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Tubing
¿Qué pasaría si las miradas matasen?
La vida de Polly es aburrida, todos los días parecen iguales, hasta que, después de irse de copas una noche en Londres, alguien llama su atención en el metro y su mundo se vuelve del revés.
Su atracción es eléctrica. Se miran fijamente. Se besan. Pero luego… él se marcha.
Una frenética búsqueda online hace que Polly pueda rastrear a su perfecto desconocido para encontrarse de nuevo.
Lo que empezó como una excitante conexión en un vagón lleno de gente pronto se convertirá en una oscura atracción que empujará a Polly al turbio mundo del Tubing (encuentros sexuales en el metro, que se organizan en redes).
Polly siente que todo escapa de su control hasta que un horrible incidente hará que se dé cuenta de que nada es lo que parece y que su vida corre un gran peligro.
La vida de Polly es aburrida, todos los días parecen iguales, hasta que, después de irse de copas una noche en Londres, alguien llama su atención en el metro y su mundo se vuelve del revés.
Su atracción es eléctrica. Se miran fijamente. Se besan. Pero luego… él se marcha.
Una frenética búsqueda online hace que Polly pueda rastrear a su perfecto desconocido para encontrarse de nuevo.
Lo que empezó como una excitante conexión en un vagón lleno de gente pronto se convertirá en una oscura atracción que empujará a Polly al turbio mundo del Tubing (encuentros sexuales en el metro, que se organizan en redes).
Polly siente que todo escapa de su control hasta que un horrible incidente hará que se dé cuenta de que nada es lo que parece y que su vida corre un gran peligro.
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2019
16 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
About the author
K.A. McKeagney
1 book15 followersK.A. McKeagney studied psychology in Bristol before completing a Masters degree in creative writing at Brunel. She won the Curtis Brown prize for her dissertation, which formed the basis of her first novel Tubing.
She has worked in London as a health editor writing consumer information as well as for medical journals. Her writing has been commended by the British Medical Association (BMA) patient information awards. She is currently working on her second novel.
She has worked in London as a health editor writing consumer information as well as for medical journals. Her writing has been commended by the British Medical Association (BMA) patient information awards. She is currently working on her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
May 2, 2018
Ominous, risqué, and exceptionally gritty!
Tubing is a spine-chilling, erotic, psychological thriller that highlights just how quickly life can spin out of control when you're driven by sexual desire, engage in destructive behaviour, and play dangerous games.
The prose is sultry and dark. The characters are manipulative, consumed, deceitful, and reckless. And the plot is a fast-paced, incredibly twisty tale that unravels a world filled with power, control, betrayal, obsession, malice, hatred, infidelity, mental illness, seduction, violence, and murder.
Overall, Tubing is a taut, sinister, explicit, shocking tale that kept me absolutely riveted. It's a great debut for McKeagney, and with that kind of imagination, I'm a little scared but extremely excited to read what she comes up with next.
Thank you to RedDoor Publishing and K.A. McKeagney for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Tubing is a spine-chilling, erotic, psychological thriller that highlights just how quickly life can spin out of control when you're driven by sexual desire, engage in destructive behaviour, and play dangerous games.
The prose is sultry and dark. The characters are manipulative, consumed, deceitful, and reckless. And the plot is a fast-paced, incredibly twisty tale that unravels a world filled with power, control, betrayal, obsession, malice, hatred, infidelity, mental illness, seduction, violence, and murder.
Overall, Tubing is a taut, sinister, explicit, shocking tale that kept me absolutely riveted. It's a great debut for McKeagney, and with that kind of imagination, I'm a little scared but extremely excited to read what she comes up with next.
Thank you to RedDoor Publishing and K.A. McKeagney for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
June 6, 2018
Boo Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Polly has been in a relationship with her older partner Oliver for quite a while. Their relationship is perfect except for the physical side where they seem to both want different things. Polly craves more.
Late one night, after she had been out drinking with a friend, she is travelling home on the Tube, when a man approaches her and starts kissing her. Next, she knows his fingers are wandering and rather than stop him, she starts to relax and enjoy herself. Once pleasured, he stops and gets off at the next station, leaving Polly a little flummoxed as to what just happened.
Polly soon learns that what happened is called Tubing. Strangers, via Twitter, make arrangements to meet up and perform sexual acts on what another, on the Tube. After finding out about another encounter, Polly follows the instructions, but she’s not there to perform, more to find the man she met. She does and they set another time to ‘physically’ meet. However, it turns out that she has been set up with a stranger.
Polly has now become hooked on these meets, even making the first move on Twitter. But as Polly’s life is becoming more interesting and exciting, the rest of her life is starting to fall apart. Witnessing the man she first met commit a serious crime, also has her realising how much danger she is in. It’s time to get out, but is it already too late?
Wow, what can I say, this book definitely wowed and surprised me. It also made me wonder, do people actually do this on the Tube in real life? If they don’t, Ms. McKeagney might just have just made it a ‘thing’!
The book is fast-paced from the very beginning and exciting too. Polly is a wonderful character and it was easy to get inside her head. She was a troubled young woman, very mixed in her feelings towards the situation. One minute she was disgusted with herself, the next she was making the first move – I suppose this is what addiction is like.
The book certainly shocked me in parts, especially when some of the meets were made on the Tube at rush hour times. Really on a packet train!! The plot is certainly different and bang up-to-date with the social media references too.
If you are easily offended or don’t like books with sexual references in, then this might not be the book for you as some of the goings-on get a little graphic. If this kind of thing doesn’t bother you then this is a brilliant, intriguing novel. One which the psychological side to it had me gripped to the pages right to the end.
Polly has been in a relationship with her older partner Oliver for quite a while. Their relationship is perfect except for the physical side where they seem to both want different things. Polly craves more.
Late one night, after she had been out drinking with a friend, she is travelling home on the Tube, when a man approaches her and starts kissing her. Next, she knows his fingers are wandering and rather than stop him, she starts to relax and enjoy herself. Once pleasured, he stops and gets off at the next station, leaving Polly a little flummoxed as to what just happened.
Polly soon learns that what happened is called Tubing. Strangers, via Twitter, make arrangements to meet up and perform sexual acts on what another, on the Tube. After finding out about another encounter, Polly follows the instructions, but she’s not there to perform, more to find the man she met. She does and they set another time to ‘physically’ meet. However, it turns out that she has been set up with a stranger.
Polly has now become hooked on these meets, even making the first move on Twitter. But as Polly’s life is becoming more interesting and exciting, the rest of her life is starting to fall apart. Witnessing the man she first met commit a serious crime, also has her realising how much danger she is in. It’s time to get out, but is it already too late?
Wow, what can I say, this book definitely wowed and surprised me. It also made me wonder, do people actually do this on the Tube in real life? If they don’t, Ms. McKeagney might just have just made it a ‘thing’!
The book is fast-paced from the very beginning and exciting too. Polly is a wonderful character and it was easy to get inside her head. She was a troubled young woman, very mixed in her feelings towards the situation. One minute she was disgusted with herself, the next she was making the first move – I suppose this is what addiction is like.
The book certainly shocked me in parts, especially when some of the meets were made on the Tube at rush hour times. Really on a packet train!! The plot is certainly different and bang up-to-date with the social media references too.
If you are easily offended or don’t like books with sexual references in, then this might not be the book for you as some of the goings-on get a little graphic. If this kind of thing doesn’t bother you then this is a brilliant, intriguing novel. One which the psychological side to it had me gripped to the pages right to the end.
August 14, 2023
Unlike any book I have read before this was a very unique concept. I will admit though I did spend the first 2/3 of the book wondering when some form of consequence would happen as promised in the blurb. There was an awful lot of scene setting but the actual thriller part didn’t start until late on and then was over quite quickly!
November 26, 2025
2025 re-read! Even better than the first time!
Wow, this book is like nothing else I have read for a while. For me this is a totally unique plot and that has it sticking with me for a long time I imagine into the future.
Tubing, what is that you ask? Crazy stuff. You post on social media to meet a stranger on a certain train, at a certain time on a certain platform, in a certain carriage. Why? To get sexually intimate for the thrill in a crowded subway train in London.Go on, I bet you are Googling it right now to see if it's totally fiction or real. I am not going to tell you.
So, Polly is 28 and living with her boyfriend in London. Life has lost its fizz. She comes across what tubing is all about and one thing leads to another, but Polly has no idea what she is getting herself into. Holy moly I was really thinking about how risky the whole thing is for women.
The book really holds onto you and keeps you guessing as to what direction it will go in. I got it wrong, I predicted it would go left then it went the other way. I love that, what a great twist!
I found it entertaining, interesting - I even felt somewhat like a voyeur reading this book, some scenes are just crazy. I could not put this one down and devoured it over a few hours. This is something really different to add to your reading list. Highly recommended for all sorts of readers. It's got a great psychological cutting edge this book. 5 stars.
Thanks so much for reading my review! If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please do send me a friend request.🐱
Wow, this book is like nothing else I have read for a while. For me this is a totally unique plot and that has it sticking with me for a long time I imagine into the future.
Tubing, what is that you ask? Crazy stuff. You post on social media to meet a stranger on a certain train, at a certain time on a certain platform, in a certain carriage. Why? To get sexually intimate for the thrill in a crowded subway train in London.Go on, I bet you are Googling it right now to see if it's totally fiction or real. I am not going to tell you.
So, Polly is 28 and living with her boyfriend in London. Life has lost its fizz. She comes across what tubing is all about and one thing leads to another, but Polly has no idea what she is getting herself into. Holy moly I was really thinking about how risky the whole thing is for women.
The book really holds onto you and keeps you guessing as to what direction it will go in. I got it wrong, I predicted it would go left then it went the other way. I love that, what a great twist!
I found it entertaining, interesting - I even felt somewhat like a voyeur reading this book, some scenes are just crazy. I could not put this one down and devoured it over a few hours. This is something really different to add to your reading list. Highly recommended for all sorts of readers. It's got a great psychological cutting edge this book. 5 stars.
Thanks so much for reading my review! If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please do send me a friend request.🐱
May 2, 2018
"Tubing" is a highly readable, kind of psychological thriller about Polly, who after an erotic encounter on a tube train gets all caught up in the Tubing of the title - where, using Twitter, hook ups are arranged and sexual encounters take place between stations. I'm never going to ride the tube again without wondering what might be going on just up the carriage...so to speak.
ANYWAY she's a troubled soul is Polly and unfortunately extremely unlikable with literally no redeeming features that I could see. Still she fascinated me with her godawful decision making and her tendency to just think of herself all the damn time. Of course more sinister things start occurring and there is more to it, by the end it had descended more into thriller territory and did have a cleverly placed finale. Mostly I felt sorry for poor Ollibobs, a doormat of a boyfriend if ever I saw one, under the influence not only of Polly, but of his sister too, who also is just annoyingly horrible.
The erotic portions of the novel are done very well to be sure, you certainly get the, erm, point. The story itself has an addictive flow but there are times at which you are just ready for it to be over.
Overall it's a genuinely intriguing concept with a mostly good execution and I'll look forward to this authors next novel, possibly with a little trepidation as to where she might go next, but also because I liked this one even if I didn't LOVE this one and there's a huge amount of potential here.
ANYWAY she's a troubled soul is Polly and unfortunately extremely unlikable with literally no redeeming features that I could see. Still she fascinated me with her godawful decision making and her tendency to just think of herself all the damn time. Of course more sinister things start occurring and there is more to it, by the end it had descended more into thriller territory and did have a cleverly placed finale. Mostly I felt sorry for poor Ollibobs, a doormat of a boyfriend if ever I saw one, under the influence not only of Polly, but of his sister too, who also is just annoyingly horrible.
The erotic portions of the novel are done very well to be sure, you certainly get the, erm, point. The story itself has an addictive flow but there are times at which you are just ready for it to be over.
Overall it's a genuinely intriguing concept with a mostly good execution and I'll look forward to this authors next novel, possibly with a little trepidation as to where she might go next, but also because I liked this one even if I didn't LOVE this one and there's a huge amount of potential here.
May 18, 2018
Interesting story of an English woman looking for excitement in her mundane life. She seems to have "settled" for her older boyfriend. After a serious of elicit encounters with strangers, she witnesses a scene that will change, and eventually consume, her life.
I found the main character to be whiny and childish, but overall this is a decent contemporary thriller. The final half of the story was more fast paced with a few unexpected revelations.
Thanks to Net Galley and publishers for the copy of Tubing in exchange for my honest review!
I found the main character to be whiny and childish, but overall this is a decent contemporary thriller. The final half of the story was more fast paced with a few unexpected revelations.
Thanks to Net Galley and publishers for the copy of Tubing in exchange for my honest review!
May 2, 2018
As soon as I saw this book being advertised over on Twitter I just knew it was my sort of book and I HAD to read it. I do love a little eroticism in my psychological thrillers and this fitted the bill perfectly! I’m not quite sure if “tubing” is a real thing ( to be honest I was a little bit scared to Google it!!!) but in this book it is rather like “dogging” but taking place on tube trains on the London underground! And it’s very apt that I first found out about this book on Twitter as that’s how these assignations are arranged!
One night whilst on the underground Polly has an unexpected and shocking sexual encounter with a stranger. At first she vows to forget about it but slowly she is lured into the dark and dangerous world of tubing. I thought it was boredom in her relationship that sparked off this strange choice for her but as the narrative develops further, we find out that there is more to Polly than we originally understood. Things are hinted at as we watch Polly start to fall apart but when a shocking event pushes Polly over the edge, we find out exactly what has happened in her past and things become much clearer including an insight into Polly’s own mental health. Her complexity and frequent outbursts mean that she’s not a particularly likeable character at times but you can’t help but feel for her especially once the second half of the book started to take a very different path to the one I was expecting. The intensity of the writing then became almost unbearable at times and there were some twists and turns that came out of the darkness to shed a different light on Polly’s predicament as the tension increased. And that ending!!!! Perfectly pitched but it also increased my appetite for more from this debut author.
If you are looking for something a little different then look no further! Tubing is an intelligent, original and astute thriller with a seductive storyline and an almost voyeuristic allure. I’ve never been a fan of the underground but after reading this I have a feeling I will be seeing it with slightly different eyes in the future! And I will definitely be taking taxis from now on!!
Highly recommended by me!
One night whilst on the underground Polly has an unexpected and shocking sexual encounter with a stranger. At first she vows to forget about it but slowly she is lured into the dark and dangerous world of tubing. I thought it was boredom in her relationship that sparked off this strange choice for her but as the narrative develops further, we find out that there is more to Polly than we originally understood. Things are hinted at as we watch Polly start to fall apart but when a shocking event pushes Polly over the edge, we find out exactly what has happened in her past and things become much clearer including an insight into Polly’s own mental health. Her complexity and frequent outbursts mean that she’s not a particularly likeable character at times but you can’t help but feel for her especially once the second half of the book started to take a very different path to the one I was expecting. The intensity of the writing then became almost unbearable at times and there were some twists and turns that came out of the darkness to shed a different light on Polly’s predicament as the tension increased. And that ending!!!! Perfectly pitched but it also increased my appetite for more from this debut author.
If you are looking for something a little different then look no further! Tubing is an intelligent, original and astute thriller with a seductive storyline and an almost voyeuristic allure. I’ve never been a fan of the underground but after reading this I have a feeling I will be seeing it with slightly different eyes in the future! And I will definitely be taking taxis from now on!!
Highly recommended by me!
April 17, 2018
If you’re expecting a gripping psychological thriller, you will be greatly disappointed. I wanted to give up at times but I haven’t as this is a debut novel so I felt like giving it a chance was a right thing to do.
The main character, Polly is a hot mess, there’s not a hint of remorse in what she’s doing yet she’s playing the victim card very well which made me not care about what happens to her in the end.
First half of the book gives you nothing except random sexual encounters on the tube and the characters were just not interesting enough to ignore the fact that it’s basically just soft porn with very thin plot.
Other half was a bit better and is why i give it two stars. The part with her mother and her childhood finally gave us some insight into Polly’s mind but then it falls flat at the end because it feels like her mother’s character and the eating disorder was there just for the word count.
It has potential so I’m hoping the second novel will be a bit more enjoyable.
Thanks to Netgalley and RedDoor for my ARC of this book.
The main character, Polly is a hot mess, there’s not a hint of remorse in what she’s doing yet she’s playing the victim card very well which made me not care about what happens to her in the end.
First half of the book gives you nothing except random sexual encounters on the tube and the characters were just not interesting enough to ignore the fact that it’s basically just soft porn with very thin plot.
Other half was a bit better and is why i give it two stars. The part with her mother and her childhood finally gave us some insight into Polly’s mind but then it falls flat at the end because it feels like her mother’s character and the eating disorder was there just for the word count.
It has potential so I’m hoping the second novel will be a bit more enjoyable.
Thanks to Netgalley and RedDoor for my ARC of this book.
May 31, 2018
3 Stars
Check out my review of TUBING as part of the TUBING Blog Tour on June 7th on the blog: 5171 Miles Book Blog
I thought it was hilarious and ironic reading TUBING on the subway or U-Bahn as we call it in Germany. It actually got me thinking: what if tubing was a thing over here too? What if it's a real thing? Would the commuters notice that sexual meetings would take place right there in the wagon, maybe even right next to them? It's a chilling thought.
The story was nothing I've ever read before. I was a little disappointed with the main character, Polly, though. It seems like every character in a thriller is somehow damaged goods and Polly was no different. I was mostly annoyed with her behavior and manners. But then, what sane person would be into sexual encounters on the tube in London? So I guess Polly loving tubing was kind of fitting, in a weird and twisted way.
The beginning of this novel was great and interesting. Everything was new and exciting and I was eager to find out more about this tubing thing. I was actually a little appalled and disgusted with all of this but it's a thriller, right?
The middle part was rather boring: It was the same old Polly-drama, and tubing encounter after tubing encounter. Then came a shocking twist I didn't see coming but should have and shortly after came another one and I was hooked once again. I was really excited to see how K. A. McKeagney would bring this book to an end because after those shocking twists I wanted to end it in a big boom.
I don't know if the ending was supposed to be the big boom, perhaps it was for a lot of readers, but it wasn't for me. It was actually diflating and I hoped for something different.
TUBING is not your everyday thriller: It's different, shocking, unique but most of all provocative and I am impressed that K. A. McKeagney wrote such a story. Although I was not totally satisfied with it, it definitely deserves a solid 3-star-rating.
**********
My thoughts are all over place.
RTC!!
Check out my review of TUBING as part of the TUBING Blog Tour on June 7th on the blog: 5171 Miles Book Blog
I thought it was hilarious and ironic reading TUBING on the subway or U-Bahn as we call it in Germany. It actually got me thinking: what if tubing was a thing over here too? What if it's a real thing? Would the commuters notice that sexual meetings would take place right there in the wagon, maybe even right next to them? It's a chilling thought.
The story was nothing I've ever read before. I was a little disappointed with the main character, Polly, though. It seems like every character in a thriller is somehow damaged goods and Polly was no different. I was mostly annoyed with her behavior and manners. But then, what sane person would be into sexual encounters on the tube in London? So I guess Polly loving tubing was kind of fitting, in a weird and twisted way.
The beginning of this novel was great and interesting. Everything was new and exciting and I was eager to find out more about this tubing thing. I was actually a little appalled and disgusted with all of this but it's a thriller, right?
The middle part was rather boring: It was the same old Polly-drama, and tubing encounter after tubing encounter. Then came a shocking twist I didn't see coming but should have and shortly after came another one and I was hooked once again. I was really excited to see how K. A. McKeagney would bring this book to an end because after those shocking twists I wanted to end it in a big boom.
I don't know if the ending was supposed to be the big boom, perhaps it was for a lot of readers, but it wasn't for me. It was actually diflating and I hoped for something different.
TUBING is not your everyday thriller: It's different, shocking, unique but most of all provocative and I am impressed that K. A. McKeagney wrote such a story. Although I was not totally satisfied with it, it definitely deserves a solid 3-star-rating.
**********
My thoughts are all over place.
RTC!!
May 27, 2018
I'm aware of the existence of the Mile High Club but Tubing turns the thrill of a sexual encounter up a few notches and promises even more excitement.
The term Tubing didn't ring any bells so now I have a new additon to my vocabulary. Of course I Googled it, you'll be hard pressed not to after you've read this novel, but Polly didn't find anything either via the usual canals so I have to praise the author for creating this clever mystery. Is it real? Does it exist? Did she invent something new? Is it going to be on trend in 10 years?
I really like the whole concept of the novel and it really made this novel so special for a big part. It really is a great incentive to want to read this novel although I have to admit that I thought it would be more thriller and mystery than erotica, where the latter part would be used only as a prop. I certainly was a bit off the mark there though. The first half of the novel is actually pretty laced with Polly's many sexual encounters. They didn't really turn me on, instead I couldn't help having mostly practical thoughts during those scenes. How come nobody takes any notice? I'm sure it can't be (or become) a reality here where everybody is always looking at what the others are doing. So yes I had to suspend some belief there, sure, but I tried to go with the flow and although I cannot condone Polly's behaviour with random strangers, I understood why she couldn't and wouldn't stop. As long as you're not caught, you'll only crave more, more tension, more danger, a bit of spicing up of her dull life. Only, she's getting a little bit too obsessed with one of those strangers she meets.
The second part of the novel was absolutely my favorite part and was more rewarding for the thriller lover in me. Polly caught on that she's playing a dangerous game and the tension and danger that was already there from the start take on another and even more unsettling form. As always, secrets and lies form the base of a wonderful twist in the story and I couldn't keep the glee from spreading on my face when I read how this was going to be played.. roles are reversed and although I wasn't her biggest fan the ugly truth made me suddenly feel a pang of sympathy for Polly.
If you're not shy of some erotica in a menacing settting then this is definitely a novel worth exploring.
The term Tubing didn't ring any bells so now I have a new additon to my vocabulary. Of course I Googled it, you'll be hard pressed not to after you've read this novel, but Polly didn't find anything either via the usual canals so I have to praise the author for creating this clever mystery. Is it real? Does it exist? Did she invent something new? Is it going to be on trend in 10 years?
I really like the whole concept of the novel and it really made this novel so special for a big part. It really is a great incentive to want to read this novel although I have to admit that I thought it would be more thriller and mystery than erotica, where the latter part would be used only as a prop. I certainly was a bit off the mark there though. The first half of the novel is actually pretty laced with Polly's many sexual encounters. They didn't really turn me on, instead I couldn't help having mostly practical thoughts during those scenes. How come nobody takes any notice? I'm sure it can't be (or become) a reality here where everybody is always looking at what the others are doing. So yes I had to suspend some belief there, sure, but I tried to go with the flow and although I cannot condone Polly's behaviour with random strangers, I understood why she couldn't and wouldn't stop. As long as you're not caught, you'll only crave more, more tension, more danger, a bit of spicing up of her dull life. Only, she's getting a little bit too obsessed with one of those strangers she meets.
The second part of the novel was absolutely my favorite part and was more rewarding for the thriller lover in me. Polly caught on that she's playing a dangerous game and the tension and danger that was already there from the start take on another and even more unsettling form. As always, secrets and lies form the base of a wonderful twist in the story and I couldn't keep the glee from spreading on my face when I read how this was going to be played.. roles are reversed and although I wasn't her biggest fan the ugly truth made me suddenly feel a pang of sympathy for Polly.
If you're not shy of some erotica in a menacing settting then this is definitely a novel worth exploring.
May 12, 2018
Tubing is a little bit of a different read for me, I normally err away from anything remotely sexual. But there was something about the synopsis that really appealed to me.
The story felt like a book of two halves seamlessly put together. The first half was rather racy, not for anyone who may be prudish when it comes to intimacy or if any form of erotica isn’t your cup of tea. But then after a personal tragedy for Polly, the story takes a dark turn as her life begins to unravel and the psychological thriller element shines through.
I have to say I didn’t particularly like any of the characters in the story. But in a strange kind of way, that kept me reading. Would I come to like these characters or would I see their lives end in shreds?
For me Tubing is a fast paced thriller with sauciness thrown into the mix. The explicit narrative is written in a way that it’s not out of place. The story centres around sexual encounters so it’s needless to say they are kind of required to set the scene. I’d like to think that the dark world of #tubing doesn’t exist but who’s to say what happens on that cramped carriage in rush hour between Holburn and Oxford Circus.
This is an impressive debut! K.A. McMeagney has written a rather compelling read and I really can’t wait to see what she does for her follow up novel!
The story felt like a book of two halves seamlessly put together. The first half was rather racy, not for anyone who may be prudish when it comes to intimacy or if any form of erotica isn’t your cup of tea. But then after a personal tragedy for Polly, the story takes a dark turn as her life begins to unravel and the psychological thriller element shines through.
I have to say I didn’t particularly like any of the characters in the story. But in a strange kind of way, that kept me reading. Would I come to like these characters or would I see their lives end in shreds?
For me Tubing is a fast paced thriller with sauciness thrown into the mix. The explicit narrative is written in a way that it’s not out of place. The story centres around sexual encounters so it’s needless to say they are kind of required to set the scene. I’d like to think that the dark world of #tubing doesn’t exist but who’s to say what happens on that cramped carriage in rush hour between Holburn and Oxford Circus.
This is an impressive debut! K.A. McMeagney has written a rather compelling read and I really can’t wait to see what she does for her follow up novel!
March 16, 2018
*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
DNF: 56%
I would just like to say that I hate leaving a book unfinished, especially if I'm over halfway through it. I also hate giving a book less than 2 stars because I know the writer put a lot of effort into this and I don't like telling them that their work is crap. However, this book is the exception to both those statements.
This book was just awful. The main character, Polly, is just terrible; there is nothing redeeming about her. And the plot... when I first read the plot summary, I thought it would be a psychological thriller because that's how it's described. Instead, I found it to be more psychologically damaging than anything else. The whole having sex with strangers was twisted enough idea for the author to work with but then McKeagney apparently felt it was necessary to throw in an eating disorder that stems from a mother who was jealous of her daughters relationship with her husband. And by jealous, I mean that the mom thought her daughter, Polly, was having sex with her husband a.k.a. Polly's dad. I understand that Polly needed to have some underlying issue that would help validate why she felt the need to sleep with strangers but this was not the route to go.
I wouldn't even say this book was dark. I can only think to describe this as a total hot mess. There are no likeable characters, the story line isn't interesting, and the writing style feels overall weak.
DNF: 56%
I would just like to say that I hate leaving a book unfinished, especially if I'm over halfway through it. I also hate giving a book less than 2 stars because I know the writer put a lot of effort into this and I don't like telling them that their work is crap. However, this book is the exception to both those statements.
This book was just awful. The main character, Polly, is just terrible; there is nothing redeeming about her. And the plot... when I first read the plot summary, I thought it would be a psychological thriller because that's how it's described. Instead, I found it to be more psychologically damaging than anything else. The whole having sex with strangers was twisted enough idea for the author to work with but then McKeagney apparently felt it was necessary to throw in an eating disorder that stems from a mother who was jealous of her daughters relationship with her husband. And by jealous, I mean that the mom thought her daughter, Polly, was having sex with her husband a.k.a. Polly's dad. I understand that Polly needed to have some underlying issue that would help validate why she felt the need to sleep with strangers but this was not the route to go.
I wouldn't even say this book was dark. I can only think to describe this as a total hot mess. There are no likeable characters, the story line isn't interesting, and the writing style feels overall weak.
January 11, 2020
No pensaba que me fuera a gustar tanto. Este libro ha sido una grata sorpresa.
Turbing es un thriller fuera de lo común. Tiene toques eróticos pero no cae en lo vulgar, está en su punto. Llegué a pensar que la protagonista sería una chica mimada y que deseaba nuevas experiencias porque estaba aburrida y en parte es así, pero Polly es más que eso. Es un personaje complejo y bien estructurado; tiene sus cosas, no lo voy a negar. Pero me gustó que tuviera su vida y sus traumas fuera de las prácticas sexuales que comete en el metro.
No todo es miel sobre hojuelas. Todo iba muy bien hasta que llegó el suspenso en la historia y pensé que la autora iba a profundizar pero es un libro con menos de 300 páginas y no quería que terminara mal o de forma abrupta y pasó. El final es muy apresurado y quedaron varias partes que me hubiese gustado que se profundizara.
El final fue lo que más me desagradó de la historia y fue por ese hecho. La autora tampoco profundizó en varios personajes que son interesantes y creo que esta historia daba para más. No estuvo mal porque lo disfruté y lo leí muy rápido. Lo recomiendo si deseas leer algo ligero pero que no sea juvenil ni romántico.
Turbing es un thriller fuera de lo común. Tiene toques eróticos pero no cae en lo vulgar, está en su punto. Llegué a pensar que la protagonista sería una chica mimada y que deseaba nuevas experiencias porque estaba aburrida y en parte es así, pero Polly es más que eso. Es un personaje complejo y bien estructurado; tiene sus cosas, no lo voy a negar. Pero me gustó que tuviera su vida y sus traumas fuera de las prácticas sexuales que comete en el metro.
No todo es miel sobre hojuelas. Todo iba muy bien hasta que llegó el suspenso en la historia y pensé que la autora iba a profundizar pero es un libro con menos de 300 páginas y no quería que terminara mal o de forma abrupta y pasó. El final es muy apresurado y quedaron varias partes que me hubiese gustado que se profundizara.
El final fue lo que más me desagradó de la historia y fue por ese hecho. La autora tampoco profundizó en varios personajes que son interesantes y creo que esta historia daba para más. No estuvo mal porque lo disfruté y lo leí muy rápido. Lo recomiendo si deseas leer algo ligero pero que no sea juvenil ni romántico.
May 3, 2021
I can't remember the last time I finished a book in two days, but I was riveted. I also didn't think I would give this five stars, but here. We. Are.
This was a can't-put-down, disturbing and tight-paced thriller. The last one I read that I was so invested in was Girl on the Train, so maybe murder combined with forms of transportation are just my thing lol!
Reader beware, the first half of this novel is R-rated, being quite raunchy and graphic. I took no issue with it and read that first half in a few hours. The second half is where the meat and potatoes of disturbing comes in. You've got murder, revenge, paranoia and all other sorts of good stuff you pray never happens to you but you delight in reading about. It's filled with twists and turns that kept me reading on longer than I should have.
I found Polly to be a good main character for this novel. The girl has major baggage that left me really wanting to know more, such as the fact she's a 28-year-old with an eating disorder. Her mental stability and emotional state as the story progresses is very believable and had me feeling for her. As far as secondary characters, Oliver shines, as does *him*.
The only thing that I realized was kind of left by the wayside was Polly's relationship with her mother. We get great insight into their mother-daughter relationship halfway in, and then the whole thing was dropped and forgotten about.
Now I'm just wondering if Tubing is really a thing, but left way too scared to actually google.
This was a can't-put-down, disturbing and tight-paced thriller. The last one I read that I was so invested in was Girl on the Train, so maybe murder combined with forms of transportation are just my thing lol!
Reader beware, the first half of this novel is R-rated, being quite raunchy and graphic. I took no issue with it and read that first half in a few hours. The second half is where the meat and potatoes of disturbing comes in. You've got murder, revenge, paranoia and all other sorts of good stuff you pray never happens to you but you delight in reading about. It's filled with twists and turns that kept me reading on longer than I should have.
I found Polly to be a good main character for this novel. The girl has major baggage that left me really wanting to know more, such as the fact she's a 28-year-old with an eating disorder. Her mental stability and emotional state as the story progresses is very believable and had me feeling for her. As far as secondary characters, Oliver shines, as does *him*.
The only thing that I realized was kind of left by the wayside was Polly's relationship with her mother. We get great insight into their mother-daughter relationship halfway in, and then the whole thing was dropped and forgotten about.
Now I'm just wondering if Tubing is really a thing, but left way too scared to actually google.
May 2, 2018
I really wanted to read this because I was hoping for an interesting thriller. Unfortunately I was disappointed. The main character, Polly, is very unlikable. She is happy, more or less, with her handsome and faithful boyfriend but that is all she is. She doesn't seem to have any formal training and is just wiling away her time in a small office where she only pretends to do some work. She and her boyfriend actually live separate lives but she just doesn't seem to care. She tries to avoid serious conversations.
Later in the book we learn that there is more; Polly faced some serious problem in her youth. Sadly this part of her story isn't worked out very well and it ends very abrupt.
I didn't care for the 'erotica' part of this book, mainly because it is not 'erotica' but just some hard porn - which is very boring to read. After the first scene I just skipped over it because it didn't add anything useful to the story.
It is a pity because this book could have been so much more than it is now. Take out the porn, or at least the vivid descriptions, add some more background to Oliver and Polly herself and explain a little bit more about why Polly is such an unsymphatetic character.
I found it only very funny when Polly, sitting in a park after one of her escapades, is commenting on the fact that so many people are sunbathing and showing too much flesh... I can hardly believe this is serious.
Later in the book we learn that there is more; Polly faced some serious problem in her youth. Sadly this part of her story isn't worked out very well and it ends very abrupt.
I didn't care for the 'erotica' part of this book, mainly because it is not 'erotica' but just some hard porn - which is very boring to read. After the first scene I just skipped over it because it didn't add anything useful to the story.
It is a pity because this book could have been so much more than it is now. Take out the porn, or at least the vivid descriptions, add some more background to Oliver and Polly herself and explain a little bit more about why Polly is such an unsymphatetic character.
I found it only very funny when Polly, sitting in a park after one of her escapades, is commenting on the fact that so many people are sunbathing and showing too much flesh... I can hardly believe this is serious.
May 31, 2018
Blog Tour Review
After a shocking sexual encounter with a handsome stranger whilst on the underground tube on her way home after a night out,Polly finds herself drawn into the erotic,secretive world of tubing.Despite being in a loving relashionship with Oliver,she finds herself hooked on the thrill of meeting up with total strangers through messages on Twitter and engaging in sexual acts on crowded tube trains. Polly also finds herself becoming more and more obsessed with HIM,the handsome stranger with whom she had her first encounter.Then suddenly her world is blown into a thousand pieces when she follows him and witnesses HIM committing a frightening act of violence.Polly can't go to the police because then she would have to admit what she has been doing.She doesn't know who she can trust but she does know that if she doesn't do something,she could end up being his next victim.
Our protagonist Polly is a very messed up,complex character who is in denial about being both anorexic and bulimic,she self harms and treats her boyfriend Oliver very badly.I personally don't understand why people who obviously love their partners and do everything in their power to help and support them are labelled doormats by other reviewers and society in general.Does being loving and supportive as opposed to being a bully and a cheat make a person less of a man or a woman.Polly was not a very likeable character although I did sympathise a bit with her over her toxic relashionship with her Mother.I know exactly what it feels like to be treated badly by the person who is supposed to nurture and care for you.Most of the other characters were not very likeable.It was chilling how quickly the antagonist`s attitude and demeanour towards Polly changed after she threatened to expose him and his twisted game.I really liked poor Oliver although he could have been fleshed out a bit more than he was. I also liked Alicia,the receptionist from Polly`s work who despite how badly Polly treated her,was always there for her whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on.
This well written debut thriller essentially consists of two parts,the first part being more erotic,sexually explicit porn than psychological thriller.After Polly witnesses HIM commit a crime and her life starts to fall apart that's when the story becomes intreguing and gripping.Who was he and how did he know so much about Polly despite them never sharing any personal information whenever they met up?.There was some unexpected twists in the second half of the story although I did figure one twist out fairly early in the book.The story does end quite abruptly,I would have liked to have known what happened to Polly after the final,shocking confrontation.I don't know if Tubing happens in reality but I do know that this book will definitely cause some interesting discussions if it was read by a book group.
Many thanks to Red Door Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review
After a shocking sexual encounter with a handsome stranger whilst on the underground tube on her way home after a night out,Polly finds herself drawn into the erotic,secretive world of tubing.Despite being in a loving relashionship with Oliver,she finds herself hooked on the thrill of meeting up with total strangers through messages on Twitter and engaging in sexual acts on crowded tube trains. Polly also finds herself becoming more and more obsessed with HIM,the handsome stranger with whom she had her first encounter.Then suddenly her world is blown into a thousand pieces when she follows him and witnesses HIM committing a frightening act of violence.Polly can't go to the police because then she would have to admit what she has been doing.She doesn't know who she can trust but she does know that if she doesn't do something,she could end up being his next victim.
Our protagonist Polly is a very messed up,complex character who is in denial about being both anorexic and bulimic,she self harms and treats her boyfriend Oliver very badly.I personally don't understand why people who obviously love their partners and do everything in their power to help and support them are labelled doormats by other reviewers and society in general.Does being loving and supportive as opposed to being a bully and a cheat make a person less of a man or a woman.Polly was not a very likeable character although I did sympathise a bit with her over her toxic relashionship with her Mother.I know exactly what it feels like to be treated badly by the person who is supposed to nurture and care for you.Most of the other characters were not very likeable.It was chilling how quickly the antagonist`s attitude and demeanour towards Polly changed after she threatened to expose him and his twisted game.I really liked poor Oliver although he could have been fleshed out a bit more than he was. I also liked Alicia,the receptionist from Polly`s work who despite how badly Polly treated her,was always there for her whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on.
This well written debut thriller essentially consists of two parts,the first part being more erotic,sexually explicit porn than psychological thriller.After Polly witnesses HIM commit a crime and her life starts to fall apart that's when the story becomes intreguing and gripping.Who was he and how did he know so much about Polly despite them never sharing any personal information whenever they met up?.There was some unexpected twists in the second half of the story although I did figure one twist out fairly early in the book.The story does end quite abruptly,I would have liked to have known what happened to Polly after the final,shocking confrontation.I don't know if Tubing happens in reality but I do know that this book will definitely cause some interesting discussions if it was read by a book group.
Many thanks to Red Door Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review
March 10, 2018
Honestly, meh
August 3, 2022
Acabo de terminar este libro, y debo decir que tengo un sentimiento de amor odio hacia esta historia. 😂
Para empezar, es un descubrimiento este género para mí, es la primera vez que leo un thriller erótico, y la verdad me gustó mucho...
La historia fue súper adictiva, literal me leí el libro en 3 días, y en mí eso es raro😂 No podía soltar el libro y conforme iba llegando el final se ponía mucho mejor.
Hay algo que no me gustó, y es la protagonista, no me gustaba ninguna decisión que tomaba, me parecía algo surrealista porque me parece que ni en las películas alguien toma decisiones tan malas, me desesperaba y me ponía más nerviosa todo lo que hacía que la propia historia.🤬
Creo que es lo único malo que encontré en la historia, al menos por ahora, ya que acabo de terminar el libro y todavía lo estoy procesando.
Si sos una de esas personas que disfrutan de este género realmente lo recomiendo.🖤
Para empezar, es un descubrimiento este género para mí, es la primera vez que leo un thriller erótico, y la verdad me gustó mucho...
La historia fue súper adictiva, literal me leí el libro en 3 días, y en mí eso es raro😂 No podía soltar el libro y conforme iba llegando el final se ponía mucho mejor.
Hay algo que no me gustó, y es la protagonista, no me gustaba ninguna decisión que tomaba, me parecía algo surrealista porque me parece que ni en las películas alguien toma decisiones tan malas, me desesperaba y me ponía más nerviosa todo lo que hacía que la propia historia.🤬
Creo que es lo único malo que encontré en la historia, al menos por ahora, ya que acabo de terminar el libro y todavía lo estoy procesando.
Si sos una de esas personas que disfrutan de este género realmente lo recomiendo.🖤
March 27, 2018
Book 7 of 2018 was this; Tubing by @kmckeagney . I am a sucker for a book based in London Town, so when the email from @netgalley came through for this book I hit the request button and @reddoorbooks kindly granted me a copy for this review. Admittedly I had some doubts when I checked out the books score and reviews on @goodreads
So the first half of this book came across a bit like a low rent 50 shades. The main character is Polly a 28 year old living in London with the perfect surgeon boyfriend. But on the way home from a night out she meets a mystery man on the tube home and this meeting changes her life forever, her first tubing experience. She is a very troubled young lady with quite an obsessive nature which leads to her obsession with Tubing or it could just be the mystery man.
The first half of this book is weak, the story doesn’t really go anywhere and it isn’t really that believable. How Polly still had a job come two thirds the way through the book is beyond me. Polly is just a character that is not at all endearing.
However once you got past this first half the story starts to get better and actually becomes a half decent thriller. There’s a little bit of a twist but I did see it coming from some way out as I am sure most people will.
It was an ok read, if you can put up with the mindless first half then you will be rewarded for the second half. On the positives it’s a short book and not too hard a read, I managed it in 48 hours. The 2nd half of the book saved this from being a real low rating. I give this 2.5/5
So the first half of this book came across a bit like a low rent 50 shades. The main character is Polly a 28 year old living in London with the perfect surgeon boyfriend. But on the way home from a night out she meets a mystery man on the tube home and this meeting changes her life forever, her first tubing experience. She is a very troubled young lady with quite an obsessive nature which leads to her obsession with Tubing or it could just be the mystery man.
The first half of this book is weak, the story doesn’t really go anywhere and it isn’t really that believable. How Polly still had a job come two thirds the way through the book is beyond me. Polly is just a character that is not at all endearing.
However once you got past this first half the story starts to get better and actually becomes a half decent thriller. There’s a little bit of a twist but I did see it coming from some way out as I am sure most people will.
It was an ok read, if you can put up with the mindless first half then you will be rewarded for the second half. On the positives it’s a short book and not too hard a read, I managed it in 48 hours. The 2nd half of the book saved this from being a real low rating. I give this 2.5/5
June 23, 2019
Tubing ha sido una obra que me dejó casi desde el inicio sorprendida, en ningún momento me sentí violentada, en cambio, necesitaba saber con desesperación que demonios podría ocurrir. Ver como un personaje va cayendo en la decadencia total, mientras a su alrededor su mundo se desmoronada y descubres monstruosidades que la han carcomido, te pone los vellos de punta. Por otro lado, eso que tanto la obsesiona, podemos intuir que puede terminar muy mal, pero no nos damos cuenta de lo horrible o el significado que puede tener hasta que llegamos al final del libro y podemos respirar en paz. Dejando claro que una persona puede ser manipulada, pero... si estas llena de inseguridades puedes ser el foco central para ser un títere de un juego peligroso sin darte cuenta. Esta obra además esta llena de un elenco de personajes que en su gran mayoría tienen más sombras que luces excepto dos y ya os digo que ninguno de ellos es nuestra chica.
K. A. McKeagney me ha sorprendido para bien, su pluma es inteligente ágil y directa, sabe como tirar su telaraña e irte envolviendo, jugando contigo hasta ese punto en que te deja sin respirar, estaré encantada de volver a leerla. ¡Feliz lectura!
K. A. McKeagney me ha sorprendido para bien, su pluma es inteligente ágil y directa, sabe como tirar su telaraña e irte envolviendo, jugando contigo hasta ese punto en que te deja sin respirar, estaré encantada de volver a leerla. ¡Feliz lectura!
May 18, 2018
This was a well written suspense novel, that I did not enjoy at all, mainly due to the protagonist being possibly the most revolting despicable character ever. I don’t need my heroines to be perfect, but you do need some reason to care about what happens to her, rather feeling that she deserves everything that does.
Polly works a boring job, lives in London with her kindly boring boyfriend, has no friends other than her eating disorder and her nauseating self-pity. Going home drunk one night after drinks with a colleague, she is approached by a good looking man who snogs and then fiddles her, then walks away. This is the most exciting thing that has happened in her empty life, and she is desperate to do it again. Discovering that there is an underground movement called tubing (see what I did there), where strangers use twitter to arrange random hook-ups on the tube, she manages to find him again, and before long is having sexual encounters in public with a disgusting array of men. If this is slut-shaming and being a prude, so be it. I found this really uncomfortable to read about, and wonder if I’ll ever want to travel by tube again when I am back in London. I’m not a fan of erotica at the best of times, but this was horrible. Then she witnesses something shocking, and behaves idiotically (given she is barely eating by this stage, this is plausible but frustrating to read about.)
This had the potential to be really good. A sympathetic heroine who isn’t a hypocritical slag, fewer awkward descriptions of buttocks being grabbed, and a decent twist (I was hoping it would all turn out to be the imaginings of a starved brain) and this could’ve been a great read. The ending was hugely disappointing - only her most pressing problem is resolved - I wanted to see poor Oliver dump her for somebody nice, Alicia come to realise that just because it feels good is not a reason to do something, and a showdown will the awful mother, at the very least.
If this had not been an ARC I would’ve stopped at about 10%, but it is not long, and I felt a duty to finish and review it - for better or worse. Thanks to NetGalley and Red Door for the opportunity to read it; I would consider reading more from this author as she is a good storyteller, and this is a first novel, I would just be careful about the subject matter. Now, what can I read to rinse my brain?
Polly works a boring job, lives in London with her kindly boring boyfriend, has no friends other than her eating disorder and her nauseating self-pity. Going home drunk one night after drinks with a colleague, she is approached by a good looking man who snogs and then fiddles her, then walks away. This is the most exciting thing that has happened in her empty life, and she is desperate to do it again. Discovering that there is an underground movement called tubing (see what I did there), where strangers use twitter to arrange random hook-ups on the tube, she manages to find him again, and before long is having sexual encounters in public with a disgusting array of men. If this is slut-shaming and being a prude, so be it. I found this really uncomfortable to read about, and wonder if I’ll ever want to travel by tube again when I am back in London. I’m not a fan of erotica at the best of times, but this was horrible. Then she witnesses something shocking, and behaves idiotically (given she is barely eating by this stage, this is plausible but frustrating to read about.)
This had the potential to be really good. A sympathetic heroine who isn’t a hypocritical slag, fewer awkward descriptions of buttocks being grabbed, and a decent twist (I was hoping it would all turn out to be the imaginings of a starved brain) and this could’ve been a great read. The ending was hugely disappointing - only her most pressing problem is resolved - I wanted to see poor Oliver dump her for somebody nice, Alicia come to realise that just because it feels good is not a reason to do something, and a showdown will the awful mother, at the very least.
If this had not been an ARC I would’ve stopped at about 10%, but it is not long, and I felt a duty to finish and review it - for better or worse. Thanks to NetGalley and Red Door for the opportunity to read it; I would consider reading more from this author as she is a good storyteller, and this is a first novel, I would just be careful about the subject matter. Now, what can I read to rinse my brain?
May 4, 2018
I'm sorry to say this book was absolutely ridiculous. It felt like a complete mess of a plot - and the last 40% was almost an afterthought - as though the author suddenly realized that this book was meant to be a mystery and not simply an erotic romance.
Polly, our protagonist, ends up on the tube after an evening of cocktails with a colleague. While on the tube, a handsome stranger ends up fondling her, while surrounded by a full carriage of passengers. Polly is instantly obsessed with what had happened to her and decides to find out how to make it happen again.
Drawn into the world of "tubing" - where strangers arrange to meet up via twitter, and engage in sexual activities on busy, public tube lines (part of the excitement involves possibly being watched by strangers), Polly not only has encounters with strangers, she also keeps meeting up with "him" - the handsome stranger who initiated her to this world.
Becoming more and more obsessed with her past-time, Polly's relationship with her boyfriend comes under stress, her work suffers and then she witnesses a horrible accident. One that involves her handsome stranger.
And that's when this book goes from being slightly silly to absolutely ridiculous. This book would have been fine as an erotic novel (think Fifty Shades of Grey - only with public sexual intercourse as the focus) - but then a "mystery" was thrown in. In order to connect to two story-lines we get silly connections that pop out of nowhere.
I don't think I was expecting much, other than a little escapism of a read, but this book was a struggle to get through simply because it tried to become more than it needed to be.
Thank you Netgalley and RedDoor Publishing for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Not recommended read.
Polly, our protagonist, ends up on the tube after an evening of cocktails with a colleague. While on the tube, a handsome stranger ends up fondling her, while surrounded by a full carriage of passengers. Polly is instantly obsessed with what had happened to her and decides to find out how to make it happen again.
Drawn into the world of "tubing" - where strangers arrange to meet up via twitter, and engage in sexual activities on busy, public tube lines (part of the excitement involves possibly being watched by strangers), Polly not only has encounters with strangers, she also keeps meeting up with "him" - the handsome stranger who initiated her to this world.
Becoming more and more obsessed with her past-time, Polly's relationship with her boyfriend comes under stress, her work suffers and then she witnesses a horrible accident. One that involves her handsome stranger.
And that's when this book goes from being slightly silly to absolutely ridiculous. This book would have been fine as an erotic novel (think Fifty Shades of Grey - only with public sexual intercourse as the focus) - but then a "mystery" was thrown in. In order to connect to two story-lines we get silly connections that pop out of nowhere.
I don't think I was expecting much, other than a little escapism of a read, but this book was a struggle to get through simply because it tried to become more than it needed to be.
Thank you Netgalley and RedDoor Publishing for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Not recommended read.
July 12, 2023
Terrible, start to finish...the only reason I persisted was that it was a quick read. I’m not sure what part of this story is most implausible; that you’d let a stranger on the tube finger you in rush hour (have you heard what germs are on the underground?!); that there wasn’t a single delayed train in the whole book; that you could manage an orgasm between tube stops; or that you could arrange to meet someone on an exact tube train and carriage anytime you want.
The writing was terrible, the plot awful and the characters lacked any believability. The only good thing about this book is that it inspires me to write something better!
The writing was terrible, the plot awful and the characters lacked any believability. The only good thing about this book is that it inspires me to write something better!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2018
I was not a fan of this one. It's supposed to be an erotic thriller, but I didn't find it especially erotic--Polly comes off as so troubled and desperate that her sexual encounters don't read as particularly hot. We're dragged along as she makes bad decision after bad decision and behaves cruelly towards her boyfriend, who is an inexplicably forgiving doormat. By the time the thriller aspect really kicked up, I just didn't care anymore.
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2020
Lo empecé con un poco de miedo, no sabía si me iba a gustar, pero me enganché muy rápido con la trama.
Una noche Polly vuelve en subte tarde y tiene un encuentro un poco subido de tono con un desconocido con el cual se obsesiona para volver a verlo, a causa de esto descubre que en los subtes de Londres, desconocidos concretan citas para tener un poco de acción 😉. Polly, una protagonista un poco inestable se vuelve adicta este tipo de encuentros, pero nunca deja de pensar en el primer hombre con el que estuvo, a pesar de que la trama podría ser un romance un poco subido de tono, en un momento todo se va desvirtuando y la vida de Polly empieza a tomar un giro inesperado.
Me gustó mucho la trama, como nos va guiando a través de la mente de Polly que no siempre está 100%, como se va enredando y desenredando todo a medida que van avanzando los capítulos.
Hubo una sola cosa que me parece que quedó un poco colgada, se plantea y por un momento llega a ser una buena hipótesis, pero al final queda como un cabo suelto y nunca te explican el por qué.
Más allá de eso, creo que la trama está perfecta y que ya sean amantes o no del thriller van a disfrutar muchísimo de este libro.
Una noche Polly vuelve en subte tarde y tiene un encuentro un poco subido de tono con un desconocido con el cual se obsesiona para volver a verlo, a causa de esto descubre que en los subtes de Londres, desconocidos concretan citas para tener un poco de acción 😉. Polly, una protagonista un poco inestable se vuelve adicta este tipo de encuentros, pero nunca deja de pensar en el primer hombre con el que estuvo, a pesar de que la trama podría ser un romance un poco subido de tono, en un momento todo se va desvirtuando y la vida de Polly empieza a tomar un giro inesperado.
Me gustó mucho la trama, como nos va guiando a través de la mente de Polly que no siempre está 100%, como se va enredando y desenredando todo a medida que van avanzando los capítulos.
Hubo una sola cosa que me parece que quedó un poco colgada, se plantea y por un momento llega a ser una buena hipótesis, pero al final queda como un cabo suelto y nunca te explican el por qué.
Más allá de eso, creo que la trama está perfecta y que ya sean amantes o no del thriller van a disfrutar muchísimo de este libro.
March 7, 2018
Tubing by K.A. McKeagney was definitely an eye opening book. Is tubing actually a thing? I'm almost afraid to google it! That being said, this was an enthralling, mysterious novel that kept you on your toes and made you second guess who you could trust and make you want to throttle Polly for some of her choices! Would you call it an erotic thriller? I guess you could. Polly was a very frustrating, unlikeable main character, but the way her psychosis was slowly heading out of control made it all the more interesting. The ending was however, very frustrating and abrupt!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2020
Me debato entre las 3,5 y las 4*.
Es una novela de suspense psicológico que me ha tenido muy pendiente. Casi todos los personajes tienen su oscuridad y Polly no se queda atrás en ese sentido. Hacia el final he sospechado cosas pero no por ello ha sido menos interesante. Para mí el final es abrupto y me hubiera gustado saber cómo se hace frente a ciertos asuntos.
La he disfrutado porque no me esperaba para nada esta trama y nuevamente la sinopsis no hace justicia a lo que encontramos en el libro.
Es una novela de suspense psicológico que me ha tenido muy pendiente. Casi todos los personajes tienen su oscuridad y Polly no se queda atrás en ese sentido. Hacia el final he sospechado cosas pero no por ello ha sido menos interesante. Para mí el final es abrupto y me hubiera gustado saber cómo se hace frente a ciertos asuntos.
La he disfrutado porque no me esperaba para nada esta trama y nuevamente la sinopsis no hace justicia a lo que encontramos en el libro.
March 31, 2018
Tubing by K.A. McKeagney a five-star read that will blow your mind. I struggled with giving this book five-stars and almost gave it four as there were lots that needed polishing in the book, but the fact the author really puts the story out there making Polly a character that you may not like but you need to dig deeper into her story, the author has shown a talent for creating circumstances that most of us would disprove of but need to know more about. Polly on the surface has it all, nice boyfriend, job, somewhere to live, but is it enough? Do we have to settle? Admittedly Polly goes to the extreme but isn’t that why we read, to leave reality behind and get lost in a crazy story. What could be, just a drama with a little erotica thrown in to make it a little spicy takes a turn that will drop your jaw and leave you wondering what if, and what next. Give this book a chance if you like to escape reality and live a little dangerously. Let Polly take all of the danger for you.
August 23, 2019
No me encaja para nada este libro en el catálogo de Titania. Thriller erótico le llaman, o algo así. Como erótica psé y como thriller un pepino. Pero reconozco que el final me ha sorprendido.
April 16, 2018
Weighed down with past turmoil and present woes, Polly is dissatisfied with her lot. Days stretch unendingly, colourlessly. Until one night, when an encounter on the Underground turns her life upside down - and sends her hurtling toward danger...
Tubing is a fascinating premise which in theory ought to highlight the loneliness of big city life, and the desire for human contact and connection therein. Sadly, however, it is translated here as a fairly banal thriller-lite masquerading as cheap thrills erotica for those who found Fifty Shades a little too risque. Polly is unlikeable in the extreme - I've met buckets of wallpaper paste with more personality - and her backstory is a catalogue of cliche. Her eating disorder is especially clumsily handled, and her fraught relationship with her mother is baffling and bizarre.
Subtlety and nuance are strangers here, with themes clunkily thrown into the pot just for the sake of them being there. And the 'erotica', rather than titillating, makes you never want to do the do again.
Tubing is a grubby little thing with some truly unpleasant characteristics and few redeeming features. It could have been so much better; as it is, it's mildly diverting at best. And useful to read on packed trains, lest you make unintentional eye contact with a stranger.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tubing is a fascinating premise which in theory ought to highlight the loneliness of big city life, and the desire for human contact and connection therein. Sadly, however, it is translated here as a fairly banal thriller-lite masquerading as cheap thrills erotica for those who found Fifty Shades a little too risque. Polly is unlikeable in the extreme - I've met buckets of wallpaper paste with more personality - and her backstory is a catalogue of cliche. Her eating disorder is especially clumsily handled, and her fraught relationship with her mother is baffling and bizarre.
Subtlety and nuance are strangers here, with themes clunkily thrown into the pot just for the sake of them being there. And the 'erotica', rather than titillating, makes you never want to do the do again.
Tubing is a grubby little thing with some truly unpleasant characteristics and few redeeming features. It could have been so much better; as it is, it's mildly diverting at best. And useful to read on packed trains, lest you make unintentional eye contact with a stranger.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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