creaseinthespinebooks's review against another edition
5.0
A captivating unputdownable twisted thriller.
Shalini has created a crazy,psychological drama that really keeps you wanting more. The final reveals and outcome were totally unexpected and well worth waiting for.
Shalini has created a crazy,psychological drama that really keeps you wanting more. The final reveals and outcome were totally unexpected and well worth waiting for.
proudlocks's review against another edition
4.0
Loads of twists and turns, read it in one night. Nothing happened like I expected.
nasuckow's review against another edition
3.0
I finished this book a few days ago but its taken me that long to find words for it and I'm still not sure what to say. The story seemed to take a long time. The main character was almost too whiny but what kept me going is I needed to know what happened. The climax was mediocre until news of the step father which finally got it going. The ending was again mediocre until the epilogue which left me trying to figure out what the crap just happened.
bc7ate9's review
1.0
⭐️1/2 I didn’t like this book. The main character drove me crazy. I can’t stand people who refuse to acknowledge mental health issues, refuse to accept help, refuse to speak up for themselves, refuse to hold their partners accountable…I just couldn’t feel sorry for her. I skimmed the second half just to see how it ended. The Epilogue would’ve made a far more interesting book.
michbella17's review against another edition
4.0
This book has a great synopsis. Imagine hearing an unknown male stranger's voice on your baby monitor "just take the baby now and go." Kirsty rushes to baby Daisy's room and finds the room empty except for a sleeping baby Daisy. Kirsty figures her baby monitor picked up a signal from another house but as far as she knows there are no other babies in her quiet neighbourhood. The police and even Kirsty's own husband don't believe her. This causes Kirsty to become paranoid about her daughter's safety and makes her mistrusting of her neighbours. This was a quick easy read that was very enjoyable. 3.5 stars!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.
noveldeelights's review
5.0
4.5* --> 5*
Holy guacamole! What a rollercoaster of a story this is! It left me reeling and in desperate need of a stiff drink.
Kirstie is a new mom to a baby girl called Daisy. One night, she’s awoken by voices coming from the baby monitor. Convinced someone is trying to harm her baby, Kirstie races upstairs but there’s nobody there and her baby is sound asleep. This event really rattles her though and soon her entire life starts to fall apart as she becomes increasingly afraid for her baby’s safety.
As someone who frequently suffers from periods of insomnia, I have no problems whatsoever imagining how sheer exhaustion can play tricks on you and make you feel like you’re losing your mind. Kirstie is losing a lot of sleep as well, staying awake all hours because she doesn’t feel safe in her own home. But is her fatigue to blame or is something else going on? It’s incredibly easy to sympathise with her, to relate to her distress. Even though she sometimes makes some dubious decisions, I could understand her quest in keeping her daughter safe from harm.
This psychological thriller kept me guessing until the end and as the tension built up, I found myself inching closer and closer to the edge of my sofa. Just like Kirstie herself, I started suspecting everyone, wondering about their intentions, trying to figure out if they were hiding something and if so, what secrets were lurking behind the closed doors of this seemingly quiet and peaceful cul-de-sac. But I never would have guessed the outcome, even if it had come up to me and hit me in the face. What a shocker!
This is another brilliantly gripping, totally addictive and engrossing page-turner by Shalini Boland. It grabbed me by the throat from the very first page and wouldn’t let go. I’d go as far as to say I think this is the author’s best one yet and I absolutely can’t wait for her next offering!
Holy guacamole! What a rollercoaster of a story this is! It left me reeling and in desperate need of a stiff drink.
Kirstie is a new mom to a baby girl called Daisy. One night, she’s awoken by voices coming from the baby monitor. Convinced someone is trying to harm her baby, Kirstie races upstairs but there’s nobody there and her baby is sound asleep. This event really rattles her though and soon her entire life starts to fall apart as she becomes increasingly afraid for her baby’s safety.
As someone who frequently suffers from periods of insomnia, I have no problems whatsoever imagining how sheer exhaustion can play tricks on you and make you feel like you’re losing your mind. Kirstie is losing a lot of sleep as well, staying awake all hours because she doesn’t feel safe in her own home. But is her fatigue to blame or is something else going on? It’s incredibly easy to sympathise with her, to relate to her distress. Even though she sometimes makes some dubious decisions, I could understand her quest in keeping her daughter safe from harm.
This psychological thriller kept me guessing until the end and as the tension built up, I found myself inching closer and closer to the edge of my sofa. Just like Kirstie herself, I started suspecting everyone, wondering about their intentions, trying to figure out if they were hiding something and if so, what secrets were lurking behind the closed doors of this seemingly quiet and peaceful cul-de-sac. But I never would have guessed the outcome, even if it had come up to me and hit me in the face. What a shocker!
This is another brilliantly gripping, totally addictive and engrossing page-turner by Shalini Boland. It grabbed me by the throat from the very first page and wouldn’t let go. I’d go as far as to say I think this is the author’s best one yet and I absolutely can’t wait for her next offering!
mandylovestoread's review
5.0
Shalini Boland has done it again.. absolutely loved this, easily ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️from me for this book that shocked me right up to the last page!
Kirstie is a new mum to baby Daisy. One day whilst at home on maternity leave she hears a man on the baby monitor saying "let's take the baby and go". Running up to Daisy's room she finds her fast asleep and safe, nobody else is in the house. The police are called and check with all the neighbours but Daisy is the only baby in the street. This begins weeks of anxiety of the new mum and nobody believes her, even her husband thinks she has gone mad. What is happening and who can she trust?
A great, fast read that you will not want to put down. Real characters that have you pulling for them. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
Kirstie is a new mum to baby Daisy. One day whilst at home on maternity leave she hears a man on the baby monitor saying "let's take the baby and go". Running up to Daisy's room she finds her fast asleep and safe, nobody else is in the house. The police are called and check with all the neighbours but Daisy is the only baby in the street. This begins weeks of anxiety of the new mum and nobody believes her, even her husband thinks she has gone mad. What is happening and who can she trust?
A great, fast read that you will not want to put down. Real characters that have you pulling for them. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
yvo_about_books's review
5.0
Finished reading: March 12th 2018
"My stomach gives a sudden lurch, and I have the sensation that something has irrevocably shifted. That nothing in our lives will ever be quite the same again."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
Spoiler
I've been a big fan of Shalini Boland's psychological thrillers ever since she first reached out to me with the question if I wanted to read The Girl From The Sea back in 2016, and these feelings haven't changed after reading her next three psychological thrillers. The Child Next Door is already book number five and was yet again very much another winner. There is just something about the writing style that has you hooked from the very first page and literally doesn't let you go... I finished The Child Next Door in less than a day! This psychological thriller starts with a bang and every mother's worst nightmare, setting the tone for the rest of the story. Who were those voices Kirstie heard? Are they after her little girl? Oh yes, you are starting to feel paranoid yourself as well as you keep reading and things start to happen to Kirstie. The characters are well developed and feel realistic in general and it was interesting to see them react to the different situations, although I'm not sure they are completely likeable. The pace is perfect for a good psychological thriller and the amount of plot twists and false leads is just right as well. There are a lot of different angles included in this story, making for a rich plot and a wide pool of suspects and possibilities. I did feel the general ending came a bit as an anticlimax after all that was being build up, but it was definitely not something that I saw coming and shocking as well. And that final statement!!! I SO need a sequel or something to know more... I was left staring open-mouthed at the last page because I just couldn't believe what I just read. If you enjoy reading psychological thrillers, I can highly recommend both The Child Next Door and any of her other books. They are excellent!
When Kirstie wakes up and hears her child crying through the baby monitor, she hurries upstairs to tend to her. But then she hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, telling someone to just take the child and go. Kirstie panicks and flies up the stairs, only to find her daughter safe asleep in her cot. Who was the voice she heard? There are no other babies living closeby... And neither the police nor her husband believe she actually heard the voice. But Kirstie knows something isn't right, and these feelings only increase when things start happening...
The Child Next Door is psychological thriller at its best. Just the right amount of tension, a rich plot and a healthy dose of twists and false leads, but also well rounded characters and a pace that is just right. To top things off, the writing style will make you want to keep on reading and you will have a hard time letting go. I didn't see the ending coming at all, as it kind of came out of nowhere, but it was shocking as well. And like I said before, that final reveal left me both speechless and wanting for more. Recommended!
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
valleylore's review
2.0
[ 2.75 ★’s ]
honestly, it felt as though nothing actually happened for a good 60-70% of this book. Just a lot of back and forth conspiracy theories. it’s a shame because this actually had the makings of a great novel but it just fell completely flat. not only did the main character seem pathetic and weak all the time but the lack of action led to an incredibly boring read. as for the twist at the end, well... it wasn’t very well planned and executed, was it? i mean, it seemed so out of the blue!
overall, i’m really disappointed with this one. i had such high expectations and this didn’t hit the mark. it’s probably saying something when the epilogue is better than all the previous 40 chapters combined.
honestly, it felt as though nothing actually happened for a good 60-70% of this book. Just a lot of back and forth conspiracy theories. it’s a shame because this actually had the makings of a great novel but it just fell completely flat. not only did the main character seem pathetic and weak all the time but the lack of action led to an incredibly boring read. as for the twist at the end, well... it wasn’t very well planned and executed, was it? i mean, it seemed so out of the blue!
overall, i’m really disappointed with this one. i had such high expectations and this didn’t hit the mark. it’s probably saying something when the epilogue is better than all the previous 40 chapters combined.
lydiahephzibah's review
3.0
3.5. Shalini Boland books are relatively reliable reads: short domestic thrillers that always have a great set up and enough tension to keep me reading, and then slightly disappointing endings. This was really good, until it became so obvious what was going on, and the final "tying up the loose ends" chapter was superfluous, as those often are.