Feeney proves to be a masterful storyteller who fully embraces bold twists. The true standout of this tale is the hauntingly immersive and atmospheric island, steeped in an air of sinister mystery.

Although the story as a whole didn’t completely captivate me, the exceptional narration truly elevated what might have otherwise been a mediocre experience.

It plays out like a vivid, cinematic audiobook, weaving in sounds of the sea and haunting melodies to heighten the mood and bring the evocative setting to life, resulting in an incredibly immersive experience.

Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton deliver outstanding performances as delightfully wild and unreliable narrators, making this audiobook a must-listen!

Side note: This couple uses “𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱” as their version of a term of endearment. 😆 This book is pure toxicity, and honestly, I was living for it.

3.5 stars

I liked the story overall, and I really enjoyed the interludes between chapters, but the ending was underwhelming and a bit unclear. The full explanation of the island’s history, particularly in relation to Abby, is definitely interesting, but Grady’s experiences on the island are more frustrating and annoying — like a mosquito near your ear — than terrifying, or even suspenseful. Therefore, some portions felt drawn out and repetitive. I wasn’t expecting most of the twists — hardly any — so that bumped this up a little for me.

Because I had the audiobook, I must say that it is very well done! The music was awesome, the sound effects were amazing, and of course the narration was excellent. Overall, Beautiful Ugly is worth the read, especially via audiobook, and I will continue to read Feeney’s novels.

I was so excited for this read after enjoying other ones by the author. The story was engaging and kept me wanting to keep reading. I also love and unreliable narrator. I prefer audio over ebooks and this was a pleasant listen. I definitely recommend this one and found myself waiting in my car when I got home to listen to the last 20 mins bc I couldn't stop it.
ALC from Netgalley for an honest review.

What a wild ride! Grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this one early! The island ends up feeling beautiful and enticing, but then creepy and menacing. More than twist kept me wondering and saying, “what!” more than once: Excellent audio too!

First, the audiobook production was GOOD. It was suspenseful and spooky, and the Scottish Highlands sounded like the last place you’d want to be stranded. I am so glad I was able to listen to this one.

First, I am a huge Alice Feeney fan, but this didn't hold me on the edge in the way I wanted. I usually expect Feeney to pull the rug out from under me, but this time it felt more like she yanked the rug and handed me a bath mat instead. I audibly said, “huh? That plot twist came out of nowhere.” I heard the message behind the story, (YES, girl) but the plot itself didn’t deliver the punch I was hoping for. Overall, a decent thriller, but not my favorite. It’s more of a spooky stroll than a wild rollercoaster.

3. 5 rounded down.

I am still thinking about the ending of this book days later! I was very excited to read this for my local book club this January and the premise alone grabbed me: Grady, a successful author, is dealing with the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of his wife, Abby. As the story unfolds, we are taken on a journey of grief, confusion, and obsession as Grady searches for answers, but that ending was one I never saw coming.

My anxiety kept building with each page I read, and I was so sure I had figured it out and I did have some of it figured out. but I was so shocked by many of the things revealed at the end. I was led down one path, and just when I thought I knew exactly where it was going, Alice Feeney flipped everything on its head. It was one of those endings that completely took me by surprise, and in the best way.

I loved how the story explores how complicated relationships truly are, especially the tension between what we think we know about those closest to us and the secrets they keep. Grady’s journey to the Isle of Amberly adds such an eerie element that only heightened the mystery.

Overall, this was a fast-paced read with an ending that left me stunned. I docked half a star, for a 4.5 star rating, because I felt there were a few times where the pacing slowed down a bit, but it was definitely worth the read.

This really didn’t feel like an Alice Feeney book.. it was sooo boring for the first 95%, and then the last chapter it finally got interesting. But not enough to redeem itself in my opinion. Really hoped for more unfortunately

I did love the audio though, the walk-ie talkies and ocean sounds really added to the ambiance. I would highly recommend the audiobook!

Pretty disappointing! I love a good twist but I hate when authors add "twists" just for the sake of having a twist. Especially when it doesn't seem to make sense for the storyline and almost seems to mimic a twist from previous novels.

And with this, I've almost officially read all of Alice's books.

Wow. What a book! I was very confused at some parts, but this did a great job at keeping the vibe eerie and making the reader question everything. This book was pretty heavy on descriptions, so many hidden ways to trick the mind! It did such a good job at telling the story with not much dialog until it was needed.

And that ending? Boyyyyyy. Did not see it coming!

I listened to the audiobook and think the narrator added to the suspense. An island that you can't leave? A missing wife that you see everywhere? So many secrets that you only trust your dog? Grady, the main character, a famous author scrambling to write his next bestseller, finds himself backed into a corner in this thriller that will have you guessing who to trust and what may happen next. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an audiobook of this story.

This book was so much fun! The opening in this really sucked me in immediately, and the book continued to keep my attention through to the end. I love when thrillers literally make me go WTF! and this book accomplished that. The remote island setting was really fun. Several reveals caught me off guard and surprised me. Some reveals were a little on the nose in terms of the message, but ultimately it was all fun and engaging.

Many readers believe her to be the “queen of twisty novels,” but when the twists become just variations of her previous novels, it’s not enjoyable for me as the reader. This will be my last Feeney novel for a while. Disappointing. Fortunately, I very much enjoyed Richard Armitage’s voice for the audiobook! Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc!

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney. I really enjoyed this book. There were some slower parts but the book always picked up. It kept me reading and wondering. I didn’t expect the ending. Several twists I didn’t see coming!

This was my first Alice Feeney book and it did not disappoint. I was completely in from the beginning. This eerie vibe of the story continues from start to finish. I did not expect how it ended!

The audiobook, narrated by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton, was well done and a pleasure to listen to. Armitage did a wonderful job making different character's voices, even female voices which many male narrators are not good at. Their combined abilities made for a great listen.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this arc!

I absolutely loved this book! What a great psychological thriller! I really enjoyed the audiobook. It felt page-turning even while listening. I enjoyed the sound effects that were added in, it wasn’t an overkill but a great touch to help set the tone. I liked the dual pov and with the audio that there were two sets of voices. I enjoyed not knowing what was really going on throughout the whole book. I thought I had an idea and then I was way off! Perfect to get you out of a reading slump!

BEAUTIFUL UGLY review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿I was so excited to read the latest Feeney release! I love her thrillers and this one has gotten a lot of buzz already. 👀 I was intrigued by the cover alone and couldn’t wait to dive in!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Grady gets a phone call from his wife who is driving home and sees someone lying in the road. He begs her to stay in the car but she gets out to investigate anyways and is never seen again.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿I was hooked from the beginning!! This one was tense, creepy, and had me on the edge of my seat! I truly had no idea where this one was heading and the twists shocked me! I felt like the ending was kinda out there? But I still enjoyed it overall!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Thanks to @macmillian.audio for my advanced listening copy!

The best day of author Grady Green's life became the worst day of his life.
His wife Abby mysteriously disappears. A year later, still grief stricken and unable to write, Grady retreats to a secluded cabin on a remote Scottish island. On Amberly he quickly realizes things here aren't quite right. Strange things are happening in this eerie place, seeing Abby and then not able to find her and unrelenting twists and turns make him think he is losing his mind. Is he?
This novels well-paced unfolding of mystery, dread and truth is both creative and captivating.
Expertly narrated by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton. Their combined efforts and various sound effects made the story come alive.
Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank You NetGalley for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

Alice Feeney is one of the best thriller writers ever. I always love her settings and characters. Even when I think I have it all figured out. This is a great book to listen to and I am excited read and listen to more of her work.

A very well produced and performed audiobook! Sound effects elevated the experience as a listener. Though some twists were predictable, the ultimate conclusion was not. I enjoyed this very much.

This was a fun one! The audio was really well done and I enjoyed the sound effects that were added in. This one kept me guessing and had a great twist. I also loved that there was a secret message hidden in the book. So fun!