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desirage's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
tressatnt's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
gigix3's review against another edition
1.0
I wouldn’t even give it 1 star. Juvenile writing. I disliked the main character right from the start. So co-dependent and insecure it was sickening. The dialogue was annoying. I felt like I was reading a script for a bad soap opera. Don’t waste your time. And I’m glad I didn’t have to pay for the book.
victory's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
4.0
verumsolum's review against another edition
2.0
I'm disappointed in this book. It seemed to start out with such promise and really enjoyable. And then… it turned. About the halfway point, I considered leaving it unfinished. But I hate doing that and, given how strong the book started, I hoped that it would have a strong ending.
By the end of the book, I could find no redeeming qualities in Emma, her husband, nor in pretty much anybody else. Despite seeing things through Emma's point of view, I found no reason to sympathize with her whatsoever.
I see that there is a second book in this series. I have a difficult time understanding why. I usually love series, but I have no desire to spend my time, attention, and emotions on Emma Fern ever again. (If it had been any longer, I may have succumbed to the temptation to leave my reading of the book unfinished.)
By the end of the book, I could find no redeeming qualities in Emma, her husband, nor in pretty much anybody else. Despite seeing things through Emma's point of view, I found no reason to sympathize with her whatsoever.
I see that there is a second book in this series. I have a difficult time understanding why. I usually love series, but I have no desire to spend my time, attention, and emotions on Emma Fern ever again. (If it had been any longer, I may have succumbed to the temptation to leave my reading of the book unfinished.)
rabitoye's review against another edition
5.0
Holy. Sh*t. I loved this book. An ending I honestly didn’t see coming.
constantine2020's review against another edition
5.0
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Genre:
Mystery Thriller
Wow, what a good surprise. I honestly did not expect to like this one that much. This is not your normal thriller which is full of twists and turns, nope. The story is more like a drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Emma Fern meets a famous crime author Beatrice Johnson. A friendship develops between them and one day Beatrice asks Emma a favor. The favor is to publish a book in a different genre than what she usually writes under Emma's name! You don't need to know more.
I doubt any reader will like any of the characters in this novel. There is lots of backstabbing, lots of deceit and lies. And I feel this is what made this story like a dangerous hilarious ride full of bumps. Natalie Barellí's writing style and storytelling way are so engaging. I can't believe this was her debut book because it is so fantastic for a first book. I am definitely going to read more from her work.
Though there is a second book for this story there is no cliffhanger in this book. So if one wants to read it as a standalone it is still valid to be read and considered that way. But of course, since I enjoyed this very much I am going to read the sequel soon.
Available on Kindle Unlimited
yetanothersusan's review against another edition
3.0
Emma isn't sure if she is living a happy life. She has a husband who seems to be getting distant and her ownership of a little interior decorating shop isn't very exciting but keeps her busy day to day. That is until one of her favorite authors walks in the door. Upon meeting Beatrice, Emma's world becomes a whirlwind of social events and intimate get togethers with her new BFF. So when Beatrice plays on Emma's insecurities, Emma finds it hard to resist the request to play Christian to Beatrice's Cyrano and becomes the "author" of Beatrice's next book. It gets weirder from there and a bit more unbelievable. At points this was a good suspense thriller but at other times the writing and story line felt scattered and unpolished. I am not sure where the author plans to take the series next as this book seemed very self-contained and didn't leave much room for the future. This book would be nice for a quick beach read where you don't spend much time really thinking about the intricacies of the plot.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
goldenbeebookshop's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars rounded up
Kate Rudd was a spectacular narrator, and the way she brought Emma’s voice to life makes me think I might have enjoyed the book less reading it on my own, rather than hearing those moments when a clearly unhinged person is doing a very good job of pretending to be something sweet, or the way Emma’s cunning becomes evident as the story progresses.
There’s not much to like about many of the characters in this book, and Emma’s husband is the kind of patronizing chauvinistic throw-back that always makes me grit my teeth, and yet, it’s so easy to get swept away with the story, eager to know exactly what will happen next with Emma steering this delusional ship. I’m excited to move on The the next book and swim in the waters of Emma’s troubled mind once more.
Kate Rudd was a spectacular narrator, and the way she brought Emma’s voice to life makes me think I might have enjoyed the book less reading it on my own, rather than hearing those moments when a clearly unhinged person is doing a very good job of pretending to be something sweet, or the way Emma’s cunning becomes evident as the story progresses.
There’s not much to like about many of the characters in this book, and Emma’s husband is the kind of patronizing chauvinistic throw-back that always makes me grit my teeth, and yet, it’s so easy to get swept away with the story, eager to know exactly what will happen next with Emma steering this delusional ship. I’m excited to move on The the next book and swim in the waters of Emma’s troubled mind once more.