marcccb's review against another edition
3.0
During the first few pages of this novel, there was already a shocking revelation. This book had a really strong start, and it's rare to find books like that. Usually thrillers tend to start slow in the beginning and speed up throughout. But its strong start didn't last very long and it let me down.
Leah Daniels is a newcomer in her town and she lives in a house with her husband and two kids. She wants to befriend her neighbor and becomes a bit obsessed with her as she starts to enter her house, drink her wine and read her diary. But what she finds is not what she expected.
This book is full of secrets. A secret here, a secret there. A lie here, a lie there. I did figure it out before the ending, but have to say that it did ruin the novel. Once you find it out, it will completely spoil the ending for you and it seems kind of pointless to continue reading.
The book had a lot going on, that's for sure. For me, it was kind of crowded. At times it just got repetitive with some characters. I felt like I was reading a reoccurring loop. But the novel did have its thrilling and twisting moments as a thriller novel usually does. It's a great book there are things that happen that simply just don't make sense.
The conclusion was a bit of a push for me. Overall the book was satisfying and a bit bumpy. Still enjoyable!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Leah Daniels is a newcomer in her town and she lives in a house with her husband and two kids. She wants to befriend her neighbor and becomes a bit obsessed with her as she starts to enter her house, drink her wine and read her diary. But what she finds is not what she expected.
This book is full of secrets. A secret here, a secret there. A lie here, a lie there. I did figure it out before the ending, but have to say that it did ruin the novel. Once you find it out, it will completely spoil the ending for you and it seems kind of pointless to continue reading.
The book had a lot going on, that's for sure. For me, it was kind of crowded. At times it just got repetitive with some characters. I felt like I was reading a reoccurring loop. But the novel did have its thrilling and twisting moments as a thriller novel usually does. It's a great book there are things that happen that simply just don't make sense.
The conclusion was a bit of a push for me. Overall the book was satisfying and a bit bumpy. Still enjoyable!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
screamking's review against another edition
1.0
I was giving this book a lot of chances because I thought the description was very intriguing. But the story is filled with characters that you dislike, a plot that is slow moving, actions from characters that are quite ridiculous, and twists that aren't all that shocking or interesting.
The more race was brought into the plot line, the more vicious characters continued to get. There were a lot of cringe worthy scenes that are real life issues-- which I applaud the author for approaching, but the way he handled them could've been done a little more successful.
The more race was brought into the plot line, the more vicious characters continued to get. There were a lot of cringe worthy scenes that are real life issues-- which I applaud the author for approaching, but the way he handled them could've been done a little more successful.
prachi22's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tchristman's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t quite know what to make of this. First off the writing style was so weird. I can’t really put my finger on it. It was just off. All of the characters were completely unlikable, including the dog. The handling of race was bizarre at best. The plot was unbelievable. So much was left undone. Things kept being hinted at that were never followed up on But something kept me turning the pages. I read it in one night. Eagerly. I would probably read another book by this author. I can’t explain. Seriously, what?!
laurabellereadsbooks's review against another edition
The Neighbor
This book reminds me that I’d rather not read a book written by a man
This book reminds me that I’d rather not read a book written by a man
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
‘It feels strange being one of only two families living in this abandoned development.’
Leah and Clay Daniels, with their twins Zack and Zadie, move from Seattle to Maine. The move is to enable Clay to follow his dream of establishing a craft beer brewery. But the neighbourhood is not what Leah expected: the housing development is almost abandoned. Their only neighbours, Clarissa and Russell Gaines seem aloof. Clay works long hours, and Leah is bored:
‘I need to find something more meaningful in my life besides being a wife and mother.’
So Leah starts watching Russell and Clarissa. She both envies and admires their home and their university careers. But watching quickly turns to obsession, with Leah sneaking into their home. In the meantime, a local college girl has gone missing…
The first part of the story unfolds over two weeks in October, with the final part unfolding over ten days the following August. Both Clay and Leah are the story’s unreliable narrators: both have secrets, each seems able to justify quite outrageous self-centred behaviour.
‘Every story has another side.’
There is more than one mystery in this novel, more than one truth to be uncovered. And, as I discovered, more than one twist in the tale.
But the truth is that while I enjoyed some aspects of this story, the characters were so shallow, so self-absorbed that I really didn’t much care what happened to them. I felt sorry for the children and the dog, but the adults were either deluded or manipulative (and sometimes both). As the story progresses, more questions emerge, but some of the twists (no spoilers here) had me rolling my eyes in disbelief. I couldn’t stop reading because I had to know how it would end. And the ending? Hmm. I think I’d have enjoyed the novel more if I’d liked one of the main characters better, had more interest in why some of the characters acted the way they did, or found some of the actions more believable.
Note: My thanks to Joseph Souza, NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Leah and Clay Daniels, with their twins Zack and Zadie, move from Seattle to Maine. The move is to enable Clay to follow his dream of establishing a craft beer brewery. But the neighbourhood is not what Leah expected: the housing development is almost abandoned. Their only neighbours, Clarissa and Russell Gaines seem aloof. Clay works long hours, and Leah is bored:
‘I need to find something more meaningful in my life besides being a wife and mother.’
So Leah starts watching Russell and Clarissa. She both envies and admires their home and their university careers. But watching quickly turns to obsession, with Leah sneaking into their home. In the meantime, a local college girl has gone missing…
The first part of the story unfolds over two weeks in October, with the final part unfolding over ten days the following August. Both Clay and Leah are the story’s unreliable narrators: both have secrets, each seems able to justify quite outrageous self-centred behaviour.
‘Every story has another side.’
There is more than one mystery in this novel, more than one truth to be uncovered. And, as I discovered, more than one twist in the tale.
But the truth is that while I enjoyed some aspects of this story, the characters were so shallow, so self-absorbed that I really didn’t much care what happened to them. I felt sorry for the children and the dog, but the adults were either deluded or manipulative (and sometimes both). As the story progresses, more questions emerge, but some of the twists (no spoilers here) had me rolling my eyes in disbelief. I couldn’t stop reading because I had to know how it would end. And the ending? Hmm. I think I’d have enjoyed the novel more if I’d liked one of the main characters better, had more interest in why some of the characters acted the way they did, or found some of the actions more believable.
Note: My thanks to Joseph Souza, NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
shelleyann01's review against another edition
2.0
The adults are all a bunch of drunks and the little boy is psycho, he is reading The Turner Diaries, and he's eleven, for crying out loud . The main characters in this book are so deceitful and secretive, it's hard to tell the truth from from the lies. I hated them all and didn't care so much about what happened to them as I did about finding out the truth behind the chaos. I learned a lot about beer making and that was interesting, but not much else.
marcccb's review
3.0
During the first few pages of this novel, there was already a shocking revelation. This book had a really strong start, and it's rare to find books like that. Usually thrillers tend to start slow in the beginning and speed up throughout. But its strong start didn't last very long and it let me down.
Leah Daniels is a newcomer in her town and she lives in a house with her husband and two kids. She wants to befriend her neighbor and becomes a bit obsessed with her as she starts to enter her house, drink her wine and read her diary. But what she finds is not what she expected.
This book is full of secrets. A secret here, a secret there. A lie here, a lie there. I did figure it out before the ending, but have to say that it did ruin the novel. Once you find it out, it will completely spoil the ending for you and it seems kind of pointless to continue reading.
The book had a lot going on, that's for sure. For me, it was kind of crowded. At times it just got repetitive with some characters. I felt like I was reading a reoccurring loop. But the novel did have its thrilling and twisting moments as a thriller novel usually does. It's a great book there are things that happen that simply just don't make sense.
The conclusion was a bit of a push for me. Overall the book was satisfying and a bit bumpy. Still enjoyable!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Leah Daniels is a newcomer in her town and she lives in a house with her husband and two kids. She wants to befriend her neighbor and becomes a bit obsessed with her as she starts to enter her house, drink her wine and read her diary. But what she finds is not what she expected.
This book is full of secrets. A secret here, a secret there. A lie here, a lie there. I did figure it out before the ending, but have to say that it did ruin the novel. Once you find it out, it will completely spoil the ending for you and it seems kind of pointless to continue reading.
The book had a lot going on, that's for sure. For me, it was kind of crowded. At times it just got repetitive with some characters. I felt like I was reading a reoccurring loop. But the novel did have its thrilling and twisting moments as a thriller novel usually does. It's a great book there are things that happen that simply just don't make sense.
The conclusion was a bit of a push for me. Overall the book was satisfying and a bit bumpy. Still enjoyable!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
sarah_'s review
2.0
Ummmm...I don't even know quite what to say about this book. I've got to stop requesting every random psychological thriller I see from NetGalley, but I can't resist anything about creepy neighbors. I almost gave this book one star, but I have to admit it was SUCH a page-turner. I could not stop reading even though I didn't think it was very good. The dialogue was heavy handed, the main character was too stupid to live, and the approach to racial issues in America was...weird. But I can't decide whether to recommend that you stay far far away from it or urge you to read it to experience the sheer bananas-ness of this book for yourself.
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
chymerra's review
3.0
The Neighbor left me with mixed emotions. It also left me with mixed feelings. I like reading mysteries/thrillers. I also like reading books that take current events and put a fresh spin on them. The Neighbor did that. That is not what gave me mixed feelings. I felt that part of the book was very well written. My mixed feelings were about the characters and their storylines.
The storyline of The Neighbor was promising. A bored housewife starts spying on her next door neighbor. She soon becomes obsessed with her. The secondary storyline was about a missing college girl and her disappearance. I would have been fine with those two storylines. With the secondary storyline of Leah’s secret, Clarissa’s secrets, Clay’s secret, I couldn’t keep focused on the book. I felt overwhelmed.
I like damaged characters. They make the books they are in more interesting to read. But Leah was just out there. She came across as creepy. Put it this way, if I had a feeling that my neighbor was spying on me, I would be uncomfortable. I would have distanced myself like Clarissa did. I do wish that her secret came out in full earlier in the book, instead of being dragged out. Speaking of that, I didn’t like the 180 her secret took. By the end of the book, my head was spinning. I couldn’t keep up with everything.
Clay drove me nuts. His trying to rationalize his relationship with Mycah was pathetic. As was his trying to drink his issues away. I also couldn’t believe that he didn’t put two and two together about part of Leah’s secret. I mean, her attitude towards sex was a huge clue for me. While I thought that he was a tool, he did stand by Leah when push came to shove. So, I didn’t completely dislike him.
I ran through a lot of emotions with Clarissa. At first, I felt bad for her. But when her character did a 180, I was surprised. Then I started to dislike her. She was manipulative and knew how to work things in her favor. So, I wasn’t surprised with what happened to her at the end of the book.
Russell was the only one that I truly felt bad for. He was manipulated by all the women in the book. I felt that he didn’t have a chance because no matter what he did, he was screwed.
I actually enjoyed Mycah’s character. She was a strong woman who didn’t stand down for anyone. She was passionate about her beliefs. I do think that she got in over her head with Russell and Clay. Even though I enjoyed her character, I won’t excuse her actions.
The thriller part of the book was well written. I do feel that it got lost with everything that was going on.
The end of the book confused me. While I understood what happened, I felt the book ended too suddenly. I was left wondering what will happen.
What I liked about The Neighbor:
A) Promising storyline
B) Strong characters
C) Engaging storyline
What I disliked about The Neighbor:
A) Felt overwhelmed with the storylines.
B) The characters drove me nuts
C) The ending confused me
I would give The Neighbor an Adult rating. There is sex. The sex scenes between Clay and Mycah were graphic and degrading. There is language. There is violence. I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading this book.
There are triggers in this book. They are: sexual abuse, racism, and domestic violence. If you are triggered by any of these, then do not read the book.
I am on the fence if I would recommend The Neighbor to friends and family. While I wouldn’t reread this book, I would be open to reading more books by the author.
I would like to thank Kensington, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Neighbor.
All opinions stated in this review of The Neighbor are mine.
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
The storyline of The Neighbor was promising. A bored housewife starts spying on her next door neighbor. She soon becomes obsessed with her. The secondary storyline was about a missing college girl and her disappearance. I would have been fine with those two storylines. With the secondary storyline of Leah’s secret, Clarissa’s secrets, Clay’s secret, I couldn’t keep focused on the book. I felt overwhelmed.
I like damaged characters. They make the books they are in more interesting to read. But Leah was just out there. She came across as creepy. Put it this way, if I had a feeling that my neighbor was spying on me, I would be uncomfortable. I would have distanced myself like Clarissa did. I do wish that her secret came out in full earlier in the book, instead of being dragged out. Speaking of that, I didn’t like the 180 her secret took. By the end of the book, my head was spinning. I couldn’t keep up with everything.
Clay drove me nuts. His trying to rationalize his relationship with Mycah was pathetic. As was his trying to drink his issues away. I also couldn’t believe that he didn’t put two and two together about part of Leah’s secret. I mean, her attitude towards sex was a huge clue for me. While I thought that he was a tool, he did stand by Leah when push came to shove. So, I didn’t completely dislike him.
I ran through a lot of emotions with Clarissa. At first, I felt bad for her. But when her character did a 180, I was surprised. Then I started to dislike her. She was manipulative and knew how to work things in her favor. So, I wasn’t surprised with what happened to her at the end of the book.
Russell was the only one that I truly felt bad for. He was manipulated by all the women in the book. I felt that he didn’t have a chance because no matter what he did, he was screwed.
I actually enjoyed Mycah’s character. She was a strong woman who didn’t stand down for anyone. She was passionate about her beliefs. I do think that she got in over her head with Russell and Clay. Even though I enjoyed her character, I won’t excuse her actions.
The thriller part of the book was well written. I do feel that it got lost with everything that was going on.
The end of the book confused me. While I understood what happened, I felt the book ended too suddenly. I was left wondering what will happen.
What I liked about The Neighbor:
A) Promising storyline
B) Strong characters
C) Engaging storyline
What I disliked about The Neighbor:
A) Felt overwhelmed with the storylines.
B) The characters drove me nuts
C) The ending confused me
I would give The Neighbor an Adult rating. There is sex. The sex scenes between Clay and Mycah were graphic and degrading. There is language. There is violence. I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading this book.
There are triggers in this book. They are: sexual abuse, racism, and domestic violence. If you are triggered by any of these, then do not read the book.
I am on the fence if I would recommend The Neighbor to friends and family. While I wouldn’t reread this book, I would be open to reading more books by the author.
I would like to thank Kensington, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Neighbor.
All opinions stated in this review of The Neighbor are mine.
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
More...