CWA - The Choice

Madeleine is married to Dominic and, on the face of things, they have a good life. Then, on the day of their twin's tenth birthday, an armed man breaks in and forces Madeleine to choose between her children. Who lives and who dies? She makes that choice, with the heaviest of hearts.
Told mostly in flashback from Madeleine's point of view, we learn a bit more about her, husband Dominic, their relationship from initial meeting to present day. As more of the truth comes out, the picture starts to change, we start to see what is under the topcoat of paint, until eventually, the bare canvas is exposed. And, once exposed, comes the realisation that her nightmare isn't over.
And that's all I am saying about the plot. To even try and say more would no doubt include spoilers and that's something I fear so I'll leave it there.
This is a very character driven book and, to work, it needs to have good characters. This is has, aplenty. I found Madeleine to be particularly intriguing, her evolution during the book as her layers were peeled off, exposing the truth therein. He relationship with her husband and with each of her children and the way in which each develops right up to and after that fateful day.
The twists and turns this book delivered kept me guessing all the way, there were a few, lets call them, red herrings along the way too, that once exposed, left me a bit shocked. All this action and reaction delivered in a very succinct and well written way. The reveals were drip fed at exactly the right times and in the right amount to keep me keen as a reader. I do love a good book that keeps me a little confused for the majority. As long as we get there eventually I am quite happy to take what I read at face value, store any questions I might have, and just go along with things, trusting that eventually I will get my answers. And I did, and very satisfying they were, albeit on the shocking side!
This is my first book by this author and, looking at her back catalogue, I see she usually writes in a different genre, this being her first psychological thriller. I do hope she writes another one, and soon!

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

4.5 Stars

Every time I thought I had got to grips with this story, it picked me up and threw me off balance into a different direction. I am reeling from everything.

It's weird as for most of Part 1, I was thinking about giving up reading this, as I thought I had everything figured out and I just didn't feel that bothered, but I was in a forgiving mood and thought I would read on a small bit more, and then part 2 kicked in and I could barely put it down from then on.

A parent's worst nightmare must be for one of your children to die. For Maddie its even worse when she is forced to pick which of her twins will live and which will die from a crazed gunman at their front door. And then we see how she is having to deal with the consequences of her decision and that fateful day.

That is pretty much all I can say about the plot, as the book takes you onto a tremendous journey, but given we only have Maddie's point of view and from the start she seems rather unreliable, its so hard to know what to believe and what not to.

There are many facets to this story and they are all incredibly gripping, and although I wasn't keen on part 1 it was vital information so that you felt more keenly for all the characters later on in the book. There are twists and turns galore and I was left gasping for breath a few times.

All the layers of this story have been put together in a very clever way, so although at all times you will be guessing and completely sure you know what will happen next, I can assure you, you are probably wrong!

The Choice is the first book I've read by Samantha King, and I am incredibly impressed. I found myself drawn into the story and the majority of the book was a very fast read and addictive.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Piatkus for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Blimey The Choice is one of those TOTALLY addictive reads that you do basically in one sitting and I read this in two great big gulps.

The premise is brilliantly compelling – could you choose between your children, give absolutely no choice and only moments to do it? This is the question that faces Madeleine and in that moment and the aftermath lies a gripping and enthralling read.

A beautifully twisted tale with a satisfying and heart stopping conclusion, The Choice manages to be many things during the telling and is thought provoking at the same time as being really rather entertaining (I know, sounds difficult considering the subject matter but that is the beauty of fiction)

I liked how Sam King layered her characters, showed them at all their levels and with them driving the narrative, even as told through Madeleine’s eyes this is less about the twist in the tale but more about the facets of human nature and the idiocies of personality that gets them all there.

Overall a really really excellent psychological thriller. Recommended.

Really enjoyed The Choice, loved the twist it had me hooked! Will look forward to reading more by this author

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.

The book begins by meeting Madeleine. It’s her twins 10th birthday and there’s a knock on the door. It’s a masked gunman who takes her children and forces Madeleine to choose which one lives – her son or her daughter. We then fast forward some months. The family are trying to come to terms with their loss. Madeleine is obviously still in a state of shock that one of her children has died, and died because of her and the choice she made. She hasn’t spoken since that day and she watches the remainder of her family trying to rebuild their lives. Flashbacks keep appearing to Madeleine of that day and the days before it. What do they all mean, and who was the gunman who made her choose?

Reading the blurb on the book, it sounded like a really difficult subject to read - one of your children in killed and it’s your fault. But I decided to give it a go! I have to admit, the first part of the book was quite hard going. The plot seemed to drag, and I wanted to get onto the part where we start to get some idea as to why and who killed her child. I did consider giving up on it at one point, but persevered and was glad I did.

Once it got over the first part, the plot then started to flow really well and I found myself getting more and more into it to the point that I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it. Madeleine’s flashbacks start to slowly reveal what actually happened that day, but I won’t reveal anything so as not to spoil it! A really good psychological thriller, with lots of twists and turns and an ending that I just didn’t see coming!!

Would definitely recommend, but if you find the beginning a little bit slow, keep at it, you won’t be disappointed!!

Thank you net galley and the publishers for the absolute privilege to read this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The description alone was harrowing but once I overcame this I was absolutely enthralled by this novel.

Maddie is faced with the hardest decision of her life when she has to choose which of her twin children must die. The aftermath is traumatic and heartbreaking. She is left unable to communicate with her husband and remaining child. What unfolds after this left me speechless.

I was describing the first few chapters to a friend as hard going but today I described the book as one of the best I have read. A definite amazing piece of work up there with Clare Macintosh, Shari Lapena, BA Parris and Paula Hawkins. There needs to be more buzz about this book and I will be recommending this to my book club on release date.

Five stars! Hands down one of this years top reads. Superbly well written and a page turner right from the word go. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

The premise of this book sounded horrifying; how could a mother ever choose between her children? This is the dilemma that Madeline faces when a masked gunman knocks on her door and drags her twins out of the house.
Without giving too much away I did find the start of the book a little dragging. We spend a lot of time inside Madeline's head and I found it very constricting as I guessed very early on what was going on however, once that section was over the book flew along. I'm not overly keen on unreliable narrators but in this case it really works, Madeline has blocks of memory missing and her previous life is revealed in tantalisingly small chunks. The whole thing builds to a stunning climax that leaves the reader wanting more. Excellent stuff.

to choose which one of he twins When an armed man breaks in just before the twins, Annabel and Aiden, 10th birthday party, Madeleine's devastated to learn he wants her to choose which of the twins is to be killed.. Madeleine has not spoken since that awful day and she keeps getting flashbacks of that day and a few days before it.

Wow. This is quite a difficult subject to read. The first few chapters are quite hard going. The author manages to maintain the tension an pace throughout the book, though it is a bi slow to start. There are twist and turns to keep your interest and an ending I never saw coming. This is a lovely written book. Once you start it you will find it hard to put down. I devoured this book in a day. Highly recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and the author Samantha King for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
The premise of this psychological thriller was excellent - a mother forced to choose between her twins when a masked gunman arrives in their home. The book centres round the build up to the event and the aftermath, particularly the trauma to Madrid the mother due to her guilt in having to make the most awful choice. This was quite harrowing to read.
The character of Maddie was great and well portrayed. But somehow In the first half of the book I found it hard work as the pace and build up was a bit slow, which lessened the impact for me. The second half had a bit more of a punch especially as the story started to twist and turn.
A gripping read. 4 ****

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy in return for an honest review.

On her twins 10th birthday Maddie and her children Annabel and Aidan opens the door and is faced with a masked gunman who forces her to make a choice no mother should ever have to make.

Maddie must live with her choice. She is rendered mute with post-traumatic stress. She hovers on the fringes of her fractured family unable to forgive herself, or seek forgiveness from others.

The narrative alternates between Maddie’s current view point, and reminisces about her courtship, marriage and children and the consequences of her decision.

This is a psychological thriller that twists and turns as Maddie’s life twists and turns. I cannot give too much away but Maddie finds herself fighting for her life.

Definitely recommend just prepare to cancel the day as you won’t be putting the book down for anything.

Having to choose between your children? WHAT A HORRIBLE THING TO DO A BOOK ABOUT. And by HORRIBLE, I mean HORRIBLY FASCINATING FICTION!!! Oh how I loved this book. I was completely addicted. I went into this one with high hopes because the blurb describing it sounded like something that personally I had never read before and it was such a unique idea for a story, the whole having to choose debacle. Talk about impossible to do. I am so glad I was able to read this page turner, and I can't wait to read the next book by Samantha King, she has a great way with words and knows how to tell a hell of a story!! Five stars, easy.

I had seen a bit of a buzz building about the debut novel from Samantha King - so was eager to see if it lived up to expectations.
It's fair to say, it exceeded them.
From the first chapter - where my jaw dropped at the powerful predicament mother of two Maddie found herself in - to the last, emotional page - this book grabbed my attention entirely.
The premise of the book is every mother's worst nightmare. A gunman storms into your house, grabs both your children, forces you to choose which one to save and which one to watch die.
As the book begins, Maddie, traumatised deeply by her experience, struggles to come to terms with her choice - she struggles to connect with her husband, or her surviving child. She feels like a ghost on the edge of a life that was once so familiar - and feels as if she will never be able to recover from the awful trauma which visited her house on her twins' tenth birthday.
It's hard to review this book without giving away any twists and turns - because this book twists and turns like no other. Just when you think you have an idea of what's going on, or when you think one situation is resolved, things inevitably take another twist.
All the while, we are in the head of Maddie - a woman broken by her experience, who doesn't remember large chunks of her life before or after the shooting.
This book had me gripped entirely - forsaking TV viewing for two nights to gobble it up and find out what had happened and how Maddie would cope with what she has been through.
While the thrust of this book is indeed a thriller - and one which Samantha King delivers in spades, it is her writing of a mother's love, and the daily interaction of Maddie and her children before the shooting that gives this book the real grip factor. You are with her as she makes her decision. You are with her after. You see the love she made sure her babies never doubted and it grabs you by the heart and makes this an emotional rollercoaster of a read.
I highly recommend this book - it is an exceptional debut and I'm very much looking forward to seeing Samantha King's career as a writer progress.
A first class, gripping triumph of a book.