A review by novellearts
Gruesome Getaway by R.N. Cogley

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

An Ireland getaway takes a brutal turn as Tadhg, his twin brother and his brother's girlfriend get caught in the middle of an intense "tradition." I don't want to give too much of the plot away, so I'll keep it briefly at this.

The characters I found to be slightly infuriating and a bit ridiculous. Their explanations and denials of all the weird circumstances surrounding their stay had me frustrated. "The wind" being one of the worst excuses. Not only that, but their determination to disregard warnings blew my mind. I would've immediately been gone!

I think this story would've benefited from some more background and explanation of the village. I was interested in the lore surrounding their village and I don't feel that we really received any details. Once the horrors started to unfold, I found this story much better. Unfortunately, I felt that the story revolved too much around the dramatics of Tadhg's failed relationship. With this being such a short book, I would've liked to see a bit more balance.

It was a very quick and easy read. The drama kept me motivated to keep reading, but as I said, I wish I had received more history regarding the Celtic symbols and the village.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

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