I received an advanced copy of this book from Blackbird Digital Books in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis
When Glasgow journalist Shona McGilvery moves with her partner Mikey and their baby to an idyllic cottage in rural Scotland, they believe that all that lies ahead of them is happiness. But with Mikey working offshore, the frightening isolation of the Aberdeenshire countryside begins to drive her insane...That is, until she is rescued by a new friendship with the enchanting Valentina. She has the perfect home, the perfect man, and a charismatic new best friend – or does she? As her fairytale life begins to unravel, the deep dark wood becomes the least of her fears...
My review
When I first started to read this book it seemed to take quite a while to get into the story and I was tempted to give up. But I'm so glad I didn't!!! Valentina had me hooked from start to finish and my detective hat never came off until the very end!
When the book starts with the main character, Shona telling you her life story- from meeting her partner, Mikey to arriving in Glasgow to start a new life with their baby daughter, you think you know exactly how the story is going to play out. However, as each chapter goes on, the storyline takes more twists and turns then you could imagine! The book goes on to tell the story from "Valentina's" point of view and you can understand why she behaves the way that she does and gives the storyline a great boost. Quite often, I had a theory about what was going to happen next and I would be right! This only made me even more eager to keep reading to see what would happen next.
I loved the concept of the storyline once it picked up it's pace and enjoyed the short chapters, which made the book so much easier and quick to read! Even though there were only a handful of characters throughout the book, I liked the fact that the story was told by the three main characters-Shona, Valentina and Mickey, making it easier to keep on track.
The ending was excellent and even though I had a hunch this particular character would end up doing something serious, it was still brilliant to read and watch it play out on front of me.
A definite recommendation for readers who enjoy thrillers with a psychological edge such as "Before I go to Sleep" by S.J Watson.
A brilliant new read to watch out for in 2016!! Thank you to Blackbird Digital Books for the opportunity!
5 out of 5 stars.
Synopsis
When Glasgow journalist Shona McGilvery moves with her partner Mikey and their baby to an idyllic cottage in rural Scotland, they believe that all that lies ahead of them is happiness. But with Mikey working offshore, the frightening isolation of the Aberdeenshire countryside begins to drive her insane...That is, until she is rescued by a new friendship with the enchanting Valentina. She has the perfect home, the perfect man, and a charismatic new best friend – or does she? As her fairytale life begins to unravel, the deep dark wood becomes the least of her fears...
My review
When I first started to read this book it seemed to take quite a while to get into the story and I was tempted to give up. But I'm so glad I didn't!!! Valentina had me hooked from start to finish and my detective hat never came off until the very end!
When the book starts with the main character, Shona telling you her life story- from meeting her partner, Mikey to arriving in Glasgow to start a new life with their baby daughter, you think you know exactly how the story is going to play out. However, as each chapter goes on, the storyline takes more twists and turns then you could imagine! The book goes on to tell the story from "Valentina's" point of view and you can understand why she behaves the way that she does and gives the storyline a great boost. Quite often, I had a theory about what was going to happen next and I would be right! This only made me even more eager to keep reading to see what would happen next.
I loved the concept of the storyline once it picked up it's pace and enjoyed the short chapters, which made the book so much easier and quick to read! Even though there were only a handful of characters throughout the book, I liked the fact that the story was told by the three main characters-Shona, Valentina and Mickey, making it easier to keep on track.
The ending was excellent and even though I had a hunch this particular character would end up doing something serious, it was still brilliant to read and watch it play out on front of me.
A definite recommendation for readers who enjoy thrillers with a psychological edge such as "Before I go to Sleep" by S.J Watson.
A brilliant new read to watch out for in 2016!! Thank you to Blackbird Digital Books for the opportunity!
5 out of 5 stars.