Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

2024 Challenge Sign-Up Post

January Reviews Link-Up

February Reviews Link-Up

March Reviews Link-Up

April Reviews Link-Up

May Reviews Link-Up

June Reviews Link-Up

July Reviews Link-Up

August Reviews Link-Up

September Reviews Link-Up

October Reviews Link-Up

November Reviews Link-Up

December Reviews Link-Up

My Progress:


9 / 30 books. 30% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (1)
- North Carolina (1)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia (1)
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*

International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (5)
- France (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


12 / 51 states. 24% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 50 words. 20% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


15 / 50 books. 30% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


32 / 50 books. 64% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


27 / 52 books. 52% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


21 / 40 books. 53% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


13 / 40 books. 33% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


5 / 25 books. 20% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


17 / 26.2 miles. 65% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


15 / 100 books. 15% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 104 books. 33% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


31 / 52 books. 60% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


32 / 165 books. 19% done!
Thursday, February 20, 2020

The Shining-ish Mystery/Horror Novel a Creepy, Can't-Look-Away Page Turner (with a Giveaway!)

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Something hasn’t been right at the roadside Sun Down Motel for a very long time, and Carly Kirk is about to find out why in this chilling new novel from the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnĘĽt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.

Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.

There's a reason I'm not a professional writer of plot summaries for novels!  Rarely can I come up with something as succinct but telling as the one above.  It says everything you need to know about The Sun Down Motel, the newest haunting thriller from Simone St. James, without giving anything away.  And you do want to go into this one with as few preconceived notions as possible.  Suffice it to say, the book offers up lots of The Shining-ish thrills and chills.  Riley Sager calls it "deliciously creepy" and I can't think of a more apt description.   Although it was freaky enough to make me dive under my covers every time my house creaked even though I was reading it in broad daylight, it's a fun kind of freaky.  I enjoyed the colorful characters, the eerie setting, and the pulse-pounding plot, so much so that I read The Sun Down Motel almost in one sitting.  If you dig a good scare, don't miss this one.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Shining by Stephen King and The Widow's House by Carol Goodman)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for language, violence, disturbing subject matter, and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Sun Down Motel from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

--

Are you interested in winning your own copy of The Sun Down Motel?  Its publisher is generously offering one hardcover copy of the book for me to give away here at BBB.  All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter widget below.  Please note that only readers with U.S. addresses are eligible to enter.  Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for this thrilling giveaway which interests me greatly. I have read this author's novels which are intriguing and unique. I am looking forward to reading The Wife and The Widow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm glad to hear you liked this one so much. I'm a fan of St. James's other books, but haven't read this one yet. I'm really looking forward to it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the way you turn your post titles into mini-reviews of the books you're talking about. This was a great title. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I do like the fun kind of freaky! This one is on my TBR and I'm really looking forward it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't read a lot of horror, like this book sounds, but I'm curious about the storyline and I love the title! Fingers crossed I win the copy since I just checked the ABQ library system and they have NO copies - not even ordered yet! Thanks, Susan!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This one sounds so good! I think I need to add it to my TBR list!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This one might be a bit too scary for me!

    ReplyDelete
  8. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Sounds like my kind of book.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I loooooove your rating system! I'll definitely have to check this out, the cover alone is really intriguing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have this one to read and have been putting it off because I don't do creepy very well. I think I just need to take the plunge. Great review Susan.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I need to read this. Thank you.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I really did enjoy this book. I did go into it blindly, like I usually do, and think that is the perfect way to go. I loved that there was just enough of a creepy feel to the story.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
End of Story by A.J. Finn

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
My Contrary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive



2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Susan has read 0 books toward her goal of 200 books.
hide

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction