2.5 stars I listened to this story on audiobook.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I started this book, and I’m still not quite sure what I think about it. I liked the concept, and the beginning of the book drew me in. I wanted to understand why this family inexplicably suffered so many accidents and also how a mysterious girl factored into everything. Unfortunately, I felt like the second half of this book didn’t live up to the potential of the concept.

Trigger warnings for physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and self-harm.


What I liked:

1. Ireland. Ireland is one of my most favorite places on Earth, so I was excited that this book takes place in Ireland.

2. Concept. The premise for this book intrigued me from the beginning. Just the title alone had me curious.

What I didn’t like:

2. Pacing. The second half of this book dragged for me. I wanted to learn more about Elsie and how she possibly factored into the accident season. Unfortunately, the author chose instead to focus on a big party thrown at an old abandoned house. In the end I understood what the author was trying to do, but as I was listening I found myself losing interest.

3. Writing/Tone. I was all set for some sort of creepy paranormal/ghost story, and I felt like the first half of the book set that up pretty well. In the second half of the book the writing style changes into almost a magical realism type of story. Honestly, it almost felt like two totally different genres from the first to second half of the story.

4. Romance. I actually wouldn’t have minded the romance between Cara and Sam, except for the fact that they keep calling each other ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ throughout the book. Just to clarify, these two characters are not related by blood at all. They are ex-step-siblings. But if I was playing a drinking game and had to drink every time one of them referred to the other as their sibling, I would’ve been wasted about 50 pages in.

5. ‘Twist’. Nothing in this book surprised me in the slightest. When I first realized what the twist was going to be I thought it was mildly clever, but then our characters didn’t figure it out for another 150 pages and I just got really bored.

6. Loose ends. There are things that happen in the book that feel like the author’s way to throw a red herring into the mix and mislead the reader. These things are never resolved in any way that is even remotely satisfying.

6. What kind of person throws a Halloween party at a creepy old abandoned house when they are sure they are more prone to accidents during the month of October?!

I’m bummed that I didn’t like this story. I thought it was going to be creepy and intriguing, and I’m pretty disappointed.