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dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had high hopes for this book, I really did. But it just don’t live up to my expectations.
Without spoilers: The characters were insufferable, it was hard to get through at least 60% of it, but it did keep my attention and I was glued to it by 80% and throughout the end. I feel as though the climax came very quickly, and the end was abrupt. I wouldn’t read it again. I say this next part with distain but also I’m impressed just a little, it went through all 3 different perspectives. 3rd, 1st, and even 2nd! And I’m positive it was intentional too!
I did enjoy it enough to give it a relatively decent rating as it was the first book to make me shake with anticipation for at least two chapters. This is, however, my first thriller. Overall, the book was boring, hard to keep up with, and not something I’d recommend. But I give credit where credit is due, it was an interesting story. Just way too predictable.
I did end up changing my review a few days after finishing it, a 2.5 didn’t feel fare for a book I at least half enjoyed. I’m excited to see it come to film and that why I changed my rating to a 3.
I did end up changing my review a few days after finishing it, a 2.5 didn’t feel fare for a book I at least half enjoyed. I’m excited to see it come to film and that why I changed my rating to a 3.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Murder
Moderate: Rape, Suicide
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy
The premise of this book is a child who is kidnapped/dead. About 2/3 of the way through the book, we find out that she is forced into pregnancy (I marked this as sexual assault, but not entirely sure), emotionally/physically abused, given numerous pet hamsters (which they talk about being dead), and briefly understand that the kidnapper is mentally ill and has suffered miscarriages/infertility.
At the end of the book there is the death of a parent and death by suicide.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Stalking, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
If it wasn’t because I struggled a bit to get into it in the beginning, this would be the absolute perfect book. The writing was pleasant, the characters felt real. The storyline was just heartbreaking and still hopeful. It’s honestly everything I want in a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Kidnapping
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is twisted and constantly leaves you on the edge of your seat. It starts out a bit slower, but then you can not put it down!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy
Moderate: Dementia, Death of parent
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-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:
No
The pacing was a bit slow, but I liked the story. I did feel a bit of deja vu while reading it, which immensely took me out of the story.
It’s a very sad story which leaves you wondering how anyone will find out the truth. I found empathy for Ellie, she really didn’t deserve what happened to her. I wish the tutor wasn’t so callous, but I understood the reasoning behind her shitty behavior. There are many women in this world who are exactly like the tutor, so she was the most believable character for me. As was Ellie. She was just a child, with her whole life ahead of her, as so many real children are. I feel for these two characters the most, as I felt like I spent the most time with them.
With that being said, Floyd could have been written better. It felt like shit was just happening to him and he was just accepting it. The only time he really stood up for himself was when hekilled the tutor, and even that came out of nowhere. There was no buildup to that supposed burst of anger. He’s really just a boring character with no backbone.
I wish we had spent more time with Laurel finding out what a shit mom she’d been and making amends with her children, even Ellie. I hated the tutor explaining things to the reader. We’ve established she’s an unreliable narrator, so there could have been a second pov for certain events. I also wish we spent more time with the sister and how she started dating her boyfriend. That would’ve been a nice plot point instead of breezing past it:
The ending, I felt, was rushed. We don’t spend too long on everyone’s emotions or sitting with them as they learn the truth of what happened to their family member.
Overall, the book was an emotional letdown. I was expecting more emotionally from the characters given the nature of the story.
It’s a very sad story which leaves you wondering how anyone will find out the truth. I found empathy for Ellie, she really didn’t deserve what happened to her. I wish the tutor wasn’t so callous, but I understood the reasoning behind her shitty behavior. There are many women in this world who are exactly like the tutor, so she was the most believable character for me. As was Ellie. She was just a child, with her whole life ahead of her, as so many real children are. I feel for these two characters the most, as I felt like I spent the most time with them.
With that being said, Floyd could have been written better. It felt like shit was just happening to him and he was just accepting it. The only time he really stood up for himself was when he
I wish we had spent more time with Laurel finding out what a shit mom she’d been and making amends with her children, even Ellie. I hated the tutor explaining things to the reader. We’ve established she’s an unreliable narrator, so there could have been a second pov for certain events. I also wish we spent more time with the sister and how she started dating her boyfriend. That would’ve been a nice plot point instead of breezing past it:
The ending, I felt, was rushed. We don’t spend too long on everyone’s emotions or sitting with them as they learn the truth of what happened to their family member.
Overall, the book was an emotional letdown. I was expecting more emotionally from the characters given the nature of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage
dark
emotional
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I don't generally like thrillers, this was pretty good. I really connected with Laurel and Ellie, and I felt invested in their stories. While maybe a little slower than I would have liked, it was still engaging and fun.
364 pages
- I still think it's weird that Hannah marries Theo. Your dead sister loved him, he's off limits girl
- Noelle is a terrible person. Her just leaving Ellie to die in the cellar is so disturbing. Especially with her just slowly losing interest in her and Poppy. You ruined her life because of that and then you just don't care anymore? Chilling.
- I love the scene with Poppy and Laurel brushing her hair. That was sweet.
- I feel like Floyd wouldn't have been charged with the accomplice thing if he could've spun the story right.
364 pages
- I still think it's weird that Hannah marries Theo. Your dead sister loved him, he's off limits girl
- Noelle is a terrible person. Her just leaving Ellie to die in the cellar is so disturbing. Especially with her just slowly losing interest in her and Poppy. You ruined her life because of that and then you just don't care anymore? Chilling.
- I love the scene with Poppy and Laurel brushing her hair. That was sweet.
- I feel like Floyd wouldn't have been charged with the accomplice thing if he could've spun the story right.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A solid mystery with a messed up twist per usual with Lisa Jewel and it mostly worked! The narrator did a great job with different voices and accents too.
My biggest issue:Floyd and Noelle weren’t properly held accountable. Floyd “accidentally” killed Noelle after finding out she kidnapped Ellie, and that Poppy wasn’t his biological daughter. He just ran away from Laurel and Poppy and ended his life instead of facing some consequences! And it frustrating for me, to see that Floyd was selfish till the very end, because Poppy loved him being her father! Maybe in some weird alternative he could’ve still been involved? But he took the selfish way out and poor Poppy has to suffer.
My second issue was that Laurel doesn’t really seem to care for her 2 kids who were still alive. She compares Ellie to Hannah FAR too often, and doesn’t talk to her son. I wish she had some sort of reckoning earlier in the book, and I wish Hannah confronted her about it. But I’m glad her ex-Paul did. Because Laurel kept seeing herself as the only one suffering but like Paul said, she abandoned her family once Ellie disappeared.
Other than that, this was another solid mystery.
My biggest issue:
My second issue was that Laurel doesn’t really seem to care for her 2 kids who were still alive. She compares Ellie to Hannah FAR too often, and doesn’t talk to her son. I wish she had some sort of reckoning earlier in the book, and I wish Hannah confronted her about it. But I’m glad her ex-Paul did. Because Laurel kept seeing herself as the only one suffering but like Paul said, she abandoned her family once Ellie disappeared.
Other than that, this was another solid mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping
Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment
Minor: Suicide, Murder