Read, Run, Ramble

Title: Her

Author: Harriet Lane

Genre: Psychological Thriller (or so they say)

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: January 6, 2015

Format: Paperback ARC via Goodreads

Synopsis

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

My review (published at Read, Run, Ramble):

Thank you Little, Brown and Company via Goodreads for providing me with an early copy of this book!

Okay, this book had tons of promise – the premise is intriguing and suspenseful! How could these girls know one and other? What could have gone so wrong? What would drive one of them to go to such lengths while the other doesn’t even remember their relationship? So many questions; so many paths this book could take.

And it didn’t take any of them.

First, I didn’t love the writing; it felt disjointed and stunted most of the time. The chapters jump from one woman’s POV to the next (Nina and Emma), but not in a way that works for the story. Basically, something happens in the story and is told in one woman’s POV, then Lane turns it around and tells the exact same story, with very little variance, from the other woman’s POV. It just didn’t work for me and I love that type of storytelling – it is normally one of my favorite modes of getting all the details in a novel.

Not only did the writing not get there for me, but the storyline took a rather boring turn. It isn’t until about three quarters of the way through the book when readers learn how Nina knows Emma and why she’s being so manipulative, secretive, vengeful, and downright creepy. And the reason/secret is silly and inconsequential in my opinion.

Next, we have the ending. When I looked down and realized I had approximately 7 pages left in the book and there was no lead up to an ending in sight, I knew things probably weren’t going to conclude very well. I was right. The ending is abrupt and awkward – it just jumps out and happens and leaves you wondering what in the hell just happened and why. Especially after having found out the “secret” a couple chapters back and that secret being so underwhelming.

Sadly, I cannot recommend this book even though it had so much promise.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.