This was an exclusive early extract, so no full book to review here. Just the beginning pages...……….
the author has a really run-on sentence styling, without it being forced, presumptuous, or annoying. She stop when she needs to. The timing to her writing is really interesting, and propels the story and character forward.

Briefly, this story centers on a woman, telling the story from her own POV. Telling her life...….leading you back and forward. Less about judging others, so far, than herself.

But I found the story interesting, and I know the reviews have been great. So hopefully, I will love this as well when I read it in its entirety.
Until then...………..

I only got the early extract for this, so I cannot speak for the whole book and am not sure how to rate it.
I will say, though, the extract was enough to convince me to order a copy.
This will not be for everyone and I think that's a good thing.
Lisa Taddeo is an extremely gifted writer and for that matter she can pull the over the edge with all the rawness and brutality found here. It is made to make us feel unsettled, uncomfortable, unsure of its nature.
I will give it 3 stars for now, as it wouldn't be fair to rate only an extract super high, without first reading the rest.
For me this stands out from other releases and is worth your time if you can stomach it.

The book starts off with a man who shoots himself. We are then fed snippets of information by the narrator all the while building up the tension and full of intrigue. I found this such a page turner I was disappointed I was only reading an early extract. After such a brilliant opening I am cannot wait for the book to be released on 24th June..

Finally, Thank you to #netgalley, Lisa Taddeo and the publishers for providing this two-chapter sampler in exchange for an honest review. #Animal

What an opener! The writing, the characterisation, everything. Very excited to read more of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for sending me an ARC of this book. This is a book I’ve really been looking forward to as I enjoyed Lisa Taddeo’s non-fiction debut Three Women and I was keen to see how her talent translated into fiction writing. Unfortunately Animal left me feeling a little cold. It’s an incredibly raw story of a woman named Joan who, after her married lover shoots himself in front of her while she’s on a date with another man (yes, you read that right – it’s quite the opening), flees New York and moves to a remote canyon outside of Los Angeles and begins to ingratiate herself into the life of a young local women for reasons that only become clear as we move through the book. Joan is an incredibly messy protagonist who makes awful, dangerous choices but as we get to know her the depths of her trauma become apparent and you find yourself beginning to understand her behaviour and her outlook on life. But ultimately for me it all just felt like too much and I’m not usually one to shy away from gritty or upsetting stories. Taddeo is relentless in piling incredible levels pain and suffering onto Joan and the female characters in her immediate vicinity and after a certain point it felt more like cheap shock tactics than good writing. The book improves towards the end when some of the key plot points and mysteries of the novel pay off but I’d still be hesitant to recommend this book to friends. Would it have been too much to ask to have just one fewer brutal sexual assault?

Animal- so far, is dark and twisted, Our narrator believes she is not a sociopath, but expertly stalks people and takes pleasure in seeing dead bodies, She also has a screwed up way of looking at things, Just what I need,

This extract gave me just enough to get excited about this book, but also enough to know that this is a book I don't want to read without looking into some content warnings first. It's clear to me that Joan is going to be an unreliable but compelling narrator, which is something I enjoy in a thriller. I am looking forward to picking this up but I don't think it will jump to the very top of my TBR, as some new releases do.

I was so pleased when I got the opportunity to read the opening to this book. For me it really does live up to its hype! Great start can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

I devoured Three Women last year. It wasn’t what I would call an enjoyable book, given the subject matter, but Taddeo’s style of writing gripped me. I enjoy non-fiction told narratively and that was done well. So I was excited to read a sample of her novel. The good: I’m intrigued by this opening. I didn’t read anything beyond the title before requesting it. Is this a crime novel? Is she a female Patrick Bateman? Hard to tell whether this is going to be a murder spree, a journey of self discovery or a love story or all three! The not great: I dislike the main character already and we have to spend a whole book together. This is just my personal view, but I’m not sure I want to spend any more time with her. Also, the elements of Taddeo’s writing that I enjoyed in Three Animals - her descriptive prose - I’m not enjoying as much in her fiction. It seems somewhat contrived. I give this sample three stars because it piqued my interest enough to read on. I think anyone who enjoyed Three Women might also enjoy this.

I was only able to read an exclusive early extract of this book, but OH WOW!

She sounds like she would give American Psycho a ran for his money. I was gripped from the very beginning and can't wait to get my hands on the full book when it comes out!

Thank you for the opportunity to read the opening chapters. The writing is excellent but I don’t think this is a book for me.

One of things I love about an early sampler is the immediate sense you get of wanting to know more. This exclusive sampler of Animal does not disappoint.

The prose has a lovely descriptive quality to it that is highly immersive and quickly establishes a strong sense of place and character. From the first shocking sentence, we are launched right into the thick of the action. There is a kind of predator vs prey element already aligning with the title which has also piques my curiosity.

What happened to this woman, who is she, is she talking to her baby? What happened to her in her childhood and now? All questions springing to mind from these first two chapters, it's exciting and shocking already and I want to know more...

Thank you to Bloomsbury for this ARC sampler, after this, I can't wait to read the rest of the book!!

Joan is brutal in her unflinching honesty. Describing herself as depraved but also a survivor. She has used men to take what she has wanted without a damn for the consequences.

There is something quite liberating in knowing yourself completely, flaws and all and the author has saturated Joan with flaws to the point that people call her a sociopath.

With her dead parents ashes in the footwell of her car you know there is a much larger story at play and one that has led to Joan committing murder.

Exquisite writing and I can’t wait to read more.

Thanks for putting up this sampler, I tore through it with excitement. Animal is going to be good, I can tell. These chapters are raw, harsh and unflinching - and Joan is a mesmerising if terrifying central character that I am extremely intrigued by already. I am hyped after reading this!

Intense and exciting, im really glad to have been approved for the full earc of this book and cannot wait to read it!

Oh my god, I feel obsessed. Greedy and needy for more.

Rarely you come across a book where from the first letter you instantly know you’ll love it just for everything. The writing style, the words - the depth of a hidden meaning.

I want to know more, of her, her life, the choices made to bring her to this point.

Wow. 2 chapters and I’m hooked.

I enjoyed this extract from the book. It was very attention grabbing. I will definitely add this to my tbr. It left me wanting to know more about the character's past.

Firstly don’t think this book will be for everyone but I loved it.! 5 star for me.
I'm a HUGE Lisa Taddeo fan, Three Women was fantastic and couldn’t wait to read this.

I think the cover is eye catching and made me instantly want to read this book.

It was at times dark, depressing, and emotional, but Lisa Taddeo has a way of making every word and every page come alive. I had to remind myself to breathe at times.

Maybe add a trigger warning for suicide, rape, sexual assault.

Absolutely incredible just from the extract - can't wait to read more!

Taddeo has the most beautiful command on language which was evident in Three Women and continues through here.

This extract is quite exciting and I cannot wait to read the rest of the book.
It's not an easy or heartwarming read but well written.