My Rating: 4.5 stars
This is one of those books that I would call "compulsively readable" — the kind of book that, once you pick it up and start reading, it's almost impossible to put down. There was an addictive and engaging quality to the story and its characters, to the point that I couldn't bring myself to stop reading even when one of the characters frustrated me to no end. It all starts with a book club gathering at the house of our protagonist Amy Whey, a night she thought would be like any other, where other mothers in the neighborhood get together along with her best friend Charlotte Baxter to discuss the latest book they chose. But then a new neighbor shows up at the door, a beautiful woman named Angelica Roux, whose exotic charm captivates nearly everyone in the room and next thing they know, the book club discussion becomes instead a lively session of drinking and chatting. Later in the night, Roux suggests playing a game, a grown-up version of the confession game Never Have I Ever — and that's when the troubles begin. Suddenly, Amy finds herself locked in a twisted game with a woman whose skills in manipulation far exceed ordinary — a game that Amy quickly discovers she has no option but to win or else risk destroying the life and family she had worked so hard to build.
This book was a wild ride, intricately plotted and full of twists and turns that kept me constantly guessing — just when I thought I had things figured out, another bomb was dropped that took things in an entirely unexpected direction. The characters too were well-developed and realistically crafted — I especially like how Amy was a character who was strong but yet at the same time flawed...whether it was dealing with the remnants of her past (a past that she spent most of her life trying to bury) or working through issues in the present, Amy's struggles felt so real. Even Roux, as loathsome as she was, also proved to be an interesting yet still realistic character whose own complicated past shapes who she eventually becomes. In terms of the writing, it was excellent — the story was cleverly crafted and flowed beautifully. Even though this is my first time reading Joshilyn Jackson's works, I've heard many great things about her books as well as her writing and now I definitely understand why. I'm glad I got the chance to experience her work for the first time and look forward to checking out her previous books (many of which are on my TBR already). I'd heard that Jackson doesn't usually write in the suspense / thriller genre, so this book is a new experience for her — I definitely found this shocking because reading this book, the way it was so expertly crafted, I would've never guessed that this is her first time writing in the genre.
After reading a slew of average suspense thrillers in recent months, I'm happy to have gotten the chance to read a smart, emotionally engaging thriller that combines the elements of plot, character, and story so perfectly. This one is definitely on my recommended list and I'm already looking forward to what Jackson will come up with next!
This is one of those books that I would call "compulsively readable" — the kind of book that, once you pick it up and start reading, it's almost impossible to put down. There was an addictive and engaging quality to the story and its characters, to the point that I couldn't bring myself to stop reading even when one of the characters frustrated me to no end. It all starts with a book club gathering at the house of our protagonist Amy Whey, a night she thought would be like any other, where other mothers in the neighborhood get together along with her best friend Charlotte Baxter to discuss the latest book they chose. But then a new neighbor shows up at the door, a beautiful woman named Angelica Roux, whose exotic charm captivates nearly everyone in the room and next thing they know, the book club discussion becomes instead a lively session of drinking and chatting. Later in the night, Roux suggests playing a game, a grown-up version of the confession game Never Have I Ever — and that's when the troubles begin. Suddenly, Amy finds herself locked in a twisted game with a woman whose skills in manipulation far exceed ordinary — a game that Amy quickly discovers she has no option but to win or else risk destroying the life and family she had worked so hard to build.
This book was a wild ride, intricately plotted and full of twists and turns that kept me constantly guessing — just when I thought I had things figured out, another bomb was dropped that took things in an entirely unexpected direction. The characters too were well-developed and realistically crafted — I especially like how Amy was a character who was strong but yet at the same time flawed...whether it was dealing with the remnants of her past (a past that she spent most of her life trying to bury) or working through issues in the present, Amy's struggles felt so real. Even Roux, as loathsome as she was, also proved to be an interesting yet still realistic character whose own complicated past shapes who she eventually becomes. In terms of the writing, it was excellent — the story was cleverly crafted and flowed beautifully. Even though this is my first time reading Joshilyn Jackson's works, I've heard many great things about her books as well as her writing and now I definitely understand why. I'm glad I got the chance to experience her work for the first time and look forward to checking out her previous books (many of which are on my TBR already). I'd heard that Jackson doesn't usually write in the suspense / thriller genre, so this book is a new experience for her — I definitely found this shocking because reading this book, the way it was so expertly crafted, I would've never guessed that this is her first time writing in the genre.
After reading a slew of average suspense thrillers in recent months, I'm happy to have gotten the chance to read a smart, emotionally engaging thriller that combines the elements of plot, character, and story so perfectly. This one is definitely on my recommended list and I'm already looking forward to what Jackson will come up with next!
Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via Edelweiss.
No comments:
Post a Comment