The Hive

Delivers. In Droves..
What a premise #votelive #votedie. Intriguing, compelling, beguiling. Pulling in the reader from the off. Does it deliver? Oh yes, it delivers. In droves. This is a powerful, stand alone, one sit read of the first order. A no holds barred account of one woman’s tragic unravelling played out for the World to see. With a supremely well drawn cast of characters, each with their separate backstory intertwined with protagonist Charlotte, this superb revenge thriller shows just how sweet that revenge can be but also highlights the mental anguish of the tormented and the unbreakable bond of true womanhood. After all, what would you do? Or perhaps, that should be, what would you really like to do? A novel for our times. Bravo!

The moment I heard this book being compared to Clickbait, I was hooked! The comparison is very true given the ambiguity of the moral decisions made and the compelling storyline. A wonderful yet scary read.

My thoughts about Scarlett Brade's The Hive, begins on a chaotic, breathless note. The Hive is a commanding story, has an authoritative central character, and has several dominant and thought-provoking moments, which makes it an all-persuasive book. It is a captivating recount from its commencement to conclusion. Scarlett has fashioned enough scenes around the plot that keep the reader on the edge. Besides, fragments of tongue in cheek humour pop up when you least anticipate to liven up the solemn plot. Yet, the storyteller never deviates from the fundamental sombre remise. Her attempt in infusing drama and pace is brilliant. Scarlett Brade's writing shows no pauses. It slams home a shock value that a thriller rightly demands. The story totally grips you and leaves you at a dramatic high. The story of The Hive, begins with the introduction of character Charlotte Goodwin, who looks directly at the camera and reveals a chilling truth to the thousands watching her Instagram live broadcast. She has killed her ex-boyfriend's new partner in cold blood. But she is not finished yet. With bloodied hands she takes a calm sip of tea before continuing. Lincoln Jackson will now make his confession, then the viewers must vote to decide whether he should live or die.The public display sends shockwaves rippling through the online community and the numbers of viewers skyrockets. But as Lincoln's past is revealed, how will he be judged. Bonded by mutual tragedy, Charlotte's three best friends have supported each other through the soaring highs and devastating lows of their lives. Now, in Charlotte's hour of need, her friends also face a choice, whether to help her get away with murder.I would absolutely recommend this debut. I’m giving it a couple of days and then I’m going to do a reread. I want to see what clues I missed along the way. I love a good mystery and a good thriller and this book checked all the boxes. The characters were spectacular, the setting was perfect, and the story was tight. I would like to say a thank you to Author Scarlett Brade, and Publishers Zaffre Books for kindly giving me a chance to read and review this brilliant book, on netgally I've enjoyed reading what a debut. Scarlett Brade's The Hive is one of this years standout debuts of the year. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced, gripping and unpredictable. It was well written with well developed characters and a good storyline that was engaing and compelling. I sped throughit and cannot wait for more from this author.

The Hive is a gripping feminist debut thriller for anyone who's ever sworn revenge on an ex. I did enjoy this book. I liked the friendship connection between Charlotte and her 3 besties. The storyline was compelling and entertaining although I did guess the twist at the end. Still overall I do recommend you bag yourself a copy of this book. Especially if you like a dark revenge thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Hive in return for an honest review.

Charlotte is happy with her life. She also loves Instagram. Her first mistake is sending Linc a friend request. Then everything spirals out of control and The relationship takes an alarming turn. Charlotte hits rock bottom. But when you’re at your lowest point, is there a way back?

I absolutely LOVED this book! Read the whole thing in only 4 days, which is fast for me! I did guess a couple of the twists, but not the one at the end! Very sad that it’s over as it is one of my reads of the year!

Lincoln Jackson brightened Charlotte's life - and then destroyed it. Now she has nothing, and is struggling. Her close friends are trying to support her, but Charlotte falls deeper in despair. Then she comes up with a plan for revenge. She'll let the insta community decide Lincoln's fate, once they've heard the full story. Live or die... they'll decide.

This is a new author to me, and what a fantastic first read from them it was! The importance of sisterhood and friendship, lies and secrets - and revenge. This is all compact amazingly in this book.

It's an emotional book - I had various emotions the full way through. The author showed Charlotte's pain and hurt so vividly, it almost felt like it was radiating from the words.

Brilliant book.

The Hive gripped me from the beginning. Embracing today's society's usage of social media and incorporating it in the character's plot to murder someone was bloody genius! This revenge thriller had me hooked until the very end! The twists had my jaw dropping to the floor in shock! Although I thought it was brilliant, there was a point in the story where it lost me a little when talking about things that happened in the past. Later on, there were scenes that were vagued up, glossed over, but I really wish they had been elaborated on. I struggled a little with liking the characters (I didn't agree with some of the things they did), but you can't like everyone. Charlotte, the main character, was very unhinged and I really pitied her in regards to her feelings towards her ex, Lincoln, but Lord did I sympathise with the events that unfolded. #votedie Although there was a couple of negatives, I still thought it was an absolutely brilliant debut novel from Scarlett Brade and I'm excited to read more from her.

The Hive is such an interesting concept and it definitely starts with a bang! I wanted to know what had happened and I was intrigued to know more about Charlotte's story. As we go back in time, Brade explores Charlotte's story with such emotive writing and I often found it hard not to burst into tears. Charlotte and her friends all have colourful pasts and through this, Brade introduces several themes to the reader. They are all handled sensitively but they may be upsetting for people who have similar experiences.

Lincoln Jackson is the villain of the piece and I have rarely seen such a convincing villain. His behaviour got right under my skin and made me so angry! I have been in a similar situation so it really struck a chord with me.

Throughout the novel, there are comments from a celebrity gossip website called The Hive. These are so realistic and really bring home the reality of living at a time when social media is so prominent in our lives.

As The Hive reaches a crescendo, the tension is brilliant. I was swiping furiously at my Kindle, desperate to find out how everything would end.

I believe this is a debut novel and Brade certainly shows a lot of promise. I am excited to see what she does next!

We start at the end with Charlotte having killed her ex-boyfriend, boxer Lincoln Jackson's fiance, he himself being tied up alongside. She is broadcasting this live to the world. Explaining that Lincoln will now make a confession and then the audience will decide his fate - live or die...
We then go back to where it all began. When Charlotte met Linc and how their relationship began, continued, and ended. How her best friends helped her throughout, how it all played out in social media, and the months, days and weeks leading up to the final showdown...
And that's all I am saying as to say much more could possibly inject spoilers into the mix and, nope, not going there. Suffice to say that it's all a bit bonkers. But then again, isn't most things these days, Especially when played out on social media, in front of an eclectic mix of people, bots and keyboard warriors. Doubly especially when one of the couple is equally as bonkers and I will let you come to your own conclusions as to which one of them I am referring to here! Truth be told, I'm probably not sure myself! Maybe six of one...
It was a delight to read something so fresh and different. The secrets and lies contained herein are cracking, as is the more than adequate slice of dysfunctional behaviour. Honestly, phew, what a ride the author took me on. Yes there were a few things I guessed a bit ahead of the MC Charlotte, but she wasn't the sharpest tool, and I don't necessarily think the author intended to obfuscate them.
The other characters were equally larger than life and all played their parts very well indeed. But again, I'll leave you to meet and get to know them as the author intends. Suffice to say I'd want each and every one in my corner in a fight, warts and all!
It seems that, from reading other reviews, this book has split the readership. I can only go by what I think and the reasons I read books. I like to be distracted from life, to be entertained, to spend some time outside what is happening to me in the real world. To be emotionally connected in some way and leave the book satisfied. And all the while not to be too much hard work. Well, this book ticked all those boxes for me. It might not for others and that's OK too... Me, I can't wait to see where the author goes next. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A visceral revenge thriller with a great central character and gripping pace - I read most of it in one day. It’s refreshing to find a thriller that prioritises really strong character development and emotional exploration over twists.

What an absolute thrill this was to read!

Everything about The Hive had me hooked! The fully-packed and pacey plot, the compelling narration of it's complex leading lady and her toxic in-the-limelight relationship, not to mention the intensity, the ever-looming world of social media brought to the story.

This book really had it all: Love and heartbreak. Obsession and hatred. Revenge and Murder. And Charlotte tells the story of how her life came crashing down around her in the most penetrating voice - believe me you won't want to put this one down!

Heidi has been shot dead, Linc is on his knees manacled, Char has the gun; she is also live streaming this to The Hive, asking “Linc: #live or #die?” The Hive community has been following champion boxer Linc for years, and over the last few months they delighted in and applauded his relationship with his new girlfriend, Charlotte; jeered when he dumped her unexpectedly; delighted in and applauded his relationship with his new girlfriend, Heidi. Some of the more thoughtful watchers wondered at the speed and the reasons, but mostly they just watched. The most obvious scenario is that Char is deranged and flipped into madness when he left her for another. However, the real story is much more complex and much, much, darker.
Char is one of a group of four, late twenties, friends, inseparable since meeting at school. When the traumatic events surrounding the split happen, they all gather round to support her, but she is in a very dark place, dwelling on the past, on what might have been. At first, just hating Heidi, she slowly comes to realise that the traumatic split must have been engineered by Heidi. Sure that Linc will understand if she can only talk to him (an NDA and a threatened restraining order notwithstanding), she eventually realises that he must have been part of Heidi’s plot and so equally culpable. Close to suicidal, she conceives a scheme that will lead to the live-streaming event that started the book, confessions will out and she will have her revenge.
In many ways this is a brilliant, disquieting, debut novel; certainly the events are unusual and the characters are well drawn – if a little caricaturish. It is billed as a revenge thriller, although the reveal at the beginning dilutes that aspect – we might wonder what will happen after the killing, but we won’t really worry until we catch up. There is a fair attempt to get inside Char’s head, so something of a psychological thriller – certainly her descent into the deranged mass she becomes is quite well handled. It has also been billed as a feminist-sisterhood story, but I think that is going too far, although the friendship of the four girls is certainly a strong feature of the plot. The writing is a bit erratic, prolix, over descriptive, repetitive, and could do with tightening up. I find repeating metaphors annoying, e.g. copper/penny for the taste of blood, bile rising – but maybe that’s just me. As for a rating, I’m a bit conflicted. Thinking of it holistically, it’s clever and I found it a good read; thinking of it as a piece of writing I’m not happy. That gives me a 4 and a 3, average 3.5 which has to be shown as 4. A bit over generous, but I think the author is on a learning curve so maybe an extra 0.5 for promise.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

An emotional revenge thriller. I loved the connection between the main character Charlotte, and her friends. The honest and loyal friendships bonded by trauma and tragedy. This story is driven by Charlotte's relationship with a famous "insta" known boxer, Lincoln, and the impact social media has on presenting a certain image. There are some traumatic themes within the book and the authors description of the pain is relatable. The despair and pain felt by Charlotte ultimately results in her using social media as a conduit for exposing the deceit and tragedy she has experienced at the hands of Lincoln. #votelive or #votedie?
A gripping read!

Charlotte confesses live on Instagram that she killed her ex-boyfriend's new love interest and wants people to vote if she should kill her ex Lincoln too. Luckily she has 3 great allies, her best friends, in her life, but should friends do anything for each other?

After an intense prologue, we journey to the past and follow the events that led to the broadcast. We learn about Charlotte and her 3 best friends Poppy, Zaheen & Trix. This is a friendship you will love. An unbreakable sisterhood. We 'live' through her story with Linc and the public scrutiny. The anatomy of a relationship, witnessing the spark and the burnout. How love can turn to hate.

The 1st person POV is intimate and brutal, sort of like a diary peppered with rapid-fire dialogue, a confession among friends. The protagonist is grounded and flawed making her relatable, but boy do you want to scream at her for situations she lets herself get into. She acts stupidly, even though I think she is trying not to be hurt by deluding herself. Other times in the unfairness of it all, you just want to hug her. Linc you want to punch. A lot.

There is a bit of an infodump at the beginning, throwing off the continuity till it finds its rhythm. Also the sometimes repetitiveness of the protagonist's denial and seeing things as she wishes them to be, does grate on the nerves.

This is a commentary on social media and how it affects our lives. The pages with 'social media comments' really help to emphasize that point. The point that social media has reached the danger zone of 'dictating' lives. The book also reminds us of the rarity of true friendships and how we should hold them dear. Another theme is mental health and how important it is to take care of it.

Evocative in its elegant simplicity and unpredictable, it hits you in the gut, but is still easy to read.

😱😱😱 what an opener!!! One dead body, live stream of another potential victim, all awaiting public vote! Does Lincoln live or die???

The relationship between Charlotte and Linc is toxic, whirlwind but toxic. The better I got to know this couple both at their best and their worst, I really wanted to wrench Charlotte away from this positively horrible male specimen. Maybe even a bit of memory whipping. Despite his likeable public persona, his private self is far from likeable and to be honest, I don’t blame Charlotte wanting to kill him after what I read!

Scattered through the dark soap opera that is Linc and Charlotte’s tempestuous relationship is The Hive. Social media commentary that could have been lifted straight from the Twitter feed of a celebrity publication – the whole public discussion when no one knows the real story. I don’t know how Charlotte resisted the bait left!

I devoured The Hive. The pace of the story kept me racing through the narrative. As in already knew Charlotte was going to kill Lincoln’s girlfriend and let the crowd decide his fate, I needed to understand the why and how. I seriously enjoyed this psychological thriller from Brade. It ticked all the boxes for this psych-thriller lover!

Love them or hate them, it's impossible to deny the impact influencers have on social media. The right endorsement from a prominent figure can be priceless to a brand. What if somebody tries to influence something that really matters, however? What if, instead of asking their followers to choose what they should wear or what they should eat that day, they are tasked with deciding if a person is going to live or die?
This is exactly what happens at the start of The Hive and it's a stunning opening. Charlotte is on Instagram, streaming live from The Hive, a popular gossip channel. She has already announced that she is responsible for the death of Heidi Dolak but Lincoln Jackson is still alive – for now. Comments and replies on Instagram feature throughout the novel and here the response varies between shock, disbelief and amusement. While some immediately state #VoteLive, others think it's a laugh to choose #VoteDie – but before we discover the result of this grim poll, the narrative takes us back to the events that brought Charlotte to this point.
It would be easy to deride Charlotte as a naïve, immature young woman who is bedazzled by fame and falls instantly in love with celebrity heavyweight boxer, Lincoln Jackson and ignores the numerous red flags. However, as the book progresses, what becomes clear is that she has been shaped by her past, and despite her apparent confidence, is vulnerable and desperate for love and a sense of family. It's ironic then that she has actually found that, only not in the arms of her narcissistic boyfriend. The Hive is a gratifyingly dark revenge thriller but it's also a fascinating examination of the power of friendship and the love that's shared by the four women who have supported one another through their respective traumas. It's worth saying here that although much of what is discussed occurred years in the past, there are still references to some distressing subjects, including abuse, loss and poverty.
Understanding the depth of friendship between Charlotte, Trix, Poppy and Zaheen really adds to the emotional weight of The Hive. The first-person narrative ensures it's especially harrowing watching Charlotte unravel following an unbearably tragic event and I thought the reaction from her friends, from their patient support through to their distraught pleas to her later in the book, was pitch-perfect. I believed totally in their relationship even though the situation they find themselves in is obviously a dramatic one.
Lincoln Jackson is a brilliant character; he is patently awful and just what you imagine somebody constantly feted and criticised would become. As an exploration of the dark side of social media, The Hive is chilling; in spite of the #BeKind movement, people are consistently encouraged to judge the appearance and actions of others, and as Scarlett Brade imagines what those suffering mental turmoil could be driven to, it's impossible not to consider what the future holds.
The Hive is an unsettling, thought-provoking contemporary thriller; written with an immersive immediacy that meant I couldn't put it down, I thoroughly enjoyed this assured debut and look forward to reading whatever Scarlett Brade writes next.

The Hive is a book that throws you straight in from the start and leaves you desperate to know what has happened to get to this point. And it proved to be an intriguing read, a revenge thriller full of thought-provoking reflections on friendship, love, obsession and the terrifying impact of social media.

Charlotte is a fascinating character and my feelings about her certainly changed throughout the book. At times I wanted to scream at her for the situations she gets herself in as she spirals, but as more of her story is revealed, and we learn more about her ex, Lincoln, it is hard not to feel some sympathy for her - and when you add in the social media scrutiny, it becomes even more complicated. What Charlotte does have is three of her oldest friends who certainly have her back - but how far are they prepared to go to support her?

Read it and decide for yourself whether you are #teamlive or #teamdie!

The Hive is one of those novels where I wasn’t certain what to expect. I do use social media but I am a bit clueless about the so called influencers who many people are fascinated with. So when followers and fans had to decide between #letlive or #letdie I was a little unsettled.

And I had quite a while to wait before I would find which way the online vote would go. It’s only in the latter stages of the novel that you see that sees the culmination of the prologue. But this is no great hardship, what happens in between is gripping.

When Charlotte gets involved with Linc, a famous boxer, she falls in love quickly and has dreams of their future together. She is overwhelmed by the social media following that comes because of their relationship, especially when things go badly wrong and everyone has an opinion. Most of it involving hatred of her and all of it with only no idea of the true situation. She is bewildered, grieving over what she has lost and isn’t coping. With this part of the novel the author shows how fickle social media can be and how easy it is to manipulate the truth.

But, she is part of a strong group of women who have been friends for many years and who have overcome a lot since childhood. All of these women are a huge support to her and are trying to help her get over her relationship with Linc and the events that happened. This part of the novel forms most of the novel and I had as much sympathy for them as I did for her. Strangely, it isn’t really a depressing novel, the author shows her characters coping with their own trauma but she also manages to show how the friends can laugh together. They have a lot of respect for each other’s situation and cope in the way they know best.

Whether the reader likes or loathes these characters doesn’t really matter. Many will judge, just like the followers. Others will judge because most of these characters are in some way criminals. What I got from reading this was that it was a thoroughly original novel that had me cheering on those who suffered the most and a lot of entertainment.

Really enhoyed this book which was full of twists and turns that kept me engaged, gripped and reading throughout. I re4ally enjoted the vcharacter develevelopmebt

Firstly how the infernal regions is this a debut, it is original, smart and had me shackled to the pages like Satan’s personal chattel.

I have often joked that I am the type of friend who if you call up with boy trouble my response will be “I will bring the spade” but these friends actually mean it.

Charlotte was a tough character for me as were a couple of her friends. They aren’t particularly likeable at the start and I must admit to being a bit judgy but then as the story went on and I learnt more about them my feelings changed. That’s the thing about judging before you know the whole story and it is shown here with the use of social media opinions from people who don’t know the facts. I loved how as a reader you are learning along with people on “the hive” what really happened to make her become unhinged.

Then there is Lincoln Jackson, charismatic, wealthy and all round classic narcissist. What would I have voted? Does he deserve to die? Do we have the right to decide? What should have been a private matter has become public due to people assuming they have the right to know everything. This book delves into the fallout behind salacious gossip, social media commentary and the effect it can play on a person’s mental health. It will make you look at celebrity ‘news’ in a whole new way.

But for me this twisted tale of revenge was about the bonds that tie female friends together. How we become ‘ride or die’ for the ones that mean everything.

I will leave this review with some words from Charlotte “they say there are three sides to every story. Yours, mine and the truth.” #votelive #votedie

After reading this book I might never open a social media app again!
The author tells a moving story about friendship, love and the power of social media. Add to that, loss, heartbreak and a spectacular murder, and you will find yourself unable to put this book down.
We live in a world dominated by social media; we are eager for the latest gossip and quickly share our comments without giving a second thought to the effect our words might have. It is easy to be swept up in the latest trend and even easier to forget that we are never truly privy to the full truth. Scarlett Brade explored just that with this book – the half-truths shared on social media and the public’s ability to judge based on appearance.
This is a modern tale of love, loss and the perfect revenge. The author brings this story to life with everyday characters meeting celebrities and social media posts judging every action along the way. I was left with an urge to cancel all my social media accounts after reading this book. Scarlett Brade did a marvellous job with her characters, sharing their emotions and allowing the reader to share Charlotte's pain.
When Lincoln Jackson, a famous boxing champion follows Charlotte on Instagram she is sure it must be a mistake. Yet soon they are chatting, and Lincoln asked to meet her. She never would have believed her luck. But what follows is not what Charlotte or her friend would ever have imagined. Charlotte will have her revenge, but until she has shown the world who Lincoln Jackson is. Brace yourself for a story like no other.
The Hive is a thriller like no other. This book grabs hold of you and draws you deep into a world of loss, pain and revenge. The author keeps you glued to the pages as she reveals what led Charlotte to a hotel room where she is about to kill Lincoln Jackson while steaming live. Brace yourself, the story that follows will break your heart and leave you amazed at the power social media has on other people’s lives.
The four women in this book show sisterhood, love and support – they share a deep bond and the author brought this to life beautifully. How far would you go to protect and support your sister? These are true friends, there is no question.
Charlotte Goodwin appears to have everything she could want. Yet as the story unfolds and the truth is revealed your heart breaks for this naïve woman. She was lied to, betrayed, embarrassed and left to suffer in the worst possible way. Her loss is heartbreaking. You watch this woman fall apart, and with the turn of a page, there is suddenly fire in her. She finds the strength and determination to seek justice and oh boy, does she get it. I found myself rooting for her, and supporting her choice to kill Lincoln Jackson – the man was a dog! There is no other word for him.
This book is full of emotion and while it is a little different to my usual reads I could not drag myself away. It is beautifully written and reminds you not to believe everything you see on social media, or at the very least, to keep in mind there is more than one side to every story. Yep, I loved this one.
Ladies, this thriller is for you. You will find yourself quickly engrossed in this heartbreaking story and rooting for a chattered woman to get the revenge she desperately needs. You will not be left disappointed when reaching go this stunning book. You might want to steer clear of social media for a while after reading this.

Hell has no fury like a woman dumped on Twitter. The pain suffered by Charlotte Goodwin after her celebrity boyfriend leaves her is intense. Not only does she have to cope with being abandoned by her lover, but she is jeered at by a Twitter group called the Hive. Meanwhile her rival is praised and envied. In her debut novel Scarlett Brade takes the reader inside the head of a woman at the centre of a perfect storm of resentment and humiliation. The resulting despair and anguish finds its outlet in premeditated murder.

Charlotte Goodwin looks directly at the camera and reveals a chilling truth to the thousands watching her Instagram live broadcast. She has killed her ex-boyfriend’s new partner in cold blood. But she is not finished yet.

Charlotte is supported by three girlfriends who have stuck together through thick and thin since school. Their strong bond was forged by tragedy. In spite of their difficulties, these young women have a taste for luxury. One of them is wealthy, but she is the most sorrowful of all, because she faces having her children taken away from her. The fury Charlotte and her friends feel against the world is palpable from the first page of The Hive to the last.

Lincoln Jackson will now make his confession, then the viewers must vote to decide whether he should live or die.

After she suffers a miscarriage in violent circumstances, Charlotte sinks to the depths of despair. She holds Lincoln and his new fiancée responsible for her bereavement. As a result she tries to take her own life. Then she has a revelation. Instead of destroying herself, she resolves to kill her ex-boyfriend’s new lover. The nest step is to slaughter Lincoln himself. In the depth of her madness, it seems only natural to Charlotte to share the whole bloody business live on Instagram.

Bonded by mutual tragedy, Charlotte’s three best friends have supported each other through the soaring highs and devastating lows of their lives. Now, in Charlotte’s hour of need, her friends also face a choice – whether to help her get away with murder.

The loyalty of Charlotte’s close friends is tested beyond the limit. They have supported her without question all their lives, and she has done the same for them. Now the close bond they share threatens to take them to a dark place – perhaps a prison cell.

The Hive explores our darkest fears of the relationship between social media and mental health, and the strength of sisterhood against all the odds.

I like the way voices from Twitter chime into the story. They give a commentary on what is going on in Charlotte’s life. Some are kind and some are cruel, but they are all detached from the reality of her situation. The Hive shows how social media can damage mental health, and how destructive a peer group can be when loyalty becomes an obsession. It is a compulsive read.

Gripping, pacy and totally unique! A fantastic revenge thriller!

As soon as I read the blurb for his book, I knew that it was a story I wanted to read. This is a debut for Scarlett Brade and what a brilliant debut it is! Original, modern and cleverly written, I thoroughly enjoyed this page-turner!

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! This book starts with Charlotte having killed her ex-boyfriend’s fiancé and now she is holding a gun to his head whilst asking the world live on ‘The Hive’ to either #votelive or #votedie. What a phenomenal opening chapter! This certainly had me hooked, but my first thoughts were, how is the author going to make me hate a character so much that I would even consider voting for them to die! Well, she did a bloody good job as I despised Charlotte’s ex Linc and whilst I am in no way condoning murder, for the purpose of fiction, I was totally on her side!

After the amazing opening in this book, we then go back to 12 months earlier when Charlotte first met Linc. Dating a famous boxer, her life changed in an instant, she couldn’t believe her luck and after not being together for long she could really see a future together. Clearly, I don’t need to tell you things go drastically wrong, but I’m not one for spoilers, so you’ll have to read yourself to find out what happens!

I loved the female characters in this book. The sisterhood – Charlotte, Trix, Zaheen and Poppy. Best friends since childhood, there is nothing these girls won’t do for each other. The story also touches on the backstory of each girl, helping us relate to them and understand why they are such a tight-knit group of friends. I think we all have at least one friend who you could trust with your life, Charlotte is very lucky to have three.

I feel Scarlett has been very brave with how dark she goes in this book, I think a lot of debut authors would’ve held back a bit, but Scarlett definitely hasn’t! I see this as a good thing as I feel it makes for a more surprising read!

There were plenty of unexpected moments in this book, some shocking, some sad and some totally bonkers! The story certainly takes you on one helluva rollercoaster ride, with many sharp twists and turns and sudden changes of speed right the way up to the hair-raising end!

Vengeance is much more satisfying when it is not exacted immediately, or as they say Revenge is a dish best served cold. This saying sums up this book perfectly!

Thank you to Scarlett Brade, Zaffre Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book, I look forward to seeing what Scarlett writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre Books and Scarlett Brade for this digital copy!

Revenge. Love. Envy. Friendship. Sisterhood. Rage. The Hive is all these things and more. What a debut! I went into this one somewhat blind and I'd advise you to do the same. A psychological thriller in which social media is a central character alongside Charlotte, Zaheen, Trix and Poppy, a group of friends that go through more than your average friend group.

This was a very gripping read and hard to put down. It draws you in and before you know it, you're compelled to keep reading to discover the next part of the story. While at times it was a little out there, there are original elements which added something extra. The friendship and love the girls have was such a great part of this book, I really enjoyed their group dynamic and relationship! Overall, The Hive was a great, modern psychological thriller and I can't wait to see what Brade comes out with next!

* Please research any trigger warnings before reading *

The Hive is a revenge thriller on steroids which follows a group of friends lead by the wildly unhinged Charlotte on her revenge journey against her equally unstable ex Lincoln.

This is a difficult one to review because while I couldn't stop listening to it, I also spent a whole lot of time rolling my eyes at it's ridiculousness. It's a fast paced, gritty and quite dark novel that will keep you enthralled, providing you're prepared to suspend belief for a little bit.

I listened switched between the audiobook and ebook and found the full cast of the audiobook brought the whole thing to life, especially the sections which has the social media commentary. Although do NOT get me started on the narrator for 'Oirish' leprechaun-eske Poppy!

I'd definitely recommend it as a really fast paced gripping revenge thriller for those who are able to throw themselves fully into the story and run with it. A very interesting debut from Scarlett Brade.

TWs for premature birth, infant death and abortion.

‘The Hive’ is the debut novel by Scarlett Brade.

Charlotte Goodwin looks directly at the camera and reveals a chilling truth to the thousands watching her Instagram Live broadcast. She has killed her ex-boyfriend’s new partner in cold blood. But she is not finished yet. The viewers must now vote to decide whether he should live or die. The public display sends shockwaves rippling through the online community and the numbers of viewers skyrockets. But as Lincoln’s past is revealed, how will he be judged?

This debut has got to be one of my favourite books of 2022. With a sizzling storyline and strong females, this topical story certainly packed a punch and kept me gripped throughout.

The story is seen through the perspective of Charlotte and starts in the present time, when she’s live broadcasting the death of her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend and how she has got to this moment in her life.

The story then travels back to the past when Charlotte first meets Lincoln, a successful boxer and influencer, Charlotte is an admin assistant and she falls for Lincoln’s charms and good looks hard. But when tragedy strikes and they break up, Charlotte finds it hard to move on especially when Lincoln moves on with a new woman and has his new relationship flaunted in her face.

This story is a powerful and triggering story that certainly makes for thoughtful and topical reading, as we join a woman on a journey to breaking point.

Charlotte is a fantastic lead, she’s strong and passionate and as her relationship and life unravels around her, so does her sanity and this truly is a sad reading. She is supported by a strong network of friends, who have all been there for each other during the hardest of times, whether that’s drugs, abuse or loss, they are always there to help.But they are struggling to help Charlotte particularly, as the life that she could have had is always there to be seen on ‘The Hive’ the social media platform that is rife with gossip and updates and keeps Charlotte informed of Lincoln’s news. Charlotte becomes addicted to social media and is consumed with passion to help put her life together but ‘The Hive’ is always there to catch her at her worst.

The story is topical in that it focuses on social media and life in the limelight. Nothing is private and everyone has an opinion, whether it’s good or bad and the author cleverly included social media posts about the rise of Lincoln and demise of Charlotte. I absolutely hated Lincoln, a narcissist, vain and he constantly gaslit Charlotte and made her double think everything.

Powerfully written, thought-provoking and packed with attitude, ‘The Hive’ is a fantastic thriller about the strength of the sisterhood, the toxicity of social media and the determination to seek vengeance and all these factors made this uniquely written and gripping debut impossible to put down!

You can buy ‘The Hive’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.