I wanted to like this book, but found it disappointing. I was irritated by the unnecessary Americanisms ("check" for "cheque", and "Mom") and I felt the characters didn't really come alive. My main issue was that the story is just too far-fetched.

*Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review*

Spoilers

“Writers don’t have secrets, and if we do we hide them in our books”

Alice Feeney always writes unforgettable and unpredictable twists and this was yet another wonderful example of that. I couldn’t get enough of this book. It was so subtly creepy and mysterious.

The twist with Kitty? Finding out what happened to Abby? The Cult- or rather ‘community’. The message throughout?
*chef’s kiss*
This was such a wonderful story and I loved how you find yourself rooting for the bad guy without realising it. Grady was a terrible person and did something so awful but I was hoping for his escape up until I found out the truth.

I can’t wait for the next Feeney novel! Defo one of my fave thriller authors!

Beautiful Ugly is a fabulous psychological thriller ,set on a remote island off Scotland Grady has come to the Island to try to write a book as his wife disappeared a year ago and since then although a New York Times best seller Author he has been unable to write at all .With only 25 people living on the Island with no phone line and no ferry service it is all quite creepy and sinister .Loads of twists and turns and a shocking ending ,an excellent read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

#BeautifulUgly #NetGalley
Outstanding.
Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life. Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.
A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.
I won't talk much about it here but it's concept is terrifying. "Read it".
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me an advance copy.

Beautiful Ugly is the latest thriller from Alice Feeney. I have read and enjoyed several of her other books and although this one is not my favourite I still enjoyed reading it. The book is well written and does a really good job of immersing you into the creepy island setting with its range of quirky characters. It is an entertaining, quick read but for me the plot was just a little too farfetched and didn't land the satisfying twist as well as her other books have. Still a enjoyable read that I think fans of Feeney and thrillers will definitely enjoy!

Wow. I am a huge fan of Alice Feeney's work and she has captivated me again with another of her unique, dystopian thrillers.

Feeney's ideas are so original and unlike many authors on the market. I will pick up a book by Alice Feeney and know I will become totally immersed in the narrative she has crafted so meticulously and this was no exception.

This narrative was terrifying in the best way. I read this in about 24 hours and I genuinely didn't want to put it down at all. From the moment we were introduced to Grady, I knew there was going to be a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the novel. Alice Feeney's choice to include POV in this novel was a stroke of genius and it added such depth to what already was such a powerful story. I found Abby's character to be very engaging and I couldn't quite work out how I felt about her, similarly to my opinion on Grady. I just found everything to be spot on.

Alice Feeney will keep you hooked until the very end with this fast-paced twisty thriller. I ended the book wanting more. An easy five star rating from me, as always.

Thank you to the author and publishers for accepting me to read this arc. I absolutely adore Alice Feeney’s books and this is my favourite so far. When I say my jaw dropped at the twist and then the ending blew my mind. Grady is the mmc and basically everything goes downhill when his wife goes missing and his agent gives him a lifeline by sending him to a remote island to try and get him back on track and write a new bestseller.

The island is basically shut off from the mainland and the islanders whilst friendly seem a bit weird to Grady. He then starts to see his wife and he wonders if he is going crazy. When I say the twists were twisting in this book I mean it. Absolutely brilliant and a 5 star read.

What a read! I was gripped from the start and thoroughly enjoyed this book. The twist was a real shock, but perhaps just a tad too far-fetched for me. Would highly recommend this, and look forward to reading more of this author’s novels. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read.

Hands down Alice’s best book to date (that I’ve read).

As per usual, the twists and turns keep hitting you from all angles until they eventually consume you at the very end.

I felt sorry for Grady throughout the entire book and was gobsmacked by the end. I truly believed he had lost his mind. His constant erratic behaviour and “hallucinations”, hearing his estranged wife’s voice and the sounds of children’s cries…you couldn’t help but feel spooked for him.

I loved the split POV which I’ve noticed is something Alice prides herself in doing with her books. It really helped to build more of an understanding and background to Grady and Abby.

Beautiful Ugly is filled with unusual and illusive characters who are used to throw the reader off and add mystery to the plot.

All in all, a very easy and enjoyable read that had me guessing throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for accepting my request to read this ARC in return for my honest review and opinion.

As a long-standing fan of Alice Feeney, I couldn’t wait to read Beautiful Ugly! The story grips readers from the start with the mysterious disappearance of Grady’s wife. A year later, still struggling with the trauma, Grady retreats to a remote Scottish island to rebuild his life and begin writing again. The island’s eerie atmosphere and his battles with insomnia blur the lines of reality in a deeply unsettling way. The story is well-plotted with shifts in pace; while the middle section felt slightly drawn out, it deepened the character development, and I found myself revising initial judgments as events unfolded. The novel excels at building atmosphere; from rocky outcrops to dense forests, each setting heightens tension and foreboding. The ending was unpredictable, with revelations unfolding in quick succession. Highly recommended!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 ok stars. I was really looking forward to reading this but found it a bit disappointing.

It started well and I was intrigued about what happened to Abbey. But the ‘twist’ fell a bit flat for me and the end was a bit rushed.

This was an okay read for me, I found it a little slow and repetitive at times, although I enjoyed the setting of the island and the atmosphere was well-done, very dark and mysterious. However I didn't like the flashbacks, they were confusing and hard to follow and they made the ending predictable. The plot twist at the end was pretty boring, and I didn't really enjoy how everything went down in just a couple of pages when everything up to that point was really drawn out. It made the ending feel very rushed. It was a quick read though and if you liked her previous books I'm sure this one won't be less enjoyable.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+⭐
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney is an unbelievably mysterious psychological thriller with a gasping-out-loud twist! OMG, I loved it so much! I think this is my favourite of hers now!
There is so much mystery! I kept guessing and wondering - how all this would come together. I absolutely loved the creepy setting and I felt an instant connection with the main character Grady!

Grady is a writer who is completely lost after his wife disappeared. He can't concentrate on writing and can't find any inspiration. His agent sends him to a remote isle of Amberley in Scotland to a cabin that used to belong to a writer. She hopes that change will give him inspiration and new book will come in no time.

This book is told in the past from the missing wife Abby's point of view and the present from Grady's point of view. Every layer I unwrapped I had more questions and I was so invested in finding out what happened!
The island was eerie but you know what, all I was thinking - I would love to live there! Everyone felt like they had a purpose there minus all the crazy rush that we have out here in towns and cities!

And then, of course, the twist! Come on, that was so yummy! Whatever I expected but not this! And I loved it! It was different! And I love all different!

I can't explain why but I felt so connected with this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this copy!

There is NO WAY this book was that good, I am still in shock and it’s hard to find my words for this review. I am amazed by this book, one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read and I am so lucky that I got offered an eARC on NetGalley. I will definitely recommend this book left and right until it gets published and after, of course. I have read two other books by this author, but this one is definitely THE BEST. Incredible, so gripping and beautifully written and captivating and mysterious and just wow.

Yet another fab thriller from Alice Feeney!
I love how easy her storylines are to follow and this was no exception. Straight into the story from the first chapter with lots of twists to make you question what's really going on.
Really loved the idea behind the writer and secluded island. Very interesting characters too!

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Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
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clair_82's review against another edition
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dark mysterious tense
5.0

andshe_reads's review
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dark tense fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0

Such a Queen of twisty plots and building mountains of tension, Alice Feeney has smashed it out the park with this one. I was hooked from the beginning and didn't put it down until the end.

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to review this book. This was a great thriller and I really didn't know how it was going to end and omg the ending is fabulous!!!!

I found myself picturing the Scottish island with the writing cabin deep in the woods and it all so sinister. Definitely a perfect book to read as Halloween is around the corner.

I will definitely be reading more from the author.

What a wild, mind-bending ride! Beautiful Ugly pulls you right in and doesn’t let go until your head is spinning. Grady’s wife, Abby, vanishes under the creepiest circumstances, and a year later, he’s on a tiny Scottish island trying to rebuild his life. That’s when he spots her—or at least someone who looks exactly like her—and cue the paranoia! Feeney crafts a thriller that’s twisty, deliciously eerie, and just unpredictable enough to keep you guessing. The plot will make you question everything you thought you knew, and by the end, you’ll be second-guessing every little detail. A perfectly unsettling page-turner!

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a Review Copy

I got a copy of this from NetGalley because I liked the description, not realising I had enjoyed one of her books before. I was even more pleased when I realised and I read it in two sittings whilst on holiday. It was twisty and unexpected with a hint of the wicker man. Great fun.

Whilst this is my first Alice Feeney read, it certainly won't be the last - what a ride this was!

When the book opens Grady Green is awaiting news as to whether he is a New York Times best seller whilst waiting for his wife to return home from work. Whilst on her journey home, abby comes across a woman lying in the road, despite her husband's protestations, she gets out of the car to help and is not seen again. Fast forward a year later, Grady visits the little island of Amberley, the idea of his agent Kitty, in a last ditch attempt to resurrect his writing career. It soon becomes apparent to Grady that things are not quite what they seem on the island and he starts seeing his wife everywhere.

Amberley is the perfect setting for this story, an island of only 25 permanent residents and no permitted visitors outside of the summer months which instantly gives claustrophobic, creepy vibes.

I 100% did not see what was coming and I loved every minute - highly recommended.

Now I need to read all Alice Feeney’s books! What a page turner! I wasn’t sure at first but after the first few pages I honestly couldn’t put it down! So many twists and turns and I was convinced I’d worked it out every time but never did!