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book_em_wendy's review
2.0
I enjoyed the storyline and liked the characters. The plot: Jenna hears a woman scream and runs to help her. The woman has been stabbed. Jenna summons help only to have the victim turn around and accuse Jenna of being the perpetrator. Was this a case of mistaken identity brought on by the stress of the event? Or, is something far more sinister at play?
Parts of the book were slow and I found some of what happened to be a little far-fetched. Still, the book was mostly enjoyable to read. I would have given it a higher rating if the ending hadn’t been so abrupt. There were still loose ends to be tied up and I was disappointed not to see how it all played out.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to rad and review this book.
Parts of the book were slow and I found some of what happened to be a little far-fetched. Still, the book was mostly enjoyable to read. I would have given it a higher rating if the ending hadn’t been so abrupt. There were still loose ends to be tied up and I was disappointed not to see how it all played out.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to rad and review this book.
lianareadsblog's review
4.0
I enjoyed the author’s previous books and this story didn’t disappoint at all.
What would you do if someone that you tried to help and safe her life would blame you for her attack?
A fast-paced read with many twists and turns, many secrets to unveil and some interesting characters.
I’m not sure if I agree with all the Take the problem in your own hand if you want to find the truth as it’s the case here and in many books that I’ve read lately but it’s interesting to see how the author created an in the unlikely event story.
Another must-read from a must-read author.
What would you do if someone that you tried to help and safe her life would blame you for her attack?
A fast-paced read with many twists and turns, many secrets to unveil and some interesting characters.
I’m not sure if I agree with all the Take the problem in your own hand if you want to find the truth as it’s the case here and in many books that I’ve read lately but it’s interesting to see how the author created an in the unlikely event story.
Another must-read from a must-read author.
natalier3's review
4.0
A really quick read. Fairly fast paced although it did slow in the middle. I liked the characters and understood their history. I enjoyed it and would read more by this author.
robinlovesreading's review
5.0
She was a good Samaritan. Walking home after an evening out with friends, Jenna decides to cut through a park, as it always saved several minutes on the walk headed to her home. Hearing the words "Help me!", Jenna runs towards the chilling words. Spotting a woman bleeding on the ground due to an apparent knife wound, Jenna does what comes naturally to her, and that is to render first aid and to call the emergency number. Eventually help arrives and the stranger is taken to the hospital and Jenna heads home.
That should have been the end of matters. However when the victim wakes up she points to Jenna as the person who tried to kill her. How can that be? The woman is a complete stranger to Jenna. To make matters worse, her daughter Lily is not being honest with her, and her relationship with her husband is becoming quite strained. The family problems are fracturing enough, but an attempted murder accusation is beyond imagination.
When I read a book by Victoria Jenkins I know that I am guaranteed a fast-paced read, one full of twists and turns, with drama and angst mixed in. That has been my previous experience and, true to form, The Accusation follows that pattern. This book does not miss a beat. To throw a wrench in the plan for this book, Jenna has her own secrets, thus we have an unreliable narrator. Written in first-person reveals more than one shocking thing about Jenna.
Jenna's home is topsy turvy, then with the accusation, and with her desperate attempts to prove that she is innocent, things completely spiral out of control. With her relationships being called into question, Jenna's past is slowly revealed as the story unfolds, all leading to a shocking conclusion. The Accusation was a thrilling ride from start to finish, and was impossible to put down. I cannot wait to read whatever else Victoria Jenkins has in store.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
That should have been the end of matters. However when the victim wakes up she points to Jenna as the person who tried to kill her. How can that be? The woman is a complete stranger to Jenna. To make matters worse, her daughter Lily is not being honest with her, and her relationship with her husband is becoming quite strained. The family problems are fracturing enough, but an attempted murder accusation is beyond imagination.
When I read a book by Victoria Jenkins I know that I am guaranteed a fast-paced read, one full of twists and turns, with drama and angst mixed in. That has been my previous experience and, true to form, The Accusation follows that pattern. This book does not miss a beat. To throw a wrench in the plan for this book, Jenna has her own secrets, thus we have an unreliable narrator. Written in first-person reveals more than one shocking thing about Jenna.
Jenna's home is topsy turvy, then with the accusation, and with her desperate attempts to prove that she is innocent, things completely spiral out of control. With her relationships being called into question, Jenna's past is slowly revealed as the story unfolds, all leading to a shocking conclusion. The Accusation was a thrilling ride from start to finish, and was impossible to put down. I cannot wait to read whatever else Victoria Jenkins has in store.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
se7enteen6lack's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
2.5
The Accusation was a medium-paced and quick read that, unfortunately, did not hit my expectations.
The big twist in the book that kept me reading was a twist but not as big as I thought it would be.
ballet4535's review
4.0
I received this as an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a roller coaster of a book. Started off a little slow, then got better, then a little slow, then big twist, which I didn’t guess so that’s always great, then a good ending. First time I’ve read a book by this author and after reading this, I will definitely be reading more!
#netgalley
#theaccusation
This was a roller coaster of a book. Started off a little slow, then got better, then a little slow, then big twist, which I didn’t guess so that’s always great, then a good ending. First time I’ve read a book by this author and after reading this, I will definitely be reading more!
#netgalley
#theaccusation
javierfp82's review against another edition
4.0
Last year Victoria Jenkins set the bar very high for herself with “The Argument” as it had one of the craziest and more surprising twists I've ever read (that I still remember it several months later says a lot about it). With “The Accusation” she delivers another tense psychological/domestic suspense novel which parts from an idea I've always been scared of. What if you're accused of a crime you didn't commit?
From the beginning we know Jenna is not guilty of the crime she's been accused of but it's obvious she's hiding something and, although not as astonishing as THE TWIST I already mentioned, it wrapped the story in a pretty satisfying way and it left me wondering what would I have done if I had been in Jenna's shoes. I love when the main character is not all good or bad, black or white, but has several layers making it likable in spite of its flaws. And that is the case here with Jenna. You could agree more or less with her decision, you could argue she didn't do the correct thing, but in any case you couldn't fault her for it.
Quick and twisty read that proves once more that Victoria Jenkins is a name to watch in the psychological suspense genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
From the beginning we know Jenna is not guilty of the crime she's been accused of but it's obvious she's hiding something and, although not as astonishing as THE TWIST I already mentioned, it wrapped the story in a pretty satisfying way and it left me wondering what would I have done if I had been in Jenna's shoes. I love when the main character is not all good or bad, black or white, but has several layers making it likable in spite of its flaws. And that is the case here with Jenna. You could agree more or less with her decision, you could argue she didn't do the correct thing, but in any case you couldn't fault her for it.
Quick and twisty read that proves once more that Victoria Jenkins is a name to watch in the psychological suspense genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
mistymist15's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first book by the author and she weaved an interesting story of a family facing wrongful accusations. The book is an easy read, and it alternates between past and present. In the past, the author unravels the story of Jenna and how she met with Damien, her present-day husband. There’s something about Jenna I couldn’t point my finger on, but something she was hiding. It wasn’t related to the incident, but something was off. The book's narrative is from Jenna’s POV.
Damien is a wonderful husband and a father. He appears distracted but shows concern about his family. But Jenna is secretive and has a compulsive habit of lying. She keeps hiding important family stuff (not related to the main plot). I could not come to like her but I had an intense urge to find out who and why were they accusing Jenna. I also felt that her reaction to the assault charges, that could lead to serious implication, was underwhelming. There was no tension in that situation.
I loved the writer’s writing style. She also painted the scenes and the reactions vividly, especially her teenage daughter’s behaviour. The central theme of the book is lies and secrecy within families. How can one small secret change everyone’s life around them?
The progress towards the end is slow and didn't feel fitting to the elaborate story. The reader and Jenna could connect dots only at the end.
The premise is intriguing and a onetime read. But the book could not live up to the expectations.
My star is 3.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Damien is a wonderful husband and a father. He appears distracted but shows concern about his family. But Jenna is secretive and has a compulsive habit of lying. She keeps hiding important family stuff (not related to the main plot). I could not come to like her but I had an intense urge to find out who and why were they accusing Jenna. I also felt that her reaction to the assault charges, that could lead to serious implication, was underwhelming. There was no tension in that situation.
I loved the writer’s writing style. She also painted the scenes and the reactions vividly, especially her teenage daughter’s behaviour. The central theme of the book is lies and secrecy within families. How can one small secret change everyone’s life around them?
The progress towards the end is slow and didn't feel fitting to the elaborate story. The reader and Jenna could connect dots only at the end.
The premise is intriguing and a onetime read. But the book could not live up to the expectations.
My star is 3.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
tbhonest_uk's review against another edition
5.0
The Accusation is a fast paced psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, frantically turning the pages to see what happens next, It's an original plot full of unpredictable plot twists you don't see coming. A fantastic read,
flik's review against another edition
5.0
** I received this book in exchange for an honest review **
This is a fantastic and cleverly written thriller, with engaging characters. I rate using Book Roast's CAWPILE system, and here's a detailed breakdown:
CHARACTERS 8/10
I found the protagonist Jenna very buy-in-able, and particularly enjoyed the characters of Amy and the Jenna's elder daughter. Jenna was introduced with a lot of showing rather than telling, and I quickly built up an image of her in my mind. The horror at being accused of something you haven't done was very well put across.
ATMOSPHERE 10/10
This book had my heart racing, and I made the mistake of reading it at night, meaning it took me a while to calm down and go to sleep! I very much felt Jenna's desperation and determination, and the author does a great job at ramping these up over the course of the book.
WRITING 9/10
Very good, and made Jenna easy to relate to whilst at the same time an unusual woman. My favourite quote:
"We all love so innocently, shielded in the bubbles we create for ourselves, watching the news with a sigh or a tut at the state of the world, comfortable with our cups of tea and plates of biscuits while we watch the unfolding of other people's tragedies. None of us really believes that any of these terrible things we see on our screens could happen to us. If we did, no one would ever leave the house."
PLOT 9/10
The author really plays fair with scattering clues around the book, and all the information you need to work out the big reveal is in the pages. Despite this, I didn't work it out, which was enjoyable. I made several wrong guesses as the frequency of clues increased toward the end of the book and was surprised by the final twist.
INTRIGUE 9.5/10
I didn't want to put this down - I felt the need to see if my guesses were close to hitting the mark, and I cared about Jenna and her children and wanted everything to work out well for them.
LOGIC 9/10
Almost perfect. There were a few things I thought were unlikely, but most were explained by the final reveal.
The only thing that I found unbelievable was the husband's reaction to Jenna being accused - I don't think the reasons given for his mistrust of her were potent enough for him to act as coldly as he did.
ENJOYMENT 8.5 /10
In summary, an excellent book with good pacing, invest-able characters and surprising twists. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. I will be adding the author's other books to my TBR!
This is a fantastic and cleverly written thriller, with engaging characters. I rate using Book Roast's CAWPILE system, and here's a detailed breakdown:
CHARACTERS 8/10
I found the protagonist Jenna very buy-in-able, and particularly enjoyed the characters of Amy and the Jenna's elder daughter. Jenna was introduced with a lot of showing rather than telling, and I quickly built up an image of her in my mind. The horror at being accused of something you haven't done was very well put across.
ATMOSPHERE 10/10
This book had my heart racing, and I made the mistake of reading it at night, meaning it took me a while to calm down and go to sleep! I very much felt Jenna's desperation and determination, and the author does a great job at ramping these up over the course of the book.
WRITING 9/10
Very good, and made Jenna easy to relate to whilst at the same time an unusual woman. My favourite quote:
"We all love so innocently, shielded in the bubbles we create for ourselves, watching the news with a sigh or a tut at the state of the world, comfortable with our cups of tea and plates of biscuits while we watch the unfolding of other people's tragedies. None of us really believes that any of these terrible things we see on our screens could happen to us. If we did, no one would ever leave the house."
PLOT 9/10
The author really plays fair with scattering clues around the book, and all the information you need to work out the big reveal is in the pages. Despite this, I didn't work it out, which was enjoyable. I made several wrong guesses as the frequency of clues increased toward the end of the book and was surprised by the final twist.
INTRIGUE 9.5/10
I didn't want to put this down - I felt the need to see if my guesses were close to hitting the mark, and I cared about Jenna and her children and wanted everything to work out well for them.
LOGIC 9/10
Almost perfect. There were a few things I thought were unlikely, but most were explained by the final reveal.
The only thing that I found unbelievable was the husband's reaction to Jenna being accused - I don't think the reasons given for his mistrust of her were potent enough for him to act as coldly as he did.
ENJOYMENT 8.5 /10
In summary, an excellent book with good pacing, invest-able characters and surprising twists. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. I will be adding the author's other books to my TBR!