A review by oceanwriter
Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A dark and twisty thriller centered around family drama? I'm in.
Leila adores her nephew Max... so what happens when he's found dead on her watch? Next thing she knows she's put in front of a jury to decide if this was a terrible accident or intentional. Through the trial, a lot of things that have gone unsaid between her and her sister Yasmin come to light. This along with flashbacks to other difficult times in their lives makes for an emotional journey. But it doesn't end there. There are more secrets being kept that threaten to change everything.
The book is broken up into three parts, each one following a different moment surrounding Max's death and the trial. The writing is immersive, though it jumps around from character to character mid-chapter which I found to be distracting at times. Nevertheless, I was hooked and finished the book in under twenty-four hours. There were some other things about it I didn't care for, however, I can't be specific what as they could be considered spoilers.
A huge thanks to HarperCollins/Harper360 for sending me a free ARC to read and review!
Leila adores her nephew Max... so what happens when he's found dead on her watch? Next thing she knows she's put in front of a jury to decide if this was a terrible accident or intentional. Through the trial, a lot of things that have gone unsaid between her and her sister Yasmin come to light. This along with flashbacks to other difficult times in their lives makes for an emotional journey. But it doesn't end there. There are more secrets being kept that threaten to change everything.
The book is broken up into three parts, each one following a different moment surrounding Max's death and the trial. The writing is immersive, though it jumps around from character to character mid-chapter which I found to be distracting at times. Nevertheless, I was hooked and finished the book in under twenty-four hours. There were some other things about it I didn't care for, however, I can't be specific what as they could be considered spoilers.
A huge thanks to HarperCollins/Harper360 for sending me a free ARC to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Miscarriage, and Child death
Moderate: Infertility, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, and Suicide
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Mental illness