Book Review ~ Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019 CathyLeave a comment

Wow… Behind Closed Doors certainly packs a punch. I had my own preconceived ideas of what the story would be when I started reading.. um, WRONG. I was surprised and slightly disturbed quite honestly. It was a bit difficult to keep reading just because it felt so dark at times but it definitely kept my interest and I plowed through it in less than 2 days!

In this book, we meet Grace and Jack, the perfect couple who seemingly have it all. They appear to be such a good match, so in love, and how lucky for Grace it is that Jack has accepted her younger sister, Millie, who has Down syndrome as part of his life as well… Things seem utterly perfect, but who knows what really goes on behind closed doors.

Once I started reading, something seemed off right away, I felt unsettled and I wanted to know what was going on. I could tell this guy was a piece of work. I jotted my thoughts down at only page 20:

“Ok, I hate this guy, I’m annoyed at this guy. I’m disturbed and I’m already thinking of ways she can get away before I even know what he is capable of. There is a definite sense that whatever it is, it is chillingly dark.”

When a book can bring out such emotions in me at only page 20, it is usually a book that has sucked me in, hook, line and sinker. Even though it was at times pretty dark, it was a fast paced, thrilling story, one that I enjoyed immensely! Definitely recommend! 4 STARS! 🙂

book review · Contemporary Fiction · Suspense

Book Review ~ The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

February 11, 2019February 11, 2019 CathyLeave a comment

Okay, I just finished The Perfect Nanny last night and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Does that make it a good book? I’m not sure. To begin with, I almost didn’t read it. I picked it up and began to read it and almost immediately, I was put off. We read right away that the baby is dead.. what a depressing beginning.. and I had a sickening feeling inside so I put it down for a few hours. I knew this was how the book started but I had no idea how it would make me feel once I began to read. In the end, I did go ahead and continue reading but it was most definitely a slow start.

Once I got into the story, it was a fast read. The book isn’t long. The more I got to the know the characters, the sweet children included, the more I dreaded the ending even knowing what it would be. The nanny’s reason for what she did was a mystery and that is mostly what kept me going. I wanted to figure her out, discover what her motive was. How unfortunate that I will never know what caused her to commit murder. I can guess and make assumptions but I won’t know. We are never told and that for me was a very unsatisfying ending.

The writing WAS actually pretty good though and I may have enjoyed the book more if it hadn’t been so depressing and had given the readers an actual informative conclusion. Its a good thing the story wasn’t longer or I likely would not have finished it.

Wow, I went into this review thinking I somewhat liked the book, but looking at what I’ve written, it is clear I didn’t. I wouldn’t recommend it myself but check it out if curiosity gets the better of you! 2 STARS

book review · Contemporary Fiction · Mystery · Suspense

Book Review ~ The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

February 11, 2019February 11, 2019 CathyLeave a comment

For my next book, I chose The Woman in the Window. In this story, we are introduced to Anna Fox, a woman suffering from agoraphobia who has been trapped in her home for many months. She spends much of her time popping pills, drinking wine and spying on her neighbours to pass the days. As you can imagine, her version of events may not always be entirely reliable.

I did enjoy this book, it was a quick read and I found it to be fast-paced with a good story. I was never sure of what the real truth was and it kept me wondering (and turning pages) until the conclusion, which while not entirely shocking, WAS a surprise and a pretty decent ending.

I liked Anne despite some annoyance with her behaviour at times, but I felt it was realistic considering the depth of her illness. I enjoyed the writing style of the author and found that as the action picked up near the end of the book, it was detailed, suspenseful, and I enjoyed it immensely!

Overall, I am very impressed with this book and I would read more of A. J. Finn’s work. If you like a good suspenseful story, make sure to grab this one and give it a read! 4 STARS 🙂