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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
You can always tell a good book when the first thing you think about is when you are going to be able to pick it up again and carry on reading. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had to go to work and needed sleep, I would have easily finished this in one sitting.
As soon as I started it and read of little Ellie, I was well and truly hooked. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. She pulled me in but made me want to keep my distance also. The only nice relationship she has is with her foster sister Mary who keeps an eye out for her. Everyone else either doesn’t seem to like her or for some reason they seem scared of her. Either way Ellie is a very troubled and mixed up little girl who has an awful lot to deal with. There were some bullying scenes that nearly had me in tears as I wanted to give the other children what for, for being so cruel to Ellie when she is so desperate to make friends.
Imogen has a bit of a troubled past herself. She has returned to her childhood home which holds demons for her and she wants to get on with her life. It isn’t long before she very much gets caught up with what is happening in the small village and trying to help Ellie.
The book has been likened to Stephen Kings Carrie and having read it I totally understand why. Ellie is some one who will have your heart breaking whilst giving you goose bumps.
The Foster Child is a truly gripping read that I couldn’t read quick enough to see what the outcome would be and boy it didn’t disappoint! There is plenty within the pages to keep you hooked with a few twists and turns, which by the end, left me needing something warm and fuzzy as I felt like someone had walked over my grave. Brilliant!
My thanks to Headline and Bookbridgr for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
As soon as I started it and read of little Ellie, I was well and truly hooked. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. She pulled me in but made me want to keep my distance also. The only nice relationship she has is with her foster sister Mary who keeps an eye out for her. Everyone else either doesn’t seem to like her or for some reason they seem scared of her. Either way Ellie is a very troubled and mixed up little girl who has an awful lot to deal with. There were some bullying scenes that nearly had me in tears as I wanted to give the other children what for, for being so cruel to Ellie when she is so desperate to make friends.
Imogen has a bit of a troubled past herself. She has returned to her childhood home which holds demons for her and she wants to get on with her life. It isn’t long before she very much gets caught up with what is happening in the small village and trying to help Ellie.
The book has been likened to Stephen Kings Carrie and having read it I totally understand why. Ellie is some one who will have your heart breaking whilst giving you goose bumps.
The Foster Child is a truly gripping read that I couldn’t read quick enough to see what the outcome would be and boy it didn’t disappoint! There is plenty within the pages to keep you hooked with a few twists and turns, which by the end, left me needing something warm and fuzzy as I felt like someone had walked over my grave. Brilliant!
My thanks to Headline and Bookbridgr for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really did read a lot of Jenny Blackhurst in 2019. I'm remembering that there was a fire in this book potentially but again I really don't remember much unfortunately. It was entertaining when I read it I guess. Not remarkable but alright I guess.
I really enjoyed this atmospheric, entertaining read. With plenty of psychological suspense mixed in with a hint of the supernatural, you're never quite sure if things are quite what they seem. (Without spoiling any of the story, I should point out that I am not usually a fan of novels that lean too far towards the supernatural, but The Foster Child doesn't place too much emphasis on this, and it leaves enough room for doubt as to what really caused the 'occurances' in question...) As the reader finds out more about main character Imogen's life, as well as what's going inside Ellie's brain (and foster family) and insights into other characters' lives, it's easy to start to think you understand what's going on in the mysterious town of Gaunt... but do you really?
I think Jenny Blackhurst has done a great job of making you think you know more than you do, before throwing in a well-timed curveball to keep you guessing. There are several factors at play within this novel that reminded me of key historical events or settings, and many of these similarities help to create a truly eerie, threatening atmopshere within The Foster Child. I swung between feeling sorry for little Ellie, to thinking she's dangerous, to believing she's a victim of superstition and hysteria - much like a modern-day Salem Witch Trials.
It's hard to know whose side to be on, and there's the ongoing 'unexplained' parts of both Ellie and Imogen's history, which - as more and more is slowly revaled - help to create the strong sense of unease throughout this book. And that ending - fab! I'd definitely recommend this book; it's a fairly easy but addictive read which left me feeling thoroughly entertained!
I think Jenny Blackhurst has done a great job of making you think you know more than you do, before throwing in a well-timed curveball to keep you guessing. There are several factors at play within this novel that reminded me of key historical events or settings, and many of these similarities help to create a truly eerie, threatening atmopshere within The Foster Child. I swung between feeling sorry for little Ellie, to thinking she's dangerous, to believing she's a victim of superstition and hysteria - much like a modern-day Salem Witch Trials.
It's hard to know whose side to be on, and there's the ongoing 'unexplained' parts of both Ellie and Imogen's history, which - as more and more is slowly revaled - help to create the strong sense of unease throughout this book. And that ending - fab! I'd definitely recommend this book; it's a fairly easy but addictive read which left me feeling thoroughly entertained!
"Let me see, some eleven-year old Carrie White calls you late at night to say she can see a man chasing a girl in her head and you feel the need to rush over to her house?"
🌟🌟🌟1/2 STARS
As a reader, I love books with a lot of tension and a bit of an edge and The Foster Child provided that in spades. The family dynamics were well written and the guilt felt by everyone came through clearly. Everything about this story is clearly definded - there is excellent characterization and an amazing plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. I think Ellie's temperament and actions were explained very well from her point of view. I found the book hard to put down as I squirmed through the building tension. The Foster Child is definitely one of the most twisted books I have had the pleasure of reading. This is my third Jenny Blackhurst novel and she never seems to disappoint!
🌟🌟🌟1/2 STARS
As a reader, I love books with a lot of tension and a bit of an edge and The Foster Child provided that in spades. The family dynamics were well written and the guilt felt by everyone came through clearly. Everything about this story is clearly definded - there is excellent characterization and an amazing plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. I think Ellie's temperament and actions were explained very well from her point of view. I found the book hard to put down as I squirmed through the building tension. The Foster Child is definitely one of the most twisted books I have had the pleasure of reading. This is my third Jenny Blackhurst novel and she never seems to disappoint!
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
For some reason I really struggled with this book. Can't quite put my finger on why this was but many times I felt like giving up on it . I persevered with it and although I loved the ending I struggled with the most part of it . I found it difficult to like any of the characters and found myself skimming through a good
part of the book .
part of the book .
Just the creepy little thriller to curl up with on a lazy weekend. It took me a while to get into the book, but once I got an idea of the protagonists, it was pretty gripping. The story mostly keeps you guessing as to whether you're reading a supernatural thriller or a plain old psyho thriller. I won't spoil the suspense.
There were parts that were predictable, but that twist at the end makes you forget everything. The only thing I didn't particularly like was Imogen Reid, one of the protagonists. While it's true that she's a complex character with a back story, the part where she seems to be pressurised into having a child (I won't say if she was or not) felt uncomfortable to me. I wish this could have been a stronger pro-adoption story, but of course, it's not my decision.
I received a review copy from NetGalley.
There were parts that were predictable, but that twist at the end makes you forget everything. The only thing I didn't particularly like was Imogen Reid, one of the protagonists. While it's true that she's a complex character with a back story, the part where she seems to be pressurised into having a child (I won't say if she was or not) felt uncomfortable to me. I wish this could have been a stronger pro-adoption story, but of course, it's not my decision.
I received a review copy from NetGalley.