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alexisgarcia's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
in other reviews, some people have had some very valid critiques. however, i absolutely ate this book up. i started and finished it in one setting and it ended in a way that i enjoyed. ms. feeney has done it again
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
lost_between_the_pages's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5 ⭐
First, let me say thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine only.
>>QUOTES<<
I am absolutely a quote collector so I will add in some of my favorite quotes from the book. I don't believe they give anything away but show how beautifully this story is written.
"Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do."
"No man is an island,
But a woman can be if she wants."
"We have built a society that places far too much importance on a phony idea of beauty and perfection. The world is full of people behaving like clones, all trying to look, sound, and be the same. Too busy constantly comparing themselves to each other on tiny screens to see the bigger picture."
"People rarely know what they have until they lose it. They spend their lives searching for a better one, wanting more, needing more, blind to the fact that they already had it all. I think sometimes it’s only when something gets taken from a person that they appreciate what they had."
"My books have always been a place to hide myself inside myself when the real world gets too loud."
"Marriage is made of a million beautiful and ugly moments stitched together into a shared tapestry of memories, all of which are viewed and remembered slightly differently, like two people staring at the same painting from opposite ends of a room."
"Life is beautiful and life is ugly and we have to learn to live with both sides of the same coinand see the light in the darkness. The world is Beautiful ugly, relationships are Beautiful ugly, and life is Beautiful ugly."
>>REVIEW<<
I'm going to be honest -- I wasn't a fan of the audiobook... For some reason I just didn't connect with the male narrator, especially when he did Sandy's voice or the other female voices which meant I didn't finish it... But I've read Alice Feeney before and I knew I was going to love this story so the very day that it came out, I drove an hour away just to pick up the book and I am SO GLAD I DID!!
As someone who reads primarily in the thriller and horror genre -- I will say that the first part of the book (which I listened to on audio) does kind of go slow but it's important! Once I got to the PLOT TWISTS I had to go back and reread chapters because I was SO SHOOK!!! And I don't even use that word as a 37 year old woman but it's literally how I felt! I 110% recommend giving this book a try but I want everyone to remember that this is a FICTIONAL BOOK - it's NOT a true story .. so if you go into thinking that anything is possible... You will absolutely enjoy it! The details and atmosphere around the Island of Amberly is so creepy and foreboding that you can't help but sit in dread wondering how everything is going to come together.
There is a huge character development from one of the main characters and I was so here for it! I felt really connected to the wife and the amount of tabs I have in my book is insane... I think that is why I loved it so much because it felt so personal to me. I'm currently in the same situation she is after being in a relationship for 10 years and you start to feel invisible and ignored (this is NOT how a relationship, a good one anyways, should make you feel). I also rate on how the book made me FEEL. I don't get so technical as to worry about plot holes because again, it's fictional -- it's not true anyways!
Below I am going to go into spoiler territory so please look away (I highly suggest you do if you want to read this book) and go in blind! Just strap in and enjoy the ride and try not to think about everything that others say is wrong but focus on the way the story makes you feel! I think that plays a huge part in why I loved this so much, and I hope you do too! Unfortunately, I can't recommend the audiobook but 110% can recommend the physical or ebook so you can pay better attention to little red herrings thrown throughout the story.
>>Possible spoilers ahead<<
** I understand why people may not like this book and rate it low. I think that's because some people can't relate to the story in the way I, and others did, so they don't understand the why of some of the plot and character developments.
** I did have an issue with one of the plots and that was the WHY of what Grady did... I wasn't really sold on it but if you think about who Grady is as a writer, his stories were literally EVERYTHING to him, and that's why everything started in the first place.
** People are upset that the author lied to you about one of the plots and they hold issue to that... I don't because I think that was the entire point of Alice Feeney doing it. Everyone in this book is 110% UNRELIABLE and LIARS. Every single character in this book lied the entire story and so instead of tricking us, she just flat out lied too! And as someone who is used to most people in my life lying to me at some point or another, I understand it's a part of being human -- the BEAUTIFUL UGLY part of being a human. Also, I can't say this enough -- it's a FICTIONAL STORY. It's not true so I'm not sure why everyone gets so hung up on things that don't always make sense -- nothing makes sense in this world anymore so it's pretty on point to the reality of today.
** In case you missed the little Easter egg on page 302 like I did... Go back and read the first word of every chapter like Grady says. It's pretty genius she included it in the story as if this was his actual book.
First, let me say thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine only.
>>QUOTES<<
I am absolutely a quote collector so I will add in some of my favorite quotes from the book. I don't believe they give anything away but show how beautifully this story is written.
"Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do."
"No man is an island,
But a woman can be if she wants."
"We have built a society that places far too much importance on a phony idea of beauty and perfection. The world is full of people behaving like clones, all trying to look, sound, and be the same. Too busy constantly comparing themselves to each other on tiny screens to see the bigger picture."
"People rarely know what they have until they lose it. They spend their lives searching for a better one, wanting more, needing more, blind to the fact that they already had it all. I think sometimes it’s only when something gets taken from a person that they appreciate what they had."
"My books have always been a place to hide myself inside myself when the real world gets too loud."
"Marriage is made of a million beautiful and ugly moments stitched together into a shared tapestry of memories, all of which are viewed and remembered slightly differently, like two people staring at the same painting from opposite ends of a room."
"Life is beautiful and life is ugly and we have to learn to live with both sides of the same coinand see the light in the darkness. The world is Beautiful ugly, relationships are Beautiful ugly, and life is Beautiful ugly."
>>REVIEW<<
I'm going to be honest -- I wasn't a fan of the audiobook... For some reason I just didn't connect with the male narrator, especially when he did Sandy's voice or the other female voices which meant I didn't finish it... But I've read Alice Feeney before and I knew I was going to love this story so the very day that it came out, I drove an hour away just to pick up the book and I am SO GLAD I DID!!
As someone who reads primarily in the thriller and horror genre -- I will say that the first part of the book (which I listened to on audio) does kind of go slow but it's important! Once I got to the PLOT TWISTS I had to go back and reread chapters because I was SO SHOOK!!! And I don't even use that word as a 37 year old woman but it's literally how I felt! I 110% recommend giving this book a try but I want everyone to remember that this is a FICTIONAL BOOK - it's NOT a true story .. so if you go into thinking that anything is possible... You will absolutely enjoy it! The details and atmosphere around the Island of Amberly is so creepy and foreboding that you can't help but sit in dread wondering how everything is going to come together.
There is a huge character development from one of the main characters and I was so here for it! I felt really connected to the wife and the amount of tabs I have in my book is insane... I think that is why I loved it so much because it felt so personal to me. I'm currently in the same situation she is after being in a relationship for 10 years and you start to feel invisible and ignored (this is NOT how a relationship, a good one anyways, should make you feel). I also rate on how the book made me FEEL. I don't get so technical as to worry about plot holes because again, it's fictional -- it's not true anyways!
Below I am going to go into spoiler territory so please look away (I highly suggest you do if you want to read this book) and go in blind! Just strap in and enjoy the ride and try not to think about everything that others say is wrong but focus on the way the story makes you feel! I think that plays a huge part in why I loved this so much, and I hope you do too! Unfortunately, I can't recommend the audiobook but 110% can recommend the physical or ebook so you can pay better attention to little red herrings thrown throughout the story.
>>Possible spoilers ahead<<
** I understand why people may not like this book and rate it low. I think that's because some people can't relate to the story in the way I, and others did, so they don't understand the why of some of the plot and character developments.
** I did have an issue with one of the plots and that was the WHY of what Grady did... I wasn't really sold on it but if you think about who Grady is as a writer, his stories were literally EVERYTHING to him, and that's why everything started in the first place.
** People are upset that the author lied to you about one of the plots and they hold issue to that... I don't because I think that was the entire point of Alice Feeney doing it. Everyone in this book is 110% UNRELIABLE and LIARS. Every single character in this book lied the entire story and so instead of tricking us, she just flat out lied too! And as someone who is used to most people in my life lying to me at some point or another, I understand it's a part of being human -- the BEAUTIFUL UGLY part of being a human. Also, I can't say this enough -- it's a FICTIONAL STORY. It's not true so I'm not sure why everyone gets so hung up on things that don't always make sense -- nothing makes sense in this world anymore so it's pretty on point to the reality of today.
** In case you missed the little Easter egg on page 302 like I did... Go back and read the first word of every chapter like Grady says. It's pretty genius she included it in the story as if this was his actual book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
disguisedposer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
laurenshissler's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ONE SENTENCE-ISH SUMMARY: Best-selling author Grady Green is about to have the best and worst day of his entire life, all on the same day. When tragedy strikes, Grady can’t write, can’t sleep, and generally can’t function so his agent takes pity on him and sends him to a writer’s cottage on a remote Scottish isle. Chaos ensues.
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNINGS:
⚠️ Stalker
⚠️ Alcoholism
⚠️ Murder
⚠️ Marriage trouble
SPICE: 🌶️
READ IF YOU LIKE:
🏴 Dual POV
🏴 Unreliable narrator
🏴 TWISTS.AND.TURNS
WOULD I RECOMMEND: Yes! This is my first Alice Feeney book and I’ve noticed she gets a lot of hate, so I was quite nervous about this @bookofthemonth pick. But I needed something to listen to in the car, so I gave it a shot. Next thing I knew, I was inventing reasons to drive somewhere just so I could listen longer. (Yes, I have AirPods, but you’re missing the point.) I told my husband a few days before I finished that the problem with reading so many thrillers is that you start to guess the plot twists early on. I knew I had an unreliable narrator so I was pretty sure that was going to be the twist. (Was it? Read and find out!)
By the time I got to the end, I was sitting in my garage slack-jawed thinking “What the hell did I just listen to?! Holy shit. That was amazing.”
I will definitely not hesitate to check out more of @alicewriterland’s books! And Alice, if you see this, I am dyyyyying to know about what the h****n m*****e was!
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNINGS:
⚠️ Stalker
⚠️ Alcoholism
⚠️ Murder
⚠️ Marriage trouble
SPICE: 🌶️
READ IF YOU LIKE:
🏴 Dual POV
🏴 Unreliable narrator
🏴 TWISTS.AND.TURNS
WOULD I RECOMMEND: Yes! This is my first Alice Feeney book and I’ve noticed she gets a lot of hate, so I was quite nervous about this @bookofthemonth pick. But I needed something to listen to in the car, so I gave it a shot. Next thing I knew, I was inventing reasons to drive somewhere just so I could listen longer. (Yes, I have AirPods, but you’re missing the point.) I told my husband a few days before I finished that the problem with reading so many thrillers is that you start to guess the plot twists early on. I knew I had an unreliable narrator so I was pretty sure that was going to be the twist. (Was it? Read and find out!)
By the time I got to the end, I was sitting in my garage slack-jawed thinking “What the hell did I just listen to?! Holy shit. That was amazing.”
I will definitely not hesitate to check out more of @alicewriterland’s books! And Alice, if you see this, I am dyyyyying to know about what the h****n m*****e was!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Car accident
Moderate: Car accident and Alcohol
amandaglowgetter's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Confinement, Suicide, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
uranaishi's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, Murder, and Pregnancy
novellearts's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not my favorite. I don’t think all of the components of this book were necessary and they felt to me as though it clouded the storyline.
The big reveal was not incredibly enticing to me either. This story felt like it was lacking something to really bring it all together but I’m not sure what exactly that was.
I will say that I enjoyed the little Easter egg that Feeney put in with the chapters. (This will make sense when you get to the end of the book). I also appreciated the sense of community between women in this book.
The big reveal was not incredibly enticing to me either. This story felt like it was lacking something to really bring it all together but I’m not sure what exactly that was.
I will say that I enjoyed the little Easter egg that Feeney put in with the chapters. (This will make sense when you get to the end of the book). I also appreciated the sense of community between women in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
heartsandthrillers's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Great dark psychological thriller! So many unpredictable twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. Only critique is that I wish it had a TW for child SA. However, I love what happens to the violator.
What to expect:
What to expect:
- Psychological Thriller
- Unreliable narrator
- A little steamy
- Dual POV
- Betrayal & Revenge
- Small town secrets
"Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t. Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.
Thank you Macmillan Audio granting me an ALC!
All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by the publisher.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy