Reading challenge category - 2024 Flourish and Blotts NEWTs RC - Herbology - Greenhouse: Includes a character with a plant or flower related name ("Lily")

Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC of this work.

Lily and Anna have been neighbors and best friends their entire lives. When Lily's father is murdered and Anna is the one to find his body, old secrets will be revealed that will send many lives into an upheavel.

I think that I've watched too much Law and Order: SVU lately because within the first 2-3 chapters, I figured out one of the big twists. I will say that the last few pages were a twist that I didn't expect, but they did set it up nicely earlier in the book.

It wasn't really anything new. It felt a lot like "The Woman in the Window" with a couple extra twists and secrets thrown in. 3/5 stars.

I was shocked at the the turns USA Today bestseller, Jill Childs, took me on as the end drew near in her latest psychological thriller!

She’s a truly gifted thriller writer, & I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her! I highly recommend adding her books to your TBR pile! Start with this one & you won’t be disappointed at the twists that keep coming at the end!

I loved the narration Kristin Atherton gave this psychological suspense with the perfect pace it needed!

Thank you, Jill Childs, Bookouture, Bookouture Audio, & Netgalley for my early copy & audiobook! All opinions are my own.

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!!!! Firstly, I want to give a huge thank you to Net Galley and Bookoture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 Stars

I absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed the twists, the characters, and the writing. The narrator was great, and I loved how it kept me guessing until the literal last page. I love classic whodunnits and this book had you questioning everyone.

The twist this took was crazy and completely unexpected! I really loved it and highly recommend it to other thriller lovers. I started and finished this in one day.

"The House Across the Street" by Jill Childs is an enthralling psychological thriller that keeps you hooked from the first page to the last. Set in a picturesque neighborhood, the story centers around the mysterious murder of Lily Taylor's father and the ensuing chaos that disrupts the seemingly perfect lives of the residents on Riverside Road.

Childs masterfully weaves a tale of suspense and tension, with the protagonist finding herself entangled in a web of secrets and danger after witnessing a stranger in the house across the street. The characters are well-developed, particularly the close-knit bond between the protagonist and Lily, which adds emotional depth to the narrative. The author's skillful portrayal of a mother's fierce determination to protect her daughter amidst escalating threats is both gripping and heart-wrenching.

The novel excels in building an atmosphere of fear and paranoia, with unexpected twists that keep the reader guessing until the very end. However, some plot points feel slightly predictable, and a few characters could have been fleshed out more to enhance the story further.

Overall, "The House Across the Street" is a compelling read with a truly shocking twist that will leave you questioning the nature of trust and the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones. Fans of Sally Hepworth, The Woman in the Window, or Liane Moriarty will find this thriller to be a satisfying and addictive addition to their collection.

Thank you NetGalley and Jill Childs for the ARC read
***All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone***

this book had so many twists and turns and i loved it. everytime i thought i had something figured out, something else happened and changed my mind, i was not a fan of how it ended. but that could just be a me issue and it didn't take away from the book, this is a classic who done it and then the why.

Anna is the sole witness to her best friend Lily's father's murder - one night when all the neighbors are in a party Anna notices a light on in Lily's house and it's odd because everyone is supposed to be at the party!
She almost comes face to face with the killer, and once she starts receiving the threatening notes and someone breaks her daughter's room window causing bodily harm she is really petrified. She is afraid that some of her past will come out once the police starts investigating - right when she herself might be the main accused someone else comes forward and accepts the killing. But on deeper investigation the cops realize not all is what it seems to being shown as to them.

The end of this book left me spiraling - I was definitely not expecting that twist!!

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and Jill Childs for the audio ARC in exchange for honest review.

This was so good! I was hooked from the start! I read it in one sitting so so good! The way this kept me guessing I wanted to know how it ended!

Childhood best friends, Anna and Lily, are shattered when Dr. Taylor, Lily's father, is found murdered. As their families cling to each other amidst the chaos, unsettling secrets bubble up, threatening to tear everything apart. When Anna's daughter whispers of a stalker and chilling notes arrive, the line between past and present blurs. Can Anna unravel the truth before it's too late? Atherton's masterful twist-laden narrative will keep you guessing until the shocking, gut-wrenching reveal. (4.5 stars)

Thank you NetGalley for the Audio ARC of The House Across the Street by Jill Childs

This audio production was well done and the narrator did a good job with the reading and transitions. The overall story was good and at times really kept me wanting to know more but I also felt it dragged a little bit.

Every childhood has that perceived unbreakable friendship and Lily and Ava have a bond that goes beyond childhood and into their adult lives despite tragedy and loss. They neighbors and best friends who’s brothers were ultimately the same until the loss of Lily’s mother shook the town and the family’s bonds.

After Ava’s brother returns home another tragedy strikes and Lily loses her father the beloved town physician. Ava has seen the killer and is now the only witness which jeopardizes herself and her 10yo daughter.

Will there be justice not just for this loss but the loss from years past. Can these friends survive another tragedy and the unearthing of family secrets?

Audio Pub Date: July 15, 2024
🌟🌟🌟

I received the audio version of this book via early access. The author was new to me and the writing was fluid and easy to follow. Narration did a great job with production and it was easy to listen to.

The story starts off with high impact events that lead to the plot swiftly unfolding. readers are pulled into the suspense of the story as you navigate multiple povs. This book provided an ample amount of twists that I didn’t expect. With all that being said, I can’t say that any parts of the story really wowed me. It was a solid book and I would recommend it to fans of the genre, however it wasn’t a stand out read for the year.

Book 72 of 2024
[Thriller]
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read this book if you grew up with friend’s parents that were your second parents, you spent more time outside than inside, & you know children are to be trusted more than adults.

A twisty domestic thriller based around two women, Anna and Lily, who grew up as neighbours and best friends, and their families.

When Anna discovers Lily’s father, Dr Taylor, murdered in his bed, the two families turn to each other for support and answers. But there are secrets and history between them and when Anna’s daughter, Cassie, tells Anna she is being watched, and Anna starts receiving threatening notes, the chilling tension really ramps up!

The twists come thick and fast and I really had no idea who the killer was, so the revelation was like a punch to the gut!

I was amazed when I realised there was just one narrator for all of the characters. Kristin Atherton did a brilliant job of differentiating between the characters, especially the three female narrators of Anna, Lily and Cassie.

4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Jill Childs and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookcouture Audio for this ARC! It’s my first one and I am grateful for the opportunity. My opinions are honest and my own.

The House Across the Street - Jill Childs
3/5 star
 
Anna and Lily have been best friends since they were children. Their close knit families live across the street from each other on a quiet street, and have always supported each other in times of need despite some drama and misunderstandings. However, there are secrets between them that start tumbling out when a recent tragedy befalls Lily’s family.

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This was fast paced, easy to get sucked into, and contains several twists! The ending was unexpected!

I enjoyed how the drama and secrets enfolded between AND within the two families, despite the families (specifically Anna and Lily) seeming to be close. The reader is constantly torn between whether or not to believe the characters are as close as they seem and if the characters can trust each other.

The chapters sometimes would end on a cliffhanger and the following chapter would not necessarily pick up immediately afterwards, sometimes switching to a different character’s POV. I thought this was well implemented and did not feel overdone! Made me want to keep listening!

However, I think there is an issue with one of the twists. After the revelation of the twist, I couldn’t imagine why a certain character would continue to be around another character. It’s hard to describe without spoiling so if still interested, check out my full Goodreads review.

Narration was great except when the narrator had to whisper. It was honestly too quiet to hear properly, but thankfully that didn’t happen too frequently.

Key Elements:
Multiple POV
Popcorn Thriller
Family Drama
Childhood Friends

I really enjoy a good popcorn thriller. This book fit the bill, but was also more neighborhood drama, family drama, crime suspense.

There were a couple twists throughout! I will admit the reveal of Dr. Taylor’s murderer did surprise me. The other couple twists, not so much, but still added to the story.

Without giving any spoilers: one of the “twists” didn’t sit well with me, even though I saw it coming. The reason I hated it most was because of Cassie, and her relationship with this character despite her mom Anna’s relationship with this character. That makes NO sense, and I would’ve kept Cassie far, far away.

All said, I was invested throughout, and the narrator did a great job.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I'm still not sure what exactly my feelings about this book were. The plot kept getting more and more tangled at every turn, some of my theories being close to the truth, and some totally unimaginable revelations.

I probably would've liked it a bit more if the narration hadn't annoyed me so much. No offense to the narrator, I know many others would even prefer this sort of narration, but I personally, just kept getting frustrated at the extreme volume changed everytime there was a whispering or yelling dialogue.

At first, I wasn't able to get myself too invested in the story, for the first few chapters. But as it progressed, I just kept getting more and more engrossed in whatever was going on. The last few chapters were definitely my favourite ones, as they are in most thrillers.

The characters were all neither loveable, nor someone you could particularly hate (except for that gossipy old woman). I like when characters are realistic, and this book did provide that, until the very end. Not sure what more I can say to describe the book without spoilers, so I'll just end this here.

Perfect families have the most to hide…

Two best friends who live across the street from each other, both keeping their own secrets from each other, but for how long?

I don't want to say to much about the plot for fear of spoiling the story, but just know there is a lot going on that moves the story on and builds the tension and suspense throughout.

I listened to this as an audio book and was absolutely hooked, I listened to most of it in one day and could wait to finish listening the next day. The narrator was great at building the suspense and keeping to the pacing and excitement of the book.


Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This high quality audio had me gripped throughtout. The audio perfectly gave each character their own voice. The story was fast paced and full of twists and turns in this pov story that dripped fed the truth and it's links to the past. Absolutely loved it felt a quick listen and that there was scope for more. Loved the ending and the constant twists and turns if rhe characters as they struggled with their emotions from the past. I loved the actual killer that was something I didn't suspect. Well written and narrated.
Thank you so much netgallery and publisher and author and narrator for this cracking 5 star listen.

I reviewed an audiobook arc of gods book through NetGalley and Bookouture Audio.

I gave this book 4 stars.

This book is about Anna and her caught up in a murder and other strange happenings. She has a daughter, Cassie, who also tends to make bad decisions as Anna does.

The book begins with someone being hit by a car on a dark night. This event follows Anna and the other characters to the present day.

Anna’s best friend, Lilly, father is murder and Anna starts out by helping the police. She is soon threatened and realizes she needs to stop. The book has a lot of tension and I felt like the audiobook portrayed that well.

While there are a list of characters who could be the murderer, I was surprised by the twist at the end. We are also trying to find out who Cassie’s father is.

I really enjoyed this book but I found it a little confusing at times. I had to go back and relisten a few times but I was happy when I did. Solid 4 stars!

I was captivated by this book within the first few pages. Several twists along the way were unexpected. Some parts do feel like they go on and on a bit, and I would have been happy without the last twist. Overall, I really enjoyed this and will seek out more written by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ERC!

Book Title: The House Across the Street
Author: Jill Childs
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Kristin Atherton
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: July 15, 2024
My Rating: 4.16 Stars
Pages 330

Story starts with a ‘Welcome Back Party’ for Tim, Anna’s brother.
Anna King is a single mom and still lives in the same community as she did when she was a child. She now has her own child ten year old daughter Cassie. Anna and her brother were raised by her best friend Lily’s mother and father after their mother died.
Lily’s family lived across the street from Anna and the girls have been best friends ever since they were young.
The night of the party, all the neighbors attend including Dr. Taylor who still lives across the street. He returned home from the party somewhat early. As the party continues Anna notices a light flickering in the upstairs windows in Dr. Taylor house. She wonders if it is a short fuse and decides to do a wellness check as Dr. Taylor lives alone.
Once she enters the home she realizes that the flickering light was a flashlight moving from room to room. She investigates she finds Dr. Taylor murdered in his bed.

Who would kill the beloved Dr. Taylor and why?
Anna and Lily are still best friends both have brothers and it seems they all have been keeping secrets.
Their Secrets are revealed at the end.

Just when I was sure everything was all wrapped up- Author Jull Childs pulled a ‘Gotchu’
I sure didn’t see that ending coming!
This is my fourth author, Jill Child novel I enjoyed them all - she does not disappoint!!

Want to thank Bookouture Audio for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 15, 2024.