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hermithebs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
reneesabina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, and Murder
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.5
I felt the author left too much not wrapped up at the end. What was the charm? Did the Windermere make people more successful? What was up with Rosie's dad's church? All these doors were opened but the book never fully explored them. She went into a bunch of other stuff that felt less important, lots of sex and more descriptive sex than most thrillers, which I don't mind if the author fills out the story.
And the ending was absolutely no surprise. I need to stop reading her subpar books, I just keep hoping she'll improve as a writer.
Narrator Rating: 4.25 stars
The narrator did an excellent job, but her tone for the sister was whiny and annoying.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Stalking, Car accident, and Pregnancy
makira_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
thrillyourdarlings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, and Murder
smottman's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Grief, and Car accident
enchantedfiction's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The New Couple in 5B was my first Lisa Unger book. It was a mystery/thriller with some paranormal horror sprinkled in, which isn't normally my preference when it comes to mystery/thrillers, but I felt like it wasn't over the top in the paranormal and it worked with the rest of the story. I did find myself wanting to know what happened, though some things I did figure out through the story, and I always like to be surprised. I also felt like the ending was kind of an afterthought and either should have been part of the original climactic scene or left off.
I didn't really feel all that invested in the characters, though I have found that to be true for me personally in many mystery/thrillers. Rosie's blind eye to her husband, Chad, got a little irritating after a while when it was clear to the reader that he was hiding things from her. I wish that there had been a bit more tension between them, I feel like it may have made the last scene feel worth it. I also felt like the middle was kind of slow, but I feel like maybe that was necessary to kind of pull the reader into a false sense of security. And let me just say without really spoiling anything, I called the revelation about Abi (sp? I listened to it, so I'm not sure). And I was always skeptical of the neighbors.
Overall, I had a good time with this story, but I don't see it really sticking with me or ever really going back to it. I would recommend if you're looking for a suspenseful story with some paranormal elements, and where you will be second guessing everyone's motives.
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, Suicide, Terminal illness, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
minimicropup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
- I almost DNF’ed this multiple times. It took me until 30% to get used to the writing and audio narration styles. If you expect dark, deep NYC energy (I was expecting something like Nat Cassidy’s Nestlings), you may initially feel disappointed, too. The characters are eye-rolly and seem like caricatures, but once I got used to it and more events unfolded, I found myself hooked.
- This could be a good read for when you want something easy to follow along with but not dull. I predicted 99.9% of the plot twists and reveals, but the story still worked for me. It didn’t fall victim to many annoying things predictable stories have (not repetitive or over-dwelling).
- I had to create an ambience for this with Google and my imagination, even for understanding the layout of the apartments (it was so specific, we really could have used a floorplan…I had audio, but I am not sure if it’s in the text version).
- Distant sirens. Honking. Pen ink. Elevator ding. Intercom static. Taxi doors. Keys. Jazz at night. Laundry detergent.
- Isolated, unsettling urban apartment with a host of characters
- Love affairs, family inheritance dramas, betrayals, love triangles, and community secrets
Graphic: Infidelity and Suicide
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, and Gaslighting
pierrereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Miscarriage and Stalking
bearybooky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Car accident, and Alcohol