Scan barcode
A review by feuillycakes
Monstrous Souls by Rebecca Kelly
4.0
This was an utterly disturbing book that I couldn't put down. I went into this thinking that it would be about plain old murder and assault, so when it ended up being about human trafficking and child abuse I was a bit shocked. That's where the disturbing part comes in. It felt too realistic, too much like it could happen to anyone, and I felt genuine fear from that. The helplessness felt by the girls, the inevitability of what was going to happen to them, and the present day chapters where we see the consequences still play out all added to my uneasiness.
I didn't have fun while reading this book. It was too heavy for that. I was too busy being sad, scared, and horrified to have fun, but I think that's the point, no? This is the first adult crime/mystery/thriller type book I've ever read that didn't involve paranormal/supernatural elements, and it was a strong introduction to the genre. I kept reading because I just had to know what had happened to those little girls. I spent a good portion of the book assuming I knew what was going to be revealed at the end too, and I was thrown for a loop when that didn't happen.
I loved the twist. I was in no way expecting it, and the way it was handled was very moving and powerful in my opinion. I very nearly cried - when the unnamed person is revealed to be Scott and he watches himself on that tape, I teared up big time. I was torn between anger at the horrific crime he committed and unending rage at that awful man who abused him like that to the point where he could do something so terrible - it was heartbreaking.
The flashbacks paired with the dangers of the present events, plus that little sprinkling of an unknown POV who is very clearly out to get Heidi, all adds up into a very high-stakes mystery/thriller which kept me guessing even as I thought I knew the truth - and believe me, it's not what you may expect.
All in all, a fantastic debut novel, with a gripping story that really delves deep into the horrors of human trafficking and corrupt police systems. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this early in return for a review!
I didn't have fun while reading this book. It was too heavy for that. I was too busy being sad, scared, and horrified to have fun, but I think that's the point, no? This is the first adult crime/mystery/thriller type book I've ever read that didn't involve paranormal/supernatural elements, and it was a strong introduction to the genre. I kept reading because I just had to know what had happened to those little girls. I spent a good portion of the book assuming I knew what was going to be revealed at the end too, and I was thrown for a loop when that didn't happen.
I loved the twist. I was in no way expecting it, and the way it was handled was very moving and powerful in my opinion. I very nearly cried -
The flashbacks paired with the dangers of the present events, plus that little sprinkling of an unknown POV who is very clearly out to get Heidi, all adds up into a very high-stakes mystery/thriller which kept me guessing even as I thought I knew the truth - and believe me, it's not what you may expect.
All in all, a fantastic debut novel, with a gripping story that really delves deep into the horrors of human trafficking and corrupt police systems. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this early in return for a review!