Member Reviews

I loved "We Were Never Here", and this was a good read, but it just didn't hit me the same way. It was an enjoyable read, with multiple POV's, and a good twist.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

This book just wasn't for me. Kelly has moved in with an old college friend and her husband during lockdown when she takes a break from her fiancé. They have a gorgeous house and all seems idyllic on the surface. However, things begin to turn strange and Kelly starts questioning everything.

I enjoyed Bartz's first novel This one just had a weird spin to it that didn't increase the interest for me. Kelly is a highly unlikable character. I could not understand most of the decisions she made.

If you enjoy a locked-room mystery, you may want to try this. There is definitely a strong locked-room aspect to it that I'm sure many would enjoy.

Was this review helpful?

Kelly Doyle is is on the outs with her boyfriend Mike. She decides they need a break and moves in with her friends Sabrina and Nathan Lamont. They live in a mansion on Tanglewood Estates overlooking a creepy cemetery. She starts up an affair with the couple and learns of another girl’s disappearance that was involved with them.
She finds things around the mansion that creeps her out and uncovers disturbing secrets and lies.
This book was a great read full of twists and turns and left me gobsmacked by the ending.

Was this review helpful?

Not my favorite thriller, but also not the worst too. Some eye rolls along the way as the characters progressed through the book. Certainly not going to let a stranger stay in our house anytime soon!

Was this review helpful?

This was such a sexy, twisty mystery! I honestly had no idea where this story would end up and it definitely took me by surprise! I will say that at times it became a bit redundant, and Kelly (the main character) drove me nuts at times, but by the end I really enjoyed her character development! Overall such a fascinating mystery!

Was this review helpful?

Maybe this author just isn’t for me I really struggled with this one and trying to care about the story at all. It could just be a me problem but I wasn’t that interested.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book! It was paced perfectly for a suspense set in paradise. I'm a sucker for multiple POVs and this didn't disappoint. It kept my guessing and reading because I was desperate to find out the twist. I read another review that explained it so well- it was a read that gave you the clues and you had to put the puzzle together. I would rate it 3.5 stars!

Trigger warning for graphic murder details and physical and sexual abuse.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster and Caro Carver for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Tense, taut, and sensual. I really had no idea where the story would take me and I'm glad that I picked this one up. Bartz's writing is beautiful as always.

Was this review helpful?

Set during the pandemic, Kelly finds herself in a polygamous relationship after a recent break up and finding herself quarantining with an old friend. Inside the mansion there are secrets that end up deadly. I was given this book as an ARC from Netgalley and really struggled to finish it. I found the main character to be insufferable and had such a winey inner dialogue. I did not find the book to be much of a thriller until the very end. The last few chapters i actually found myself enjoying the book.

Was this review helpful?

I like Andrea Bartz. Her novels are twisty and give unexpected outcomes. This one missed the mark for me. I didn't like the characters and found the story unbelievable enough that I didn't really even buy into the twists. I'm not unhappy that I read it and will continue to read this author.

Was this review helpful?

I swear I thought I had reviewed this book when it was released, but I realized today I didnt!

I am a huge fan of Andrea Bartz and this book was no different. This one was a little more intimate than her other ones but that whole topic was handle with grace.
So as most reviews have said, this book takes place during the pandemic, but it really is only to set the stage.

The gist of the book IS - Kelly and Mike have hit a rough patch so to speak and due to the pandemic, Kelly wants out. So her old childhood friend (who she hasn't spoken to in a while) Sabrina offers her a place to stay, Kelly takes her up on it.

So Kelly makes herself comfortable (in more ways than one)

I feel like Andrea really nailed down some human nature here when the "openness" began in the relationship and how it was approached.
I've loved Andrea's twists in the past and this one had them as well. I would call this book more Twisted than anything else, but I mean that in the best way possible!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for the arc copy.

This book had a such potential. I had so many unanswered questions to this book. Felt like Covid was just a way to get three horrible people together. I wanted more mystery and character development. .

Was this review helpful?

This was so obvious and not the gut punch I hoped delivered. I wanted so much more. The mirror was a surprise but so passe.

Was this review helpful?

The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz is not your average everyday psychological thriller, some very unexpected twists and a bit out there for my tastes. #TheSpareRoom #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

Overall I liked this book. This book definitely sucked me in from the beginning and kept me intrigued throughout. It definitely kept me entertained I just struggled with the fact that some of the story felt so unrealistic. I would definitely still recommend this book!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This was another thriller written by the author of The Herd. I enjoyed it overall but not as much as her previous books. I'll read more by Andrea Bartz in the future.

Was this review helpful?

I didn't know it was possible to have such a steamy thriller book. This story had me looking over my shoulder, screaming at the characters, and also questioning parts of my sexuality (in a good way). I couldn't put this one down and recommend it to all my friends!

Was this review helpful?

Clearly I did not read the synopsis of this story well before requesting the book because this is a trope that I actually cannot read. I got into the first chapter and immediately had to put it down. This is not the book or authors fault but a "me" thing.

Was this review helpful?

2 stars!

I read Andrea Bartz's We Were Never Here and liked it so I was excited for her second novel. However, I was really confused when I started reading because this did not feel like a thriller at all and instead focused on the throuple that happens in this book. Because of that, I can't say I really cared much about what happened in this book but I would still read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

This was hard to get through. It took a while for things to get rolling and then once they did, I was confused. A little unrealistic for me. Sorry!

Was this review helpful?