Take a photo of a barcode or cover

stuckinthebook 's review for:
The Guest
by Cathryn Grant
I read this after reading another thriller. Probably not advisable but I was just desperate to read this one because I had heard such good reviews. And it didn’t disappoint.
The story is told from the main character’s, Ellie’s perspective. It follows her and her family who have allowed a man, who is apparently her husband’s cousin’s friend, to stay with them whilst he finds his feet in a new neighbourhood. I know what you’re thinking, who just allows a random man to stay with them and their family? I thought exactly the same. Is it believable? If I’m honest, although it doesn’t sound too believable, it actually worked for this story.
I really enjoy thrillers that offer a prologue and epilogue. I think they really add something extra to the story and the whole ‘thrill’ of the book. In this book, the epilogue is quite shocking and makes everything in the book make sense. Once you’ve read the epilogue, everything Ellie did, makes sense and adds a bitter after taste to the book.
I still can’t decide whether I liked Ellie or not. She was extremely judgemental, very anxious about everyone and everything, as well as a little controlling when it came to her family. She took control of nearly all the family routines and I question whether that is because she had to or she preferred to.
I never liked her husband. I got bad vibes from the start. Yet some characters aren’t all who they are made out to be, and once you finish this book you may see him in a different light.
I really enjoyed this book but I feel like towards the end, the book did become slightly rushed and I had to reread a few sentences to make sure I knew what was happening and how. I tend to write notes whilst I’m reading because when it comes to writing my review, I can sense how my thoughts and feelings changed (or didn’t change) throughout. I wrote early on in my notes that the fact that Seth (Ellie’s husband) is her children’s step-father isn’t very well-explained, and we are left in the dark about her children’s father. Little did I know what Cathryn Grant had up her sleeve, and this added surprise at the end of the novel, is the reason I am rating this book so highly. For that, you will have to wait and see yourselves.
Available to buy in the UK from 24th May, this is surely a thriller that will be read by most, if not every book club out there.
The story is told from the main character’s, Ellie’s perspective. It follows her and her family who have allowed a man, who is apparently her husband’s cousin’s friend, to stay with them whilst he finds his feet in a new neighbourhood. I know what you’re thinking, who just allows a random man to stay with them and their family? I thought exactly the same. Is it believable? If I’m honest, although it doesn’t sound too believable, it actually worked for this story.
I really enjoy thrillers that offer a prologue and epilogue. I think they really add something extra to the story and the whole ‘thrill’ of the book. In this book, the epilogue is quite shocking and makes everything in the book make sense. Once you’ve read the epilogue, everything Ellie did, makes sense and adds a bitter after taste to the book.
I still can’t decide whether I liked Ellie or not. She was extremely judgemental, very anxious about everyone and everything, as well as a little controlling when it came to her family. She took control of nearly all the family routines and I question whether that is because she had to or she preferred to.
I never liked her husband. I got bad vibes from the start. Yet some characters aren’t all who they are made out to be, and once you finish this book you may see him in a different light.
I really enjoyed this book but I feel like towards the end, the book did become slightly rushed and I had to reread a few sentences to make sure I knew what was happening and how. I tend to write notes whilst I’m reading because when it comes to writing my review, I can sense how my thoughts and feelings changed (or didn’t change) throughout. I wrote early on in my notes that the fact that Seth (Ellie’s husband) is her children’s step-father isn’t very well-explained, and we are left in the dark about her children’s father. Little did I know what Cathryn Grant had up her sleeve, and this added surprise at the end of the novel, is the reason I am rating this book so highly. For that, you will have to wait and see yourselves.
Available to buy in the UK from 24th May, this is surely a thriller that will be read by most, if not every book club out there.