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marz1's review
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
skurin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
amiller1106's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ambah_42's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
Had potential. Everything was just brushed over, not enough detail on actual important plot points and it was really jumpy.
Had potential. Everything was just brushed over, not enough detail on actual important plot points and it was really jumpy.
shan_lawinger's review against another edition
2.0
TW: Child loss, SA, violence
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This read like a Lifetime movie (derogatory).
The pacing was all over the place and almost incoherent. The police investigation went at a breakneck and unrealistic speed. Because the criminal case was solved so quickly (at least from the reader’s perspective), it sapped any tension from the plot. I wish we had gotten some more background on and context for the Family. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t want to read what Father and his Family were doing to the victims, but since we saw so little of them, I wasn’t invested in them as characters. They were just boogeymen…and maybe paranormal? Jury’s out.
I also think this novel suffered with nearly all its characters. No one was likeable, and the ensemble cast should’ve been pared down considerably. Secondary antagonists like David and Sheldon added absolutely nothing to the story. On the opposite side of the coin, characters who could’ve been compelling, like Lisa, exited in the first third of the novel.
Main characters Olivia and Brandon were so difficult to read and enjoy. With Olivia, I had a problem with her similar to what I had when reading The Wishing Game last year: just because you’re drawn to a child and really feel you can love them DOES NOT MAKE YOU AN ADEQUATE FOSTER PARENT. Olivia was enabled to keep making irrational decisions about a child’s care that were completely unrealistic to real life. It drove me nuts. Brandon wins the award for worst fiancé ever. Having an emotional affair with your ex wife and then being hurt that your current fiancée leaves is not the emotional development readers are looking for. Add that to him continually breaking investigative procedure for Olivia, and I was ready to tear my hair out. These two should’ve stayed divorced and got therapy.
Not for the first time, I fell victim to an Amazon First Reads. This could’ve been an okay first draft, but it needed a lot of reworking. Two stars because I could see the premise being interesting and because I was able to finish it. One-star books are DNFs! On to the next.
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This read like a Lifetime movie (derogatory).
The pacing was all over the place and almost incoherent. The police investigation went at a breakneck and unrealistic speed. Because the criminal case was solved so quickly (at least from the reader’s perspective), it sapped any tension from the plot. I wish we had gotten some more background on and context for the Family. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t want to read what Father and his Family were doing to the victims, but since we saw so little of them, I wasn’t invested in them as characters. They were just boogeymen…and maybe paranormal? Jury’s out.
I also think this novel suffered with nearly all its characters. No one was likeable, and the ensemble cast should’ve been pared down considerably. Secondary antagonists like David and Sheldon added absolutely nothing to the story. On the opposite side of the coin, characters who could’ve been compelling, like Lisa, exited in the first third of the novel.
Main characters Olivia and Brandon were so difficult to read and enjoy. With Olivia, I had a problem with her similar to what I had when reading The Wishing Game last year: just because you’re drawn to a child and really feel you can love them DOES NOT MAKE YOU AN ADEQUATE FOSTER PARENT. Olivia was enabled to keep making irrational decisions about a child’s care that were completely unrealistic to real life. It drove me nuts. Brandon wins the award for worst fiancé ever. Having an emotional affair with your ex wife and then being hurt that your current fiancée leaves is not the emotional development readers are looking for. Add that to him continually breaking investigative procedure for Olivia, and I was ready to tear my hair out. These two should’ve stayed divorced and got therapy.
Not for the first time, I fell victim to an Amazon First Reads. This could’ve been an okay first draft, but it needed a lot of reworking. Two stars because I could see the premise being interesting and because I was able to finish it. One-star books are DNFs! On to the next.
mama_pug's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t really like this. I thought it was all over the place. The story was a bit muddled. And I thought that sometimes the adults were behaving like teenagers. Or were written like teenagers.
kelseysterg's review against another edition
1.0
Super disjointed, not really sure what genre of book this was supposed to be? And Olivia babe PLEASE go to therapy
dirice724's review against another edition
2.0
Is this book a psychological thriller? Or a romance? Or a mystery? Or magical realism? Who knows.