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Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Stillwater Girls in Books
May 22, 2019
Two sisters raised in fear are about to find out why in a chilling novel of psychological suspense from the author of The Thinnest Air.
Ignorant of civilization and cautioned against its evils, nineteen-year-old Wren and her two sisters, Sage and Evie, were raised in off-the-grid isolation in a primitive cabin in up-state New York. When the youngest grows gravely ill, their mother leaves with the child to get help from a nearby town. And they never return.
As months pass, hope vanishes. Supplies are low. Livestock are dying. A brutal winter is bearing down. Then comes the stranger. He claims to be looking for the girls mother, and hes not leaving without them.
To escape, Wren and her sister must break the rule they've grown up with: never go beyond the forest.
Past the thicket of dread, they come upon a house on the other side of the pines. This is where Wren and Sage must confront something more chilling than the unknowable. Theyll discover whats been hidden from them, what theyre running from, and the secrets that have left them in the dark their entire lives.
This was my first novel by Minka Kent and it was quite a suspenseful story.
The chapters switched between two characters which was good as well.
Wren, Sage and Evie are three sisters and their mother has been raising them in the forest away from all of civilization.
This is a great story that will have you on the edge of your seat from the first chapter. Very well written.
Loved the plot and the pace. Characters were very believable.
The ending is such an unexpected twist.
Will definitely be reading more from this author.
Highly recommend.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy of The Stillwater Girls. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
Ignorant of civilization and cautioned against its evils, nineteen-year-old Wren and her two sisters, Sage and Evie, were raised in off-the-grid isolation in a primitive cabin in up-state New York. When the youngest grows gravely ill, their mother leaves with the child to get help from a nearby town. And they never return.
As months pass, hope vanishes. Supplies are low. Livestock are dying. A brutal winter is bearing down. Then comes the stranger. He claims to be looking for the girls mother, and hes not leaving without them.
To escape, Wren and her sister must break the rule they've grown up with: never go beyond the forest.
Past the thicket of dread, they come upon a house on the other side of the pines. This is where Wren and Sage must confront something more chilling than the unknowable. Theyll discover whats been hidden from them, what theyre running from, and the secrets that have left them in the dark their entire lives.
This was my first novel by Minka Kent and it was quite a suspenseful story.
The chapters switched between two characters which was good as well.
Wren, Sage and Evie are three sisters and their mother has been raising them in the forest away from all of civilization.
This is a great story that will have you on the edge of your seat from the first chapter. Very well written.
Loved the plot and the pace. Characters were very believable.
The ending is such an unexpected twist.
Will definitely be reading more from this author.
Highly recommend.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy of The Stillwater Girls. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Videodrome (1983) in Movies
Sep 8, 2020
First It Controls Your Mind Than It Destorys Your Body
Holy shit this movie is good. The effects, the psychological espect, the sci-fi, the horror, the suspense, the mystery and James Woods.
The Plot: As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn (James Woods) is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend (Deborah Harry) auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.
Distributed by Universal Pictures, Videodrome was the first film by Cronenberg to gain backing from any major Hollywood studio. With the highest budget of any of his films to date, the film was a box-office bomb, recouping only $2.1 million from a $5.9 million budget.
Now considered a cult classic, the film has been cited as one of Cronenberg's best, and a key example of the body horror and science fiction horror genres.
The basis for the film came from David Cronenberg's childhood. Cronenberg used to pick up television signals from Buffalo, New York, late at night after Canadian stations had gone off the air, and worry he might see something disturbing not meant for public consumption.
After the box office success of Scanners, Cronenberg turned down the chance of directing Return of the Jedi, having had no desire to direct material produced by other filmmakers.
When it came to casting the character of Max Renn, Cronenberg chose James Woods, who was a fan of Rabid and Scanners and met with the actor in Beverly Hills to offer him the part, and liked the fact that Woods was very articulate in terms of delivery.
Its a excellent movie and a must see, same with david cronenberg's early horror films.
The Plot: As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn (James Woods) is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend (Deborah Harry) auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.
Distributed by Universal Pictures, Videodrome was the first film by Cronenberg to gain backing from any major Hollywood studio. With the highest budget of any of his films to date, the film was a box-office bomb, recouping only $2.1 million from a $5.9 million budget.
Now considered a cult classic, the film has been cited as one of Cronenberg's best, and a key example of the body horror and science fiction horror genres.
The basis for the film came from David Cronenberg's childhood. Cronenberg used to pick up television signals from Buffalo, New York, late at night after Canadian stations had gone off the air, and worry he might see something disturbing not meant for public consumption.
After the box office success of Scanners, Cronenberg turned down the chance of directing Return of the Jedi, having had no desire to direct material produced by other filmmakers.
When it came to casting the character of Max Renn, Cronenberg chose James Woods, who was a fan of Rabid and Scanners and met with the actor in Beverly Hills to offer him the part, and liked the fact that Woods was very articulate in terms of delivery.
Its a excellent movie and a must see, same with david cronenberg's early horror films.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Almost Missed You in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Violet and Finn are one of those couples that everyone believes is meant to be. Their story is one entwined with fate. They met once by chance and were reunited years later. Now married, with a young son, everything seems great for the couple. While vacationing in Florida, Violet cannot believe her good fortune. So imagine her shock when she returns from a relaxing nap on the beach to find their hotel room empty: Finn has vanished, and he has taken Bear, their son, with him. Violet has no explanation for this, and the FBI is quickly involved. Meanwhile, Finn's closest friend, Caitlin--who has become Violet's dear friend too--becomes entwined in the disappearance when Finn enlists her help. Will Violet ever see her son again? And why exactly did Finn vanish from that beach?
This novel definitely sucks you in right away. It's confusing and intriguing, as you're completely puzzled as to why Finn would run off and leave his beloved wife (and why would he take their son, too). In the beginning, I did not want to stop reading: the novel was completely addictive. Strawser slowly adds in additional details that thicken the plot, making Caitlin and her husband, George, as much as a part of the story as Finn and Violet. It's told in alternating points of view (Violet, Caitlin, Finn) and time periods, including after the kidnapping incident and before, leading up to Violet and Finn's history together. This effectively builds suspense and can drive you a tad insane, as a chapter in the past ends, leaving you dangling and wanting more details.
The problem for me was that, over time, the characters almost seemed their own worst enemies. Rather than a mystery/suspense novel, the book turns more psychological (nothing necessarily wrong with that) with each character bemoaning their various choices that have led up to this point. And seriously, they've made some stupid choices. It's one of those things where you want to scream: if you'd all just have talked to each other! Communication! Some of the ways of handling things seem awfully impractical for such serious issues (case in point: just about anything Caitlin does with her life, including her way of addressing the kidnapping).
Still, the novel continues to churn out some crazy twists, making it very interesting. The unveiling of Finn's past really carries the book about 3/4 through. You're continually wondering what happened, what he owes various characters, and why on earth he'd want to leave Violet (and take Bear).
As much as I enjoyed this novel and how suspenseful it was, I was frustrated by the characters - none of whom I cared for much at all beyond Violet. (I would have just strangled Finn if possible and potentially even Caitlin.) Again, some communication could have really saved some preposterous plot movements. There are a few times where characters seem to act way out of line for their development, etc. As the book nears a close, it drags on with their in-fighting and psychological messes, versus actual excitement, which was a little disappointing. I felt like we'd been through a lot of excitement for nothing and come out at the end with little but an emotional saga. The ending is awfully pat, too, and makes you think, really?
However, I truly did enjoy most of this book and found it incredibly suspenseful. It's easy to read and draws you in immediately. Even if you don't like all the characters, you'll be intrigued by their predicaments and the entire scenario. I'd certainly be interested in what Strawser comes up with next. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 03/28/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
This novel definitely sucks you in right away. It's confusing and intriguing, as you're completely puzzled as to why Finn would run off and leave his beloved wife (and why would he take their son, too). In the beginning, I did not want to stop reading: the novel was completely addictive. Strawser slowly adds in additional details that thicken the plot, making Caitlin and her husband, George, as much as a part of the story as Finn and Violet. It's told in alternating points of view (Violet, Caitlin, Finn) and time periods, including after the kidnapping incident and before, leading up to Violet and Finn's history together. This effectively builds suspense and can drive you a tad insane, as a chapter in the past ends, leaving you dangling and wanting more details.
The problem for me was that, over time, the characters almost seemed their own worst enemies. Rather than a mystery/suspense novel, the book turns more psychological (nothing necessarily wrong with that) with each character bemoaning their various choices that have led up to this point. And seriously, they've made some stupid choices. It's one of those things where you want to scream: if you'd all just have talked to each other! Communication! Some of the ways of handling things seem awfully impractical for such serious issues (case in point: just about anything Caitlin does with her life, including her way of addressing the kidnapping).
Still, the novel continues to churn out some crazy twists, making it very interesting. The unveiling of Finn's past really carries the book about 3/4 through. You're continually wondering what happened, what he owes various characters, and why on earth he'd want to leave Violet (and take Bear).
As much as I enjoyed this novel and how suspenseful it was, I was frustrated by the characters - none of whom I cared for much at all beyond Violet. (I would have just strangled Finn if possible and potentially even Caitlin.) Again, some communication could have really saved some preposterous plot movements. There are a few times where characters seem to act way out of line for their development, etc. As the book nears a close, it drags on with their in-fighting and psychological messes, versus actual excitement, which was a little disappointing. I felt like we'd been through a lot of excitement for nothing and come out at the end with little but an emotional saga. The ending is awfully pat, too, and makes you think, really?
However, I truly did enjoy most of this book and found it incredibly suspenseful. It's easy to read and draws you in immediately. Even if you don't like all the characters, you'll be intrigued by their predicaments and the entire scenario. I'd certainly be interested in what Strawser comes up with next. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 03/28/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
Becs (244 KP) rated As Night Falls in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Highlights: I love the cover, it gives off that thriller vibe. Great read, couldn’t put it down. Had me hanging onto every word from the beginning even though there were a few slower moments in the book.
Style: Medium read, not too heavy and also not too light of a read.
Point of View: Third-person
Difficulty Reading: As Night Falls was a pretty easy read for me, but I tend to find Thrillers a little easier to read. I wouldn’t say this was a light read but it’s also not a heavy read, lying somewhere in the middle. There were a few parts that had me taking a bit more time trying to read and understand what was going on but these moments were far and few in between all the good parts!
Promise: As Night Falls promises a psychological suspense thriller that will keep you on your toes while you gain a love for the characters, it delivers.
Quality: All-around great read. Defiantly recommend to everyone who likes Thriller reads, even if it’s just a little bit.
Insights: You will either love this book or you will hate it, there’s no in between. For me, this was a love relationship that deserves many other rereads.
Ah-Ha Moment: When Nick reveals that he is the brother of Sandy, I had to stop reading for a moment to ponder the thought and what all was revealed already throughout the book that gave it away.
Favorite quote: “These days, her daughter could make obedience sound like defiance.” – Pretty much sums up the way of children haha.
What will you gain: A love relationship for Sandy and her family, this includes Harlan (as he’s like Hodor from Game of Thrones – innocent and being controlled by Nick). And an ‘I want to kill you, you scum’ relationship with psycho Nick. Plus a great thriller read that deserves so much more love than what it currently is getting!
Aesthetics: Cover was what pulled me in at first. Then the switching from past and present was hard to get into the first couple of chapters, but I feel like it helped shape the book.
“Timing was going to be key.”
Style: Medium read, not too heavy and also not too light of a read.
Point of View: Third-person
Difficulty Reading: As Night Falls was a pretty easy read for me, but I tend to find Thrillers a little easier to read. I wouldn’t say this was a light read but it’s also not a heavy read, lying somewhere in the middle. There were a few parts that had me taking a bit more time trying to read and understand what was going on but these moments were far and few in between all the good parts!
Promise: As Night Falls promises a psychological suspense thriller that will keep you on your toes while you gain a love for the characters, it delivers.
Quality: All-around great read. Defiantly recommend to everyone who likes Thriller reads, even if it’s just a little bit.
Insights: You will either love this book or you will hate it, there’s no in between. For me, this was a love relationship that deserves many other rereads.
Ah-Ha Moment: When Nick reveals that he is the brother of Sandy, I had to stop reading for a moment to ponder the thought and what all was revealed already throughout the book that gave it away.
Favorite quote: “These days, her daughter could make obedience sound like defiance.” – Pretty much sums up the way of children haha.
What will you gain: A love relationship for Sandy and her family, this includes Harlan (as he’s like Hodor from Game of Thrones – innocent and being controlled by Nick). And an ‘I want to kill you, you scum’ relationship with psycho Nick. Plus a great thriller read that deserves so much more love than what it currently is getting!
Aesthetics: Cover was what pulled me in at first. Then the switching from past and present was hard to get into the first couple of chapters, but I feel like it helped shape the book.
“Timing was going to be key.”
Midge (525 KP) rated Shallow Water in Books
Jan 23, 2019 (Updated Jan 23, 2019)
Lots of suspense (1 more)
Great lead characters
Nail-biting Thriller!
"Shallow Water" is a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat story that has a bit of everything. From tension, fear, and panic to drama, romance and conflict, and joy and sorrow, there really is something for everyone. It is a suspenseful, psychological thriller fiction novel set in wonderfully scenic Pt. Redwood on California’s rural Mendocino coast.
What’s really likeable about it straight-away are the opening chapters that draw you into the main character, Clara Kendrick. She is a strong, feisty, sexy, confident, badass, journalist, but is living her life under the shadow of the past. She partially blames herself for the terrible unsolved murder of her best friend Ruthi eight years ago, memories of which continue to haunt her.
Clara receives a telephone call from a relative begging her to go and visit her sick mother who she hasn't seen since she fled from her home town all those years ago. She can't bear the thought of seeing her first-love and old flame Sean again. Relationships are put to the test when she does return and past issues are brought to the fore.
But not long into her return to Pt. Redwood, another teenage girl is found on the beach in similar circumstances to Ruthi. Clara and Sean find themselves at the centre of the investigation. Is there a serial killer at large, or is the second murder a coincidence?
I felt instantly on her side of the emotional and impulsive Clara, particularly in her initial dealings with Sean, her handsome, bad-boy first-love. You can immediately sense there is something still going on, and one of the highlights of the book is following how they deal with their emotional baggage. Sean is, at first, hard to work out but you gradually get to know him as the story unfolds and see that he has many surprising qualities. Both the plot and the character development are excellent, and the story-line is very believable. The story is both captivating and engaging. It held my interest from start to finish, and I found myself rooting for both Sean and Clara as they tried to deal with all of the accusations being made against them and the courage they showed in confronting their challenges.
"Shallow Water" was an interesting novel particularly for the interplay of the different characters - a distant and indifferent mother, a group of exceptionally bitchy grown-up teenagers and a judgemental, close-knit community. Plenty of twists and turns ups and downs along the way and plenty of surprises. I loved the authors writing style which I found very easy to read and the suspense at times had me scared and almost afraid to read on. I loved it!
I did figure out who was behind the murders but not until very near the climax of the book and I was very satisfied with the ending. I have been inspired to read more from Amanda J. Clay and I highly recommend this book. I suggest wholeheartedly that you add it to your reading list.
Thank you to LibraryThing and the author, Amanda J. Clay for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
What’s really likeable about it straight-away are the opening chapters that draw you into the main character, Clara Kendrick. She is a strong, feisty, sexy, confident, badass, journalist, but is living her life under the shadow of the past. She partially blames herself for the terrible unsolved murder of her best friend Ruthi eight years ago, memories of which continue to haunt her.
Clara receives a telephone call from a relative begging her to go and visit her sick mother who she hasn't seen since she fled from her home town all those years ago. She can't bear the thought of seeing her first-love and old flame Sean again. Relationships are put to the test when she does return and past issues are brought to the fore.
But not long into her return to Pt. Redwood, another teenage girl is found on the beach in similar circumstances to Ruthi. Clara and Sean find themselves at the centre of the investigation. Is there a serial killer at large, or is the second murder a coincidence?
I felt instantly on her side of the emotional and impulsive Clara, particularly in her initial dealings with Sean, her handsome, bad-boy first-love. You can immediately sense there is something still going on, and one of the highlights of the book is following how they deal with their emotional baggage. Sean is, at first, hard to work out but you gradually get to know him as the story unfolds and see that he has many surprising qualities. Both the plot and the character development are excellent, and the story-line is very believable. The story is both captivating and engaging. It held my interest from start to finish, and I found myself rooting for both Sean and Clara as they tried to deal with all of the accusations being made against them and the courage they showed in confronting their challenges.
"Shallow Water" was an interesting novel particularly for the interplay of the different characters - a distant and indifferent mother, a group of exceptionally bitchy grown-up teenagers and a judgemental, close-knit community. Plenty of twists and turns ups and downs along the way and plenty of surprises. I loved the authors writing style which I found very easy to read and the suspense at times had me scared and almost afraid to read on. I loved it!
I did figure out who was behind the murders but not until very near the climax of the book and I was very satisfied with the ending. I have been inspired to read more from Amanda J. Clay and I highly recommend this book. I suggest wholeheartedly that you add it to your reading list.
Thank you to LibraryThing and the author, Amanda J. Clay for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Menu (2022) in Movies
Nov 24, 2022
Puts the DARK in Dark Comedy
If a Film Comedy is Milk Chocolate and a Dark Comedy is Dark Chocolate, then the new film THE MENU (Directed by Mark Mylod - Game of Thrones) is the SPECIAL INTENSE (90%) Dark Chocolate of films.
And I mean that as a compliment.
Written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, THE MENU tells the tale of an exclusive, isolated restaurant, the 12 clients that head out to the secluded island this restaurant is on and the ego-maniacal, celebrity chef that runs this restaurant - and this dining experience. What starts out as a satire of these types of restaurants, the chefs and the hero-worship of it’s clientele turns into something much, much more sinister.
This is a film in 2 parts - the first part is a satire of the “Foodie” World with the dishes being somewhat absurd - and believable - as the attendees gush over the dishes, trying to interpret what they are being served and why. The 2nd half turns darker - as the real theme of the night emerges - but it is not the horror/slasher film that one is led to believe in the trailer, it is more of a psychological suspense thriller with some gore to accentuate the themes. (But make no mistake, there IS gore).
Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort in the Harry Potter films) is the perfect choice as the central figure in this film, Chef Slowik. He controls the screen by standing still and when he speaks and goes into action he pulls the audience - and his clientele - into his web.
Anya Tayor-Joy (THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT) is growing into an actress that is extremely interesting to watch on film and she more than holds her own up against Fiennes in their scenes together. She becomes just as much a force as he is.
The supporting characters in this adventure are interesting ranging from the always good John Leguzamo to Judith Light to Nicholas Hoult and Janet McTeer. They all flesh out characters that could have been just 2 dimensional background characters, but in the capable hands of these performers, they become much more.
Special notice needs to be made of Hong Chau (DOWNSIZING) as Chef Slowik’s main assistant. She pretty much holds down the center of the first part of this film (as we build up the entrance of Fiennes’ character) and she pulls it off with an understated strong performance.
Director Mylod treads an interesting line in THE MENU as he starts this film as a satire, moves it to a dark comedy fairly quickly and then moves it to a much darker place while still keeping the satiric and dark comedic tones as the more sinister things are happening. It’s a tightrope walk to be sure, and Mylod pulls it off.
It’s the type of film that will be difficult to find an audience for it is 2 types of films put together as one - and neither will totally satisfy hard-core fans - but for someone who is looking for an intelligent suspense film (with some gore and, again, let me emphasize that there IS gore) than this MENU will satisfy.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And I mean that as a compliment.
Written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, THE MENU tells the tale of an exclusive, isolated restaurant, the 12 clients that head out to the secluded island this restaurant is on and the ego-maniacal, celebrity chef that runs this restaurant - and this dining experience. What starts out as a satire of these types of restaurants, the chefs and the hero-worship of it’s clientele turns into something much, much more sinister.
This is a film in 2 parts - the first part is a satire of the “Foodie” World with the dishes being somewhat absurd - and believable - as the attendees gush over the dishes, trying to interpret what they are being served and why. The 2nd half turns darker - as the real theme of the night emerges - but it is not the horror/slasher film that one is led to believe in the trailer, it is more of a psychological suspense thriller with some gore to accentuate the themes. (But make no mistake, there IS gore).
Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort in the Harry Potter films) is the perfect choice as the central figure in this film, Chef Slowik. He controls the screen by standing still and when he speaks and goes into action he pulls the audience - and his clientele - into his web.
Anya Tayor-Joy (THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT) is growing into an actress that is extremely interesting to watch on film and she more than holds her own up against Fiennes in their scenes together. She becomes just as much a force as he is.
The supporting characters in this adventure are interesting ranging from the always good John Leguzamo to Judith Light to Nicholas Hoult and Janet McTeer. They all flesh out characters that could have been just 2 dimensional background characters, but in the capable hands of these performers, they become much more.
Special notice needs to be made of Hong Chau (DOWNSIZING) as Chef Slowik’s main assistant. She pretty much holds down the center of the first part of this film (as we build up the entrance of Fiennes’ character) and she pulls it off with an understated strong performance.
Director Mylod treads an interesting line in THE MENU as he starts this film as a satire, moves it to a dark comedy fairly quickly and then moves it to a much darker place while still keeping the satiric and dark comedic tones as the more sinister things are happening. It’s a tightrope walk to be sure, and Mylod pulls it off.
It’s the type of film that will be difficult to find an audience for it is 2 types of films put together as one - and neither will totally satisfy hard-core fans - but for someone who is looking for an intelligent suspense film (with some gore and, again, let me emphasize that there IS gore) than this MENU will satisfy.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Cross Her Heart in Books
Mar 11, 2019
Intruiging thriller though it didn't "wow" me
Lisa lives a quiet life with her teenage daughter, Ava. She keeps a close-hold on her, which chafes on Ava, who is ready for independence from her mother. But Lisa has a good reason. She has a secret past: one she's never shared with Ava or even her best friend and co-worker, Marilyn. All that changes when Ava rescues a young boy from drowning at a local fair. Her picture and Lisa's are splashed across the news and papers, threatening the world Lisa has so carefully constructed. As things begin to fall apart, each of the three women must begin to confront the many secrets they have been keeping.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. I seem to be one of the few people left on the planet who hasn't read Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes. However, all the hype about that one probably raised my expectations for this novel. I will admit, I found it to be oddly captivating. It's told from the points of view of Lisa, Ava, and Marilyn and oscillates between the present and the past. As a result the story unfurls slowly, releasing details in increments. It certainly adds to the tension and suspense of the book.
It's clear that all three women have their own secrets, but figuring out what they are is pretty fascinating. The book definitely kept me guessing until the end. Just when I thought I had something figured out, it threw me another curveball. I didn't particularly love Lisa or Ava--Ava more because I felt like I didn't get to know her that well, but I really liked Marilyn. Pinborough is very good at capturing the voices of her characters--each was unique and easy to picture.
In the end, I found the plot for this one to be interesting, and it kept me reading. Still, it's something that I can't really explain, except to say that nothing about this book "wowed" me. I liked it, but didn't love it. There's no real reason that I can put my finger on, just a feeling. Still, this is a very intriguing psychological thriller. It's twisty, with interesting characters. I still need to get to BEHIND HER EYES.
Thank you to William Morrow for my copy!
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. I seem to be one of the few people left on the planet who hasn't read Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes. However, all the hype about that one probably raised my expectations for this novel. I will admit, I found it to be oddly captivating. It's told from the points of view of Lisa, Ava, and Marilyn and oscillates between the present and the past. As a result the story unfurls slowly, releasing details in increments. It certainly adds to the tension and suspense of the book.
It's clear that all three women have their own secrets, but figuring out what they are is pretty fascinating. The book definitely kept me guessing until the end. Just when I thought I had something figured out, it threw me another curveball. I didn't particularly love Lisa or Ava--Ava more because I felt like I didn't get to know her that well, but I really liked Marilyn. Pinborough is very good at capturing the voices of her characters--each was unique and easy to picture.
In the end, I found the plot for this one to be interesting, and it kept me reading. Still, it's something that I can't really explain, except to say that nothing about this book "wowed" me. I liked it, but didn't love it. There's no real reason that I can put my finger on, just a feeling. Still, this is a very intriguing psychological thriller. It's twisty, with interesting characters. I still need to get to BEHIND HER EYES.
Thank you to William Morrow for my copy!
Good Me, Bad Me
8.0
Rate It
Book
ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY, CONTROVERSIAL AND EXPLOSIVE DEBUTS OF 2017, Good Me Bad Me is for...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Believe Me in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this story is Claire, an extremely talented, but very unlucky actress. Due to the lack of green card and work, she is forced to work as a decoy in catching out cheating spouses. Until one dies. Who is the killer? Is it Claire? Is it a victim’s husband? Or is it someone else altogether? You will have to read it to figure that out! 😛
This book has a very interesting variety of characters, we have elegant and artistic actors; classy, intelligent and very poetic victim’s husband, and like always, insightful police. But the real star in this book was Claire. Her ability to transform into different characters was absolutely stunning, and I really loved that she shared how these transformations made her feel. I think it was a great insight into actor’s psyche.
The narrative always kept me on the edge. There are so many twists and deception, that you never know what to expect next. Sometimes it feels, that the plot is slowing down, but that is just a very creatively incorporated “quiet before the storm” phase. 😉 The narrative was told from a single perspective, but that was necessary to keep the suspense going, and it was fully sufficient for me. This novel discusses quite a variety of topics, such as foster families in the UK; actor’s struggles in the market; kinky sex community; mental institutions and their work methods; art, and when it becomes a danger to society; etc. Due to this wide variety, the plot didn’t have the chance to be boring for me. 🙂
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it was very insightful and creative. The ending was absolutely mind-blowing, it left me absolutely baffled. I had to sit down and rethink all the plot, to figure out what was real and what was the illusion. The chapters are pretty short, and once I started, they just flew by. 🙂 I liked that the setting of this book was constantly changing, that created more intrigue to me, as a reader.
So, to conclude, it is a very artistic, poetic and sophisticated psychological thriller, where suspicions and illusion plays an integral part. I absolutely loved the complexity of the characters and unexpected turns and twists, that is why, I strongly recommend to read this book, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 🙂
This book has a very interesting variety of characters, we have elegant and artistic actors; classy, intelligent and very poetic victim’s husband, and like always, insightful police. But the real star in this book was Claire. Her ability to transform into different characters was absolutely stunning, and I really loved that she shared how these transformations made her feel. I think it was a great insight into actor’s psyche.
The narrative always kept me on the edge. There are so many twists and deception, that you never know what to expect next. Sometimes it feels, that the plot is slowing down, but that is just a very creatively incorporated “quiet before the storm” phase. 😉 The narrative was told from a single perspective, but that was necessary to keep the suspense going, and it was fully sufficient for me. This novel discusses quite a variety of topics, such as foster families in the UK; actor’s struggles in the market; kinky sex community; mental institutions and their work methods; art, and when it becomes a danger to society; etc. Due to this wide variety, the plot didn’t have the chance to be boring for me. 🙂
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it was very insightful and creative. The ending was absolutely mind-blowing, it left me absolutely baffled. I had to sit down and rethink all the plot, to figure out what was real and what was the illusion. The chapters are pretty short, and once I started, they just flew by. 🙂 I liked that the setting of this book was constantly changing, that created more intrigue to me, as a reader.
So, to conclude, it is a very artistic, poetic and sophisticated psychological thriller, where suspicions and illusion plays an integral part. I absolutely loved the complexity of the characters and unexpected turns and twists, that is why, I strongly recommend to read this book, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 🙂
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Shadow Friend in Books
Jan 26, 2021
The protagonist of this story is Paul. He has to come back to a miserable town where he grew up after he found out that his mother is about to die. Paul hates that town for so many reasons, but mainly because of what happened when he was young. This book is told from a dual perspective. Another character sharing details is Amanda, she is a detective, investigating a murder, that looks exactly like the one that happened many many years ago. Amanda has her own issues, and she is kind of a background character in this book. I liked Paul as a character, he was a good kid, he is awkward, but a nice guy. All the characters chosen in this novel are quite mysterious, and the whole book has a very depressing and gloomy atmosphere, that works very well in Alex North’s books.
The narrative of this novel is exceptionally well written. The author used a dual timeline, we have the events happening now, and the events that happened when Paul was young. My favourite was the ones from the past, of course. It absolutely absorbed me, I was so eager to find out what happened all those years ago. The parts from the present were quieter and more self-reflecting, sharing the inner struggles, but creepy nevertheless. This book is very twisty, and some of the turns really left me gobsmacked and surprised. The topics discussed in this novel were lucid dreaming, bullying, wish to belong, abusive parents, mental abuse, dementia and its effects, parent-child relationships, the influence of the internet and many, many more.
I really love Alex North’s writing style. He is amazing in creating suspense, and all the mind manipulation of the reader was truly amazing. 🙂 The chapters are quite short, I was engrossed in this novel, so the pages just flew by, for me. The ending was shocking and very unexpected, but I did like the way this novel ended. I hope someone will adopt this novel to a film, I am pretty sure it would be wickedly good. 🙂
So, to conclude, I really liked this horror psychological thriller. The characters are very mysterious and the plot is absorbing, layered and complex. This book left me emotionally shaken in the best possible way, and I really recommend to those, who would like something creepy.
The narrative of this novel is exceptionally well written. The author used a dual timeline, we have the events happening now, and the events that happened when Paul was young. My favourite was the ones from the past, of course. It absolutely absorbed me, I was so eager to find out what happened all those years ago. The parts from the present were quieter and more self-reflecting, sharing the inner struggles, but creepy nevertheless. This book is very twisty, and some of the turns really left me gobsmacked and surprised. The topics discussed in this novel were lucid dreaming, bullying, wish to belong, abusive parents, mental abuse, dementia and its effects, parent-child relationships, the influence of the internet and many, many more.
I really love Alex North’s writing style. He is amazing in creating suspense, and all the mind manipulation of the reader was truly amazing. 🙂 The chapters are quite short, I was engrossed in this novel, so the pages just flew by, for me. The ending was shocking and very unexpected, but I did like the way this novel ended. I hope someone will adopt this novel to a film, I am pretty sure it would be wickedly good. 🙂
So, to conclude, I really liked this horror psychological thriller. The characters are very mysterious and the plot is absorbing, layered and complex. This book left me emotionally shaken in the best possible way, and I really recommend to those, who would like something creepy.