Member Reviews
A twisted and fast-paced domestic thriller lacking a bit of character development.
As an avid thriller and mystery reader, I enjoyed the fast pace of this book. Told from three different points of view with flashbacks occurring throughout, the first portion of the book seems to really focus in on the love triangle between the characters, which left me wanting to speed ahead and get to the thrills. I also wanted a bit more when it came to character development and writing that truly captured a vision of the characters in my mind.
I saw some of the ending coming, but did enjoy that it was still a bit of surprise and thrill to finish things off. A decent thriller compared to my past reads, but one that needed a bit more oomph in the character department.
4.5 Stars
After an accident, Diana Sparrow lost the previous few months of her memory. As she is recovering from her painful injuries, she is trying to piece together what she knew from before with what is happening now. However, those closest in her life seem to think they know what’s best for her. When things aren’t adding up, Diana must push forward in the only way she knows how.
“Is not being able to remember the same as forgetting?
Going into this book, the blurb had me hooked due to the combination of suspenseful and angsty elements. With the narrative shifting between past and present and among multiple POVs, the pace and plot unravels steadily as knowing more evokes more questions.
“Even if the memories are painful, I should still get to have them. No matter what they are.”
After the first few chapters, I thought I could declare an allegiance to a certain character, but as the plot ensues, it becomes clear that all the characters are unlikable in varying degrees. As such, I found that approach to be even more intriguing in trying to determine if it’s the action or the character as a whole. With Diana and Valerie having a longstanding connection, it underscores what transpires and made me wonder if their friendship could withstand. As for the other pivotal characters, each had a part to play and the choreography is good and twisted.
Throughout, I had many theories, and while the ending was a bit abrupt for my preference, I was content with how it all settled.
After All I’ve Done is a twisty and suspenseful read shining a spotlight on the vulnerabilities and obsessions of love, family and friendship.
Read. This. Book.
The End, that’s my review!
Okay maybe not, but still if you were a fan of Verity or Girl on a Train, than After All I’ve Done is for you!
I read this book back in the summer, when I needed a solid thriller to get out of a reading slump, and boy did it work! I’ve been anxiously waiting to share this book with the world and I can finally do just that!
Diana Sparrow is recovering from an accident. An accident that she can’t remember and has caused her to not remember anything leading up to or after the accident. She’s finally recovering but her life is nothing like she remembers. Her best friend is sleeping with her husband. She’s taken up art again. And she can’t help but feel connected to a man she’s never met.
I love a good multiple POV story line and this book delivered. Told between present and flashbacks and between both Val & Diana’s view points, we learn alot about both women’s history. We also have a third narrator, but I won’t spoil who that is.
None of our main characters are exactly likable which really adds to the unreliable narrator vibe. Because of this I never felt like I had a good grip on the story, which is exactly what I look for in a good psychological thriller. My only negative for the story was the ending wrapped up way to quickly for my taste but ultimately didn’t impact my rating on the story, since I was just blown away.
I don’t want to spoil the story so I’ll leave it at that. I loved this story so much ★★★★★ big freaking stars for this book! This book hits shelves November 10, 2020.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on After All I’ve Done If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books. Huge thank you to Crooked Lane books for my copy!
After a car accident and surgery, Diana is left with amnesia and has lost 6 months of her life. Struggling to heal after breaking both collarbones, her meddling mother in law steps in to help. Even after losing her memory, there is one thing she hasn’t forgotten...her best friend is having an affair with her husband. As she starts to piece things together, all is not exactly how it seems in this fast paced domestic drama. While entertaining, this was a predictable read and the last twist was quite over the top.
After All I’ve Done - an adult mystery is made up of some very messed up characters - our protagonist, Diane just underwent major surgeries after meeting with an horrible motor vehicle accident.
She also is suffering through amnesia - she somehow is trying to piece together months of her life before the accident that she has no recollection of!
What she does know is that she loves her mother - in - law, who is more of a mother to her than her own and that her husband is cheating on her with her best friend; not that she seems to be devastated about it, because she also knows that she stopped loving her husband a long time back.
Here’s the thing - with this kind of mystery, I have learnt that we need to suspend our initial reaction to the characters themselves; be it positive or negative; no matter how hard your gut feeling screams at you to do so!
The plot and characters themselves are twisted, creepy and at times terrifying in their way of normalising their actions and the reasoning behind it!
I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns and while the bad guy, per say was quite obvious, the reasoning did come as a shock, and it actually did creep me out!
Would definitely recommend, if you are interested in thrillers that will have you glued to the book.
Good story, likable characters. They were easy to relate to. The dialogue wasn't pushed or forced like some books. I did like the storyline a lot and wanted to know what was going to happen. Overall, pretty good.
3/5 Stars
When I read the description of this book, I thought it had a lot if things that I've liked in other books. This time, I felt it just fell a bit flat. I did like the different perspectives, even if I didn't really connect with the characters. The information revealed at the end was predictable, but I liked the way it happened.
Five months ago an accident left Diana badly injured and missing months of memory. What she does know is her husband is sleeping with her best friend...
Um. WOW! This book was a wild ride!!!!!! I read this in two sittings ... did not want to put it down!
Really loving domestic thrillers lately. This was so well written! The descriptions, character building and most of all, the storyline. Just wow! And that ending, what a DISTURBING TWIST! Definitely didn't see that coming. Not even a little bit...
I am SO glad I requested this one. It did not disappoint! Thank you so much Crooked Lane Books & Netgalley.
So this was awful. I don't know what else to say besides that. The shifting points of view (Valerie and Diana) did not work and then Hardy throws in another POV and then we get to that batshit ending and my whole body was just shuddering for several minutes. I really can't say anything in this one is redeemable. Valerie and Diana are both terrible in different ways. The plot of this one honestly doesn't work. And seriously that ending was awful.
"After All I've Done" follows Diana Sparrow who is still recovering after a car accident that left her with amnesia. Diana doesn't know what caused her to be driving the night that wrecked her car and left her forgetting who patches of time, but she's determined to figure it out. When her best friend from childhood Valerie turns on her, Diana wonders what is going on and then finds out that Valerie has been sleeping with her husband Johnathan. Diana begins to feel trapped by her therapist, her husband, and his mother, and then meets a man named Cole Pelham who is not what he seems.
So okay Diana. Terrible. We eventually do get an idea of her character (former not present) via Valerie's point of views, and honestly I did not find myself rooting for her. She's actually pretty terrible. And when we get to see her present day and the stuff she gets up to I was like, cool still awful.
Valerie is delusional and jealous.
I can't say much about Cole cause he's just there after a while.
I don't get why Hardy didn't just throw the husband in as well since we get everyone else's thoughts about things.
The plot was nonsensical after a while. I stopped trying to follow it. Nothing made a lot of sense. The flow was pretty bad too after a while. Things just ping pong back and forth between Diana and Valerie and then Cole gets tossed in there.
The ending was awful and then we get that epilogue and I was just glad to be done with this one.
I will review this in detail as soon as I finish reading it. I cannot guarantee that I will finish by the time the book is archived.
I knew there would be twists in this book, but I didn't see these coming. Mina Hardy does a good job keeping you guessing; the main character, Diana, has been in a car accident and is now suffering from amnesia. Her best friend since childhood, Val, is sleeping with her husband, apparently at Diana's request. If only Diana could remember all the details, but she feels so terrible most days that she can barely stay out of bed. Good thing her loving mother-in-law who just happens to live on the same property comes over everyday and makes her food and drinks.
It really is a little bizarre and I didn't really like any of the characters very well, wish there was someone I could root for. But that being said, I couldn't put it down because I really wanted to know what Diana had forgotten. Definitely not a family I would want to be relate to.
A gripping story that will keep you reading until you find out what really happened to Diana and why she lost her memory after a car accident. Her husband is cheating on her with her best friend. Her mother in law is always around taking care of her but in reality, she is suffocating Diana. A sordid past, a wreck marriage, a broken friendship and a very dangerous person with a really twisted but interesting end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy of After All I've Done. This psychological thriller kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel.
This was my first book by this author and I truly did enjoy it. It was very fast paced and full of many twists. The only problem I had was that I figured out who the bad person was. I do that but always hate it. It takes away a bit. Though I have to admit there were some parts that floored me.
Quotes from this book:
1) The accident didn't kill me, but I'm not sure how I'm going to survive it.
2) "My best friend is sleeping with my husband."
3) "Infidelity does not have to be the end of a marriage." Dr Levitt says this solemnly. I frown. "Maybe not, but it sure is the end of a friendship."
4) Letting someone die is not the same as killing him.
This is a very crazy book. I mean that in a good way but still crazy. It's filled with lots of crazy things, twists, turns and people. I actually did not connect with any of the characters. I wanted to but they were all a bit selfish and even though some were suppose to be the best of friends they sure were selfish.
Diana and Valerie have been best friends since fourth grade. They are as close as sisters and made a vow to always be there for each other over anyone else. No one would ever come between them. Yet it seems that somehow someone did. Diana's husband, Jonathan. Valerie was not suppose to fall in love with him. Yet she did.
I didn't like Diana or Valerie. Both were very selfish. Both were very self centered and seemed to only care about themselves. They did care about each other so that was something. Until they didn't.
Harriet, Jonathan's mother, what a piece of work. She was suppose to be Diana's friend even though she was also her mother in law. She did after all make it easy for her son and Diana to fall in love and get married. But she had a few secrets of her own. Wait until you find out what they are. They will make your blood run cold.
Jonathan, Diana's husband is also a very selfish person. He's a controlling, secretive person who thinks all things revolve around him. He's a liar, a cheat, a manipulative, coward. I didn't like him at all. He lies at the drop of a hat. He has some secrets of his own. Yet it seems someone knows them. What will become of his perfect little world when all if found out. When he finally has to face the truth?
Cole, I really wanted to like him. He seemed so nice and caring. He seemed to be a lot of things. But in the end I'm afraid I only found him to be a liar also. Maybe if he would have been honest from the start things could have been different. Maybe things could have worked. Or not.
This was honestly a very fast paced story that kept me turning the pages and wanting to find out more. It had lots of things going on. Told from Diana, Val and Cole's POV. Each with their own agenda. I have to say that they very ending of this book left me a bit baffled. Unless I missed one tiny thing. Maybe I will go back and reread that last chapter. It will hold your attention for sure. You will want to find out what exactly is going on and who did what to whom and who is the worst of these people. At least I did.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #MinaHardy, #CrookedLaneBooks, #AfterAllI'veDone for this ARC. This is my review in my own words.
4/5 stars and I do recommend it. It's so worth reading.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5
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I have everything right here that you need for a self-indulgent night! 🙌
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Luscious wine, decadent cookies and a totally binge-worthy book! ✨
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Diana recently had a terrible car accident. She is still healing physically and has lost several months of her memory.
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She knows that her husband is sleeping with her best friend. She is in pain. She is having vivid nightmares, she doesn’t know what’s real. She has no one to turn to.
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She meets a handsome stranger. Can she trust him? Is she losing her mind?
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Just get this one. It is deliciously crazy! Trust me on this.
"You can't ever trust someone who says they love you. People lie about everything, but especially about love."
So I really enjoyed this one. Diana is recovering from a car accident which left her with two broken collarbones and holes in her memory. Her life is a daily struggle to work through the pain and try to remember the past few months. What is clear though is that her husband is cheating on her...with her best friend. I definitely haven't tired of the unreliable narrator trope and this is a good one. There are lots of little twists and turns throughout the novel to keep the reader guessing.
Mina Hardy (aka Megan Hart) also uses multiple p.o.v. to tell the story through not only the voice of Diana, but the voice of her best friend Val. Val's narrative reveals secrets that the reader learns before Diana does, which adds to the fun.
Overall this was a fun ride and one I'd recommend.
This domestic suspense centres around a woman, Diana Sparrow, suffering from anaesthesia induced amnesia following a car accident. She doesn't remember anything that happened in the months leading up to her accident but while she is recovering, at home with help from Jonathan's mother Harriet, realises that her best friend from childhood, Val is having an affair with her husband Jonathan.
Told from three different points of view with flashbacks to the past when Val and Diana were young as well as to the time before the accident, this novel a while for me to feel invested enough to want to find out what happened. None of the characters involved in the love triangle are very likeable and I really struggled to care about how that was going to turn out. I also didn't feel that we got to know the characters very well. Diana is supposed to have been a competent career woman before the accident but that's hard to see. She is also supposed to have a close mother-daughter relationship with Harriet but that's also hard to see as she spends much of the book annoyed at Harriet trying to smother her. However, around half way through, we start to hear from a third voice and suddenly the plot became a lot more interesting, especially as we start to put together the pieces missing from Diana's memory. The ending felt a bit rushed, even though we had some clues about what was going on, and I still had quite a few questions that weren't answered.
After All I’ve Done follows Diana who is trying to piece together her history after a car crash leaves her with short term memory loss. She’s not talking with her best friend, her husband is always working late and her mother in law is smothering her with attention in the name of trying to help.
I requested this on netgalley a long time ago and have since realised that I don’t often love domestic thrillers, especially if the characters we follow are wealthy? So by all rights I shouldn’t have been interested in this book but for the most part I was hooked. I don’t want to say too much about the story because spoilers, but the WHOdunnit is not so surprising as the WHYdunnit. I did not see the twist coming. At all. And it was wild. And kinda grim, haha! But it was hiding in plain sight all along.
I have a qualm that I’m struggling to put words to, because while enjoyable, I found it quite soapy? is that what I mean? It was all a little theatrical and unbelievable but I know lots of people love that in a thriller. It didn’t quite work for me here but it didn’t affect my interest too much in what was happening. I was invested enough to keep going and get answers. I did skim a little in the middle because the story slowed a bit. Also didn’t love the scene near the end with that use of the word ‘psycho’. Dunno, it just sat wrong.
OTHERWISE! This is a fun, fast paced thriller with a mad twist you definitely won’t see coming. There’s a lot going on, loads of secrets to uncover and red herrings to follow. While this was not a favourite of mine, I can understand the many glowing reviews as it is a familiar concept doing something we don’t see often in this genre. It’s definitely not a story I will forget in a hurry.
Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books, Netgalley and the author for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Out Nov 10th!
After All I've Done is about Diana. She had a car accident where she broke her collar bone and due to amnesia, couldn't remember the last 6 months of her life. To make things worse, her husband Jonathan is cheating on her with her best friend.
This book is 100% psychological thriller. It's a mixture of drama, mystery and darkness. I was hooked from the first page.
The story is told from multiple perspectives which gives you really good insight into each character. The narration is so fluid. The characters are well etched and full of mystery.
The ending was an epic, twisty showdown. And it was well worth the wait.
Started off like most psych thrillers...plot not super unique. But the last 10% had some crazy twists!