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april_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Night Watching by Tracy Sierra is an impressive debut thriller that packs a punch.
The story begins with a mother waking in the middle of the night to find a stranger in her home. She hides her children in a secret room to protect them and escapes, but the details of that night become hazy. As doubt creeps in, questions arise: Did this really happen? Is she losing her mind? Or is something even more sinister at play?
I’ll admit, I almost DNF’d this book. The beginning felt a bit too familiar, like many other thrillers I’ve read. But around the halfway mark, things took start to look less clear, and I’m so glad I stuck with it. The tension ramps up, and it becomes impossible to put down.
I recommend this to fans of thrillers that keep you guessing until the end. Stick with it—this one is worth the ride!
Graphic: Body shaming and Bullying
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Blood
sarahkate22's review
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Finished reading: April 16th 2024
“Easier to believe a woman’s lying than that bad things happened on your watch. Easier to believe the simplest thing is always correct. And it’s simple to say a woman is crazy.”
I kept seeing this debut everywhere and the premise sounded delightfully creepy, so of course I ended up giving in and decided to add Nightwatching to my priority TBR. It's true that hyped books can go both ways for me, but I'm SO glad I listened to my intuition here... Because the fact is: I was completely bowled over by this claustrophobic and simply spine-chilling story. WHAT a read! It's funny how part of me absolutely hated my time with Nightwatching, while I was also completely hooked and in awe at the same time. This sounds completely contradictory, but I think that if you have read this story you will probably know what I'm talking about. I absolutely loved the chapters set in the present, which were both intense, daunting and had that perfect ominous atmosphere. The setting itself is simple, as most of the story is set at the house... But in only worked in this story's favor for me. I initally wasn't a fan of the flashbacks at all, but as soon as you start to understand the importance of those same flashbacks all is forgiven. I absolutely loved the writing style, which I admit won't be for everyone... But if you are able to connect with it, it will truly take this debut to the next level for you. The way the plot is built up and how you start questioning everything that you are reading is also extremely cleverly done, and it only made me want to turn those pages even faster. I simply HAD to know what really happened that night! All in all a fantastic debut and I already can't wait to see what Tracy Sierra will come up with next.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic