Tag: adult thriller

Reviews

The Housemaid Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on The Housemaid Review

*MILD SPOILERS AHEAD*

I finally picked up The Housemaid after hearing about it everywhere, and it definitely lived up to the hype. From the very first chapter I was hooked and found it hard to put down. The writing is simple but sharp, making it a quick read that almost feels like watching a thriller play out on screen. It starts off creepy and unsettling, with Nina acting more and more strangely, and then it ramps up into something much darker and far more dangerous.

Millie is such a fascinating character. At first, it’s hard to connect with her because we don’t know much about her, but as her backstory slowly unravels I became more invested. The mystery around her kept me intrigued, and by the time the big reveals landed I was fully on board. Nina’s truth was also a shock and while I didn’t agree with all of her choices, I found myself sympathising with her more than I expected. Andrew though… absolutely detestable.

The story itself isn’t the most original, but McFadden tells it in such an addictive way. The first two parts felt a bit predictable, but part three completely changed the game and left me stunned. The twists just kept coming and the ending was the kind that makes you want to pick up the sequel straight away. Sure, some moments stretched believability, but that almost added to the fun because it kept me guessing.

Overall, this is a wild, fast-paced thriller that delivers on tension and shock value. It’s eerie, outrageous in places, and ridiculously entertaining. If you’re after a bingeable read that will keep you second guessing every character, this is one to add to your list.

⭐️4/5 stars Definitely a guilty pleasure, pop corn thriller!

Reviews

Something in the Water Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Something in the Water Review

*SOME SPOILERS BELOW*

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . . Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .

The start of this book didn’t really grab my attention in any way. I didn’t really care for Erin or Mark as we learn about their history, meeting each other and the kind of relationship they have. The first half of this book did drag a little in terms of establishing the storyline but once you overcome that hurdle the second half is worth it I think!

Erin is very impulsive and consistently acts without thinking of the repercussions even though she know how dangerous it can be. Her reasonings are a bit wishy washy and once an idea has formed in her mind she needs to see it through despite the outcome. I feel as though she shouldn’t of been as surprised by who was responsible for them being found as what she was. There are countless times where she will say something that she has noticed but shrugs it away every single time and it gets a bit obvious in the end.

I liked the format of the book a lot. Starting off knowing that Mark is dead and then the lead up to that day and figuring out all the details along the way was very entertaining and kept me highly engaged in the story. There is just this overwhelming build up of tension throughout the book as Erin gets more and more manic and terrified of the idea of being found by these mystery people. The ending is a little bit rushed for me though, I felt the anticipation was dragged out so much I would of appreciated a slower and more dramatic ending however I really enjoyed this book and was very surprised at the end!

⭐️4/5 stars Kept me on the edge of my seat throughout!

Reviews

Such a Quiet Place Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Such a Quiet Place Review

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Hollow’s Edge use to be a quiet place. A private and idyllic neighborhood where neighbors dropped in on neighbors, celebrated graduation and holiday parties together, and looked out for one another. But then came the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. A year and a half later, Hollow’s Edge is simmering. The residents are trapped, unable to sell their homes, confronted daily by the empty Truett house, and suffocated by their trial testimonies that implicated one of their own. Ruby Fletcher. And now, Ruby’s back.

Harper honestly kind of got on my nerves for the majority of the book. I don’t understand why she wouldn’t just confront Ruby and ask her why she came back. She just let this supposed murderer waltz back into her house and use all of her stuff, it was frustrating to read. She let this girl come back after being released from prison with no explanation and offered to buy her some new clothes? Harper didn’t really have a backbone and just let everyone walk all over throughout the course of the book that I just wanted to shake her and tell her to snap out of it.

Ruby’s character was an interesting one for sure. Immediately you just knew that she was back for revenge on this community for essentially being the ones who cemented her guilty verdict. If it wasn’t for the group chat and everyone’s wariness for outsiders and non home owners then Ruby would never of even been a suspect. So I completely understand her motivations for coming back to Hollow’s Edge and causing a stir. But I kind of wanted her to do more in her time back. There wasn’t really any big dramatic scenes with her until it came to the pool party and even then it was a tad anticlimactic until we find out what happens.

I was a bit confused when we find out that Ruby dies. On one hand I was very shocked and surprised and on the other I just thought what was the point of her coming back just to die. It really turned the story on it’s head though and shifted the narrative to a place I wasn’t expecting it to go which did ultimately keep me engaged. Trying to put together all of the little clues and finding out more about Harper’s involvement in the original investigation was interesting and quite entertaining.

⭐️3/5 stars Not the best but full of juicy drama and neighborhood secrets

Reviews

The It Girl Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on The It Girl Review

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

April Coutts-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford. Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.

I enjoyed Hannah as our main perspective. I found her to be pretty relatable in both the before and after settings and I liked the fact that her love for her friend but also her compassion for John Neville is what drives her to find out the truth. Had I have been in her situation I think I would of reacted exactly the same.

I also really enjoyed the rest of the friend group as well. At the start it was a little difficult to differentiate between them but as the story progressed I thought they were all easily distinguishable. April obviously isn’t a very likeable person but I can see how her lifestyle and energy would overwhelm Hannah and skew her perception of who April is. She is always making excuses for her and explaining away her pranks and is devastated that April’s personality has faded away from the notoriety.

I just thought Will’s reaction to everything was really weird and not explained enough for me. He kept trying to get Hannah to drop everything and even though his requests were reasonable he would just act strangely. When Hannah finally comes straight out and asks I don’t understand why he acted the way he did. He had to have known that she would come to that conclusion eventually so why would he just laugh?

The dual timelines definitely kept me engaged throughout the course of the book and the overarching mystery surrounding who did it had me turning the pages and eager to see what actually happened to April that night!

⭐️3/5 stars wasn’t anything spectacular but it was entertaining!

Reviews

The House Across the Lake Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on The House Across the Lake Review

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.

Casey was a little frustrating as a character. I had a feeling she wasn’t telling the whole story in regards to what happened with her husband so in the end when that twist was revealed I wasn’t that shocked. I was just overall confused as to why she was so adamant in finding out what happened to Katherine. She had only just met this woman and had maybe two interactions with her before her disappearance and she is just soo invested in figuring out this mystery.

Boone I was wary of at the start, I usually always mistrust all the characters in mystery/thriller book but Boone seemed a little too good to be true which is kind of an obvious sign that he’s a red herring. I liked the fact that he has his own secrets and we get to learn quite a bit about character and how he ended up at Lake Green. I would of liked a few more interactions and nights of surveillance between him and Casey to build up a little more of a rapport.

Tom and Katherine honestly were kind of bland. We don’t have enough context about them, their relationship and their mannerisms before that night Katherine disappeared. We weren’t shown any of the conflicts between them we sort of just have to take Katherine’s word and believe a drunk Casey that she’s seeing what she thinks she’s seeing. They just weren’t interesting enough for this whole book to be centered around them.

There were some pretty interesting twists and turns throughout the majority of this book, I was surprised a few times and I liked the format of the book with the dual timelines. I just think the supernatural element came out of nowhere and was a bit of a cop out. There was nothing in the book before then that indicated that there was any otherworldly phenomenon happening to it was hard for me to take it seriously, I was kind of just like wtf…

⭐️2/5 stars a little too unbelievable