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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
This book was brilliant! Even though I figured out the plot twist pretty early on, it didn’t make reading it any less amazing. The ending was so satisfying in more than 1 way! The only complaint I have is I’m American so I didn’t understand all of the slang but that’s my problem, not the books. Great read, definitely a new fan of S.E. Lynes! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this pre-release in exchange for my honest review!
Merged review:
This book was brilliant! Even though I figured out the plot twist pretty early on, it didn’t make reading it any less amazing. The ending was so satisfying in more than 1 way! The only complaint I have is I’m American so I didn’t understand all of the slang but that’s my problem, not the books. Great read, definitely a new fan of S.E. Lynes! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this pre-release in exchange for my honest review!
Merged review:
This book was brilliant! Even though I figured out the plot twist pretty early on, it didn’t make reading it any less amazing. The ending was so satisfying in more than 1 way! The only complaint I have is I’m American so I didn’t understand all of the slang but that’s my problem, not the books. Great read, definitely a new fan of S.E. Lynes! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this pre-release in exchange for my honest review!
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
Thrilling, compelling, gripping and riveting are just some words to describe this outstanding read from Lynes. A natural born storyteller, everything she writes turns to gold and this is also the case with The Baby Shower!
You immediately get drawn into this dark tale right from the start, that explores toxic friendships and relationships. There is a chilling vibe throughout and unease about what is to come and it wouldn’t be a book from Lynes if there wasn’t some twists thrown in which come about in spectacular fashion.
This book gave me everything and more that I love in a psychological thriller. Well plotted, perfectly written and with a cast of complex characters, this is one story that got under my skin and I loved every single word of it!
You immediately get drawn into this dark tale right from the start, that explores toxic friendships and relationships. There is a chilling vibe throughout and unease about what is to come and it wouldn’t be a book from Lynes if there wasn’t some twists thrown in which come about in spectacular fashion.
This book gave me everything and more that I love in a psychological thriller. Well plotted, perfectly written and with a cast of complex characters, this is one story that got under my skin and I loved every single word of it!
Ok, ok, hold on, this is not a stellar thriller as the rating would have you believe. But it was pretty good🤷♀️
The story dragged at some points but overall it was a decent thriller. I put quite a few pieces together early on but there was still some twists I didn't see coming. And I would like to say I despised the character Sophie even more than the "villain" Lexie. Lexie is new to a four member friend group, brought in by Sophie. Our main character, Jane, is supposedly Sophie's best friend🙄🙄,ha. Lexie is downright vile to Jane and Sophie always believes Lexie over her long term bestie. It was really reprehensible. I was so frustrated because if I was Jane I would of kicked Sophie to the gutter after the first of several awful incidents, but I digress.
Jane is happily married but there's a longing in her for a child she can't have due to early menopause. When Sophie announces she's pregnant, again, Jane is understandably sad and happy at the same time. When Lexie reveals she's also pregnant a few weeks later, Jane feels completely shut out and like she's losing her best friend. At their joint baby shower Jane sees something shocking. Lexie is wearing a fake baby bump. Is this Lexie's disturbing attempt to secure herself as Sophie's bff? Why is she so obsessed with Sophie to do something like that? Is she completely out of her mind? What's her end game when there's inevitability no baby? These questions haunt Jane as she struggles on if she should tell Lexie's secret. Will Jane just seem jealous? Will anyone even believe her?
That's much more to this story you'll have to read for yourself. But I'd put this book in the category of a Tarryn Fischer novel, not too much substance, but a lot of fun.
The story dragged at some points but overall it was a decent thriller. I put quite a few pieces together early on but there was still some twists I didn't see coming. And I would like to say I despised the character Sophie even more than the "villain" Lexie. Lexie is new to a four member friend group, brought in by Sophie. Our main character, Jane, is supposedly Sophie's best friend🙄🙄,ha. Lexie is downright vile to Jane and Sophie always believes Lexie over her long term bestie. It was really reprehensible. I was so frustrated because if I was Jane I would of kicked Sophie to the gutter after the first of several awful incidents, but I digress.
Jane is happily married but there's a longing in her for a child she can't have due to early menopause. When Sophie announces she's pregnant, again, Jane is understandably sad and happy at the same time. When Lexie reveals she's also pregnant a few weeks later, Jane feels completely shut out and like she's losing her best friend. At their joint baby shower Jane sees something shocking. Lexie is wearing a fake baby bump. Is this Lexie's disturbing attempt to secure herself as Sophie's bff? Why is she so obsessed with Sophie to do something like that? Is she completely out of her mind? What's her end game when there's inevitability no baby? These questions haunt Jane as she struggles on if she should tell Lexie's secret. Will Jane just seem jealous? Will anyone even believe her?
That's much more to this story you'll have to read for yourself. But I'd put this book in the category of a Tarryn Fischer novel, not too much substance, but a lot of fun.
DNF’d at 78%.
No pude más de verdad. Sucede muy poco sin tener un objetivo común o algo que entrelace y te mantenga al borde del asiento. Me aburrió en varias ocasiones pero decidí continuar.
Hoy al 78% no pude más de soportar tanta paja y nada concreto. :(
No pude más de verdad. Sucede muy poco sin tener un objetivo común o algo que entrelace y te mantenga al borde del asiento. Me aburrió en varias ocasiones pero decidí continuar.
Hoy al 78% no pude más de soportar tanta paja y nada concreto. :(
sophie doesn’t need a baby shower, sophie needs a nice pair of self-reflection goggles
A solid 3 stars when it comes to story and plot (including the motivation behind Lexie's behavior).
What I really liked about this book was how accurately it captured how mentally distressing and anxiety inducing a friendship break up can be - it can hurt as much as, if not more than, a romantic breakup. I've read very few books that address this and for that I'll give this one a 3.5 stars.
What I really liked about this book was how accurately it captured how mentally distressing and anxiety inducing a friendship break up can be - it can hurt as much as, if not more than, a romantic breakup. I've read very few books that address this and for that I'll give this one a 3.5 stars.
Very predictable, once the “side chick” was introduced I just knew what was going to happen. For a book that kept prattling on about feminism, it sure did have misogynistic tropes.
That hallmark ending, I just knew would happen as it is so cliche, despite the whole theme of the book was that it was super unlikely it would happen.
That hallmark ending, I just knew would happen as it is so cliche, despite the whole theme of the book was that it was super unlikely it would happen.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book in incredible. It is so well written and just amazing.
I loved the characters of Jane and Frankie. I really like Kath and Hils too. The way that Lexie is described it so good.She is just so horrible and the description of how that effects Jane is just done so well. The character of Sophie was so interesting as well and how Jane actually sort of learned that Sophie should have believed her. Everyone else believed her but Sophie chose not to trust her.
I thought the offer covered the topic of male sexual assault really well. Honestly I found reading that chapter so emotional and the effect that it has on Frankie was so hard to read and then Jane initially not knowing (because Frankie couldn't explain it properly and then both thinking her cheated) was just so so so emotional. I was so pleased that there was the character of Gareth and is wife to provide that context so that Jane could understand that Frankie was a victim and it wasn't his fault. Genuinely I thought it was so well done.
In the end there is a happy ending which is so good. Jane and Frankie are expecting a baby and Dez doesn't get a sausage and Jane is friends with Kath and Hils and was able to say to Sophie that she didn't want to be friends with her anymore.
I'm not going to lie, I was worried that the hospital chapters were Jane and that she had like become all evil as a result of all the abuse and I was worried for her but she hadn't. It was all Lexie all along.
Sorry my review isn't very good. This book is absolutely not what I expected but it is written so well and was so thought provoking and I thought it was really really good.
I loved the characters of Jane and Frankie. I really like Kath and Hils too. The way that Lexie is described it so good.
I thought the offer covered the topic of male sexual assault really well. Honestly I found reading that chapter so emotional and the effect that it has on Frankie was so hard to read and then Jane initially not knowing (because Frankie couldn't explain it properly and then both thinking her cheated) was just so so so emotional. I was so pleased that there was the character of Gareth and is wife to provide that context so that Jane could understand that Frankie was a victim and it wasn't his fault. Genuinely I thought it was so well done.
In the end there is a happy ending which is so good. Jane and Frankie are expecting a baby and Dez doesn't get a sausage and Jane is friends with Kath and Hils and was able to say to Sophie that she didn't want to be friends with her anymore.
I'm not going to lie, I was worried that the hospital chapters were Jane and that she had like become all evil as a result of all the abuse and I was worried for her but she hadn't. It was all Lexie all along.
Sorry my review isn't very good. This book is absolutely not what I expected but it is written so well and was so thought provoking and I thought it was really really good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence