Riley Sager

Final Girls | Book Review

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About The Book
Ten years after surviving a brutal massacre, Quincy Carpenter is trying to move on with her life, despite being part of the infamous “Final Girls” group. But when Lisa, a Final Girl, is found dead and Sam, another Final Girl, shows up unannounced, Quincy must confront her traumatic past and uncover the truth before history repeats itself.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4hd1JxD

My Rating

Unfortunately, this book frustrated me quite a bit. I believe it’s Riley Sager’s debut novel, and it definitely reads like one. The premise is intriguing, but the main character really got on my nerves, making it hard for me to enjoy the story. Oddly enough, this seems to be a recurring issue for me with Sager’s protagonists.

The book follows Quincy, a final girl who survived a mass murder but has no memory of the attack. When she hears that another final girl has died, apparently by suicide, she reconnects with the only other survivor she knows of, Samantha. However, once Samantha enters her life, Quincy starts remembering her attack and quickly realizes Samantha might not be trustworthy.

Quincy comes across as really naïve for most of the book. Sure, she tries to act like she’s fine, even though she’s dealing with unresolved trauma, but I feel like someone who went through what she did wouldn’t be so trusting of Samantha. There were times I just wanted to shake Quincy.

Samantha, on the other hand, was an intriguing character. I liked her personality and wanted to know more about her. Her backstory, for me, was the most captivating part of the entire story. Besides Samantha, the other side characters weren’t that important, except for Quincy’s boyfriend, who I actually felt bad for at times. There was also the cop who saved Quincy the night of the attack, and let’s just say he and Quincy have a special bond.

“You can’t change what’s happened. The only thing you can control is how you deal with it.”

The story includes flashbacks that help the reader piece together what Quincy forgot about the massacre. I wouldn’t necessarily call her an unreliable narrator, but as the story went on, there were moments when I wasn’t sure who to trust or what twists were coming. Riley Sager has a way of making me second-guess who’s telling the truth and who’s lying, which, in my opinion, makes for a good thriller.

However, I found the ending quite predictable. I figured it out about halfway through and was hoping for something more surprising, so I was disappointed with how the book concluded. In my opinion, there wasn’t much suspense throughout the plot. Although the story did become more exciting as the plot progressed, I found it difficult to stay interested for most of the time.

Overall, I’m trying to remind myself that this is a debut novel, especially since I’ve enjoyed other books by this author much more. Despite the plot having promise, it didn’t shock or surprise me, and I saw most of the twists coming. Still, I’m glad I read it, even though it wasn’t the most thrilling experience. If you like the final girl trope, you might enjoy this book, but I wouldn’t call it a must-read.

In the comments, let me know if you’re a fan of books that revolve around “final girls.” If so, share which one you’d recommend. Don’t forget to like and share this post, and help my blog grow by following it.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The House Across The Lake | Book Review

- Bunny 2 Comments

About The Book
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress escaping bad press, retreats to her family’s lake house in Vermont, where she observes glamorous neighbors Tom and Katherine Royce. After saving Katherine from drowning and befriending her, Casey discovers their marriage isn’t as perfect as it seems. When Katherine disappears, Casey suspects Tom, unaware of the shocking secrets lurking beneath the surface.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/486Htd2

My Rating

This is a thriller with so many twists and turns that you won’t see coming. The main protagonist, Casey Fletcher, is an unreliable narrator due to her drinking problem and is determined to find out what happened to one of her neighbors across the lake. Soon, a crazy mystery and thriller unfold.

I really enjoy stories with unreliable narrators because I think they make the plot—especially in thrillers—much more interesting, and this book was no exception. Casey is not only struggling with her alcoholism but also with her husband’s passing, her failing acting career, and fears that the husband across the lake might have done something to his wife.

I wouldn’t say that the book had me hooked from the start, as I think it took a while for the plot to get going. However, I found it interesting that we got chapters from the present, then the past, and finally, by the end, the timelines catch up to one another. I don’t normally love books that start in the present day and then take us back in time to show how we got to this point, but it worked in this instance.

“After all, following someone on social media is just a more acceptable form of spying.”

I had so many guesses about what was going on and how the story was going to end, and I didn’t guess a single thing correctly. The author added so many twists and surprises that I didn’t see coming. Some of those things were in the back of my mind, but I didn’t believe they were actual paths that the story would follow.

The writing wasn’t very fast-paced, and the plot was a bit out there, so I can see why some people wouldn’t enjoy the book. However, I really like Riley Sager’s storytelling, even if his plots aren’t the most intense. This book caught me off guard many times, and I was stunned by so many of the reveals. The ending was fantastic and shocking, and I didn’t see it coming at all, which is why I gave the book 4.5 stars instead of just 4.

Overall, I believe that if you are a fan of unreliable narrators, shocking twists, and character-driven plots, then you should give this book a chance. If you like Grady Hendrix’s works, this book has a similar style, though it’s not so much campy horror like Hendrix’s books. Still, I think fans of ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’ might also find this to be a fun read.

In the comments, let me know if you have read this book and your thoughts on it. If you know other readers, feel free to share this post with them. Don’t forget that you can find more bookish content like this on my blog, so please give it a follow so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Last Time I Lied | Book Review

- Bunny 1 Comment

About The Book
Fifteen years after her friends vanished at Camp Nightingale, Emma, now an artist still haunted by their disappearance, is invited back to the camp as an instructor. Despite her fears, she returns to the camp, finding it eerily unchanged except for a new security camera outside her former cabin. As she uncovers clues about her friends’ disappearance, Emma risks everything for the truth, facing potentially deadly consequences.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3SgRAVR

My Rating

‘The Last Time I Lied’ by Riley Sager is a book that had me hooked right from the start. The plot instantly kicks off and grabs your attention. We follow our main character, Emma, who is haunted by an event that took place fifteen years ago at Camp Nightingale. Her three older cabin mates went missing, but Emma has some secrets of her own—things she still feels guilty about today.

The plot revolves not only around the mystery of what happened to Emma’s three cabin mates but also Emma’s mission to gain answers and closure when the owner of the camp invites her back to be the art teacher for the camp’s reopening. I wouldn’t say that Emma is an unreliable narrator, but she was a teenager when all of this took place, so her memory isn’t the best.

One of my biggest problems with the book—and probably the only issue I had with it—was Emma’s character. I felt as if she still acted like she was 13. She wasn’t a very savvy protagonist. Also, the fact that she still had somewhat of a crush on Theo, the camp owner’s son, years later was a little weird. But nothing like your first crush who you accused of murder, right?

“Everything is a game, Em. Whether you know it or not. Which means that sometimes a lie is more than just a lie. Sometimes it’s the only way to win.”

The summertime vibes were definitely on point in this book, and it really gave me that chilling summer mystery feel. For me, it was more of a mystery than a thriller. It definitely isn’t a book that’s going to keep you up at night, but I did enjoy the dual timeline where we get chapters of the past, seeing Emma’s relationships with her cabin mates, especially Vivian, who is the alpha female of the group.

The thing that I think Riley Sager does best is shocking twists. Most of the time, I feel like their books are going to be four stars, but by the end chapter, I am left completely shocked and have to add an extra half star. They write these mysteries where I have no clue where the story is going, and I don’t even try to guess.

Overall, this was such a fun summer mystery thriller that I think a lot of readers will enjoy. I can safely say that Riley Sager has not only become one of my favorite authors, but they are now an auto-buy author for me. I will absolutely read any book they release.

In the comments, let me know if you have read any books by Riley Sager. If you are a fan of mystery, thriller, or horror books, hit the follow button so that you never miss a post.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

The Only One Left | Book Review

- Bunny Leave a comment

About The Book
At seventeen, Lenora Hope was accused of killing her entire family, though she claimed innocence. But she’s the only one not dead. Now, as an elderly invalid, Lenora’s new caretaker begins uncovering the truth behind the murders and the mystery of a missing nurse.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/3QNKAzP

My Rating

This book was phenomenal! The story follows a home health aide, Kit McDeere, as she becomes the new caretaker for Lenora Hope, an elderly woman who was suspected of a Lizzie Borden-type murder back in the 1920s. The plot itself sounds amazing, and the writing was fantastic. The book kept me interested every step of the way.

However, this isn’t one of those fast-paced thrillers. The story is fairly slow-moving, but I didn’t mind that at all. I was so invested in this mystery that I couldn’t put the book down! Like the main character, I kept going back and forth on what really happened all those years ago.

I will say that my only con with this book was Kit. She isn’t a horrible main character, but I found her to be somewhat lacking in common sense. Honestly, she kept saying she couldn’t trust anyone but was totally willing to share everything she thought she knew with anyone. That got on my nerves at times.

“She’s capable of so little yet accused of so much, and I remain torn between wanting to protect her and the urge to suspect her.”

But the twists in this book were amazing. There weren’t many shocking moments, and a more skilled detective could probably have figured things out before the big reveal. I was just happy to be along for the ride and loved every twist and turn. The ending was done so well, and one of my guesses turned out to be correct.

Overall, I loved how invested the story kept me, and the chapters flew by. This is one of those rainy night reads that you could probably finish in a day or two. The plot, characters, and mystery are just that good. This book will hopefully keep you as intrigued as it kept me, right up until the end.

n the comments, let me know if you believe in the story of Lizzie Borden. Don’t forget to spread the word about this post with other book lovers. Help my blog grow by giving it a follow!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny