whenimreading's review
2.0
This book falls under unlikable characters domestic thriller where the mystery isn’t really worth all the drama.
I was originally intrigued by the premise of an ominous note delivered to the protagonist but unfortunately it didn’t grab my attention like I had hoped.
Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy to review.
kerasalwaysreading's review
4.0
This was a very layered domestic thriller and I had so much fun reading it.
Ellen has a seeming normal life. She is raising a teenage daughter and two younger kiddos. She works in education. She is renovating her dream home… but something is lurking behind the curtain.
She starts getting targeted by someone… she is getting letters that warn of her impending doom. Someone is out there making life incredibly difficult for her at every turn and she doesn’t know who.
We are taken through this winding tale of how she wound up in this predicament, who is involved and how close to home it could potentially be…
I thought this was really entertaining. The characters, both good and bad, are all so intriguing. There were moments I thought I knew where we were headed, only to have the rug ripped from under me. This was twisty and diabolical and I really enjoyed it.
Ellen has a seeming normal life. She is raising a teenage daughter and two younger kiddos. She works in education. She is renovating her dream home… but something is lurking behind the curtain.
She starts getting targeted by someone… she is getting letters that warn of her impending doom. Someone is out there making life incredibly difficult for her at every turn and she doesn’t know who.
We are taken through this winding tale of how she wound up in this predicament, who is involved and how close to home it could potentially be…
I thought this was really entertaining. The characters, both good and bad, are all so intriguing. There were moments I thought I knew where we were headed, only to have the rug ripped from under me. This was twisty and diabolical and I really enjoyed it.
laneyvonhall's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cassiecat's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
4.25⭐️
I love the Cat Kinsella series so was keen to try this standalone.
A domestic sounding premise for this UK crime thriller evolving around Ellen, her job, her family and her dream house The Meadowhouse. It becomes far more psychological as it progresses.
It has a trendy easy going, light feel, making it easy reading.I didn’t find the characters remotely likeable, in fact they were downright annoying. There are multiple POV.
There are character revelations throughout the book rather than the character developing from past deeds.
I found it very much a book of two halves. Firstly I need to quantify, it’s very much a personal thing for me, I’m just not good with slow burns. This is very much a slow burn start with little of substance happening. The redeeming thing is it’s just the first half (some books take til 80% for the unfolding reveals)
The second half it’s all starts unfolding, the secrets, lies, the reveals. It’s got decent plot complexity. From then it really gripped me. It ends strongly.
The first half is 3.5⭐️, the second 4.5⭐️ as it ended strongly I’ve gone for an overall of 4.25⭐️ however if you are one of the many who love slow burns ending with a bang this is definitely one for you.
mdcnlmldrm's review
4.0
WTF DID I JUST READ?!
One of the most elaborate and certifiably insane revenge plots I’ve ever come across.
I won this book in a giveaway and MAN was that a wild ride.
This story is filled with the most easy to dislike cast of characters, possibly ever. My disdain for Ellen remained strong most of the way. I found it hard to feel bad for her, especially with her…choices. Same for her friends… and pretty much everyone she interacted with. I was actually rooting for the antagonist until I found out WHY they did what they did. (That was ~straight jacket behavior~.)
I never saw the ending coming. Never. Not in a million years. I had to put the book down at the reveal and take a break
One of the most elaborate and certifiably insane revenge plots I’ve ever come across.
I won this book in a giveaway and MAN was that a wild ride.
This story is filled with the most easy to dislike cast of characters, possibly ever. My disdain for Ellen remained strong most of the way. I found it hard to feel bad for her, especially with her…choices. Same for her friends… and pretty much everyone she interacted with. I was actually rooting for the antagonist until I found out WHY they did what they did. (That was ~straight jacket behavior~.)
I never saw the ending coming. Never. Not in a million years. I had to put the book down at the reveal and take a break
dfinecy's review
adventurous
emotional
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
3.25
mcohara2's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
starklinqs's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2.75-3/5. This book was okay, but I think it dragged quite a bit. It was split up into “five bad deeds” but it was really just one long extended one lmao, and the last two were only one chapter each, while the first three were multiple chapters long. The book felt very long, but despite that, I didn’t really feel like I got enough pieces to put things together. I realized who was responsible due to the lack of information I was given about them in comparison to other characters, but that made it so that I couldn’t figure out why they were doing things, and it got monologue-explained within the span of a chapter. Knowing the why and the fallout is great, but it’s not particularly satisfying when it’s dumped on you in one chapter at the end of the book.
Also good lord, Orla. I know that she’s a moody teenager but I was so massively annoyed by her. A lot of the decisions from most of these characters were baffling to me, to be honest. People consistently took the weirdest and dumbest takes or made wildly bad decisions from small things - which can be very fun in other stories, but just felt very frustrating here. I was initially really into this book at first though, so I probably would read this author again, but it just didn’t hold me.
2.75-3/5. This book was okay, but I think it dragged quite a bit. It was split up into “five bad deeds” but it was really just one long extended one lmao, and the last two were only one chapter each, while the first three were multiple chapters long. The book felt very long, but despite that, I didn’t really feel like I got enough pieces to put things together. I realized who was responsible due to the lack of information I was given about them in comparison to other characters, but that made it so that I couldn’t figure out why they were doing things, and it got monologue-explained within the span of a chapter. Knowing the why and the fallout is great, but it’s not particularly satisfying when it’s dumped on you in one chapter at the end of the book.
Also good lord, Orla. I know that she’s a moody teenager but I was so massively annoyed by her. A lot of the decisions from most of these characters were baffling to me, to be honest. People consistently took the weirdest and dumbest takes or made wildly bad decisions from small things - which can be very fun in other stories, but just felt very frustrating here. I was initially really into this book at first though, so I probably would read this author again, but it just didn’t hold me.
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