Cover Image: Believe Me Not

Believe Me Not

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This book is not for me, I'm afraid. I'm at the 20% mark and this has book has done nothing but repeat itself over and over again. After reading some other reviews I'm going to set this aside.

Was this review helpful?

This wasn't really a thriller in my opinion and was more of a tragic tale of a woman struggling with severe mental health issues. The story itsself is clearly tried to be turned into some kind of thriller with drawing it all out and trying g to create that tension but it's still overall slow and very reluctant to actually move forwards any. By all mean, if you want a really sad story about a poor woman and what mental health issues can look like then read away. Of you want a thriller, possibly skip this one

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for this advanced copy. Unfortunately, this fell short for me. I originally had the audio book and was hooked. But then it was too long and slow moving, so I requested the ebook so i could go to the back to see what happened. There were some shocks at the end, but it was just too drawn out for me.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc of Believe me not.

Meghan wakes up in hospital convinced her baby, Luka, has been snatched away from her but everybody keeps telling her there was no baby, how can this be when the memories feel so real?

Fantastic storyline which had me turning pages intrigued to find out what was next and if there really was a baby Luka, however I found it to become quiet slow and was not quite the thriller I was expecting but did throw in a few twists which I enjoyed.

Was this review helpful?

There's a lot to like in this book. Unreliable narrative, conspiracy, and a protagonist who neither remembers, nor fully understands past events.
The story was full of enough twists to keep me hooked until the end, and constantly drove me to want to learn the truth behind everything. The present and the past are woven together beautifully in a disjointed narrative, stylistically reminiscient of the movie Memento.

I enjoyed the book, and would highly recommend it. I look forward to the physical release.

Was this review helpful?

This book isn’t my idea of a thriller, it was based around severe mental illness and that itself made it very sad.
There’s a lot of red herrings and things amped up to be scary when truly they are not the flashy thriller this is trying to be.

Was this review helpful?

I wouldn't categorize Believe Me Not as a thriller. While the first half was arguably gripping and had felt like a true thriller, the second half led the reader to realize that the story is really just tragic. It's mainly a story about a woman who is suffering from severe mental health issues. Once I realized that the "twists" all led back to the character's mental health, I stopped enjoying the book. It's really a sad story - I felt terrible for all of the characters. With that said, the actual writing is well-done and the pacing is fine. Overall, it just wasn't for me.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley and Headline Accent for an early copy of Believe Me Not. WHOA, where do authors come up with plots like this??? This was a FANTASTIC book, I will not forget this one for a loooooooooong time and if ever. The characters, the premise, the suspense, the “What is going on and what are they not Telling her” is what made this unputdownable!!!!!! Sooo many of my friends will want to read this after I tell them it’s a MUST READ! Thank you Natalie Chandler, write another one fast and just as good please.

Was this review helpful?

The first half of this book was was so gripping and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, but the last half of this book was disappointing and the ending just did not live upto the rest of the book. It still gets four stars but in my opinion could have been so much more .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

This book was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed the wild ride of red herrings and possible solutions. I kept changing my guesses as new twists came about. The ending however fell flat. This story had such a great build up but the conclusion definitely did not blow me away as I expected it would.

Was this review helpful?

I wouldn’t consider this book a thriller. Megan wakes up in psych unit and is wondering where her baby is. Her husband, sister and doctor all tell her that Luka isn’t real. She has so many memories how can he not be real.

Dr Mac is suppose to help her. He just doesn’t add much to the story maybe make him more evil or menacing or some twist needed to build a better story.

a lot of talk of psychosis, mental illness, suicide but didn’t really engage the reader just felt boring

Was this review helpful?

This review is spoiler free!

When Megan wakes up in a hospital bed, she realizes she's missing something. Her baby. The baby that everyone around her tells her never existed. As she's treated for psychosis, Megan can't escape the feeling that her husband, sister, and her psychiatrist Dr. Mac, are all keeping something from her.

Believe Me Not was a ton of fun to read. Fast paced and filled with endless twists and turns, I read this nearly in one sitting and truly enjoyed it.

I wish there had been a bit more punch to the ending, as the whole thing felt like it was building to the biggest betrayal/reveal of all. However, compared to some of the other twists and reveals throughout, it was a tad lackluster.

The whole thing felt a lot like a Lifetime movie in the best way with how over the top it got at parts, it was truly a fun thriller!

*I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and views in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Waking up in hospital, Megan understandably wants to know where her baby is. But turns out she's in a psychiatric unit and everyone - her doctor, her husband, her sister - insist she's delusional and does not and never has had a baby. Megan's sure they're wrong, though - her memories of baby Luka can't really be false, can they?

The premise is intriguing and the story flows well, but though it's definitely psychological, I'm not sure I'd call it a thriller. There are a few mysteries to unravel, though - the truth about Megan's possible baby, and, in a dual timeline, about something terrible that happened in the past. I liked the family relationships - Megan's sister Sophia and niece Amelia are great characters, though I was a bit ambivalent about Megan's husband Stefan.

There's certainly a strong "who can you trust" theme going on, and psychiatrist "Dr Mac" is on highly dodgy legal and ethical ground with some of his attempts at treating Megan. Indeed, he seems mainly intent on confusing, disempowering, and over-medicating her. I'd be putting in a complaint, Megan.

I didn't necessarily guess at the truth and the author does a good job of keeping those secrets, even if it's all a bit far-fetched. I enjoyed the read but by the end felt just a little bit underwhelmed.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Was this review helpful?

Megan wakes up in hospital and her first words are" Where's my baby" except everyone says he doesn't exist even those closest to her.
She soon realises she's not in a maternity ward she's in a psychiatric unit.
She knows their lying but how can she prove it when she doesn't even trust her own memories
I did enjoy this read but found the ending a bit dissapointing but overall a good debut novel.
Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Compelling and tightly plotted, the story twists relentlessly. The rollercoaster was intense, the twists and turns unexpected, and the element of surprise insane.

Was this review helpful?

While I thoroughly enjoyed this read, I was not blown away. I enjoyed the premise, and it had that "who do you trust" vibe going on. There were certainly some less likeable characters.njoyed the issues from the past being woven into the present issues and I thought the hook at the end of the book was interesting.

Was this review helpful?

Believe Me Not is a dark thriller that kept me gripped for the first half. I felt the pace did lapse slightly for me in the second half mainly after I guessed the outcome. That said I enjoyed the first half so much I still have given it four stars. Other readers may not feel the same as me so it's definitely worth a read.

Was this review helpful?

What can you cling to when you can’t even trust your own mind and memory? This harrowing story highlights the vulnerability of the mentally unwell and does so in a way which will keep you absolutely glued to the pages. The characters and their relationships are realistically presented and I liked the level of detail around the “system” so readers can contextualise what is happening.

Was this review helpful?

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Headline and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A thriller unlike others with twists and turns that will keep you entertained for the duration of the story.

Was this review helpful?

I am a huge fan of thrillers, especially psychological thrillers. This book did NOT disappoint!

The book is told mostly from the perspective of the main character, Megan, in the present. However, there are chapters from “Before” which are told from Megan’s husband’s perspective, Stef. The writing is strong and allows the reader to feel Megan’s pain and concern. The dual time frames come together in the end to explain things in the current day.

At around 75%, I began putting the story together myself but the twists along the way were well-placed and well thought out leading up to the end.

Overall, I loved this book. I enjoyed the writing style, plot, and characters. I can’t wait to see more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the digital review copy!

Was this review helpful?