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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
The Night Before by Wendy Walker was fantastic. It was told in three revolving settings. First it was a clip of Laura talking to a psychiatrist three months ago (and then two months, six weeks, etc); Laura's section, which was mostly The Night Before; and her sister Rosie's section, which was the present day and time. The three sections were clearly labelled, so there was never sny confusion about when what was happening. The suspense definitely kept me reading through the whole book; I read it in less than 24 hours. I did guess who was behind everything; it was a fairly obvious guess, but wanting to know what was going on definitely kept me reading. All in all 4 stars, and I will definitely be reading more by Wendy. Brava!
I had very high hopes for this one after loving "Don't Look For Me." The beginning started off strong, but the middle and end were slow. I quickly became less and less invested in the outcome, and I found the outcome to be unremarkable (one element was particularly weird and unnecessary IMO). Yes, I "binged" it, but I didn't love it. I would recommend Don't Look For Me Over this one.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
2.5 stars
A lot going on here with a bit of fluff and mediocre storytelling. Just when you thought things were beginning to make sense, they just didn’t. I will say, however, it was interesting enough to keep reading if ONLY to see how it ends. The book could have been much, much better.
A lot going on here with a bit of fluff and mediocre storytelling. Just when you thought things were beginning to make sense, they just didn’t. I will say, however, it was interesting enough to keep reading if ONLY to see how it ends. The book could have been much, much better.
psychological thrillers are my favorite genre. i felt like this book was so hollow and not the best of keeping the reader on his toes.
Hmm...well, my opinion of this book is similar
to the actual plot: It's complicated.
I almost DNF'ed this because the first half of
the book is atrocious. The author makes it very
confusing while trying to keep her reveals stay
hidden until the end of the story.
The protagonist is such a screwed up character,
and then she goes on a first date with a guy who
is almost as screwed up as her.
There are a couple of twists including who the
actual culprit is that redeems the story. But then
the author gets overly wordy in explaining what
actually happened.
In the end I think the author tried too hard and
made an interesting story into a mudd;ed one.
to the actual plot: It's complicated.
I almost DNF'ed this because the first half of
the book is atrocious. The author makes it very
confusing while trying to keep her reveals stay
hidden until the end of the story.
The protagonist is such a screwed up character,
and then she goes on a first date with a guy who
is almost as screwed up as her.
There are a couple of twists including who the
actual culprit is that redeems the story. But then
the author gets overly wordy in explaining what
actually happened.
In the end I think the author tried too hard and
made an interesting story into a mudd;ed one.
The Night Before is a novel about a woman named Laura who meets a man on a dating site. She goes on a first date with this man and nothing is as it seems...
There were several issues I had with this book that stopped me from giving it 4 stars. The main reason being that I really didn't care for Laura, the main character. I felt like a lot of the book centered on Laura's unsuccessful love life wrapped with a "thriller" bow. I didn't care about her because she lacked the depth I desired. She has a horrific past because of a tragic event that shattered her world. Her high school boyfriend is murdered and she is found holding the murder weapon. Laura is tormented by this memory or lack thereof for the entirety of this novel.
She decides to start a dating profile and look for love again and meets a man name Jonathan Fields.
This attractive and seemingly intriguing man quickly becomes a source of fright for Laura and it stays this way for far too long..
We spent much of the book staring in the face of red flags but not doing anything about them, only for those red flags to be almost completely pointless. Maybe I missed the point, but I just really didn't care for what happened to Laura before, during, and after the events of that fateful evening.
I did really love Rosie and feel she was very well written. We read this book in Laura and Rosie's point of views, alternating. Rosie is an extremely empathetic, unwaveringly protective sister that only cares about the well-being of her sister when things go awry. And most of the time I felt like Laura couldn't be bothered to give a damn about Rosie.
Rosie and Joe were by far my favorite characters in this book!
All in all, I guessed the main twist from a mile away, but not the smaller one. I don't know how else to describe it without writing spoilers. Those that have read this book will likely understand what I mean.
It was a quick read that I gave 3.5 stars but rounded down to 3 because I won't remember Laura in a positive light after this. She just lacked the personality and left much to be desired.
If a sequel happened to be published I would love to check it out.
There were several issues I had with this book that stopped me from giving it 4 stars. The main reason being that I really didn't care for Laura, the main character. I felt like a lot of the book centered on Laura's unsuccessful love life wrapped with a "thriller" bow. I didn't care about her because she lacked the depth I desired. She has a horrific past because of a tragic event that shattered her world. Her high school boyfriend is murdered and she is found holding the murder weapon. Laura is tormented by this memory or lack thereof for the entirety of this novel.
She decides to start a dating profile and look for love again and meets a man name Jonathan Fields.
This attractive and seemingly intriguing man quickly becomes a source of fright for Laura and it stays this way for far too long..
We spent much of the book staring in the face of red flags but not doing anything about them, only for those red flags to be almost completely pointless. Maybe I missed the point, but I just really didn't care for what happened to Laura before, during, and after the events of that fateful evening.
I did really love Rosie and feel she was very well written. We read this book in Laura and Rosie's point of views, alternating. Rosie is an extremely empathetic, unwaveringly protective sister that only cares about the well-being of her sister when things go awry. And most of the time I felt like Laura couldn't be bothered to give a damn about Rosie.
Rosie and Joe were by far my favorite characters in this book!
All in all, I guessed the main twist from a mile away, but not the smaller one. I don't know how else to describe it without writing spoilers. Those that have read this book will likely understand what I mean.
It was a quick read that I gave 3.5 stars but rounded down to 3 because I won't remember Laura in a positive light after this. She just lacked the personality and left much to be desired.
If a sequel happened to be published I would love to check it out.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In her new book Wendy Walker takes a look at what happens when meeting someone online for a date goes terribly wrong:
Laura Lochner has never had any luck with men or love, starting from when she was a child. She remembers her childhood as always being second to her older sister Rosie and that her parents loved Rosie more than her but it never stopped Laura from looking for love. This trend has followed her into adult life, always falling too hard, too fast for the wrong man. Laura has decided to change her approach and be a different Laura after another heartbreak. She decides to go on a blind online date with Jonathan Fields. The problem is Laura doesn't come home that night. Her sister Rosie fears the worst, there are some violent events in Laura's past that have never been explained and Rosie worries that this might be another one. Where is Laura and who is this Jonathan Fields, Rosie is determined to find out what happened The Night Before.
I am a Big Fan of Walker, I loved her first two books, especially her debut All is not Forgotten, but for me this book is the weakest of the three. This is not to say that I did not enjoy this book in the end, I just enjoyed the previous two more. I found this book hard to really become engaged with the characters and story until over half the book was done as there were times it failed to hold my attention. And I will admit that I almost didn't finish reading it but I knew there had to be something big in the end, and there was, I personally was able to see it coming, but the twist was there. I just felt like Walker has a lot more to give and there was something lacking or even cliché about this book.
For some reason I could not become invested in either Laura or Rosie. Yes, I felt sorry for Laura at times, but at the same time I found that she acted more like a teenager than an adult. I also found her thought process became too repetitive throughout the book, about not trusting her emotions or instincts, when those things had saved her time and time again. She was trying to be a completely different person in a moment when she knew that she shouldn't. Rosie I just felt came off as a whiny character, and I do not think that her perspective in the book really brought anything out in the story, other than it is her, her husband Joe and their long time friend Gabe who are actively looking for Laura. I'm not sure who Walker could have used instead for the present point of view but I just wasn't feeling Rosie
The one thing that I love about Walker is how she has decided to tell her stories. I love the back and fourth between the past and present and how the past slowly catches up to the present timeline. I find that this adds to the overall suspenseful feeling that you are supposed to feel while you are reading her books as you greatly anticipate what it going to happen next, what will Walker reveal.
While not my favourite book that Walker has written, it was able to grab me more in the latter half of the book. I know that this will not stop me from reading her novels and I anxiously await the next book that she releases. Pick up this book if you like more of a psychological suspense or domestic suspense read.
Cheers!!!
Laura Lochner has never had any luck with men or love, starting from when she was a child. She remembers her childhood as always being second to her older sister Rosie and that her parents loved Rosie more than her but it never stopped Laura from looking for love. This trend has followed her into adult life, always falling too hard, too fast for the wrong man. Laura has decided to change her approach and be a different Laura after another heartbreak. She decides to go on a blind online date with Jonathan Fields. The problem is Laura doesn't come home that night. Her sister Rosie fears the worst, there are some violent events in Laura's past that have never been explained and Rosie worries that this might be another one. Where is Laura and who is this Jonathan Fields, Rosie is determined to find out what happened The Night Before.
I am a Big Fan of Walker, I loved her first two books, especially her debut All is not Forgotten, but for me this book is the weakest of the three. This is not to say that I did not enjoy this book in the end, I just enjoyed the previous two more. I found this book hard to really become engaged with the characters and story until over half the book was done as there were times it failed to hold my attention. And I will admit that I almost didn't finish reading it but I knew there had to be something big in the end, and there was, I personally was able to see it coming, but the twist was there. I just felt like Walker has a lot more to give and there was something lacking or even cliché about this book.
For some reason I could not become invested in either Laura or Rosie. Yes, I felt sorry for Laura at times, but at the same time I found that she acted more like a teenager than an adult. I also found her thought process became too repetitive throughout the book, about not trusting her emotions or instincts, when those things had saved her time and time again. She was trying to be a completely different person in a moment when she knew that she shouldn't. Rosie I just felt came off as a whiny character, and I do not think that her perspective in the book really brought anything out in the story, other than it is her, her husband Joe and their long time friend Gabe who are actively looking for Laura. I'm not sure who Walker could have used instead for the present point of view but I just wasn't feeling Rosie
The one thing that I love about Walker is how she has decided to tell her stories. I love the back and fourth between the past and present and how the past slowly catches up to the present timeline. I find that this adds to the overall suspenseful feeling that you are supposed to feel while you are reading her books as you greatly anticipate what it going to happen next, what will Walker reveal.
While not my favourite book that Walker has written, it was able to grab me more in the latter half of the book. I know that this will not stop me from reading her novels and I anxiously await the next book that she releases. Pick up this book if you like more of a psychological suspense or domestic suspense read.
Cheers!!!