Son Of A Willy Wonka's Nerds Candy! 😳😯🤯😳

Well turn me sideways & fluff my stuffing! Being an insomnia suffer myself, not only did this intrigue me but scared the bageezus out of me! The amped up anxiety, tension and my own experience sure made this book damn real enough for me! I was gripped the book like my life depended on it dying to know what was next, what would happen, just how much worse it could get for Daisy!

Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Daisy is a mother, wife and writer and she's been suffering from insomnia for years. However lately it's been getting worse. She's tried everything possible with little to no relief. Until an assignment comes her way to attend a new sleep clinic at a resort and spa for a week, all expenses paid, promising a cure. The owner and chief therapist, Amity, believes she can find the under root cause for Daisy's insomnia but the secret Daisy holds dear, is something she'll never give up. As she progresses day by day, Daisy feels more paranoid and anxious, less sleep than ever when Amity tries to make her more vulnerable for her own purposes.

The one time my insomnia was a welcome was being able to dive into this novel as I didn't want to stop! Holy fluff, this was intense, delish, & I gobbled this up with my late night guilty snack of ice cream while reading. That ending through me for a heckuva spin! This has got to be her best book yet. Fabulously and twistfully done! But, needless to say, I won't be attending any sleep clinics in the near future anytime soon. Thanks Miranda! 😂

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Release Date: July 24, 2022

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 4 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊

To be honest, I picked this book based on the title. I’ve been an insomniac since I was a kid, and I’m in the midst of a bad bout of it. I decided to wallow in sympathy for myself and check this book out.
I’m so glad I did! I couldn’t put it down, There were a couple of small things that felt predictable to me, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely recommended!

Thank you to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Insomniac by Miranda Rijks is a psychological thriller that you won't be able to put down! The story revolves around Daisy, who suffers from insomnia. Then, she gets a free week's retreat at a wellness spa. But when she arrives, things starts going wrong. Is this spa the answer to her dreams, or will it turn into a living nightmare?

Here is a gripping excerpt from the opening chapter:

"I can't sleep. I try to get comfortable in bed but it's impossible, despite shifting into every conceivable position. It's my mind that's stopping me from relaxing, the racing thoughts and the fear that my life is about to come tumbling down. I made a mistake. A terrible mistake that could destroy everything I've worked so hard for. It was stupid and I should never have done it, never have strayed from what I know is right. But I did it and now they're going to make me pay."

Overall, The Insomniac is an unputdownable thriller that will appeal to fans of Nine Perfect Strangers or The Sanatorium. One highlight of this book is how action-packed it is. It was nonstop psychological torture for the main character, which was interesting to read. Another highlight of this book was the ending twist, which I wasn't expecting at all. I thought that I had the plot figured out, but I was completely surprised. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of psychological thrillers in general, you can check out this book when it comes out in July!

Journalist Daisy can’t sleep. She suffers from terrible insomnia that prevents her from getting more than a few hours of sleep on a good night. When her boss asks her to review a new spa with a special sleep study program, it seems like the answer to a prayer. Psychologist Amity, who runs the spa, is highly unconventional but promises to cure Daisy’s insomnia once and for all. To do this, she has to get to the root of what is causing Daisy’s insomnia. But Daisy knows full well why she can’t sleep - it’s the guilt she has from keeping a terrible secret for years.

Psychological thrillers are my favorite! I personally love a story with an unreliable narrator, multiple sketchy characters and twists you never see coming. This story is told mostly from Daisy’s perspective, but we get a few glimpses into Amity’s methods and what is driving her. I finished this book in less than 24 hours because it was that gripping! I couldn’t put it down until I saw how the story ended. This was the first Miranda Rijks book I read but it won’t be the last!

Thank you to Netgalley, Inkubator books and Miranda Rijks for the ARC! “The Insomniac” releases July 24th.

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 😊

The Insomniac by Miranda Rijks
Daisy can’t sleep. But the cure is her worst nightmare.
Daisy hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in years. Her chronic insomnia has gotten so bad, it’s affecting her job as a journalist. So she’s delighted when she’s asked to review a new, luxurious sleep clinic - this could be the answer to her prayers.
At first, everything about the clinic seems perfect - the stunning seaside location, the beautiful rooms, the exquisite cuisine.
Clinic owner and chief therapist, Amity, is sure she can cure Daisy’s insomnia by uncovering its root cause. But to do that, she’ll use hypnosis to probe deep into Daisy’s past. And that’s not good – because Daisy has a terrible secret.
As Amity digs into her mind, Daisy feels more and more vulnerable. She begins to think there is something off about the clinic. Is her insomnia making her paranoid or does Amity have her own sinister agenda?
Fearing the past has finally caught up with her, Daisy wonders if she should just leave. But that’s not so easy – because this clinic, which was supposed to offer rest and safety, is the most terrifying place she’s ever been…
Really enjoyable read. Great story. Twisty. 4*.

I pretty much read this in one sitting.
It was an easy read, which in my eyes is not an insult.
The plot didn't go far from where I expected it to, thanks to the laying of subtle clues along the way.
It did feel slightly over the top towards the end, but for me, that just made it a more fun read.
Perfect for the poolside.

This book was creepy and I liked it. I really enjoyed reading it! It hooked me from page one and kept me on my toes!