The Pack was a fabulous book that had me absolutely hooked from the first chapter.

Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com

This is a great thriller that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. And although I think The Pact is not the perfect title for this book because it’s more about the daughter, Rosie, than the mother Toni, the story was so good it didn’t matter. Rosie is your average 15-year-old girl who has a flair for acting. She hides little secrets from her mom (like staying up late and using social media) but is a good girl overall. Toni, her mother, is very overprotective and this drives Rosie to want a little more freedom and independence. Toni’s sister, Bridget, is the cool aunt who takes Rosie on fun shopping trips and to concerts. Rosie ends up getting stuck in a situation and is kidnapped. It is up to Toni and Bridget to get her out of the situation and when they do, all hell breaks loose. You really don’t know who to trust in this book. It’s pretty fantastic.
Thank you to Netgalley, S.E. Lynes and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely fantastic, gripped from the very first page. Another great thriller that doesn't disappoint. Kept me reading into the small hours not wanting it to end. I keep raving about this book which means all.my friends are bow reading it too.

Wow this was chilling and gave me goose bumps! So many twists that In didnt see coming kept me on my toes as I truly didnt expect them. Literally couldnt put it down I had to keep turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. Loved it, it was a thrilling read an easy 5 stars.

This is the second book by S. E. Lynes that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. I read ‘Mother’ when it was released last year. I remember that I really enjoyed reading it and so I had high hopes for ‘The Pact’ I was not to be disappointed as I loved reading ‘The Pact’ but more about that in a bit.
I was initially suspicious of each of the main characters to start with, as they all seem to be a bit economical with the truth. Toni is a way too protective mother, who doesn’t seem to allow Rosie any sort of freedom whatsoever. Rosie just wants to be able to go out with her friends but when she asks her mother, Toni usually says no. I couldn’t make my mind up as to why she was doing it- was she being protective or was she being controlling? On reflection I think that she is being protective as she has lost somebody close to her and she just doesn’t want to run the risk of losing another member of her family. Rosie is your typical teenager trying to make sense of the world and to find her place in it. Understandably she is rather miffed that her mother is so controlling and all Rosie wants to do is fit in but the other kids have noticed and are starting to take the mickey out of Rosie. Rosie finds herself a little bit of freedom on social media but she doesn’t tell her mother as she doesn’t want her mother to take her one bit of freedom away from her. Bridget is a totally different kettle of fish to her sister Toni. Bridget is the sort of fun Auntie that you would want. She respects Toni and her views but when she is with Rosie, she allows Rosie that little bit more freedom and so she is the nice cop whereas Rosie thinks that Toni is the bad cop. Bridget is slightly unconventional and plays in a band. What is the pact between Toni and Bridget? What happens to Rosie, which means she is laid up in a hospital bed? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves as I am not going to tell you.
‘The Pact’ is written from three points of view and in three different voices- those of Toni, Bridget and Rosie. Now that might sound confusing to some but it so isn’t. All three strands interlink really well and the story flows seamlessly. To say that ‘The Pact’ is well written is an understatement. The writer so knows how to hook the reader from the first word on the first page and the reader is reeled in much like a fish on the end of a fishing line. Before too long, you are wrapped up in the story and living the events as they happen and there is no escape. I was hooked on ‘The Pact’ from the moment I opened the front cover and I was under the book’s spell until the moment I closed the back cover. I just had to continue reading to find out what the pact was, why Rosie was in a hospital bed and to discover some of the family’s history, as I had the distinct impression that the characters were holding something back. My Kindle accompanied me everywhere and I begrudged having to put it down. For me, what is so chilling about the book is that it seems so real and the events as shown in the book could so easily happen. For me reading ‘The Pact’ was a bit like being on a scary ghost train ride with things unexpectedly popping up and surprising you. There were lots of twists and turns with this book. There were also moments where I felt my heart rate increase and I held my breath as I was in fear of what was going to happen next. Several times, I had to almost read through my fingers in anticipation of what was coming.
In short I really did enjoy reading this tale that illustrates the dangers of social media and how a family dynamic can change so rapidly. ‘The Pact’ is one of those books that mess with your head and it will certainly stay fresh in my memory for a long time to come. S. E. Lynes has one brilliant but ever so twisted mind. I would have no hesitation in recommending both her and her books to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved and easy 5* out of 5*.

This was a compelling read. The characters were believable and I particularly liked the dynamic between the three main female characters. It’s thought-provoking and engaging. A must-read for parents of teens.

sorry no review has appeared, I have struggled to get into this book.

Wowsers. I am NOT looking forward to the teenage years if this book is anything to go by...

Cue an overprotective mother, an aunt who’s promised to stick with her mother comewhatmay and a typical teenager who’s got a flair for drama... mix them all together with what’s probably typical teenage behaviour combined with unsavoury characters and you end up with this fine specimen of a book from the talented S E Lynes.

At times I held my breath for so long as I just forgot to breathe... the story is unpeeled little by little and from multiple perspectives which allows you to piece it together - and wonder what dark secrets are going to come out of the woodwork.

Another fantastic book from this author, I am looking forward to the next one already!!!

5*

-I have received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are purely my own and not influenced in any way.-
Well, I loved S.E. Lynes book Mother, which was what got me into her writing. This book I could not really get into because I just did not care about the characters. They felt really flat, Rosie especially (she SUFFERED from being written like a teen as told from someone who is not a teen) seemed really naive and just kinda annoying (which, granted, teenager). That said, everyone had a flaw, but no one really had any redeemable characterization that really made me care about the big secret. It was actually this book's downfall: we were trying so hard to keep the twist a secret that it seemed like the story meandered and didn't have a solid point. The end was good, I really thought Emily was an interesting character, but it was too little too late for me because by the point of the twist, I figured it out.
I'll still read things by her, but this was just okay for me. Also, the pact? I found it a let down becausr it meant really nothing. Not the best, but it kept my attention.

This is a really good read. I am so glad I persevered with it. The start is a bit slow but I got caught up in the drama as I kept reading and I wanted to know the outcome. There is a lot packed into this plot. I do not want to give away any spoilers. The dangers of social media are dealt with well and the plot has been carefully thought out.

*thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

DNF @ 35%

I tried. I really did. I gave this author a second chance but once again I lost interest. Like her other book Mother, this too had a strong beginning and I was hopeful for the rest of the story. But about the 23% mark I found it boring. I was pushing my way through it because I was interested a little to know where the story was heading. But it just felt like a chore to get through and I realised it just wasnt worth pushing through. I dont think it was poor writing, I think it's more just not for me. Unfortunately I will pass on this author in the future but I do hope others find enjoyment in her stories.

I picked up “The Pact” during one of the busiest work weeks so far this year. A week that came with almost daily overtime mixed with juggling the duties of a mom of twin toddlers.

Generally being a fan of psychological thrillers made me set quite high expectations for this novel, and after the first couple of chapters I already knew I loved it.

This is the type of book which makes you want to call in sick, so that you can stay home while your kids are at nursery, and finish reading it in one sitting.

Unfortunately I could not afford this luxury and ended up reading bits and pieces of the story whenever I found few minutes. Very frustrating, since I really did not want to put this book down! I read it mostly late at night, and to be frank I hesitated to turn off the light when I was ready to sleep. “The pact” is very scary – not a monster and ghosts type of scary, but real life creepy spooky.

Toni and Bridget are sisters who share a dark secret from the past. They live in one house together with Toni’s teenage daughter – Rosie.
Toni is struggling with the ghosts from her past, but is also grieving the loss of her husband, which leads her to becoming an over-controlling mother who tries to keep her daughter safe for any cost.
Rosie is the typical teenager who wants to be independent and tries very hard to get out from under her mother’s wing. Knowing her mom would not let her do what she does, Rosie keeps it a secret from everyone.
Toni’s lack of trust and Rosie’s teenage naivety result in poor decisions, bad judgement and trouble.

The story is being told from the perspective of the three main characters. Slowly we learn the motives and thoughts of each, and as the story progresses the characters are being built and formed allowing us to understand them better.

I found the book very current and really deserving to be categorised as a psychological thriller.
Living in the era of social media networks overtaking reality, this novel is an eye opener to the dangers that hide behind the computer and phone screens. It brings up the importance of a strong and trusting relationship between mother and her child, and warns about the risks of helicopter parenting. Last but not least this is a story about family and how far one could go to protect the ones she loves.

I absolutely enjoyed every single page of this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes the feeling of thrill when reading a novel.

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller. I liked the way the story was told in alternating timelines by alternating characters. The only reason I haven’t given it five stars is because I felt it was very slow to get started and it took me a while to get into it.

I read and enjoyed mother, and to be truthful I found this a little harder to read. It was quite confusing at times, and often didn’t deliver what I expected.
I expected more.

I had trouble reading this book as I did with her other book. Mother. I was unable to get past 20% of the book. . Maybe it is her style of writing but, but as with her other book Mother, I found it very hard to follow.. I wouldn't have requested this book at the time I did, if I knew The Pact was written by S E. Lynes who wrote Mother, which I couldn't finish either.

Had I not been reading this book to provide a review I would probably not have continued after the first few chapters as I found it very confusing and really didn't gave a clue what was going on. It was intriguing though and I persevered and eventually discovered it had a really good storyline which was dominated by 3 main characters Bridget and and Toni, who are sisters and Toni's daughter, Rosie. It hinted at a dark past and abuse which shaped how Toni parented Rosie. 70% into the book the story picked up pace and it became difficult to stop reading as it so held my attention. Toni's fears for her daughter in the modern world of technology became realised and the story raced to a dramatic conclusion. It's just a shame the whole book didn't have the same impact

The Pact begins with Rosie fighting for her life and is told by flashing back to the events that lead up to this. It is a pact of family loyalty and protecting them. I found this book rather slow and didnt warm to the characters. I am afraid I must be in the minority according to the other reviews, but I am afraid it wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a slow building story about a pair of sisters Toni and Bridget who have survived their abusive childhood. Their pact is to stay together and protect each other no matter what. Toni has a teenage daughter Rosie and she is over protective and controlling of the girl.

The first half of this novel is slow, building up the characters and plot line. It is the second half that gripped me and kept my attention. It is a story that is totally relevant in this present day with online access for children and how easy it is to have a secret life on social media.

The final part of the story is thrilling and I was surprised by the twist at the end.

This was a fantastic story, that flowed really well with short punchy chapters making it easy to read if you are interrupted a lot (to cook and clean etc)
It's a harrowing tale, but so expertly told and sensitively handled.
I highly recommend this one