Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - The Wrong Family

Let me start out by saying that Lauren Fortgang was an incredible narrator for this story. Her voice was absolutely perfect to listen to, although it wasn't enough to make me like this book.

There were some surprising twists to the story, but again, it wasn't enough to overcome the mediocre plot. My main issue is that it relies on my very least favorite plot device in the entire world, and paints someone with a mental illness as the violent villain, when in fact, nearly every single character was a villain in some way. The only character that was likable in any way was the teenage son.

Ultimately, this was a book with some surprising parts, but in the end, disappointing.

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Title: The Wrong Family
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 1
Pub Date: December 29 2020

T H R E E • W O R D S

Domestic Drama • Unrealistic • Slow-paced

📖 S Y N O P S I S
Winnie has worked hard to build the perfect life for herself, her husband, Nigel, and their teenage son, Sam. Keeping up appearances is something she excels at, but when things begin to unravel, she senses she is losing control. Juno, a former therapist, has lost it all and now finds herself battling illness and homeless. When she takes an interest in the Crouch family living across from the park, they appear to be the perfect family. Looking for a place to live out her remaining days, Juno soon moves into the Crouches' home where she learns they are hiding a deep dark secret that could change everyone's lives.

💭 T H O U G H T S
Where do I even begin with this book?! I received it in a book box, and was disappointed because I disliked The Wives so much. When I saw it as one of the book monthly choices for my bookclub I knew it was now or never. Shocker - I hated this one as well! The plot, the cast of characters, and the writing all seemed extremely disjointed, and poorly executed. When it takes until the final 50 pages to really get to the story, there's something wrong. In my opinion, Fisher tried to pack too much into one story, and didn't really know where she wanted it to go. For this reason (among others) it failed miserably. While the first two sections are rather slow, I thought the plot line had potential, but it all went completely downhill from there. It definitely felt like a novel that was written in a rush, and poorly researched, leading to a highly unbelievable ending. And my BIGGEST issue was with the language use throughout and using mental illness as a plot took in such a negative light. Overall it was just not an enjoyable read, and if not for bookclub, I'd have definitely DNFed it. Don't waste your time on this one.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• No one!

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
(and the only parts of the book I liked)

"Unfortunately, we aren't the only ones in control of our story arcs. Outsiders have an influence, too."

"'You never stop grieving, but I suppose you know that, don't you?'
She knew all too well that no matter how fresh the day was, the rot of the grief permeated through it. No day was safe, no hour, no minute; grief came and went as it pleased.
'No, but you find new things to be hopeful about as your move forward.'"

Content Warnings

astereads's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

I have to say that I’d rather disappointed with how the story unfolds. I thought it’d be a plot-driven, so it took me too long to get into the story because it’s not. The characters are so unlikeable, maybe it’s intentional, but I can’t force myself to sympathize to any of them.

Content Warnings

fungivibes's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

1.25

I did not enjoy this one, found it predictable and outlandish with obnoxious characters. The only thing it really had going for it was that its a quick read. By the end the author was just throwing out unnecessary 'shocking' scenes just for the sake of having as many twist as possible, many that barely made sense. Also didn't love how mental illness was portrayed and treated in the story.

Content Warnings

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