As the weather turns colder I admit I do love a good thriller and The New Girl covered those bases for me on a dreary Sunday. I enjoy reading books set in other locations and this one features Australia.

I won't talk about the story too much as I feel the synopsis does give you a fairly good basis of the plot and what might follow. The characters were well developed and although at first I didn't feel I knew Mary I loved how we found new layers of her as the story moved forward. Her diary entries were especially good, at times graphic and had me begging for more. In fact Ingrid (Author) was great at making you want more each chapter, making you work for it and then rewarding. I don't want to talk much about the other characters in the book, I'm not one for spoilers but big mentions obviously go to Cat, Mary's best friend who played a massive part in her growth and everything happened. But obviously Rachel, the new room mate. Who I will let you make your own mind about.

I will add this book is not a slow burner, you feel the tension early on. Mary is a great narrator in this tale, but can you trust everything she tells you? That's what I loved about this book. I found this book quite eerie early on. There's so much you don't know at first that you start coming up with all your own conclusions. Many of mine were wrong. Some were predictable.

I feel those who like a good thriller set in Australia with a great set of characters (Who aren't all very likeable) will enjoy The New Girl. There may be some triggers for some (Abusive relationship) so bare that in mind too. The reason I didn't give this book 4 stars (And it was very close to 4 stars) is that at times the story was a little confusing. IT felt a little 'bitty', like we were given slabs and there wasn't a flow. This wasn't throughout the book, but I do like my books to kind of flow and this was a little jumbled. Still a easy 3.75 stars on this one.

I was given this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review. I already had it on my shelves to read before hand so would have purchased this book anyway.

This was an okay read for me. The plot jumped all over the place, the characters were not likable, I couldn't connect to the main character Mary. Overall it felt a bit dark and creepy. I skim read the book to avoid getting scared. The ending had a twist but it felt rushed.
Not the way I want to spend Sunday afternoon.

2.5 stars really!
I wanted to like this - especially as the blurb was filled with much promise., but it just didn’t deliver....
I really didn’t like the characters and there were loose ends that remained loose and some of the twists were really predictable.
I think there are better books out there - but it’s a reasonable read.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. It started so well then became repetitive and was quite an obvious outcome. I’d recommend it as a beach red. 3/5 on goodreads.

I found this book quite strange, creepy yet addictive. Wasn’t what I expected & j thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for the preview

The New Girl is one of those books where the blurb doesn't really fit the book, actually remove the word really from that sentence as it doesn't fit at all.

But that isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless you loved the sound of the blurb I suppose. There is no mention of the book being set in Sydney, something that I really liked and from reading other reviews I am not alone with that. The setting doesn't have a big role, but I still enjoyed the walks on the beach.

The main character, Mary, is an interesting character. If you like your characters to be unreliable witnesses then Mary is for you. She is so very unreliable and as a reader I was never quite sure whether she was completely insane, mentally ill or a pathological liar. I also spent the whole of the book thinking that the name Mary just didn't fit the character.

Mary's relationship with her oldest friend Cat was complex and at times confusing, was she good or bad? Did she really have Mary's interests at heart?

And then there's Rachel, a character that comes in late but quickly becomes an important character, but is she who she seems?

So you might be getting the fact that the reader doesn't really know what is going on and who is who for a good chunk of the book, it is full of unreliable characters and slow reveals. The start of The New Girl grabbed me, I was sucked right in and desperate to find out more, I did feel that the book lost its way a bit in the middle and was trying to juggle too many things, but I still wanted to keep reading so that I could find out what was really going on.

There's a big twist at the end, one that you might have worked out already, or partly so, but that isn't always a bad thing. There are, however, quite a few plot holes and loose ends that aren't tied up or explained. I think that the book would have benefited from a shorter middle and a longer, less rushed, end.

The New Girl by Ingrid Alexandra is an interesting read, it is a shame that the blurb isn't truer to the actual book but it is a quick and easy read and one that I'm pleased that I read.

Ingrid Alexandra's novel The New Girl comes out in paperback in October but you can grab a copy on your kindle right now for the bargain price of 99p; perfect for reading by the beach or pool this summer.

Mary is an orphan following her parents' disappearance when she was in her teens, resulting in a wealthy inheritance. She's recently moved across Australia in a bid to escape from her ex-boyfriend Mark who is violent and has been threatening to kill her. No one else knows of her location about from her Aunt who despite Mark's most recent visit, isn't about to reveal where she is staying. Mary now lives in a flat with Ben and her best friend Cat. In order to raise more funds the friends advertise for a new flatmate and it is left to Mary to show around applicant Rachel. They instantly hit it off and Rachel soon moves in, though it appears that Cat isn't so sure about her.

Rachel starts to confess in Mary, asking her to keep her past secret from Cat and the two become even closer, prompting disharmony between the former friends; add to that a blossoming relationship between Ben and Mary and some odd phone calls from a mystery caller who can only be Mark. Rachel's behaviour becomes a little odd; sleepwalking into Mary's bedroom at night and watching her sleep. The problem for the readers is that Mary drinks - so how reliable is her narrative, can the reader actually trust her past or even her present?!

The ending comes with a twist and is certainly a cliffhanger!

3☆ Friendships and Trust

The New Girl is a thriller that makes you think about trusting new people and inviting them into your home.

Mary and Cat share a house together but they decide they need to get another lodger to help pay the rent.
In walks Rachel. She seems to be the perfect housemate. But Cat just feels that something isn't quiet right about her.
But is it just jealousy as Mary is her best friend and the saying goes.... two's company Threes a crowd! Or is it something more?

I had mixed feelings with this book.
At times I felt the plot was a little confusing and disjointed as the story jumped about a fair bit. There was plenty of twists.

The characters wasn't particularly likeable but I think that was the point you wasn't meant to.
There are some sensitive subjects which some readers may find difficult such as relationship abuse and mental health.

Overal The New Girl is a good read with good dose of twists. It just wasn't my usual suspenseful gritty dark thriller/mystery I usually read.


Thank you to Avon books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This was a CREEPY book in all the best ways. I'm questioning my relationship with everyone in my life now. It's scary.

The New Girl by Ingrid Alexandra was another good read that had a thread of mystery running through it.

Mary has come out of an abusive and quite frankly, creepy relationship and is hiding from her ex. Bits and pieces of a blood-filled night plague her and she doesn’t remember the details. A new roommate named Rachel moves into Mary’s apartment and there’s something not quite right about this girl. She sleepwalks, is also coming out of an abusive relationship, and I immediately didn’t trust her.

What is the real story with Rachel? I wondered what the link was to Mary and how these two might have known each other. Mary begins to receive cryptic notes and she’s convinced her ex is messing with her. The police won’t take her seriously. Is she imagining everything?

Here’s what you need to know:

When Rachel moves into the spare room in Mary’s flat, everyone is quick to jump to the conclusion that there’s something strange about her. Everyone apart from Mary.

And when Rachel starts sleepwalking, everyone’s fears grow. But there’s something about the new girl that Mary can’t help but trust, and having recently escaped a toxic relationship, she needs the support. Rachel becomes a friend and an ally, and Mary soon discovers that they have more in common than she ever could have imagined.

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to review this book. This was a decent, twisty thriller that you probably won’t figure out. I enjoyed it and would read more from this author.

4.5 Stars.
She may live in the UK now, but we will still claim her as our own! Sydney's own Ingrid Alexandra is making a big name for herself as a best-selling thriller author, as her debut novel hits stores here is Australia next month! Out now in the UK, it is a complex, chilling and crazily-twisted read that I devoured in one sitting - while glued to my chair!

Mary and her best friend Cat move from Melbourne to Sydney after Mary leaves an abusive relationship. They live in an eastern Sydney apartment by the beach with a flatmate, however they need extra funds and a new housemate so Rachel soon moves in. Everyone thinks there is something odd about her and Mary is the only one who really connects with her. But Rachel seems to know a lot about Mary. More than she should. What exactly is it that she is hiding?

I thought this was a great read! Twisted and chilling, it was impossible for me to put down! 

The writing was excellent! Gradually, small parts of information became clear as you went along, which built up some awesome tension, and it had some MAJOR twists and turns.

The characters were all really well imagined. You couldn't know who to trust, who was playing or being played. I love books that do that! No character was reliable and it left it open for anything to happen! There was drama, action, so many psychological twists and turns, and even a little romance!

The only problem I had was that the ending was a little TOO twisted. A little too out there. But I still enjoyed it. Those twists and turns, Man! They were something!

Would I recommend The New Girl?
Absolutely! Thriller fans will eat this one up. It was REALLY well imagined and well written and I have no doubt that we will be seeing much more from this talented Aussie author in the future!

*Thanks to Avon books and the author via Netgalley for a copy of The New Girl in exchange for my honest review.

The first half of this book is great, it really drew me in and kept me curious. Sadly, the second half of this book was very disjointed and it didn’t flow as well as it should. I did enjoy it overall, however would have like the end of the book to be stronger as it really didn’t come together and left me with unanswered questions about the characters.

I enjoyed this book for about the first half, then it began to fall apart. I didn't buy the whole story, and the characters were simply stupid. Had to give up half way through. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a advance copy.

This one started out well and had me interested in the characters and story, but I ended up getting confused as I read on. There were several times where I was unsure of what was going on between the characters and I felt lost. The ending was unexpected and not what I thought was going to happen so that was fun but overall this one was not really for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

Ugh... this book just really dragged for me. I couldn’t get into it. Some other people might love this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for th advance reading copy. 2.5/5

Well, talk about confused. Split personality, did she or did she not, did he or did he not. I was quite exhausted by the end of this book. And really I am not even sure what the ending was. It does give a deep insite into mental illness. I defiantly had to get to the end to sort my mind out. Well written but not a book that I would say I enjoyed.

Lock up your doors, switch on all the lights in your house and find some place to hide behind the sofa because Ingrid Alexandra’s terrifying debut The New Girl is a white-knuckle ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make your heart pound!

Mary is desperately in need of a fresh start and a new beginning. After finally freeing herself of her poisonous ex and their toxic relationship, Mary is determined to put the past behind her once and for all and to seek greener pastures elsewhere as far away from her old life as it is possible to get. A move from Sydney to Melbourne is precisely what the doctor ordered and Mary is keen to shake off the confining shackles of her old life and become the mistress of her own destiny where she has all the freedom and independence she craves and is answerable to nobody. Free to make her own choices and decisions, Mary moves into a new flat with her best friend Cat. With a spare room going spare, the two friends soon find themselves welcoming new girl Rachel into the mix and her arrival immediately begins to cause ructions in the flat.

Everyone in the flat is suspicious of Rachel. There is something about her that that seems to rub everyone up the wrong way. However, Rachel does have an ally: Mary, who forms a bond and an affinity with the new girl. Mary cannot understand why all the other girls seem to have taken against her. But should she heed her flatmates’ warnings and be a bit wary of Rachel? Is Rachel as harmless as Mary thinks she is? Or is the new girl someone she should keep at arm’s length?

Mary and Rachel might have become fast friends, but when Mary discovers that they’ve far more in common than she previously imagined, she begins to fear for her safety and her sanity. Rachel seems to know things about her that Mary is sure she never told her before. Has Mary invited the enemy into her own home? Is Rachel friend or foe? And will the new girl end causing Mary irreparable damage?

A terrifying read that will have you sleeping with the light on for weeks on end, The New Girl is a nail-biting thriller guaranteed to give you nightmares. Menacing, creepy and chilling, The New Girl is a tightly plotted, wonderfully crafted and well-written debut written with plenty of style and flair and packed with twists and turns aplenty. The New Girl is a book that grips you from the start and only lets you go when you’ve turned the last page – only to find yourself unable to stop thinking about it.

A writer with a very bright future ahead of her, The New Girl is an assured debut from an outstanding new writer in the genre: Ingrid Alexandra.

A gripping thriller that sees our protagonist Mary on the run from an abusive relationship and living in a shared flat on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Mary's parents disappeared when she was 15 years old and she soon found herself living with Mark, a man much older than herself, in Melbourne. The relationship, however, is toxic. Mary is often mentally abused, sometimes physically, and as a mechanism to cope turns to drink and drugs and often suffers from blackouts. Then one night Mary awakes with little memory of a party she and Mark attended, covered in blood and with just vague flashbacks of Mark holding a bloody brick. She goes on the run to Sydney, determined to get her life together and put Mark behind her forever.
Going to Sydney with her is her best friend Cat, and they soon move into a 4 bedroom apartment on the beach with a guy named Ben. To make ends meet the three advertise the 4th bedroom and a troubled girl, Rachel, moves in with them. Mary and Rachel soon click, sharing similar backgrounds, but soon it becomes clear that all is not as it seems, as Rachel knows more about Mary and what she's been through than she should.
Mary can't seem to get it together though. She's drinking excessively and still wakes up with no memories as to what she's been doing. She starts to get flashes of memory from the fateful party in Melbourne and struggles to put together the whole story. Rachel steps in to try to help her remember, and Mary tries to figure out who she can trust, when she can't even trust herself. What really happened that night? Is someone withholding secrets from her? And where does Rachel fit into the picture?
I raced through this book, trying to find answers and I must say I got Rachel's character totally wrong! An excellent thriller, riveting, chilling at times, and thoroughly entertaining. Recommended for all lovers of psychological fiction.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book fascinating. Its all about our two main characters Mary and Rachel. Mary decides to get a roommate after leaving her abusive boyfriend and then she stumbles across Rachel. The two move in instantly. The book is set up in almost two parts the main one where the two girls are living together and then the past where Mary is dealing with her abusive partner and a potential murder. Things are going fine until the past catches up to them and Mary's partner decides to try to find her.That is when things take a turn for the worse and Rachel soon finds out that her friend Mary might not be as friendly as she once thought. I found this book very fast pace and ever time I tried to put it down it turned into one more chapter. While I usually don't like books that jump back and forth I found this one easy to get lost in because it gave lots of back story and it wasn't to confusing because of the interesting way that the author laid it out. The characters were very interesting both the good ones and the bad ones and it left you wanting to know more about all of them and their histories. This book had everything from romance to thriller, to adventure and starting new. Very glad I got the chance to read it. It did kind of remind me of the movie "Single, White, Female" when her roommate started to become a little obsessed with her but those kinds of plots always bring up that movie for me. This book leaves the reader always guessing what is going to happen next. The best part about this one is definitely the way that the author brings you into both characters lives. You really get a chance to see into their heads. Very nice read and the ending wow what a shocker, it put a whole new spin on the story I just read. Loved it!