Publishing date: 17.09.2024

Thank you to Netgalley and Psychopomp for the ARC. My opinions are my own. 

The book as a meal: No food for me, whisky on the rocks only 

The book left me: Feeling a deep sense of dread 

Negatives:

Wished it was longer

The twist came a little suddenly 

Positives:

Sublime vibes

Will stick with me for a long time

Great writing

Features: 

A labyrinthine house with horrific hosts, a lowkey murder mystery, LGBTQ rep, a character that does not know who they are or how they got here

Why did I choose this one?

The cover is stunning, the combination of genres is right up my alley, and  the blurb gave just enough intrigue to really want to read it. It seemed like just the book for me. 

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?

Very pick-up-able. This book got its claws in me almost immediately. You get thrown into it from the beginning and you really want to see what happens next.

What was the vibe and mood?

Claustrophobic. Wandering a labyrinth. The floor is sticky. The air is stale. The smell of alcohol, blood, and putrid meat follows my every step. I am not safe. I am not free. I am being watched everywhere I go. 

Final ranking and star rating?

A tier, 4 stars. This book was just wonderful and I really enjoyed it. The only downer is the twist at the end and the fact that it was very short. I wished for more and I wished for a different outcome. Even so, I am thoroughly satisfied and I will be strongly recommending this in the future.