Cailean Steed - Home

Cailean Steed - Home 

4.5⭐

Genre:  Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, LGBTQIA+, Psychological Thriller

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher:  Raven Books 

Date Published: 19th January 2023 

 

Big thanks to Raven Books for sending me a copy of the book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

Someone has broken into Zoe's flat. A man she thought she'd never have to see again.
They call him the Hand of God.

He knows about her job in the cafe, her life in Dublin, her ex-girlfriend, even the knife she's hidden under the mattress.
She thought she'd left him far behind, along with the cult of the Children and their isolated compound Home – but now he's found her, and she knows she must go back to rescue the sister who helped her escape all those years before.

But returning to Home means going back to the enforced worship and strict gender roles Zoe has long since moved beyond; back to the abuse and indoctrination, she's fought desperately to overcome.

Going back will make her question everything she believed about her past – but could also risk her hard-won freedom. Can she break free a second time?

One – My name is Zoe
Two – I am here to rescue my sister Amy
Three – Nothing anyone says here is true
Four –
Four –
What is my fourth true thing?

My Review: 

I found this book very intense, and fascinating, but at the same time also quite triggering (make sure you look up trigger warning before reading, as this book covers quite a few very heavy topics). I liked the captivating writing and short chapters, which kept the tension and suspense very well. I also liked how chapters switched from present to past, giving the reader a glimpse into Zoe’s life in Home before she escaped, as well as her trying to build her life after Home, and it all gives such a great comparison on how much she changed once she was out of the cult environment, but at the same time displays how much she was under the spell of the cult during her time growing up at Home.

The story follows Zoe, who six years previously escaped Home, a religious cult in the Scottish wilderness. She now has a new life and new identity, as well as tries to forget her life in a cult as much as possible. However, the past doesn’t stop haunting her, she misses her sister, who escaped Home a few years before Zoe. Unfortunately, since leaving Home, Zoe was unable to find her sister or make contact with her. One day, however, a  person who Zoe is least expected to see from Home comes to her new life with a proposal. Zoe is left to decide whether she wants to go back to the House and face her past or live her life as it is now, but never see her sister Amy again.

That change between the present and past chapters gave a deeper glimpse into Home and allowed the reader to learn little by little about Children, Hands and Sisters. It felt like the reader is learning about Home as much as and at the speed at which Zoe is learning, as she grows up. I also felt that the change between chapters deeply looks into the psychological effects of the cult environment, especially how people are brainwashed into joining them and believing them. It also displayed how the cult environment can use some of the followers as weapons and some, as objects for a specific purpose, like Zoe, who was used by one of the higher-up people in the Home. There were definitely some triggering chapters and in parts, it was so hard to read about all the trauma that Zoe had to experience and was subjected to as a child and how those traumas carried into her life post Home.

Although, we, as readers get some glimpses into Home and its hierarchy, there were still things that weren’t answered or explained about the cult, such as who created it, why it was created., etc. The book in my opinion really lacked that more in-depth backstory about the hierarchy and rules of the Home.

I also wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt, the third act happened quite late in the book and once the book reached that real thrill level, the book just ended. I would have loved to read what happened to Zoe, Amy and Home after the last scene and whether they all successfully leave Home or not. 

Overall: Such a great debut! This story was really interesting, and intense, yet at parts very disturbing and triggering. The writing was very captivating and kept me in suspense until the very end. This was also my first ever book about cults, so it was definitely an interesting subject to read about. I just wished the ending was a bit longer and that we get to learn more about what happens to Zoe and Amy and if they both leave the Home successfully once and for all. 

About the Author:

Cailean Steed is a writer, teacher and aspiring dog owner who lives in Helensburgh with their husband and son. They have also resided in Aberdeen and Dublin, and hope one day to live somewhere with less rain. Cailean's work has been published by New Writing Scotland, Boudicca Press and Barren Magazine. Home is their first novel. Their mother would like them to write something more cheerful.

https://www.caileansteed.com/

Heather Darwent - The Things We Do To Our Friends

Heather Darwent - The Things We Do To Our Friends  

5⭐

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Dark Academia, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 378

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Viking Books UK 

Date Published: 12th January 2023 

Huge thank you to the Viking Books UK for sending me a proof copy of this book to read and review! 

Book Blurb: 

A dark, intoxicating, compulsive tale of feminist revenge, toxic friendships, and deadly secrets

Clare arrives at the University of Edinburgh with a secret. This is her chance for a blank slate – to finally become who she was meant to be.

And then she meets Tabitha.

Tabitha is charismatic, beautiful and intimidatingly rich. Soon Clare is sucked into her enigmatic circle of friends and their dizzying world of champagne on rooftops and summers in France.

Her new life has begun.

Then Tabitha reveals the little project they're working on, a project they need Clare's help with. And Clare can't say no.

Because they know what she did . . .

My Review: 

This book was so dark, suspenseful, and intense and omg it had some twists! I loved this story of a very disturbing protagonist and her even more disturbing friends, yet for me, the atmosphere Darwent created by setting this book in Edinburgh was just something else, absolutely amazing. This book just draws you in and will not let go until the very end. Amazing story and a brilliant debut!

This story follows Clare, who arrives in Edinburgh to start fresh. She starts her studies at University but she also wants a clean slate from all the secrets that she keeps. However, soon in her lectures, she is drawn towards a mysterious group of friends run by a girl called Tabitha. Clare is straight away fascinated by Tabitha and her graciousness and by the fact that someone like these people wants Clare in their circle. Clare is engulfed in the friendship with Tabitha and Co until she realises that she is too deep into said friendship. That’s when Tabitha asks Clare to be a part of a little project that the whole group is working on, yet as much as she wants, Clare can’t say no, since Tabitha knows more about Clare than Clare would like her to know…

I loved that this story was set at a university and that it had a lot of suspense and drama. All the characters are so damaged but in their own little ways, and it was so interesting to read how each of them rather complemented each other, but at the same time brought out the worst in each other. I also loved how throughout the story you can see how the toxic friendship that Clare has with Tabitha and Co grew and progressed until it all exploded and was tainted by lies, misunderstandings, mind games, etc. Yes, all the characters are unlikable and really disturbing in this book, but at the same time the story allows you to appreciate how complicated each of them is and how much they all change as the story progresses, so we see their true faces at the end.

Darwent’s writing is something else…Writing in this book just captures the reader and seduces them to read more. Each chapter is so perfectly crafted with just enough tension, suspense and drama for the reader to keep going and wanting more. Loved it! It definitely didn’t feel like a debut book at all! Also, this is the first character-driven / character exploration story that I actually enjoyed reading in a while.

Overall: Loved it loved it loved it! Such a great, dark, intense book with very damaged and unlikeable characters that are so interesting to analyse. For me, I spent a day just thinking about each of the characters and pondering why they are like that and why they did things they did. Oh, and the ending, that lived in my head rent-free for weeks, hence I couldn’t gather my thoughts to write this review for a while. Beautiful and compelling writing that makes you want to read more and more. Amazing debut! I can't wait to see what Heather Darwent writes next as I will be reading it!

About the Author:

Heather Darwent is an author based just outside of Edinburgh near the sea.

She is currently working on her debut novel, The Things We Do to Our Friends which will be published by Penguin in January 2023.

https://www.heatherdarwent.com/

Colleen Hoover - Verity

Colleen Hoover - Verity 

5⭐

Genre: Thriller, Romance, Mystery, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction 

Pages: 368

Format: Hardback 

Publisher: Sphere  

Date Published: 27th September 2022 

 

Book Blurb: 

Whose truth is the lie?  Stay up all night reading the sensational psychological thriller that has readers obsessed, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.
 
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night her family was forever altered.
 
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents could devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her.

My Review: 

Hoover’s writing never ceases to amaze me. I thought Layla blew my mind…Oh, how wrong I was! Verity was just brilliant! It is definitely there at the top of my favourite CoHo books together with Layla! Verity is a dark, disturbing, creepy story full of tension and suspense. It kept me gripped from page one and didn’t let me go until the end…and even after that. The twist at the end was so clever and shocking…leaving the reader wanting more answers…I was also lucky to read the extra chapter straight away, but after it, I was left with more questions than answers (in a good way). For those who read the book without any spoilers, I would say I am definitely Team Manuscript...

The story follows Lowen, who is a struggling author and is living alone after her mother passed away recently. Lowen is struggling financially too, so when she is asked by Jeremy Crawford, the husband of famous author Verity Crawford, to write the rest of the series that Verity started, she jumps on the opportunity to earn extra money. Lowen has to write the last three books in the series and thus has to come and live in Crawford’s house to collect all the relevant manuscripts and paperwork from Verity’s office. Verity herself cannot help her as she is recovering from an accident, thus is in a vegetative state and does not communicate. During her stay in Crawford’s house, Lowen notices that weird things are happening, and she starts seeing Verity everywhere during the night or when she is alone in the house.  On top of that, she finds a shocking manuscript of Verity’s autobiography, where Verity writes all truth about herself, her husband and her twin daughters….The more Lowen uncovers about Verity’s past the more she wants to expose the truth but also the longer she stays with Crawford’s the more she starts falling for Verity’s husband Jeremy…

It is so hard to review this book without spoiling anything, and I think the best is to go into this book knowing as little as possible (but do check your trigger warnings beforehand, as there are many in this book) but honestly, it is so good. It had everything, the tension, the lies, the suspense and the shock factor all weaved into one story. All the characters in this book are also very flawed and morally questionable, especially of course Verity but the more I read the more I realised that other characters in this book might be just as bad as Verity, even if it's in different ways. There were times when I had a love-hate relationship with all of the characters in this book.

Overall: Again, CoHo’s writing was superb.  The plot, suspense, tension and character development are done brilliantly, too. Also, the shock factor and the twist at the end just was a cherry on top. I devoured this book in a day and honestly was left gobsmacked after I finished. It took me a few hours to stop questioning the entire universe after and a few days before I could pick up another book. Really really recommend this book if you want a very suspenseful yet great thriller to read that will give you a book hangover for a few days. Definitely, one of my favourite CoHo books and I cannot recommend it enough to people. 

About the Author:

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels and novellas. Hoover’s novels fall into the New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance categories, as well as psychological thrillers. 

Colleen Hoover is published by Montlake Romance, Grand Central Publishing and Atria Books. Colleen also has several indie titles, including Heart Bones.

In 2015, Colleen’s novel CONFESS won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance. That was followed up in 2016 with her latest title, It Ends With Us, also winning the Choice Award for Best Romance. In 2017, her title WITHOUT MERIT won best romance.

Colleen founded The Bookworm Box, a charity subscription service and bookstore, with her family in 2015. The Bookworm Box is a subscription service that provides readers with an exciting opportunity to receive signed novels in the mail each month from authors all over the world. All profits from the subscription service are donated to various charities each month. To date, The Bookworm Box has donated over $1,000,000 to help those in need.

https://www.colleenhoover.com/about-coho/

Catherine Steadman - The Family Game

Catherine Steadman - The Family Game 

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Fiction, Mystery,  Contemporary Fiction, Thriller

Pages:  400

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK 

Date Published: 29th September 2022

Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me the gorgeous proof copy to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

A rich, eccentric family. A time-honoured tradition. Or a lethal game of survival? One woman finds out what it really takes to join the 1% in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water.

Harry is a novelist on the brink of stardom; Edward, her husband-to-be, is seemingly perfect. In love and freshly engaged, their bliss is interrupted by the re-emergence of the Holbecks, Edward's eminent family and the embodiment of American old money. For years, they've dominated headlines and pulled society’s strings, and Edward left them all behind to forge his own path. But there are eyes and ears everywhere. It was only a matter of time before they were pulled back in . . .

After all, even though he's long severed ties with his family, Edward is set to inherit it all. Harriet is drawn to the glamour and sophistication of the Holbecks, who seem to welcome her with open arms, but everything changes when she meets Robert, the inescapably magnetic head of the family. At their first meeting, Robert slips Harry a cassette tape, revealing a shocking confession which sets the inevitable game in motion.

What is it about Harry that made him give her that tape? A thing that has the power to destroy everything? As she ramps up her quest for the truth, she must endure the Holbecks’ savage Christmas traditions all the while knowing that losing this game could be deadly.

My Review: 

This is my first book by Catherine Steadman and honestly, it was crazy! Good crazy! Like I loved how good and crazy it was! This book had it all, shock value, brilliant writing that flows so well and captures the reader’s breath and attention…oh and just that perfect atmosphere to keep you guessing but at the same time glues you to the pages because you need to know more. I honestly could not put this book down!

So, the story follows a successful writer Harriet (Harry) who moves to New York to live with her fiancé Edward Holbeck. However, Edward is not just anyone, he’s a Holbeck, the son of the most powerful family in the States. Harriet loves Edward so much but she also has to face his eccentric and rather intriguing family members, including her soon-to-be father-in-law. Harriet wants to impress them all, so she ignores Edward’s reluctance for her to meet his strange family. Upon meeting Edward’s family, she is given a strange cassette tape by Edward’s father. Although he states that it is a book that he is writing, after listening to the cassette Harriet realises that it sounds more like a murder confession than a draft of a book. Scared and yet intrigued she continues trying to impress Edward’s family and willingly joins Holbeck’s family game and secrets to find out the truth about the shocking murder confession.

I loved the cat and mouse game atmosphere and the suspense in this book. It made me want to read more and more of this book. Also, the twist at the end was something that I would never even guess but I loved It nonetheless. I just wished that in the end, we got more closure to Harriet’s story but other than that the book was so good.

I found the Holbeck family and its characters very fascinating and yet very insecure. They have so many secrets from one another, yet they not only have this strong/cold presence about them but also, they act like a very strong and united family that knows everything about each other. It was very interesting to see their two-facedness and complexity to them as the book progressed.

For me, Harriet came across as a very lovable character. She had to go through quite a lot to find happiness with Edward and then she had to start again when it came to impressing the Holbeck family, especially to show them that she is worth Edward’s love and place in the family. Although some might question her morals about certain things she did during the book,  she did what she thought was right, and she did things to protect her family at all costs. She also stayed true to herself throughout the whole book, which for me made her a very strong character.

Overall: I loved this book! It was a fascinating, intriguing, suspenseful read that goes to my top books of 2022 pile. I would love to read more of Catherine Steadman’s books, as I enjoyed her writing and the atmosphere that she created in this book. I expect her other books have that similar suspense vibe in them, too. 

About the Author:

Catherine Steadman is an actress and author based in London. She has appeared in leading roles on British and American television as well as on stage in the West End where she has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. She grew up in the New Forest, Hampshire, and now lives in North London with her husband and daughter. Catherine's first novel, Something in the Water, was a number one New York Times bestseller with rights sold in over 30 territories. It was selected as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club and Richard & Judy Book Club pick. Her second novel, Mr Nobody, was published in 2020, and her third novel, The Disappearing Act, was published in 2021.

https://twitter.com/catsteadman