REVIEW: Precious You by Helen Monks Takhar

Here's my latest review of the debut novel by new author Helen Monks Takhar. I was really looking forward to this from the blurb but sadly I just didn’t really like or get it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 23 July 2020

The blurb 
She’s got your job. She wants your life…

When Katherine first meets her new intern Lily, she’s immediately captivated. Young, beautiful and confident, Lily reminds Katherine of everything she once was – and it’s not long before she develops a dark fascination with her new colleague.

But is Lily as perfect as she seems, or does she have a sinister hidden agenda? As Katherine is drawn into an obsessive power struggle with the intern, a disturbing picture emerges of two women hiding dark secrets – and who are desperate enough to do anything to come out on top…

The review
“She’s got your job. She wants your life.” This sounded great but sadly I just didn’t really like or get it.

It’s a really dark psychological thriller full of destructive characters – not least main character Katherine or KR. Katherine is or was a talented journalist, a girl done good despite hints of a difficult upbringing but she’s also inappropriately offensive (slightly racist, disparaging about anti millennials or ‘snowflakes’ as she calls them and swears profusely) and slightly toxic leading a drink, drug and sex fuelled existence, abusing her position to get what she can where she can. She brings a lot of things upon herself which didn’t resonate with me because she was supposedly smart, and is truly unlikeable which makes it hard to really care.  

There’s also Lily – the life stealer - another disturbed, dark character. The book is mostly Katherine’s point of view with much shorter chapters from Lily every so often. And, perhaps because of this bias I just didn’t really get Lily, there wasn’t enough to help me understand her motivations. 

This was also a slow unravel. There were a few twists towards the end but by then I didn’t really care because unlike with most thrillers I wasn’t actually rooting for anyone, invested in the story or hoping for a particular outcome. 

A totally toxic, screwed up thriller that many have loved but sadly I just didn’t. 

The author
Follow @HelenMTakhar or find out more at www.helenmonkstakhar.co.uk