This was a really good thriller that kept me guessing until the end!! 56 Days ago Ciara and Oliver met in a grocery store. It's the beginning of lockdown for Covid. They hit it off and Oliver suggests Ciara move in with him so they can be together during lockdown. 56 days later, there is a decomposing body found in Oliver's apartment. Who is dead in the apartment? This book shocked me until the very end!! I read it quickly because I just needed answers!!! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

“…she could be the last person on earth and no one would ever have even known she was here.” 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

3 stars. I was excited to find this book on NetGalley and granted an arc of it, especially since it’s a www.bookofthemonth.com pick. Mostly because it was a pick.

I was still a bit hesitant to read it, especially since it’s about the pandemic, and we’re still living thru it now. This is the 2nd book I’ve read set when the pandemic called for lockdowns of cities all over the world. It’s a little uncomfortable you know? But I figured this should be ok.

56 Days is about 2 people who decided to move in together during lockdowns. And one of them turned up dead.

I started the book wondering which one of them died and which one of them did it and why. The timelines move from when Ciara and Oliver first met and their story to present, to the investigation of the murder itself. It was easy to follow. And when you find out who was killed, you start to wonder why and how.

Both MC were a bit dodgy, Oliver more so than Ciara. And you learn why earlier than I expected too. Still, my default expectation was a HEA for them both. But it was not to be.

When it was all revealed in the end, it was huh. A bit anticlimactic. And was just…ok. And a bit sad. Wasn’t fond of the one who entered the victim’s life with intent either.

So I liked the book enough.

Thank you @blackstonepublishing and @netgalley for the arc of this book.

I was a little wary to start a book about covid/lockdown while all of that is still happening, but this book really wasn't about covid and more just set during lockdown in Dublin. This is a slower paced thriller and lockdown helped set the stage for the characters to be isolated with no visitors. It took me a bit to get in to, but I enjoyed it! I definitely did NOT see the plot twists coming, and as soon as I thought I had it all figured out - I was wrong. This story is told from multiple POVs and different timelines which I enjoyed. I never felt a strong connection with any of the characters, but I did like the two detectives that investigate the case.

3.75 ⭐

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

56 Days is the first book I read where COVID-19 was weaved tightly into the plot. How did I feel about that? Unsure, at first; reading is my way to escape the craziness that's going on in the world today but to be honest, once I started reading this book, I found myself really engaged. I didn't care as much that COVID was at the forefront because it's very much a reality and we need to come to terms with that. I was also very intrigued by the plot of trying to figure out a murder during a COVID lockdown.

With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed 56 Days although I did get a little confused between the different timelines for the various chapters. It took me a little to get used to it but once I did, I was hooked! I didn't expect the twist at the end so I always applaud the author for keeping me on my toes.

Overall, I give 56 Days 4/5 stars. If you're on the fence about reading a COVID-centric book, don't let that stop you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An intriguing page turner. I loved the format - moving back and forth in time and presenting from the different character's perspectives. Thoroughly entertaining!

✨ARC Review✨

Ciara and Oliver meet just as Covid-19 is sweeping through Dublin, and lockdowns are beginning. They developed a likeness for one another and decided to move in together very quickly. Now one of them is dead. Is it the perfect murder to be covered up by quarantine?

What I Liked/Loved:
-You do find out who is dead I would say about halfway through, but the whole beauty of the book is figuring out how it got to that point, because there are lots of twists!
-Dual timelines, we essentially flip between now (finding the body) and the events prior to that.
-Dual POV. This is really important as it puts you into the mind of the killer, and the POV of how all accounts take place is very different in the mind of Oliver versus Ciara.

This was truly a well crafted thriller! I felt like I was watching true crime television while reading this book! Some people might have issues reading this one because of the mention of lockdown/quarantine due to Covid-19. I did not find this factor being bothersome to me. In fact, it made for a great thriller!

✨Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A special thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this eARC! 56 Days is out August 17th!

I will start by saying that this book could be triggering for many. The majority of the story takes place during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ireland. While this is an entertaining read, it's not lost on me that this pandemic has been devastating.⁣⁣⠀
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With that being said, being in quarantine with a killer makes for an interesting storyline. The reader goes into the story knowing that either Oliver or Ciara were murdered in their apartment during the lockdown, but the twisty ride that unfoldes is entertaining. As the pasts of both Oliver and Ciara are revealed, the reader will understand why the two are together and how this is the ultimate revenge story.⁣⁣⠀
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The timeline is a bit jumpy in this book. You'll read happenings in the present day, then jump to 56, 21, 14, etc. days prior, then back to the present day. So the reader does need to pay attention to the timeline to completely understand the story.⁣⁣⠀

Thank you @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for this advance ebook copy.
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This was a well written, suspenseful thriller full of surprises that I could not put down! Perfect for a day of reading on the beach. This book takes place in Dublin in the beginning days of the coronavirus lockdowns, so be aware if it seems too soon for you. The focus is not on the virus itself, but uses the circumstances of the lockdown to throw these characters together in a unique way. The short chapters jump around within the 56 day window, and give the perspectives of the male & female characters as well as the police detectives, making this a book you can’t help but binge read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an amazing book! It's been several years since I have read a Catherine Ryan Howard book, and I am so glad I received this one as an advanced copy. Many books are popping up with timelines during the pandemic and this is the second fantastic one I have read. Regarding the way the story is told with differing timelines: I initially thought that going back and forth to different times would be very confusing but it was so well written and easy to follow. Near the end, I'd figured it out....but then....wham!....I didn't figure it out. Love the plot twists. Cannot recommend this book enough. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Using the covid lockdown, this story. Oliver and Ciara both have a secret. And one of them is dead. Murder? A great read.

This is probably one of the best written books. I was nervous when I saw it has COVID in the plot when COVID is still so fresh but the author did such a good job at putting everything together. Different points from different people keep the book interesting.

56 Days by Catherin Ryan Howard was a first of a new genre for me..... a fictional story set during the Covid-19 pandemic! This book is written in a non-linear fashion. It jumps from current day in which a detective makes a gruesome discovery in an apartment in Dublin, Ireland, to the first hand account of what led to the current day from two different characters. Ciara is a girl new to Dublin who meets Oliver in the check out line of a grocery story. Oliver is someone who clearly is hiding something from his past, but what exactly is that? As the stories unravel, more and more details are revealed that keep you guessing as to who are Ciara and Oliver really, and what happened years again, days ago, and led to what is happening now.

This was a pretty quick read and kept me guessing as to what the twists would lead to. It was also a bit mind boggling to realize we are far enough into the Covid-19 pandemic to realize there could be a fictional novel with the initial lock down as part of its setting! I'd recommend this for readers who like thrillers and are looking for a relatively quick ready. I'd rate this as a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for its genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Ryan Howard, and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug 17, 2021
56 DAYS AGO: Oliver meets Ciara in line at a supermarket, days before the entire country goes into lockdown because of Covid 19.
35 DAYS AGO: Oliver and Ciara decide that, to keep their new relationship alive, they’ll live in the same apartment to ride out the Covid 19 lockdown wave. Both are wary of this idea, hoping that their new relationship won’t suffer. But Oliver is wary for other reasons- reasons that he must protect at all costs. He tells Ciara his strange behaviours are a result of being anxious over the pandemic, but Ciara starts to doubt him. However, Ciara is also hiding a secret about herself that she, too, must protect.
NOW: A body is found in an apartment complex, dead from an assumed homicide.
Catherine Ryan Howard delivers a gripping punch with her new pandemic thriller “56 Days”. The story is told from the perspective of both Oliver and Ciara, as well as from one of the detectives in present day, investigating the murder.
The story is told in reverse order, from the beginning (when the body is found), to the end (which is actually the beginning). “56 Days” can be a challenge to follow along with, but once you get into the flow, you will be so glad you kept going.
Ciara and Oliver are young millennials, trying to start and maintain an unexpected relationship during Covid 19. Both are initially likable, but Howard instantly hints that one (or both) have a dark past, so I didn’t immediately side with one character over the other.
The story starts off as a romantic love story, a meet-cute, but about one-third through the twists start coming and they don’t stop! Everything is turned on its head and everything you thought you knew is in doubt. The ending lands with a surprising gasp, and yet I was still satisfied with the justice each character received.
Howard delivers a Covid-lockdown thriller, set amidst the backdrop of Ireland, where two strangers share a history that connects them, and only a nationwide pandemic will force them to reveal the truth about who they really are.

When Ciara and Oliver meet under unusual circumstances at the beginning of a Pandemic, their relationship blossoms quickly. They rush into cohabitation during the COVID-19 Pandemic lockdown, but what do they really now about one anther? Are either of them who they say they are? This is great effort in what's sure to be a rise in popularity of Pandemic fiction. This very timely tale is full of dark twists and turns, and will keep readers turning the page. Readers will be able to relate to the struggles of new couples in the face of a Pandemic and will keep reading to discover the outcome. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing this copy for my honest review.

Thank you @blackstonepublishing @netgalley for my review copy!

I have been seeing this one all over bookstagram and I was seriously feeling the fomo. I was so happy when I was approved for this title!

Ciara and Oliver are newly dating when the pandemic hits and lockdown starts. In order to keep seeing each other, they move in together and everything seems to be going smoothly, until someone ends up dead.

I thought the most interesting part about this thriller is that it takes place during the beginning of the Corona virus pandemic. It was so surreal reliving that time through this book and remembering everything I was feeling and experiencing at the time.

Overall, I just thought it was an ok thriller. It didn’t really wow me like I was expecting. I liked it, but meh. Middle of the road.

Have you read this one? I’d love to hear your thoughts! ⬇️

This one is out 8/17!

#bookreview #bookrecommendation #arc #netgalley #ebook #56days #thetipsyreader #thriller #bibliophile #igreads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookcommunity #reader #readersofinstagram

Oof this one was such a hard read for me. Gahhhh covid isn’t over and I’m not sure I’m ready for covid books but this was so much more than that. The story was so twisty and all over the place and I wasn’t sure what was happening until it was over

Ciara is new to Dublin and while getting to know the town she meets a man named Oliver. They go on a date and enjoy each other company but little did they know the world was about to enter a global pandemic.

They come up with the crazy idea of moving in together as the city enters a lockdown. They figure this is a good way to get to know each other. However, they are both keeping a big secret from each other that has a massive impact on their relationship.

This was a highly anticipated read since I’ve seen tons of great reviews. I found this to fall somewhat flat for me, the premise was definitely interesting and bringing in COVID was different from anything I’ve read. However, I found the build to be very slow and the timelines jumped around a lot that I found it difficult to keep track of the story at times. I would say the last third of the book saved it for me and certainly tied up all the loose ends.

We follow the relationship of Ciara and Oliver who meet just before Ireland goes into lockdown. Neither of them has any family in town and decide that, since they have enjoyed each other’s company so far, they are going to move in together for lockdown. During this time one of them ends up dead.

This is the first book I’ve read set in a pandemic setting and I really liked that it was a thriller. I thought there were tons of twists and turns and a lot of things that had me guessing one thing and then ended up being completely different than what I expected. Those are signs of a good thriller to me and I think the overall plot of the book was great. However, the book just lost me with the multiple timelines and POVs. At one point we will be in the present watching the investigation unfold, then we will be back 23 days ago, then we will be back 73 days ago then come forward to 18 days ago. It jumped around way too much for me. I also was not a fan of getting the same story told from both Ciara and Oliver’s perspectives. It made the book so repetitive. For those reasons, I went with the 3 stars but I did really like the thriller aspect & plot of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ciara and Oliver meet in the grocery store and bond over Ciara's NASA tote bag. This is the same week in March 2020 that the pandemic reaches Ireland. Cue the lockdown and the pair decides that it would be better for Ciara to move in with Oliver instead of them both being alone. 56 days later, detectives find a decomposing body in Oliver's apartment. ⁠
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56 Days is a quick-read, dark pandemic thriller. Catherine Ryan Howard really had me tricked that it was romance at the start. I was really rooting for Ciara and Oliver's relationship and honestly forgot that this was a thriller/mystery at some points. This book may not be for you depending on how this past year and a half has been for you. The premise is centered around the pandemic, namely lockdowns, so be aware. ⁠
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The narrative is told from multiple POVs and also includes time jumps forwards and backwards. Some situations are retold from different perspectives as well. I only found it slightly repetitive during the first chapter we revisited because that chapter was so dialogue heavy without the character's inner thoughts. ⁠
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The Gardaí (Irish state police) had entertaining banter but this also leans towards sexual harassment if the two detectives weren't friends outside work. Both Ciara and Oliver have intriguingly complex backstories and CRH got me with one of the twists. I had to go back half a page to double check I hadn't misread something!⁠

4.5 rounded up.

💭 ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This book was interesting to read and very familiar as I lived through this lockdown myself. So many similarities; It’s so true that fire alarms in Ireland are so sensitive (and yes I am a good cook). I loved how this book showed a little bit of how restricted and strange things were here during the COVID lockdowns. I didn’t really enjoyed the POV’s. I normally really enjoyed two different timelines but these has too many timelines and too far apart that they are a little nuisance as you basically read the story multiple times. I didn’t guess the ending which was quite surprising and also a little bit anti climactic. Overal I think I could have enjoyed this story a lot if I didn’t get distracted by the timelines.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Revenge stories
Books set in COVID time

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥. 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳?

56 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰: 𝘊𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘶𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘊𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥-19 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘐𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴.

𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺: 𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦.

𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦?