Scan barcode
A review by hannahpewee
Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne
1.0
This entire book reads like a bad Lifetime movie.
Let's start with the positives: the premise, while not incredibly original, was interesting enough - a stalker killing people out of devotion for our heroine. The book was engaging enough to keep me reading (sort of?).
However, this isn't enough to save the book, not by far. For starters, the main character comes across as being incredibly weak. She lacks a vibrant personality, quirks, charms, and character flaws. Instead, she's a hollow shell of a narrator that does nothing through the course of the book other than cry and dry-heave. There was one point I literally had to set the book down because she'd broken out into her millionth crying attack, all over the drop of a hat.
The romance of the story is underdeveloped and emotionless. We're given no reason to root for Sawyer to find new love, especially when her feelings over her ex are so muddled. One second she talks about how much she hates him, the next she's crying because she misses him so much. How is the audience supposed to take a stand when the main character can't?
In addition, the "big reveal" is incredibly predictable. I'm using really bad at guessing 'whodunits,' but I called this one from the first chapters. It's incredibly obvious and the attempts to hide the culprit come across as clumsy.
Lastly, some parts of this book just made NO SENSE. As I mentioned earlier, one minute Sawyer is hating her ex for beating her, the next she's remembering all their sweet kisses and gift exchanges. Half of the book, we were told Sawyer's home had no cell phone service - and then in the next chapter all her phones are suddenly working perfectly? One of the most ridiculous moments of all was when Sawyer visited the police station. She literally just walks right in and is granted permission to just take case files from an ACTIVE MURDER INVESTIGATION. What. The. Hell. It's so unrealistic it's insane.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book. The heroine is flat, the story lacks emotional investment, and the plot is predictable and ridiculous. I would give it a 1.5 star rating if I could, but alas.
Let's start with the positives: the premise, while not incredibly original, was interesting enough - a stalker killing people out of devotion for our heroine. The book was engaging enough to keep me reading (sort of?).
However, this isn't enough to save the book, not by far. For starters, the main character comes across as being incredibly weak. She lacks a vibrant personality, quirks, charms, and character flaws. Instead, she's a hollow shell of a narrator that does nothing through the course of the book other than cry and dry-heave. There was one point I literally had to set the book down because she'd broken out into her millionth crying attack, all over the drop of a hat.
The romance of the story is underdeveloped and emotionless. We're given no reason to root for Sawyer to find new love, especially when her feelings over her ex are so muddled. One second she talks about how much she hates him, the next she's crying because she misses him so much. How is the audience supposed to take a stand when the main character can't?
In addition, the "big reveal" is incredibly predictable. I'm using really bad at guessing 'whodunits,' but I called this one from the first chapters. It's incredibly obvious and the attempts to hide the culprit come across as clumsy.
Lastly, some parts of this book just made NO SENSE. As I mentioned earlier, one minute Sawyer is hating her ex for beating her, the next she's remembering all their sweet kisses and gift exchanges. Half of the book, we were told Sawyer's home had no cell phone service - and then in the next chapter all her phones are suddenly working perfectly? One of the most ridiculous moments of all was when Sawyer visited the police station. She literally just walks right in and is granted permission to just take case files from an ACTIVE MURDER INVESTIGATION. What. The. Hell. It's so unrealistic it's insane.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book. The heroine is flat, the story lacks emotional investment, and the plot is predictable and ridiculous. I would give it a 1.5 star rating if I could, but alas.