Sweetpea by CJ Skuse (A Review by Sarah Doherty)

Rating: 4.5/5

To the outside world, Rhiannon Lewis appears to be a normal twenty-something female; working as an editorial assistant at a local newspaper, spending time with her boyfriend and dog, going out for drinks with her marriage and child obsessed friends. However, Sweetpea gives you an inside look at Rhiannon Lewis’ diary, and this is not the diary of a normal twenty-something female. This is the diary of a woman with a dark secret: she is obsessed with killing.

This book is DARK. Hilariously so.  Somehow as the novel unravels, you forget that Rhiannon is a psychopathic killer and begin to find her blunt sarcasm and her twisted way of looking at life endearing, humorous, and, at times, even relatable. If you enjoy dark humour, this book is for you; it will have you in stitches and you will not be able to put it down.

BUT… Sweetpea is not for the faint of heart. It is crude, violent, graphic, and chalk full of offensive language. This didn’t bother me one bit – I ate it up, and I know others will too – just don’t say I didn’t warn you! The only thing that did bother me about the novel was that Rhiannon’s kill list started to feel a little bit repetitive. Am I really bothered more by the repetitive nature of her kill list than the simple fact that she has a kill list? Yes. Check out this book and you’ll learn why. I guarantee Rhiannon’s diary will have you squirming, laughing, and wanting more.

A definite yes for The Girly Book Club!

 Review by Sarah Doherty