Review: My Husband's Wife (by Alice Feeney)

My Rating: 4 stars 

It is not lost on me that we are almost halfway through the month of February and so far, I have only finished 1 book (compared to the 10 books that I read in January, which was definitely a record for me).  Though with that said, I am not actually complaining, as I kind of already knew that my reading life would take a hit this month due to how busy I would be with several birthdays to celebrate (both within my family and among close friends), various Lunar New Year festivities to attend, and of course, watching the Olympics (specifically the figure skating events, since I’ve been a fan of the sport since the 1980s).  So basically, not getting to as many books this month isn’t a bad thing at all, it just means that I will need to do a bit more catching up next month, which is totally fine by me.

One book that I wanted to make sure I got to this month was Alice Feeney’s latest thriller / suspense novel My Husband’s Wife, which actually came out in January.  Feeney has been an “auto read” author for me ever since I read and was blown away by her debut novel Sometimes I Lie – so much so in fact that, without realizing it, I’m now actually a completist of her works (that is, until her next book comes out).  Prior to reading this newest work, I had seen several reviews which said, essentially, that this was Feeney’s best book to date – an assessment which, having read all her books, I can’t really agree with.  Yes, this book was good and I would definitely rank it in the top 5 amongst her works, but I hesitate to use such a superlative as “the best book she’s written” so far. One thing I CAN agree on however is that this book is definitely Feeney’s most intricately plotted to date – though yes, just like with her previous books, there will also be some moments where suspension of disbelief is necessary in order to truly “enjoy” the reading experience.

When I first picked up Feeney’s newest book, it actually did take me quite a while to get into the story.  The first third or so of the book consists of chapters that mostly alternate between the first-person perspectives of the two main female protagonists, Eden Fox and Olivia Bird (“Birdy”) – two characters that I honestly did not like and could not stand (as I mentioned in my review of Feeney’s previous books, she seems to make her characters more and more unlikeable with each book).  In fact, the annoyance was so palpable this time around that I was actually tempted to DNF (which, for me, is a rare occurrence) – but of course, since this is Feeney after all, I pushed through my initial frustrations and started really getting into the story at about the midway point.  That’s also around the time that I realized there was a pattern to the way Feeney ends and starts each chapter (the first sentence of the new chapter is a variation of the last sentence of the previous chapter), which I initially thought was interesting but didn’t fully appreciate its significance until I got to the end of the book and figured out the way it connected seemingly disparate aspects of the story together.  I don’t want to say too much more about this, as I don’t want to give any part of the story away, but I mention this as something worth paying attention to while reading if possible.

In terms of the twists and turns, there were plenty of them this time around, and as expected from Feeney, several of them were brilliantly executed.  With this being the 8^th book of Feeney’s that I’ve read, I’m plenty familiar with her style by now, so I knew better than to take any part of the plot at face value.  Despite being able to figure out a good portion of the ending early on (I’ve learned to read some of the textual clues that Feeney drops throughout the story), I was still quite surprised by some of the “twists” that I definitely didn’t see coming. For me, this is part of the “fun” of reading Feeney’s works – on the one hand, being familiar enough with her style to be able to pick up on certain clues the first time around that other readers new to her books might have missed, while on the other hand, still being surprised by particular elements of the ending and “big reveal.” 

With all that said, for those thinking about picking this one up, especially if it’s your first experience with Feeney’s works, I would suggest diving in with a clear mind and just going along for the ride without trying to dissect things too much.  While I eagerly await Feeney’s next book, I can’t help but wonder what type of twisted, mind-boggling adventure she will have in store for us next.  Hopefully we won’t have to wait long!

 

Review: Beautiful Ugly (by Alice Feeney)

 My Rating: 4 stars 

Alice Feeney has become one of my “go-to” authors in the thriller/suspense genre over the years, to the point that I’ll automatically pick up any new book she writes, sometimes before I even know what the story will be about.  Having read all of Feeney’s books, I’ve enjoyed nearly all of them, though there have definitely been some that were more “miss” than “hit” (and only one book so far that I hated enough to regret reading).  Her newest book, Beautiful Ugly, is one that I have mixed feelings about.  On the one hand, I continue to be blown away by Feeney’s ability to come up with original, mind-boggling twists for story after story (she is known as the “Queen of Twists” after all) -- most of the time, when I read her books, I’m not able to guess the ending (this newest book, with its back-to-back twists dropped one after the other near the end, certainly was no exception).  On the other hand, I also feel that, with each book, the plot seems to get more convoluted and the ending a tad more outlandish while the characters behave in ways that make them less likeable as the story unfolds (all of which were definitely the case here).  With all that said, I also feel that this book is Feeney’s most atmospheric one to date (I heard that there are sound effects on the audio book version that enhances the atmospheric experience manifold, so might want to give that version a try), as well as the most clever – even though I’ve read all of Feeney’s books and am more than familiar with her style, the various twists still took me by surprise (after I finished the book, I realized that she had mirrored a very similar format from a previous book for one of the twists, but it was so smooth and seamless that I totally did not catch on). 

 

I’m keeping this review brief and vague on purpose, as there really isn’t a whole lot that can be said without giving parts of the story away.  I read some reviews that say this book is Feeney’s best one yet and while I don’t necessarily agree with that statement, I will say that it is definitely one of her better ones.  This is also the “twist-y-ist” of all her novels in the sense that there are multiple “what the heck just happened” moments that kept me turning the pages and wanting to know how everything comes together.  As for the ending – all I’m going to say is that the opinions are bound to be mixed on it (for me personally, I haven’t figured out how I feel yet about what happens at the end).  Overall, my favorite of Feeney’s novels is still her debut Sometimes I Lie, followed closely by Rock Paper Scissors (His & Hers was pretty good as well, but not as memorable as these two).  This newest book will definitely satisfy long-time Feeney fans, though for those who have never read her, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this one.  Also, her novels tend to lean darker on the psychological thriller spectrum, so that’s something to keep in mind as well.  I’m honestly curious to see what Feeney will come up with next – she has written 7 books so far and all of them have been very different both in scope and story, so I wonder which direction she will go next.  Whatever the case, I know I will be there for it!

Review: Good Bad Girl (by Alice Feeney)



My Rating:  3.5 stars

 

Having read all of Alice Feeney's previous books, I of course couldn't pass up her latest, Good Bad Girl, even if it already came out several months ago.  Ever since I read Feeney's debut Sometimes I Lie (which blew me away) back in 2017, she has been a "good-to" author of sorts for me when it comes to the thriller/suspense genre.  With that said though, her books since that debut have been somewhat of a hit or miss for me – only one has gotten close to the level of her debut in terms of story and ending "twist" (that would be 2021's Rock Paper Scissors); the rest were al largely enjoyable (and all were very well-written), but didn't grab my attention like the aforementioned two did.  For me, Feeney's latest book falls into the latter category – definitely not her best work, but not her worst either.

 

As this is a thriller where you want to go in knowing as little as possible, all I'm going to say about the plot is that the premise revolves around a "mystery with three suspects, two murders, and one victim."  While I'm not necessarily sure that I agree with this premise now having finished the book (the "explanation" of this in the story was a little bit of a stretch in my opinion), I guess it does work to describe the plot overall.  Speaking of the plot – this is one of those "slow-burn" stories told from the alternating perspectives of multiple characters, which adds some complexity, but the plot also meanders in places, which made it harder to maintain my attention at points. 

 

To be honest, this one didn't really feel like a thriller/suspense novel to me, at least not in the same vein as Feeney's earlier works that were chockful of twists and turns and usually had me at the edge of my seat anticipating what would come next.  Instead, this one seemed to focus more on the complexities of mother/daughter relationships as well as the notion that each person has both good and bad qualities that motivate our actions – while I appreciated these insights (and in any other book, probably would've liked to see these ideas explored more), I felt like it waxed a little too philosophical and ended up bogging the story down a little.   Perhaps this is also why the ending felt somewhat anticlimactic to me (though it could also be that I had already figured out how the different threads would come together by that point).

 

I would say that overall, this was enjoyable and I'm glad I read it, even though it didn't have all the twists and turns that I usually expect from Feeney's thriller/suspense novels.  The writing, as usual, is good though -- Feeney writes in a way that is smooth, flows well, and not choppy – which is why I like reading her books even if I'm not necessarily keen on the story.  I continue to look forward to her next book and will definitely read it whenever it comes out.

Review: Daisy Darker (by Alice Feeney)

My Rating:  4 stars

Let me start off by saying that this review will be super short and super vague, as it's very hard to talk much about this book without giving something away.  To get the full experience of this one, it's necessary to go into it knowing as little as possible (and yes, that includes NOT reading the blurb if you can help it). Pretty much the only thing you need to know is that this is a murder mystery that revolves around the Darker family, who come together to celebrate the 80th birthday of family matriarch Beatrice (known as Nana throughout the story) at Sea Glass, her decades-old crumbling estate that is only accessible when the tide is low.  What happens from there, you will need to read the book to find out.



Having read all of Alice Feeney's books, there's no doubt in my mind that she has absolutely mastered the art of the plot twist.  Her newest work, aptly titled Daisy Darker, is yet another dark, twisty thriller that takes readers down the path of the unexpected, leaving us guessing every step of the way.  Similar to last year's hit Rock Paper Scissors, Feeney creates an atmospheric setting through the gothic-style,isolated "estate-on-an-island", though this time around, the house is as much a "main character" in the story as the Darker family that occupies it.  I'm not sure if it's just me, but each book Feeney writes seems to get creepier and creepier, though that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just something to be aware of for those who might be sensitive to such things.  

While I'm not a fan of dysfunctional family stories where every single character is deplorable in some way (to the point that I honestly couldn't bring myself to like anyone, even for a little bit), that didn't prevent me from being so absorbed in the story that I basically finished this in one sitting.  With that said, even though I did "enjoy" this one overall, I wouldn't consider it a "favorite" (that would actually go to Feeney's first and fourth novels, for me at least).  Even though not all of her books work for me (there's one in particular that left such a bad taste in my mouth that it almost turned me off to Feeney's works at one point), I still look forward to reading them  (mostly for the story, not the characters), but especially to see what twists she will have up her sleeve next!

Received ARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley.

Review: Rock Paper Scissors (by Alice Feeney) **Blog Tour**

My Rating : 4.5 stars

I've been a fan of Alice Feeney's work since I read her debut Sometimes I Lie, a suspense thriller I still remember to this day, even though I read it 4 years ago. That book absolutely blew me out of the water with its plot twist so well-done, that I still ponder over it even now.  I read both of Feeney's follow up novels (her sophomore novel I Know Who You Are as well as her third novel His & Hers), and while I liked both well enough, neither was able to live up to the magnificence of her debut (in my opinion at least).  Going into Feeney's fourth book Rock Paper Scissors (which publishes this month), I wasn't really sure what to expect — would this one be closer to the "blow me out of the water" experience of her debut or the "good but not too memorable" experience of her two subsequent works? (Hint: definitely the former!).  In fact, I actually feel that Rock Paper Scissors is Feeney's best work to date (and that's saying something considering how much I loved her debut). 

As is the case whenever I review thrillers, I try to be as vague as possible so as not to give anything away (which is why this review will be short and sweet without saying much).  With this book especially though, you definitely want to go in knowing next to nothing and let the story take you along for the (wild) ride.  Feeney is known for her shocking plot twists that absolutely no one sees coming — of course this book is no exception (it's actually more "twisty" than Sometimes I Lie, which I didn't think was possible, yet all the twists are done in a way that feels natural rather than forced).  I've read so many thriller and suspense novels over the years that very few of them are able to surprise or shock me (and even fewer have plots that I'm not able to figure out by the time I get the end of the story) — well, count this book as one of those "few" (it shocked me and took me completely by surprise).  

Fans of Alice Feeney absolutely need to read this one, but even if you're not a fan, I still recommend picking this one up, especially if you love thrillers. (and if you haven't read Sometimes I Lie, definitely read that one next).  I do suggest blocking out enough time to read this one all in one shot though, as most likely you are not going to want to put it down once you start it.  Similar to my reaction after reading Feeney's debut several years ago, I now absolutely cannot wait for her next book to come out — please let it be sooner rather than later!

Received ARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley.

Review: His & Hers (by Alice Feeney)

My Rating:  4 stars

When it comes to thriller / suspense novels, Alice Feeney has become a "go-to" author for me ever since I read her debut novel Sometimes I Lie — a book that was so brilliantly and intricately plotted that it easily became one of the best books in the genre that I've read thus far.  Given how much I loved her debut, I had high expectations for her sophomore novel I Know Who You Are when it came out last year — unfortunately, that book went the other direction and in the end, left a bad taste in my mouth.  While the experience didn't put me off from still wanting to read Feeney's future works, it did make me a bit wary about what to expect.  This is why, going into her third novel His & Hers, which comes out at the end of this month, I was a bit apprehensive — luckily, this one ended up going more in the direction of Feeney's first novel rather than her second one. 

As with all thriller / suspense novels, it's best to go into this one knowing as little as possible, which is why I won't be going much into the plot with this review.  The only thing that needs to be known is that the story alternates between 2 main perspectives — the "hers" perspective is Anna Andrews, a news anchor living in London, and the "his" perspective is Jack Harper, a detective in a small town named Blackdown.  There is a "third" perspective interspersed throughout — that of the killer, whose identity is anyone's guess right up until the very end.  And herein lies the brilliance of Feeney's novels — as soon as we think we have things figured out, a twist is thrown in at the end that completely upends everything we thought previously.   All 3 of Feeney's novels so far have left me in a state of shock after I finished reading — not necessarily because of the content (though do be forewarned that all her novels lean toward "dark and twisty" and can be uncomfortable reads) — but more because I never saw what was coming, not even for one second, but then after the "ultimate reveal," when I go back through and review the clues, it makes perfect sense, to the point that I can't believe I never picked up on it.  

Though Feeney's second novel wasn't a good experience for me, she essentially "redeemed" herself in my eyes with this third one — however with that said, her debut novel is still my favorite out of the three.  I still recommend this newest one though, especially to fans of Feeney's works and/or those who read her previous novels.  For those who've never read this author, a word of warning that all her books deal with heavy, often controversial subject matter, along with flawed, morally questionable characters who more often than not turn out to be unlikable.  Triggers abound and many of the scenes will likely make the reader uncomfortable (and maybe even squeamish).  Her books definitely aren't for everyone so just know that if you're deciding whether to try her works or not.

Received ARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley.

Review: I Know Who You Are (by Alice Feeney)

My Rating:  3.5 stars

Alice Feeney’s debut novel Sometimes I Lie was one of my favorite suspense/thriller reads last year – that book was dark and twisty with an ending that was both shocking and explosive (and frankly left me reeling), but yet still within my “acceptance” level for books in this genre.  As I said in my review of that book, I was so blown away by the story and how cleverly written the whole thing was that I went online and tried to read everything I possibly could about the author and the book afterwards.  Not only that, I was also super-excited to read Feeney’s next book, which I already knew she was working on and would be out some time in 2019.  Indeed, her sophomore novel, titled I Know Who You Are, was published last month (April 2019) and I made sure to get my hands on the book as soon as I possibly could.  Going into it, I already anticipated it would be full of twists and turns (which it was) and that there would likely be a big shocking twist at the end (which there was) that would likely upend the entire story that came before it (which it did).  But that’s about where the similarities end -- now that I finished reading this one, I have to say that my reaction to this book is very different from how I felt about her previous one. 

In the interests of not spoiling the story for those who are interested in reading this book, plus it’s always best to go into a suspense / thriller novel knowing as little as possible, I don’t want to say too much about the plot or the characters.  Rather, I’m going to focus on my reaction after reading this book, which I’m going to be honest in saying that the story was a bit too extreme for my tastes.  Sure, Feeney’s previous novel also leaned more toward “dark and twisty” and the “shock factor” with that one was also high, but I felt like the story progressed a lot more naturally and the ending, while shocking, was perfectly executed.  With this book however, the overall story went in a direction that I have to honestly say was more disturbing than I would’ve liked, and the ending actually left me feeling uncomfortable (and if I’m being honest, a bit queasy too).  I know I’m being a bit vague here but I don’t know how else to describe it without giving away the plot – basically, this was like a wild and crazy roller coaster ride that had plenty of thrilling, suspenseful moments (as it is supposed to), but instead of coming to a satisfying stop at the end, it crash lands and the rider disembarks feeling shaken and perhaps even a bit unsettled.

My reaction aside though, the writing in this one was on par with this author’s first book and the plot was just as intricately and cleverly laid out – the story held my attention throughout and definitely had me at the edge of my seat the entire time.  Regardless of what I thought about the ending as well as a few of the other plot points, this truly was a top-rate psychological suspense novel in my opinion, and many of the elements were also truly well done, which is why I couldn’t bring myself to rate this one too low.  While this one obviously leaned a tad too much on the “creepy” side for me, I still think it’s worth a read, especially for thriller / suspense fans.  And no, despite this reading experience being a little less than pleasant, it has not deterred me from wanting to read more of Alice Feeney’s works in the future – I just hope that her next novel is more along the lines of Sometimes I Lie rather than I Know Who You Are.

Review: Sometimes I Lie (by Alice Feeney)

My Rating:  4.5 stars

Wow, what a ride!  This was one of the best psychological suspense/thrillers I have read to date, and also one with the most “twists and turns.”  This book was so hard to put down that I devoured it in two sittings, frantically turning pages in anticipation of finding out what was going to happen and then being surprised as each twist was bigger than the one before it.  The ending left me reeling and to be honest, even after reading the last few paragraphs a few times, I’m still not quite sure I “got” it – I don’t know if the author Alice Feeney intended to leave the ending up to interpretation or perhaps a follow-up is planned, but either way, the suspense level was definitely pushed to the max.  The entire story was unpredictable and just when I thought I had something figured out, the plot went in a different direction altogether – basically, the more I read, the more I didn’t know who or what I should believe, yet at no point did I feel frustrated with the direction the story went, which to me is an indication of the author’s skill and talent.  The title of this book, Sometimes I Lie, is absolutely fitting – in fact, I would say it’s the perfect title given everything that happened in the story.

If I were to choose one word to describe this book, I would absolutely choose the word “clever.”  The format of the book is cleverly laid out with chapters simply titled Now, Then, and Before – the author slowly reveals clues throughout the alternating chapters, then cleverly weaves each revelation in one chapter into the backstory in the next chapter.  Despite the seemingly complicated structure, the author made it look effortless, as the story flowed extremely well, though there were a few scenes involving one of the characters (Edward) that I thought were not all that necessary while there were a few other characters that I had hoped to learn more about.  Overall though, these small “gripes” were insignificant and did not affect how much I enjoyed this read. 

Almost all of the reviews on this book advise to go into this one knowing as little as possible, which I absolutely agree with – this is why I opted to write this review as vaguely as possible while still relaying my general feelings on what I had read.  I highly recommend this one and am sure that thriller fans especially will enjoy it!

After I finished the book, I immediately went online to research more on the author as well as the book.  Once again, I am completely blown away by the fact that this amazing work is actually the author’s debut novel and am equally floored to hear that some parts of the story were actually based on her personal experiences, which explains why so many of the scenes – especially the ones in the hospital – felt so real.  I also found out that the author has a second book coming out in January 2019 (for those who are thinking this is perhaps the “follow up” to this story, the author clarified in an interview that the story is completely unrelated but will be just as “dark and twisty”).  You can bet that I will be one of the first in line to get my hands on the second book when it comes out!!

Received ARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley