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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven’t given a five star review in some time but this was thoroughly deserved.
Dual time aspect books don’t always do it for me but the way this entwined past and present day was perfect. I was equally invested in both of the times the story was set in and the way they fused together in the present day. The historical aspect was fascinating and, as with other great writing, was based on a lot of truth and secret histories so this made my pages turn very fast indeed. I feel I learned a lot about WWII and British sub groups and the taboos of Nazi sympathisers and from a very human aspect through connected characters that I was very engaged with. The personal stories and trauma were exquisitely written and very poignant with quite a few tear jerking moments as were the acutely observed experiences of being in modern day prisons. Honestly this book has it all, hidden past secrets, teenage pregnancy, tragedy and plenty of intrigue. Do read it, if you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed. The ending totally threw my world upside down, I won’t lie, but I know the storyline will stay with me for a long time to come.
Dual time aspect books don’t always do it for me but the way this entwined past and present day was perfect. I was equally invested in both of the times the story was set in and the way they fused together in the present day. The historical aspect was fascinating and, as with other great writing, was based on a lot of truth and secret histories so this made my pages turn very fast indeed. I feel I learned a lot about WWII and British sub groups and the taboos of Nazi sympathisers and from a very human aspect through connected characters that I was very engaged with. The personal stories and trauma were exquisitely written and very poignant with quite a few tear jerking moments as were the acutely observed experiences of being in modern day prisons. Honestly this book has it all, hidden past secrets, teenage pregnancy, tragedy and plenty of intrigue. Do read it, if you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed. The ending totally threw my world upside down, I won’t lie, but I know the storyline will stay with me for a long time to come.
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
‘The Stranger In Room Six’ is a dual POV, telling the story of Belinda, an ex convict, and Mabel, an OAP. When Belinda becomes a carer for Mabel at Sunnyside, they find themselves telling each other their life stories; what darkness are they hiding from the light? And who is the stranger in room 6 that’s watching everything?
I have to start by saying this is the fastest 400 plus page book ever! I absolutely flew through it because I was so immersed in the story. It was a historical thriller in my eyes, and I loved Mabel’s POV when she went back to speaking about the Second World War.
The way the author makes the characters recount their pasts is incredible, and I throughly enjoyed their stories coming together and the differences between them. It had enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, without going into full on thriller territory. One of my favourite reads this year.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.
I know we’re always told not to judge a book by its cover, blah blah blah, but I admit the cover led me to expect something a little darker and grittier than what the story delivered. I found that while there were a few twists along the way, they felt more convenient than surprising, which left me less invested than I had hoped to be.
The book had a lot of chapter endings designed to build suspense, but for me, they leaned more towards melodramatic rather than truly tense. It’s also quite a long read where, despite the page count, not a lot seemed to happen. The pacing felt unusual - at times very slow-burning, yet within a single page the narrative could jump between multiple locations and conversations. This made it quite difficult to skim when I wanted to, as plot points could easily be missed in just a few paragraphs.
That said, I can absolutely see the appeal for readers who enjoy this kind of story. The writing itself is strong, and both main characters were genuinely likeable and interesting — I did enjoy spending time with them even if the overall pacing and style didn’t quite suit me.
Wishing the author all the best with the release!
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
A dark but beautiful story which teaches of the power of forgiveness, especially forgiving yourself.
I really loved this book. The short chapters helped to keep me engaged, I thought it was well written and an engaging story line. It’s definitely an interesting take, and I enjoyed all the different settings, in a prison one minute, then by the sea the next.
I would recommend to anyone interested in thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the arc!
I really loved this book. The short chapters helped to keep me engaged, I thought it was well written and an engaging story line. It’s definitely an interesting take, and I enjoyed all the different settings, in a prison one minute, then by the sea the next.
I would recommend to anyone interested in thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the arc!
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
The stranger in Room six is another suspenseful read by the author Jane Corry.
Belinda wants to start a new life after been released from Prison after serving 15 years for murdering her husband, Gerald. She gets help faking a DBS certificate so she can get a job at the Sunnyside Care home in Devon where she meets the oldest resident Mable who is also the owner of the establishment. Whilst in Prison Belinda became a Listener in prison listen and giving advice to several inmates. So, she has no problem communicating with her. Which gets Mabel talking about her life during the Second world war. Where secrets about her Aunt Clarissa and Uncle called ‘the Conel’ wherever found out someone might die.
This was an interesting read about the two women from different generations and over all I did enjoy discovering the two women’s stories. But with the two life stories going back and forth at times I felt sometimes a bit confusing. But it did end it did have satisfying conclusion, 4 stars from me.