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Book of Knives
"Beautifully written and endlessly absorbing, this is a novel to read with the covers up around your chin and a candle burning."―Sarah Taylor Stewart, author of the Maggie D'arcy mysteries When Nora agrees to help her new husband, Paul, and his family fix up Hidden Lake Camp, she didn't expect it to be in such a state of ruin. The dock full of rotten boards, smashed windows, cabins falling apart ― it's all a past he'd just as soon bury. Only a few months, he said. They'd drive north to get Paul's elderly parents settled while he and his brother make enough repairs to sell the property. The summer camp, however, and its deep lake have other plans. On the first night, Nora stumbles through a first meal with his difficult family. Her sister-in-law shows off a prized collection of handmade knives, thirteen in all. Long summer days stretch before them and one by one the knives begin to disappear. By the time the fourth and fifth vanish from behind locked doors and out from under watchful eyes, Nora can barely sleep. There's talk of ghosts, secret rooms and someone at the summer camp found dead in the tall grass. Unsettling, gripping, and totally original, Book of Knives is a literary thriller that shows how one person's unraveling can bring the whole house down. "Seen through the perceptive eyes of complex characters, a series of vivid scenes unfolds. One finds all one's worst fears echoed here in an increasingly suspenseful and surprising crescendo of events." ―Sheila Kohler, author of the literary thriller Open Secrets , one of Vogue's best books of 2020
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2022
45 people are currently reading
5098 people want to read
About the author
Lise Haines
8 books92 followersLISE HAINES is the author of three novels, Girl in the Arena, Small Acts of Sex and Electricity (a Book Sense Pick in 2006 and one of ten “Best Book Picks for 2006” by the NPR station in San Diego), and In My Sister’s Country,, a finalist for the 2003 Paterson Fiction Prize. Her short stories and essays have appeared in a number of literary journals and she was a finalist for the PEN Nelson Algren Award.
Haines is Writer in Residence at Emerson College. She has been Briggs-Copeland Lecturer at Harvard, and her other teaching credits include UCLA, UCSB, and Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. She grew up in Chicago, lived in Southern California for many years, and now resides in the Boston area. She holds a B.A. from Syracuse University and an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars.
Haines is Writer in Residence at Emerson College. She has been Briggs-Copeland Lecturer at Harvard, and her other teaching credits include UCLA, UCSB, and Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. She grew up in Chicago, lived in Southern California for many years, and now resides in the Boston area. She holds a B.A. from Syracuse University and an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
May 31, 2022
3.5⭐
Nora, a documentary filmmaker and editor, marries her friend Paul, a contractor who had been temporarily renting the loft above her late husband Takeo’s ceramics studio in their home. Soon after, Paul and Nora, along with Leon, Paul’s eighteen-year-old son from his previous marriage, travel to Paul’s family campground, Hidden Lake, which has been closed down for years, to fix it up and eventually sell off the property. Paul, who had left his childhood home almost thirty years ago, does not seem to have too many happy memories of his childhood. Paul’s parents are still alive, his father terminally ill and his mother suffering from dementia. Nora also meets Paul’s younger brother Gabe and his wife, Salish and their four children. Salish, who takes it upon herself to cook and take charge of the kitchen, shows them a collection of thirteen novelty knives, a proud possession passed down to her by her father. Trouble starts when one by one, the knives start disappearing, despite Salish’s obsessive hiding and protection. Nora, intent on documenting as much as possible on video, embarks on an investigation behind these strange occurrences, often aided by Salish’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Jones.
Book of Knives by Lise Haines is a well-written slow-burn suspense thriller. Haines’s writing is elegant, descriptive and immersive. I was impressed with the author’s characterizations- the adults, teenagers and the children- all the characters, even the immensely unlikable ones are well-developed. The mystery behind the disappearing knives (a few of which reappear under mysterious circumstances), other sinister and paranormal occurrences, hidden rooms, strained interactions between Gabe and Paul, fluctuating tempers, tension and suspicion among the adults, the suffocating atmosphere of the camp, and a decades-old murder mystery make for an engaging read. Yes, there are ghostly apparitions and sinister occurrences, but not enough to scare you silly! (for which I am thankful; otherwise, a scaredy-cat like me would be hiding under the bed instead of writing this review!). The author does leave a few questions unanswered or rather leaves it to the reader to ponder over, but that’s okay.
Overall this is an interesting, albeit slow-moving read, with a climax that satisfies, and a few surprises along the way.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Nora, a documentary filmmaker and editor, marries her friend Paul, a contractor who had been temporarily renting the loft above her late husband Takeo’s ceramics studio in their home. Soon after, Paul and Nora, along with Leon, Paul’s eighteen-year-old son from his previous marriage, travel to Paul’s family campground, Hidden Lake, which has been closed down for years, to fix it up and eventually sell off the property. Paul, who had left his childhood home almost thirty years ago, does not seem to have too many happy memories of his childhood. Paul’s parents are still alive, his father terminally ill and his mother suffering from dementia. Nora also meets Paul’s younger brother Gabe and his wife, Salish and their four children. Salish, who takes it upon herself to cook and take charge of the kitchen, shows them a collection of thirteen novelty knives, a proud possession passed down to her by her father. Trouble starts when one by one, the knives start disappearing, despite Salish’s obsessive hiding and protection. Nora, intent on documenting as much as possible on video, embarks on an investigation behind these strange occurrences, often aided by Salish’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Jones.
Book of Knives by Lise Haines is a well-written slow-burn suspense thriller. Haines’s writing is elegant, descriptive and immersive. I was impressed with the author’s characterizations- the adults, teenagers and the children- all the characters, even the immensely unlikable ones are well-developed. The mystery behind the disappearing knives (a few of which reappear under mysterious circumstances), other sinister and paranormal occurrences, hidden rooms, strained interactions between Gabe and Paul, fluctuating tempers, tension and suspicion among the adults, the suffocating atmosphere of the camp, and a decades-old murder mystery make for an engaging read. Yes, there are ghostly apparitions and sinister occurrences, but not enough to scare you silly! (for which I am thankful; otherwise, a scaredy-cat like me would be hiding under the bed instead of writing this review!). The author does leave a few questions unanswered or rather leaves it to the reader to ponder over, but that’s okay.
Overall this is an interesting, albeit slow-moving read, with a climax that satisfies, and a few surprises along the way.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed here are my own.
June 21, 2023
After the death of her husband, Nora finds a bit of comfort with the couple's good friend, Paul. As time passes, Nora and Paul's relationship continues to blossom.
Nora never expected to find love again, but she has and she isn't going to let it slip from her grasp. Thus, she and Paul decide to get married.
The new couple lead a quiet, uneventful life together, until the day Paul gets a call from his estranged brother, Gabe. Paul doesn't speak much about his early life, but Nora knows it wasn't good.
Now it seems Paul's elderly parents are in poor health and failing fast. Paul needs to go back to the family home, Hidden Lake Camp, a place he fled literally decades before, in order to help his brother out caring for their parents and refurbishing the property.
Nora, of course, agrees to go along with Paul and his teen-aged son, Leon, to the camp. It will be an adventure.
Unfortunately, as soon as they arrive, things get weird. Paul's brother, his wife and their kids are already well established at the property and they are strange; really strange, especially the wife.
Gabe's wife, Salish, has a collection of 13-knives passed down to her from her father. She's slightly obsessed with the things, so as they start to mysteriously disappear one-by-one, it puts her in an absolute tail-spin.
Nora spends the majority of her time just trying to figure out Salish. Her wacky mood is beginning to have a negative impact on Nora's own mental health. That's when things really start feeling claustrophobic.
There's a mystery afoot, or is there?
I'm sad to report that this super-slow burn, Adult Fiction story just wasn't for me. I know there is an audience for it, but I shouldn't have been part of it. Frankly, I should have walked out of the theater about a quarter of the way through.
I am a huge fan of weird and quirky stories, but they have to have some semblance of sense. I also need to actually care either about at least one of the characters, or about the general outcome.
Without putting too fine a point on it, I gave zero.
I know there are plenty of Readers out there that will enjoy this story. It just absolutely was not for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. Book of Knives releases tomorrow, Tuesday, October 4, 2022!
Nora never expected to find love again, but she has and she isn't going to let it slip from her grasp. Thus, she and Paul decide to get married.
The new couple lead a quiet, uneventful life together, until the day Paul gets a call from his estranged brother, Gabe. Paul doesn't speak much about his early life, but Nora knows it wasn't good.
Now it seems Paul's elderly parents are in poor health and failing fast. Paul needs to go back to the family home, Hidden Lake Camp, a place he fled literally decades before, in order to help his brother out caring for their parents and refurbishing the property.
Nora, of course, agrees to go along with Paul and his teen-aged son, Leon, to the camp. It will be an adventure.
Unfortunately, as soon as they arrive, things get weird. Paul's brother, his wife and their kids are already well established at the property and they are strange; really strange, especially the wife.
Gabe's wife, Salish, has a collection of 13-knives passed down to her from her father. She's slightly obsessed with the things, so as they start to mysteriously disappear one-by-one, it puts her in an absolute tail-spin.
Nora spends the majority of her time just trying to figure out Salish. Her wacky mood is beginning to have a negative impact on Nora's own mental health. That's when things really start feeling claustrophobic.
There's a mystery afoot, or is there?
I'm sad to report that this super-slow burn, Adult Fiction story just wasn't for me. I know there is an audience for it, but I shouldn't have been part of it. Frankly, I should have walked out of the theater about a quarter of the way through.
I am a huge fan of weird and quirky stories, but they have to have some semblance of sense. I also need to actually care either about at least one of the characters, or about the general outcome.
Without putting too fine a point on it, I gave zero.
I know there are plenty of Readers out there that will enjoy this story. It just absolutely was not for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. Book of Knives releases tomorrow, Tuesday, October 4, 2022!
August 3, 2022
First of all, I really like the cover of this new thriller! It matches. I repeat it matches with the plot and it built the right kind of vibes when I picked up the book.
The blurb is quite interesting. I would suggest you to read it beforehand. No spoilers there but it will make you more interested in the story.
The writing is really good. It kept me hooked throughout the entire read. However, some parts in between do slow down a bit but the pace picks up soon. So not much of an issue there.
The plot is different. The characters aren't that complex to figure out. However, the main part of the thrill lies in the unassuming normal day activities and the dialogues.
Believe that it's somehow literary and do not expect a hard-hitting thriller as the blurb says.
Some parts are really creepy when I wasn't expecting it. Some parts took me by surprise as well. And yes, someone is going to die and you have to figure it out keeping in mind there are dark secrets, talk of paranormal things happening and what's behind closed doors.
I wasn't happy when the book ended because I needed more answers and clarification.
That's it.
I enjoyed the book but.
Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, for the advance reading copy.
The blurb is quite interesting. I would suggest you to read it beforehand. No spoilers there but it will make you more interested in the story.
The writing is really good. It kept me hooked throughout the entire read. However, some parts in between do slow down a bit but the pace picks up soon. So not much of an issue there.
The plot is different. The characters aren't that complex to figure out. However, the main part of the thrill lies in the unassuming normal day activities and the dialogues.
Believe that it's somehow literary and do not expect a hard-hitting thriller as the blurb says.
Some parts are really creepy when I wasn't expecting it. Some parts took me by surprise as well. And yes, someone is going to die and you have to figure it out keeping in mind there are dark secrets, talk of paranormal things happening and what's behind closed doors.
I wasn't happy when the book ended because I needed more answers and clarification.
That's it.
I enjoyed the book but.
Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, for the advance reading copy.
October 4, 2022
Nora finds love again and finds herself in a bit of an awkward situation with her new in-laws when they have to go and help out at home.
I find it hard to concentrate on slow burners. This book only picked up its pace around the last few chapters. Nora came across as such a weird character, her inner monologue with her first deceased husband was a bit too much. The characters were well built and strong but I am disappointed that I didn't like this one more.
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.
I find it hard to concentrate on slow burners. This book only picked up its pace around the last few chapters. Nora came across as such a weird character, her inner monologue with her first deceased husband was a bit too much. The characters were well built and strong but I am disappointed that I didn't like this one more.
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.
October 3, 2022
I’m going to go ahead and put myself in the camp (ha, ha) that just didn’t like this book. The first half was a STRUGGLE, then it finally started to improve slightly. For a bit, I thought I might even give it three stars, but the ending dispelled that idea.
Nora lost her husband, Takeo, and soon after, married their handyman, Paul. Paul’s parents are sick and they have come with his brother’s family to take care of the ailing couple, while renovating the family camp, Hidden Lake. Nora feels totally left out, as she doesn’t know Paul’s family and feels weird being there at such a rough and intimate time. She had no idea what weird was though…
Salish is Nora’s new sister-in-law. She has 13 knives, and they keep disappearing - some reappearing later, but always making their mark. Literally. While her husband is renovating some of the buildings in the camp, Nora, who is a documentary filmmaker, starts recording strange things and looking into the death of a handyman who used to live on the property (very “Blair Witch Project”, which had a cameo in this book). I guess, otherwise there wouldn’t be a story? 🤷🏼♀️
That’s about it, really. There are knives, then there aren’t knives. There’s a ghost and a secret room, but everyone knows and accepts it as normal. There are old people with secrets that never make sense because their minds are gone. Salish is batshit crazy and birds randomly die, but we have no real reason why.
“Why” is the big question of the book; after I finished it, all I could think was WHY? What was this all supposed to be? Haunted house and ghost books can be that way, which is why I rarely choose to read them. There rarely seems to be deeper meaning. What was all of this for? Why was it written? Why am I feeling zero shock, zero care for the flat characters, zero interest? Just … why?
Maybe it’s over my head. Maybe it’s really as pointless as it seems. Maybe you’ll like this book better, but for me, it was a no. The writing was mediocre, the plot was so loose it felt held together with paper clips, and the story just didn’t entertain me. An unfortunate 2.5 stars for this one, rounded down because I really want my time back.
(Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Lise Haines, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
Nora lost her husband, Takeo, and soon after, married their handyman, Paul. Paul’s parents are sick and they have come with his brother’s family to take care of the ailing couple, while renovating the family camp, Hidden Lake. Nora feels totally left out, as she doesn’t know Paul’s family and feels weird being there at such a rough and intimate time. She had no idea what weird was though…
Salish is Nora’s new sister-in-law. She has 13 knives, and they keep disappearing - some reappearing later, but always making their mark. Literally. While her husband is renovating some of the buildings in the camp, Nora, who is a documentary filmmaker, starts recording strange things and looking into the death of a handyman who used to live on the property (very “Blair Witch Project”, which had a cameo in this book). I guess, otherwise there wouldn’t be a story? 🤷🏼♀️
That’s about it, really. There are knives, then there aren’t knives. There’s a ghost and a secret room, but everyone knows and accepts it as normal. There are old people with secrets that never make sense because their minds are gone. Salish is batshit crazy and birds randomly die, but we have no real reason why.
“Why” is the big question of the book; after I finished it, all I could think was WHY? What was this all supposed to be? Haunted house and ghost books can be that way, which is why I rarely choose to read them. There rarely seems to be deeper meaning. What was all of this for? Why was it written? Why am I feeling zero shock, zero care for the flat characters, zero interest? Just … why?
Maybe it’s over my head. Maybe it’s really as pointless as it seems. Maybe you’ll like this book better, but for me, it was a no. The writing was mediocre, the plot was so loose it felt held together with paper clips, and the story just didn’t entertain me. An unfortunate 2.5 stars for this one, rounded down because I really want my time back.
(Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Lise Haines, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
January 8, 2023
3⭐ for the audiobook.
Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, slow burn, paranormal, ghosts, references to murder & suicide
Nora is a widow and takes a liking to Paul, a friend of her late husband. Soon after they marry they head to Paul's family home to take care of his elderly parents. Everything isn't as it seems when the knives start to go missing.
Meh, this was just okay for me. I didn't really care for any of the characters and didn't feel enough of a connection to them. Many of the chapters were around 30 minutes long and some 40-50, which is quite lengthy in my opinion. I did like that the chapters were titled. I don't read an abundance of paranormal books and I did like the weird uniqueness concept of the story, but overall not really for me.
Narrated by Eve Passeltiner for 9 hours and 20 minutes, easy to follow at 2x. I was mostly happy with the narration, but I think she could have had a little more emotion. I could've went for a gasp here and there.
*Thanks to Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
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Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, slow burn, paranormal, ghosts, references to murder & suicide
Nora is a widow and takes a liking to Paul, a friend of her late husband. Soon after they marry they head to Paul's family home to take care of his elderly parents. Everything isn't as it seems when the knives start to go missing.
Meh, this was just okay for me. I didn't really care for any of the characters and didn't feel enough of a connection to them. Many of the chapters were around 30 minutes long and some 40-50, which is quite lengthy in my opinion. I did like that the chapters were titled. I don't read an abundance of paranormal books and I did like the weird uniqueness concept of the story, but overall not really for me.
Narrated by Eve Passeltiner for 9 hours and 20 minutes, easy to follow at 2x. I was mostly happy with the narration, but I think she could have had a little more emotion. I could've went for a gasp here and there.
*Thanks to Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
August 29, 2022
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It was definitely slow burn, which I’m not a fan of. The chapters were long and for the most part boring. For awhile it felt like nothing was happening until the last few chapters. The ending was lackluster and you are left with more questions than answers.
Norah agrees to accompany her husband Paul and his son Leon to his family’s property Hidden Lake Camp to take care of Paul’s elderly parents. Paul’s brother Gabe and their kids are also at the camp. Paul promised it would only be a few months, long enough to fix up the camp and sell it. For some reason knives start to go missing and some other disturbing things occur. Is it a ghost? A curse? Needless to say tensions mount leading to an unfulfilling ending.
Book of Knives is available October 4,2022.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Norah agrees to accompany her husband Paul and his son Leon to his family’s property Hidden Lake Camp to take care of Paul’s elderly parents. Paul’s brother Gabe and their kids are also at the camp. Paul promised it would only be a few months, long enough to fix up the camp and sell it. For some reason knives start to go missing and some other disturbing things occur. Is it a ghost? A curse? Needless to say tensions mount leading to an unfulfilling ending.
Book of Knives is available October 4,2022.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
December 10, 2022
⭐⭐ -- Great cover!
So I didn't love this one. I didn't hate it either. It just sort of sits in the middle area between the two. The writing and I didn't mesh. It was SOOO slow burn, and honestly, just wierd. 🤷🏻♀️
**ARC Via NetGalley**
So I didn't love this one. I didn't hate it either. It just sort of sits in the middle area between the two. The writing and I didn't mesh. It was SOOO slow burn, and honestly, just wierd. 🤷🏻♀️
**ARC Via NetGalley**
July 17, 2022
HAUNTED HORROR !This is how you write a slow burning creepy ghost story!
Nora is a documentary filmmaker and has followed her new husband to his family camp which has been closed sfor many years. Paul promised it will just be a few months to repair the camp and get it on the market.
The Hidden Lake Camp, however, needs more than a few new boards. Her sister and brother and law and their children join them and add to the tense atmosphere as they rule the kitchen with an iron fist. Nora starts to see ghosts and things start to disappear. She isn't sure who to turn to in this absolute horror of a place. There is a lot going on in this story - some complex characters and quite a few themes to keep track of (such as wanting a child, grieving a death of a partner, letting go of a parent, blended families..). But I LOVED it, it was truly creepy and the atmosphere of the camp will stay with me for a long time. If you like a slow burn, a creepy tale and believe that there might be ghosts and spirits in this world, then Book of Knives is for you!
#BookofKnives #LiseHaines #NetGalley #Edelweiss
Nora is a documentary filmmaker and has followed her new husband to his family camp which has been closed sfor many years. Paul promised it will just be a few months to repair the camp and get it on the market.
The Hidden Lake Camp, however, needs more than a few new boards. Her sister and brother and law and their children join them and add to the tense atmosphere as they rule the kitchen with an iron fist. Nora starts to see ghosts and things start to disappear. She isn't sure who to turn to in this absolute horror of a place. There is a lot going on in this story - some complex characters and quite a few themes to keep track of (such as wanting a child, grieving a death of a partner, letting go of a parent, blended families..). But I LOVED it, it was truly creepy and the atmosphere of the camp will stay with me for a long time. If you like a slow burn, a creepy tale and believe that there might be ghosts and spirits in this world, then Book of Knives is for you!
#BookofKnives #LiseHaines #NetGalley #Edelweiss
May 26, 2022
Straight up, this is a weird book.
The plot is bizarre and our characters even more so. I wanted to slap most of the characters – I think there were maybe 2 kids I didn’t want to slap? The rest? Thwack!
Our main character is just odd, though maybe slightly less odd than the others. I understand that her character is a portrait of grief, but seriously this woman was irritating.
The reason behind everything was just this weird mix of basic and out-of-left-field.
Why three stars if I have so much negative to say? I was curious enough about the book that I wanted to finish it to see what would happen. And I liked Jones. She was terrific and I’d read a book just about here.
I’m honestly not sure I’d read the author again.
*ARC via Net Galley
The plot is bizarre and our characters even more so. I wanted to slap most of the characters – I think there were maybe 2 kids I didn’t want to slap? The rest? Thwack!
Our main character is just odd, though maybe slightly less odd than the others. I understand that her character is a portrait of grief, but seriously this woman was irritating.
The reason behind everything was just this weird mix of basic and out-of-left-field.
Why three stars if I have so much negative to say? I was curious enough about the book that I wanted to finish it to see what would happen. And I liked Jones. She was terrific and I’d read a book just about here.
I’m honestly not sure I’d read the author again.
*ARC via Net Galley
January 10, 2023
One of those books that I almost dnf but had to finish, because I couldn't bring myself to do it. This book was not for me. It had a few supernatural elements but turned out to have an underlying adult drama which didn't make much of an impression on me and neither did the characters. I honestly wanted to like the book given both the Book title and cover are intriguing. But the book feel flat for me.
March 1, 2023
Audiobook Rating: 4/5
Book Rating: 2.5/5
I'm sorry, what? That was my immediate response to the last words of Book of Knives by Lise Haines and I don't know if this book was just too smart for me, or if it actually doesn't make any sense. It is an excruciatingly slow burn, and while I loved the premise surrounding an isolated summer camp and a collection of knives going missing one at a time, it just lost me by the time I made it to the end. After a solid start, I had a hard time paying attention as the book went on, and eventually got to point of where I didn't actually care what was going to happen. I probably should have just DNF, but it had such a great premise, and I wanted to see how it played out.
I did really enjoy the audiobook for Book of Knives and if you do want to read this one, I would highly recommend going this route. Eve Passeltiner's narration is special, to say the least, and I found the tones and alterations to her voice that she used to narrate Nora very interesting. Some of them were on the weird side to me, but overall, I think she just did a really great job bringing this strange story to life. The end is what really lost me here, but it also just felt like that something special was missing for me. However, if you like speculative fiction, slow burns, and creepy settings I would by all means tell you to give this a shot and see how it goes for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Book Rating: 2.5/5
I'm sorry, what? That was my immediate response to the last words of Book of Knives by Lise Haines and I don't know if this book was just too smart for me, or if it actually doesn't make any sense. It is an excruciatingly slow burn, and while I loved the premise surrounding an isolated summer camp and a collection of knives going missing one at a time, it just lost me by the time I made it to the end. After a solid start, I had a hard time paying attention as the book went on, and eventually got to point of where I didn't actually care what was going to happen. I probably should have just DNF, but it had such a great premise, and I wanted to see how it played out.
I did really enjoy the audiobook for Book of Knives and if you do want to read this one, I would highly recommend going this route. Eve Passeltiner's narration is special, to say the least, and I found the tones and alterations to her voice that she used to narrate Nora very interesting. Some of them were on the weird side to me, but overall, I think she just did a really great job bringing this strange story to life. The end is what really lost me here, but it also just felt like that something special was missing for me. However, if you like speculative fiction, slow burns, and creepy settings I would by all means tell you to give this a shot and see how it goes for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 13, 2022
DNF. This was like my five year old niece was trying to tell me a LONG story about a camp and a lady and knives and the cool sister but the Dutch maid and her boyfriend but he was the caretaker and then the guy died and he made pottery and she was sad so missed him then they got cut and his parents were so old and mean and and and and....
Around 50% in I had to give up. IRL I would have exclaimed that we should go get ice cream in hopes of distracting her from trying to continue to tell me this endless and disconnected story.
Around 50% in I had to give up. IRL I would have exclaimed that we should go get ice cream in hopes of distracting her from trying to continue to tell me this endless and disconnected story.
January 5, 2023
This genuinely might be the worst book I have ever read. If I wasn’t committed not having and DNF this year, I’d have set it aside within the first 30 pages. The characters are so flat and have no distinct personalities other than the absolutely despicable sister-in-law. The plot and paragraphs themselves are so confusing. At times it felt as though this book was written in another language, translated via Google Translate, and then had 1/4 of the paragraphs removed. At the end, my only clear thought was “that was a waste of time”.
September 29, 2022
I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn’t get into it. The whole renovating a secluded camp, spending time with strange in-laws, and the parents in the attic didn’t work for me. I had a hard time just getting through the beginning of the book that set the tone for the rest of the story.
The hook should have been the missing knives and the hint of haunting. But Salish ruined it for me. She is too eccentric and obsessed with the knives for it to be believable. And her whole attitude was so off putting it made me not want to keep reading. Nora, the main character, was odd too. She shouldn’t have stayed at the camp.
I listened to this book, hoping for more of an eerie vibe. Unfortunately I didn’t care for the narrator. She didn’t express emotion enough for the situations. I wanted so much more from her.
This was a meh read. I hate rating anything so low, but it didn’t work for me.
October 9, 2022
This is a fascinating look at so many things! Nora is grieving her husband's death but is attracted to Paul, their contractor who likes her as well. But things get oh-so dicey when they journey to his aging parents' place where Paul's brother, Gabe, his wife and their young children reside, along with many knives and ghosts. Don't even try to make sense of this book until you are deeply involved in it as it's creepy, ominous, and chilling...unlike anything I've ever read before! But just try to stop reading...because you can't!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
October 5, 2022
Rating: 2.5
This book had so much potential but it really let me down. It was just so SLOW. I switched between the audiobook and the physical book and that still didn’t help. I will say the narrator was great but they still couldn’t save the story. The author had a good story idea but unfortunately it wasn’t executed well. The story was too wordy, chapters were too long, and the ending was too rushed with not enough explained. I’ll be honest, I wish I had DNF this book. I didn’t care for any of the characters and the fact that the reader wasn’t told a key part of the story annoys me. Unfortunately, I can’t say more about that because it is a spoiler. Overall, I don’t think I would recommend this one. I think there are other thrillers that are similar but are executed better.
Thank you so much @ for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book had so much potential but it really let me down. It was just so SLOW. I switched between the audiobook and the physical book and that still didn’t help. I will say the narrator was great but they still couldn’t save the story. The author had a good story idea but unfortunately it wasn’t executed well. The story was too wordy, chapters were too long, and the ending was too rushed with not enough explained. I’ll be honest, I wish I had DNF this book. I didn’t care for any of the characters and the fact that the reader wasn’t told a key part of the story annoys me. Unfortunately, I can’t say more about that because it is a spoiler. Overall, I don’t think I would recommend this one. I think there are other thrillers that are similar but are executed better.
Thank you so much @ for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read
May 8, 2023Oh, where to start, where to start.
This is not a well written, enjoyable, or even an interesting book. I sort of feel like it was trying to do what "How to Sell a Haunted House" did, but so sloppy, disconnected, and convoluted that it has none of the impact. The only slight emotional tug I felt was toward Emmett and Elizabeth, and that is only because I also have an asshole grandfather and a dementia suffering grandmother. Looking beyond that there was literally nothing to care about.
The writing is choppy and kind of confusing. It skips things for no reason. In every chapter there are, at minimum, three of those line break thingies that usually signal the passage of time or some other significant jump. But nah. This book just used them to skip writing what could have been one sentence of "I walked up the stairs and into the bedroom" or some such nonsense. There was no need to do a skippy thing, now I'm just annoyed that you're still writing about this boring stuff after you already skipped.
And the characters. Cheese and crackers, the characters. All flatter than flat. Even Nora, the narrator and POV character, is so flat and defined by one specific trait that I still have no idea who she is as a person. Just that she has the Big Sads. (Which I'm not saying isn't reasonable. Just that I've seen characters written in the middle of grief who are still people too.) And Salish, who by all accounts is the second most important character in this book, is just defined by the fact that her dad used to make knives, and now she's pissed they're all going missing. Literally nothing else.
Even the plot is so dull its boring. There's odd things that are totally random and hamhanded, like the weird bit with Leon's knife in the beginning (who the hell sticks a machete on the dashboard of a moving vehicle for absolutely no reason), and all the "haunting" elements are... inconvenient at best. There's no real explanation for anything, and no satisfying ending. If you're going to have a ghost story that bends the rules slightly, where the ghost haunting the area did not die in that area or by foul play (presumably? unless I missed something?), then you need to do a little more groundwork to developing that ghost/the person they were before they died. But nah, we just get a random sad picture and some cryptic Danish (that's... never really used as a plot element again?).
I could go on. The only good thing is that I got new ideas for my own kind of ghost story that I might write at some point, and some themes I might explore through that. Because there sure as heck wasn't any themes to this mess.
This is not a well written, enjoyable, or even an interesting book. I sort of feel like it was trying to do what "How to Sell a Haunted House" did, but so sloppy, disconnected, and convoluted that it has none of the impact. The only slight emotional tug I felt was toward Emmett and Elizabeth, and that is only because I also have an asshole grandfather and a dementia suffering grandmother. Looking beyond that there was literally nothing to care about.
The writing is choppy and kind of confusing. It skips things for no reason. In every chapter there are, at minimum, three of those line break thingies that usually signal the passage of time or some other significant jump. But nah. This book just used them to skip writing what could have been one sentence of "I walked up the stairs and into the bedroom" or some such nonsense. There was no need to do a skippy thing, now I'm just annoyed that you're still writing about this boring stuff after you already skipped.
And the characters. Cheese and crackers, the characters. All flatter than flat. Even Nora, the narrator and POV character, is so flat and defined by one specific trait that I still have no idea who she is as a person. Just that she has the Big Sads. (Which I'm not saying isn't reasonable. Just that I've seen characters written in the middle of grief who are still people too.) And Salish, who by all accounts is the second most important character in this book, is just defined by the fact that her dad used to make knives, and now she's pissed they're all going missing. Literally nothing else.
Even the plot is so dull its boring. There's odd things that are totally random and hamhanded, like the weird bit with Leon's knife in the beginning (who the hell sticks a machete on the dashboard of a moving vehicle for absolutely no reason), and all the "haunting" elements are... inconvenient at best. There's no real explanation for anything, and no satisfying ending. If you're going to have a ghost story that bends the rules slightly, where the ghost haunting the area did not die in that area or by foul play (presumably? unless I missed something?), then you need to do a little more groundwork to developing that ghost/the person they were before they died. But nah, we just get a random sad picture and some cryptic Danish (that's... never really used as a plot element again?).
I could go on. The only good thing is that I got new ideas for my own kind of ghost story that I might write at some point, and some themes I might explore through that. Because there sure as heck wasn't any themes to this mess.
December 9, 2022
I only finished this book because I am not a quitter
October 9, 2022
BOOK OF KNIVES is a creepy and strange slow-burn mystery and a ghost story with some supernatural elements by Lise Haines.
Nora is a documentary filmmaker and comes with her new husband to The Hidden Lake Camp —which needs work. She lost her husband and is still grieving when she falls for her late hubby’s best friend and marries him.
Hidden Lake is Paul's family resort, which has been closed for many years. Paul promised it would just be a few months to repair the camp, ready it for sale, and get it on the market. However, when they arrive, it is worst than expected.
Nora inherits a family. Her sister-in-law, but weird and unlikable. All she seems to care about is her collections of knives, and, when they go missing, everting starts unraveling.
There is a murder, in the past, and possible ghosts lingering.
As a collection of knives disappear from the camp one by one, other unsettling things start to happen, and Nora begins to suspect a ghostly presence is haunting the lake and cabins.
A lot is going on with a mix of blended families with different personalities, a need for a child, a partner's loss, letting go of a parent, and a few ghosts and spirits.
The audiobook narration by Eve Passeltiner was pleasant and enjoyed her range of voices as why the 3-star rating. Otherwise, it would be less. I found myself fast-forwarding to get to the end.
This story moved slowly as Nora tries to put together the pieces of what happened in the past in hopes of finding answers in the present.
This book is not what I expected at all. If so, would not have requested it. I am not into the paranormal, ghosts, or supernatural, so I did not enjoy this one. I thought it was weird and quite bizarre. A lot of dysfunctional characters, and I was not invested in any of them. I am sure other readers out there may enjoy it. Unfortunately, this one does not live up to the description or my expectations.
Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia for ALC and #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for an e-ARC for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog Review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 4, 2022
Nora is a documentary filmmaker and comes with her new husband to The Hidden Lake Camp —which needs work. She lost her husband and is still grieving when she falls for her late hubby’s best friend and marries him.
Hidden Lake is Paul's family resort, which has been closed for many years. Paul promised it would just be a few months to repair the camp, ready it for sale, and get it on the market. However, when they arrive, it is worst than expected.
Nora inherits a family. Her sister-in-law, but weird and unlikable. All she seems to care about is her collections of knives, and, when they go missing, everting starts unraveling.
There is a murder, in the past, and possible ghosts lingering.
As a collection of knives disappear from the camp one by one, other unsettling things start to happen, and Nora begins to suspect a ghostly presence is haunting the lake and cabins.
A lot is going on with a mix of blended families with different personalities, a need for a child, a partner's loss, letting go of a parent, and a few ghosts and spirits.
The audiobook narration by Eve Passeltiner was pleasant and enjoyed her range of voices as why the 3-star rating. Otherwise, it would be less. I found myself fast-forwarding to get to the end.
This story moved slowly as Nora tries to put together the pieces of what happened in the past in hopes of finding answers in the present.
This book is not what I expected at all. If so, would not have requested it. I am not into the paranormal, ghosts, or supernatural, so I did not enjoy this one. I thought it was weird and quite bizarre. A lot of dysfunctional characters, and I was not invested in any of them. I am sure other readers out there may enjoy it. Unfortunately, this one does not live up to the description or my expectations.
Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia for ALC and #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for an e-ARC for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog Review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 4, 2022
October 12, 2022
I'm a big fan of campy horror movies like Sleepaway Camp and Friday the 13th etc. I was drawn to this book because it takes place at an old campground/lodge with haunting and paranormal thrills. Right up my alley.
The story follows Nora, who is a newly remarried Widow tagging along with her new husband (and longtime friend) Paul to be with his ailing parents. Paul and his brother Gabe are taking over the property and preparing his parents old campground for resale.
While at the property, her sister-in-law's (a chef) knives go missing and tensions begin to rise as everyone points fingers as to who is the culprit. Gabe's wife becomes more and more unhinged as her knives are stolen, the brothers Gabe and Paul start butting heads and old resentments come to surface, and Nora looks after the safety of the five children (her step-son, two nieces and two nephews) while trying to unravel the past of the campground and how it ties into current events.
While there was some paranormal elements, this was mostly a domestic thriller with a pretty grim and shocking ending. I wish there were more haunting vibes and less character drama. I enjoyed the narration on the audiobook; each character definitely had their own voice so it was easy to follow the dialogue.
TW: pregnancy loss, murder, suicide
I received a free audio copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, I'm leaving an honest review voluntarily.
The story follows Nora, who is a newly remarried Widow tagging along with her new husband (and longtime friend) Paul to be with his ailing parents. Paul and his brother Gabe are taking over the property and preparing his parents old campground for resale.
While at the property, her sister-in-law's (a chef) knives go missing and tensions begin to rise as everyone points fingers as to who is the culprit. Gabe's wife becomes more and more unhinged as her knives are stolen, the brothers Gabe and Paul start butting heads and old resentments come to surface, and Nora looks after the safety of the five children (her step-son, two nieces and two nephews) while trying to unravel the past of the campground and how it ties into current events.
While there was some paranormal elements, this was mostly a domestic thriller with a pretty grim and shocking ending. I wish there were more haunting vibes and less character drama. I enjoyed the narration on the audiobook; each character definitely had their own voice so it was easy to follow the dialogue.
TW: pregnancy loss, murder, suicide
I received a free audio copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, I'm leaving an honest review voluntarily.
October 27, 2022
This was a strange one and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I was enjoying it while I read it, but there was always this lingering thought that if I put it down there wouldn't be anything pulling me back in.
All of the characters are inherently strange in a sinister way, especially Salish. Even Nora herself comes across as weird. Her obsession with pregnancy and her constant references to her first deceased husband was a bit too much. Especially because Nora is married again and says she's in love with Paul. I get that you never truly fall out of love with a deceased partner and that grief over losing them will probably always be a part of you but it ended up feeling like Nora was using Paul to get pregnant while wishing he was her deceased husband. There was also the moments where Nora plotted to kidnap all of the children out from under their parents and while it only felt justified at the very end, I didn't love it. It all ended up feeling a bit grubby to me.
I will say that this was decently well written, descriptive and immersive. All of the characters were well-developed. Though, I wasn't necessarily happy with how this book wraps up. It just ended up feeling like I needed more, whether that was more answers or more clarification as to why people did what they did. The ending kind of came out of no where, with Nora just stumbling upon everything after it had already happened for the most part.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC.
All of the characters are inherently strange in a sinister way, especially Salish. Even Nora herself comes across as weird. Her obsession with pregnancy and her constant references to her first deceased husband was a bit too much. Especially because Nora is married again and says she's in love with Paul. I get that you never truly fall out of love with a deceased partner and that grief over losing them will probably always be a part of you but it ended up feeling like Nora was using Paul to get pregnant while wishing he was her deceased husband. There was also the moments where Nora plotted to kidnap all of the children out from under their parents and while it only felt justified at the very end, I didn't love it. It all ended up feeling a bit grubby to me.
I will say that this was decently well written, descriptive and immersive. All of the characters were well-developed. Though, I wasn't necessarily happy with how this book wraps up. It just ended up feeling like I needed more, whether that was more answers or more clarification as to why people did what they did. The ending kind of came out of no where, with Nora just stumbling upon everything after it had already happened for the most part.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC.
August 27, 2023
I’m not quite sure what I read, but it was interesting enough to finish. It was a super slow burn with paranormal elements and once it all came together it kind of left me scratching my head. I think in some ways there were so many things going on here but yet at the same time nothing was going on so really Nora had no reason to stay (nor should she have), and I think the fact that she did caused the story to lose some credibility in my opinion. I also wasn’t connected to any of the characters so I did not care what happened to them, and the overall knife storyline became secondary to the rest so I lost interest in that also. Like I said, I was just interested enough to know what was going on but even then once I found out it was just ok.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital copy to review.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital copy to review.
October 6, 2022
Lisa Haines, you little devil you!
Book of Knives, has just slipped on in to my favorite book of the year!
The suspense that looms over every page will have you begging to hold your mama's hand. I guess I should have known when you have a title like "Book of Knives" that you will be in for a wild ride. The entire time I was reading I had my hand in my mouth, gnawing away at my fingernails.
The characters were complex, had multiple layers, and felt as real as the person sitting next to you. In no way, shape or form, does this book drag or get dull. There are no chapters that will give you a break from the anxiety you are experiencing while reading. The chapters were so vivid, I felt as though I was right there in the book myself.
The way Haines was able to get her words to dance across the page has left me utterly speechless.
Sneak a peek at the teaser below!
Teaser :
When Nora agrees to help her new husband, Paul, and his family fix up Hidden Lake Camp, she didn't expect it to be in such a state of ruin. The dock full of rotten boards, smashed windows, cabins falling apart—it's all a past he'd just as soon bury. Only a few months, he said. They'd drive north to get Paul's elderly parents settled while he and his brother make enough repairs to sell the property.
The summer camp, however, and its deep lake have other plans.
On the first night, Nora stumbles through a first meal with his difficult family. Her sister-in-law shows off a prized collection of handmade knives, thirteen in all.Long summer days stretch before them and one by one the knives begin to disappear.
By the time the fourth and fifth vanish from behind locked doors and out from under watchful eyes, Nora can barely sleep. There's talk of ghosts, secret rooms and someone at the summer camp found dead in the tall grass.
I promise you, this is not a book you want to miss !
Five Stars!
Book of Knives, has just slipped on in to my favorite book of the year!
The suspense that looms over every page will have you begging to hold your mama's hand. I guess I should have known when you have a title like "Book of Knives" that you will be in for a wild ride. The entire time I was reading I had my hand in my mouth, gnawing away at my fingernails.
The characters were complex, had multiple layers, and felt as real as the person sitting next to you. In no way, shape or form, does this book drag or get dull. There are no chapters that will give you a break from the anxiety you are experiencing while reading. The chapters were so vivid, I felt as though I was right there in the book myself.
The way Haines was able to get her words to dance across the page has left me utterly speechless.
Sneak a peek at the teaser below!
Teaser :
When Nora agrees to help her new husband, Paul, and his family fix up Hidden Lake Camp, she didn't expect it to be in such a state of ruin. The dock full of rotten boards, smashed windows, cabins falling apart—it's all a past he'd just as soon bury. Only a few months, he said. They'd drive north to get Paul's elderly parents settled while he and his brother make enough repairs to sell the property.
The summer camp, however, and its deep lake have other plans.
On the first night, Nora stumbles through a first meal with his difficult family. Her sister-in-law shows off a prized collection of handmade knives, thirteen in all.Long summer days stretch before them and one by one the knives begin to disappear.
By the time the fourth and fifth vanish from behind locked doors and out from under watchful eyes, Nora can barely sleep. There's talk of ghosts, secret rooms and someone at the summer camp found dead in the tall grass.
I promise you, this is not a book you want to miss !
Five Stars!
October 17, 2022
This was another "meh" book for me. Nora is widowed and climbs into bed with her husband's friend for companionship. (This hit me wrong, first myself being a widow...just no.) When they fall in love and get married his brother contacts them about their elderly parents and the campground they own that needs help. They pack up, along with his son and venture out to the wilderness to help take care of the parents and make repairs on the camp. Once they get there, nothing is as it seems and knives start to disappear, Nora feels threatened, her new husband is having an affair with his sister-in-law, and Nora is stranded because she cannot drive the truck they drove to the camp. Twists and turns and slow moving plot wind its way through to a demented ending.
**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**
**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**
November 26, 2022
I had high hopes for this book since the blurb sounded intriguing but it didn’t work out for me. It seems like the perfect thriller: isolated location, odd characters you can’t trust, strange possibly paranormal happenings, but there was no suspense, sense of dread or creepy atmosphere. Most of the time it did not feel very cohesive-I felt either bored like nothing was really happening or confused because it meandered a lot. I kept reading hoping the ending would piece everything together but it was underwhelming and left me with so many unanswered questions.
Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy.
February 17, 2023
⭐⭐
𝙐𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡, 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙆𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣'𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣.
I was so excited to pick this book up after that captivating premise. Unfortunately, it got so many low ratings on Goodreads that I put it down for some time. I finally picked it up… and unfortunately, I didn't love it either.
This book was so slow and I struggled so much with the pacing and writing style. It felt so dull at times and I didn’t feel like I was reading this amazing book the premise gave.
None of these characters were enjoyable to read about, they were all unlikeable. I was not rooting for any of them.
Also, Nora’s inner monologue about her deceased husband was so weird and off.
I wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately, I struggled with it. I feel like there’s an audience out there that enjoys weird + quirky slow burns, but I was not one.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted galley in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts are my own!
𝙐𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡, 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙆𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣'𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣.
I was so excited to pick this book up after that captivating premise. Unfortunately, it got so many low ratings on Goodreads that I put it down for some time. I finally picked it up… and unfortunately, I didn't love it either.
This book was so slow and I struggled so much with the pacing and writing style. It felt so dull at times and I didn’t feel like I was reading this amazing book the premise gave.
None of these characters were enjoyable to read about, they were all unlikeable. I was not rooting for any of them.
Also, Nora’s inner monologue about her deceased husband was so weird and off.
I wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately, I struggled with it. I feel like there’s an audience out there that enjoys weird + quirky slow burns, but I was not one.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted galley in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts are my own!
nevermind
January 6, 2024DNF pg. 82
Kinda dull and started making no sense.
Kinda dull and started making no sense.
December 19, 2025
took a LOOOOONG break from this book. VERY slow. scary? thriller?
September 9, 2023
Disliked every single page.
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