Posted in Book Review

Review: The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

The Hook:

Conniving social climber Amber sets her sights on Daphne Parrish. She wants Daphne’s social status, her husband, her life. Before long, she manages to insert herself into Daphne’s inner circle, becoming one of Daphne’s closest confidantes. But dark secrets threaten to disrupt Amber’s carefully laid plans.

My Impressions:

As an avid fan of Liv Constantine’s work, I was really excited to start reading this book. There was a lot of hype around it- I had it on hold from the library for quite a while before I got to read it- and it lived up to the hype. If Constantine’s other books kept me enthralled, this book held me hostage. I listened to one of the darker twists while on my afternoon bike ride and ended up riding an extra mile without noticing because I was so caught up in the excitement of the book.

If you want a book that will bother you on a psychological level and leave you feeling disturbed and strangely worried for the fates of fictional characters long after you’ve closed the book, this is the perfect read for you. Readers who enjoyed the dark and twisted inner worlds of Constantine’s other characters will be absolutely delighted to know that in my opinion, this is her most twisted book out so far. It is not for the faint of heart, it is not a cozy mystery to read by the fire. This book will make you feel upset and unsettled in the best way possible.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Last Time I Saw You, by Liv Constantine

The hook:

Estranged best friends Kate and Blair are reunited after Kate’s mother is found murdered. When Kate starts receiving threatening messages, she finds herself leaning more and more on Blair for support. But is Blair hiding something?

My impressions:

As usual, Liv Constantine blew me away. It’s rare that I find myself rooting for characters who are doing objectively bad things, but every character in this book is so compelling, I couldn’t help but root for all of them, if only to see where their actions would lead. I particularly enjoyed the way the book explored themes of friendship and codependency, and how those lines can get blurred. I love the way Constantine writes such memorable characters, each with their own complex motivations and often fascinatingly messed up moral codes.

Fans of Gillian Flynn and Lisa Jewell are bound to enjoy this author’s work as well, and while I can’t say too much without spoiling the plot, I highly recommend this book as a good starting point on Constantine’s writing. If you’re looking for one last phenomenal beach read this summer, this is the book for you!

-Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

The hook:

New to town, Piper Reynard sets her sights on Leo Drakos, undeterred by the wedding ring on his finger. Meanwhile, supportive Joanna, who has been patiently waiting for Leo to seem like the man she fell in love with again after depression put a wedge between them. As Piper grows more determined to win Leo, Joanna becomes increasingly suspicious of the other woman’s past and her intentions towards Leo and his children.

My impressions:

Absolutely one of the most heart pounding suspense novels I’ve read this year! I couldn’t put it down, desperate to see what would happen between the complicated cast of characters as tensions rose and rose.

Both of the point of view characters had much more to them than met the eye, and I can’t say much more on that without hinting at spoilers, but suffice to say I loved peeling away the layers of artifice and learning what these enigmatic ladies were hiding. There’s not much as satisfying as a book where both sides of a conflict get point of view characters, letting the audience watch the conflict unfold from both perspectives.

The descriptive details and writing voice were lush and added to the enjoyment of the book overall. I highly recommend it as a beach read or just to add a little suspense to a busy week.

Happy reading!