Sadly this one was a DNF for me, DNF @ 28%, page 90

After seeing early hype for Locust Lane in 2022, I was hoping this one would be a winner. However, I think it is a victim of mismarketing. This is not a thriller, it's a mystery with a character study in family dynamics much like Miracle Creek.

While  I loved a character study like Miracle Creek, Locust Lane fell short. I did not care to continue on in this one as the first 90 or so pages were all focused on the parents and some random man. All equally bad and annoying, their characters weren't worth carrying on studying. 

I say pass!

Big DNF for one of my least favorite tropes popping up at 19% in this one. 

DNF #1 of 2023 

DNF @ 31%

Identical twins 
Identical, bland personalities 
Identical stupidity 

I usually love seasonal romances, but I think I need more than Hallmark worthy books. 

Picked this one at the airport bedside the cover was gorgeous and the premise sounded promising. 

However for being such a short book, it moves too slow for me. The long chapters do nothing to help move the story along. This plot is one that the reader is forced to stew on instead of being allowed to move along.

40 pages of being in Will Bear’s head were 40 pages too many. 

I usually try to get a little more into a book before DNFing, but I just could not go on with the writing and/or translation.

Sentences and sentence structure made zero sense and the switching of POV within paragraphs was so confusing. 

Sadly I DNFd this one 14% in. 

I need more action, more seclusion, and less insecure people who complained a lot. 

I had been so excited for this one because I loved locked room mysteries, but I think after trying this one I realized that I like locked room mysteries that quickly get everyone to the location. That didn’t happen here. I needed less family drama and insecurities and more settling into the setting. 

Only DNFing as my library hold ran out and with the holiday and other holds on it I am not sure I’ll be able to finish by the end of the year 

As I love to start out the year with a clean slate, I’ll be setting this one aside.

I was really enjoying this one, but my one issue with it is just the size alone. Does a mystery thriller need to be that long?

If the main character is this insufferable 25 pages in, I don’t even want to know what happens