Book pulled me in and then wouldn’t let go. I was so glad that it was raining on my last day with it so I didn’t need an excuse to put the book down.

It took me forever to finish the book, her writing style is very wordy, too many adjectives and descriptions. It’s like just get to the point and be done with this. I don’t think I can read another of her’s in the series. I would need a break from her writing.

I actually loved the writing of this book, but it is so anti-climatic and the whole point of reading it was to discover what happened to the children in the wood and we never find out. Also, I knew the moment I met the character, Rosalyn, and that she was up to no good so I’m not sure that that was a good payoff either. And the main character narrating turns out to be such a jerk that I lost interest in him halfway through as well. It’s too bad because there’s a lot of good here.

…just like life. It’s been awhile since I’ve found a protagonist as unlikable. This guy is just…..ick. The story is heavy, dark, depressing, and very long. I slogged through because I thought maybe this was the first story of many getting us some answers to his childhood tragedy. The next book is about Cassie. Oh well. The writing really is effective, and beautiful occasionally. Unsure if I’ll revisit this collection.

3 Stars. Solid enough but a little slow and depressing. It seems to be a series starter but the group that we started out with imploded in a way that the next one will basically have to start over again. The mystery was very well done , though. French definitely did well with that. This will bring me back for the next one.

Started out intriguing but slowed down too much in the middle. No closure on one of the main characters. I forced myself to read it all.

It was an ok read. When I was done I had so many questions still. And from what I found reading the description of the next book in the series, I won’t get those answers at all. So this was it for me.

And then the ending was so disappointing!! I loved the heavy description and sense of mood in this book. I was totally invested in Ryan and Cassie’s stories and each of their trauma. I’m ok with what happens to them in their relationship, but there is so much that is left unresolved! The ending was so disappointing. We are led on for 700-800 pages of beautiful deep feelings and character history to end up no where in the end.

Arduous and circuitous long-telling of a short story….only my need to finish what I started got me to the end.

Well paced, interesting characters and an ending that was satisfying, without cliche.