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3.5⭐️/5⭐️

This should have been a DNF. I couldn't make myself interested in Grace or Becker. I did love the descriptions of Eris, the remote Scottish island where a famed artist moved. All of the people involved were shallow, selfish, and petty. The second someone pursued a bit of freedom or was happy in their lives it was shown as a bad thing.

"All is fair in love and war, and friendship is love, too, isn't it? And a kind of war sometimes as well."

This gave me such Rebecca vibes. It‘s so atmospheric and Hawkins unravels the story so well. It‘s a slow & steady climb to the end, which, when you get there, you don‘t see how it could have resolved any other way. I will say, I did not like the last page but it fits in perfectly with how things shake out.

Well that was not the ending I expected. It was probably the only way it could end, but I was hoping for something else. I can‘t say that I really liked any of the characters, but it made for a much more interesting story. An island , an artist, her muse(?), an art curator, a wealthy family, murder, the truth masterfully unraveled. This is a subtly chilling novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yes, I loved THE BLUE HOUR -- a fine novel reminiscent off Daphne du Maurier and Patricia Highsmith.

Not a book I would have ever picked up for myself but my friend sent it to me in a care package. I was intrigued by the premise but felt let down by the end. It became predictable and boring and left the most interesting bits unanswered. A very quick read and always nice to read outside of your usual comfort zones.

Thank you so much for my lovely books ladies! Such a treat to receive book mail on your birthday! 😊 cheered me up no end! 🥂 😘 @quietlycuriouskate @squirrelbrain @TrishB

Sorry, but no. I only had one day to finally pick something up and read, and I am so disappointed I picked this. The setup seemed good, and then it was just boring from there on out. I also don't like books about trying to solve a husband's disappearance when he was abusive and awful. Like, who cares where he went? I'm glad he's gone, lol. The characters were beyond boring and the twist was so predictable. Very disappointing. 1/5 stars

A soft pick. Enjoyable, taut thriller but predictable.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0024p3x?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Did I also make a quick bookstore stop on my lunch break today? YOU BETCHA! 😂💕📚

Let‘s say 3.75 stars. It‘s pretty classic Hawkins - you‘re disoriented to what is happening, who is the good one, who is the bad one, how it will play out. But I think for me it was a bit lacklustre in its ending. Pretty good but maybe just that - good. 👍

My current book. Wowie this has low ratings on Goodreads, we‘ll see how this goes for me.

Overall: The Blue Hour is a gripping and unsettling thriller that stayed with me long after I finished reading it. If you enjoyed The Girl on the Train or any of Paula Hawkins' other books, you won't want to miss this one!

The full Deep Dive review of this book can be watched from our YouTube channel...

https://youtu.be/qS-I4EOkuGE

I‘m giving this a slow pick because as I think about the atmospheric story now having reached its conclusion, I like and understand why it was told the way it was. But while reading it I kept thinking - the most interesting people are already dead 😵. I didn‘t particularly care about Grace who was alive and well.

1. a) Rain, sofa, blanket, cat, decaf, quiet house. b) Audiobook, bone-conduction headphones, and a long walk already mapped out (with bathrooms along the way). c) Bed, duvet, cat, Kobo, and no concern for how tired tomorrow me will be.
2. The tagged, but mostly I'm just looking forward to any book that allows me to escape reality for a bit.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

Not a great photo, but I got to see Paula Hawkins tonight at a fundraiser event for a local non-profit with which I volunteer, and I got a signed copy of her newest book!

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Disappointing.

https://www.wordsalive.org/2024-author-event-fundraiser

Hey, SoCal Littens! In San Diego on October 30, there's an author event with Paula Hawkins that's also a fundraiser for Words Alive, the literacy non-profit with which I've volunteered for the past several years! If you plan to go, let me know...it would be awesome to meet up in person! (I'm going to just the author part after dinner.)

While the outcome was apparent to me pretty early in the story, the tension Hawkins builds as she weaves the stories of both Vanessa and Grace becomes almost unbearable at times, and the ending! Oh, the ambiguous ending! Definitely the stuff made for book clubs to debate!

Readers who are triggered by domestic violence should be aware that is an integral part of this story. This will be one of the hot books of the Fall for sure.