Book Review: The Last One At The Wedding: A Novel by Jason Rekulak- Psychological Thriller

Hello, dear Readers,

My book review of The Last One At The Wedding: A Novel by Jason Rekulak.

Title: The Last One At The Wedding: A Novel

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Author: Jason Rekulak

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

Language: English

Hardcover: 352 pages
Meet the Author: Jason Rekulak
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

From the author of the runaway hit Hidden Pictures, comes a stunning new work of domestic suspense

“Part conspiracy thriller, part family drama, The Last One at the Wedding kept my heart racing and my mind reeling.” ―Riley Sager.

"The ultimate middle-class Dad battles the 1% for his daughter's soul in the best thriller I've read all year." ―Grady Hendrix.

Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estrangement would become permanent. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic and determined to finally make things right.

He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate―very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him, and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie forever.

An edge-of-your-seat thriller that delves deep into the heart of one family, The Last One at the Wedding is a work of brilliant suspense from a true modern master.

My Thoughts

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and it did not influence my opinion in any way.

This is the second book I have read by this author, and although I absolutely loved Hidden Pictures, I have to admit that The Last One at the Wedding was fantastic. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator was also fantastic.

While Hidden Pictures was more of a paranormal/scary book, his new book was different in that sense. However, it still had suspense elements that made me a little afraid of the outcome. With unexpected twists and very complicated characters, this book is well-written and fast-paced and keeps you engaged from the beginning to the end. 

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley, for the Advanced Free Listening Copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy 

Reading Goals 2018

Hello dear Readers,

With the new year just starting I set some reading goals for 2018. 

As I have done the last few years, I set my Goodreads reading challenge to 35 books and a few other goals which you can see on my picture below. However, what I really hope I can accomplish this year is go back to where I was before and that is to read everyday. 2017 was a pretty busy year and there were days I simply didn't have time to read at all and honestly I don't like that so we will see how it goes.

Wendy

Book Review: The Final Girls: A Novel by Riley Sager-Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Final Girls: A Novel by Riley Sager.

Title: Final Girls: A Novel 

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Author: Riley Sager

Publisher: Dutton

Publication Date: July 11, 2017

Language: English

Hardcover: 352 pages
Meet the Author: Riley Sager
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

“The first great thriller of 2017 is here: Final Girls, by Riley Sager. If you liked Gone Girl, you’ll like this.”—Stephen King

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout's knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media's attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past. 

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy's doorstep. Blowing through Quincy's life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa's death come to light, Quincy's life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam's truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

My Thoughts

Don't want to spoil this book. I will only say all that hype and everybody talking about the book, all that was worth it. One of the best Thrillers I have read this year. I recommend it 100%.

Wendy