I’m usually a big fan of Alex North but this audiobook didn’t work for me. I found it very hard to pay attention and would become confused about who is who. I’d like to say I’ll try a physical copy of the book but I’m not sure I’m that invested in the story anymore. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is one of those book reviews that I have trouble writing. A book that I'd really looked forward to reading, from an author I've enjoyed before, ends up being a book I did like well enough, but just didn't love - but I can't quite figure out why I didn't love it. This is a book that takes focus - it jumps back and forth both in time and in perspective. And I suspect the stuff of daily life got in the way of my completely engaging when I listened to this book. It's dark and twisty, with a serial killer with a really messed up mind, all elements I usually love, but something just didn't completely gel with me on this one. I suspect if I gave it another try I'd enjoy it more - and recommend anyone considering it to give it a go when you can really focus on it. I will say that it wasn't an issue with the narration, which was quite well done by Rosalie Craig.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I really liked this story but I think for an audiobook it was harder to follow along because of all the characters. The narrator did a great job and Alex's writing was great. I just found it hard to keep track of everyone and who is who.

Alex North’s writing is complex and beautiful. I absolutely love how he weaves his stories together. Every little thread has a place to make up the bigger picture.

I really enjoyed Angel Maker. I found the character work complex and addictive. I wanted to know where all these stories connected. I loved how everything played out in the end. It was beautiful done. The audiobook was a fantastic listen. The narrator did a fantastic job telling the story.

My only complaint was this book felt hard to get into. I didn’t find myself really into the story until about 45% through. Then the action picked up and felt like a race against the clock. So just know it’s a little bit of a slow burn in the beginning but definitely worth it in the end.

Overall I really enjoyed this book like I do most of Alex North’s work. I will continue to pick up his books. I just love how complex his writing style is. If you are into thrillers with multiple povs and timelines I would highly recommend this book to you.
3.5/5 Stars

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

What a mess. DNF @ 40%

It started off intriguing and had my interest but it went completely off the rails and became incredibly hard to follow. It wasn't the narrator's fault at all, but it would have benefited from a full cast narration to keep track of characters better instead of having to constantly rewind to figure it out.

Ultimately, I just couldn't spend anymore time on this one.

Alex North asks the question of what would you do if you could change the future of not only yourself but other as well:

Katie Shaw has always been told by her parents that she needs to take care of her younger brother Chris, but on whim as a teenager she decides to do the opposite of what is expected of her and leaves her younger brother to walk home alone. This choice changes everything in both her and Chris' life as Chris is a victim of a random attack. Many years later Katie still struggles with the guilt of that day, even though Katie has lost contact with Chris she receives a phone call that he is missing and in trouble. Meanwhile Det. Laurence Page is investigating a gruesome and confusing death of a professor who taught about fate and free will. This murder leads back two historical cases, the attack on Chris and a Serial Killer.

This is, shockingly, the first book that I have read by North. I am not sure why I have not picked up his previous books, especially the Whisper Man, that was making the rounds a few years ago, but I think it was one of those things where i will get to it eventually.

This book was book was good, just good. I can say that I was expecting more from North with just how popular his books have gotten since 2019 and i was let down a bit. I thought this book was going to have a darker and skirting horror feel to it based upon some of the reviews I had read about the book. I don’t really think there are truly any that disturbing parts, as North never really goes into detail of what goes into making an Angel. Really the whole Angel part of the plot is more of something more of a side plot that is never fully explored and really this is not a fast-paced book, so suspense/thills aspects are lost due to it. It really is a slow burn throughout, there is no real drama or that much sense of urgency by the end, as everything comes together, makes sense and it is rare for an author not to take the easy way out.

My favourite aspect of this book is the complexity of the plot and how it was planned out and put together. North has the plot lines and people intersecting throughout the book and even throughout time. I cannot fault North for his ability to tell a story, but this is one that you will need to keep track of everything from the multiple POV and shifts in time as well.

The knowing the future aspect / word of God is downplayed for the most part as the events have already been written there is not much emphasis put on this point other than coveting the book that holds the information. And i feel like there was a opportunity lost here.

So, this book was good but not great in my opinion, as I had higher expectations for this book. However, North's ability to tell a story is on full show here and due to that fact, I would read another book by him.

Enjoy!!!

Alan Hobbes is a philosophy professor who has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff, which he already knew would happen.

There were so many great characters and I loved all of the inner workings of the plot. The audiobook was a great addition to the mystery of the story too.

*many thanks to Celadon and Macmillan Audio/Netgalley for the gifted copy

Whew. That was a lot. Audio narration was great but the pace & initial storyline was brutal to get through. Ultimately was glad I finished. I would recommend his others over this one.

I made it about 71% into the book and had to give up. There was nothing that was keeping me hooked and it jumped around so much that I was a tad confused at what was happening. Sadly I will be DNFing this book.

2.5 but rounding down.

What started out as an intriguing tangle of puzzle pieces became an unsatisfying mess. Such a strong start with lots of mystery and intrigue but unfortunately the several plot points were either unresolved or sloppily thrown together. There were more holes in this book than Swiss cheese. There was little to no character development or growth causing the story and its characters to fall a bit flat. The action scenes were very enjoyable, filled with vivid language and heart-pounding suspense. Was also let down that the most intriguing aspect of the book for me was glossed over and never fully explained. The ending left me feeling incredibly disappointed and frustrated, leaving me with almost as many questions as when the book started. I enjoy Alex North’s creepy, suspenseful writing style, but sadly this one wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Alex North, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was quite the melting pot of mysteries. So many storylines that I felt it got a little lost. Hard to tell which resolution was which by the end.

Alex North writes the BEST scary stories. I received an ARC of the audiobook version of this one, so that fact may affect some of my review. I have a hard time getting into it, mostly because I was so so confused right away. There were so many different tangents that didn't seem possible would tie together. There were lots of jumps between setting and time. If I were to have read this as a physical book, I feel it would have helped me be able to go back and reread things, but since I listened as an audiobook, I felt lost. Despite this, once I figured everything out, I absolutely loved this one. Not quite as good as the Whisper Man, but better than The Shadows. My recommendation is to read this one, preferably during spooky season, and push through the confusion, because it's worth it.

(3.5⭐️) Many thanks to my partners @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.

This was my first book by North, and I went in expecting to be <fully> spooked. Unfortunately, I think I came away more confused than anything else.

A serial killer. A philosophical conundrum over fate. Two things I love. One of my friends told me that this storyline had the makings of a perfect read for me. And she was right! The premise of this book is diabolical and thought provoking.

And yet. Was it the large cast of characters penned with broad strokes? Was it the muddled transitions between POV? I flew through the 30-40% eager to watch the unfolding. But somewhere along the way the plotline started lacking and confusion began to set in.

For me, the nail in the coffin was the HUGE plot hole in the ending. (I asked numerous friends that I know are close readers… none of them could answer the gaping, central-to-the-story question.)

I can see where North’s writing draws people in, and I’m definitely going to give The Whisper Man a go. But unfortunately, my first foray into North’s portfolio was a miss.

🎧 The audiobook narration by Rosalie Craig quickly pulled me into the storyline. Her nuance and tone were pitch perfect for the suspense. But, I often found myself confused unless I had the physical book in hand. (To be fair: I often was confused even with the physical copy.)

I was really excited to get an ARC of this book after reading Alex North's other books.

I felt this one had a much slower pace than The Whisper Man or The Shadows. The premise was good, but the storyline was difficult to follow, especially when listening as an audiobook. The narrator was great, but the content just didn't keep my attention like I hoped it would.

Overall, it fell a little flat for me. 3.5 rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the ARC!

I'm generally a major fan of Alex North, but I found this to be his most disappointing novel yet. The Whisper Man blew me away and totally terrified me. The Shadows, I enjoyed, but the story was too similar to the real life Slenderman case and felt too familiar because of that, but was still well-written. The Angel Maker was really interesting. It was heavily based in philosophy and religion and would make for a great case study. The main narrators were the sister of a main suspect and one of the lead detectives on the case. The writing style and the switched perspectives between main character and lead detective has become pretty synonymous with North's style of story-telling. What's also pretty common for North's writing style is throwing in some later chapters from the story's antagonist that reveals the big plot twist.

What I did find to be really confusing, and what was a main problem for my enjoyment of the book, is the time-jumping and inconsistency in the storyline. Switched character narratives and a flipped timeline can work really well or can be the downfall of a book. In this instance, it really hurt the novel's ability to be coherent and overall injured how I perceived the book. Maybe it worked for some people. For me, it did not. The book could've been really great, but the way it played out just didn't work.

Fast-paced, entertaing, and expertly-narrated. A recommended purcahse for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the eARC! This is my first Alex North books and I was intrigued from the start, I did struggle with so many characters initially but this is packed with solid thriller tropes and is a delight for any avid thriller reader!

Book review: the angel maker by Alex north

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclaimer I read this as an arc.
I was so happy to read Alex north’s new book. I really like his style of writing. I enjoyed this book, however it was not my favorite book by him. The one thing I didn’t like was the character development. A couple of the characters seemed a little bit underdeveloped to me. My favorite thing I like about this book is the questions it asks. The overall concept is definitely one that has made me think while reading it. Overall it was a good interesting read. Although if you don’t like horror books you won’t like this book. I would definitely recommend this book to people. That’s why I gave it a four stars.

I have loved Alex North's books thus far, but if I'm being honest, this one was a struggle. It was very difficult to feel any emotional attachment to the characters and while the story itself wasn't horrid, I felt myself thinking "that's it?" at the end.

The pacing was irritatingly slow. This felt like a draft, not a finished work. The biggest let down? I think it had potential. I think it could have been great.

The narrator did their best - but trying to listen versus reading made it even more difficult to pay attention. It felt ... disjointed.

I had no idea what to expect when I began this book; but it was fascinating. I love how the book was told in two POVs and intersecting timelines that made for a fantastic story. Every time a new linkage was made between the two timelines, it made it harder to want to put the book down. The plot is very intricate, and if you’re not paying attention- you will certainly miss something. 

The story is so twisted, but it’s one that if you’re a fan of mild horror and thrillers- I think you’ll love! 

I was given a copy of this story to read; but thoughts and opinions are all my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon for the chance to read this book!