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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
This was a really fun thriller that keep me guessing until the end. The MC was funny as well as potentially unreliable and the psycho antagonist kept it very entertaining. I could not stop listening! The only thing I didn't like was the narrator's voice for the antagonist, she made her sound like she was 12. Otherwise, a super entertaining read and my first from this author, but I will definitely check out her other books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Darkly funny (sometimes laugh-out-loud and talk-back-to-the-characters funny, I say this honestly), fast-paced, and well-structured, this was one of the most enjoyable galleys that I read this summer. The parts of this novel that deal with the book publishing world are not so insular that readers will feel shut out. Character motivations feel realistic; Iris/Rose struggles to keep her privacy and sense of self intact even as fraudulent “author” Emily’s greed and ambition set a trap for Iris/Rose. There are more than a few villains in this story, and each is so vividly characterized that the reader may enjoy despising them. I liked the emotional depth of the characters and Barelli’s evocative phrasing; I listened to the audiobook, excellently performed by Rachel Leblang , so I can’t easily quote it directly, but I liked the description of Rose’s mother energetically knitting, keeping herself busy in the wake of abandonment and divorce. As a Reference Librarian, I would recommend FINDERS KEEPERS to fans of cozy mysteries that are ready to explore thrillers and suspense; readers interested in social satire; and readers of “women’s fiction” seeking to expand their horizons.
Audio should have been checked, how does someone not know how to pronounce heroine... sorry it was just annoying AF to me.
As far as the book, the main character was a bit self involved and annoying, actually the secondary person Emily was the most annoying in the book. sweetie.
As far as the story, it was predictable for me, but eh I am used to the queen Freida and was just disappointed that I could so easily predict the ending...
all in all decent, read at your own risk.
As far as the book, the main character was a bit self involved and annoying, actually the secondary person Emily was the most annoying in the book. sweetie.
As far as the story, it was predictable for me, but eh I am used to the queen Freida and was just disappointed that I could so easily predict the ending...
all in all decent, read at your own risk.
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Publication date ~ ebook ~ August 26, 2023, audio ~ September 19, 2023
Page Count ~ 322 (52 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 40 minutes
Narrator ~ Rachel Leblang
POV ~ single 1st & 3rd
Featuring ~ 2 part story, dual timeline, gaslighting, manipulation
Rose is strolling along when she notices a book display for Diary of an Octopus, but wait that sounds familiar. How did her personal diary get published by someone named Emily? It must be because she left her laptop at the airport 2 years ago and she swiped it.
Rose, calling herself Iris, weasels her way into Emily's life in order to get her laptop back, which is not an easy task. Emily was really grating on my nerves calling her sweetie all the time in her condescending tone, I just wanted to cut her tongue out.
In part 2 we get the POV of Mr. B, who is the star of the diary, and we dive deeper into what happened back when she had a crush on him.
Overall, this was a nice, fast paced one with some nice twists, and that's all I'm going to say.
Narration notes:
She did an okay job. Some voices weren't great at all, maybe I'm still just trying to clear my ears of the sweetie crap, but others were perfect.
*Thanks to the author, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Publication date ~ ebook ~ August 26, 2023, audio ~ September 19, 2023
Page Count ~ 322 (52 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 40 minutes
Narrator ~ Rachel Leblang
POV ~ single 1st & 3rd
Featuring ~ 2 part story, dual timeline, gaslighting, manipulation
Rose is strolling along when she notices a book display for Diary of an Octopus, but wait that sounds familiar. How did her personal diary get published by someone named Emily? It must be because she left her laptop at the airport 2 years ago and she swiped it.
Rose, calling herself Iris, weasels her way into Emily's life in order to get her laptop back, which is not an easy task. Emily was really grating on my nerves calling her sweetie all the time in her condescending tone, I just wanted to cut her tongue out.
In part 2 we get the POV of Mr. B, who is the star of the diary, and we dive deeper into what happened back when she had a crush on him.
Overall, this was a nice, fast paced one with some nice twists, and that's all I'm going to say.
Narration notes:
She did an okay job. Some voices weren't great at all, maybe I'm still just trying to clear my ears of the sweetie crap, but others were perfect.
*Thanks to the author, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I really like this author but this took a long time to get good around page 100 it got interesting at that's along time to really enjoy or be drawn in. Even then it was a slow burn. The ending did surprise me and overall I enjoyed it.
Rose, the 23-year-old protagonist of "Finders Keepers," is one of those female characters that I instinctively like. She's a mixture of vulnerability, a survivor of a challenging childhood, and a girl who blames herself to the point of believing she might be a psychopath. Judging from her recollection of the past, a reader must be convinced that Rose isn't. Somehow, we feel that Rose is the victim here and that something went wrong. Is she strong enough to uncover what happened when she was a teenager? Was she a killer?
One day, Rose enters a bookstore where there is a book signing. A famous, beautiful influencer, Emily is signing her bestseller "Diary of an Octopus." The problem is this is not Emily's book; it's Rose's old teenage diary, where she documented her crush on a teacher. Terrified that Emily knows about Rose's crush and other events that can land her in jail, Rose decides to do everything to recover her stolen laptop. The game of cat and mouse begins.
This was the first novel by Natalie Barelli that I read, and I was shocked at how good it was. The fast-moving plot and twists and turns make this book very engaging. I was constantly surprised by new information and new accusations. Everybody could have been a killer because they all had a motive and opportunity. It's an excellent thriller for the fans of such novels as "The Maid" and "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine." What a ride!
One day, Rose enters a bookstore where there is a book signing. A famous, beautiful influencer, Emily is signing her bestseller "Diary of an Octopus." The problem is this is not Emily's book; it's Rose's old teenage diary, where she documented her crush on a teacher. Terrified that Emily knows about Rose's crush and other events that can land her in jail, Rose decides to do everything to recover her stolen laptop. The game of cat and mouse begins.
This was the first novel by Natalie Barelli that I read, and I was shocked at how good it was. The fast-moving plot and twists and turns make this book very engaging. I was constantly surprised by new information and new accusations. Everybody could have been a killer because they all had a motive and opportunity. It's an excellent thriller for the fans of such novels as "The Maid" and "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine." What a ride!
not what I expected
I love Natalie Barelli books and couldn’t wait to read this. In fact I put down another book I had been reading to buy this and read it. It is not as good as her others. I found myself struggling to keep going. It was interesting but I figured it out and it was just so so. I hope the next one is better.
I love Natalie Barelli books and couldn’t wait to read this. In fact I put down another book I had been reading to buy this and read it. It is not as good as her others. I found myself struggling to keep going. It was interesting but I figured it out and it was just so so. I hope the next one is better.