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missmollyreads's review against another edition
2.0
Many trigger warnings if you’re going to read this one.
kimnerdybird's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
acinquemani's review against another edition
3.0
Paris Peralta finds herself behind bars after being found in the bathroom with her husband dead in the bathtub.
While she knows she is going to be charged with murder, she is more concerned about the media attention this story will create than the murder charge because she doesn’t want her past to come to light.
I am normally a big Jennifer Hillier fan, but this book was boring, underwhelming, predictable, and repetitive.
The story started out strong, but I didn’t find it to be thrilling or suspenseful at all going forward. After the murder and Paris’ arrest, there was just backstory - LOTS of backstory!
I knew the “twist” (if you could even call it that) from the beginning and even the way it was uncovered was anti-climactic.
Overall, I really didn’t enjoy this book.
While she knows she is going to be charged with murder, she is more concerned about the media attention this story will create than the murder charge because she doesn’t want her past to come to light.
I am normally a big Jennifer Hillier fan, but this book was boring, underwhelming, predictable, and repetitive.
The story started out strong, but I didn’t find it to be thrilling or suspenseful at all going forward. After the murder and Paris’ arrest, there was just backstory - LOTS of backstory!
I knew the “twist” (if you could even call it that) from the beginning and even the way it was uncovered was anti-climactic.
Overall, I really didn’t enjoy this book.
justwithaine's review against another edition
5.0
Paris Peralta is being accused of murdering her celebrity husband. But that's not all she's worried about. Someone is also blackmailing her for things she'd done in the past. She tried her best to escape her terrible life before, and now, after years of running away, Paris is left with no choice but to confront her darkest secrets.
[b:Things We Do in the Dark|58724802|Things We Do in the Dark|Jennifer Hillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1650844252l/58724802._SY75_.jpg|92420730] surpassed my expectations. It's very rare for me to find and read a mystery-thriller book that's actually good and, at least, makes sense. Reading this book was a very refreshing and pleasant experience. I loved the crime aspect of it, especially the court scenes. It's like rewatching How to Get Away with Murder, which is one of my absolute favorite shows of all time. I was not bored for a second throughout the book, and it kept me wanting to know how the rest of the story would unfold. In the end, the payoff was very much worth it, and I'm definitely listing this as one of the best mystery-thrillers I've read so far, and probably the best one I've read published this year.
The story was told through multiple perspectives, but mainly from the viewpoint of Paris in the present, dealing with the murder accusations, and Drew, a podcaster who tells true crime stories in his hit show, Things We Do in the Dark. After receiving news that Ruby Rose, a convicted murderer, and mother of his now-dead best friend, is set free from prison, he plans to create an episode centered around her. On the other hand, Paris is getting blackmailed by Ruby, revealing that she knows what she did in the past and is threatening to expose her secrets unless she gives her one million dollars. As the book progresses, we learn more about the stories of all these characters and their connections.
What I liked the most about this book is how it did not rely on cheap reveals and plot twists. Every reveal felt like it was structured well and was completely justified without being over-the-top and depending on shock value. This book also dwelled more on the main character's mental health and psychological state and how generational trauma and abuse impacted her during her upbringing until now. Being a Filipino myself, the book definitely hit close to home. The ugly truth of toxicity in Filipino families is sadly not exaggerated and is present in many families right now. Seniority plays a huge part in our families, and usually, seniors and elders take advantage of this, demanding respect from the younger members until it becomes too toxic. Pride is also something they hold on to, refusing to admit their mistakes and usually dismissing these when they are being held accountable. Although tough, reading through it gave me comfort and reassurance because it brought attention and awareness to the subject. Also, it gave me somewhat of a giddy feeling from the Filipino representation, so that's a plus.
My main critique about the book is that, even though I really liked it, I did not love all of it. This book primarily focused on family dynamics and trauma, to the point that I stopped caring about the main mystery aspect of the book. When the final reveal happened, I wasn't shocked at all because I did not care. It happened, and then I moved on. I wish it got more out of me so I would've enjoyed the overall experience more. Another nitpick of mine is how predictable it was to me. I already knew what the main reveal was going to be like before I even reached the halfway point. When it finally happened, I wasn't surprised at all. Since this book is marketed as a Mystery, nothing about the book's mystery shocked or appealed to me. My favorite aspect of the book had little to do with the actual mystery. Don't get me wrong, I loved the flashbacks and the social commentary, but if a book is marketed as a Mystery-Thriller book, that should be my favorite aspect. Sadly, that was not the case.
Nevertheless, I still think this is one of my favorite books of the year. As I mentioned in my past reviews, I rate books based on how much I enjoyed them, and I enjoyed this one a lot. Maybe it's because I understood the book in a more profound sense due to its topics on toxicity in families, and so I'm completely biased on this one. I also realized that I like mystery thrillers with courtroom scenes, so I'll be looking out for more similar books. I also tend to like books of this genre more when it has discussions about mental health and generational trauma, similarly to [b:The Push|52476830|The Push|Ashley Audrain|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609854219l/52476830._SY75_.jpg|71867231]. Although, I'd like to warn people who plan on reading this book to look up trigger warnings because this book has a lot of sensitive and dark topics. The triggers are also laid out right before the book starts, so please check it out before reading it.
"Because while you can reinvent yourself, you can't outrun yourself. As a woman once reminded her a long time ago, the common denominator in all the terrible things that have happened to you is you."
[b:Things We Do in the Dark|58724802|Things We Do in the Dark|Jennifer Hillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1650844252l/58724802._SY75_.jpg|92420730] surpassed my expectations. It's very rare for me to find and read a mystery-thriller book that's actually good and, at least, makes sense. Reading this book was a very refreshing and pleasant experience. I loved the crime aspect of it, especially the court scenes. It's like rewatching How to Get Away with Murder, which is one of my absolute favorite shows of all time. I was not bored for a second throughout the book, and it kept me wanting to know how the rest of the story would unfold. In the end, the payoff was very much worth it, and I'm definitely listing this as one of the best mystery-thrillers I've read so far, and probably the best one I've read published this year.
The story was told through multiple perspectives, but mainly from the viewpoint of Paris in the present, dealing with the murder accusations, and Drew, a podcaster who tells true crime stories in his hit show, Things We Do in the Dark. After receiving news that Ruby Rose, a convicted murderer, and mother of his now-dead best friend, is set free from prison, he plans to create an episode centered around her. On the other hand, Paris is getting blackmailed by Ruby, revealing that she knows what she did in the past and is threatening to expose her secrets unless she gives her one million dollars. As the book progresses, we learn more about the stories of all these characters and their connections.
What I liked the most about this book is how it did not rely on cheap reveals and plot twists. Every reveal felt like it was structured well and was completely justified without being over-the-top and depending on shock value. This book also dwelled more on the main character's mental health and psychological state and how generational trauma and abuse impacted her during her upbringing until now. Being a Filipino myself, the book definitely hit close to home. The ugly truth of toxicity in Filipino families is sadly not exaggerated and is present in many families right now. Seniority plays a huge part in our families, and usually, seniors and elders take advantage of this, demanding respect from the younger members until it becomes too toxic. Pride is also something they hold on to, refusing to admit their mistakes and usually dismissing these when they are being held accountable. Although tough, reading through it gave me comfort and reassurance because it brought attention and awareness to the subject. Also, it gave me somewhat of a giddy feeling from the Filipino representation, so that's a plus.
My main critique about the book is that, even though I really liked it, I did not love all of it. This book primarily focused on family dynamics and trauma, to the point that I stopped caring about the main mystery aspect of the book. When the final reveal happened, I wasn't shocked at all because I did not care. It happened, and then I moved on. I wish it got more out of me so I would've enjoyed the overall experience more. Another nitpick of mine is how predictable it was to me. I already knew what the main reveal was going to be like before I even reached the halfway point. When it finally happened, I wasn't surprised at all. Since this book is marketed as a Mystery, nothing about the book's mystery shocked or appealed to me. My favorite aspect of the book had little to do with the actual mystery. Don't get me wrong, I loved the flashbacks and the social commentary, but if a book is marketed as a Mystery-Thriller book, that should be my favorite aspect. Sadly, that was not the case.
Nevertheless, I still think this is one of my favorite books of the year. As I mentioned in my past reviews, I rate books based on how much I enjoyed them, and I enjoyed this one a lot. Maybe it's because I understood the book in a more profound sense due to its topics on toxicity in families, and so I'm completely biased on this one. I also realized that I like mystery thrillers with courtroom scenes, so I'll be looking out for more similar books. I also tend to like books of this genre more when it has discussions about mental health and generational trauma, similarly to [b:The Push|52476830|The Push|Ashley Audrain|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609854219l/52476830._SY75_.jpg|71867231]. Although, I'd like to warn people who plan on reading this book to look up trigger warnings because this book has a lot of sensitive and dark topics. The triggers are also laid out right before the book starts, so please check it out before reading it.
jamidawn8's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
cantocultzineo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.0
tabbicat13's review against another edition
4.0
The trauma. The lies. The twists. The turns. The drama! Such a great read!
torihoo's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty enjoyable read, but I saw all the major twists coming.
dauntless_hybrid's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5