bookstobarbellsbabe's review against another edition
3.0
Low Morrison is not your average teen. So many things in her life can contribute to that. Hippie parents, looming height, or her secluded hometown. She just doesn’t fit.
So, when she signs up for a pottery class with the beautiful , once-famous Freya, it won’t be too bad, right ?
Freya and Low quickly develop a friendship. Maybe you would say , an unhealthy adoration of Freya on Low, almost as she falls in love with Freya. Freya then becomes friends with Jamie and her husband, as does Freya’s husband, and once again Low doesn’t fit.
After a drunken night with the adults that result in swapping partners, Freya and Jamie are faced with some life changing choices. But that also gives the jealous Low a perfect chance to showcase her bitterness.
This book had me alternating between 3 and 4 stars, so I ultimately decided on 3.5 stars. It’s gives you everything! Thrilling, mystery, sex… it actually reads very fast paced and I did enjoy the ending, which I did not see coming. Low’s actions couldn’t have me turning the pages fast enough and me thinking…”What’s going to happen next?”
You know, when you see a car accident, and you can’t just look away? That’s what this psychological thriller was. In the end, I did truly enjoy it.
Follow me on IG @bookstobarbellsbabe
So, when she signs up for a pottery class with the beautiful , once-famous Freya, it won’t be too bad, right ?
Freya and Low quickly develop a friendship. Maybe you would say , an unhealthy adoration of Freya on Low, almost as she falls in love with Freya. Freya then becomes friends with Jamie and her husband, as does Freya’s husband, and once again Low doesn’t fit.
After a drunken night with the adults that result in swapping partners, Freya and Jamie are faced with some life changing choices. But that also gives the jealous Low a perfect chance to showcase her bitterness.
This book had me alternating between 3 and 4 stars, so I ultimately decided on 3.5 stars. It’s gives you everything! Thrilling, mystery, sex… it actually reads very fast paced and I did enjoy the ending, which I did not see coming. Low’s actions couldn’t have me turning the pages fast enough and me thinking…”What’s going to happen next?”
You know, when you see a car accident, and you can’t just look away? That’s what this psychological thriller was. In the end, I did truly enjoy it.
Follow me on IG @bookstobarbellsbabe
thefirstgrimes's review against another edition
3.0
”She would always, be close to me.”
well that was fucked. poor max, deserved so much better. freya was bat shit crazy and not to mention, low had issues. this whole book was another level of crazy. the ending was satisfactory i must say, worth the binge read. it was very intriguing to read about this kind of open community who were known for being different yet resented others who were ‘too’ out of their comfort zone. plus the stalker and the manipulator aspect was very interesting.
well that was fucked. poor max, deserved so much better. freya was bat shit crazy and not to mention, low had issues. this whole book was another level of crazy. the ending was satisfactory i must say, worth the binge read. it was very intriguing to read about this kind of open community who were known for being different yet resented others who were ‘too’ out of their comfort zone. plus the stalker and the manipulator aspect was very interesting.
beautifulmastermind92's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
wulfhorstmom's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kelseydumont's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. The entire book was building up to something big and then it just fell flat and ended. Wouldn’t recommend reading it.
thebookbasics's review against another edition
4.0
My Two Cents: Centered around a small town Pacific Coast island village, an awkward teenager (Low) becomes enamored with a new celebrity couple that recently moved in (Freya and Max). When a new couple (Jamie and Brian) moves to the island and becomes friends with Freya, Low infiltrates herself into their lives and becomes increasingly obsessive.
This book was a breeze to read through! The chapters changed perspective every few chapters and were very short, ending each character’s narrative with so much foreshadowing that I couldn’t help but keep going!
I really enjoyed this book for the entertainment factor and the suspense that permeated the entire story. Knowing from the description that the two main couples end up swapping partners on a drunken night, I expected most of the drama to climax around that event. However, when that night came and went about mid-way through the novel, the foreshadowing only became more elusive and kept me telling myself “just one more chapter… I’ll stop when it changes perspective…”
Typically, I tend to relate to one or more of the main characters and that's what makes the story that much more real to me. In this case, I can’t say I related or even really liked any of the characters, but being inside their heads and understanding why they did the things they did still drew me in. This is probably one of the few books where I loved the book itself, but disliked every single character. Max was probably the one redeemable player and even that I only came to conclude at the end when we finally saw a brief birds-eye-view of his feelings throughout the chaos.
Besides Max, the other characters – Low, Freya, Jamie, and Brian – were horribly selfish and dysfunctional. I could sympathize with them in some ways, but it didn’t excuse their behavior. I don’t want to spill any beans so I’ll just say that Low had a fleeting moment in which I thought she had grown as a person, but in the end I think she was still chasing the same obsession and demons.
Overall, despite disliking the characters, they worked for the story which felt plausible, in large part thanks to the setting that brought it all together. This is a great book if you’re looking for something fun, but dramatic this summer!
This book was a breeze to read through! The chapters changed perspective every few chapters and were very short, ending each character’s narrative with so much foreshadowing that I couldn’t help but keep going!
I really enjoyed this book for the entertainment factor and the suspense that permeated the entire story. Knowing from the description that the two main couples end up swapping partners on a drunken night, I expected most of the drama to climax around that event. However, when that night came and went about mid-way through the novel, the foreshadowing only became more elusive and kept me telling myself “just one more chapter… I’ll stop when it changes perspective…”
Typically, I tend to relate to one or more of the main characters and that's what makes the story that much more real to me. In this case, I can’t say I related or even really liked any of the characters, but being inside their heads and understanding why they did the things they did still drew me in. This is probably one of the few books where I loved the book itself, but disliked every single character. Max was probably the one redeemable player and even that I only came to conclude at the end when we finally saw a brief birds-eye-view of his feelings throughout the chaos.
Besides Max, the other characters – Low, Freya, Jamie, and Brian – were horribly selfish and dysfunctional. I could sympathize with them in some ways, but it didn’t excuse their behavior. I don’t want to spill any beans so I’ll just say that Low had a fleeting moment in which I thought she had grown as a person, but in the end I think she was still chasing the same obsession and demons.
Overall, despite disliking the characters, they worked for the story which felt plausible, in large part thanks to the setting that brought it all together. This is a great book if you’re looking for something fun, but dramatic this summer!
sonireads's review against another edition
5.0
Freya Light is a narcissist psychopath influencer who somehow ensnares anyone who meets her. Low, a teenager from the local high school falls in love at first sight and signs up for her pottery classes. Jamie, a local shop owner also has an unhealthy attachment to her. Everything goes awry when Jamie and her husband spend an evening with Freya and her husband, Max, drinking mushroom tea. They do a partner swap and nothing is the same.
I honestly have always wondered about influencers and their obsession for approval and likes, this novel really takes that to the next level and to be honest, I found parts of Freya's character somewhat believable. The only criticism I have is that as a reader, I couldn't quite understand Freya's appeal, and the hypnotic effect she seemed to have on everyone she came across; she just seemed like an awful human being.
4.5/5 rounded up to 5. This book was hard to put down and I really enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
I honestly have always wondered about influencers and their obsession for approval and likes, this novel really takes that to the next level and to be honest, I found parts of Freya's character somewhat believable. The only criticism I have is that as a reader, I couldn't quite understand Freya's appeal, and the hypnotic effect she seemed to have on everyone she came across; she just seemed like an awful human being.
4.5/5 rounded up to 5. This book was hard to put down and I really enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
banalgirl's review against another edition
4.0
This was so captivating and engaging.
Like the other story I read from the author, there is no big plot twist. However, the plot holds the reader and makes him want to know more.
The characters are imperfect and strange and that is why they are so real!
It is an addictive story about obsession and its consequences.
I really want to read more books by the author.
randomreader41's review against another edition
2.0
This was on some Single White Female mess! Like the whole story was dumb & made no sense. The characters were vapid & bland. Why this is raved about is beyond me. Don’t read this. The audio was decent. That’s the second star. Otherwise, it’d be one.