Author: Kiersten Modglin
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Backstory
Hi friends. I'm back with another hot take on the latest books I've been reading. So I went on a Kiersten Modglin binge, it seems. It was completely unintentional. After reading the two part series The Arrangement and The Amendment back to back, I snatched a few more of her books for good measure. These next few reviews will most likely be on more of her work, but I doubt you will be disappointed. Mrs. Modglin is definitely a fan of blowing your mind. So it's never a boring read. She always manages to get right to the very last chapter and throw a whole monkey wrench in the entire plot. I've come to enjoy it. Even though I do find myself yelling "Woman! What was the reason?!" while reading. Anyway, this was book 2 on my list of titles from her. We have 2 more to go. For now, I'm sure I'll add more. I do hope to be able to sit down with her one day and talk about her thought process in creating these plots. I imagine all of the twists and turns can become hard to keep up with eventually. But anyway, let's really get in to it.
Synopsis
When Grace's husband Ryan, rented a secluded cabin for the two of them to finally enjoy their honeymoon, she was beyond excited to get away for a bit. It would be just what the two of them needed to spend some time together and enjoy each other's company. After all, even though they were married they hadn't known each other long. This would be the perfect time to really get to know each other and for Grace to tell Ryan that she knew his darkest secret. When they arrive at the cabin, things quickly go south. As a dangerous man continues to threaten their safety the longer they stay at the cabin, their vacation quickly goes from relaxing to a fight for survival. Will they make it out alive?
My Thoughts
Kiersten is a top 30 Amazon Best-Seller. Her work is known for the crazy plot twists that always manage to hit you in the face right when you least expect it. This book was no different. It had a slightly creepy feel to it from the jump and it kept me on edge throughout most of the story. We flip flop between Ryan and Grace's point of view as the story progresses which gives us a look at the events from two different perspectives. Let's talk about Grace first.
Grace seems a bit withdrawn at the beginning. Doesn't seem like she can truly relax around Ryan just yet. We learn in the very beginning that they had only been together for about 6 months before he proposed to her which is really not a long time at all, but hey, when you know, you know right? She is concerned about leaving her senior pup who has a lot of health issues. She has never been without him since the day she got him, but he was too old to travel with them to the cabin, so she left him with her best friend. We also learn a little later on, that Grace has crippling anxiety after growing up in foster care. Ryan feels the need to protect her and be perfect for her in order to make sure she is able to relax. Grace seemed a little annoyed by Ryan, if we're completely honest. She seems to care for him, but not nearly as much as he cares for her. She admits that she hopes this trip will give them the chance to discuss the dark secret that she knows he is keeping from her. When they stumble upon a homeless man, during their hike their second day there, it is Grace that immediately realizes how dangerous he is. Her nerves made ME nervous while I was reading. Who was this man and why did he seem to have it out for Grace and her husband?
Ryan on the other hand, seemed a bit determined to play it all off like it was no big deal. He is not the most likeable character, with our first look into his point of view showing how intense he was. Now don't get me wrong, intensity has its place, but the way he spoke about his wife was borderline obsessive. I was cringing a little while reading his thought process. I half expected him to have killed a past girlfriend in a jealous rage, but there was no mention of that so I guess he didn't. Definitely gives me fatal attraction vibes. His character annoyed me. He was so busy obsessing over how perfect she was that he kept ignored his wife's requests to leave the cabin and kept trying to pass off the weird happens as "just coincidences" until it was too late to make a run for it. He would definitely be the guy in the horror movie that got killed first. No doubt about it. I was beyond frustrated with him throughout the story.
I gave this book four stars because it was a really entertaining read. As usual, Kiersten did not disappoint with her unexpected twists and turns. Right when you think the story is over and you can let out the breath you didn't realize you had been holding while you read, BAM there is a twist that punches you right in the gut and changes the entire trajectory of the story. I loved how she dropped hints throughout the book and then came back at the end and traced her steps back to the beginning. A bit of advice, pay very close attention to the small details. I am actually sensing a pattern in her books so far, but I will keep that theory to myself until I read a few more of her stories just to make sure my theory is correct. If you're looking for a good spine chilling story with a twist you didn't see coming, I absolutely recommend that you check out this book. And if you decide to marry someone you've only known for a few months, make sure you find out their deepest darkest secrets before you say "I do". Otherwise, you could be stuck in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with no phone service looking dumb in the face while a raggedy homeless man torments you relentlessly. If you decide to check out this book, do me a favor and grab it from the link below.
Once you're finished with it, make sure you come back and tell me what you think. Is Ryan as annoying to you as he was to me? Would you have left as soon as weird stuff started happening? I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Until then, Happy Reading Babes!