The Long Weekend Review

Sam knows that he and his friend Lloyd made a colossal mistake when they accepted the ride home. They have ended up in a dark mansion in the middle of nowhere with man who means to harm them. But Sam doesn't know how to get them out. They were trapped, then separated. Now they are alone. Will either of them get out alive? This gripping and hypnotic thriller will have you reading late into the night.

Taken from GoodReads.

The Long Weekend follows the story of Sam and Lloyd, two friends who find themselves in a very scary and very dangerous situation. Sam just started at a new school and was fortunate to find a good friend in Lloyd – someone he can joke around with and not feel like the new kid. One weekend, when their plans go awry, the two make the mistake of getting in a car with a stranger without thinking and the longest weekend of their lives begins. They’re taken to an old secluded mansion and separated from one another, left to the mercy of the sinister stranger. Can they make it out alive, or even in one piece?

I was invited to review The Long Weekend by author, Savita Kalhan, and I couldn’t resist. I have a penchant for mysteries and thrillers, and when they’re in the YA genre, I’m sold from the get-go. Despite being written for a young adult audience, the author tackles an extremely sensitive and chaotic topic, merging it with beautiful prose and vivid imagery to keep the story and madness alive. I’m not lying when I say this book gave me the chills more than once. Though Kalhan is delicate in her wording for the audience, it’s no less scary or creepy.

What I found most amazing about The Long Weekend was how perfect the voice of 11-year-old Sam sounded. It felt very tangible and both Sam and Lloyd’s fear was perfectly depicted. Nothing was overdone or overplayed, so the subtleties in the story really rang through and heightened the suspense. The boys go through a range of emotions from worry, to surprise, to potential excitement, to downright fear, matched well with the pacing to keep the flow of The Long Weekend going throughout the slim book (it's a quick read). I was on the edge of my seat throughout, rooting for both Sam and Lloyd because I really got inside their heads.

All in all, The Long Weekend was a fabulous read. I give it a firm 5 out of 5, and I’d have to say this is one of the most underrated books I’ve heard of in a while, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it. I would recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who like horror, realistic fiction, and contemporary fiction.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.