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City of Trees City of Shadows
City locals face their own struggles as they deal with the day-to-day of their individual lives, until their routines are disturbed by the discovery that there may be a murderer lurking among them in the shadows. Someone is picking people off in the night and leaving the bodies to be found in the morning. Locals see on the news that the victims are being discovered very close to some of their homes in Midtown Sacramento, California. This page-turning fiction thriller dives into the lives of three main the killer, a college student, and a therapist, whose stories become intertwined. City of Trees, City of Shadows blends themes of medicine, mental healthcare, and violence—and nobody is safe.
328 pages, Paperback
Published December 28, 2022
15 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 25, 2023
This was all vibes, no plot... or at least no plot until the last 1/3 of the book. It was a thriller without the thrill. The tension for this murder mystery was missing until nearly the end. This really ended up being much more a book about diabetes that happened to have a murder mystery in the background. I do however appreciate the author's desire to bring light to diabetes and have a main character who struggles with the disorder. Despite that, I wish I knew going in that the murder mystery/thriller aspect was secondary.
Other random things that brought down the rating: too many typos/poorly edited; so many damned italics; so much unnecessary descriptions of places and things (describing the difference between a hazy or west coast IPA really doesn't drive the story forward); terrible descriptions of non-white characters (ex. "He had a very dark complexion, he looked like he was some sort of Puerto Rican or Black, or both.")
Positive notes: set in Sacramento
Other random things that brought down the rating: too many typos/poorly edited; so many damned italics; so much unnecessary descriptions of places and things (describing the difference between a hazy or west coast IPA really doesn't drive the story forward); terrible descriptions of non-white characters (ex. "He had a very dark complexion, he looked like he was some sort of Puerto Rican or Black, or both.")
Positive notes: set in Sacramento
January 27, 2023
This book had me HOOKED! It pulled me in & kept me guessing until the very end. Really enjoyed all the twists. Great debut! Highly recommend if you enjoy fast-paced mystery/thrillers with lots of action!
May 24, 2024
3.5 stars. My perspective comes from that of a thriller lover, and also a type 1 diabetic.
I was so excited about this book because of the diabetes representation, both from the author (who has T1D herself) and the main character. Diabetes is often written about by NON-diabetics, so I always find myself frustrated when it doesn’t quite align with my experience. Vera is an excellent representative for type 1 diabetes. The author does a wonderful job highlighting how deeply ingrained diabetes is into every aspect of life, and how it can interrupt and impact so much. Some of the experiences Vera has around her diabetes were so relatable. I also was so thankful for the mention of insulin insecurity, which is not discussed enough. One thing I found myself wondering as I read this was how disability is represented in other fiction work, specifically when the author and MC share the same disability (would take any recs!). My thought stemmed from the fact that I felt like the story paused or stepped aside for the author to describe, at length, some aspect of T1D. While I recognize this wasn’t for me, I do wonder how distracting it was. I’m on the fence.
One part of the diabetes representation that I did not love was the character with type 2 diabetes. I do think from a mental health perspective, it was quite strong. However, I didn’t love that the character had several amputations and what many would consider poor health behaviors, which I think is really stereotypical of T2D. I feel the author was trying to include T2D representation, but I really hate the immediate connection of “poorly controlled diabetes” to “amputation” (it’s a lot more than that). Again, the mental health part of amputation and trying to make healthier decisions was nice. I also think that the character was written in a way that he’s very likable and readers feel for him, rather than making any of his health shameful, which happens a lot in media.
The story felt a little wonky and all over the place at first. There’s a lot of POVs, which I didn’t really understand. There’s a lot of characters and I couldn’t quite grasp how they were all connected (some ended up not being that important after all). HOWEVER, this all comes out in the end. It was really the last 80 or so pages that I couldn’t put it down and was pretty gripped. Some things felt unresolved with some of the supporting characters, but I loved how Vera’s (and George’s) story ended. Really nice, edge-of-your-seat thriller, and very easy to breeze through. Short chapters (my fav) and approachable narration.
There were some editing oversights that bothered me a bit, but that’s just me. My eye always picks those things up.
Overall, I liked this and enjoyed the diabetes representation (very thankful to see it).
I was so excited about this book because of the diabetes representation, both from the author (who has T1D herself) and the main character. Diabetes is often written about by NON-diabetics, so I always find myself frustrated when it doesn’t quite align with my experience. Vera is an excellent representative for type 1 diabetes. The author does a wonderful job highlighting how deeply ingrained diabetes is into every aspect of life, and how it can interrupt and impact so much. Some of the experiences Vera has around her diabetes were so relatable. I also was so thankful for the mention of insulin insecurity, which is not discussed enough. One thing I found myself wondering as I read this was how disability is represented in other fiction work, specifically when the author and MC share the same disability (would take any recs!). My thought stemmed from the fact that I felt like the story paused or stepped aside for the author to describe, at length, some aspect of T1D. While I recognize this wasn’t for me, I do wonder how distracting it was. I’m on the fence.
One part of the diabetes representation that I did not love was the character with type 2 diabetes. I do think from a mental health perspective, it was quite strong. However, I didn’t love that the character had several amputations and what many would consider poor health behaviors, which I think is really stereotypical of T2D. I feel the author was trying to include T2D representation, but I really hate the immediate connection of “poorly controlled diabetes” to “amputation” (it’s a lot more than that). Again, the mental health part of amputation and trying to make healthier decisions was nice. I also think that the character was written in a way that he’s very likable and readers feel for him, rather than making any of his health shameful, which happens a lot in media.
The story felt a little wonky and all over the place at first. There’s a lot of POVs, which I didn’t really understand. There’s a lot of characters and I couldn’t quite grasp how they were all connected (some ended up not being that important after all). HOWEVER, this all comes out in the end. It was really the last 80 or so pages that I couldn’t put it down and was pretty gripped. Some things felt unresolved with some of the supporting characters, but I loved how Vera’s (and George’s) story ended. Really nice, edge-of-your-seat thriller, and very easy to breeze through. Short chapters (my fav) and approachable narration.
There were some editing oversights that bothered me a bit, but that’s just me. My eye always picks those things up.
Overall, I liked this and enjoyed the diabetes representation (very thankful to see it).
June 3, 2023
I loved this murder mystery. So fun that the setting is East Sac and Sacramento State University! Quick read that keeps you guessing!
March 20, 2023
I picked up this book to support a local author, and fell deep into the mystery and thriller of the story. Hard to put down and filled with twists and turns this would be engaging for all readers, but people from Sacramento will feel like they lived it.
May 1, 2023
"City of Trees. City of Shadows" is a very good book. It's a crime thriller novel about a series of murders taking place in the Midtown area of Sacramento, California. The three main characters are the killer themself (not naming him to avoid spoilers), a college student (Vera), and a therapist (Gina). We learn about each of the three characters in-depth as well as their relationships.
At first, their stories do not seem interconnected. I was curious and wondering how and/or when they would connect. There was a lot of buildup. Yet, it all paid off well. In the end, their stories become more connected than I thought - and Ertassi takes her time to fully flesh out each of the main characters and their backstories.
I like Vera's character most. As Ertassi explained in the afterword, parts of Vera's story was inspired by her own experience with Type 1 Diabetes. She did a great job in illustrating Vera's experiences as well as writing from her POV. Vera goes through a lot and I both felt for her and was invested in her character from the beginning.
Ertassi also did a great job in writing Gina. I remember a friend telling me once about how therapists are often portrayed negatively (and sometimes as cold individuals). Yet, the portrayal of Gina and of mental health issues are done in a compassionate manner and Gina's passion for helping people comes through clearly. As with Vera, Ertassi did a nice job writing from her POV also.
The murderer's POV was chilling. He is brutal and heinous. We learn about how he became the way they were though. I can't say much without spoiling, but I felt chills as I read it. It was intense read, both because of his brutality and what he went through in the past. Plus, there was a superb twist about the murderer and one of his relationships near the end that I did not see coming.
Ertassi did a great job in tying their stories together and writing a solid tale. The mystery was well done and the tone stayed consistently dark. The pacing gradually picked up as the story went on, but was mostly not too fast.
With that said, I did notice that there was more telling than showing. Sometimes, we were told about what the characters went through in the past over several pages through some flashbacks. There was also a bit of head-hopping with POVs occasionally shifting to a different character within a chapter. Nevertheless, this was not a major issue and the shift was brief overall. There was also usage of capital letters and "?!" when I think that it would have been better to show the emotion, but these were fairly minor issues that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
Still, I enjoyed this book a lot and found it difficult to put down. This is Ertassi's first book and it is a good debut. The plot is good and the characters are good too. I particularly like Vera's arc and how it ended. I also like the illustrations that Ertassi made at the beginning of every chapter.
At first, their stories do not seem interconnected. I was curious and wondering how and/or when they would connect. There was a lot of buildup. Yet, it all paid off well. In the end, their stories become more connected than I thought - and Ertassi takes her time to fully flesh out each of the main characters and their backstories.
I like Vera's character most. As Ertassi explained in the afterword, parts of Vera's story was inspired by her own experience with Type 1 Diabetes. She did a great job in illustrating Vera's experiences as well as writing from her POV. Vera goes through a lot and I both felt for her and was invested in her character from the beginning.
Ertassi also did a great job in writing Gina. I remember a friend telling me once about how therapists are often portrayed negatively (and sometimes as cold individuals). Yet, the portrayal of Gina and of mental health issues are done in a compassionate manner and Gina's passion for helping people comes through clearly. As with Vera, Ertassi did a nice job writing from her POV also.
The murderer's POV was chilling. He is brutal and heinous. We learn about how he became the way they were though. I can't say much without spoiling, but I felt chills as I read it. It was intense read, both because of his brutality and what he went through in the past. Plus, there was a superb twist about the murderer and one of his relationships near the end that I did not see coming.
Ertassi did a great job in tying their stories together and writing a solid tale. The mystery was well done and the tone stayed consistently dark. The pacing gradually picked up as the story went on, but was mostly not too fast.
With that said, I did notice that there was more telling than showing. Sometimes, we were told about what the characters went through in the past over several pages through some flashbacks. There was also a bit of head-hopping with POVs occasionally shifting to a different character within a chapter. Nevertheless, this was not a major issue and the shift was brief overall. There was also usage of capital letters and "?!" when I think that it would have been better to show the emotion, but these were fairly minor issues that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
Still, I enjoyed this book a lot and found it difficult to put down. This is Ertassi's first book and it is a good debut. The plot is good and the characters are good too. I particularly like Vera's arc and how it ended. I also like the illustrations that Ertassi made at the beginning of every chapter.
December 13, 2023
What made this book interesting were the different POVs from the main character, side characters, and even the murderer. I wasn't sure how the author would pull off the last one, but it worked surprisingly well and made this a gripping thriller.
My main issue is that the book could have been edited better, and had too detailed unnecessary descriptions that were not relevant for the story, for example about parking a car, different types of beer, and other tidbits that felt like fillers and took away from the action.
All in all it was an enjoyable debut novel that kept me guessing until the last few chapters.
My main issue is that the book could have been edited better, and had too detailed unnecessary descriptions that were not relevant for the story, for example about parking a car, different types of beer, and other tidbits that felt like fillers and took away from the action.
All in all it was an enjoyable debut novel that kept me guessing until the last few chapters.
March 20, 2025
Sacramento residents are disrupted by news that there may be a murderer lurking among them. Someone is picking people off in the night and leaving the bodies to be found in the morning. Centered around a select few characters’ POVs, we get a glimpse into what’s really happening in the shadows.
This wasn’t the worst thing I’ve read, but it certainly was not enjoyable, I’ll tell you that much. There was no real direction other than a college student’s POV who is tangentially linked to the Midtown Murderer. The diabetes representation was nice, but it honestly felt like a whole other character altogether with how much it made an appearance. And I would be less critical of that if it actually moved the story along, but it didn’t. It really didn’t get interesting until LITERALLY 70% of the book, which is too late in the game for me. The redeeming quality for me was that the author put in a few elements to throw the reader off and keep them guessing, which was appreciated, but ultimately, not that fun of a read.
This wasn’t the worst thing I’ve read, but it certainly was not enjoyable, I’ll tell you that much. There was no real direction other than a college student’s POV who is tangentially linked to the Midtown Murderer. The diabetes representation was nice, but it honestly felt like a whole other character altogether with how much it made an appearance. And I would be less critical of that if it actually moved the story along, but it didn’t. It really didn’t get interesting until LITERALLY 70% of the book, which is too late in the game for me. The redeeming quality for me was that the author put in a few elements to throw the reader off and keep them guessing, which was appreciated, but ultimately, not that fun of a read.
May 11, 2023
This is probably 2.5 stars. I’m not a thriller girl to begin with and I bought this to support a local author, but this was super basic. Gina was horribly written. Most of the writing was pretty elementary. I’ve never read a book where the type of IPA the kids were drinking were specified… and I like beer and drink IPAs, and it was too much for me. The best part was the references to all the real places here in Sacramento. Hope the Midtown Murderer doesn’t also become real.
May 4, 2024
I was torn between two stars and three stars. But the reason I’d give it three is only because it was cool that it took place in Sacramento and the author did a great job of capturing the city. I don’t know much about the author but it felt like this could have been the first book they’ve written. It wasn’t bad necessarily but just not as cohesive and deep as it could have been. The cast of characters weren’t well developed and I didn’t feel connected to any of them in particular.
September 28, 2023
Not done with the book yet—but can someone please tell me if The Emerald Lounge is a real place? Google is no help. Maybe renamed?
March 11, 2025
The things I read for bookclub!
I don't wanna blame the victim here, but our girl MADE IT OUTSIDE and away from the man trying to rob her place of employment and her would be attacker, then she went BACK INSIDE to get her phone (and purse). Girl! You're in midtown, you're not in the middle of no where, get outside and run for help. 11:00pm on a Saturday, you'll 100% find someone who can call 911 for you. Also, she had the purse at one point and stayed for the phone, just get out! There's another time later in the book she finds herself in another pickle (that she should never have been in, in the first place) and she also acts like the dumb white girl in a slasher movie!
This book is in desperate need of a third party editor. Not only for the typos and odd sentence structure but for the storyline and consistency. This book has completely inconsistent italics throughout. Some company are italic, some are not. Not to mention the completely random words which provide no additional benefit to being italic. A random dream sequence is all italic when none of the others are. There are also some inconsistencies throughout the book with character placement. A character just wakes up, then we're in their dream, then they just wake up - things like that.
Calling this book a thriller is a stretch. This book is about a 21 year old, diabetic girl, who is obsessed with drinking out of a stein (the word stein is in the book times, and I think they may all be in chapter 2). She's out there doing normal 21yo things, drinking at all the hot and happenin' places, going to classes, going to work, etc. There just also happens to be a murderer killing homeless people. Honestly, most people don't actually seem that concerned about this (even those living in the area) likely because the person "is only killing the homeless" so why worry about the buddy system??
We get a lot of chapters of other characters that were all supposed to tie in together, and they do, in the end, but it wasn't necessary. I think the goal was to offer up a lot of red herrings, but it didn't quite hit the mark.
I will say, I didn't guess who the killer was. I figured out who was involved, but not the actual killer. So, I guess I'll give it an extra star for that. This is a 1.5 star read, for now I'm rounding up. We'll see if it goes down to 1 star after bookclub.
I don't wanna blame the victim here, but our girl MADE IT OUTSIDE and away from the man trying to rob her place of employment and her would be attacker, then she went BACK INSIDE to get her phone (and purse). Girl! You're in midtown, you're not in the middle of no where, get outside and run for help. 11:00pm on a Saturday, you'll 100% find someone who can call 911 for you. Also, she had the purse at one point and stayed for the phone, just get out! There's another time later in the book she finds herself in another pickle (that she should never have been in, in the first place) and she also acts like the dumb white girl in a slasher movie!
This book is in desperate need of a third party editor. Not only for the typos and odd sentence structure but for the storyline and consistency. This book has completely inconsistent italics throughout. Some company are italic, some are not. Not to mention the completely random words which provide no additional benefit to being italic. A random dream sequence is all italic when none of the others are. There are also some inconsistencies throughout the book with character placement. A character just wakes up, then we're in their dream, then they just wake up - things like that.
Calling this book a thriller is a stretch. This book is about a 21 year old, diabetic girl, who is obsessed with drinking out of a stein (the word stein is in the book times, and I think they may all be in chapter 2). She's out there doing normal 21yo things, drinking at all the hot and happenin' places, going to classes, going to work, etc. There just also happens to be a murderer killing homeless people. Honestly, most people don't actually seem that concerned about this (even those living in the area) likely because the person "is only killing the homeless" so why worry about the buddy system??
We get a lot of chapters of other characters that were all supposed to tie in together, and they do, in the end, but it wasn't necessary. I think the goal was to offer up a lot of red herrings, but it didn't quite hit the mark.
I will say, I didn't guess who the killer was. I figured out who was involved, but not the actual killer. So, I guess I'll give it an extra star for that. This is a 1.5 star read, for now I'm rounding up. We'll see if it goes down to 1 star after bookclub.
February 25, 2024
Oh dear. Let the record state that I did not want to read Rachel Ertassi's "City of Trees City of Shadows", nor did I vote for it for book club. Alas, I was overruled. Let the record also state that reading this book is a painful and cringe-worthy experience. Ertassi's goal in writing this novel is to bring representation for people with Type 1 diabetes and adds a serial killer to make it more entertaining, and if that wasn't enough, set it in her hometown of Sacramento and includes practically every bar in Midtown. The protagonist, Vera is a student at Sacramento State who has Type 1 diabetes. Her diabetes and her excessive drinking are the only interesting things about Vera. The novel is peopled with many other characters-- including the serial killer -- whom we learn way too many irrelevant details about. There is, I kid you not, a whole chapter devoted to how a character's shirt tag is itchy and how the shirt is yellow. Vera hits all of the hip and happening spots in Sacramento and does what supposedly hip and happening people do: drink and hook up. It reads like Ertassi wants to be hip and this is how she imagines how hip people are. The parts about diabetes were enlightening, but like everything else, there was just too much.
The biggest problem is the poor quality of writing. Not only does it read like she followed a "Write Fiction in Five Easy Steps" guide, it is full of inexplicable and inconsistent grammatical errors. Some place names are italicized, some are not. Commas are a crapshoot. There are descriptions such as this: "She looked down at the poor mangled man in front of them, full of holes, as he was visibly stabbed dozens of times, mutilating him" (173). Diagram that sentence. Make it make sense. My annoyance comes from the fact that this book is self-published, but done so through Archway Publishing, masquerading as a standard publishing house. It is not honest with readers as to what it is-- a novice writer's first draft. To push this out into the world in this form is disrespectful to readers and the craft of writing. I do not recommend this book, but, I will say, book club was fun.
The biggest problem is the poor quality of writing. Not only does it read like she followed a "Write Fiction in Five Easy Steps" guide, it is full of inexplicable and inconsistent grammatical errors. Some place names are italicized, some are not. Commas are a crapshoot. There are descriptions such as this: "She looked down at the poor mangled man in front of them, full of holes, as he was visibly stabbed dozens of times, mutilating him" (173). Diagram that sentence. Make it make sense. My annoyance comes from the fact that this book is self-published, but done so through Archway Publishing, masquerading as a standard publishing house. It is not honest with readers as to what it is-- a novice writer's first draft. To push this out into the world in this form is disrespectful to readers and the craft of writing. I do not recommend this book, but, I will say, book club was fun.
January 4, 2025
I'd say this was more of a 3.5 - 3.75 read. There were good aspects to the story. I loved the diabetes representation and the emphasis of mental health and the show of decline in some of the characters. I enjoyed all the references to local Sacramento spots and the changes in POVs kept me engaged. I did not expect that twist and liked how it came together. Honestly the biggest thing that kept this from being a higher rating is the lack of editing. There were several grammatical mistakes that could have easily been fixed. Also the writing in the beginning felt weak? I'm not sure if that is the right word I want to use but it's clear the writing got more professional as the story progressed. There were also some unnecessary scenes that didn't add to the story. However, I can also acknowledge and appreciate that this was her first book and likely did not have the opportunity for a really strong editor. Rachel should be incredibly proud of her book. A nice little kickoff to 2025.
March 4, 2023
WHAT A THRILLER! Where do I even begin?
Okay, first of all, I absolutely loved the PLOT TWIST towards the end of the novel. No spoilers — I just would’ve never seen it coming. Perfect. 👌
Secondly, YES, finally we get some much-needed and wanted representation of diabetes.
This is the first novel I’ve read where the protagonist has diabetes type one, and I loved how, despite being a fictional piece, the book is so informative and genuine about the condition. Wonderful. 👌
Also, the use of multi-POVs to leave murder clues and lead the reader astray? Excellent. 👌
The only reason why my rating dropped to a 3.5 / 5 stars is because occasionally I felt there was too much telling, rather than showing, and at times the plot took a trip to moments that felt slightly irrelevant and unnecessary. Nevertheless, this book was such a good break to the genres I’m usually reading. 🙏
3.5/5 ✨
Okay, first of all, I absolutely loved the PLOT TWIST towards the end of the novel. No spoilers — I just would’ve never seen it coming. Perfect. 👌
Secondly, YES, finally we get some much-needed and wanted representation of diabetes.
This is the first novel I’ve read where the protagonist has diabetes type one, and I loved how, despite being a fictional piece, the book is so informative and genuine about the condition. Wonderful. 👌
Also, the use of multi-POVs to leave murder clues and lead the reader astray? Excellent. 👌
The only reason why my rating dropped to a 3.5 / 5 stars is because occasionally I felt there was too much telling, rather than showing, and at times the plot took a trip to moments that felt slightly irrelevant and unnecessary. Nevertheless, this book was such a good break to the genres I’m usually reading. 🙏
3.5/5 ✨
December 8, 2024
This book was such a fun? Thriller! I use a question mark because theres blood and death and a killer on a the loose! But apparently reading about crime in my own neighborhood is great way for me to spend my time.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs, the Type One diabetes rep throughout, and the psychologist/patient chapters specifically (feels like a fun nod to my memories of starting the sopranos and I dig that sort of thing.) I snagged this book when I went to independent bookstore day earlier this year and seeing as how I am knee deep in the trenches of a massive tbr, I’m slowly making my way through it. I’m glad I picked this up and will definitely move forward with more by this author. Sending it to a friend in another state so they can enjoy a piece of my home surroundings too.
Cheers to books set in Sacramento. 💜📚
I enjoyed the multiple POVs, the Type One diabetes rep throughout, and the psychologist/patient chapters specifically (feels like a fun nod to my memories of starting the sopranos and I dig that sort of thing.) I snagged this book when I went to independent bookstore day earlier this year and seeing as how I am knee deep in the trenches of a massive tbr, I’m slowly making my way through it. I’m glad I picked this up and will definitely move forward with more by this author. Sending it to a friend in another state so they can enjoy a piece of my home surroundings too.
Cheers to books set in Sacramento. 💜📚
January 18, 2025
This is a narrative full of twists and turns, set against the backdrop of the all too familiar, real life place of Sacramento, California. Ertassi wove in many real street names and landmarks of the Sacramento area, adding a familiar feel for those who are familiar with the area, especially those that went to Sac State! She also touched on the everyday life that she herself goes through as a Type 1 Diabetic, through the lens of the main character. I’d not read a book previously that touched on this issue, and it made me more cognizant of what Type 1 Diabetics go through. Was this a masterful work of prose? No, but it was certainly a fun read, and I’d recommend it to those looking for a fun modern day urban thriller.
February 2, 2024
Not a bad first mystery!!
I just wrote a whole review but then Goodreads decided to log me out in the middle of it so 😃 this’ll be quick.
As a Sacramento native, I loved the city aspect of it (though some descriptions were false) and being able to understand low-key references.
However, there were some pretty major grammatical and structural errors that were hard to push through—like an overwhelming amount of italics.
Nonetheless, the story and its set up was very intriguing and very interesting. I thought the mystery was perfectly executed, and had me guessing at every second, but ended with my jaw dropped!
Loved it, would recommend.
Solid 4 ⭐️
I just wrote a whole review but then Goodreads decided to log me out in the middle of it so 😃 this’ll be quick.
As a Sacramento native, I loved the city aspect of it (though some descriptions were false) and being able to understand low-key references.
However, there were some pretty major grammatical and structural errors that were hard to push through—like an overwhelming amount of italics.
Nonetheless, the story and its set up was very intriguing and very interesting. I thought the mystery was perfectly executed, and had me guessing at every second, but ended with my jaw dropped!
Loved it, would recommend.
Solid 4 ⭐️
May 5, 2023
4.25 ⭐️ Pleasantly surprised! I picked up this book solely for the purpose of supporting a local author and I am so glad that I did. Based in Sacramento, everyone is on edge because of the “Midtown Murderer”. The 4 POVs made the book even easier to follow and still allowed for a big plot twist that I did not see coming.
As someone who lives in Sacramento, it was fun knowing exactly where all of the characters were at. One element that I really enjoyed, which is why I read so much, was that I learned so much about type 1 diabetes as the protagonist had it. The way the author weaved it into the story, I really can’t imagine the book without it!
As someone who lives in Sacramento, it was fun knowing exactly where all of the characters were at. One element that I really enjoyed, which is why I read so much, was that I learned so much about type 1 diabetes as the protagonist had it. The way the author weaved it into the story, I really can’t imagine the book without it!
November 14, 2023
I enjoyed reading this debut novel by a young local author, Ms. Ertassi. Her ability to weave a complex cast of characters and build suspense in a familiar setting was delightful, often prompting a sense of connection with the places described. While there are hints of amateurish writing, these do not overshadow her engaging storytelling. My three-star rating reflects a realistic appreciation of the book’s qualities and its potential for growth. Ms. Ertassi should be proud of this work, and I am certainly looking forward to her future writings.
February 26, 2024
I was excited to read this book as I grew up in Sacramento and familiar with all the areas mentioned in the book. The murder mystery story line was fine, however the book could use a good editing, both line and content. There are quite a few typos, and often times too much information that wasn’t necessary to move the story forward, or should not have been included. It’s clear that the author is advocating for diabetes, which seems to be the main focus of the story. There’s a lot of good information about the condition for those who aren’t familiar.
June 9, 2024
So I finished this book the other day! And WOW! It was so good! You (Rachel Ertassi) totally fooled me. And the way the story just ramp up near the end felt like I was in the Copper's Hill Cheese rolling race and lost any sense of control and kept on tumbling down! Normally I find the last chapter or epilogue portion of thrillers novels to be a huge let down or I feel the author finally just called it in to end the book, but this story was wrapped up in Avery fitting and clever way. A very well done debut novel.
If anyone is from the 916 and loves homages to Sacramento like that of the "Ladybird" movie, then this is definitely a must read.
If anyone is from the 916 and loves homages to Sacramento like that of the "Ladybird" movie, then this is definitely a must read.
March 23, 2023
Very engaging read. I enjoyed learning about more about my new hometown, Sacramento, through the eyes of a fellow craft-beer lover. I don't typically read thrillers, but the storyline was so easy to get sucked into. Learning about the considerations that someone with Type 1 Diabetes takes into account with such normal activities was also very insightful.
September 25, 2023
Multiple POV's, a very unexpected plot twist and a look into the world of an MC with a medical illness that's often overlooked. City of Trees City of Shadows is a page turning thriller that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. The character development was great and the writing style was beautifully executed.
September 9, 2023
Engaging, suspenseful, unexpected!
I loved this book! It is so easy reading, good page turner and you are quickly immersed with the characters and feel like you know them well while also keeping you on edge. I did not know what was coming until the very end. This is a great thriller without being overly gory or scary, but a solid thriller that keeps you on edge. I enjoyed the ups and downs and didn’t want it to end. Would recommend again and again!
I loved this book! It is so easy reading, good page turner and you are quickly immersed with the characters and feel like you know them well while also keeping you on edge. I did not know what was coming until the very end. This is a great thriller without being overly gory or scary, but a solid thriller that keeps you on edge. I enjoyed the ups and downs and didn’t want it to end. Would recommend again and again!
February 27, 2024
This was great for a debut novel. It was so eerie reading about places that I have visited and lived near! I could picture every detail described. And quite the twist! If you think there’s no plot to this novel then you’ve clearly read very few thrillers.
July 26, 2024
As a midtown girlie myself, I really enjoyed the setting of the book and all the references! Found some of the plot to be a bit of a stretch, especially with all the connections by the end, but really enjoyed Vera’s day-to-day life and it was a quick read.
February 4, 2025
Engaging concept, poor plot connections. I felt like the main character was just getting drunk and beat up the whole time. Surprising twist, but unconvincing character connections. I do appreciate the geographical setting.
February 9, 2023
This book was a wonderful find! Captivating, exciting, and based in Sacramento! Go buy and read as soon as you can!
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