🌟 Just finished this intriguing read that had me totally hooked, and wow, it was a wild ride! While it was pitched as a “twisty, addictive, feminist take on The Shining,” I found it to be a whole different flavor of spooky. Instead of supernatural chills, we dive deep into the lives of these incredibly fleshed-out characters—real women grappling with their artistry and the not-so-great men around them. It was refreshing to see characters navigating the messy middle ground of the creative world, rather than just the typical high-powered jobs or detective roles we often see in books. 🙌✨

And can we talk about the setting? 🎃 The simple yet spooky vibes of a no-frills motel felt all too relatable—I’ve stayed in a few of those "Instagrammable" spots myself! I’m honestly relieved I didn’t read this book before my last trip, because now every creaky floorboard and flickering light feels like a personal invitation to a good old-fashioned thrill. If you’re looking for a unique twist on the thriller genre, give this one a shot! 📚💖 #BookRecommendations #SpookyReads #CreativeWomen

This was a fun but spooky read that made me glad I don't stay at hotels alone. It did creep me out a bit but I don't usually read thriller/ creepy books so I may just be a bit of a wimp when it comes to that. Those who are looking to get a bit spooked or feeling on edge this is for you!

I enjoyed the book a lot but a “twisty, addictive, feminist take on The Shining” sounds like it great inspiration but not how the book actually reads. There are women who are artists who ultimately help themselves and bad men who hurt them but there no no supernatural elements which I think The Shining implies. I don’t think there is any doubt at any point t the mysterious girl and thin man around the motel are 100% real people.

That said, it is a book where the characters are very fleshed out beyond what is strictly needed for a mystery. They all seem very real and I appreciate how the author often writes about people who are teetering on the side of making it in a creative field. It is a refreshing change from the dozens of books I read where the women either don’t work or work very successful high power jobs or are police/detectives.

The setting was simple but spooky! I’ve stayed in’ a cheap but instagramable Motel before and I’m glad it was before I read this book!

Two old fiends that have disconnected find themselves both ending up as caretakers for a motel during the winter months. Kerry arrives for her duties and quickly realizes things aren’t right. This thriller had me guessing and second guessing what was happening or was the alcohol making Kerry imagine everything. I definitely recommend grabbing this one!!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this arc! I really enjoyed this one!!

This was a really good thriller! I kinda had a love/hate relationship with the main character. The end was a surprise!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The last room on the left starts strong with an unreliable narrator and a missing friend. But somehow it loses steam halfway through when the perspective changes and i skimmed to the end and was disappointed with it. Overall, not my favorite thriller.

Honestly, I think that the blurb calling this a “feminist take on The Shining” is probably a bit … ambitious. They both involve alcoholic caretakers of a hotel/motel and a winter storm, and that's about where the similarities end. There's nothing supernatural about this tale and the entire plot line revolves around there being an outside killer “terrorizing” the caretaker, not the caretaker's own descent into murderous insanity. I'm also not even sure how this book can be considered “feminist,” unless the two main characters simply being women counts (spoiler alert: it doesn't).

Really, The Last Room on the Left is mostly just a garden-variety psychological thriller. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but let's not pretend that this is some groundbreaking piece of literature. It's an easy, fast-paced read and it's entertaining enough, but it's certainly not deep. If you generally enjoy psychological thrillers, there's probably a decent chance that you'll enjoy this one. Just don't expect any iconic “Here's Johnny!”-esque scenes.

The mystery itself is okay. Who killed the previous caretaker and is the murderer still lurking around the hotel? I originally thought the plot was headed in one direction and was surprised when it went elsewhere, but after that the big reveal was fairly predictable. Red herrings abound, however.

Otherwise, expect lots of drunkenness and questionable decision making. Expect gratuitous (but extremely mild) S&M with questionable consent. Expect a main character who really likes the word "ass." Expect unintentionally hilarious scenes involving a bathroom window. Do <i>not</i> expect likeable characters or a super deep plot.

I realize that this review probably makes it sound like I didn't enjoy this one, but it really was … fine. I have a love-hate relationship with psychological thrillers and it takes an exceptional one to get me truly excited. This isn't a particularly novel novel (ha!), but it still kept me turning the pages.

My overall rating: 3.4 stars, rounded down. If you normally enjoy uncomplicated psychological thrillers that are not at all comparable to The Shining, you just might enjoy this one too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 14, 2025.

When I saw this was a feminist retelling of The Shining, I knew I had to read this. This book has great atmosphere and a really interesting plot, it is less supernatural than The Shining but this still held a lot of intrigue surrounding what happened at the Twilite Motel. Loved this!

This might be my favorite thriller of Leah Konen’s! I had a great time with this one.

This book follows Kerry, an author with writer’s block who takes a position as a temporary caretaker for a hotel in the middle of nowhere. With no one around and no distractions, Kerry is hoping to finish her book before her deadline. However, all is definitely not as it seems at the hotel and she soon finds herself pulled into the drama of the mysterious place.

I found out from reading the acknowledgements that this is Leah Konen’s nod to <i>The Shining</i> and it seems like she pulled it off! (I can’t speak definitively on that because I have neither read the book nor seen the movie.) However, the setting, the atmosphere, the unreliability of each of the characters were top notch. There were many twists and turns and I liked seeing Kerry (who is also a struggling alcoholic) grapple with the possibility that she is hallucinating or whether the strange things she has witnessed are actually true.

I read the bulk of this book in a single day. Normally I take several days with my ARCs, reading a little bit here and there, but I absolutely devoured this one. The characters (while flawed and certainly unlikeable) were interesting to read about. This would be the perfect winter thriller as well, since it takes place during and after a snowstorm, which added another layer of isolation to the already isolated place. It was also great to read in summer as well - I cooled off just thinking about all that snow!

Overall, I heartily enjoyed this one. Leah Konen has become one of my favorite thriller authors.

This was a fresh story, great main character and flow was perfect and kept my attention to the end. I kind of guessed a few of the plot twists but man were there some that I just did not see coming!

Definitely read this book if you enjoy thrillers/psychologocal thrillers! I look forward to more books by Leah Konen.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this arc!

this was okay, it was a bit repetitive. it just missed the mark for me sadly. i feel like some may enjoy this though it just wasn’t for me

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Last Room on the Left.

I'm always up for a retelling of a classic story especially if it's a horror reimagining, but this was no feminist version of The Shining.

First, the main character is an unlikable, unreliable person with no interesting qualities. Naturally, she's struggling with alcoholism so you can't believe a word she says or everything she sees.

Second, I love the isolated setting, the atmosphere and desolation of being snowbound, but the narrative lacked urgency and thrills.

We're stuck in Kerry's head most of the time, naturally, but her thoughts are a repetitive whirlwind of her ex, Frank, her former BFF, and how she's cut them out of her life. Of course, readers are left hanging as to the reasons why.

I'm not sure the reason behind the S&M angle; it doesn't bother me but what was the point?

People who enjoy S&M are not bad, but there was an undertone that because this person is into this, they're bad.

Third, the narrative is full of standard tropes; women afraid to be alone, Charlie is a hottie, Allison is, too, Kerry senses she's being followed, being watched.

Third, the story lacked suspense, and I guessed whodunit almost immediately.

The epilogue was a nice touch but not enough to warrant all that came before it.

Let me preface my review by writing that I was really excited to read this story.

Newly attempting to be sober, newly estranged from her husband, Kerry arrives at the Twilite Motel in the Catskills. Without wi-fi or mobile connectivity, Kerry plans on spending the winter writing the book, for which she’s got a seriously bad case of writer's block, and whose advance she’s already long spent - viewing it as her own personal Overlook Hotel. (You know how I know this is a sh*t idea?… This is so obviously a sh*t idea.)

(Even Jack Torrance had more of a period of reprieve once he, Wendy, and Danny settled in at the Overlook.)

I’ll stop with referencing The Shining now because other than winter caretaking by an alcoholic writer when the power goes out, I don’t really feel that comparisons between the two are fully justified.

*the two POV’s were very similarly voiced - neither reliable
*repetitive mystery/thriller that read incredibly slowly for me until about 30%
*I found it predictable
*atmospheric

Readable - I’d probably listen to this if there were dual narrators, and I was going to reread it, to keep better track of the POV’s.



Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the DRC

“Men are afraid that women will laugh at them and women are afraid that men will kill them.”-Margaret Atwood

The Last Room on the Left is a twisty, psychological, horror thriller. It was claustrophobic in the best way. 2 friends, Siobhan and Kerry, become the winter caretakers of a motel in the snowy Catskills. Some secrets come to light with grave consequences. The mood is very much one of cabin fever, loneliness, and betrayal. You will read this one very quickly and end up shocked… and then shocked again at the epilogue. Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC.

I have never read anything by this author but I'm glad I got this one. I really enjoyed this book. I flew through the book and it kept me guessing what was gonna happen next. I'm going to check out some of her other titles while waiting for her next one. I ended up giving it 4 stars and will definitely recommend it.

This was a great story, I loved the reference to The Shining. This book was full of suspense, mystery, and thrills, and a very tad bit of horror. It kept me guessing who did it till the end. I found myself anxious to find out, on the edge of my seat. If you enjoy reading suspenseful thrillers, this book is great!

3.5 stars rounded down. This book started off slowly but luckily it picked up. It’s told by an unreliable narrator, which kept me guessing what was really going on. It would be a great winter read given the snowy setting!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

this book has a very intresting plot. this is a lock door mystery. the final twist is done very well. i really liked kerry thank you so much net galley for this arc copy.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved The snowy, spooky setting of the motel.
The twists and turns were great, and believable - it really left me questioning whodunnit but also if there narrator was reliable or not. At one point I thought okay am I losing my mind too? Ha!

A great thriller, especially in the depths of summer she. I needed to get out the humidity and into a frigid scary woodsy murder mystery.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for this!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced copy of this book. The beginning was intriguing, typically I love isolated thrillers/mysteries, especially in a setting where the main character is trapped by something, like a winter storm. Unfortunately, I don’t typically like a thriller with an unreliable female character that is unreliable because of a drinking or drug use problem. It’s just not something I love reading about, and the MC, Kerry, brings it up a lot. We’re also victim to a ton of “telling” instead of “showing” what makes up both Kerry and Siobhan, the other POV, which makes them paper thin; I couldn’t connect with either one. Their POVs sounded the same, and were confusing to switch between. I just didn’t jive with this author’s writing. There was nothing scary, spooky, or thrilling about this, and I ended up skimming much of it because I was bored.