Posts by Silke De Buck

My first book of the new year! And it was an instant hit!

Ward D is a locked psychiatric ward where we follow medical student Amy during her first night on the ward. She’s dreading it, and it quickly becomes clear why. Once her best friend, Jade—now a permanent patient on the ward—confronts Amy. And from that moment on, the night can only go downhill…

The story also takes us back to the past, when Amy and Jade were still best friends. This gives us insight into their friendship, which is no longer a friendship and into Jade’s darker side—leading to her eventual stay in the psychiatric ward.

This was yet another book I finished in a single day. A gripping and suspenseful story—I was hooked from start to finish. I’m a huge fan of the plot and the twists! Yet another recommendation from Freida McFadden!

I had promised myself to read more romcoms this year, but tomorrow another Freida book will be waiting for me in the mailbox…

This story follows newlyweds Tricia and Ethan. They are house hunting, but just as they arrive to view a secluded property, a heavy snowstorm strikes. It quickly becomes clear that they’ll be stuck in the old, sprawling house for a few days. Soon, they discover that this isn’t just any house—it’s the home of Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who mysteriously vanished without a trace a few years ago.

The book alternates between the present-day events with Tricia and Ethan and flashbacks to Adrienne Hale’s past. Step by step, we uncover the truth about what happened years ago.

(Spoiler alert!)

When mysterious things happen in books like this, I sometimes get frustrated with the characters. For example: the footprints, the painting being rehung, the glass and the food in the kitchen—how on earth does Ethan not believe Tricia when all of these are clear signs that someone else is in the house?!

Once again, Freida delivers a fantastic read. This time, I was convinced I’d figured it all out, sure that Freida couldn’t surprise me anymore. But… you guessed it—I was wrong.

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Once again, a book by Freida that I couldn’t put down!

The story follows young mom Brooke, who returns to the town where she grew up with her son. After the tragic death of her parents, she moves back into her childhood home. She starts working as a nurse in a prison full of the country’s most dangerous criminals. Soon, she comes face-to-face with someone from her past, someone she never wanted to see again—Shane.
Flashbacks quickly reveal the horrifying events from 10 years ago. Can she keep all these secrets from her son? And is everyone really who they say they are?

(Spoiler Alert)
Wow! I was really hoping that Brooke and Shane would get their happy ending. I was so angry because I truly believed Shane was innocent. He even managed to manipulate me! I was completely shocked when the truth finally came out.

Once again, an amazing plot twist that I… once again, didn’t see coming. I really wonder where Freida keeps getting her ideas, but I hope she writes many more books like this one!

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Here I am again with another Freida McFadden book. What can I say… they’re just too good!

This story is about a married couple, Claire and Noah. Their marriage is basically over, but they stay together mostly for their two kids. Just when Claire is ready to end the relationship, their week-long vacation with friends comes up. The six of them plan to spend a week at a hotel in the middle of the woods. Each of them carries their own secrets as they set off on the trip. However, they never actually make it to the hotel. One by one, they mysteriously disappear.

The thing about Freida’s books is that they let you block out the rest of the world and fully immerse yourself in the story. This one had me hooked from start to finish again. Sorry, but not sorry for repeating myself—once more, I absolutely recommend this book!

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I’m definitely in my Freida McFadden era; this is the sixth book of hers that I’ve read.

The story is about Sydney, a 34-year-old woman who is desperately looking for love. She uses a dating app to find it. But this comes with risks, because a bad date can turn into a stalker. Together with her two friends, Gretchen and Bonnie, she lives her life in the big city, each of them searching for their own happy ending. Until one of them is brutally murdered.

We also follow the story of Tom and his childhood love, Daisy, and see how bad his relationship with his father was. In this story too, two girls are mysteriously murdered. But how are Sydney and Tom’s stories connected?

Freida’s writing style is so smooth; I fly through her books like a high-speed train. The suspense, the plot twists that leave me speechless every time – it’s just so fun to read. I love that I can never predict where the story is going. In short: another must-read!

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I’m very happy that I got to receive this ARC from Dia Eve to read and share my honest opinion.

The story is about Renee, who has never really experienced love. Until Nick crosses her path, and she instantly feels a connection. They share the same interests, can talk for hours, and there’s undeniable chemistry in the air. Is this what people call soulmates? But there’s one problem: Freya, Nick’s girlfriend. Renee has to keep her crush on Nick a secret to protect their fragile, growing friendship.

Fast forward to the present. Renee and Nick haven’t seen each other for five years. Suddenly, they come face to face again. But their friendship isn’t what it used to be. The question is, what happened five years ago?

Thanks to the strong build-up of the story, it was easy to connect with the main character, Renee. My favorite part of the book is the friendship between Renee, Ella, and Harper. Whether they are close or far apart, they stay tight, supporting each other through everything. I also enjoyed the moments with the whole friend group, especially their playful interactions.

Normally, I’m more a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, but this friends-to-lovers trope really charmed me. The constant switching between the past and the present made me more and more curious about what went wrong back then and whether things could still be fixed.

If you enjoy Emily Henry’s Happy Place, I can definitely recommend this book! Romance, friendship, and self-growth are all beautifully explored in this story.

Lastly, I want to share my favorite quote from the book with you:
“I don’t know when I fell in love with you, but I realized it the moment I lost you, and there was no way to get you back.”

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The third and final book in The Housemaid series was my least favorite of the three.

Millie now has a family of her own. She lives with her husband, Enzo, and their two children, Ada and Nico. They move into a slightly overpriced house in a nice neighborhood. However, they soon notice something strange about their neighbors. Millie, in particular, feels uncomfortable. When her youngest child starts acting strangely, she begins to wonder if moving was a bad decision.

The story starts off slow and felt a bit too long for me. Millie also seemed different—she came across as more naive than in the first two books. Still, the plot twist was surprising, and once again, I didn’t see it coming.

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Since I’m flying through the Housemaid series like a high-speed train, it won’t surprise you that I loved this book as well.

Millie’s story continues. This time, she works as a helper for Wendy and Douglas—or at least, that’s what she thinks. Strange things start happening in the penthouse, and Millie has her suspicions. The problem is, she just can’t seem to escape her past and keeps getting pulled into mysterious situations.

It’s exciting, easy to read, and a real page-turner. The different points of view make all the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly. It’s a story you don’t have to think too much about—just let yourself get lost in it and escape reality for a while.

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Wow! Normally, I’ve been really into romantic feel-good books, but now I’m all about psychological thrillers. After The Silent Patient, The Teacher, and The Perfect Son, I finished The Housemaid in one go.

The story follows Millie, who is hired as a housemaid by Nina and Andrew Winchester. There are rumors about Nina being “crazy”. According to the gardener, Enzo, there are also some dark secrets about the family and soon Millie feels uncomfortable in the house. Luckily, she finds comfort with Andrew. And then there’s their daughter, Cecilia, who doesn’t really get along with Millie either.

I know I keep saying this, but I couldn’t put this book down. It’s so well-written, and after each chapter, you just want to keep reading. The writing is smooth, and the story is really well put together.
I think Freida McFadden is famous for her plot twists, and wow! I always think I know how the story will end, but there’s always another twist.

I’m already reading the second book in the series. I can definitely recommend this one!

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I really enjoyed the third part of the Dream Harbor series.

It tells the story of Kira, who wants to start over far away without relying on her wealthy parents. Without her twin sister by her side, she embarks on a journey to discover herself. Along the way, she meets Bennet. Bennet is spending the holidays in Dream Harbor with his sister, Jeanie, and is determined to break free from a toxic relationship by confronting old patterns.

In this book, I felt there was a stronger connection to the characters, which added more depth to Kira and Bennet’s emotions and thoughts.

While it remains a mostly light-hearted romance that provides an escape from reality, it also includes the necessary steamy scenes to complete the love story.

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