LITANI BY JESS LOUREY

10/18/2021

One of the things I love most about Jess Lourey’s novels is that they are based on true crimes. Being a true crime junkie, I love reading books like this! Sure, they aren’t the easiest to read but they are so compelling that you can’t stop!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: October 19, 2021
Genre: Crime
Series: None. Complete Standalone.
Pages: 320 pages
Format: eBook (ARC). Source: Publisher

The Amazon Charts bestselling author of Unspeakable Things and Bloodline explores the darkness at the heart of the rural Midwest in a novel inspired by a chilling true crime.

In the summer of ’84, fourteen-year-old Frankie Jubilee is shuttled off to Litani, Minnesota, to live with her estranged mother, a county prosecutor she barely knows. From the start, Frankie senses something uneasy going on in the small town. The locals whisper about The Game, and her mother warns her to stay out of the woods and away from adults.

When a bullying gang of girls invites Frankie to The Game, she accepts,

determined to find out what’s really going on in Litani. She’s not the only one becoming paranoid. Hysteria burns through the community. Dark secrets emerge. And Frankie fears that, even in the bright light of day, she might be living among monsters.

PURCHASE A COPY

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READ MY BOOK REVIEW

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 4 stars
𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘/𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘𝗦: Mystery/Thriller

𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 𝗦𝗡𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗧: One of the things I love most about Jess Lourey’s novels is that they are based on true crimes. Being a true crime junkie, I love reading books like this! Sure, they aren’t the easiest to read but they are so compelling that you can’t stop!

_____________________

WOW! This book, while hard to stomach at some points, is well written and compelling! I flew through this one in one sitting because I needed to see where the author was going to take it. It’s dark, disturbing, and infuriating! How people can do horrific things to children is deplorable. Thankfully, Lourey keeps out the gritty details making the book unsettling but not too tough to read. I honestly loved how she went about it.

So, do you remember hearing stories in the 80’s about a child abuse scandal that involved horrific crimes and satanic rituals? This is all that in a fiction novel. It gives me the chills! While I wasn’t born in 84 when this happened (I was born in 85) I remember hearing about it and even seeing some primetime specials about it. I think there are even a few made for tv movies involving this crime. Anyway, the narrator of this novel is a 14-year-old girl that was sent to live with her mom following the death of her father. When she gets to the small town of Litani she doesn’t expect to be thrust into a mystery that has the possibility of changing her life for the worse. Are there people out there who are really hurting children? A satanic cult who is abusing children and throwing them in the river? What is happening in this small town and how does her mother, new friend, and the people in the neighboring trailer park play a part in it all? All of those questions are slowly revealed in the compelling read!

So, why only 4 stars? One of the things that I am left questioning though when it comes to this book is who is the target audience? When reading it in the point of view of a 14-year-old, I felt at times that it could be geared toward the (upper) young adult readers. However, when I got more into the story, I realized that I wouldn’t want my kids reading a book this unsettling, so I thought maybe it IS geared towards adult. I’m still confused a little bit to be honest. Sure, the narrator is a child herself, but could the book have worked if the narrator were older? I don’t know. Either way, it did leave me feeling a little off, but I enjoyed it regardless.

If you’re in the mood for a darker book that will worm its way under your skin and make you squirm, then this is a great book for you! Lourey pens a dark mystery that readers can’t help but devour! I definitely recommend this one. I can’t wait for more from her! So far, I’ve read 3 and enjoyed them all!

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐