Hooked from the start - 'Sisters of Night' is a wild ride with a unique twist
Hello everyone!
I've read several books by Jennifer McMahon, and I can confidently say that I enjoy her writing style. While not every book of hers has earned a full 5-star rating from me, I appreciate the way she crafts her stories and keeps me on the edge of my seat.
When I spotted 'Sisters of Night' in the library, I couldn't resist picking it up and diving in. I'd seen it for sale on Avito before, but I never thought about buying it. I guess you could say that everything has its time, and this book was finally my chance to read it.
In this review, I'll be sharing my thoughts on what this book is about and whether or not I enjoyed it.
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A little about the book 'Sisters of Night'
I read the book in paperback form. It was translated and published by E in 2017, but the author wrote it back in 2015. Jennifer McMahon has an impressive catalog - she's got 11 books translated and published in Russian so far, and I've read about half of them.
McMahon's writing style is suspenseful with a mystical twist. Her books often have a dark atmosphere, and sometimes I find myself getting the chills when I'm reading them. If I'm in the mood for something with a bit of mystery and a sense of foreboding, I usually turn to Jennifer McMahon's books.
'Sisters of Night' is available in hardcover, and there's also a dust jacket.
sisters of night jennifer macmahon reviewsI took a picture of the book without the dust jacket. I usually remove it while I'm reading because it gets in the way. The cover art on both the main cover and the dust jacket is the same, but the main cover has a white background and the dust jacket is a bit darker and more muted.
McMahon's books are all styled consistently. The title and cover text are written in a beautiful, ornate style, making them look great when you collect them for your personal library.
The back cover has a few words about the author's work.
Her novels are published in more than 10 countries worldwide.
And it includes an annotation for the book.
To be honest, even if you check out the reviews on Amazon, you'll see that her books get a lot more than just a few reviews.
Sisters of Night by Jennifer McMahon reviewsThe binding is well-stitched, the pages are white, thin, and the font is just right - not too big, not too small. I didn't notice any typos or even notice them if there were any. There are no illustrations in the book.
The age restriction is noted as 16+, but to be honest, there's nothing in the book that would make me want to raise it to 18+. The main characters were once high school students themselves, so I'd recommend this book to young readers who enjoy horror and mystery suspense.
The story jumps back and forth between different time periods, from 1955 to the present day. It's like you're reading about something happening in the present, and then you're transported back to the past, or sometimes it's something in between.
This kind of storytelling really immerses you in the story and helps you understand how the events in the present are connected to the past. It makes the story more complex, more complete, and more interesting.
But what's the book actually about? You'll have to read it to find out. I'll give you a little hint by sharing the annotation from the book.
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About This Book
From the annotation:
I've gotta say, the events that unfolded at the Tower Motel were straight out of a horror movie. A woman named Amy brutally murdered her family and then took her own life, leaving behind a cryptic message on an old photo of her mom: '29 rooms.' The only survivor was her little daughter, Lou, who managed to escape through the window and hide on the roof.
Detective Jason Hawk is on the case. His wife, Margo, and her sister, Piper, were close friends with Amy back in the day. They used to love hanging out at the Tower Motel, where there were always 28 rooms. Jason's got a feeling that there's more to it, and soon he starts suspecting that Margo and Piper might be hiding something.
sisters at night Jennifer McMahon reviewsI was hooked from the get-go when I found out that a woman named Amy had killed her family and then taken her own life. But what really got me was that her daughter, Lou, had somehow managed to survive. She'd hidden on the roof, and Amy had left behind a mysterious message on a photo - '29 rooms.' What did it mean? Why had Amy written it? And how had Lou managed to escape?
That's where Detective Jason Hawk comes in. He's the one tasked with figuring out what happened at the Tower Motel. His wife, Margo, and her sister, Piper, used to be close friends with Amy back in the day. They'd all hang out at the Tower Motel, which had 28 rooms. Jason's got a feeling that Margo and Piper are hiding something, but what?
I have to admit, I was expecting Jason to be the main character and to be leading the investigation. But as I delved deeper into the book, I realized that the author's style is more suited to thrillers with a horror twist. There's no classic detective work going on here - instead, the author takes us on a journey through the past and present, slowly revealing what really happened at the Tower Motel and how Margo and Piper were connected to Amy and the mysterious '29 rooms.' It's a real page-turner, and I found myself eager to know what would happen next.
So, did I enjoy it? Absolutely. But more on that later.
My Takeaways from the Book
I have to say, my overall impression of the book is really positive. I was genuinely interested in reading it – so much so that I didn't want to put it down. I was eager to get to the climax and figure out what was going on in this book, where they hinted at these monsters.
The Sisters of Night by Jennifer McMahon ReviewsOf course, sometimes the monsters can be the people closest to us, the ones we least expect to betray us. So, I could see how the story could be interpreted in a few ways. But with Jennifer McMahon, I was expecting some real monsters, not just people hiding behind a mask of being close to us.
The way the author switches between past and present and back again allows for a much deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the story. The three time periods – 1955, 1989, and 2013 – were all really interesting to me.
Aside from the engaging writing style, the author also does a great job of building tension and keeping you on the edge of your seat. There were moments that made me feel a chill run down my spine – I even thought about ghosts, but I've read other books by McMahon where ghosts play a key role, so I was pretty sure they'd be involved here too.
Are there monsters or not? And if there are, what kind are they? Reading this book will give you the answers. What I wanted to highlight is how the book explores relationships between sisters, family dynamics, and childhood friendships.
Sisters of Night by Jennifer McMahon reviewsI loved how the relationships between the sisters were portrayed – like with Rose and Sylvie, who just didn't click. They were polar opposites in every way, from their personalities to their physical appearances. On the other hand, Margot and Piper's bond was incredibly strong, built on years of shared experiences and a deep friendship that formed in their childhood.
However, what struck me was how the relationships between the sisters were influenced by the dynamics within their family. It seemed like Sylvie was the favorite, always being praised and admired, while Rose was often overlooked and undervalued. The way their parents treated them was pretty clear – Sylvie was the golden child, and Rose was just...well, Rose. I think if their parents had taken the time to listen to Rose's concerns and validate her feelings, they might've been able to prevent the tragedy that eventually unfolded.
Overall, the book was a wild ride with a unique plot, but the ending left a sour taste in my mouth. It was like the author ran out of steam and resorted to some cheesy, supernatural nonsense that felt like something out of a bad horror movie. I mean, I was reminded of the Twilight series – it was that cringeworthy.
Sisters of Night by Jennifer McMahon reviewsI'm not gonna lie, though – I'm glad I read the book. It was engaging, suspenseful, and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. I just wish the author had stuck the landing instead of going for some lazy, unearned twist.
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FINAL VERDICT
I really enjoyed 'The Sisters of Night' by Jennifer McMahon overall. It's a captivating story with a unique idea, exploring the complex relationships between sisters and the fleeting nature of childhood friendships. The only thing that felt a bit disconnected was the ending, which came across as somewhat fantastical and didn't quite match the book's overall atmosphere.
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Be sure to check out these other reviews:
The Invitation. Jennifer McMahon
You Can't Scare Me. Jennifer McMahon
The People of Winter. Jennifer McMahon
The Revelation. Jennifer McMahon
The Silence. Jennifer McMahon
Stay awesome!