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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Lies We Told in Books
Nov 26, 2018
Fantastic Plot Twists (1 more)
Interesting Characters
Plot Twists Abound!
I believe I first heard about The Lies We Told by Camilla Way on Goodreads. When I read the book synopsis, I knew it was a book I had to read. I'm so glad I did because I loved this book.
The pacing in The Lies We Told was brilliant. It is such a fast paced psychological suspense novel! I found myself having a hard time putting this book down. Never once did it slow down to the point of being boring, and it never went too too quickly where I had no clue what was going on.
I really did enjoy the plot and the world building. For the most part, The Lies We Told is written fabulously. The plot is interesting., and I loved how it changed from us reading about Clara to hearing from Beth's point of view throughout the story. Clara's boyfriend Luke goes missing. She knows he had a stalker, but he never took it seriously. Clara becomes even more worried when she finds some worrying emails sent to Luke. As she starts to learn more and more about Luke's past, she puts herself in danger, and she's worried that Luke may be in even more danger. There were so many plot twists and turns in The Lies We Told. I loved it! This book had me guessing, and I was never right! There's even a plot twist towards the very end. All but one of my questions were answered. I won't go too much into it because it would spoil almost all of the book, but I will just say that I was left wondering why the police didn't do one thing once the truth had been revealed. I would have thought it would have been protocol if someone suggests it. Sorry for leaving you hanging, but I can't go into much detail.
The characters in The Lies We Told were so well written and fleshed out. I could relate to Clara a lot. I loved how far she was willing to go to find out about Luke. Hannah was another great character to read about. I found her to be the most interesting character of the story if I'm honest. I also enjoyed reading about Mac. He seemed like a great friend. Luke's parents also seemed very sweet, and I would sympathize with Beth when she would talk about Hannah. However, keep in mind that with this book, some of the characters aren't who and what they seem which was great!
Trigger warnings for The Lies We Told include profanity, cheating, blackmail, lying, kidnapping, mentions of sex, alcohol and some drug use, mental illness, death, murder, and violence.
Overall, The Lies We Told is such a brilliant book. It's got a fascinating plot, very interesting characters, and fantastic plot twists that will leave you scratching your head! I would definitely recommend The Lies We Told by Camilla Way to everyone aged 17+. I really enjoyed it.
The pacing in The Lies We Told was brilliant. It is such a fast paced psychological suspense novel! I found myself having a hard time putting this book down. Never once did it slow down to the point of being boring, and it never went too too quickly where I had no clue what was going on.
I really did enjoy the plot and the world building. For the most part, The Lies We Told is written fabulously. The plot is interesting., and I loved how it changed from us reading about Clara to hearing from Beth's point of view throughout the story. Clara's boyfriend Luke goes missing. She knows he had a stalker, but he never took it seriously. Clara becomes even more worried when she finds some worrying emails sent to Luke. As she starts to learn more and more about Luke's past, she puts herself in danger, and she's worried that Luke may be in even more danger. There were so many plot twists and turns in The Lies We Told. I loved it! This book had me guessing, and I was never right! There's even a plot twist towards the very end. All but one of my questions were answered. I won't go too much into it because it would spoil almost all of the book, but I will just say that I was left wondering why the police didn't do one thing once the truth had been revealed. I would have thought it would have been protocol if someone suggests it. Sorry for leaving you hanging, but I can't go into much detail.
The characters in The Lies We Told were so well written and fleshed out. I could relate to Clara a lot. I loved how far she was willing to go to find out about Luke. Hannah was another great character to read about. I found her to be the most interesting character of the story if I'm honest. I also enjoyed reading about Mac. He seemed like a great friend. Luke's parents also seemed very sweet, and I would sympathize with Beth when she would talk about Hannah. However, keep in mind that with this book, some of the characters aren't who and what they seem which was great!
Trigger warnings for The Lies We Told include profanity, cheating, blackmail, lying, kidnapping, mentions of sex, alcohol and some drug use, mental illness, death, murder, and violence.
Overall, The Lies We Told is such a brilliant book. It's got a fascinating plot, very interesting characters, and fantastic plot twists that will leave you scratching your head! I would definitely recommend The Lies We Told by Camilla Way to everyone aged 17+. I really enjoyed it.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Belko Experiment (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
A group of Americans and other foreign Nationals have been hired to work for a multi-national company in Columbia for a company named Belko. The Company offers housing, a car, company credit card and great benefits so people are more than willing to sign up even when company policy mandates that any foreign workers must get a microchip to help track them in the event of a kidnapping.
In the new film “The Belko Experiment” audiences are taken on a psychological thrill ride about what happens when corporate life takes a nightmare turn.
Michael Milch (John Gallagher Jr.), heads to work one morning and finds that the local employees are being sent home by a new and very stern faced and heavily armed security force.
One in their modern high rise office, he and his other workers guess it is some sort of security drill and nothing to worry about. His boss Barry Norris (Tony Goldwyn) claims to be unaware of any changes and what is behind them but promises to look into it.
When the building’s security shutters unexpectedly close and all communications go down, the staff thinks that it is simply another security drill or a test. However a voice over the communication system tells the workers that they must kill two of their group in thirty minutes or suffer the consequences. The group thinks this is all some kind of prank until four people drop dead from the implants in their head which also contain an explosive.
Factions soon form as people are unsure what to do next and whom to trust. In a nod to Lord of the Flies, we see what happens when conventions of society break down and how people often revert to a base and brutal nature for survival. When the mysterious voice then tells them that 30 of the group must die or 60 will be killed, the stakes and the action really kick into high gear.
The film is at times brutal but not as gratuitous as other films. What it does well is mix characters that many might be able to relate to so you can find yourself wondering how you would react in a situation like the one presented. As the body count and tensions rise, the characters do become a bit like cannon fodder as we are not given enough to care about their survival.
The film was written by James Gunn who said the idea came to him in a dream. Gunn is clearly busy with his work on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series so Director Greg McLean directed the film and has created an interesting film that does borrow from other films, as it does bring to mind “The Hunger Games” and “Cube” but it does deliver a good dose of escapist entertainment.
http://sknr.net/2017/03/19/the-belko-experiment/
In the new film “The Belko Experiment” audiences are taken on a psychological thrill ride about what happens when corporate life takes a nightmare turn.
Michael Milch (John Gallagher Jr.), heads to work one morning and finds that the local employees are being sent home by a new and very stern faced and heavily armed security force.
One in their modern high rise office, he and his other workers guess it is some sort of security drill and nothing to worry about. His boss Barry Norris (Tony Goldwyn) claims to be unaware of any changes and what is behind them but promises to look into it.
When the building’s security shutters unexpectedly close and all communications go down, the staff thinks that it is simply another security drill or a test. However a voice over the communication system tells the workers that they must kill two of their group in thirty minutes or suffer the consequences. The group thinks this is all some kind of prank until four people drop dead from the implants in their head which also contain an explosive.
Factions soon form as people are unsure what to do next and whom to trust. In a nod to Lord of the Flies, we see what happens when conventions of society break down and how people often revert to a base and brutal nature for survival. When the mysterious voice then tells them that 30 of the group must die or 60 will be killed, the stakes and the action really kick into high gear.
The film is at times brutal but not as gratuitous as other films. What it does well is mix characters that many might be able to relate to so you can find yourself wondering how you would react in a situation like the one presented. As the body count and tensions rise, the characters do become a bit like cannon fodder as we are not given enough to care about their survival.
The film was written by James Gunn who said the idea came to him in a dream. Gunn is clearly busy with his work on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series so Director Greg McLean directed the film and has created an interesting film that does borrow from other films, as it does bring to mind “The Hunger Games” and “Cube” but it does deliver a good dose of escapist entertainment.
http://sknr.net/2017/03/19/the-belko-experiment/
BackToTheMovies (56 KP) rated The Captor (2019) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
2019 certainly seems to be the year of Ethan Hawke slaying it in movies! The Kid was a powerhouse performance enough to warrant and the year off but then The Captor is released and once again. Wow. Ethan Hawke only goes and blows the bloody doors off this real-life true story about a bank robbery in Stockholm. This is our The Captor review.
It’s 1973 and Lars Nystrom (Hawke) walks into a bank in Stockholm firing a rifle and takes two staff members hostage. Demanding $1m, a blue Mustang and the release of Gunnar Sorensson (Mark Strong) a famous bank robber. What transpires over the next few hours is beyond belief and it’s difficult to even comprehend that most of this actually happened in real life!
Starring an all-star cast of Hawke, Mark Strong and Noomi Rapace The Captor has cult classic written all over it. Hawke plays this bat shit crazy robber who’s jumped in way above his head. The performances all round not only support Hawke’s center stage dominance but they add depth to the story. We have moments of relaxation in the vaults as character arcs are developed and relationships formed. It really is a film that’s all guns blazing one minute, hilarious comedic moments the next and then tones down and becomes level headed the next.
Director and screenwriter Robert Budreau never over embellish any scenes or characters. We really see both sides of Nystrom’s (Hawke) motives and back story. A man so up front with bravado when push comes to shove but a character of layers with a vulnerable and kind-nature hiding inside. The latter of those personality traits leads to one of the captors in question falling for her captor. Stockholm Syndrome explains this very phenomenon and in the US the movie is actually titled ‘Stockholm’ before being renamed to The Captor here in the UK.
Mark Strong rocks the double denim as Gunnar Sorensson and acts like a brother of sorts to Hawke’s Nystrom. It’s great watching the scenes between the police throughout as they scramble to try and meet Nystrom’s ludicrous demands. Gunnar’s intentions are never clear or really explained throughout. He’s just happy to be out of jail if albeit with an ulterior motive.
I feel as thou the direction of the movie is trying to put us in the shoes of the hostages. The very same hostages that in real life never testified against their captors. They’re portrayed as the rebellious force with good motives whilst the police are portrayed as the bad guys who want to make them pay. Noomi Rapace plays the emotional anchor of the movie and the bond that develops between her and Nystrom is palpable.
“This movie has cult classic written all over it”
There’s no psychological explanation about the phenom that is Stockholm Syndrom it’s just a routine, tootin good time!
https://backtothemovies.com/the-captor-review-a-cult-classic-ethan-hawke-at-his-finest/
It’s 1973 and Lars Nystrom (Hawke) walks into a bank in Stockholm firing a rifle and takes two staff members hostage. Demanding $1m, a blue Mustang and the release of Gunnar Sorensson (Mark Strong) a famous bank robber. What transpires over the next few hours is beyond belief and it’s difficult to even comprehend that most of this actually happened in real life!
Starring an all-star cast of Hawke, Mark Strong and Noomi Rapace The Captor has cult classic written all over it. Hawke plays this bat shit crazy robber who’s jumped in way above his head. The performances all round not only support Hawke’s center stage dominance but they add depth to the story. We have moments of relaxation in the vaults as character arcs are developed and relationships formed. It really is a film that’s all guns blazing one minute, hilarious comedic moments the next and then tones down and becomes level headed the next.
Director and screenwriter Robert Budreau never over embellish any scenes or characters. We really see both sides of Nystrom’s (Hawke) motives and back story. A man so up front with bravado when push comes to shove but a character of layers with a vulnerable and kind-nature hiding inside. The latter of those personality traits leads to one of the captors in question falling for her captor. Stockholm Syndrome explains this very phenomenon and in the US the movie is actually titled ‘Stockholm’ before being renamed to The Captor here in the UK.
Mark Strong rocks the double denim as Gunnar Sorensson and acts like a brother of sorts to Hawke’s Nystrom. It’s great watching the scenes between the police throughout as they scramble to try and meet Nystrom’s ludicrous demands. Gunnar’s intentions are never clear or really explained throughout. He’s just happy to be out of jail if albeit with an ulterior motive.
I feel as thou the direction of the movie is trying to put us in the shoes of the hostages. The very same hostages that in real life never testified against their captors. They’re portrayed as the rebellious force with good motives whilst the police are portrayed as the bad guys who want to make them pay. Noomi Rapace plays the emotional anchor of the movie and the bond that develops between her and Nystrom is palpable.
“This movie has cult classic written all over it”
There’s no psychological explanation about the phenom that is Stockholm Syndrom it’s just a routine, tootin good time!
https://backtothemovies.com/the-captor-review-a-cult-classic-ethan-hawke-at-his-finest/
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Gerald's Game (2017) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
When I first heard about the Stephen King book called Gerald’s Game I was about 16 years old, and it scared the shit out of me! Just the concept and the idea of it happening to you. So I never read the book. In my mind, I had imagined the worst already and did not want to go there.
It was with some trepidation, then, that I stepped into this Netflix production, and may never have done so at all, were it not for some interesting reviews suggesting this was not normal horror fare, but more of a psychological exploration. Carla Gugino I barely knew. I have always liked Bruce Greenwood as an actor, however, so in I plunged…
For the next hour or so I was transfixed! The simplicity of the premise, the economy of the direction, and an innovative way of telling the story visually, had me hooked. It always felt like not a lot of money had been spent, but in a good way – no fancy tricks and gimmicks, just storytelling. And a few well placed shocks to the system that left me gasping out loud! (One moment in particular that had me jump to my feet shouting FFS involuntarily)
It isn’t a horror film in the way that genre has become in the last 20 years. No real jump shocks or manipulation, but some stomach churning moments of discomfort that genuinely disturb and make you want to look away! And all because we are invited to imagine ourselves in this situation. What would we do? How would we feel. And I always felt that was the power of this particular idea.
Psychologically, the notion that we may never truly know anyone, even ourselves, until the very worst happens is a compelling theme. The secrets we hide; the traumas that build our personalities, and just how strong would we be in a survival situation. And that is where this film is at its best. Gugino is never less than believable and occasionally incredible in achieving this. Greenwood is fine, and plays his part, but it is her film, no doubt at all.
Sadly, where this film fails is the last 15 minutes, when inexplicably the entire mood shifts and we find ourselves watching a completely different film, with a different message, and some of the worst backward facing exposition I have even seen! I won’t go into details here for spoilers sake… but, anything good achieved to that point was ruined by the ending.
Perhaps in the book the twist end makes sense this way, somehow. Here it is laughable. So much so that I need to know why they chose to do it? 30 years on from first hearing about it, I am going to be brave and read the book, because I can only believe loyalty to the source material could have led this production to such a preposterous ant-climax.
It was with some trepidation, then, that I stepped into this Netflix production, and may never have done so at all, were it not for some interesting reviews suggesting this was not normal horror fare, but more of a psychological exploration. Carla Gugino I barely knew. I have always liked Bruce Greenwood as an actor, however, so in I plunged…
For the next hour or so I was transfixed! The simplicity of the premise, the economy of the direction, and an innovative way of telling the story visually, had me hooked. It always felt like not a lot of money had been spent, but in a good way – no fancy tricks and gimmicks, just storytelling. And a few well placed shocks to the system that left me gasping out loud! (One moment in particular that had me jump to my feet shouting FFS involuntarily)
It isn’t a horror film in the way that genre has become in the last 20 years. No real jump shocks or manipulation, but some stomach churning moments of discomfort that genuinely disturb and make you want to look away! And all because we are invited to imagine ourselves in this situation. What would we do? How would we feel. And I always felt that was the power of this particular idea.
Psychologically, the notion that we may never truly know anyone, even ourselves, until the very worst happens is a compelling theme. The secrets we hide; the traumas that build our personalities, and just how strong would we be in a survival situation. And that is where this film is at its best. Gugino is never less than believable and occasionally incredible in achieving this. Greenwood is fine, and plays his part, but it is her film, no doubt at all.
Sadly, where this film fails is the last 15 minutes, when inexplicably the entire mood shifts and we find ourselves watching a completely different film, with a different message, and some of the worst backward facing exposition I have even seen! I won’t go into details here for spoilers sake… but, anything good achieved to that point was ruined by the ending.
Perhaps in the book the twist end makes sense this way, somehow. Here it is laughable. So much so that I need to know why they chose to do it? 30 years on from first hearing about it, I am going to be brave and read the book, because I can only believe loyalty to the source material could have led this production to such a preposterous ant-climax.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated When Darkness Falls in Books
Mar 13, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
When Darkness Falls by Kathleen Harryman is an extremely gripping thriller that will have readers up all night. This psychological murder mystery is uniquely written from the killer’s perspective and will have you making conclusions only to find out that you are oh so very wrong.
Tracy Bennett seems to be an average young woman. She has a typical and relatively boring job at a store and leads a typical life. Tracy has her own apartment which she shares with the mysterious Lauren. In her free time Tracy hangs out with her tow best friends Susie and Abigal. For as normal and mundane as Tracy’s life is there are things going on that are directly related to her, yet just like everyone else she remains oblivious.
There is someone terrorizing the city, though the police have prevented an all out panic. This person is suspected to be a large and rather muscular man, the press has named The Slasher. The real Slasher hates this name as they see their murders as artwork. This is the killer’s story and they take great pride in what they do. The killer is extremely aware of how forensic teams work and finds it funny playing mind games with them. The killers is also aware of how society labels them and often debates the characteristics of these traits and personality types. But just who is The Slasher? What makes them choose the seemingly random victims and how will all this affect Tracy?
I don’t know where to start when talking about what I liked best about this book. The perspective this book was written from was refreshing in how unique it was. Even once I figured out what was going on I did not want to accept it and the book always had me second guessing myself. While it may be a little confusing at times it is all explained in the end. What I liked least about this book is that there is not currently a sequel (thought I truly hope Kathleen Harryman writes one). This is one of those books that once you finish it you are left wanting more.
This book is ideal for adults and young adults who can handle reading graphic descriptions of blood and gore. Other than that there are mentions of a rape but nothing in detail. It could however, potentially give younger readers nightmares. I rate this book 4 out of 4. A word of warning, be careful when you start to read this book because you won't want to stop until its done. There was nothing in this book that I truly did not like and that alone is rare and impressive.
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Tracy Bennett seems to be an average young woman. She has a typical and relatively boring job at a store and leads a typical life. Tracy has her own apartment which she shares with the mysterious Lauren. In her free time Tracy hangs out with her tow best friends Susie and Abigal. For as normal and mundane as Tracy’s life is there are things going on that are directly related to her, yet just like everyone else she remains oblivious.
There is someone terrorizing the city, though the police have prevented an all out panic. This person is suspected to be a large and rather muscular man, the press has named The Slasher. The real Slasher hates this name as they see their murders as artwork. This is the killer’s story and they take great pride in what they do. The killer is extremely aware of how forensic teams work and finds it funny playing mind games with them. The killers is also aware of how society labels them and often debates the characteristics of these traits and personality types. But just who is The Slasher? What makes them choose the seemingly random victims and how will all this affect Tracy?
I don’t know where to start when talking about what I liked best about this book. The perspective this book was written from was refreshing in how unique it was. Even once I figured out what was going on I did not want to accept it and the book always had me second guessing myself. While it may be a little confusing at times it is all explained in the end. What I liked least about this book is that there is not currently a sequel (thought I truly hope Kathleen Harryman writes one). This is one of those books that once you finish it you are left wanting more.
This book is ideal for adults and young adults who can handle reading graphic descriptions of blood and gore. Other than that there are mentions of a rape but nothing in detail. It could however, potentially give younger readers nightmares. I rate this book 4 out of 4. A word of warning, be careful when you start to read this book because you won't want to stop until its done. There was nothing in this book that I truly did not like and that alone is rare and impressive.
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https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Baby Doll in Books
Sep 24, 2020
When I read the description of this book, I was ready to enjoy the long and thrilling escape, with lots of twists along the way, but to my disappointment that didn’t happen. The first few chapters gave me the hope, so I carried on, and then decided to continue just to see what will happen.
This book is actually what happens after you escape your kidnapper and go back to safety. The victim who got away in this book was Lilly, during captive years she delivered a daughter Sky. Lilly has a twin sister Abby, and their mother Eve. The villain in this book is Rick – a high school teacher and a psychopath. The whole story of this book is told by Lilly, Abby, Eve, and Rick. The author made the whole plot into nicely flowing, continuous story, told by four different and unique characters.
Every character had their way of telling the story. Lilly was the sweet girl, who suffered immensely, and that tragedy follows her in everything she does, even though she is free. Abby is the rebel twin sister, who sees the whole situation in a more aggressive way, and all she wants is revenge. Eve is the mother, who struggles between their daughters and her own happiness. Rick is a sociopath/psychopath, who justifies his cruelty and doesn’t see any fault of his actions. I am really grateful when authors put into the story, what murderers and psychopaths think, I find it very interesting and amusing to read. It’s just mesmerizing, how messed up some people can be, even though they look like normal, respected citizens of the society. So there are plenty of characters to choose from, and my favourite was Abby. She knew what had to be done, and did it.
Even though the plot was not what I expected, it was still quite a page turner, because author brought in some unexpected turns and twists in this book, which left me surprised. There is quite a bit of psychological suspense in this thriller, opening up the post-traumatic state of mind and difficult adjustment into the society. Hollie Overton is an identical twin herself, and it was really lovely, the way she wrote about the connection between twins, that bond and sacrifices are truly magical to me.
The writing style of this book was easy to read and enjoyable. Even though it doesn’t have the nastiness which Lilly suffered in detail, it still contains some strong language due to Abby’s strong character. Another plus from me to this book was short chapters, which made it a quick and more suspenseful novel. I liked the way author ended this book, with yet another turn in the story, changing many lives and futures. So, even though it does not promise exciting escape, it still brings its subtle turns and twists, playing and manipulating with character’s different states of mind.
This book is actually what happens after you escape your kidnapper and go back to safety. The victim who got away in this book was Lilly, during captive years she delivered a daughter Sky. Lilly has a twin sister Abby, and their mother Eve. The villain in this book is Rick – a high school teacher and a psychopath. The whole story of this book is told by Lilly, Abby, Eve, and Rick. The author made the whole plot into nicely flowing, continuous story, told by four different and unique characters.
Every character had their way of telling the story. Lilly was the sweet girl, who suffered immensely, and that tragedy follows her in everything she does, even though she is free. Abby is the rebel twin sister, who sees the whole situation in a more aggressive way, and all she wants is revenge. Eve is the mother, who struggles between their daughters and her own happiness. Rick is a sociopath/psychopath, who justifies his cruelty and doesn’t see any fault of his actions. I am really grateful when authors put into the story, what murderers and psychopaths think, I find it very interesting and amusing to read. It’s just mesmerizing, how messed up some people can be, even though they look like normal, respected citizens of the society. So there are plenty of characters to choose from, and my favourite was Abby. She knew what had to be done, and did it.
Even though the plot was not what I expected, it was still quite a page turner, because author brought in some unexpected turns and twists in this book, which left me surprised. There is quite a bit of psychological suspense in this thriller, opening up the post-traumatic state of mind and difficult adjustment into the society. Hollie Overton is an identical twin herself, and it was really lovely, the way she wrote about the connection between twins, that bond and sacrifices are truly magical to me.
The writing style of this book was easy to read and enjoyable. Even though it doesn’t have the nastiness which Lilly suffered in detail, it still contains some strong language due to Abby’s strong character. Another plus from me to this book was short chapters, which made it a quick and more suspenseful novel. I liked the way author ended this book, with yet another turn in the story, changing many lives and futures. So, even though it does not promise exciting escape, it still brings its subtle turns and twists, playing and manipulating with character’s different states of mind.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Silent Patient in Books
Sep 2, 2019
Alicia Berenson is a well-known painter married to a famous photographer, Gabriel. They have a picture-perfect life, so-to-speak. But all that changes when Gabriel returns home from work one evening and Alicia shoots him five times. Then she goes silent, refusing to speak. Her silence makes her case even more famous, causing intense public speculation. Her paintings become coveted objects. Alicia, meanwhile, is sent to the Grove, a secluded psychiatric forensic unit, for treatment. There, Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, gains a job primarily just to work with Alicia, determined to be the one to help her speak again. But he becomes consumed with her case--something that may put his own health and safety into jeopardy.
This is a book that I read solely based on the recommendations of Goodreads and #bookstagram friends. It was quite hyped, and sometimes I shy away from all the hype, ha. I really did enjoy it, though I probably always feel a little let down by the crazily hyped books. It's just my nature. That being said, I do think this is a really good read and extremely captivating.
It's incredibly bizarre and puzzling--told via excerpts from Alicia's journal (pre-murder) and then Theo's viewpoints. We are left to wonder if, indeed, Alicia is truly crazy. The fact that she shot her husband, Gabriel, isn't really up for debate. But why? What led this talented artist to kill, and so violently? Reading her journal, we ponder, is she mentally ill? Is what she's telling us even really happening? Some of the narratives may or may not contradict each other, and the result is a fast-paced, twisty tale that keeps you guessing the entire time. I was sucked into both Alicia and Theo's minds. One of the best things about this book is that you may not always like Theo or Alicia, but you'll want to know about them. You'll find yourself completely engaged in their story--a sign of a good read, if you ask me.
"There's so much pain everywhere, and we just close our eyes to it. The truth is we're all scared. We're terrified of each other. I'm terrified of myself--and of my mother in me. Is her madness in my blood? Is it?"
I stayed up late to finish this one, as I absolutely had to know what happened. There are several twists and turns, and, as I mentioned, it keeps you guessing. The perspective in this book is unique, and I really welcomed how different it felt. It's a consuming, shocking read that basically absorbs you and as different parts of the story are revealed, it grows more and more intense.
Overall, this is a really excellent psychological thriller. It's nearly impossible to put down. It is different, with damaged characters that will draw you in from the start. 4+ stars!
This is a book that I read solely based on the recommendations of Goodreads and #bookstagram friends. It was quite hyped, and sometimes I shy away from all the hype, ha. I really did enjoy it, though I probably always feel a little let down by the crazily hyped books. It's just my nature. That being said, I do think this is a really good read and extremely captivating.
It's incredibly bizarre and puzzling--told via excerpts from Alicia's journal (pre-murder) and then Theo's viewpoints. We are left to wonder if, indeed, Alicia is truly crazy. The fact that she shot her husband, Gabriel, isn't really up for debate. But why? What led this talented artist to kill, and so violently? Reading her journal, we ponder, is she mentally ill? Is what she's telling us even really happening? Some of the narratives may or may not contradict each other, and the result is a fast-paced, twisty tale that keeps you guessing the entire time. I was sucked into both Alicia and Theo's minds. One of the best things about this book is that you may not always like Theo or Alicia, but you'll want to know about them. You'll find yourself completely engaged in their story--a sign of a good read, if you ask me.
"There's so much pain everywhere, and we just close our eyes to it. The truth is we're all scared. We're terrified of each other. I'm terrified of myself--and of my mother in me. Is her madness in my blood? Is it?"
I stayed up late to finish this one, as I absolutely had to know what happened. There are several twists and turns, and, as I mentioned, it keeps you guessing. The perspective in this book is unique, and I really welcomed how different it felt. It's a consuming, shocking read that basically absorbs you and as different parts of the story are revealed, it grows more and more intense.
Overall, this is a really excellent psychological thriller. It's nearly impossible to put down. It is different, with damaged characters that will draw you in from the start. 4+ stars!