I was super optimistic and excited about this story. A thriller with aspects of astrology with hidden agendas and secrets galore is totally up my alley. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations for a few reasons. This is not to say that I don’t enjoy any aspects of the book, but the negatives outweighed the positives for me in this one. I’m also keeping in mind that this is a debut, which is a great feat and should be appreciated for that alone.
But let’s get into what didn’t work for me. First, the dialogue. The way the characters spoke was extremely formal, but was juxtaposed by the use of modern slang such as “vibes” and “pick me girl”. Their strange way of speaking took me out of the story to some extent, along with multiple unrelated tangents that took up multiple chapters. I think the ending left a lot to be desired. The final twist was definitely unexpected, but the fallout from the twist felt unrealistic and unsatisfactory.
Here’s the things I did like!
The astrology cards to introduce the characters was a great addition and we got to know them in a different way that was related to the theme of the book. It was also so clear that the author put so much research into the astrology readings for each character. The majority of the characters were fleshed out really well with in depth backgrounds. There were some really complex and interesting dynamics within the relationships, and the secrets each character was hiding made the twists even more surprising.
All in all, I did want to find out what would happen when secrets and hidden agendas were revealed, but the execution didn’t live up to what I was hoping.

What drew me to the book: THE COVER and TITLE…

What pulled me into the book: the really intricate dynamics between the characters. Wow! There is so much going on in the lives of the people in this book. There are so many things going on behind the scenes and it was such a great aspect of the story.

A group of couples and friends book a trip to this gorgeous Astrology House. They all have their various reasons for their stay, all quite different… though nit all of them take stock in astrology at all.

These people are MESSY, folks! And I loved it! Between influencers who carefully curate their entire lives according to their feed, to infertility, to infidelity, to possible murder…? This book has it ALL.

The big reveal wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for, which was the only reason this wasn’t a five star. Even with the way the end plays out, it was still incredibly enjoyable as a whole!

I was so excited to read The Astrology House, especially after seeing so many glowing reviews. It grabbed my attention at the start, but around the 30% mark, it started to lag. I can't put my finger on exactly what didn't work for me, but I think it was that we spent so much time inside the characters' heads versus seeing the plot unfold. I expected something more fast-paced, but this feels like more of a slow burn.

However, the author does a great job of distinguishing a lot of different perspectives and delivering a lot of detail, which could easily get lost. Other readers — especially those who are into astrology — will probably enjoy this book more than me.

This book was just what I needed while I’ve been home sick with a cold. This closed door mystery focuses on the Astrology House, a weekend retreat designed for wealthy attendees to getaway and learn more about their signs, The details within the book were perfect and I could easily picture the house and characters in my mind. Rini, the owner, creates a weekend full of wine tasting, astrology reading, and other weekend activities. If this were a real place, I might sign up! This weekend’s guest all have their own secrets and by the end of the long weekend someone may not live to tell about it. This had a great twist, fantastic characters, and was completely original. I highly recommend the Astrology House.

This was fantastic. So twisty! I couldn’t put it down because I was so invested. I loved every second of this ride. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Sadly not a fan. It just didnt do it for me. I'm sure this book is for someone but just not for me. Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

First things first, I LOVED this book! The Astrology House helped me get out of my current reading slump. This was a fresh take on a vacation thriller that immediately had me hooked. I went in blind reading this and I think that’s best. I could go into a more detailed synopsis. But I don’t want to give too much away! This book gave me The Guest List vibes but more twists and a fun new take.

What I enjoyed:
- the astrology aspects were super interesting! I liked reading about each persons signs and hearing about their birth charts. I thought this added a fresh take on the thriller genre!
- Different POVs from a few of the guests and our host
- The writing and pacing were excellent. This book had me hooked from the first chapter. I also loved the setting of the victorian house and it’s hidden gems
- The twists! I didn’t see one of them coming

Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel from this author. I cannot wait to read more of their future works. 4 stars out of 5! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had a really great time with The Astrology House by Carinn Jade. As far as murder mystery thrillers go, this checks all the boxes and even had a few twists I didn't see coming. With a satisfying ending. Personally, the astrology parts were fun to read and compare to my own knowledge, as it's a subject I love, but I could see how someone who isn't a fan would find it to be a little too much of the story. I think it adds a unique element to the characters, and I probably wouldn't have connected to any of them without it - it's a big part of their personal stories and development. I enjoyed getting the different POVs and thought the setting was perfect.

A great new twist on the vacation-gone-wrong style thriller. Rini has taken the inherited decrepit mansion and reinvented a beautiful astrology-themed retreat. It's fun to hear the stories and read the horoscopes! When a group of adult friends and families descend on the house for the weekend we find out that all of them have secrets and that Rini has an agenda!

It wasn't perfect, but it sure was fun and kept me guessing and I truly loved the astrology and the mystery of it all. If you love a mystery, a thriller, a vacation-gone-wrong you CANNOT go wrong with The Astrology House! #atria #theastrologyhouse #carinnjade

I absolutely loved this book, even though there was not one completely likeable character. But this cast of players? Impeccably written and so interesting! A fantastic premise with a killer twist at the end kept me reading this into the wee hours, just to see how the trip ended for these four couples. If this is the author’s debut novel, I can’t wait to see what they write next!

The title alone had me hooked. I've always been interested in astrology and to have it set around a mystery had me desperate to read. The fact that this was also set in an atmospheric and isolated location made it all the more fun! A cast of characters that were like a modern day Clue movie, this book kept me guessing right up until the end. I also absolutely loved the additional chapter cards of everyone's names and star signs and how they connected to the other guests--a fabulous addition. This was such a blast to read and I can't wait to see what this debut author offers us next.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the Publisher for an early copy for review.

4.5 stars

This is a fantastic debut and an engaging thriller, and the twists and turns make for a fun - and not always predictable - ride.

Rini is one of many characters who share their points of view throughout this well paced effort, but she stands at the center as a good host should. She owns what sounds like a unique property, and this is where she holds Stars Harbor Astrological Retreats. If this retreat were real and I could attend with, well, NOT any of these people, I'd sign up. For this particular retreat, Rini has a group of connected friends, family, and acquaintances attending. There are siblings, old friends, couples, and so. many. secrets. SO MANY. Oh, and there are astrological charts and explanations and tarot cards, too.

Though there are many characters, Jade distinguishes them expertly. Also, the dissemination of information is well managed. Readers have a lot of details in some areas and can also guess at where and why problems may arise, but Jade still manages to bring in a lot of mystery. The mystical connections are a lot of fun and really impact readers' and characters' expectations. Those who have an incoming interest in this area will really enjoy the added notes, and those who are less interested and/or totally uninformed will have enough information to understand the connections and - I assume - will not be overwhelmed or distracted by that content.

I enjoyed this so much, and I am already planning to listen to the audio when available and to immediately queue anything else this author produces.

*Oh, and IYKYK, I'm working with a Can. sun, Cap. moon, Cap. rising and then almost solid Vir. over here.

Thank you Atria for both a physical and e-copy of this ARC! I'm a bit out of my comfort zone in requesting this one given the genre, but I love astrology and rich people being messy and silly LOL, which is what made me game! Super excited to fully dive in but, from what I've read so far, it's already a solid, spooky gem with well-rounded, fully realized characters (aka a big plus for me)~ 🔮✨

Margot is a stressed out lawyer who is trying to get pregnant and she and her husband, Ted are spending a weekend at the Stars Harbor Astrology Retreat in a waterfront Victorian house. Accompanying them are Margot’s writer brother Adam and his wife, Aimee, a social media influencer, Aimee’s best friend Farrah, a doctor and her husband Joe and Rick and Eden, a wellness influencer. Rini is the resident astrologer, owner of the home and their host. They are about to get hit by the fastest moving tropical storm I’ve ever heard of. Most people there have secrets, big surprise.

Fairly typical thriller with the addition of the astrology, which doesn’t really play that big a part. You don’t have to believe to enjoy (I don’t.). I had figured out the secrets, so you probably will too, but I still liked the book.

This was a fun and twisty thriller that is perfect for this time of year ,when I have read many holiday rom coms. It made me gasp and ponder the elitism of a nation, if you will. Rich people behaving badly is soothing to me so I can keep perspective and not compare incredible privilege that doesn’t always lead to happily ever after. This book doesn’t come out till the summer but I highly request you pre order this one or request from your local library. TYSM NetGalley!

Wonderful debut novel- a solid, twisty thriller. The astrological touches were interesting. Looking forward to what come next!

As someone who is interested in astrology, I was excited to dive into this mystery. I loved the way the author tells the story from each characters perspective, as well as the depth and complexity of the character relationships. There were some connections, twists and turns I didn’t see coming that made it hard to put this novel down. Overall, I would recommend this as a fun, engaging, quick read!