The Lady of the Loch by Elena Collins

I love this story so much! In the early 14th century Agnes is working as a kitchen maid when the castle is sacked by the English. She escapes north to Ravenscraig Castle where she meets Cam Buchanan and dreams of a happy future only to find out he's going to fight alongside Robert the Bruce.

In present day, Zoe has always been the responsible one, successful in life, while her twin Leah always seems to struggle. She's sunk in depression, barely able to dress herself much less leave the house. Zoe has cause for concern, so when a caretaker position becomes available for Ravenscraig Castle, she decides they need a change. As they're settling in and enjoying the picturesque landscape, they hear rumors around the village that the castle is haunted. At first believing it's just superstition, the twins begin to feel a haunting sadness around the tower. Can they find out the truth of the past and heal the heartbreak and betrayal?

I enjoyed the historic details of Agnes and Effie's part of the story, but it lagged a little in the middle and I started enjoying the twins story more. There was a dark and haunting feel to their story that made me want to find out more. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

Alex has idolized author Roza Vallos ever since reading her debut novel as a teenager. Now she gets a chance to have her idol as a mentor on a month-long retreat at the reclusive author's isolated mansion along with a group of other hopeful women authors. When they arrive, they are set the task of writing a whole new book in a month with daily deadlines to meet and a seven figure publishing contract as the prize. All starts well with the women busy writing, but when one of them disappears under ominous circumstances and the others secretly investigate, they discover the chilling truth about their mysterious host and the retreat.  

This story had me on the edge of my seat with a sense of looming dread. Between the rumored haunting, the threat of punishment if they missed their deadlines, and her ex-best friend turning the other writers against her with her lies and mind games, the book was fairly fast-paced and kept my interest to the very end. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Drift by C.J. Tudor

This book is three separate POV stories of survival until they combine in the end to a thrilling conclusion. First, Hannah and a handful of other students from an exclusive school are escaping to safety, fleeing a brewing deadly virus that's sweeping the nation. A flash of light, a crash, and then nothing until she wakes up to find herself one of few survivors of the bus crash. The doors are jammed, there's no way out, and the temperature is dropping fast. They'll have to work together to survive, but Hannah isn't the only one with a secret.

After volunteering for a secret project, former cop Meg wakes up suspended in a stalled cable car, dressed in a stranger's clothes, with no memory of how she got there. With her are a group of strangers all except one, a familiar face from her past... and he's dead. With little hope of rescue, these strangers will have to trust each other to survive even though one of them is a killer. 

In an abandoned ski resort, a small group is working toward creating a vaccine against the deadly virus. They are barely surviving, exchanging doses for vital supplies. But when the power starts to fail, the threat lurking in the basement gets closer and closer to escape and Carter and his small group of friends could be its first victims.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down! With details of the reaction to the virus so familiar, yet so strange and the perfect time of year to read this snowy chilling story, it pulled me right in. I'm excited to read more by this new-to-me author. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own