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wordsgirlie's reviews
76 reviews
A Welcome Reunion: A Short Story by Lucinda Berry
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry
this is my first lucinda berry book and i absolutely ate it all up. the story follows hannah and christopher, a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. all that’s missing is a child. when janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces hannah they should take her home as their own.
first of all, i finished the whole story in just a few hours because it is literally a page-turner. the plot was indeed amazing. i got immediately interested after reading the first few chapters. i like the writing style and it was very easy to understand. it actually had the ‘orphan’ movie vibes in it, and i love how the mystery and suspense built up as the story goes. the characters are so effectively irritating and they definitely tested my patience. hannah is the only character i like in this book. on the other hand, christopher is so stupid and blind when it comes to hannah’s struggles and it made me loathe him more.
to be honest, i somehow dislike the ending of this book because it was a cliffhanger and i am looking for something more. but overall, this is still one of my best psychological thriller reads so far. i am horrified, mad, and frustrated the entire time i was reading this book. if you’re looking for a psychological book that’s horrifying but emotional at the same time, you should definitely pick this book up.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
psychological thriller.
— slow-paced, multiple povs
— slow-paced, multiple povs
“why did the universe allow people who hurt kids to have them? why couldn’t give them to people like me, who wanted them?”
this is my first lucinda berry book and i absolutely ate it all up. the story follows hannah and christopher, a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. all that’s missing is a child. when janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces hannah they should take her home as their own.
first of all, i finished the whole story in just a few hours because it is literally a page-turner. the plot was indeed amazing. i got immediately interested after reading the first few chapters. i like the writing style and it was very easy to understand. it actually had the ‘orphan’ movie vibes in it, and i love how the mystery and suspense built up as the story goes. the characters are so effectively irritating and they definitely tested my patience. hannah is the only character i like in this book. on the other hand, christopher is so stupid and blind when it comes to hannah’s struggles and it made me loathe him more.
to be honest, i somehow dislike the ending of this book because it was a cliffhanger and i am looking for something more. but overall, this is still one of my best psychological thriller reads so far. i am horrified, mad, and frustrated the entire time i was reading this book. if you’re looking for a psychological book that’s horrifying but emotional at the same time, you should definitely pick this book up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Blood, and Murder
The Ex by Freida McFadden
once again, another freida mcfadden book. the plot centers around cassie, a woman who has a seemingly new fiancée, francesca, comes into the picture. cassie, while trying to navigate her life post-divorce, is drawn back into a web of deceit when she becomes suspicious of francesca’s real intentions. but as secrets from the past resurface, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine who’s telling the truth and who’s hiding something sinister.
first of all, this is my least favorite freida mcfadden book. yes, the plot was good, and the concept was interesting at some point, but there are parts that are honestly unnecessary for the story. i know that her books are slow-paced at the beginning, but this one is very, very, very slow to the point that i am close to losing interest in reading it, plus there are some dull moments. all the characters are weird as hell, and i just couldn’t handle the frustration i’ve felt because of the ex’s obsession. one thing i also dislike about this book is that the other chapters were written in third-person point-of-view. i did not see the plot twist coming, but it really confused me.
overall, this book might not be as great and as intense as the other books of freida mcdadden, but i still kind of liked it and it still made my jaw drop.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.5
psychological thriller.
— slow-paced, dual pov
— slow-paced, dual pov
“no, it’s not the greatest love story ever told. there have been no great romantic moments in their love story.”
once again, another freida mcfadden book. the plot centers around cassie, a woman who has a seemingly new fiancée, francesca, comes into the picture. cassie, while trying to navigate her life post-divorce, is drawn back into a web of deceit when she becomes suspicious of francesca’s real intentions. but as secrets from the past resurface, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine who’s telling the truth and who’s hiding something sinister.
first of all, this is my least favorite freida mcfadden book. yes, the plot was good, and the concept was interesting at some point, but there are parts that are honestly unnecessary for the story. i know that her books are slow-paced at the beginning, but this one is very, very, very slow to the point that i am close to losing interest in reading it, plus there are some dull moments. all the characters are weird as hell, and i just couldn’t handle the frustration i’ve felt because of the ex’s obsession. one thing i also dislike about this book is that the other chapters were written in third-person point-of-view. i did not see the plot twist coming, but it really confused me.
overall, this book might not be as great and as intense as the other books of freida mcdadden, but i still kind of liked it and it still made my jaw drop.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Stalking, and Murder
The Locked Door by Freida McFadden
my 8th book in my freida mcfadden book reading journey! if you’re a fan of serial killer movies or documentaries, you’ll absolutely love this book. the story revolves around nora, a prominent surgeon, who happens to be the daughter to a notorious serial killer. and when her patients start dying, she becomes a suspect.
first of all, i was so close to dnf this book. the first few chapters are so slow, but i continued because i know freida mcfadden won’t disappoint me. the plot is indeed interesting, the characters made me feel that they are all antagonists in the story, which is very effective in a psychological thriller book. one more thing i like about this is the little glimpse of romance between brady and nora—i was actually rooting for their love story. i also felt sad for nora’s life. if i were in her shoes, i wouldn’t know what i’ll be doing to save myself. and just like other freida mcfadden books, i really had no idea about what’s going to happen next. there are lots of creepy stuff, and i really find this book scary. i literally forgot how to breathe while i was reading the last five chapters, and the plot twists of the story, everything was insane.
to be honest, i am not that satisfied with the ending, and i was looking for more. but overall, everything in the the story was mind-blowing and perfect. i would highly recommend this book to all who loves to read about serial killers.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
psychological thriller.
— dual timeline, dual pov
— dual timeline, dual pov
“it’s like i’ve been living a lie. like i’ve been an actress playing the lead role in my own life.”
my 8th book in my freida mcfadden book reading journey! if you’re a fan of serial killer movies or documentaries, you’ll absolutely love this book. the story revolves around nora, a prominent surgeon, who happens to be the daughter to a notorious serial killer. and when her patients start dying, she becomes a suspect.
first of all, i was so close to dnf this book. the first few chapters are so slow, but i continued because i know freida mcfadden won’t disappoint me. the plot is indeed interesting, the characters made me feel that they are all antagonists in the story, which is very effective in a psychological thriller book. one more thing i like about this is the little glimpse of romance between brady and nora—i was actually rooting for their love story. i also felt sad for nora’s life. if i were in her shoes, i wouldn’t know what i’ll be doing to save myself. and just like other freida mcfadden books, i really had no idea about what’s going to happen next. there are lots of creepy stuff, and i really find this book scary. i literally forgot how to breathe while i was reading the last five chapters, and the plot twists of the story, everything was insane.
to be honest, i am not that satisfied with the ending, and i was looking for more. but overall, everything in the the story was mind-blowing and perfect. i would highly recommend this book to all who loves to read about serial killers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Murder
The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden
another unputdownable masterpiece from my favorite author, freida mcfadden! the story starts off with erika, a hands-on housewife, who seems to have a perfect family and a perfect life. until a high school girl vanished from their quiet suburban neighborhood. and erika's teenage son, liam, was the last person to see the girl alive.
first of all, i absolutely ate this book up! i was immediately interested with the story right after reading the prologue. the plot was beautiful, and it was perfectly written in the most exciting way. i honestly don't know what to say, my mind literally went blank because of how weirdly amazing this book is. the characters seem weird at first and it looked like they are all hiding something in their closet. yes, the plot twist was not as intense as the plot twist in freida mcfadden's other books, but it was very unpredictable and i did not have any idea on what's going to happen.
overall, i gave this a perfect five-star and i really had such a rollercoaster, fun, and amazing read. can't wait to dive into her other books!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
★ psychological thriller.
— slow-paced, multiple povs
— slow-paced, multiple povs
"nearly all serial killers are likely psychopaths, but not all psychopaths become killers."
another unputdownable masterpiece from my favorite author, freida mcfadden! the story starts off with erika, a hands-on housewife, who seems to have a perfect family and a perfect life. until a high school girl vanished from their quiet suburban neighborhood. and erika's teenage son, liam, was the last person to see the girl alive.
first of all, i absolutely ate this book up! i was immediately interested with the story right after reading the prologue. the plot was beautiful, and it was perfectly written in the most exciting way. i honestly don't know what to say, my mind literally went blank because of how weirdly amazing this book is. the characters seem weird at first and it looked like they are all hiding something in their closet. yes, the plot twist was not as intense as the plot twist in freida mcfadden's other books, but it was very unpredictable and i did not have any idea on what's going to happen.
overall, i gave this a perfect five-star and i really had such a rollercoaster, fun, and amazing read. can't wait to dive into her other books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, and Murder
Empire of Desire by Rina Kent
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.
i don't know why i really had a hard time continuing this book, maybe because i was not in the mood to read erotic dark romance. might read it some other time.
Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
i decided to dnf this book at 20%. i really tried my best to read it but i just couldn't feel anything about it while i was reading and i find it so hard to connect with the characters. might read it some other time.
Happily Never After by Lynn Painter
everything lynn painter writes, i will definitely read. the story follows sophie, a bride-to-be who finds out her fiancé had been cheating on her. and she meets max, whom her bestfriend hires to object to her wedding. sparks fly, in a platonic way, and they soon become partners-in-crime who have a side gig of breaking up weddings for people who otherwise can't cancel the wedding themselves.
first of all, the concept of this book is freaking adorable. the plot was written perfectly and i enjoyed the never-ending hilarious banters so much. i was laughing, giggling, and kicking my feet the entire time. there are also lots of well-rounded characters. sophie—the fmc—is really likeable, her personality is amazing and i like it everytime she's being straight-to-the-point, leaving the mmc's mouth open. on the other hand, max—the mmc—is such a green flag, and the way he describes sophie in his point-of-view really gives me butterflies. plus, sophie's roommates and max's parents are so cute!
one more thing i like about this book is the main lead's small conversations and their platonic relationship? definitely out of the world. yes, the love story was slow-burn, but it didn't have any dull moments, and it absolutely entertained to the highest level. this is really a fluffy book full of cuteness and humor. if you're into romcoms, and you wanna get out of your reading slump, you should definitely read this.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
❀ light romance.
— slow-paced, dual pov
tropes: friends to lovers, fake dating, love triangle, partners in crime, no strings attached
— slow-paced, dual pov
tropes: friends to lovers, fake dating, love triangle, partners in crime, no strings attached
"i still thought love was for suckers and relationships were an outlandish risk too treacherous to be worth the reward, but in spite of that, she was all i can think about. all the time."
everything lynn painter writes, i will definitely read. the story follows sophie, a bride-to-be who finds out her fiancé had been cheating on her. and she meets max, whom her bestfriend hires to object to her wedding. sparks fly, in a platonic way, and they soon become partners-in-crime who have a side gig of breaking up weddings for people who otherwise can't cancel the wedding themselves.
first of all, the concept of this book is freaking adorable. the plot was written perfectly and i enjoyed the never-ending hilarious banters so much. i was laughing, giggling, and kicking my feet the entire time. there are also lots of well-rounded characters. sophie—the fmc—is really likeable, her personality is amazing and i like it everytime she's being straight-to-the-point, leaving the mmc's mouth open. on the other hand, max—the mmc—is such a green flag, and the way he describes sophie in his point-of-view really gives me butterflies. plus, sophie's roommates and max's parents are so cute!
one more thing i like about this book is the main lead's small conversations and their platonic relationship? definitely out of the world. yes, the love story was slow-burn, but it didn't have any dull moments, and it absolutely entertained to the highest level. this is really a fluffy book full of cuteness and humor. if you're into romcoms, and you wanna get out of your reading slump, you should definitely read this.
The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie: A Satirical Novella by Freida McFadden
a rollercoaster type of book. the story follows alice, a widow whose husband, grant, has recently passed away—until she starts seeing his face everywhere she goes.
first of all, this is really a fun read. i was immediately interested after reading the prologue. the plot was unpredictable and i seriously did not have any idea on what’s going to happen in the story. the first few chapters were a bit confusing, but as i flip the pages, i end up laughing my heart out. there are lots of funny scenes and i was shocked when freida mcfadden featured herself in this book.
lastly, i did not see the plot twist coming. this is one of the books that nearly question my sanity. this is such a hilarious psychological thriller book, and i really had a great time reading it.
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
🔪 psychological thriller.
— fast-paced, stand-alone pov
— fast-paced, stand-alone pov
“we all think of killing someone. but it’s only a fantasy. you never do it.”
a rollercoaster type of book. the story follows alice, a widow whose husband, grant, has recently passed away—until she starts seeing his face everywhere she goes.
first of all, this is really a fun read. i was immediately interested after reading the prologue. the plot was unpredictable and i seriously did not have any idea on what’s going to happen in the story. the first few chapters were a bit confusing, but as i flip the pages, i end up laughing my heart out. there are lots of funny scenes and i was shocked when freida mcfadden featured herself in this book.
lastly, i did not see the plot twist coming. this is one of the books that nearly question my sanity. this is such a hilarious psychological thriller book, and i really had a great time reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Murder
The Inmate by Freida McFadden
another masterpiece from my favorite psychological thriller author, freida mcfadden! the story follows brooke, a single mother who returns to her hometown in the aftermath of her parent’s death. but memories of her past begins to haunt her when she takes a job at the federal prison where shane, who once tried to kill her, is serving a life sentence.
first of all, out of all the books i’ve read so far, this one has the most unique setting. the plot was unpredictable and confusing in the most beautiful way, and i love the fact that i really do not have any idea on what’s going to happen with the story. i did not see some of the twists coming, and the epilogue is what shocked me the most. it was very hard to read the characters’ personalities at first, which adds up to the mystery of the book. plus, i am very pissed off with the fmc—brooke, everything she does is frustrating.
to be honest, the first few chapters of the book were too slow and boring for me, but i kept reading because it’s freida mcfadden’s, and i know for sure that she will not disappoint me. overall, it was really an amazing read and i will highly recommend this book to all psychological thriller readers out there.
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
🔪 psychological thriller.
— slow-paced, dual timeline
— slow-paced, dual timeline
”sometimes people do exactly what you think they’re going to do, and they still manage to disappoint you.”
another masterpiece from my favorite psychological thriller author, freida mcfadden! the story follows brooke, a single mother who returns to her hometown in the aftermath of her parent’s death. but memories of her past begins to haunt her when she takes a job at the federal prison where shane, who once tried to kill her, is serving a life sentence.
first of all, out of all the books i’ve read so far, this one has the most unique setting. the plot was unpredictable and confusing in the most beautiful way, and i love the fact that i really do not have any idea on what’s going to happen with the story. i did not see some of the twists coming, and the epilogue is what shocked me the most. it was very hard to read the characters’ personalities at first, which adds up to the mystery of the book. plus, i am very pissed off with the fmc—brooke, everything she does is frustrating.
to be honest, the first few chapters of the book were too slow and boring for me, but i kept reading because it’s freida mcfadden’s, and i know for sure that she will not disappoint me. overall, it was really an amazing read and i will highly recommend this book to all psychological thriller readers out there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Blood, and Murder