A Sinister Gift by Jacinthe Dessureault has undoubtedly one of the most unique plots I've come across. Jacinthe Dessureault has an inherent ability to connect past to the present, leaving no scope for confusion. However, the characters could have done better with some sort of grey flavours to them. Rolland is an exception to this critic; this character kept me doubtful throughout. The twists, although quite shocking, could have come sooner and more frequently. The slow development with no major twists for a while provided no incentive to keep on reading. A patient reader, however, will be rewarded with an unforgettable story.

I love paranormal mysteries with strong female protagonists and the promotion blurb for this boo, was a bit different,

The mystery is a bit twisted, the heroine likeable. The writing style is a bit dated in that it better suits the alternate timeline.

A step up from a cozy mystery and a good weekend read!

I read the blurb for this one and was intrigued. I love paranormal mysteries and urban fantasies; they are my favorite genres, with cozy paranormals a close second. I dived in, and I admit that at first I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book at all. First off, even though it takes place in the present, the writing and the characters kind of remind me of the era where the Rolland came from even when we aren’t in his era, and I’m not fond of books that take place in the past or sound that way. However, once I got into the rhythm of the book and we meet everyone, I really started to enjoy this book. It is well-written and entertaining, and I definitely like the way it all wrapped up. This was a little different than the books I’ve read recently, and I’m up for the next one. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

I really didn't know what to expect from this but I actually really enjoyed it!

It felt like a really unique story with solid foundations with how the paranormal aspects interact with the world as we know it. Elenora was a really enjoyable character who I was really rooting for.

Rolland's story was so intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster of figuring out whether he was trustworthy or not!

A great read, especially for Halloween season! Can't wait to read the next installment next year.

This had quite an original plot. Elenora is getting visions during her pregnancy and is somehow connected to someone from another era. The author brings an engaging mystery. I look forward to the next book.

Disclaimer: I was given an advanced reader copy for review.

A Sinister Gift was not my usual read but the description intrigued me. Upon opening the book, I was introduced to one of the most interesting concepts. The visions that Elenora starts having and their connection to a murderer from the 1800s is a fabulous mystery that has you perplexed for most of the book. The dangerous game of cat and mouse that they have to play in order to try and stop the darkness inside Rolland is so well done that the suspense will have you binge reading.

Character wise, I think that some characters were very well developed and characterized while others fell very flat for me. I think that they could have been more strongly portrayed if Dessureault had made stronger choices in how to portray them. Though I will say that both our main characters seemed to have the most work done on them. Tom felt lifeless to me and when he had moments of character it felt like it had come out of nowhere.
I will recognize that this book is mostly plot driven so the stronger characters aren't a necessity but it would have been nice.

Without giving any spoilers, The pregnancy is very interesting and I would love to see how it becomes of even more importance in later books.

I think that one of the things that Dessureault did well was setting up a mystery with distinct answers. From the beginning, there is an answer that we have to work towards. I think that Dessureault also excelled in the slow reveal of the answers. We get clues and pieces to work out slowly bringing the story into focus. My one complaint however is the ending. I think that the ending left something to be desired for me. I think it was a little long and could be tightened up more. In fact I think that the entire book could use some tightening. However the end is especially noticeable. It runs long and goes in depth in places where the reader could be trusted to figure out things, or accept things as having happened. Show don't tell is important, but sometimes can be too monotonous and you are better off telling to get the reader to the important parts.

Overall I think that the book was solid and I am curious to see if there could be more books surrounding another mystery.

After reading the premise for this book, I thought it would be a good paranormal mystery to read. It starts out with a bang, but doesn't quite hit the mark. I finished was but it just didn't click with me. I am debating whether to read more from this author, I'll wait for the next in the series and see then. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.