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cheryl59's review
4.0
This was a well written psychological thriller, it grabbed you and kept you guessing from the beginning and didn't let go until the end. I would recommend this book.
shelleyann01's review
2.0
2.5 Stars
This one failed to reel me in. Am I getting harder and harder to please, thriller wise? Because yet another book with raving reviews failed to capture me. There was nothing really wrong with the writing, but I couldn’t get invested in the characters and I couldn’t sit long with it. It may have been a little too slow building for me to latch.
Yes, there's a twist and I still can't get my head around it. I found so much of this domestic drama to be hard to believe and implausible on so many levels. I tried to relate to the main character, but found it impossible as I just wanted to shake Diane until she got some sense. Yes, it all comes together in a dramatic conclusion but there were still unanswered questions once the big reveal occurred.
Did I enjoy it? Well, I found it hard to put down as I wanted to see what and why she was forgetting. Let me say that I still don't buy it but I had a couple of hours of entertainment while reading. Just make sure that if you read this you have a serious amount of skill in suspension of disbelief. But please, do not take my word for it, this one was just not for me. Maybe I'm just jaded from having read so many similar books and I'm sure I'm in the minority finding this to be repetitive and much of the same.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Valerie Keogh for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.
#TheHousewife #NetGalley
All my reviews can be found on my blog: https://shelleyann01.blogspot.com
This one failed to reel me in. Am I getting harder and harder to please, thriller wise? Because yet another book with raving reviews failed to capture me. There was nothing really wrong with the writing, but I couldn’t get invested in the characters and I couldn’t sit long with it. It may have been a little too slow building for me to latch.
Yes, there's a twist and I still can't get my head around it. I found so much of this domestic drama to be hard to believe and implausible on so many levels. I tried to relate to the main character, but found it impossible as I just wanted to shake Diane until she got some sense. Yes, it all comes together in a dramatic conclusion but there were still unanswered questions once the big reveal occurred.
Did I enjoy it? Well, I found it hard to put down as I wanted to see what and why she was forgetting. Let me say that I still don't buy it but I had a couple of hours of entertainment while reading. Just make sure that if you read this you have a serious amount of skill in suspension of disbelief. But please, do not take my word for it, this one was just not for me. Maybe I'm just jaded from having read so many similar books and I'm sure I'm in the minority finding this to be repetitive and much of the same.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Valerie Keogh for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.
#TheHousewife #NetGalley
All my reviews can be found on my blog: https://shelleyann01.blogspot.com
carls2112's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book!
I do enjoy books that delve into psychological trauma and could connect with Dianes frustrations and constant self doubt and questions. I love the slow unfolding of the story, trying to figure out who this woman stalker is.
The domestic nightmare of betrayal that ultimately ends with heartbreak. I felt Diannes compete devestation as her memory comes back and she realises who the the stalker is and what the awful thing that happened in the lounge was.
I do feel she could have been developed into a slightly more likeable character - I so wanted her to confront her husband, but also understand her frality probably stopped that. I think the reference to antidressants and alcohol etc all the time was hammered home a little too much - after all she would have been desperate to keep her daughter and I feel she wouldnt )or shouldn;t) have done anything to jeopardise this.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I do enjoy books that delve into psychological trauma and could connect with Dianes frustrations and constant self doubt and questions. I love the slow unfolding of the story, trying to figure out who this woman stalker is.
The domestic nightmare of betrayal that ultimately ends with heartbreak. I felt Diannes compete devestation as her memory comes back and she realises who the the stalker is and what the awful thing that happened in the lounge was.
I do feel she could have been developed into a slightly more likeable character - I so wanted her to confront her husband, but also understand her frality probably stopped that. I think the reference to antidressants and alcohol etc all the time was hammered home a little too much - after all she would have been desperate to keep her daughter and I feel she wouldnt )or shouldn;t) have done anything to jeopardise this.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
gallipep's review
3.0
Oh, this book. It's taken me a few days to try to figure out what to say about it. I have many feelings about this one.
It starts off slow and you don't really know what happened to the main character, but then again, neither does she.
Diane has recently returned from a stay in a "clinic" and keeps saying she had a breakdown, but she doesn't remember what caused the breakdown. As the story progresses their are clues and you can figure out at least part of what happened.
Her husband is awful, both before and after the reveal and I just felt SO bad for Diane. I was rooting for her because she really was having a terrible time, but at the same time I found it very draining.
All that being said I definitely have mixed emotions about the book. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. It was middle of the road for me.
Do I recommend it? I just don't know. It could be upsetting to some. 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
It starts off slow and you don't really know what happened to the main character, but then again, neither does she.
Diane has recently returned from a stay in a "clinic" and keeps saying she had a breakdown, but she doesn't remember what caused the breakdown. As the story progresses their are clues and you can figure out at least part of what happened.
Her husband is awful, both before and after the reveal and I just felt SO bad for Diane. I was rooting for her because she really was having a terrible time, but at the same time I found it very draining.
All that being said I definitely have mixed emotions about the book. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. It was middle of the road for me.
Do I recommend it? I just don't know. It could be upsetting to some. 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
dontmissythesereads's review
4.0
Book #10 read in 2019
Diane seems to have the perfect life. A loving husband and a beautiful daughter. We learn early on that Diane has suffered and is recovering from a breakdown that had her in a clinic for a time. She cannot remember the events that led to this breakdown. What follows is a journey for Diane as she tries to get her life back on track. She is haunted by the things she cannot remember and she questions if events happening to her are real or are leading her to yet another breakdown. This was a suspenseful read and I found myself rooting for Diane, even if I didn't always agree with her choices.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Publication Date: February 27, 2019
Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Diane seems to have the perfect life. A loving husband and a beautiful daughter. We learn early on that Diane has suffered and is recovering from a breakdown that had her in a clinic for a time. She cannot remember the events that led to this breakdown. What follows is a journey for Diane as she tries to get her life back on track. She is haunted by the things she cannot remember and she questions if events happening to her are real or are leading her to yet another breakdown. This was a suspenseful read and I found myself rooting for Diane, even if I didn't always agree with her choices.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Publication Date: February 27, 2019
Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
leona_omahony's review
3.0
This is labelled as a psychological thriller which is a genre I love. It was for me just an ok read . It wasn’t a book that I couldn’t put down but at the same time I wanted to finish it to find out what happened . The middle of the book was in my opinion a bit dragged out as all it seemed to focus on was wine drinking and the child sleeping . Only a 3 star read for me .
ecp912's review
3.0
I had a 4-5 star rating in my head until the last hour of the book. Once I figured out what was going on it dragged a little for me.
jaimeed's review
5.0
The Housewife by Valerie Keogh
Review
This was a deeply interesting, page turning, psychologically thrilling story by Valerie Keogh. This was the first book that I’ve read by her and I’d definitely read more of her work. Valerie Keogh wrote in the back of the book that writing this story was challenging and difficult, at times. When I first started reading it, I had to take breaks because the psychological element was a bit strong for me. Just a warning, if you are sensitive to mental illness topics, this one may be hard to read. Though, I will say, it will get easier as you become more invested into the story. Diane is a housewife and stay at mom to her little girl. She struggles with paranoia, or does she? As she says, “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” She also struggles with memory loss, panic, and anxiety. She knows something may have happened to her, but what? She is haunted by a woman who she sometimes catches outside of her house, staring at her from the street and watching her as she picks up her daughter from day care. She is haunted by screams of a baby. She wonders, is my husband doing this to me? Is he trying to make crazy? Or am I crazy? This story is definitely chilling. You almost feel crazy along with Diane. This is a storyline that holds questions so that you can’t put the book down, you just want to know the answers. You want to know, is Diane losing her mind? Or are the things she is seeing and hearing real? There were parts during the story where I just hoped and hoped that she wasn’t losing her mind. I was nervous for her. What I admire most about this story is Diane, her courage and strength to keep pushing forward and not caving to how she was feeling. It may have been easier for her to just throw in the towel and be admitted, to be honest. But she didn’t, and I love that about her. The last bit I want to add is that the story was somewhat predictable. There is one part that Keogh included in the first half of the book, that somewhat gave away a part of the ending. Either way, this was a good read. It was chilling, it was highly interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Keogh also wrote Secrets Between Us, which I will be reading, as well.
Book release date: February 27th, 2019
Make sure ya’ll check this one out!
***I received an advanced reader copy of this book by NetGalley and Bookouture and I am voluntarily giving my honest review.***
Synopsis:
“There’s no place like home” – that’s what I tell myself as I pull another flawless meal from the oven. This perfect house on a quiet street was supposed to be my sanctuary, a place to recover. But everything changed the moment I saw that woman in the charity shop. She triggered something dark, buried deep within my memory…
Now I’ve started forgetting small things, like locking the front door.
And bigger things, like remembering to pick my little girl up from nursery.
I feel terrified every time I pass through a particular spot in our living room.
And sometimes, when I’m alone, I’m sure I can hear a baby crying…
I think the woman in the shop knows what happened to me. But if I can’t trust myself to believe she’s real, who will?
Mee’s Rating: 5/5 stars
Review
This was a deeply interesting, page turning, psychologically thrilling story by Valerie Keogh. This was the first book that I’ve read by her and I’d definitely read more of her work. Valerie Keogh wrote in the back of the book that writing this story was challenging and difficult, at times. When I first started reading it, I had to take breaks because the psychological element was a bit strong for me. Just a warning, if you are sensitive to mental illness topics, this one may be hard to read. Though, I will say, it will get easier as you become more invested into the story. Diane is a housewife and stay at mom to her little girl. She struggles with paranoia, or does she? As she says, “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” She also struggles with memory loss, panic, and anxiety. She knows something may have happened to her, but what? She is haunted by a woman who she sometimes catches outside of her house, staring at her from the street and watching her as she picks up her daughter from day care. She is haunted by screams of a baby. She wonders, is my husband doing this to me? Is he trying to make crazy? Or am I crazy? This story is definitely chilling. You almost feel crazy along with Diane. This is a storyline that holds questions so that you can’t put the book down, you just want to know the answers. You want to know, is Diane losing her mind? Or are the things she is seeing and hearing real? There were parts during the story where I just hoped and hoped that she wasn’t losing her mind. I was nervous for her. What I admire most about this story is Diane, her courage and strength to keep pushing forward and not caving to how she was feeling. It may have been easier for her to just throw in the towel and be admitted, to be honest. But she didn’t, and I love that about her. The last bit I want to add is that the story was somewhat predictable. There is one part that Keogh included in the first half of the book, that somewhat gave away a part of the ending. Either way, this was a good read. It was chilling, it was highly interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Keogh also wrote Secrets Between Us, which I will be reading, as well.
Book release date: February 27th, 2019
Make sure ya’ll check this one out!
***I received an advanced reader copy of this book by NetGalley and Bookouture and I am voluntarily giving my honest review.***
Synopsis:
“There’s no place like home” – that’s what I tell myself as I pull another flawless meal from the oven. This perfect house on a quiet street was supposed to be my sanctuary, a place to recover. But everything changed the moment I saw that woman in the charity shop. She triggered something dark, buried deep within my memory…
Now I’ve started forgetting small things, like locking the front door.
And bigger things, like remembering to pick my little girl up from nursery.
I feel terrified every time I pass through a particular spot in our living room.
And sometimes, when I’m alone, I’m sure I can hear a baby crying…
I think the woman in the shop knows what happened to me. But if I can’t trust myself to believe she’s real, who will?
Mee’s Rating: 5/5 stars
thereadingchemist's review
3.0
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start this review by saying that this author writes brilliantly. However, the plot was poorly executed in my mind. The first half of the book made me think that I was growing crazy much less Diane. And I couldn't stand the way that Paul treated his wife. Everything felt so condescending. By the time the plot built up to the big reveals, I felt that it was underwhelming considering what I had read. I feel like if the story had a faster pace and the revelations came sooner, this would have been a story that I would have loved.
I want to start this review by saying that this author writes brilliantly. However, the plot was poorly executed in my mind. The first half of the book made me think that I was growing crazy much less Diane. And I couldn't stand the way that Paul treated his wife. Everything felt so condescending. By the time the plot built up to the big reveals, I felt that it was underwhelming considering what I had read. I feel like if the story had a faster pace and the revelations came sooner, this would have been a story that I would have loved.
kelwyngardencity's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5