Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for allowing me to read a digital ARC of "Mirrorland" by Carole Johnstone, published in April 2021. Please forgive my delay in reading and reviewing this novel.

“Mirrorland” tells the story of two estranged identical twin sisters and the long-buried memories from their childhood. When they were younger, they spent time in a make-believe world as pirates called Mirrorland, their name for a secret covered alley next to their house. Catriona, known as Cat, returns home to Edinburgh to help find her missing twin, Ellice (El). Where is she? Does Cat find El?

“Mirrorland” is an engaging and creepy novel with multiple twists and turns and an unreliable narrator. This is the perfect book for individuals who enjoy intense psychological thrillers.

I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but it has been four years and I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

This was a well written mystery. There were plenty of plot twists. A few times I was sure I had figured out the mystery and then something else happened and I wasn’t so sure after all. Trying to find a missing woman who happens to be an identical twin has to be very confusing for the people who are looking for the person. All of the reactions that Cat gets from strangers and friends are what you may expect. The clues that have been left behind take you on an intriguing path to find the answers in this mystery.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review, thank you to the publisher.

Mirrorland is a book that I didn't know what to expect going in, but that surprised me SO much. I agreed to read this book because it sounded really interesting, but I generally really struggle with thrillers as they make me feel physically stressed OR I figure out all the twists and turns ages before they happen. But as soon as I started Mirrorland, I was pleasantly surprised.
This story is really fast-paced without making the reader feel like things are going TOO fast, the narrative was strong and I felt the majority of the storyline to be well executed. The flashbacks to the past were also well handled. There was an uneasy feeling all throughout the book, building up to the grand finale, and I felt myself getting more and more intrigued as I went. It was just impossible for me to put this book down because I was completely invested in the story.
I gave Mirrorland 4 stars, because unfortunately, some events at the end just seemed way too far fetched. The book is already based on a rather unique circumstance - Mirror Twins - and the final explanations at the end just seemed completely impossible to me. I was a bit let down by the ending that I found just very underwhelming and completely impossible, but apart from that I really enjoyed the story and found the writing to be very good and engaging.

BOOK REVIEW ALERT – Review, Recommendation, Rating & Opinion are my own.

The novel begins with Cat returning to her childhood home after learning that her estranged twin sister, El, has gone missing. The house, known as Mirrorland, is filled with secret passages and hidden rooms, each steeped in the fantasy world the sisters created when they were young. As Cat navigates the labyrinthine structure of Mirrorland, she begins to unravel the secrets buried in their past.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Mirrorland is more than just a physical space; it is a manifestation of the sisters’ imaginations and traumas. Through a series of flashbacks and present-day discoveries, Cat confronts the dark truths about their childhood and the events that led to El’s disappearance. The line between reality and fantasy blurs, creating a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere that keeps readers on edge.

Rating – 3.0/5 Stars
Recommendation – Moderate

Carole Johnston’s writing is evocative and atmospheric, drawing readers into the eerie world of Mirrorland. Her use of vivid descriptions and psychological depth creates a sense of unease and anticipation. The nonlinear narrative, interspersed with flashbacks and diary entries, adds to the mystery and keeps readers engaged.

This book is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller that explores the dark recesses of the human mind and the power of imagination. The Author weaves a tale of suspense and intrigue, with well-developed characters and a richly detailed setting.

This was such a surprise. Mirrorland tells the story of a blurred line between reality and fantasy and a friendship spanning the years of adolescence. I have never read anything by this author before but this was a great introduction.

I really enjoyed the Blackhouse by this author. This book moved a bit too slow. It is intricate and smart. And boy, that ending! It will make you think.

Found this book incredibly boring and was unable to finish it. I wish I had stuck it out longer, but I just couldn't. Something didn't grab me.

Mirrorland is an atmospheric psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the final pages. When Cat's estranged twin sister El mysteriously vanishes, Cat must revisit their childhood home in Edinburgh and the dark imaginary world they created called Mirrorland. With chilling twists and an ending that will leave you stunned, it's an addictive thriller from start to finish.

I wanted to love this book so much. The people in my book club loved it and hyped it up, saying it was their favorite book of the year so far. So I wanted to love it. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I felt like the book just dragged on and on. The ending was good, slightly predictable if you knew what you were looking for throughout the book. The clues were there. Overall, the book was ok. I’ve read better, and I’ve read worse. I was on page 220 when it finally started to pick up for me. Then I enjoyed it through to the end.

Their childhood made these twins grow closer and lean on each other more than most people would think. Their home environment led tham to invent a magical world where they were invincible. As adults, they outgrew their fantasies and each other. When one twin goes missing, the other will return to their childhood home and revisit those fantasies to find her sister.

Mirrorland is both a dark and forbidding tale and one full of hope and sisterhood. It was an excellent read.

I had such high hopes for Mirrorland. Unfortunately I’m dnfing this one 37% in. I don’t think this author’s writing style works for me.

Thank you to the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Cat goes on a search for her missing mirror twin, El. This book takes you on a journey through imagination and reality. There area a lot of twists and turns that keep you hooked. Read it now!

Thanks to Netgalley, Scribner, and Carole Johnstone for this ARC . My first by this Author, and don’t know why I waited so long to read it..it was so spellbinding for me. I loved every story, every character and loved the ending … it was a combination of thriller, fantasy, fiction, everything I love in a great book.. The back and forth of the stories was at first confusing, but once you get into the rhythm of the book, it all works !
4 stars …and on to my next Carole Johnstone book .

Do you know the feeling you get with certain books that you will like them even though they don’t fit your favourite tropes or genre or anything else tangible to go off of? And yet, you still have this inkling of holding a new fav in your hands?

I had this with Mirrorland. And I’m always super hesitant to start these books … because with high expectations it’s so much easier to be disappointed, even when a book is good. But I’m glad to report that I liked this one!
It took me a bit to really get sucked into the book, the unusual way the story is told took a second to grow on me. But eventually, this was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. Mostly we follow Cat in the present, her coming back to Scotland after finding out her twin sister has gone missing. But slowly the past comes crawling up, old memories surface and reality and their childhood games blend together until you can’t be sure which is which.
Cat is a very flawed character. Not easy to like and she goes through a lot of anger, jealousy and bitterness. But that’s what made her so intriguing to follow. She has a lot of old memories, past trauma and new revelations to work through.

Mirrorland is one of those books where I think the less you know, the better. Let yourself be swept up in the atmosphere and try to solve the mystery with Cat.
I went through all the different emotions while reading this and it just held me captive the whole time.

Would recommend it to: people who like a confusing and emotional reading experience, who appreciate atmospheric writing with a blend of past and present

This one took my brain for a spin in all the right ways. It’s very rare that a book will blow my mind to where I have to sit and really process it before moving forward with my life in the end, but this one did exactly that! Wow…just wow!

Mirrorland was an okay, middle-of-the-road mystery/thriller for me. I wasn't blown away but I also wasn't disappointed that I read it.

An interesting idea and a good story. I liked the how everything wasn't wrapped up and it led to more imaginative storytelling. The characters were likeable and interesting.

First of all thank you to net galley for the arc!

This one really pulled at my heartstrings. I can’t really say much about it right now since it’s still fresh and I’m still crying.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me as I could not get into the writing style or plot. Thank you for the opportunity to try this title out.