What I Loved: The Curse of Misty Wayfair is quite a blessing for the reader! From the moment I opened the book, I was drawn into Pleasant Valley alongside both heroines. The legendary curse intrigued me as much as the heroines did. And the heroes! Sigh. They were both so real and flawed. The tension between the couples was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and yet the lustful tones were at a minimum. It was a very clean and chaste romance and beautifully written.
I didn’t find Misty Wayfair to be as suspensful as Foster Hill, but that’s not a bad thing! I’m not a big suspense reader so I found it to be the perfect amount. The mystery itself was wonderfully crafted. I felt like I had a good understanding of how it would pan out, but the conclusion was more in-depth than I had expected, so I was very pleased.
The spiritual content was a surprising blessing. The theme centered around being lovingly crafted with a purpose. However, it was the struggle Heidi had with her family that convicted me. Sometimes a parent’s love isn’t understood very well. Being able to experience and sympathize over Heidi’s hardships through her perspective opened my eyes to see that there may be things that I say or attitudes that I carry that isn’t understood well by my teen.

Rating and Recommendation: I’m giving The Curse of Misty Wayfair 5 stars and gladly recommend it to those who enjoy Christian mystery/suspense, dual-timeline novels, or just a great novel.

~I received a copy from Bethany House. I was not compensated for this review or required to give a positive one. All thoughts are my own.

Jaime Jo Wright offers a riveting story about the secrets that haunt us and the power of freedom found in discovering the truth. She offers some of the strongest writing I have read in recent years, and the alternating perspectives are one of Wright’s most effective storytelling tools. It allows for a slow, suspenseful revelation of information that ultimately displays Wright’s creativity and brilliance. You root for the characters, get creeped out by the mysteries, and end the novel with beautiful lightbulb moments. This story is fresh and creative with a plot-twist you won't see coming.

If you're a fan of eerie suspense, smart plots, and characters with depth, check out Jaime Jo Wright's newest novel. This is one you certainly won't want to miss!

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel via Netgalley courtesy of Bethany House in exchange for an honest review. All expressed opinions are my own.}

Thank you to Bethany House for the free review copy. All opinions are my own. 

This was my first time reading a book by Wright, and now I need to go get her other two and read them right away. This creepy, suspenseful book is right up my alley. I love ghost stories and supposed hauntings. 

This book is told in a dual time line, which is another favorite of mine. I like how the setting of the story is in the same place because of the echoes of the Misty Wayfair haunting in both parts of the book. It made the story that much more suspenseful for me. I was intrigued by Thea and her line of work. I had heard of momento mori photography before now, but I have never seen it as a profession for a character, so right away I was hooked into Thea's story. I loved the tenacity of her character. Even when everyone around her was afraid or trying to make her afraid, she didn't stop until she found what she was looking for. The fear was not enough to hold her back. 

Heidi's story was equally as creepy. I like how her struggle was relatable. Her struggles with anxiety is something that I love to see represented in novels because it's something that is struggled with by lots of people. Along with the inclusion, I like how Wright also included a character with Autism. Representation matters. Heidi has a lot to struggle through, but she too, is tenacious.

I like how both of these characters grapple with their faith throughout the story. They must figure things out the hard way, which can be related to by some people. It can take a special person to help communicate the Gospel in the way that a person understands it to accept it.

The Curse of Misty Wayfair is an exceptionally eerie time slip novel that will pull you in and not let go! Jaime Jo Wright has outdone herself with this story and written a book you will NOT want to put down.

Thea is a postmortem photographer in 1908 and Heidi, living over a century later, is the irresponsible black-sheep of her family, coming to see her mother who's in the end stages of dementia. Both women's stories land them in Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin where they learn the ghostly legend of Misty Wayfair.

In this most gripping story, Wright beautifully handles the subjects of mental illness, asylums, autism, and finding our acceptance and identity in our Creator. These themes are written with delicacy and grace and left me with goosebumps! I cannot wait to see what Jaime Jo Wright comes up with next!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book at first was a little hard for me to get into. I had a difficult time connecting with the character in this century. I felt like she was childish and I wanted to reach through the book and slap some sense into her! But about halfway thru the book her struggles and why she is the way she is finally clicked into place and I found myself having compassion for her. I liked how this book did not leave me thinking every noise I heard in my house was someone breaking in to kill me. Like the house only foster hill book did! But it had just enough of mystery and intrigue!

Emotionally gripping, Jaime Jo Wright delivers a captivating split-time mystery that'll leave you unable to breathe and unwilling to put this book down until the very last page.

Ethereal in its ghostly beauty is the mysterious legend of Misty Wayfair, the ghost that beckons for someone to hear her cries, learn her story, and see her suffering. Ms. Wright invites readers into the haunted lives of two women, Thea and Heidi, whose own troubled pasts trap them in a century old curse.

Chilling in its setting among the bluish gray forest that hides the secrets of an asylum, Ms. Wright holds nothing back. Bringing her characters to their knees to reveal deep wounds that can only be healed by the precious balm of truth she so aptly weaves into a story that offers not only hope and redemption to her characters but the chance to be seen for who they really are.

This story will resonate with readers and move them. A must read. Ms. Wright's best story yet.

An amazing and intriguing book. It gave me goosebumps as I was reading through this creepy story. I love a story that keeps me guessing until the end, and usually stories tend to fall short (I can figure most out long before the end). But not this one. It had me guessing all the way to the last page.

#TheCurseOfMistyWayfair #NetGalley
A creepy tale set in 1908 and present day. There's a curse that a women is seen along the banks of a river, in both 1908 and present day. Thea of 1908 and Heidi of present day, are determined to break the curse and find the answers.

Two women from different centuries searching for answers about their families intersect in this story. I found the story hard to follow at times. The apparitions of ghosts and hidden asylum were disturbing. I felt sorry for Heidi who had felt unwanted for so many years. I couldn't understand Vicki's reasoning and she was my least favorite character. In all, this novel was too dark for me.

I first discovered Jaime Jo Wright with her debut, The House on Foster Hill and absolutely loved it. So I wait in eager anticipation for her new releases. The Curse of Misty Wayfair is her 3rd book and releases in a couple weeks.

Thea and Heidi are 2 completely different characters and yet so similar, over a hundred years separate them but they are both searching for purpose, who they are and boy do they get more than they bargained for.

I LOVED this book! It was mysterious, suspenseful and kept me on my toes. It was beautifully written with authentic characters that battled issues relevant in both time periods but where society's views differed drastically. I loved that I didn't read the blurb and dove in blind, it added to the creepiness.

Dual time periods, yea my favorite, where it's the past storyline I usually love more, the historical part where I can learn more of the past. And I loved that here, the stigma of mental illness and the treatment along with covering up scandal. Throw in a ghost or two, some weird characters and it's great. But it was the current day plot I really enjoyed. The author created some interesting characters, they were authentic, those who suffered from real human issues - whether it was the dysfunctional family dynamics, again mental illness, loneliness, trust issues and more. It was the searching with no idea what to look for... now I should stop before I start giving away too much of the story.

The ended was perfect and really that's about all I will say about it. This is one of those books I want someone else to read so we can talk about it.

Suffice to say that my first read of 2019 was awesome! The Curse of Misty Wayfair is Christian fiction at its finest. This is definitely a book I highly recommend.

My thanks to Bethany House for an ARC (via Netgalley).

“Every creation was intended for a purpose. In broken places, beauty could be found.”

I’m going to be coming back to this quote and its purpose in the book, but first I want to tell you about this story. Jamie Jo Wright has written an incredible book. The storyline is seamless as it flows back and forth between Thea and Heidi, who live a century apart. Every detail is important and finds its place perfectly in both their stories. This book is riveting, and by turns it’s heart-rending, compassionate, and hopeful. It’s also spooky. The story involves a ghost, and the author keeps us guessing as to whether it’s real or imaginary. Much of this book is devoted to both Thea and Heidi finding out about their true family, and even though they live in different time periods, the legend of this ghost has an impact on their search for the truth. This book is certainly a page-turner. Several of the characters can only be described as “creepy” and that only adds to the overall mood as you read.

Now, back to the quote. There are several characters in the book that society would consider “broken”. Jamie Jo Wright has done some good research on mental illness and the horrific ways that people who suffered from this were treated in the past. One of the characters is autistic and another has panic attacks. All are treated with great compassion by the author. The spiritual /inspirational theme of this book is that God has a purpose for each one of us. Even if our lives are beautiful, God shows us the beauty in our brokenness.

Although this book does has its scary factor, I came away from reading it with a sense of compassion and purpose. This one well deserves a five star rating.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Curse of Misty Wayfair
By Jaime Jo Wright
5 Stars

In this gripping mystery split time line novel we focus on two characters; Thea in the early 20th century and Heidi in current time. Two women connected to a small town in Wisconsin where there are shadows, secrets, and ghosts. Both are running from and towards the cries of an asylum that should have never been there.
Though this novel is "spooky" the author shines a light into the darkness about finding identity in our Creator and running towards Him when we question who we are.
Brilliant writing!

"Why do people dismiss the dead so easily? Once you're passed, you're no longer important?'

Jaime Jo Wright has brought us another extremely intriguing novel, this one a bit creepy, too. Written in her signature dual time line, it held me completely enthralled. Here's why:

Thea Reed----photographer of the dead, orphan, searching for her story
Simeon Coyle---groundskeeper of a mental asylum, photographs the patients for the records
Heidi Lane---unwanted, anxious, always looking for somewhere to belong
Rhett Crawford---rescuer of those who don't realize they need rescuing.
Misty Wayfair---wrongly murdered, still trying to punish those responsible?

With a character cast like this, how can the reader not be captivated with what lies within the pages of the book? Thea Reed was left on the steps of an orphanage as a small child and has come to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin in 1908 desperate to find her mother. Everything she hears leads her to a mental asylum, where, if truth be told, all is definitely not well. She agrees to help Simeon Coyle, groundskeeper, photograph the patients for record keeping purposes. It doesn't bother her because her job is to photograph the dead.

The legend of Misty Wayfair has been brought to life again in both timelines. Misty, who was murdered and now haunts the area and death follows in her wake.

Present day: Heidi Lane gets a cryptic letter from her mother, a victim of dementia, that begs her to return home to Pleasant Valley at once. A letter that speaks of voices, ghosts and things that need to be fixed. Heidi sees a ghostly woman at her window shortly after settling in at her sister's lodge, and finds a hundred year old photograph album with a dead woman's photo who looks exactly like her. The woman at the window haunts the grounds of the now abandoned asylum. And the legend of Misty Wayfair is once again resurrected as Heidi now has reason to fear for her life.

Can these two women, over 100 years apart, find the answe3rs they seek and disprove the original curse that link them?

Jaimi Jo Wright brought us her debut novel two years ago and it was amazing. Now she is proving that she is only getting better! This book completely captivated me! Completely intriguing, it was, and all through it, my mind kept casting about trying to figure out what was going on. Never once did I guess, either. Wonderful writing, engaging characters and a plot that just grabs the mind, this one is one for the keeper shelf. Highly recommended.

*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Another thriller by Jaime Jo Wright! She tackled the tough issue of mental health weaving it into an edge of your seat suspense thriller. From postmortem photography to asylums deep in the woods to ghostly appearances, you are caught up in the story as it takes you from Thea’s life in the 1900’s to present day Heidi’s life with heart pounding action.

Both Thea and Heidi are diverse, unique characters in their own right that you are quickly endured too. While each travel a different journey with its own challenges, their lives are effected by the same past. I felt the way the stigma of mental health issues including anxiety and depression were exposed in a beautiful way. It is a tough issue to tackle but if we are honest, touching all of us in one form or another.

My favorite quote from the book is “This place-this life-will break us. But from above, our Creator reaches into the depths, and He will carve us into something new.” Throughout the stories of both Thea and Heidi, each grapple with their faith, past, and present. We are able to walk with them as they struggle and find where our true hope lies in the Creator.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and the author, Jaime Jo Wright, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’m a fan of Jaime Jo Wright and not every author can write a story in two time periods and pull it off flawlessly. The Curse of Misty Wayfair follows the intertwined stories of Thea Reed and Heidi Lane. Thea is a photographer from the turn of the century who is searching for the truth about why her mother abandoned her. Heidi experiences a similar quest in present time as she tries to find her identity through her roots in Pleasant Valley. Both take the reader on a journey of self-discovery while revealing dark secrets from the past.

The author writes characters you’ll fall in love with. Heidi’s quest to find her true identity resonated with me. I love stories that aren’t superficial and have a deeper, spiritual point. The author weaves a deep and beautiful message through both characters’ struggles. The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because it took me a while to get into the story. Once I did, I was hooked. The suspense and creepy mystery of the secrets of Pleasant Valley kept me reading to the end, but it’s the characters that eventually drew me in to this intriguing story line.

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A legendary curse is the key to the secrets that haunt two women in this eerie timeslip tale. A mysterious photo, cryptic messages, an abandoned insane asylum and a legendary ghost play a role in just a few of the many delicious spine-tingling moments as Heidi's search for answers parallels Thea's quest a century before. Each individual story's threads are masterfully woven together to create a hauntingly beautiful tapestry. Ms. Wright's ability to build the suspense equally between both stories keeps her readers invested in both story-lines. While the ghost of Misty Wayfair held me spellbound, it was the story of brokenness, the story of healing and finding purpose from our Creator that spoke to this reader's heart.

Since her debut novel, Jaime Jo Wright will remain one of the authors whose books will always be on top of my TBR.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was creepy and suspenseful. I enjoyed the split time format and was familiar with Jaime Jo Wright as she hooked me when I read The House on Foster Hill. This is not my usual reading genre as I am generally an uptight person but her writing style and ability to tell an interesting story keep me coming back.

Ever wonder what goes on in an author's mind that enables them to create such intricate webs of suspense? Once again Jaime Jo has knocked it out of the park! Her stories are so well developed and the suspense is woven so deeply that you're both afraid to continue and you need to continue. Whew, now I can go back to sleeping at night!

Mental illness is a sensitive and difficult topic to approach. It's haunting how horribly it's been handled historically. Some of the "tests" and "experiments" patients experienced are nothing short of torture. Not wanting to be labeled as "crazy," many suffer in silence. This story is split in two timelines--Thea in 1908 and Heidi in modern time. Heidi suffers from crippling panic attacks. Her sister often calls her "crazy" and you can see what it does inside to Heidi. What's noteworthy is that often what is described during an attack is the physical side-effects.  When someone says "it's just in your head" it's clearly coming from someone in ignorance. Heidi experiences dizziness and changes in vision before her mind even has the chance to slow her racing heart. Sometimes she has warning when one is coming on, and others appear to hit her out of nowhere. In my opinion Jaime handled this topic realistically with both honesty and sensitivity.

As with many suspense stories, this story had a whole slew if tiny little pieces that needed to be put together by the end. How she was able to weave it all together is nothing short of masterful. I won't share too much about this because I obviously don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that as someone who is averse to paranormal activity in stories I was satisfied with how it all concluded.

Another piece I love about Jaime's books is how she is able to weave the hope of Christianity in the midst of the chaos characters are walking through. Her books are a perfect option to share with unsaved friends because they approach the need for Christ in a way that is real without being overly cheesy. Words of hope and encouragement are shared in tangible, heartfelt ways instead of impersonal Sunday school answers.

If you haven't gotten your hands on one of Jamie Jo's books yet you should go remedy this immediately. They are so incredibly written and are sure to grip you from start to finish. If you're looking for a book you can't put down--go ahead and pick this one up!

*I received a copy of this book from the author through NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

This book kept me guessing until the very end. The Curse of Misty Wayfair is a wonderful, suspenseful book with a well-told, deep storyline. I highly recommend this to anyone that loves a good mystery, but make sure you don't have anywhere pressing to be because you might not be able to put it down once you start reading!

There is nothing better than discovering new authors, especially ones that can amaze you with both excellent writing and an outstanding story to tell. I am happy to say that Jaime Jo Wright is author to add to your "To Read" list right away and "The Curse Of Misty Wayfair" needs to be read right away! Jaime Jo Wright seamlessly weaves together two tales (one from 1908 and one from present day) and it was a pleasure to watch these stories unfold and collide into a mind-blowing ending that is sure to stick with you long after the last page has been read. I spent most of the book with no clue on how this book would end. And even at the one point where I thought I had an inkling what would happen (I was close on figuring out one thing!), I was surprised by how there are multiple things concluded that I didn't see coming, which is the ultimate compliment for an author.

The story is so many things all at once: part ghost legend, part period piece, and part thriller. All the while, the story slowly builds and builds while you are on the edge of the seat longing to know how the story will end. I appreciated the Christianity experts throughout the book as well as the depth of many thought provoking elements Jamie Jo Wright delivers. This was unlike most Christian books I have read and it also features many of the marginalized that both Christian and secular authors choose not to tackle. Jaime Jo Wright does a great and respectful job talking about asylums, depression, melancholy, and mental health in general.

As I said before, this is my first book I have read by Jaime Jo Wright. But it will most certainly not be the last.

I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.