Four years ago, I lied. I stood in front of the police, my friends and family, and made up a story, my best one yet. And all of them believed me. I wasn’t surprised. Telling stories is what made me famous. Fifteen bestsellers. Millions of fans. Fame and fortune.Now, I have one last story to write. It’ll be my best one yet, with a jaw-dropping twist that will leave them stunned and gasping for … twist that will leave them stunned and gasping for breath.
They say that sticks and stones will break your bones, but this story? It will be the one that kills me.
This book is not a romance. It is contemporary fiction, but very suspenseful in nature. It is about a famous romance author and a dark secret she keeps.
more
To explain, the characters were wonderfully tragic. You discover why the main character is so rude and antisocial. I loved the relationship between her and the enemy author she recruited to be her ghostwriter.
Wow. Nothing at all what I expected. The last 30% had me hooked. There were a couple of parts that dragged on too much for me, but seriously, this is some freaking amazing writing. What a story.
Wonderful characters…suspense..emotional and intense…
This is a book like no other that I’ve read. It’s about an author. A woman tortured by guilt and love. It wasn’t always this way, but the last few years of her life have been hell. And now she’s compelled to tell her story…before it’s too late.
She can’t do it alone, so she charges her editor with one task; get me a ghostwriter. Despite how she’s treated Kate the last several years, Kate gets the ghostwriter she was asked to retain. But when the writer comes to her home, it’s exactly who she was expecting and not at all who she thought it to be.
The ghostwriter does the job, turning the author’s words and stories into a book. But Helena never fully lets on where the story is going. The ghostwriter only knows it’s her story, it’s no HEA, and the sheer importance of the story.
As I read the book, I never anticipated what led to Helena’s torture. I only knew what was revealed early on. But the depth came with each chapter. With it cane my rapid breathing, chest tightness, gasps, panic and utter sadness. Helena endured pure hell. But with the final telling/writing of her story, she finds peace. A peace so deserved. Her support system failed her to the point that she was made to look crazy. Gah! What she endured. I’m left feeling as though this was a real story and not a fiction novel. Her story haunts me.
“If you lie enough times, no one believes your truth.”
This story took a year in writing , I believe. Alessandra has worded grief and misery in its dismal glory . The words are saturated with power to gouge out your heart with a blunt spoon. I’ve never in my life read a book like this before. I just finished the book, my face hiding in my palms , sobbing my heart out. :`( .
The story is pretty simplistic in detail …on the surface at least. Helena Ross is a figment of Alessandra ‘s imagination , I have my doubts though. This character is totally fictional, she says, but bits and pieces could be any author…..every author!!!!
Not only is Helena battling life on a physical front but mentally and emotionally too life is driving stakes in her fragile body. She can’t take it anymore and decides to write a last book documenting her ultimate truth. Its hidden under layers of lies and a devastating secret.
“I, understand secrets. I understand how one person, one whisper of truth, can crumble empires, destroy lives, reveal monsters.”
“That is how life is, it gives us burdens to carry and doesn’t give a damn about the weight. We shoulder it or we break.”
There’s different facet too, to the main storyline. Compassion & comradeship.
In this indie world or book community as we call it, hundreds of indie authors vying for readers attention everyday. How many authors support each other , applaud their peers’ works, how many readers sugar coat their reviews or unsheath their sharp claws dipped in prejudice venom.
The underlying and bold fact that i took away from this brilliant story – Authors are human beings too. They have parallel lives beyond deadlines, peer pressures, favourable reviews, Bestseller lists and breaking sales records
They. The gods in their world, the eyes on which the axis rotated. The readers. The critics. What would they think? Was his reading of the content skewed by his relationship with her? Would they vilify or martyr her?
They bear enormous burdens of guilt , from giving you time they steal from their families, giving you pieces of their hearts they poured on sheets for you to chew them or savour them. So next time we see a book which doesn’t match up to our snobbish standards, take a minute to recognise their sacrifices and toil that goes behind the scenes in producing a book.
I remember one time on Halloween , my fave author was busy doing takeovers and promotions while her family carved out pumpkins. She missed that time with her family and gave it to us readers.
I remember one time , an author had a death in her family and while mourning , she also had the book deadline in the back of her mind.
I remember several authors going through bitter divorces, custody battles, still have to step up to the plate in author duties.
Makes me feel very shallow and petty as a reader now.
I cannot sum up the brutal honesty of the story in my limited vocab. You need to read this story. Whether you’re a writer, reader or a critic blogger. You do see the world of authors upfront but also see humans behind it . That’s the painful beauty of the book. It humanises Gods and Monsters…whichever way we percieve those we follow.
“It’s difficult to read, it’s so vivid. It’s painful. I can’t imagine going through that. Discovering that. Reacting to it. It’s heartbreaking.”
Bear in mind, I’m crying right now. Fat tears , heartbreaking tears , still havent gotten over it.
The story has a twist , or two. One that though surprising , still gives you a feeling of Deja vu. One totally a left handed slap ! . The flow is very steady and you get a ringside seat in the drama behind writing of a Novel. Once you start, you won’t be able to put it down. There’s a metronome in background ticking away. You do wanna rush to the end , but you also wanna slow down to not finish it . you wanna cry and curse and weep and mourn at the same time.
I wanna point out something here that’ll highlight the fantastic writing ability of Torre. She concisely sums up Kate’s past in just 4 lines. Just 4 , and you can clearly see where she’s coming from !!
I loved all the characters in the story. They’re co-dependant and supportive pillars of each other. Empathy and sympathy run deep, kindness and compassion sneaking out from unexpected quarters.
It’s diabolical that expected relations stab and defraud her , while adversaries reward and support her.
I need to stress- as a reader, as an author, as a critic, EVERYONE should read this book. Very brutal in its honesty and very truthful .
InsightfulResonatingEye opening
6 Shattered Myths Stars
I decided to get this book because I heard that it was really good and I am so glad that I did, this story is fantastic. This is a read that invokes plenty of emotion, the story is unpredictable and very interseting. I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be checking out more books by this author
4.25 stars.
“If you lie enough times, no one believes your truth.”
I love Alessandra Torre’s writing a lot. She does a great job in coming up with stories that are different and unpredictable. I hesitated before picking up this book, I didn’t know if I would like it or not. I went with my gut and trusted Alessandra to come up with a great story. The blurb doesn’t give away a lot, however I don’t think you need to know more than that. I loved the main character Helena, she is a bit different and does things her own way. I was looking forward to seeing her character develop throughout the story, and I couldn’t wait for the truth to be revealed.
“It’s not hard to write a book. The words are easy. What’s difficult is the ability to breathe life into them.”
I enjoyed this book a lot. The writing was excellent, and I didn’t expect anything less from this author. I wasn’t completely connected to the main characters and that is probably because I felt like there was more to be told. I especially wanted to know more about the other very important character in this book. I also figured a few things out halfway through the book before the big reveal, which decreased the shock effect on me. I think if I didn’t predicted it, I would’ve rated it a solid 4.5 stars. It was very emotional and original. I haven’t read anything like this book before. Especially the last 20% of the book had me hooked and on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t contain my tears. The mystery effect especially in the beginning did a great job in keeping me hooked.
There are books, that when you finish them, you know they will linger in your mind and you will not soon forget them. The Ghostwriter is one of those books. The Ghostwriter is a complex story of a woman, a writer, who is writing the most important book of her life. Alessandra Torre takes her time, helping the reader to get to known Helena, the main character, in such a way that at times you are disliking her and then without realizing it you are falling in love with her. I did smile some while reading this book, getting to know Helena and her flawed personality, but she is a character that I feel we can all, in our own way relate to. The author takes her time, carefully crafting the story. about the secret filled life of Helena,We learn through the words of the ghostwriter. Nothing is rushed about this novel and then you are At times this book is very difficult to read, but I was unable to put it down. Helena’s story is not a feel good one, but delves into very difficult and disturbing issues that will shock you to your core.
Sensationally Suspenseful and Artful
This was a bit different than my normal reads but the writting is soo good that it captured me from the beginning.
A story that pulls you in, keeps you guessing and has you at the edge of your seat till the very last page.
I got to know the characters. I was able to understand them therefore understanding their choices, actions and decisions. Each page was a new revelation. Experiencing the process of the character writing her book, I thought that was unique and interesting. There were some parts that touched my heart making this story overall astonishing.
The ending was very surprising and sad but overall a good read.
The Ghostwriter proves how multifaceted this author is, though this book is not a romance for what she’s well known for, yet she was able to captivate my undivided attention once I started reading this spine-tingling, enthralling, and a gripping novel indeed.
Helena Ross is one character you love to hate at some point. She’s fierce, demanding and very frank; she tells whatever is on her mind. She has her set of rules, she insists everyone must follow. But as you begin to get to know her, you’ll be able to understand why she’s like that. And why the need to write her last book with the help of a ghostwriter.
It gets too emotional for me towards the end of this book as if I’m there absorbing everything that’s happening. I didn’t see that coming when I started this book and with that kind of ending, I accepted it with complete calmness, no question of why.
Alessandra Torre has written this book, which I consider her BEST book to date, with an exceptionally engrossing storyline; characters that are intriguing, as well as endearing. I immensely enjoyed this thrilling book from beginning to end. She never disappoints! Unequivocally belongs to my 2017 best read list! I highly recommended this book!
I was totally caught off guard by this book. Her writer, Helena, presents herself as a dying romance writer with few friends. Her personality is quite her own filled with rules for everything in her life.
You meet Kate, her book agent, scared to death of her own client, Helena. At first, Kate seemed cold and uninterested in her client….at first. You see Helen’s home through Kate’s eyes and it’s a bit of a shock as is Helena. A ghostwriter is requested to help Helena with Kate’s help. It seems her client needs to tell a very important story and needs another writer.This story is disturbing in a very calm detached way and not one everyone will want to read.
Warning, it is beautifully written but a tragedy with dark areas and it will stay with you after you read it. I’d give it 5 stars but the subject matter will bother some people so I gave it 4. The writing style is easy, clear yet draws you in slowly…..it really draws you in. I read this book in a matter of hours but took breaks. And I still think about this book, it is still with me. I need to be alone and think about what I read. The grief and pain are deep in this book…..not played at but feels very real. Don’t read this if depressed or easily upset but readers, this is a great read…no poetry or superflowery dialog just a life presented to you to absorb.
I totally enjoyed this book and have recommended it numerous times since finishing it. Character development is strong, and you have a love/hate with the protagonist. Several surprises revealed in the plot, and even though I kind of thought the ending was probable before it was revealed, I was still surprised how the ending wrapped.