Well, the #bookstagram buzz got to me, and I had to read this book this past weekend. And as recommended by the publicist and other readers, I went into this one without reading the synopsis, because everything is a spoiler, and wow, I turned the last page and was left thinking "what did I just read?"

Chance encounters, love, loss, mysterious death, and a total blend of genres. It's exactly not a fast paced read but I also kept turning the pages furiously, needing to know what happened.

There are secrets and twists and the end went in a direction I don't usually gravitate towards in my reading choices and I simultaneously felt awestruck and totally in over my head. I didn't know what was happening but I also realized when I reached The Other Side of Night....

I already know this will be a super buzzy read for Fall 2022 and I can't wait to see the reactions from readers at the end of this month.

Thank you to Atria Books for my gifted copy.

This was a fantastic book. The publisher asked not to give away spoilers but if you like great story telling and books that make you feel every emotion this book is for you. Sometimes you want books to get to the end but I didn’t want this one to end. Storytelling at its finest. Highly recommend you read this book.

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced reader copy for an honest review!

The less you know, the better?

The publisher has requested not to spoil the surprises in this book. That immediately intrigued me. With that in mind, here is a super brief synopsis:

An author named David Asha decides to write a book about the biggest regret of his life: separating from his son, Elliot. Harriet Kealty is a disgraced former police officer who becomes intrigued with some writing she finds in the pages of a book. Her investigation leads her to the Asha residence…and to Ben Elmys. Ben is a man Harriet used to date, and he is now the guardian of David’s son, Elliot.

When Ben claimed guardianship of Elliot, he let him in on a secret…one that only the two of them know.

What is the secret? Read to find out.

I’m an outlier, but I didn’t find the secret to be that thrilling…maybe because I partially expected some form of it? Maybe because at the same time, I couldn’t wrap my head around it? Who knows?! It certainly defies logic and probably shouldn’t be dissected too much.

I loved the chapters from Harriet’s POV. They were suspenseful and atmospheric, and I really thought the book was heading in an interesting direction. Unfortunately, I felt the other sections were a bit slow, and with flowery prose that I didn’t get into.

So, a bit of a mixed bag for me. However, many reviewers are loving this one, so please check out their amazing, tight-lipped reviews. For what it’s worth, I found the story to be creative and interesting even if it won’t end up on my top 10 list. For that, I’m giving it 2.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 9/27/22.

I’m not sure I can remember the last time a publisher told an early reader to trust them and jump into a story blind. To say I was a bit nervous would be an understatement but now I’m about to ask you to do the same thing – just trust me.
Little can be said about this wonderous tale without spoilers so I will try to do my best to entice you.
This crime novel is like nothing I’ve read before and it kept calling to me every time I would set it down. I found myself taking my time with it, letting the words and characters settle within me. The storytelling reminded me of many of the things I love within a great story and specifically - emotionally complex characters and an unexpected turn of events.
Upon picking this one up, readers may find it a bit peculiar but I suggest you go with it and let it sweep you away. Open your mind and your heart and be prepared for your next favorite book.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Atria Books for an advanced copy of this new thriller full of many surprises.

Some books are hard to talk about, the wrong word, the mention of a plot point that surprised one reader could easily dampen or even ruin the reading experience for another reader. And a person would have to be a real troll to ruin someone's reading enjoyment, that's a layer of meanness that I only save for politics. The Other Side of Night by Adam Hamdy is one of those books that a few words could ruin, so full of twists and and surprising turns is the story.

The book begins with a man discussing his greatest regret the separation of he and his child Elliot. He reads a letter, and promises us a story. We then met Harriet Kealty, a police officer under a cloud and possibly suspension and maybe more. Harriet is drawn to a book shop by an email promising to help with her suspension, but no one turns up. She instead meets a widower and after discussing his wife, she finds a book that promises to help her change her life. Inside is a note on the flyleaf, 'Help me, he's trying to kill me.'. Harriet decides to find out what this strange message might mean, and a strange new world begins to unfurl.

And that is the beginning of the book. There is of course a bit more, but a lot of this shows up later, and ties into itself, in a story that using many common tropes, but is told in a different way, with a few big moments that take the story to another level. The book does take a bit to get into, I will give it that. The writing is a little standard thriller writing, but once the story really kicks in the plot just moves along well, and does a lot of different things.

A great book for late beach reading, sitting by the fire reading, or watching people make apple cider and carve pumpkins. Lots of gasp moments, a few oh come on moments, but the story really does hold and surprise the reader, which takes a lot of skill and good writing.

A marketer at Atria recommended going in blind to this book. I also think it’s really hard to describe anyway, so on that point, I’ll tell you how it made me feel. With David Asha’s opening about his son, Elliott, I developed a lump in my throat. When I met Harri, a former police officer, I moved to the edge of my seat, as she embarked on an investigation that was important to her for many reasons.

I remained on the edge of my seat with a lump in my throat until the last chapter where one sentence had me crying rivers of tears. I read it over and over, and cried again. I read it a few times because it was philosophical and beautiful and heartrending, and I wanted to make sure I understood and truly soaked up every word of its brilliance.

This book has compared to The Midnight Library, which I also loved. I can see a loose connection for a few reasons I won’t spoil but also because of the thoughtful, philosophical, perhaps life-changing, messaging.

In the end, I found comfort from this story. Thanks again to Atria for putting this book in my hands, and to Adam Hamdy for being inspired to write it.

I received a gifted copy.

I think this book will be best enjoyed if you don’t think of it as a mystery or thriller. If I didn’t have those expectations I might have enjoyed the book more for what it was instead of what it wasn’t.
There’s been a lot of hype around not spoiling anything about the book, but I think the style of the narrative is a spoiler from the start and that paired with the promise of a twist meant that my initial assumptions turned out to be true, leaving little in the way of surprise.

I feel like this book was trying to be so many different things - a thriller, a mystery, and a science fiction all wrapped into one. But in doing that, I feel like each of the elements suffered... While I was enthused by the idea towards the end, it reads as more of a dry police procedural. That being said, it was atmospheric and I never wanted to put it down. I just felt cheated by the ending.

*Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This is part of the email I got when the publisher first brought to my attention.

“You’re invited to dive into a mind-bending mystery knowing as little as possible about what you’re about to experience.
 
Besties, I have been thinking so hard about how I would present this book to you that my head hurts. You see, it’s very special. It’s twisty, turny, and holds all of the beautiful, mysterious things most of us love about reading. But I can’t tell you much else because…everything is a spoiler.”

So basically that’s all I’m sharing with you all because she was right and anything I say is a spoiler. Don’t even read the synopsis or the author blurbs just go into this as blind as possible. All I can really say is this was super unique, it read very fast for me and I highly recommend having someone to discuss with as you read and especially after you finish. I read this with @angelareadsbooks and it was so great to have someone to talk to. If you like thought provoking books with a ton of depth try this! And if you need to chat once you finish I’m you’re girl.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5

It was recommended to me by the publisher that it is best to go into this book blind, and I suggest the same for you. I won’t be providing a synopsis for this book as I normally do with features and reviews, and do yourself a favor and don’t look it up on Goodreads or google it either. GO IN COMPLETELY BLIND! Trust me.

I was not sure what to expect going in, but WHOA, what a pleasant, unique, and phenomenal book! It is a blend of several different genres, but mainly mystery/thriller. After finishing this book it really left my mind reeling and it had such an impact on me that I had to just sit and process it and collect my thoughts.

My mind is still completely shook and still reeling after reading this book. IT-BLEW-MY-MIND, and I guarantee it will blow your mind as well. If you enjoy a book that makes you think, a book that you never want to put down, a BOOK THAT BLOWS YOUR MIND, please read this one-and once you do lets discuss it. Kthnx!

What a brilliant treat that Hamdy has presented to us all with this book. Don’t go into this expecting a fast paced thriller, because this definitely is not that. The pace is a slow burn, but the author does an amazing job with making the reader think and form ones own answers to the perplexing questions. This was such a unique and one-of-a-kind reading experience that had my mind spinning.

I hope the you Enjoy the experience of this book, I know that I did! Just be sure to go in without any expectations, and with an open mind. This is a book that I guarantee will stay with you long after you have finished it!



Many thanks to the publisher @atriabooks specifically Maudee for the opportunity to read this genuine and amazing book! I will forever trust you for all book recs always! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!

My brain hurt, my mind swirled, I kept squinting my eyebrows............ not good for wrinkles, but this was a bit mentally challenging and I was processing what was happening, trying to clear the smoke tossed in my eyes.

I went in blind and came out somewhere over the rainbow......

The house was shaken, the changing point of views were presented, and too much exposition had me puzzled. I was engaged and invested throughout, even though parts were rambling with too much over elaborate detail (subtract a star off/too wordy). There is some strange poetry and a trip down Weird Avenue, like a puzzle with a lot of different keys.

It won't be for everyone, no book is, but for me it was an adventure with a starburst ending. I'm glad to be back though and I'll be taking a brain break and listening to my cozy read this weekend!

Ssssh…🤫

The Publisher has asked that reviews not reveal the SECRET shared in this book…

So here is what I can say…

The preface is from an author named David Asha who tells us that this will be the story of his biggest regret-his separation from his son Elliot.

A chance encounter in a book shop with a mysterious stranger leads disgraced Police officer Harriet Kealty, to discover a scribbled plea for help in the margins of a secondhand book.

Her search for the person in distress will lead her to a quest for the truth, and for possible redemption.

She ends up at the doorstep of the Asha family home, but the person who opens the door isn’t David Asha-it’s Ben Elmys-a man she thought was going to be the great love of her life, but who instead broke her heart.

Now, he is Elliot’s guardian-the only one who was able to comfort Elliott, when he found out that he was now an Orphan and that Ben had been chosen to raise him.

What did he whisper in the boy’s ear?

A promise…and a SECRET.

Are you INTRIGUED?

I WAS!!

From the first page until the last….

The pace isn’t particularly fast, but as the questions turn to answers, this UNIQUE reading experience will begin to make sense and it is all is wrapped up in a SURPRISING and SATISFYING conclusion. 🎁

Read with an open mind and an open heart and you will find that you are still thinking about this book long after you have read the final pages.

Anticipated Publication Date: September 27, 2022

Thank You to Atria books for the gifted copy. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

What can I say, other than to acknowledge that what you may have already read... that to know all about the book going in... would take away from the journey.

Spoiler free, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the nuances, the surprises and twists... some of which were expected, while others delighted me.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book by Adam Hamdy. It was different from what I usually read, but I found that it kept me interested and made me think differently about how we judge others. Sweet and thought provoking, part love story, part mystery, part fantasy.

This book does not fit into a thriller/mystery type of story, it is that at times, but it is so much more than that, there was romance and science fiction and takes you places you would not expect. I would recommend reading if you have the chance. The story is told mostly through Harri (short for Harriet) who at the start of the book has been fired from her job as a policewoman and in her spare time decides to put herself on a dating website to finally find someone to love her as much as she wants to love someone. And she lucks out and connects with Ben, someone who seems to tick all her boxes, and after two dates she's ready to take it further when Ben, on their third date, tells her he has to break up with her and she's devastated. She decides to do some investigating and finds that Ben is the guardian of a child, Elliot, his parents had both passed away and left Ben in charge. Harri thinks Ben has something to do with the passing of the parents, the body of the mom was lost by the hospital after she passed from cancer, and the dad jumped off a cliff overcome with grief by his wife's death (or so it was thought). There are excerpts from a book being written by Elliot's father, and from a court trial and videos from other people. Saying much more would really spoil the plot, so I would recommend reading you'll like it! Thanks to #Netgalley and #Atria Books for the ARC.

I don't want to spoil the reveal in The Other Side of Night by Adam Hardy. I'll just say, I started thus book on vacation and thought about it when I wasn't reading it. The writing is excellent. When I found out the why behind the how of the story, I was surprised. I hope you enjoy it as much.

I think my expectations were maybe too high for this one that I didn't end up liking it as much as I wanted to. I knew there would be a sci-fi element but I didn't realize it wouldn't be introduced until very late into the book. The first ~70% is mostly murder mystery which was fine but it didn't really feel fresh or exciting. The pacing was so slow at the beginning that I started to lose interest.

The ending was great and I really wish we could of spent more time developing the second half of the book.

I decided to read this on a whim based solely on the description the book was a puzzle you kept getting pieces to. When I started, I couldn't help but wonder what I had gotten myself into. Soon enough, I was hooked and needed to know what was going to happen next. I felt like so much was coming out of nowhere constantly, and I DEFINITELY didn't see any of part two coming,

The Other Side of Night is well written and engaging. I appreciate that a lot of what is out there about the book begs the reader to go into the book with no knowledge of what's to come. It definitely adds to the mystique. When I started part two, I was reminded of a book I read as a kid called Mr. Was. It made me want to turn the pages faster and consume what I was reading instantly.

Not something I would typically pick up to read on my own, but I'm glad I did. The puzzle was worth it.

📖 REVIEW 💭
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Other Side of Night by @adamhamdyauthor ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: September 27, 2022
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This book in emojis: 🤨🧐🫣🤯
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
📄 This time . . . You don’t get a synopsis. Don’t even check Goodreads. I’m serious. Go in completely blind. Trust me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
💭 I just . . . I don’t even know how to write this review. My mind is still reeling! Also, I don’t know how to you describe this book without giving it away. You just need to trust me and read this one. Don’t do any research on it—don’t look it up on Goodreads (I mean, add it to your “Want To Read,” but then run far, far away), don’t read the blurbs, and certainly whatever you do: don’t read the synopsis. It’s a little bit of a slow burn at points, but I promise it’s all important and SO worth it!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
👉🏻 If you like getting your blind blown, READ THIS. If you don’t enjoy getting your mind blown, also READ THIS. I NEED someone to talk to about this (um why did I read this two months before it comes out? OH that’s right—I just couldn’t wait.)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Adam Hamdy for the advanced copy of The Other Side of Night in exchange for my honest review.

This book is not *at all* what I was expecting it to be, but in a really great way. A bunch of the Goodreads reviews that I saw for this book mentioned it's best to go into this one blind, and I couldn't agree more.

I definitely struggled a little in the beginning while I got my bearings regarding characters and the style the book is written in, but once I was sucked in there was little else I could do except finish the book.

I got unexpectedly quite emotional at the end, and I can always, ALWAYS appreciate books making me feel things so viscerally. I will for sure be reading more by Hamdy in the future.

The Other Side of Night will be on bookshelves September 27!