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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
mysterious
fast-paced
A good book overall. Made me want to shout at the characters for being stupid most of the time. Unfortunately the ending wasn't up to scratch for me, a bit all at once and not really fitting in my opinion.
Originally posted on:> http://lauraslittlebookblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/avon-books-week-day-one.html#more
Saving Sophie was one of those books that I was desperate to read. It sounded so intriguing and the opening setting is sure to make you read on. When Karen's daughter Sophie arrives back from a night out, she is accompanied by the police and is very drunk and disorientated. Karen doesn't understand how she ended up by herself and what is even more worrying is that Sophie can't seem to remember how she got in such a state.Then twelve hours later, the body of a woman is found. Karen is convinced that Sophie knows something and the more convinced she becomes, the more she thinks Sophie is in danger.
What was also immersed me in this was Karen's struggle with agoraphobia and how inhibiting it was for her and her need to find out what had happened that night. It is hinted throughout that this struggle had been caused by an nasty event in Karen's life and I really felt for her, whereas closer to home her husband and daughter had no patience for her. It really came across just how crippling this type of phobia is.
Claustrophobic setting, frustrating some quite dislikeable and hostile characters, this was a brilliant thriller to keep you on your toes and whizzing through to the end. The short chapters and different character viewpoints drive this story on, with each chapter continuously leaving you wanting more.
There was only one small thing that I had a little bugbear over and that was how long the police took to look into something. I don't think they would have waited that long in a real situation, but this was only a small thing.
This was so cleverly constructed as so much happens and there are more twists than I can count on one hand. I could not have guessed the outcome at all and the very last bit was an interesting development!
Addictive, compelling and a book to very much keep you on your toes.
Saving Sophie was one of those books that I was desperate to read. It sounded so intriguing and the opening setting is sure to make you read on. When Karen's daughter Sophie arrives back from a night out, she is accompanied by the police and is very drunk and disorientated. Karen doesn't understand how she ended up by herself and what is even more worrying is that Sophie can't seem to remember how she got in such a state.Then twelve hours later, the body of a woman is found. Karen is convinced that Sophie knows something and the more convinced she becomes, the more she thinks Sophie is in danger.
What was also immersed me in this was Karen's struggle with agoraphobia and how inhibiting it was for her and her need to find out what had happened that night. It is hinted throughout that this struggle had been caused by an nasty event in Karen's life and I really felt for her, whereas closer to home her husband and daughter had no patience for her. It really came across just how crippling this type of phobia is.
Claustrophobic setting, frustrating some quite dislikeable and hostile characters, this was a brilliant thriller to keep you on your toes and whizzing through to the end. The short chapters and different character viewpoints drive this story on, with each chapter continuously leaving you wanting more.
There was only one small thing that I had a little bugbear over and that was how long the police took to look into something. I don't think they would have waited that long in a real situation, but this was only a small thing.
This was so cleverly constructed as so much happens and there are more twists than I can count on one hand. I could not have guessed the outcome at all and the very last bit was an interesting development!
Addictive, compelling and a book to very much keep you on your toes.
I finished this book a couple of weeks ago, and every time I think to write a review, I find myself unsure of how to encapsulate how this book impacted me into words.
First, as the title of the review states, I was blown away by the ending of the book. It is not at all what I envisioned, which made it all the more impactful. There was one piece of the ending were I thought, "not likely," however the ending of the book ends at a specific moment in time, so it is possible that as things played out in fiction land, that piece would have come to the more realistic conclusion in due course.
Having been a victim in something similar to Karen, I could relate to her character and to how her character fell into the defense mechanism of hiding away from the world thinking it would make her safe. All of the choices she made after that point were made through the hazy filter of how to keep herself safe. She was in a constant state of fight or flight, which doesn't lead to the best decision making.
Sophie, in addition to being an irritating teenager (if you've had them, you can relate!!!), carries around bottled emotions due to living with a mom whose life is ruled by having been a victim. That creates a combination which makes Sophie less than likable, yet understandable.
For most of the book I thought Karen's husband was an ass. It isn't until the end of the book that we come to understand the reasons behind his behavior. We are finding out in real time, just as Karen is finding out in real time. Because of this, as the reader, we get to think he's a pretty unlikable guy.
There are a lot of complexities to this book that cause the reader to dig deep and be willing to look below the surface for each character. When I picked up the book, I thought it was going to be a "no brainer" suspense read; enjoyable, but nothing taxing. I was pleasantly surprised. There was intent behind each of the things I liked or didn't like about a character, behind why they did or didn't take a particular action.
The ending showed the true love of a mother.
First, as the title of the review states, I was blown away by the ending of the book. It is not at all what I envisioned, which made it all the more impactful. There was one piece of the ending were I thought, "not likely," however the ending of the book ends at a specific moment in time, so it is possible that as things played out in fiction land, that piece would have come to the more realistic conclusion in due course.
Having been a victim in something similar to Karen, I could relate to her character and to how her character fell into the defense mechanism of hiding away from the world thinking it would make her safe. All of the choices she made after that point were made through the hazy filter of how to keep herself safe. She was in a constant state of fight or flight, which doesn't lead to the best decision making.
Sophie, in addition to being an irritating teenager (if you've had them, you can relate!!!), carries around bottled emotions due to living with a mom whose life is ruled by having been a victim. That creates a combination which makes Sophie less than likable, yet understandable.
For most of the book I thought Karen's husband was an ass. It isn't until the end of the book that we come to understand the reasons behind his behavior. We are finding out in real time, just as Karen is finding out in real time. Because of this, as the reader, we get to think he's a pretty unlikable guy.
There are a lot of complexities to this book that cause the reader to dig deep and be willing to look below the surface for each character. When I picked up the book, I thought it was going to be a "no brainer" suspense read; enjoyable, but nothing taxing. I was pleasantly surprised. There was intent behind each of the things I liked or didn't like about a character, behind why they did or didn't take a particular action.
The ending showed the true love of a mother.
I picked this up looking for a fast-paced, page-turning, easy read, and thankfully that is exactly what it was.
Things did get a little hectic and melodramatic as the book progressed, and I must admit that both Karen and Sophie's paper-thin justifications to still not go to the police were verging on ridiculous by the end.
However, I liked that the characters were all flawed and that no one was perfect by any means - rather the opposite, in fact. Suspending my disbelief somewhat, I was definitely able to enjoy the ride of the story, so if you're looking for a very twisty, fast read, it may well be worth checking out.
Things did get a little hectic and melodramatic as the book progressed, and I must admit that both Karen and Sophie's paper-thin justifications to still not go to the police were verging on ridiculous by the end.
However, I liked that the characters were all flawed and that no one was perfect by any means - rather the opposite, in fact. Suspending my disbelief somewhat, I was definitely able to enjoy the ride of the story, so if you're looking for a very twisty, fast read, it may well be worth checking out.
Why does no one ever go to the police??
Some aspects of the book frustrated me but overall I was caught up in the story and it was hard to put down.
I found the epilogue very interesting, I didn't expect it and I can't stop thinking about what would happen to the characters in the future.
Some aspects of the book frustrated me but overall I was caught up in the story and it was hard to put down.
I found the epilogue very interesting, I didn't expect it and I can't stop thinking about what would happen to the characters in the future.
Karen and Mike Finch are upset and appalled when their seventeen-year-old daughter, Sophie, is brought home by the police. She was found drunk and wandering lost and confused around town. But Karen is also concerned and feels as if something is off: Sophie has no memories of most of the evening, and one of her friends, Amy, still hasn't returned home by morning. An agoraphobic thanks to an attack two years ago, the events with Sophie trigger Karen's intense anxiety. And soon, the Finch family will find themselves embroiled in a dark series of events that may threaten their own safety and sanity.
This was a strange novel. It definitely sets up with a well-done twist that hooks you. However, it then sort of slows down a bit, and it is burdened by some very strange and unbelievable storylines. For me, I found that I really didn't like or have a lot of sympathy for anyone in the Finch family, even with all they had been through. Sophie was a rather hateful teenager, who treated her parents with complete disdain, and she showed very little rationale in her decision-making. Karen's endless musings went on too much, and she was even worse in the decision area. And Mike was just hateful and rude. Sophie and her friends just seemed clueless and really hateful in their actions (without giving away too much).
Overall, the book was definitely engaging, and it certainly kept my attention; it was a fast read. Still, I found myself appalled by the characters' actions; people made some of the dumbest decisions and had some of the worst motivations in this novel, from the "bad guy" to the Finches to Sophie's friends. This made some of the story difficult to believe and buy. There's nothing really bad about it, I just found myself annoyed with the characters and frustrated by the story.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
This was a strange novel. It definitely sets up with a well-done twist that hooks you. However, it then sort of slows down a bit, and it is burdened by some very strange and unbelievable storylines. For me, I found that I really didn't like or have a lot of sympathy for anyone in the Finch family, even with all they had been through. Sophie was a rather hateful teenager, who treated her parents with complete disdain, and she showed very little rationale in her decision-making. Karen's endless musings went on too much, and she was even worse in the decision area. And Mike was just hateful and rude. Sophie and her friends just seemed clueless and really hateful in their actions (without giving away too much).
Overall, the book was definitely engaging, and it certainly kept my attention; it was a fast read. Still, I found myself appalled by the characters' actions; people made some of the dumbest decisions and had some of the worst motivations in this novel, from the "bad guy" to the Finches to Sophie's friends. This made some of the story difficult to believe and buy. There's nothing really bad about it, I just found myself annoyed with the characters and frustrated by the story.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.