BRAINSTORM is the story of Audrey Dory, who while working to manage her anxiety disorder, finds herself in jeopardy of losing her business, her best friend, and her police officer boyfriend. With everything she values at stake, Audrey begins a journey to find out who is turning her world upside-down, before everything she cherishes is taken from her, including her sanity.
While struggling to gain control over her life, Audrey uncovers a trail of dysfunction, greed, and deception, as she puts her faith in people who may or may not be worthy. How does she decide who to trust when her anxiety disorder muddles her judgment, and leads her to make irrational decisions?
I was disappointed with the inaccuracy of the descriptions of the use of anti-depressants ("happy pills," as the author calls them) - when the main character has an upset, the author has her "popping a happy pill." This is not the way that anti-depressants are used in any circumstance. When an author gets something so simple wrong, it throws a shadow over the entire book, for me. Unfortunately, she also created a completely unsympathetic main character and some ridiculous plot twists, which convinced me that the author thinks illogically or simply couldn't come up with anything better. I don't recommend this book to anyone.
The first 80 percent or so of this book was great -- strong plot, fully developed characters and the author managed to fully pull me in to the story; but then the whole thing took a left turn, and lost focus. It was almost like a different person finished writing the novel. Pages and pages were spent talking about details that didn't matter in the slightest, and the main character started behaving in ways that were totally OUT of character. I ended up skimming through a few chapters, until the plot got back on track, but the lat quarter of the book was really disappointing.
Never saw that one coming! Audrey is a mess but what happens to her in the end...well I won't get ahead of myself, just read the book, it's well worth the price of admission!
It was an okay book. The characters and circumstances weren't all that believable. Not sure I would recommend it; there are better books out there for people's time and money.
I don't know, it felt like this novel was all over the place. It has a great voice, Audrey is a nice character but when you read something titled "Brainstorm" you expect something more. It could have been fleshed out more. There were parts where characters just stopped what they were doing or stopped talking while further investigation would have been a more natural course of action. It's too light, too flimsy to really reach that captivating stage. I was pretty okay with the light reading up to the end and the first flashback in cursive. It just didn't fit the rest, and made for a weak ending in my view. I guess it was supposed to be a plot twist, but for me it doesn't work. While Audrey was believable, sometimes the other characters weren't so it felt a bit shallow, not that well thought out at times. Even though I enjoyed the story, I was interested in Audrey's condition and was excitedly reading - finally - about her first "brainstorm" symptoms, it wasn't really followed through. So, only an okay-rating.
Just when she thinks she has gotten her life together and has finally learned to control the anxiety disorder that has plagued her for years, everything starts going wrong for Audrey Dory. Several of her clients go missing, her advertising agency is broken into, and her assistant is attacked. As lies, mysterious deaths, and disappearances pile up, Audrey must face her decade old run in with a bank robber and fight off the anxiety that threatens to consume her.
Brainstorm is a faced paced, edge of your seat mystery novel that is hard to put down. I loved that Audrey suffers from an anxiety disorder because it added another level of tension to the novel. Well written and fun to read, (with a very unexpected twist at the end) Brainstorm will be a great addition to the book collection of mystery or thriller fans. Read this book. You won’t be disappointed.
Audrey Dory is a very successful woman in her advertising agency, with very important and influential customers. Harley is her right hand and best friend. One day strange, unexpected and unexplainable things start happening. Accidents, murders, uncertainty that leads her to know a policeman in charge of her case. Her brain never ceases working and we listen to it all throughout the book, her ideas, her thoughts, her challenges, her fears. There comes a moment when we do not know who she can trust. This books kept me turning pages, from the very beginning. The characters are very real, and particularly Audrey in her struggle to keep sane.
"Audrey Dory, while working to manage her anxiety disorder, finds herself in jeopardy of losing her business, her best friend, and her police officer boyfriend. With everything she values at stake, Audrey begins a journey to find out who is turning her world upside-down, before everything she cherishes is taken from her, including her sanity."
This started well but went downhill halfway and never recovered. All the characters are unsympathetic and it seemed very cavalier with a mental condition as I'm quite certain that you don't just pop 'happy pills' whenever you feel like it. I didn't like the ending either, it seemed rushed. Rating: 2 stars
I have a feeling that if I could have just stuck this out to the end, it might have been worth it. I really liked the beginning --- like a Sue Grafton mystery, but with an interesting hint of mental illness thrown in. But our heroine just keeps popping "happy pills," which turned me off.
I got to the 72% mark, and felt like the book should already be over, so I gave up on the end.
It starts out with a woman with a severe anxiety disorder who panics over just about everything. It goes a little slow at first, but there are just enough bits to keep you reading. I finally got into it enough to want to keep reading and then didn't want to stop because it does keep you guessing. Near the end the characters all seem to take different paths, and the ending was surprising and unsettling for me.
I had a hard time putting this one down. It was a well written mystery/thriller that provided surprises one after another. The characters were well developed and the plot contained the appropriate amount of tension to keep me reading. Enthusiasts of this particular genre will enjoy "Brainstorm".
To be honest, I liked the book, I really did, but once certain aspects came to light, it was a see through storyline. The police officer, Jack, really got on my nerves. He claimed he was in love with her but was always so frustrated with Audrey. Harley didn't seem real and neither did some of the other characters. But it's a well written book nonetheless
A terrific book. I kept putting clues together and formulating how it would all be resolved. But the author had other plans for her readers. The twists and turns are masterful and the tension just keeps building. You must read Brainstorm to see how it all finally resolves. Very cleverly written
If there's one r I really like, it's a book that keeps the reader guessing till the very end. Bravo Margaret Belle. You are a true master and I will read everything you write. Keep 'm coming!
Heroin is perfectly normal at first and then......you feel sorry for her, you think she is pathetic, and then you think she is really deviate, and then you love the ending.
This was actually a worrying title, seeing into her mind an enlightening and alarming look into mental anguish. Strong characterization and twists and turns. Enjoyed.