Villa

This book landed on my TBR list because it was the February pick for the Live, Laugh, Murder book club. I’d never heard of it, so I didn’t really have any expectations, which is always a good (if not always possible) way to begin a book. I ended up really enjoying it! It’s an easy read with a mix of gothic mystery, thriller tension, and nostalgic vibes that work together to create a unique and enjoyable read.I don’t know that I would classify this book as squarely in the thriller category, although it does revolve around a murder mystery. It also explores difficult relationships and the importance of art and creation as a method of autonomy, especially in women. I will be honest here and say that the relationship between Emily and Chess reminded me so much of an unhealthy relationship I had in my own life until I was in my mid-twenties - it was almost disconcerting. The frenemy dynamic is one that we all relate to (I think) but is rarely communicated about well. This book examined the love/hate relationship that often (but not always) accompanies our oldest friendships. I really enjoyed the author’s acknowledgements in which she promises that none of her real friends were the inspiration for Chess!I also loved the book’s implications on how the influence of art on others is often more powerful than the creation of art itself. It really made me stop and think about how strange it must be for artists/writers/musicians/etc to put their creations in the world only for them to take a whole identity of their own. They began as someone’s very personal, very intimate baby but then grew to have a fanbase who identify with the work in a whole new way. What does that mean for the artist and for the art itself?This book was an easy read and held my attention the entire time, but it never elicited a strong emotional response from me. It’s one that I will be happy to share with others but not request that the hardcopy be returned to me, as it doesn't warrant a rereading in my opinion. I am definitely looking forward to discussing it at book club this month!

I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs and Reckless Girls so of course I had to add this. With blurbs about The Villa being a gothic suspense thriller (set at an Italian villa across two time periods) with sinister acts and long-buried secrets.. and that it is inspired by Percy & Mary Shelley’s infamous visit with Lord Byron at a castle, the Manson murders and Fleetwood Mac. Yes please!Author Emily Sheridan is behind writing her latest book in a cozy mystery series. She’s suffering from writers block due to ill health and (unfortunately) her series love interest is inspired by her soon to be ex-husband. Their divorce process has been h*** to say the least. Her childhood best friend Chess suggests they spend R+R at an Italian villa together to reconnect. Chess is an author too but they’ve drifted apart after Chess’s big success in writing self-help books. While there, Emily gets caught up investigating the mystery of an infamous 1974 murder that happened in that same villa. She also knows one of the girls (Mari) went on to write a bestselling horror novel, and the other girl (Lana) wrote/performed/released the greatest solo album of that era. How did they become so successful after living through something so gruesome?Traveling back to the 1974.. we have 19 year old Mari’s POV. Noel Gordon, a notorious rock star, invites Mari’s step-sister Lana to his Italian vacation villa, also taking along Mari and Mari’s musician boyfriend Pierce Sheldon (they’re also introduced to a surprise guest on arrival). Jumping at the opportunity to go, Mari imagines it as an artist retreat where they’ll all be creating together. Unfortunately.. it doesn’t turn out to be that.Don’t let the sunny vacation destination fool you. This turned into quite the chilling story giving me all the spine tingling sensations that something foreboding from the past was going to present itself.. again.. only now to Emily and Chess. There’s a lot playing out between the two friends with their loving and devoted, yet thorny, complicated relationship.. giving you an uneasy feeling. You know something bad is hanging there on the perimeter.. what it is and when it will happen kept me on the edge of my seat. I was completely engrossed in finding out. There’s much more to this story playing out in both timelines concerning misogyny, tangled web relationships, jealousy, and competition, all intermixed with media throughout the book. And what a shocker of an ending! This is one heck of an entertaining story within a story. Fascinating for sure!!! 4.5 stars — Pub. 1/3/23Much thanks to the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

First we traveled to a Villa in Italy, then we traveled to the same Villa in Italy back in the 70’s.Where we learn about the murder that happened at the house of a famous rockstar.I had zero expectations going into this one, but knew I wanted a thriller during spooky season and figured “Summer at an Italian Villa” would be a good way to dip my toe in, and boy I was right.We flip back and forth between Emily and her best friend, Chess visiting Villa Aestas in current time and two step-sisters Mari and Lara visiting the same Villa, as muses of their rockstar boyfriends in the 1970’s.It’s giving sex, drugs and rock n roll, it’s giving frenamies, it’s giving rivals.I spent most of the book disliking the MC Emily (she’s very mopey and constantly whining and complaining), but by the end I had understood more of why she was so miserable and I guess it was somewhat warranted 😅The twists and turns were a wild ride and by the end, I actually liked this accumulation of both stories.Not sure I will ever be a die hard suspense/ thriller reader- but this absolutely gave the spooky season vibes I was hoping for!⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This story was definitely not what I expected to read but very happy that I did! It kept my interest and none of it was predictable