BOOK REVIEW:

The Poison Garden by A.J. Banner
Lake Union Publishing

Deception, obsession, mystery and suspense are front and center in this Domestic Thriller, The Poison Garden.

A journey of the dramatic that will twist and turn you up, down, and inside out with its "nothing is what it seems" storyline.

Elise has a life of excitement, love and happiness along with her husband, Kieran. Her life is perfect, that is until she finds herself in a battle she never thought possible, one that tests her own psyche over and over again. Is she losing her grip on reality, or is this an orchestration by the very people she loves and trusts.

With a garden that holds more than just secrets, and a life that doesn't feel like her own, Elise fights against the impossible, and you'll fight right along side her through it all!.

An engrossing, riveting and compelling read that will grab you as it takes you on a ride unlike any other. Who will you trust?

I thank A.J. Banner and NetGalley for my copy of The Poison Garden. A story I enjoyed and highly recommend.

5 Stars

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This novel pulls you in right from the start and becomes difficult to put down. The story is told primarily by Elise, with some random chapters in the neighbor, Chantal’s point of view. The gardening aspect of the book was very interesting as well! At just over 200 pages, this is a quick read that keeps you guessing on what the character’s true intentions are.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elise Watters seems to have it all—a happy marriage, a beautiful Victorian home, and runs her own business inherited from her late mother. She was also left a sizeable inheritance.

She decides to surprise her husband, Kieran, a day early for their first anniversary. But they are both left stunned when she catches him in their bed with another woman.

Her world is completely turned upside down, especially since the return of her ex-husband who has is conveniently working right next door. Everything she thought she knew is coming into question—her marriage, her friends, and Elise can't trust either her husband or her ex. With her paranoia increasing, she has no where to turn and no one to trust.

I enjoyed After Nightfall and was excited to have been selected as an early reviewer of The Poison Garden. Unfortunately, the main character's paranoia overwhelmed the plot and the story is never fully fleshed out.

The pacing was too rushed—Banner needed to make the story more robust, and to be perfectly honest, credible. A lot of what was going on was either not believable, or too coincidental. The reader isn't going to buy in, especially in a genre that has such stellar offerings.

Oh my goodness, I never thought I'd say I was happily confused by a book, but this was definitely the case here. Throughout the novel, it feels like you're given all of the puzzle pieces but not the picture you're trying to assemble. Then when you think you've finally worked out the picture, you get given even more pieces and eventually the photo resembles something you couldn't have even imagined.

I don't want to give anything away and risk the story being spoilt for any other readers, but I will say, although it took me a chapter or two to get hooked in by the story, it's definitely worth reading!

The characters are all written so well that you could almost believe they were real; because you know that there are people out there that share similar characteristics and motivations.

Such a good read, I think I'll even re read it at some point, so I can see if anything is more clear the second time, or if there are any cleverly planted seeds that I missed the first time.

Wonderfully written, I'll definitely be on the look out for other work by this author.

Elise is heading back to Chinook Island, preparing to celebrate her first wedding anniversary with her husband, Dr. Kieran Lund. They seem to have an ideal, loving marriage, living in Elise's childhood home. Once a pharmacist, she now runs her late mother's herbal boutique. But upon her arrival to the island, Elise makes a shocking discovery, causing her to doubt all she thought about Kieran and their marriage. Soon she finds herself doubting everyone--even her own memories.

"On the ferry ride home, I was not yet planning to kill anyone. I was still full of hope, eager to land on Chinook Island..."

This is one of those thrillers where you have to go in willing to suspend a little disbelief. It's a bit crazy and a little preposterous, sure. But I have to admit, this was a fun one. I was a little hesitant for a while, pretty sure I had it all figured out and it wasn't going to surprise me. But, I'll gladly admit, I was wrong! This turned out to be a very enthralling read, and I consumed the last half breathlessly, quite intrigued to find out what happened with Elise and Keiran.

I was doubtful about this one in the beginning because it relies on the somewhat overused unreliable narrator trope: can we trust Elise? It seems she's been a sleepwalker in the past, and now, stressed once again, has turned back to her old habits. (At least she wasn't an alcoholic.) I didn't really love Elise, but I admire a book that can keep me engaged even when I'm not 100% behind our protagonist.

"Was I going mad? Padding around in the dark, my subconscious alter ego seizing control?

In fact none of our cast of characters is a real winner: Elise's new husband; her ex, who seems a bit stalkery; her flirtatious neighbor... There is a lot of focus on herbs and medicinal plants, which Elise's mom used in her store. You're never really sure where or why some of the details are thrown in.

But... where this book succeeds and what makes it worth reading is its unpredictability. All of those details are, in fact, quite important. By the end, when it all came together, I was quite surprised (a little mad at myself for not putting more together sooner) and impressed. This one kept me guessing and outwitted me. It was a very easy read and a fun, different thriller. 3.75 stars--rounded to 4 here

I really wanted to like this book, but I found it to be only mediocre. The story begins with much promise: Elise, the main character, comes home one day to find her philandering doctor husband Kieran (her second husband) in bed with another woman. Not only that, but she hears them talking about getting rid of her. Will they actually attempt to do so? And when?

What follows is a somewhat confusing plot line involving not only Elise and Kieran but Elise’s ex-husband Brandon, her neighbor and good friend Chantal (whom Brandon does work for and who seems to have an eye for Kieran), Chantal’s daughter (who committed suicide), and Elise’s mother (whom Elise believes died under strange circumstances).

I found the characters to be very underdeveloped and pretty much unbelievable. It was hard to relate to any of them or to feel any sort of connection to them. Also, there were so many twists and turns in this novel that they seemed too far-fetched and convenient and made the plot line very disjointed. However, I did find the final twist to be a very interesting one that I did not see coming and one which pretty much salvaged the book for me.

This is the first of A.J. Banner’s novels that I have read. Although I am not ready to give up on her completely, I am also not that eager to pick up one of her other works right now.

I will leave review on Amazon or B&N on Oct 22, 2019

I received the ARC of The Poison Garden from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my own personal opinion.

Wow what a thrilling book, full of twists and turns. I found this to be a quick and easy read and one that was hard to put down. With all the things going on in the book I didn't down if Elise was going crazy, or if someone was moonlighting her to make her feel that way. Thrillers are one of my favorite genres and this one certainly fit the bill. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys pyschological thrillers.

3.5/5

I received a complimentary advance copy of the digital galley for THE POISON GARDEN by A.J. Banner from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

THE POISON GARDEN begins with Elise Watters who seems to have everything one would want for a good life. She's happily remarried and she lives and works in her late mother's home and home business selling things produced from her elaborate gardens. As she heads home early from a trip to the mainland to conduct her business, Elise is excited to be planning her first anniversary, but coming home early doesn't always turn out the way one might hope. Instead, Elise is shocked to discover that her perfect life isn't so perfect after all and in fact she might need to fear for her life!

This novel is a fast read and pretty short, so I don't want to say too much about the plot for fear of spoilers. The premise of this one sounded very interesting and I definitely enjoyed the read overall. I enjoyed the discussion of the garden and the way her mother used the plants there to create unique products. One plant might be used for something medicinal, but if used in a different way that same plant could be extremely dangerous.

I had a few issues with the pacing of the novel and after feeling quickly engaged in the beginning, it got a little bit slow for me toward the middle. The end was definitely more action packed and I was eager to figure out all the twists and turns. I felt the initial plot twists were fairly predictable, but there were definitely some further on in the book that I didn't see coming and I was fully hooked into the action in the end.

If you are looking for a quick and fun thriller, be sure to check out THE POISON GARDEN by A.J. Banner when it is released on October 22, 2019!

I tried a handful of times to read this book. It just didn't work for me. I gave up after the fourth attempt at it. It felt over written. It 'didn't flow at all. The writing and plot are choppy. What I managed to read felt forced. This book wasn't for me.

Is Elise just unlucky in love or are all guys/husbands bad guys? We find out in The Poison Garden, a story of love had, love lost and love that grows. Also, there are herbs, spices and flowers which  make for all kinds of amazing potions which are used for wonderful reasons, and the there is Juliet. All Elise tries to and wants is to have a happy life with her doctor husband, Keiran. She has recently lost her beloved mother and very soon finds life is not the life she has been living. Thankfully, she is friends with her neighbor, Chantal, and together they forge a way to find answers to questions about Keiran. Never underestimate the  power of woman! Thank you #NetGalley #ThePoisonGarden #LakeUnionPublishing

Thrilling book.
I really enjoyed this one, the characters were stuck with me even when I had to tear myself away from its pages .
I found myself going over and over this book in my head trying to work out the plot, the twist and turns.
Unlike some mystery or thrillers I nevere felt I had missed something, or skipped some text, it flowed so well and kept my attention completely until the final pages and beyond.

Banner is a gifted writer and this is not the first book I've enjoyed by her.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Elise Watters is full of excitement as she returns home to celebrate her first wedding anniversary to her second husband, a successful doctor. Her life appears perfect - living on a small island off the coast of Washington, running her late mother’s business, and happily married.

However, her idyllic life soon comes crashing down when she comes home early to surprise her husband. Elise begins to question her whole life. Is her husband the man she thought she knew? Was her mother trying to warn her of something? Elise begins to wonder what she is capable of and who to trust. Is she giving in to paranoia, or are her fears legitimate?

The Poison Garden was an OK read; it moved quick and I was mostly engaged with trying to figure out the story. There were too many red herrings, however, and I felt like the story was over and then it was drug out and ANOTHER person actually was behind all the bad stuff. I think it could have been a little shorter and wrapped up in a more believable way.

The main character gets very annoying 20% through with her paranoid inner monologue. More character to character dialogue would have been a good fix for this story.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

The Poison Garden
By A. J. Banner

This gem of a suspense novel was terrific fun to read. I think that A.J. Banner's writing is under-rated in the psychological suspense genre.. This is my second book that I have read and reviewed by her and I can't wait to read her two remaining books that I am going to enjoy as soon as time permits. This latest installment by her was taut and had fast paced tempo that kept me riveted and captivated from the very beginning throughout the entire novel.

At must approximately around 200 pages, if anything it was tpo short. I was disappointed that it ended so soon and I really wanted more reading pleasure. That to me is the sign of a great book. She has two more published that I haven't read that I will be getting to as soon as time permits.

Thank you to Net Galley, A.J. Banner, and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book to read. I’m not sure what my thoughts are on this one. It was a really quick read and I finished it in a night. The book moved at a fast pace, which I really enjoyed. On the other hand though, some of the events that happened were over the top. A few times it made me roll my eyes when something would happen. All in all though it was an enjoyable read! I think I would settle on ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

2 Stars- The Poison Garden by AJ Banner
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Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing
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What I liked: I am not quite sure to be honest. I didn't totally dislike it, but honestly it just wasn't that good. Especially after I liked Banner's last book.
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What I didn't: The plot was very clunky and for 208 pages there were too many twists. None of the twists felt fully fleshed out nor did the plot seem believable due to all of these. It was too much in a such a short punch. The main character was a hot mess and had zero grip on anything.

This book was a huge let-down. The story is unrealistic and all over the place. The characters don’t feel like real people. Elise is whiny and needy and got onto my nerves immediately. The book is very short and it felt like it was rushed.
This is my second book from the author and I think it would be my last. There are a lot of 4-5 stars reviews out there so it is probably me not liking her writing style.

The Poison Garden by A. J. Banner is a slow paced story with so many twists and turns and suspenseful moments that will keep readers easily engaged.

Elise Waters is happily married to a local doctor, just about to celebrate their wedding anniversary and she decides to surprise him by coming home early from a business trip, only to find him in their bed with another woman.
Devastated by his betrayal she throws him out of her house only to have him reappear again. She asks her ex husband, who is a contractor working on a next door neighbor's house to change the locks.
Elise keeps having this blackouts where she doesn't know what she's done and where she's been.
She thinks her husband is trying to kill her an inherit her money, but the local policeman isn't able to help her out without any evidence.
Lonely, scared and utterly confused she is trying to find her way out of the dangerous web she's found herself in but it's immensely hard as no one and nothing is what is seems.

I have to say that at times the book was so confusing that it was really hard for me to follow. There was simply too much of everything and it was spinning out of control. Everyone had secret agenda but it was so convoluted that it was impossible to follow the story.
There were twists and turns and twists and turns on top of twists and turns.
Some things were simply left unexplained.

It is a good idea but the mystery was not well presented.
I liked that it was very suspenseful and dark.
The end was not surprising but that didn't ruin the story for me.

THE POISON GARDEN is a book that has a twisted and fast-paced plot. It is a suspense tale about a woman who is married to a man who is unfaithful. Returning from a trip to the mainland, Elise inherited a small fortune from her mother when she died and married her mom’s physician Dr. Kieran Lund. Ready to celebrate her first anniversary, Elise is caught unaware when she walks in on a very disturbing scene. She continues to run her mother’s herbal remedies garden and pharmacy while dealing with the infidelity of her husband and his pleas to be accepted again. This is a domestic thriller like no other! It will keep the reader up late trying to find out what Elise decides to do about her marriage and her life in general. There are other very important characters, including Elise’s neighbor and friend Chantal and her ex-husband Brandon. All play an extremely important role in bringing this book to a satisfying and surprising conclusion. Fans of domestic suspense with some psychological drama thrown in will love this book! I know that I did! It is basically a clean read, although there is some violence although it is not graphically described so it is not off-putting.

Thank you to NetGalley, A,J. Banner and Lake Union Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Elise Watters seems to have it all; a loving marriage, a large beautiful house with lavish gardens and a dream job running her mother’s boutique. But one Elise’s first wedding anniversary, she discovers something that will turn her life upside down. She begins to doubt everything and everyone that she knows and she is forced to wonder if paranoia is getting the worst of her.

I needed something to keep my attention after my latest book slump and I’ll tell you that this one definitely did. Right from the beginning there are shocks for the main character and you are left feeling terrible for Elise and wondering what she did to deserve this. I loved how she lived on a little island in the cutest little house and I could just picture the boutique and the gardens! I loved the many shocks that we receive throughout this novel and I wouldn’t have been able to guess most of them! Definitely another page turned by Banner!

Out October 22nd!