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litwithleigh's review
5.0
4.5 rounded up. Soft, niche banger alert
SYNOPSIS
Ruby is a CCTV Operator who starts creepin on someone she shouldn't be creepin on... Chaos ensues.
MY OPINION
First of all, I wanna thank all the lovely Goodreaders who left such lovely comments/DMs. Tysm for the support. I'm back quicker than I anticipated, but tbh reading and stalking ya'll keeps me from marinating in my own sadness. Fyi adoption is at the core of this story, so if this is a sensitive area for you... proceed with caution. I can't say if it was handled well due to my lack of knowledge/experience.
First things first, Julie Corbin can WRITE. Damn. She was writing her cheekies off. This was literary suspense in all its glory. No winding, melodramatic similes. Just using the ole faithfuls aka sentence fragments and group of 3s. She killed the dialogue too. Very realistic and the bants were bantering. If you liked the prose in [b:The Loyalties|48717393|The Loyalties|Delphine de Vigan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594001098l/48717393._SY75_.jpg|59340367], [b:Greenwich Park|55905003|Greenwich Park|Katherine Faulkner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633871628l/55905003._SY75_.jpg|73510334], and [b:An Inconvenient Woman|51213054|An Inconvenient Woman|Stéphanie Buelens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582786377l/51213054._SX50_.jpg|71395282] and don't mind a more character driven suspense vs buckwild thriller, pick this up.
Not only was the prose doing the damn thing, but the plot was unique as well. I really enjoyed learning fun facts about CCTV and how it can be used in real-time to solve/prevent crime. If you're interested in thrillers that involve CCTV (very niche lol), I highly recommend watching The Capture on Amazon Prime. A MFN BANGER!!!!!! Anyways... I thought this was a unique lens for a domestic-ish thriller that I hadn't seen before, so it had a hoe engaged.
Now ya'll know I love bitching about bad endings/epilogues, but this was the rare time where an author covered a lot of ground without it feeling bum rushed. This is no easy feat. And she stayed away from a last min Hail Mary twist that attempts to shock a reader into a better rating. This followed the course and was "realistic" I guess. Well done.
FYI I did issue the soft, niche banger alert, because this isn't a book I'd recommend with my full chest a la [b:Amen Maxine|61306546|Amen Maxine (Jolvix Episodes, #1)|Faith Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1655484384l/61306546._SY75_.jpg|96671405]. I can def see people thinking this is boring, slow, too character focused, etc. Diff strokes for diff folks but don't come in my dms trying to beef me about this book if you like Verity (respectfully). Know your tastes pls
SYNOPSIS
Ruby is a CCTV Operator who starts creepin on someone she shouldn't be creepin on... Chaos ensues.
MY OPINION
First of all, I wanna thank all the lovely Goodreaders who left such lovely comments/DMs. Tysm for the support. I'm back quicker than I anticipated, but tbh reading and stalking ya'll keeps me from marinating in my own sadness. Fyi adoption is at the core of this story, so if this is a sensitive area for you... proceed with caution. I can't say if it was handled well due to my lack of knowledge/experience.
First things first, Julie Corbin can WRITE. Damn. She was writing her cheekies off. This was literary suspense in all its glory. No winding, melodramatic similes. Just using the ole faithfuls aka sentence fragments and group of 3s. She killed the dialogue too. Very realistic and the bants were bantering. If you liked the prose in [b:The Loyalties|48717393|The Loyalties|Delphine de Vigan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594001098l/48717393._SY75_.jpg|59340367], [b:Greenwich Park|55905003|Greenwich Park|Katherine Faulkner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633871628l/55905003._SY75_.jpg|73510334], and [b:An Inconvenient Woman|51213054|An Inconvenient Woman|Stéphanie Buelens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582786377l/51213054._SX50_.jpg|71395282] and don't mind a more character driven suspense vs buckwild thriller, pick this up.
Not only was the prose doing the damn thing, but the plot was unique as well. I really enjoyed learning fun facts about CCTV and how it can be used in real-time to solve/prevent crime. If you're interested in thrillers that involve CCTV (very niche lol), I highly recommend watching The Capture on Amazon Prime. A MFN BANGER!!!!!! Anyways... I thought this was a unique lens for a domestic-ish thriller that I hadn't seen before, so it had a hoe engaged.
Now ya'll know I love bitching about bad endings/epilogues, but this was the rare time where an author covered a lot of ground without it feeling bum rushed. This is no easy feat. And she stayed away from a last min Hail Mary twist that attempts to shock a reader into a better rating. This followed the course and was "realistic" I guess. Well done.
FYI I did issue the soft, niche banger alert, because this isn't a book I'd recommend with my full chest a la [b:Amen Maxine|61306546|Amen Maxine (Jolvix Episodes, #1)|Faith Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1655484384l/61306546._SY75_.jpg|96671405]. I can def see people thinking this is boring, slow, too character focused, etc. Diff strokes for diff folks but don't come in my dms trying to beef me about this book if you like Verity (respectfully). Know your tastes pls
karlyo83's review
5.0
My Rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ had a bit of everything, bit niche and unique really enjoyable!!!
Do you ever look around, sure that someone is watching you, or standing too close only to be mistaken - shake off the feeling and keep moving with your day??
Someone is watching Hannah though… watching her every move, making sure shes safe, it’s her job isn’t it??
Ruby is a CCTV operative, she could get sacked or jailed for her misuse of the system… but she needs to keep an eye on Hannah… she isn’t harming her… shes not going to approach her… yet! What happens when watching isn’t enough?
Boy oh Boy did I ever need a 5 star after that last stanktastic book I read. AND once again I need to thank my good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask for coming through with her‘soft banger alert’ that she issued and confirm that indeed it was a fantastic book.
This isn’t going to be for everyone, although I really think it should be.. but if you are after the Fast and Furious action packed thriller then perhaps this one won’t be for you.
I was completely immersed in this story and once again I finally found a good book and devoured it in a few days… so now I am back to not having picked another book… but that is another me issue.
The writing was fantastic, I loved the short sentences, the chapters were a little long in some sections but that was fine because I couldn’t stop reading it anyway. I loved that we were drip fed the story, not everything was spelt out for the reader, I did not have my figurative hand held and I enjoy that. I like to find out what is going to unfold. Especially since this was a bit of a slow burn you had to wait and be patient to find out the ins and outs of the story. I really enjoyed that….
It was told from multiple POVs and I as you I know I am sucker for that but if you need the heading of who is who at the top you aren’t going to get that… it is super simple to figure it out so if you get confused then I don’t know what to tell you… just keep reading cause it will become apparent who is who very quickly.
I really liked all the main characters even though they were all flawed and had some questionable behaviour along the way. Ruby’s story broke my heart, and Lennie was a fantastic friend all the way throughout what a great guy he was with no ill intentions just being a good best mate I found that really humbling and such a nice change of pace. None of this oh hey sure I’ll be your bestie but you gotta give me a bit of somethin’ somethin’ on the side… no way he was true salt of the earth.
Hannah is damaged and in need of … well I don’t want to give the story away but she needs what she needs and she is young and doing various dangerous things to try and get that ‘high’ she needs to fill a void… much like Ruby… who is playing with fire on the CCTV but she cannot stop…
This was really unique, the use of CCTV was something I haven’t read before and from what I understand from the authors note she did real research into the process and how much that CCTV operators actually do which I thought added a really great touch of realism. The story is set in Edinburgh, Scotland - so it was nice to have a story set in a different part of the world. It wasn’t super apparent that this was Scottish but I did enjoy the different style the author used.
As mentioned earlier this one wont be for everyone - so if you are looking for lots of action, kills and spills then you wont find it here. There is action but its soft action… there is tension that builds and you find yourself thinking back to the prologue as the story unfolds and I was going to myself omg… who was that about… you do find out but its slowly slowly but lots is definitely happening.
I made assumptions and was pleasantly surprised with twists and turns I was completely engaged and I will be checking out the authors other work.
Overall - would I recommend - YES But, with the caveat of the above “might not be for everyone” warning. But there is no harm in trying something new and the writing is truly top shelf so yes I would recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. Again thank you to Pink for the great recommendation you truly never steer me wrong
Do you ever look around, sure that someone is watching you, or standing too close only to be mistaken - shake off the feeling and keep moving with your day??
Someone is watching Hannah though… watching her every move, making sure shes safe, it’s her job isn’t it??
Ruby is a CCTV operative, she could get sacked or jailed for her misuse of the system… but she needs to keep an eye on Hannah… she isn’t harming her… shes not going to approach her… yet! What happens when watching isn’t enough?
Boy oh Boy did I ever need a 5 star after that last stanktastic book I read. AND once again I need to thank my good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask for coming through with her‘soft banger alert’ that she issued and confirm that indeed it was a fantastic book.
This isn’t going to be for everyone, although I really think it should be.. but if you are after the Fast and Furious action packed thriller then perhaps this one won’t be for you.
I was completely immersed in this story and once again I finally found a good book and devoured it in a few days… so now I am back to not having picked another book… but that is another me issue.
The writing was fantastic, I loved the short sentences, the chapters were a little long in some sections but that was fine because I couldn’t stop reading it anyway. I loved that we were drip fed the story, not everything was spelt out for the reader, I did not have my figurative hand held and I enjoy that. I like to find out what is going to unfold. Especially since this was a bit of a slow burn you had to wait and be patient to find out the ins and outs of the story. I really enjoyed that….
It was told from multiple POVs and I as you I know I am sucker for that but if you need the heading of who is who at the top you aren’t going to get that… it is super simple to figure it out so if you get confused then I don’t know what to tell you… just keep reading cause it will become apparent who is who very quickly.
I really liked all the main characters even though they were all flawed and had some questionable behaviour along the way. Ruby’s story broke my heart, and Lennie was a fantastic friend all the way throughout what a great guy he was with no ill intentions just being a good best mate I found that really humbling and such a nice change of pace. None of this oh hey sure I’ll be your bestie but you gotta give me a bit of somethin’ somethin’ on the side… no way he was true salt of the earth.
Hannah is damaged and in need of … well I don’t want to give the story away but she needs what she needs and she is young and doing various dangerous things to try and get that ‘high’ she needs to fill a void… much like Ruby… who is playing with fire on the CCTV but she cannot stop…
This was really unique, the use of CCTV was something I haven’t read before and from what I understand from the authors note she did real research into the process and how much that CCTV operators actually do which I thought added a really great touch of realism. The story is set in Edinburgh, Scotland - so it was nice to have a story set in a different part of the world. It wasn’t super apparent that this was Scottish but I did enjoy the different style the author used.
As mentioned earlier this one wont be for everyone - so if you are looking for lots of action, kills and spills then you wont find it here. There is action but its soft action… there is tension that builds and you find yourself thinking back to the prologue as the story unfolds and I was going to myself omg… who was that about… you do find out but its slowly slowly but lots is definitely happening.
I made assumptions and was pleasantly surprised with twists and turns I was completely engaged and I will be checking out the authors other work.
Overall - would I recommend - YES But, with the caveat of the above “might not be for everyone” warning. But there is no harm in trying something new and the writing is truly top shelf so yes I would recommend it and I hope you enjoy it. Again thank you to Pink for the great recommendation you truly never steer me wrong
camille_withlove's review against another edition
3.0
This book is definitely a good book, it has twist and a sense of complexity that is easy to follow.
But the main character Ruby, is a total fiasco. I'm not sure if we had to sympathize with her but I didn't. In my opinion this is a lens eye view of a messy main character and the one she is watching, Hannah (just as unstable, although I didn't get what made her that intense) downfall.
In conclusion it's a well crafted thriller with a somewhat bizarre cast choice.
But the main character Ruby, is a total fiasco. I'm not sure if we had to sympathize with her but I didn't. In my opinion this is a lens eye view of a messy main character and the one she is watching, Hannah (just as unstable, although I didn't get what made her that intense) downfall.
In conclusion it's a well crafted thriller with a somewhat bizarre cast choice.
kaileyjane's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
janpd24's review against another edition
4.0
A gripping and suspenseful novel. The story is told skilfully and unfolds slowly, revealing layers that you hadn’t spotted or thought of earlier. I don’t want to give away much of the story, but will just say that this is thoroughly recommended for for anyone who likes crime thrillers.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
marcccb's review
3.0
3.5 stars
Corbin does a great job with this novel. She grasps the theme of obsession in this novel and doesn’t let it go until the very end. You can almost say that she becomes obsessed with the theme of obsession (or not, maybe it’s just me).
I don’t know about you but I was very paranoid after reading this because the fact that someone out there could be watching your every move from a security camera is really creepy. But I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy the sense of paranoia, it was such a rush!
I was really invested in the novel and I can’t say that I lost interest at all. It did get a little slow throughout but the suspense was still there. I loved Ruby’s character. She was so enjoyable to read. Corbin builds us an obsessive character who will go to great lengths to get what she wants. And I mean great lengths. You won’t get the whole story until you read the whole book and as you read it you uncover the plot and you think “Maybe Ruby’s not that crazy.”
But thinks again because she is. But she has good reasoning for the things that she does. This was a nice paranoia thriller and if I’m being honest those are the best kinds. It simply lacked a little in terms of “thriller,” but it was a creeper for sure!
Thank you Mullholland Books and Hachette Book Group for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Corbin does a great job with this novel. She grasps the theme of obsession in this novel and doesn’t let it go until the very end. You can almost say that she becomes obsessed with the theme of obsession (or not, maybe it’s just me).
I don’t know about you but I was very paranoid after reading this because the fact that someone out there could be watching your every move from a security camera is really creepy. But I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy the sense of paranoia, it was such a rush!
I was really invested in the novel and I can’t say that I lost interest at all. It did get a little slow throughout but the suspense was still there. I loved Ruby’s character. She was so enjoyable to read. Corbin builds us an obsessive character who will go to great lengths to get what she wants. And I mean great lengths. You won’t get the whole story until you read the whole book and as you read it you uncover the plot and you think “Maybe Ruby’s not that crazy.”
But thinks again because she is. But she has good reasoning for the things that she does. This was a nice paranoia thriller and if I’m being honest those are the best kinds. It simply lacked a little in terms of “thriller,” but it was a creeper for sure!
Thank you Mullholland Books and Hachette Book Group for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
isabellaaking's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
amazing!! ruby and hannah’s relationship is so complex but gripping, it’s a must read!
vickleanne's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0