Book Review: The Perfect Family by Shalini Boland

Description

‘Mummy, she’s gone…’ Gemma Ballantine is getting ready for work one morning when her eldest child comes running down the stairs, saying the words every mother dreads. The front door is open. And her six-year-old daughter has disappeared. Frantic with fear, Gemma starts a nail-biting search for her little girl. After what feels like forever, her mother-in-law Diane finds Katie wandering lost a few streets away. Relieved to have her youngest child back in her arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, Gemma thinks the nightmare is over.

But then her perfect family starts to fall apart. And she realises it’s only just beginning

Review: 3.5 Stars

Shalini Boland has a way with words. Her books are always interesting and make you want to keep reading. Like her other work, this one too is intriguing. In the beginning you don’t know who the second narrator is. You can’t figure out what she wants or how she is connected to Gemma. As we move along it becomes clear who this person is. What remains a mystery is the WHY. There are 2 possible people responsible for what Sadie is doing. Trying to figure out which one is the most fun part of this book. As you continue to read you pretty much guess who. But the reveal before the epilogues made me feel like I got it wrong. This was great because it made me feel like the book was not predictable. The only part I could not believe there was Sadie’s choice to share information. That convinced me that the real culprit is the one I was guessing all along. The epilogue explains everything nicely but leaves it slightly open since you do not know for sure what will happen in a few months. It’s difficult to review this books without revealing everything. I’d recommend that even if it’s a tad bit predictable, read it all the same. The writing is lovely, the characters are relatable, the plot twists are fun, all in all it’s an enjoyable book for sure.

 Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #ThePerfectFamily

Also shared on: https://romasharma.blogspot.com

​

Book Review: Secrets Between Us by Valerie Keogh

Description:

One letter a week for fifteen years. 780 identical white envelopes brimming with my sister’s darkest secrets. All the intimate details of a life as different to mine as could possibly be. I read each letter slowly to make sure I understand it perfectly, one day very soon it will be a matter of life and death…At the end of each letter, after signing her name, there is always one final sentence: Don’t forget to burn this letter. I’ll let you decide if I do…

Review: 3 Stars

This is a light read that does not consume the reader fully! I would not classify this as a thriller really, it is more of a domestic drama. The plot is predictable, pretty much from get go there are no twists that even a novice reader won't be able to predict. If you are looking for a quick easy read then this is a good pick.

All the characters are very self-centered and unlikeable. They make questionable choices many times all through the story. They are very calculating and do not behave like a real family or even a real couple. There are a quite a few loopholes in the plot that made me unable to rate this book better. I do not understand why Ellie would send weekly letters to Tia but not take the time to meet her even once in 15 years! There isn’t enough mentioned about their past to justify the resentment that Ellie holds perpetually for Tia. I also could not understand why Tia had to burn/shred the letters. Despite all this I wanted to keep reading, I give credit the author's writing that makes a reader want to read something that they can predict fairly well. The ending, while being something predictable, helps wrap the story up nicely explaining to the reader the how and the why. 

I do think the book needs a little more editing since the basic premise of the dynamics between the characters is established quickly and some of the details and instances do not really sway your opinion one way or the other.

The title really does not do the book any justice because there are no secrets really between them that are central to the plot. The publisher needs to work on the blurbs and descriptions because they are misleading. When the description/synopsis is so different from the actual plot, it causes dissatisfaction to the reader which

leads to a lower rating for a book simply because it does not meet the expectations that are set.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #SecretsBetweenUs

​