3.5 Stars Rounded to 4

The Apartment by K.L. Slater is a quick, attention getting thriller. Some things are truly too good to be true as Frieda and her 5 year old daughter Skye find out. While I enjoyed this book, I was a little disappointed in the ending. There are a couple of holes I felt were not filled in. Overall a good book with characters you'll love to either love or hate.

Thank you to Netgallery and Amazon Publishing UK for the free digital copy in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.

Amazon review to be posted once published.

Have you ever heard the saying "if it seems to good to be true, it probably is"?

Freya Miller is down on her luck. After the unexpected loss of her husband (which we never learn how he died; irrelevant anyhow), Freya must find a new place to live for her and her five-year-old daughter, Skye, before his insurance money runs out. As she's browsing the posted ads for available places to rent, the enigmatic, yet charming Dr. Marsden appears with several brochures for the recently-vacated apartment in his building, the Adder House. This apartment is near the illustrious Kensington Gardens, and is far outside of Freya's price range, but Dr. Marsden assures her that they choose their tenants based upon fit with the rest of the residents, not ability to pay. Brushing off the warnings of her closest friends, Freya and Skye move in within the week but quickly find themselves experiencing odd and downright terrifying things.

This was a phenomenal, tension-building thriller, and I found myself at the edge of my seat wondering what was coming next. Slater painted the deliciously creepy villains, Dr. and Mrs. Marsden, with excellent detail, down to the types of riches that they had in their apartment and their incredibly odd/somewhat disturbing behaviors. I loved the references to a well-known psychologist and his study that was conducted in the 1920's, as I felt that it added a lot of depth to the story. The only thing that I'd change about the novel is the ending. While it provided resolution, I wished that the author would have spent more time detailing the climatic event with Freya and the Marsdens. That being said, this was truly a crazy ride, and I'd recommend it to anyone that enjoys thrillers.

This is a 3.5 rounded to 4 rating on The Apartment by K. L. Slater The plot line was okay though the first action taken by Freya is one where you are going not only no, but he’ll no, and The Apartment is full of these.

The book, The Apartment, opens up with a woman being observed at a coffee shop by a gentleman, Dr Marsden, while she is perusing the For Rent ads on the local bulletin board.

Frey’s is a recently widowed woman in London with a 5 year old daughter Skye. Her husband, Lewis, had just left her for her good friend and then is dead. She is trying to figure out her next steps. Dr. Marsden offers her a crazy opportunity to rent in the exclusive Kensington area for a ridiculously low cost which is the first hell no moment. Then there several more!

The Apartment to me was not bad, not great and had good twists though I had it figured out pretty quickly.
#TheApartment #netgalley

"There's something about that place that's just not right. I know you must feel it, too."

I feel it! But Freya is sticking her head in the sand, because she just wants to be happy! Who could blame her? Her husband cheats on her, leaves her, then dies. Now she's broke and jobless with her young daughter, Skye. She just sold her house. Can't she catch a break? In walks Dr. Marsden with the champagne apartment on a platter - at beer budget price. Should she have looked the gift horse in the mouth? (Yes.) But she. just. wants. it. to. work!

But things get weird quickly in THE APARTMENT. Little things that had her (and me!) questioning her sanity. What is really going on? Are her and her daughter in danger?

I really liked this book! It really created a nice concept of place! I could picture Adder House and it's posh neighborhood! Being able to walk to Kensington Palace. I ate that up like bread pudding! Or some other English dessert! I also love a British feeling book - Jane Austen and Harry Potter long ago made me an Anglophile! - and this one definitely fit that bill.

I loved that it involved "Little Albert" - a child in a psychological experiment by Dr. Watson (father of behaviorism) that involved creating fear in a child. I'm pretty sure if you've taken a beginning Psychology course they will have talked about this (Am I right?). Most of the psychological experiments that were conducted in times previous, that we study today in Psychology programs at the college level, were unethical by today's standards. Or really by anyone's normal standards. But "Little Albert's" study always stuck with me as especially cruel, as it involved a child. Anyways, if someone doesn't know that psychology has a weird and dark history - or if they're uninterested in that sort of thing - then I could see where they may not appreciate this book, but to me it was completely up my alley!

And I liked the ending! I guess I'm in the minority on that, but I thought it made perfect sense. I had a couple (minor) questions at the end, I felt didn't get answered, and a couple things I wish hadn't been rushed, thus the 4 instead of 5 stars.

But still, I truly enjoyed this book! I couldn't put it down! It has the suspense amped up making it a quick read! And it had great characters and an entrancing setting!

MY RATING:
Characters: 5
Story: 4
Overall: 4.5

YOU need this book if you're looking for a quick, psychologically thrilling trip to London!

FOLLOW ME (please!) and see more reviews @ www.mamaneedsabook.blogspot.com
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Well this is certainly different from the usual crime/thriller books I read. I have to say it was very gripping and it did spook me at times.

You just know that Freya isn’t imagining the noises, the flashing red lights, but what we don’t know is why. It was a shame really because the house itself appeared to be beautiful and in different circumstances ideal, but wow it was creepy.

There was a couple of loose ends, who was the man who Audrey was enamoured with? We didn’t find that out and some of the other residents we didn’t get to meet.

All in all, I enjoyed it, it was different. Made a nice change from murder.

My thanks to K L Slater, the publishers and netgalley for the ARC.

This was a great quick read. I’m a big fan of this author to begin with and they didn’t disappoint. I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go and I was hooked right from the beginning. I would definitely recommend

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and K. L. Slater for a free electronic ARC of The Apartment in exchange for an honest review!

The Apartment was my first introduction to K. L. Slater. Unfortunately, this introduction was not great, as this book completely fell flat and did not work for me.

The Apartment follows Freya Miller, and her five-year-old daughter, Skye, as they move into the apartment of their dreams. Located in a super posh area in London, the Adder House is offered to Freya for a fraction of the cost, as she and Skye are just the type of tenants that Dr. Marsden is looking to have live in his beautiful and luxurious building. What Freya believes to be too good to be true, turns out to be just that, as she quickly discovers that the rest of the tenants, are strange and overbearing, hiding secrets, and seem to be watching her everywhere she goes--inside her own unit!

The Apartment was a quick and easy read, but I felt that I was never really able to get into the different characters’ stories. Other than Freya, the characters lacked depth and I found that certain relationships did not develop properly whatsoever. It also seemed strange to me that Freya could be so trusting, and divulge her whole life story to others within two minutes of meeting them.

I’d also like to add that while this book mostly took place in the present, it also featured some journal entries written by Beatrice (who turns out to be Freya’s ancestor) in the early 1900s.  These entries focus on some sort of psychological experiment that is re-created (in the present) at Freya’s expense. The connection of these journal entries to both the main character and the ending of the book did not make any sense to me.  I felt that the journal entries themselves came out of nowhere and were not transitioned into the story line in the best way.  I also found the ending of the book to be really rushed, and as a result, I could not follow it properly.

Overall, I think the premise of the book could have been interesting, but it was not executed properly and I found the entire story to be completely unbelievable.

1.5 stars, rounded up!

https://rebekahreads.ca/the-apartment-by-k-l-slater/

I absolutely adore a good thriller, so when I got the opportunity to read this I was immediately excited, it sounded like something I would definitely be interested in. The book follows Freya and her young daughter Skye, who are currently grieving the loss of Lewis, Skye's father who passed away in an accident. Following financial struggles, Freya is approached by a man who offers her a potentially "too good to be true" opportunity to rent a flat in the luxurious Adder House. During their stay in Adder House, strange things begin to happen and Freya's trust in the residents at the house is tested.

What I found interesting in this book is the use of the real-life study of Little Albert in the field of behavioural psychology. As someone who has studied psychology in the past, I was very familiar with this study and was definitely intrigued to see how it would come into play within the plot. However, I'm not entirely sure I ended up liking this style of writing. Knowing that this study was conducted in real life, and the ethical implications of the study, I'm not sure it quite ended up having the payoff I would have liked to have seen. It felt kind of forced and I'm just unconvinced it was necessary as a plot device.

While the plot definitely kept me hooked throughout my reading, it was slow at certain points and felt kind of repetitive at times. It felt kind of like we were going round in circles knowing from the beginning that we weren't to trust the residents of Adder House, and I didn't feel any sort of betrayal or shock at any reveals. Everything remotely shocking came right at the very end of the book and all happened very quickly and honestly just didn't really hit very hard for me, it felt kind of lacklustre and disappointing. I didn't feel entire satisfied at the end and still had some questions about side characters and their actions, and I felt like we needed more of a wrap up than a very short epilogue.

It was a perfectly enjoyable read, but definitely not something I would see myself rereading. As I was reading the book, it felt like it was kind of similar in vibe to Lock Every Door in terms of a person in financial struggle being offered a suspicious opportunity, but Lock Every Door absolutely knocked this idea out of the park and had such shocking twists and turns, and would 100% recommend that book more!

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK for sending me this book to review!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC
This was definitely a first class read, It kept me on the edge of my seat.
I have to say that the "experiment" made for extremely uncomfortable reading. An excellent idea for a plot though- quite ingenious
Very well written and constructed. I had no issues at all with the text.
The characters were well drawn and I did sympathise with Freya and Skye. I did not guess the ending (I always try not to anyway). This is the first book I have read by this author and it certainly won't be the last= I love the plot development and the writing-5 star read

Things were looking better for a struggling single mom when she gets the opportunity to move into a new luxurious apartment with her daughter. But the apartment comes with its own sinister secrets and soon unsettling occurrences start happening.

I finished this book yesterday and was literally blown out by it. This isn't just a regular piece of fiction, it's more than that. The story is wrapped around real events in history, highlighting the horrors of unethical scientific experiments practiced on humans (a minor in this case) in the name of progress of science. I jumped onto google as soon as I finished this book, and was just appalled by it. As they say, truth is stranger than fiction. Much appreciation for the author for writing this, my heart goes out to the victim.

As for the story itself, it's instantly gripping and a very fast read. The sense of creepiness and unsettling keeps on growing with every chapter, and keeps you on your toes throughout. Even though it revolves around a sad event in history, it's not disturbing at all. Highly recommended if you like reading about mad scientists and even if you don't, this makes for a very enjoyable, thrilling read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the eARC.

This book is a fast and fun read-perfect for fans of psychological thrillers. It isn't mind-blowing literature to any extent of the imagination, but it is engaging and entertaining, perfect for a day at the beach or a rainy day inside. It is an easy read that readers will devour quickly because they can't wait to find out what happens next.

The premise of the book is pretty simple. Things were looking quite bleak for single-mom Freya and her daughter Skye until they were given an amazing opportunity to live in an upscale apartment for far less than the going rate. But of course, as the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Immediately upon moving into Adder House, Freya and Sky begin to notice is is not a ideal as they had hoped it would be.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and K.L. Slater for the opportunity to read this entertaining book. It is my first book by this author, but it will not be my last.

While this book was described as a psychological thriller, it was more of a horror story in my opinion. I got about 25% through and could not finish. Thank you for the opportunity to review, but it just wasn't for me.

I felt myself being sucked in, unable to put the book down as I watched the hot mess that is Freya, repeatedly and naively ignore blatant red flags. Her desire for something affordable and stable wins out despite the warning signs. The premise of a desperate mother who just wants a place to live, a home for her daughter which turns out too good to be true, was fun.

There were a few minor inconsistencies that stood out to me. The ending felt too neatly wrapped up without explaining certain things. But despite that, this was an enjoyable read. I requested this from Amazon Publishing UK because the premise sounded fun and it was an author I hadn’t read before. But then I undertook the task of scanning all my books into a tracking app, and it turns out I have a book by Slater. I don’t know if this was the best book to introduce me to her writing. This was a good premise, with a few hiccups, but a fun, 3.5-star read.

Freya’s husband leaves her and their daughter, Skye and he dies soon after. With money tight and in desperate need of accommodation for herself and Skye, Freya can’t help but think her luck is in when she’s offered a flat in a large house for little money. They soon move in to Adder House and it’s not long before things start to happen.
It’s a shame Freya didn’t think of the saying ‘ if something is too good to be true then it usually is’!

The Apartment is a fast paced and intense psychological thriller. Adder House comes across as a very creepy house and gave me the shivers. I found myself shaking my head at how naive Freya came across. I loved Freya and Skye’s characters. I was gripped by the story and couldn’t put the book down.

Sometimes things ARE too good to be true. That's the case here for Freya, and her daughter Skye. A young widow who has lost everything in paying off her husband's debt, she thinks the offer of a place at Adder House is going to solve their problems. Dr. Marsden and his wife seem so nice. Until things start to get creepy. Very creepy. Who is watching them and why? Who wrote the diary? You think you'd pack up and leave but Freya doesn't and you probably wouldn't either because it's a great deal and well, it's not that bad, is it? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This slowly ups the tension and while some of the subplots feel a tad superfluous, it's a good read - sort of like watching one of those horror movies where you keep telling the heroine to get out of the house.

This is my first KL Slater read. Thank you Netgalley for the intro. An addition into the popular family, domestic suspense genre that is tough to set down. If you enjoy fast paced edge of your seat suspense this is a do not miss. Enjoy.

Omg this kept me on the edge of my seat. It did freak me out a few times i felt like i was living the nightmare.. It does make you wonder if there are people like this in real life and how you cannot always trust people. The old saying too good to be true

This reads very similarly to Lock Every Door and so it has a solid base in the creepy apartment building with creepy residents who obviously have a secret agenda in mind. The main character is a good voice who propels the narrative forward well and carries across a sense of naivety and fear. There's a good build-up to the move and the set up with the doctor is great as well, so there's a lot to be said for the 'too good to be true' concept.

I thought that it was a very leisurely read, with some delightful twists that were great for the purposes of this novel, but I also wasn't sure on some plot points. It felt like some things were missing, such as the death of the main character's husband and what precisely the experiments undertaken were.

With that being said, this is still a fast-paced thriller with some interesting ideas behind it. It could have benefitted from not ending so abruptly as well, and the book could have easily been a little longer. However, a nice afternoon read with some thrilling moments and concepts!

If something is too good to be true, it probably is. When you are vulnerable and your world is upended by grief, your instincts are dulled and you can be easily taken in by situations you would normally avoid. Freya is a single mother who was recently widowed. She and her daughter Skye had sold their house so quickly they desperately needed a place to stay. Freya had limited financial means, so she has few options of where she can live. One day at a coffee shop Freya is looking at the bulletin board that has rentals posted. While looking a man comes up to her to post a flyer with a rental on it that he is renting out. They chat and he offers her his apartment which is in a posh part of town. He tells her she can rent his apartment for what she can afford. She cannot believe her luck and accepts. Freya and Skye move in and things take a strange twist that you could never imagine. What a twisty creepy story that kept me reading well into the wee hours. I would highly recommend this book!

In a lot of ways I was not finding this book a read filled with much mystery and suspense. At the same time, I could not stop reading it right to the end. So. One-star or five-star.