Thank you to MCD/FSG Books #Partner for sending me a free copy of this book, in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. I rate this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

This was my most anticipated May read, and I was so excited to finally be able to read it. I am torn on this one, it was an addictive read, and I kept waiting for this huge WTF moment. I was prepared to be shocked, and blown away. Sadly that moment didn't come. Now don't get me wrong, that's not a bad thing, I just read a lot of thrillers, and it's getting to the point that it's going to take A LOT to surprise me anymore.I do believe this book is going to be pretty huge though.

Even with the negative I just stated, I did like this book, it's broken down in parts, Part One, Part Two, and Part Three. Part three was my favorite, for me it felt like the best writing was within that section. Full disclosure here, I hate the name of the game they play "The Crave" it felt very immature, and every time it was stated in the book, I felt I was reading about 16 year olds, not Twenty-somethings. I wonder if I am the only one that felt that way? (speaking of the name of the "game", not the actual "game")

Now, lets point out what I did enjoy. Mike was a total creep, and so mentally unstable, just completely off his rocker. An unreliable character to the fullest. I appreciated his back story, it really explained how one's past can affect their future, mold you into something else entirely. It's harder to connect to Verity, because most of the focus on this book is on Mike. I love unreliable characters, they make reading so much fun, and they keep you on your toes. Not to mention, his childhood made my heart hurt, I had genuine sympathy for his character and what he experienced growing up.

Also, another huge aspect to this book that you don't get in the synopsis is how we as a society allow things to be okay for a man, but if a woman were to do the same thing, she is thought less of, called derogatory names, harassed, looked down upon and overall very poorly judged.  It's enough to make my blood boil sometimes thinking about. I love how the author brings attention to that topic. Women could learn a lesson from this book, that's for sure. #Feminismrules

I would say that I liked this book a lot. Was it what I expected? No, but I still found it to be an addictive read, I liked the writing style, and I think the character development was fantastic. I loved to hate all of them.

Guys. Whoa. This book is SUPER creepy.

This love story? is told through the eyes of an obsessed stalker. I honestly don't know what more info you need to convince you that you NEED to read this. It was such a fascinating, disturbing, upsetting point of view.

There is a special kind of magic that happens when you read form the antagonists point of view. Normally in a thriller you are lacking the baddies motivation - at least for the most part. In Our Kind of Cruelty you see Mike's infatuation with V. He explains his actions. You have a full explanation of what he believes and why he believes it. SO unsettling.

I spent most of the book wanting to yell at Verity ( a character who you barely get to know) to RUN, GIRL RUN! CALL THE POLICE! DO SOMETHING! Meanwhile you are watching Mike's thought process develop as he gets more and more lost in a "game" that he believes they are playing together.

I read part of this book sitting in a quiet, mostly empty cafe. On my walk home from the cafe I was convinced every single shadow was someone quietly watching me, following me. Such an uncomfortable feeling, but obviously speaks to the authors skills.

I don't know that I would necessarily call this book a thriller as it isn't particularly fast pace or thrilling.... is "unsettling and uncomfortable" a genre? One thing is for sure: I did not at all even a little predict how this book would turn out.

Overall this book was such a fun, unique, unsettling experience. I had the willies for days. I loved it.

This book is perfect for readers that loved You by Caroline Kepnes. Both are the story of a stalker, told through the eyes of the stalker, but they are VERY VERY different stories.

Well, that sure was a crazy ride.

Mike is the epitome of unreliable narrators. His inner dialogues are so earnest, you can't tell if he is crazy, dangerous, duped...or a mix of all three.

This isn't your typical thriller in which you are guessing who committed the crime. Instead you are trying to figure out if any crimes have been committed, what any potential crimes were, who did what, and where did it all start.

I devoured this in two days. I needed to know what had happened, who was at fault (anyone?), and what was the resolution.

Our Kind of Cruelty is completely deserving of all the buzz it has received, and will continue to receive.

Simply, I craved this book.

Mike's life is going according to plan: a high paying career in banking that will allow him to retire in his mid forties, and Verity, his beautiful girlfriend he's madly in love with and plans to marry.
When he leaves London for a two year job in New York, things slowly cool off with Verity and by the time he visits home for Christmas, things have gone very wrong.
Mike tells us all about his childhood, how he met Verity and his overwhelming love for her, and how he plans to make things right and win her back. After all, this is just part of their game... But does Verity know they're playing?
Our unreliable narrator Mike keeps the book moving at a steady pace as events spiral and we learn shifting perspectives when he explains the reactions of others to his behavior. Everyone enjoys hearing the juicy story straight from the source and that's what really drew me into this story: it's written as if Mike is confiding in the reader.
Our Kind of Cruelty reminds me of the Caroline Kepnes novel You, based on the mental state and obsessions of the main characters, the main difference being that in Cruelty, Mike is completely unlikeable.
I enjoyed this story though it felt like it had been done before (several You comparisons) and I appreciate the message the author is sending with the ending.

I don't get to read many thrillers where the main POV is from the male stalker. I really enjoyed listening to You by Caroline Kepnes on audio (Santino Fontana's voice is brilliant) so that's what attracted me to Our Kind of Cruelty. While I know You had very polarizing reviews, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book, but I wanted to give it a chance.

The basics are pretty simple: Mike and Verity are in love. They play a game called 'crave', where they go to a night club separately. Verity waits for someone to hit on her while Mike watches from afar. Then he swoops in to 'save' her. This turns them on. But after 7 years together, Verity breaks up with Mike, and announces she's getting married to another man. Mike is devastated, but he is convinced this is just another, more hyped-up version, of their crave game. You see, Mike and Verity have their own codes and signals, and Mike knows this is all a part of some grand plan to be together again.

Or is it?

Our Kind of Cruelty starts out with Part 1, Mike's inner monologues. We get into his head and see what he does on a day to day basis. I wasn't quite sure what to think when I was reading this part. I just didn't know how much crazy I was going to encounter. I kept thinking to myself, "What exactly is the plot of this book? Because I am all sorts of confused right now." Once the book segues into Part Two, things really begin to pick up. Is Verity really trying to get rid of Mike, or is she still playing the crave? Is Mike really the delusional, obsessive ex-boyfriend?

I won't reveal any more details because I don't want to spoil it for you. If you want to delve into the mind of a stalker and read about twisted games, then this may be your jam. There isn't any action, and the sex and violence is minor. I was pulled into the story once I got to Part 2, and I felt so much anger and disgust. I will hand it to the author, she does a great job at invoking these emotions in me. I love a good page-turning psychological thriller. While I did enjoy the structure, writing, and overall story, it was a middle of the road read for me.

Our Kind of Cruelty releases May 8, 2018. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy for review.

Please be advised: Trigger warning for abusive relationships, stalking.

For years, unreliable women have dominated the thriller scene. But what happens when you are reading from the perspective of an unreliable man? In OUR KIND OF CRUELTY, author Araminta Hall gives us exactly that. Through the eyes of Mike, we watch as he plays a vicious game with his ex-girlfriend...but is it really a game, or is Mike just delusional? You'll have to read to find out, but trust me when I say that this book will keep you on your toes until the very last page...literally. Hall weaves a complicated thriller full of gray areas, red herrings and plenty of chilling twists. This is a mystery you will crave long after you've finished it, and I look forward to seeing more from her in the coming years!

I will address the elephant in the room and say this did have a 'You' feeling about it, but it was too straight forward. Mikey is your standard, every day Looney Tunes.

He is a character that you will want to pick up, dust off, and kiss his booboo. Truly a sad story that isn't far from many foster kids' reality.
It makes me sad knowing that many people go through life thinking that they are a half that needs someone else to be 'whole'. This is where Mike has built his relationship with V. Right there on the firm belief that not only is he not enough without her, she can not live without him.
This book took me on a dark ride through Mike's head while he played a game that no one else wanted to play.

In the end it felt a bit more like a true crime novel with about half of the story taken up with the trial.
It was all wrapped up with a 'social statement' bow. While I completely agree with what the author was getting at with this statement (gender equality, specifically when looking at sexuality). It came off a bit contrived and took away from the book over all, in my humble opinion..
In the end I would give 3.5 stars but we certainly get to round up because Mike kept me hooked right from the beginning.

This book was so twisted and i just loved it! One of the first things i noticed was the crazy one was….the Man- A nice change from most of the psychological thrillers I love reading.
Mike and Verity broke up because Mike was unfaithful to her, he returns to London from New York to do what he must do to win her back, there is one problem however, Verity is now engaged. This is supposedly how their relationship goes, they “crave” and now its Mikes turn to prove to Verity that he is the one. Is she a part of their game this time or is it all in Mikes head? It is great fun trying to figure our what is the truth and what is all in Mikes head.
Mike is clearly a sociopath, but with his troubled childhood and delusional thoughts, I actually felt sympathy for him at times. It was also fun trying to figure out if Verity was a vixen or victim. Do not pass this one up! I can’t wait to see what for Araminta Hall’s next one! Thanks Net Galley!

Given in advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. This book blew through all my expectations… It’s more than just a psychological thriller, it’s a statement about how women are often victimized in our society and are seen as extensions of men’s desire, even when that desire is clearly insane. This book is not being marketed at this time in the US as a feminist parable, which is a shame because that’s what it is and will appeal to an audience outside of those of us who enjoys reading psychological thrillers. This should be mandatory reading in feminist psychology classes as well as women studies in the law. I’ll be thinking about this book for a very long time. The true art of this book is that I, a “survivor” of this kind of psychological abuse, would often be caught up in the male protagonist’s headspace, which only goes to show how we are taught to prioritize male fantasy over women’s reality.

"but,my darling, our kind of cruelty is love by another name."

A dark and twisted love story gone wrong. Mike and Verity are in love. They play this game called the CRAVE in which she stands alone by the bar waiting for a man to hit on her while Mike watches, once the man chats her up she gives a signal (when enough is enough) to Mike by tugging on a eagle necklace she always wear so he can swoop in and rescue her. This turns them both on but to what expense?

This story is mainly told in Mike's perspective so you get a sense of what a warped sense of reality he is in and how interprets his love with Verity. Sometimes you think hes absolutely a nut job then the author does a perfect job of making you wonder is Verity just that conniving. This book kept me on my toes with wondering how this would play out in the end. Is Mike really that far off from reality or is Verity an evil women playing into Mike's game this whole time? GOSH, i LOVED this book soooo much!!

Thanks NetGalley and to everyone involved! I enjoyed this book from front to back.

As I read this novel, I could only think of how dangerous it is to allow someone to take over who you are. The protagonist allows V to form him into what she wants him to be and when she wants to end the relationship, he doesn’t know how to be anyone but hers so he creates this fantasy that is quite overpowering. Very interesting concept. I enjoyed the story immensely.

This will be a book that gets mixed reviews. It is dark and I find stalkers intriguing so I was drawn to the synopsis. I can see why it is being compared to You, but for me, it just didn't pull it off.

With this book, what you read is exactly what you get..warts and all. I absolutely hated it. I think that was part of the point of the story though. The main character "Mike" is a detestable, slimy stalking piece of crap. He and the Judge who tried the case should be taken out back and have a bullet forcefully shoved between their eyes. The truth is that women are judged on a completely different scale than men. This just wasn't a book that I should have read, because it's a subject that's bound to get my dander up. "That's putting it politely." I thought the author did a great job in her storytelling, and I'd probably read something else by her. I'll confess though, I'm thoroughly sick and tired of this kind of story. My thanks to the publishers and Netgally for letting me read this. Now I think I'll go read something more pleasant. Horror maybe?

OH. MY. This book is messed up and I loved every second of it. Once I started it, I was unable to put it down.
I'm not going to get into the plot because this is the type of book you need to read for yourself but if you're looking for a dark, disturbing book about obsessive love...Our Kind of Cruelty is the book for you!

I read this book in ONE day. I could not stop because I HAD to know who was playing who. No Spoilers but you must read for yourself. Amazing

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for a review. Don't want to give a thing away. Read this book. Now!! SO great! You won't be able to put it down!

This was a thoroughly compulsive read. I picked it up in the morning and refused to go to bed until I'd finished. I won't be giving up any major spoilers but I will say that Mike is a great unreliable narrator and his recounting of this tale is consistently darkly disturbing. But more disturbing things are at play here too and that's what I really liked about this book.

This tense tale is told in three parts. The first Mike's written account to his attorney while awaiting trial for murder. The second part was quite taut as it covers the event that lights the fuse for what you already know is going to be a explosion that's going to destroy more than one life. The final part is focused on the trial and I have to say that I found this part not only tense but also infuriating. While the first two parts give insight to quite a lot of gross male behavior and many instances of Mike being so consistently dismissive of the women in his life (Verity, Carly, Kaitlyn, Lottie) whom he always knows better than they do, what they mean when they speak and act. He also thought of himself as god-like in comparison to other men who displayed dismissive behavior toward women. I was taken with how the author was able to express this over and again in different ways. This dismissing of a woman theme never got boring and always stung and no more than in the denouement. It also struck me that quite a bit of Mike's tendencies, actions, physical attributes and economic status could quite easily be transferred to some romance novels and contextually be seen as sexy, endearing and expressions of his devotion and love. Additionally, the discomfort of a society still at odds with women being sexual entities exercising their own agency played out. The Crave game played by Mike and Verity was no doubt cruel and twisted but they were not equally apportioned blame and judgement for it.

When I read the summary for this I was just expecting a thriller in the same vein of You by Caroline Kepnes but the third act is the unexpected surprise that I feel really shines here. The trial proceedings and the judge adjudicating particularly irritated me. The newspaper article that Mike saved was an interesting inclusion as it was really nothing to do with Verity and everything to do with the female writer's own bad experience (her husband ran off with a woman she likened to Verity) and lingering anger over it. That she mentions no anger toward or assigns any blame for that situation to her husband was as representative of the worst theme at play in this whole story as anything. That women are responsible for the bad behavior of men and therefore need to be brought low. The judge says as much too, just to drive it home. I too had an initial impulse to lay some of the blame for the resolution on Carly because she didn't fly in to testify when I could have given a more clear view of Mike (though the judge said he wasn't going to allow her testimony because he didn't find Mike's past sexual history of relevance.) But then I thought of what Carly'd already lost and what doing so would have cost her additionally. Given what happened with Verity, I felt sure Carly's past sexual history would become highly relevant in the cross examination, so I couldn't blame her for protecting herself.

I'll be thinking about this one for a while as the themes really struck a chord. It's out in May 2018, just in time for summer book clubs and beach season. It's a thriller that'll leave you thinking when it's done. Definitely recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley & publisher MCD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an extremely dark and graphic novel about a man named Mike who is totally obsessed with his true love Verity. Mike was raised in a tough home environment, but he has risen above that and is now the man that he thinks Verity will desire the most. The two of them have a sexual game that they call “the crave.” It is really twisted, as is most of this book. When Verity gets married and invites Mike to the wedding, the whole plot seems to unravel as the reader delves into a subconscious that is sickly deteriorating. I did not enjoy this book at all; the sex scenes were too graphic. The details were too many and too dark and the chapters were way too long.