Wow, I don't even know what to say. This book kept me guessing. We touched base on mental health and addiction. We lose since of reality a time or two and it just makes one think. I did not picture the outcome, not a single once. Very well done.

A dark and compelling read. Norah Campbell has managed to turn her life around after a stint in rehab and now wants to start a new life with her daughter. Unfortunately, her aunt and uncle who had custody of her daughter, Gemma, aren't so convinced this is a good idea. As Norah tries to re-establish herself within the family, things take a turn for the worse and the battle for Gemma begins and not everyone is playing fair. The Secrets of Cedar Farm deals with drug addiction and the repercussions on family life while simultaneously blending in suspense and tension as the main characters tries to win back her young daughter. A good, hard hitting, edge of the seat read.

Disappointing read overall. Predictable and the ending was very rushed. I enjoyed Carissa's book Whisper Island and was looking forward to this one, but it wasn't for me.

This was a new to me author and one I'd definitely be interested in reading more from in the future.
To be completely honest this book wasn't quite what I was expecting but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I still found myself mostly captivated from cover to cover, trying to put all the pieces together of who or what you could trust.
On top of the mystery this is an inspiring story full of hope, that lives full of mistakes can be turned around if you keep fighting.

One of my favorite auto-read authors is Carissa Ann Lynch. I started reading her books years ago with Have you Seen This Girl? back in 2015 and from that day on, I have made sure to read all her books that she has published since as each one is just as good as the previous book especially if you love thrillers. In The Secrets of Cedar Farm, it started with Norah Campbell heading to her aunt’s place to reunite with her daughter. Norah's fiancé Finn died of an overdose and this caused Norah to head to rehab so that she could start a new life for her daughter Gemma. Whilst in Rehab, Gemma went to live with Norah's mother's sister Sarah and her husband Francis. When Norah gets there though, things are very strange and off-putting as Norah can't spend any time with her daughter alone and they are acting as if Norah is intruding on their perfectly created life and also Gemma is acting odd. During the book, we read as Norah is being gaslighted by Sarah and Francis and taught that she is a bad mother. During this time, Norah decides to do some recon of her own as she knows something is up and what she will find is a body. What will happen though when she tries to go to the authorities? Who will they believe? Francis and Sarah - pillars of the community or Norah - a former drug addict. Can Norah get to the bottom of the strange things happening and save her daughter and in doing so, may have to make a phone call to the one person she never thought she would need to rely on. I liked the twist of this book as I had a feeling, but I did get a surprise when the actual killer was revealed. If you love thrillers and skeletons not only in the closet but also the ground, then you will Carissa Ann Lynch's The Secret of Cedar Farm.

Whoa…. Did not see that ending coming!!! Thank the lord for friends with spidey senses! I really loved this one, Lynch once again did not disappoint with a twisty story!

Psychological thriller about not only a farmhouse that reminds you of horror movies but also about family secrets. warning that it is a story about addiction (which may be a trigger for some) but also about redemption. I've never ready anything from this author before but plan to check more of her work out. Good at keeping your attention and wanting to read more. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for a review.

This was a different genre for me and I am glad that I read it but it is very triggering. It is very fast paced and I did enjoy it, so would recommend. It is not a book though that you can read in one session, I had to pause reflect and then go back to it. So it took me a while to read

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

When I pick up a book by Carissa Ann Lynch I know I am in for a wonderful time! The Secrets of. Cedar Farm is her latest that arrived today, January 29, 2022 and I was not disappointed. This book has a lot going on with it. Lynch covers some sensitive issues and she does it well. She definitely did her homework with this one. There is the topic of addiction that is spoken of throughout the book along with its struggles of dealing with it and all that follows when you overcome it! It also has friendship, love, forgiveness and murder. This is a well written book that keeps your attention from the very start all the way to the very end. There is an aura of creepiness throughout this one that really holds your attention. The twist and turns are there and will keep you guessing throughout! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it to all thriller lovers! Thank You Carissa Ann Lynch for another fantastic thriller! I look forward to the next one!!

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins and Carissa Ann Lynch for an advanced copy of this tremendous book in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley, #thesecretsofcedarhill #carissaannlynch # harpercollins #arc

4.5 stars

The Secrets of Cedar Farm by Carissa Anne Lynch is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Harper Collins, One More Chapter and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Norah Campbell is a recovering addict, with 90 days clean.  She is just out of rehab.  Her world exploded when her fiancé died, and then her daughter Gemma was taken away.

The good news was that Norah's Aunt Sara and her husband took temporary custody of Gemma so that she didn't end up in foster care.  Norah was rather surprised that they stepped up, because she barely knew them.

But now she wants Gemma back, and it won't be easy.  Norah moves in with her aunt and uncle, so that they can see that her intentions are good and that they can trust her with Gemma.  But from the start, things are weird, and it quickly becomes evident that not everything is as it seems.

 
My Opinions:   
This was a really fast and entertaining read.  It was also a rather creepy read...I'd love to explore that house!

The book is about addiction, recovery, and mental illness.  It is also about how far a mother would go to save her child.

I loved the main character, but because of her background, I started wondering if I was dealing with an unreliable narrator.  The author definitely gave me somebody to root for when she gave me Norah.  The other characters were just as good (well, not always good, but....)

I am not sure if the author is a friend of Bill W's, but she definitely did the research.  The addiction recovery segments read true.

Overall, it was a really enjoyable read....and I will continue to watch for her books.

Nothing is stronger than a Mom and her child. Or maybe I should say nothing should be. Norah has just made it through rehab and was grateful to her aunt and uncle for taking temporary custody of her daughter, but now she wants to resume the role of mother. She’s ready to be the Mom she should have been, but her family has other ideas.

This is a story not only about the power of addiction, but also the road to redemption. All wrapped up in a psychological thriller. And I liked that the chapter headings took you through the 12-step process of becoming clean and sober. Always tying things back to the root of Norah’s trouble.

The eerie farmhouse her family lives in was almost like another character and had me a little more than creeped out at times. And I spent most of the novel trying to figure out exactly how reliable a narrator Norah was since she is a recovering addict. I’ll let you judge that for yourself.

I love when I am reading a thriller, and I am surprised when I am supposed to be. Since I read so many suspenseful books, I have become quite adept at knowing where we are heading, and I can say there were a couple of moments that caught me off guard.

I really think psychological thriller lovers will enjoy this one.

I've read a previous book by Carissa and enjoyed it immensely so I was hoping for a similar vibe to this book and she totally smashed it again. The story follows Norah who has hit rock bottom in life. Its one of those reads you cant put down because you just need to find out the conclusion. Loved it and cant wait to see what she wriites about next

The Secrets of Cedar Farm by Carissa Ann Lynch is a thriller about Norah Campbell. Her fiance' overdosed, she lost custody of her daughter, and she was sent to a treatment center. Now, she's completed her treatment, and she wants to get custody of her daughter Gemma back from her aunt and uncle. But, when she gets to their farmhouse and starts talking to them, she realizes that something strange is going on; and she's going to have to figure out what exactly is happening before she can take Gemma home with her. This story was very compelling and thrilling. It was also a pretty short read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was good but I found myself saying something I never say about books- it should have been longer! I felt like it went 0 to 100 and could have used more character and plot development; it felt rushed. It was a page turner though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

I love stories that are unexpected and unique. This is one of those books that I am not sure how to quite define or categorize since so many different genres come to mind. All I can say is you should grab this one and give it a read.

The plot is interesting and the characters almost believable but the whole book seems rather dragged out. The author likes to say the same thing a number of different ways and really there is no need because the story is entertaining.

I really wanted to love this book. I would give it 2.5 stars. I enjoyed it but the ending felt so rushed and that there were pieces to the story missing. Why were these people like this? Didn't she suspect anything when these people show up out of the blue. Norah hasn't seen then or talked to them in years? How did they even know Norah needed help? Norah knew there was something creepy going on, but didn't document anything. Why didn't she take pictures of what she found in the shed? I enjoyed the build up of the mystery/thriller but I ended up having so many questions when the truth about everything was finally revealed.

Recommend giving the book a try, it just wasn't for me. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a quick book, it kept me in the edge of my seat!
Norah is trying to get her life back together after spending time in rehab. Her Aunt and Uncle have temporary custody of her daughter. Things are not what they seem in this house. Why does her Aunt act so strange and what is her Uncle up to in the middle of the night. It’s a twisted story.
I enjoyed it! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I adore this author's books and was excited to get this one!

A thriller/mystery, but there is always such an amazing storyline to go along with it. This one, despite the creepy farmhouse and the even creepier aunt and uncle, delves deep into addiction, recovery and redemption.

Norah is sent to rehab for her drug addiction and her daughter, Gemma, was sent to live with Aunt Sara and Uncle Francis. Nora returns from rehab to reunite with Gemma. But it seems her aunt and uncle aren't so keen on that idea.

Norah does some investigating and things don't add up. Strange things happen. And it's creepier than we imagined.

Patricia and Jana befriend Norah and try to help her in her quest to regain custody of Gemma. There are so many twists and turns and unexpected events.

I don’t want to give away much more. You need to read this one if you like a good creepy family suspense/thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for the ARC of this book.

Whenever I want to lose myself in a thriller that will grab me by the throat and never let go, I know I can turn to Carissa Ann Lynch. Her latest novel did just that.

THE SECRETS OF CEDAR FARM is spooky and mysterious, with a cast of characters who never quite reveal their true motives and a creepy farmhouse that becomes a character of its own.

Having lost custody of her young daughter, Gemma, to distant relatives when she was sent to rehab, Norah is now in recovery and wants her back. Returning to Cedar Farm for the first time since her own childhood, Norah discovers that her odd and slightly creepy Aunt Sara and Uncle Francis, aren’t willing to let Gemma go without a fight.

Lynch masterfully weaves together a story about family secrets in a way that kept me guessing all the way through. She also handled the topic of addiction and recovery with great care and honesty. From the stigma that follows Norah, to the emotional toll of her daily battle to stay clean, Lynch paints a vivid picture of her struggles.

Fast-paced and full of twists, THE SECRETS OF CEDAR FARM is a story about motherhood, family, redemption and forgiveness. Get your copy on January 29.

Thank you to Harper Collins for my advance reading copy.