CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10

I absolutely loved the premise of "extreme hide and seek" gone wrong. The setting was perfectly atmospheric: a crumbling old hotel on a remote island, during a storm of course. There's a hint of survivalist suspense, but since this is essentially reality TV the characters seem safe enough. The host is also suspicious, setting the scene early on.

Unfortunately, very little time was spent on the actual game. Most of the story was about Maverick's shady business practices and online drama. I would have liked a bit more survival! I also didn't think we needed quite as many scenes from the POV of Adele's children (more on that in my spoiler discussion).

This is a quick and enjoyable read. I binged most of it on New Year's Eve, and the pages turned quickly. I always enjoy Lisa Unger books!

Thank you to Simon Audio for all these gifted ALCs! They've started the year strong with a handful of awesome contenders. These were my January 2025 picks:

THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY: I went into this one totally blind. I will admit, the beginning of this book was somewhat confusing to keep straight on audio. I ended up loving it, though, so I'm considering listening to the beginning again to catch what I missed the first time. There's some suspense to the story, but it's really a book about relationships and coming to terms with your past. There's grief, romance, reconciliation, and a whole lot of personal growth for the main character. I loved all of it up until the ending: the author totally blue balls'd us at the end.

CROSS MY HEART: So interesting! I love a good stalker thriller, and this one certainly delivered. I flew through the audiobook and enjoyed every minute. I found Rosie's character to be particularly compelling, especially after the big reveal. The reveal caught me by surprise! I loved the direction the author took this in. The ending required some suspension of belief, but I enjoyed the journey regardless. Definitely add this one to your TBR!

THE PERFECT HOME: This thriller is certainly compelling: the sketchy drug, Dawn's escape, Wyatt's lies, and all their friends taking sides. I liked that it was told through both Dawn and Wyatt's POVs, so the reader didn't know right away which one was the unreliable narrator. The story could have gone in any direction!

THE LODGE: I enjoyed this wintery romance. The setting was perfect for this time of year! I'm not big on insta-love, but the characters were interesting individuals and cute as a couple. I thought the miscommunication in this book was handled well. Fans of boy band drama will love it!

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Have you read any of these?

#bookstagram #bookfed #bookish #booklover #audiobooks #bookrecommendations

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for this gifted ALC. TW: SA

I thoroughly enjoyed Alice Feeney's most recent hit. This was one of my favorites from her! I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling something, but it was certainly a hit.

While I didn't exactly like the main character Grady, I was absolutely hooked and had to figure out what was going on with him. Was he really seeing Abby, or was the island playing tricks on him?

The setting couldn't be beat - I love a remote island, which gives a locked room feel without being a literal room. The other characters on the island only add to the eeriness.

I loved it, definitely add Beautiful Ugly to your TBR. The oxymoronic chapter titles all the way through were also a fun touch!

#MacAudio2024 #howdidthatbookendMA #thrillerlover #reader #booklover #bookish #bookfed #thrillerbooks

I'm wondering who has wandered this way from Bookstagram or Booktok. If you could point me in the direction of other readers, I'd greatly appreciate it! #bookish #booklover #thrillerlover #reader