a THRILLER TO CHALLENGE YOUR SYMPATHY

In "The Revenge List" by Hannah Mary McKinnon, readers are thrust into a world of suspense . While the novel exhibits solid writing, commendable character development, and an unexpected cliffhanger, the story ultimately falls short due to an unsympathetic and deeply flawed protagonist.

Frankie Morgan, the central character, is introduced as a woman grappling with anger management issues. From the outset, it becomes clear that Frankie is manipulative, self-centered, and entitled. Her lack of empathy and detachment from the consequences of her actions make it challenging to connect with her on any level. Despite McKinnon's attempt to shed light on Frankie's damaged past and personal struggles, these elements fail to redeem her character or elicit sympathy from this reader.

The author demonstrates skillful writing throughout the novel. McKinnon's prose is engaging. The pacing is well-maintained, keeping readers on their toes as the story unfolds. Additionally, the character development of the secondary cast is commendable. The victims of Frankie's revenge list are fleshed out with their own unique personalities and motivations, providing a sense of depth to the narrative. However, the pivot plot sequence surrounding Frankie's revelation fails to humanize her character and elicit empathy. Unfortunately, this revelation falls short in its intended impact. Anger is not a get out of jail free card.

While it adds complexity to Frankie's past, it does little to endear her to this reader. Her self-centered nature and disregard for others overshadows any potential sympathy one might have for her.

McKinnon keeps readers guessing with twists and turns, leading to a satisfyingly surprising cliffhanger. The anticipation for what comes next is undoubtedly the novel's strongest point. It leaves readers eager to explore the consequences of Frankie's actions and the potential for her redemption.

"The Revenge List" presents readers with a twisted thriller that showcases good writing, commendable characters, and an unexpected cliffhanger. However, the novel falls short due to its unsympathetic protagonist. While the book may satisfy fans of the genre craving suspense, those seeking a relatable and sympathetic protagonist may find themselves disappointed.

An anger management exercise goes as badly as could be imagined. Frankie hasn’t had the easiest life having lost her mom to a hit and run, bullied as a teenager and now struggling to keep her anger from wrecking her life. She creates a forgiveness list and the people on the list have suspicious accidents. Who could be attempting to harm these people. I had multiple suspects in mind and yet was kept guessing. Good book.

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***

Frankie has anger problems. Like, major anger problems. At her dad’s insistence, she joins an anger management group, which sets in motion a chain of events that nobody–especially Frankie–could have predicted.

The blurb on this book had me so excited to read it. The book just didn’t do it for me, however. I had a really hard time with Frankie. I didn’t feel like there was much in the way of development for her. Even after getting to know more about her backstory, I had a hard time liking her. This is the biggest factor in my rating for the book.

The book is well-written and the plot is unique. There’s a pretty big twist toward the end, which I had started to suspect about 60% of the way through the book but wasn’t totally sure of until it happened. I was on the edge of my seat once things started moving, curious about what was going to happen next and wanting to know who was behind the chaos. The author writes vividly, and I felt like I was watching the book play out as a movie in my mind.

I struggled a bit with some of the events that took place in the book, because they seemed so far out there. (Not going to write out each one as I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone who plans to read.) This one ends with a huge cliffhanger, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Consider this your warning if you’re thinking about reading.

The Revenge List gets a solid 3.5 stars.

Book: The Revenge List
Author: Hannah Mary McKinnon
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Mira Books, for providing me with an ARC. I have read a few of Hannah Mary’s McKinnon’s books.

In this one, we follow Frankie who has found herself in anger management classes. She is combative and angry. She works for her father’s construction company and has to deal with annoying clients and sexist remarks. She has had enough. At her anger management classes, she is asked to write a list of people who she is angry at. The notebook that she writes this list in disappears. At first, she doesn’t think all that much about the list. However, she does want the notebook back because it is a gift. Strange things start to happen. People on the list start to have terrible things happen to them. Some of them end up dead. It is now up to Frankie to track down the people on this list before something terrible happens to them.

The set up is what made me agree to review this ARC. We have a character who may not be the most reliable source and who no one else believes. We have people who know her best and, yet, they don’t believe what she is saying. The people that she made targets are having terrible things happen to them. These things are things that normally don’t happen. This means that someone is doing it. We are told that Frankie has nothing to do with it. However, the way she has been acting and saying does not measure up. This is a brilliant move by the author. We have a main character who is not believable. Even those who are closest to her do not believe a word that she is saying. So, as the reader, do we believe her or not?

I love the characters. I like that we had enough information in order to somewhat know the characters. Yet, there was just enough that we don’t know that they are not completely innocent either. The way everything is twisted and presented will have you guessing until the very end. Now, there are enough clues given that you can figure out the ending.

The ending is a bit of a cliff hanger. While there is closure, there is still enough left in the open that there could be a second book. However, I think that leaving it as it is does leave you wondering. If you are looking for a book with complete closure, then this is not going to be the one for you. I liked how it was handled.

Overall, I did enjoy this title and I am looking forward to more from this author.

This book comes out on May 23, 2023.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/znSdeesFoSk

Always excited when there's new release from this author, because it's always different than anything I've ever read. This one took anger management to another level and I really really like it.

What I like:
- prologue, it's start with a bang, the suspense is off the roof from the get go
- unique premise. anger management leads to something scary, this book really unlock new fears for me and definitely learned a lot about the consequences of acting out in anger. Unfortunately, this is all happen pretty common these days and it just really sad and scary.
- characters, all the characters here are not loveable but strangely at the end I root for these people especially the main character, the more I read the more I understand where they came from, all those anger, totally get it, although didn't agree with what they did, but love how this book got me screaming "NOOOOOOO, YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT".
- the mystery, it's engaging and captivating, love that it keeps me second guessing my verdict of who's the bad guy is, love those "is it him? it must be him? but why? it could't be him?"

What I don't like: that ending, I don't like that kind of ending. Kinda predictable no red herring, when some clues open up I can guess it correctly, but it doesn't take away all the fun guessing and solving the mystery and still it has that great suspense.

Recommended: absolutely, it's a great suspense mystery read

What if you made a list of all the people who have ever hurt you, and those people mysteriously started having accidents... how would you feel? Frankie Morgan is about to find out.

The Revenge List is a fast-paced suspense novel that delivers. My only issue is the amount of time I spent mentally berating Frankie for her poor decisions. Three and a half stars.

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Don’t make her angry, you won’t like her when she is angry……

Book Information

"The Revenge List" is written by Hannah Mary McKinnon. It is 368 pages and is set to be released on May 23, 2023. Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy for review.

Summary

Frankie Morgan leads a life filled with anger and resentment. Dealing with difficult clients, a miserable neighbor, and the fact that her mother's killer remains unpunished. Despite her initial reluctance, Frankie attends an anger-management group, where she learns about the concept of forgiveness as a process.

Intrigued but skeptical, Frankie creates a list of everyone who has wronged her throughout the years, including herself. However, the list disappears. Soon after, the individuals she named begin experiencing a series of freak accidents, each one more deadly than the last.

As the coincidences pile up, Frankie starts to question if something sinister is at play. With the threat looming over her, Frankie must uncover the truth behind the accidents and identify the person responsible before she becomes the next target.

My Thoughts

"The Revenge List" is an exciting story that presents readers with a mix of engaging twists, hanging chapters, and an intriguing concept. While the book offers an enjoyable reading experience, there are a few aspects that might not resonate with everyone.

The primary character, Frankie, can be somewhat frustrating at times. She frequently makes poor decisions and leaps to unreasonable conclusions. Throughout the book, Frankie's character seems to go in circles as she tries to piece together the events unfolding around her. This circular narrative can be both engaging and frustrating, as it heightens the tension but also adds to the repetition. However, it's worth noting that her flawed character is an intentional part of the story, as she grapples with anger management. Still, it can be challenging to witness her continuously make bad choices.

Despite this, the book keeps readers engaged with its intriguing plot twists and turns. Many chapters leave you hanging, eagerly wondering what will happen next. Around halfway through the story, it became apparent to me who the antagonist was, but the narrative remained enjoyable nonetheless. The author's writing style is simplistic—it’s an easy read but the creativity of the plot shines through.

"The Revenge List" offers a slow burn. There is a lot of setup in the first half, but the action picks up later in the novel. The story concludes with a satisfying ending that ties up the chaos surrounding Frankie's life. The author also sets up the potential for a sequel.

Recommendation

Overall, "The Revenge List" delivers lots of twists and turns. While the character development and execution may have some shortcomings, the concept and the satisfying resolution make it a worthwhile read for fans of family dramas and stories of revenge.

Rating

3.5 Angry Stars

Well, unfortunately this was not a new favorite by McKinnon for me. First, I really disliked the main character, I mean, like a lot. I know some people love an unlovable character, but typically I struggle with them. Second, when everything started to be revealed, I personally felt like it was way too big of a stretch. I mean, I'll likely keep reading what McKinnon writes but for me, some of her earlier books were more preferable for me. I mean in reality, I'm likely just not the target audience for this one as thrillers tend to be my least read genre. I will say though, in terms of content that I dislike that is common in thrillers - lots of language and explicit sexual content, there wasn't really any of that, so that part was a win for me.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
-unlovable main characters
-stories about grudges and revenge
-unique plot line and twists

The Revenge List by Hannah Mary McKinnon is a gripping and intense thriller that keeps you engaged until the very end.

Frankie Morgan, a woman filled with anger and regret, finds herself in an anger-management group where she is encouraged to create a Forgiveness List. To her surprise, the people on her list start experiencing strange accidents, becoming increasingly deadly. Is it a coincidence or something more sinister at play?

While the book starts off slowly, the story picks up momentum around the halfway point, keeping me on the edge of my seat. McKinnon skillfully develops the character of Frankie, making her relatable despite her flaws and questionable decisions. Although the twists and thrills may not be abundant until the 1/3 of the book, it still delivers an enjoyable reading experience. The author ties up loose ends with a satisfying ending, bringing closure to the chaos that engulfs Frankie's life.

Overall, The Revenge List is a solid thriller that delivers suspense. Despite a slow start, the book offers a satisfying conclusion and showcases the author's storytelling abilities. Fans of suspenseful reads will enjoy this book and should consider adding it to their reading list.

I received an ARC of The Revenge List from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Frankie’s life has not gone according to plan, with multiple set backs and heartbreaks she finds her anger hard to control. Reluctantly, she agrees to attend anger management classes to appease her father. During their first class she is asked to make a list of everyone she’s angry with. Writing down their names is the easy part, agreeing to forgive them will take a little more work.

The next day, Frankie learns some of the people from her list have had a freak accident. As the accidents keep coming she begins to wonder if it could all be a strange coincidence or if something more sinister is at play?

Typically I prefer plot to character driven, so having an unlikable character doesn’t usually bother me, but boy was Frankie a tough one to root for. It almost was hard to read at first but the drama and suspense of the plot was so intense I had to keep reading. And I’m glad I did because Frankie grew on me as the story went on. It got to a point I could really understand and feel for her.

I just can’t say enough how cool this concept is and how amazingly Hannah played it out. There were enough red herrings to keep me on my toes but not too many that it got frustrating. Constantly questioning myself I didn’t see the full picture until the last quarter and I could not put it down at that point.

This was my second book by Hannah and she has secured her spot on my auto buy list!

“𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆, 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐.”

I LOVED Hannah Mary MacKinnon’s Never Coming Home last year, so couldn’t wait to dive into her latest.

What a thrill ride, from opening chapter right to the very end. MacKinnon infuses narrator and main character Frankie with a subtle humour, similar to Lucas from Never Coming Home, which I loved. Frankie lets her anger control her and it gets the better of her; sometimes I got frustrated at her decisions and wanted her to just take a breath. This definitely highlighted though the double standard on how males and females are supposed to handle anger, especially when contrasted with fellow anger management attendee, Evan. I loved Frankie and Rico’s brother-sister relationship, it’s one of the rare moments where she opens up a little more instead of pushing people away. MacKinnon builds tight tension, and has you wondering if it’s all gaslighting or not. There’s a fun shoutout to the love of books and nods to other thriller authors, like Linwood Barclay and Lisa Unger, which felt like a little love letter moment. You definitely have to suspend some belief, both relating to Frankie’s bad and good luck, and although I saw the ending coming about 60% in, MacKinnon’s writing is enthralling enough that I couldn’t read pages fast enough to see how things would turn out.

The Revenge List is a story of payback, grief, anger, relationships and forgiveness. The open ending gives me hope we haven’t seen the last of Frankie and her family; I could picture a second book very easily.
Hannah Mary MacKinnon has earned a place on my auto-read authors list (also I was fangirling in the acknowledgements when I found out she’s friends with PJ Vernon; Bath Haus was a favourite read of 2021!). Thank you to Harper Collins Canada, Mira and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

The Revenge List by Hannah Mary McKinnon is a fantastic suspenseful thriller.

Talk about the twists! This book kept me guessing. The characters were so well written, complex and flawed.

The story was a wild ride that I absolutely LOVED!

Thank you to @htpbooks for my copy and happy book birthday too! This one is out today.

This one started out great for me. I was super intrigued and into this slow burn book. After about halfway I realized I just really hate this main character. I have a hard time with that, I know some people love to hate but that’s not the case for me. The twist felt like it could have been a separate story and the ending I didn’t love. I’ve really loved Hannah Mary McKinnon’s other books and I’m definitely ready to talk about this one! Let me know if you grab it today!

Frankie is angry. She's angry at so many people. Instructed to make a list of who she needs to learn to forgive at her first anger management session, Frankie's list is extensive. But when people off this list start getting hurt, with each "accident" getting worse and worse, could it be that Frankie has someone targeting her? Or is it all just coincidence?

This fast paced thriller had me so intrigued. I absolutely loved the storyline with all its twists and turns. If you're after a wild ride with an unknown destination, you'll enjoy this book. Highly recommended for thriller fans! This book is out now so go and grab your copy.

I really enjoyed Never Coming Home by this author, so I was excited to read this book. The main character, Frankie Morgan, is a construction project manager who works for her dad's company. After an incident at work, her father tells Frankie she needs help with anger management and recommends a group led by a friend of his. As part of the group, Frankie is asked to make a list of people she needs to forgive. Her list has several people, including her father, but she doesn't know if she can really forgive them. She also adds herself and really doesn't think she can get over something she has done in her past. Frankie's anger turns to fear when her list disappears and someone seems to be turning it into a revenge list, causing suspicious "accidents" for some of the people listed in her notebook.

The book is good, but wasn't a typical thriller like I was expecting. It is more of a suspenseful family drama with some unexpected plot twists. Much of the book deals with Frankie's anger. Information about the people who have wronged her slowly comes out during the story. Frankie has a quick temper and makes a lot of poor decisions, but remains loyal to her brother. In spite of some of the outrageous things Frankie says and does, she has some really good qualities, so I was rooting for things to turn out for her. I had to suspend disbelief over a few things that happened. However, the book is entertaining, and I was surprised by an unusual and unexpected twist at the end. I would rate it 3.5 stars.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Mira Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Frankie Morgan is an angry woman and the people around her are aware of her short fuse. To appease her dad, she attends an anger management support group where she is asked to make a forgiveness list. But Frankie holds a lot of grudges against a lot of people, so she makes a revenge list instead. But when the list goes missing, and bad luck starts befalling the people on the list, Frankie knows she needs to get to the bottom of things.

This is my favourite book of Hannah Mary McKinnon's to date. Frankie is a complicated main character who I found interesting and frustrating in equal measure. She repeatedly makes bad decisions based in the moment and while her rants, blowouts, and obsession with one person in particular are almost too much to witness, she is a fascinating character.

If readers weather the storm that is Frankie Morgan, they will be duly rewarded as the story progresses and McKinnon reveals Frankie's past experiences that have combined to create this hotheaded woman who is quick to anger. With this new information about Frankie, the story gains a self-discovery vibe and readers may be surprised to find themselves sympathizing with this self-destructive character.

The Revenge List's has a creative premise and although the story takes a bit to gain traction and this avid thriller reader guessed the culprit, McKinnon takes her readers on a wild ride with twists, a couple of nail-biting scenes and an ending that appears to be a delicious tease for what could be a potential sequel.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the author and MIRA for my complimentary digital copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

McKinnon was born in the UK, but now makes her home in Canada. Her previous books include various thrillers such as "Never Coming Home", "You Will Remember Me" and "Sister Dear" as well as rom-coms that she writes under the name of Holly Cassidy. This new release is a psychological thriller. Frankie has anger issues and she has been convince to try anger management sessions. AT the first meeting she is asked to write a list of people she needs to forgive. She has no trouble making a long list in her notebook. When that same notebook goes missing later that evening and then the people on the list start getting hurt, she begins to suspect that some is using the forgiveness list in order to help her exact revenge and her own name is on the list. This was a fun read albeit with a rather annoying main character, but still a good recommendation for fans of the genre.

Thank you NetGalley, MIRA, and Hannah Mary McKinnon for the advanced copy of The Revenge List in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up.

This book was SO good! I legitimately could not put it down, and as someone who's been in a huge slump lately that is no easy feat.

I was super intrigued by the synopsis, and I found the pacing to be perfect. Frankie was initially somewhat hard to root for, but I softened towards her as the book went along. There was even a pretty big surprise twist that threw me for a loop!

Thriller fans, you're gonna want to get your hands on this one!

A cleverly plotted thriller which will grabs you and doesn't let go! Frankie's tendency to be her own her worst enemy made her relatable and sympathetic. Her backstory was incredibly harrowing. The twist this story took toward the end was especially surprising. This novel was a joy to read!

Frankie has a hot temper that has gotten her into trouble more than once. After an altercation where she works for her father at his company, he insists she goes to anger management classes. The fact that her father is seeing the woman running the class certainly frustrates Frankie.

Although more than reluctant, Frankie attends her first class. The group are encouraged to write a forgiveness list. Frankie makes the list, but she finds herself distracted by one of the attendees. After leaving that first class, Frankie calls a ride share and somehow loses her journal. This journal was used for work. More than that, that list was written in that journal.

Before long, the enemies Frankie has wracked up in her life begin experiencing accident after accident. Frankie soon feels that the man she met at the class, Adrian, is responsible for these accidents. However, she cannot prove it and seems to have no way to stop him.

Frankie was a complex character. She really did work hard to get a handle on her anger, and really wants to let her past go. Then there is Adrian, and his mysterious nature and how he impacts Frankie's life. This thrilling book by Hannah Mary McKinnon is one to make you think, especially with the ending that left me speculating, something I am seeing in more books of late.

Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.