Holy crap… this book blew my mind. First and foremost, as a disclaimer, please make sure to check TWs before picking this book up. This book deals with serious subject matter and the content is very dark and twisty.

I honestly don’t think that any of my words will be able to do this book justice. I was really interested when I heard that this book was a thriller about a sex cult, but it’s honestly so much more than that. This book starts a very important conversation about what it is like to live in our world as a woman. From the struggles women face, to the expectations and pressures that are placed on us from a very young age. This story really made me take a step back and examine society. And the really scary thing is that many of the ideas and beliefs that the pater society holds, are beliefs that are prevalent in todays world too. I know this is a fictional story but I can’t help but wonder how many women find themselves in Shays situation, brainwashed by an intelligent man into thinking her beliefs and values were wrong and the source of her unhappiness in life.

Aside from the important message and cult vibes, this book also has a romance aspect which I absolutely loved. Ashley recently spoke about her thrillers, and how she would consider them “hot girl thrillers” and I totally agree with that description. Besides all of the creepy disturbing things going on throughout this book, there is the underlying sexual tension and desire. I loved the “will they won’t they” vibes. And how despite Shay knowing she shouldn’t get involved romantically, she still wants to.

Another thing that made this book stand out to me was the podcast element of the story telling. Woven into the normal chapters of this book is podcast transcript which serve to further our understanding of Shays background and past. I especially loved this part of the book since now more than ever, true crime podcasts are really relevant.

Okay okay I’ll shut up about this book now. But it’s seriously one of the most incredible books I’ve read. It’s dark and twisty and has a powerful message about facing your past, and your fears. I was so gripped by this story that I read it in two sittings and I tightly recommend you preorder this one ahead of its release in August.

Author: Ashley Winstead - same author as IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE & FOOL ME ONCE
Genre: Thriller
PUB DATE: 8/26/22
My Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.32

🚨🚨TRIGGER WARNING ALERT: There is EVERY single trigger warning in this book. I am personally not triggered by any certain topic in books, but I still had to take breaks from reading due to how heavy it was. This book will NOT be for everyone, & I CANNOT emphasize that enough. Please DM me if you need more info before reading!!!! This is absolutely NOTHING like her other novels!🚨🚨

READ IF YOU LIKE:
💀Cult plots
💀KARIN SLAUGHTER
💀THE HANDMAIDS TALE
💀Crime podcasts
💀Strong female protagonists/MCs

SHORT SYNOP:
Shay & her best friends encounter an older man that it took them years to escape from.
8 years later, 2 of her past friends die in the same manner…
Shay teams up with a podcast host to solve these cult-driven murders.

☁️THOUGHTS:
Holy freaking cow. This one was… very disturbing & WILD. I am still trying to process my thoughts on this one. Man…. It. was. HEAVY.

I have seen nothing but 5 star reviews on this book so far. I ADORE Ashley Winstead & would literally read her grocery list, so I was PUMPED to read this one; but I have to be honest… I just can’t rate this one.. I guess I would give it 4 stars for NetGalley sake, although I don't necessarily feel comfortable rating this one. It’s honestly super difficult to express my thoughts on it.

If you have followed my reviews for any amount of time, it is easy to see that I am a thriller girl 110%. I really enjoy culty novels & find that they are usually books that I cannot put down. While I did want to continue reading to find out what the heck was going to happen, a lot of the content was hard for me to read.

I loved Jamie, & LOVE true crime podcasts- so I enjoyed that aspect most!

I def did not see the twist coming, but I’m still not 100% sure if I liked it- it was kind of unrealistic to me, & I feel like something detectives/homicide investigators would’ve caught immediately. That’s an unpopular take, though. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Overall, I enjoyed this one, and will certainly never forget it.. but PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

Holy cats! This was one of my favorite cult books ever. It really gets into the behind-the-scenes of a dark sex cult- emphasis on dark. This took me longer to read than her books normally would because the subject matter is so upsetting, but you can see it's loosely based on a cult that did exist, so this type of story deserves to be told. Ashley Winstead can WRITE!! Loved the literary themes and the true-crime podcast. So good!

WOW. Wow. Okay. This was soooo much darker than I thought it was going to be and I loved every minute of it (not sure what that says about me, but I digress). In My Dreams I Hold a Knife was one of my favorite thrillers of 2021 so my expectations were high going into this one. We’ve got a deeply unsettling and high-stakes plot, phenomenal writing, excellent pacing, and a rabbit-hole of darkness that I just couldn’t get enough of. Definitely be sure to note the content/trigger warnings at the beginning of the book because there are quite a few, and they are warranted. This book hooked me from page 1 and didn’t let me go until that final shocking twist, no doubt securing Ashley Winstead as one of my favorite thriller authors of all time. 4.5*
Thank you NetGalley and SourceBooks for sending me an ARC!

Lots of CW for this book: misogyny, SA, trauma, PTSD, suicide

So...I just enjoy reading about cults. So when I learned in an interview that Ashley Windstead was writing a cult book, I could not wait to read it. So when an egalley became available, you know I snatched that up.

The book follows Shay, a woman with a traumatic past who has tried to move on into the perfectly crafted ideal life. When she learns of the death of her college best friend though her favorite true crime podcast, she is drawn back into the world of her past to confront everything she has been suppressing in attempt to take down a dangerous, patriarchal sex cult.

The book is dark, which is the very thing that will draw some readers and repel others. But it is not needlessly so. There is a lot of traumatic sex, but it never feel gratuitous or as if it is meant to be titillating. This book will have me thinking about my own fears about misogyny and its prevalence for a long time. There is also just the appeal of reading about cults, which remains a fascinating topic for many.

Toward the middle of the book, the structure does get repetitive, and I found the protagonist's ability to repetitively run away from dangerous situations a little unbelievable. But the book is still engrossing, and in the end, the author makes difficult choices with the characterizations themselves that ring true. These are traumatized characters with no real "good" choices in front of them, and the author does not shy away from that.

All in all, I definitely recommend this book to those who just generally love dark subject matter, thrillers, cults, or really want to think deeply about just how much misogyny affects us all.

Winstead’s upcoming psychological thriller is a dark and violent read with a disturbing cult as the backdrop and 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐓(which sounds creepy but stick with me).⁣
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I’m not going to lie… the potency of some of the scenes is mind-blowing and carries a significant amount of weight throughout the story. Survival and redemption ring true, but so does emotional and physical trauma. ⁣
⁣
Winstead’s book was BANANAS… in the BEST possible way. Here’s the scoop… Her writing is RAZOR-SHARP and her attention to detail is veritable. She led me into a dark sadistic world filled with power and humiliation beyond anything my imagination could ever even try and muster up on its own. ⁣
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I loved how Winstead brilliantly weaved in themes from some of the foundational thinkers of our time. Rigorous thoughts and pieces of writing from Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, and good old Dante were no doubt examined and creatively incorporated into this psychosexual tale and I was obsessed with every second of it! ⁣
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Because The Last Housewife is graphic in nature, it may not be a good-fit read for sensitive readers. Winstead offers trigger warnings for her story in the actual⁣ Book and on her website.


More to come on this book on my blog soon.

I will read any thriller Ashley Winstead writes, seriously just take my money right now! The Last Housewife explores obsession, conditioning, acceptance, fear and truth in a disturbing and captivating manner. Cults are fascinating on their own, but as soon as you start to unravel the gender/power dynamics, that's when things start to get extremely alarming. From opening chapter to explosive ending, I was absolutely hooked on this psychosexual thriller!

The story is told through Shay's POV and podcast interviews which allowed me to dive deep into what makes Shay tick and she's now one of my favourite characters. Even if I was screaming at her to make different choices, I understood Shay by the end. You can tell Winstead put so much effort into Shay's layered character as her past is slowly revealed. Some of Jamie's dialogue during the podcasts didn't feel completely authentic, like too rehearsed but he is a reporter so he's probably well versed in moving an interview forward without getting attached. I do recommend going into this one somewhat blind if it sounds like your jam. The Last Housewife has fulfilled all my gritty and dark thriller needs and I will forever remember that ending!

Do not ignore the content warnings!!! While a friend prepared me for the content (plus there is a content warning page at the beginning), I was actually still expecting the book to be more disturbing and open-door. I'd somewhat compare The Last Housewife to Karin Slaughter's Pretty Girls in terms of darkness.

CW: suicide, rape, physical violence, sexual violence, trauma, self-harm, misogyny, gender essentialism, drug use, BDSM

Gosh this book was so good. It still haunts me. Ashley Winstead is a queen. I don't know how she does. I am still thinking about this book. The cult aspect really threw me off. This book is very graphic which may turn some readers away. The cult mixed with how the girls are trying to escape....WOW. This is a thriller that has not been done before. I can't say enough about this book. When is the next book! This book was even better than in my dreams!

What an intense read. I can’t even convey my thoughts properly. I had to read this one slow because of its intensity and the triggers throughout. With that said, it was captivating. I was completely absorbed in the writing. The writing is superb and so eloquent. So completely immersed in the story which is a tad terrifying because i would never want to be within the pages of this story.

Such a painstaking and heart wrenching story of trauma, grief, abuse, masochism, and complete blurred lines to complete brain washing. This story is definitely intense but hard to put down too.

I loved the divided chapters of the podcast & the story telling of what lead to this point. And what made Shay, Shay.

The ending was nuts. I did see the twist coming tho— but i wasn’t at all bothered because i still had questions. Definitely an epic read.

The Last Housewife
Ashley Winstead
8/16/22

This was an okay book. I thought the premise was interesting, and while the trigger warnings are necessary, I didn't think the book was overly disturbing in the nitty gritty details. It just felt a little contrived and not so believable in many places. I think the author is talented. The storytelling and writing was beautiful. But the story itself was not my favorite.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

This book is INCREDIBLE. It is SO DARK, so gritty and intense and deeply disturbing and literally, perfectly, perfectly done.

When it comes to incredibly well crafted books about cult settings, this might be the book to take the cake - and no question, every possible trigger warning you could conceive should be taken into consideration before diving into this book, but this book SHOULD BE READ. Ashley does really fascinating work diving into the psychology of being a woman who has been traumatized at the hands of a controlling and abusive man.

There is nothing easy or light about this book, and I can say with confidence it will be one I read again, one I recommend heavily and one that will be on the top of my must read list for the year.

I don't want to spoil this book, and I think it's critical to go into this one blind to really be able to invest in the story without expectation. But this will be a book generating debate for some time to come. Brilliant.

Wow, This book just hit top of my favorites chart. I truly don’t even know how to get my thoughts out in a cohesive way that Is going to do this book justice but I will try. This book took me through it! It is set apart for me from the traditional thriller. Yes, it has the twists and the turns, and they are done wonderfully! But it goes so far beyond that, which is why it’s now one of my favorites of all time. This book sparked so many internal (and external) conversations and thoughts about being a woman in our world, misogyny, the way we are raised, the expectations, the pressures, the differences, and the danger. I had to sit in silence afterward while I processed everything my brain went through. It’s a work of fiction, but it felt so real. What goes on in this book isn’t as far fetched as it should be, and that may be the most terrifying part. It’s current and distributing and entirely captivating. The way Ashley writes had me sucked in entirely from start to finish, taking me on a rollercoaster of emotions.

**PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. This one is dark y’all.**

The use of the podcast format was intriguing and relevant. And I loved the bits at the beginning of each part. It felt separate from the main point of view, deeper almost and the way they were written was incredible. You can tell the research and time that went into this and the twisty, complex story that emerged from it is truly unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It’s about sexuality, desire, understanding yourself, facing your truth all wrapped up in a dark provocative thriller that I will forever be impacted by.

Typically, I leave a detailed synopsis but I think I’ll keep it simple here. Shay spent years reshaping herself and getting as far away from her college life as she can. But now, almost 10 years later she finds herself back on campus after news of her best friends tragic death. She’s here for answers, but to find those answers she will have to face the past she’s been trying so hard to forget no matter how dangerous finding those answers may be.

Thank you so much Ashley, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks for early access to your next best seller! I am forever thankful for you and your friendship! I will absolutely be getting my hands on a physical copy in August.

I am NOT OKAY ASHLEY. I received this ARC on Monday night, and finished it dinner time Tuesday. I could not put it down, obsessively pestered Ashley (thanks for being so patient LOL) with my shock and awe, and literally screamed at one point. Truly another 5 star read for me, but my favourite of her three novels so far. I feel so blessed I got to read it before release day, and cannot wait to get my hands on the physical as soon as I can!!

Everything in this novel just worked. It flowed, hooked the reader in, and had so many twists and turns I was GIDDY with anticipation and tension. I can barely sit still writing this review right now because im so hyped up from the experience that is this novel!!

The subject matter is a little dark, so look up TW if needed; but I thought it was perfect. It was relevant and thought provoking and I am just obsessed.

Before reading this book I considered myself an atheist but after finishing it I've joined the Winstead worshippers. Ok, I made that religion up but it should be a real thing because omg this is my 3rd book by her and my favorite so far?

Her writing just gets better with each book and it was already so addicting with the first.

Ok I need sleep but I'll be back with more coherent thoughts soon.

Alright y'all, I'm back and ready to throw myself at the feet of my goddess again.

This book was so much darker and had more serious topics than the authors previous thriller.

It was such a wild ride and I enjoyed every goddamn minute of it.
I loved the podcast aspect of it because it really brought that modern feel to it.
I loved how flawed our characters were.
I loved the twists and omg the ending had me convinced I'm insane because I was lowkey rooting for it to happen??

Don't mind me, just over here throwing money at my queen!

Wow! This book creeped me out and fascinated me at the same time! Shay discovers an old college friend who hosts a true crime podcast and is still reeling from the death of two of her roommates who apparently hung themselves. But there are inconsistencies and clues that maybe the suicides are not as copacetic as they appear. College girls, old men pedophiles, secret societies, and prominent citizens...the list goes on! So interesting you can't tear your eyes away, but maybe don't read after dark!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

OMG YESSSSS!! THIS BOOK!! If you loved In My Dreams I hold a Knife, be prepared to have your socks knocked off!! True crime podcast? Check. Cults? Check. Lots of trigger warnings. Check. Check! Ashley Winstead can do no wrong!

The beginning snatched my attention and I was pretty invested. As the story unfolds yes, it got dark/sinister and you should look into the triggers because there is a boatload of them.

I felt it lost steam and it became a little repetitive. The mystery surrounding the plot is strong and never eases up but cults are hit or miss for me. I needed something more. The MC irritated me off and on. I called a major twist and nothing that was revealed surprised me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to give this novel a try, but unfortunately, it was a DNF for me. I couldn't connect with the protagonist and felt the plot was contrived from the beginning.

Such an amazing read! Ashley is an amazing author and storyteller and the book gets you hooked right from the start! Its interesting, dark and deep. Has a lot of triggers so definitely not for the faint of heart yet such a fascinating read - HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

This one was dark and not for the faint of heart. The story tells the tale of Shay returning to her college town to investigate the "suicide" of her former roommate and best friend. She enlists the help of her childhood best friend and now famous true crime podcaster, Jaime. This story had a lot of layers and flashbacks and some really terrible people. I may have just not been in them mood for a super dark mystery with a lot of abuse and brainwashing. Everyone else is loving this book, so I probably just didn't read it in the right head space. Probably recommended.