Welcome February

Love is in the air...so is terror (if you know my reading taste)

Welcome to February! I feel like January took 6 years to pass by. Anyone else? I’m not sure what it was about last month, but WOW. Onward and upward.

Last month, I managed to read 10 books and I’m still pretty surprised by that fact. Most of them were thrillers/mysteries because I obviously have a type. If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen my January recap which includes books like Never Lie by Freida McFadden, All the Dark Places by Terri Parlato, and The Maid’s Diary and The Patient’s Secret by Loreth Anne White. I would recommend all of these faithfully to anyone looking for a good mystery or plot twist. My favorite read though would have to be Never Lie. Review below!

Never Lie by Freida McFadden is a mystery thriller with a plot twist at the end. Readers are taken on a psychological thrill ride. One second you think you’re reading the story from the perspective of an innocent bystander and then…well you’ll have to read to see exactly what happens.

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Synopsis: Readers follow a newlywed couple as they go out in a snowstorm to view an open house. They find themselves stranded in a massive mansion that once belonged to a psychologist who suddenly went missing one night. Her portrait hangs eerily over the fireplace, seemingly watching their every move. While snowed in, the couple begins making themselves at home with the plan to eventually start a family here. What they don’t expect, is to find a hidden room full of secrets. Without realizing, they stumble upon the truth. The main character’s past comes to light and tough decisions are made.

I enjoyed this book because I wasn’t expecting the ending. As a writer of plot twists myself, I sometimes think I spot them a mile away. However, McFadden never fails to surprise me. The characters really carried the story and their histories are overwhelmingly interesting. The way McFadden is able to overlap the lives of such different individuals is nothing short of genius. (Yes, McFadden is an automatic buy author for me). By the end of the story, I didn’t know which characters I could trust. And by the time I picked one…it was too late for him.

Naturally, there are some red flags while reading. You’re set up to dislike the new husband and are suspicious of their quick marriage. Tricia, the new wife, makes continuous comments about how she doesn’t know her husband as well as she thought she did, and worries about telling him her secrets. She fears an angry reaction. Little does the reader know, he isn’t the one we should be afraid of.

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This month I’ve also been working on my writing. I’ve finished the “short story” A Touch of Treason and will be sharing the final installment on the 7th with you lovely people. I’ve also been working on my novel Miles Counted which was inspired by the passing of an old friend. I typically use writing to cope with life’s happenings, even if it’s just to deal with everyday stress.

The New Year brought with it a fresh desire to create and stick to a writing schedule. I’ve been trying to fit in 15-minute writing sprints whenever I can. if you’re interested in sticking to a writing schedule, message me. Maybe we can work together on holding each other accountable! We can plan writing sprints and share our favorite lines with one another. I’d love to form a little group of writers again.

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Upcoming events include participation in Horror Depot’s Dark Reads on March 1st at Rhode Island College in Providence, Rhode Island. It will be my first time participating and I’m super excited to have this opportunity! If you’re in the area, pop in and say hi. It starts at 11am.

That’s all folks! Be sure to mark your calendar for the 1st of March and give my Instagram a follow. I’ll be sending out the next and final portion of A Touch of Treason on the 7th and will be introducing something new at the end of the month.

-xoxo

Katrina Thornley