective, behind-the-scenes storyteller to the immense role we realize he has been playing throughout the entire story. I am still reveling in the beauty of this darkly twisted story. This is such an intricate, carefully plotted story that I am still in awe of how wonderfully Walker executed it.

I don't want to go into describing the characters themselves too much, largely because I don't think one should go into this book knowing too much about any of them, and I also don't want to accidentally revel anything. This book completely banks (in my opinion) on the need to be completely unaware of anything that is going to happen because it must be unraveled on your own in your own personal experiences. The way in which all of the characters end up weaving together in this densely created spider web of entanglements is brilliant, and I spent a lot of my post-finishing ten minutes trying to work it all out in my head.

All Is Not Forgotten is not for the faint of heart, as it is at times graphic, intense, and brutal. However, it is also darkly beautiful and provides an interesting look at how deeply memories can affect us and alter our own emotions. I was a bit unsure at first about the treatment described that erases Jenny's memory of the event, as it sounded slightly far-reaching, but once I started the book and figured out exactly what it was and meant, it made much more sense and it worked really well. The way in which Walker plays with the concept of memories and explains them is finely detailed and nuanced - it truly shows just how fragile our minds an memories are, and also how powerful they can be in making us believes thing, whether they happened or not.

It is incredibly difficult for me to believe that this is Walker's debut novel, and it is apparent that she must be immensely talented and detail-oriented. She is definitely going on my authors to watch list, and I look forward to seeing what else she has in store for her readers. This is must-read for thriller-fans or those who want something gripping for the hot summer months.

A word of caution: if you are in a place where rape triggers you or causes you any form of anxiety or pain, you may not want to dive right into this one just yet. There are some very graphic depictions of both the act itself and the feelings it creates that may pose a challenge.

I know I've been giving what seems to be an abundance of high amounts of stars lately, but All Is Not Forgotten completely deserves yet another four-and-a-half stars from me.

Get more reviews in your inbox and subscribe to Forever Lost in Literature!

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Consequence by Eric Fair

Security by Gina Wohlsdorf

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

Security by Gina Wohlsdorf

Security will be released Tuesday, June 7th!

**I received a printed ARC  of Security by Gina Wolhsdorf courtesy of -- in exchange for an honest review**

Security by Gina Wohlsdorf. Algonquin Books, 2016. 288 pages. Paperback/Softcover.

I don't know if it's just been a long time since I've read an exciting, thrilling page-turner or if Security was just that good, but I was completely enraptured with this book. I started it on a Friday night and finished it Sunday evening (it probably would have been sooner, but writing papers and studying for finals interrupted by precious reading - rude).

Manderley Resort is preparing itself for its grand opening day as a premier resort destination with an exceptionally intense and private security system in order to protect every one of its customer's privacy. But like any good thriller, things never go according to plan, and a killer emerges and begins to slowly pick off the staff.

Our main character is Tessa, a strong-willed, hardworking woman who is the hotel manager and, essentially, the woman in charge of all preparations. She takes her job very seriously and executes everything perfectly. Underneath her rough exterior, however, lies deeper emotional ties and secrets that are known only to her, and she does her best to keep these hidden. I liked Tessa; she came across as a very logical, matter-of-fact person who doesn't really waste her time dwelling on insignificant issues or musings of the mind. However, her focus is so intent on the opening of Manderley that it seems to distract her from other issues that may be taking place - namely, the murders of her hotel staff. It was interesting to watch Tessa's character unfold throughout the story, as well as her interactions with her staff. 

The rest of the cast of Security all play a similar role, though each character is equipped with a firm personality to make them distinct from one another. I genuinely enjoyed the interactions that took place between each character and watching how each person reacted in the various circumstances they were placed in. Some are fighters, some are not, and some are just of along for the ride. 

Wohlsdorf's writing style throughout Security was truly exceptional, and despite it's somewhat unorthodox approach (in my opinion), it completely hooks you in and drags you along, whether you want to continue or not. She's sharp and full of wit, but also makes many rather sobering, deeper remarks that will leave you pondering ideas much greater than you imagined when originally going into this thriller. (Also, there are many tributes to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, which I found particularly intriguing.)

Part of what made me love this book so much was the writing style and point of view. It takes place from one solitary point of view, but this point of view narrates from the viewpoint of various hotel security cameras throughout the hotel. For instance, one sentence you are watching Tessa talk to someone, and the next sentence the narrator has moved on to talking about what someone else is doing. It can be quite confusing if you aren't paying close attention, and this actually made me more intrigued because I was forced to focus so intently, which thus made it that much more thrilling. I also admired the way in which Wohlsdorf slowly eased us into the identity of our narrator; in the beginning, the narrator is rather vague and you almost don't realize it's first person, but as the story progresses Wohlsdorf slowly reveals more and more about our narrator through his thoughts and musings. 

A special little quirk involving the use of cameras as the point of view that added an extra dimension of detail was that every once in a while the page would be split into two or three columns, each detailing an event that was taking place at the same time as the other. I loved the contrasts and strict dichotomy this created between the different occurrences. I'm not too sure if this format would work out as well on an ebook, but it works wonderfully in the physical format that I read.

My only form of complaint for this book is in regards to the ending. On the one hand, I'm extremely satisfied with the ending, but on the other, I'm also frustrated. I'm not sure if it was really what I expected, but overall it seems to work. It is certainly unexpected, however, and I'll leave you to find out about that yourself if you feel so inclined. 

Overall, I am giving Security four-and-a-half stars for its truly thrilling nature and superb storytelling. 

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Daddy Dearest by Paul Southern
The Dinner by Herman Koch
Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates
Slade House by David Mitchell

Daddy Dearest by Paul Southern

Daddy Dearest will be on sale Wednesday, June 1st!

**I received a review copy of Daddy Dearest courtesy of Paul Southern in exchange for an honest review.**

Daddy Dearest by Paul Southern. 2016. 245 pages. Ebook.  

If you like to have your mind messed with a little bit, then settle in and get comfortable, because this is the book for you.

Daddy Dearest tells the story of a man whose daughter disappears one day while traveling alone down an apartment elevator. The entire apartment building is searched, but she is gone and no one has any clue what has happened to her.

To preface, much of the thriller aspect of this book relies on the unknown and the reader being held in suspense, so I'm not going to go too in-depth content-wise so as not to spoil anything. First, it is essential to read Daddy Dearest very carefully so as not to miss anything, because many details are not explicitly stated and instead left to the reader to infer and understand. I'll admit that at first I felt slightly annoyed by this, but as I progressed into the story and became more acquainted with the writing style, it began to become rather enjoyable and actually helped me make sure I was paying close attention.

Southern does an excellent job of creating the main character's narration. The main character, who remains nameless throughout the story, has a very distinctive personality that is both off-putting and intriguing. Our protagonist is brutally honest about his opinions, and he certainly comes off as semi-racist and sexist at times, which accounts for the off-putting part, but somehow Southern creates such an intricately multi-layered character that you find yourself enraptured in his storytelling and continuing to enjoy the character regardless of these offensive characteristics. His honestly is endearing and gains my respect, but it is also because of what he says and does that makes me lose my respect, leaving me with an overall conflicted feeling regarding the protagonist.

The narration appears, at times, to go off onto many tangents. The main characters gets caught up explaining his opinions or experiences about something, leaving the reader to wonder the what the point of these ramblings are, but then it hits you: these 'tangents' are telling extremely important information about the main character and his own actions - they also show how easily distracted he can be. Halfway through the book, I found myself wondering who I was 'rooting' for. This isn't a black and white book with a straight up good and bad character, but instead involves an ever-present grey area that leaves the reader to develop their own ideas and opinions, which I personally found enticing.

Overall, this was a solid thriller for me, and I would certainly recommend it for anyone looking for something a little different from your average thrillers. It's still high-paced, but it's not overtly high-paced, so there is plenty of room to breathe.

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Slade House by David Mitchell

Slade House will be released Tuesday, October 27th - just in time for a perfect Halloween read!

Slade House by David Mitchell. Random House; 2015. 224 pages. Hardcover/Hardback.

**I received an ARC of Slade House courtesy of NetGalley and Random House**

First off, I want to point out that apparently Slade House is set in the same world as The Bone Clocks, which I have not yet read. This did not appear to impact my enjoyment of the book at all, but I can see how having a more solid understanding of the world may lend to a bigger appreciation of the story and understanding of certain terms, especially in some areas near the end.

Secondly, I am keeping this review fairly brief; I think Slade House is best read when you don't know much about it going into the story, so I don't want to go too in depth about the details.

I loved this book immensely! I enjoy a good scary story, but I'm slightly picky about them. I'm not a big fan of excessive gore, violence, or gross factors that are so prevalent in horror books and movies. It's not that I mind violence, as it works well in many books, but it so often becomes overused in scary stories. I'm more of the psychological thriller fan; I prefer to have my mind messed with. I think the creepiest and scariest books occur when thing are left unsaid, or when the creepy factor is so subtle you don't realize it, and when you do you're so unsettled you don't even know what to do. Think House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski or The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Slade House fits this mold exceptionally well, which made it an extremely enjoyable read.

I will briefly sum it up as this: Slade House spans five decades and centers on a house that come and go every nine years, luring in only those who are useful. I don't want to say any more than that for fear of giving anything away.

I finished this book in a matter of days; I simply did not want to put it down. As mentioned, it masterfully covers the years from 1979 to October 31, 2015, and is told in such a way that each decade and its character's perspective is immensely gripping and interesting. Mitchell has created such an engaging, unique world that becomes entirely tangible to his readers. In order to enjoy this book, you do have to suspend your belief at times, but the best part is: so do his characters. Everything is whacky and uncertain, and you just have to hang yourself in suspense while you wait to see how everything will work. With each new character that is introduced, I felt a tiny sense of foreboding that slowly grew as each one began to make their ways towards the tiny little alleyway that would lead to Slade House. Each character has a very unique personality and background, but each one seems to make the same mistakes and sets off a similar chain of events, which I found quite interesting to explore.

I think this is a book that is perfect for going into without knowing much about it. Much like Slade House itself, you just have to stumble inside and become lost as you attempt to make sense of where you are and what you're reading. So go ahead and sneak in through that tiny little iron door on Slade Alley and immerse yourself in this new, disconcerting world.

Overall, I am giving Slade House the big five stars! I had such a great time reading this book and I flew right through it, entranced the entire time. I would recommend this book to anyone in need a good spooky house story or a bit of psychological intrigue.

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