Published by Bookouture on June 9, 2016
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Net Galley
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Also by this author: Hidden
‘I can’t remember anything. Not even my own name.’
When Mia James is washed up on a beautiful, sun-drenched beach she has no idea who she is or what happened to her. She doesn’t even recognise her own face – until a man comes forward claiming to be her boyfriend and providing her with an identity.
As Mia tries to adjust to the perfect life she was living before her accident, she quickly realises that something is wrong. Why is everyone around her lying to her? What don’t they want her to remember?
From the top ten bestselling author of The Secret Mother and The Perfect Family, this completely addictive psychological thriller will have you racing through the pages until the final jaw-dropping twist. If you loved Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us this book is for you.
I’ve been dying to read or listen to a book by Shalini for a while, I keep seeing her name everywhere and everyone raves about her book. So when I saw that this book was available at the library, I was really excited. Not going to lie but I did struggle with the narrator. There were times when I wasn’t quite sure that her voice was the right fit for the book. It didn’t seem to have the normal passion and enthusiasm for a book that I’ve come to get used to from other narrators. But I persevered.
I did get a bit confused at the beginning. I think I’d listened to the beginning of the audiobook about two times before I even got into the book. Then I spent a lot of my time trying to figure out who I could and couldn’t trust. And to be honest, I wondered if we could even trust Mia. I love I do love a book that makes you question whether you can even trust the main character!!
There were aspects of Mia’s life, which were strange. Because I just read a book a few weeks ago where a girl had lost her memory in it, and there was a whole different spin on her life. I think I was kind of expecting the same thing from this book. In fact, what we got was a woman trying to find her memories, which you’d expect. I would want to get my memories back if I had lost them. Then meeting people for the first time never quite knowing who you could trust, I always find that aspect fascinating to watch.
Not going to lie the beginning was a struggle, and I couldn’t click with the book. It’s weird to say that because a big part of me was still wanting to know what was going on and was still really interested. I was thinking about the book when I wasn’t listening to it, and get back to it. I struggled but then something clicked and then it was really interesting as we begin to learn new things; you’ve got Piers her boyfriend and then there’s Jack and I was excited by the prospect of where it could go. But then it lagged, which surprised me. Then we got to what I thought was the end, and I was like Oh My God, WOW, this is a different turn of events where I wasn’t expecting this. But it wasn’t the end!!!!
So I was like, Okay, fine. I’ve still got an hour and my audiobook. Where am I going with this? I have to say I did really love that twist I loved how so left field it was and I kind of saw it coming in as well and I’m glad that the author took that punt and I found that I did find that brilliant. I loved the fact that it wasn’t the sort of book I wasn’t expecting.
I can forgive the bit at the beginning which I struggled with because that ending was just so twisty and it was just so clever and very very chilling. I loved how the characters really are not what you expect them to be at all. I did second guess everything; even if I had an idea of where I thought it was gonna go didn’t think it was gonna go that way. So I loved the fact that it was twisty and it did make me think and I’ve really enjoyed that. I enjoyed the final 20% so much and I was hooked then I had to race through just to see what was gonna happen.
This is the first book I’ve read of Shalini so I will be back again to see what else she’s written and then I’ve got a few on my Kindle so now I’ve had this introduction I’m looking forward to seeing what else she has to offer very like say cleverly done at the end.
Until the next time xxx
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2022 NetGalley
- 2022 Reading
- Published before 2022
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