Some books make me love the art of writing and the joy of reading, and this is that kind of book. It inspires me to write and makes me want to keep reading.

These characters are incredible, they are real and relatable and hilarious. I laughed a lot during this book. And wow the men in this story, wow I loved them a heck of a lot, Eddie and Noah are now why I have very high standards for men.
The story was so attractive, kept me on the edge of my seat the whole story. It was spooky and it was so good, I may or may not have wanted to sleep with the lights on every night while reading this.

I can not recommend this book enough!

Thank you NetGalley for ARC copy in exchange for a honest review!

Wow! From the moment you start to read to the very end, you will be drawn in!

My first thought was “This is really creepy and I’m glad it’s morning and I’m not camping!!!” Haha! I struggled to get through my To Do List so that I could just sit and read. 

The characters and storyline are deep and so well developed you feel like you are right there in the middle of it. Jaime Jo Wright will blow you away with her talent at weaving a tale that will keep you jumping at the slightest noise! You won’t want to miss this book!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was unde

I don't read a lot of scary books, mostly because I like sleeping at night. :D Jaime Jo Wright's books are one exception, sort of: I read every single one--but not at bedtime! LOL!

This is a fantastic read, perfect as we enter spring and summertime and the promise of campfire stories. (It's a bit fitting that I can smell wood smoke through my open windows as I write this review ...) I was reminded of many vacations over the years, where cousins, more family, and friends would gather around the campfire and swap stories--some creepy, some funny. I may not remember much beyond the classic campfire song "Have you seen the ghost of Tom?" but, like Anne of Green Gables, that sense of being "deliciously scared" lingers, in the best way. (Hmm, I just googled the "ghost of Tom" song and went down quite the rabbit trail. Ha! But I digress.)

Impeccable timeslip, as ever; actually, Wright may be at her best with this one, as it unpredictably deviates from her previous books. I guessed a few elements of it, but others, I was entirely surprised. Yesssss. :) And talk about some mic-drops at the end--"Way to go, Noah," is all I'll say!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A perfect blend of intrigue, mystery, and thriller that left me riveted in my seat. I was prepared to be creeped out but found this not to be the case. There are intense scenes and moments of suspense but found them wound together in such a way as to create the perfect mystery. I loved how the stories blended together despite being decades apart. The chapters switched back and forth at exactly the right moments, providing the perfect chance to catch my breath and pull myself together before switching to the other story. It was this exacting pace that kept me glued from start to finish.
I loved Ava’s willingness to stand up for what is right and speak truth, even when she questioned things herself. Noah’s willingness to fight for Ava was a powerful example of loving others. In the modern setting, Wren wrestles with feeling out of place. I love the sanctuary she found with people who saw her and loved her as she was.
I was so caught up in both women’s story that did not see the outcome until it completely unfolded. Wow. I was blown away by the creativity and masterful storytelling in this book.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Jaime Jo Wright knocks it out of the park again! Her talents truly lie in taking two stories that cover very deep topics and weaving them together beautifully.

This is definitely Jaime Jo Wright’s best—and creepiest—book yet. It kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end.

Okay, seriously, I am STUNNED!!!! Completely & utterly stunned! My mind is still reeling from that ending!!! Before reading this one, I was always unable to choose a favourite of Jaime’s books because they are all so good… but now… this... this is the best book she’s ever written!! And it’s not even close!

A word of warning - don’t be like me & read it at night with the lights off… 😂 This book is SCARY! Probably Jaime’s scariest, to be honest. But it’s the right kind of scary! All the suspense/thriller/creepy vibes… but definitely no horror. Which is what I’m all about! I love a good thriller but I can’t handle horror! And Jaime finds that balance perfectly every single time!! And along with being her scariest, it might also be one of her best suspense plots!

The concept is of a spooky campfire tale about a girl who murdered her family that seems to have actually come to life… spooky right? And as usual, she’s given us a dual timeline… the contemporary one, where our MC is trying to help find a missing little girl & discover whether there is any truth to this campfire tale. And the historical timeline, where things get interesting… because our MC is the girl from said campfire tale & we get to learn alongside her what really happened!! And I promise you I never saw it coming!!!!! In either timeline!!! Honestly, my mind is completely blown!!!!

And of course being Jaime, there’s not just brilliant suspense, but deep and complex characters & oh, I love all of the characters in this book! They’re so nuanced and layered and honestly, I could go on for hours… they’re just SO good!
So beautifully developed on the page and so beautifully broken and flawed, but growing. I don’t how she does it, but each book she writes, the character and theme development just seems to get stronger and stronger… and this one, just wow!, I actually don’t have words for these characters!! Still, I could continue raving for hours, but I won’t! I’ll just leave it at this - this was, by far, the best book I’ve read this year. And it’s going to take an incredible book to top it!!

Cannot possibly recommend it highly enough!!!!

Thank you @bethanyhousefiction and @netgalley for ARC. I was only required to provide an honest review in return.

If you like spine-tingling romance with a twist of spookiness, then you will love The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright.

This absorbing tale begins with a ghost story and morphs into so much more. The author keeps you on the edge of your seat, helpless to put the book down and walk away.

Ava Coons is 13 years old in 1923 when she comes out of the forest, covered in blood and carrying an axe. Her family is all dead, yet no one can find their bodies. So naturally, the entire town assumes a 13-year-old girl somehow overcame her father, mother and brothers and hacked them to death. With sarcasm and wit, Ava asks that question repeatedly, but when two more murders happen with an axe, years later, she is once again the prime suspect.

While some people believed she was innocent, the hysteria and fears of the town take on new levels as they search for Ava, and no one is thinking clearly. They are out for blood, and Ava is at a loss as to how to prove her innocence.

Fast forward in time to Wren Blythe, and the story of Ava Coons is basically a ghost story. But a child has gone missing, and Wren is positive she saw Ava Coons in the woods. How these two women connect is a brilliant piece of storytelling. I will not give anything away because it's too good!

I loved the romantic interests in both periods. They had all the feels! I loved that the surprise reveals came more than once. Just when you think you figured it out, another twist is thrown in. The author definitely keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

If you like a good mystery with spooky suspense, you need to put Souls of Lost Lake on your reading list.

I received this book courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley.

I really like this author. I’m not even the intended audience for her books (I’m not a faith-based reader) but I really enjoy her spooky Wisconsin settings and atmospheric dual-time stories. They’re not perfect, but if you’re looking for something that’s got a positive core amid gruesome murder scenes and Wisconsin’s mysterious north woods, look no further.

First 5 Star rating in a while!

Alternating between the past and present, this thriller had me throwing out wild suspicions throughout and I still guessed incorrectly!

I loved this so much. I enjoy when I can't guess the ending, that's the reason Thrillers are one of my favorite genres.

The writing style is superb, grabs your attention and holds it. The characters were likable and relatable from both timelines.

There was a bit of campfire legend and a hint of a supernatural aspect in thitimeliness.

Looking for a fantastic Thriller? Grab this! I will be reading the rest of this author works.

The Souls of Lost Lake
True confession: my favorite genre is historical novels. I do not read fantasy, or sci-fi, or ghost stories. I like my feet firmly planted in reality. So, as I began this mystery, ghost story I was prepared to not like it. But by the end, I took a deep breath and enjoyed the well told story of 2 women with issues of needing to belong somewhere, and the mental health issues of those people surrounding the women in both time periods. I do rather like stories with split timelines. The romance in the story was subdued, which is how I like it. The author had a clear way of placing you in either Ava, or Wren’s point of view. So, by the end I was quite satisfied with the story. It was 4 star story at the close. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy.

The storyline was not bad, though I preferred Ava's side of the tale. The writing style is not quite the type that keeps me engrossed as I found myself slowly losing interest. Maybe because I couldn't really capture the main characters in my mind's eye. But that twisty ending really caught me by surprise!

“Ava Coons was out there. In the woods. She wandered there. She wanders there still. Ava Coons and the souls she has buried there, and the souls she still takes from time to time. The souls of Lost Lake.”

“Dead, dead, they’re all dead. Came today and chopped off their heads. Put them in pieces, in bits and in blood. Laid them in death in a pile in the mud.”

“We’re all lost in our own ways. Some of us just hide when we shouldn’t. We hide in our grief, in our minds, in our pain . . . in the woods.”

4.5 Stars Out Of 5

Another fantastic dual timeslip novel by the always amazing Jaime Jo Wright. I just love how her books build and build and ultimately the two timelines mesh together to satisfying conclusions. She gives sprinkles of clues along the way while never revealing too much. And it just makes you want to keep reading.

Each book of hers is so different and yet so distinctly Jaime Jo’s voice. The Souls of Lost Lake has the great gothic elements of all her books with the perfect amount of creepiness. This time she uses a current timeline of a Christian camp (as a former Christian camp goer, counselor, and dean, I enjoyed this aspect) and a timeline of 1930 about a 20-something woman named Ava Coons suspected of chopping up her family with an axe when she was 13. In the current timeline, campfire ghost stories about Ava Coons still exist. I love, how as a Christian author, Jaime Jo Wright is never afraid to go there.

I enjoyed the character of Arwen Blythe in the current timeline. Both she and Ava in the 1930’s have different circumstances but at the same time, there are similarities in how they each feel lost. And being lost and found and who you truly are, are some of the resounding themes in this book. And I liked the Christian elements as well.

I will say that I figured out and guessed some of the reveals. But honestly there are so many reveals that I could not guess them all so there were some nice twists and surprises. If it were not for those things I did not see coming, I might have gone with 4 stars. But there were enough terrific and entertaining moments to round this up to 5 stars.

I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Jaime Jo Wright knocked another one out of the park! This book follows Arwen "Wren" Blythe, who grew up at a camp where her dad has the job of Christian education, and campfire tales feel very very real. The tale of Ava Coons, who supposedly murdered her family and then years later murdered her guardian and vanished without a trace is a well-known story in Wren's life and when a little girl goes missing, Ava Coons' ghost is thought by some to have played a part in her disappearance. This book is a dual timeline and the past timeline follows Ava's actual life in 1930. This one did not seem to have the same creepy intensity as some of the author's prior works, but the creep factor was definitely present. There was a lot of intense emotion included in this one. There was one particular scene that completely gutted me. And the twists at the end? I NEVER saw them coming. While I've enjoyed all of Wright's books, this one is definitely one of my favorites and will be a top pick for 2022, no doubt. Special thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Once again, Jaime Jo Wright gives you a spine-tingling murder mystery with a nice dressing of mental instability. It did take me a minute to get into this one, but I ultimately found it thrilling. I have learned my lesson, and no longer read her books at night, so the creepy crawlies didn't come for me as hard as they might have. I love the interwoven dual timelines. I love how the stories take such drastic turns when it's least expected. I guess only one bad guy, and I completely cannot get over my incompetence! The spiritual battle that Ava and Arwen were both fighting was very poignant. Sweet romance coupled with classic ghost stories makes for a brilliant new book baby. All Jaime Jo Wright fans will love her newest release.

When I first saw the title of Jaime Jo Wright's new book, I was immediately captivated. And the cover sealed it! Without even reading a word or the synopsis, I might add. Now, after reading the book, I was not disappointed. Not one bit.

'The woods were alive and they were evil.'

Wright weaves together two stories -told in dual time- that are so incredibly detailed and full of surprises, both creepy and nice, that I can't see how anyone could keep from loving this book. She always has a super wow factor on creepiness.

From the beginning of the book, I was completely captivated, and I was on pins and needles most of the time during the reading. Wright has another winner here and one for the keeper shelf. And I never even came close to figuring out the mysteries here. Totally took me by surprise. On both time lines. Well done!!

My thanks to Bethany House for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion in this review is completely my own.

When a little girl disappears Arwen has a dream that compels her to try to find her. At the camp where she works the camp legend of Ava Coons who killed her family with an ax and still walks the woods waiting for victims is alive and well—whack, whack.
In 1923 a thirteen year old girl walked out of the woods covered in blood dragging an ax—whack, whack.
Six years later there’s another murder and Ava Coons is found guilty in the court of public opinion. She didn’t do anything, but with no memory of what happened to her family she doesn’t have a defense—whack, whack.
I am so glad I had the chance to read this book. It carried me through a gamut of emotions—sadness, angst, hope, love—including tears.
In each timeline the characters were written with depth and originality that made each one distinct.
Both Ava and Arwen suffered with haunting dreams and a deep desire to feel like they belonged. Each wrestled with God finding their own way to faith.
Noah and Eddie each had an abiding faith while wrestling with their own emotional baggage and relationships with Ava and Wren.
I was given a copy of this book with no obligation courtesy of Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The Souls of Lost Lake is engaging, intriguing, and at times scared the bejeebers out of me, but it is such a good read. Jaime Jo Wright knows how to craft a suspense story that leaves you thinking for days. I loved how she started with a spooky campfire tale and sprouted the story of two brave women. Ava and Wren, two different women, one from days gone by and the other modern day, grow in their faith as they confront the evil around them. I love the camp setting, the old folktales, and the interactions between the ladies and the men in their lives. This is my favorite book by Wright, so far. The twists at the end are so unexpected. If you enjoy suspense with a bit of romance and a strong thread of faith, read Jaime Jo Wright's The Souls of Lost Lake. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Wren Blythe has long enjoyed being among the Northwoods, helping her father with programming at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess, who still roams the woods. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coons cabin ruins and a rotting porcelain doll. But even more terrifying is seeing her name etched on the doll's foot like a sinister omen.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last ten years carrying the mantle of mystery since she emerged from the forest as an eight-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's axe. She has accepted she'll never remember what happened to her family. When a member of the town of Tempter's Creek is murdered, rumors spread that Ava's secret is more malicious than previously imagined.

Both women discover that to save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil."

Oh, tell me more about this insidious evil!

Oh my goodness! The Souls of Lost Lake is now my new favorite I have read by Jaime Jo Wright to date. It was awesome to read. Five plus stars.