Book Review: Final Girls by Riley Sager

Thanks to the publisher, Ebury, and Netgalley for the ARC. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Blurb

FIRST THERE WERE THREE

The media calls them the Final Girls – Quincy, Sam, Lisa – the infamous group that no one wants to be part of. The sole survivors of three separate killing sprees, they are linked by their shared trauma.

THEN THERE WERE TWO

But when Lisa dies in mysterious circumstances and Sam shows up unannounced on her doorstep, Quincy must admit that she doesn’t really know anything about the other Final Girls. Can she trust them? Or...

CAN THERE ONLY EVER BE ONE?

All Quincy knows is one thing: she is next.

My Review

Quincy is a member of a gang called Final Girls, but she is not interested in having any contact with the other members. She wants to forget about her ordeal - not that she can remember much of it anyway. She buries herself in baking instead, and forges a new life for herself away from the eyes of the media.

Quincy lives in a flat with her boyfriend, Jeff, and has the occasional visit with Coop, the cop who rescued her when her five friends were slaughtered at a cabin in the woods. He is now her 'protector', and he's always there to make her feel safe. There are cleverly written flashbacks, so the reader is driven mad with wanting to know what happened, whilst wanting to hide behind a cushion.

One of the other girls, Lisa, is reported as having committed suicide, and the other one, Sam, turns up on Quincy's doorstep, instilling chaos and fear into Quincy's carefully constructed life. 

Fast-paced, chilling and atmospheric, this book had me gripped, reading late into the night. The twists and turns kept me guessing, right until the end.

A breathless thriller.

You can buy Final Girls here.

Follow the author on Twitter @riley_sager

Blog Tour: Dare to Remember by Susanna Beard

I'm delighted to be on the Blog Tour for Susanna Beard's new novel, published on 1st February by Legend Press.

The Blurb

Reeling from a brutal attack that leaves her best friend dead and her badly injured, Lisa Fulbrook flees to the countryside to recuperate. With only vague memories of the event, she isolates herself from her friends and family, content to spend her days wandering the hills with her dog, Riley.However, Lisa is soon plagued, not only by vivid flashbacks, but questions, too: how did their assailant know them? Why were they attacked? And what really happened that night?

As she desperately tries to piece together the memories, Lisa realises that there's another truth still hidden to her, a truth she can't escape from. A truth that may have been right in front of her all along.

My Review

Thank you to the publisher Legend Press for the advanced reading copy. This review is my honest opinion.

This is the story of the aftermath of a brutal attack which has left one woman dead, and her best friend struggling with all kinds of emotions, not least guilt that she survived, and the senseless loss of her friend.

The fear which constantly plagues Lisa's life is very real. She cannot remember more than flashes of what happened, and each fragment of memory serves to cripple her again; she struggles with day-to-day tasks; she trusts no one. She shuts herself off from the world, but soon comes to realise that to get over it, she has to remember exactly what happened.

Lisa has counselling; she doesn't find it particularly helpful as it is a major undertaking for her to even attend a session. The author has described feelings of anxiety, raw pain and overwhelming depression perfectly. I found myself immersed in this book; I could really empathise with the character's struggle in recovery.

Lisa reluctantly makes a tentative friend in Jessica, and shows great strength in supporting her when she needs help, even though she is terrified. John, the elderly neighbour keeps Lisa from becoming a total recluse; as she feels a responsibility to look after this lonely old man. The friendship becomes a vital part of the story as she takes on his dog, Riley, who is an integral part of Lisa's recovery.

Dare to Remember is an amazing read which had me gripped from the very start.

You can buy the book from Amazon, Waterstones and other booksellers.

About the Author

Susanna is a psychological crime writer who lives in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Her day job in PR both demands and celebrates writing and she’s helped promote everything from websites to wine. She writes every day, all the time: news, articles, speeches, websites, blogs - and now novels.

She likes dark, contemplative stories with a twist; she’s fascinated by the psychology of relationships and the impact of insignificant events on people's lives. 

Susanna started writing fiction after attending a course at the Faber Academy. Other passions include her dogs, who keep her grounded, and tennis, which clears her brain of pretty much everything.

Book Review: You Will Not Have My Hate by Antoine Leiris

The Blurb:

Selected as a Book of the Year 2016 in the Guardian and Observer.

This inspiring and courageous book is a guiding star for us all in troubled times.
One night last winter, Antoine Leiris was at home looking after his son while his wife, Hélène, was at a concert with friends. Suddenly he started receiving text messages asking if he was ok. Turning on the TV, Antoine watched the terrorist attacks in Paris unfolding around him and tried to call Hélène. She didn’t answer. That night Hélène was killed, along with 88 other people, at the Bataclan Theatre.

Three days later, Antoine wrote an open letter to his wife’s killers on Facebook. He refused to be cowed or to let his baby son’s life be defined by their acts. ‘For as long as he lives, this little boy will insult you with his happiness and freedom,’ he wrote. Instantly, that short post caught fire and was shared thousands of times around the world.
You Will Not Have My Hate is an extraordinary and heartbreaking memoir which teaches us how to respond to a world full of hatred with generosity and love. This is the rare and unforgettable testimony of a survivor, and a universal message of hope and resilience.

My Review:

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this utterly devastating account of just one of the deaths caused by terrorists at the Bataclan Theatre in November 2015.

I was in the comfort of my own home, idly flicking from app to app on my phone that Friday evening when stories began to come through on Twitter, closely followed by breaking headlines from the BBC News app. First reports of shootings, a few people shot, then some more, followed by more, and so followed an evening of reports so shocking and terrible I cried.

This is a heartbreaking read, as we all know what happened that horrible night in Paris. Here we are told how the tragedy has affected the family of Helene Muyal-Leiris who was one of those killed in the Bataclan.

It could be any of us, which is a very frightening thing. I've thought of the many times I've been to gigs in similar venues, and have tried to imaging the sheer terror of gunmen bursting in. But they will not stop me from going to other gigs, or to other potential targets.

That's what Antoine is trying to show here. He wrote a now famous post on Facebook, telling the terrorists that he will not afford any more time thinking about them. He has set a standard for us all to follow, in that we should not allow them to terrorise us. Yes, he is mourning his wife and his child has lost his mother, and it is terrible, as is loss for anyone. But he shows a strength in refusing to be cowed by the terrorists.

There's not much more I can say about this book, other than I wish for a peaceful life full of love for Antoine and his family.

You can buy the book from Amazon, Waterstones or other retailers.