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The Lake Escape: A Novel
Jamie Day
MamasReadsBooks commented on celestex24's review of The Love Trials: An enemies-to-lovers romance thriller about hunting the ghosts of serial killers (Phantom Minds Book 1)
You know when you read a book and instantly click with an author's writing style? Yeah... Claire Fraise, congratulations. You have a new fan. šš¼āāļø
Now, don't let my attempt at being funny fool youāthis book is dark. Like, "please read the trigger warnings first" dark. Claire somehow managed to make me laugh, get comfortable, and then five paragraphs later emotionally clothesline me without a hint of remorse. Like a sucker punch straight to the heart. Eden recounting her experience? Oh my god I was sobbing.
What impressed me the most was Claire's ability to write such an incredibly layered and complex character. Eden felt completely realāresilient, heartbreaking, and impossible not to root for. Writing a character with that much depth while making every emotion feel authentic takes serious talent, and Claire absolutely nailed it. Same goes for the rest of the characters. I'm hoping in the next books we will get more on them and their stories. Griffin, my man, I want to give you a hug oh my LAWD.
The writing itself was fantastic. It was immersive, emotional, and beautifully balanced, knowing exactly when to offer a small moment of humor before ripping my heart out all over again. By the time I finished, I would've happily signed up for another 500 pages with the whole team. I will now be impatiently waiting for the next book. š«”
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The Love Trials: An enemies-to-lovers romance thriller about hunting the ghosts of serial killers (Phantom Minds Book 1)
Claire Fraise
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The Love Trials: An enemies-to-lovers romance thriller about hunting the ghosts of serial killers (Phantom Minds Book 1)
Claire Fraise
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A Fall to Remember (Half Moon Bay, #1)
Ellie Alexander
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Good Girl, Bad Blood
Holly Jackson
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A Fall to Remember (Half Moon Bay, #1)
Ellie Alexander
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Iāll first say thank you to Famous Last Press and Sara Pucci for the opportunity to read this ARC for When Fame Means Blood.
āāā.5 (3.5/5)
When Fame Means Blood had an intriguing premise that immediately caught my attention. The combination of celebrity culture, mystery, and suspense created a story that I was excited to dive into, and there were definitely moments where the tension kept me turning the pages.
That said, I found the pacing to be a bit uneven. The story took longer than I expected to really gain momentum, and there were sections that felt repetitive or overly detailed, making it difficult to stay fully invested. Once the mystery began unfolding, it became more engaging, but I never felt completely immersed.
The characters had interesting potential, though I struggled to form a strong connection with them emotionally. Their motivations occasionally felt underdeveloped, which made some of the bigger moments lose a bit of their impact. I did enjoy seeing the secrets unravel, and there were a few twists that kept me guessing.
Overall, this is a solid mystery with an original concept that I think some thriller fans will enjoy, even if it didnāt fully resonate with me. While it wasnāt a standout read for me personally, I appreciated the suspenseful atmosphere. Now will I continue to the next book when it comes out?⦠Honestly probably not.
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Still Beating
Jennifer Hartmann
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Still Beating
Jennifer Hartmann