Review: Dark Things I Adore

Dark Things I Adore by Katie Lattari
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book through Early Reads.
I am rounding up my review on this book just a bit, but I did really enjoy it. This story of Audra, an Art Student who seems to be playing some sort of cat-and-mouse game with her advising professor, was atmospheric, griping, and suspenseful. Trying to decipher just exactly what Audra had planned for Max, her professor, was compelling, as was the earlier timeline following a group of artists at a camp in rural Maine. While I attempted to deduce who was who in the earlier timeline and how it related to Audra and Max I was completely drawn into the setting of the woodlands of Maine and its scenery, sights, smells, and textures. The author did a great job of creating a slow-burning yet intense feeling of impending doom, and it was obvious action in both the timelines would move to a powerful climax.
Audra, while perhaps not exactly a sympathetic character to every reader, was relatable; the reader could understand her motivations. Max was well-drawn as well, and Juniper--from the earlier timeline--served as a sort of witness to events that the reader could identify with.
My only issue with the book, and why I would give it 3.5 stars, is the Mantis part of the storyline. He ended up being very important to the story but I felt he was not quite fleshed-out enough--especially at the very end. I personally needed a little bit more there. 
Despite that, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great autumn read, or anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers, or slow-burning mysteries with twisty plots and perhaps unreliable points-of-view.

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