e-Audio, 08:07:43
Narrated by: Carolina Hoyos
Release Date: June 28,2022
Published by: Simon & Schuster Audio
Read from: June 20-25 & July 14, 2022
Stand-alone
Source: Library’s Libby
TW: Death, Blood, Drug Mention
For Readers Interested In: Mysteries, Thrillers, Cold Cases, Fat Leads, Racial/Ethnic MC (Biracial), Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ+, YAI Killed Zoe Spanos meets The Cheerleaders in this haunting mystery about an island town with a history of unsolved deaths—and a girl desperate to uncover the mystery behind it all.
Luca Laine Thomas lives on a cursed island. To the outside world, Parris is an exclusive, idyllic escape accessible only to the one percent. There’s nothing idyllic about its history, though, scattered with the unsolved deaths of young women—deaths Parris society happily ignores to maintain its polished veneer. But Luca can’t ignore them. Not when the curse that took them killed her best friend, Polly, three years ago. Not when she feels the curse lingering nearby, ready to take her next.
When Luca comes home to police cars outside her house, she knows the curse has visited once again. Except this time, it came for Whitney, her sister. Luca decides to take the investigation of Whitney’s death into her own hands. But as a shocking betrayal rocks Luca’s world, the identity Whitney’s killer isn’t the only truth Luca seeks. And by the time she finds what she’s looking for, Luca will come face to face with the curse she’s been running from her whole life.
*MY THOUGHTS*
This book was released at just the right time for me. I was binge watching Cold Case Files and anything that remotely sounded like it would be straight out of one of the shows, I was reading it. Although it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, it mostly fit the bill.
I’ve only read one other book by Barrow, but I think I gave that one 4 stars, so I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately I didn’t like this one as much. The number one reason why? It was so repetitive. She spent the entire book asking people questions, figuring out their lie, and then begging ol girl to help her with some aspect of the case. Sprinkle in some of the times where her and the new girl have been flirting, and that’s all this was. I think this cycle happened like 3 times. It just got boring.
This book also had some mentions of drug and drug usage in it which is a trigger for me. I am very aware that it isn’t for everyone else, but I still thought I’d mention it since it is a big part of the plot. Which is actually the reason I want to mention it. Can we move away from the main plot point for thrillers being substance abuse? I know this is just a me thing, but I wish I could just listen to a book in my favorite genre without having to skip large portions of it.
The ending was also terrible in my opinion. This whole book they sat there trying to find out who did it and when they finally did, NOTHING HAPPENED. It was like so much build up for it to fall flat. And then as soon as it the climax happened, they made the final decision that they did, and Lordt that was so boring. If you’re going to end it that way, at the very least make it from the POV of the person who did it. This way it gives you like a creep factor. Especially since it ended the way it did. Idk, I like my thrillers wrapped up neatly and tied with a bow. (Yes I know it doesn’t always end like that) Especially in this case because it left the person open to do something like that again. Idk, I know it’s fiction and there won’t be anymore missing people from this particular island, but still.
But all in all up until the end I thought it was ok. Not anything to write home about, but it was ok. It wasn’t anything special and it wasn’t anything that was terrible either. It just was if that makes sense. I think because I was mostly in the mood for something like this I liked it more than I normally would. It wasn’t good or bad, but I don’t think I’ll remember it after this.
Overall, I give this
