Loved the scandals, drama, all the ominous undertones and that creepy brother-sister bond. This was more grounded than I expected while staying suspenseful. But that ending was meh. Like rapid-fire things happening in a ‘huh. I guess that makes sense’ way 🤷‍♀️

 

Energy: Dramatic. Optimistic. Temperamental. 

 

The house layout wasn’t well-described so it was hard to picture where everyone was and what they could and couldn’t see. Felt like the rooms moved around as the plot required. Confusing character decisions that broke the story’s flow. 

 

Writing style was jarring sometimes. Characters’ actions/dialogue often felt abrupt or unnatural. It read a bit like a play where actors forgot their cues and scrambled to catch up. 

 

Well-paced twists and suspense that didn’t feel contrived. Clever misdirections. A domestic thriller that didn’t feel cookie-cutter. Astrology having a subtle role and treated more like something respectable than silly (I don’t know much about it but gained an understanding for why it’s meaningful for those who follow it!). 

 

Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in a renovated Victorian house on the North Fork of Long Island.

Perspectives (6): The host astrologer. A lawyer who really (like, really) wants a bio-baby. Their sibling, who is a secretly famous romance writer falling out of love. A social media influencer trying to win back their spouse’s affection. A paediatrician with a conflicting crush. A person from the past. 

Timeline: Current (2020s). Over the course of the weekend from arrival to the day of the death.

🔥 Fuel: Withholding and hinting. Layered secrets and scandal. How will each character handle their secrets? What will they choose to do after a weekend of reflection? What don’t we know about each of their pasts?  

📖 Cred: Plausible to a little over-the-top

 

Victorian house on the coast. Beach views. Decks. Adirondack chairs. Firepit. Cocktails. Birth charts. Vanilla-ginger candle. French doors. Crickets. Mosquitoes. The Weather Channel. 

 

Content Heads-Up: Loss of parent (as child). Infertility (on page grief, struggle, discussion). Infidelity. Marriage breakdown (one-sided). Death (discussion, coming to terms with). Parental abandonment. Codependency. Sexual content (consenting; on page not super descriptive). Body shaming (brief; male height). Cannabis (vape). Polyamorous relationship. Anxiety. Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia; very brief mention). Mental illness (off page recall; antidepressants, shame-spirals). Teacher-student relationship. Anaphylactic reaction (brief). Abortion (

forced, non-consenting

). Drugging. Nicotine (cigarettes). Sexual assault/rape by deception (discussion, recall). Natural disasters (tropical storm). Medical content (CPR, drowning).

 

Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Bi/lesbian/queer questioning. Milky white and ambiguous skin tones. Child-free by choice. Parent of child with behavioural issues.

 

📚 Format: Library Digital