Miranda Smith WOWs me again! I just finished The Weekend Away and loved it! The characters are intriguing, the storyline original, and the ending was something I didn't see coming.

Clear your schedule because once you start reading The Weekend Away, you won't be able to put it down. I was hooked from the beginning and was up until 2 AM because I just could not stop reading. This book is filled with secrets and lies and characters that you will love to hate. This is one of the best destination thrillers that I have ever read. This one will make your heart race so get ready.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of The Weekend Away. The cover is the Best part of this book, it looks almost 3D. The chapters are very fast reading and short which I like but it was written for a younger crowd. The plot kept me guessing but there were times I wanted the book to be done with. I am glad I stuck with it because I did like how it all was wrapped up. Most of the characters were not nice people. Again it is written for a younger generation.

"The group didn’t know it, as they marched back to where they’d come from, but in their absence, they’d left something dangerous, in the same way one small act can lead to the destruction of so much more."

I really wanted to love this book, the premise was so interesting to me but unfortunately it fell a little flat. I just wanted more, more background and depth to the characters, more of the relationship between the main characters so I connect with them, more detail of the secrets that the characters were all hiding. This book flew by for me and I was left feeling a little unfulfilled.

It did earn back a lot of points from me with its suspense, but again, I wanted more!! I felt like it had all of the elements that I want out of a thriller novel but it just didn’t quite get there for me.

It was a quick overall enjoyable read but I do wish it had had a little more included!!

This book follows Sienna, a young woman who has put her life on hold to help her parents cope with the death of her twin sister, Samantha. When the anniversary of her death is coming close Sienna receives a call from one of Samantha’s friends who invites her to join them on a trip to commemorate the life of “Sammie.” Sienna declines the offer knowing only the surface of these people, but soon changes her mind when discovering the diary of her dead sister. With overwhelming evidence of a motive is brought into play, Sienna needs the answer she has been seeking. Who killed Sammie and what were they trying to hide?
This book got me from the first page. I throughly enjoyed the story, characters and the ending. I will say, I did not see the ending coming and was convinced there was more going on. Without giving anything away, the author fully explained the motive the killer had and what actually happened the night of the killing. I also have to say I am looking forward to reading more books by Miranda Smith. This was a breath of fresh air in the thriller genre. I would absolutely suggest this to Frieda loves everywhere.
I wanted to thank Miranda Smith and Bookouture for this ARC from Netgalley.

This was super chilling and so tense! I held my breath and gasped out loud too many times!

Sienna’s twin, Samantha, died a year ago and Sienna has been invited to spend the weekend with her sister’s work colleagues to remember her. Sienna can’t think of anything worse, but then she find’s Samantha’s diary…

Samantha knew everyone’s secrets and now, so does Sienna. Realising Samantha’s death wasn’t an accident, Sienna joins the gang for the weekend, determined to find out the truth.

I loved the intrigue and the tension. They all had a motive and they’re all trying to cover their tracks and nobody has any loyalty to anyone, but themselves. Sparks and accusations fly and you really can’t work it out until the final action packed chunk of the book.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Miranda Smith and Bookouture for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A gripping thriller full of secrets and lies that will keep you hooked to the very end. It’s addictive and tense with some great twists that enthral from the first page to the last. Miranda Smith is a new author for me and I look forward to reading more from her. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Many secrets and a diary of a dead girl are at the center of this book. Good plot and storyline but this book moves way…too…slow and way too repetitive.

This was a gripping thriller which I read pretty quickly as I wanted to know how it was going to end and couldn’t put it down until I knew. It is a book where everyone is hiding something and everyone is flawed I definitely think this helped build the suspense and the who done it.

Sienna goes away for a weekend with her sister's friends on the one year anniversary of her death. Right before she leaves, she finds her sister's diary. By finding this diary Sienna see that her sisters friends may not all have been as innocent as first thought.

Fantastic gripping thriller which I highly recommend. Thanks to netgallery and the publisher for my advanced copy.

The Weekend Away blends together lies between friends, a secluded getaway and a sister’s fight for justice.

One year ago, Sienna’s beautiful and successful sister, Samantha, died from a tragic accident. At least, that’s what the official rulings say. Sienna isn’t so sure. When she’s offered an opportunity for a weekend away with her sister’s closest friends, she jumps at the chance. Armed with the secrets her sister knew about her friends, Sienna is prepared to confront them all and figure out who killed her sister.

This book grabbed from the start. It’s super fast paced and the mystery keeps you going all the way through the end. I loved Sienna’s refusal to give up on her sister. I felt like most of the book was realistic and the twists while shocking were still believable. I really enjoyed unraveling the mystery right along side Sienna.

Something I didn’t love was the shift of perspectives with Troy. It was a little strange he was written in third person but Sienna was in first. It just confused me for a bit especially in the beginning. Secondly, I felt like toward the ends some of the characters personalities tapered off and they felt like props more than people in the story.

Overall, this was a fast fun fall read. The atmosphere is perfect. The action is fast paced and unrelenting. Sienna is a great strong main character who stands up for what she believes in. Definitely add this one to your TBR.

Sienna's twin sister, Samantha, died a year ago. While in Samantha's old bedroom, Sienna uncovers Samantha's old journal. After reading the journal, Sienna learns that Samantha's best friends are not who they appear to be.

So, when Sienna is invited to a weekend getaway to remember Samantha by Jackson, one of Samantha's friends, Sienna jumps at the chance to finally get some closure. She has always been suspicious of circumstances surrounding Samantha's death. After reading the journal, Sienna knows that Samantha's friends know more than they are leading on.

As the secrets come out over the weekend, Sienna learns she cannot trust anyone. Someone killed Samantha. How far will Sienna go to prove it?

This is a very quick and easy read. Unfortunately, I found the novel very predictable. The "whodunit" was easy to predict, given there were few suspects. Character development was rather poor, especially for Samantha's friends. There was lots of drama and secrets. Up until the ending, I would describe this book as more of a drama.

Thank you Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did not think this was as good as Miranda's previous books. Sienna goes away for a weekend with her sister's friends on the one year anniversary of her death. Right before she leaves, she finds her sister's diary. Sienna is convinced that these friends all had motives to harm her sister. I felt it was long in the middle and ended up skimming a bunch to get closer to the end. The ending was good-I'm not really sure I had a guess on the culprit, but it did end up good overall.

A weekend getaway with your dead sister’s friends who all have something to hide? What could go wrong?

Sienna joins her sister’s friends for a memorial trip one year after Samantha died. to find out what really happened to her sister. Everyone has secrets, but we spend most of the book trying to figure out if these secrets are just poor choices, or a motive to hurt Samantha.

Overall, there was a good amount of drama and suspense, and the cabin in the woods offered that extra closed door mystery element.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for early access to this book!

Sienna's twin, Samantha died a year ago. The verdict of her death was classed as accidental.
Sienna was in Europe at the time, and had received a voice note from Samantha saying that she had to speak to Sienna urgently. Unfortunately, Sienna never got to speak to Samantha before she died.
Sienna is invited on a weekend trip with Sam's friends. She doesn't want to go, but after finding Sam's diary, she feels compelled to go, to find out which of Samantha's friends was responsible for Sam's death.

This is a fairly good novel, I read it in an afternoon, it is a quick easy read.
There were several twists, predictable twists in my mind, and only a few suspects to choose from.
The writing was average, the characters shallow, and the plot unoriginal.
I would give it 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Oh this has it all, remote log cabin, murder, friends, secrets - honestly what is not to love.
Samantha was Sienna's twin sister, Samantha had started her own business with her friends when she was found dead after falling off a balcony at her home. Sienna doesn't believe this, she thinks foul play was involved, and when she finds Samantha's diary it details all of the betrayals and suspicions she had about her friends. When one of the friends invites Sienna to a weekend away to honour Samantha one year following her death, Sienna looks at this as her chance to confront the friends with the diary and find out who had motive to kill her sister.
What will Sienna uncover on the trip and how will the friends react when Sienna confronts them with Samantha's words.
Really reverting, fast paced and thrilling - great read.

Sienna’s twin, Samantha, died unexpectedly almost a year ago. The police ruled it accidental, but Sienna has never quite believed that. Something has always seemed off about the night Samantha died. Then Sienna finds Samantha’s journal and uncovers secrets about her sister’s “friends.” Sienna goes on a trip with Samantha’s friends on the 1-year anniversary of her death to try to uncover the truth and reveal their lies.

Will she find out the truth behind her sister’s death?

This was my first time reading anything by Miranda Smith, and after finishing this book, I definitely plan to read more of her work! The Weekend Away was a page turner, I read this book in one day. There was lying, stealing, cheating, murder—everything that makes a great thriller book. This novel had a few twists—as soon as I thought I figured everything out, Miranda would throw another curveball, leaving me guessing. Sienna is obviously an amazing sister, she risked her life to get justice for Samantha.

I will definitely recommend this book to my friends AND I’ll be adding more of her books to my ever growing TBR 📚

The Weekend Away will be released October 4, 2023.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC!

The weekend away was Seductive and twisted. Highly recommended! Readers, find some quiet alone time to settle in with this one because you won't stop reading until you've turned the final page. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries, suspense and thrillers.

Synopsis (From Netgalley, the provider of the book to review)
*******************************************************
Having already read a co-worker/friend’s ARC this is a quick review.


My sister died. Her friends lied. And now I’ve brought them all together, I’m going to learn the truth…

My twin sister, Samantha, died a year ago.

This weekend, I’m staying in a beautiful, wood-panelled cabin in the mountains with her closest friends. There’s a firepit, hiking trails through the trees. It’s the perfect place for us to talk and remember her.

But I’m not here for that. I’m here to find out what happened.

I’ve always known there was something suspicious about her death. But no one believed me. Then I found her journal, tucked into a hidden space in the window seat of our childhood bedroom, and what I read there changed everything.

The journal shows who they really are: the fraud. The liar. The cheat. The crush.

And I’m going to confront them. Expose their secrets. One of them killed her, and I will prove it.

But then the journal vanishes, and one of us is attacked, and fire breaks out on the mountain, and I have to ask:

What will I risk to get justice for Samantha? And how far am I willing to go?
An absolutely wonderful thriller that will keep you enthralled: I read it in one fell swoop. Very tense, expertly crafted … just a fabulous read that aI will recommend far and wide

#shortbutsweetreviews

NOTE: LINKED IN WILL NOT LINK, (IRONIC, RIGHT??????) SO ADDING IN ON ITS OWN WITH THE LINK ADDED BELOW.

It’s almost a year since her twin sister Samantha’s death and Sienna her parents are still struggling. A call from one of her sisters friends, inviting her on a memorial trip, prompts her to visit Samantha’s childhood bedroom. There she finds something that makes her question her sisters friends. All the secrets and lies. Did one of them kill Samantha? She needs to find out, and attending the memorial weekend is the only way.

Written mainly from Sienna’s POV but with extracts from her sisters diary this is a claustrophobic thriller set in a cabin in the woods. Everyone is hiding something, her friends are all flawed. Samantha’s life may not have been as perfect as it seemed. I couldn’t put this down and read it in a day, wanting to find out the truth of what happened. I would definitely recommend it.

Sienna’s twin sister Samantha died a year ago in what was established as a terrible accident. Sienna finds her sister’s diary and becomes convinced that one of her circle of friends and business partners was responsible for her death. She accepts an invitation by Jackson to a weekend away at a cabin in the mountains with the group, to remember and honor Samantha. The rest of the group, including Samantha’s long time boyfriend, do not know she is coming and are hostile and secretive. Siena finds herself feeling very unsafe but determined to catch a killer. The characters are interesting, the mood is tense, and you won’t be able to put this book down! Everyone is hiding something, and the twists keep on coming. I highly recommend it! With thanks and stars to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. My opinions are my own.