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vzzayn's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved this book!
thepagelady's review
4.0
Book Review……Daughter by Kate McLaughlin
Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Well that is until the FBI knocks on her door. Scarlet is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to her.
Scarlet wants to do the right thing but she can't escape the meda storm that erupts or the people who blame her for her father's crimes. Will she go back in hiding or will she stay and make the world see her for more than the daughter of a monster?
I read another book by this author so when this one came up I really wanted to see what it was like and I really liked it. This author just has a way of capturing the readers. It's a fast paced story with well developed characters, relatable, flaws and all making them feel real. One of the things I really enjoyed were the interactions between the characters. There are some tense and heartwarming senses especially when Scarlet talks with her father. There's a good balance with the YA and the psychological thriller genre that a wide range of readers would enjoy this book! Overall it's a dark gripping and entertaining read!
Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Well that is until the FBI knocks on her door. Scarlet is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to her.
Scarlet wants to do the right thing but she can't escape the meda storm that erupts or the people who blame her for her father's crimes. Will she go back in hiding or will she stay and make the world see her for more than the daughter of a monster?
I read another book by this author so when this one came up I really wanted to see what it was like and I really liked it. This author just has a way of capturing the readers. It's a fast paced story with well developed characters, relatable, flaws and all making them feel real. One of the things I really enjoyed were the interactions between the characters. There are some tense and heartwarming senses especially when Scarlet talks with her father. There's a good balance with the YA and the psychological thriller genre that a wide range of readers would enjoy this book! Overall it's a dark gripping and entertaining read!
vonderbash's review
3.0
There was a lot that surprised me about this book, mostly in a good way. It’s on the more mature side of YA, especially when the serial killer father talks about his victims. The author did a good job of writing a truly vile character.
There were some elements that irked me. Lots of slang is used, but not consistently. It will date the book in a few years. Some of the actions by the mom were confusing. I have a background in video production and some of the things said about shooting video were off. Not unexpected for a high school senior, but it still pulled me out of the story.
The story had good pacing and I was entertained throughout. I would recommend it to others.
I received an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
There were some elements that irked me. Lots of slang is used, but not consistently. It will date the book in a few years. Some of the actions by the mom were confusing. I have a background in video production and some of the things said about shooting video were off. Not unexpected for a high school senior, but it still pulled me out of the story.
The story had good pacing and I was entertained throughout. I would recommend it to others.
I received an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
marieintheraw's review
4.0
I love the "oops didn't know I'm related to a serial killer" aftermath stories. I enjoyed that this one twisted how that went in a good way. Additionally, I had to know what was happening to the point where I read it all in one day, but something kept me from a full 5 star in the writing.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
t1dmama's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
itputsthebookupontheshelf's review
5.0
As a sucker for anything Serial Killer, I knew I needed to read this one. I'm so glad I did.
They story was great and I loved Scarlet’s character so much. She was stronger than she thought she could be and turned the story on its head. She told a terrible situation and made the best of it in every way she could. She didn't let her "father" take advantage of her, held ger ground and helped the victims families along the way.
I think the author did a great job of piqueing intrigue with the murderer, yet steering the focus where it really should be. It also added so much more to what could have been just another series killer thriller. It's always a treat to get a different perspective.
This was a great introduction for me to this author and I can't wait to check out other works by her.
*Thanks to Netgalley, RB Media and Wednesday Books for a #gifted copy of this title.
They story was great and I loved Scarlet’s character so much. She was stronger than she thought she could be and turned the story on its head. She told a terrible situation and made the best of it in every way she could. She didn't let her "father" take advantage of her, held ger ground and helped the victims families along the way.
I think the author did a great job of piqueing intrigue with the murderer, yet steering the focus where it really should be. It also added so much more to what could have been just another series killer thriller. It's always a treat to get a different perspective.
This was a great introduction for me to this author and I can't wait to check out other works by her.
*Thanks to Netgalley, RB Media and Wednesday Books for a #gifted copy of this title.
gabizago's review
5.0
This is actually a pretty interesting story focused on the legacy of a serial killer, more specifically, on how it is growing up being his daughter. She actually didn't know anything about it until much later on, but after finding out, she goes on a quest to try to remember his victims. All the serial killer narratives seem to focus on the killer, instead of the victims, so trying to twist the narrative to focus on remembering the victims is actually an interesting turn.
Since the book is told in the point of view of a teenager, it feels more like a come of age kind of book, right in the transition from high school to college.
Since the book is told in the point of view of a teenager, it feels more like a come of age kind of book, right in the transition from high school to college.
gggina13's review
3.0
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the review copy!
I guess I just didn't know what I was getting into with this book. It's about a girl who finds out her dad is a famous serial killer, is dying, and will only confess his extra murders (the ones whose bodies were never found) to her. So yeah, things are dramatic from the jump.
I guess I thought they'd be juicy dramatic, instead of realistic dramatic. This book is very rooted in realism - it's about Scarlet coming to terms with her dad being a murderer, about grappling with her feelings about her mom keeping it from her, about learning who she is in the face of it all. It's all very true to what I think it would be like to be in that situation.
I just honestly wasn't expecting the book to be all emotional. I figured with such gritty subject matter, that it would be a grisly juicy little thriller. And that's my bad. Because it seems well done enough for what it really is. I just don't know how much the synopsis gets that across, especially with this book being marketed as a mystery/thriller.
There's a lot of talk about weed as anxiety self-medication in this book. There's also sex between our 17 year old protagonist and a 19 year old guy. They're dating seriously enough, so maybe I'm being stuck up, but it strikes me as the littlest bit odd. There's consent and everything so it's not a harmful thing for teens to read. It just isn't my favorite way I've ever seen sex approached in YA.
Overall, I just think this book could benefit from more accurate marketing. Older teens who are into true crime and curious about the real people behind the killers' legacy will like this.
I guess I just didn't know what I was getting into with this book. It's about a girl who finds out her dad is a famous serial killer, is dying, and will only confess his extra murders (the ones whose bodies were never found) to her. So yeah, things are dramatic from the jump.
I guess I thought they'd be juicy dramatic, instead of realistic dramatic. This book is very rooted in realism - it's about Scarlet coming to terms with her dad being a murderer, about grappling with her feelings about her mom keeping it from her, about learning who she is in the face of it all. It's all very true to what I think it would be like to be in that situation.
I just honestly wasn't expecting the book to be all emotional. I figured with such gritty subject matter, that it would be a grisly juicy little thriller. And that's my bad. Because it seems well done enough for what it really is. I just don't know how much the synopsis gets that across, especially with this book being marketed as a mystery/thriller.
There's a lot of talk about weed as anxiety self-medication in this book. There's also sex between our 17 year old protagonist and a 19 year old guy. They're dating seriously enough, so maybe I'm being stuck up, but it strikes me as the littlest bit odd. There's consent and everything so it's not a harmful thing for teens to read. It just isn't my favorite way I've ever seen sex approached in YA.
Overall, I just think this book could benefit from more accurate marketing. Older teens who are into true crime and curious about the real people behind the killers' legacy will like this.
nikkitaylor19's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alongreader's review
4.0
Although I enjoyed this read, I feel like there could have been a lot more to it.
Jeffrey is creepy, there's no doubt about it, and maybe more so because he isn't remotely sorry. He did what he did and he's cool with it. However, we only see him as an almost dead guy in a bed in a prison, so he's not very scary. Plus, I felt that the story gave more weight to Kate's budding romance with her bodyguard's son than her interactions with her father.
None of this means I didn't enjoy it, because I did, very much. Kate has a talent for this kind of read, where it's as much about what and how our main character is feeling as it is about the plot. There are some very complex emotions on display here, and Kate shows them beautifully without resorting to 'she felt x'. It's all very natural and honest. (Also I loved the Criminal Minds shout out! I had great fun imagining what Hotch or Reid would be saying as the story went on.)
This is a really good book that I enjoyed very much, and I'll be watching for more from Kate.
Jeffrey is creepy, there's no doubt about it, and maybe more so because he isn't remotely sorry. He did what he did and he's cool with it. However, we only see him as an almost dead guy in a bed in a prison, so he's not very scary. Plus, I felt that the story gave more weight to Kate's budding romance with her bodyguard's son than her interactions with her father.
None of this means I didn't enjoy it, because I did, very much. Kate has a talent for this kind of read, where it's as much about what and how our main character is feeling as it is about the plot. There are some very complex emotions on display here, and Kate shows them beautifully without resorting to 'she felt x'. It's all very natural and honest. (Also I loved the Criminal Minds shout out! I had great fun imagining what Hotch or Reid would be saying as the story went on.)
This is a really good book that I enjoyed very much, and I'll be watching for more from Kate.