Faith Gardner

When newcomer Olivia West befriends her classmate, sixteen-year-old Eliza Hunter, they quickly become inseparable, and Olivia becomes a frequent guest in Eliza’s home. Olivia’s family situation is in stark contrast to the close-knit, well-to-do Hunters – Eliza’s parents Angela, a psychiatrist, and Carson a true crime writer, and her older brother seventeen-year-old Ezra – and enjoys spending time in their home. However, Eliza begins to distance herself after Olivia reveals her show more darker side, leaving Eliza feeling unsettled and suspicious of her intentions. But Olivia is quick to become romantically involved with Ezra, with whom she is pleasantly surprised to find she has much in common and is easy to manipulate. After a shocking series of events, Olivia finds herself living in Eliza’s home, but there is much more to this seemingly perfect family than meets the eye – secrets they would do anything to protect. Similarly, the Hunters have no idea of how far Olivia could go to get her own way and they are about to find out!

They are the Hunters by Faith Gardner is a riveting read! Well-paced, twisty and entertaining, with a cast of interesting ( that’s putting it mildly!) characters, this is the kind of story you would want to finish in one sitting!! The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Olivia and the members of the Hunter family. As we get to know more about their deepest and darkest secrets, it becomes increasingly difficult to like these characters or sympathize with them for their predicament, but you won’t be able to look away. I’m a fan of the author’s Jolvix series and this is my first time reading one of her standalone novels and it surely won’t be my last. Sharply written and smartly plotted, what a wild ride! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the bonus chapter (available once you sign up for the author’s newsletter).

Many thanks to the author and the publisher for the digital review copy via Book Sirens. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. show less

Update (March 23, 2023):

Bonus Epilogue titled The New Direction is available now. Check the author's website/newsletter. Loved it!

Publication Day! (March 23,2023)

4.5⭐ rounded up!

Eve Alexopoulos is a journalist who has made a name for herself through her column “What’s Your Problem, Bro?” which is dedicated to exposing trolls – not their names per se but details about their true identities and their lives based on information gleaned through some digital sleuthing on her part. Eve show more does not mince her words and she unabashedly goes after these people in an attempt to humiliate them and shut them down. Her column is successful, has proved profitable for the magazine where she works and garnered a book deal for her but needless to say has earned her a fair share of haters – trolls who just don’t troll her online but leave threats for her both at home and her workplace. Citing a potentially distressing work environment on account of the repeated threats and declining viewership, Eve’s boss decides to kill her column and reassign her to another segment. Dealing with flaming dogshit left at her door in the morning, a bomb hoax at work and now, a difficult conversation with her boss and her column being axed – it hasn’t been a good day for Eve. But she does have something to look forward to! Today is the day she finally gets to pick up her brand new solar-powered, custom-made Sunray – an extravagant purchase made with the advance she received for her forthcoming book. Her very own, self-driven car with all the bells and whistles, fully programmed for all her needs by…..drumroll please…Jolvix! What could possibly go wrong? Well…get ready for a wild ride…. this time, I mean it literally!

The fifth book in the inimitable Faith Gardner’s Jolvix Episodes series, Eve in Overdrive is UNPUTDOWNABLE! I don’t want to give away much more, but I will say that this intense edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller novella packs quite a punch. Eve’s fear is palpable as she fears for her life and her futile attempts to manipulate the situation in her favor dials the tension up a notch. I was actually holding my breath through some of the scenes. Some exceptional writing there! Once again, Faith Gardner gives us a fast-paced, gripping read in a futuristic setting that highlights how technology originally made to make our lives easier can be used as weapons against us. I can’t wait to read more from this immensely talented author in the future.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own! show less

4.5⭐️

A chance meeting between twenty-two-year-old Winona and a young woman named in a grief counseling group eventually leads to her renting a room at the infamous “Mirror House” – a rental property decorated on the outside by its residents with mirrors - where she hopes to find friends and a sense of family. Simon Spellmeyer, an eccentric former psychologist who leads the group, employs his own unconventional methods for self-improvement that the Mirror House boarders must be show more willing to accept. Winona, despite her misgivings, convinces herself that giving in to Simon’s methods is the best option for her. We follow Winona as she navigates the shifting dynamics within the group and Simon’s leadership and his eccentricity. As she begins to buckle under the personal and psychological pressure of being a “Mirror House girl,” will she be able to extricate herself from the hold that Simon and her new “family” have on her and if so, at what cost?

Smartly crafted with an interesting premise, unsettling and suspenseful, this is the kind of book you would want to finish in one sitting. The premise of the novel might not strike you as entirely original but Faith Gardner is a master storyteller and with her expertly sketched characters, intricate plotting ( with more than a few shocking turns along the way) and insightful exploration of cult mentality – the power, influence, psychological and emotional manipulation, and complex interpersonal and group dynamics - renders this novel an intense and absorbing read. The author does a commendable job of depicting the psychology of cult dynamics, Simon’s “Simonisms” with which he takes advantage others' vulnerabilities thereby exerting control over the group and Winona’s inner struggles – her insecurities and low sense of self - as she tries to make sense of what is truly happening inside Mirror House.

The narrative structure is interesting with most of the story presented from the first-person perspective of Winona following her journey at Mirror House and excerpts from a documentary on the Mirror House (a year after the events described by Winona) interspersed throughout the narrative. The accompanying music was a brilliant addition to the narrative, making for an overall entertaining experience.

Overall, I found The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner to be a riveting read that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy psychological thrillers. Though not a part of the author’s Jolvix series, I did enjoy the blink-and-you-miss-it reference to the same.

I always enjoy the bonus chapters in which the author ends her stories and “Home” was no exception!

I eagerly look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Many thanks to the author and Mirror House Press for the digital ARC of this novel via BookSirens. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. show less

Update (03/09/2023): Bonus Epilogue Chapter for Amen Maxine titled "The Call" is available now!

Loved the update on Rowena's life and the surprise mention of another more recent character in the series! Many thanks to the author, Faith Gardner! Check out the author's newsletter (sign up on her website www.faithgardner.com) for details on all the Bonus Epilogues out now!

Review for Amen Maxine:

Rowena Snyder is a stay-at-home mother who gave up her career and life in New York to move to show more Silicon Valley with her new husband Jacob, who works for a tech firm. Living in the house her husband grew up in, Rowena spends most of her time with her six-month-old daughter Michelle but misses her life in New York, her mother and her friends. She also suffers from anxiety and takes prescription medication for her condition. Her husband takes every opportunity to bring up her mental health, often unkindly, and his response to her problems is always to remind her to take her medication.

Enter ”Maxine”, an AI device in its beta testing stage– a “Digital Friend” for Rowena gifted by her thoughtful husband Jacob. Maxine once familiarized with Rowena’s life and other data quickly becomes an integral part of Rowena’s life.
Advice Mode? “Amen Maxine”
Prediction Mode? “Amen Maxine”

As the cracks begin to appear in her marriage and she continues to feel boxed in, Rowena finds comfort in her interactions with Maxine and takes Maxine’s advice and predictions to heart. After all, the predictions have been accurate and the advice have been solid. But as the narrative progresses Maxine’s predictions become very personal and increasingly disturbing.

With its crisp writing, fast-paced narrative with enough twists and turns that keep you hooked, and a main character you keep rooting for, this futuristic thriller is nothing like I have ever read before. With our dependence on technology and reliance on gadgets to make our lives easier, the premise of this novel does not come across as too far-fetched or unbelievable. The ending does require you to suspend disbelief but with a premise that is original in scope and exceptionally well-written, I found Amen Maxine by Faith Gardner to be Unique and Unputdownable!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for a digital review copy of this unique novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. show less