Book Dust Magic

Disturbing but slow: Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden (Book Review) @PRHGlobal #partner #thriller #Halloween #Blogtober

Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I decided to talk about a book I read recently. Even though it is marketed as thriller and it does have thriller elements, because of it’s writing style it reads slowly so I would say it is dark ya contemporary.

Monsters Among Us was published on January 5th 2021 by Penguin, Crown Books for Young Readers. It has 400 pages.
I want to thank the team from Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

When Catherine Ellers returns home after her first semester at college, she is seeking refuge from a night she can barely piece together, dreads remembering, and refuses to talk about. She tries to get back to normal, but just days later the murder of someone close to her tears away any illusion of safety.

Catherine feels driven to face both violent events head on in hopes of finding the perpetrators and bringing them to justice with the help of her childhood friend, Henry. Then a stranger from college arrives with her lost coat, missing driver’s license–and details to help fill in the gaps in her memory that could be the key to solving both mysteries. But who is Andrew Worthington and why is he offering to help her? And what other dangerous obsessions is her sleepy town hiding?

Surrounded by secrets and lies, Catherine must unravel the truth–before this wolf in sheep’s clothing strikes again.

Review:

I picked Monsters Among Us because I was in a mood for something dark, and although not so dark but more depressive I got.
Still, because of the writing style with all the confusing parts written in italic, jumping from present to past and story told in third person, I couldn’t get into the story nor feel for the characters as much as I wanted to.
It also feels like the author more told us about Catherine’s trauma then showed us.

The book reads slowly (at least in my experience) because most of the time it was boring.

The story follows Catherine who comes back home from college after being gang raped. The book covers such an important topic, and I wish it wasn’t overshadowed by murder in the story.
Still, I appreciate how Rodden showed us different kinds of monsters that walk among us in every society.

I have to admit that, unlike other readers, I didn’t guess the big revelation and was little shocked by it. I guess that is a good thing.

Would I recommend this book?
I would to fans of darker stories written for young adults.

Gothic and spooky: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Book Review) #Horror #Halloween #Retelling

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher book cover

Today I am happy to bring you my review for a horror I read recently and enjoyed very much. It is perfect Halloween read in my opinion.

What Moves the Dead was published on July 12th 2022 by Tor Nightfire and it has 165 pages. I read my own copy of the book.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

What Moves the Dead is Kingfisher’s retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.”

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

Review:

I am going to start this review by fangirling about this cover. Do you see how amazing it is?? Beautiful, hypnotic and creepy at the same time!
Honestly, this is my favourite book cover that I have seen in years, and now when I finished the story, I understand it and appreciate it even more!

What Moves the Dead is a retelling of a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. Which one? I don’t really know. Obviously I didn’t do my research very well, but to me it doesn’t make much difference because the only short story that have read by E.A.P. is Black Cat (In the meantime I learned that the story is called The Fall of the House of Ushers).

But what I did notice is how similar this novel is to Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
They both start with a letter about one sick character where the main character comes to visit, they both have big spooky house, gothic atmosphere, and also… one big thing that plays big part in both stories. Plus, they are both horrors.
Of course, me being bad at doing proper research, I don’t know if they are both retelling of the same classic story.
Still, it is worth mentioning that T. Kingfisher admitted similarities between her and Moreno-Garcia’s novel in her author’s note.

What Moves the Dead has non binary main character, which I appreciate.

The book is set some time in the past, and it is set in the world that is similar to ours (London, Paris and America are there) but it also has some imaginary places that don’t exist in our world, and also cultures that I’ve never heard about.

It is written in first person, from Alex‘ POV, but as the narrator sometimes talks to us readers, at times it feels like it was written in second person.

The gothic, dark and wet atmosphere was my favourite part.
Also, I appreciate how short this novel is. It takes a skill to write something that isn’t too long, but says so much.

This was a buddy read with Amanda and we both liked it.
We both also agree that we didn’t fan over big revelation of what caused all this mess, as it made little sense to our contemporary oriented brains.

However, I still very much recommend this book and I will definitely check other work by T. Kingfisher.

Book Review: Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey @PRHGlobal #partner #romance

Not like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I bring you my review for a book that I have read some time ago. It is part of the series and my suggestion is to read Waiting for Tom Hanks first. I enjoyed reading Not LIke the Movies so I hope my review will give it some spotlight so more people would give it a chance.

Not Like the Movies was published on July 7th 2020 by Berkley and it has 320 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Chloe Sanderson is an optimist, and not because her life is easy. As the sole caregiver for her father, who has early onset Alzheimer’s, she’s pretty much responsible for everything. She has no time—or interest—in getting swept up in some dazzling romance. Not like her best friend Annie, who literally wrote a rom-com that’s about to premiere in theaters across America…and happens to be inspired by Chloe and Nick Velez, Chloe’s cute but no-nonsense boss.

As the buzz for the movie grows, Chloe reads one too many listicles about why Nick is the perfect man, and now she can’t see him as anything but Reason #2: The Scruffy-Bearded Hunk Who’s Always There When You Need Him. But unlike the romance Annie has written for them, Chloe isn’t so sure her own story will end in a Happily Ever After.

Review:

I got into Not Like the Movie without knowing it was a part of the series. How foolish of me for not doing my research.
When it comes to romance genre, with every book following different main characters, they can usually all be read as standalones.
This one can also be considered as easy to understand on it’s own, to some point, but since main characters from the first book appear more then few times, and it is constantly mentioned what happened in that story, bringing and creating problems for characters in this, second novel, I would suggest to read the first book first.
I felt like I was missing out and it kind of ruined my reading experience.

The story follows a woman who has hots for her boss. And while I usually like that trope (or the idea of it because I haven’t read many books following it) in this novel Chloe acted too unprofessional to me with her constant comments but then when Nick would try something she would be all like “Oh no, we can’t. Bla bla bla, but you still have cute but and strong muscles and also, you smell like an old hot grampa”. Yes, I know.
I guess this is also age gap romance because Chloe had some comments about Nick being old, but it was never stated how old was he.

I didn’t like all the drama and characters finding excuses not to be with each other just so we can rute for them to finally get together.

Chloe’s relationahip with her bestie was also strange and it didn’t sound too healthy.

I could relate to Chloe who took care of her dementing father and having to deal with her absent brother. Their relationship with their mother was so complicated and I totally understand how it would scar them both.

The writing style was solid and the book reads quikly.

I would recommend Not Like the Movie but I would also advice to start with Waiting on Tom Hanks first.

So… this was tense: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (Book Review) #Thriller #Halloween #blogtober

Today I bring you my review for the book that I read along with my frineds in our reading club. Lock Every Door was our September pick. I really enjoyed it and am glad to tell you all about it.

This novel was published back in 2019, on July 2nd. It has 381 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

Review:

Lock Every Door was September pick in the reading club I am a part of. I was so excited because this novel was on my radar ever since it came out. Out of four of us, I think I liked it the best.

Written in first person, the novel is tense and capturing. Jules is a reliable narrator (which was so nice for a change) but what makes this book so good is that you can’t trust absolutely no one but her.

This novel was really something. Now I get why all the hype.
The mysterious atmosphere where you feel like you are trapped along with main character but can’t figure out what is happening and can’t get out was the cherry on top in my reading experience.

I also want to mention how this book touches some important topics like poverty and what goes along with it, and I believe no reader can stay calm or cold to it. Some parts were heartbreaking.
I do believe stories similar to this one happen in real life and often poor people who have no one to look for them are ones who pay the price.

I remember my friend Amanda and me were afraid that this story would be too similar to Turn of the Key, and now I laugh when I think about it, because those two stories can’t be more different. The only thing they have in common is that they are both very good novels.

The end was good. I like how this whole mystery solved out and what was the story behind the curtain, even though some of my friends who I read this with were disappointed.
However, I will admit that I wasn’t satisfied with the very end. In other words, I think justice could have been served better.

Book Review: One Thousand Stars and You by Isabelle Broom #Bloggers #Fiction #Blogtober

One Thousand Stars and You Isabelle Broom book cover

GIFTED / Today I bring you my review for a backlist written by one of my favourite authors: Isabelle Broom. Becoming a mother slowed me down in my reading and pretty much stopped me from reviewing/blogging for so long that now I have so many books that I am late with when it comes to reviewing. Good thing is I still am very interested in every single one I received and I am making my way through them. One Thousand Stars and You was a good book to spend time with and even though I am kind of late with my review for it, I still hope my review will makw you notice this novel and maybe will get it some atteintion. After all, when it comes to backlists, chances are they are traslated in more languages by now and available in more libraries.

One Thousand Stars and You was published on August 23rd 2018 by Penguin and it has 400 pages. I want to thank the team from Penguin UK, Michael Joseph for sending me an eARC via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Alice is settling down. It might not be the adventurous life she once imagined, but more than anything she wants to make everyone happy – her steady boyfriend, her over-protective mother – even if it means a little part of her will always feel stifled.

Max is shaking things up. After a devastating injury, he is determined to prove himself. To find the man beyond the disability, to escape his smothering family and go on an adventure.

A trip to Sri Lanka is Alice’s last hurrah – her chance to throw herself into the heat, chaos and colour of a place thousands of miles from home.

It’s also the moment she meets Max.

Alice doesn’t know it yet, but her whole life is about to change.

Max doesn’t know it yet, but he’s the one who’s going to change it.

Review:

Are you familiar with the case when you like the author and enjoy their writing, but you just don’t click with the story?
That is what happened to me with One Thousand Stars and You.

I usually love Isabelle Broom’s work. Ever since she started publishing her stories back in 2016 I fell in love with her writing and the way she would describe places her characters visited, and she found her spot on my favourite authors list.
Unfortunately, although I still enjoyed her descriptions of beautiful Sri Lanka, I didn’t fall in love with this novel.

I think the main reason I was put off was the way one of her characters was presented to us, through other characters’ (and what it felt like through author’s too) eyes.
I am talking here about Moureen who was perfect the way she was, but for some reason our MC and her love interest looked down upon her, like they are for some reason better then her.
Like Alice was pure and inocent when in reality she was emotionally cheating on her boyfriend since the moment she met Max, and Max who for some reason acted like he deserves better then Maur.
It was just really hard to love the story with hard-to-like characters.

I also wasn’t a fan how the novel reminded me of Me Before You in some parts and I am still not sure would I loved it better if it went all the way there or do I like it that it took a different turn.

In the end I appreciate the message behind this whole journey, and think that the book is good and would still recommend it.
I just wish I liked it little bit more.

Simply amazing: Book Lovers by Emily Henry @PRHGlobal #partner #BookLovers #romance

Book Lovers by Emily Henry book cover US edition

GIFTED / It is my pleasure to talk about one book I adored and would LOVE to see made into a movie: Book Lovers by Emily Henry. This novel was so good and although it is filled with cliches it is also somewhat different from your typical romance. It seems like this book is loved not only by romance readers, but readers who like different genres as well. I guess we can say Emily Henry really succeeded to make a masterpiece with this one!

Book Lovers was released on May 3rd 2022 and it has 384 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

Review:

If Emily Henry wasn’t on my favourite-authors-list yet, Book Lovers placed her there on the top.
I loved this book so much and I think this is her best work yet.
Her previous novels, Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation I adored, but this one raised the bar and now I now my expectations for Henry’s future books will be so high that I kind of feel little sorry for her.

The story follows Nora who says herself that she is the bitch guys leave to have their happily ever after with a small town girl.
Nora is a shark when it comes to business, loves her career and life in the city, but when her younger sister asks her to visit a small town called Sunshine Falls together, she couldn’t say no, although she knows small town romance isn’t a book of her life.

I loved Nora as a narrator.
The novel is written in first person and following Nora’s perspective was everything.
All the Hallmark references and making fun of cliches was amazing. I laughed so many times while reading.

Charlie, who is love interest in the story, was such a good person. I do think he was believable but I also think guys like him are very rare in this world.
If I was still into having book boyfriends I would probably have announced him as mine.

The best part of the story (and if my memory serves me well it is the case in all of the books written by Henry that I have read so far) are conversations between the characters.
They were realistic, entertaining and what made the story shine.

I also want to say that I appreciate that the conflict between the characters was realistic and how it was uncertain how characters would get through it.
I also want to note that I am happy about Nora not going through that cliche character development one would expect from a small town romance, but how the author decided to hug her career orientated persona and gave her a different way to find happiness.

This was a buddy red with my friend Amanda. Reading Book Lovers we had so much fun together.
As I loved this story so much, I am sure I will reread it again at some point. Honestly, I can’t wait for it!

The one that didn’t stay with me: My Epic Spring Break (Up) by Kristin Rockaway @PRHGlobal #partner #Blogtober

My Epic Spring Break (Up) by Kristin Rockaway book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I bring you my short review for a novel that I have read a (it feels like) lifetime ago. It was actually this summer, July to be precise. I made a mistake and didn’t review it shortly after I finished it so my review is very short and brief too.

My Epic Spring Break (Up) was released by Penguin Random House Children’s on May 7th 2021. It has 252 pages.
I want to thank the team from Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

For coder extraordinaire Ashley, high school is all about prepping for college. Her love life? Virtually nonexistent. She’s never been on a date. Never been kissed. Never been in love.

When her plans veer off course, Ashley realizes she might be missing out on her high school experience. Now that spring break is finally here, Ashley vows to have fun . . . and, for the first time, follow her heart.

Starting with Walker Beech, her gorgeous, maybe-not-so-unrequited crush. But with Jason Eisler–her childhood friend turned prankster–in the picture, trouble is bound to follow. Will Ashley’s epic spring break lead her to love, or will her heart crash and burn?

Review:

I made a mistake and didn’t write my review as soon as I finished the book, and now when I finally sit down to express my thoughts, I realized that I forgot most of the story.

So I guess first thing that I will say about the book will be that although it was easy to read and entertaining, it was also forgettable.

Ashley, our protagonist was not the most likeable person, but at the same time it was easy to understand her.
I love how her interest into STEM was present through the whole story and how it sort of had it’s own role.
The other thing I appreciate was the friendship between Ashley and her friends.

I love to read ya contemporary novels from time to time. My Epic Spring Break (Up) was typical ya contemporary novel, perfect to read in one sitting, but didn’t stand out in the sea of contemporaries.

Amazing thriller I’d like to see on a big screen: The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware #Thriller #Halloween #Blogtober

Today I decided to post my review for a book I buddy read with my friend Amanda recently. I wanted to read The Turn of the Key ever since it came out and I am so glad I shared this experience with my lovely friend. We both ended up loving it, me little bit more then her.

Turn of the Key was published on August 6th 2019 by Scout Press and it has 337 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

Review:

The Turn of the Key was on my tbr ever since it came out. It seems to me that this novel is the most popular out of Ruth Ware’s work (at least in the bookish community) and now, after I read it, I can see why.

This book as a whole was picture perfect to me. The plot was chilly and thrilling, the writing style was unusual and hypnotizing, characters were interesting and the end was everything.

The story is written in second person, following Rowan‘s letters to a lawyer that she wants to represent her in the core.
I don’t usually read books written in second person. Not because I don’t like them, but because I find them to be rare.
I enjoyed this way of writing and as the author did such a brilliant job to pull me in into her words, I often forgot that I read the letter.

This book was so tense and interesting, with some characters I couldn’t help but suspect and some, and I am little ashamed to admit this, to judge.

There were some plot twist and big revelations, as they often happened in the thrillers. Few of them really surprised me.

The end and the mysterious atmosphere that smelled of unknown were my favourite part of this book.
Ruth Ware did amazing job with this idea that she got, and now I hope someone will recognize it and decide to make a movie based on this novel, because I am sure this story would work even better on the screen.

5 stars from me and one big recommendation to all of you!

This one is popular for a reason: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood @PRHGlobal #partner #BookLovers #romance

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I will talk about a book I read some time ago, and you have probably heard about it by now. It is a romance with scientists for characters and it took the reading world by the storm, and it’s for a good reason. I loved the book and I hope this will be turned into a movie.

The Love Hypothesis was published on September 14th 2021 and it has 356 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding… six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Review:

Ok, now I get why all the hype!
It feels like ever since The Love Hypothesis came out the world went mad about it. And I don’t talk only about bookish online community. I literally talk about the world.
Even in my country, where books are really just a side hoby for only few people who enjoy reading, this book is all over the media and in every bookstore window.

Ever since I got the book for review I knew it would probably be my jam, and I will confess that I gave it a try as an audiobook back in December, but for some reason I couldn’t understand half of things characters were talking about. At time I blamed my English skills, but now when I read an ebook I think it was the lack of concentration (and, once again, I will call my post covid card).

Fast forward to July, I read The Love Hypothesis, had no problems with understanding the story whatsoever, loved it and now I understand why everyone and their mothers recommend this novel.
I am now one of them (and their mothers) too.

In my entire life I read only two fan fictions. The Royals Next Door (which was my favorite romance of 2021) and this one. I know it is way too few of them, but I feel like fan fictions are amazing.
Will I go to wattpad and subscribe to some of them? Well, now when Ezra Miller turned out to be a bad (but still very hot) guy probably not.
However, if I see that a traditionally published romance was previously written as a fan fiction, I will 100% grab it.

The Love Hypothesis was originally inspired by the actor Adam Driver. Even though I never wet my panties thinking about him, I can see why women would find him hot and tbh, if he was anything like Adam from this story then I am not sure my panties wouldn’t stay dry for long if I stumbled upon him in real life (yes, words written by a married woman, don’t judge me (or do)).

Anyway, joke on a side, let’s talk about the book now.
It was well written in third person following Olive’s perspective.

I like how it touched important subject of women trying their best in a men’s world and still having to prove themselves more then men, sometimes even robed for their ideas and work, or how men want to take advantage of them just because they think they can.
I loved the message and even if it was raw, I never felt like it was pushed on me.

The story had so many funny scenes where I smiled or laughed. Friendships were written well and characters were believable, while the chemistry between Adam and Olive felt real and hot.

The only thing I didn’t like was that scene where Olive has inner monologue about the size of Adam’s thing. When she touched the subject of birth giving the author lost me, but after some time, as everything else was well written, I decided to pretend that scene was erased, just like it should have been (but obviously I didn’t forget it when I decided to mention it in my review).

Once I heard there was a subgenre called “smart romance”. I don’t know if The Love Hypothesis would be considered to belong to it, but I can imagine that it would.

Nevertheless, if you are a romance reader, you have probably heard about this book by now, and there’s a big chance you added it to your tbr or you’ve maybe finished it already, I will still take this opportunity to recommend you The Love Hypothesis because it is hyped for a reason and, rating wise, it deserves all the stars in the world.

Movie Monday: The Invitation #MovieMonday #Horror #Halloween #TheInvitation

This week I was in a mood for some horror, as spooky season officially started (but let’s be real, that genre is my favourite and I am in a mood to be scared most of the time).
I was happy to see that The Invitation was officially out, because I remember we watched the trailer in the cinema back when we were there to watch Orphan: First Kill back in July.

What I noticed after few minutes into the movie was that the trailer we watched back then was not for the same movie as I was watching. At first I thought there were two movies with similar titles that I have mixed, but now I am not so sure. What probably happened was I watched the trailer for a totally different movie, and thought I was watching the one for The Invitation.
All I remember about that movie from the trailer is that it was about an exorcism, and that it looked good.

But let’s not talk about that unfortunate misconception, and let’s talk about the movie I actually watched.

The Invitation started as a modern story set in New York, following a young girl who’s role was played by actress named Nathalie Emmanuel, who is best known from Game of Thrones.
She was reached out by her long distanced cousin who found her through some DNA finder app, and he invites her to a wedding where all of her long lost relatives would be, to meet them and get to know all of them.
She accepts, goes to England to the biggest mansion one can imagine, who’s owner comes from the old money and all that jazz. It all seems too perfect to be real, and as it usually goes, it is.

I loved the first half of the movie. Evie as a character was very likeable, the invitation was fishy so I was curious to see how the Hell will broke loose, and once we got to the part in England it started to get creepy.
Characters were shady, the house was cold and mysterious, it’s owner (played by Thomas Doherty) was… you could feel something just wasn’t right.

I liked the turn the story took, but if I am being honest, at some points it was too much that it looked ridiculous.

So all in all, it was a solid horror with first half much better then the second.
Would I recommend it?
To horror fans, definitely!