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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
So I was going to DNF this book at 63% but after reading other reviews I went back to it a few days later. I really wish I hadn't. Skim-reading the rest left me feeling very uncomfortable and I did not like any of the characters at any point.
The story is about a couple who struggled to have their first child whilst other problems in the marriage begin to overwhelm them. A lot of the book seems to just repeat the same lines and themes continuously but the actual story takes a long time to get going. By that point I was bored of all the people in it and it did not feel like there was any plot to follow. They are not likeable and their actions throughout simply made me despair.
The story is about a couple who struggled to have their first child whilst other problems in the marriage begin to overwhelm them. A lot of the book seems to just repeat the same lines and themes continuously but the actual story takes a long time to get going. By that point I was bored of all the people in it and it did not feel like there was any plot to follow. They are not likeable and their actions throughout simply made me despair.
challenging
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Slow start Daisy and Simon take turns telling the story. Each lie snowballs into the next. Though better communication would help. Does reference domestic abuse, alcoholism and rape.
Happy to be a part of the book tour for this thriller!
Dark and twisty thriller with a surprising plot
On the surface, Simon and Daisy's marriage looks perfect. He's an architect, she's a teacher, and they are parents to their beloved daughter, Millie, brought into the world after many years of trying to have a child. But looking beyond the perfection, you see the strain. Simon drinks too much, embarrassing Daisy and even Millie, though she may be too young to truly realize it. Their friends typically look the other way, expressing sympathy but not offering much help. Until the night of a friend's party, where things get out of control, and their lives change forever.
"Millie was a miracle. Conceived without any medical intervention. A miracle. She saved us."
This was my first book by Adele Parks, and I found she sucked me into the story from the very beginning. For me, the plot was easily the star here. This was a twisty thriller that kept me guessing, often wondering which path it was going to lead us down next. While I had an inkling about one particular plot point, others took me by complete surprise, which was fun. I always love a mystery that keeps me on my toes and goes down completely unexpected paths.
"People with secrets rarely sleep soundly. Fact."
One strength of the book is the fact that it's told from both Daisy and Simon's perspectives. Neither are particularly sympathetic, but it's easy to get caught up in their worlds. Daisy comes across as a doormat, who cannot stand up to her alcoholic husband. And Simon, of course, a drunk who endangers his family on a regular basis. You want to shake some sense into both of them. But there's certainly a twisted web of lies and secrets behind the foundation of this couple. Nothing is as it seems, and as time goes on, you can start to at least understand some of their motivations.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. I welcomed a different plot, which had some surprises in store. The ending was a bit ambiguous, but overall still a solid read. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4 here.
I received a copy of this book from Harlequin/Mira and Netgalley in return for an honest review.
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Dark and twisty thriller with a surprising plot
On the surface, Simon and Daisy's marriage looks perfect. He's an architect, she's a teacher, and they are parents to their beloved daughter, Millie, brought into the world after many years of trying to have a child. But looking beyond the perfection, you see the strain. Simon drinks too much, embarrassing Daisy and even Millie, though she may be too young to truly realize it. Their friends typically look the other way, expressing sympathy but not offering much help. Until the night of a friend's party, where things get out of control, and their lives change forever.
"Millie was a miracle. Conceived without any medical intervention. A miracle. She saved us."
This was my first book by Adele Parks, and I found she sucked me into the story from the very beginning. For me, the plot was easily the star here. This was a twisty thriller that kept me guessing, often wondering which path it was going to lead us down next. While I had an inkling about one particular plot point, others took me by complete surprise, which was fun. I always love a mystery that keeps me on my toes and goes down completely unexpected paths.
"People with secrets rarely sleep soundly. Fact."
One strength of the book is the fact that it's told from both Daisy and Simon's perspectives. Neither are particularly sympathetic, but it's easy to get caught up in their worlds. Daisy comes across as a doormat, who cannot stand up to her alcoholic husband. And Simon, of course, a drunk who endangers his family on a regular basis. You want to shake some sense into both of them. But there's certainly a twisted web of lies and secrets behind the foundation of this couple. Nothing is as it seems, and as time goes on, you can start to at least understand some of their motivations.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. I welcomed a different plot, which had some surprises in store. The ending was a bit ambiguous, but overall still a solid read. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4 here.
I received a copy of this book from Harlequin/Mira and Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I dont know where to start. In fact I wish I'd never started the book, I only finished it out of morbid curiousity in case there was a wondrous twist that made what I'd already read worthwhile. There's no likeable characters, no plausible or believable storyline. Just relentless drudge, sadly.
Lies Lies Lies tells the story of teacher Daisy, her husband Simon and their much longed for daughter Millie, whom they conceived naturally after many gruelling rounds of IVF – their miracle baby. They are for the most part a happy family – Millie is a talented dancer and they have a close circle of friends. Simon likes to have a drink now and then and sometimes it gets out of hand but Daisy has learned to accept it. When Simon instigates a visit to a fertility specialist to see if they might be able to conceive a sibling for Millie, he discovers that perhaps Millie isn’t his after all. Convinced that Daisy has had an affair and has been lying to him, he goes on a massive drinking spree at a party, with devastating consequences for them all.
Capturing family life perfectly, Lies Lies Lies is an engrossing story of the devastating effects alcoholism can have on a family. Simon drinks a lot and sometimes it gets out of hand and sometimes he can function normally. For the most part they are happy – they both dote on Millie and she is a much loved daughter, full of life and energy. The tragic events after the party, leave Simon in jail with Daisy unable to forgive him.
What I thought would be quite a straightforward story, ended up being thrilling, exciting and shocking and kept me totally enthralled! Adele Parks has a great talent for writing engrossing stories – this was quite a long book (more than the obligatory 368 pages anyway!) but at no point did it drag.
It explores the effects alcoholism can have on a family – both from Daisy’s point of view (the embarrassment Simon causes her and also her having to care for him when he gets in a state) but also from the alcoholic’s point of view (always thinking about how to get the next drink and even when he is forced to give it up in prison, how the need for a drink never truly goes away).
I really enjoyed this – a great dark domestic story. The characters were well written and believable and I found my sympathies shifting back and forth throughout the book! This is Adele’s 19th book (I’ve just checked and I’ve read 8 of them) and as far as I’m concerned she has gone from strength to strength. This would make a great TV series!
Capturing family life perfectly, Lies Lies Lies is an engrossing story of the devastating effects alcoholism can have on a family. Simon drinks a lot and sometimes it gets out of hand and sometimes he can function normally. For the most part they are happy – they both dote on Millie and she is a much loved daughter, full of life and energy. The tragic events after the party, leave Simon in jail with Daisy unable to forgive him.
What I thought would be quite a straightforward story, ended up being thrilling, exciting and shocking and kept me totally enthralled! Adele Parks has a great talent for writing engrossing stories – this was quite a long book (more than the obligatory 368 pages anyway!) but at no point did it drag.
It explores the effects alcoholism can have on a family – both from Daisy’s point of view (the embarrassment Simon causes her and also her having to care for him when he gets in a state) but also from the alcoholic’s point of view (always thinking about how to get the next drink and even when he is forced to give it up in prison, how the need for a drink never truly goes away).
I really enjoyed this – a great dark domestic story. The characters were well written and believable and I found my sympathies shifting back and forth throughout the book! This is Adele’s 19th book (I’ve just checked and I’ve read 8 of them) and as far as I’m concerned she has gone from strength to strength. This would make a great TV series!
If you like unlikable characters, unreliable narrators and plenty of twists and turns than this is the mystery for you! When I started this book I found it hard to put down. I was really invested in finding out what happens next. This was a dark and thrilling read!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
When I was at university, I used to read Adele Parks' novels one after the other. Since then I have diversified a bit of what I read, but when I saw her new release, the synopsis reminded a bit of Big Little Lies (which I adored) so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to go down memory lane with Adele again.
And I was indeed rewarded with a very fast paced novel, full of twists and turns, and immensely addictive plot.
I will however remove one star from my rating because the ending was a bit too much for me, too implausible and I felt it was a twist just to cause impact, adding nothing to the story.
And I was indeed rewarded with a very fast paced novel, full of twists and turns, and immensely addictive plot.
I will however remove one star from my rating because the ending was a bit too much for me, too implausible and I felt it was a twist just to cause impact, adding nothing to the story.
I didn’t really click well with this book. I found it a bit depressing and didn’t enjoy it at all.