Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley, Freida McFadden and Dreamacape Select for an ALC.

This definitely wasn't my favorite Freida book. I'm not really a fan of the underage relationship trope, and the grooming that went on by the teacher really creeped me out. All of the characters were unlikable and it wasn't exactly a thriller. It felt more of a "everyone behaves badly" type of book and the ending left so many plot holes and questions.

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Oh My God!! Freida did NOT disappoint, her stories are always twisted and suspenseful and to honest I was a little lost in the beginning but when this started clicking into place, the MAGIC happened!! You have to listen/read this book! The narrative was also really nice to listen to as well!

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Absolutely not for me. You’ll never, ever get me to root for a teacher/student relationship in any capacity. Grooming is gross and this book gave me the ick. Might be time I move on from McFadden.

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✨RATING: 3⭐️

✨REVIEW: Thank you @netgalley for my advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!
Being a teacher, I couldn’t wait to read Freida McFadden’s latest thriller about a teacher, however, I was sadly underwhelmed by this. Typically any books by Freida cause me to binge and drop my jaw by the end with all the great twists! However, I found this one to predictable and underwhelming in excitement. I also believe my career may have caused me to actually feel a stronger “ick” factor throughout the majority of the book. I probably would’ve typically DNFd it due to the inappropriate relationship if it weren’t for the advanced copy. While I enjoyed the overall premise and wasn’t bored when I read it, this one was just not for me and didn’t hit the mark like her typical books for me!

✨PROS: easy to read/listen, never bored

🚨WARNING: Potential triggers include inappropriate relationships between adult/minor, age of consent, alcoholism

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I loved this book. Plot twist was predictable. I loved the characters. Maybe not the teacher lol. It held my attention. It could have had more characters backstory and development

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Thank you so much Netgalley for the chance to listen to this advanced reader copy!

Freida absolutely kills it again!! This book is as sooo good, I didn’t want to put it down!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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This was a fun psychological thriller to read. I loved the twists and turns throughout the story. Told in three POVs: Eve, the wife, shoe lover and math teacher who no one likes, Nate, the husband, good looking and everyone’s favorite English teacher, and Addie, a student of both Nate and Eve who is trying to get over a scandal from the year before. I found myself not able to put this story down. I wasn’t a fan of any of the characters, but that made the book even better. I loved the roller coaster this book took me on, there were so many ups and downs, twists and turns. This was a fast-paced quick read where some parts were not believable, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment. I loved the ending, and I did not see it coming.

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I can be a tough reviewer when it comes to thrillers but I have to admit, I had a really fun time with this one.

Given the subject matter, I appreciate how well the author handled this uncomfortable subject. The situation was not romanticized but instead offered an honest account of how young people fall into these victim situations.

As a thriller, I felt this one had good plot progression. I found the narrative fast paced or suspenseful. Most of the plot was rather predictable so it's not the kind of thriller that you'll “never see coming”. That being said, I had a fun time.

I would recommend this thriller to readers open to an uncomfortable thriller full of suspense.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

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Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced audio copy of The Teacher by Frieda McFadden in exchange of an honest review.

"Frieda McFadden delivers another compelling novel with 'The Teacher', diving into the intricate lives of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, both teachers at a high school, and Addie, a troubled student. The book masterfully explores the complexities of their relationships and lies.. While the pacing may have been slow in certain parts, McFadden's skillful storytelling compensates with unexpected plot twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The final twist in the epilogue is particularly jaw-dropping, leaving readers stunned and eager for more. 'The Teacher' offers a gripping, psychological drama that is sure to captivate fans of the genre." Highly Recommended!

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This is the first Freida McFadden book that I have finished. I tried to listen to The Housemaid but didn't like the narrator. The narrators for this story are very good. I now see why everyone is always talking about McFadden's books. I definitely didn't see the end twist coming.

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Eve is a teacher at Caseham high school. She teaches math, and has a relatively good life with her husband Nate who also teaches at Caseham high as an English teacher. Nate is the handsomest guy at this school, and Eve is lucky to have Nate in her life; except when they both start teaching Addie Seversen. Eve knows what happened to Addie back in the previous year at the high school, and knows Addie can’t be trusted. What happens next will be a scandalous affair, and no one is ready to hear the truths that are about to be spilled. And some can’t let the others walk away from knowing that truth.

First of all, I want to say thank you to NetGalley for an advanced audiobook of this book for an exchange for an honest review.
I love Frieda McFaddens books, but this one didn’t quite hit the spot for me. The books of hers that I have read are normally fast paced, full of action, and they get to the domestic thriller parts of the story very quickly. I found this one to be kind of slow going, more dramatized than actual thriller. The twist at the end was my favorite part which is why I’m giving this a 2.5* star rating. It started strong (first 10%) with the thriller aspect in that it was mysterious with the prologue but the next 70% left something to be desired, and the last 20% was the best parts along with the big twist at the end. I would still recommend this book to others who might not be able to handle a lot of thriller triggering aspects, (like gore and violence), though, because the story was good and not too triggering but feel like it could use some more shaping of the filler.
Overall, 2.5 stars and would recommend to those who need a gentle push into the thriller genre. Thanks again to NetGalley for the advanced audio of this book!

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Loved this audio. The narrators were great! I loved how it switched from the girls POV to Nate’s pov towards the end. Frieda also seems to makes twists unexpected. Just when you think you predict the twist it’s like just kidding you’re wrong and it’s unexpected and I love that! Probably one of my fav Frieda books.

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"I didn't mean to kill her but I was having an angry moment."

"She's not just evil, she's cartoon evil!"

I swear, listening to the upside down roller coaster twists from The Teacher by the master of twisty thrillers Freida McFadden gave me a serious case of whiplash!

Eve and Nate are married...he's the hot English teacher everyone drools over...she's the annoying, how did she ever land the sexy Nate, math teacher... They have issues, like he only has sex with her once a month and on her birthday...well not every birthday.

Addie is 16...she has secrets...last year a favorite teacher lost his job because of a scandalous rumor about his relationship with Addie...but Addie has never talked about it...Now she is bullied by everyone but especially mean girl Kenzie...who is hanging out with Addie's best friend since grade school Hudson...who no longer talks to Addie. But don't worry. Addie has caught Nate's attention with her poetry... she's not alone anymore...Well until Eve finds out!

So now you think you know the plot...the story...who is evil...Ha Ha Ha! Wrong! Listening to Leslie Howard as the female characters is a class in tone changes making all the difference in personalities. This was my first time listening to Danny Montooth and it won't be my last. His Nate performance was perfectly twisted.

I got nothing right and the very last sentence left me with a WTF did I just listen to jaw drop! There's a bit of an "ick" factor that I can't expand on and some things are a bit out there but, honestly, when it comes to a "gotcha" twisty psychological thriller this author taught me she's The Teacher!

I received a free copy of this audiobook from @dreamscape_media #dreamscapeselect via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

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This was probably one of my favorite Freida McFadden books! Check the trigger warnings on this book in terms of student teacher relationships. This book follows a married couple that both work at the same high school. It is a fast paced thriller and the audio book did a nice job of keeping it interesting throughout the entire book. The epilogue of this book is really what pulled it all together for me, I did not expect the ending!

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No matter how wild or over the top they sometimes are there is just something about a Freida McFadden book that makes them hard to put down. Right from the opening chapter when we first meet Eve and she tells us a bit about her life, I was sucked right in. McFadden has a fascinating way of introducing her characters, teasing you with a few details while at the same time making it clear there is so much more we don’t yet know. There is so much more than learning going on at Caseham High, and there is much more to people than might first appear. This is another wonderful twisty psychological thriller. The narration is top notch in this audiobook. I began listening to it while on a trip I recently took and I actually wished the flight had been longer because I didn’t want to stop listening. I’d like to thank Dreamscape Select, Hollywood Upstairs Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review an advanced copy of the audio version of The Teacher.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R315IQEYUVRB8N/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

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I love reading Freida’s popcorn thrillers. They are a quick read, entertaining and twisty. I always think I’ve figured them out and they always prove me wrong.

I was a little disappointed in the last one I read, which may have been wrong book at the wrong moment, but this one was great!

Once I started listening, I didn’t want to stop. I didn’t like or trust anyone, but that was fine by me. If done right, that adds to a thriller.

The opening had me hooked. Someone is digging a grave. No idea who, why or for whom. See why I was hooked?

Then we end up in school with our main characters. A couple of teachers married to each other and a student. As a warning there is a potential student teacher relationship and while I’d be appalled to read about this in real life, I tolerate more in fiction.

While I was entertained through the entire read, that twist at the end had me wanting to start all over to see what I missed. Aren’t those the best?

Do I think this book would happen? No, but I was sucked in from the start and didn’t want to stop. I can forgive a little stretching of reality when I’m that entertained.

I loved Leslie Howard and Daniel Montooth’s narration. Leslie voiced both an adult teacher and a student and it was easy to tell who’s POV it was. They brought the story to life for me.

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“A chilling story of twisted secrets and long-awaited revenge.” (I don’t want to write a synopsis to give anything away - just go in blind)

Like other books from the author I’ve read, this was another binge-able, fast-paced read. I couldn’t stop listening and finished it in a day. It gave Dark Vanessa vibes, which made me sick at times (if you loved that book, I think you’ll enjoy this)! I didn’t love the narration and I might have liked it more if I read the physical book. The ending was also too unbelievable.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select (Hollywood Upstairs Press) for this Advance Listener Copy. All opinions are my own.

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First things first was that ending necessary!!! That definitely took a turn I didn’t see coming.

I went into this book totally blind so there was a few big surprises haha this was not what I expected however in the end it was a pretty good read!

There is definitely some triggers with this book so make sure to check those before reading.

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Another brilliant entry to the Freida McFadden train. The narrators Leslie Howard and Danny Montooth did a brilliant job conveying three different POVs.
The Teacher follows a married couple both teachers and a student. I did not know what i was going into so I was a bit shocked to find not only the cheating trope but also inappropriate relations with a student. Both of these tropes are not tropes i enjoy and might be triggering for some. I did however keep listening as although I did not like what they were getting up to, i needed to know what the twist and end goal was. All POVs were unreliable narrators which kept me guessing.
I sat on my feelings a bit before writing this review and performance, characters, plot wise it was 5 stars. Enjoyment was dimmed a bit due to the tropes but Freida always manages to drag up some strong emotions in me which might be the point. So overall 4.5 stars. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for a early ALC of this audiobook.

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The Teacher was only my second book by Freida McFadden. But, oh my goodness!!! Some of my book-related groups I am in on Facebook just adore her, so I wanted to jump on that train. The first one I read was The Co-Worker. Now, having read it and The Teacher, I think I have a good feel of what the author is all about. I totally get why she is polarizing. Both books I have read have been like thriller candy for my mind. The characters are mostly bonkers. The webs they weave are outrageous. I can't even recall a character likeable enough to root for in either novel. In both books, the author tinkers with the reader's mind by introducing a character as either really likeable or really unlikeable, and then proving that theory completely wrong somewhere along the line. This is fun, but it also means that I now expect to not really like any characters in her novels, which makes me leery of picking up another one. I like to have characters for root for. (I don't mind imperfection, but the flaws in her characters go way beyond the norm.)

The Teacher was a more difficult read for me than The Co-Worker just because of the plot of the novel revolving around things that, as a mother, I wouldn't want to think my daughter was dealing with, though teens deal with a lot more than their parents ever know, I realize. The Teacher felt mostly like a domestic thriller to me. There was not a ton of mystery as the reader is pretty aware of what is happening throughout the book. The thrill that holds one's interest, though, is who is going to win....and who do we want to win? Both books have a "twist" at the end that I was not particularly surprised by, but nor was I disappointed in it. Basically, The Teacher is a good beach/vacation read where the characters and their questionable motives and decisions are not something anyone needs to tax her brain over.

Fun stuff. I think I will wait a bit before I take on another book by this author for fear of being able to predict them all based on her formula. But her formula is obviously working!

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