What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 367

Publisher - Thomas and Mercer

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.

They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.

Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.

But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.

Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.





My Review

When I started this I wasn't too sure what was going on, what the relationship between the two main characters, the chills creep in pretty much from the get go. The chapters alternate between the two, Nina and Maggie. Nina sorts the meals, keeps house and Maggie is living vicariously through everything/everyone she sees through the window, of her bedroom where she is kept. What is the deal with these two, they dine together, they house together yet they seem to hate each other.

As we flip characters we learn a bit more about each lady, what their relationship is and pulled into their weird situation. As we delve deeper we start to get a bit of understanding of how they come to their current situation, flipping back to the past and some genuinely breath taking moments. You dislike or even hate one character and feel sorry for the other then BAM the author pulls the rug and you feel yourself switching and starting to understand a bit where the other is coming from.

It is a hell of a mind trip, emotive and some seriously shocking themes and choices/behaviours of the characters. More so once you start to seep into the heart of the story, I was pulled in pretty much from the get go & have found this with the previous books I have read by this author, 4.5/5 for me this time. I have more of his works on my tbrm, I need to bump them up the list. Prepare to lose your day and be rocked by some utterly shocking characters!

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The Mistress's Revenge by Tamar Cohen

The Mistress's Revenge. Tamar Cohen by Tamar Cohen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 346

Publisher - Black Swan

Blurb from Goodreads

You think you are rid of me. You think you have drawn a line under the whole affair. You are so, so wrong.

For five years, Sally and Clive have been lost in a passionate affair. Now he has dumped her, to devote himself to his wife and family, and Sally is left in freefall.

It starts with a casual stroll past his house, and popping into the brasserie where his son works. Then Sally befriends Clive's wife and daughter on Facebook. But that's all right, isn't it? I mean, they are perfectly normal things to do. Aren't they?

Not since Fatal Attraction has the fallout from an illicit affair been exposed in such a sharp, darkly funny and disturbing way. After all, who doesn't know a normal, perfectly sane woman who has gone a little crazy when her heart was broken?


My Review

Silly Sally, thats what Clive called her. Clive whom she embarked upon a five year affair with, both married, both have children, both linked in each others circles. Now Clive has called time on the affair, Sally is seeing a therapist and keeping diary entries cataloging the affair and how she saw it all. Clive has moved on, Sally just can't let go and this is her story, of her fall from a loving mum, wife and career woman to one who is fully obsessed with her ex and her world is crumbling around her.

Firstly, there are no chapters in this book, there are page breaks, however it is almost a continuous monologue. Told in first person, Sally speaks clearly to Clive in her entries, there are no dates, she just launches in as if she is having a conversation, all one sided of course. Whilst this isn't my favourite type of layout, I think it serves its purpose, casting light onto just another aspect of how obsessive Sally is/has become.

I can't say I liked any of the characters, Sally is hard to like at all, selfish, obsessed, her behaviour and all consuming affair takes over everything. It is hard for the reader to witness the destruction to those around her, and Sally, whilst she is oblivious. I think this was smartly done in that these kind of situations you see the actions but not the insight of the mind or rational of the individual.

Whilst this was hard to read in parts it was hard to put down, understanding just how Clive managed to get Sally to that state, by manipulation and his actions was quite an insight. Whilst this is a work of fiction I am sure people can identify seeing behaviours like this with friends or family. Going by reviews, this is a marmite book, I think it was very well done however with such unlikeable characters one may require something lighter after finishing this. 4/5 for me this time, I have read Cohen before and I would read her again.





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Review - Double Fault by Lionel Shriver

Double Fault by Lionel Shriver
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Publisher - Serpent's Tail

Pages - 339

Blurb from Goodreads

Ever since she picked up a racquet at the age of four, tennis has been Willy Novinsky's one love. But when she falls for fellow pro Eric Oberdorf, their relationship is tested to breaking point by their competitive urges.

My Review

Tennis is not something I am interested in at all however when on holiday we do pick up something we normally wouldn't read. Willy Novinsky is on a journey to becoming a professional tennis player, her ranking score is going up, she is smashing her competition and winning her matches. She has no time for friends, romance or really anything that isn't tennis, until Eric Oberdorf comes along. They embark on a relationship and she teaches him some pointers to strengthen his game. As their relationship deepens, Willy finds herself struggling with her game and watching Eric go from strength to strength. Tennis brought them together, it may very well tear them apart.

It has been a while since I have really disliked a character as much as I ended up disliking Willy. As her game declines she becomes a vindictive, nasty, horrible character, Eric is understanding, sweet, competitive and no matter what he does it further enrages or prompts her to behave like a brat.

Without going into spoilers as I hate that, sex and sexual terminology is used and the subject of abortion is mentioned, in what some people may feel, distressing detail. I found Willy to be a cold fish, a character with little to no redeeming qualities. As much as tennis is not my thing, I must say I wasn't as bored as I thought I would be reading this type of theme. I have read Shriver before and I would read her again, I don't particularly like her style however I cannot put her books down until I have got through the whole story. There is something about how she writes that pulls you along and in, even when you don't like or find the subject content particularly interesting. 2/5 for me this time, I can't say it is like any of her books I have read before as they all seem very different, I would certainly say give it a bash if you came across it but I wouldn't actively encourage you to seek it out.

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