#lapena

My Review: 

This is my second book by Shari Lapena and I have to say, I am definitely impressed. Lapena definitely has a gift for manipulation in her books because in this one, I kept changing my mind about who the killer was until the very end. And when I finally found out who it was, I realized I’d been looking in the wrong place all this time. I am sure that if I went back and reread the book, knowing what I know now, I’d be able to pinpoint bits and pieces, little clues that were there to lead you to the answer as to who the killer really was all this time. I am definitely planning on reading all her other works and have one on my shelf already. 

To begin with, Not a Happy Family is about a rich, prestigious family and all the secrets that go on inside it. When the parents, Sheila and Fred Mercer, get brutally murdered on Easter Sunday, after their grownup children leave Easter dinner at their house, the police suspects one of the three children did it because they all stood to gain a lot from their horrible parents lives. I thought that the premise of this book was very intriguing and I was definitely interested right off the bat. However, I wasn’t always on the edge of my seat because the book dragged for me at some points and I wish it would have progressed a bit quicker. I do love me a good domestic thriller and this one’s definitely above average. Also, I didn’t care for the ending all that much because it was a bit open ended and left me wanting more.

Secondly, the characterization in this book was above average as well. There are times when in certain thrillers that are full of action, the characters get a bit overlooked and we don’t get a good sense of who they really are at their core but in this case we definitely got a good look into them and what makes them tick. They were definitely all very unlikable but if done correctly I don’t mind that and I thought it was executed pretty well here. I feel like we started discovering their psyches but didn’t quite get to see into their very soul and I would have liked a bit more on that front. However, in all I really thought the characterization was done well and some thought had been put into it, no question about that.

Finally, the writing style is classic Shari Lapena and even though it definitely stands out and make for a very quick and easy reading experience, sometimes it feels a bit too simple for me. I would like a little more description when it comes to her setting the scenes and depicting how her characters look at certain points in the story. I can, however, appreciate how accessible her writing style is to many different kinds of people and I am certain that even beginners of the genre will not find it hard to get hooked into her books.

My Review: 

Well, it was about time I read another Shari Lapena book! I read An Unwanted Guest and I have to say, I enjoyed this one quite a bit more. I mean they were both good but this one dared to go where the other one did not, it was dark and twisted and the characters were rotten to the core. I have been in a bit of a reading slump due to personal stuff going on in my life and if it hadn’t been for that, I would have definitely finished this book much faster. It had almost everything I ever want in my thrillers and it did not disappoint. I will definitely be picking up the rest of Lapena’s books very soon.

To begin with, The Couple Next Door is about a couple, Anne and Marco, who have an infant daughter and one night they go to a dinner party next door and leave their baby in her crib whilst keeping an eye on her through the baby monitor. In a shocking turn of events, the baby goes missing and things start to unravel for all the parties involved. I freaking loved this plot! I thought it was unique and fresh and there were nonstop thrills all throughout this book. I prefer my thrillers to contain shock value all throughout and this book did not disappoint on that front. It definitely kept me reading and holding onto the edge of my seat because I wanted to know what would happen and the fate of all the characters involved.

Further on, the characterization was good. I didn’t think it was extraordinarily great but it was good, above average. I got to know the characters and their dark flaws and secrets but there was still the feeling of being kept at a distance, in my opinion. It might have also had something to do with the writing style. For this reason, I didn’t get too attached to the characters but because the story was so exciting and thrilled me to the bone, I still wanted to find out what the outcome would be for all of them. Either way, it was not bad, not bad at all.

Finally, the writing style is the thing that I have most trouble with in Lapena’s novels. It is a very particular style choice and takes a while to get used to but once you get used to it, the story definitely begins to flow. I find her writing a bit over simplistic, even for me and I often feel- the simpler, the better. But not in this case. Also, the tense it’s written in might have something to do with that as well, it just doesn’t seem to flow as well with this tense choice. Either way, it wasn’t bad and didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book and the story itself.

My Review:

This was my first novel by Shari Lapena and it did not disappoint. I don’t think it was anything magical or extraordinary but it did all the things I want my thriller novels to do- it shocked, excited and took me unawares. I have never had an easier time getting through a novel and I am officially in love with Lapena’s writing style and will be reading all her other works as soon as possible. I don’t think it was the most shocking or mind blowing thriller ever but it still took me by surprise and I was not able to foresee the ending, even a little bit. Consider me a fan!

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena is about a group of people who get snowed in inside of a beautiful hotel and as people start getting murdered, things transpire and nerves run rampant. This is not my first “locked-in”, murderer amongst them novel and yet it was extremely enjoyable. The plot isn’t anything amazing or earth-shattering but the way that the story was delivered, it was more than able to keep my attention for the long haul. It also really helped that I could not guess who the murderer was for the life of me, so I am an instant fan. Also the snowed-in atmosphere aspect of it was very enjoyable.

Further on, the characterization was above average. Because Shari Lapena’s writing is very direct and to the point, we weren’t able to get as in-depth into the characters as I would have preferred and yet I found all the different individuals fascinating and they didn’t aggravate me in the least. Also, I had no problem remembering who was who and that made the reading experience even better. We definitely got a good taste into who all the people were, if not really into their souls or beyond. All in all, not bad.

Thirdly, the writing style was my favorite part of this whole novel. Often, I have a hard time just letting go and escaping into a story because I feel like I have to go back and reread parts of the novel for fear of having missed something crucial because the writing was so complex. Not with this book. On the contrary, I sped through the book like I’ve never sped through a book before in my life and I was able to finish it in record time for me. I love that Lapena’s writing is so direct and to the point and she never beats around the bush. What a treat! I will be picking up her other novels, if only just for that.