While her rehab counselor’s advice replays in her mind, Ansley Boone takes on the role of dutiful bridesmaid in her little sister’s wedding at an isolated resort in the middle of hill country, a place where cell reception is virtually nonexistent and everyone else there seems a stranger primed to spring. Tensions are already high between the Boones and their withdrawal suffering eldest, who has … has since become the family embarrassment, but when the wedding reception takes a vicious turn, Ansley and her sister must work together to fight for survival and escape the resort before the groom’s cannibalistic family adds them to the post wedding menu.
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This is Kenzie’s Debut novel, and it lives up to all my expectations. I had read (and loved) her novella “Red station” Book 7 in the Splatter Western Series by Death’s head press, so really wanted to read this one for a while, and settled down in my hammock ready for absolute mayhem.
One of the core elements of Kenzie’s work that impressed me in that former novella was her character work, and that is here in spades. The “action” of the novel starts at more or less the halfway point, and I’ve seen other reviewers say they felt that was too long, but for me, it was wonderfully timed. I cared about the MC, Ansley, and her sister, Shay. Their sisterhood, their relationship with their parents, Ansley’s drug addiction, her fight to cope with everyday things, all of it was perfect – for this detail’s nerd. It’s a solid base, from which to spring the mayhem of the dinner slaughter. Loved it.
It reminded me of Tim Meyer’s Paradise club to an extent – a setup of something that is not what it seems, to have the main characters on the run for their lives, but I was a lot more emotionally engaged in this one. It’s Splatterpunk, make no mistake, something I can’t say I really enjoy (I don’t watch slasher movies, for this reason, it’s prolonged killing, and life is horrific enough) but yeah – I have to say I was thrilled in this, rooting along for the sisters and wondering how badly it could all go. The ending is a ball out of leftfield – great reveal, a smack to the senses, and made possible by the fantastic work Kenzie did in setting up a believable world, made so through the detailed and lovingly rendered character work she sets up in the first half, which is then all ripped apart by the reveal of the reality behind it all.
This flew by, and was a highlight of my holiday reading. All the stars, Kenzie. All the stars.
I like it so far, still reading it.
Ansley Boone is a young woman with issues. She has been in rehab to manage her detox and anger management. Her little sister, Shay, is getting married and is insisting Ansley be a part of the wedding. Ansley arrives at the “resort” where the wedding is to take place and begins to meet her soon to be in-laws that talk the talk and walk the walk of upper echelon sophistication. It is a wedding! It’s supposed to be a happy day! Jennings gives us a glimpse of what it’s like to be in the bridal party with all of the preparation for the big day. Little do the Boone’s know that the soon to be in-laws have a secret. The story continues to build as the tension between family boils. Then the pressure cooker explodes and pandemonium ensues! Jennings creates such a hysteria that I was hooked into finishing the story that sitting. What a wild ride!
So, keep your hands in the car and lap belt secure because this ride is gonna knock you around and twist your brain so you say WTF? Yea, she goes there and it’s grand!