Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
Fiction/Thriller
2015 Simon & Schuster Audio
Read by Madeleine Maby
Finished on August 25, 2015
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher’s Blurb:
HER PERFECT LIFE
IS A PERFECT LIE.
Ani FaNelli seems to have it all: a glamorous job at a glossy magazine; an enviable figure with the wardrobe to match; and a handsome fiancé from a distinguished blue blood family. But Ani FaNelli is an invention, that veneer of perfection carefully assembled in an attempt to distance herself from a shocking, sordid past.
As her wedding draws near, a documentary producer invites Ani to speak about the chilling incident that took place when she was a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School. Determined once and for all to silence the whispers of suspicion and blame, Ani must weigh her options carefully, when telling the whole truth could destroy the picture-perfect life she's worked so hard to create.
With a singular voice and a twist you won't see coming, Luckiest Girl Alive explores the deep-seated desire to fit in and the unbearable pressure that so many women feel to "have it all." Ani FaNelli is a complex and vulnerable heroine—one whose sharp edges protect a truth that will move, scandalize, and surprise you.
It wasn't until I was well into this book that I became completely engrossed. I didn't read any reviews or spoilers (do NOT read the Publishers Weekly review if you want to avoid spoilers), so I was shocked at the turn of events in Chapter 12. I think listening to the audio version of the book had an even greater impact on me during this chapter. All in all, a good read. Maybe not as good as The Girl on the Train, but certainly entertaining.
Final Thoughts:
Even after re-reading the publisher’s blurb and my notes, I still only have a vague recollection of this thriller. (And, I have absolutely no idea what happened in Chapter 12!) I’m tempted to drop the rating down a notch, but I’ll leave it as is since I did find it entertaining at the time. In a word, brain-candy.
A twist you won't see coming - well, these days it seems to take more and more for me to 'not see it coming'. I think I'm getting too used figuring things out, especially in the 'psychological thriller' vein. I just finished Lisa Gardner's new book and I like her books, but I was not exactly disappointed but less than thrilled. Probably good that I'll be having a bit of a break next week.
ReplyDeleteKay, it wasn't even really a twist like the ones we see in thrillers and mysteries. It was more an event that just completely stunned me as I listened to the reader describe the details. Never saw it coming in a million years!
DeleteEnjoy your break!
Well, now I'm curious about Chapter 12 and wonder if I'll remember it once I read it. lol
ReplyDeleteOh, I think you'll remember it, Kathy. After looking through the book it all came back to me quite vividly.
DeleteAs Kay mentions, it is harder to "not see it coming" when you read so many books in the same genre, but occasionally it really does happen. And finding a book entertaining as you read it is often good enough for me. I am fond of brain-candy!
ReplyDeleteJenclair, this was certainly a unique event for a thriller. At least I thought so! Yes, brain-candy is a good thing. They don't all have to be works of great literary prose, do they?
Delete