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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
I haven’t read anything by Lisa Jackson in what seems like forever, but as usual I was definitely satisfied with what I got.
Paranoid is set in Edgewater, Oregon told in the views of Rachel Gaston, whom many believe that she got away with the murder of her half-brother, Luke, twenty years ago. As her twenty year high school reunion draws closer, she begins to imagine - or is she? - suspicious things happening that connect back to the events leading up to and around the time of the murder.
Rachel, to me, was an unreliable narrator at times. She’s also very paranoid and overly anxious about many everyday occurrences and also extremely grating on the people around her because of it. As I listened along, I kept wanting to yell at her to ‘let it go, live a little’. When things start happening around her that are more eerie and clearly not fictions of her imagination is when you really start to feel like maybe there is something going on here. Rachel begins receiving creepy texts, has her home vandalized, and witnesses from the murder twenty years ago come up dead…. This is where we begin to see that her paranoia is justified.
This was definitely a thrilling and suspenseful read. As the story in the present day progresses, and we are searching for our whodunnit…we also learn the backstory and ultimately what happened twenty years ago. I truly did not suspect any of the culprits and was therefore pleasantly surprised by the ending!
Paranoid is set in Edgewater, Oregon told in the views of Rachel Gaston, whom many believe that she got away with the murder of her half-brother, Luke, twenty years ago. As her twenty year high school reunion draws closer, she begins to imagine - or is she? - suspicious things happening that connect back to the events leading up to and around the time of the murder.
Rachel, to me, was an unreliable narrator at times. She’s also very paranoid and overly anxious about many everyday occurrences and also extremely grating on the people around her because of it. As I listened along, I kept wanting to yell at her to ‘let it go, live a little’. When things start happening around her that are more eerie and clearly not fictions of her imagination is when you really start to feel like maybe there is something going on here. Rachel begins receiving creepy texts, has her home vandalized, and witnesses from the murder twenty years ago come up dead…. This is where we begin to see that her paranoia is justified.
This was definitely a thrilling and suspenseful read. As the story in the present day progresses, and we are searching for our whodunnit…we also learn the backstory and ultimately what happened twenty years ago. I truly did not suspect any of the culprits and was therefore pleasantly surprised by the ending!
This is my second Lisa Jackson book, although the first book I "read", her novel Whispers, I ended up dnf-ing. I don't think I'll completely write off her books in the future but Paranoid definitely did not help with my opinion of Lisa Jackson's writing. I agree with many of the other lower-rating reviews in that the book was very repetitive and the characters ranged from mildly annoying to very annoying. I mean I love when an author can make you hate a character but damn was it hard to even slightly like one. I didn't actually start being interested in the plot or characters till the 2nd half of the book. If this book had ended up suddenly disappearing from the face of the planet before I could reach the 2nd half, I wouldn't have given a single f*ck. I'll definitely admit that most twists at the end were surprising, a couple being predictable, but still I can't help but feel that my time was wasted because of how boring this read was for the most part.
Also, I never post reviews and I know it's not exactly new but that's how much this book is bothering me haha.
Also, I never post reviews and I know it's not exactly new but that's how much this book is bothering me haha.
I never read reviews before I read a book and I'm so glad I don't. I finished this book, looked at the reviews and nearly all of them were bad! I mean, what is that all about? I LOVED this book. I loved the characters, I loved the story and I loved the twists.
Anyhoo, I digress. This was my first Lisa Jackson book and I've loved it so much I now have a wishlist full of her books. I really look forward to reading more of her work.
Anyhoo, I digress. This was my first Lisa Jackson book and I've loved it so much I now have a wishlist full of her books. I really look forward to reading more of her work.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Paranoid by Lisa Jackson is a classic case of a crime today being linked to a crime from the past. 20 years ago Rachel’s brother Luke was killed in what seemed like it might have been an accident or not? Now today, people involved are dying and Rachel is getting text messages that seem to be from beyond the grave. Twists and turns and very critical jabs at life in insular small towns, the downside of everyone knowing everyone and know one ever forgetting. Lots of red herrings and distractions from the main plot. I found some of the characters a bit annoying but still a fun domestic thriller read.
I’d picked this book up based on the reviews and the fact that I’d read and enjoyed Lisa Jackson before, but this one didn’t quite live up to expectations. There was some decent suspense, but the writing and plot/setting made it very hard for me to get into it. The first was the premise of the accidental death of a teenager 20 years ago — intriguing in itself, but the characters seemed to be stuck in a time warp of events that had happened 20 years ago, still quite teenage in their interactions. The second was the writing — a lot of repetition and telling (instead of showing). There some weird phrases I stumbled over, like, ‘She had borne him a son’!
And the thing that really annoyed me — Rachel’s teenage children were horrible creatures.
(Review copy from NetGalley)
And the thing that really annoyed me — Rachel’s teenage children were horrible creatures.
(Review copy from NetGalley)
It's a 2.5 for me. I didn't ever get that feeling of paranoia, which is what I was shooting for, this was a lot more soap-opera-like (honestly the personalities of every character were set to Drama Queen 24/7) than I wanted. The kids remained so annoying () that I didn't care if the killer Also, the cops were a bit more dimwitted than I want in fiction and one, in particular, made me think I was supposed to be aware of her from another series, she seemed like the interest I was supposed to have for her was in a previous, and apparently non-existing, book. Doubt I'd read the author again unless I was recommended one by someone I really trust. But hey, I finished!
Spoiler
Mom your PTSD is totally cramping my style and I can't believe you and our Cop father do not approve of my breaking the law! -_-Spoiler
and while I was right, I find the actual motivation very lacking, of course, I was inspired by the Newspaper and my Moms reunion planning committee!
If you love a good mystery, give Paranoid a try. It’s a refreshing story that delves into the lives of Rachel Gaston, her family and everyone involved in the murder of her half brother Luke Hollander.
Twenty years ago, Rachel was a carefree teen. That is until one night when she snuck out with a friend to a BB gun battle at an old abandoned factory. That night was supposed to be fun and games...until her brother Luke died.
All fingers point to Rachel as the culprit. Seconds before Luke died, Rachel aimed her BB gun at him and shot. So what happened?
Rachel was acquitted of all charges due to a combination of no evidence, testimonials and her young age.
On the 20th anniversary of Luke’s death, Violet Sperry is murdered; one of the witnesses that testified to Rachel’s innocence.
Rachel isn’t sure what to believe as she receives strange texts saying “I forgive you” and those prickling sensations of being watched. With these weird occurrence plus her two kids acting suspicious, it’s not a matter of if she will become unhinged, but when...
My Thoughts
Oh my god, I had such a fun time with this thrilling storyline that sucks you in and doesn’t let you come up for air. Literally. I read Paranoid straight through with no breaks...not my brightest idea at 2 in the morning.
For the more experienced mystery readers out there, you may immediately have a sense of who the killer is, but you probably won’t guess every one of them.
My predictions on who the current killer was varied a bit, but I did end up pinpointing the suspect. The person who killed Luke came straight out of left field though. I did not see it coming.
Twenty years ago, Rachel was a carefree teen. That is until one night when she snuck out with a friend to a BB gun battle at an old abandoned factory. That night was supposed to be fun and games...until her brother Luke died.
All fingers point to Rachel as the culprit. Seconds before Luke died, Rachel aimed her BB gun at him and shot. So what happened?
Rachel was acquitted of all charges due to a combination of no evidence, testimonials and her young age.
On the 20th anniversary of Luke’s death, Violet Sperry is murdered; one of the witnesses that testified to Rachel’s innocence.
Rachel isn’t sure what to believe as she receives strange texts saying “I forgive you” and those prickling sensations of being watched. With these weird occurrence plus her two kids acting suspicious, it’s not a matter of if she will become unhinged, but when...
My Thoughts
Oh my god, I had such a fun time with this thrilling storyline that sucks you in and doesn’t let you come up for air. Literally. I read Paranoid straight through with no breaks...not my brightest idea at 2 in the morning.
For the more experienced mystery readers out there, you may immediately have a sense of who the killer is, but you probably won’t guess every one of them.
My predictions on who the current killer was varied a bit, but I did end up pinpointing the suspect. The person who killed Luke came straight out of left field though. I did not see it coming.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Synopsis: 20 years ago, Rachel accidentally shot and killed her brother Luke with what she thought was an air pellet gun but ended up being a real gun. Or so she thought. Now, other people who were there that night are getting murdered, and she's worried she and her family are next.
This was just ok. It had an interesting premise, but was so incredibly repetitive, I found myself skimming through large chunks. I also thought one major twist wasn't explained particularly well, so it felt like it was largely for shock value but not fully thought out.
It wasn't terrible, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend.
This was just ok. It had an interesting premise, but was so incredibly repetitive, I found myself skimming through large chunks. I also thought one major twist wasn't explained particularly well, so it felt like it was largely for shock value but not fully thought out.
It wasn't terrible, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend.