Narration: 5 Stars
Story: 5 Stars

As soon as I saw the comp to Final Destination, one of my all-time favorite horror franchises, I knew I had to read Jennifer Thorne's Lute - & ya'll, this lived up to that comp in every way!

I have to start by saying the audiobook was absolutely fantastic - Victoria Blunt, you did that, one of my favorite audiobook performances ever, a truly cinematic listening experience from start to finish! As with most horror, I'd highly suggest going into this as blindly as possible, so I'll keep all of the details relatively general. The way Thorne built suspense was so well done, I loved the way this book was structured - a few days leading up to "the day", & then the actual day itself, split up into different hours throughout the day. I was on the edge of my seat so many times, & the last 20% had me audibly gasping & yelling in my car - I'll reiterate, this completely lives up to its Final Destination comp through & through. Nina was the perfect protagonist to follow with a story like this, I was fascinated with her journey & personal progression as "the day" went on, & I think the way everything ultimately played out, especially with her character, strikes up a lot of interesting philosophical discussions. This was such a great blend of horror, fantasy, & hints of a domestic thriller (& some slight romance/steam), & it ultimately had a lot to say, particularly about community & duty.

I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this & giving the audiobook a listen, this is the perfect spooky season read/listen! & thank you so much Jennifer Thorne, NetGalley, & Macmillan Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for a honest review!