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wonderless1's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
katiebella_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
4.0
Freya is just your everyday type of girl who sadly falls under the charms of Kane. Kane is a highly unlikable character. I don't think at any point did I ever feel sorry for him. He is a vile and nasty piece of work of who I was praying something bad would happen to him so it would free Freya.
Even for people who have been fortunate to not have been part of an abusive and controlling relationship, this still makes for very uncomfortable reading. I felt like I was going through what Freya was. It's so easy for people to say, why didn't you just leave, but the author shows how easy it is to become as such a hostage in these sorts of relationships. As much as I wanted Freya to get away, I could understand why she would feel that she couldn't.
It's hard to say I enjoyed this book as it's such a hard subject to digest. It does make for a compelling read though and it shows just how strong people can be even when life feels like it can't get any worse. I hope that it may help people see the signs early on in a relationship though and get themselves well away before things get any worse.
Over My Shoulder is a dark domestic noir story that draws you in and holds you there until the end. I actually read it in one evening as I felt I owed it to Freya to see the journey through with her. Whilst some parts made me very uncomfortable, I had to salute Freya with her strength at times and how she just picked herself up and carried on. It gives readers the brutal reality of what it is like to be in an abusive relationship and if anything it will help raise awareness.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Even for people who have been fortunate to not have been part of an abusive and controlling relationship, this still makes for very uncomfortable reading. I felt like I was going through what Freya was. It's so easy for people to say, why didn't you just leave, but the author shows how easy it is to become as such a hostage in these sorts of relationships. As much as I wanted Freya to get away, I could understand why she would feel that she couldn't.
It's hard to say I enjoyed this book as it's such a hard subject to digest. It does make for a compelling read though and it shows just how strong people can be even when life feels like it can't get any worse. I hope that it may help people see the signs early on in a relationship though and get themselves well away before things get any worse.
Over My Shoulder is a dark domestic noir story that draws you in and holds you there until the end. I actually read it in one evening as I felt I owed it to Freya to see the journey through with her. Whilst some parts made me very uncomfortable, I had to salute Freya with her strength at times and how she just picked herself up and carried on. It gives readers the brutal reality of what it is like to be in an abusive relationship and if anything it will help raise awareness.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
sarah_faichney's review against another edition
5.0
“Each week, two women are murdered by a current or former partner and a final sobering fact is that seventy percent of these types of killings occur after the victim has ended the relationship.” And that is why writers who are not afraid to tackle these themes are so important. A difficult read at times but a good one.
nietzschesghost's review
4.0
'Over My Shoulder' is Patricia Dixon's second psychological thriller after signing a two-book deal with thriller publishers, Bloodhound Books. In theory, this shouldn't have worked for me, but I am pleased to report that it did. Even I was surprised by that! I would classify this as romance/domestic noir/romantic suspense rather than a full-blown thriller. Either way, it worked for me.
Freya meets Kane and falls head over heels for his charm and personality. Little does she know that he is rotten to the core. She begins to fall under his spell, and once she is under the thumb she finds it impossible to escape. This is difficult to read in parts due to some of the abuse Freya is subjected to. Every move she makes is controlled by Kane, and she feels her life is no longer hers any longer. The story reads a lot like a memoir as it is told in first-person narrative and tells the harrowing tale of Freya's ordeal at the hands of a psychotic boyfriend. Compelling, emotionally resonant and very disturbing - I felt I struggled at times with how bad it got for Freya.
Well written, pacy and deeply dark, this is a book I am not likely to forget in a hurry. The characters are realistic and believable and are developed really well. I do feel that you need to be able to suspend your disbelief if you are to enjoy reading it, and if you particularly appreciate crime fiction that is as close to reality as possible, you may want to avoid this. However, I did enjoy it but felt there was a lot of emphasis on the way Kane treated Freya and not enough on helping her to be strong enough to escape from his clutches. I like the idea of books showing confident women who are no-nonsense and don't stand for being treated badly, this then serves to empower real women who may be REALLY going through this situation.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Freya meets Kane and falls head over heels for his charm and personality. Little does she know that he is rotten to the core. She begins to fall under his spell, and once she is under the thumb she finds it impossible to escape. This is difficult to read in parts due to some of the abuse Freya is subjected to. Every move she makes is controlled by Kane, and she feels her life is no longer hers any longer. The story reads a lot like a memoir as it is told in first-person narrative and tells the harrowing tale of Freya's ordeal at the hands of a psychotic boyfriend. Compelling, emotionally resonant and very disturbing - I felt I struggled at times with how bad it got for Freya.
Well written, pacy and deeply dark, this is a book I am not likely to forget in a hurry. The characters are realistic and believable and are developed really well. I do feel that you need to be able to suspend your disbelief if you are to enjoy reading it, and if you particularly appreciate crime fiction that is as close to reality as possible, you may want to avoid this. However, I did enjoy it but felt there was a lot of emphasis on the way Kane treated Freya and not enough on helping her to be strong enough to escape from his clutches. I like the idea of books showing confident women who are no-nonsense and don't stand for being treated badly, this then serves to empower real women who may be REALLY going through this situation.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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