Tag: thriller

Reviews

He Started It Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on He Started It Review

*MILD SPOILERS BELOW*

He started It is about these three siblings whose grandfather has just passed away and in order to receive the inheritance he left for them they need to embark on the road trip they once took when they were all kids.

I liked the premise of the story, I thought it was super original and unlike anything I have ever read before. The build up of anticipation was very well done and the little twists that take place definitely kept me engaged and wanting to read more. I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book but I thought it would be a lot more intense than what it actually was.

Beth I was thinking was going to be a bit of an unreliable narrator, I truly thought at times she was a little bit crazy and as the storyline continued I definitely think she had some mental health issues that she clearly needed to work through. The way she was so obsessed with her sister came across as strange to me. But I guess if I were in her situation I may of ended up in the same boat, especially given the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

The other two siblings I didn’t really form any kind of attachment to. I was definitely intrigued by them and wanted to find out the parts they played in the road trip and why they were all so hesitant in discussing what happened. They all had secrets they were clearly keeping from each other and Beth never really seemed to notice anything that was happening around her in regards to them in particular.

I would of liked to get more of an insight to their grandfather and his mindset throughout the course of the first road trip as well. As the book progressed we do get of sense of the kind of person he was but to get maybe one of two chapters from his perspective right at the end explaining the whys and how’s might of made me more satisfied.

I think overall this was a solid psychological thrilleresque book. I was 100% invested from the start and wanted to figure out what was happening and I definitely didn’t predict any of the twists and turns. I just thought the ending could of been a little stronger! We got so many interesting, weird things happening throughout and the explanation and reasons behind the whole thing was mundane and boring. Shocking, but boring nevertheless.

⭐️3/5 stars Immersive but in the end fell a bit flat!

Reviews

My Sister the Serial Killer Review

by amyleighreads5 Comments on My Sister the Serial Killer Review

38819868._SY475_Interesting!

Basically just like the title this book is about two sisters, one who has killed her last three boyfriends and the other who helps her clean up the mess.

Korede though I can sympathise with her and the situation that she is constantly being put in by her sister, I can’t help but wish she would assert herself more in her personal life. When she is at work she has no problem issuing orders and being authoritative with the other nurse, leading to her promotion to head nurse of the hospital. But when she is at home she lets her sister and her mother walk all over her. I understand the cultural aspect where she is supposed to be her sister’s protector because she is older but Ayoola totally takes it way too far and Korede enables her to do so.

Ayoola is spoilt and selfish and very arrogant. Though she was an interesting character and I would have loved if this was a dual perspective novel to get more insight into the way she thinks. Why she decides to kill the men and when, is it just a crime of opportunity or does she plot their deaths? Though she is aware of her beauty and the effect it has on men I think she is quite cavalier with their feelings and isn’t considerate at all. Like I said she uses her influence over others to get whatever she wants despite the consequences. I think it just irked me that after everything that her sister has done for her she still goes after Tate even though she knows Korede has feelings for him.

The pacing was fast and consistent and I was highly entertained throughout the course of the storyline. This felt like a little slice of life story with an added twist of murder. The tone was quite dark and disturbing at times and then it will flip and be quite light and innocuous, which I feel ties quite relatively to Ayoola’s mood. There was a undercurrent of fear and a sense of urgency woven throughout the course of the plot that definitely kept me engaged and intrigued.

⭐️3/5 stars this was wild!

Reviews

You Are Not Alone Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on You Are Not Alone Review

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

48110356._SY475_This book revolves around Shay Miller, she just recently lost her job and is temping at a law firm. She is running late for a job interview and she happens to witnesses something tragic that will change her life forever.

 I liked Shay. She is endearing and likeable. She doesn’t necessarily have her life sorted the way she would like and this makes her quite relatable. She always has the best intentions in her heart which doesn’t always translate in her favour. She definitely walked into the web of the twins unaware of their motives but I’m glad she was able to pick apart the little clues she collects and figure out what was really happening.

I was a little confused at first about Cassandra and Jane and their connection to the other 4 women. What their group was and why they were so interested in anyone who had talked to Amanda prior to her death. This definitely kept me engaged in the book and eager to read on.

I enjoyed the time jumps and the different povs, it really enabled us to delve deeper into the histories of all the different characters and their motivations for choices that they have made. I especially liked finding out about the other women in the twin’s group and how they all met and the connection between them. Even though what they are doing is wrong and manipulative I quite enjoyed their sisterhood dynamic and the trust they have with each other. Jane and Cassandra influence them heavily but they did help the other women out and changed their lives for the better!

This is a book where even though it’s a little slow and tedious at the start you really need to be paying attention to every detail. Things that you assume are unimportant or irrelevant actually turn out to be the tipping point of the plot. The twists were well placed and the pacing though quite slow at the start picked up heavily around the half way point of the story. It was entertaining, thrilling and in the end I was highly satisfied with the book as a whole!

⭐️4/5 stars numbers never lie!

Book Lists

5 Mystery/Thriller Books I want to read in 2020

by amyleighreads2 Comments on 5 Mystery/Thriller Books I want to read in 2020

I have figured out over the last year that I actually really enjoy mystery/thriller books. I had previously just stuck to either fantasy or contemporary but I have finally broadened my reading horizons’ to include some other genres which I greatly enjoy!

These are the five mystery/thriller books I plan to read this year:

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

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The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

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The Shining by Stephen King

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Watching You by Lisa Jewell

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Reviews

You Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on You Review

36430011._SY475_I loved this book!

You revolves around a guy named Joe who has become obsessed with a girl named Beck after she walks into the bookstore he works at and strikes up a conversation.

I loved the premise of this book; it really captivated me from the start. Having the book from the perspective of Joe and seeing the way his brain works and how he justifies his actions throughout the course of the book was fascinating. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book from the perspective of the bad guy before and I was hooked!

Beck wasn’t a favourite character of mine. I thought she wasn’t all that likable and a little bit pretentious. I found myself not quite invested in her character fully yet I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Her friends were also not very likable either, I found there wasn’t really any depth to them and they were only really just a tool to further along the plot.

 I thought the pacing of the story was perfect. The slow buildup of tension really kept me hooked in the story and I was eager to read on. I thought the plot twists were placed at the perfect points in the story and really kept the intensity at an all-time high. The stakes kept rising and Joe really had some close calls and I found myself wanting him to get away with everything, it was strange.

I thought Caroline Kepnes really captured the mind of a stalker, while also allowing him to remain relatable and human in a way. I like the way that the book was formatted as well. I thought the use of second-person narration was executed flawlessly, having his voice in my mind while reading about him stalking someone was intense!

⭐️4.5/5 stars Creepy, morbid, addictive!