Melinda and Lou friends since childhood and always there for each other Its New Years Eve and they decide to let off sky lanterns from the balcony with their resolutions for the year inside There are fireworks going off as well and then they see a spark in the sky The next day it is reported in the papers that a light plane with a man and his teenage son crashed the night before in the same region Aimee immediately believes that it is their fault for letting off the lanterns Lou has her own issues as a single mum to a teenager Melinda is a successful business woman that on the outside appears selfish and self centred As the story moves along we learn about all of these womens pasts and presents that all comes together towards the end. Reading this book it is hard not to draw parallels with your own life and experiences I felt sorry for these characters as well as angry So many of the experiences are honest and could be anybody. Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read All opinions are my own and are in no way biased 566 This book started off slow for me and I found myself easily confused with all the different going back and forth between all the different people I skimmed through several chapters so for that reason I m giving it 3 stars Not sure why I couldn t stay focused throughout and it took me a long time to get through it It was just ok for me 566 Scott is a radio presenter and a journalist.

Wow I would call this a domestic psychological suspense novel It has an exceptional premise and is a thoroughly absorbing read This is a debut On New Year s Eve in a small town outside of Sydney three women who have been friends for thirty years Aimee Melinda and Lou have a letting go ceremony off of Melinda s balcony. The next morning Aimee sees the news article about the small plane crash Immediately see believes the sky lanterns caused it What is she going to do Is she right That same morning Pete the pilot of the plane is in hospital recovering from broken bones and presumably temporary blindness His teenage son is in ICU in a coma Pete blames himself for the crash Is he right I loved how this novel took its time so we really get to know these three women and their history and what makes them tick. Outstanding This was an ARC giveaway in exchange for an honest review 566 A stunning debut novel from local Dubai based author heybrandyscott In my opinion it was a little slow to start however suddenly the storyline ups tempo and builds into a fast paced read that you simply cannot put down so don t write it off At all Brandy keeps you captivated right to the very end when you are desperate to discover what happens next to conclude the story And who between Lou Aimee and Melinda will really do what it takes to get what they need out of the situation each of them pushing boundaries to the limit despite the very best of a thirty year friendship they share together. What did I make of each of these three main characters Firstly LOU I empathised with her the most She suffered by the ripple effect of words spoken over her three generations worth of misunderstanding the after effects of mistakes made and the choices we have live by as a result My favourite chapter from the book centred around Lou and a frenzied break through moment between her and her daughter Tansysomebody open the window and find me a skip MELINDA seemingly the strongest of the three friends A successful strong and independent business woman yet underneath it all she seemed lonely living with regret and felt inadequate AIMEE in short I had down as quite simply a nutter In summary it is a story that deals with secrets the hurt and damage of rejection feelings of inadequacy and the burden of shame And of course friendship How strong really is the friendship of Lou Aimee and Melinda Surly Not Bad People Pick up a copy and decide for yourself 566 I enjoyed this story and the different perspectives it offered of the aftermath of a plane accident in a small country town Scott s story revolves around three normally flawed women their friendships and their relationship with their hometown She cleverly drew out the characters different personalities their issues their histories and their issues. I was going to give it four stars however I felt that the ending was a bit sloppy in lots of ways in terms of expression and also character development I couldn t help but think that the way in which the character Miranda was wrapped up was a bit too neat I think it would have been a stronger story if Miranda found herself pregnant and without her business or alternatively not pregnant and implementing her strategy to keep her business To have both seemed a bit too neat. Also the constant switching of perspectives employed towards the end was just a bit much Just as you got into the swing of one voice you were swapping towards another This sudden increase in pace detracted from the good pacing of the story up till then. So up to the last few chapters I would say it was a really good book not flawless After reading them I would say it was only good 566 I was borrowing a copy but it was so good I went and bought my own and a copy to give to my sister Yes it s that good 566 Not Bad PeopleAwful people really really awful people. I was certainly hoping for better 566 A clever compelling debut novel with a unique premise of what happens when three best friends engage in what seems to be a harmless act but instead results in tragedy leading the women to confront buried resentments shattering secrets dark lies and the moral consequences that could alter their lives forever Three friends thirty years of shared secrets one impulsive gesture and a terrible accident It s New Year s Eve in a small town in the rich wine country outside Sydney Thirty something Aimee Melinda and Lou are best friends reveling in the end of year celebrations And what better way to look ahead to the coming year than to let off Chinese lanterns filled with resolutions for meaning for freedom for money The fact that it s illegal to use these lanterns is far in the back of their minds After the glowing paper bags float away and are lost to sight in the night sky there s a bright flare in the distance It could be a sign of luck or the start of a complete nightmare that will upend the women s friendships families and careers Aimee is convinced their little ceremony caused a major accident The next day the newspapers report a small plane crashed and two victims one a young boy were pulled from the wreckage Were they responsible Aimee thinks they are Melinda won t accept it and Lou has problems of her own It s a toxic recipe for guilt trips shame obsession blackmail and power games. They re not bad people But desperate times call for desperate measures Not Bad PeopleI LOVED this book There s nothing better than reading a story and starting to feel as though you actually KNOW the characters finding yourself saying Girl I understand how you feel This book takes place in a small town in Australia smack dab in the middle of a thirty year friendship between three women And these women are so easy to identify with in so many ways You read about their lives their families and their history together You learn their fears their desires their neurotic bits You watch as an innocuous action morphs into something different and how it affects long standing relationships between families friends and a tight knit community 566 A story of those small seemingly harmless decisions and how they can snowball into tragedy In Australian wine country just outside Sydney three life long best friends Lou Melinda and Aimee are celebrating the sense of hope and excitement a new year brings They decide to set off Chinese lanterns each filled with a resolution These lanterns are illegal though The lanterns slowly lift away as the women watch until they see a flare Did something lucky happen or was it something very very bad Aimee has a strong feeling something bad happened when they saw the flare The following day they find out a small plane crashed Aimee continues to shoulder the blame while Melinda thinks it had nothing to do with the lanterns Lou is is her own world of problems Then things blow up between these friends These not bad people become toxic with guilt obsession and a desperate need for survival. Not Bad People is a slower burn of a read which I actually love It gives me time and space to reflect on the story and I did so here I felt these friends could be my friends or I could be one of them They truly were just anyone and they made a seemingly harmless but also potentially dangerous decision that completely upended their worlds and could be responsible for a tragedy That made the story intensely relatable how small decisions can cause huge impacts one never expects I felt strongly for the characters and it was a mix of emotions I was empathic because it could happen to anyone and at other times I was angry and frustrated I think this would make a great discussion book for book clubs because it draws upon what makes people good and bad Overall I found Not Bad People to be a relatable original and thought provoking read I received a complimentary copy All opinions are my own My reviews can also be found on my blog www. com 566 Not Bad People by Brandy Scott is a slow burn of a book but one that is definitely worth sticking with It is a long book but you need to keep going until the end There are so many themes running through this story of friendship shame guilt obsession power It is set in a small town where everybody knows everybody elses business but they all have their secrets that they are desperate to keep hidden I enjoyed how these secrets were slowly revealed and how all their lives intertwined. 3 women Aimee who has embarked upon a new career as a novelist releasing her debut contemporary fiction piece Not Bad People With an open ended title it got me thinking about the whole concept of what constitutes as being a good or bad person Sometimes the lines and moral boundaries are blurred thanks to the various situations or binds we find ourselves in In Not Bad People three friends from a small Australian town find their lives irrevocably changed one fateful New Year s Eve. Not Bad People is a brand new Harper Collins publication from first time novelist Brandy Scott I was definitely interested in this novel from the moment I spied the cover and blurb Endorsed by Nicola Moriarty I was keen to see how this one would play out The concept really sparked my interest It seemed original and a departure from the usual book fare I read The intrigue factor was high I have never taken part in a lantern ceremony though the idea does appeal I liked how Brandy Scott used the lantern release experience on New Year s Eve as the initial complication to this story and boy is it a whopper The plane crash that very same night the lanterns went up into the air along with fireworks is depicted well It is a good way to revolve a story around this very different accident and Scott examines the fallout from a range of angles. I am defining Not Bad People as a slow burn style life lit novel This novel contains a set of characters who are the type of protagonists drawn from real life personalities or have parts that we can see in ourselves I know there were many situations faced by these thirty something women that I was able to relate to I also have the feeling that the teen based issues experienced by the children of the women in the book will be sure to strike a chord in a few years time when my own children hit their teens What a melting pot of complications problems and tensions Not Bad People is about the journey and the transformation the three main characters make as a direct result of the New Year s Eve lantern ceremony Scott examines all facets and responses to this situation She explores extreme blame guilt and obsession She also looks at public persona and identity I felt the greatest amount of sympathy for Lou who tries to sweep the situation under the carpet as she has bigger issues to deal with Lou is forced to confront issues from her past that all come to the surface following the plane crash event Scott seems to cover all bases in this area and she has a good grasp of the human condition. Not Bad People proved to be a so so read for me There were parts appreciated such as the well presented small town setting and the politics associated with living in a localised community I also liked the unusual accident that kick starts the events of the novel However I m not sure I completely connected to the writing style or the characters I do know I felt a great deal of sympathy for Lou but I can t say I cared greatly for the other two women or the supporting cast overly well I also felt Not Bad People was a little too lengthy and frankly I was over the women as well as their situation by the end I was able to put this book down a lot than usual Not Bad People is a promising debut novel and I am sure this is only the start of exciting writing to come from Brandy Scott Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty Lace and Harper Collins AU 566

Not Bad People By Brandy Scott

0062854127

9780062854124

English

566

Paperback

Brandy Scott is a New Zealand born Dubai based author and journalist Over her twenty year career shes worked as a magazine writer newspaper editor and radio presenter If her agent is reading this shes writing a new book as fast as she can Brandy Scott is a New Zealand born Dubai based author and journalist Over her twenty year career she s worked as a magazine writer newspaper editor and radio presenter If her agent is reading this she s writing a new book as fast as she can site_link.

, They light the candles in sky lanterns not realizing they ve been banned for 10 years with notes attached of things they want to let go as to start the new year fresh: Minutes later in the distance they see a flare of light Then the sound of sirens: They have issues Aimee is OCD ed out Big time Melinda s on a power trip And Louoh poor Lou, After the first 100 pages the subtle surprises start becoming full blown shockers You realize you re in for something awesome. All this is a pernicious mix leading to deep buried secrets and resentments guilt trips shame obsession blackmail and power games: Just wanted to see what happened to all the awful people in the end shouldn t have bothered.These are unusually deep characterizations Brilliantly written.The convoluted plot and the superb structure are amazing.The revelations will leave you short of breath.Then there s the inquiry.The ending is sublime.In short it s a savory taste of high tension goodness.Glad it s over.jennifertarheelreader