Book Review: The Quiet Tenant: A Novel by Clemence Michallon-Mystery/Thriller

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of The Quiet Tenant: A Novel by Clemence Michallon.

Title: The Quiet Tenant: A Novel

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Author: Clemence Michallon

Publisher: Knopf

Publication Date: June 20, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 320 pages
Meet the Author: Clemence Michallon
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

NATIONAL BEST SELLER • ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NOVELS OF 2023 • GMA BUZZ PICK • “A bravura feat of storytelling...daring and completely satisfying.” —James Patterson, #1 best-selling author

A PULSE-POUNDING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER NARRATED BY THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM: HIS 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, HIS GIRLFRIEND—AND THE ONE VICTIM HE HAS SPARED

"Intelligent and suspenseful." —Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World

“All…of the expected suspense and psychological tension, but offering a story about women—the ones who didn’t know the evil that lurked within, the ones who tried to placate or fight but still perished, the ones who might actually survive. Haunting but never prurient…truly unforgettable.” — Alafair Burke, author of The Wife

Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life. 

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.

My Thoughts

Well, this was a surprise, a very pleasant one. This is easily one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time.

I honestly did not know what to expect. I requested the book mainly because I loved the cover. Then, I started seeing it more around the bookstagram community, with good reviews, so that got me more excited, and oh boy, it didn't disappoint. 

What a debut. Kept my on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't stop reading. 

Fast-paced, dark, captivating, suspenseful. I just felt my heart rising the whole time, especially towards the end, the truck scene, oh my. This truly is a fascinating read, my favorite read of 2023 so far. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy

Book Review: My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir by Hannah Pick-Goslar/ Memoir

Hello dear Readers,

Below is my book review of My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir by Hannah Pick-Goslar.

Title: My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: Hannah Pick-Goslar

Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
Publication Date: June 06, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 320 pages
Meet the Author: Hannah Pick-Goslar
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Both heartbreaking and life-affirming" (Edith Eger, author of The Choice), the long-awaited memoir of Holocaust survivor Hannah Pick-Goslar, who shares an intimate look into her life and friendship with Anne Frank.

In 1933, Hannah Pick-Goslar and her family fled Nazi Germany to live in Amsterdam, where she struck up a close friendship with her next-door neighbor, an outspoken and fun-loving young girl named Anne Frank. For several years, the inseparable pair enjoyed a carefree childhood of games, sleepovers, and treats with the other children in their neighborhood of Rivierenbuurt. But in 1942, Hannah and Anne's lives abruptly changed forever. As the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam progressed, Anne and the Frank family seemingly vanished, leaving behind unmade beds and dishes in the sink—but no trace of Anne's precious diary. Torn from her dear friend without warning, Hannah spent the next two years tormented by questions about Anne's fate, wondering if she had, by some miracle, managed to escape danger.

 

In this long‑awaited memoir, Hannah shares the story of her childhood during the Holocaust, from the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in Amsterdam to the gradual disappearance of classmates and, eventually, the Frank family, to Hannah and her family's imprisonment in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. As Hannah chronicles the experiences of her own life during and after the war, she provides a searing look at what countless children endured at the hands of the Nazi regime, as well as an intimate, never‑before‑seen portrait of the most recognizable victim of the Holocaust. Culminating in an astonishing fateful reunion, My Friend Anne Frank is the profoundly moving story of childhood and friendship during one of the darkest periods in the world's history.

My Thoughts

I love reading memoirs, and lately, I have been obsessed, more than usual, with reading about World War II, The Holocaust, and The Jews, through Memoirs. This one delivered, and more. 

Thanks to The Diary of Anne Frank, which is one of my all-time favorite books, I have had the chance to discover many other books topic related, including My Friend Anne Frank, by Hannah Pick-Goslar, which was one of Anne Frank's best friends. 

Hannah tells us her, her family, and her friends' story, before, during, and after The Holocaust, including of course her friendship with Anne. It was so fascinating, as it always is, to read a book written by a survivor of this horrific period of time. Not only because it gives credibility but also because at times it really is hard to believe that there were actually survivors. I can only imagine how it was to live in that period, where even a little bit of hope was hard to gather.

I loved reading about Hannah's family, especially her relationship with her father, how much love and admiration, and respect they had for each other, even more so after her mom died. Also, how protective and dedicated Hannah was to her sister Gaby, always trying to make the environment around them as much normal for Gaby as possible. 

I was happy to see that even for a brief moment, under the circumstances, Hannah and Anne were able to meet again. I wonder if they both felt a little less lonely in that moment. Loved how Otto Frank, Annes' father, reached out to Hannah after Liberation, it was good to see that the bond between them continued and how in many ways, they helped each other in the grieving and lots process. 

I truly enjoyed and loved reading this book. I am thankful for the opportunity to have received an early copy. Highly recommend. 

Thank you Little, Brown, and Company and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy