"Long Weekend" by SM Thomas is a story for fans of the vacation-gone-wrong trope. I was excited to dive into this book and wasn't disappointed. The story is told through Emma's journal entries, providing a unique perspective on the unfolding events.
From the moment Emma arrives at Hotel Horizon, a luxurious resort on a private island, she senses that something is off. The atmosphere is tense, and the staff seems to be watching her every move. As she begins to investigate the rich and famous guests, she realizes that she may have bitten off more than she can chew.
I was hooked from the start, trying to piece together the clues with Emma as she navigates the complex web of secrets and lies. The characters are well-written, but I didn't particularly like any of them - including Emma. She's relatable in her struggles to figure out what's going on and her desire to make the right choices, but her indecisiveness made me want to scream at times.
The suspense is expertly crafted, with just enough hints and red herrings to keep me guessing until the very end. I was constantly second-guessing myself about who was behind the sinister plot, and my mind was racing with theories and suspects.
Unfortunately, the ending left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. I wish we had gotten more insight into Emma's thoughts and feelings after everything went down. The abrupt conclusion felt a bit rushed, and I was left wondering what would happen next.

Overall, "Long Weekend" is a gripping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. If you enjoy suspenseful stories with complex characters and unexpected twists, this book is definitely worth checking out.

Is there any way to bottle up the feeling you get when you read about a reality show on an island and things go wrong? It seems to be the sub-genre I’ve been reading the most this year. Locked door books do something to me, this one for sure didn’t disappoint. I felt like h was in a bush near by snooping on the characters.

The twists keep you turning the pages so you can find out what’s going on. and if the main character is going to be found out.

Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and SM Thomas for an eARC for a honest review of the book.

I did not enjoy reading this. It could have been better had it stuck to a narrow and simple storyline. There’s too much going on and the pacing was too fast, there was no room for neither character nor character developments. I didn’t guess the end but the twist was still unsurprising because if you look back it doesn’t make sense and lead to it.

I loved this book! I was honestly scared of all of the characters. I liked how it was through Emma’s eyes and the way she experienced and wrote everything. The epilogue was phenomenal and haunting.

great plot with realistic characterization and entertainment value. The plot moves at a fast pace and is combined with a writing style that provides vivid mental pictures of the characters and settings without being overly tedious. I enjoyed the book and rate it 4 out of 5 stars due to the issues I mentioned above. I recommend the book to those who enjoy intense reads and aren't bothered by detestable characters and violence.

Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! I was genuinely petrified of all of the characters (which is very rare for me when reading!) - I loved how it was through Emma’s eyes and the way she experienced and wrote everything. The epilogue was incredible and so haunting.

lots of twists in this book and great detail in the scenery so it was easy imagine everything. Really enjoyed and the plot. edge of the seat thriller.

I got this book from Netgalley. This was an okay book. Follows the story of a journalist whom goes on a vacation with rich celebrity icons, as a job. It was not as exciting as I would have liked. It wasn't bad though. I enjoyed it enough that I will recommend it to certain audiences. The ending was surprising but it did not have as many twists as I like in a psychological thriller. I feel that there could have been more to keep me interested or put me on the edge of my seat. I also believe that it could have ended with more of how it started instead of how it did really end. Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this and as well as the author for getting it on Netgalley. I am greatful to be a reader for you :)

twisty and engaging! had me hooked on from beginning to end! and with that epilogue im absolutely shook along with all expectations of any future detective work out the window! loved loved loved this!

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read the ARC of this book!

I decided to not finish this book. The characters and the setting felt very stereotypical at times, and the story gave me heavy Wattpad vibes as well. That is something I usually don't prefere in my books. But if you like an easy and fast read where such things doesn't matter to you, then this is the right book for you!

Enjoyed the story kept me gripped likable characters a few twists and guessing
The atmosphere The book cover pulled it all together

An exclusive invitation to a luxurious island resort should be the holiday of a lifetime for Emma. But beneath the lavish settings and indulgent amenities, lies a sinister plot waiting to be uncovered.

Emma's boss, Rebecca, gifted her the ticket to Hotel Horizen's grand opening, but Emma has her own agenda - to write a tell-all article about the rich and famous guests. Little did she know, this weekend would become a nightmare she never could have imagined.

As she delves deeper into the secrets of the elite, Emma realises she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Will she uncover the truth and make her mark as a journalist, or will she become the next victim in this twisted game of power and deception?

Holy plot twists. SM Thomas knocked this book out of the park. From start to finish, I was enthralled with Emma's story. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

I thought I had this all figured out.... until I didn't.

Long Weekend

Im sure you have read a similar description before, "a mysterious invitation to an exclusive and luxurious island". I promise you, you will be wrong. Long Weekend, is like nothing I have ever read before and being a self proclaimed thriller book lover enthusiast, I have read them all.

The twists felt like whiplash, coming in faster than I could anticipate.

Secrets, lies, deceit...

This book has it all.

Check out this teaser :

An exclusive invitation to a luxurious island resort should be the holiday of a lifetime for Emma. But beneath the lavish settings and indulgent amenities, lies a sinister plot waiting to be uncovered.

Emma's boss, Rebecca, gifted her the ticket to Hotel Horizen's grand opening, but Emma has her own agenda - to write a tell-all article about the rich and famous guests. Little did she know, this weekend would become a nightmare she never could have imagined.

As she delves deeper into the secrets of the elite, Emma realises she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Will she uncover the truth and make her mark as a journalist, or will she become the next victim in this twisted game of power and deception?

3.75 stars

Not quite what I expected, but in a pleasantly surprising kind of way. I always like a good thriller that’s set in an isolated area, and this one definitely fit that description. I’m glad I requested it.

Thank you for this advance copy. I really enjoyed this book. It kept me up all night reading, I just could not stop!

I have not read the vacation-gone-wrong trope before and I found it very interesting. This book truly had me left in the dark until the end, I didn’t know what to expect.

This book is from the perspective of Emma’s journal of the weekends accounts and you really got to know her and try piece everything together with her. It’s about a long weekend stay at a super fancy resort set on a small private island.

You get to know the characters but Emma still is an outsider and left in the dark. She only knows what she knows by doing her research and using her smarts.

There was definitely an ominous vibe about the island when she arrives as everyone kept saying she should not be there setting the tone that she was to witness bad things.

I could truly not figure out who was behind the whole ordeal as there was always a piece of the story that did not add up. Once you read the ending it all made sense. My thoughts trying to figure things out kept me second guessing who I thought it was so it kept me intrigued and fascinated with the book.

I did not really like any of the characters too much as Emma couldn’t figure things out and kept seconding guessing herself. I guess she became the most human of the group who showed the most emotions. She didn’t want to make any wrong choices. I wish we got to hear her side of the story at the very end to see what she was thinking about again.

I didn’t like how the person responsible ended up getting away with everything and then running.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

3.0 stars!

Emma is just like you and me, stuck in a boring job with an unbearable boss...until this boss offers her the trip of a lifetime. Honestly, I would have done the same as Emma and grabbed those tickets! However, cannot say I'm that envious of her by the end of the book :(

From the beginning we are in Emma's perspective, who is interesting but loved to remind us of her 'poorness' compared to those around her. I don't think I was the biggest fan, being stuck in only Emma's POV and this may be due to me not loving her. I would have really loved to see into the minds of the others, just for variety.

I enjoyed the pacing of this book and how it kept me on my toes and kept me guessing till the last second. It is such a fast read that I read it in about 3 sittings (definitely could have done it in one if I had the time)! Overall, I enjoyed the 'eat the rich' plot and setting along with the plot which really unravelled in the epilogue (not sure if I was a huge fan of this).

I would recommend this book if you enjoy the film Glass Onion and need a thriller for a long car/plane ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and S.M. Thomas for this copy of Long Weekend!

This book is told in a unique way. The first chapter is a letter from Emma’s attorney stating that this is the first and only time Emma will tell her story. It started off the book with me wondering what happened to Emma and why was her attorney sending this out? Was Emma in jail, on trial, or accused of something? It started the book on a mysterious tone.

The story that follows is a locked room thriller with famous people visiting a pre opening of a new hotel. When the first body is found things quickly change. I loved the fast pace of this book and the constant guessing of what was going to happen next and who was behind it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books that keep you guessing until the very last page!

This book kept me intrigued the whole time . Every time I thought I knew who had done it, the book would take a turn and I was back to square one. The epilogue wrapped the book up nicely and left me shocked. If you enjoy a good psychological thriller this is the book for you. Many thanks to NetGalley for this advanced read.

Journalist Emma was sent by her boss Rebecca, taking her place at the last minute on an exclusive long weekend trip to an island resort. Four famous people will be there, the only other guests. Weather problems keep them on the island while they are being killed off one by one by one of the five guests.

The situation was scary, as were the deaths. Emma tries to find out what's going on, being told that she shouldn't have been there, as she was an unvited. unexpected person taking the place of her boss who should have been on the weekend trip instead.

What puzzled me was the absence of the restaurant and resort staff, except for one or two of them, who should have noticed something was off, when the guests started avoiding and being suspicious and scared of each other. And obviously they were not going to the dining room to have their meals, etc.

I feel as if I missed something, or the book lacked credibility and details that would pull the plot tighter.