Read Completed 11/17/24 | 4.25 stars
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for this audiobook review copy!

Alice Feeney is always an auto-read author and I think BEAUTIFUL UGLY is one of her better novels! I loved the moody setting of a remote Scottish island and there's plenty of suspicion to go around. This book was readable from start to finish and immediately hooked me at a time where not a lot was grabbing my attention.

The book is about author Grady Green, who takes a temporary leave/writing retreat to a remote Scottish island in a cabin lent to him by his agent in the hopes that he can get out of his writing slump. It's been a year since his wife disappeared while he was on the phone with her, and he has to assume at this point that she's presumed dead but starts seeing reminders of her when heading to Amberly Island. More and more odd things start happening on the island as its history makes itself known and Grady starts to find out that there's much more than meets the eye...

I love a locked room mystery and despite having an entire island to roam, this is exactly what this book was. A tiny island with no tourists or visitors allowed, no phone or internet service, and even no cars makes things terribly exciting and suspenseful. With only 25 residents, when anything odd happens, you know it's someone on the island and just wonder what their motives are. Alice Feeney did a great job at bringing this island and all of its residents to life. At times, I forgot I was reading and could really picture everything that was going on, and I could definitely see this as a Netflix limited series like so many Harlan Coben novels.

The pacing really picked up towards the end, and that's probably my only decent hesitation about loving this book. The beginning had its mysteries as we get to see (or don't see) Abby's disappearance on the page. The book skips to one year later as Grady's agent is arranging for him to head to the cabin on Amberly Island and things were still interesting, but do take a little while to set up. There are some suspenseful flashes here and there, and there are chapters where we see a past version of Abby before she disappeared, so there is still a lot going on to set up this thriller. I just wasn't as invested as I could have been to really amp up this rating, but it's all still solid!

The ending was definitely more fast-paced, with things being revealed left and right! Most of the things I kind of saw coming by the time we got there, but there were a few missing pieces to tie everything together that really brought it full circle. Some of it was a little fast and furious and I wish that we had maybe spent more time on them earlier on so it wasn't such an onslaught of information all at once, but it definitely captured everything and tied up all of the loose ends -- including some things I had forgotten about! Some of it was maybe a little bit of a stretch, but hey, that's why it's an entertaining thriller novel. We don't always want to read about everything being a given because that's not exciting.

Like some of my favorite thrillers, just when you think it's over, it's not! There was plenty of excitement to go around at the end, and it adds one more touch of darkness before it's lights out for this book.

I'm so happy to have enjoyed this book and I think this is one of Alice Feeney's better novels for me! Definitely a solid thriller read.

This book had a lot of potential. It did move at a slow pace, but in the end, it was plot twist after plot twist, and I think that might have been what made it not that great. The slow burn was okay, but there were too many little details that weren't really needed. Once towards the end, though, with all the plot twists, it just made the story so unbelievable.

3.5 stars

TLDR; eerie and mysterious thriller that feels very Gone Girl x Shutter Island.

I quite enjoyed Beautiful Ugly. I was lucky enough to get an ALC so I actually listened to this one and I think the audio really lent itself to the story. As someone who often guesses big reveals having listened vs read really helped to keep me into the story without getting ahead of the story. The atmosphere and narration constantly gave me the chill down my spine vibe.

That being said, even without trying to guess the twist or big reveals, I feel like it was still a bit predictable. Grady Green is an unreliable narrator and you see that very early on with how he acts. Not that I think he's meant to be all that likable but man was he unlikable. There was a decent amount of the book that was felt like nothing was actually happening. Overall, Beautiful Ugly was a like, not a love, good not great. There wasn't anything that really stood out for me. Would definitely recommend the audiobook!

<b>Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the ALC!</b>

Happy Pub Week to Alice Feeney and Beautiful Ugly. The title’s unusual, and so is the story - slow burn suspense with a strong sense of place. PSA: Columbo the dog is not harmed.

A struggling male author retreats to a remote Scottish island with no phone or internet service. Strange things seem to happen to him. Are they real ... or not?

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for advance access to the audiobook expertly narrated by Richard Armitage with Tuppence Middleton and atmospheric sound effects. I was surprised to get another point of view beginning at the 20 percent mark. As I listened, I was never quite sure whether or not Grady was a reliable narrator until the end. I didn’t anticipate the reveals in the final chapters, and I’m still not completely sure how I feel about them.

This is my third Feeney novel, but not my favorite. If you haven’t read this author, I recommend starting with His & Hers or Daisy Darker.

A year after the mysterious disappearance of his journalist wife, novelist Grady Green travels to a small Scottish island to write his next book. It is a really strange place with very few residents and no visitors most of the year. What's strangest of all is that Grady keeps seeing his wife, but she vanishes every time he tries to approach her. And try as he might, he's having a hard time leaving the island or making contact with the outside world.

This was the twistiest of twisty thrillers, a real slow burn of a mystery. All through the book, Grady wonders if he's losing his mind. And I kind of felt the same way as I listened to the story because I had no idea what to believe. There were a lot of tangents that were hard to follow and all of them tied into the plot, but it was hard to keep up most of the time. Super creepy vibes throughout.

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. The narrators are very talented, and there are sound effects, which I've never encountered in an audiobook before. The sounds of vehicles, ocean waves, walkie-talkies, bells, phone lines, and a metronome all added to the spooky atmosphere and made me feel like I was on the island with Grady and his faithful dog.

3.5 stars.

What did I just read? A sick twisted story that does not have a single decent sane human in it. It is bizarre, wild, you think you have a clue, only to realize you only have an inkling, but nope, it was a brick wall and you need to rethink things. So so dark, filled with revenge and good luck figuring out who is the good, well meaning and who is, well just full on crazy. The narration added to the creep factor.

This book has the lovely prose we’ve come to expect from this author. While I didn’t see the ending coming, I think it could have had a much more exciting climax with a bit more build up. All the big reveals just…happened.

It’s still well-written, I had just hoped for a bit more from the climax.

In typical Alice Feeney style, she has be guessing from the start with a huge plot twist at the end. I love her writing, and the narrator for this one was spot on! Really enjoyed it!

In Beautiful Ugly we follow author Grady Green, who’s wife has gone missing. It’s been a year since she’s gone, and he can’t seem to accept that she’s probably dead. He can’t write either, the only thing that ever made him happy. He’s also running out of money. So when his publisher offers him a free stay at a home she’s inherited on a quaint little island, he takes her up on the offer. He believes he can get some peace and quiet there and he may finally be able to write his next book. This getaway, though, seems to be a bit more than he bargained for, when he starts seeing his missing wife.

So this was my first Alice Feeney book. I was very intrigued with this book throughout most of it. The imagery of the Island of Amberly is beautiful, and I can imagine it so well the way that Feeney describes. I wanted to keep reading because I was so interested in what the answers could possibly be. Is his wife dead? Missing? Well, you do find out. Honestly, the lead up is great and a slow burn, and I really couldn't tell exactly where this book was going, what direction off the clues it would take, which I liked. However, when I did finally learn the twist, I wasn't very impressed. It just seemed so out of left field to me, without many clues that actually led to it. I did still like the book overall though, and I think others would enjoy it also.

My review will be on Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram January 22, 2025.

SO GOOD!!!!!! Did not see the MULTIPLE twists at the end! Absolutely love this book and the story! It is a fast and easy read as well as good at keeping you wanting more!

Beautiful Ugly, Alice Feeney's dark story is about spouses who are both writers and celebrities of a sort. It reveals mysterious and consequencial secrets buried in their past. Both writers are struggling with their contrasting careers and the things they have not shared from their families and personal lives . They have long played their individual roles to create the life balance they crave (in public and private) as a happily married couple, denying to each other that their marriage feels like a betrayal. Then she is gone, and a spine tingling adventure of twists and turns begins. Like Gone Girl there are episodes where you favor one spouse or mistrust the other. Then you may feel that eventually it will all work out, as it is seeming to. But, remember Feeney is the Queen of gaslighting and unreliable narrators! And then the ending rings true to answering much of what you have been questioning. If you think Stephen King's writer Paul Sheldon had it bad in Misery, - well let's just say celebrity writers may start looking over their shoulders for their SPOUSES, NOT their FANS after reading THIS best seller ! Spoiler: These women who hate men find an author worthy of being their victim, marry him, boost his career to be publishable, kidnap him and force him to support them, then gaslight him into committing suicide as his. only way out that is also revenge by leaving the island without support, and the ladies laugh all the way to the cemetery as they dream of their next victim. When you read the book you may see it a different way. I loved it!
I listened to this McMillan audiobook, which I highly recommend. It is impeccably narrated by Richard Armitage ( The Hobbit film trilogy), and actress Tuppence Middleton, (Downton Abbey). Sound elements of howling winds and breaking waves added another chilling layer to the haunting Brit theatre of their voices.. Perfect for the isolated offshore island setting.

When I first encountered the island in this book - with it's precious Redwoods, I was immediately skeptical. These Redwoods were stated to be introduced to the island, meaning they're an invasive non-native species, why are they being "protected", why is a biologist there just to study and "take care" of them? AND these trees drove out all of the birds???

As I read more of the story (audio), I found myself struggling with the unreliable narrators - yes both of them. By the middle to end of the book, my patience was wearing thin, and I had to speed up the pace out of frustration. Then I hit the Abby/Abby chapter that required multiple re-reads, and even then, I struggled to grasp what was unearthed due to the forgettable nature of the island characters names.

If a book is going to feature numerous twists and intricate plot developments, they need to be plausible and engaging enough to allow for understanding and reader investment - Beautiful Ugly was not.

And finally, the constant anxiety over the fate of the dog added an extra layer of stress throughout the reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney in exchange for my true thoughts.

I received this as an ARC and was so excited to read this highly anticipated book. As I was reading it I felt like I was in a fog and trying to wade through it to figure out what was going on. At the end it all became clear but just seemed so unrealistic. I couldn’t fall in love with this book like I had hoped and was so excited to do.

It focuses on Abby who goes missing at the beginning of the book and her husband who has difficulty going on without her and, as an author, can’t find the inner strength and creativity to write. When his agent suggests that he go to a remote island for a while to focus on his writing, he encounters strange situations, women, and hallucinations that make him believe he sees his missing wife…but is it really her? Is she still alive? And what is going on at this island that makes him feel this way?

I think if it had been wrapped up a bit sooner than the very end and if the conclusion were a little more realistic, I may have liked it more. Thanks for the ARC, but I wouldn’t recommend this as highly as I’d hoped.

I was clearly on an Alice Feeny binge this month, and I received the ARC physical copy and audio and decided I loved the accents enough just to listen to it.

I will say this is a bit more on the slower side for a mystery to be built up and it does not really leave you in suspense like her other books. I will say there is a little plot twist that I didn’t see coming and that was probably the most exciting part of the story but it’s not my favorite. I also felt like the ending was strange? It didn't explain why? And kind of just felt off but I did enjoy the woman in black snippets the visuals that the audio provided and that's all I will say.

But overall, the audio narrators were really good! So kudos to them.

3.5⭐️

Author Grady Green’s life is turned upside down when his wife, Abby, disappears mysteriously one night after a phone call. A year later he retreats to a remote Scottish island to try write and rebuild his life. But when he sees a woman who looks just like Abby, everything changes. This is one of those stories where the less you know going in, the better.
I took an unplanned break from posting, but I couldn’t miss the chance to celebrate the release of Beautiful Ugly, the latest book by Alice Feeney.
This is my 7th book by Feeney, and she continues to amaze me. Beautiful Ugly was mysterious, atmospheric, and packed with suspense. I absolutely loved the characters, and the big twist completely took me by surprise! Feeney has an incredible way of keeping you guessing and fully immersed in the story until the final page.
The audiobook narration by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton was phenomenal—their performances brought the story to life with so much depth and emotion. The added sound effects made the experience even more immersive, and I can’t recommend it enough for audiobook lovers.
The book was released today, and I already can’t wait to read her next one. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy!

This mystery took its time to unfold. The audio really kept me hooked, and I was curious the whole way through, but I wasn't completely wowed by the story. The twist caught me off guard, which was cool, but the ending felt a bit flat for me. I liked it overall, just not one of my favorites.

Thanks Netgalley for the ALC but this was definitely a miss for me!!

I usually support women’s wrongs if the book makes it work but this really didn’t for me. The twist was lame, the characters were laughable, and everyone was so mustache-twirling evil that I just didn’t believe anyone. Like it was all so obvious from maybe 20% in.

Quick question, are the women in the UK doing alright? I'm starting to sense a Theme from their fiction writers and am getting concerned. Maybe someone should check in on them.

Grady Green is a writer who finally reached his dream of being a nyt bestseller. Unfortunately, his journalist wife Abby went missing on that very same night. Since then, Grady has been plagued by insomnia and writers block from the stress and trauma, so when his agent offers him to stay at a cabin in a remote Scottish island, he agrees.

The island and cabin are beautiful, but on the first night Grady discovers some mysterious and spooky items under the floorboards, along with the secret manuscript of the cabin's previous resident. The manuscript is incredible, and reignites Grady's writing spark. All he has to do is make it his own, and survive the strange residents and mysterious newspaper clippings that keep popping up in the cabin...

The thing about this book is that it was a good thriller. The pacing was well structured, with a slower beginning rocketing into a landslide of discoveries. I enjoyed the tone, and there were scenes that were genuinely frightening, with the suspense racketeering to a point that I genuinely thought it would turn into a scifi/fantasy setting, but I am glad it didn't.

We get to see Grady's character, both how he sees himself and how his wife saw him, and the way his personality is a reflection of that of the previous cabin resident. There is a fun cast of characters, and their quirkiness from being on such a small isolated community was a lot of fun to read. The unreliability of Grady as a narrator, especially as he suffers from stress and insomnia is entertaining but only to a point.

The part that irked me was the ending, after all these mysteries everything gets explained with a big bowtie, but the explanations are just like, the craziest things that the author could come up with. In my opinion, the sign of a great mystery is when you look back on different parts of the book and go "ohh that's why x was mentioned!" but this book made me make the ._. face and also the John Travolta shrugging meme because HELLO? Every time I realize why something happened previously I'm like...bruh. There are entire parts of this book dedicated to misleading you for No reason ahhhh

That being said it was a well written thriller for basically everything but the ending (?) so if you are interested I would say to stop after chapter 50, do not read or pass go once you hit "Tough Love" and you will have a grand old time

Unreliable narrator fans will love this twisty novel about a missing wife, a broken husband, and a mysterious island of women. When Grady's wife Abby goes missing the evening of his novels debut on the NY Times best sellers list, Grady begins a downward spiral that leads him to a remote island to recover and find his voice again. The islands' residents are strange and dodgy. He thinks he sees his presumed dead wife. He hears her name whispered in the wind. The longer he stays on the island the more it becomes clear that he isn't leaving the island.

EVERYONE needs to read this book.

This book was insane. The storyline, the suspense, the psychological twists- the back and forth narration of past and present, husband and wife, is always an interesting read. It truly keeps you guessing and it took all the way until the end for me to understand it all. Usually I can pick up on the plot and guess what’s coming, but not this book.