Unfortunately, this was really hard for me to get into. I didn't finish it after about 10%. It took me forever to even get to that point. The way it was formatted, I had a hard time following.

The Vacation by John Marrs is a bit overwhelming as it challenges the reader to follow the stories of eight guests who are staying at a hostel in Venice Beach, California. Naturally, all of these strangers have secrets, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to protect them.

While I raced through the book thanks, at least in part, to the short chapters, I did struggle a bit with keeping the ever-shifting perspectives straight in my mind. Undoubtedly, this is a solid read, though not my favourite from this author. 3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC.

3.75⭐️

This book was pretty interesting and not at all what I was expecting (I usually go into books blindly). I liked the concept of this book a lot though. With so many characters, there were times I was getting a little confused and getting people’s stories mixed up though. Overall, I liked the revelations that came out at the end of the story. Made my rating a little higher! Additional points too that they mentioned multiple times one of my favorite movies of Leonardo DiCaprio which is The Beach, a very unknown movie that was based on a book. I think this might be a book that I would want to reread because I feel like I missed things and I would enjoy it more the second time around. Definitely a huge perk of this is that there are short chapters!!

DNF @34% - I’m a huge John Marrs fan, but for some reason I just couldn’t get into this book… I may attempt to pick it back up later on, but for now it’s a DNF..

I think what I struggled the most with was the characters and understanding who was who, it took me awhile to remember each character, but at that point I was just so lost and confused with the story…

I will read anything this author writes, but I’m bummed I couldn’t get into this one as of now.

When nine strangers come together at a hotel in LA, all with different reasons for their west coast trip. Each has secrets that they are trying to protect but the past never stays burried.

This is a reprint/republication of an existing novel written by this author that is now published under a different name. The chapters are short, making it ones of those books where you tell yourself just one more chapter to find out what happens next.

The Vacation by John Marrs

* Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for providing an ebook in exchange of a honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

John Marrs really is becoming one of my favorite authors! I really like all the different caracters and how their stories were all connected in a way. It was the perfect summer thriller, with the california/beachy vibes!

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The Vacation did an excellent job at taking seemingly random characters and weaving them together intricately. While some had their own story to tell, others were entertwined in another character's story which made the outcome interesting. I appreciate how each character had an "ending" and we didn't have to wonder how anyone turned out.

I enjoy books with an ‘ensemble’ type cast of characters and plots and this book definitely had that! And despite there being a number of characters, each had interesting storylines with enough action, twists/turns, and surprising connections.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The characters all seemed realistic and believable, and I became invested in nearly all of their stories. It was cool to see how some of them intertwined. It kept me constantly guessing and the way the chapters ended in crucial spots made it hard to put the book down!

I was super bored with this one. Felt like the characters made terrible decisions and I just didn't like reading this as a pastime.

All of this author’s books are so layered and complex. This one has many characters and it’s all centered around a hostel in Los Angeles. As their stories unfold, you don’t really know who is good or bad. Definitely recommend this one!

John Marrs has a talent for crafting intricate and suspenseful narratives. With its well-developed characters, engaging plot, and thought-provoking themes, the novel is a must-read for fans of the genre. It is a book that not only entertains but also offers a deep dive into the darker aspects of human nature.

There are a LOT of characters to keep up with in The Vacation, and shifting timelines to boot. Continues to get grimmer and darker as it goes on.

I couldn’t get into the story just as I thought. Not disappointed but need more depth, I think. I can't remember when was the last time when I read a book in which the whole plot was 100% equal to what was written in the blurb and nothing more. There was no surprise there, no resolution to any of the plot threads and the whole story was blatantly predictable and painfully dull.

Really enjoyed this one. It was my first book from John Marrs and I’m looking forward to reading others!

Talk about a wild ride! Whenever you pick up a John Marrs novel, you know you’re in for a treat. No spoilers here, but the twists and turns keep coming all the way until the very last page. Don’t let the large cast of characters throw you off; once things get going it is very easy to keep track of everyone. Highly recommended to all thriller lovers!

This was my first John Marrs book. I thought it was really good. The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed this and I look forward to reading more of his books.

John Marrs doesn’t disappoint. It is a solid read with a lot of characters intertwined by the end. It took me a little while to wrap my head around it all but it was worth reading. I have been a fan since The One and continue to be one. Try to guess how it all works out before you get to the end!

Read this one with my bookclub for our May selection and while it was very different from Marrs' other work that I was familiar with, I really enjoyed my time with it. He writes such distinct and complex characters and throughout I found myself frequently questioning how he would possibly tie the story lines together, but in his typical fashion he did so seamlessly. Definitely recommend this one if you're a fan of Marrs' writing and enjoy multiple POV character driven stories with a beachy hostel setting.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my review copy!

I've been very hit or miss with this author, but I thought I'd give him another go! Sadly, I couldn't get into this book enough to finish it so I'm opting out of it for the time being and hope to return to it down the road!