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Book giveaway: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

25 replies

UrsulaMumsnet · 19/10/2015 17:13

How far would you go to help a stranger?

When Heidi invites a young girl, Willow, and her baby to her house she thinks they'll only stay until Willow's back on her feet. But when a twisted past starts to reveal itself, Heidi finds herself caught between her own family and Willow's.

We've got 50 copies of this psychological thriller from Mary Kubica to give away! To find out more and apply for your copy, go to our giveaway page

Book giveaway: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica
Book giveaway: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica
OP posts:
ScarlettDarling · 19/10/2015 22:12

Applied for this, very excited!

purplepandas · 28/10/2015 11:38

Oooh, looking forward to reading this. Thanks MN :)

FernieB · 28/10/2015 20:43

Just found out I'll be receiving a copy - thanks MN. Looking forward to reading it.

countingdown · 16/11/2015 11:13

Received my copy and am looking forward to starting it. Thank you.

alialiath · 16/11/2015 12:57

Heaven is expecting my copy of Pretty Baby in the post, for it to arrive with an additional book The Killing of Polly Carter. Pure bliss. Thank you.

Matilda2013 · 21/11/2015 14:10

Received my book (and a lovely extra book) today Smile hope to read and review soon

purplepandas · 23/11/2015 09:26

Started this last night and already half way through. It is very compelling! I am thinking that I may have guessed the twist but I will have to wait and see. I am not spoiling it for others and I could well be very wrong!

Will update when completed but really enjoying it so far. Looking forward to the other book too. That was a lovely surprise.

purplepandas · 25/11/2015 08:41

I finished this the following day and really enjoyed it. Wasn't quite right with my guess on the story but all good. Hard reading in places but that was because the topics were tricky rather than the writing. I will check out the author's other book too I think.

Not so convinced by the ending but I don't want to say any more at the moment (Heidi).

over40andmumtoone · 25/11/2015 23:36

Half way through and loving it. Real page turner

BlackSusie2004 · 29/11/2015 10:41

Thank you for my copy of Pretty Baby, a really good psychological thriller, and not what I was expecting at all!
The book is quite a 'slow-burner', mainly because it is told from 3 different perspectives, Heidi, her husband Chris and Willow the homeless mother. Heidi, to me is a bit of a 'do-gooder' and her family seem to have to live in her shadow a little.
As the book goes on it gets darker with lots of twists and turns, slowly explaining why all 3 of the main characters act the way they do, and why Willow has become homeless.......it keeps you guessing all the way to the end!

blogmumjd · 29/11/2015 22:46

I loved this book. It was a really gripping read. You may read my full review on my blog at blogmumjd.wordpress.com/2015/11/29/mumsnet-book-club-review-pretty-baby-by-mary-kubica/

fhindle · 30/11/2015 13:08

I agree that it was quite a slow burner, and took a few chapters to get into... but it kept me guessing until the end! Great thriller - a nice easy read, but a real page turner!

countingdown · 10/12/2015 11:12

I loved this book. As others have mentioned, it is a slow starter, but when I got into it I was totally hooked. I finished the last few pages this morning before the school run! Thank you for sending it to me, I shall pass my finished copy on to a friend.

serendipity1980 · 15/12/2015 17:16

Thank you so much for choosing me to read this book. I'm reading it slower than I would like because I've also got some of our local book club books to read too! I am finding it a gripping read and like the way in which we hear the story from the perspectives of the different characters. I'm intrigued why Willow is homeless, and there are glimpses to the future which are keeping me guessing!! I will post another update once I've finished the book.

FernieB · 17/12/2015 19:46

Enjoyed this book. As others have said, it is a slow burner but kept my attention all the way through. I thought the use of three narrators was very effective. I would liked to have known more about what was going on with Zoe - I felt there was more of a story there. It's difficult to say much without spoilers, but it was a good, easy read.

Matilda2013 · 28/12/2015 12:29

Currently reading this while off for christmas Smile enjoying if so far although I do wish you got more in each chapter but that's part of the build up

Matilda2013 · 30/12/2015 10:09

Finished this book as I couldn't put it down! Thanks for choosing me to read this and I enjoyed the book. I do agree with the previous poster who suggested it would have been a good idea to hear the story from Zoe too though! And i would have like more about Heidi after the end.

GreenShadow · 03/01/2016 13:05

Sorry for the delay in writing my review but I didn't get a chance to read the book until the holidays.

Firstly, thanks to the publishers and MN for providing the book which I really enjoyed reading. I did start off feeling slightly unsure whether I was going to like it as I tend to find American novels sometimes grate a little due to those small differences in language but I quickly got over that.

I liked the way the perceptions of the main characters changes gradually throughout the story. How Chris first loses our sympathy, then gradually you start to have some more understanding and appreciate that maybe he does have a valid point after all (although of course not necessarily quite right!)

I'm afraid I did find the end rather unbelievable - yes, Heidi would of course start to fall in love with the baby, but the end was too extreme and unrealistic. Maybe we could have seen it coming as her fixation with Juliet was always slightly over the top (not that I'm underestimating the impact her medical condition could have on a woman).

One thing I would have quite liked to see (and spent the first part of the book expecting to happen) was a few chapters from Zoe's point of view. Or then again, maybe a fourth narrator would have been too much.

Would I read other books by this author? Probably, if I found one in the library but there are so many good stories and authors out there that I probably wouldn't bother to actively seek her other books out.

janjan29 · 03/01/2016 21:50

Thank you for my free book. I really enjoyed this. It did take a good few pages for me to get into but then it was really gripping and I looked forward to my train journeys to be able to read it. Very good

alialiath · 11/01/2016 18:40

I've got mixed feelings about Pretty Baby, although I did enjoy the story in the end.
I felt extremely uncomfortable at Heidi's dynamics with baby Willow, which bordered on child abuse

stormhorse · 17/01/2016 12:37

quite enjoyed this book. never heard of this author before but it was well written. did take a while to get into the flow of the book but was a good read once i had.

Sarah3kids · 19/01/2016 12:29

Thanks for my free copy of Pretty Baby, unfortunately was ill over Christmas and have only just finished it. Initially, I found the book a little difficult to get into. With the introduction of characters and the way it was set out I had to keep checking back to see who we were on about. However, the story took hold and it was a compelling read. Great twists, quite disturbing (in a good way) and really enjoyable, very emotional.

llewejk · 02/02/2016 21:46

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a little while to get going but then I was hooked. I had made my own assumptions to the plot and I was completely wrong! Great twists and really enjoyable. I think it took me a while to get into it the way the characters were introduced, but once I got used to the style I was intrigued. I would like to read The Good Girl now. Sorry for the delay I didn't start reading it until the Christmas break.

ahigney · 27/02/2016 17:56

I do like a psychological thriller more than any other genre.This is quite graphic and disturbing,not a nice read.I did enjoyed this book,but it is not something you find yourself likely to pass on.

Emrob86 · 22/03/2016 09:42

This is my favourite genre at the moment! I'm really enjoying this book so far!

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