I’m honestly a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. After reading the summary and hearing it constantly compared to the movie “Ready or Not” I was a little skeptical. While I love that movie, I was afraid the book would be a carbon copy and not bring anything original to the premise. Happy to report that is not the case!

The two do have a lot of similarities, but The Family Game brought its own spin to the story and I simply couldn’t put this book down. If you’re willing to completely suspend all disbelief and just get lost in an over the top game of cat and mouse, this is the book for you. A lot of things were smartly plotted out in a way that helped me forgive some of the completely ridiculous choices the main character makes. I think the ending will be controversial and while it is incredibly farfetched, I enjoyed it! Very cinematic and definitely a new thriller recommendation for someone looking to get out of a reading slump.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Catherine Steadman is the QUEEN of twisty endings and this one did not disappoint. From the beginning, I was intrigued by Harry and the secrets around her past from the very beginning. But, the idea of a wealthy family in power, secrets, lies, and so much death kept me sucked in. I couldn’t put this down. I think Steadman is only getting better and better at her craft.

Between the Holbecks creepy past, the bodies piling up, the Holbeck patriarch trying to clue in Harriet and a game that continually escalates, you’re transported into the story and it feels like you’re living it too. This was a stellar thriller. I highly recommend!

I am having a hard time putting my thoughts on this book into words. It was fine. But there was just something lacking. Like maybe it was just so much of a reach? And I wasn’t really held in suspense.

This moved a little slow for me in the beginning but it really picked up by 30%. I flew through the rest. I loved the cat and mouse game and the suspense and mystery surrounding this story.

As usual, Steadman does not disappoint. This thriller is a very good book. The twists & turns are so good & it kept me guessing until the very end. Definitely recommend!

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was simply unsatisfying.

If a family is full of sociopathic traditions, there better be a good reason. bUt we aRe jUSt wEiRD is not a good reason. And the games didn’t even matter???

This is definitely Catherine Steadman’s best book since her debut! Dark, fun, and atmospheric indeed!

Harry is an author whose debut novel becomes an instant smash hit. She also just got engaged to Edward, who is seemingly the perfect man. Sweet, loving, very successful. Edward also comes from a rich family with some traditions…very INTERESTING traditions, to say the least.

Harry gets a chance to meet the family at Thanksgiving. They’re powerful, but seem to welcome her instantly. Then, Edward’s father, Robert, gives her a cassette tape and urges her to listen to it. She finds out something shocking when she listens to it, but doesn’t have time to finish it before the family games begin! She’ll know everything if she can make it to the end…

This is a suspenseful and original thriller that is easy to breeze through. Although it takes a while to get going, it’s always interesting…and I was flipping the pages before I knew it. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the story was highly entertaining from start to finish. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 10/18/22.

This thrilling suspense novel definitely had me on the edge of my seat! Every character had secrets revealed and twists that I never expected. It's a great read for Halloween and the holiday season for anyone looking for a real page turner.

I love Catherine Steadman and all of her novels, the Disappearing Act is still one of my favourites of all time but this is a close second. I have never read a thriller with this kind of plot which I adored - it really made it stand out from the rest because sometimes the thriller genre cause use a repetitive trope. Another think I loved about this book (and Catherine's other books) is that she doesn't use an unreliable narrator. I don't enjoy spending an entire novel questioning if the person I am on this journey with doesn't know what's actually happening. I like that the main character is sure and everything around us is crazy, it feels like a more authentic world to me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5/5 stars

Here’s my one sentence summary of this book - It fell just short of amazing. The ending is where it all went wrong for me. The rest of the book was suspenseful, captivating, and just plain amazing. I started it last night and ignored my work most of the day to finish it (sorry, boss 😂). I had so many theories about what was happening, none coming close to being right. While I didn’t see the big twist coming, I wanted something more from the ending. What that “more” is, I can’t say. I just know it felt too easy and dissatisfying given the psychological rollercoaster the book takes you on. I’d still recommend it for thriller fans.

While the main character, Harriet, was a very likeable narrator -- and had her own secrets that kept the reader guessing -- I am afraid she was the only real plus to this novel..

The other characters in the book were unlikeable and not really believable. You didn't want them to win or be successful throughout the book. It was an unusual plot, unlike anything I've really read. But the entirety of the book did not suck me in or keep me engaged. The twist was unimaginative and didn't really even feel like a twist at all.

Overall, wouldn't recommend. Didn't hate it but didn't love it either.

#netgalley #randomhouse

I do not know where to start other than saying you must read this book. It was so creative and unlike anything else I have read. I have not one critique or criticism.

Here is what I loved:
1. I always love books about authors, and Harriet is brilliant in this book.
2. This family that Harriet is marrying into is indescribable - you have to read it to believe it.
3. Her future father-in-law and this audiotape are chef's kiss. (Super creative aspect that I loved)

The list could go on...

This was such a fun read! Perfect mix of thriller and drama. It was easy to quickly get wrapped up in the story and it had me wondering what would happen next. Not predictable like many other thrillers I’ve read recently! Highly recommend!

A woman without a family meets a man and they fall in love. He gives her a beautiful family ring and brings her home to meet his family. They like to play games.

You can't choose you family but you certainly can choose your inlaws, and Harriet (Harry) really should of thought twice before joining this one! What happens when you have too much money, too many secrets and more lies than you can count? Read this book and find out! Full of twists and turns you'll never see coming! I'll read anything by this author! This book was so fun with an explosively fantastic ending! Thank you!

ARC BOOK REVIEW // THE FAMILY GAME

3.5/5

Pub Date: October 18. 2022

“Games reveal our most base instinct; the instinct to survive. Under the mask of enjoyment, we reveal ourselves, we reveal how we play at life, our methods, how we navigate others’ strengths and weaknesses.”

Harriet “Harry” is on her way to become a New York Times Bestselling author – recently engaged to New York royalty, life could not be any sweeter for Harry.

Edward Holbeck comes from a family of old money, and they are no strangers to high society or the the headlines

Ed left all that in the past to forge his own path, but there are eyes and ears everywhere

Even though Ed has sevred ties with his family, he is set to inherit it all. Harriet is drawn to the glamour and sophication of the Holbeck’s, who seem to welcome her with open arms – but everything changes when Harry meets Ed’s father, Robert.

At their first encounter, Robert slips Harry a cassette tape – revealing a shocking confession which sets this inevitable game in motion.

Harry has no clue why Robert gave her the cassette – the messages could destory the entire Holbeck family. As she searches for answers, Harry must endure the Holbeck’s savage Christmas traditon, all the while knowing that losing this game could be deadly.
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This one was HIGHLY entertaining, but had some plot holes that left me confused! I buddy read this with @alialwaysreading – and we were left with many unanswered questions

There was not a single likable character in this one, and the “family game” was a VERY unorthodox and extremely unbelivable. I had issues with how the game was handled, and I didn’t like how this game involved children (not a spoiler, but no children were harmed during the game OR throughout the book)

The majority of the book was VERYYYYYY slow, but the last 30% was action packed – and had me so interested in how this game was going to end!

There also wasn’t enough depth to each character, and I feel like we only got to know them on the surface level. Also, there is a lot of members in the Holbeck family that did get confusing at times.

While I did think there were some major plot holes that ultimately made me rate this lower, it was still a really enjoyable read if you’re willing to slightly suspend your beliefs for the duration of this novel

SIMONE SAYS READ THIS IF YOU LIKE

Unlikable characters
Unconventional family games
Christmas in NYC

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Not all families celebrate holidays the same way. Harriett, or Harry, is nervous about meeting her fiancé’s family, but she is completely in love with Edward. When she receives a mysterious tape recording from Edward’s father, things become even more confusing. The family has a tradition of games for Halloween and Christmas, but these games seem sinister. And then….. yes, it is spooky, scary, confusing and riveting! Great suspenseful novel!

Synopsis: Imagine you’re engaged to the perfect man who is apart of a very elite family. He warns you that they’re a lot to handle and kinda crazy. You don’t realize how crazy they actually are until you’re in the middle of one of their family “games” that quickly turns deadly.

My Thoughts: This was phenomenal!!! First of all, I totally felt like I knew all the characters - the character development was so good. The MC was relatable and likable considering she had a big secret she was hiding. The TWISTS and TURNS were soooo good OMG! And everything was tied together so nicely at the end. Needless to say, I loved this one! It’s a BOTM selection for October and I highly suggest choosing it!!
Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Games take us as close as is acceptable to the strategies we use in life. Games reveal our most base instinct: the instinct to survive."

- Brief Synopsis -
The Family Game follows Harriet (Harry)--a British writer of thriller novels on the brink of huge success--who is engaged to be married into one of the wealthiest families in America. Even though her fiancee, Edward, has cut ties with his family, it was only a matter of time before being drawn back in, especially after the news of their recent engagement. After meeting his family, Harry is gifted by Edward's father a cassette tape that holds a shocking and disturbing confession. Upon listening to the tape, Harry learns that this tape was made specifically for her. Can Harry trust what she hears on this tape? In her search for answers, Harry is caught up in a game of cat-and-mouse, one that could be deadly.

- My thoughts -
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of The Family Game in exchange for my honest review!

From the very start of this book, I was drawn in. It begins with a scene from the ending and our MC is caught in a dangerous predicament that I couldn't help but be eager to discover how we wound up there. I was also intrigued by many of the characters. Every person is so questionable on whether they have pure intentions or ulterior motives. No one is completely trustworthy.

The recordings of the tape were bone chilling. After each section of the tape, I was mentally yelling at Harry to cut her losses and get the heck out of that family! I don't know how she could have listened to the tape and ever looked at Robert Holbeck in the eye again. With that being said, even though the confession on the tape was disturbing, Harry's relationship towards Robert, her soon-to-be Father In Law, was even more disturbing to me. I did not like it. I did not want it.

I thought this story had a strong start but mostly throughout the middle, I was a bit bored and didn't really care what was happening. The ending also escalated way too abruptly, in my opinion. There were also some things that just seemed way too unbelievable. Like the tape, for example. I don't understand why Harriet only listened to it in pieces rather than the whole thing and then dug for the truth. I understand from the perspective of using the tapes as a plot device, but from the perspective of a character who is listening to them, it just didn't add up.

Harry also has her own secrets she wants to keep hidden. I didn't like that she kept hinting at this "secret" but never saying what it was, and then by the time you learned her secret, it was slightly underwhelming.

I did think the clues leading to the truth behind the tape were subtly dropped and easy to overlook. However, if you do pick up on them, you'll probably figure out the ending pretty quickly.

Overall, I thought this was fairly enjoyable. If you enjoy thriller/mystery movies similar to Ready or Not or Knives Out, then this psychological thriller might be the book for you!

3.5/5 Stars

Ooh this was such a fun thriller!! I haven’t read one that I couldn’t put down in quite a while and this one I couldn’t get enough of.⁣
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I loved the movie « ready or not » and this certainly gave off those vibes!⁣
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Harriet is a British thriller author, an orphan, living in the US and completely adores her boyfriend Edward, who comes from an insanely wealthy family. Harriet has yet to meet the family, until now. ⁣
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Everyone in the family is itching to get to know Harriet and the family loves playing games- mind games especially. They’re wealthy, manipulative and have a lot of people in their sockets and a lot of secrets to keep.⁣
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Soon we find out, Harriet also has a secret she’s keeping. As her life becomes a real life thriller novel, we learn more about Harriet’s past and her future husbands family and past and are taken on a wild ride. ⁣
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This was a gripping, cat and mouse game, fast paced, exciting, and definitely a group of some ruthless soon to be in laws. ⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️