#BookReview: The Twin by Steena Holmes

‘Deliciously Dark’ Sounds Apt But Becomes Problematic. Without going into spoiler territory, I can’t find a better title for this review than “Deliciously Dark”, and yet… well, read the damn book to find out why I have problems using that title. 😀

But seriously, this is one *dark* book – and while I just can’t bring myself to spoil anything… think whatever you feel would be the darkest a book could possibly go. Then go darker. Darker. Darker again. And again. Ok, now add a dying candle into that. Because that’s about as light as this book gets. (Though I *will* note some things that you may imagine that *don’t* happen here: no dog dies. No kids are sexually assaulted. And yet… the rest of this paragraph applies. Better to be prepared and have it be lighter than you expect, with this kind of tale.)

Holmes manages almost a Poe level of storytelling, where it isn’t necessarily what is on the page, but what is clearly just *off* the page that is so intense… and, eventually, those things come onto the page in stunning fashion.

If you like dark yet not necessarily “heavy” books, you’re going to love this one. If you’re looking for something lighter… come back to this when you’re ready for *dark*. 🙂

Very much recommended.

This review of The Twin by Steena Holmes was originally written on August 30, 2024.

Featured New Release Of The Week: In Another Light by AJ Banner

This week we’re looking at a compelling drama of grief and the psychological effects it can have. This week we’re looking at In Another Light by AJ Banner.

Here’s what I had to say about it on Goodreads:

Compelling Drama of Grief. This is a very compelling drama/ mystery of a woman’s struggles in the years following the death of her husband. The grief is all-encompassing, felt in nearly every letter on every page – which can make this book a bit dreary at times, but the mystery and mental struggles Phoebe faces are compelling enough and fast paced enough (in this short-ish, 252 page book) that the plot never really has the time to become *truly* overbearing in the grief. Revelations begin to stack up late, and much is made clear – to both Phoebe and the reader – even as the book chooses its path to be the less expected, more atypical one. Which I found quite remarkable, as this particular path allows Banner to plumb Phoebe’s fragile psyche that much more and kept the overall tone of the book solidly in place. Truly an excellent work, and very much recommended.