Cover Image: Look What You Made Me Do

Look What You Made Me Do

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A gripping, tense, and utterly addictive read.

Delving into the bonds we share with family, and how willing we are to keep secrets to protect them....and ourselves, I powered through this book so fast as I simply couldn't put it down!
Even focusing on some difficult topics which many wouldn't dare to tackle, Nikki's writing style is truly unique and has you feeling truly immersed in the world in which she creates.

Was this review helpful?

This book was everything I look for in a book. It was so exciting. The plot was fantastic. It really had me on the edge of my seat, and my heart racing. It was very well written and flowed well.

Was this review helpful?

I think I've said this before but nothing gets my blood pumping better than a standalone thriller where I can't see the ending coming, and Look What You Made Me Do got me GOING.

The storyline was really intriguing and I think that family ~drama~ always makes for a really interesting central plot, particularly here with sisters Caroline and Jo.

I found LWYMMD easy to follow and understand, and the mystery behind certain parts kept me turning the (virtual) pages non-stop. The writing was brilliant and it was so descriptive that I felt like I could quite easily visualise what scene Nikki was setting before me.

As always with books like this there are some gaslighty, nasty male characters and although I loathed this one in particular it did make for a more shocking read as it all resolved at the end.

I'd absolutely recommend this. Think Blood Orange but EIGHTY MILLION times better. SO much better.

Thank you #NetGalley and @orionbooks for this copy, and thank you Nikki too!

Was this review helpful?

I simply love Nikki Smith.

From the very first page you are drawn in, the two sisters complete opposites but drawn together in their sibling rivalry.

Tense, gripping and brilliantly written!

My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?

Sibling rivalry was the core of this thriller where both sisters didn't trust each other. The secrets hidden in their lives and the complex relationships kept me gripped. This was a fast read as the prose never stopped. Overall, a fun read.

Was this review helpful?

After reading this author’s brilliant debut last year, I was super excited to see if she could follow it up with another great read. I needn’t have worried, because “Look What You Made Me Do” was a corker!

The novel eloquently explores the idea that two people, living in the same house, sharing the same experiences, can have memories of those people and events that are completely different from each others. Almost as if they had lived different lives altogether.

The title of course refers to victim blaming. This was foremost a story about spousal abuse where the husband blames the wife for ‘making’ him abuse her both emotionally and physically. In addition, it also delves into the subjects of sibling rivalry, parental favoritism, and guilt.

The characters were fully developed and treated in an understanding and empathetic way. The scenes were vividly written evoking a tense revelation of the hidden dysfunction in an outwardly ‘perfect’ family.

This, the author’s second novel, has affirmed that I will follow her writing career avidly, reading each of her novels as fast as she can write them.

Highly, highly, recommended to all fans of domestic thrillers.

Was this review helpful?

OMG!! What a book!! I was thrilled to have the chance to read and review this as I had heard great things about it. Nikki Smith really knows how to write a chilling page-turner! I read this in two days as I couldn't put it down. Such a great storyline, interesting characters and Nikki's writing style is up there with the great thriller authors in my opinion. It was as if the pages turned themselves and everything was tied up nicely at the end. I really can't wait to read more of her work!

Was this review helpful?

Trigger Warning: This story featured scenes of domestic abuse. However, they were so masterfully handled I felt repulsed and uncomfortable reading them, but it was never too much.

Overall, my favourite thing about “Look What You Made Me Do” was the wealth of surprises it contained. The narrative had twist after twist, which never once became too gimmicky but rather improved the story, providing the reader with lots of surprises that kept me going until the end.

At it’s heart this story is about family relationships - mothers and children, husbands and wives, sisters. It is a look at what happens when the ties that bind us are sometimes more necessary than we think. The fractured family relationships provided a filling narrative in this thriller that was different to many I have read. I was gripped from start to end.

Was this review helpful?

Look what you made me do follows two sisters who are in constant competition with one another. Caroline believes Jo has it perfect with her husband and daughters. Whereas Jo thinks Caroline has a great husband and a better relationship with their mum. But what is it they say the grass is only greener from your perspective.

I enjoyed this book. It's classed as a psychological thriller I didn't find much thriller but definately had me thinking. It was interesting to be dropped in to the middle of a family after a parent has died. They all seem to have secrets and their secrets need to be shared.

I found Jo's storyline alot less interesting compared to Caroline. Jo has a big secret but it is kind of obvious from the get go. What I loved about her storyline was her kids esp her eldest daughter Olivia, she has a secret and out of all the secrets it was the one I was most interested in. Jo's husband is a bit of a drip. I had guessed his secret but I must say his behavior just seemed a bizarre, safe to say I wasn't a fan. Jo seems to be a bit loopy as well in her head a lot which is fine but it got a tad irritating because she repeats herself A LOT!

Now Caroline on the other hand has something hidden under the mattress and I had no idea what it was at all. The reveal was quite well done and left me with more questions. Caroline's husband is abusive and shockingly so. It is a very well written account of domestic violence and shows how something as little as a compliment can trigger an act. I actually felt like crying a few times. What is strange is between the two sisters Caroline seems to be the stronger of the two, yet it would be easy to assume she's the weaker one. Her love for her son Adam who is away in Bali, is without a doubt pure mothers love.

The dynamic between the two sisters is so fractured but I feel their parents had a lot to do with that. There's a moment nearer the end of the book in Jo's office that had tears running down my face. No spoilers ofcourse.

Both protagonist are interesting women and yet I feel like for this story to be successful we needed both narrators. Then we have the third narrator which I suppose was the thriller element. I honestly had no idea who they were and what they were talking about. Although now it seems to obvious I can't believe I hadn't worked it out. I loved that third narrator and I wish we heard more from them.

Would I recommend this book?

Yes I would recommend it's an easy read I speed through it in a few hours. There are parts where I got confused and had to re read chapters but it all made sense eventually. Both women have their issues esp relating to mental health Jos eating disorder and Caroline likely had ptsd. Yet the one thing they both have as their main priorities are their children
This is clear from both women's accounts.
If you aren't a fan of men you will be even less of a fan after reading this book. But in all seriousness the male roles are portrayed the way they are for a reason. Abuse is abuse it can come in different ways.
As with most books there's a good twist and I was expecting something but maybe not what we were told. But I loved it. If this book hadn't been advertised as primarily a psychology thriller I probably would of scored it 5 stars. But I went in with an expectation that wasn't quite met. So today I score 4 stars 🌟

Thank you to netgalley, orion publisher and the author Nikki Smith for the advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review. I look forward to reading more of your work.

Was this review helpful?

A decent domestic thriller with tension and suspense in dollops. I enjoyed this book and would recommend to others. I was attracted by the title and cover but the contents delivered. I’ll look out for more books by this author. Potential.

Was this review helpful?

Look what you made me do - Nikki Smith

Having experienced sibling rivalry I feel for Caroline and Jo. In the end they were there for each other, but it shouldn’t have taken the bad things they experienced for it to be that way, and yes Rob “deserved it.”

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed Nikki’s debut, All In Her Head, so jumped at the chance to read and review an advance copy of her second book.

Again, Nikki has written about difficult domestic situations realistically and sensitively.

Jo and Caroline are sisters. They have never been close, always competing for their parents love. Their father has just died bringing them together for the funeral and to sort out their fathers estate. 70% of the family business is now owned by Jo which has not gone down too well and she is under pressure to sell it.

It looks from the outside that the sisters have happy comfortable lives, but no-one knows what goes on behind closed doors. Caroline is married to the most hideous man who abuses her both physically and mentally. She has hidden this from everyone apart from her 19 year old son who has gone travelling to Bali to get away from his father. Jo suspects her husband is facing an affair, and one of her young daughters seems particularly affected by her grandfathers death.

The story is told from the points of view of Jo and Caroline but we also have a third, unknown narrator who keeps popping up to discuss their feelings for someone.

Great thriller I devoured in a few sittings. Nikki has quickly become one of my must read authors.

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. Book published 1/4/21

Was this review helpful?

This book welcomes you in and keeps you firmly in the story right from the start. When Jo and Paul's daughter Livvi is missing after school one day, the parents fear the worst when they see their shed on fire at the bottom of the garden.

But.....

Go back a few weeks to discover the family dynamics of Jo and her family, and her sister Caroline and her husband Rob. The sister's have just lost their Dad and his will throws out some surprise. The sisters were divided before his death and even more so now.

Jo is convinced that Caroline and Rob have the perfect marriage, but all is not what it seems. Rob is not a nice husband, and Caroline needs to escape like her son has, but can never get away.
Jo is suspicious of her husband thinking he is having an affair, and worried about her daughter's coping with the loss of their Grandad.

The book is really well written, all coming together very quickly at the end with a great bit of writing that I didn't spot coming.

Was this review helpful?

A story of sibling rivalry, the after effects of losing a parent and so much more.

Jo & Caroline are sisters, they have never really got on. Jo always felt that her Mum preferred Caroline and Caroline always felt Jo was their Dad’s favourite. After recently losing their father, the two sisters seem to be drifting even further apart, especially when it is discovered that their Dad changed his will just before his death.

The book is mainly about the families of the two sisters and how they all try and cope with the loss of their father, as well as dealing with their troublesome marriages. But there is more going on beneath the surface that we start to discover as the book goes on. Can the two sisters ever trust each other and be there for each other ?

This is a great family drama with some aspects of a psychological thriller. It is a book that will have you hooked from the start and you will become entangled in the lives of Jo & Caroline, as if you are there with them.

Thank you to Orion Publishing and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

This was overall a good book hence why I gave it a 4 star but it just wasn't the best. I enjoyed the book but found it for the most part very long for what it needed to be and had alot of extra writing pieces which weren't needed it. The plot twist was fantastic though. I liked the characters and the plot twists.

Was this review helpful?

It was a really great story about sibling rivalry and hidden secrets. This book was great and I felt I couldn't put it down. Some great characters and some really loathsome ones too. Brilliant.

Was this review helpful?

Sisters game playing of who is the favourite of the family. taking it in "turns" of who is accepted and which is the black sheep. Highly recommended thriller.

Was this review helpful?

Great title, not sure of it’s relevance to the story but eye catching and memorable none the less
2 Sisters
Jo and Caroline
Both with problem husbands, both grieving for their Dad and both battling with a Mum who can apply lipstick meticulously in even the gravest circumstances
And basically the book charts their current lives, how they don’t get on, how their father’s death and his will have torn them further apart and how they are going to solve all these and their many other problems
A warning, Caroline has an evil husband, his mental abuse of her is not just loathsome it’s repugnant, I wanted to go and rescue her myself ( and couldn’t at times understand why she didn’t ask for help ) he is vile and upsetting and pushes the boundaries of even the nastiest of characters
The book does go on a bit and at times you wonder what you are doing there in their lives ( and wonder wether to leave them to it ) and drama and sigh a sigh of relief when something moves on and a bit of the story is resolved
But then it’s also a mainly good descriptive read and finishes with a more than satisfying thump of an ending

7/10
3.5 Stars

Was this review helpful?

Wow oh Wow! What a book! Where do I possibly begin with this one? This is a really hard review to write without giving away any spoilers. The book is absolutely fantastic and Smith has definitely put another masterpiece into the world with this one.
This is action packed and instantly grabs your attention. We start off with a missing child, which fills you with horror from the very start. Smith takes the reader on a journey throughout this book. I have been completely captivated and felt the emotions of the funeral and the tension from the complicated family dynamics which are clear in this one.
Rob is a character who has made me uncomfortable, he is extremely controlling and is central to a rather toxic relationship. We hear how the marriage is filled with tension and fear and Rob comes across as a huge man baby. I despise how he treats Caroline and really feel for her being afraid of the man she is married to. As a reader, I have been shocked at him leaving marks on Caroline while she is asleep.
Jo is the odd one out of the three women central to the plot of this book. This is more apparent after the shocking revelation left by her father. The divide between the women is clear and is definitely a journey for the reader.
I love how atmospheric this novel has been, the tension and suspense are evident throughout and I have been completely captivated by this story. This is a novel centred on secrets, manipulation and toxic relationships.
I have literally held my breath for several pages and wanted to shout at Smith because I couldn't predict what was coming next. This book is a masterpiece, highly deserving of all the stars and one I most definitely recommend.

Was this review helpful?

I have read Nikki Smith’s first novel All in her head, so I was interested to read her second novel Look what you made me do.
Look What you made me do is about rivalry between two sisters Caroline and Jo. They have never been close. Always trying to get the upper hand between one another. Competing the love of their parents. But their own lives are not as perfect. One has a cheating husband and the other is abusive. But they keep it to themselves never telling each other their uttermost secrets.
When their father dies, and Jo is left seventy percent of the family business. Caroline tries to step in with her mother and persuade Jo to sell the family business. Not telling the real reasons why they wants her to do that.
Thank you, Orion, for a copy of Look what you made me do. I liked the premise of this gripping story, but I found that there was a lot going on in this. There was so many different leads which for me personally I find in some instances quite confusing. But only in the last twenty percent of the story it suddenly becomes clear. It is still worth a read.

Was this review helpful?