This one started a little slow for me but I was hooked after 30%. There were moments where I thought this is so dumb or so unbelievable but then the twists come and it all makes sense!! I really liked this one!!

Thank you SO much to Brilliance Audio for the gifted audiobook!

WOW- this one was so fun and easy to fly through. I could not put it down!!

When a woman wakes up on the shore of a remote lake with no memories of who she is or how she got there, her only hope is to put her trust in the stranger living in the closest house. The two of them begin to form a very interesting relationship and the more and more involved they become with each other, the more questions begin to arise!

I was dying to know what was going on because I had NO idea! As the truth started coming to light, I was shocked by so many of the surprises and loved how they just kept coming and coming!

Overall, a super twisty and easy to fly through thriller that will be a big hit!

Wow this book took me on a crazy journey. I can 100% say I had NO clue how this book was going to end or what the twist was. It was very fast paced and jumped between different character timelines that kept me guessing the whole time. It was thrilling, action packed and mysterious. I look forward to reading more from these authors!

The audiobook was great and I really enjoyed the narrator. She did both male and female parts really well and her speed was consistent which I appreciate as I listen at 1.5x on this one and it wasn’t jumping around!

Gravewater Lake is my second book by this duo. They write bingeable addictive thrillers. I absolutely loved the short chapters, they were so propulsive.

I also love the amnesia trope in thrillers, they naturally make you question everything, but there is no way I could have anticipated the twist in this one. It was so shocking, yet completely believable. The perfect kind of twist.

Being trapped in a snowstorm with no memory of who you are? Terrifying. Being taken in by a stranger who might not be as kind-hearted as he seems? Even worse. This was a slow-burning psychological thriller that leans into isolation, gaslighting, and an ever-growing sense of dread.

A woman wakes up freezing on the shore of a remote lake with no idea how she got there. She stumbles toward the only house in sight, where a man named Gregg takes her in. Snowed in, cut off from the world, she starts to hear whispers in the night and footsteps that vanish into thin air. But Gregg insists she’s imagining things. Is she losing her mind? Or is something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface?

This is one of those books that takes its time unraveling its secrets, so if you love a slow-burning thriller dripping in psychological suspense, this one is for you. The snowy isolation only adds to the tension, making the reader question everything alongside the protagonist. The heavy use of gaslighting was frustrating in the best way—it made me feel just as lost as the main character, and I kept second-guessing what was real.

The narrator was fantastic, bringing the characters to life in a way that made the story even more immersive. I could see the snow, hear the eerie silence, and feel the paranoia creeping in. My only critique? The protagonist’s internal monologue started to wear on me after a while, but honestly, I’d probably be just as frantic if I were in her shoes.

This would be a great choice for someone new to thrillers or looking for a solid starter mystery. A chilling, atmospheric ride with a twisty ending that ties everything together.

Gravewater Lake by A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent claims to be a "psychological thriller." It begins with a a woman waking on the shore of a remote lake, freezing and devoid of memory. She finds a house and encounters Gregg, a seemingly benevolent stranger who offers her shelter (and gives her the temporary name of Anna) during a relentless winter storm.

The plot is excessively repetitious, with each chapter echoing the previous in both events and dialogue, leading to a monotonous reading experience. There was nothing actually thrilling or suspenseful. It is an unending sea of Anna experiencing something she finds creepy then gaslighting herself. Amanda Dolan, the narrator delivers Anna's inner monolog over dramatically like someone "trying" to tell a scary story by a campfire. Character development is lacking; the protagonist's internal monologues become increasingly irritating, to the extent that I was hoping Gregg would please just kill her. This stagnation hampers the story's progression, making it possible to skip the entire middle of the book without missing substantial content.

I had my doubts about this book at first, thinking the twist was going to be uninventive, but the authors certainly had a lot of surprises in store! The secluded location was creepy, and I was invested in both of the parallel narratives. Some of the early chapters felt like a little too much suspense, and I got impatient for Anna's paranoia to either be proven right or wrong, but I'm glad I kept listening. I was pleasantly surprised by the twist, and then things moved at lightning fast speed.

Recommend this for patient folks who appreciate a slow burn and twisty ending!

Narration note: I thought the narrator did a great job with this single POV book and the production quality was there. Listened at 2x to get through some of the tedious middle!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the opportunity to review an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I knew where this book was going. It read somewhat like your standard locked-room thriller - trapped in a mansion during a snowstorm with no access to the outside world, a woman with no memory and a good looking gentleman who may be keeping secrets. But boy, did Strong and Sargent throw my theories right out the window!

I listened to Gravewater Lake on audio and really enjoyed it. The narrator has a good voice and though mechanical at first, did improve throughout the novel. The pacing was great and the cliffhangers at the end of most chapters kept me wanting more.

I enjoyed the flashbacks and trying to piece together how Audria fit with Anna and how Greg fit with Peter, if they fit at all! There were a lot of questions and I couldn't tell if Anna was being gaslighted, imagining things, or straight up losing her mind.

It was fun to come up with theories with friends at The Pulse, and even more fun when we realized how wrong we were. There is no guessing that end!

This was one suspenseful and atmospheric thriller! Told in alternating perspectives, I thought I knew who I could believe but the more I read, the more suspicious I became of everyone! Lots of gaslighting and red herrings kept me guessing until the characters’ true colors were revealed. I loved that my predictions were turned upside down through the fabulous twists!

🎧 A woman wakes up by a remote lake at night with no memory of who she is or how she got there. Desperately she stumbles into a nearby house and meets Gregg. As a winter storm traps them, she starts to suspect something’s majorly wrong!

Most of the book follows the woman (they name her Anna) as she tries to piece together her past. Interspersed are chapters following Adria, who’s starting to wonder if her husband, Peter, is hiding something super sketch.

While Peter is clearly the villain, Gregg comes across as the perfect hero - taking care of Anna - and then taking care of Anna wink wink!!

There are a couple of other characters, but I liked that it was a small cast. It kept things focused and made everything feel even more isolated and creepy.

The audiobook narrator was fantastic, handling all the voices really well. I flew through it at 3x speed, and it still sounded great!

I liked the buildup, but it really took its time. Lots of suspense, but not much actual thrill until the end - then everything kicked off, and wow, I did not see those twists coming!

I’m usually not a fan of open endings, but this one worked for me. Just a heads-up - this isn’t aiming for realism, so be ready to suspend some disbelief.

If you love a slow burn with tons of suspense and a killer twist, this one’s for you!

Thanks to @Netgalley and
@BrilliancePublishing for access to this advanced readers copy

Gravewater Lake is a great thrilling story about a woman who loses her memory and finds herself stranded. When she finds a house with a man named Greg who is willing to allow her stay until the snow storm blows over and the snow has been cleared. In the meantime though, she makes a connection with Greg. Now.. being that she doesn't have any memory, I don't think she should have jumped the gun and slept with Greg. What if she finds out she's married to someone. That was a bit crazy of her. Also, the story was quite predictable. You saw the twists coming and I sort of feel like the plot has been overdone in so many varying version. It was still a great read though.

The tension starts out immediately and there are plenty of clever twists throughout the story. I enjoyed the narration by Amanda Dolan and she did a great job channeling the feelings of suspicion and fear experienced by the female main character.

Grave water lake by A.M Strong & Sonya Sargent
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I received an audio ARC of this title thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse
Sit tight for an unboxing later in the week to see some cool goodies and my dogs nose ♥️ lol

Grave Water Lake began with a bang and did not let up until the last page.
I did some some audio issues on netgalley about halfway through the book, which meant I had to take a rather long pause on finishing. But I feel it made me all the more excited to figure out how it ended. The wait was totally worth it since it left my mind reeling.

#qotd have you or someone you know had amnesia?

#bookstagram #review #BookReview #gravewaterlake #amstrong #sonyasargent #thriller

Last year, the team at #ThrillerBookLovers had the opportunity to read "The Last Girl Left," so I was thrilled when we received ARCs of the upcoming release "Gravewater Lake" by Sonya Sargent and A.M. Strong. Some of us were lucky enough to snag a promotional box with a signed book copy! These authors are not only talented but incredibly generous. I wish them great success with this chilling read!

"Gravewater Lake" is a story you'll want to curl up with by a crackling fireplace or enjoy under the warm sun on a sandy beach. It’s as dark and bitterly cold as the mysterious lake it’s named after. The characters are cloaked in deep, haunting secrets, and Gravewater Lake is the perfect place to bury them.

The narrative weaves through alternating timelines, pulling readers into an eerie and captivating mystery. We meet a woman who awakens on the icy edge of a lake, struggling to remember her identity. Not dressed for the biting cold and nursing a bump on her head, suspicion creeps in. Battling the freezing chill, she stumbles upon a solitary house, where a handsome yet mysterious stranger offers her shelter as a fierce storm rages outside.

As the snowstorm intensifies, it becomes clear that they aren’t the only ones trapped—several mysterious neighbors also find themselves stranded, each harboring their secrets. The woman, who temporarily takes the name Anna, navigates unsettling emotions and strange occurrences within the house. With each passing moment, she can’t shake the nagging feeling that her presence in this desolate place is anything but accidental.

The twists and turns in this riveting tale kept me teetering on the edge of my seat! When I thought I had it figured out, the author delivered a shocking conclusion that left me satisfied and slightly unsettled. If you love a good mystery with layers of intrigue, "Gravewater Lake" is a must-read that will not disappoint!

Thank you to the authors, Brilliance Audio, and Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for providing this ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

#GravewaterLake #SonyaSargent #AMStrong #ARC #BrillianceAudio #audiobookreview #capcut #lefttoread #reader #read #honestreview #thriller #bookreviewer #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #lovetoread #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer #booktok #bookish

Gravewater Lake
A.M. Strong; Sonya Sargent
03/01/2025
Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio
Narrator: Amanda Dolan

Anything that A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent write – it is a guarantee that I will read it. The best part, this one may be my favorite. Whatever you think you know while reading this book – you are wrong. Don’t even try and guess it. Nope. Wrong.
The novel centers around a woman who wakes up by a lake, stripped of all memory, and seeks refuge with a mysterious man named Gregg. As she tries to unravel the fragments of her past, she begins to sense that something is off about both the man and the house they’re in. The only clue to her name is a charm with the letter A.
This book is an exhilarating thrill ride, packed with surprising twists that will keep you glued to the pages. The protagonist's amnesia adds an intriguing layer, making everyone she meets seem suspicious and leaving you constantly questioning their true motives. I found myself perpetually second-guessing the characters, always one step behind the shocking revelations and hidden truths. Right before the truth comes you will be feeling claustrophobic and wondering what is reality!?!?
With its complex plot and constant twists, this book is nearly impossible to put down. If you enjoy a suspenseful, isolation, snowed in thriller, this one is for you. It’s a binge-worthy story making that extra cup of coffee in the morning worth the staying up all night to read!

It’s #ThrillerThursday so I wanted to tell you about this book that will be available everywhere on Saturday. Grave Water Lake by A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent was atmospheric, chilling and kept me guessing.
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If you like locked room mysteries, unreliable narrators, and some surprising twists, you might enjoy this one. Due to amnesia after waking up freezing next to a lake in the snow with a head injury, our main character has no idea who she is or why she is there. She finds a house in the woods with a kind man willing to take care of her while they are snowed in, cut off from the rest of the world by a snowstorm. But is this really a kind Samaritan or does he have other plans for her, also, are they really alone out there?
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I was a bit irritated that our mc was one of those girls who didn’t pay attention to her instincts and run! I chalked it up to the amnesia and not knowing where to go or who to trust. I really liked her and was cheering her on from page one.
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Thanks @BrilliancePublishing and @BrillianceAudio for my advanced copy.
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QOTD: What new books are you reading this week?
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#newrelease #whatiread #forthethrill #snowstorm #amnesia #fictionfan #alwaysreading #kimreadsandreads

I enjoyed the layers of suspense in the plot and how the story played out in the end. The main character is a woman waking up beside a lake, frozen in a winter storm, with amnesia after a head injury. She stumbles to the nearest house, where she meets a handsome man who takes care of her. Strange things happen, and the woman worries she might not be safe with this man, but the snowstorm has them stranded. I didn't see that ending coming at all. I found the audiobook immersive and well-portrayed. Fans of popcorn thrillers who embrace fiction will enjoy this one.

A woman wakes up on the shore of a remote lake, freezing and with no memory of who she is. She’s taken in by a stranger named Gregg, but as a storm traps them together, eerie whispers and strange noises make her doubt everything. Is Gregg hiding something dark, or is she losing her grip on reality? Can she trust him, or is he the reason she ended up in the lake? I won’t give too much away, but this story will definitely keep you on edge!

I have just one word for the audiobook—OMG! I couldn’t stop listening! I finished it in a single day because it was that captivating. The narration? Perfect! Amanda Dolan did an amazing job setting the tone and truly bringing the story to life.

This fast-paced thriller is packed with twists that will keep you hooked until the very end. It’s suspenseful, dramatic, and tense—twist after twist after twist! And that ending? Jaw-dropping. I had chills more than once, especially with the eerie sense of isolation surrounding both the setting and Anna’s character.

I’m a sucker for a dual timeline, and this one had me thinking I knew where it was going—but nope, it completely fooled me.

If you love psychological thrillers, this is a must-listen. A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent have crafted an intricate, haunting, and gripping story that will leave you guessing until the very last moment. Trust me, you won’t see that twist coming!

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4⭐️
GRAVEWATER LAKE
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: thriller/mystery
📖 364 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 🥶❄️😱🤫🩸🚘🍷✍🏼🔪🪦💊🛶🔫
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 3/1/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ single POV
◽️ dual timeline
◽️ secluded settings
◽️ an unreliable narrator

💚𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲💚

Thank you @netgalley @brillianceaudio @sonyasargent for the #gifted copy!
@thrillerbookloversthepulse loves this one!

GRAVEWATER LAKE was an absolute whirlwind from start to finish! The first chapter immediately sets the tone for a suspenseful & gripping read, pulling you in with an air of mystery. The story unfolds through a single POV, alternating between past & present chapters, which only adds to the intrigue. I found myself constantly questioning how the 2 timelines would connect, & as the parallels became clearer, the tension continued to build.

Packed with red herrings & unexpected twists, this novel keeps you guessing at every turn. With multiple mysteries woven together, the ominous atmosphere & sense of distorted reality make for an unforgettable reading experience. If you love suspenseful thrillers, this one is a must-read! I also highly recommend THE LAST GIRL LEFT by the same authors—it’s just as gripping!

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: A woman wakes up freezing & alone by a remote lake with no memory of who she is. She stumbles to a nearby house, where a mysterious man named Gregg takes her in. A winter storm traps them together, but strange whispers & footsteps make her uneasy. She begins to suspect that Gregg is hiding something—or that she’s losing her mind. As she pieces together the truth, she realizes danger is closer than she ever imagined.

I really struggled to write this review. I first discovered these authors when I read The Last Girl Left last year, so I was excited to receive an ARC of this one. The story started off strong, immediately drawing me in with the prologue. However, as it progressed, the details began to drag, feeling overly exaggerated and unrealistic. By the time the big twist was revealed, it just didn’t work for me. I found myself rolling my eyes more often than not. Unfortunately, this one left me disappointed.

That said, the narrator was absolutely fantastic and truly elevated the story. Even though the book itself didn’t click with me, the narration kept me engaged and made the experience much more enjoyable. I hate that I didn’t love this one, but I’d still recommend it to others, as it may be more to your taste. And despite my feelings on this book, I’ll definitely give another one of their books a try.