Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. I found the characters so unlikeable and that just made it impossible to be fully immersed into the story. I did like the writing style but overall, wasn’t a fan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
ARC - Netgalley - Published Dec. 2022

The Widow of Weeping Pines by Amanda McKinney has a lot going for it in a book that might be considered more of a novella. Atmospheric (who wouldn’t want to live in Weeping Pines), crazy widow lady, dead husband, skanky detective, too many dead people in a tiny town, a severe case of paranoia, drunks, drinking, poison, wine, and so much more. It was figuring out who is the redeeming character in this story, who wasn’t worth saving, and the terrific ending that was a lot of fun. Sometimes, that is all I want out of a book…something entertaining and a good story. I don’t get bogged down in word count, improbabilities, theories, or grammar. I just wanted to like the story, and this worked for me. #twisted #drinkers #murders #widows #TheWidowOfWeepingPines #thriller #novella #womensfiction #fiction #whodunit #mystery #beautifulcover @amandamckinneyauthor @netgalley #HHTisevich
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, HH Tisevich, and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Published: Dec. 2022
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This has to be one of the most unexpected books I have read in a long time. I can't way whether I hated it or like it.
The author creates a world with the most unlikeable characters I have read in a long time.
The characters are not likeable in fact readers might struggle to connect with the female lead and he point of view. The Widow of Weeping Pines isn't romance, zero mystery and in fact I am not sure what the book really is expect a dark note in this author list of books.
Thank you to Netalley for a copy of The Widow of Weeping Pines

Outstanding!! What a great read. Amanda Mckinney had me guessing through the whole book. Such a page turner. The ending plot twist got me. I never excepted to happen the way it did. I really recommend reading this book. Can’t wait to read her other books.

This was a quick read but it kept me guessing the whole way through with loads of twists and turns and I enjoyed the ending ….

Really enjoyed this book, read the ebook so not sure how many actual pages it was - but it read really fast! Such a story. I love any book that makes me feel like I’m not really sure what is real and what is not. What more can you ask for but to be totally gaslighted?

Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda McKinney and HH Tisevich for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Betty Lou "Betts" moved to the small Washington town of Weeping Pines with her deceased husband. She has restarted her life but with a cast of suspicious characters in and out of her life. She is engaged to Ian, a controlling struggling businessman. Betts is a therapist and opened a small unofficial clinic out of her home, where she councils the people of the town who want to stay way off the record. One of these clients is Carmen, a local celebrity who Betts doesn't quite trust. And then there is Detective Nicholas Stall, her next door neighbor, who was her husbands portage and suspects his death was not a tragic accident. When their lives cross paths secrets are revealed and no one can be trusted.

Amanda McKinney's newest novel is a fast paced easy read thriller packed full of plot twists. It is laid out in short chapters both current events and flashbacks. We are presented with Betts' perspective but quickly realize she may not be a credible witness, which makes it all the more fun. The characters are developed well enough that the reader is never sure who to trust and who is telling the truth, including the twisty noir ending. I really enjoyed this novel and recommend it; also check out some of McKinney's other work.

This was a novella so a quick read of 180 pages which only took me a few hours to finish.

The genre of this book is classed as a psychological and domestic suspense.

I enjoyed this book as it was quite dark and had a great, twisted main character and had a great setting.

There’s all kinds of crazy going on here, so naturally I liked it. This novella is mostly narrated by the snarky Betts. She’s worried her fiancé may be having an affair with one of her clients. Her previous husband died of a heart attack although a member of local law enforcement doubts that. My favorite Betts quote: “Everyone wins if the husband would just keel over and die.” A quick, entertaining read.

This book definitely had me on my toes, constantly guessing and trying to figure things out.. this authors writing style & mind def has me a forever reader!!! If you are wanting a good read with turns & twists along the way this is def the book for you!!

The Widow of Weeping Pines by Amanda McKinney is an amazing mystery novella that manages to create suspense, deep characters and twist in such a compact novel. If you like Gone Girl - then definitely check out this story!

‘Weeping Pines’ really appealed to me as a dark novella based upon a woman who fantasises about murdering her husband. The way it was all layered and constructed was really well done by McKinney and the twists were expertly placed to maintain interest in the plotline. For me Betts became one of those really sinister female characters that stays with you; she is calculated and her obsessions bring out an incredibly dark side of her personality. I personally love it when female writers construct these more malicious characters so for me, this story reminded me of writers like Megan Abbott and Gillian Flynn who centre their stories on women who are pushed to be other because of their environment or relationships.
The story did lack a little momentum for me in the middle, almost like it could have been shorter as a novella but I did appreciate the details included to round out the storyline generally. And personally some of the intimate scenes seemed a bit out of place as they didn’t add much in terms of plot but overall the thriller genre was tightly compacted into this short read. ‘Weeping Pines’ was a great introduction for me to get into McKinney’s work.
(3.5 stars)

“Sometimes I wish my husband would die. Do you ever feel like that?”

Holy cow! With an opening line like that, how could you not be hooked?! When you’ve only got 184 pages, you have make them all count, and this novella starts off with a bang and takes the reader on a wild ride until the very end!

If you were to look up “unreliable narrator” in the dictionary, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see our main character, Betty Lou Abbott, or Betts as she prefers to be called. Betts is a therapist, an author, a notorious widow – oh, and she also has antisocial personality disorder. She’s selfish, manipulative, an accomplished liar, but also utterly compelling.

This story is intense, exciting, and absolutely unputdownable. Many thanks to NetGalley, HH Tisevich, and Amanda McKinney for providing me an advance copy of this book.

This was a great suspenseful story that kept you guessing til the twists at the end. Through the first third of the story I felt I had it all figured out, but then it seemed to take a turn. The ending, however, threw me for a loop, and im glad it ended the way it did with the characters.
The does jump back and forth between past and present to complete the storyline of why things are happening. This does tend to get a little confusing, but overall this was a very fast paced thriller I would definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book and I couldn’t put it down. The story has me hooked straight away! The characters were nicely developed and I enjoyed the pacing of the book. The only thing that disappointed me was that I guessed the ending however, I am interested to read more work from Amanda McKinney and I did really enjoy this book!!

I give this one 5 stars. It was a little different for me but I truly enjoyed it. Job well done! This one was one heck of a ride!

Whoa! It should have been difficult to follow a main character who is basically a sociopath and empathize with them, but this book grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. I would have finished it in a night, it’s a guilty pleasure watching between my fingers as bad choices pile up. Highly recommend this easy and fun read.

A short (under 190 pages) book about a woman who moves to Weeping Pines because her husband wanted to. She isn’t happy there and starts imagining what life would be like if her husband died.
This is the second novel I’ve read recently about killing people with eye drops. I wonder if that happened in real life.

This was a dark and twisted tale full of questions, Deeply troubled and utterly mad characters fill this story. As questions built and the mystery unfolds
I could stop reading ! A quick read that I enjoyed.

This is a compelling, fast paced novella that I read in one sitting. The unreliable narrator adds a layer of intrigue to this plot, as does the backwards unravelling of the story line! None of the characters were particularly likeable, but they were well written. Betts especially was a piece of work. I found the final two chapters slightly confusing, hence a 4 rather than 5 star rating. I enjoyed it and would recommend.