Girl Last Seen
Girl Last Seen
Author: Nina Laurin
Narrator: Vanessa Johansson
Published: June 20, 2017
Audiobook
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: March 4-13, 2020
Jessica’s Rating: 2 stars
Book Description:
Two missing girls. Thirteen years apart.
Olivia Shaw has been missing since last Tuesday. She was last seen outside the entrance of her elementary school in Hunts Point wearing a white spring jacket, blue jeans, and pink boots. I force myself to look at the face in the photo, into her slightly smudged features, and I can’t bring myself to move. Olivia Shaw could be my mirror image, rewound to thirteen years ago. If you have any knowledge of Olivia Shaw’s whereabouts or any relevant information, please contact…
I’ve spent a long time peering into the faces of girls on missing posters, wondering which one replaced me in that basement. But they were never quite the right age, the right look, the right circumstances. Until Olivia Shaw, missing for one week tomorrow. Whoever stole me was never found. But since I was taken, there hasn’t been another girl. And now there is.
Jessica’s Review:
This is yet another thriller that had an interesting premise that failed to deliver, despite the prologue giving a great beginning. Our protagonist is Ella Santos who now goes by the name of Lainey Moreno, who was kidnapped at a young age and then finally gets away. The first twist happens early on and ok, yeah, I can go with it, but then in my opinion Laine gets involved in the case way over her head of this new missing girl.
Both the author and narrator showcase how much of a very flawed person Ella/Lainey is. Not every ending is happy and Laine’s is far from happy. Her past shaped her whole life. It does make you wonder about people who are held prisoner for long time spans, how they are after the fact and leave the spot light.
This is a very dark novel that deals with heavy themes (rape, drug abuse, kidnapping, etc) with several flawed characters. Don’t expect a happy ending. The final twist was unexpected, but left no satisfaction at the end.
Psycho: Sanitarium
Psycho: Sanitarium
Author: Chet Williamson
Published: April 12, 2016
288 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
The original Psycho novel by Robert Bloch was published in 1959 and became an instant hit, leading to the smash movie only a year later, which brought Norman Bates’s terrifying story into the public consciousness, where it still remains (proven by the success of the tv series, Bates Motel). It took Bloch 23 years to write another Psycho novel, revealing that Norman had been in a mental institution the entire time. In that sequel, Norman quickly escapes the sanitarium and goes on a killing spree in Hollywood.
But what happened in that asylum during those two decades? Until now, no one has known.
It’s 1960. Norman Bates is in the State Hospital for the Criminally Insane and it’s up to Dr. Felix Reed to bring him out of his catatonic state.
But Norman and Dr. Reed have obstacles in twisted fellow patients and staff members who think of the institution as a prison rather than a place of healing. And the greatest obstacle is the building itself, once a private sanitarium, rumored to be haunted. A wild card appears in the persona of Robert Newman, Norman’s twin brother, taken away at birth after the attending doctor pronounced him brain damaged. As Robert and Norman grow to know each other, Norman senses a darkness in Robert, even deeper than that which has lurked in Norman himself.
Soon, murders begin to occur and a shocking chain of events plunge us even deeper into the deranged madness inside the walls of Psycho: Sanitarium.
Kim’s Review:
Another mental asylum! I’m all over that! I bought this book for Ivan two Christmases ago but naturally he would rather watch horror than read it. What are ya gonna do? So I decided to read it. Worth it! I was on the hook the entire book and don’t actually figure anything out until it was spelled out for me! I can’t tell if that means these books keep getting better or I’m just getting dumber … neither would surprise me! Lol
This books shows the fascinating differences between Norman Bates and his mother. There’s also a different treatment theory given that I’d never seen before. Overall, this was a unique and intriguing read that I would recommend to any fan of Psycho! In fact, I’d recommend this book to just about any adult reader! Really good!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
The Silent Patient
The Silent Patient
Author: Alex Michaelides
Narrators:
Jack Hawkins
Louise Brealey
Published: February 5, 2019
Audiobook
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: February 24- March 3, 2020
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description:
The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband–and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive…
Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations–a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….
Jessica’s Review:
I had heard good things about The Silent Patient and wanted to give it a read and lucky me: my library offered it on audio! So I grabbed it!
This one has an intriguing premise and we have two narrators in this novel: Theo Faber and also Alicia via her diary. I honestly did not care about Theo’s life, I wanted to know what was going on with Alicia. Theo’s story did show how imperfect people can be (yes, even therapists have issues!) which admittedly did make him slightly more interesting.
Unfortunately, I cannot say much more as it would involve spoilers, but when it came time for ‘the big twist’ and a certain something that the said person did, I thought: “You sick *uck!” OMG, this book made me curse and I am not one to curse like that! This twist is what saved the novel for me and made it worth the read.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK