PUBLISHER: Flatiron Books
PUBLICATION DATE: May 10th, 2022
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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Thank you to the wonderful Flatiron Books for gifting me a physical ARC copy of Hidden Pictures to read and share my review with everyone.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.
Mallory immediately loves this new job. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.
As the days pass, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister, and his stick figures steadily evolve into more detailed, complex, and lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to suspect these are glimpses of an unsolved murder from long ago, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force lingering in the forest behind the Maxwell’s house.
With help from a handsome landscaper and an eccentric neighbor, Mallory sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy—while coming to terms with a tragedy in her own past—before it’s too late.
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MY REVIEW:
Addictive, creepy, bone-chilling, and edge-of-your-seat thrills as you read this book. I couldn’t put this book down and I LOVED it! As I read along there were times I got goosebumps and chills as I read along and followed Mallory on her eerie experiences of being a babysitter for young Teddy and his family. Mallory and Teddy get along wonderfully from the very beginning and quickly become close. It is sweet to read about their connection and friendship and reading along as it blossoms. But after Teddy’s drawings begin to freak her out more and more, Mallory finds herself wondering just what the heck is going on. Why would young, sweet Teddy be drawing such dark, ominous photos? Something strange is clearly going on, so Mallory then embarks on finding out just what is happening. There are many different twists and turns in this novel, and many things you will not be able to figure out, and I loved that about this book. It kept me on my toes and kept me guessing.
I loved Mallory as a main character. She has a rough past, and is always striving to better herself and she is a very likable character. You cannot help but fall in love with her as you follow her on her journey. A journey that also includes self-discovery, a budding romance, and how to trust others. I loved the dark and eerie vibes of this book as well and the PICTURES. I LOVED the pictures in this novel. Not only do we get to read about young Teddy’s drawings but his drawings are also included in this novel for the reader to view. I loved this about the book, it was a nice touch and I enjoyed flipping through them as I followed the storyline.
And that ending! Wow! I did not see that coming! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I got near the end but all the endings I had envisioned in my head were not even close to how it ended and wow was I surprised! I absolutely love everything about this book and cannot recommend it enough!
RUN, don’t walk, to get your hands on your own copy!!
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MY RATING: 5/5 stars
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