Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
The New Neighbors is another book I have read in recent weeks where the synopsis makes it sound much more interesting than it really is. In fact, if you did not read the synopsis, you would be unclear just what was happening. The story does not begin with a murder. In fact, no one mentions murder until well past the halfway point. Only then does the story shift into a murder mystery. Prior to that point, it reads more like a relationship story in which the drama is between Jack and Syd and not with any neighbors.
I say the story begins as a relationship story because it starts as a journal kept by both Jack and Syd in which they write a letter to the other, telling their version of events, their feelings during those events, and their general thoughts. We learn their individual feelings about buying the house and their reasons for doing so. We learn a bit about how their relationship formed. We see how each views any situation differently. There is reference to the need to capture on paper everything that has happened and the hope that the exercise will help them make more sense of those mysterious events. However, there is only one cursory reference to the police to indicate that the event they want to understand is ominous in nature.
The problem with the story is that it veers down several different paths and does so without warning or tying back to the previous path. It starts out as a strained relationship novel, veers into a murder mystery, followed quickly by an abuse story. It is not until the end where all arcs combine together into one. This lack of cohesion makes the novel confusing if only because you never know where you stand or where the story is going. You are left wondering if it is going to veer into yet another direction or if it will eventually make sense.
Plus, even though we supposedly get to know Jack and Syd through their innermost thoughts via journal entries, they remain relatively one-dimensional. Jack in particular remains unchanged as the story shifts from his story to that of Syd’s. There is no growth or learning in either character and certainly no changes. It is not that they are bad characters, but we only get one glimpse into their lives and even then it is what they deem to put on paper. By the end of the novel, you understand just how many secrets they continued to keep from each other and consequently from the reader.
I hate to say this but The New Neighbors suffers for trying to be too clever and too Gone Girl. Multiple plot twists and potentially unreliable narrators does not always make for a good story, which is where we find ourselves with this one. The New Neighbors has all the feel of a bad roller coaster, one in which you start out excited hoping it is going to be good and finish the ride grateful that it is over. You don’t really know what happened in-between those two, but you just know that you did not enjoy it.
I say the story begins as a relationship story because it starts as a journal kept by both Jack and Syd in which they write a letter to the other, telling their version of events, their feelings during those events, and their general thoughts. We learn their individual feelings about buying the house and their reasons for doing so. We learn a bit about how their relationship formed. We see how each views any situation differently. There is reference to the need to capture on paper everything that has happened and the hope that the exercise will help them make more sense of those mysterious events. However, there is only one cursory reference to the police to indicate that the event they want to understand is ominous in nature.
The problem with the story is that it veers down several different paths and does so without warning or tying back to the previous path. It starts out as a strained relationship novel, veers into a murder mystery, followed quickly by an abuse story. It is not until the end where all arcs combine together into one. This lack of cohesion makes the novel confusing if only because you never know where you stand or where the story is going. You are left wondering if it is going to veer into yet another direction or if it will eventually make sense.
Plus, even though we supposedly get to know Jack and Syd through their innermost thoughts via journal entries, they remain relatively one-dimensional. Jack in particular remains unchanged as the story shifts from his story to that of Syd’s. There is no growth or learning in either character and certainly no changes. It is not that they are bad characters, but we only get one glimpse into their lives and even then it is what they deem to put on paper. By the end of the novel, you understand just how many secrets they continued to keep from each other and consequently from the reader.
I hate to say this but The New Neighbors suffers for trying to be too clever and too Gone Girl. Multiple plot twists and potentially unreliable narrators does not always make for a good story, which is where we find ourselves with this one. The New Neighbors has all the feel of a bad roller coaster, one in which you start out excited hoping it is going to be good and finish the ride grateful that it is over. You don’t really know what happened in-between those two, but you just know that you did not enjoy it.
Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and First to Read for an advanced copy of this book.
The New Neighbors is a suspense novel told in alternating perspectives. The format for each chapter starts with a narrative set up and then a journal entry. Not going to lie, I was almost ready to drop it due to the format.
However, once it picked up, it really picked up for me. I flew through the last 75% of the book pretty quickly. Overall, I enjoyed this twisty novel and would recommend.
The New Neighbors is a suspense novel told in alternating perspectives. The format for each chapter starts with a narrative set up and then a journal entry. Not going to lie, I was almost ready to drop it due to the format.
However, once it picked up, it really picked up for me. I flew through the last 75% of the book pretty quickly. Overall, I enjoyed this twisty novel and would recommend.
3.5 stars.
Easy to digest, pretty tight setting for the plot, and the audiobook narrators (alternating as Jack and Syd) performed quite well.
I was quite satisfied with the ending, although heavy explanation towards the end wasn’t really my favourite. And unfortunately, for a book titled House, I didn’t think it was featured enough - I had expected a more atmospheric and memorable House, similar to [b: The Missing Years|40953912|The Missing Years|Lexie Elliott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532627443l/40953912._SY75_.jpg|63873240].
Easy to digest, pretty tight setting for the plot, and the audiobook narrators (alternating as Jack and Syd) performed quite well.
I was quite satisfied with the ending, although heavy explanation towards the end wasn’t really my favourite. And unfortunately, for a book titled House, I didn’t think it was featured enough - I had expected a more atmospheric and memorable House, similar to [b: The Missing Years|40953912|The Missing Years|Lexie Elliott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532627443l/40953912._SY75_.jpg|63873240].
A quick, interesting read. As always for me, just the fact that some parents abuse their children is horrifying enough without adding a (very, perhaps overly) convuluted plot on top of it. Many of the characters just seemed created to be plot points instead of being interesting people, but I've found that's fairly typical of this type of book. Enjoyable, and a good way to spend a stormy day.
This was a good domestic thriller, but didn't really have anything to distinguish itself from all the others on the market. I was hoping for a creepy neighbors thriller in the vein of [b:The Magpies|17726978|The Magpies|Mark Edwards|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1364934901s/17726978.jpg|24662751], but it wasn't anything like that. The plot was clever though, and kept my attention, but I never really connected with the characters. All in all, a solid book, but not a must-read.
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from Penguin Random House First to Read in exchange for an honest review
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from Penguin Random House First to Read in exchange for an honest review
Not what I expected after reading the blurb but I still really enjoyed it!
I did not enjoy this book to start with and nearly gave up after the first few 'journal entries', which alternated between the two main characters, Syd and Jack. The young couple had recently bought a house in London (their low offer having been accepted to the surprise of them both) and the story told of their new life settling into the big house, surrounded by all the possessions of the previous owner who had left very suddenly.
I initially did not like the short sentences and simplistic style, nor the overly emotional musings of Syd regarding her past. I also thought that the journal entries were more like 'streams of consciousness' than pieces of writing. However, I'm really glad I persevered with this book as it became gradually more interesting and eventually became completely engrossing. The mysterious events mentioned but not explained by the two characters early on were initially annoying, but soon I wanted to find out more and just had to keep reading. I thought that some of the manipulative behaviour exhibited by one particular character was not realistic or even possible, but perhaps I'm being naive.
Overall, a worthwhile read if you like mysteries, with a satisfactory ending.
I initially did not like the short sentences and simplistic style, nor the overly emotional musings of Syd regarding her past. I also thought that the journal entries were more like 'streams of consciousness' than pieces of writing. However, I'm really glad I persevered with this book as it became gradually more interesting and eventually became completely engrossing. The mysterious events mentioned but not explained by the two characters early on were initially annoying, but soon I wanted to find out more and just had to keep reading. I thought that some of the manipulative behaviour exhibited by one particular character was not realistic or even possible, but perhaps I'm being naive.
Overall, a worthwhile read if you like mysteries, with a satisfactory ending.
So what I said at the beginning of this book... it’s a bit like Stephen King mixed with Alfred Hitchcock.... well actually it’s like a bad parody of the two. The beginning was really good, it drew you in and the tenseness ratcheted up a page at a time. But then it started losing the plot there was all this dallying with a kid and the kid being abused and the social services and it just fell flat and useless and pointless. The title is a lie I think it was called the new neighbours that title makes more sense then the house... with the title you think ooo creepy house... but no it just fell flat and just a bit shit if I have to be honest. The positive is the writing it’s very engaging and well written though please stop with driveling snivelling characters they get a bit annoying especially with Jack he didn’t come across as a bit feminine and that’s not a bad thing but I couldn’t picture what jack looked like as a man. I also didn’t really like Sydney nor did I feel any sympathy.
Thank you to Penguin Books for sending me a copy of this.
Jack and Sydney manage to buy a house in London - they can't believe their good fortune. It's a little old fashioned and comes with all the junk from the previous owner who has emigrated but to own a house in London is a dream come true. But Jack makes a grisly discovery in the attic. And that's when things take a sinister turn for the worst.
I have flown through this - it is not what I expected from the blurb on the back but it has been a thrilling and shocking ride, which has lived up to its promise.
Jack and Sydney manage to buy a house in London - they can't believe their good fortune. It's a little old fashioned and comes with all the junk from the previous owner who has emigrated but to own a house in London is a dream come true. But Jack makes a grisly discovery in the attic. And that's when things take a sinister turn for the worst.
I have flown through this - it is not what I expected from the blurb on the back but it has been a thrilling and shocking ride, which has lived up to its promise.
Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and First to Read for an advanced copy of this book.
The New Neighbors is a suspense novel told in alternating perspectives. The format for each chapter starts with a narrative set up and then a journal entry. Not going to lie, I was almost ready to drop it due to the format.
However, once it picked up, it really picked up for me. I flew through the last 75% of the book pretty quickly. Overall, I enjoyed this twisty novel and would recommend.
The New Neighbors is a suspense novel told in alternating perspectives. The format for each chapter starts with a narrative set up and then a journal entry. Not going to lie, I was almost ready to drop it due to the format.
However, once it picked up, it really picked up for me. I flew through the last 75% of the book pretty quickly. Overall, I enjoyed this twisty novel and would recommend.