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The Last House Guest
The summer after a wealthy young summer guest dies under suspicious circumstances, her best friend lives under a cloud of grief and suspicion.
Littleport, Maine, has always felt like two separate towns: an ideal vacation enclave for the wealthy, whose summer homes line the coastline; and a simple harbor community for the year-round residents whose livelihoods rely on service to the visitors.
Typically, fierce friendships never develop between a local and a summer girl—but that’s just what happens with visitor Sadie Loman and Littleport resident Avery Greer. Each summer for almost a decade, the girls are inseparable—until Sadie is found dead. While the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can’t help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie’s brother, Parker, who blame her. Someone knows more than they’re saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name, before the facts get twisted against her.
The Last House Guest is a smart, twisty read that brilliantly explores the elusive nature of memory and the complexities of female friendships.
Littleport, Maine, has always felt like two separate towns: an ideal vacation enclave for the wealthy, whose summer homes line the coastline; and a simple harbor community for the year-round residents whose livelihoods rely on service to the visitors.
Typically, fierce friendships never develop between a local and a summer girl—but that’s just what happens with visitor Sadie Loman and Littleport resident Avery Greer. Each summer for almost a decade, the girls are inseparable—until Sadie is found dead. While the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can’t help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie’s brother, Parker, who blame her. Someone knows more than they’re saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name, before the facts get twisted against her.
The Last House Guest is a smart, twisty read that brilliantly explores the elusive nature of memory and the complexities of female friendships.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2019
About the author
Megan Miranda
24 books17.3k followersMegan Miranda is the New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls; The Perfect Stranger; The Last House Guest, which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick; The Girl from Widow Hills; Such a Quiet Place; The Last to Vanish; The Only Survivors; and Daughter of Mine. She has also written several books for young adults. She grew up in New Jersey, graduated from MIT, and lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children.
Her next thriller, You Belong Here, will be published on July 29, 2025.
Follow @MeganLMiranda on Instagram, @AuthorMeganMiranda on Facebook, or visit www.meganmiranda.com
Her next thriller, You Belong Here, will be published on July 29, 2025.
Follow @MeganLMiranda on Instagram, @AuthorMeganMiranda on Facebook, or visit www.meganmiranda.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,314 reviews
December 9, 2020
3.5 stars
The two communities never mix...until Avery and Sadie. Every summer the two of them are arm-in-arm...well... until the summer it happens.
But nobody knows Sadie like Avery, and Avery is convinced something is afoot.
A close-knit family holds secrets.
A small town can still hide untold horrors.
The mystery was there but it unfurled so slowly and had such little clues that it was a bit difficult to keep invested in the novel for the first half.
Once the clues started really coming in, the book definitely picked up and I became invested.
And I did like how I never know where the mystery was going, and that twists and turns kept things interesting towards the end.
I did like the main character and her desire to find out what truly happened to Sadie...however Sadie was my favorite character...and she was dead the entire book.
Which, I suppose worked in the book's favor because I became so invested in figuring out who killed of my fave person.
Overall, this was a good book but it needed some sparkle.
With thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Avery Greer belongs to the small town life of Littleport, Maine and Sadie Loman belongs to the wealthy summer crowd.
My home is your home. My life is your life.
There will be no locks or secrets here.
The two communities never mix...until Avery and Sadie. Every summer the two of them are arm-in-arm...well... until the summer it happens.
The flashlight swung back, and that was when I saw them, a glint caught in the beam of light. I felt the earth tilting.She leaves behind a cryptic note that the police use as evidence for suicide.
But nobody knows Sadie like Avery, and Avery is convinced something is afoot.
A close-knit family holds secrets.
A small town can still hide untold horrors.
But I knew how fast a spiral could grab you, how far the surface could seem from below.No one is looking for anything anymore and Avery senses that the answers are there, lurking just below the surface.
There are things even you don't know.This one was interesting but it lacked a little pizzazz for my taste.
I can't do this anymore.
Remember me.
The mystery was there but it unfurled so slowly and had such little clues that it was a bit difficult to keep invested in the novel for the first half.
Once the clues started really coming in, the book definitely picked up and I became invested.
And I did like how I never know where the mystery was going, and that twists and turns kept things interesting towards the end.
I did like the main character and her desire to find out what truly happened to Sadie...however Sadie was my favorite character...and she was dead the entire book.
Which, I suppose worked in the book's favor because I became so invested in figuring out who killed of my fave person.
Overall, this was a good book but it needed some sparkle.
With thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
July 9, 2019
This is my second book by the author and I have to say she's great at creating small town with lots of secrets.
It was a very quick and easy beach read (even happens in a beach town!). Compelling enough to finish it but not enough that you'll skip on your vacation to stay in your room to read it.
It's also probably one of the best covers I've seen this year. The colors, the view through the window and the 3D rain drops were a nice touch!
With that said, I did feel like the characters were quick to confess every details to each other and most of the twists were easy to see coming... a few pages before the main character figured them out.
I would recommend if you're looking for a quick fun summer read!
It was a very quick and easy beach read (even happens in a beach town!). Compelling enough to finish it but not enough that you'll skip on your vacation to stay in your room to read it.
It's also probably one of the best covers I've seen this year. The colors, the view through the window and the 3D rain drops were a nice touch!
With that said, I did feel like the characters were quick to confess every details to each other and most of the twists were easy to see coming... a few pages before the main character figured them out.
I would recommend if you're looking for a quick fun summer read!
May 10, 2019
I’ve known enough of loss to accept that grief may lose its sharpness with time, but memory only tightens. Moments replay.
A few years back, Megan Miranda’s story told in reverse, All the Missing Girls, found me so impressed I scrambled to secure a treasured copy of my very own. Meaning, I went out of my way to track down a personalized signed copy from one of her book tour stops. That hardcover now owns a rare piece of real-estate among my collection of greats. I only mention this tidbit because it lends credibility to my expectations and subsequent disappointment with her recent work.
With two of Miranda’s releases since ATMG, The Perfect Stranger and now The Last House Guest, I’ve gone in hoping she would somehow emulate my initial experience with her storytelling. That the literary journey I was preparing to embark on would prove to be something other than typical. Maybe even memorable. Now, after two bouts of mediocre reading, it's clear that's probably never going to happen. My reasoning behind that thought: (1) it's a very real possibility that I built ATMG up to be something more than it actually was, (2) my pickiness is at an all-time high as of late, and (3) chances are my newly acquired skepticism won't allow me to give her work another shot.
In all fairness, The Last House Guest starts off with immense promise. Miranda builds anticipation with her writing wizardry, piecing together thoughts and passages in an interesting way. Attention-grabbing some might even say. Although, I have to admit, the more pages I turned, the more my interest dwindled. The blah happenings, uninspired cast, and messy timeline worked against the author's style, muting the overall impact of her sentence structures.
And that right there—the blah—is my biggest gripe with this novel. The author relies heavily on her scattered timeline to put a “fresh” spin on what’s become a tired narrative running rampant through the genre. Unfortunately, it’s not only the mystery itself that’s less than impressive, but also the cast Miranda employs to tell it. Talk about an undeserving bunch. There’s no depth or redeeming qualities to cling to. Not one single person—over the course of 341 pages—convinced me to care.
Turns out, for this reader, the best part of the entire book was the setting. The Last House Guest welcomes readers to a picturesque town along the coast of Maine—a harbor community that thrives from Memorial to Labor Day. And for those locals and visitors lucky enough to garner an invite, the Plus-One party promises the perfect boozy salute to the summer season.
Miranda deploys the old “time has passed since the death of [insert person here], let's take a fresh look and see if we can figure out what really happened, eh?” scenario. This particular case involving the poor townie and reformed bad girl, Avery, trying her hand at detective work. Piecing together memories of that fateful night her seasonal rich girl “bestie” failed to make it to the Plus-One party. Choosing to forgo the celebration, Sadie says goodbye to the world along a rocky shore. As the one year anniversary beckons, nagging thoughts force Avery to think twice about the suicide label attached to Sadie's demise.
The run-of-the-mill plot helped along by a series of coincidences, resurfacing memories, and an oddball interaction or two. And the ending, not completely obvious or horrible, per se. I'd go with unremarkable instead.
*Thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an advanced copy.
June 9, 2019
Dull and Dreary
The Last House Guest is a slow-burn mystery about a girl from the wrong side of the tracks whose world is shattered when her best friend is found dead of an apparent suicide.
Littleport, Maine is a town built on a class divide between the townies and wealthy vacationers. After a rich girl kills herself, her best friend begins to question the events that led up to the suicide. Alternating timelines from the past and present lead to secrets being unearthed.
I had such high hopes for this book--I knew going in it wasn’t going to be All the Missing Girlsand I tried to lower my expectations but I apparently didn’t lower them enough.
My issues started right off the bat when just couldn’t connect with Avery, who is the narrator of The Last House Guest. I actually pushed this book to the side and started reading another. When I came back to it the second time around, I actually liked it more than when I initially started reading it. I slowly started to connect with the narrative but I was never able to fully immerse myself in the world of Littleport.
The Last House Guest is lacking in tension, suspense, drama, finesse, and depth. I needed more--I was expecting more. However, this is not a total failure. The foundation is there, but overall it felt incomplete. There are times when the mystery is intriguing and some of the revelations about Avery’s past made me want to know more about Avery in the present. At the same time, I was never able to get fully pulled into the story. I didn't care enough to about the characters, but I did care enough to finish the book and see how things would play out. It got better towards the end, but then it all crashed and burned once again in the final pages.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Last House Guest is a slow-burn mystery about a girl from the wrong side of the tracks whose world is shattered when her best friend is found dead of an apparent suicide.
Littleport, Maine is a town built on a class divide between the townies and wealthy vacationers. After a rich girl kills herself, her best friend begins to question the events that led up to the suicide. Alternating timelines from the past and present lead to secrets being unearthed.
I had such high hopes for this book--I knew going in it wasn’t going to be All the Missing Girlsand I tried to lower my expectations but I apparently didn’t lower them enough.
My issues started right off the bat when just couldn’t connect with Avery, who is the narrator of The Last House Guest. I actually pushed this book to the side and started reading another. When I came back to it the second time around, I actually liked it more than when I initially started reading it. I slowly started to connect with the narrative but I was never able to fully immerse myself in the world of Littleport.
The Last House Guest is lacking in tension, suspense, drama, finesse, and depth. I needed more--I was expecting more. However, this is not a total failure. The foundation is there, but overall it felt incomplete. There are times when the mystery is intriguing and some of the revelations about Avery’s past made me want to know more about Avery in the present. At the same time, I was never able to get fully pulled into the story. I didn't care enough to about the characters, but I did care enough to finish the book and see how things would play out. It got better towards the end, but then it all crashed and burned once again in the final pages.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2019
Please take my review with a grain of salt, as I have many friends who have loved this in the range of 4-5 stars, but The Last House Guest fell short of the mark for me. Awhile back, I fell head over heels for Miranda's All the Missing Girls; the reverse narration and plot resolution have stuck with me for YEARS now, which is a rarity due to the many books juggling for attention in my dwindling memory space. It could be that I've simply consumed so many psychological thrillers that read in a similar manner with a similar follow through, or it could be that my connection to ATMG was a one and done deal, but I've juggled my expectations and struggled with each adult novel the author has released since my first love affair with her writing.
I don't want to ramble, or repost the synopsis here for you, so I'll keep this brief in saying that there's not really anything wrong with this book, it just wasn't attention grabbing. In a vast sea of psych thrillers, domestic suspense, and female driven mysteries, I'm already finding myself grasping to remember the plot, as I'm either confusing it with other stories I've recently read or just didn't find it compelling enough to remember in its detailed entirety. I still don't regret reading it, as the ending was a step up from many of the novels I've read lately in this genre, and the brevity in length made it a fast novel to devour, so I think I'll sign off by recommending The Last House Guest to those looking for a breezy summer suspenseful tale, as they will enjoy this one more than I did.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
I don't want to ramble, or repost the synopsis here for you, so I'll keep this brief in saying that there's not really anything wrong with this book, it just wasn't attention grabbing. In a vast sea of psych thrillers, domestic suspense, and female driven mysteries, I'm already finding myself grasping to remember the plot, as I'm either confusing it with other stories I've recently read or just didn't find it compelling enough to remember in its detailed entirety. I still don't regret reading it, as the ending was a step up from many of the novels I've read lately in this genre, and the brevity in length made it a fast novel to devour, so I think I'll sign off by recommending The Last House Guest to those looking for a breezy summer suspenseful tale, as they will enjoy this one more than I did.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
June 27, 2019
Tumultuous, puzzling, & a twisty page-turner!
Oh my goodness where do I even start with this book......So let's just say I have to go back and read the whole book over again well because that ending is making me want to do it. LOL
This book reads extremely fast but while I was reading it though I was never fully immersed in this tale. There was nothing that was grabbing me here until well the end and then it's like I wish that I would have spent the time with this book before reaching the end. The book is just as puzzling as the author's writing style and that is all I'm going to say.
So I was definitely 3 stars all the way until I reached the ending which has made me bump it up to 4 stars. Take the time with this one.....
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Stunning, striking, suspenseful, mesmerizing, impressive, impactful and fitting representation to storyline. #coverlove This book wins my vote for best cover design ever!!!
Title: Intriguing, relevant, suspenseful and a fitting representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Engaging, vivid, awkward, puzzling, readable, tense, and well-written. Okay, I know I’m all over the place with the author’s writing style but for the most part I found the writing style quite puzzling and thought it was packed full of riddles. Then the ending…..
Plot: Fast-paced, suspenseful, twisty, puzzling, entertaining, enjoyable, and somewhat underwhelming until closer to the end.
Ending: Oh my goodness what an absolutely fabulous resolution that totally flabbergasted me. I don’t know if I was just so uninterested in the whole storyline in the beginning that I just wasn’t retaining any of it but let me tell you that ending definitely brought the whole book home for me. So good!
Overall: Although I mostly had a problem with the execution throughout most of this book the ending definitely made up for it. This was a Traveling Friends Read and everyone else loved it and really didn’t have the same reading experience with this book as I did. So I would definitely recommend to give this one a try and how can you not with a cover like this one?
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Canada and Megan Miranda for gifting me a copy of this beautiful book! Did I already mention that I am rocking that cover? LOL
Review can also be found on our Two Sisters Lost in a Coulee Reading book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Oh my goodness where do I even start with this book......So let's just say I have to go back and read the whole book over again well because that ending is making me want to do it. LOL
This book reads extremely fast but while I was reading it though I was never fully immersed in this tale. There was nothing that was grabbing me here until well the end and then it's like I wish that I would have spent the time with this book before reaching the end. The book is just as puzzling as the author's writing style and that is all I'm going to say.
So I was definitely 3 stars all the way until I reached the ending which has made me bump it up to 4 stars. Take the time with this one.....
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Stunning, striking, suspenseful, mesmerizing, impressive, impactful and fitting representation to storyline. #coverlove This book wins my vote for best cover design ever!!!
Title: Intriguing, relevant, suspenseful and a fitting representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Engaging, vivid, awkward, puzzling, readable, tense, and well-written. Okay, I know I’m all over the place with the author’s writing style but for the most part I found the writing style quite puzzling and thought it was packed full of riddles. Then the ending…..
Plot: Fast-paced, suspenseful, twisty, puzzling, entertaining, enjoyable, and somewhat underwhelming until closer to the end.
Ending: Oh my goodness what an absolutely fabulous resolution that totally flabbergasted me. I don’t know if I was just so uninterested in the whole storyline in the beginning that I just wasn’t retaining any of it but let me tell you that ending definitely brought the whole book home for me. So good!
Overall: Although I mostly had a problem with the execution throughout most of this book the ending definitely made up for it. This was a Traveling Friends Read and everyone else loved it and really didn’t have the same reading experience with this book as I did. So I would definitely recommend to give this one a try and how can you not with a cover like this one?
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Canada and Megan Miranda for gifting me a copy of this beautiful book! Did I already mention that I am rocking that cover? LOL
Review can also be found on our Two Sisters Lost in a Coulee Reading book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
August 13, 2019
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for this slow-burn mystery about a girl whose world is shattered when her best friend is found dead of an apparent suicide
This book had so much promise. I was drawn to the plot immediately - Avery Greer, a townie girl with a troubled past is essentially taken in by Sadie Loman, the daughter of an affluent vacation family in Maine. The girls are inseparable for decades. Avery becomes enmeshed within the Loman family and their business, overseeing their properties in town. All is perfect in Avery's world until the summer Sadie dies. Even though her death was ruled a suicide, Avery feels the suspicion and blame cast on her. Avery is determined to find out what happened to her best friend. Was Sadie's life as picture perfect as it seemed? What secrets was she harboring that drove her to suicide?
Told in alternating timelines between the past and present, we put the pieces together surrounding Sadie's death with Avery. While The Last House Guest was filled with mystery, secrets, lies and deceit, it left me wanting. It just never had that "wow" factor for me. The story was good but I never really felt connected with the characters. They were almost too cliche - the poor girl with the troubled past, the rebellious rich girl, the rich playboy, the domineering, callous matriarch and the money hungry patriarch. The whole thing had a Lifetime movie vibe that I just didn't fully buy into. It's not one that stands out from the crowd. I didn't hate it, I just wasn't love it either.
This book had so much promise. I was drawn to the plot immediately - Avery Greer, a townie girl with a troubled past is essentially taken in by Sadie Loman, the daughter of an affluent vacation family in Maine. The girls are inseparable for decades. Avery becomes enmeshed within the Loman family and their business, overseeing their properties in town. All is perfect in Avery's world until the summer Sadie dies. Even though her death was ruled a suicide, Avery feels the suspicion and blame cast on her. Avery is determined to find out what happened to her best friend. Was Sadie's life as picture perfect as it seemed? What secrets was she harboring that drove her to suicide?
Told in alternating timelines between the past and present, we put the pieces together surrounding Sadie's death with Avery. While The Last House Guest was filled with mystery, secrets, lies and deceit, it left me wanting. It just never had that "wow" factor for me. The story was good but I never really felt connected with the characters. They were almost too cliche - the poor girl with the troubled past, the rebellious rich girl, the rich playboy, the domineering, callous matriarch and the money hungry patriarch. The whole thing had a Lifetime movie vibe that I just didn't fully buy into. It's not one that stands out from the crowd. I didn't hate it, I just wasn't love it either.
June 16, 2019
This is the second book I’ve read from Megan Miranda and as with her prior book The Perfect Stranger, this one just didn’t meet my expectations.
Sadie and Avery are the best of friends. As with most besties, they know each other inside and out, front to back. So when Sadie’s body is discovered from an apparent suicide Avery is certain Sadie would never take her own life, and is determined to find who murdered her friend!
Told from Avery’s POV in the present and past timelines.
While I was engaged by the story-line, the execution never grabbed me. I couldn’t develop a connection with the players and was left wanting more...something. With a good number of great reviews out there for this book, I do hope it works out better for you.
I do still have Megan Miranda’s All the Missing Girls sitting on my shelf and look forward to reading that one soon! Hoping that one will have the Wow factor I've been looking for in her books.
A buddy read with Susanne!🌸
Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Simon & Schuster and Megan Miranda for an ARC to read and review.
Sadie and Avery are the best of friends. As with most besties, they know each other inside and out, front to back. So when Sadie’s body is discovered from an apparent suicide Avery is certain Sadie would never take her own life, and is determined to find who murdered her friend!
Told from Avery’s POV in the present and past timelines.
While I was engaged by the story-line, the execution never grabbed me. I couldn’t develop a connection with the players and was left wanting more...something. With a good number of great reviews out there for this book, I do hope it works out better for you.
I do still have Megan Miranda’s All the Missing Girls sitting on my shelf and look forward to reading that one soon! Hoping that one will have the Wow factor I've been looking for in her books.
A buddy read with Susanne!🌸
Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Simon & Schuster and Megan Miranda for an ARC to read and review.
May 14, 2021
Another fantastic summer mystery from Megan Miranda that has been on my TBR for years!
Avery Greer is a year-round resident of Littleport, Maine. She works for the wealthy Loman family, renting out summer homes and taking care of the administrative side of the business. She’s also best friends with Sadie Loman, whose wealthy family spends each season in their own summer home.
After years of friendship, Sadie is found dead one night after not showing up to the annual party she and Avery attend every year. Her death is ruled a suicide.
The following year, many familiar faces return to Littleport as a memorial is planned for Sadie. Avery doesn’t believe her friend’s death was the result of suicide, and decides to do her own digging to uncover the truth. Not everyone is this tight-knit community is willing to help her though. Hmmm...
Megan Miranda continues to impress me with her brilliantly atmospheric writing that simmers with suspense. This is more of a slow burn, but with plenty of secrecy and tension to stay engaged. The characters, Avery in particular, are fully fleshed out. Avery has a bit of an unsavory history, which caused me to question things as the story progressed.
The reveals are ones I never really expected, and I was eager to find out where this was going to go. Luckily for me, I found the delicious ending fully satisfying. This is the third Megan Miranda book I’ve read and truly enjoyed, and I’m already looking forward to reading more of her backlist.
Now available from Simon & Schuster.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Avery Greer is a year-round resident of Littleport, Maine. She works for the wealthy Loman family, renting out summer homes and taking care of the administrative side of the business. She’s also best friends with Sadie Loman, whose wealthy family spends each season in their own summer home.
After years of friendship, Sadie is found dead one night after not showing up to the annual party she and Avery attend every year. Her death is ruled a suicide.
The following year, many familiar faces return to Littleport as a memorial is planned for Sadie. Avery doesn’t believe her friend’s death was the result of suicide, and decides to do her own digging to uncover the truth. Not everyone is this tight-knit community is willing to help her though. Hmmm...
Megan Miranda continues to impress me with her brilliantly atmospheric writing that simmers with suspense. This is more of a slow burn, but with plenty of secrecy and tension to stay engaged. The characters, Avery in particular, are fully fleshed out. Avery has a bit of an unsavory history, which caused me to question things as the story progressed.
The reveals are ones I never really expected, and I was eager to find out where this was going to go. Luckily for me, I found the delicious ending fully satisfying. This is the third Megan Miranda book I’ve read and truly enjoyed, and I’m already looking forward to reading more of her backlist.
Now available from Simon & Schuster.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
May 25, 2019
This is another book that had a very interesting premise and started off great. A young woman, Sadie has been found dead. It's ruled a suicide but there are those in town who blame Sadie's longtime friend, Avery. For me, this sounded great.
But it didn't deliver on the "wow" factor I was looking for. As Avery tries to find out the truth, we learn there is more to each character than meets the eye. Secrets are the name of the game here. Many characters have them but has the most revealing one?
This could have been a much juicier tale in my opinion. It was good but not great. Maybe it was me having high hopes for this one but at times, I found my attention dragging. Plus, I wish the chapters headers would have been clearer. Overall, a good book surrounding the mystery of what happened to Sadie - was it really a suicide, was it murder, was it an accident?
There were quite a few reveals at the end which helped my enjoyment, but will I remember this book in months to come? Probably not. But this could be a case of it was me and not the book. I still look forward to reading books by this author in the future. Again, this was enjoyable but I just wanted a little bit more from this one. More excitement, more likability of the characters, more oomph in the middle to keep my attention.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
But it didn't deliver on the "wow" factor I was looking for. As Avery tries to find out the truth, we learn there is more to each character than meets the eye. Secrets are the name of the game here. Many characters have them but has the most revealing one?
This could have been a much juicier tale in my opinion. It was good but not great. Maybe it was me having high hopes for this one but at times, I found my attention dragging. Plus, I wish the chapters headers would have been clearer. Overall, a good book surrounding the mystery of what happened to Sadie - was it really a suicide, was it murder, was it an accident?
There were quite a few reveals at the end which helped my enjoyment, but will I remember this book in months to come? Probably not. But this could be a case of it was me and not the book. I still look forward to reading books by this author in the future. Again, this was enjoyable but I just wanted a little bit more from this one. More excitement, more likability of the characters, more oomph in the middle to keep my attention.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
April 24, 2019
3.25 Stars* (rounded down).
Twisty and Turny!
Sadie Loman and Avery Greer had been best friends for years when Sadie’s body was found the night after a party. Police suspected that she took her own life, though Avery never believed it.
Now, a year later, Avery has decided to search for clues to prove that someone murdered her best friend.
Told in two timelines, the night of the party, and the summer after, the suspects are those who attended the party. Everyone who went had something to hide and you know what they say about secrets!
“The Last House Guest” is full of mystery, a web of lies and twists and turns galore. Unfortunately for me, this is a novel in which there was simply way too much going on and sometimes, less is more. That being said, this was a quick easy read which kept my interest from the get go. Having read all of Megan Miranda’s novels to date, “All the Missing Girls” is still my favorite. I am however a huge fan and can’t wait to see what Ms. Miranda comes up with next!
This was another fabulous buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!
Thank you to Edelweiss and NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Megan Miranda for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Edelweiss, NetGalley and Goodreads on 4.24.19.
Will be published on Amazon on 6.18.19
Twisty and Turny!
Sadie Loman and Avery Greer had been best friends for years when Sadie’s body was found the night after a party. Police suspected that she took her own life, though Avery never believed it.
Now, a year later, Avery has decided to search for clues to prove that someone murdered her best friend.
Told in two timelines, the night of the party, and the summer after, the suspects are those who attended the party. Everyone who went had something to hide and you know what they say about secrets!
“The Last House Guest” is full of mystery, a web of lies and twists and turns galore. Unfortunately for me, this is a novel in which there was simply way too much going on and sometimes, less is more. That being said, this was a quick easy read which kept my interest from the get go. Having read all of Megan Miranda’s novels to date, “All the Missing Girls” is still my favorite. I am however a huge fan and can’t wait to see what Ms. Miranda comes up with next!
This was another fabulous buddy read with Ms. Kaceey!
Thank you to Edelweiss and NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Megan Miranda for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Edelweiss, NetGalley and Goodreads on 4.24.19.
Will be published on Amazon on 6.18.19
April 8, 2021
Mystery!! ❤️ I love a good mystery book and this was a decent one. This is told on two timelines, the past (the night of the crime) and the present (where our main character is determined to solve the closed case). 🧐 I had a hard time connecting with any character... and there’s a lot of them.... while I wanted to know how it would end- I didn’t find myself surprised or rooting for anyone in particular. 😶
June 24, 2019
How great is it when one of your most anticipated reads for the year turns out to be all that you expected?! I loved this book from the drop dead gorgeous cover to the very last page.
The setting of this book was so intriguing and added to the entire story so much. Littleport Maine is a seaside community that caters to the wealthy families that chose to summer there each year. As with many communities like this, you hear of the fantastic events during the summer, but what happens when the season comes to an end? We got a look into the lives of the all year residents and it was quite a different atmosphere when the visitors have left.
Avery Greer and Sadie Loman became unlikely best friends. Since Sadie belongs to the elite Loman family and Avery is a resident that has grown up there. I felt myself cringe as Avery took on more and more of Sadie's interests, friends, clothes, etc. I began to wonder if this was not turning into an obsession for Avery. It started to have a single white female vibe.
When Sadie is found dead and it was ruled a suicide my mind began to spin. I questioned if Avery could have gotten jealous and done the unthinkable. Yet there were so many people that may have been fueled by jealousy to harm Sadie. I literally was in the dark all the way until the end as to how Sadie came to meet her fate. The last couple of chapters were so suspense filled I couldn't flip the pages fast enough.
I have read so many good reviews about Megan Miranda's books. This book sounded like one I had to have and it shot immediately up to the top of my must read pile. I was over the moon excited when I won a ARC print copy of this book from Simon & Schuster from their Instagram giveaway. I rarely say that I didn't want a book to end, but I really was quite sad when I knew I had to leave Avery behind as this book came to a close. I loved how the book ended, it was very satisfying. I can't wait to read the rest of Megan Miranda's books! Sign me up as I am now a fan!
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for this fantastic book!
The setting of this book was so intriguing and added to the entire story so much. Littleport Maine is a seaside community that caters to the wealthy families that chose to summer there each year. As with many communities like this, you hear of the fantastic events during the summer, but what happens when the season comes to an end? We got a look into the lives of the all year residents and it was quite a different atmosphere when the visitors have left.
Avery Greer and Sadie Loman became unlikely best friends. Since Sadie belongs to the elite Loman family and Avery is a resident that has grown up there. I felt myself cringe as Avery took on more and more of Sadie's interests, friends, clothes, etc. I began to wonder if this was not turning into an obsession for Avery. It started to have a single white female vibe.
When Sadie is found dead and it was ruled a suicide my mind began to spin. I questioned if Avery could have gotten jealous and done the unthinkable. Yet there were so many people that may have been fueled by jealousy to harm Sadie. I literally was in the dark all the way until the end as to how Sadie came to meet her fate. The last couple of chapters were so suspense filled I couldn't flip the pages fast enough.
I have read so many good reviews about Megan Miranda's books. This book sounded like one I had to have and it shot immediately up to the top of my must read pile. I was over the moon excited when I won a ARC print copy of this book from Simon & Schuster from their Instagram giveaway. I rarely say that I didn't want a book to end, but I really was quite sad when I knew I had to leave Avery behind as this book came to a close. I loved how the book ended, it was very satisfying. I can't wait to read the rest of Megan Miranda's books! Sign me up as I am now a fan!
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for this fantastic book!
October 28, 2021
I am a huge fan of this author. I loved “Such A Quiet Place'' and enjoyed “The Girl from Widow Hills”. This is an earlier book and from my point of view she has gotten better with each book.
Short plot review: Littleport, Maine is definitely a town that glows during the summer month, attracting tourists from all over to enjoy the beautiful beaches, gorgeous cliffside views and an array of galleries, restaurants and shops all catering to tourists. In the off season, it comes back to the locals, the real backbone of the town. The Lomans are literally and figuratively at the top of the heap of residents. They literally live on the highest cliff and they own a lot of properties and businesses, they are a wealthy family.
It’s always been said the locals never really find true friendship with the summer people and the super rich. They are the people who work in rental homes, fishing boats, sightseeing boats, restaurants etc.
Avery Green is a local resident who lost her parents to a car accident a decade ago. Since that time the Lomans have taken Avery under their wing, helped her get her degree, gave her a job and even let her live in their guesthouse. Their daughter Sadie has become Avery’s best friend through the years. When asked why they were so generous Grant commented “IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO”.
The town is rocked when a yearly end of season party is shaken, with a complete power outage, a scream and then the realization that Sadie is missing and later found dead. All things point to suicide but there are other players in this novel.
I found that the story was a bit slow paced and didn’t really get me excited until the 80% location on my Kindle.
Here are two reasons why this book didn’t work as well for me as I had hoped. First of all, the characters!!
There is quite an array of characters including Sadie’s brother Parker, parents Grant and Bianca and a group of friends, NONE OF WHICH I LIKED OR CARED ABOUT!!!
I didn’t really understand some of Avery’s motives and why she did what she did. She just didn’t seem real enough to me. All of the Lomans “took what they wanted and did what they wanted” “Living at the Breakers, looking out over everything. Deciding what would be theirs for the taking”.
In the end the twists were quite good but a little unbelievable and too neatly tied up in a bow!!
This is a good book, just not one I can highly recommend. She does get better and better and I can’t wait for her next novel!!
Short plot review: Littleport, Maine is definitely a town that glows during the summer month, attracting tourists from all over to enjoy the beautiful beaches, gorgeous cliffside views and an array of galleries, restaurants and shops all catering to tourists. In the off season, it comes back to the locals, the real backbone of the town. The Lomans are literally and figuratively at the top of the heap of residents. They literally live on the highest cliff and they own a lot of properties and businesses, they are a wealthy family.
It’s always been said the locals never really find true friendship with the summer people and the super rich. They are the people who work in rental homes, fishing boats, sightseeing boats, restaurants etc.
Avery Green is a local resident who lost her parents to a car accident a decade ago. Since that time the Lomans have taken Avery under their wing, helped her get her degree, gave her a job and even let her live in their guesthouse. Their daughter Sadie has become Avery’s best friend through the years. When asked why they were so generous Grant commented “IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO”.
The town is rocked when a yearly end of season party is shaken, with a complete power outage, a scream and then the realization that Sadie is missing and later found dead. All things point to suicide but there are other players in this novel.
I found that the story was a bit slow paced and didn’t really get me excited until the 80% location on my Kindle.
Here are two reasons why this book didn’t work as well for me as I had hoped. First of all, the characters!!
There is quite an array of characters including Sadie’s brother Parker, parents Grant and Bianca and a group of friends, NONE OF WHICH I LIKED OR CARED ABOUT!!!
I didn’t really understand some of Avery’s motives and why she did what she did. She just didn’t seem real enough to me. All of the Lomans “took what they wanted and did what they wanted” “Living at the Breakers, looking out over everything. Deciding what would be theirs for the taking”.
In the end the twists were quite good but a little unbelievable and too neatly tied up in a bow!!
This is a good book, just not one I can highly recommend. She does get better and better and I can’t wait for her next novel!!
October 13, 2021
I was pretty anxious to read this book since it's been on my TBR forever and a day and I finally got around to reading it!
There wasn't anything entirely unique about it but it's perfect if you're looking for a quick popcorn thriller. I liked a few of the twists but I didn't particularly LOVE any of them and I felt the characters were a bit underdeveloped so I didn't feel super connected to any of them and didn't have much of a reaction when I found out secrets about them.
I really did like the 'unreliable narrator' bits and that's always cool to see play out, however, I thought it was better done in 'The Girl on the Train' and 'Gone Girl.'
There were a few scenes I didn't particularly care for that I can't name without spoiling, but they added nothing to the story and could have been completely taken out and it wouldn't have made a difference.
I did really enjoy the descriptions of imagery in this book though! Miranda really knows how to set the scene of a thriller!
Although it fell a bit short for me at times, I am looking forward to reading more from Megan Miranda! 'All the Missing Girls' is another one of hers that has been on my TBR forever and I'm hoping to read that one soon, but I'm open to suggestions on other books by her! :)
There wasn't anything entirely unique about it but it's perfect if you're looking for a quick popcorn thriller. I liked a few of the twists but I didn't particularly LOVE any of them and I felt the characters were a bit underdeveloped so I didn't feel super connected to any of them and didn't have much of a reaction when I found out secrets about them.
I really did like the 'unreliable narrator' bits and that's always cool to see play out, however, I thought it was better done in 'The Girl on the Train' and 'Gone Girl.'
There were a few scenes I didn't particularly care for that I can't name without spoiling, but they added nothing to the story and could have been completely taken out and it wouldn't have made a difference.
I did really enjoy the descriptions of imagery in this book though! Miranda really knows how to set the scene of a thriller!
Although it fell a bit short for me at times, I am looking forward to reading more from Megan Miranda! 'All the Missing Girls' is another one of hers that has been on my TBR forever and I'm hoping to read that one soon, but I'm open to suggestions on other books by her! :)
May 22, 2019
3.5 stars, rounded up
The Last House Guest deals with the haves and the have nots, the folks who spend a summer and the year round residents, the vacationers and the workers. Usually the two sides stay separate. Avery is a resident, but she becomes a summer friend with Sadie Logan, the daughter of one of the richest summer families in Littleport. At the end of summer, Sadie is found dead. Ruled a suicide, but later events have Avery doubting that conclusion.
The story is told from Avery’s viewpoint, from the summer of Sadie’s death and the summer after. Reading an advance copy, I couldn’t understand why there would be chapter dividers just labeled Summer without specifying which summer. It wasn’t until I looked at the table of contents that I saw the ToC did label them. Small glitch but it affected my reading pleasure. I’m wondering now if I would have rated the book higher if I hadn’t had this annoyance as it often took me a page or so to make sure I knew which time period was being evoked.
And I can’t say that any of the characters interested me. Avery almost seems a caricature - no family, reliant on the Lomans, some mix of family friend and employee. I feel like I’ve seen this done one too many times. Sadie is the rich girl rebel; her brother Parker, a ladies’ man and bad boy.
As is always the case with these kind of mysteries, secrets are revealed and things aren’t as they first appeared. The book maintains a good pace. I didn’t see the twists coming and appreciated how it all played out. So kudos to Miranda for a strong ending.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.
The Last House Guest deals with the haves and the have nots, the folks who spend a summer and the year round residents, the vacationers and the workers. Usually the two sides stay separate. Avery is a resident, but she becomes a summer friend with Sadie Logan, the daughter of one of the richest summer families in Littleport. At the end of summer, Sadie is found dead. Ruled a suicide, but later events have Avery doubting that conclusion.
The story is told from Avery’s viewpoint, from the summer of Sadie’s death and the summer after. Reading an advance copy, I couldn’t understand why there would be chapter dividers just labeled Summer without specifying which summer. It wasn’t until I looked at the table of contents that I saw the ToC did label them. Small glitch but it affected my reading pleasure. I’m wondering now if I would have rated the book higher if I hadn’t had this annoyance as it often took me a page or so to make sure I knew which time period was being evoked.
And I can’t say that any of the characters interested me. Avery almost seems a caricature - no family, reliant on the Lomans, some mix of family friend and employee. I feel like I’ve seen this done one too many times. Sadie is the rich girl rebel; her brother Parker, a ladies’ man and bad boy.
As is always the case with these kind of mysteries, secrets are revealed and things aren’t as they first appeared. The book maintains a good pace. I didn’t see the twists coming and appreciated how it all played out. So kudos to Miranda for a strong ending.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.
June 14, 2019
My first read from Megan Miranda was a success! I had so much fun with The Last House Guest! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ .75
Littleport, Maine, like many places in the United States, is the land of the haves and the have-nots. The wealthy vacation there, and the locals serve them when they do. Typically the two groups don’t cross paths in a social manner, but Avery and Sadie become friends anyway.
For over ten years, the two are the best of friends during summer; however, when Sadie is found dead, everything changes.
Sadie’s death is ruled a suicide, but Avery is shouldering some blame based on community gossip. Someone out there knows something, and Avery intends to find out who they are and what they know.
The Last House Guest is told in two timelines: the night of the incident and the summer afterwards. The party go-ers are all suspects, and there are secrets and lies galore that unfold bit by bit.
The Last House Guest is written in a easy, flowing writing style with a quick pace and a large cast of characters. I really felt for Sadie and her family grappling with their loss, potentially to suicide. The premise here is interesting, and it reminded me of a case in the news the last couple years.
Overall, the twists kept me on the edge of my seat, I loved the charming and atmospheric setting, and I blew right through this thriller, which ended up being an emotional one for me due to the content.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Littleport, Maine, like many places in the United States, is the land of the haves and the have-nots. The wealthy vacation there, and the locals serve them when they do. Typically the two groups don’t cross paths in a social manner, but Avery and Sadie become friends anyway.
For over ten years, the two are the best of friends during summer; however, when Sadie is found dead, everything changes.
Sadie’s death is ruled a suicide, but Avery is shouldering some blame based on community gossip. Someone out there knows something, and Avery intends to find out who they are and what they know.
The Last House Guest is told in two timelines: the night of the incident and the summer afterwards. The party go-ers are all suspects, and there are secrets and lies galore that unfold bit by bit.
The Last House Guest is written in a easy, flowing writing style with a quick pace and a large cast of characters. I really felt for Sadie and her family grappling with their loss, potentially to suicide. The premise here is interesting, and it reminded me of a case in the news the last couple years.
Overall, the twists kept me on the edge of my seat, I loved the charming and atmospheric setting, and I blew right through this thriller, which ended up being an emotional one for me due to the content.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
April 14, 2019
Sometimes you will never know the answer quite yet in life. But it's there. It's hidden behind labels of regret and remorse.
Avery Greer deals with the stackable problems in her everyday life. She's the caretaker of a sprawling series of summer cottages in the resort town of Littleport, Maine. It's Avery who must check and double check the rentals. Satisfaction isn't always guaranteed.
Avery is familiar with the rocky cliffs and staggered beaches. She was raised by her grandmother just around the bend after both her parents died. The wealthy owners of the summer rentals, Grant and Bianca Loman, bought out her grandmother's house after she passed. They recognized Avery's talent and hired her for the rentals.
But this agreement took a turn from the professional to the personal. Avery Greer and Sadie Loman became fast friends.....best friends actually. The girls were complete opposites. Avery was more withdrawn and unsure of herself while Sadie never passed up a party or a challenge. After all, Sadie had the feathered wings of living the high life in "the big house" up the hill. Yet, both girls were capable of keeping secrets from one another. Big secrets.
Megan Miranda will flip this story back and forth from Summer 2017 and Summer 2018. In 2017 Avery is setting up the last hurrah of a party for their beachy friends just before Labor Day in one of the cottages. It's been an annual celebration and never missed. She keeps texting Sadie who never answers with good reason. Sadie's body is found later by the police at the bottom of the cliff. Her strappy sandals were set to the side above. From all indications, it looks to be a suicide.
But as the one year anniversary of Sadie's death approaches, Avery isn't buying it. Sadie would never take her own life. Armed with too few clues, Avery is searching for answers. But her search may turn up more than she bargained for on those sandy beaches.
Megan Miranda is a sure bet for a high interest read. I loved The Missing Girls and The Perfect Stranger. She does it again in this one, but it's a steady simmer of events. Avery will peel back a series of unexpected actions that indicate that there's more to this death than originally thought. A clever read with some puzzling moments.
I received a copy of The Last House Guest through Simon & Schuster. My thanks to them and to Megan Miranda for the opportunity.
Avery Greer deals with the stackable problems in her everyday life. She's the caretaker of a sprawling series of summer cottages in the resort town of Littleport, Maine. It's Avery who must check and double check the rentals. Satisfaction isn't always guaranteed.
Avery is familiar with the rocky cliffs and staggered beaches. She was raised by her grandmother just around the bend after both her parents died. The wealthy owners of the summer rentals, Grant and Bianca Loman, bought out her grandmother's house after she passed. They recognized Avery's talent and hired her for the rentals.
But this agreement took a turn from the professional to the personal. Avery Greer and Sadie Loman became fast friends.....best friends actually. The girls were complete opposites. Avery was more withdrawn and unsure of herself while Sadie never passed up a party or a challenge. After all, Sadie had the feathered wings of living the high life in "the big house" up the hill. Yet, both girls were capable of keeping secrets from one another. Big secrets.
Megan Miranda will flip this story back and forth from Summer 2017 and Summer 2018. In 2017 Avery is setting up the last hurrah of a party for their beachy friends just before Labor Day in one of the cottages. It's been an annual celebration and never missed. She keeps texting Sadie who never answers with good reason. Sadie's body is found later by the police at the bottom of the cliff. Her strappy sandals were set to the side above. From all indications, it looks to be a suicide.
But as the one year anniversary of Sadie's death approaches, Avery isn't buying it. Sadie would never take her own life. Armed with too few clues, Avery is searching for answers. But her search may turn up more than she bargained for on those sandy beaches.
Megan Miranda is a sure bet for a high interest read. I loved The Missing Girls and The Perfect Stranger. She does it again in this one, but it's a steady simmer of events. Avery will peel back a series of unexpected actions that indicate that there's more to this death than originally thought. A clever read with some puzzling moments.
I received a copy of The Last House Guest through Simon & Schuster. My thanks to them and to Megan Miranda for the opportunity.
August 3, 2019
This one was a bit underwhelming. I never felt all that invested in the characters or story. And even though I didn't guess the ending, it still is nothing that will blow your mind. Hate to sound so negative but there have been so many awesome books in the genre recently that I cant place this one any higher than just an average read.
Littleport, Maine is one of those resort towns in which the regular old year-round residents are financially dependent on the tourist season when the wealthy and elite flock to their harbor community. It's pretty rare for the two groups to mix but local resident Avery Greer and Sadie Loman, who comes from a rich family, strike up a friendship anyway. They've been best friends for 10 years and Avery is devastated when she finds out Sadie has died. The official cause of death is suicide but Avery knows there are some people who blame her for her friend's death. Her quest to clear her name might put her on a dangerous path.
This was one of those weird reads in which you aren't all that interested in the characters but yet you do kinda want to know the exact details of the death so you keep reading. Avery just kinda fell flat as a character which is a shame because normally I like the whole "girl from the wrong side of the tracks working her way up" type characters. On a positive note I did like the ending better for this book than I did for All The Missing Girls. Even though I overall I liked that book better than this one, I was not a fan of how everything wrapped up in that one. I'm not saying this one has an awesome ending but at least it was a slight improvement.
Overall, an okay story but definitely not one I would say is a must read.
Littleport, Maine is one of those resort towns in which the regular old year-round residents are financially dependent on the tourist season when the wealthy and elite flock to their harbor community. It's pretty rare for the two groups to mix but local resident Avery Greer and Sadie Loman, who comes from a rich family, strike up a friendship anyway. They've been best friends for 10 years and Avery is devastated when she finds out Sadie has died. The official cause of death is suicide but Avery knows there are some people who blame her for her friend's death. Her quest to clear her name might put her on a dangerous path.
This was one of those weird reads in which you aren't all that interested in the characters but yet you do kinda want to know the exact details of the death so you keep reading. Avery just kinda fell flat as a character which is a shame because normally I like the whole "girl from the wrong side of the tracks working her way up" type characters. On a positive note I did like the ending better for this book than I did for All The Missing Girls. Even though I overall I liked that book better than this one, I was not a fan of how everything wrapped up in that one. I'm not saying this one has an awesome ending but at least it was a slight improvement.
Overall, an okay story but definitely not one I would say is a must read.
February 22, 2022
3 stars
“I’ve known enough of loss to accept that grief may lose its sharpness with time, but memory only tightens. Moments replay.”
Avery Greer is a woman from a small town and has a dark past. Her parents were killed when she was younger, she went through a rough time afterwards. And then, her best friend Sadie dies one summer in a mysterious suicide. A year later, Avery still doesn’t believe Sadie killed herself and as the evidence piles up, it all points in one direction: at Avery.
“Promises made without clarity of thought still counted. A careless yes and you were bound.”
Megan Miranda has fallen into the same category as Ruth Ware for me: lots of buzz, great premise, great mood/tone, and yet the book doesn’t come together right at all. So much of this was convoluted and boring and I found it hard to care what the main character was doing for a lot of the book. I listened to the audiobook of this and while I was interested in it most of the time, the best part of this 10+ hour production was the last 30 minutes when everything came together. And even then it was fairly predictable.
“But that was the thing about loving someone—it only counted when you knew their flaws and did it anyway.”
“I’ve known enough of loss to accept that grief may lose its sharpness with time, but memory only tightens. Moments replay.”
Avery Greer is a woman from a small town and has a dark past. Her parents were killed when she was younger, she went through a rough time afterwards. And then, her best friend Sadie dies one summer in a mysterious suicide. A year later, Avery still doesn’t believe Sadie killed herself and as the evidence piles up, it all points in one direction: at Avery.
“Promises made without clarity of thought still counted. A careless yes and you were bound.”
Megan Miranda has fallen into the same category as Ruth Ware for me: lots of buzz, great premise, great mood/tone, and yet the book doesn’t come together right at all. So much of this was convoluted and boring and I found it hard to care what the main character was doing for a lot of the book. I listened to the audiobook of this and while I was interested in it most of the time, the best part of this 10+ hour production was the last 30 minutes when everything came together. And even then it was fairly predictable.
“But that was the thing about loving someone—it only counted when you knew their flaws and did it anyway.”
June 18, 2019
The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda is a thriller that is told from the viewpoint of the main character in two different timelines. One time frame is that of the summer that the death in question in the book occurs and then another the following summer.
Littleport, Maine is a town in which the rich often vacation in during the summers and the locals cater to them while they are there. Normally there aren’t any friendships between the residents and vacationers but Avery Greer and Sadie Loman were an exception… that is until Sadie is found dead, the death ruled a suicide, but was it really murder?
I discovered Megan Miranda a couple of years ago with All the Missing Girls and loved it. Since then I’ve read a couple of others and also enjoyed those so color me shocked when picking this one up and finding myself feeling like it was dragging on and on. Maybe it was me or my mood as you have all the elements of a good thriller there but it just did not stand out to me. The characters are all suspicious with lies uncovered throughout but I didn’t connect to them so for me this one was just so-so and probably will become forgettable.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Littleport, Maine is a town in which the rich often vacation in during the summers and the locals cater to them while they are there. Normally there aren’t any friendships between the residents and vacationers but Avery Greer and Sadie Loman were an exception… that is until Sadie is found dead, the death ruled a suicide, but was it really murder?
I discovered Megan Miranda a couple of years ago with All the Missing Girls and loved it. Since then I’ve read a couple of others and also enjoyed those so color me shocked when picking this one up and finding myself feeling like it was dragging on and on. Maybe it was me or my mood as you have all the elements of a good thriller there but it just did not stand out to me. The characters are all suspicious with lies uncovered throughout but I didn’t connect to them so for me this one was just so-so and probably will become forgettable.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
September 4, 2019
2.5 Stars rounded up. Just flat. I didn't connect with the characters, or even really care to at any point in the book. I had to force myself to finish because I wanted to find out whodunnit, which wasn't that much of a surprise either. I seem to remember really enjoying Miranda's previous novel, Perfect Strangers, so i'm a bit confounded why or how it took her two years to produce this book as her follow-up third adult novel. At this point i'm like 1-5 on Reese's bookclub books, so I think i'm done reading them just because someone that works for Reese read them and thought they were good. I think at this point its pretty obvious she's either not reading them herself, or she just doesn't have the same taste that I do when it comes to thrillers. This was a comfy, cozy mystery of sorts to me, and a very slow-burn one at that. Moving on...
July 2, 2019
Reading this is like reading wallpaper.
May 22, 2019
Avery and Sadie are summer sisters in a wealthy summer town. Sadie is the privileged daughter of a wealthy family while Avery grew up in the community with little resources. Their friendship is unlikely but this duo forged a strong bond and are inseparable until Sadie’s untimely death. Sadie’s death is ruled a suicide but Avery feels something is amiss. As she begins to investigate, she may find herself in danger as well...
The synopsis is intriguing and the plot sounds strong but unfortunately, that’s where it ends for me. The writing felt disjointed and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I found myself skimming a lot so that I could get to get to the end and find out the truth. Unfortunately, even that was lacking for me. This could be a case of ‘wrong book at the wrong time’ for me, as many others loved it. Ultimately, it missed the mark for me and I give it ⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @simonandschuster for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
The synopsis is intriguing and the plot sounds strong but unfortunately, that’s where it ends for me. The writing felt disjointed and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I found myself skimming a lot so that I could get to get to the end and find out the truth. Unfortunately, even that was lacking for me. This could be a case of ‘wrong book at the wrong time’ for me, as many others loved it. Ultimately, it missed the mark for me and I give it ⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @simonandschuster for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
June 8, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Shuster Canada for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
Believe it or not, I never did get around to reading All the Missing Girls or The Perfect Stranger but Megan Miranda has been on my must read list for quite awhile. In The Last House Guest MM presents readers with an unreliable female protagonist in Avery Greer who seven years ago lost her friend Sadie Loman in a tragedy. As a community tribute to Sadie is being prepared and the anniversary of her death looms, Avery begins to see signs that someone wants the real story. Alternating between the night of the tragedy and the present, even Avery herself climbs higher and higher on the suspect list.
Honestly, I should be exhausted from the sameness that this book has to so many other books already on the market and on my read shelf. So many people with lies and alterior motives in the fictional universe. We (the innocent readers) should at least be crying for a reprieve. Yet I couldn't help but jump on the bus and see this story from beginning to end. Sure I saw where some elements of the story were going, but I fell for this story hook, line, and sinker. Hence why I find myself rounding up to a 4.
Goodreads review published 08/06/19
Publication Date 18/06/19
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Shuster Canada for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
Believe it or not, I never did get around to reading All the Missing Girls or The Perfect Stranger but Megan Miranda has been on my must read list for quite awhile. In The Last House Guest MM presents readers with an unreliable female protagonist in Avery Greer who seven years ago lost her friend Sadie Loman in a tragedy. As a community tribute to Sadie is being prepared and the anniversary of her death looms, Avery begins to see signs that someone wants the real story. Alternating between the night of the tragedy and the present, even Avery herself climbs higher and higher on the suspect list.
Honestly, I should be exhausted from the sameness that this book has to so many other books already on the market and on my read shelf. So many people with lies and alterior motives in the fictional universe. We (the innocent readers) should at least be crying for a reprieve. Yet I couldn't help but jump on the bus and see this story from beginning to end. Sure I saw where some elements of the story were going, but I fell for this story hook, line, and sinker. Hence why I find myself rounding up to a 4.
Goodreads review published 08/06/19
Publication Date 18/06/19
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August 27, 2019I'm calling this quits at 30%. DNF and no rating.
Hmmm, I had a struggle focusing on this one. I've read a lot of these mystery/thriller/juicy-secret books and I typically love them but I wasn't digging the writing style here. I felt like I was the only stranger at a party and no one could be bothered to introduced me to anyone. The characters weren't drawn very well and weren’t interesting to me whatsoever. There was a lot of "telling" instead of showing. I listened to 30% and it continued in this vein, jumping all over the place with two timelines and confusing the hell out of me on audio. Perhaps it is better read in paper but I will never know because I am a quitter and life is too short to struggle with books that aren't working.
This isn't my idea of a fun time. Nope. Ba-byee. I hope the rest of you enjoy it more than I did.
Hmmm, I had a struggle focusing on this one. I've read a lot of these mystery/thriller/juicy-secret books and I typically love them but I wasn't digging the writing style here. I felt like I was the only stranger at a party and no one could be bothered to introduced me to anyone. The characters weren't drawn very well and weren’t interesting to me whatsoever. There was a lot of "telling" instead of showing. I listened to 30% and it continued in this vein, jumping all over the place with two timelines and confusing the hell out of me on audio. Perhaps it is better read in paper but I will never know because I am a quitter and life is too short to struggle with books that aren't working.
This isn't my idea of a fun time. Nope. Ba-byee. I hope the rest of you enjoy it more than I did.
January 6, 2024
THE LAST HOUSE GUEST is a thriller where the lives of rich holiday summer people and the locals who wait on them intersect in a touristy Maine town. Sadie (a summer girl) and Avery (a local) were best friends. Avery managed Sadie’s parents’ properties and had nothing to her name but a couple of boxes after she was forced to sell her grandmother’s house. But one night after a party, the police come. Sadie has been found dead at the bottom of a cliff.
Told in two timelines as Avery tries to piece together the clues and figure out what really happened to her best friend. Did she fall, was it suicide, or was she pushed? Lots of details of summers in coastal Maine that are so wonderful you can smell the sea, taste the lobster salad, feel the waves as you go out into the harbor, and really picture being there. A great mystery/thriller with plenty of players and twists that kept me guessing up until the end.
Trigger Warnings:
Told in two timelines as Avery tries to piece together the clues and figure out what really happened to her best friend. Did she fall, was it suicide, or was she pushed? Lots of details of summers in coastal Maine that are so wonderful you can smell the sea, taste the lobster salad, feel the waves as you go out into the harbor, and really picture being there. A great mystery/thriller with plenty of players and twists that kept me guessing up until the end.
Trigger Warnings:
October 24, 2020
"The Last House Guest" by Megan Miranda was a very satisfying read from start to finish.
Set in the seaside town of Littleport, Maine, a summer retreat for the wealthy and a hospitality based-harbor community for the year-round residents. As girls, local Avery Greer and summer resident Sadie Loman, are inseparable during the summer months for almost a decade.
Currently, Avery is employed as the caretaker of the many Loman Family properties in Littleport. Life continues happily in Littleport until the summer Sadie is found dead of an apparent suicide. Then everything changes for Avery. Everything!
I enjoyed the suspense, the detail of the back story and the depth of the characters. Lots of secrets to be told here in Littleport, Maine! I recommend you get a copy and dive in!
Set in the seaside town of Littleport, Maine, a summer retreat for the wealthy and a hospitality based-harbor community for the year-round residents. As girls, local Avery Greer and summer resident Sadie Loman, are inseparable during the summer months for almost a decade.
Currently, Avery is employed as the caretaker of the many Loman Family properties in Littleport. Life continues happily in Littleport until the summer Sadie is found dead of an apparent suicide. Then everything changes for Avery. Everything!
I enjoyed the suspense, the detail of the back story and the depth of the characters. Lots of secrets to be told here in Littleport, Maine! I recommend you get a copy and dive in!
April 23, 2022
Oh my goodness! I want to take back my precious days. I have been reading this ridiculous book for some time. I would rather watch paint dry than read this horrible book. .. As I was reading, all I thought was “Get To The F**k point “🔜.
I never give 2 stars, because I feel bad. In my mind this is the one that deserves it!. The ending is so expected! The characters so unlikeable. Not interesting at all.
⭐️⭐️ solid stars!
I never give 2 stars, because I feel bad. In my mind this is the one that deserves it!. The ending is so expected! The characters so unlikeable. Not interesting at all.
⭐️⭐️ solid stars!
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