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nyahraine22's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nickyskene's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it - I was hooked from the first few pages! Every parents nightmare, children kidnapped and the ransom demanded? - their mother!
Matt and Annabelle have a choice to make - do they agree to not call the police and sacrifice Annabelle to save their children? A very fast paced book that keeps you guessing throughout! My first book by the author but definitely not the last!
http://toomanybooksneverenoughtime.wordpress.com
Matt and Annabelle have a choice to make - do they agree to not call the police and sacrifice Annabelle to save their children? A very fast paced book that keeps you guessing throughout! My first book by the author but definitely not the last!
http://toomanybooksneverenoughtime.wordpress.com
calturner's review against another edition
4.0
The Choice by Alex Lake is a tense and gripping thriller that keeps you on your toes throughout. Every time I thought I’d worked out exactly what was happening, the author threw another curveball that changed my mind yet again. It’s an intense and pulse racing read that captured my imagination from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final, exhilarating page had been turned.
After popping into a shop to buy a few essentials Matt Westbrook returns to where he parked his car to be faced with the unimaginable. His car, with his three young children inside, has disappeared. Thinking it must be a car theft gone wrong, Matt begins to panic. But then he receives a text message that makes it clear this is no ordinary theft: His children have been kidnapped. And the ransom the kidnapper wants isn’t money, it’s Annabelle, Matt’s wife! So the couple have a choice to make. Either Annabelle must hand herself over to the kidnapper or their children must die. Either option is unthinkable, but one is inevitable. And they only have a few hours to come to a decision…
What follows is an intense and fast paced thriller that had me racing through the pages, desperate to see what the outcome would be. The last few chapters in particular were so gripping I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! The Choice is one of those books that has you on the edge of your seat and, even once the kidnapper is finally revealed, doesn’t slow down even for a second.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Alex Lake’s writing is strong and the exciting and emotionally intense plot kept me riveted from beginning to end. A superb thriller that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
After popping into a shop to buy a few essentials Matt Westbrook returns to where he parked his car to be faced with the unimaginable. His car, with his three young children inside, has disappeared. Thinking it must be a car theft gone wrong, Matt begins to panic. But then he receives a text message that makes it clear this is no ordinary theft: His children have been kidnapped. And the ransom the kidnapper wants isn’t money, it’s Annabelle, Matt’s wife! So the couple have a choice to make. Either Annabelle must hand herself over to the kidnapper or their children must die. Either option is unthinkable, but one is inevitable. And they only have a few hours to come to a decision…
What follows is an intense and fast paced thriller that had me racing through the pages, desperate to see what the outcome would be. The last few chapters in particular were so gripping I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! The Choice is one of those books that has you on the edge of your seat and, even once the kidnapper is finally revealed, doesn’t slow down even for a second.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Alex Lake’s writing is strong and the exciting and emotionally intense plot kept me riveted from beginning to end. A superb thriller that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
Matt is returning home one day with his 3 children in the car. He stops off at the store, and due to the new virus, he doesn't want to expose them, so he leaves them in the back seat. He grabs a few items, checking to see if the kids are behaving through the store window. As he checks out, he looks again, and the car is gone! Then he receives texts telling him that the children have been kidnapped. He runs home to his wife, Annabelle, and tells her. The story then goes back and forth, bringing up details of past relationships and things in their lives that may have caused someone to take their children. Then, the ransom demand is made, and Annabelle and Matt need to make a choice.
This is an interesting thriller, and an interesting dilemma. It also highlights the deranged mind of some people. While I was initially unsure of the kidnapper's identity, I did have a suspicion about who it actually was.
I enjoyed this, but I thought the ending wrapped a little too abruptly.
This is an interesting thriller, and an interesting dilemma. It also highlights the deranged mind of some people. While I was initially unsure of the kidnapper's identity, I did have a suspicion about who it actually was.
I enjoyed this, but I thought the ending wrapped a little too abruptly.
wkilgannon's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant. Such a clever and terrifying premise. Parts of the story left me breathless with the suspense.
pippad's review against another edition
5.0
If your children were kidnapped and the ransom was you, what would you do?
Yeah, I'd make the exact same choices that are made in this book, but I doubt I'd get the same ending as in this book.
I read the book fairly quickly and did enjoy the speed at which the plot unfolded, even if I had guessed really early the twist!
Yeah, I'd make the exact same choices that are made in this book, but I doubt I'd get the same ending as in this book.
I read the book fairly quickly and did enjoy the speed at which the plot unfolded, even if I had guessed really early the twist!
hannahmaybookreviews's review against another edition
5.0
Title: The Choice
Author: Alex Lake
Pages: 400
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: 5/5
A huge thank you to Alex Lake, Harper Collins, Random Things Tours and Netgalley for letting me read and review!
Synopsis:
Matt Westbrook only left his 3 children in the car for a few minutes whilst he nipped into the shop for essentials. Due to the current pandemic he feels this is the quickest and safest option. But he was wrong, vert wrong. When he returns to his car his children are gone. At first, he is stunned, but when his phone begins to receive messages from the kidnapper, the reality of the situation kicks in and Matt has to leap into action. His children have been kidnapped and this time the ransom isn’t money, it’s his beloved wife Annabelle. To see his children alive, he must trade the other thing he holds most dear, the love of his life, the mother to his children.
Review:
When reading the description for The Choice and seeing the impossible predicament the characters would be in, I was instantly hooked and I needed to know what would happen. I am a huge psychological fan and after reading the reviews I felt excited about this book, I really hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed and I definitely wasn’t!
The opening of the book gripped me straight away, the fist chapter jumps straight into the action and gripped I remained right until the end. I also loved how relatable this read was with the pandemic we are all currently battling and the lack of toilet paper when Matt goes to the shop!
This story is told from different character’s perspectives and point of view, these were all clearly marked and easy to follow. The short snappy chapters also set a perfect pace for this read and helped you to really feel the character’s panic at times. The fact that some of the chapters left you hanging meant it was hard to put the book back down. The book is also split into parts and flashbacks to when Matt and Annabelle were younger, I really enjoyed this element as I felt I really got to know the characters well and understand their journeys. It also did a wonderful job at putting people on the suspect list!
I loved the relationship between Annabelle and Matt, together they were a power couple. We had Annabelle who was strong, brave and determined and then Matt who wasn’t a typical male, he was in touch with his sensitive side and showed his feelings, which made him feel very real. At times I wondered if they were too perfect, but I was definitely wrong about this.
When I had to stop reading The Choice, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up and genuinely felt eager to return to the read. At the same time however, I couldn’t wait to finish the book, only because I was eager to see how the story would pan out and if I was right about my suspicions.
I did manage to work out who the perpetrator was, I think this was due to the number of psychological thrillers I have read. The fact I did guess didn’t spoil this for me however and the twist was fantastic. Let’s just say though that the perpetrator was the perfect villain, they were cold hearted, twisted, crazy and totally delusional and they gave me the creeps.
This perfect, steady paced, enthralling book had me at the edge of my seat. The twists and turns were brilliant, the book was atmospheric and I would definitely read other books from this talented author.
Author: Alex Lake
Pages: 400
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: 5/5
A huge thank you to Alex Lake, Harper Collins, Random Things Tours and Netgalley for letting me read and review!
Synopsis:
Matt Westbrook only left his 3 children in the car for a few minutes whilst he nipped into the shop for essentials. Due to the current pandemic he feels this is the quickest and safest option. But he was wrong, vert wrong. When he returns to his car his children are gone. At first, he is stunned, but when his phone begins to receive messages from the kidnapper, the reality of the situation kicks in and Matt has to leap into action. His children have been kidnapped and this time the ransom isn’t money, it’s his beloved wife Annabelle. To see his children alive, he must trade the other thing he holds most dear, the love of his life, the mother to his children.
Review:
When reading the description for The Choice and seeing the impossible predicament the characters would be in, I was instantly hooked and I needed to know what would happen. I am a huge psychological fan and after reading the reviews I felt excited about this book, I really hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed and I definitely wasn’t!
The opening of the book gripped me straight away, the fist chapter jumps straight into the action and gripped I remained right until the end. I also loved how relatable this read was with the pandemic we are all currently battling and the lack of toilet paper when Matt goes to the shop!
This story is told from different character’s perspectives and point of view, these were all clearly marked and easy to follow. The short snappy chapters also set a perfect pace for this read and helped you to really feel the character’s panic at times. The fact that some of the chapters left you hanging meant it was hard to put the book back down. The book is also split into parts and flashbacks to when Matt and Annabelle were younger, I really enjoyed this element as I felt I really got to know the characters well and understand their journeys. It also did a wonderful job at putting people on the suspect list!
I loved the relationship between Annabelle and Matt, together they were a power couple. We had Annabelle who was strong, brave and determined and then Matt who wasn’t a typical male, he was in touch with his sensitive side and showed his feelings, which made him feel very real. At times I wondered if they were too perfect, but I was definitely wrong about this.
When I had to stop reading The Choice, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up and genuinely felt eager to return to the read. At the same time however, I couldn’t wait to finish the book, only because I was eager to see how the story would pan out and if I was right about my suspicions.
I did manage to work out who the perpetrator was, I think this was due to the number of psychological thrillers I have read. The fact I did guess didn’t spoil this for me however and the twist was fantastic. Let’s just say though that the perpetrator was the perfect villain, they were cold hearted, twisted, crazy and totally delusional and they gave me the creeps.
This perfect, steady paced, enthralling book had me at the edge of my seat. The twists and turns were brilliant, the book was atmospheric and I would definitely read other books from this talented author.