This was a great read reminiscent of Nine Perfect Strangers. It was well-paced and had a few surprises along the way.
I really enjoyed this!

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review can also be found on Goodreads.

Carinn Jade's debut novel is sure to be a hit! I was initially drawn to this novel by the color and title, but I stayed for the intriguing characters and fun twists.

A group of 8 slightly dysfunctional friends escape to an Astrology themed weekend retreat. Their host Rini tailors astrology readings and activities to help the group better understand themselves and each other. Along with these self realizations come shocking secrets and tension that lead up to a finale with a big bang.

Jade crafts a unique storyline with complex characters and plots that keep you guessing until the end. I thought I had it figured out a few times, but my jaw dropped when the truth was revealed. I loved this read and can't wait for whatever she writes next!

🔍A Domestic Thriler
🏠 Hotel Background
🖤 Lots of POV
✨ Unraveling Pasts
👀 Closed Door Mysteries

This book was SO GOOD! I sat down on a freezing weekend and bundled up with a cozy blanket, a warm drink and this book and read it straight through. This book had me from cover to cover. I am a massive sucker for closed door mysteries and this book was just that.

The authors writing was fantastic and you felt as though you were front and enter with our characters here. The storyline was so good—the setting that this book was written in was so well fitting and these characters you could feel felt real. I loved their development and dialogue and the multiple POV was my JAM!

This book was just all around so fun—you tried to solve the goingson’s along with the characters within the book and you never did figure it out until that very last page did you….The twists and turns in this book will keep you on your toes. This is absolutely one that I will be recommending to my book loving friends who love a good who-done-it mystery!

Good book with a solid storyline in the pages. I liked the characters in this one and how well they played off each other.

I absolutely LOVE thrillers that are set either on vacation or at some sort of retreat so I knew this would be the book for me. It didn't disappoint at all! I know many readers are going to devour this one just like I did this summer!

Read if you like: domestic thrillers, hotel settings, multiple POVs, shady pasts, debut authors

Four couples arrive at their astrological retreat for their annual trip together, but not all is as it seems. So many secrets are just waiting to come out.

I really really enjoyed this one. The setting is vivid and beautiful. I liked the astrological touches even though I’m not too into that type of thing. All the characters felt complex and I enjoyed every storyline in this book. Nothing felt contrived while is key for me in terms of book enjoyment. It’s a quick paced read with multiple POVs and an ending that was satisfying. I was interested from start to finish and consumed this over 2 days. There’s really not a lot I can criticize. I am actually shocked this is a debut from this author. I will be looking forward to anything she writes next!

4.5 stars

ASTROLOGY GIRLIES! this one’s for us! (and everybody else, too — but if you’re into astrology i think you’ll enjoy this a little more than joe schmo, the astrology skeptic)

if you’re in the mood for a quick, easy, multi-POV thriller with an ensemble cast of rich people behaving badly at an astrological, spiritual retreat, add this to your TBR right away.

as an astrologer, i loved the astrological elements of this book. it’s clearly well-researched (where so many books with astrological themes just…aren’t!) and pays homage to the study without cheapening it or making snide implications about its value. the elements i didn’t love were the fundamentally unlikable characters and the vast array of POVs, both of which kept me from investing wholeheartedly in any character’s story. while the plot was interesting enough to see it through to the end, i wish the characters had been a little more fleshed out.

the plot of the astrology house focuses on rini, an astrologer who hosts regular astrological retreats for the wealthy and privileged, and her guests for the weekend, who are all connected in various romantic, familial, and platonic ways. the women are there for the weekend to seek clarity and insight into their own life paths (relatable), and the men are there to…be supportive partners, brothers, and friends...among a few other things. the core mystery of this book centers around rini’s scheming to bring them all to the retreat for an unclear purpose — one that’s made increasingly clearer over the course of the book.

the ending was exciting and unpredictable, which makes for a fun ride despite my lukewarm feelings for the characters. pick this up if you’re in the mood for something fast, easy, astrological, and with some shocking twists that’ll more than likely surprise you. unless you’re a scorpio, of course. y’all probably saw the whole thing coming.

thanks so much to atria books and netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy! all opinions are my own.

CW/TWs: infidelity, fertility struggles, forced abortion

The Astrology House had a title that made me want to read it immediately! Described like a Lianne Morarity book? Yes and no. There were some definite predictable twists, and one very shocking twist. Although it is a very quick read, there were too many characters with not enough character development. I was able to read in one sitting, but I did not particularly connect or like any of the characters. The story is also told from multiple different character views, which is normally something I enjoy. For some reason, this one just didn't hit home.

Fate vs free-will is a very interesting concept - and I did like the premise! I think a lot of readers will truly enjoy learning more about the stars and astrology in general. Although I don't know much about astrology, I feel like the book did a good job for us "newbies" For that, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Wow! This is one of those books you read through and go on a wild ride all while trying to piece the puzzle together and then the ending absolutely blows you away, so you go back and reread it and see everything connect in total awe.

Stars Harbor was a treasure trove of mystery and each character had their own secrets, grudges, intentions. Absolutely loved this. Such a unique and refreshing thriller.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This book took by complete surprise. It was a bit different for the genre but the author knocked it out of the park!! Twisty with a WHAT??? ending!! Highly recommend

WOW this was good. Very twisty, and although I picked up hints of what was going on along the way, I definitely could not have predicted how it ended. The ending was so satisfying and I literally said “oh my GOD” when we got to the last reveal. I’m not super into astrology, like I think it’s fun to read about, but the whole like woo aspect of it, I don’t believe. Still, I thought it was super well researched, and incorporated really well into the storyline.

The men in this book…woof. What a range from bad to worse! I guess there’s one (1) good man, Eric, but he didn’t show up that much. But I really fucking hated Adam and he made me swear out loud multiple times. A man writing romance novels under a female pseudonym? I feel like that’s a red flag on his own, and then the fact that he’s a blatant unrepentant cheater who literally wants his cake and to eat it too…tbh I wanted him to be the one who died but the way things played out, I was not disappointed.

I will say, initially it took me aback that for a book set at an astrology based/themed retreat, all of the characters appeared to be straight (or at least in straight relationships), but it was nice to see that that’s not the case, and, although nothing substantive came [redacted’s] feelings, I really liked that subplot. Also I have to admit, the fact that the retreat is called "Stars Harbor" really threw me because 100% every time I read it as "Stars Hollow" 😂

I don’t have anything really bad to say about it but for some reason it doesn’t feel like a five star book to me (although maybe I’ll change my mind later) but for now I’ll say 4.5 stars rounded down to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I thought this was a well written story and I like how it’s outside of the norm for its genre. Once I started, it kept my interest fast and I found myself caught up in the story and excited to find out what’s happening next.

What do you get when you combine accomplished-but-neurotic women, the Terrible Men they're married to, a big ol' fancy house in the Hamptons, and your local Astrology Bitch with the soul of a hustler and a fistful of grudges? Well, a bit of a mess, but sometimes in the way that a tasty multi-ingredient dessert is called a mess, and sometimes in the way where you're like damn this just looks sloppy. Can we tidy this narrative up a lil'? Some of the twists deserve points for the Audacity, but overall there was simultaneously too much going on (why the deer dreams?) and not enough going on (weird pacing). Still, it was a diverting page-turner. Also made me want to look into my birth chart.

My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. It was pretty good. Wasn’t expecting the ending. Character development was good. Different kind of “mystery”. Overall enjoyable.

The Astrology House exceeded my expectations in all the best ways! Wow!

It was a fast paced thriller with interesting twists and turns the whole way through. Caring Jade put very thoughtful detail into using astrology as a plot device and it works beautifully. All the characters interconnectedness was fascinating.

Bonus points for the beautiful graphics of the astrology pages with the profiles of each guest.

Question

How do you feel when you get approved for your most sought after book of the year?

Scream
Kiss your Kindle
Do a little twirl…

Then you dive on in and push your priorities aside.

After about 3 hours in I had a full bladder and a pulse that could qualify for an ER visit. I skipped the toilet and kept on going.

The anxiety! My goodness, Jade!

I’ll never think of astrology the same again, after this one.

Trust?
Non-existent.
I will never trust another soul ever again.

Jade, took a machete to my soul and didn’t once let me catch my breath. God, I love this little lady.

There was a ton of different “secrets revealed” and each time I thought I had it all figured out, I was thrown for a loop.

I read another review for this book and the reviewer mentioned they had it figured out early on…. Lies.

It’s literally impossible to connect these dots and when it all comes together you’ll have the ultimate shock factor.

Check out this teaser :

A group of wealthy Manhattanites escape to an astrology-themed retreat, where simmering resentments and long-held secrets lead to a shocking death in this fresh, twisty, and suspenseful debut in the vein of Liane Moriarty and Katy Hays.

Margot needs a minute. She’s been working eighty-hour weeks as a newly minted partner at her law firm. She’s disconnected from her brother, the only family she has left. And she’s still not pregnant after years of trying.

Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat promises rest, relaxation, and wisdom for Margot and her friends. With Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in an impeccably restored waterfront Victorian house, this getaway should be nothing but idyllic fun.

For Margot’s brother, Adam, it’s the perfect opportunity to rekindle the romance that fuels his writing. But his wife, Aimee, hides the darkness of her past with a beautiful social media feed. Their friend, Farah, is a successful doctor who cannot admit that she’s losing control.

Yet no one holds a greater secret than their astrologer host, Rini. She has a plan for all of her guests, and one of them won’t be leaving Stars Harbor alive.

The write up compares it to Liann Moriarty and that definitely holds true. But the twists are good (some predictable and one very much not) and its a quick read. Once I put it down I definitely wanted to get back to reading to finish it up. I thought I'd been done with this genre, but I enjoyed that! Recommended..

I love the astrological ties to everything in this book. Astrology and a shocking plot twist. What could be better?

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
3.75 rounded up to 4

Margot and her group of friends need a getaway weekend! Margot finds the Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat and promises a wonderful weekend. With all of them arriving and ready for this break from their families and jobs, no one can prepare for the secrets that will come out and the fact that one of them will not be leaving alive.

What I enjoyed:
* Multiple POVs
* The astrology and learning about the different signs
* Unique and a debut novel!
* The twist at the end!

Told from multiple POV’s we learn about each of the characters, their flaws, triumphs and that each of them have something to hide in their life. I enjoyed many things about this novel but found that when I got to the end I was missing a couple things. I felt like one of the sub plots was never addressed or finalized, if you will, at the end. I did not expect the big reveal or the end to be what it was, that being said, I also did not see the twist coming but it was great.

The author shares each character chart before introducing them with their signs, who they are with and who they are friends with. I do wish there was a chart like this in the front for reference but I wrote down my own and that helped with their being so many characters!

Margot married to Ted; Sister to Adam

Aimee married to Adam; Best friends with Farah

Farah married to Joe; Best friends with Aimee

Joe married to Farrah

Ted married to Margot; Best Friends with Rick

Adam married to Aimee; Brother to Margot

Rick married to Eden; Best Friends with Ted

Eden married to Rick

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Atria Books Publishing for an copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Past indiscretions and current troubles collide when a group of friends and family attend a retreat weekend at the home of a renowned astrologer with an agenda that ends in one of their deaths.

Margot and Adam are brother and sister, made close by their parents’ untimely demise. Adam is married to mommy influencer Aimee, who befriends her obstetrician, Farah. Farah’s marriage is failing and she feels like a bad mother for struggling with her son’s emerging behavioral issues. Unlike Aimee, who always seems to have the answers to all questions relating to motherhood, Farah doubts her instincts. She has also developed a crush on her former patient turned best friend and a good amount of the novel is her reflecting on what could be, if only she could admit her feelings. Aimee’s husband, Adam, has had affairs. Three children later, Aimee struggles to gain her romance novelist husband’s attention and wonders what she needs to do to get back to the couple they were before becoming a family. Is he still cheating? You’ll have to read to find out. Then there’s Ted and Eden, fellow attendees of the weekend retreat, their host, Rini, and her sister Andi. What do the stars predict for this large and troubled cast? And what is the role of fate?

The writing style of The Astrology House hooked me off the bat on a couple of fronts: the mystery at a unique venue and astrology, which I love. Each character is struggling with something that made me wonder how each of their arcs would pan out. One of them is connected to the host, Rini, but who and how doesn’t become clear until the final act. I immediately mined for critical clues.

Add the threat of a storm, Rini’s romantic connection to her contractor, the question of what happened to her sister, and how the various plot threads might converge and The Astrology House is a bonafide page-turner full of potential.

But… I began to doubt the setup when it became clear that this tight-knit group didn’t like each other all that much. Yes, they’re interconnected, but do they come across as the sort to take regular group vacations? I would have liked to see a more cohesive beginning for the group as a whole before the infighting and obvious tension.

The cast is huge. For a debut novelist, it was handled quite well, but the multiple first-person points of view made it hard for me to figure out whose perspective I was in until about a third of the way through the novel. Third-person points of view might have sacrificed some inner monologue and intimacy but perhaps for the betterment of the novel as a whole. Several characters are glossed over to the plot’s detriment. If every chapter must either advance the plot or character, I question a few that made the final cut.

For as well-written as much of this book is, the exposition is clunky where backstory and a weird twist into a deer dream are concerned. I’m not sure that Margot and Adam’s parents’ demise deserved as much page time as it was given, or many of the characters’ observations on parenthood (getting pregnant and raising children are key topics in several points of view as Margot struggles with infertility, Farah doubts her skill at motherhood, and Aimee focuses on mommy influencing) when key characters such as Ted and Eden are glossed over. The book accomplishes a lot but fails on several points, which makes the reveal feel more contrived than it needed to be. I had a real issue with Andi’s story when it came to light and wondered if one more point of view might have saved what felt like a forced and underdeveloped subplot.

Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. It’s a fun read in a clever setting with a powder keg of potential issues if you suspend disbelief. Carinn Jade has written a commendable debut novel with common first-novel issues. I look forward to her next release and to watching her grow into what The Astrology House promises will be a must-read novelist. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance reader copy.