The Other Mother by Carol Goodman

William Morrow | March 2018 | 352 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Carol Goodman's latest release, The Other Mother, is a story about motherhood, love, delusions and madness.

Daphne Marist and Laurel Hobbes are two new mothers who suffer from postpartum depression. The former has intrusive thoughts about harming her baby (which she didn't but the thoughts terrify her) while the latter has a history of depression and mental illness. They knew each other through a supporting group with other women who share the same issue. Their daughters even have the same name - Chloe. Daphne and Laurel hit it off quickly despite their clashing personalities. Daphne is meek while Laurel is attractive and authoritative. Both husbands aren't really supportive given their condition and this has somewhat make them closer despite Laurel's disapproval opinions of Daphne at times. She thinks Daphne has no backbone although she is flattered when Daphne tries to dress and look like her.

Daphne, on the other hand, devises a plan to leave home with Chloe for fear that her husband would deem her unfit to be a mother and appeal for child custody. After seeing an ad for a position of an archivist to a writer, she decides to use Laurel's name for the application. After all, Laurel has the credentials and Daphne sees no harm in imposing as her friend. Tucked in the Catskills, Daphne's new employer's mansion seems like a fairytale with its lush landscaping surrounding it. The only thing that dampen the beauty of it is the mental institution just beyond its border. And Daphne is very much intrigued with Schuyler Bennett, her new employer, as well as the papers she is working on. Daphne's job is to help in organising the paperwork, which consists of Dr. Bennett's (Schuyler's father, who was once the director of the mental institution) records of the patients and his personal journal of the patients' condition. Daphne then become entranced by a particular patient who seems to have borderline personality disorder and soon she finds herself caught up in a labyrinth of deceptions and insanity as reality blurs with madness.

The Other Mother, like its content, was a bumpy ride filled with insanities and confusion. With the story split into three parts with three different voices and their personal journals in between accounting the events that happened at some point in their life, what seems to be an intricate story turns out more like a bewilderment tale of doubts and confusion at times. The first part of the story was the best as it showcase the friendship and struggles between Daphne and Laurel. The events happened in the mental institution was another interesting aspect, but I was kind of bothered by some of the doctors' mentality towards the patients. And most of all, the ending and the truth perplexed me as it seemed a little rushed and too far-fetched to me. Overall the story was promising; the structure of a psychological suspense was there and it would be a great read if the execution was better.

[From the book: Women with postpartum OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) - having intrusive and disturbing thoughts, sometimes about harming their child - are advised NOT to read the first-person stories until after they have recovered.]

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards

Sourcebooks | October 2016 | 320 pgs

Source: Library

A senior field trip is supposed to be fun, right? Well, maybe not in this story. 

Sera isn't keen to go for a field trip initially but rules are rules and they've to stick to it no matter they like it or not. What turns out to be a typical hiking trail becomes a nightmare when a flash flood cuts off the small group of eight into an even smaller group as the remaining three couldn't make it on time across the river as the heavy current hit on them. Divided by the river and with no signal on their cellphones, they decided that they could move on once the weather is cleared. But, they are wrong. Instead of moving on, they find themselves stuck in the remote, isolated woodland with a few incidents which struck them as scary. 

For starters, the four seniors who made it across the river woke up feeling groggy and suspected they are being drugged. Their teacher-in-charge, Mr Walker, hasn't come out of his drugged state and it terrifies them, not to mention if he would wake up at all. Then, they found their wrists are marked with a wording in dark ink. Lucas is marked as Dangerous, Jude as Deceptive, Emily as Damaged, and finally Sera as Darling. 

And when they make their way to find out the situation of the other three campers who are stuck opposite the river, they are horrified to see something disturbing hanging from a branch. It appeared to be a severed finger belonging to one of the campers but they could find no one there. What happened to them? Apparently they aren't alone as they thought and that whoever marked them must have known them well enough to brand them according to their issue. But Sera doesn't understand hers - Darling doesn't seem bad, does it? Or does she mean something special to whoever who had marked them? 

While the book blurb and the opening of the story straightaway captivates the reader's attention with an intense situation, it fell short on the developments - both plot-wise and characters-wise. I felt myself fidgeting like the characters; nervous yet unsure where the direction would go as the story progresses with nothing much happened except that the characters were going in circles with their fear and doubts towards one another. I suppose this was a buildup of the tension and suspense because the second half read fairly quickly and my assumptions started to accumulate. While the ending caught me by surprise, it didn't really satisfy my curiosity as I thought some parts seemed a bit unbelievable. Nevertheless it was an entertaining read albeit the few things I mentioned. 

Last but not least, I want to thank Lark for this buddy read. As with our previous buddy reads, we would ask each other questions pertaining to the book and the following questions are from Lark to me:

1. Which of the four main characters did you like most? And which did you like the least, and why?
Truth be told, I didn't really like any of the characters though I sympathised them given their issues. If I've to choose one to like, it would be Lucas. There was a side of him which surprised me. As for the one I liked the least, it would be Jude because of his cynicism.  

2. Would you read this author again? (Or if you have read her before, how did her other book compare to this one?)
Yes, I'll definitely read this author again. I've not read her books before so I'm glad to have discovered a new-to-me author via this buddy read.  

Now go visit Lark's blog to read her review and her answers to my questions. 

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Other Girl by Erica Spindler

St. Martin's Press | August 2017 | 256 pgs

Source: Library

Fifteen years ago, Miranda Rader was a wild girl from the wrong side of the tracks; aside from that she lies for her benefits and it is no wonder no one believes her when she asked for help on a particular night. Drunk and left stranded on the roadside after a row with her brother’s friend, she hitched a ride with a young couple who looked they were off to somewhere fun. Apparently the guy had an agenda as the next thing Miranda knew she and the other girl were bound prisoners in an isolated place. She managed to make her escape and made a promise to the other girl that she would find help but alas, no one believed her. Miranda didn't know what happened to that other girl and that fateful night has been haunting her all the way towards her adulthood. 

Now a PD Detective at her hometown in Louisiana, she is known for her honesty, integrity and steady hand in a crisis and has worked hard to earn the respect of her coworkers and the community. When she and her partner, Jake Billings, are called to investigate a brutal murder of the town most beloved college professor, Miranda finds a piece of evidence which chilled her to the core - it was an old newspaper clipping about that terrible night fifteen years ago. Further investigations have pointed to the murdered professor as a victim of a vengeful murder case, after all he seemed to have charmed many women with his good looks and charisma. Perhaps he had broken one vengeful woman along the way and ended up murdered in cold blood? It was a good assumption but that piece of old clippings keeps nagging on Miranda’s mind. Why did the professor keep that clippings? And most importantly, what is the motive behind his death? 

The Other Girl was a fast-paced and an intriguing suspense thriller, and it had me thinking and guessing even though I had a hunch what might have happened. Then again, there are some things which I felt was out of place and disrupted the flow of my reading experience. The chapters are written in a timeline format with a few flashbacks thrown in between the chapters and while I have no problem with this format, I thought the writing was somewhat choppy and then there was the romance between Miranda and Jake. Truth be told, I couldn't connect with them being in a relationship as the feelings they have for each other seemed to be cold and hot to me. Perhaps this was the author's intention but I felt it was unnecessary since nothing major happened between them and I didn't catch any romantic vibes among them. 

Overall it was a fast and an enjoyable read except the parts which I had stated. The ending was a little too convenient for my liking but still it was satisfying. I would definitely check out this author's next release.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn

Little, Brown and Company | March 2017 | 368 pgs

Source: Library

It all started on one particularly wine-soaked dinner party. Lucy and Owen invited a couple over to their house for some chitchat and mingling and their conversation has somehow steered towards relationship and open marriage. Lucy, the ever practical and sensible woman she is, balked over the idea for she couldn't imagine a normal couple would agree with that kind of suggestion. Lucy and Owen have been living in Beekman for a while where it is a town filled with stay-at-home moms who would team up to cook the school lunches and the dads would make things like pickles and cheese and ground their own spices for dinner parties. They're simple just like that. 

Lucy and Owen have traded their cramped Manhattan apartment to Beekman partly for the laid-back atmosphere but also for the sake of their autistic son, Wyatt. Lucy and Owen may not be a perfect couple but they do try their best to make their life happy and stress-free, which is challenging due to Wyatt who requires attention most of the times. As much as Lucy is dumbstruck over the open marriage issue, there is a small part of her which is intrigued by it. After their friends left their dinner party, Lucy and Owen casually discuss about the matter once again and ultimately they've come to an agreement of trying it out for six months. They named this short marital experience as 'The Arrangement' with some ground rules; which is no snooping, no leaving and no falling in love. They think a break from monogamy now could give them a moment to refresh their marriage life and come back as a happier and a more loving partner. But what follows is a series of events which they've never anticipated, and towards the end they'll have to ask themselves if 'The Arrangement' benefits their relationship or is it simply "the grass is always greener on the other side"? 

At times entertaining and at times thought-provoking, The Arrangement was an addictive read about a couple's bizarre experience to revitalise their marriage and ended up learning a few lessons along the way. As much as I found the open marriage issue appalling, I think there are some parts like middle-aged and dealing with challenging children is both relatable and spot-on. While I don't agree with 'The Arrangement' plan, I held on to the story because it was entertaining (I've never read anything like this before), hilarious (the dialogues and some events could be funny at times) and most of all, I wanted to know what happened to Lucy and Owen and hoped that they'd walk out from that experience to be wiser and more understanding towards their other half. Aside from Lucy and Owen, there are also a few characters that made this story interesting with their own stories and yes, they're somewhat connected to Lucy and Owen in some ways. Overall it was an entertaining read though I can't fathom why Lucy and Owen would think 'The Arrangement' is a good idea initially. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Child by Fiona Barton

Penguin Publishing Group | June 2017 | 384 pgs

Source: Library

An old house demolition in London which led to a discovery of a tiny skeleton which is believed to have been buried for years. Journalist Kate Waters first came across the headline "Baby's Body Found" at the bottom of the News section in Evening Standard when she was checking for the bylines of friends. She almost missed that section since the coverage was minimal and the papers was focused more on the London Olympics instead. Intrigued with the news and determined to write something more than a few vague paragraphs, Kate began searching and unravelling the mystery of the baby's death and her tasks led her to three women and how she got sucked into a family drama involving secrets and the lies someone has to cover up over a span of forty years. 

To be honest, I think the plot was brilliant and that twisty ending totally surprised me. However, what made me plod through this book slowly is the multiple narratives involving four women. I've to admit it took me a while to get used to the style and although it was an emotional read involving a baby, I didn't really feel connected to the characters (well perhaps with the exception of Kate). Kate was an interesting character who shows a great devotion and persistence in her work and that was my impression of her. I understand she was first featured in this author's first book, The Widow, though these two books aren't connected. I'd have to check that out since there are several good reviews of it on Goodreads. I suppose another thing that slowed down my reading is the pace of the story and at times I felt it dragging. Then again, this might be a personal view and that it's more of a character-driven kind of story so this may work well with readers who are into that style. That said, I thought the ending was a good one as I didn't see it coming.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

HQ  | March 2017 | 384 pgs

Source: Library

Sometimes I Lie is the second choice of a poll I conducted awhile back and I want to thank you again for helping me with the selection. 

In this book, we have Amber Reynolds as our unreliable narrator and she's in a coma. However, readers are able to read her thoughts through her subconscious mind although she remains comatose. We also learn that she hates her job working in the radio industry and most of all, she dislikes Madeline Frost, a well-known radio presenter of Coffee Morning because of the way she treats her lowly and coldly. Amber has also received a verbal warning from her boss that if she hasn't 'reconnect her ties' with Madeline, she'd be the one to leave her job. 

Back at home isn't entirely a bed of roses for Amber too as her relationship with her husband, Paul, has gone lukewarm. Worse, she suspects Paul of having an affair and that she is jealous that her younger sister, Claire, is getting chummy with Paul. What with her drab situation and her unhappy adolescence stage, it is easy to see why Amber is miserable and resentful so much so that she wants Madeline to be out of her life. 

Narrated in three different timeline 'Now', 'Then' and 'Before'; each timeline chronicles the events and emotionally state of Amber between her current circumstances of being comatose, the incidents occurred at home and at work before her coma and several diary entries respectively. While it was a boldly plotted thriller filled with many twists which had me reeling, I had mixed feelings about this book. Most of the characters here are unlikeable but this is not the main thing which got to me. I think my main issue probably lies with the twists, which was funny (and not to mention unthinkable) since that this element is at times essential in a psychological thriller but it was hard to say it without spoiling it. That being said, it was an unputdownable read and I think this would make a great reading group discussion.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Follow Me Down by Sherri Smith

Tom Doherty Associates | March 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Mia Haas left her hometown in Wayoata to begin a new life in Chicago. The idea of going back home has never crossed her mind until she received a phone call from Wayoata Police Chief, John Pruden. For a moment, Mia thought something has happened to her mother. She used to be an alcoholic and an accident had caused some trauma to her head. She is now living at a care home. But no, the call isn't about her but Lucas, who is Mia's twin brother. 

Lucas, who is a popular high school teacher, becomes a person of interest in a murder investigation of a sixteen-year-old girl named Joanna Wilkes. Joanna was one of Lucas's students, and there are rumours that they were romantically linked. Pruden's purpose of calling is to ask Mia to return to Wayoata to help them with their investigation, considering that Lucas couldn't be found and hopefully Lucas would turn himself in after "hearing" Mia's appeal. But of course Mia wouldn't do that; for she believes Lucas is the last person to have harmed an animal, let alone a person who is his student. Mia returns to Wayoata to unravel the truth herself, and soon finds out that things aren't as easy as she has thought; and on top of it she doesn't know who to trust given some bad blood with one or two residents and that she has lost the rapport with the Wayoata residents given she has been away for such a long while. Nevertheless, she is eager to find another suspect to prove Lucas's innocence but at times she wonders if Lucas is indeed guilty; after all why did he disappear if he is innocent? 

Follow Me Down was quite an addictive read surrounding Mia's quest in searching the truth and while it has an intriguing beginning, the middle tends to drag a bit and I found myself struggling to get through it as Mia "reunites" with the residents, get herself involved with her old guidance counsellor and a few other stuff alongside with her own investigation. I skimmed through bits of the book and continued with my reading earnestly when the momentum picked up once again. Despite the little hiccups I'd had with the book, I was curious to know what happened and I was glad I enjoyed it ultimately.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.