Girl at the Edge – Karen Dietrich | A Book Review

Title: Girl at the Edge

Author: Karen Dietrich

Genre: Suspense

About the book: It’s a standalone about a young teen named Evelyn whose father is in prison for murdering eleven people at a shopping mall. She begins going to a support group for children with incarcerated parents. Over the summer, Evelyn must make some important choices that may change her life.

I received an advanced reader copy from Hachette Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

First impressions: I love a good suspenseful read, and the premise piqued my interest. The novel explores the question of nature versus nurture. I like the title and cover as well.

Characters: Evelyn has many layers to her. She’s an unreliable narrator, and the story is told in her point of view. I found Clarisse who Evelyn befriends at the support group to be a complex character as well. Also, I appreciate the representation of Evelyn’s mom being in a relationship with another woman.

Quote:

“Women don’t exist to fulfill the needs of others.”

Writing: The book is a mature read, exploring difficult themes. I wasn’t expecting the story to be so dark, and some events caught me a bit off guard. There’s a Q&A with the author and discussion questions at the end of the book, which I enjoyed reading through.

Final thoughts: The ending is open-ended and doesn’t provide much closure. It leaves the readers to imagine what happens next. If you enjoy psychological suspense novels, check out Girl at the Edge.

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The Curse of Misty Wayfair – Jamie Jo Wright | A Book Review

Title: The Curse of Misty Wayfair

Author: Jamie Jo Wright

Genre: Suspense

About the book: It alternates between the perspectives of two women, Thea and Heidi, in different time periods, seeking answers to questions regarding their identity.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications.

First impressions: I’ve read and liked a couple of Wright’s novels in the past. Even though I thought I’d enjoy the plot, I found it hard to get into at first.

Characters: Both Thea and Heidi are flawed but relatable. There are several characters in each story, but I didn’t find it too difficult to keep track of them. That said, keeping track of everybody’s relation to other family members took a bit more work.

Quote:

“So much of life is a mystery, and so often it is left unsolved.”

Writing: I appreciated the representation of mental illness and special needs. The author addresses issues like autism as well as anxiety. I wasn’t expecting that, but they add more depth to the characters and to the story.

I’m also a fan of the subtle romance because it didn’t overshadow the main storylines.

Final thoughts: By the end, I wanted to know how all the pieces fit together. I love novels like this one where I can’t quite predict all the twists and turns. In my opinion, the ending was the most interesting.

The Curse of Misty Wayfair won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a complex narrative about important issues.

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