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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Lies, Lies, Lies, was my first Adele Parks read, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. And after finishing I can honestly say that this is an author who’s work I’ll be reading again.
As the title suggests, before you even start you know that you’re going to get a lie or two. But I wasn’t really expecting the twists and turns that this one threw at me. I was engrossed from the very start. Right when I thought that I had everyone pegged Adele Parks would throw me a curveball and I’d have to reassess everything that I thought.
As with all books that deal with addiction, I read with a real sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. I’m by no means an expert on the subject, but I thought it was dealt with so well.
These characters are flawed. And in my opinion they’re the best kind to read about. From one chapter to the next my feelings for the characters would change. They were a complex bunch!
Gripping and addictive Lies, Lies, Lies was a fantastic read!
4.5 stars.
Thanks so much to HQ Book Club for my copy.
As the title suggests, before you even start you know that you’re going to get a lie or two. But I wasn’t really expecting the twists and turns that this one threw at me. I was engrossed from the very start. Right when I thought that I had everyone pegged Adele Parks would throw me a curveball and I’d have to reassess everything that I thought.
As with all books that deal with addiction, I read with a real sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. I’m by no means an expert on the subject, but I thought it was dealt with so well.
These characters are flawed. And in my opinion they’re the best kind to read about. From one chapter to the next my feelings for the characters would change. They were a complex bunch!
Gripping and addictive Lies, Lies, Lies was a fantastic read!
4.5 stars.
Thanks so much to HQ Book Club for my copy.
I listened to the first third on audio and hated it. The voice work was fine, but there's some really gross misogynistic and violent thoughts characters have/say and I couldn't handle listening to them. A couple months later I saw the kindle version available and decided to finish it to see where the plot was going. The story changed course a few times, some better than others. I liked where it ended up, I think.
This was the first book I’ve ever read/listened too by this author so I didn’t really know what to expect. There has been some negative reviews but I’m glad I didn’t take any notice as I loved this book! Yes the characters are unlike able but they have a story, a back ground. I did guess one of the twists but not the rest. I’ll be looking out for more by this author
Daisy and Simon want to have another child so their six-year-old daughter Millie can have a sibling. When they go to a fertility clinic, a doctor tells Simon that he could never have children, so he realizes Millie must not be his biological daughter. Instead of asking his wife about it, Simon drinks and becomes an alcoholic. His drinking gets so out of control that he loses his job, and causes an accident that changes all of their lives.
This was a slow burn thriller. There was a lot of time building up to the plot twists. Sometimes it took too long to get to a new development, with the characters reflecting on the past before an obvious plot twist or reveal. If some of the reflection was cut and the space between plot twists was shorter, it would have been a more suspenseful story.
There were some disturbing scenes that need some content warnings. There was alcoholism, abuse, rape, and animal abuse. These things really escalated at the end of the book. The final chapters were quite intense, but also more graphic than the beginning of the book.
Unfortunately this slow burn thriller didn’t work for me, but I’m sure other readers will like it.
Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a slow burn thriller. There was a lot of time building up to the plot twists. Sometimes it took too long to get to a new development, with the characters reflecting on the past before an obvious plot twist or reveal. If some of the reflection was cut and the space between plot twists was shorter, it would have been a more suspenseful story.
There were some disturbing scenes that need some content warnings. There was alcoholism, abuse, rape, and animal abuse. These things really escalated at the end of the book. The final chapters were quite intense, but also more graphic than the beginning of the book.
Unfortunately this slow burn thriller didn’t work for me, but I’m sure other readers will like it.
Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was sent this book in return for an honest review.
At first I wasn’t sure that this book was ‘my thing’. I like thrillers and it seemed to be a bit of a slow burner.
Although it starts slow with seemingly innocent chat Adele Parks is weaving the scene for you. A scene that many of us have encountered. A friend/spouse/colleague that likes a drink. A couple who so desperately want a child they are almost driving themselves apart with that want. The friends who have been friends forever but have had a few ups and downs. And most importantly a secret that could destroy everything.
The book tackles some of society’s biggest hurdles, Alcoholism, infertility, rape & domestic abuse and of course Lies Lies Lies.
It makes you question yourself and maybe some of the seemingly innocent lies you or another has told. Is it ever ok to lie? Where should the line be drawn?
I found 1 or 2 chapters a little unnecessary and found I needed to re read them because I had skimmed them in a rush to find out what was happening elsewhere with other characters.
Overall a great book with some tough topics and unexpected twists and turns.
At first I wasn’t sure that this book was ‘my thing’. I like thrillers and it seemed to be a bit of a slow burner.
Although it starts slow with seemingly innocent chat Adele Parks is weaving the scene for you. A scene that many of us have encountered. A friend/spouse/colleague that likes a drink. A couple who so desperately want a child they are almost driving themselves apart with that want. The friends who have been friends forever but have had a few ups and downs. And most importantly a secret that could destroy everything.
The book tackles some of society’s biggest hurdles, Alcoholism, infertility, rape & domestic abuse and of course Lies Lies Lies.
It makes you question yourself and maybe some of the seemingly innocent lies you or another has told. Is it ever ok to lie? Where should the line be drawn?
I found 1 or 2 chapters a little unnecessary and found I needed to re read them because I had skimmed them in a rush to find out what was happening elsewhere with other characters.
Overall a great book with some tough topics and unexpected twists and turns.
A good page Turner with unexpected plot twists and well rounded characters. Thoroughly enjoyed
I have read a few of Adele Parks' novels and have always enjoyed them. This one was no different.
While the characters of Daisy and Simon aren't really likeable at all I see this as a strength in Parks' writing in that she makes them realistic enough for me to have an emotional reaction to them. I kind of feel sorry for SImon as he is an alcoholic and this clouds his judgements but deep down he loves his wife and daughter.
As Simon and Daisy lie to one another, or don't disclose information, the situation they find themselves in just worsens and spirals out of control. Having the dual narrative of Simon's perspective and Daisy's really helps to have a balance overview of the plot and real insight into why certain things happen.
More than once I was shocked at plot twists and events that were revealed so that really pleased me.
This was fast heading for a 5 stars because of the twists and turns and unique feel to the plot. Some events were implausible but I could suspend disbelief as it is a work of fiction. However, I really struggled when the story behind Millie's conception was finally revealed - for me that was just one step too far into unbelievable.
I'll always enjoy picking up an Adele Parks book and her style is really engaging.
Thanks to HQ publishers, Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While the characters of Daisy and Simon aren't really likeable at all I see this as a strength in Parks' writing in that she makes them realistic enough for me to have an emotional reaction to them. I kind of feel sorry for SImon as he is an alcoholic and this clouds his judgements but deep down he loves his wife and daughter.
As Simon and Daisy lie to one another, or don't disclose information, the situation they find themselves in just worsens and spirals out of control. Having the dual narrative of Simon's perspective and Daisy's really helps to have a balance overview of the plot and real insight into why certain things happen.
More than once I was shocked at plot twists and events that were revealed so that really pleased me.
This was fast heading for a 5 stars because of the twists and turns and unique feel to the plot. Some events were implausible but I could suspend disbelief as it is a work of fiction. However, I really struggled when the story behind Millie's conception was finally revealed - for me that was just one step too far into unbelievable.
I'll always enjoy picking up an Adele Parks book and her style is really engaging.
Thanks to HQ publishers, Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Whoa. This was really a book in three parts. The first part pretty much introduced us to the players. Then there's a life-altering event that changes the main family (Simon, Daisy, and their daughter Millie). Then that part drags on for a bit until another critical event is actually just revealed, although it really occurred almost a decade earlier. My favorite part was all the lies revealed at the end.
Simon and Daisy really just start out annoying. They're both pretty pitiful and unlikable. We just feel so bad for darling Millie being put through it all. But then as the truths start being told, some of the annoyance is more understandable and justifies some of their earlier crap decisions. Without giving away any spoilers, just know that the twists and turns changed my opinion of the characters more than once.
Only a few hours ago, I would have given this book a lower rating. The end was so much more satisfying than the mid-way point. Overall, I'd give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. The plot was so intricate, and the revelations of the truth were sometimes very unexpected.
Simon and Daisy really just start out annoying. They're both pretty pitiful and unlikable. We just feel so bad for darling Millie being put through it all. But then as the truths start being told, some of the annoyance is more understandable and justifies some of their earlier crap decisions. Without giving away any spoilers, just know that the twists and turns changed my opinion of the characters more than once.
Only a few hours ago, I would have given this book a lower rating. The end was so much more satisfying than the mid-way point. Overall, I'd give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. The plot was so intricate, and the revelations of the truth were sometimes very unexpected.
UGGGGGH NO nope third book of the year and it is a massive disappointment.
Not only that, I finished it today, which is MY BIRTHDAY, and it was a present from my mum's best friend. I hate disliking books I am gifted, but more so if it comes from a sweet woman that really likes me and gave me a Christmas gift even if I am the daughter of her best friend and it was also a thoughtful present because she knows I like thrillers after we chatted about them and my love for Gone Girl and others.
So it is so hard for me to have to write about how much I disliked this book. But I really hated it. I couldn't even read it properly because I was getting to bored/frustrated, so I skim-read it and then directly skipped pages and pages just to get to the end.
The writing is awful, maybe because I am not used to reading in Italian any longer, but this felt way too much like the thousand of British "thriller" books that keep coming out but are just not good (I fell for too many and now I can spot them, and for this one I had no doubt also because it was published by a publishing house that is known to print trash books with bad translations).
I was saying, the writing felt so simple and juvenile, I am sure I could have written something very similar (here again, I am talking about the Italian version, I doubt the English would be much better but still). There are pages and pages of boring descriptions, like the main protagonist looking at her wardrobe and noticing that she has linen pants but they are out of fashion now, and all her clothes are old and a bit ruined and have yellow stains under the armpits, like oh my god who cares??? And there are way too many of this sort of descriptions I just can't care about.
And they also make me feel sad. I am already not a happy person inside. Cheerful maybe, happy no. And I need books to at least make me feel somehow happy or make me believe that things are good. I don't want to read about a married couple with children going though horrible times and all the shallow parts of their lives hell no! I desperately avoid having shallow parts of my life, and obstinately turn a bind eye to those that exist, I sure as hell DO NOT want to read about someone else's. Especially because there is a young girl involved and a few years ago I was a young girl and I can't bear the thought that my parents whom I love so much could be even remotely as bad as these two in the book. And I might get married someday, I stress the might because past experiences made me strongly reconsider having a man in my life at all. So I REALLY do not want to read a book where not one, but TWO men are so terrible and horrifying. Where a marriage is so completely broken and there is no hope for it. Not my thing.
Let's add the alcoholism, the sexual assaults, the violence, and I am really gone. Again, I read for fun. I am all too aware of all the bad in the world, some of which I was unlucky enough to experience, and I want my reading to be mostly fun and light and make me feel better. I need to forget bad things happen for the little time I have a book with me. That is why I never really read books that treat racism or homophobia or misogyny as main topic. I am ok if they are mentioned or presented in a fantasy world, but I know way too much of those just from living in today's world and I need to evade it using books. But they are not as hard for me to read as sexual assault. That is a huge no-no for me in any kind of media, I hate it. And this book comes with a huge trigger warning for that that I didn't notice. And I wasn't happy about it.
Also, thriller??? What....that is no thriller? Nothing thrilling, no chills, no heart palpitations, no mystery of any kind. I could tell from the start most of what was further along considered a twist, but it wasn't. Everything was way too obvious and you could not get surprised because you could see it all coming. This was just a familiar drama, and take the drama lightly because something dramatic would imply that you care about it enough that when something goes bad, you feel for it. Well, not here, I couldn't care less about Simon, about Daisy, even about Millie.
This book just left me with a bad taste in my mouth and a horrible feeling that life is shit and relationships are bad and people are bad and it's impossible to be happy.
Not only that, I finished it today, which is MY BIRTHDAY, and it was a present from my mum's best friend. I hate disliking books I am gifted, but more so if it comes from a sweet woman that really likes me and gave me a Christmas gift even if I am the daughter of her best friend and it was also a thoughtful present because she knows I like thrillers after we chatted about them and my love for Gone Girl and others.
So it is so hard for me to have to write about how much I disliked this book. But I really hated it. I couldn't even read it properly because I was getting to bored/frustrated, so I skim-read it and then directly skipped pages and pages just to get to the end.
The writing is awful, maybe because I am not used to reading in Italian any longer, but this felt way too much like the thousand of British "thriller" books that keep coming out but are just not good (I fell for too many and now I can spot them, and for this one I had no doubt also because it was published by a publishing house that is known to print trash books with bad translations).
I was saying, the writing felt so simple and juvenile, I am sure I could have written something very similar (here again, I am talking about the Italian version, I doubt the English would be much better but still). There are pages and pages of boring descriptions, like the main protagonist looking at her wardrobe and noticing that she has linen pants but they are out of fashion now, and all her clothes are old and a bit ruined and have yellow stains under the armpits, like oh my god who cares??? And there are way too many of this sort of descriptions I just can't care about.
And they also make me feel sad. I am already not a happy person inside. Cheerful maybe, happy no. And I need books to at least make me feel somehow happy or make me believe that things are good. I don't want to read about a married couple with children going though horrible times and all the shallow parts of their lives hell no! I desperately avoid having shallow parts of my life, and obstinately turn a bind eye to those that exist, I sure as hell DO NOT want to read about someone else's. Especially because there is a young girl involved and a few years ago I was a young girl and I can't bear the thought that my parents whom I love so much could be even remotely as bad as these two in the book. And I might get married someday, I stress the might because past experiences made me strongly reconsider having a man in my life at all. So I REALLY do not want to read a book where not one, but TWO men are so terrible and horrifying. Where a marriage is so completely broken and there is no hope for it. Not my thing.
Let's add the alcoholism, the sexual assaults, the violence, and I am really gone. Again, I read for fun. I am all too aware of all the bad in the world, some of which I was unlucky enough to experience, and I want my reading to be mostly fun and light and make me feel better. I need to forget bad things happen for the little time I have a book with me. That is why I never really read books that treat racism or homophobia or misogyny as main topic. I am ok if they are mentioned or presented in a fantasy world, but I know way too much of those just from living in today's world and I need to evade it using books. But they are not as hard for me to read as sexual assault. That is a huge no-no for me in any kind of media, I hate it. And this book comes with a huge trigger warning for that that I didn't notice. And I wasn't happy about it.
Also, thriller??? What....that is no thriller? Nothing thrilling, no chills, no heart palpitations, no mystery of any kind. I could tell from the start most of what was further along considered a twist, but it wasn't. Everything was way too obvious and you could not get surprised because you could see it all coming. This was just a familiar drama, and take the drama lightly because something dramatic would imply that you care about it enough that when something goes bad, you feel for it. Well, not here, I couldn't care less about Simon, about Daisy, even about Millie.
This book just left me with a bad taste in my mouth and a horrible feeling that life is shit and relationships are bad and people are bad and it's impossible to be happy.