The Last Time We Saw Her

 Jaclyn Goldis

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller 

A decade ago, Sydney disappeared on a remote island while being among teenagers who went for a summer camp trip. This happened during a mysterious treasure hunt. Now the same group is returning to the island for a reunion to revisit the past and participate in a documentary. 

The premise of the book is something I was very interested in, and I thought I’d enjoy it a lot. The idea of a long-buried secret that resurfaces and haunts the involved parties is also compelling. To be fair, the book succeeded in creating that dreadful, uneasy atmosphere. That tension keeps increasing as you progress in the reading. I had that feeling that every single character was hiding something.

One of the strengths of the book is its neat structure. Yes, there are multiple points of view, and the shift between past and present timelines made things somewhat confusing. However, the author clearly put thought into how the story unfolds. The pieces do come together in the end, giving you the bigger picture, even if getting there wasn’t as smooth as I would’ve liked. 

The biggest issue for me, though, was the pacing. This isn’t a particularly long book, yet it felt much longer than it actually is. Many scenes felt stretched more than needed. I feel a tighter edit would have made a huge difference, and a faster pace would have made the story more engaging. 

In terms of the characters, in general, the author did a decent job with them—especially when it comes to their history as a group of teenagers during the past. However, not all the characters are fully developed. This could be intentional, so the book won’t get longer. I might be mistaken.

The book is decent but not particularly memorable. The revelations and twists do bring some kind of closure and might give you some surprise moments, but they don’t quite elevate the tale into something special and unforgettable. In other words, that lasting impact is not as strong as I’d hoped for.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Key Themes

• Secrets
• Hidden Truth
• Friendship
• Betrayal
• Loyalty
• Guilt
• Identity
• Isolation

The Frenzy

 Joyce Carol Oates

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Short Stories + Literary Fiction

The Freny by Joyce Carol Oates is a collection of short stories that focuses on the haunting exploration of the boundaries between reality, memory, and grief. The book is divided into three sections, with each section having three stories.

With these stories, Oates shows off her unique ability to transform domestic anxieties into something profound—more like on the gothic side; at least this is how the stories were vividly imagined in my mind as I was reading.  

The first section has the title story with a middle-aged man who is in an affair with a much younger mistress. This one turns for him into a nightmare of abandonment and vulnerability. I see middle-aged women laughing at him and enjoying what happens to him. “The Fear” is more about living in the shadow of another person and the result of such a thing. This one felt very relevant on many fronts. 

In the second section, “The Call” was my favorite, in which a woman receives a call to find out that her entire adult life was just a dream, masking a reality she could never escape from. The final section must have been my least favorite in the book. The stories were more about our contemporary era. If I had to choose one of them, then it would be the last one due to its absurdity on the surface, yet depth from within. 

The good thing about the author’s narrative style is how she utilizes the interior monologues of these characters, which draws the reader directly into their vulnerabilities and experiences. What I noticed was that several stories in this collection were focusing on widowhood and domestic abuse themes. Yes, this can feel repetitive at times, but I believe Oates handled them very well, with much care, and the different shades of darkness of the stories helped in shaping the stories’ uniqueness.

If you appreciate psychological fiction that isn’t afraid to take you on a trip into the abyss, then this collection would work very well. Each story ends with characters reaching a point of hysterical release—making this collection live up to its title. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Key Themes

• Widowhood
• Grief
• Trauma
• Domestic Abuse
• Refuge
• Betrayal

The Chateau on Sunset

 Natasha Lester

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 

Genre: Historical Fiction

The story in The Chateau on Sunset follows Aria, a young woman with a troubled past who finds herself drawn into Hollywood’s glamorous and dangerous world during the 1960s. Chateau Marmond is an infamous hotel that is filled with movie stars and lots of ambition and secrets. There, she reinvents herself, forming intense friendships and acquaintances. When the hotel is sold to a rock star, things start to take a different turn. 

I feel this book is one of those books that feels more impressive in concept than in execution. Set against the alluring backdrop of 1960s–70s Hollywood, it follows Aria as she escapes her past and becomes entangled in the seductive, often dangerous world of the Chateau Marmont. The story is a blend of coming of age and the dark side of power, fame, and survival. 

I enjoyed the setting in this book, and I think it is one of its strongest aspects. The old Hollywood atmosphere is richly drawn, filled with glamour, excess, and an undercurrent of unease. The Chateau itself feels almost alive—part sanctuary, part trap—and it gives the story a strong sense of place.

When it comes to the characters, the protagonist seems to be a quite complex character affected by her painful past. She has an emotional journey that will be relevant to some of the readers. I can’t say that all side characters were as developed as the protagonist, though.

Where I personally struggled with this book is with its dual timeline. The two timelines were relatively close. This made things confusing and disrupted the flow of the story. I think it would have made a really big difference if this story were told in a simple linear style. It is a historical fiction, so that would have made a big impact on me. 

Overall, The Chateau on Sunset is an ambitious story with a strong foundation that doesn’t fully reach its potential. While it shines in its setting and emotional depth, the slow pacing and the structure of the book hold it back from achieving what it aims for. It is a story worth picking if you are interested in character-driven historical fiction with some dark themes; it just needs some patience and focus. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Key Themes

• Coming of Age
• The Illusion and Reality of Hollywood
• Power
• Ambition
• Identity
• Reinvention

The Tuxedo Society

 Paul Rudnick

Rating: ⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Mystery Thriller + LGBTQ+

I chose The Tuxedo Society from NetGalley expecting it to be a fun, campy queer spy adventure, and to be fair, it is all that, but just not the way I was hoping it would be. The premise sounds great with a secret society of queer spies who operate with all the glamour, wit, and high-stakes missions. The concept is a mixture of espionage and comedy. I think it is a strong concept, but the execution feels uneven.

It is safe to say that the biggest strength of the book is its humor when it is relevant to the situation. There are genuinely funny moments scattered throughout, with witty dialogue and absurd situations that fully embrace the ridiculousness of the premise. The writing is obviously leaning heavily into satire—not taking itself seriously. 

The book has an extremely campy tone, which can be a hit or a miss depending on your taste. The plot can be over the top and at times lean towards absurdity, which is all intentional. So, in other words, the story requires a complete suspension of disbelief. Don’t expect grounded storytelling here.

The pace is very fast, and you will find characters jumping from one mission to another before you can blink your eyes. I think readers who enjoy fast-paced stories might appreciate that, but I personally felt things were a bit messy, chaotic, and at times difficult to follow. I felt overwhelmed quite often and had to question why things were all over the place.

In terms of the characters, strangely, the main character felt underdeveloped. A few of the secondary ones felt more interesting to me than the protagonist. I just wish the author had invested more in building these characters. The reliance on gay stereotypes didn’t help the story, and I feel it backfired. There is also a heavy dose of pop culture references, which can get exhausting if you are not into that. 

In the end, this is one of those books that will strongly depend on your tolerance for absurdity. For me, it lands somewhere in the middle: entertaining but messy, funny but inconsistent. A 2.5-star read feels right—it’s not bad, but it never quite comes together into something truly satisfying. If you’re in the mood for something loud, chaotic, and unserious, it might work for you. Otherwise, this could be a frustrating ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Key Themes

• Identity
• Self-Acceptance
• Queer
• Camp
• Friendship
• Espionage
• Adventure

The Great Alone

 Kristin Hannah

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction

This is the third book I have read by Kristin Hannah. The Nightingale was a book I really enjoyed. The Great Alone is one of those books that just pulls you from the first page. It is intense and very emotional. The story is set in 1970s Alaska, with Alaska’s atmosphere acting not only as a background but also as a character that plays a dangerous role in shaping the destiny of the Allbright family.

The story is told from Leni Allbright’s perspective in a third-person narration style. Leni is a teenage girl trying to survive as her father, Ernt, starts to unravel. He is not psychologically stable due to being a Vietnam War veteran. Her mother, Cora, is deeply devoted to her dad in an unhealthy way. When the family moves to Alaska for a fresh start, they are faced by many challenges, and the isolation there somehow makes them closer. 

For me, the book really shines with its atmosphere. The author makes you feel the cold, isolation, and the endless darkness. It is all quiet, and both beauty and threat coexist! It is as if the land is there to teach them a lot and get them ready for more resilience, adaptability, and perhaps a little more stubbornness. 

The book spans from 1974 to 1986, and through these years, we experience Leni’s growth, which is again one of the strongest points of the book. We see how she transforms from a sheltered and hopeful character into a more self-aware person who is also more resilient to her surroundings. 

I can’t help but say that at times the book could be emotionally exhausting—especially the cycles that the father goes through. Vietnam War veterans being unstable and going through difficulties and sufferings is a trope that gets on my nerves. I’m done feeling sorry for aggressors! Crocodile tears do not work on me anymore. If we need to talk about something more and tell stories, they should be about the suffering of those families in Vietnam who had to go through the atrocities caused by these aggressors!

The second half depended a bit more on melodrama. That did not ruin the book for me, but it was enough to make me notice. I liked the first half much more, as the earlier chapters felt more grounded and less over-the-top.

Regardless of the cons, The Great Alone was still a solid read for me. I just loved the author’s writing, and if you ask me about the strongest character in the book, it will definitely be Alaska’s atmosphere. I give it a solid 4-star rating.  

Key Themes

• Isolation
• Survival
• Resilience
• Trauma
• Healing
• Forgiveness

The May House

 Jillian Cantor

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

The May House by Jillian Cantor follows three sisters (Julia, Emily, and Nora) who reunite for one week at their family home every May to spend time together. This was a promise they made to their grandmother in order to inherit the beach house there. One year, Julia doesn’t show up, so the story takes off from there, alternating between present and past.

The concept is really strong and quite engaging. The idea of three estranged sisters coming back together in a place loaded with emotional history has a lot of weight to it, and the novel taps into that well. There’s a constant sense that the house holds more than just memories, and I felt that there is some kind of underlying mystery that helps carry the narrative forward.

One of my favorite things about the book is the relationship between the sisters. It felt real to me—messy in a believable way, not overly dramatic but still emotional. Each sister has her own personality and baggage, and you can really feel that in how they interact. The story switches between their perspectives (in third person), which worked well in showing how differently they see the same past. As their history slowly comes out, their bond feels more layered, and some of their conversations are very relevant.

The author did a great job with the atmosphere of the book. It is excellent throughout. The setting of the May house has its own mood with an almost cozy but at the same time mysterious backdrop, which helps a lot in enhancing the emotional tone of the story. There’s a quiet intensity to the writing that keeps you immersed, even in slower moments.

Now, for what didn’t work for me—I think the main problem was with the non-linear timeline. There is a lot of back-and-forth between different points in time, which felt scattered and, at times, confusing. I have no idea why the author chose this method instead of the simple present and past periods. This sometimes made it harder to stay oriented within the story.

Overall, the book is still worth reading, so I’m giving it a solid 3.5 stars. The concept is compelling, the sisters’ relationship is well developed, and the atmosphere is a real strength. But the disjointed timeline holds it back from being as impactful as it could have been.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

Key Themes

• Sisterhood
• Friendship
• Grief & Loss
• Hidden Truths

Immersions

Kyle McCarthy

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Literary Fiction

Immersions is the story of two sisters, narrated from the younger’s point of view. Frances’s older sister, Charley, was a superstar dancer, while she herself was still a rising dancer. One day, Charley marries Johnny and decides to leave the limelight, joining a convent, which will be a big shock to her fans and family. Now Frances wants to know why all this happened, suspecting Johnny to have a hand in it.

McCarthy’s prose is undeniably striking. It’s lyrical, sure, but there’s a fragility to it, like every sentence was handled with tweezers. When she’s describing the specific, hollow ache of living between two cultures or that weirdly intense intimacy you only find in your twenties, it’s genuinely beautiful. It forces you to slow down. That said, I did find the polish a bit much at times. There are moments where the writing feels a little too aware of its own beauty, which can pull you out of the story.

The core concept carries a lot of weight. Even when the plot feels like it’s standing still, there’s this low-frequency hum of tension between the two women. McCarthy really gets that uncomfortable overlap of admiration and quiet resentment. It feels honest. It’s the kind of psychological friction that anyone who’s had a "best friend" they also kind of hated will recognize.

But I’ll be honest here, the narration was a struggle for me. It’s reflective and fragmented, which makes sense if you're trying to mirror a drifting headspace, but it creates a massive amount of distance. I felt like I was looking at these events through several layers of tinted glass. Everything has already been filtered, processed, and tucked away by the narrator before we even get there. It’s a deliberate choice, I’m sure, but I feel the style of the narration, where the character keeps addressing me as her sister, is what kept throwing me out of the story rather than keeping me inside it. Sorry, Francess, I’m not your sister!

Naturally, this means the pacing isn’t exactly brisk. The novel tends to circle around a mood rather than moving forward. If you’re the type of reader who loves to just inhabit an atmosphere and doesn't care about "what happens next," you’ll probably find this deeply rewarding. For me, I kept waiting for a bit more urgency. There’s only so much atmospheric lingering I can do before I start checking my watch.

Ultimately, Immersions is a thoughtful, layered piece of work. It treats its themes of identity and memory with a lot of respect. But for all its beauty, the book stayed just slightly out of reach for me. It felt a bit like overhearing a fascinating conversation from the next room—you catch the tone and the occasional brilliant phrase, but you never quite feel like you’re part of it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book. 

Key Themes

• Sisterhood
• Loss of Self
• Love and Envy
• Cultural Liminality