Really fantastic read, couldn’t put this down. Perfect for anyone looking for a good psychological thriller that keeps u on the edge of your seat. Fantastic plot, fantastic characters.
5 stars

Sienna’s twin sister Samantha falls over a balcony and dies.She finds her sister’s journal full of secrets her friends were hiding. Was it murder or suicide? Sienna is invited to a secluded cabin in the woods to commemorate her sister’s death. Secrets come to light and they have to fight to survive.
This was a very thrilling read full of interesting characters. I hated to put it down.
Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC that will be released October 4, 2023!

This book gave me major Knives Out: Glass Onion vibes. The premise is almost the same – Sienna’s sister, Samantha, passed away in a mystery accident over a year ago. After finding her sister’s diary, Sienna thinks there is more to the story and is sure Samantha’s friends were somehow involved in her sister’s death. Fast forward into the present, and her sister’s friend invites her on a holiday with Samantha’s other friends.

This book was so tense! It’s a combination of Sienna’s perspective, the cabin owner’s perspective, and excerpts from Samantha’s diary, which really help to propel the story forward and keep interest. I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book and had genuinely no idea what was going to happen or how the book was going to end.

The characters were… Not very likeable. None of Samantha’s friends seemed like nice people, and honestly, they lacked quite a bit of depth. But the twists, plot, and the writing really helped me to carry on reading and finish this book. This was my first Miranda Smith book, and I don’t think it will be my last. It was gripping and everything needed to make a thriller addictive.

I quite enjoyed this book after the slow start. It had plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading. The characters weren’t very likeable, but the story itself was suspenseful and intriguing and the style of writing was perfect. I have read many books by this author, I’ll be keeping my eye out for the next one out. I would recommend this to anyone who likes reading psychological thrillers.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Miranda Smith does it again with her suspenseful, page turning writing style. This was a great plot and I was left guessing on what the truth was as Sienna tried to look for answers about her sister’s death. Everyone has secrets and it’s hard to know which characters to believe and trust. I enjoyed the ending and can’t wait for her next book.

** spoiler alert ** Samantha and Sienna are twins. Samantha has tons of friends but Sienna is the more wild girl. She loves to travel and even was living in Europe. Samantha has it all, a business, a boyfriend and a bunch of friends who are also her business partners. Something goes horribly wrong and one of them ends up dead and six friends who could be responsible for the death. Everyone has secrets and no one is willing to share the truth.

I’ve read quite a few Miranda Smith’s books and they are all better than the next.

Thanks to netgalley and publisher for the free arc in return for my honest opinion.

The Weekend Away
By: Miranda Smith
5 🧳 🧳🧳🧳🧳

Samantha died as she fell off a balcony with several friends at the house. Her twin sister Sienna’s has had a hard time with this. There was alcohol and a gathering while Sienna was unavailable when her sister left her a cryptic phone message.
🧳
As Samantha’s friends gathering again and Sienna has been invited. She does not feel wanted and when her sisters ex boyfriend is already involved in a new relationship she starts to wonder more about the phone message.
🧳
Sienna has found Samantha’s diary and secrets are revealed. It looks like all her friends have secrets to hide. As another friend falls from the balcony, things start to unravel. Can she find out what truly happened to her sister?
🧳
I have read all of Smith’s books and she always deliver fast-paced and enjoyable psychological charges books. Thank you Bookouture for this advanced copy which is available October 4, 2023. I had both the book and audio which I love to read/listen simultaneously.

#booksconnectus, #bookreview, #bookouture, #theweekendaway, #mirandasmith, #bookouture, #audiobook, #kindle, #netgalley, #bookstagram, #stamperlady50

I enjoyed this book, however I wouldn't call it a psychological thriller. It's more of a murder mystery, almost a locked room mystery.
I found the book engaging from start to finish. The characters were very well developed and unique enough to make the story easy to follow.
The relationship between the twins, Samantha and Sienna, was heart touching. The slow reveal of everyone's secrets via Samantha's diary was a very effective narrative device.
The MC was likeable and I found it easy to connect with her. I wasn't a big fan of the Troy storyline as it seemed to be disconnected from the main storyline. However it tied together nicely at the end.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC.

This was a great read, I found it easy to keep reading and didn't want to put it down. Definitely recommend this book

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
This book was amazing! It started a little slow, but quickly took off. It was easy to follow and all the main characters were easy to keep straight. It was quick paced and kept me reading and reading to discover more! Even as things were revealed, I was surprised each time! It kept expanding and kept me guessing! The end was great! All the reveals were out and it was a nice closure to the story. This was easily a favorite and I loved it!! Devoured the entire book in just a few hours!

My first book by this author and it was a pleasant surprise. Enjoyed the storyline, short chapters and the characters. Told by multiple POV ‘s made it more enjoyable. It held my interest but I wasn’t blown away by it. Thank you to NetGalley, Miranda Smith and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Weekend Away
Miranda Smith
Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I devoured this book! The premise is intriguing with a combination of mystery and family dynamics. Thanks to @netgalley and @bookouture for an arc that had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the killer. No, that's not a spoiler, it says it on the front of the book. 🤭

Sienna received a message from her sister Samantha that simply said: "I need you. Now." A day later she was dead. They were twins, identical in appearance but opposites in personality. Samantha was a planner and had started her own business with friends. Sienna is a traveler, going wherever the moment takes her. And now, one year after Samantha's death, she's going on a retreat with her sister's friends/work colleagues to memorialize her.

Having found Samantha's journal a few days before the retreat, reignites past thoughts that her sister's death may not have been an accident. And, given what is written in that journal, one of the people she's staying with, could be her sister's killer.

This book had me hooked from the beginning and it's fast paced, short chapters had me reading well into the night with "just one more chapter" justifications. It kept me engrossed and guessing all the way to the end.

This is my first book by @mirandasmith, but it will definitely not be my last!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. This was my first book I have read by the author Miranda Smith. Growing up I have always enjoyed mystery books and this book caught my attention from the very first chapter. I liked the twists/ turns the story had with keeping everyone on their toes about what characters could and could not be trusted. I would definitely recommend this book.

This book is very good! I loved the ending but was sad that it had ended. I really enjoyed reading it.

"The Weekend Away" by Miranda Smith is a touching psychological thriller that follows a young woman's search for closure.

Sienna's twin sister, Samantha, died a year ago in a freak accident. She was found dead after a fall from her balcony. Sienna is sure there is more to it than meets the eye, but no one listens to her. Her chance for answers comes when her sister's friend, Jackson, invites her to join him and Samantha's other friends, Colby, Matilda, Nessa, and Harper, on a memorial trip to the Smoky Mountains.

At first, she rejects the invitation, as she isn't really part of their group. After finding her sister's diary with tidbits about the so-called friends, she decides to join the weekend trip in the hope of finding out more about the circumstances of her sister's death. She is sure the friends know more than they are telling and is determined to get to the root of it. In the process, she stirs up a hornet's nest and bites off more than she bargained for.

I loved the book and found it a good read. The book is written from Sienna's first-person perspective and combines chapters in the third-person perspective of Troy, the cabin's owner, as well as excerpts from Samantha's diary. These elements enriched the tale and added layers of depth to the storytelling. I also like the way the secrets were slowly unfolded, adding to the suspense. I didn't guess who the culprit was - or if there even was one - and the twist managed to surprise me.

The setting is beautifully constructed, and the story captures the feeling of the place. The revelations were steadily paced, keeping readers engaged. The author has seamlessly woven themes of fallible human nature. While I liked Sienna and rooted for her, it seemed at times she took unnecessary risks and made some silly choices in her desperate search for the truth.

I disliked most of the characters, except Troy and Sienna, and, while there wasn't much depth to them, it didn't significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. The focus remained on the suspenseful plot, which kept me engaged from start to finish. At first, the motives portrayed seemed not enough to cause havoc, but it all came together in the end. In conclusion, I greatly enjoyed the tale and highly recommend it.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

3/5 stars

You are across the world when you get the news that your twin sister has died in an accident but something about her death doesn't sit right with you. You go looking for answers and come across her diary and you learn that all of her close friends have motives to kill her. What would you do? This psychological thriller started out as a slow burn but by the end it was really burning.

I always enjoy multiple POV thrillers. I liked Sienna's POV and the journal entries but I found Troy's POV to be distracting from the main plot. I wish there would have been more background info in the journal entries on Samantha's friends. I wanted to learn more about each of them.

The last half of this book kept me on the edge of my seat and made me feel anxious. Being in a secluded cabin with people you don't trust gave me shivers. I do think Sienna made some questionable choices as things became more and more dangerous. However, she was overwhelmed with the feeling of guilt for not being there for her sister when she died. If I were her, I would want to find answers too.

This book has a few good twists and kept me interested. If you like who dunnit's, quick reads, and untrustworthy characters this book is for you.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me this eARC for review. You can get this book on Oct 4, 2023

This was my first Miranda Smith book and I’m pleased to say that it won’t be my last. Sienna’s twin sister, Samantha, fell from her balcony almost a year ago, and her friends invite Sienna to a cabin in the mountains for a memorial. Initially she declines but after finding Samantha’s journal she decides to attend as she wants answers regarding her sister’s death.

I was engrossed from the first page. What a fun and fast read! All of her friends had their reasons for potentially hurting Samantha so you can’t trust anyone. I really enjoyed the plot twists and the ending was surprising. You won’t regret reading this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Miranda Smith, and Bookoture for this ARC.

𝑴𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒑𝒉𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝑴𝒂 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓: 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒌𝒔. 𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒌 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑮𝒐𝒅'𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.

Sienna's twin sister Samantha died while Sienna was out of the country. Nothing about her death seemed real--the fell off her balcony and slowly bled out after lying there for hours. She had alcohol in her system, but Sienna knew her sister didn't really drink. She's the only one who questions Samantha's death as their father throws himself into work, and their mother finds solace at the bottom of a bottle.

Samantha's friends are renting a cabin for the weekend, and Sienna is invited. She knows she isn't really wanted, but after finding her sister's journal, she decides to attend. She knows one of the group killed her sister, and she's determined to prove it.

This was a fun, fast-paced read. I enjoyed the added scenes of how grief changes the family dynamic and the guilt and sadness that take over after an unexpected death was masterfully done.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this early read. THE WEEKEND AWAY will publish October 4, 2023.

OMG what a read, the twists and turns kept me hooked all the way.
Sienna's twin sister died by suicide... or did she?
Sienna always felt there was something not right about her sisters death, and so she goes about trying to figure out what really happened....

An amazing read for sure. Will keep you guessing right until the end.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, revenge, murder, great who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!