In 2019 my health started going down hill and I didn't take into consideration what that would mean for my book reviewing. Sadly, I've been trying to play catch up for years and it's been affecting my ability to keep up with present day tasks. So I greatly apologize for this but I am going to clear out all these older review books and focus on present day. I will come back and update this review if I end up reading the book, which is very possible as a lot of these books are still ones I would like to read, I just don't think the pressure looming over me is helpful. Thank you for giving me a chance to early read these books and I am so sorry I wasn't able to provide what was needed.

*Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have now tried to read this book twice now. Both times it has been a rough read. D: The Mill just never clicked with me…

I had a real hard time connecting with anything in this story. The pacing is so slow. It felt like it took forever for things to even happen! The premise sounds so good but it just never hooked me at all. Even when things begin to happen, I just felt bored.

I found the characters a little boring too. D: Everyone is pretty bland! How can you have uninteresting ghosts, serial killer, and a psychic??

It is also very frustrating how inconsistent the characters are. The main character is a professional psychic but she acted like she had no idea how to do anything. Also, the serial killer claims to have OCD but he never ever showed any signs of OCD….? :/ Lots of little things like this.

I am glad so many people enjoyed The Mill, but I found it slow and frustrating…

An interesting plot line with a few extras. Lili is by profession a physic who is capable of astral projection. She decides to live in a renovated mill that has been turned into luxury apartments. This will allow her to commune with the spirits of those mill workers who died on the premises and have lingered. Lili will meet several spirits who will then use her gift to help solve the murders of more recent victims. The police suspect a serial killer.

The book contains many excellent parts but there are so many threads that I was left feeling that pieces of the story were missing. It's almost as if Cailyn Llyod changed focus during the writing of the stories. Fair warning, parts of the book contain explicit scenes taht some would find troubling. I'm sure each reader of THE MILL will find something different in the telling but for me, I'll check out Llyod's past titles before I pass judgement.

Such a fascinating ghost story! Not what I would have thought, but not bad!
I think the view of the paranormal, every author has their own views and perceptions on how to write about it, but this just felt so far out of the realm and there were parts that I could not tell if they were supposed to be humorous. Additionally, I have No Issue with swearing in books, I am adult and don't mind adult language and themes, but sometimes too much can distract from the story itself.
Overall I will be recommending this book to some people I know will love it!

Oh wow, this is creepy beyond creepy! Good thing I like spooky books, because the setting alone is pretty frightening. I was immediately drawn in & invested in this unique story.

I’m always up for a good ghost, and this one doesn’t disappoint. With the perfect eerie setting of The Mill, an old paper mill that has been repurposed into apartments. Old buildings usually have secrets and this one is no exception, that is precisely what draws in Lilli, a budding psychic, who is interested in connecting with the spirits of the Mill. Most notably, Emma, who plunged to her death after falling through a trap door, and being shredded to death by a giant paper shredder. Not all secrets are old though, and Lilli discovers that there is a real life evil that may be operating in the Mill with deadly consequences. This was a perfect moody book with just the right amount of suspense and danger. There is always a little truth even in fiction, and this is true with this story, with a sadistic rapist on the loose who has evaded detection and secretly been killing women for months. I sped right through this story because it was fun to read. Review posted to Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, Litsy, and LibraryThing.

Interesting story. Not happy about sexual assault but this entails a ghost that is wandering around the mill and feels nasty vibes coming from a resident.

One thing though.... So much violence against women. Why are there no books with women serial killers going after men?? Turnabout seems fair to me.

The writing is good and characters very believable.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book. This book is amazing, has both spook and crime. I recommend this book to anyone.

3.5 stars
This is a nice little mashup of horror and thriller. I found that I was invested in the characters, and i enjoyed the overall story. This wasn’t an extraordinary book but it was very enjoyable.

I have read the last three books by Cailynn Lloyd and I have loved her writing style and she spins a good yarn that make you care for the characters even when put in impossible situations. She has a way of making you so invested that every turn of the page yearns you to continue on your journey and you can’t veer away from the story.

The Mill is no different and I have to say, this is one of my favourites of hers. With its extraordinary plot that meshes together horror, spirituality, crime and mystery into a well constructed ball. This shouldn’t really work due to all its moving parts but it does and this is to Lloyd’s incredible strong characterisations, plotting and intriguing story telling.

The plot is well delivered and gives the reader so much twists and turns that they feel like they are stuck in a maze. The author masterfully takes the reader by the hand and leads them through this maze to the point you feel like she has spun you off course. Stay with her because eventually you will see the light and step into the brilliance of the careful articulate world she has produced.

The characters are very strong and not a weak character amongst them. Lili, Martin and Emma work as a great team but come with an inner depth seldom found in a book of this ilk. Chase is deliciously horrible and you want to reach into this world and physically take out your anguish on him. Lloyd does something else here which many writers have a time doing and she gives her secondary and third characters so much sole that everyone here is a three dimensional well rounded character.

Lloyd has delivered another surefire winner and one that will bring even more phrase to her back catalogue that is already full of gems. Her writing gets better and more secure with each instalment and she is going to be one to watch.

Overall, with her strong plotting, characters you invest in, tangled plotting that is masterfully untangled by the end. This is a highly recommended read and one that will attract all genres due to its many great cross plotting meshing. A pure outstanding winner from a very accomplished writer.

The Mill is fast-paced and reads like a paranormal crime thriller. Each scene has its own self-contained arc while also pushing the plot forward. Switching between multiple perspectives throughout the novel also builds tension and urgency up to the conclusion.

The main point of view characters are: psychic Lili, ghost Emma, sadistic murderer Chase, and detective Martin, though we do get intriguing snippets from other characters as well, including the malevolent ghost living in the mill’s basement, Eamon.

It’s clear that Lloyd did a lot of research regarding her character’s professions. I particularly love small details, such as detective Martin’s analysis of serial killers and the professions they’re drawn to depending on their varying circumstances and aptitudes, and the logistics of how Lili supports herself as a psychic by doing readings and running a shop. Lloyd also weaves many metaphysical, pseudoscientific, and philosophical theories regarding psychics and the supernatural into Lili’s backstory. These specific details bring the characters and their world to life and make the more supernatural elements of the novel seem more plausible.

The Mill features intriguing ideas about ghosts and the supernatural. Emma can “read” books by diving into them and absorbing the content. In this way, Emma, unlike many ghosts, is an active protagonist who purposefully works to expand her knowledge and experiences character growth, even after death.

Lloyd does an excellent job of differentiating the motivations and perspectives of her characters. With Chase, she’s particularly successful. It’s upsetting to read the sections from Chase’s perspective precisely because Lloyd forces the reader to inhabit his mind so successfully. He’s an arrogant, cold-blooded killer who believes in his own infallibility.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

~ ~ ~

The haunted Rock River Mill has been recently converted into apartments. New resident Lili, a professional psychic, gets more than she bargained for when she tries to contact some of the local spirits and instead becomes embroiled in the hunt for a serial killer operating out of the mill. How can she aid the police in catching the killer when her only source is a ghost?

~ ~ ~

I found this to be just an okay read. It had some really interesting aspects and kept my interest enough to finish it. I wanted to love it so badly though. The premise sounded super interesting, but the delivery was mediocre at best, unfortunately. I wasn't really invested in any of the characters, which was really disappointing because there were several that should've been fascinating. Additionally, I felt like a lot of the plot points and "twists" at the end were kind of ridiculous and contrived. Would still say it's worth a read for those who are into supernatural thrillers though! You might like it more than it did, especially if characterization isn't as big an issue for you.

Part thriller, part ghost story, The Mill is an excellent read for those who enjoy a paranormal twist to their murder mysteries. The author does a great job with creating realistic characters, both the good and the bad. There were several points-of-view, but I never got confused.
Lili, the main character, stood out as a competent, independent woman who - despite her faults - remained likable. The villain of the book wasn’t likable to any degree (no surprise!) but I still enjoyed his part in the book since I wanted to see him taken down!
The only misgiving I had came towards the end. I thought it was slightly anti-climactic. A really good book will end with a bang. This came more as a muffled pop. It wasn’t bad; it just left me wanting something bigger.
Altogether, though, I enjoyed this book a great deal and will definitely read more of this author in the future.

The Mill is the story of Lili who is an apartment complex that was formerly a paper mill and is haunted.
It’s a horror / thriller about not only the ghosts that haunt the apartment complex, but also a serial killer.

Scary and fun to read with a unique plotline.

Highly recommend!

The Mill by Cailyn Lloyd
I thought this was a good, quick read. The story flowed nicely and the storyline itself was interesting. It definitely kept my attention and turning the pages until I was done! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this book, I leave my own honest opinion.

Lili, a psychic, moves into the mill to try and connect with the ghosts there ... namely Emma, a woman who died in an awful accident. Lili starts to realise there's pure evil in the mill, both evil and human...

Oh I loved this book! It had me gripped from start to finish, and made me feel chills at parts! This author is incredibly talented, and make a story that is terrifying and yet absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to read more of their work!

The old mill was developed into condos. Haunted condos. Several vivid personalities are at play here--a condo owner who's also a psychic, a condo owner who's also a law enforcement officer moonlighting as a serial killer, a number of different ghosts--there are lots of good ingredients. This is a heavily plot-driven story using a number of exciting devices very lightly, which could come off as lurid to the sensitive reader. It's a lightning-quick pageturner, though. Readers who enjoy a breakneck pace and don't want to stop for tons of detail or character development will have a great time.

4.5 stars

The Mill by Cailyn Lloyd is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Land of Oz LLC and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The Rock River Paper Mill was converted into condo's a number of years ago....but some of the original inhabitants stayed.  There are four ghosts living within the walls, and for the most part, they keep to themselves.  Emma floats rather freely among the main floors, but generally stays quiet.  Tommy keeps an even lower profile.  Frank has his own space too, but likes to scare people occasionally (and he's really freaking out one of the tenants).  Eamon has the basement to himself, and he's been getting more adventurous, and mean.  Eamon is also in contact with one of the tenants.

Lili is a psychic, and the main reason she moved to The Mill was to interact with ghosts that supposedly haunt the old building.  She really hopes to meet Emma.  But Lili discovers more than just a rather benevolent ghost.  She discovers that one of the tenants is a serial killer.  Needless to say, the police are a little skeptical when she approaches them.

Detective Martin Kettridge has been with the Ash Grove Police Department for many years, and although he doesn't believe in psychic phenomena, or ghosts, he is starting to feel that there may indeed be a serial killer on the loose, and evidence is pointing to The Mill.  Perhaps Lili does have a bit of a gift.


My Opinions:   
It looks like I may have to delve into some of this author's other works!

I really enjoyed this book.  Some of the topics included rape, murder, and mental illness.  In spite of that, the book felt like a light, fun read.  I'm not sure how the author did that, or whether that was on me (sometimes my idea of entertainment is a little off).  Perhaps it was the paranormal and psychic aspects that created this affect for me.

The actual story was told from multiple points of view, included the thoughts of the ghosts.  This was really entertaining, and all of the characters were quite interesting.

I think my only complaint might be that the psychological disorders may have been portrayed a little "lightly".  However, it worked well with the plot, and it is, after all, fiction.

Overall, it is not a deep read, but it was highly entertaining, and kept me glued from start to finish.  I'm almost hoping that Lili and Martin come back in a sequel.

The Mill by Cailyn Lloyd is an interesting take on a paranormal thriller. As a psychic, Lilli is not surprised to find some ghostly cohabitants of her home in an old industrial mill that has been renovated. One of those hauntings, Emma, makes contact with her in order to help save a woman in danger from another neighbor who is a predator. Many more characters are introduced and multiple more situations arise in this tale.

Lloyd has come up with a unique idea for this story. Although original, this story falls a little flat for me. The chapters are short and concise which I appreciate and help to move the story along at a fairly quick pace. However, I found myself getting a bit overwhelmed by the amount of characters and povs initiated within the story. I also lost interest at times during the read. Although not a horrible read by any means, it was simply mediocre for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this story!

I received a complimentary copy of The Mill from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was an interesting read. Fairly well written, with an original storyline and a uniquely interesting plot twist contribute to a strangely almost mesmerizing novel. It was difficult to put down at times, but for no specific reason I can pinpoint—just that I was curious as to what exactly would happen next, specifically concerning the spectors. Interesting book!