Julie Chan is Dead - Liann Zhang // Book Review

Julie Chan is Dead

Liann Zhang || Publication Date - 29.04.2025

"I want to begin by saying, I did not kill my sister..."

Fiction | Thriller

Julie Chan is living her worst life. She's a cashier at a supermarket that she hates, her aunty is abusive and all she's trying to do is make ends meet, and not keep tabs on her twin sister Chloe Van Huusen. It's very easy to do, to cyberstalk her twin sister however, considering Chloe's an incredibly popular influencer. Garnering hundreds of thousands of views on social media. One day Chloe randomly appears at her workplace and surprises her by buying her a house as the subject of an #emotional YouTube video.

This leads to a phone call which viscerally changes Julie's life forever. After discovering Chloe dead in her high rise apartment in New York, Julie has a choice to make: go on with her boring, and uneventful existence as Julie Chan? Or take over the life of her twin sister Chloe and live in the luxury she's always dreamed.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Okay... so I have a lot of thoughts about this book. Firstly the premise was wild, like a good time through a really weird dream type of wild. It went from morally apprehensible decisions, to a fever dream of luxury and indulgence fuelled by the likes and comments of strangers, to discovering and wiping out a generational cult.

If all of the above sounds like a good time to you, well you're in luck! This book is available and on shelves for you to experience yourself.

This book made me question a lot about my own life, honestly. I work what a lot of people would call a standard job, nothing fancy, but it pays the bills. If you were to see my house, it's definitely not extravagant. And I'm grateful enough to be living within my means that I don't need to steal supermarket sandwiches. All that being said, if I did have an estranged twin sister that lived the life of luxury I'd always dreamed and found her dead... would I take her place should the outrageous opportunity arose?

The other aspect which poked in my brain a little was also the social media facet. I'm not millions of followers deep to be fair, but the life which can be made just by being lucky, or even knowing the right people, can be luxurious. The way that Liann portrays this lifestyle is sickeningly positive, and I love how this contradicts Julie's previously negative and depressing life prior. It's giving drug addiction, and I'm living for it.

I also have to praise the writing. It was conversational in a way, while also being completely unhinged. Please see below, probably one of my favourite quotes to come from literature...

I love my girls so much I can identify each of them by their teeth, their Cupid's bow, and how many cc's of lip filler accentuate their perfect pouts.

Like hello? What the fuck!? 😂 

Overall Thoughts

My first thought when I'd finished this book was 'What the fuck did I just read?'. I've seen this novel compared to 'Bunny' which is another on my TBR - and if the comparison is accurate, I'm sure I will devour that book too. I had such a good time, it went as deranged as I had thought it would and for that, Liann, I thank you. She's definitely been put on my author watch list, and considering this was her debut, what a banger to kick off your career.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants a good time, especially unhinged existential chaos. I had such a great time with it, and reading as a part of a book club had the benefits of enjoying everything the book had to offer with others.

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Breathe In, Bleed Out - Brian McAuley // Book Review

Breathe In, Bleed Out

Brian McAuley || Publication Date - 29.04.2025

Can you really be free from your past haunting you?

Fiction | Thriller | Horror

Hannah is dragging the deceased corpse of her fiancé trying to get back to some form of civilisation after a holiday ended up going horribly wrong. She's trying to come to terms with his death and the guilt she feels being unable to save him. As a result, she's haunted by the events of that day, and his ghost.

Due to a near fatal nursing mistake at work, Hannah is forced on leave from her job and is working with her therapist closely to try and get to the bottom of her guilt and subsequent hallucinations.

Hannah and a group of her friends whisk her away to a wellness retreat. Supposedly so exclusive and successful, it almost feels like a cult... and when Hannah's friends start to go missing, she's torn between her feelings of going insane or if there really is something sinister going on at this retreat.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this novel. I was purely drawn to the style of the cover, and I am so glad I was.

Brian's writing is so easy to read and immersive. As I'd been reading it's like a movie was playing out in my head. The characters feel so oddly detailed, when really there's only a brief description of them as they're first introduced. They're intricate and funny, and their banter is perfectly written to give the impression they have genuinely known each other for years.

I'm obsessed with the creepy vibes through the novel. It starts off with a banger of a chapter, and has a tendency to throw in horrific scenes at random. I never truly know when something will happen, and it's always executed in a seamless way. Poor Hannah having already dealt with the death of her fiancé, is now experiencing the random trauma of hallucinating his restless corpse and being haunted by him. As scary and traumatic that would be for her, for me it's a damn good time 😂

The true unsettling nature was knowing this is supposed to be a horror/thriller, but there's absolutely no indication where this will trigger. It was deeply eerie and provided the perfect level of isolated confusion I was anticipating.

Overall Thoughts

Definitely an unexpected favourite coming into this novel. I had a blast with the story, the characters and the conclusion was impeccably satisfying. Brian's writing was immersive and easy to read, which was awesome as I ploughed trough this book. The writing was eerie, atmospheric and funny which kept me engaged the whole time to find out what the heck was going on through the book.

Unfortunately for me the twist was predictable, however that still didn't take away from the enjoyment I had reading the novel.

If you're looking for a thriller that's easy to read and has some amazing characters - look no further than this one. Genuinely had a great time reading and I'm definitely adding Brian McAuley to my author watch list.

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Spider to the Fly - J.H. Markert // Book Review

  

Spider to the Fly

J.H. Markert || Publication Date - 02.09.2025

You're a fly trapped in a web, not knowing the Spider is closer than you think...

Fiction | Crime | Thriller

You're at home, cooking dinner for yourself and your young daughter when she comes into the kitchen begging you to look at the TV. She's pointing at a murder victim, the latest victim of the I-64 serial killer dubbed 'The Spider'. This instance wouldn't normally cause too much alarm, except the person on the TV looks identical to you, in every single way.

This was Ellie's reality, and as a result of wanting to know more about this woman look alike, she became one of the most researched minds on the I-64 killer and a best selling novelist collating her research. 

When Ellie's therapist is arrested and charged for the murders of the I-64 killer, she is more determined than ever to find out exactly who this person is to save an innocent man from spending the rest of his life behind bars.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

As far as Thrillers go... Unfortunately the suspense and atmosphere this book was trying to convey did not land for me. The plot was an interesting concept, but I feel the pacing was too slow for the punch of the book to really impact my reading experience. I'm also sad to say that I was not invested in any of the characters at all in this story. They all appeared very bland, which I'm sad to say exacerbated the dull reading experience.

All of the above is not to say this wasn't a well written book. I enjoyed the authors writing, and I definitely feel they have the ability to pull in feedback from this release and really step it up for their next novel.

I wished there was more elaboration for the events being held in this story. Too much of it, I felt, was being kept from the reader in the attempt to keep the mystery. However, to me this was detrimental. The mystery behind a lot of the plot never really made sense, and this lead me to thinking, 'why is this even happening in the first place?'. A little more writing from behind closed doors from other characters involved in the novel could have really added to the Thriller. Especially from the point of view of those who had married into the Brock family.

I also did not understand the inclusion of the main character having a fear of men. It had some relevance to the beginning of the book, and obviously was supported by her experienced trauma. However, approaching the middle, it's lost in the narrative and ultimately feels irrelevant. I would have appreciated this characteristic of the main character if it was conveyed and supported through the entire book. Relating to my above point, adding to the Thriller and exposing traumatic events from a present tense point of view would have helped solidify her fears. It would also have helped if her fear didn't just suddenly fall off the face of the Earth half way through the book.

Overall Thoughts

Generally speaking, this was a fine novel. It was written well and has things which would add to the narrative to elevate it up a notch. The story premise was interesting to a point and it had potential. Unfortunately for me, this wasn't a stand out novel.

A lot of the mystery felt too closed off from the reader. And despite knowing I don't need my hand held, additional characters experiences from behind those closed doors could really have added a lot to the story being told.

I wouldn't recommend this book to a seasoned Thriller reader. However, inherently it's not a bad book, and if you're new to the genre it would be a good entry point to see if you enjoy the type of writing and tropes which feature within thriller/crime novels.

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Wild Dark Shore - Charlotte McConaghy // Book Review

 

Wild Dark Shore
Charlotte McConaghy || Publication Date - 04.03.2025

It's amazing what a little isolation and a climate crisis will make you do.

Fiction | Literary | Thriller

A small family living on an isolated island between the ocean of Tasmania and Antarctica have saved a woman from a frozen grave. Her wounds were extensive, Dominic had little hope she would make it. However, his suspicion gripped when he couldn't think of a reason why she would be here at all. No one comes here.

This family only have a few weeks left before they would be packaging precious cargo and moving off this god forsaken rock. Each day looms ever closer that the ocean is rising, weather is more chaotic and the world is falling victim to impending climate change.

The woman has come here to find something, the family are trying to keep things hidden, and nothing will prepare them for what comes next.

The Review (May Contain Spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

I could easily write my own novel as to why this book was incredible. Everyone in this story is on edge, and you can really get roped in with their emotions as their conversations wax and wane through various topics. It was truly a devastating and haunting experience of a novel.

Exploring multiple themes over the length of a few weeks, I found it impressive in the way that it effortlessly weaves in and out of family, tragedy and compassion. You are never given the time to get comfortable with the characters, new aspects of their history on the island or interactions with other characters constantly throw new and tense situations into the mix. Towards the end I was gripping my seat because it all comes crashing into a myriad of emotions and circumstances that by the end of it, you're sitting there pondering everything that's just happened.

This novel explores what it's like to be human. The various emotions we exhibit and how perception changes and alters the way we feel about certain situations. What it's like from the outside looking into a future where humans have radically changed the course of an entire planet and it's inhabitants. Most importantly, and my personal favourite, the resilience of nature in all its forms.

It discusses the choice to have a family, how this choice can impact the lives of not only the ones coming into the world, but also those already existing. The biggest impact was the commentary of who really has this choice. Subtle cues indicating that even though women are the ones creating the life inside their bodies, they're almost expected to throw their own life away in the process, especially if something bad were to happen during birth.

Lastly how love transcends all other emotions. It's almost written in this novel as a superhuman aspect of humanity. It can be powerful and heartbreaking all at the same time. However, it remains to be said that without it, humanity would fail. The smallest things have an impact, and it can chain into some of the biggest accomplishments our species can achieve.

Overall Thoughts

Despite the bleak and overarching impending doom of the planet due to climate change, I don't know if I speak for everyone when I admit I found this book incredibly uplifting. It's slow pace was really the only negative for me in terms of narrative. However, towards the end, everything ramps up and all you're left with is sitting on the couch for 10 minutes while you ponder your life and everything in it.

The social commentary within the book is provoking enough on its own without throwing in the countless moral dilemmas that happen to all the characters. It left me with so much to think about, so many passages that resonate with me and I truly believe this will be a novel that sticks with me for a while.

I would highly recommend this novel, especially if you run a book club or discussion groups. Everything in this book is primed for conversation, which in turn a lot of these conversations being prompted are incredibly relevant to today's issues. A phenomenal piece of literature and I hope it gets the praise it deserves.

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The Wolf Tree - Laura McCluskey // Book Review

The Wolf Tree
Laura McCluskey || Publication Date - 11.02.2025

There's always someone whispering about something...

Fiction | Mystery | Thriller | Crime

After an apparent suicide, DI's Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to conduct a routine investigation into the death and confirm what everyone already suspects. Where they are headed is a picturesque small island approximately an hour off the mainland coast of Scotland.

From their first arrival, DI Georgina, or George as she commonly likes to be referred by, suspects something is simply not quite right. She's in her own head with something she cannot shake about the death of eighteen-year-old Alan. Things don't add up, and while questioning the island inhabitants, there's even more to this place than she could have even imagined.

What unfolds is an eerie mashup of local history, townsfolk who are way too nice for their own good, and folktales which turn out to have some truth to them after all.

The Review (May Contain Spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

Incredibly atmospheric from the first page. I loved the eerie nature of the investigation and the island the detectives went to. I remember starting this book on a 42°C summer day and had goosebumps with how cold this novel made me feel.

There were so many layers of mystery coming into this book. One of the main detectives possibly being ill, or recovering from being so. Inconsistencies between the investigation they have been sent on and what is really happening in the case. There's also the creepy small village atmosphere where everyone knows everyone and is pretty aware of others business on the Island. The ending caught me by surprise and I had no clue where it was going until it was finally revealed. I loved the journey and for a debut it was an incredibly well written novel.

One of the best features was the interactions between the characters. Both the inspectors and the people who live on this island, and the inspectors between themselves. There's so much to everyone and it's hard to know if people are being genuine or are actually conspiring behind others backs. It creates an awesome amount of tension and I loved it!

The created lore of the island is another one of my favourite running lines of narrative. I don't know if it was intentionally referencing the disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from the Flannan Isles lighthouse in late 1900, however if it was, it made this novel even more intricate for me. It's a real story which immediately stuck in my brain while reading, and made this island feel like a real place I could go to and hear the howling for myself.

Overall Thoughts

For a debut novel, incredible. It was eerie, it had complex and genuinely well written characters, and the mixture of historical lore tying into the death investigation made this such a fun read. I would not hesitate to recommend this novel if you like detective novels for one. However, if you like a little history and/or folklore tying into your mystery books, this nailed it for me.

I am partial to a good story which involves close-knit communities with secrets and suspense. Throw a death investigation in there and reading how the author navigates the investigation and the characters is always a good solid time. Another top rated novel for me which follows this same style of narrative was 'One Dark Night' by Hannah Richell. Both are masterfully atmospheric and develop complex character relationships very well.

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One Dark Night - Hannah Richell // Book Review

 

One Dark Night
Hannah Richell || Publication Date - 01.01.2025

One dark night in the woods, and a party that takes a disturbing turn. 

Fiction | Thriller

There's a legend in this small town. On a lonely stretch of road engulfed on either side by dense forest, there's a girl in a white dress. She wanders aimlessly, and if you see her, it's said you will never be seen again.

The morning after Halloween, a scout group is hiking a trail through these woods which leads to an old stone folly. What they discover, is the grim and staged body of a girl in white. This rocks the small town, for believers of the woman who haunts the forest, and those who are terrified a murderer is roaming the streets.

Was this girl the victim of a Halloween party turned violent in the woods? Or was she killed to represent something more sinister, ritualistic perhaps? The answers lie with a local police detective and a broken family, where they attempt to navigate this crime and try to piece together the case, and their family.

The Review (May Contain Spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

Firstly I want to acknowledge that I thoroughly devoured this thriller. It left everything up to the imagination and gave nothing away until the very end. Hannah's writing was atmospheric and created the dank and eerie picture I needed to get sucked into this mystery. No one in this novel was as they seemed and it leant heavily into the creepy, claustrophobic, small town aura I loved.

As much as I love that it played on a real location, it would have been fun to have leant into the superstition a little more, even leaving a final 'is it really true?' impression that lingers in the back of readers minds. There was also a scene in the book which takes place between two characters at a house. This was CREEPY! Intricately disturbing, but sadly, nothing really went anywhere with it. It was disappointing, because with the above mentions, I felt that Hannah had the makings of something truly gripping, but let it slip into 'just another crime novel'.

I do feel, however, that the writing does an amazing job of tying everything together. As much as there are influences in this novel I wish had more attention paid to them, overall it was a solid read. I was guessing where it was going to go next, the entire book. There were a lot of layered twists that I did not see coming. One twist I did see coming, but was exponentially creepier than I was expecting and I was gripping my seat hoping someone would make it out alive. And the overarching mystery surrounding the death of the girl in the woods was interesting and intricately planned.

Overall Thoughts

If you like slow burn, eerie atmosphere, and questionable characters, then I would easily recommend this as a read for you. I generally don't write my ratings in my long form reviews, but this one I gave a 5☆ without question. I definitely had some issues, especially pertaining to the supernatural story that's loosely tied into the novel. I really wish they went harder with that aspect, as it is a main point in most of the marketing for this book and is seemingly casually brought up to add flavour to the story, but no spice.

Though with my feelings pushed aside, and if the supernatural hook is forgotten completely. I loved this novel. It genuinely kept me guessing through the whole story and had moments of pure, delicious, creepy tension, which I love. 

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