A unique storyline and a winner of an idea! I think most people have those "moments" when anger can take over, but Frankie seems to have more of them than most of the people around her, so to anger management she will go. Lists are something most people use quite often so requiring Frankie to make a list of those she feels have wronged her.....so she can work on forgiving them.....is a reasonable step in recognizing just how often she loses her temper. BUT, Hannah Mary McKinnon has now kicked the story up a few notches. Frankie's list is misplaced, maybe. She finds it but soon after making the list, the people on her list start having accidents or bad luck. So, Frankie has to wonder what is going on.......
If you want to know more, you'll have to read the book. Again, a unique story line with some pretty interesting characters. Definitely a must read.

This was an addictive, compulsively readable domestic thriller full of twists I did not see coming a shocking ending I couldn't help applauding! If you like stories about complex characters who have suffered serious trauma and are struggling to deal with it this one is for you. Add in a great suspenseful mystery and lots of references to other thriller novels and this was one fantastic read and my new favorite from Hannah Mary McKinnon. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The main character of this book, Frankie, is one angry lady. At her first anger management group session, they are told to write a list of people they are angry at so they can work on forgiving them. But Frankie’s notebook goes missing - and then bad things start happening to people on the list…

Definitely a fun premise, though more of a slow burn than you might expect from that description before getting kind of crazy later in the book. I totally predicted the major twist in this book super-early, though there was a minor twist o didn’t see coming. My other issue was that Frankie was just so deeply unlikeable. I’m not saying I’ll only read books with likable characters, but Frankie is just such a psychotically raging B that it’s kind of hard to feel sympathetic to her at all. But it was a reasonably entertaining page turner nonetheless. And my thriller tastes tend to differ from the norm, so others will probably like this one more than I did.

I wanted to badly to enjoy this book, but it was not for me. I wanted to DNF it at 20% and 40% since I was not enjoying it. Frankie was so unlikeable/unrelatable and I could not stand her. She made poor choices and went off the handle to easily. After putting the ebook down at 40%, I waited for the audiobook to come out because that was the only way I would get through it, but unfortunately it didn’t help.

The ending was good and unexpected but to much of the book was a major miss for me. Because of the ending I am raising my rating to 2.5 stars but rounding down to 2 stars on Goodreads.

I have loved McKinnon’s previous books, so I look forward to reading her future books.

***** Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA, Hannah Mary McKinnon, and NetGalley for the gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.

Hannah has written another amazing, compelling and suspenseful book! All of her books have intriguing and unique plots and this one again has some great layers and twists. Frankie has some major anger issues and when she attends her first anger management session she has to write down a list of people she feels have wronged her. Soon the people on her list start to have frightening accidents. Frankie is alarmed and tries to find out why this is happening and how to stop it before something even worse or possibly fatal occurs. The suspense definitely increases as the book goes on and I loved seeing Frankie’s personal growth throughout the story. I enjoyed the fast pace and couldn’t put this book down. I highly recommend this one as I have with all this author’s books.

This was my first book by this author but I need to pick up more!

Frankie has a temper that often gets her in trouble. Her dad suggests anger management. When a "forgiveness list" of all the people Frankie SHOULD want to forgive gets lost and bizarre accidents start happening to those on the list, Frankie needs to figure it out before she's next!

Now for every time Frankie loses her temper in this book, I wanted to shake her and shout "shut up! Explain things in a way without anger EVERY TIME!" though there are times where she did have righteous anger (sexual harassment and bullying for example).

I did not see the twist coming but oh my was it delicious in only a great way a good thriller can be! The ending gave me chills!

Frankie Morgan begins attending anger manger sessions and in the first session is asked to write a list of all the people who have wronged her as a way to create a forgiveness list. The notebook she used to make the list goes missing and while it turns up later, she finds people on her list are being targeted and accidents begin to happen to them. The book is a well written thriller that will keep you reading from page 1.. I highly recommend the book and the author.

If you love a book that keeps you guessing until the end this is a book for you! Frankie has a temper and does not know how to control it. This is an issue throughout the book. I really enjoyed how the author makes no secret of why Frankie is the way she is and why she put people on her list. Even with that knowledge there are a lot of twists in the book that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed every word!

What's it about (in a nutshell):
The Revenge List by Hannah Mary McKinnon is the story of Frankie Morgan and what happened when she tried to get her anger in check by attending an anger management group session. The forgiveness list she creates that night gets turned into a revenge list but by who?

My Reading Experience:
This is another wonderful thriller by McKinnon. I just loved it. The secrets upon secrets, the fast pace, the twists and turns, the potentially unreliable narrator, and the creepy ending all work together to create a mind-blowing thrill ride that I found hard to put down.

I also enjoyed that Frankie is only sometimes likable. As a matter of fact, I actively disliked her for most, if not all, of the story. Her anger is so off-putting to a no-drama person like me. But what I liked is that she may very well be unreliable and even the one committing acts of revenge. There are lots of possibilities. What could be better than that?

Like most good thrillers, the less I say, the better. This story is easy to immerse yourself in, and the quick pace keeps your eyes glued to the page. It has so many elements that I absolutely love in a thriller. As a matter of fact, I can't think of any that it didn't have.

Characters:
Frankie Morgan is a woman in her early thirties who works as a project manager for her father's construction company. She has one big problem, though, and she can't control her temper, leading her to make bad choices. When she makes her forgiveness list for the anger management group, she realizes that even she is on the list of people that she needs to learn how to forgive.

Narration & Pacing:
The narration is in first person, with Frankie telling the tale. She may be an unreliable narrator, but you can only be sure of that once all is revealed. First-person narration works very well in this story keeping the pace quick and the secrets hidden.

Setting:
The story is set in Portland, Maine. At first, I thought it was Portland, Oregon, but my mistake was quickly apparent the further I read. The low population of Maine works well for this story. I'm unsure if I determined any further reason for the choice of setting.

Read if you like:
Fast-paced thrillers
Potentially unreliable narrators
Morally gray main characters

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing MIRA for gifting me a digital ARC of the new thriller by Hannah Mary McKinnon - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Frankie is angry. Sure, she has reason to be but her anger keeps getting her in trouble. When it starts affecting her dad's business where she is an employee, he requires her to go to anger management classes. The first night, the attendees are given an assignment - create a list of everyone who has wronged her in her life so as to promote forgiveness. Frankie makes her list, puts herself on it as well, and proceeds to lose it. Then the people on the list start getting hurt in freak accidents.

I loved the premise of this book - I can imagine making such a private list and then having it come to light. Frankie is an angry woman who makes very questionable choices no matter how legitimate her feelings may be. She begins questioning everyone around her and yet keeps getting into more and more trouble as she goes along. Some things are over the top but it was a twisty tale, one that features hard feelings and forgiveness. The end leaves hope that we could possibly be hearing more from Frankie in the future - sign me up, please!

Can you imagine writing a revenge list that was supposed to be a therapeutic exercise but turned into a deadly reality? Oof! I can't even deal. But for Frankie, the time is ticking to find out who is behind it. The reveal is pretty shocking, nonetheless! I would have never guessed it. As for Frankie’s angry nature, there isn't a character like her in the thrillerverse. It’s a refreshing personality trait I haven’t seen in a protagonist thus far.

This is a darkly funny and original novel. I don’t know which is the category but for me is highly-entertaining-and-gripping.
I started reading just-to-check-the-style and was hooked since the first pages. Frankie is not the most likeable person in the world: she’s damaged, her life is hard, and there’s some serious problems with her family.
This could turn any person into someone quite aggressive. I liked her sarcasm and she grew on me. There’s some silly choices and there’s some moment that left me wondering but I felt that the fear and the experience were changing her.
The plot is tightly knitted and there’s black humour but also some sad moments and a growing suspense.
I liked it and liked the originality.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to MIRA for this arc, all opinions are mine

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