This book is set in Ireland and it’s about a couple who ended to live together during COVID-19 pandemic because of the lockdown and one of them is dead!

It was so new and fresh to read a book having a COVID-19 as a topic in it and that what makes me so intriguing to read it and the book reminds me how rough this time was and how hard it was to go outside.

the book so engaging from the first page it was really hard to put it down.

I love the atmospheric of the book alot , I felt like I was watching a mystery movie.

The book was a mix between Romance and mystery thriller and I really enjoyed that a lot. So at First you will read this book as a romantic contemporary book but as you get deeper in it, it will keep getting darker and the characters will get wired and wired through the book.

It was that Kind of books who keep you in peace while reading it for a few chapters and then come up with a mind billowing plot twist that will destroy your serenity and keep you at the edge of your seat .

I love both of the main characters even though they are both kind of wired but the author really did a great job making them lovable even they have a lot of personality issues.

The book was a mix between a flashbacks and current days. and I like that a lot since it added a lot of depth to the story 😍

I actually don’t like the detective / police chapters in the book as much as I love the couple chapters but don’t worry the police chapters are very few !

At the end if you like to read a unique mystery book with a touch of romance and heartbreaking moments I highly recommend this book, also it would be a perfect read in Fall and winter 😉 but please if you love to know the trigger warnings before reading the book check this one out but I will not type it here because this’ll be a spoiler!

Thank you so much @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for providing me this ARC

As I started to read 56 Days, my initial reaction was that I wouldn't enjoy it as I'm not keen on books/TV/films that are referencing the COVID-19 pandemic. However, I was pleasantly surprised, the writing was fantastic, really painting the picture and keeping you on your toes as a reader.

I guessed one of the main twists but not the other (nearer the end of the book) - it was exciting until the end.

Fans of thrillers, pick this one up! :)

Many thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for a copy of the ARC in return for my honest review.

I struggled with this book so very much. I have been picking it up off and on since it was released. I even bought the BOTM book, and have tried audio as well. I will keep my feedback to just here and not share on Goodreads because I don't like leaving low star ratings on there. I felt as if the jumping around in time could have worked better. It was a little too chaotic for me. I understand the layout of telling the story that the author created, it just wasn't my favorite. The twists weren't that shocking, I guessed a couple of them. I felt like the storyline in general could have been something told within around 75-100 pages instead of the 300 that it was. I've seen other people love it though, so that's great!

Loved it!! What a twisty, thrilling and fun read this was! I went into this book not really knowing what to expect but could not put it down and smashed through it in one single day!

There were great twists in this story and the whole book was fantastic but what I really loved is how exciting things got towards the end because the twists and turns were being thrown out left, right and centre, which none of them I saw coming, so I really enjoyed the surprises.

What a great thriller! This was well done and I highly recommend it 😃

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Blackstone Publishing for a copy of this book in return for my honest and voluntary review

just finished 56 Days which was @thebooktroop september pick & wow... that was bad. i only really liked the detective's pov which was at some points hilarious & idk just more interesting ??
we follow Ciara's and Oliver's povs as well from before the murder & they're literally at some points the same. like what they each say in their povs. EXACT SAME ACTIONS like ???? u are two different people, u can't think the same way wtf ??? & then some dialogues were extremely repetitive, word in word, that i had to skip it cuz man i've already read it & i don't wanna read about shit i ALREADY KNOW. i am quite pissed off w this book in that sense. i really wanted to enjoy it, but it's like the author just wanted to get more words out or something so she basically used exact same sentences just to make the story longer.
and also the romance itself ??? TOO QUICK to the point where it's really not realistic at all. they moved in together literally just three weeks after they met basically. i am a slow burn romance lover, so this was just a flat no to me.
i feel frustration after reading this book idk. would not recommend reading this tbh, the only thing that saved it was Lee's pov. the murder itself as well, the ending - so underwhelming. i read it all w a flat af face, not feeling nothing at all lmao.
so yeah, pass.

Obviously, the synopsis of this book is relevant to times and current events: Ciara and Oliver had just started dating after meeting each other in a grocery store checkout line and chatting about a mutual love of NASA (56 days ago). When the first Covid lockdown begins in Dublin (35 days ago), they decide to move into Oliver’s apartment together to avoid the restrictions on socializing with different households and see how their relationship develops. This story is told in both Oliver and Ciara’s point of view. Oliver is keeping a huge secret, that makes him exhausted and anxious; that makes the reader anxious the whole story. As stated, he clearly has a past he’s trying to keep hidden, so although he seems like a very likable fellow readers aren’t sure if he’s the hero or villain of the story. Ciara, his girlfriend of only a few weeks, agrees to shelter in place with him though she perpetually second guesses her decisions. Wouldn’t you wonder who you were living with? I don't want to give too much away so I will end with this: If you enjoy a good puzzling crime fiction novel set in the UK, and don't mind a little unsettling Covid atmosphere, I highly recommend picking up this latest book from Catherine Ryan Howard.

If you want a book that keeps you guessing, then pick up 56 Days! Every time I thought I had something figured out it was something or someone else. The book takes place in Ireland at the beginning of the pandemic. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read a book that talked about COVID seeing how it's still very much a part of our daily lives. BUT this book does talk about it but it's not really what it's about. It's about murder! Now I have your attention I see. Well, I will not give anything away. You want to see what happens you will have to go pick the book up!

Thank you to @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for access to this ebook!

4.5 stars (rounded down to 4)

I’m going to start off by saying, when I first saw this book on BOTM, I was SKEPTICAL. Almost every TV show that has included this real-life story line has been cringey. Now this.. the first Covid-19 book.

But here’s the thing.. it ended up being really, REALLY good! It was based around the pandemic without it being the main theme. For the most part, it was just kind of there in the background. This made the story feel more real, which in turn, made it more creepy!

The mystery and suspense were both super good. The entire time I was bouncing back and forth about where it was headed. It was super fast-paced, and I ended up reading it all in just a few sittings. Also, I just kept thinking.. Can you imagine reading this book before the pandemic? It would be categorized as dystopian! Wild times we’re living in, friends.

Kudos to @cathryanhoward for taking this shit show situation and making something awesome with it. Big shoes to fill for all of the other Covid books that will inevitably follow! Highly recommend this one. I’m not a huge thriller buff, but it’s one of the best I’ve read in a while.

When I first saw this book being advertised, it was described as a “too-real COVID-19 thriller,” when in reality, I feel it is more accurately described as a thriller that takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personally, I enjoyed that the book itself did not revolve exclusively around the virus. It seems clear that the state of the world in the early days of the pandemic inspired the book’s setting and created a perfect scenario for a thriller without exploiting the virus itself. This was not a Contagion scenario, but rather utilized the world setting that COVID-19 created and allowed the plot to play off the emotions people felt at the early stages of lockdown. At times, the dual timeline became confusing (specifically when the past was recounted in one timeline) and I had to remember who knew what when (including myself!).

Overall, I enjoyed the book and felt that the story was captivating and engaging, as you’d expect a thriller to be. However, I did feel that the resolution was a tad hastier than I expected in both the past- and present-day timelines in comparison to the rest of the story.

Take a moment to think back to the early spring of 2020. What was your life like right before the pandemic forced us all into a lockdown? I had just purchased my first home and had spent the week off of work, moving in. I returned to work and was surprised to learn that we were attempting to social distance. Up until that point, COVID was something affecting people on the other end of the world, not something we had to worry about at home. How wrong I was. A week later, everything was shut down and I was working from home, unsure of what the future would hold.

As the pandemic went from being a short two-week lockdown to the long-term "new normal" that we've grown to live with for nearly two years, it was inevitable that this reality would find its way into books. I mean, how could an author avoid at least tangentially touching upon an event that was impacting the majority of civilization? Enter Catherine Ryan Howard and her latest thriller 56 Days. I first learned of her intent to write a "COVID thriller" as she publicized her novel The Nowhere Man during an Instagram Live interview. I was instantly drawn to her willingness to embrace the pandemic head-on. In an ultimate lemonade from lemons scenario, she was attempting to turn the uncertainness that comes with a lockdown into a thriller. As soon as her publisher offered a copy of the novel to me, I jumped at the chance to read her work.

The novel begins innocently enough. When we first meet Ciarra and Oliver, COVID-19 isn't on anyone's mind. The couple meets at the local supermarket and instantly connects over a shared interest in space exploration. Both are new to the city and haven't really put themselves out there up until now. A first date goes well and the pair vow to meet again. Here's where things begin to get tricky. As the couple prepares for date number two, the entire country enters a lockdown. COVID is beginning to spread, so citizens are asked to quarantine with their own households, work from home, and avoid traveling for any "non-essential" needs.

Eager to not lose the momentum of their new relationship, Ciarra and Oliver decided to proceed in an unconventional way. Rather than postpone their next meeting until after the two-week lockdown has been lifted, they decide to quarantine together. As the pair begin their time together, the truth behind their motivations begins to be revealed. Ciarra sees their quartine as a chance to truly get to know each other, find out if their love will flourish, and avoid the scrutiny of her family and friends. Oliver sees things a bit differently. While he tells Ciarra that he's locked down with her for the same reasons, he is actually keeping something from her. He knows that if Ciarra learned of his true identity, their relationship would be over in an instant. What Ciarra doesn't know can't hurt her. Or can it?

In 56 Days Catherine Ryan Howard spins the COVID pandemic into a devilishly twisted thriller that strings the reader along through paranoia-driven suspense. She employs shifting perspectives and jumps back and forth in time to slowly reveal her hand, only giving the reader a tease of the things to come with each chapter. I'm always a bit hesitant at this tactic, but Ryan Howard uses it to maximum effect. My enjoyment of the novel was probably heightened by my own connection to quarantining during the pandemic. Every time a new ripple of the COVID crisis unfolded, I was reminded of my own experience going through those same developments. As such, it will be interesting to see how the novel plays when we are further removed from that history. With a timely plot, intriguing characters, and a twist ending that I didn't see coming, 56 Days gave me everything I could have dreamed of in a COVID thriller. I hope to work my way back to The Nowhere Man soon and will be eager to read whatever Catherine Ryan Howard conjures up next.

After The Nothing Man, Catherine became my auto buy author! So naturally I requested 56 days without knowing what it was about. But after reading the synopsis I truly was reluctant to read because the story is set during this current pandemic times which no one thought would get worse with time.

A fictional story is meticulously connected with the COVID-19 times and spun into a crime cocoon that releases itself as a beautiful butterfly at the end. The narration is from past to present with intriguing and frightening corners! Not as amazing as The Nothing Man, but definitely a good one!

Thank you Blackstone via Netgalley for the arc.

OH MY GOD how much I loved this book! It was beautiful from start to finish, with twists and turns I did not foresee in terms of the plot, but also the characters. Beautifully written. I loved the alternative timelines as it kept the suspense going. This is one of my favourite books of 2021. Aaaaaaand it has the bonus effect of being the first book, especially thriller, that I have read having happened in the middle of the UK's national lockdown.
I fell I cannot say any more without spoiling it.

When I started reading 56 days, I didn’t realize it took place at the beginning of Covid lockdown (that’s on me for jumping in blind). And to be honest, I don’t know that I would have started this book had I known. If you’re looking for a total escape from our current reality, this might not be the book for you. But all this to say I’m glad I didn’t know about the Covid of it all and started the book anyway, because I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

Just when you think you know where things are headed, Catherine Ryan Howard masterfully throws you twist after twist. The thriller jumps around in time and has a few different narrators making it just incredibly entertaining. So again, if you have it in you to read a book set at the beginning Covid, definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my gifted copy.

All I want to do is escape the pandemic, but this book set in the thick of Covid-19 was impossible to put down. If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is. The thrillers I've read thus far this year have mostly been let downs, but this was a perfect five star read with twists and turns I never saw coming.

Ciara and Oliver meet in Dublin shortly before the city and entire country enter a Covid-19 lockdown. Each is initially private and guarded, but as their relationship grows, they move in together during the lockdown. How well will they get to know each other as a result? Will this turn into an opportunity for a future together?

In 56 Days, Catherine Ryan Howard has created a masterly woven tale of suspense with twists and turns that keep readers on the edges of their seats. Her well-plotted revelations turn the story's trajectory in unexpected ways, making this a compelling page-turner.

✨Book Review✨
56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This book was so weird, but I really enjoyed it. The best way to describe it is a pandemic thriller where nothing is as it seems.
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First off, reading a book about Covid was SO bizarre, but I oddly loved it. It was not super heavy on the pandemic, but it was a light backdrop to the story. In this book, two people meet and fall in like at the very start of the pandemic in Ireland. With their city about to go into lockdown, they must decide, do they stop seeing each other or move in together?
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I really loved how you never really knew what was going on in this book, but not in a confusing way. I found myself excited to pick this book back up each night when I got home from work. I very much felt that I was inside their world.
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While there were some predictable things about the ending, there were definitely other things that I did not at all see coming. This was a decent psychological thriller that I would recommend if you need a bit of an escape and aren't bothered by the light pandemic backdrop.

6.86 on CAWPILE

This one is somewhere between a high 3 and a 4 star and I haven't fully committed to either yet. I was definitely intrigued and it kept em reading especially after half way. The plot twists I kind of saw and also definitely didn't. I didn't really think the "Today" portions were entirely necessay. Their only point seemed to be to keep you reading because you knew someone was dead, but that could have easily been done in the prologue alone. I'm also not 100% sure why the COVID angle was necessary. Yes, it was a big part of the book, but it also served no real purpose for the plot other than to hide a body for weeks.

Overall, if you were thinking of trying this one I say give it a go. Once I got used to the writing style, I enjoyed her way of storytelling and will read more from this author in the future.

Girl and boy meet at the beginning of Covid and decide to quarantine together. Great idea, right? Not so much when you learn that both are hiding secrets about who they really are and what their ulterior motives are. The book has a significant number of timeline transitions which do not translate seamlessly so it was a bit of a struggle to stay engaged.

I've heard people say 'it's too soon for a COVID/quarantine/shelter in place themed novel', but I don't agree and thought this was well done!

The pandemic didn't feel like that ran the story or was the main focus so to me it wasn't a distraction from the mystery of who dunnit. I half guessed the ending, but did get a part of it wrong!

COVID-19 horror book, what a fun concept! The mystery unfolds in a nice pace and is truly scary as there are so many new ways for life to be evil with the new world we are living in. How has covid affected crime and was it a perfect time to commit murder or what really happened?