This was not for me. The story was kinda slow and I couldn't connect with the characters at all. I was hoping for something different

This suspense book kept me intrigued throughout, and much credit for that goes to the wonderfully descriptive writing style. I was instantly absorbed into this mystery, and couldn't wait to discover what turns the story would take. The well-developed characters were relatable and I felt emotionally connected to them! I really loved this story.

When Lexi’s aunt Beth dies, leaving her the responsibility of selling the family farm back in Sola to pay of the back taxes. But it isn’t just any farm, and Sola isn’t just any small town. When Lexi was 10, her family - parents and three siblings - all died in a fire at the farm, leaving it in ruins. Six years and a heap of teenaged trouble later, Beth and Lexi fled to San Francisco, never looking back. When Lexi reluctantly returns to take care of business, she finds the insular town not only tense, but someone seems to be targeting her. And then the bodies start showing up….

This was a great romantic suspense in that is was actually very good on both of those fronts. I was interested in both of those storylines, and thought they were both extremely good. Especially the mystery. It was creepy and very twisty, leaving me guessing until the very end. Sometimes romantic suspenses can get too heavy on the romance and forget to build up the mystery/thriller side, so I was really impressed.

Back to the mystery, I was extremely surprised by the ending, it really had some nice twists in there, but the story made sense when you looked back on it. The clues were there all throughout, which I also liked. It makes the story more realistic and developed-feeling.

There’s also some interesting questions that we get “mostly” answered in the book, and I liked the open-ended nature of that. There’s some issues that were left where they were left and it felt right. I can’t say much more than that.

Overall, this was a really good book that I would highly recommend for romantic suspense fans or even just mystery/thriller fans. It’s a great read for both genres!

Alexis "Lex" Blake vowed never to revisit the town where she endured the tragic loss of her home and family in a devastating fire, an event she can scarcely recall as the sole survivor. However, when her aunt passes away, leaving a substantial debt, she finds herself compelled to return to settle her family's affairs.

As she prepares her family's property for sale, she grapples with peculiar happenings and mysterious phone calls that unearth long-buried memories from her childhood. With the discovery of one body, and then another, Lex comes to the stark realization that the mystery surrounding that fateful night runs far deeper than she had ever conceived. The looming threat, which had already devastated her life, resurfaces with an intensity that leaves Lex questioning the shadows of her past.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and author Elle Grawl for the advance read copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was my first book by this author and I was excited to read it. The storyline and characters were good but the mystery left me wanting more. Overall a good read

This story was interesting….wanted to know what happened regarding the past fire and destruction of family.

A page-turning thriller with a burning question to be answered: Who or what caused the fire that killed Lexi’s family years ago? Following the death of her aunt, Lexi returns to her hometown to sell her family’s farm, bringing out the ghosts and nightmares of the past.

With flashbacks to her childhood, the events of the night of the fire come to the forefront of Lexi’s memory. But it’s not only the trauma of the past she faces. After a blackout, Lexi wakes to discover a mutilated body on her neighbor’s property and no recollection of what happened. Threatening phone calls and mysterious sightings of a ghostly figure mess with Lexi’s mind. Her rekindled romance with boy-next-door, Kael, is the only bright spot in a religious, tight-lipped town with buried secrets.

A haunting tale of unresolved childhood trauma, What Still Burns kept me riveted as Elle Grawl exposed the truth little by little, leading to a shocking conclusion. The pace quickened with revelations surrounding Lexi’s past, and I was tempted to race through the final pages to get answers. Creepy and dark, this atmospheric psychological thriller will make you wonder who to trust. Keep all the lights on!

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

I have highly enjoyed elle grawls writing. So when i saw she was writing a new book i knew i needed to pick it up. I gave this 4.5. I lived her first novel. But this one i didnt feel to much of a connection to the book. What i did live about this thrilleris that the character lex leaves her small town and has to come back to sell her family's property. And once she comes back into town bodies show up. So we get into wondering if its a copy cat or person who murdered her family. It was so easy to follow.

I got about 20% into the book and couldn't quite get into it due to the slower pace. This ended up being a DNF for me at this time but I might revisit it in the future.

Couldn’t put it down! This is a fast-paced read with an intriguing mystery and plenty of creepy moments that left me looking over my shoulder and checking corners! Some of my suspicions were confirmed by the end, but there were plenty of surprises along the way. Definitely recommend!

Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Life isn't that easy on Lex. She's lost her parents, her aunt, her boyfriend. Money isn't easy either. Anyway, she goes to the town she left ages ago to sell the farm, and by doing so, she discovers there are secrets about her past that she needs to uncover. I wasn't expecting the turn the book took ! It was a very interesting read. I absolutely LOVE the ending for everything involved.

"Unanswered questions... Untold Secrets" - What Still Burns

Elle Grawl, first hit the circuit with her debut novel, One of Those Faces, right then and there I became an instant fan.

I read a review on What Still Burns and it was described as having "slow pacing' and I couldn't help but think, "Were we reading the same book?" This book right here is not slow, its actually the exact opposite, this is a fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat yearning to flip the pages faster.

This book is jam packed with both likable and unlikable characters, you will never know who truly is "good" or "bad" and I can tell you, don't trust anyone.

While reading I couldn't help but picture this book being made into a movie (I hope they don't ruin it!!! The book is always better!!!) The writing style was fluid and engaging, all in all, if you haven't already guessed it, I LOVED IT!!!

5 stars

Check out this teaser :

Alexis “Lex” Blake swore she would never return to the town where she’d lost her home and her family in a devastating fire that only she survived and can barely remember. But when her aunt dies, leaving behind a mountain of debt, Lex has no choice but to head back to Northern California to settle her family’s estate.

The small town is much the same way Lex left it: tight knit, staunchly religious, and wary of the Blakes, as evidenced by her run-ins with the sheriff, the preacher, and the nosy locals. The one saving grace is her old flame, but even Kael McPheron isn’t enough to distract Lex from the bitterness of her past.

Preparing her family’s property for sale forces Lex to contend with strange occurrences and mysterious phone calls that begin to unlock buried childhood memories. And when a body turns up—and then another one—Lex realizes that the mystery of that night is deeper than she ever imagined, and the threat that already destroyed her life once still burns.

This book was just okay. I didn't mind it but I didn't love it either. The mystery element was good however everything else just seemed average. I have been reading a lot of thrillers recently and this one just wasn't up there as much as some of the others unfortunately.

What Still Burns is about a woman going back to what’s left of her childhood home in order to sell it and try to figure out what really happened the night her home burned down and killed her family. This was a fast paced atmospheric thriller that I was able to read in an evening. I wish the ending wasn’t so quick though!

I enjoyed certain aspects of this book and would give it 3.5 stars - I enjoyed the interaction between the main character and her childhood beau but parts of the book were a bit disjointed to me. A lot of the resolutions came quickly and were wrapped up pretty fast. I am not a fan of dual storylines - especially when it continually jumps back and forth - but in the book it didn't detract from the story in my opinion. I received an ARC for my unbiased opinions. I thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed this fast paced thriller! The ending shocked me (in a good way). This is a well crafted mystery and story. Special Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy prior to publication.

EXCERPT: It's only fitting that my story ends the same way it began.
My lungs spasm.
I should've never come back. That idea replays through my mind on a loop as I drag myself aong the ground, my nails cracking from the dirt piling underneath.
I cough, the dirt and ashes swirling in front of me. I collapse to the ground, stabbing pain splitting my sides.
I burrow into the earth again, gasping, inhaling the toxins.
My eyes fill with smoke, and it's hard to tell if I'm moving forward, closer to the fresh air, or digging my own grave.

ABOUT 'WHAT STILL BURNS': Alexis “Lex” Blake swore she would never return to the town where she’d lost her home and her family in a devastating fire that only she survived and can barely remember. But when her aunt dies, leaving behind a mountain of debt, Lex has no choice but to head back to Northern California to settle her family’s estate.

The small town is much the same way Lex left it: tight knit, staunchly religious, and wary of the Blakes, as evidenced by her run-ins with the sheriff, the preacher, and the nosy locals. The one saving grace is her old flame, but even Kael McPheron isn’t enough to distract Lex from the bitterness of her past.

Preparing her family’s property for sale forces Lex to contend with strange occurrences and mysterious phone calls that begin to unlock buried childhood memories. And when a body turns up—and then another one—Lex realizes that the mystery of that night is deeper than she ever imagined, and the threat that already destroyed her life once still burns.

MY THOUGHTS: There is simply too much going on in this book. Early on the author tries to create a 'creepy' feel to the narrative. But for me, it simply didn't work. There's a multitude of mysteries - strange and frightening phone calls, misappropriation of money, 'ghosts and shadows', rumors and innuendo, seances, veiled threats and fugue states. And no-one in this small town is really talking or telling the truth. It all just felt very messy and not at all suspenseful.

I didn't get a good feel for any of the characters, they just weren't rounded out enough. I couldn't 'see' them or feel for them and, frankly, it was just all unbelievable and far-fetched, especially the resolution.

Although this is a quick read at less than 300 pages, it was an average experience for me. Others have loved What Still Burns. I'll let you make up your own mind.

⭐⭐.5

#WhatStillBurns #NetGalley

I: @ellegrawl @amazonpublishing

X: @ElleGrawl @AmazonPub

#contemporaryfiction #crime #mystery #smalltownfiction #thriller

Published 15 August 2023

THE AUTHOR: Elle Grawl is a lawyer and thriller writer. She is inspired by her interest in true crime and her experience as an attorney.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of What Still Burns by Elle Grawl for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

This one was gripping and kept me guessing. I liked the characters. It's fast paced, action packed, and full of suspense. There is a romance but it's very secondary to the story. I will definitely be reading this author again.

What Still Burns is a story about Alexis “Lex” Blake who is the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Lex was raised by her Aunt Beth who recently died. As she goes through her things, she finds that there is a lot that Beth never told her. Now dealing with Beth's affairs she learns that the property was put in a trust and the best way to settle her aunt's estate is to go back to the one place she swore she would never go and sell it once and for all.

The small town is pretty much the same way Lex remembers it: tight knit, religious, and wary of outsiders like the Blakes. Lex soon runs into her old boyfriend, Kael McPherson. It's an easy relationship to slip into, but Lex has no intention of staying and Kael isn't leaving.

Lex begins to get strange phone calls late at night. Evan her more recent old boyfriend strangely shows up and they get into another argument, she believes he had left until she gets a call from her boss that he never returned. A body turns up at Kael's farm, and then another one in her hotel room, Lex realizes that there are many more secrets that someone is trying to hide, and she may be in more danger from the secrets of the past.

This was an intense mystery that kept building with every turn of the page. There are several characters that are suspicious, so it was easy to narrow it down. But I didn't guess as to the culprit. The story is well written and easy to follow. The characters were well written for a small-town story. Lots of nosy judgmental people instead of a town of do-gooders makes it full of possible suspects.