Overall

I am forever and always up for dark thrillers, and the blurb of this one immediately captured my attention. Plus, unreliable narrators are probably my favorite thing in mysteries. So yeah, I was obviously always going to pick this book up.

Mirrorland is a dark, twisty horror thriller with an unreliable narrator that’ll have you questioning everything you think you know. It’s got a plot that will grab you and refuse to let go, complicated sibling relations, and all the plot twists.

I definitely was not disappointed. This book was a freaking trip. I started out a little bit confused, and if you pick it up and have the same experience, I urge you to continue. Things make sense before too long, I promise! And when they do, the payoff is so rewarding. There’s a moment towards the end where the book feels like it should be over and it isn’t, which was kind of weird and not necessarily bad, plus a few moments where it somehow dragged, despite so many things happening. Despite that, I still really enjoyed this book and didn’t want to put it down!

My Thoughts

- Cat is an unreliable narrator, which leads to some confusing flashbacks at the beginning of the book. The payoff is definitely worth it, though, when things start finally piecing together and making sense! I absolutely love unreliable narrators, even though they tend to cause some confusion at first. Maybe because of it, actually. It’s so rewarding when nothing completely makes sense and then you realize that it all makes perfect sense . . . just not quite in the way the narrator originally thought. If this isn’t a trope you’re fond of, this book probably isn’t for you, since it leans pretty heavily into it.

Mirrorland (the room in the story, not the book) starts out as a charming, semi-magical place, brought to life by a child’s imagination. You know . . . until it isn’t. The progression is gradual, as both Cat and the reader start learning truths about her past. The mystery behind it is so attention-grabbing, though, that it’s hard to put down!

- Make no mistake, this is a dark book, which aptly deserves all sorts of trigger warnings. But that’s part of what made this book so fun. If you can’t handle dark books, you’re probably going to want to pass on it. If you love horror, or even Gothic fiction, I think you and this book will get along just fine. This worked out great for me, because Cat isn’t really a dark character. She’s definitely got a dark sense of humor, and she’s utterly sarcastic, but I find both of those things funny. Really, she’s just at a place where she’s struggling as an adult (and really, who isn’t?) and struggling over conflicted feelings about her sibling (yup, yup, yup). She’s not necessarily a great person, but she’s also not awful, either. She’s highly relatable because she walks this middle ground that most of us tend to inhabit.

Yet, there are dark secrets about Cat’s past that she’s forgotten . . . and she may not want to remember. The house isn’t quite what it seems and neither are her memories of living there. So yes, plenty of dark things that happen in this, but if you enjoy getting goosebumps from an atmosphere or that feeling that something isn’t quite right, this book really delivers on that!

- Mirrorland features some larger-than-life characters that don’t always make sense at first, but just wait for it. This goes back to the unreliable narrator thing. You will be confused. I sure was. This especially relates to Cat’s childhood, where a lot of people are name-dropped without much explanation. Slowly but surely, this starts making sense, and when it does? *chef’s kiss* Once I realized what was happening, I started trying to make sense of the characters on my own and guessing what the big reveal would be, which was super fun (and I did eventually get a couple right).

It isn’t just Cat’s past, either. There are plenty of shady people lurking around this book, people that El had known before she disappeared—died, according to the news, but Cat isn’t so sure about that. As far as side characters go, I enjoyed them, and the complexities they brought to the mystery.

- Here, there be plot twists! So. Many. Plot. Twists. Expect the unexpected! Trust nothing! By the time I was halfway through the book, I got pretty good at guessing the plot twists, but I still misguessed several of them. I love me a book that keeps me guessing and always has surprises in store! I think the unreliable narrator is definitely a big part of why this works so well, and the dark, not-quite-right atmosphere lends a hand to that, as well. I never quite knew what to expect with this book, and it kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next!

The speculative writing here really threw me off at times, but it was just complicated and intriguing enough to keep me reading. I'm not sure I've ever read a book quite like this one before!

Carole Johnstone was a new to me author. I loved Mirrorland I was a great read that almost made me late for work because i was so involved in the story to notice the time!!!!

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

This book was so well thought out and the pacing incredible. I could NOT put it down and found myself shocked at the twists and turns. I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries so that is always a big deal for me!

This was definitely a super creepy and shocking read, unfortunately I wish the plot was a bit different. This was a slow burn story and I think that’s where I struggled with the most. There were times when the story would just completely lose my interest and I struggled at times focusing on the story itself. This was such a difficult rating as I have so many conflicted feelings. I decided to go middle of the road as some moments were definitely creepy.

So this book was very different! It's very bizarre and i was intruiged yet i don't think it was for me. It was a lot going on and some of the lingo being used through me for a loop. I 100% think had this been a movie I'd be all in!

Thank you netgalley and publisher for this opportunity!

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

The synopsis of this novel is a psychological thriller about twin sisters after one goes missing, El, and Cat has to travel from the life she has made Los Angeles for the last decade to return to Edinburgh and their childhood home. The childhood home that Cat has mixed feelings and mixed memories about. As she returns home to her sisters husband (and her first love) Cat has mixed feelings about the current situation and about the past as clues start appearing. Cat has so many memories of their childhood that focuses on imaginary Mirrorland that she and her twin made, however, revisiting the past makes her remember things that she had long forgotten and does not know if she wants to dig up.

This novel wasn't bad, it kept me interested as the story went along, however, sometimes it got really confusing because we would transition from reality to the imaginary Mirrorland and back with no proper transition just...happens. As the story unfolded it was definitely getting darker and darker, so be warned. Some of the stuff I had kind of figured out, regardless, it was confirmed and difficult to read. I did REALLY love the epilogue though and it really made the whole painful story that unfolded have a good ending. Good overall, difficult emotionally, and a wonderful ending.

After Cat’s twin sister goes missing, she returns to her childhood home to confront the ghosts of her past, while laboring to discover the truth about her sister’s disappearance.

From the very first page, Johnstone weaves a tangled web of mystery that disorients while it dazzles, confuses while it dares readers to explore its mysteries, and confounds while it entertains.

This is a story that will defy every expectation of its audience. It will never be what they expect. Surprises lurk behind every shadowy corner, and some of these surprises will hurt. On the surface, it appears to be a mashup of horror and fantasy with an extra dash of suspenseful thriller, but underneath lies a story of devastation, familial bonds, and the possibility of healing.

I highly recommend that you buckle up and race across the threshold of Mirrorland and follow this author into the unknown. You won’t be disappointed.

What a brilliant and challenging thriller that surprises you with its complicated twists!

Twin sisters El and Cat created a world called Mirrorland till that world begins to threaten to swallow them whole. One night long time ago, they walked hand in hand, scared, cold, crying in a Scottish harbor in Edinburgh to catch the latest pirate ship. On that very same night, their lives completely change.

Present Day - After 12 years later Cat who already moved on with her life in California is forced to return to her childhood house. The place has been bought by her sister, El and her husband Ross.
The sisters stopped talking for 10 years and now El is missing, presumed dead which Cat doesn’t believe from the beginning. She knows her sister more than anyone and she has to find where she’s hiding and what she’s trying to do by dragging her back to the house of horrors.
As soon as Cat returns back to their childhood house, her torturous and haunting memories start to reappear. But her memories are haunted and seem delusional. She starts getting threatening messages from someone and as she digs further into her sister's disappearance she starts to realise there are more sinister things at play.

This is a complex but compelling story told brilliantly by the author. I was fully immersed in it and couldn't not wait to know how the story played out.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited for this book based on the description, but unfortunately this was a DNF for me at 40%. The pacing was all over the place and the way the fantasy was integrated into the story was confusing and very hard to visualize. El is an extremely unreliable narrator, and while that doesn't usually bother me, she was all over the place. I had to try too hard t understand what was even happening that I wasn't able to invest in the characters themselves.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this story. It was wonderfully written. I look forward to the author’s next book!

An interesting story about twins and the fantasy world they created. I enjoyed that it was a story that hasn't really been done before in a new and innovative way. I was guessing all the way to the end!

After living away for many years, Cat returns to her childhood home when her twister is presumed dead. In this home, we are introduced to "Mirrorland' a fantastical world that Cat, El, and El's husband created and played in there. This book is creepy and twisty. I can't say I alway s knew what was going on, but I for sure enjoyed the ride.

I really wanted to love this book because I have been on the hunt for new favorite psychological thrillers and authors, but it just missed the mark for me. The time jumps were a little confusing at times, and left me struggling to really immerse myself into the novel. I know that the alternating between past and present was done to help create uncertainty about what is real and what wasn’t - I think this feeling was the main reason I struggled to enjoy it. I liked the concept of the plot and the fact that the novel was set in Scotland. Overall the writing was good and I plan to read more by Carole Johnstone. Thank you NetGalley and Scribber for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

⚠️trigger warning: talk of abuse, incest, murder, and suicide⚠️
Catriona "Cat" has just been notified that her identical twin sister has gone missing. She had gone out on her boat and never came back. Cat now has to return to her past. A past so dark and horrible that she went as far as moving to another country just to escape it. Cat makes the voyage from California to Scotland, back to the home she grew up in; the home that her sister Ellice "El" shared with her husband Ross, a friend since childhood to the sisters. Upon her return, Cat realizes that it looks very much the same as the day she and her sister escaped. Even Mirrorland. When they were kids, they invented a place under the pantry stairs called Mirrorland to go and escape when things got bad. A place they could go to feel safe. Cat doesn't believe for a second that her sister is dead. In fact, she's convinced this is just a ploy for her to get attention. Not long after she returns to 36 Westeryk Road, she not only starts receiving threatening cards, but also emails that include clues that lead to passages in Els old diary. Who is sending the emails and the cards? Something isn't adding up right. Is El really behind this whole thing? Could their past be coming back to haunt her?
Thank you to Netgalley, Carole Johnston, and Scribner for the opportunity to read and review this book.  I have mixed feelings about this one. It alternates between the past and present, which is fairly common for books, but it got confusing at times. It finally started making sense and clicking about ¾ through the book. It's a very dark and twisted psychological thriller. As I said, some of it was a little confusing to follow and it seemed a bit drawn out. There was a few times towards the end of the book when I was finishing the chapter that I actually thought that it was the end only to find there was still more to go. Overall, the plot as a whole is a good one and I did enjoy it for the most part. I am rating this ⭐⭐⭐💫

I went into this one sort of blind other than knowing people had raved about it. I knew it was a story about twins who grew up in Scotland and that one of the twins had gone missing. The mystery aspect along with the twin characters as well as the comparison to Gone Girl is what made me request this book.

At halfway through, I was lost in the book and not in a good way. I found myself rewinding the audiobook to see if it was a flashback from Cat, something that was happening in the present or something that didn’t happen at all.

I was really hoping for more but still felt lost around 80%. The last 20% picked up but it was such a convoluted ending that was totally unexpected and not in a good way.

I am giving the author bonus points for being able to come up with and execute this story but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner Publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone definitely lived up to the hype. A page-turner, full of creepy and mysterious things. Love the overall vibe of this book even though it kept me up at night. Yikes! Addicting and very readable. Recommend. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy.

I wish so hoping to love this one. But I couldn’t get through it. My brain couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Skimmed to the end of the book.

Thank you so much to net galley and the punk for sending me a copy of this book! This book was good in some senses but I guess I just didn’t really connect with it but it was a great thriller