Kathleen Rhodes

When I finished reading this book, my friend asked, "Well, what did you think?" and my answer? "I don't know." I found it confusing a lot of the time. In the beginning, I kept getting John and Paul confused. Then, when they were in the "in between" the jumping around got tedious and I don't know how many times I said, "What is happening?" I also found some of the "insights" a little sermonic, "Life is a two -way street, coming or going, forward or backward, wrong direction and the right one. show more Full of choices." I also read about half the book at the beach in one sitting. I connected with the characters and the love between the daughters and mothers was so thoroughly expressed, I cried toward the end. It also eloquently showed the impact of trauma, the lifelong pain it can inflict, and how difficult the recovery could be. My heart broke for these characters and I was rooting for Shelly. I don't like scary books and by the cover it looks terrifying (to me), but it wasn't scary. I also wouldn't call it a thriller, but it is gripping. It was an interesting and unique book and I commend Kathleen Rhodes for being able to convey her perspective. show less

The Dark Road is an intense psychological thriller that follows two strangers through an emotional journey to the darkest part of their subconscious. After a car accident puts both Shelly and John in a coma, they find themselves stuck together in a metaphysical world where they are confronted by the demons of their past, literally.

I can honestly say that I’ve never read a book like this one before. As someone who has always had a passion in psychology, I was fascinated by these characters show more and the authors illustration of trauma. While the book is definitely ominous and somewhat eerie at times, It felt less like a thriller and more like a very dark literary fiction.

This book gives a whole new meaning to healing your inner child. It does a really good job of walking you through the complexities of various psychological wounds and the overwhelming undertaking of healing from the past. I loved how Rhodes highlights the grief of generational trauma through Shelly and her 7 year old daughter Josie. The writing is beautifully descriptive, constructing an intense connection to the characters emotional states.

While reading this book I felt a bit of emotional whiplash as the pacing of the short chapters felt very sporadic and somewhat tedious at times. Sometimes the plot was difficult to follow as the point would get lost in the detailed writing. With that being said, the vivid writing is extremely helpful to develop a greater understanding of the complex reality the book is set in.

The concept of this metaphysical waiting room is horrifying. I look forward to reading whatever Rhodes comes up with next. show less

The Dark Road was unputdownable with fast-paced action from cover to cover. Rhodes accurately embodies trauma in this dark story without getting too lost in any singular character's experience. If you like dark themes, psychological thrillers, and twisty tales with complex characters, this is the book for you!

First time winning a book here I was wondering where this book came from bc I LOVED IT! I read this one a few months back and still remember it.
Def recommend this book. It was fun, fast-paced, and I couldn’t put it down. I related to the main character a little more than I should have. It seriously gave me anxiety reading. All the praises!
This book goes deep and has rich characters. It’d make for a perfect book club pick.