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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
Amelie and her husband have been kidnapped. Why? By whom? And why is she as afraid of her husband and she is the kidnappers? Most of those questions are answered in the first part of the book. In the second, Amelie goes to find the answers to the rest of the questions and the ones raised by events after she was released. For the first half the writing and storyline were taut and I wondered what was going to happen. But in the second part it felt like the story knew what needed to happen but didn't know how. The result was a lot of fumbling around and then a couple chapters where all is explained. It felt like one of those over explanatory epilogues that seem to be flooding books recently and I didn't like the approach here any better. Those details should be revealed throughout the story. Isn't that the point of a thriller? Like a joke, if you have to explain it then you didn't tell it right to begin with. Needless to say, it is a good story but I was a bit disappointed in the presentation.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
If you’re already a fan of B.A.Paris, then you’ll know her customary psychological novels are full of surprises and jaw dropping twist and turns, and her latest book “The Prisoner”is no exception. Author of the bestselling “Behind Closed Doors” and “The Breakdown”, both very popular and full of their own frequent changes in direction, B.A. Paris knows how to tease her readers, keep them turning the pages and be totally caught off guard when the denouement finally occurs.
“Amelie has always been a survivor, from losing her parents as a child in Paris to making it on her own in London. As she builds a life for herself, she is swept up into a glamorous lifestyle where she married the handsome billionaire Jed Hawthorne.
But then, Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is. Why has she been taken? Who are her mysterious captors? And why does she soon feel safer here, imprisoned, than she had begun to feel with her husband Ned…………?”
If you don’t mind stories where you need to suspend disbelief and lose yourself in an enjoyable plot that’s logistically near impossible, then “The Prisoner” is for you. Sometimes you need a bit of escapism, without the police procedural aspect and logical planning to just lose yourself in and enjoy without having to concentrate every step of the way. I thought Amelie played a brilliant part, kept her emotions in check when at her most vulnerable and portrayed a strong female role. The story was easy to read, easy to follow and easy to enjoy. Told in alternating chapters between the interesting past and intriguing present (until the past catches up), I really enjoyed being a ‘prisoner’ with Amelie and if this genre is your interest then you should thoroughly enjoy this book.
#ThePrisoner - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Prisoner is a captivating thriller about a young woman kidnapped and isolated with her dangerous husband. Following the death of her beloved father, Amelie moves to London at 17 to try to make it on her own. Thanks to a chance encounter with Caroline, she has a friend, a job, and a safe home. Flash forward to a few years later and she's fully enveloped by Caroline's friends and has another new job working for billionaire Ned Hawthorne at his magazine, Her friends try to warn her of Ned's manipulative behavior, but he isolates her on a so-called work trip to Las Vegas. She returns from Vegas with no phone, no computer, no way of accessing her beloved friends, and married to Ned. Their marriage is meant to be a business arrangement, but it becomes obvious that it's much more than that when he refuses to let her leave their home. The story alternates between the past and the present - the present in which Amelie is held prisoner in an entirely dark room with only a mattress and a small bathroom. She doesn't know who her captors are, but she knows she may be safer with them than she is with her husband, isolated one floor beneath her. The narration is lovely and brings a sense of urgency to the story.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the advance copy of #theprisoner for review. The opinions are my own.
I've been meaning to read a book by this author for ages and ages, so I'm glad I got this one to nudge me into reading the others that are actually on my shelf! If this is indicative of her style, I'm definitely in for more!
The story starts with the death of Amelie's dad and her move to London. After a rough start she makes a few female friends, has a place to live, and gets a job. On a business trip with her very wealthy boss to Las Vegas, he suggests a business proposal which entails them getting married for a short time - and he suggests it in such a way that they both would benefit.
Ameilie agrees and her life spirals out of control afterwards. She and her wealthy husband are kidnapped and held prisoner. Plots and secrets and trouble ensue. I thought the build up was strong and even agreeing to the business / wedding proposal sort of made sense. The kidnapping and prisoner section had some plot issues, but I was still engaged. The ending though. Everything aligned all too perfectly and it was a bit too tidy. Kind of a rushed Hollywood ending. The book would make a good beach or weekend read for a thrill ride but nothing too deep or complex.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This starts off fast, with Amelie and her husband in the process of being kidnapped, and the related fear of what is happening and if they're about to be executed in the woods. This is a quick and engaging read....mostly. It's told in two parts, and most of the second half really dragged for me. But I did enjoy the very end, and how it all came together, and it's a pretty short book so you can get through the slow parts fairly quickly!
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Kidnapping
This is another hit and miss author for me.
This had an interesting premise. Lots of twists. And it was interesting how it all came out in the end. However, the ending? Yeah, that was a bit underwhelming. Kind of wanted to just throw my iPad in frustration as I read the final two pages. That kind of knocked it down a star for me.
Still may recommend it to others.
I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This had an interesting premise. Lots of twists. And it was interesting how it all came out in the end. However, the ending? Yeah, that was a bit underwhelming. Kind of wanted to just throw my iPad in frustration as I read the final two pages. That kind of knocked it down a star for me.
Still may recommend it to others.
I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
The Prisoner
Amelie is a survivor making it on her own In London after losing her father she is building a life for herself until she meets Jed and he makes her an offer she can't refuse but it soon goes horribly wrong and she ends up a Prisoner in a pitch black room with no idea why she is there or who has her Prisoner.
Wow ! This book had me absolutely hooked from the start ! I loved that we were thrown Into it from the first page with no clue whats hoing on then the past and present timelines building the backstory. The pure fear of being trapped in the Dark is terrifying. I did enjoy the first half of the book more than second half but still a solid great read for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and B.A Paris for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review
Amelie is a survivor making it on her own In London after losing her father she is building a life for herself until she meets Jed and he makes her an offer she can't refuse but it soon goes horribly wrong and she ends up a Prisoner in a pitch black room with no idea why she is there or who has her Prisoner.
Wow ! This book had me absolutely hooked from the start ! I loved that we were thrown Into it from the first page with no clue whats hoing on then the past and present timelines building the backstory. The pure fear of being trapped in the Dark is terrifying. I did enjoy the first half of the book more than second half but still a solid great read for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and B.A Paris for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Prisoner is a suspenseful and twisty novel. At age 16, Amelie's father passes away leaving her homeless and poor without anyone to help support her. She is determined to make it on her own though. She is a survivor. And this mentality helps her when she is kidnapped and held as a prisoner in a dark room with no communication with her kidnappers.
Told from Amelie's point of view the story unfolds between two timelines. One the current imprisonment and the other is the lead up to the kidnapping. When I first started reading I wondered how well I would enjoy the imprisonment part since Amelie is in the dark both literally and figuratively.. but the author does an amazing job of keeping the reader engaged and guessing. The 2nd half of the story felr authentic but the ending left me a touch unsatisfied. Overall I really liked the book. I flew through the pages trying to put the pieces together. Well put together thriller.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.
Told from Amelie's point of view the story unfolds between two timelines. One the current imprisonment and the other is the lead up to the kidnapping. When I first started reading I wondered how well I would enjoy the imprisonment part since Amelie is in the dark both literally and figuratively.. but the author does an amazing job of keeping the reader engaged and guessing. The 2nd half of the story felr authentic but the ending left me a touch unsatisfied. Overall I really liked the book. I flew through the pages trying to put the pieces together. Well put together thriller.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.