Book Review, Little Darlings by Melanie Golding #Thriller #FairyTale #NetGalley @crookedlanebks @mk_golding

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding is a most unusual story; a haunting and sad contemporary novel based on a fairy tale about losing ones children to Changelings. It’s hard to review this story without spoilers, so I’ll say that I really liked the police detective, Harper, and her willingness to give the protagonist, Lauren, the mother of the twins at the center of this book, the benefit of doubt when she claims another women is trying to steal her children. The motivation behind that willingness is a brilliant plot point. I also liked Harper’s determination to solve the mystery of the attempted kidnapping on her own time, since there is no proof a crime has been committed, and her superior officer refuses to invest resources in an unsubstantiated claim.

I’m giving this book four stars instead of five because I found the pacing to be slow, especially in the beginning, and the supporting characters in the tale are wholly unlikeable. I suspect the author deliberately made them unlikeable to make the story darker and more sinister. This modern day Grimm style fairy tale is well-written and plotted, and guaranteed to haunt readers long after the last page. Received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/19160349-adele-downs?shelf=read

Book Review-An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen #Thriller @greerkh @sarahpekkanen @StMartinsPress #NetGalley

4.5 Stars
An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen was crazy good! The authors hooked me on the first page and slowly and skillfully pulled me into the story until the very last page. I couldn’t stop reading! The plotting and pacing were perfectly executed, and though it took a little getting used to reading alternating first person/second person points of view, I couldn’t help but admire the skill it took to craft this riveting novel. (*Spoiler Alert!* I would have liked the final showdown between Jess and Dr. Shields to have been more explosive after their intense buildup, but that’s just my preference.)

I highly recommend this book. Received an advance copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Goodreads Review Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2511813540

NetGalley Review Link: https://www.netgalley.com/book/146090/review/467080

About the Book:

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us.

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave.

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding.

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime?

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.