When outside forces conspire against her, a woman unravels. Looker by Laura Sims is more a character study than a thriller, but I read this book in two sittings, it was that compelling. Quirky, flawed, all over the place , but oh so good. I loved it. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy. #bookreviews #looker #Netgalley

I feel the description over promised on this one and it was a bit of a fizzle for me unfortunately. Usually when I read a book that is labeled as a psychological suspense I expect some shock appeal.

Such a promising concept, but I felt like it could have delivered more. I would recommend for readers who love a psychological character study, but not to readers looking for a plot-driven thriller. The psychological tension is there—it kept my interest long enough to finish—but I’m giving it 2 stars, because I feel as though I’m still waiting for the plot to kick in.

I loved the MC’s obsession, her hoarding, felt like there was little information given on the breakup of her marriage—like it should have/could have been tied more to the actress than the MC’s “failure” to produce a child.

Because I was so hung up on the plot, perhaps I missed the point the author is trying to make with MC—that in this digital, celebrity obsessed age we’re all just Lookers. MC becomes so removed from her life in general it’s as if she is just a Looker at her own life. Given that the author is best known for her works of poetry, I probably wasn’t reading deeply enough to enjoy this book for what it was meant to be.


SPOILERS!!
I waited. I waited for MC to go nuts on her students. I waited for her to exact revenge on her ex. I waited for her to steal the actress’s children. I waited for her to kill the actress and take over her life. I waited, but nothing happened in this book.

I had high hopes for this book, but just didn’t like it. It is very well written, and very detailed. Major credit to the author for a distinct ability to “set the scene” in every aspect of the book. Sadly however, the detail is so good that the main characters spiral decent into depression and psychosis is depressing. The conclusion of the book is tragic and sad, bordering g on hopeless. I am not able to recommend a book I did not “enjoy” and sadly, that was the case with this.

The narrator of Looker is odd, obsessed and delusional to say the least. The reviews for Looker are not great. I would agree that the book ended before it picked up speed which is a shame because the premise is amusing and interesting. I do think it was well written and there is a good plot. I am always interested by characters with intense psychological traits.

This book was a bit of a puzzler. It was paced like a suspense/thiller type book but nothing really happened. No explosive event or ending. It just sort of ended. It wasn't horrible but I felt like it was billed as something it was not.

I just.... I just don’t quite understand what I’ve read here. I can’t even really tell you if it was bad or if it was good because I’m not understanding the purpose of this story at all.

There were a lot of moments where I was like “oh my gosh it’s finally picking up, this is where everything goes wrong”, and a lot of moments that built suspense on my distrust of the narrator.

But other than those little moments where I questioned her psyche... there wasn’t much else of the story. No self reflection, no big ah-ha or oh my god moment. The ending didn’t tie any of the loose ends up, didn’t horrify or excite me.

I don’t know if it makes me a sick fuck that I wish something completely wild had happened, like if the main character actually did end up kidnapping the actress. I feel like it’s my obsession in dark stories that got the best of me because when she killed the cat I was excited that it was only going to get more twisted from there... but it doesn’t. It was honestly downright disappointing to find that it would end so bland.

It was a story that had a lot of potential, the writing was good and the characters were interesting, but just fell flat. Left me empty & mildly disappointed.

Rating: 2.5

Thank you to Scribner & Netgalley for approving me for this advance copy e-arc to read way before the publish date of January 08,2019!

I’m still a bit undecided on this one. It was definitely fast-paced, held my attention, and I flew through it in two or three sittings. However, if you’re waiting for an ending to shock you— this book is definitely NOT for you. I kept waiting for a plot twist, or something to give me the WOW factor but it just wasn’t there.

That being said it is quite entertaining to see the narrator not only self-destruct but to also ruin the lives of everyone around her. Suddenly, the realization that she is living her life alone has left her quite deranged. Her behavior is impulsive, horrific and inexcusable—- but captivating since page 1.

I didn’t like how there is no real identification for most of the people in this book either. Why does the narrator have no name, the actress or her husband have no names, and one neighbor is referred to as “ H”— what purpose does this serve? Her students , her ex, and the residents that lived below her all had names. A bit bizarre.

I would say this book was average and I really wish that it had a better ending!

3 ⭐️

Wow. I suppose that I would have to agree with those who feel that this book kind of missed the mark. Yes, I was interested in seeing the outcome of the many facets of the main character's dilemmas. However, there was such a fine line between the realities of her life and her fantasies that I had to continually reread certain parts of the story. I was expecting an outcome that might explain everything - such as an overall explanation for the unstable behavior. I did enjoy a number of parts; her teaching, the block party & especially her meeting with the esteemed chairman of her department.

Overall, this was an interesting read - and fast!

Many thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book !

Looker was not what I was expecting based on the book’s description. It reminded me somewhat of Our Kind of Cruelty due to the disturbed character’s mind you enter during the story. Laura Sims did a good job of capturing the main character’s unraveling mind and grip on reality. Looker was more about overarching themes that exist in our culture, such as how we idolize and envy celebrities or even our next door neighbors than it was a typical suspense/thriller, which felt a bit anticlimactic to me, but is a unique take on the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

The writing style of this book was interesting and the voice was strong, but overall I felt the description of the premise wasn't totally accurate. I was expecting a stronger stalker theme similar to "You" or "Jane Doe" but it focused more on the issues of the main character. But overall it was an interesting read.

This one was a mixed bag for me. It started off enjoyably enough, but started to get unbelievable towards the middle. Right when the story was heating up and getting interesting again, the book abruptly ended. I am unsure as to how I felt about the story and I’m left a bit underwhelmed.

I very much enjoyed this domestic thriller told in first person by an unnamed narrator. Before her life went to shambles her actions could be described as quirky, but post failed IVF and separation from her husband she loses any sense of normalcy. The ending, while not necessarily predictable, could have been wilder. Overall, it was quick read that made me interested to see what the author puts out next.
full review to come in January 2019 via my goodreads account linked below

What a strange and fascinating story. I found myself unable to stop reading it. I wanted to find out what would happen, where this obsession would take our narrator. I wanted to see how she made her life spiral out of control. It was so odd and engaging to dip in and out of. The writing was terrific and I found myself just loving this story.

In advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is not so much a psychological thriller as it is a narration of one woman's mental breakdown I loved it. She made it look good she made it look glamorous. I was enthralled throughout this proof novel. I love this crazy cat-murdering bitch I didn't want it to end.

I could not put this book down, it was so utterly absorbing, so well written, and so abjectly horrifying. A series of losses precipitates a descent into madness: multiple miscarriages, her marriage, hopes for a rarefied "life of the mind," and then her career. I love that the title can refer to the main character, the object of her obsession, and to the reader as well.

I was reminded of Veronique Olmi's Beside the Sea, which was another outstanding first novel about an unnamed woman's tragic unraveling. But France's Olmi doesn't write with the dark humor or modern day snarkiness that Laura Sims uses to such spectacular effect in Looker.

This book is about a woman who, following a long fertility struggle, breaks up with her husband but stays on their block, admiring from afar (of course in a “thriller” means stalking) a neighbor who happens to be a b-list actress while her personal and professional life fall apart and she becomes more and more detached.

The pros: I read this book in literally hours. I really liked our main character even though she was of course “unlikeable” and wanted to know what else could happen in the mess of main character’s life. The snarky writing made our character seem realistic as far as these types of characters go. Most of my praise goes towards our main character.

Cons are mostly on me: It feels like I have read SO many of these “unstable female main character” thrillers over the past couple of years that I can no longer LOVE them (but hey, they’re a neat little escape, like a Lifetime movie that at least forces you to use a little of your brain, so I request them on here and buy them often.) i can’t be enthusiastic but I’m not going to complain about this book either This author actually seems talented as hell, this was pretty generic, but hey not every book has to be a deep passion project either.