I enjoyed reading this book but expected more--wished for a more character driven narrative with better writing. And I think the novel could have been more expertly plotted.

The story started quickly enough, and I thought I would be easily absorbed into the book. However, there seemed to be a lot going on, and the story didn't really speak to me. It was interesting enough, but just not my usual cup of tea.

I absolutely loved reading this book because I felt like I was watching the next season of White Lotus and I couldn't get enough. I loved the descriptions of the resort and the people that were on vacation around the main characters - the writing was so good that even the smallest incidence or the slightest details of characters or events were portrayed perfectly - I felt like I was there! Sorry to reach the end of the story - i wanted more!
Thank you NETGALLEY for this ARC! This is my honest and voluntary review.

3 stars!

This had my potential to be REALLY good, when I saw the blurb I was instantly hooked! I couldn't wait to start to the point where I stopped reading my current book and started this straight away.
The first 30% was really good, I thought I was in for a treat. I really liked the writing style and the authors descriptions are 100% top notch, I really could feel the vibe and what it was trying to show, I loved it.
As we reached the middle mark, I found myself a tad disappointed. Firstly, I was confused with how much the story went back and fourth between Laura's relationship starting with Dave, to university, to high school and then back to the present again. I found this really confusing as it seemed to just happen randomly and I was a bit confused trying to wrap my head around what time frame we was currently in. I think this could've worked SO well by maybe adding shorter chapters explaining it was going back to earlier days etc as this would've really helped add suspense too.

I loved Diana's character, she really gave of a great character she was eerie and I wanted to know more about her! After Diana goes missing there was a few chapters where I thought this is freaky what is going on!


FULL REVIEW ON MY GOODREADS

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC, and this is my honest & voluntary review

It started great and the ending I will confused

I felt like I just followed a women obsessing over woman.....I was expecting more and I didn't get it

I had mixed feelings about this book. It started SO strong, captured my attention from the beginning. But about 2/3 of the way it slowed down and got kind of ...weird.

SPOILERS AHEAD
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My biggest issue is with the ending. It went from a very suspenseful thriller, to just kind of a "eat, pray, love" vibe of Laura finding herself and her whole personality changing? I feel like the book could have ended when Diana was found or somewhere near that point. But the ending dragged on and left not a good lasting feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley and BlackStone publishing for the ARC of this book.

2.5 / 5 Stars, rounded up : Laura goes on vacation with her boyfriend and becomes infatuated with another woman who is travelling alone. Suddenly, the other woman disappears. The plot for this book had me hooked, however, it did not deliver. First, it should not be in the "thrillers" category. The plot was very anticlimactic. Second, the characters were not very likeable. I found the main character to be annoying and everyone to just be very predictable and stereotypical. They had no depth. However, I do think the author really had something with the plot here. It was her debut novel, and therefore I look forward to her future books and hopefully seeing her grow as a writer!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of The End of Things in exchange for my honest review.
This book started off at a slow pace, but it gradually became more captivating as the story unfolded. Nevertheless, the ending didn't meet my expectations, and I'm still uncertain about my overall impression. Despite this, I completed the book, which influenced my decision to give it 3 stars.

Definitely not for me. I love a story on an island. I love a story about a woman coming into her confidence. This one isn't it, and the ending upset me so much I just stared at my Kindle in disbelief. Easy pass.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley/Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5☆
While this book kept my attention and I needed to know what would happen next, I feel like I know less than I did before I started it?
The ending was confusing and honestly made the whole book make no sense..

The book kept giving but you just end up with nothing once it's over.

The Ends of Things” had an intriguing premise but unfolded too slowly to keep me fully engaged. While the atmosphere was well-crafted, the sluggish pace and lack of compelling twists were disappointing. Character development was decent, but the story needed more suspenseful moments to hold my interest. The book was in itself was well written.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this Arc!!

I was really intrigued by the premise of a thrilling suspenseful read that takes place in the idyllic Pink Sands resort - sounds like the perfect summer read for me! Unfortunately, I wouldn't really consider this book a mystery/thriller because it's not plot-driven at all. Especially with the ending, I would personally categorize this book as contemporary fiction.

2.5/5 stars

I liked:
- The atmosphere building throughout the book. I kept wanting to know what would happen next!
- It was fast-paced and a quick read.

What I didn’t like as much:
- The ending fell extremely flat. I ended up having way more questions than answers.
- I didn't understand why many of the characters acted the way they did (specifically Dave & Diana).

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book centers on Laura, a New York City attorney, who vacations with her boyfriend, Dave, at an exclusive Bahamas resort, Pink Sands. Their idyllic getaway takes a sharp turn when Laura befriends Diana, a solo traveler shrouded in mystery. On their second day, with Dave preoccupied by work, Laura and Diana embark on a hike together, culminating in Diana's baffling disappearance. With limited knowledge about her new acquaintance, Laura seeks help from the hotel staff and eventually the police.

The gripping story hooks you from the outset. Laura, a well-developed character, is nonetheless difficult to endear. She fixates on her single status, a past falling out with a childhood friend, and even Diana's disappearance, despite their brief encounter. Dave himself is an enigma, hinting at hidden depths that the author skillfully weaves into the suspenseful narrative, leaving you wondering how these interwoven threads will converge.

While the predictable ending falls short of a shocking revelation, and certain plot elements remain unresolved (a personal bugbear of mine in books!), the story offers a fast-paced escape, perfect for beachside reading. If you crave a quick, easy-to-follow thriller, this book delivers.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Add this book to your list for a captivating start to your 2025 vacations, hitting shelves on January 14th!

I had a really hard time getting into this book. I found myself really struggling with the writing style and just didn’t get into the book the way I wanted to. It did pick up some for me and offer a few good twists, which is why I gave it three stars. Unfortunately, they just weren’t enough to make me excited to keep reading. The characters weren’t very likable and that may be part of the reason I has a difficult time with this book. The ending also fell a bit flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Thank you Net Galley for this advanced copy book! I would give it a 3 out of 5 stars, it was very suspenseful and a page turner, but the end just wasn’t what I was expecting.

I started off really loving it, then it fell off for me a bit, but the way it wrapped up?! I loved ending. Part of me really related to the FMC, she was forced to see just how strong she could be, lost a lot of faith in humanity and learned a lot of valuable personal lessons.
Overall it was an enjoyable read.

The premise of this book really intrigued me and I liked how it jumped directly into the plot right from the get go. It was a quick read that I ended up binging in one sitting but unfortunately I had a hard time connecting with the main character. At first she comes off as someone you have sympathy for, she seems insecure in herself, her career and her new relationship but I was quickly lost when she started being judgmental and rude towards other characters in the book as a result of her insecurities. I am not sure if the choice to make her seem like an unreliable narrator was intentional or not.

As the plot unfolds, the dialogue is a bit stunted but again it was intriguing. However it moves quite fast, almost too fast as I think more mystery and ominous tones would have helped set a deeper feeling, I could see what this book was trying to accomplish but I just needed more. Unfortunately the ending was slightly disappointing form me, again there was so much lead up to something more sinister and underminded and then it ended up letting me down.

I would give this book 2.5 stars. On a good note it did keep my interest and I wanted to see where it was going, but now that I’ve finished I just feel a bit confused with the plot and resolution.
It started off pretty well, with the main character Laura going on a nice vacation with her boyfriend Dave, and she notices a woman, Diana, who’s vacationing alone. The women go on a hike together and after Laura is done trauma dumping about her ex best friend on Diana, they get into a minor argument. Laura steps away to pee in the woods and when she comes back Diana is gone. She sees some weird things on her way back alone and assumes the worst, which causes her to obsessively spiral. All of this was interesting but then the book just takes a turn. There’s a lot of repetition in the middle and then suddenly she discovers Diana is alive and perfectly fine, and finds it weird that a random woman would report her missing (i would too.) Then the book ends by her going home and reuniting with her ex best friend because Diana had used her phone to help them reconnect and the book ends with them becoming friends again and alludes to them preparing to go back to being best friends.
My main issue with this is that i would not consider this to be a mystery or thriller being as nothing happened at all, and especially with the ending feeling like we switched genres to a chick lit or contemporary fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to the Pink Sands Resort, where couples frolic in the turquoise waters of the Bahamas and bask in the salt-kissed air. A place that has been on Laura's bucket list for years and now she's arrived on holiday with her new boyfriend. What could be better?

But she soon becomes obsessed with a fellow female traveler. Why is she here alone? What's her story?

And when the stranger simply disappears, Laura unravels.

A great debut novel and a nose dive into the fragility of the human psyche.