I really enjoy Alice Feeney’s books. She is a masterful author of shocking twists.

Beautiful Ugly is no exception.

This book will have you questioning everything you thought that you knew about the characters.
Who can you trust?
Who can you believe?
Who is the villian?
Who is the victim?

Does a place like Amberley exist somewhere out there…

A best selling author’s wife disappears, along with money from their bank account and his motivation to continue to write.

He is given a chance to write in a secluded cabin on a tiny Scottish island.

What he discovers and the truths he has to face make you question everything you’ve been told about his story (and hers!) from both POVs.

I was provided an advanced audio copy of this book from NetGalley and MacMillian Audio in exchange for my opinion.

“No man is an island. But a woman can be, if she needs to be.”

This book got me good. Love the female rage. Both, loved and hated the ending---in a good way. Audio was excellent!

I want to start by saying that the audio production and the performances by both narrators were absolutely phenomenal. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have continued with the book if it hadn't been for these elements. The inclusion of random sound effects really added to the atmosphere, making everything feel more daunting and spooky, which I loved. The narrators' voices were smooth and captivating, and even when the story itself wasn’t fully resonating with me, I found myself hanging on to every word because of their delivery.

That being said, I’m a little indifferent about the book overall. While some parts were fun and intriguing, they didn’t quite outweigh the boredom I felt for a good chunk of the story. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect with the plot as much as I’d hoped.

4.5 stars Great book! Twisty, thrilling, weird. All of those words come to mind when I think about this book. I would say it's the best Alice Feeney book I have read. Would recommend and I loved the audio.

Alice Feeney is one of the queens of the thriller genre. This book is no exception. #Netgalley and #MacmillanAudio let me have the privilege of reviewing this audiobook before its release date... And boy do I have feedback. First off, the audiobook and the narrators are absolutely incredible. 10/10 recommend consuming, yes consuming, this book is the audio format. The sound effects, the beautiful use of different narrators for different parts... It was incredible. It borders graphic audio with how well done the sound effects and background noise are used. Both narrators are completely believable to the point where the narrators add to the final plot twist at the end. No spoilers, but trust me when I tell you, the audio nails this for the maximum impact for the reader. Due to this, this audiobook flies by. You are so immersed in the story, you almost drown in it. Pressing pause almost feels like it should be illegal until it is over and Alice Feeney has had her way with you.

This entire book is atmospheric, it's creepy, and it keeps you on edge the entire time. It's unrelenting in all of these aspects (in the best way possible). Any time the narrator/POV is unreliable, you know you are in for a wild ride in your thriller. I do think the beginning has to start slow in this book for you to understand the tension and build up. I get that sounds weird, but the first 60%+ has to set everything up. Without it, the ending would have fallen flat... and that ending packs a punch. My jaw hit the floor. Trust the process. This thriller isn't going to shove you off a cliff every two seconds... Because when it does finally let the reader have it; it was worth the wait.

"I hope you die in your sleep" is a quote I will be thinking about for a long time. I thought this book would be like Gone Girl when I first started it. But honestly, the more this book went on... The more I started to realize this is a beast on its own. It's haunting, it's thought provoking, and it makes you question your entire experience in the final chapters.

Beautiful Ugly follows an author, Grady Green, after the disappearance of his wife Abby (I'm being vague so as not to ruin anything). His agent sends him to a small Scottish island so that he can escape from his nightmare and learn to write again. Upon arrival on this island, Grady starts to question whether he is losing his grip on reality or if everything on this island, and everyone, is a bit off. This is literally the calm before the storm. Life is both beautiful and ugly. And the longer Grady stays... the more he starts to feel he'll never be able to leave. The tension of this is crafted masterfully throughout the book and grips you until the very end. It's jaw dropping.

Expected publication date: January 14, 2025. Run, don't walk.

I found this to be a compulsive read, not because of the pacing which was fairly slow, but because of the intense doom Alice Feeney was able to create. Especially while listening to the audiobook. The creepy music really set the mood and added so much to the story. The narrators for the audiobook did a fantastic job really bringing the story to life.

First off, I loved the setting! I could really envision the beautiful Scottish island! The mist, the sheep, the seaside cliffs. Second, this book had a lot of very interesting characters! Grady and Abby were especially interesting as the story unfolded. Amberley was full of all sorts of unique people. There were multiple times that I got some of them confused as they all seemed to feel like the same woman.

This was a very elaborate story and plot put together by the people of Amberley. There is so much going on, while also feeling like nothing is going on. You definitely have to suspend disbelief with this one. I do love a good revenge story and this is definitely that. The ending gave me a bit of anxiety! I do wish some of the random things that happened to propel the story were better tied up at the end.

Overall, a slow burn domestic thriller that will keep you guessing until the end, especially when it comes to who is good and who is bad! If you grab this one, I highly recommend giving the audiobook a listen!

Beautiful Ugly was a great audio book that kept me on my toes.

Grady is an author who is waiting for his next book to make it big. He finally gets great news about his book and calls to tell his wife Abbey. While on the phone with Abbey something terrible happens and she goes missing. A year into her disappearance Grady has lost his writing MOJO and is offered to stay on a mysterious island to write in solitude. Upon getting to the island Grady soon discovers everything is not what it seems. Is he crazy or is something just not right?

I thought the audio version was done well and I really enjoyed the narrators. Overall this is a 4.5 read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, however, I was unsatisfied with the somewhat ambiguous ending. I found the plot to move at a good speed, and felt sucked into the storyline. Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook; giving it a 4 out of 5 star review.

Author Grady Green is having the best worst day of his life. Just after receiving word that he's finally landed on the New York Times best sellers list his wife vanishes. Fast forward a year and Grady is in shambles, near broke and unable to write, when his agent, and wife's godmother, offers up her remote island cabin as respite. Once on the island, Grady makes a discovery that could change everything and put him back on the path to success. In true Alice Feeney fashion there are twists and turns and nothing (and nobody) is as it seems.

The narration was wonderfully done, Richard Armitage's voice is a dream, and made this a solid 4 star read for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of this book by one of my must read authors. This book was timely for all that is happening in the US political climate related to women. The main character is a man and we see most of the story unfold through his lens. He is not altogether unlikable most of the time, though he certainly has major human flaws, including alcohol issues, which could make him an unreliable reporter. Most of the book, he questions his own perceptions.
I loved the audiobook. It had little extras that I’m not sure would have translated as well in written form. One example is the crackling of walkie talkie static. I enjoyed the chapter names, and obviously book title, being oxymoron juxtapositions.
Part missing person, part murder mystery, part possible cult. Lots of fun elements and very unlike other thrillers in its plot. There were a couple times I was genuinely creeped out, listening alone at night.
While I think His and Hers and Daisy Darker are still my favorites by this author, I would recommend this to thriller readers.

Hmm... I'm still really not sure what I think about this one lol. I've only read one other Alice Feeney book, which I wasn't very impressed with.

I really thought I was going to be super disappointed with this one too - the first 60% of this book really drags. I mean it's the most mundane day to day activities that the characters were doing that it was really easy to zone in and out while listening to the audio.

At 2x speed, it didn't seem fast enough on occasion.

But anyway, once we get past that 60% things start to pick up and one of the twists knocked me on my ass a bit, I was definitely surprised, but then it got weird and confusing. I wasn't sure if I was nuts or ... idk, dumb?

I'm a little indifferent with this one. While some parts were fun, they didn't outweigh my boredom for a good chunk of the book.

╰⪼ 💙Missing Woman
╰⪼ 💙Secluded Island
╰⪼ 🏰Scotland Setting
╰⪼ 📚Recluse Author
╰⪼ 💙Unreliable Narrator
╰⪼ 💙Locked Room
╰⪼ 💙Red Herrings/Shocking Twists
╰⪼ 💙Atmospheric

Expected Release Date - 01/14/25

✨ Many thanks to my besties at Macmillan Audio for gifting me an advanced audio copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ✨

Alice Feeney does it again! This book took me on so many turns, my head is still spinning. I couldn't stop listening to this. I binged it all over two days listening while I did everything except sleep. Grady Green's loses everything when his wife goes missing. He needs to get back on the saddle and get writing his next book or he's going to have nowhere to live. He's given the opportunity to stay on a secluded isle in Scotland to give him the privacy and quiet that he needs to focus on his writing. Soon though, he notices that things seem quite strange on the island. He has to get to the bottom of what is happening while figuring out how to get off the island to save himself.

I was so excited when I received this audiobook, and I was even more excited that the story didn't disappoint! I really enjoyed the audio. There are two narrators. They embody their characters so well. There was a bit of a theatrical component where you could hear the waves crashing, banging, etc that added to the story perfectly. I don't always like the theatrical audios, but these fit well within the story.

I knew there would be some extreme reveals because this is an Alice Feeney book, so I was waiting for them. I wasn't expecting the unreliable narrator which I very seldom like. I did notice that all the relationships were between women so when the main character realizes there are no men on the island, I was not surprised. I really didn't like the major twist that had to do with the unreliable narrator. It was just too foundational an ending and the facts would have made him more paranoid than grieving. It feels like the resolution is never satisfying when you were led down that false narrative path for so long.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacMillanAudio for my advanced audio copy of this book

WOW. When I got the email notification that I was approved for this ARC, I was SO excited… If you haven’t read any Alice Feeney books yet, you’re missing out. She’s known as the “Queen of Twists”, & this book did NOT disappoint.

I genuinely never know what to expect when I open up one of her books, but I do always know I'm in for a twisty, psychological ride! This was beyond clever & absolutely messed with my mind! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, l absolutely did NOT. The writing had me questioning everything & there were multiple twists near the end that wound up shocking me.

I loved that as the plot thickened, the main character became more unreliable as a narrator, making me question if he was going insane / what was real vs. what was in his head. I won't say too much, because I strongly suggest going into this one as blindly as possible (trust me, it will be more fun that way).

I listened to this book on audio, & I highly recommend it! There’s a male & female narrator to take on the two main characters perspectives. They both did a fantastic job of embracing the characters' personalities & the mood of the story. I also appreciated the little extras in the audio version; there were the sounds of ocean waves, crackling Walky talkies, & music. Together, it all brings the story to life.

If Beautiful Ugly isn't on your TBR, you'll definitely want to it add it. Highly recommend you pick this one up when it’s released on January 14th, 2025.

PS: Alice Feeney, please blink twice if you're not okay!

Alice Feeney books can be a hit or miss for me, but i really enjoyed this one. The audiobook is fantastic! I really enjoyed the narrators and the sound effects. Kind of made It feel like a TV show.

Grady’s wife went missing a year ago and he hasn’t been able to write since - which is bad considered he’s an author. His publisher sends him to a remote area in Scotland to see if he can write. There’s no tourists, no phone lines at all, and limited resources to get back to the mainland. He starts thinking he sees his missing wife, but how would she have ended up here?

There’s a lot of back story going on the whole novel, so i really didn’t know how It was going to end. There were a few small things i guessed. I read this very quickly in just over a day, i was invested! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Twists and turns - buckle up for this unpredictable ride! beautiful Ugly is one of my new favorite Feeney’s for sure!! I literally couldn’t stop listening and finished within 24 hours.

This is a review for an ARC Audio version narrated by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton. It was a fantastic audio production. Richard had spot on accents, allowing the listener to not only distinguish between characters but really breathe life into them. The added sound effects and transitions made the audio version of the book quite enjoyable.

While slow to start, at around 30%, the pace really picked up and the ride began! I personally really enjoy stories with dual POVs as well as switching between past and present - which Alice Feeney has done in an impeccable way. When I read stories I like to search for a deeper meaning… and in this one I feel that Alice Feeney is trying to convey the following: Everyone has a story. And You get what you ask for.

Thank you MacMillian Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review provided through NetGalley.

📚Review: Beautiful Ugly 💔
She’s bacckkk!! I loved this book!! I was SO looking forward to it. Then, I saw it on @netgalley and was thrilled I got approved for an ALC. I started it right away and it literally took me 3 days to finish it and that’s only because I had grown up responsibilities. I could not stop listening. This book grabbed me right from the beginning and didn’t let go the whole time. I was a little nervous wondering if I was going to like this one or not. I’m a hug fan of Alice Feeney. I have a read all of her books, but I wasn’t really crazy about her last two books, so I was wondering if I was even going to like one of her books again. And let me tell ya, I definitely did. I loved this book! I listened to the audiobook of this and it was fantastic. It had sound effects and each time it switched to a different POV it played transitional music. It was just done so well. Loved it. The narrators did such a great job.👏🏻 👏🏻👏🏻 If you get the chance, I highly recommend the audiobook.
Quick summary, this book is about a husband and wife, Grady and Abby. It starts with them talking on the phone while Abby was driving home. He hears her slam on the breaks then, all of the sudden, her line goes dead and he never saw his wife again. She had just disappeared. And that’s all I’m saying. I don’t want to give anything away. It’s a great ride with a jaw dropping twist. 😮
Again, I loved this one so much! I can’t wait for it to come out so the public can see for them selves how great it was. It’s a huge ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars for me!

Special thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for this advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Day: January 14, 2025

Are you an Alice Feeney fan like me? Which book of her is your favorite? Mine with always be Rock, Paper Scissors. It was my first by her and I just loved it.

Grady is a writer who is talking to his wife on the phone when she stops her car to help someone, and then disappears. One year later he is living in a cabin on a small island attempting to write another novel after his first one became a best seller. He thinks he sees his wife on the island. Is it actually her or is he just imagining her?

Unfortunately, this book just didn’t do anything for me. It was an OK story. The premise was good, but I didn’t feel as though the writing hit the mark. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. And I felt that the ending was a bit flat.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and MacMillan audio for the advanced copy. This is my honest review. 3⭐️

Alice Feeney has once again proven herself to be the queen of twisty novels with her latest release, Beautiful Ugly. Having had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook version, courtesy of an advanced copy from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my honest review, I can confidently say that this novel is a gripping and atmospheric experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

From the very beginning, I was drawn into the story as we follow author Grady Greene, whose life takes a dark turn when his wife, Abby, mysteriously disappears. The discovery of her abandoned car by a cliff sets off a chain of events. Feeney's masterful storytelling keeps you guessing, and I found myself completely immersed in the unfolding mystery.

The audiobook itself is a standout, with narrators who bring the characters to life in a way that enhances the overall experience. Their performances are engaging and emotive, making it easy to connect with the story on a deeper level. Additionally, the sound effects woven throughout the narration add an extra layer of atmosphere, making the remote island setting feel even more vivid and haunting. I honestly think that the audiobook version would be the way to go with this story.

The combination of a captivating plot, well-developed characters, and an immersive setting makes Beautiful Ugly a must-read (or must-listen) for fans of psychological thrillers.

While I don't want to reveal too much of the plot, I can assure you that their are plenty of twists and turns. Feeney's ability to weave a complex narrative filled with surprises is unparalleled, and Beautiful Ugly is no exception.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a thrilling read that will keep you guessing until the very end, look no further than Alice Feeney's Beautiful Ugly. Whether you choose the audiobook or the print version, you're in for a treat that showcases Feeney's talent for crafting unforgettable stories. Highly recommended!

Author Grady Green is on top of the world. His latest book is an instant best seller. When Grady calls his wife to share the good news, his entire life will go quickly down hill. His wife has gone missing, he heard her last words as she disappears into thin air. Fast forward one year, Grady's whole life is gone to the garbage. He can't write, can't function, loses nearly everything. When his publicist offers him a way out of his misery, Grady jumps at the chance.

Now on a small island Scottish island, Grady is stripped of technology and all the amped up energy. Life on the island is slow, but with much hope, Grady will write again. Quickly he discovers things are not as they seem. Twenty-five residents live on the island, all close knit, when Grady is smacked with the impossible. He sees his missing wife.

I couldn't stop listening to this book. Alice Feeney writes twists and turns with characters who face heartache. The main character in this book is Grady, a male pov is different but very well done. The author trope has become very popular and when it's done like this, chef's kiss. This will be a must read of 2025. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of this book.