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sarahinreaderland's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Although this book ended up being something a bit different from what I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. The plot was interesting although it was also a bit wild to the point where I questioned if it was believable. Even so, I was entertained and I became invested in what was to become of these characters. If you’re looking for an audiobook to keep you occupied and you don’t mind some dark humour with a touch of thriller, then I would recommend that you give this a go.
katherinelouise's review
3.0
Anna was adopted after being abandoned as a baby and is meeting her birth mother for the first time. She also discovers that she is pregnant with her first child. Marlene is so much more than Anna expected and finds herself swept up in the excitement of getting to know her family. However things take a drastic turn when she is faced with an impossible decision that puts her life at risk.
A twisty thriller full of dark surprises.
This was an incredibly fast-paced book with a great premise. I loved the idea of a long-lost family reunion but with a shocking twist. I thought it was brilliant how Abigail Burdess made it so utterly unpredictable and had me guessing what was going on throughout the story.
I enjoyed reading how Anna and Marlene's relationship developed, it was so different to a typical mother/daughter scenario. However I couldn't quite connect with the other characters, I found them a little too complex with lots of sub-plots that got in the way of the main plot.
Overall an entertaining read that will have you instantly hooked.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
thebreakfastbookclub's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
2.0
Unfortunately this wasn’t for me. I found it too convoluted and long winded with the payoff at the end wasn’t interesting enough to warrant such a back story.
The book was described as having ‘the mother of all twists’ and I kept waiting for it but they didn’t come. There was no explanation about why the mother did what she did. The first 60% of the book was slow with a lot of detail provided about the characters and their relationships but I found myself skim reading it so when I got to the end I wasn’t fully invested.
I had high hopes for this but unfortunately the book didn’t live up to them
The book was described as having ‘the mother of all twists’ and I kept waiting for it but they didn’t come. There was no explanation about why the mother did what she did. The first 60% of the book was slow with a lot of detail provided about the characters and their relationships but I found myself skim reading it so when I got to the end I wasn’t fully invested.
I had high hopes for this but unfortunately the book didn’t live up to them
mickysbookworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
andshe_reads's review
dark
slow-paced
3.0
I was super intrigued by the premise of this book. However, I did wonder if it was really for me.
I can kind of see where the author was going in terms of it being a thriller, but I felt it was a tad more contemporary. I also felt it was very long-winded, but then the last 20% or so, it was like someone pressed fast forward, and everything seemed to happen at once. I think if the twists were added more throughout the story, that would have captured my attention a little bit more.
The story was quite gripping, and despite the slow start, it ended in a page turning craze. I can't really say much more, but please check content warnings as there are quite a few throughout this book.
I can kind of see where the author was going in terms of it being a thriller, but I felt it was a tad more contemporary. I also felt it was very long-winded, but then the last 20% or so, it was like someone pressed fast forward, and everything seemed to happen at once. I think if the twists were added more throughout the story, that would have captured my attention a little bit more.
The story was quite gripping, and despite the slow start, it ended in a page turning craze. I can't really say much more, but please check content warnings as there are quite a few throughout this book.