Member Reviews

This never really felt like a thriller, it was mostly just melodrama between a bunch of unlikable characters. The twists also felt a bit predictable. It was also, frankly, a bit gross how Aimee tried to convince Margot she should have an abortion just because Ted was horrible.

People who like astrology and/or more character driven drama will probably like this more than I did.

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A group of wealthy Manhattanites escapes to an astrology-themed retreat, where simmering resentments and long-held secrets lead to a shocking death.

A solid murder mystery/thriller. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the plot twists. The writing was solid. Well done!

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2.5 Stars

The first thing that comes to mind when reading this books is drama, drama, drama. The second is too many character point of views, especially since they are all in the first person. All of the characters are wealthy, self-centered, hot messes, and while Rini, the host and astrologist doesn’t fall into this category, I wouldn’t say she was particularly likable either.

As the title indicates, there’s a lot of astrology in the book, which I found interesting and it did move the story forward. It gives it that slight mystical feeling and that along with the stormy weather plays up the atmospheric mood of the book. With everyone having a secret (or two or three), and Rini manipulating the weekend to expose one of the guests, everyone begins to unravel as the storm, both metaphorical and literal, draws near.

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The Astrology House by Carinn Jade
⭐️⭐️⭐️

What I loved:
🌌The prominence of Astrology
🌌Vacation vibes

I was nervous for this because the premise sounded eerily similar to Nine Perfect Strangers by Lianne Moriarty. Then when I saw Moriarty listed as a comparable author in the ARC descriptiom I got more nervous. Sadly, my nerves weren't unfounded. It absolutely was not a copy of NPS, but it was very close and overall, doesn't stand up well. There was a lot left lacking for me. The astroglical elements put this book in a league of its own, but that's all it had going for it.

I struggled to get through this book for numerous reasons. The beginning was slow, not particularly interesting, and I failed to connect to any of the characters. The middle started to get more interesting but the pacing and POV jumped around a lot and made it difficult to read. I also continued to struggle to connect, care, and relate to the characters. The end was actually pretty decent. There were a few twists I didn't see coming and was pleasantly surprised by. It did feel like it dragged out a bit and once again, still didn't care about and mostly didn't like the characters.

Mini rant: Why must characters in thrillers be unlikable? What is wrong with having a likable, relatable character in thrillers? Don't you want the reader to care what happens to them? Why can't just ONE singular character be likeable?

The characters were all awful with the exception of Farah, Rick and Eric. Farah, because she seemed to be a decent person but it was clear the author didn't really care about her as her arc died off and was forgotten. Rick and Eric because they were so underdeveloped the reader didn't know enough to dislike them. The rest of the characters ranged from annoying/obnoxious to horrendous. Adam was a piece of crap. Aimee wasn't innocent in their relationship problems but... Adam was substantially worse. Margot was annoying. I wanted to feel for her but she was too snobbish and selfish. The epilogue did her dirty, too. She had a lot of complex situations and emotions to deal with and the reader wasn't even given her POV.

I did enjoy the setting and the Astrology. The Astrology was a unique and interesting inclusion. It was easy to follow as someone who doesn't know much about Astrology. I can't speak on it's accuracy, but it felt well-researched. The setting was nice and easy enough to imagine.

There were also some scenes with Margot that were hard to follow. There was a scene where she daydreams a murder. It took me a minute to understand it was a daydream and not reality. There was another scene in a car that I still don't understand. I felt these needed editing for clarification or removal because they added nothing to the story besides calling Margot's sanity into question.

Also, on the topic of unnecessary scenes, there's a chapter that tells the reader how Margot and Adams' parents actually die. I have no idea why this needed included. I was fine with it being a mystery, honestly. I think I liked it better as a mystery because the motivations didn't make any sense.

This was a very ambitious attempt, but overall, fell flat. The weekend was not enough time to tell this story. Or maybe it was, but the author wasn't able to expand on and properly develop the characters. They all felt rather cold, detached, and unrelatable. There were many scenes and details that were frivolous and unnecessary. Certain character storylines were forgotten and not resolved. *cough*Farah*cough*. The author tried way too hard to make Rini mysterious and I think it'd have read better if the reader knew what Rini was up to as that would have built so much tension and suspense. As is, it wasn't thrilling. The mystery was meh. The setting was nice. Overall, it made for a rather boring and slightly tedious read.

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As someone who enjoys astrology I was excited for this book. We follow three couples who stay at a wellness retreat based around astrology. This sounded like a unique and interesting premise and something I never read before. That being said, this book was rather slow and uninteresting to me. I found the characters to mesh into each other and they were quite vain and boring. There wasn’t that much happening in this story, we just follow the characters around as they get their horoscopes read and go about their day drinking or playing corn hole. Around the 50% mark things started to pick up and get a little more interesting, but veered in an odd direction.

This book talks about pregnancy, infertility and pregnancy loss a lot so if that is triggering for you I wouldn’t pick this up. Overall, I thought this book was a fine debut, but the story was lacking and didn’t quite do it for me. There is a storyline about a character questioning her sexuality and her feelings towards her best friend, but that whole storyline just went away and was never mentioned again. I was hoping for more mystery or thrilling experience as promised in the description, but that was lacking.

Thank you to Atria Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Margot & her friends need a little R&R. Each dealing with their own personal issues, they head off to Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat in hopes of finding clarity, rest, and a chance to bond with old friends. What they aren't expecting, is for the impending storm to bring a wave of secrets crashing to shore with it. Rini is an astrologer who regularly hosts astrological retreats, but this one is different. Hiding a few secrets of her own, Rini has ulterior motives for the weekend and one guest will not make it out alive.

Calling all astrology girlies: this one is for us! This is one of the best debut novels I have ever read, and I have read A LOT of thrillers over the years. The astrology piece really sets this one apart, while not being so at the forefront that those not "into it" would shy away from reading. The pacing was excellent; I was so engaged throughout the story that it was truly unputdownable. With so many characters and POVs, the secrets were so intricately layered, and the suspense kept me at the edge of my seat.

All of that said, many of the characters were simply not likeable. What kept me so engaged were the relationships & friendship dynamics. That, and the astrology piece, of course. The reader is introduced to each member of the friend group by their astrology card, detailing their sun, moon, and rising signs, along with other personality traits. If you aren't into astrology, don't worry about it -- you can skip over it any not miss anything. If you are into astrology, this card will make the chaos that is about to ensue make a whole lot of sense.

Like I said, phenomenal debut & unique storyline. 4.5 stars! I look forward to seeing more from this author. In the meantime, I will be looking to find my own Astrology House to visit for a weekend :)

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“You get what you get, and you don’t get upset.”

The Astrology House was everything I needed in a summer novel. A retreat with 4 couples who are all a part of a friend group (but more connected than we thought), a beautiful Victorian mansion, and most importantly; astrology.
Are our choices fate or free will? Is our future written in the stars?
Knowing the basics of astrology isn’t needed to enjoy this book, but being versed in the topic makes it that much better.

Starting off as a slow burn, we realize in the last. 1/3 of this novel that all the information we were getting in the first 2/3 was absolutely necessary.
I had so much fun reading this book, and cannot wait for Carinn Jade to release her next novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read and review.

Publication date: Jul 15, 2024

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Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me the ARC of this book. Overall I really liked this book. I liked how there was surprise reveals throughout the story and how the plot led to those surprises. The ending did feel a little bit over the top, but like I said previously, I still really liked this read. Overall, I would give this book a 4/5.

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I only read the first chapter of this book, but I could tell that it would not be for me so I put it down. It felt very cheesy but also defensive. I think this could be a good book for someone, but not for me.

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Ok..well I wanted to like this so much and I could not get into it. I did finish but while it was OK I thought it was very slow. The characters were not very likeable and there was no great ending like I was hoping. I give three stars. The writing was well done and maybe it just didn't click with me. Some of my favorite authors(King, Grisham, Sager)have material that I wasn't a big fan of. I would try the author again though and see what is next.

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Thank you to the Publisher for my arc

I really wanted to enjoy this and tried to just skim it but i'm sorry but i ended up hating all of the characters. i know this was the point of the story but they all just seemed super vain and i was rooting for them to be murdered.

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Honestly the biggest reason why this got three stars and not above was that the book just totally veered around the 50 percent mark (maybe sooner) into something else and the thriller aspect of figuring out which in this group was dead just turned into the most convoluted mess ever. I kept reading with the hope that Jade would somehow manage to course correct, but they never did. I think that certain aspects were really good (the different parts of astrology that focus on your birth chart and the different houses were great) but then that went away into a puff of you all are terrible people and need therapy. And possibly some heavy duty drugs. And the concept of shame? I don't know. I wasn't rooting for anyone by the end of this book.

"The Astrology House" follows three couples, and a best friend tagalong that go to Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat as a fun getaway. But the beginning of the novel sets up that someone is dead and then the book jumps around via different points of view and you end up wondering who is the dead person, and what secret was revealed that led to this.

We have Margot and Ted (married for 10 years and desperately wanting a baby). Margot is a huge mess and obsessed to the point of making me uncomfortable with her older brother Adam and his marriage.

We have Adam and his wife Aimee. Adam is a secret best selling author who is also hiding secrets from his sister and wife. Aimee is a mom Instagram influencer. That's the only way I can describe it. She's hoping the retreat is enough for her and Adam to get back on the same page.

Aimee invites her best friend, Farah, a OBGYN, and her former doctor to come along. Farah is dealing with a lot and concerns about one of her children, her marriage, and her friendship with Aimee.

And Rick and Eden...I honestly forget their jobs, but think Rick worked with Ted. And Eden is a wellness coach? I don't know guys, things started to blur.

So the book just jumps back and forth between them and the astrologer of the retreat, Rini who is hiding secrets of her own.

I don't think outside of Farah I even liked anyone. The character motivations in some cases made zero sense to me and the development of some of them (Eden and Rick for instance) was non-existent. Even Farah's husband, Joe felt like a faceless entity and I forgot about him honestly until the epilogues we got.

The writing at first was interesting. I loved all things astrology from when I was a kid and yes even in college and a bit after. So I liked the illustrated cards we get about certain characters and what their houses represented. I wish that Jade had gone a bit further and included illustrations of the Tarot cards some characters found. But then when we stayed on certain characters too long or not long enough it just didn't work. And the numerous plots that were going on started to be hard to keep track of. And I think I messed up who was Aimee like a dozen times in the first couple of chapters. She and Eden started to blend for me after a while.

The flow was not good. I think jumping to everyone and their mother so to speak in this one (and yes in one case you do get a point of view of Adam and Margot's mother) that I was like okay this is too much. I just didn't care anymore about who died or why and wanted the book to come to an end.

The Astrology House setting sounded fascinating at first and I wish that Jade had played with the house aspect a bit more here. Go full Gothic or something.

The ending strained any ounce of credibility ever. I just said fine. It's a strong enough book for a debut. I would be interested in reading another book from this author in the future to just see if she improves or not.

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In The Astrology House, a group of wealthy Manhattanites seeks refuge at an astrology-themed retreat. But beneath the celestial facade lies a web of simmering resentments and hidden truths that lead to a shocking death.
Meet Margot, a dedicated law associate drowning in eighty-hour workweeks. She’s desperate for a break, estranged from her brother Adam, and grappling with infertility. The promise of relaxation and cosmic wisdom draws her to Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat—a place with Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in a beautifully restored Victorian house.
Adam who is Margot’s brother - views the retreat as a chance to re-start his dream of writing. His wife- Aimee hides a dark past behind her massive social media presence. And, their friend Farah, who is a successful doctor struggles to with staying in control.

The biggest and most dangerous secret belongs to Rini - who is the astrologer running the retreat. Rini is hiding a deadly plan for one guest who is in for a surprise!
As someone fascinated by astrology, I eagerly delved into this mystery. The author skillfully weaves the narrative from each character’s perspective, adding depth and complexity to their relationships. Unexpected connections, twists, and turns kept me glued to the pages, making it nearly impossible to set the novel aside. Overall, I highly recommend The Astrology House for a thrilling, engaging, and quick read.

Content Warnings:
Pregnancy struggles
Forced abortion

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books .

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I loooooover this! The twists kept twisting, and I loved the multiple POV’s. The astrology tie in was really great, and I had a hard time putting it down! All of the characters had flaws, so until the very end there were no clear good/bad characters. I highly recommend if you like this genre! Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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This was such a fun and creative idea for a book! I’m not as up on astrology, so appreciated the designed summaries provided throughout on each of the guests and what their horoscopes predicted. I did have a hard time in the beginning with the change in perspective with each chapter, but appreciate the reason behind it for the author. I liked how things ended up coming together and the interesting mix of characters.

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The astrology part of the book was fascinating. I liked how the readings and astrological charts played into the story. The setting was beautiful. I just didn't connect with the characters.

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I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover and the title. I absolutely love thrillers, and this did NOT disappoint!!!

Think glass knives but astrology themed!!!

There were some really good twists in this. As someone really into astrology, I can tell the author spent a lot of time researching and making sure it was factual.

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Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the copy of The Astrology House by Carin Jade. This book had so much promise but I found the writing awkward and difficult to get into so reading the book wasn’t easy. I read a lot of multiple POV stories and this one didn’t feel cohesive at all. I wish it had been easier to tell the characters apart and to keep track of how everyone was connected. After I figured out who everyone was, the book got easier to read. I liked the Astro Cheat sheets, but I wish they had been all in one place so I could reference them. I’m glad I finished this book, because after a rough start the story started to make sense and I liked it. Then there was a big reveal and then the book became less and less plausible. If you love a big reveal, this book might be for you.

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This was a journey, that's what I can say. This that type of a book that must be experienced. As someone who finds astrology interesting and is a avid thriller reader, this was a freaking treat. Everything about this book is literally so perfect? This has me reading late into the night. I just couldn't stop until I knew what really had happened. I highly recommend this one!

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2.5 stars.

I loved the idea of this book but it just moved too slowly for me and found the characters to be so unlikable.

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