Wanting everything to turn out for the best- the first titled chapters of the 34 days were full of anticipation, the book turns and you don’t see what’s coming, but you won’t be able to put the book down.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books and Anita Waller for the opportunity to read this ARC of 34 Days.
The storyline was well thought out and fast paced. The characters were engaging and the plot was full of twists.
I enjoyed reading this book and had to devour it in one sitting.

My feelings about this book changed as I read it. I was initially intrigued, but then a bit put off by some of the slow parts. There are many instances of boring details that did nothing to move the plot forward- examples: shopping trips, making tea, making friends with the neighbors. I also felt that there was not enough information given about the marriage between Anna and Ray. I felt like I didn't know enough about Ray either. The catalyst for Anna's leaving her long marriage just seemed so far-fetched to me. I felt that I had to suspend my disbelief more than I usually do while reading fiction. The way Anna accepted Jenny's plan was also far-fetched, and made me question Anna's judgement and sanity. Furthermore, I didn't know who to root for in this story. As I said, some parts were slow, but I kept plugging along, because I thought that the story would take place in 34 days as the title implied. This was not the case, so I ended up skimming paragraphs, then pages. I was shocked by a certain event (no spoilers here), which made me want to complete the book to see how everything would turn out. The ending was a shock,but I liked it. I am interested in reading the sequel, so I guess I like the book more than I thought initially.

Sehr lebhafter Schreibstil gepaart mit Spannung bis zum Schluss. Manchmal verliert man sich so sehr in dem Buch, dass einem der Atem stockt. Quälend authentisch.

34 Days is a standalone thriller and is a story of revenge, lies and secrets.

Anna and Ray have been married for 35 years. It’s been a marriage filled with abuse and unhappiness, but this anniversary proves to be different as Anna finally gets up the courage to leave. What Anna hasn’t realised, is that her actions have sparked off a chain of events that will threaten to expose long-buried secrets and tear apart families forever.

When I read the blurb, I was intrigued to find out more as not much is given away with the specifics of the book. As you read it you realise why the spoiler alert cannot be let out of the bag and are eager to read more.

Once I finished the book I felt rather ambivalent about it. The story in its entirety has a good idea as its base, but it gets very drawn out until just before the end when all of a sudden you move at breakneck speed and then it’s over. In a way, you can see it coming, as well as the snippet that might lead into another book, but the pacing just seemed odd especially in light of the revelations. I felt the characters could have used a bit more fleshing out and Anna’s ability to just up and change her life seemed a bit easy considering her abuse. I also found it strange that in order to accomplish what drastic actions Anna’s daughter-in-law wanted, she was willing to use so many innocent people. Perhaps the author set it up this way to show something about a hidden side.

Overall I enjoyed the story as a concept, but can only mark it as average as things seemed to fall into place just too quickly and tie up too neatly.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the book.

Anna is in a violent marriage. Seeing her anniversary cards is enough for her to leave him. But her daughter-in-law, Jenny comes to her with a story of being raped by her husband, Ray. This happened before she married Mark. Jenny now had a plan to kill Ray. The family all know how he treats Anna. So begins this story. A story that keeps you on the edge!

This is a fast moving high stakes book that had me invested from the very beginning. Being a survivor of domestic abuse the main character resonated with me yet I liked how the writer didn’t focus solely on that. The twist at the end had me gasping out loud and yelling “no”.

Really wanted to like this book but unfortunately the characters were too unlikeable and the story got too unbelievable. I only managed approx 60% before putting it down.

On my. What a book. What a story. What an ending. I had to stop part way through as my heart was pounding, and it is again after finishing it all of 30seconds ago. Amazing book

Didn’t love this one and found myself rushing through it just so I could say that I finished it. I didn’t like the main character, Anna. I found her wish washy. Didn’t care for the other characters either.

34 days starts off simply enough, with Anna leaving her abusive husband on her wedding anniversary. Her children love their father but they do know about the physical abuse on mum. Her daughter-in-law Jenny, who has been cold towards Anna for some unexplained reason, since her marriage to Mark, (Anna's eldest son), makes contact with Anna, and informs Anna that she is going to kill Ray! Whoa... I didn't see that coming. Anita Waller certainly knows how to have an impact on her readers. No chance of me falling asleep reading this. I loved two characters in particular, which was Anna and her rekindled old flame Michael. The characterisation was wonderful. I hated Jenny with a passion. Wonderful writing. The story is powerful and too powerful to appease my wishes for the ending. But it's not over yet. It continues in the next instalment Strategy, which I will be reading soon.

OMG this author has gone and done it again. Anna Cranbrook decides to leave her abusive husband after 34 years of marriage. At first she enjoys the freedom, buying things for her new home. Her husband Ray is angry as he can no longer control her. Then she gets a phone call from her daughter in law Jenny who has a secret to tell Anna which will rock her world and a plan which is unbelievable. Anne and Jenny both have secrets which should never reach the light of day. One is capable of murder but which ONE?
This author is definitely in my top 10. I have just downloaded the sequel ( Strategy ) and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
I would like to thank the author Anita Waller, Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this new release in return for giving an honest review.

This story grips you from the very beginning. Anna draws you into the reality of her family and exposes the cracks that have been covered over by social niceties. We learn about the intricacies of her relationship with her children and how life with her husband has coloured her vision of them. There is a dark and shocking turn that brings the story in an expected direction. I'm not sure how necessary Michael was to the story, but I guess he was a positive thing! It's a pacy book and a great read.

What a fantastic story! I am noticing that everytime I read a book by Anita Waller, I am up most of the night with a need to keep on reading! I was gripped from the first page of this book, some of the characters were better than others. Theoughout this book I was intrigued by Annas relationships with her children and her friends. There were a lot of ups and downs throughout the story between Anna and her family. This book had me on the edge of my seat with gritted teeth. I would highly recommend this book.