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hannahmaybookreviews's review
5.0
Title: Forgotten Toys
Author: Ashley Laino
Rating: 5/5
A huge thank you to Ashley Laino and Random Things Tours for letting me be part of the blog tour.
Synopsis:
One summer in Pikesville, Pennsylvania, a body is found at the bottom of an empty pool. Pikesville is a quiet little town and when missing Jenna’s body is found the town is shocked and devastated by the brutal murder. Sarah Moore has heard of the victim but she is nothing to do with her. Sarah is battling with her own demons; she doesn’t have the time or energy to be involved. This is until her sister Chloe goes missing next. Sarah is determined to uncover who is behind these horrific crimes before they strike again, before it is too late for her.
Review:
The book description caught my attention instantly as it sounded right up my street and I really hoped this would be a read I could really sink my teeth into. Let’s just say I was not disappointed in the slightest this was exactly the dark kind of thriller I like.
Chapter 1 started with a bang, it was a very powerful opener that hooked me in further and had me intrigued. From the get go the book had a dark, eerie feel to it and this atmosphere continued throughout which I loved. I could honestly feel myself becoming lost in this book the more I read on.
As well as been a fantastic story, the book also raises awareness of Mental Health and eating disorders. I could really feel the impact this had on the characters, their mindset was completely different to my own and it was like they were living in a totally different world to me which is the reality of mental health at times.
I literally couldn’t trust any character I met along the way in Forgotten Toys. The book is cleverly written to change your mind and the little clues and hints that filter in definitely keep you thinking.
Forgotten Toys was a very powerful read and I experienced many emotions as I read. I could honestly feel some of the words at the very pit of my stomach. In parts it was tense, in others it was quite gruesome and dark, it was quite a twisted read and I’d definitely say not for the faint hearted. However, it was the perfect thriller read for me, it had what I wanted and more!
The pace was just right for this book and twists were brilliant, honestly once you start it hard to put back down. I was also glad how the meaning of the title fell into place. I can’t honestly think of one complaint about this atmospheric read!
fleaing's review
3.0
It took me a little while to get into this but once Chloe went missing that’s when it picked up for me!
The whole story follows Sarah as she tries to figure out what has happened to her sister, but alongside this there were much deeper issues that ran through the book. Both Sarah and her sister Chloe have led a troubled life, their mother is cruel and throughout the book you see how she treats Sarah from emotional right up to physical abuse. I felt so sorry for Sarah as not only does she have to deal with her mother and worry about her missing sister but she also suffers from an eating disorder.
I think the author deals with all these subjects really well and you can really see how much turmoil Sarah is in and how she hates her body. This might make her weak physically but she’s a strong character, never giving up on her sister.
I would have liked more background on her mother as the relationship between her and Sarah was so interesting and I would have liked to explore it a little more.
I must say that the bulk of the book did lack action, it was more hunting for clues and wasn’t that fast paced but the last few chapters when we learn where Chloe is were fantastic. They had my heart racing and they were pretty gruesome too! I also liked that not only did the mystery of her missing sister get resolved at the end, but the issue with her eating disorder was also dealt with and handled with care.
This isn’t just a book about a murder, it delves deep into how peoples lives are not always how they seem. Everyone is suffering or broken and trying to hide this from the outside world when all they really need is some help, but is it always the right help?!
Overall it’s a steady paced murder mystery / thriller with some emotional subjects at its core.
The whole story follows Sarah as she tries to figure out what has happened to her sister, but alongside this there were much deeper issues that ran through the book. Both Sarah and her sister Chloe have led a troubled life, their mother is cruel and throughout the book you see how she treats Sarah from emotional right up to physical abuse. I felt so sorry for Sarah as not only does she have to deal with her mother and worry about her missing sister but she also suffers from an eating disorder.
I think the author deals with all these subjects really well and you can really see how much turmoil Sarah is in and how she hates her body. This might make her weak physically but she’s a strong character, never giving up on her sister.
I would have liked more background on her mother as the relationship between her and Sarah was so interesting and I would have liked to explore it a little more.
I must say that the bulk of the book did lack action, it was more hunting for clues and wasn’t that fast paced but the last few chapters when we learn where Chloe is were fantastic. They had my heart racing and they were pretty gruesome too! I also liked that not only did the mystery of her missing sister get resolved at the end, but the issue with her eating disorder was also dealt with and handled with care.
This isn’t just a book about a murder, it delves deep into how peoples lives are not always how they seem. Everyone is suffering or broken and trying to hide this from the outside world when all they really need is some help, but is it always the right help?!
Overall it’s a steady paced murder mystery / thriller with some emotional subjects at its core.
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