This book had its moments and some of them were good. There were some parts that did not hold my interest at all.

This book was interesting to me. First, this book is a lot about self harm and abuse so the reader should be prepared for this. I think the author is a very good writer and the core of the story is what was so strong about it. The book just had a problem really gripping me from the 50-80% mark as I found some of it repetitive. I think with a touch more editing, this book could have been much stronger.

I still really liked it though and would recommend it if you want a quick thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital arc of this book in exchange of my honest opinion

This as an interesting thriller that kept me guessing, but I did find it slightly complicated and hard to keep up with. I didn’t see the twists coming thought which is always a bonus

Annabelle seems to have it all. The perfect house, a successful husband, a darling son. But Annabelle is troubled.

That ending! What a marvellous book!

Thanks must go to the publisher, Netgalley and Sophia Spiers for the ARC. A thrilling "Hitchcock-esk" style read full of twists and chilling reveals. Within the first few pages, I knew it was going to be a single read story!! Cassandra is an intriguing character, well thought out and scripted and the relationship between her and the therapist was such a hook!!

This book was everything a good thriller should be.. Creepy, eerie, bizarre and captivating. I couldn't put it down and found the suspense to be heart throbbing. Dark but loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Lume Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this debut thriller by Sophia Spiers! The Call of Cassandra Rose is dark, twisty, kept me guessing, and I thoroughly enjoyed the untrustworthy characters. What really sold me on was the description of this book and how Cassandra is a hypnotherapist How interesting would that job be?? I also enjoyed the suspense of what Annabelle would be revealing during her sessions with Cassandra. Is trauma really fixable through hypnotherapy? I thought the ending was crazy and I'm looking forward to seeing what Sophia Spiers comes up with next!
Highly recommend this debut thriller!

3 stars for an interesting psych thriller~

This was an interesting psychological thriller with a plot and some twists I didn't see coming. Parts of it were definitely unexpected, but other parts were difficult to read as they were very exaggerated. The characters within became quite difficult to like in some cases, which can be attributed to the plot.

The very end of this thriller had a nice twist to it, which helped to save the ending in my opinion. It left room for something to follow this book - a sequel or spin-off.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lume Books for providing a digital ARC for review!

Hmm. That was interesting. A rather complicated plot that weirdly spoke to me in such a way that I had never anticipated. I though it would be boring but I was proven wrong by the awesome writing and pacing. Good job!

Cheers to Netgalley for the copy!

A gripping read about a woman who is struggling emotionally and seeks help from a hypnotherapist….couldn’t put it down! Great read!

This book is full of some unlikeable characters. It is a slow burner. It will keep you on your toes with twists and turns galore.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would give this book around 3.5 stars. I was drawn in by the unreliable narrator, but overall found the plot to be rather predictable and even a little repetitive at times. It is a bit slower-paced than many other thrillers I've read and does stress on the development of Annabelle's character more than a rapidly moving plot. That being said, the last third of the novel did pick up and become much more engaging. Overall, I would recommend this book to those who like domestic, psychologically twisted novels with a small cast of characters.

Although I liked this book it seemed to drag on for too long with too many side stories, some of which didn't have a lot to do with the main story, and more repetition than I like. I wanted to root for Annabelle but she could be very frustrating at times and I just wanted her to wake up and realize the hypnotherapy was doing her more harm than good. As the story ended, I was impressed by Annabelle's maturity and improved state of mind and would've been fine if the book had ended there but then it all devolved into chaos again. The book is well written, especially for a debut, and I'd be interested in reading future works by this author. 3.5 Stars rounded UP because it held my attention and I read it pretty quickly.

My thanks to Lume Books (a new-to-me publisher) via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book which became available on October 13, 2022. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a brilliantly unique debut from an author that should be watched. I can't wait for another book!

I was hooked throughout the book, rooting for Annabelle and disliking her husband. Full of suspense and intrigue this was a book that I highly recommend!

Well what a debut!!! Sophia Spiers is definitely an author to watch out for. This is an exploration of trauma and obsession in a unique and original way.

I have been completely caught up in the pages of this gem. Matt has been a character that I have disliked from the very beginning. Something about him, has given me uneasy vibes.

This is original, unique and completely addictive. I have devoured this book within hours. This is one that was completely unputdownable from very early on.

The Call of Cassandra Rose is one of those books that leaves you completely speechless. The plot is completely unpredictable and moments have made my jaw drop throughout this one.

Annabelle is a character that has been likeable from the beginning. You can’t help but feel for her with the way she is treated by husband Matt. Rachel is the mean girl of the book, you dislike her based on Annabelle’s perceptions and interactions with her.

Cassandra has been a character that has shocked me. I have been unable to predict how things with her would play out. Spiers has left me speechless with this statement one.

This is a superb debut that has really been one that pulled me in. I will definitely be recommending this book to other readers.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This one was okay. It was a bit predictable, but I did like the characters. It just felt like something was missing from the story.
I wanted a bit more from the characters.

Wow wow wow this book didn’t pull any punches; from its opening scene with more than a hint of self-harm whilst Annabelle is under hypnosis, the story grabs you and doesn’t let go.
Scenes like this feature throughout the book & are necessary to tell Annabelle’s story and explain how she’d got to this point but don’t make easy reading. Annabelle is a fascinating character to read about, as a reader you are never sure whether you’re getting the truth or her version of it; this makes the whole story more of a page turner as you read on to see where the truth lies. Her different relationships with both Matt and Cassandra was equally enthralling .
I don’t think I’ve read a book featuring hypnosis in this way before, though I’ve had it in real life. The author conveyed it wonderfully, I felt as if I was there with Annabelle. The power that Cassandra or any hypnotist has to affect someone’s life is so huge, it is a real relationship of trust which may not always work out for the best.
You may have already seen the trigger warnings in other reviews but I want to say, its not a book for everyone, so tread carefully. Im not a fan of too gory a book, so for me personally, it was about as gruesome as I can read, though this is obviously a personal decision for everyone.
I will definitely follow Sophie Spiers’ work in the future – she’s one to watch!

It took me a good while to get through this one. I found the pace of the story quite slow, the whole way through and it didn’t really pick up even towards the end.

Character wise, most in the book are unreliable and suspicious, including the MC Annabelle. So from the offset, I had no idea where the story was going and I was doubting everyone. There’s a definite level of unease and tension throughout the whole book, which did keep me intrigued and eager to know how the story was going to progress.

Check the TW before picking it up… this won’t be for the faint hearted! If you can’t stand blood, the sight of it or descriptions of it, then this one won’t be for you! 🩸

For me, it was a little longer than it perhaps could have been and at some points felt quite repetitive, so I definitely lost interest in some parts of the book.

I was pleasantly surprised with the ending, which I guess made up for the slowness and other parts I didn’t necessarily love. Having said that, I have seen a lot of great reviews for it so I could be in the minority of those who found it just okay!

I loved this book although it was a slow burn to start with it finally got going and had lots of twists and turns throughout. It's not what you expect.

Slow burn with a twisted ending!

A Londoner of proud Italian and Greek heritage, Sophia Spiers grew up on the Lisson Green Council Estate, which informed the depiction of her protagonist's childhood. She studied Film at university, and in her twenties and early thirties worked in TV and post-production before turning her attention to her true passion: writing. Sophia was one of the six outstanding mentees chosen from over 1500 entrants to be part of the inaugural Madeleine Milburn mentorship scheme and has been honing her craft ever since.

I enjoyed this domestic thriller and its steady build of suspense throughout. It was easy to follow and the characters felt very real. It definitely kept me guessing, but more than anything, I wanted Annabelle, the protagonist, to get over her issues and function better in her life. Her back story was very sad, and I couldn't help but also feel awful for her mother. The scenes were written well, and what shone through the hardest was Annabelle's anxiety-something I could personally resonate with. I also liked the setting in London and could easily picture the high-rise flats where she grew up.

One particular scene that pulled me in was the hypnotherapy session with Cassandra during the two-week intensive. Annabelle is regressed back to her childhood when she witnessed a brutal crime against her mother by three men inside her flat. It was so shocking and I raced through it to the end, wanting to find out what happened. Cassandra's character was a mystery to me, and something felt off from the start. Especially since she was so invested in treating Annabelle, while not really knowing her, and inviting her to stay in her home. It all felt very isolating to me. After the midpoint, I found the story gripping me more and picking up pace.

Annabelle was the only character I was rooting for, but it was also difficult to like her at times. Uncle Jack's supportive character was a nice break to read since everyone else seemed to have an agenda of their own. The ending, being a bit of a cliffhanger, actually worked for this novel. After everything that happened to the protagonist, by the end it was very clear what she wanted, and what her motives were for getting it. I felt myself breathe a huge sigh of relief after turning that last page.

3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

For readers who enjoy slow-burning suspense, and domestic thrillers with twisty endings and dark secrets.