Dark Things I Adore is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Dark Things I Adore today.

This was an interesting mystery. The story is told with 4 POV. Audra is your main POV. She's the one with the plan, the barely concealed anger and the most vague of all the characters. Max is another POV, unfortunately. I didn't think his POV was necessary and I hated every time a chapter started with him. There is also Juniper, a girl at a camp for artists and we learn about her, her huge group of friends and this art community. Finally, there are notes that give little info to start - some are poems but most are little notes about depression, goals and love. It's hard, for at least the first 200+ pages, to really see how all these storylines go together. It's slow paced, meandering, and it was hard to push through. Once you get through about half way, it speeds up and you get more details and a lot of reveals. But for me, that was about 100 pages too little too late. I wish I'd liked this more but it was just too slow. The ending was shocking through, heartbreaking and gasp-worthy and deserved an extra star!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! This book is a satisfying thriller. There were some twists that even with the nicknames being used (or initials rather than names) were easy to puzzle out, but the journey was still entertaining.

A really enjoyable thriller!! I read the description of this and was hooked. The novel didn’t disappoint - kept me guessing.

A lot of people have enjoyed this but apparently it is just not my cup of tea. There are a lot of characters and two timelines so it made it difficult for me to sink into this book. If you like Gone Girl type mystery though this may be a great one to try.

The best thing I can say about this one was that it was a fairly quick read. It is told in two timelines, Both of which are quite distinct and easy to follow. I love a good revenge story so I was happy with that thing throughout the book. Somethings throughout the book were quite obvious and just got Tedious but I can’t explain further I don’t want to give any spoilers :). It was also pretty obvious to me what was going on in the Audra/max storyline. And man kind of came off as an idiot for both not putting things together and just in general with his choices. Possibly because he was so full of himself he couldn’t see the glaring hints she was trying to give him. It does in the end wrap up nicely and everything is explained so you don’t get left still confused. I just have to say I don’t really love books with no good twists and this was one of them I had figured them out way early on. This book just wasn’t for me it wasn’t enough.

I received a copy of Dark Things I Adore by Katie Lattari through Net Galley for an honest review. I wish I would have read this sooner. I found this novel a little confusing, set in dual timelines. But when the story comes together it becomes clear and very worth it.

This was a very dark psychological thriller as the title indicates. The story has dual time periods and characters are given code names so that we don't really know who was guilty of what until the very end, which was clever of the author. There was a lot going on in this and at times I found myself losing track. I got confused between the two main male characters as well. The suspense was high throughout and there was a well-plotted twist at the end, which left me satisfied. Overall, the book was a bit too depressing for my taste but was still a worthwhile read and will appeal to many.

First of all I love books set in the 1980s, my era. It is told in 2 timelines. 1980-2018. It was easy to follow but I didnt like the involvement of the art society. Kind of turned me off!

Did not get to this book in 2021.
My review is not a reflection of the work or the writing/plot itself, but rather speaks to other books that caught my attention more.
Hate I didn't manage to squeeze this one in, but there are so many books and only so much time.

I would look to Goodreads or other reviewers on Netgalley who read the title and will offer their unbiased opinion.

Katie Lattari's Dark Things I Adore is twisty and creepy. It's a story that takes you from 2018 when Audra and her art professor are going on a weekend vacay to go over Audra's thesis - and perhaps more, if the professor gets his way, and 1988 at an artist's retreat camp where secrets are buried. How does it all connect? You'll love finding your way as you read this book.

Audra and her professor, Max, are alone in Audra's home in the Maine woods to go over her thesis, but little does Max know that the entire weekend has been orchestrated by Audra. Why? Because of something that happened in 1988 in those same Maine woods.

This book was first recommended to me by Reading Group Guides, but I wasn't able to get a review copy before the book's September publication date. It was worth the wait, though. I think this would make a great book club discussion. It's a book about men who take what they want and what happens when one woman says "enough". It's a revenge story, and you're never quite sure how it's going to end.

Dark Things I Adore is published by Sourcebooks Landmark and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-ARC.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was probably one of my favorite reads so far this year. I thought it was phenomenally well written and well paced. The plot was captivating and kept me engaged throughout. The characters were intriguing. Not a one of them likable, but I don't think we were meant to like them. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I didn't really feel the "Gone Girl" vibe, however I think this would make a great movie or series (taps 🎙️ Netflix...). And the ending was satisfying. With a nice little "twist" throw our way. So yeah, just a really solid read that gets two thumbs up from yours truly!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Going to be honest and say I really did not like either of the main characters in this novel, at times it made the going hard. Set across two time periods this debut novel introduces us to Art Professor (self centred jerk) Max and his latest protege Audra. They are on their way to spend a weekend at Audra's house, focussing on her art (Max wants to check out her etchings lol). The other time (1988) centres around a group of young artists and their struggles. The link between the two time periods becomes obvious as the story progresses and takes aa few very dark twists. This was ok and I think I would have enjoyed it more if some of the main characters were a tad more likable.

I wished to read this one largely drawn to the intriguing title and the lovely cover. The premise of an arts community in Maine and bringing forth the turbulent past added to its appeal for me - and I quite thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

It's quite well-written - with the story spanning decades and three narrators and descriptions of a haunting art exhibit made from mixed media - all based in mysterious found notes. The characters, along with their artistic egos, all come to life here. The plot may not hold too many surprises for some readers (the Lupine Valley nicknames and some other identities I correctly guessed early on), but the pacing and the tension kept my attention from start to finish. The characters aren't always sympathetic, but the story itself is engrossing. It's a terrific debut thriller and while I had hoped for a few more twists, it's also satisfying to have all of your hunches proven right! I also greatly appreciated the Lisa Frank stationery references and the flair pens! Plus the artwork described sounded so stunning! The Maine setting also adds to the fun! I am definitely curious to see what Lattari writes next!

This book was very interesting. The writing was lyrical and shared some similarities with the art it described - personal, abstract, jumping back and forth in timelines and subjects, full of color and atmosphere.

The book begins with two seemingly unrelated storylines. The first takes place in 1998, at a sort of art commune in the woods, where everyone lives and loves intensely while creating their art. At the beginning, I was slightly less compelled by this storyline, but grew more interested as the stories began to converge.

The second, and more interesting to me, storyline was about an older, clearly creepy art professor named Max who has come to visit one of his young and beautiful students at her secluded home. Max is clearly consumed with the desire to possess the talented and beautiful Audra, both artistically and sexually. But Audra is more of a cipher. What is her motivation and what plans does she have in store for Max?

What I liked about this story was the very interesting undercurrent and theme about artistic inspiration. Why does art arise only out of pain for some people? And why does a certain type of artist thrive specifically on objectifying and even hurting female subjects to make art? I thought these issues were thought-provoking and they were presented in a very interesting and unique way here. I also LOVED the ending. The first half of the book was a bit slower and meandered a little bit before getting to that very powerful and compelling ending, so it took me a little while to get to the enjoyment of this unique book.

Karie Lattari is a creative and interesting new writer with a lot of potential. I really look forward to seeing what she might do in her next book if she can tighten up the plot somewhat and make the whole book as intense and creative as the last half of this one. Ultimately moving, thoughtful and unique. 3.75 stars.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this interesting ARC!

Overall this was just ok. I found the 1988 storyline to be somewhat better than the 2018. Max seemed like the dumbest type of character and that combined with he slowness and all the art talk and details left me bored for a lot of the book

4.5 stars. A dark, twisted psychological thriller about men who use women, and the women who get revenge. The novel alternates between present day (2018) and the past (1988) to weave the story of tortured artists and things that go wrong. In present day, Audra has invited her art professor to her home in remote Maine for the weekend to see her graduate thesis project. She has a very specific agenda. In the past, artists gather in Lupine Valley, an artist camp/refuge in Maine, to create and learn and bond. But nothing is idyllic, and everyone has secrets and a past they're trying to hide.

Three campfire secrets. Two witnesses. One dead in the trees. And the woman, thirty years later, bent on making the guilty finally pay.

1988. A group of outcasts gather at a small, prestigious arts camp nestled in the Maine woods. They're the painters: bright, hopeful, teeming with potential. But secrets and dark ambitions rise like smoke from a campfire, and the truths they tell will come back to haunt them in ways more deadly than they dreamed.

2018. Esteemed art professor Max Durant arrives at his protégé's remote home to view her graduate thesis collection. He knows Audra is beautiful and brilliant. He knows being invited into her private world is a rare gift. But he doesn't know that Audra has engineered every aspect of their weekend together. Every detail, every conversation. Audra has woven the perfect web.

Only Audra knows what happened that summer in 1988. Max's secret, and the dark things that followed. And even though it won't be easy, Audra knows someone must pay.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for granting my wish and gifting me a digital copy of the debut thriller by Katie Lattari

I loved it!

I'm a sucker for "art stories" and this one hit all the right notes for me.

It was dark and complex and very hard to believe this is the author's debut. Wow. Cannot wait for the next one.

A tale of vengeance, two storylines, 3 POV's, campfire, secrets, complicity academia, and artistic genius!

1988 - Prestigious art camp in the Maine woods

They are gathered around the fire, they have potential, they are driven, they have ambition. They never thought about the truths they told and how it will come back to haunt them.

2018 - A remote home

Max, an art professor, has arrived at his protégé's (Audra) remote home to view her thesis collection. Little does he know that she has planned everything to a "T” She knows his secret. She knows what happened in 1988...

I found this to be slow and even when it grabbed my attention, it didn't completely "Wow" me. First off, I am not a fan of the whole "Gone girl" comparison that many book publisher’s tout. It irks me. I think we all know when we read books in certain genres that there may be unreliable narrators and/or there is going to be twists and reveals. Plus, I think books should stand on their own merit. There is an audience for this book and many are enjoying this book. Getting off my soap box now...

But I did enjoy this book. I am not the biggest fan of slow builds or books on the slower side, so in parts - especially those in 2018, I wanted things to hurry up and get going already. The 1988 timeline was more enjoyable and worked better for me. Plus, I won’t lie, I enjoy works of art, but I have found that I'm not such a fan of a lot of talk about it. Yes, this book involves artists, art professors, etc. so talk of art is to be expected but....

It sounds like I am griping because I am. I love the title of this book and the synopsis was enticing but the slowness really brought the book down for me. I so wanted to love this. There is a good story here and while, I enjoyed it, I didn't love it as others did. So do yourself a favor and read their reviews as well.

Although there were parts that did not work for me, I found it to be enjoyable but slow. I would happily read this author again.

**How about that cover!?! Perfect for this time of year.


Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the arc of this book. It started out slow.and I didn't really get it for a while. The nicknames were confusing and made it hard to keep track of everyone. It also made the book slower - I had no idea what was going on until well into the book. I think people who are artistic would love the descriptions in this book - colors, light, shadows. For me, it was a bit much, but I can't imagine it. After I understood the story, I loved it.