Absolutely loved it! Read it start finish in a day I couldn't put it down. I thought the ending was quite abrupt I wanted to read more. I grew to love the main character even though she was a sadistic psychopath, at times the writer had you feel sorry for her. Would definitely recommend!

Loved it! I know it won't be for everyone (VERY graphic in almost every way you can imagine) but it worked for me. I liked Rhiannon - despite her many obvious flaws - and she makes some absolutely hilarious observations. I loved her pop culture references - anyone who writes about Home Alone, Scrappy Doo, Guess Who and Grease 2 in the same book is ok by me. It may be a bit disturbing, but it's also fast, funny and fiendishly-plotted. I can't wait to see what C.J. Skuse does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the ARC of Sweetpea.

This review warrants a good ol' keyboard bash of excitement because Sweetpea was BRILLIANT. Fnkjfndjnfjsdk ffni489b'#.glfkjgh896uhjkhjgf9huj950fnkjfndjnfjsdk ffni489b'#.glfkjgh896uhjkhjgf9huj950 - see what I did there? LOTS OF BASHING!

Sweetpea is not for the faint-hearted, or those that are shocked easily because you can guarantee there will be swearing, sexual and crude references, plus dark dark humour - all of which adds tonnes of dimension to the diary style story. One thing that I didn't like, and there's only one, please can we stop using the c word, please? I don't know why, but it's a swear word that I just can't get my head around, the rest don't phase me, just the c one. It's all personal preference, though!

Rhiannon has a kill list, and a lot of people need to be careful as they might just be on it. Each chapter starts off with the list, detailing a selection of people that she wouldn't mind bumping off. I'm not suggesting by any means that killing someone is acceptable, but there are a few people on the list that really don't help their cause, and in her eyes, probably deserve it. Sometimes she's lucky and is able to kill, others not so much.

Even though you know she's a killer, you strangely find her endearing - she's funny, blunt and honest, probably all the things you wouldn't expect from someone like her. I'm not justifying her actions, but let's just say that Rhiannon hasn't had the best start to life, what with being involved in a nursery massacre and her being the only survivor. She did have a nasty head injury and I think her troubled mind probably comes from that experience - you've got to be a little troubled,  haven't you?

There's even talk about Sweetpea becoming a TV programme and I cannot wait - perhaps it'll have the same kind of vibe as Dexter.

A review for this book can be found from my guest reviewer on my blog at http://thebookreviewcafe.com

Rhiannon appears on the outside to be your average girl next door, living with her boyfriend and her dog. In reality she is a pscyhopathic killer who is able to blend in and go unnoticed.

I have mixed feelings about this one, overall I really enjoyed the book but I did find myself skipping her kill list about halfway through as it started to get monotonous. This book is not for the faint-hearted, but it's well worth a read if you're not easily offended by bad language and graphic violence and sex scenes.

4 stars from me for this one.

I love CJ’s YA novels - they’re dark, funny, and unusual. With Sweetpea, she goes several steps further and I loved it.

Sweetpea isn’t for the faint of heart - murder, sex, swearing and the darkest humour I’ve read in a long while. I honestly don’t want to say too much about Rhiannon’s exploits; I honestly think it’s best discovered when reading. I honestly don’t want to ruin this for anybody. It’s just so much fun.

Bridget Jones meets Dexter, indeed. Utterly brilliant and one of my favourite reads of 2017. Dark, twisted and just generally bloody brilliant. Emphasis on the bloody.

Rhiannon seems relatively normal. She lives with her boyfriend and her little dog, goes to work, and spends time with her friends. Except she has one little secret: she’s a serial killer. Every day, she makes a kill list. From her cheating boyfriend to the man on the checkout in Lidl, Rhiannon is after revenge.

The idea of this story is really good: our protagonist is a murderer living a normal life alongside her secret killing. However, Sweetpea doesn’t quite pull it off. Rhiannon is such a dislikeable character – no, hateable – that there is no empathy or support for what she’s doing. A main character needs to have at least some likeable traits – especially such a controversial character – so that the reader can make a connection, but Rhiannon has none. She’s just an awful, terrible person who makes nasty and offensive judgements (i.e. against disabled people) and gets aroused by necrophilia (trust me, it’s as disgusting as it sounds). This idea could have worked and it is a genuinely interesting story, but I couldn’t get beyond my absolute hate for Rhiannon. I wanted her to lose, which is generally the wrong way to feel about the main character of a story.

On a more positive note, the book is well written and good enough that I did read it the whole way through. The story is gripping and, despite my distaste for Rhiannon and her activities, I had to find out what was going to happen. (I did take a break and read another book in the middle of this one, to give myself a rest from the horrors of Rhiannon’s murder and sex life, but I couldn’t not finish it).

If you are a fan of dark characters and unusual crime stories, Sweetpea might be right up your street – it just wasn’t up mine. But be warned: this book contains VERY adult content and graphic descriptions of murder and (creepy and gross) sex, which there is NO mention of in the book description, hence why I gave it a go.

I am so sorry NetGally and Harlequin UK's titles. I really wanted to like this boo.k. , it started with so much promise, but seemed to quickly run out i=of steam., i was unable to finish it, despite trying on several occasions.

The main character just did not hold me and the story felt very one dimensional.
This just was not for me.

Also featured as a Guest review on The Book Review Cafe

To the outside world Rhiannon seems like a shy, retiring girl. Just a normal girl working in a job where she isn't appreciated, has friends that she hates and her boyfriend is cheating on her. Everyone thinks she is a real Sweetpea. However hiding just beneath the surface, Rhiannon is very angry. Angry at rude people and loud noises. For Rhiannon hides a dark secret, she us a serial killer, killing those who dare to annoy her or try to cause her harm and who knows who her next victim will be?
This was a fairly unusual bookj for me as I found myself actually feeling sorry for the serial killer. Rhiannon is very funny and some of her observations/ comments had me laughing out loud. She has a very astute way of looking at the world and telling things exactly as they are. At first you think her comments are unfair or unjustified but as you learn more about her life, both past and present, you realise that there are good reasons for her being like she us. As you learn more about her, you start feeling sorry for her and hoping that she will gave a happy ending. It was interests to get inside the mind if a serial killer and find out more about what makes them tick and what motivates them to kill.
The book is written in the easy, intimate style of a diary which helps trick the reader into thinking that they are reading a normal persons diary. This helps the murdersceens seem more shocking and violent. Fair warning some of these scenes are quite gruesome with what's happening to the victims being described in vivid detail. Some of the language throughout the book is a bit offensive so if you are easily offended it might be best to avoid.
This is quite an easy to read book. The general tone and flow of the book means you are able to read it quite fast. The fact that the main character is quite likeable, despite being a serial killer, means that you want to keep reading to find out what will happen next. I limed the 'kill lists' or summaries at the beginning of each chapter. It made it easier to keep up with everything that's going on.
There is quite a lot of tension throughout the book which increases as more murders are committed and the story hurtles towards its conclusion. I was constantly wondering what would happen next and worrying she was going to get caught. The twist towards the end really took me by surprise as I really wasn't expecting it. I think the ending was a very good and appropriate way to end the book, though it wasn't the way I wanted it to end!
The blurb describes this book as a cross between Bridget Jonbes and Dexter which is a really good description of it! This is the debut book from this author and I loom forward to reading many from her. Thank you to Anna Baggaley and HQ stories for my copy of this book.

Anyone who is a bit of a prude or shrinking violet should keep well away from this book, but for everyone else be prepared for a fantastic read and I certainly couldn't put it down! Here we have Rhiannon, a mouse by day and a terror at night who only wants to be happy. What a great story, filled with people we have all come across and who hasn't felt the same as Rhiannon in the supermarket and elsewhere with so many inconsiderate people around. Lots of laugh aloud, close your eyes and ouch moments - so irreverent and un PC, a real breath of fresh air. To call this gripping would be an absolute understatement, so if you can cope with swearing, violence and lots of comedy, then read this and you won't be disappointed - I wasn't and it is definitely my favourite book of the year so far!

An innovative story told with a streetwise veracity that both shocked and disturbed. The language was as rich as the story line and the decision of the reader to suspend disbelief came easily. The main character was well drawn and repulsive, which was the authors intention. Her dysfunctional life was no worse that many ordinary people experience which made her remedy for that disappointment all the more jaw dropping. A true page turner even though I wanted to look away when reading some pages. I was hooked against my better judgement and glad that the early pages did not switch me off. I HAD to know what was going to happen next even though the telegraphing of the obvious was there for the reader to see... A terrific book and well written.

Never has a book made me laugh out loud (somewhat inappropriately), cringe, gasp and wince in quick succession. Despite the murder, I found I had quite a lot in common with Rhiannon; she has the same struggles as ordinary women, she just solves her problems slightly differently to most. Once I got used to the tone of the novel, I raced through the book. I liked the lists at the beginning of each chapter-who hasn't been annoyed by a checkout person?! I was also intrigued by Rhiannon's obsession with Sylvanian families and one of the funniest scenes revolves around a missing toy. Not one for the faint hearted I think, but a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I've been a big fan of C.J. Skuse ever since I read YA horror Monster a couple of years ago. When she followed this up with the seriously underrated The Deviants last year I couldn't wait to see what she would do next. I have to admit when I heard she was writing a book for adults I became seriously excited. I love my YA but the thought of Skuse, being able to really go for it definitely appealed.

The story itself is written more or less like the diary of main character Rhiannon (hence all the comparisons to Bridget Jones Diary). Each day however begins not with a recounting of how many cigarettes smoked or how much she weighs (although there are a few references to failed dieting) but with a kill list. From the supermarket checkout operator to random strangers who cross her path to co workers and even boyfriend Craig no one is safe from the list. When something happens one night and she ends up killing someone it's the beginning of a murderous spree.

I think whether you like this book or not will probably come down to your sense of humor and general squeamishness. It is a book about a woman on a killing spree and the author doesn't hold back from the blood and gore. This is however interspersed with a lot of dark humor and I found myself wanting to cover my eyes one minute and giggling away the next.

Rhiannon is a brilliantly fascinating character. She has one face that she shows the world, pretending to be normal and trying to fit into the role people expect of her (girl next door, supportive friend, loving girlfriend, newspaper skivvy) but inside she's constantly plotting and thinking murderous thoughts, a lot of which I found totally spot on. It kind of shocked me just how much I agreed with Rhiannon and how much I kinda liked her. Not sure I'd want to meet her in case I ended up on her bad side but she's great to read.

There isn't much of a story, it's pretty much Rhiannon living her life, having murdery thoughts and occasionally acting on them but it's an enjoyable read. If I had one criticism it's that I felt it went on a little too long and was a bit slow in the middle. It did however have a big and shocking finish so I'm hopeful there's more to come.

Overall, dark, disturbing and full of black humor. I'd definitely recommend if you're a fan of shows like Dexter and aren't overly squeamish.

Wow, this was such a good read, but it is all kinds of wrong.

It is basically the diary of a British female serial killer who doesn't hold anything back. Think Bridget Jones with Dexter Morgan tendencies and (much) worse. And it is hilarious at times, like proper snort laughing and almost choking on your crunchy nut cornflakes funny. It is crude, rude and at times pretty gross too. Oh, and there is tons of profanity, including proper British swear words, and a few new ones I hadn't come across before.

There is something to offend pretty much everyone in this book, so you shouldn't feel left out by the end of it. It is a very, very entertaining read so GO READ IT!!!

This is a first book I read, which is written by this author, and it is absolutely hilarious and fantastic. I absolutely loved it! Rhinannon is a psychopath, and this book is her diary which is incredibly amusing. By day she acts as this loving, caring and sweet friend/ colleague/girlfriend, and by night, her only urge is to kill, and relieve her tension. She targets people with bad intentions, or who gave her hard time when she was little, but the urge to kill leaves her desperate for anyone eventually.

The main character chosen for this book is incredibly funny and seriously disturbed. I really liked the way she expressed herself in this diary. We all sometimes want to kill some nasty people around us, of course just in our heads, but the character actually does it. Rhinannon is psychotic genius, I would say, she knows how to manipulate people to her advantage, knows how to lure them into her traps, like a clever spider. It’s just hard to explain her personality, it is so twisted and complex. In some places I was really grossed out by the fetishes of the main character, they are just nasty. All these details made this book so amazing.

The plot of this book happens in one of England’s small towns, and time frame of this diary is between New Year and first of June, so, six month. Most of the chapters used to start with character’s kill list, the people who annoyed her in one way or the other, and she would be more than happy to end their lives. The plot of this book is full of twists and turns, and more you get into the book, the more secrets and nastiness it unfolds. It was quite scary to read, how detailed the author described the feeling, when the murder used to take place. How does she know how it feels? I found it interesting, how author showed, that stereotypes of serial killers can be broken, and that you never know who is seriously messed up in their heads.

The book itself contains heaps of strong language, which makes it really funny, and most probably, I looked really silly, while reading and smiling on the tube. The chapters of the book are really short, and the book is fast paced, so it makes it a real page turner, as you really want to find out what is coming up next. The writing style of this book is really great, and I had real pleasure while reading it, it’s easy to understand and uses great daily terms which are very realistic, and we all used them sometimes. The ending of the book left me questioning and curious, but at the same time it was obvious and concluding. But still, I really want to know what happened next. So, to conclude, I really loved this book and I strongly recommend getting it, it is a marvellous thriller which is extremely funny, but disturbing at the same time, full of layers and insight into the mind of the psychopath. It’s one of my favourites so far and a total must read.

Rhiannon Lewis is, on the face of it, just another young woman with the usual problems in life. She's continually passed over for promotion at the small newspaper she works for, she's encertain whether or not to start a family with her boyfriend, who she's pretty sure is cheating on her anyway, and her neighbour who looks after her dog Tink may well be a kleptomaniac.

So far, so uneventful, except that Rhiannon suffered a dark and bloody trauma as a child which catapulted her into the media spotlight, but fortunately the world generally seems to have forgotten what happened. Unfortunately for the world, however, Rhiannon hasn't and it's turned her into a bone fide psychopath, which doesn't bode well for those who cross her.

Sweetpea is a deliciously black comedy that is right up there with Brett Easton Ellis's superb American Psycho. Skuse writes Rhiannon in such a way that although things get very graphic and bloody at times, I couldn't help but smile as things begin to spiral out of control, and even found myself rooting for her!

Perhaps not for the faint hearted, but anyone who likes their humour pitch black and their violence and gore turned up to eleven will love Sweetpea.

This is one of those books that will divide readers, you'll either love it or loathe it.

Sweetpea is an unconventional take on a serial killer. Rhiannon is your average girl who loves her boyfriend, her dog and her Sylvanian family collection but there's a darker more chilling side to her and boy has she got issues!

Told in diary form, each entry begins with a list of people who have annoyed her the day before and have therefore made it to her 'kill list'. Rhiannon's lists cover the full spectrum of people from drunk guys hitting on her via work colleagues taking credit for her work and finishing with the check out assistant who squeezes her bread just a little bit too much. We've all been irritated by people like this but I'm sure none of us have gone so far as to create our very own kill list.

When Rhiannon was a child she had a traumatic experience which briefly brought her fame but now she's just your average girl next door (at least on the outside) hating her job, her work colleagues, especially Lana who is sleeping with her boyfriend, but trying to appear 'normal' and fit in with everyone else. Every day is a struggle but unlike ordinary people who would cheer themselves up with a spot of retail therapy, a new top, lipstick or book, Rhiannon chooses murder!

OK so let's get down to the nitty gritty part where I share my thoughts. This is where it gets difficult.

Rhiannon as a character was fantastic and being able to get inside her head was an experience I won't forget in a hurry. I loved her dark humour and cutting comments especially when she was out with her PICSO's (people I can't shake off) We all know them, people who incessantly talk about their lives, house, children and spouses to the point where you're pushed to your absolute limit. The banal conversations that Rhiannon valiantly tries to contribute to in her continual effort to portray her normality but knowing that these people are not interested in anything other than themselves. She's not totally devoid of feelings though and her little dog Tink is the one thing she truly loves other than that everything is clearly black or white to her. Being an innocent bystander as you watch her life spiralling out of control is difficult to read at times but one that's fascinating at the same time.

I liked Sweetpea, but sadly as much as I want to be able to tell you that I loved it, I didn't. Maybe it was just bad timing on my part and I wasn't in the right frame of mind for a character who is clearly certifiably nuts or maybe it was the fact that the story just didn't grip me or flow as much as I was expecting it to. It felt too long in parts and not long enough in others. It was almost as if the author had so many ideas she wanted to work into the story but wasn't prepared to leave any of them out. This is a book that had so much potential but for me ended up being a mishmash of different genre's that didn't gel 100%. That said, after the cliff-hanger ending, I'm more than a little curious to find out what happens to Rhiannon.

With kind thanks to NetGalley and publishers HQ for the review copy.

Genres in the mix: crime, black humour

Age target: adult
Story basics (blurb inserted here)
Review-in-a-tweet: gloriously no-holds-barred, hilarious and disturbing peek into serial killer Rhiannon’s diary. Loved her kill lists!

The emotional ride: almost as crazy as Rhiannon herself! One minute you’re nodding along with her observations about the world, thinking ‘yeah, that’s it exactly’ and the next, recoiling in horror as she reminds you in full technicolour that she’s an actual serial killer.

Narrative style: I loved the diary mode of this, with Rhiannon’s daily thoughts and annoyances. It’s really up close and personal, so you’re never in any doubt why Rhiannon’s doing what she’s doing (or at least, why she thinks she’s doing what she’s doing, I suppose – but that could be a whole other book!)

Main character: fabulous and detailed in all her psychotic glory. I loved her ‘hit list’ approach to daily journalling – each daily entry begins with a numbered list of the people who’ve annoyed her/she’d love to kill. I also loved her dry wit and straight-talking. These were things that helped to make her behaviour seem reasonable, despite everything.

Supporting cast: others in the novel are also really well drawn, even though we see them all through Rhiannon’s obviously quite limited viewpoint. I enjoyed reading them through all her snark, although it is clear that she is surrounded by largely unlikeable people…

I definitely need to reiterate that this is an adult title. It may be the most inappropriate for a YA audience title that I have reviewed here. The humour is very black indeed and there is graphic sex and violence. I would not recommend this book to students as a teacher, although there are some sixth formers who I might mention it to discreetly in an unofficial capacity as I also know that almost all my students will definitely be seeing worse on TV than they would read here (but couldn’t have it said that ‘school’ in any way suggested reading this…!!). Having said all that, it was hilarious and I did have some embarrassment as I read on the bus to work – laughing is generally frowned on in that context…

Hearthfire rating: 10/10 Smoking hot!

Sweetpea is out now in the UK from HQ, who provided me with a review copy via NetGalley.

Accepting a review copy does not affect my view of a book and I only finish and review books that I feel able to recommend.

On the outside, Rhiannon seems a normal, nice and rather introvert girl, working as an editorial assistant at the local newspaper while writing her first novel and living with her boyfriend of four years, Craig. In reality, Rhiannon spends her time making lists of the people she would like to kill, including her cheating boyfriend, the reporter who stole her story, her neighbour with Alzheimer's who steals her things, the man at the Lidl checkout who squashes her food, and all the paedophiles and rapists who walk free in the world. And when the urge to kill becomes too much, Rhiannon goes out hunting because there is always a bad man ready to take advantage of a woman walking alone at night.
The author created a brilliant character in Rhiannon and you can't help liking her. Although the descriptions are crude and the violence is disturbing, I loved this novel. It is hilarious and sinister at the same time, captivating and provocative.