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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
I'm behind on my reviews, but it hasn't even been two weeks since I finished this book and I could not for the life of me remember what happened. I read a dozen or so reviews with summaries and I still couldn't recall. Finally, I found a review with spoilers and it all clicked. No wonder I forgot, because this book wasn't worth remembering. In the end it was all so ridiculous and far-fetched.
Spoiler
The whole sister thing was unbelievable. No one is going to go into witness protection because she found some drugs and thinks that she might have accidentally killed a guy by hitting him in the head with a kitchen cabinet. Not even if a shady cop is coercing her into being a false-witness to put someone else away. And then Lilly thinking her sister returning to her life would ruin her career? Get over yourself!
Hank Phillippi Ryan is back with another psychological thriller, Her Perfect Life, and I rushed to hit that request button SO fast on NetGalley!
Lily is perfect. No, really, that's the image she presents to the world. Lily Atwood, the great and famous television reporter. And as long as she can keep her secrets where they belong – hidden – she can keep on appearing perfect to the world.
Unfortunately, somebody else has figured out her secret. Lily cannot deny this fact, as they begin leaking these secrets to her. As a threat? As a warning? But how far will Lily go to keep this secret in the dark?
“I'll give you the best story ever.”
Right away, I was invested in Her Perfect Life. I love the author, and I was fascinated by the description here. A television reporter getting her secrets fed back to her? That sounds so thrilling and thus the perfect basis for a thriller!
I was pleasantly surprised by the alternative perspectives in this story – I thought that Lily would end up dominating the plot. In a way, she did, but it didn't unfold the way I expected it to. On the whole, I think the additional perspectives added to the story, though there were times when I was frustrated with the lot of them (suspension of belief issues, my bad).
It took a bit of work to really get into the narrative for Her Perfect Life, and by that, I mean that I didn't feel invested until at least a third of the way in. I think that's probably because Lily seemed to be at her most perfect early on, though that wasn't the entirety of it.
There were certainly some interesting elements in Her Perfect Life, which is one of the reasons why I had no trouble finishing the book. It did a good job of starting conversations, especially in regards to fame and the like. I'd recommend this book for any thriller reader looking for something fun and quick.
Thanks to Forge Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Lily is perfect. No, really, that's the image she presents to the world. Lily Atwood, the great and famous television reporter. And as long as she can keep her secrets where they belong – hidden – she can keep on appearing perfect to the world.
Unfortunately, somebody else has figured out her secret. Lily cannot deny this fact, as they begin leaking these secrets to her. As a threat? As a warning? But how far will Lily go to keep this secret in the dark?
“I'll give you the best story ever.”
Right away, I was invested in Her Perfect Life. I love the author, and I was fascinated by the description here. A television reporter getting her secrets fed back to her? That sounds so thrilling and thus the perfect basis for a thriller!
I was pleasantly surprised by the alternative perspectives in this story – I thought that Lily would end up dominating the plot. In a way, she did, but it didn't unfold the way I expected it to. On the whole, I think the additional perspectives added to the story, though there were times when I was frustrated with the lot of them (suspension of belief issues, my bad).
It took a bit of work to really get into the narrative for Her Perfect Life, and by that, I mean that I didn't feel invested until at least a third of the way in. I think that's probably because Lily seemed to be at her most perfect early on, though that wasn't the entirety of it.
There were certainly some interesting elements in Her Perfect Life, which is one of the reasons why I had no trouble finishing the book. It did a good job of starting conversations, especially in regards to fame and the like. I'd recommend this book for any thriller reader looking for something fun and quick.
Thanks to Forge Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
I wasn’t ready for this book. At times I was so irritated by the characters! I thought I had it all figured out and couldn’t understand why the characters were making the choices they were. Except I was wrong. The twists kept me guessing until the end. Great read!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
HPR does it again with this book, which earned a star from Kirkus - not an easy task. I was immediately drawn into the story of Lily, an onscreen journalist known throughout Boston, who is hiding the secret of her missing sister. Lily also has a daughter, Rowen, whose parentage is uncertain. If the word gets out about Lily's secrets, it could destroy her career. Lily's producer, Greer, is pulled into the situation when a trusted source - a private investigator - begins to expose Lily's secrets to her. In flashbacks, we see Lily's sister, Cassie, in college, learning about her own traumatic past and what led to her disappearance. The tight, short chapters lead the reader on a winding and thrilling roller coaster. What left me thinking about the book, though, was the ending and a particular character. I won't spoil it for anyone, but I definitely want to discuss this with someone who has read it!!
I have not read any books by Hank Phillippi Ryan before but this won't be my last. I enjoyed this thriller as upon reflection I think the goals of getting into a character's head, thoughts, and worries, forcing the reader to move at a pace that some might find slow but is actually part of the experience of this character, was achieved. This had a different pace and feel as compared to other thrillers I have read this summer, and that added to my appreciation for the book, the plot, and this author. For me the story became less about Lily and her missing sister Cassie and more about the journey to understand the character's day to day life as well as her past experiences; we are who we are because of how we see the world and process it and yet how can we separate out our past, those who we work and live with, and where we work and live? If a reader steps back and thinks about the intersections present in this book it is an interesting and engaging thriller!
thank you NetGalley and MacMillan-Forge for this arc and also introducing me to a new author to be shared with my mystery book club and other book chats I am a part of. I appreciated the chance to read this book!
thank you NetGalley and MacMillan-Forge for this arc and also introducing me to a new author to be shared with my mystery book club and other book chats I am a part of. I appreciated the chance to read this book!
Lily is a news reporter with a secret source, she doesn't even know who it is, then suddenly this source reveal itself and knows Lily's secret. Lily has a seven year old daughter, Rowan who's father is a married man. Lily tried to keep Rowan out of the spotlight and away from prying eyes. Greer is Lily's producer/assistant for the last two years. Greer would really love to find Lily's secret and become a revered reporter herself. We also hear from Lily's sister, Cassie, in before chapters. Sounds great, right!?
I read The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan and really enjoyed it, a lot...so much so I clicked five stars for it...sooooo when it came around to asking for this ARC it was a no-brainer and I moved it to the top of my list to read. Unfortunately this didn't live up to my excitement.
I was enjoying this decent read in the beginning and middle but as other reviews have mentioned; for being investigative reporters Lily and Greer were quite naive and gullible. And the ending with all the plot holes really ruined an okay read for me.
Thanks to Netgalley, Hank Phillippi Ryan and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC.
I read The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan and really enjoyed it, a lot...so much so I clicked five stars for it...sooooo when it came around to asking for this ARC it was a no-brainer and I moved it to the top of my list to read. Unfortunately this didn't live up to my excitement.
I was enjoying this decent read in the beginning and middle but as other reviews have mentioned; for being investigative reporters Lily and Greer were quite naive and gullible. And the ending with all the plot holes really ruined an okay read for me.
Thanks to Netgalley, Hank Phillippi Ryan and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC.
⭐⭐
I am having trouble putting my finger on why this one was just okay for me. I just found it difficult to get into. The characters seemed flat. The dialogue awkward. Everyone seemed so gullible and annoying. Not much else to say, really. Sometimes a book just doesn't work, and that is okay. On to the next read...
**ARC Via NetGalley**
I am having trouble putting my finger on why this one was just okay for me. I just found it difficult to get into. The characters seemed flat. The dialogue awkward. Everyone seemed so gullible and annoying. Not much else to say, really. Sometimes a book just doesn't work, and that is okay. On to the next read...
**ARC Via NetGalley**
This book was touted on a thriller reading group. I found it very lackluster and ending up skimming the last third to get to the ending. a huge meh for me.