14/7/2018 0 Comments Review: Now You See Her
My Review: What is worse?
Losing a child? Or losing someone else’s child? The beginning of this book is a slow burn; akin to the suburban life it is set. Scattered with red herrings and unreliable alibis, it seems no one could have done it yet a little girl has gone missing. It turns satisfyingly from a who-dunnit to a why-did-they-did-it. The characters are real and believable which makes the situation all the more damning and distressing. The climax was fulfilling with all the clues dropped like breadcrumbs coming to fruition. A thoroughly good read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review.
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30/6/2018 0 Comments Review: Her Name Was Rose
My Review: I remember reading the first chapter back in January 2018 on BleachHouseLibrary.ie and I couldn't wait to read the rest. Five months later I got my chance!
When Emily sees a horrific hit-and-run it opens psychological wounds. And a can of paranoid worms stemming from a dubious past. Emily wishes she has the life Rose had but when she gets close to Rose's loved ones, friends, and colleagues. Emily is not the only one who has a time working out what is the truth or not, the entire cast could be straight out of a modern day Agatha Christie with more than one red herring thrown in for good measure. I read the second half in one sitting (with all the lights on!) and couldn't possibly have gone to bed until it was finished. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review.
My Review: This book has been out since March 2017, and I even though the front page and tagline captured my attention I always had a gazillion books on the go, however, this time it didn't pass me by.
I don't like to do spoiler reviews but here I think it's needed. Once I had finished the book I was surprised how I missed the BIGGEST CLUE OF ALL!? I mean it was on THE FRONT OF THE BOOK. SOMETIMES I LIE It's the bloomin' title! I had no idea that Amber was an unreliable narrator and I was Team Amber until it became obvious that perhaps I shouldn't be rooting for her. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 31/5/2018 0 Comments Review: Florida
My ReviewI like all stories, but there is something that stops me at buying short story anthologies. Having said that - David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas felt more like a collection of short stories than a novel. And after reading this book, I can't help but wonder where all other other short story compendiums are? If Florida was not by the acclaimed new literature it girl - Lauren Groff - would I have noticed it? Probably not.
I enjoyed all but one of these stories, and the theme of Florida was ever present without feeling forced. Ms Groff is an exceptional writer and her words and sentences are beautiful and leave you wanting more. The really lovely thing about this book of short stories is bedtime reading consisted of indulging in one entire story each night, resulting in a sense of completion before turning off the light. Utter bliss. I look forward to her next writing in whichever form. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a complimentary e-copy of Florida in exchange for my honest review. 20/4/2018 0 Comments Review: The Family at No. 13
My Review: I enjoyed S.D. Monaghan's debut novel The Accident and looked forward to reading The Family at No. 13.
I read the book whilst travelling from Africa to the UK, through two airports, and on two respective planes. It kept me sane during a particularly long delay at Entebbe Airport waiting for a Turkish Airlines flight. It took me a couple of chapters to get into the story from the two standpoints of Connor and Mary. But by chapter three I was in for the long haul. You never know what goes on behind closed doors... I love the nosy curtain-twitching of neighbourhood thrillers - as the old adage goes you never know what goes on behind closed doors. The first chapter opens with a dead body and it would be easy to assume it would be an average whodunnit, but how wrong I was. The rich story was so all-consuming that I almost forgot about the crescendo I was hurtling towards chapter by chapter, until the final twist! The story is about families. The story is about relationships and marriages. The story is about neighbours. The story is about difficult teenagers. The story is about ambition. Above all, the story is about the complexity of people living in close proximity to others. I lost count of the clever, subtle twists. It was a joy to spend time with the multi-faceted residents of St Catherine's Hill. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of The Family at Number 13 in exchange for my honest review. |
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