This is a modern interpretation of Snow White, minus the dwarfs (like most people, I'm only familiar with the Disney version of the fairy tale). It's available for purchase today, and I give it two thumbs up.
Author: Claire Seeber
Publisher: Bookouture
Release Date: 7/15/16
Version Reviewed: digital ARC via NetGalley
Rating: ★★★★★
After enduring a disastrous relationship and a career-ending scandal, Jeanie is ready for her Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet and whisk her away to his castle. Enter Matthew King, Jeanie's new husband. He's wealthy, successful, handsome, and head over heels in love with Jeanie. It seems like a fairy tale come true, but there are problems from the start. Matthew's twin teenaged children are slow to warm to her, with daughter Scarlett acting openly hostile. Matthew isn't keen on Jeanie's son, Frankie. Then strange things begin to happen. Threats to expose Jeanie's secrets to her husband. Dead pets and wild animals left for her to see. Blood mysteriously appearing in the bathroom. Strange noises and a vision of a woman in a mirror. Jeanie realizes she has to get out of both the horror castle and her marriage before it's too late.
I wavered back and forth on whether to give this four or five stars. The first 80% of the book is near perfect, but it started to fall apart for me toward the end, which is not how you want a thriller to progress. The ending resolutions were drawn out, anti-climatic, but also somehow incomplete. We never get a full understanding of Matthew's character or what his true intentions toward Jeanie are. A lot of the dark twisty turns are explained away as relatively banal family drama. The whole Simon bit was under developed and should have hit the editing room floor. The best part of the last 20% of the book or so is that it finally becomes apparent why sister Marlena's viewpoint is necessary to craft the story. I decided to cut the difference and give this better than average thriller 4.5 stars.
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