Appetite for Innocence

This was another good read from Lucinda. it was never boring or too much. It was very sad… to think about what victims go through during and afterward. The end is good too.

I downloaded this a while ago based on recommendations but then passed it over multiple times for other books. Turns out I should’ve started it. It was good. Yes you could see where it was going the whole time and no there weren’t any twists but it was still gripping and kept me turning the pages. Now I just have to say that I have ZERO triggers but that hanger scene had me gagging. I mean I was squinching my eyes, holding in a gag and trying to speed read through it. The pain was described so vividly I couldn’t help but imagine and feel it with her and I just could not. 🤢🤕 the mom really pissed me off. I just don’t know how realistic that was. You just got your daughter back from being kidnapped and months of torture and instead of doing anything for her you immediately go and do the exact opposite of what she’s asking?! Then she’s telling you the girl essentially helped keep her hostage and helped him with all of it and you just say you thought it’d be good for them both to live together again, all with you loving on her all in your daughters face?? I don’t believe it. I think any mom, especially one as good as she was described would do ANYTHING for the child that they got back when everyone else’s is dead. anyways it was a quick read and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is trying to decide whether to read.

I got this book on unlimited and started reading it because it's good only to realize I've read it before. It's been a few years, but her writing is so good. Guess I'm gonna hop back on the Lucinda Berry book train. 😊This book is a fantastic read, it doesn't go into morbid details like other books(thankfully), but you still get the entire picture of what took place to those girls.

Appetite for innocence is a dark psychological thriller written by Lucinda Berry. This is the second “book” from Lucinda berry that i have encountered.During the reading of the book you will be having jumps in time and in the character that is telling the story; but the author makes it super clear by the title of the chapter of who is telling the story and when in time is happening.It’s an easy read because thankfully the author only scrape over the surface on all the hard violence parts, but she gives you enough context to understand the gravity of what happened. I’m not going to sugar coated it talks about kidnapping, rape, abortion, Stockholm syndrome, addiction, drug use.Through the beginning of the story you may not fully like Sarah but when the story starts developing more you can see the parts of stockholm syndrom, how that shape her and specially when you know about her childhood, you get the full picture and how that made her more susceptible to the abductors manipulation and control, and it even explained all her actions, its not a justification but you can understand how it happened and why.On the other side Ella was kind of difficult for me, I can understand all her thoughts and troubles, she has all the classic or what we would think of classic behaviors based on what we hear and see on movies or tv show of the common reaction of a woman that has bee abducted. Like I can see my self reacting in some of the same way if I were to be in the same situation. What I can not relate to is for her hating and blaming all in Sarah, like she has been told form Paige who was told from Rachel that Sarah has been with John for ages, so if she was put in a situation where she had only been months and had lost a lot of things about her self being in a point of despair, doing thins to survive . Why can’t she put here self in Sarah’s shoes like look how much you changes in months, imagine being years with him. And all so the police and victim advocate I think the treatment and reaction to Sarah was not that tolerant and supportive as it was with Ella, I felt like they sometimes forgot she was a victim too.3 of 5 ⭐️

This was such a good book until the ending. It just slowly dragged out and felt never ending in a way.

A serial rapist is kidnapping teenage virgins. He hunts them by following their status updates and check-ins on social media. Once he’s captured them, they’re locked away in his sound-proof basement until they’re groomed and ready. Nobody escapes alive. Until Ella. Ella risks it all to escape, setting herself and the other girls free. But only Sarah—the girl whose been captive the longest—gets out with her. Ella and Sarah are the key to the FBI's investigation, but Sarah’s hiding something and it isn’t long before Ella discovers her nightmare is far from over.APPETITE FOR INNOCENCE is a gripping and suspenseful thriller that follows the harrowing experiences of the young girls who fall victim to a depraved sexual predator. The story takes place before and after the girls' thrilling escape from their captor, which kept me captivated from start to finish. Lucinda Berry skillfully develops the characters while preserving the suspense surrounding Sarah's actions and Ella's strength and trauma-induced distress.It was an oddly realistic experience to be inside that evil house with those characters. Because of Berry's meticulous portrayal, I was able to empathize with the victims' experiences. Although some sections were difficult to read, they were written with respect. The conclusion leaves room for interpretation, suggesting that the nightmare may not be over yet. I value that lingering fear, and I believe everything came together perfectly! I highly recommend APPETITE FOR INNOCENCE if you're looking for a disturbing and fast-paced read with dual perspectives.

Great writing! Ending is not what I expected and added a twist. Excited to read more from Lucinda Berry. Thanks!

It kept me turning pages. Quite upsetting on lots of levels, but good book. Good author. Will read more of her work