“It’s an exquisite privilege to watch someone die, knowing you caused it. Almost worth getting dolled up for,” (Skuse).
Rhiannon Lewis lives an average life. She lives with her boyfriend Craig in a nice enough apartment, adores her chihuahua Tink, collects Sylvanian family creatures, and is trying but failing to get ahead in her job working for a small newspaper. She used to be a bit of a celebrity, being the sole survivor of a famous crime, but now her life consists of listening to her friends plans for marriage as they starr families of their own and writing lists in her diary. Kill lists, for the cashier who packs her groceries wrong, to the homeless man that looks like Ed Sheeran, to anyone Rhiannon deems worthy of a kill. And she’s got a long list.
I found out about Sweetpea through TikTok and even then it was about the new show starring Ella Purnell, it took some searching to discover it was based off of a book. I haven’t watched the show yet and was lucky that my Libby hold came quicker than expected, but I’m excited to compare the two because this book was a lot of fun to read!
That may seem odd to say about a book starring a character with murderous intentions, but it’s an accurate one. Written in diary entries, readers get an intimate look inside Rhiannon’s strange mind, and wow is it something. Rhiannon is an incredibly unlikable character with some very controversial takes on the people and world around her, but her voice is so addicting to read. I was sucked in by her voice and loved seeing the inner workings of Rhiannon versus the version of herself she gave to the public. I loved her rants, and trying to guess what she would do next. It reminded me a bit of Caroline Kepnes’ You, but much more darkly comic. I honestly didn’t know where this book was going at times and couldn’t predict Rhiannon’s actions, Skuse did a great job with the diary entry style.
I’d been in a bit of a reading slump and Sweetpea was the perfect book to get me out of it. While I don’t see myself continuing with the four other books in the series, I enjoyed the easy, darkly comic qualities of it. If you’re looking for a palette cleanser, Sweetpea might just be it!
Publication: April 20 2017
Publisher: HQ
Pages: 480 pages (Libby)
Source: Libby
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
My Rating: ⛤⛤⛤⛤
Summary:
Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog… but she’s got a killer secret.
Although her childhood was haunted by a famous crime, Rhiannon’s life is normal now that her celebrity has dwindled. By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list.
A kill list.
From the man on the Lidl checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge.
Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder…
Sarah O'Connor 