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The Life She Wants
The Life She Wants
Mel Sherratt | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am a fan of Mel Sherratt's work and always look forward to reading her books but, I have to say, never have I been so confused as I was with this one.

Now, whilst at first this might seem to be a negative, let me reassure you that if you stick with it, everything falls into place very nicely and the confusion was well worth it in the end.

Told from different perspectives over different timelines, this is a complex storyline which deals with various unsavoury but important and contemporary themes; coercive control, domestic abuse and loss. These are hard-hitting subjects but Mel deals with them with respect.

There are a number of characters and all have a part to play but I found I didn't really focus on them that much as I was more interested in the story and how it was going to play out. That's not to say they weren't great characters, far from it, it's just that the story was so engrossing that they felt secondary to me somehow.

Full of secrets, lies and manipulation, this is a book that makes you angry and sympathetic all at the same time. It's definitely one that kept me totally engrossed and I couldn't read fast enough.

With atmosphere, suspense and tension aplenty, this is a book that I would definitely recommend to lovers of psychological thrillers and I have to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
WA
We're all going to the world's fair (2021)
2021 | Drama, Horror
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
We're all going to the world's fair is an interesting film. The story focuses on Cassey, a girl who decides to take the 'World fair' change, an online/live action horror game. Before taking the challenge the player is warned that game will change them. The player then says "I want to go to the world fair" 3 times, pricks their finger to draw blood then watch a short video. They then film how they are changed.
'World's fair' is mostly shot as YouTube videos and Snapchats, most of which are from Cassey's perspective, other 'World's fair' players or the other main character, JBL.
With only two major characters the film is a slow burn, following the effect the game has on Cassey and the help that JBL tries to give her.
The film ends in a certain ambiguity, both with just how serious Cassey is taking the game and with what JBL's intentions really are and I do think that the film may have been better without the final scene as (I feel) it takes away a bit of the final mystery.
'We're all going to the world's fair' is more creepy than scary and doesn't really have any gore or jump scares relying on a more creeping, psychological form of horror as we watch Cassey's deterioration.
'We're all going to the world's fair' is an interesting film that plays on the the phenomenon of creepy pasta and role-play but doesn't offer anything for gore, slasher, body horror fans.
  
Killing Me Softly (To Love a Psycho #3)
Killing Me Softly (To Love a Psycho #3)
C.F. White | 2025 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
oh so deadly!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the To Love A Psycho, and you CANNOT read it as a stand alone, you MUST )MUST MUST MUST!!!!) read the previous two books before this one.

I'm going to be very vague in this review, and try really hard not to give spoilers!

Kenny and Aaron, these two have not had it easy and it's really only fitting that the last book is quite possibly the worse for them!

I did not, absolutely never, ever, see that one coming at me! I don't read reviews before I read a book, but I will read them after I've read a book and before I write my review. I just want to see whether other readers felt as I did and I'm pleased to say, many were blindsided just as much as me!

Jack has been a side character who grew on me greatly. I loved that Aaron and Jack were able to become friends. They really both love Kenny, if not in the same way.

It's dark and oh so deadly, I had to keep putting it down and come back to it. I had to catch my breath, almost, before the next thing was thrown at these two, and someone else died!

I'm gonna wrap up. If you like your books twisted and deeply psychological, one for you. It pushed me to my very limits but I'm glad I read them!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere