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Ward D
Medical student Amy Brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward.
Amy has been dreading her evening working on Ward D, the hospital’s inpatient mental health unit. There are very specific reasons why she never wanted to do this required overnight rotation. Reasons nobody can ever find out.
And as the hours tick by, Amy grows increasingly convinced something terrible is happening within these tightly secured walls. When patients and staff start to vanish without a trace, it becomes clear that everyone on the unit is in grave danger.
Amy’s worst nightmare was spending the night on Ward D.
And now she might never escape.
Amy has been dreading her evening working on Ward D, the hospital’s inpatient mental health unit. There are very specific reasons why she never wanted to do this required overnight rotation. Reasons nobody can ever find out.
And as the hours tick by, Amy grows increasingly convinced something terrible is happening within these tightly secured walls. When patients and staff start to vanish without a trace, it becomes clear that everyone on the unit is in grave danger.
Amy’s worst nightmare was spending the night on Ward D.
And now she might never escape.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 8, 2023
About the author
Freida McFadden
33 books83.1k followers#1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 12,731 reviews
January 8, 2024
After many comments on my review I’m changing it. I didn’t like the book, the main character was extremely unlikeable and I kept rolling my eyes when reading what she thought and did. The plot was unlikely and sometimes hilariously so, like watching a very bad horror movie. And I know many feel (as do I) that the mental health representation was quite bad. I’ve heard McFadden changed the number of times she wrote ‘crazy’ as there was an overwhelming number of it.
July 17, 2023
I’m between a 3.5 and a 4 🫡
September 28, 2023
Thank you Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.
Earhole & eyeball read
Writing: third grade | Plot: swiss cheese | Ending: ??????
SYNOPSIS
Medical student Amy tries to survive a night on Ward D.
MY OPINION
LMFAOOOOOOOOO. Ight let's get some things outta the way:
1. If you're a diehard Freida McFan and you can't stand to see her books being slandered: look away. There's 401904 other positive reviews, so go chat amongst yourself. This is a hating safe space 😂
2. Why did I read this despite my track record with Freida (allegedly) McFraudulent? Because it's my constitutional right to be a certified dummy and I will continue to exercise said right.
3. Before you comment "it's just fiction", check your own reviews to make sure you haven't whined about a fictional dog death, racism, sexism etc. If you have and you're just pulling the "it's just fiction" card as a Freida stan, kindly see #1. Thank you.
4. I removed the quotes from my original review as Freida did make small edits.
OK. NOW LET'S GET INTO IT!!!!!!
The writing was piss poor and Amy was as lost as a wet fart in the wind. Jfc. I thought Millie from The Housemaid was a certified dumb-dumb, but Amy said hold my peach iced tea (IYKYK). Also, the narrator's voice made her sound even more immature and daft, so if you want to locate a shred of respect for our dear FMC, I recommend reading with you eyeballs. I'm sorry but even a three-year-old couldn't be gaslighted into thinking that RED JELLY was blood and vice versa. Cmon now. Show me a little respect and go with the ketchup instead. Or even some canned spaghetti-o sauce. You can leave the spaghetti-os in it tbh, still better than RED JELLY????
Oh and it wouldn't be a Freida book without unrelentingly repetitiveness and her cheap magician trick of shoving something down your throat in a not-so-subtle-way as a distraction from the grand finale. Within 10 pages – I'm not exaggerating (for once) – she writes:
"But I have to remember that I am talking to a man with paranoid schizophrenia. A man who has been hearing voices."
"But I have to remind myself again that paranoia is part of his diagnosis."
and one more time for the people in the back... "...And I remind myself that Will himself is not entirely benign. This is a man who's been hearing voices."
JFC even if I had dementia, I wouldn't have enough time between each mention of his paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis to forget about it. Absolutely brutal. Editor – if you exist – where the fuck are you?????? Somebody file a missing person's report.
Ok so I think the fun has gone on long enough, but just in case you aren't convinced that this is an absolute shit show, let me leave you with this stunning excerpt from the epilogue:
"I swivel my head to watch the barista making a drink, observing the steps with great fascination. I wonder how they know how to make all those drinks. Do they take some course to learn? Coffee 101?" LMFAOOOOOO this is giving me 1) person just escaped from a cult and is discovering modern day society for the first time and 2) a mom saying "awww that's great sweetie" when their young child shares a picture of an alleged horse that looks more like roadkill.
All in all, if you can refrain from having one critical thought while reading this, there's definite entertainment value abound. I'm sure this will be another chart-topper that I'll see in every other TikTok about "shocking thrillers", so congrats I guess.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: I now know, without a shadow of a doubt, this author is NOT for me
Cons: Did I stutter?
Earhole & eyeball read
Writing: third grade | Plot: swiss cheese | Ending: ??????
SYNOPSIS
Medical student Amy tries to survive a night on Ward D.
MY OPINION
LMFAOOOOOOOOO. Ight let's get some things outta the way:
1. If you're a diehard Freida McFan and you can't stand to see her books being slandered: look away. There's 401904 other positive reviews, so go chat amongst yourself. This is a hating safe space 😂
2. Why did I read this despite my track record with Freida (allegedly) McFraudulent? Because it's my constitutional right to be a certified dummy and I will continue to exercise said right.
3. Before you comment "it's just fiction", check your own reviews to make sure you haven't whined about a fictional dog death, racism, sexism etc. If you have and you're just pulling the "it's just fiction" card as a Freida stan, kindly see #1. Thank you.
4. I removed the quotes from my original review as Freida did make small edits.
OK. NOW LET'S GET INTO IT!!!!!!
The writing was piss poor and Amy was as lost as a wet fart in the wind. Jfc. I thought Millie from The Housemaid was a certified dumb-dumb, but Amy said hold my peach iced tea (IYKYK). Also, the narrator's voice made her sound even more immature and daft, so if you want to locate a shred of respect for our dear FMC, I recommend reading with you eyeballs. I'm sorry but even a three-year-old couldn't be gaslighted into thinking that RED JELLY was blood and vice versa. Cmon now. Show me a little respect and go with the ketchup instead. Or even some canned spaghetti-o sauce. You can leave the spaghetti-os in it tbh, still better than RED JELLY????
Oh and it wouldn't be a Freida book without unrelentingly repetitiveness and her cheap magician trick of shoving something down your throat in a not-so-subtle-way as a distraction from the grand finale. Within 10 pages – I'm not exaggerating (for once) – she writes:
"But I have to remember that I am talking to a man with paranoid schizophrenia. A man who has been hearing voices."
"But I have to remind myself again that paranoia is part of his diagnosis."
and one more time for the people in the back... "...And I remind myself that Will himself is not entirely benign. This is a man who's been hearing voices."
JFC even if I had dementia, I wouldn't have enough time between each mention of his paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis to forget about it. Absolutely brutal. Editor – if you exist – where the fuck are you?????? Somebody file a missing person's report.
Ok so I think the fun has gone on long enough, but just in case you aren't convinced that this is an absolute shit show, let me leave you with this stunning excerpt from the epilogue:
"I swivel my head to watch the barista making a drink, observing the steps with great fascination. I wonder how they know how to make all those drinks. Do they take some course to learn? Coffee 101?" LMFAOOOOOO this is giving me 1) person just escaped from a cult and is discovering modern day society for the first time and 2) a mom saying "awww that's great sweetie" when their young child shares a picture of an alleged horse that looks more like roadkill.
All in all, if you can refrain from having one critical thought while reading this, there's definite entertainment value abound. I'm sure this will be another chart-topper that I'll see in every other TikTok about "shocking thrillers", so congrats I guess.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: I now know, without a shadow of a doubt, this author is NOT for me
Cons: Did I stutter?
May 10, 2023
Listen. The mental illness rep in this book is GARBAGE however I definitely do not read Freida McFadden for anyyyything to be realistic LOL. This was quick, bingeable, and had unpredictable twists which is what I wanted from it.
September 26, 2023
2.5⭐️ WHAT?? also every character in this book belongs in a psychiatric ward 😭
***
I wanna see how bad it really is for myself 💀
***
I wanna see how bad it really is for myself 💀
May 12, 2023
“Ward D” by Freida McFadden starts off with a bang. Immediately after reading Chapter 1, I was instantly hooked as I always am by anything McFadden writes. I’ve been a huge fan of hers ever since I read “The Housemaid” as her style of writing, great storytelling, insane plot twists, and how she fleshes out characters are all top-notch.
In “Ward D”, I loved how she had alternating timelines that helped fill in the backstory and add more context to what was going on in the present. This is very hard to do but McFadden did it flawlessly as all the layers of suspense were awesome while reading. There are even some alternating timeline chapters that leave on a cliffhanger that I just couldn’t wait to see what ended up happening.
The overall story is fantastic and as usual with McFadden, it’s always a thriller that keeps you on your toes until a crazy plot twist or insane reveal happens. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but this is an addictive story with a lot of tension, suspense, and some good twists that were decent for the most part.
Even though “Ward D” is a genuine pageturner, I actually expected more from the ending. It was good but I was hoping for just a bit more. Especially after some events and situations that transpired involving some parts that weren’t all that believable to me. Especially when it came to the main protagonist. Regardless, I genuinely enjoyed reading this as I always do when it comes to McFadden.
I give “Ward D” by Freida McFadden a 4/5 for being another gripping psychological thriller in her arsenal that was a solid read. I enjoyed all the characters, alternating timelines of the past and present, plot twists, and all the suspenseful thrills. The story was good but I wish the ending was a bit wilder and had her usual drop-the-mic reveal but regardless, this was a good read. McFadden is an amazing author and I will read every single thing she writes because she is that incredible. “Ward D” was fine but not extraordinary and either way, I will recommend this book to those that love a good, suspenseful thriller.
In “Ward D”, I loved how she had alternating timelines that helped fill in the backstory and add more context to what was going on in the present. This is very hard to do but McFadden did it flawlessly as all the layers of suspense were awesome while reading. There are even some alternating timeline chapters that leave on a cliffhanger that I just couldn’t wait to see what ended up happening.
The overall story is fantastic and as usual with McFadden, it’s always a thriller that keeps you on your toes until a crazy plot twist or insane reveal happens. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but this is an addictive story with a lot of tension, suspense, and some good twists that were decent for the most part.
Even though “Ward D” is a genuine pageturner, I actually expected more from the ending. It was good but I was hoping for just a bit more. Especially after some events and situations that transpired involving some parts that weren’t all that believable to me. Especially when it came to the main protagonist. Regardless, I genuinely enjoyed reading this as I always do when it comes to McFadden.
I give “Ward D” by Freida McFadden a 4/5 for being another gripping psychological thriller in her arsenal that was a solid read. I enjoyed all the characters, alternating timelines of the past and present, plot twists, and all the suspenseful thrills. The story was good but I wish the ending was a bit wilder and had her usual drop-the-mic reveal but regardless, this was a good read. McFadden is an amazing author and I will read every single thing she writes because she is that incredible. “Ward D” was fine but not extraordinary and either way, I will recommend this book to those that love a good, suspenseful thriller.
September 25, 2023
3.5 STARS
Who will survive the night?
Mindless entertainment, be prepared for some wilder than wild behaviors that make this far-fetched, and gives it a feeling of Alice, (or Amy in this case) in Wonderland, falling into a rabbit hole of fantasy, but in the Psych Ward!
Amy is a medical student and is walking on pins and needles as patients yell "Let me out of here" and sing out tunes like "If your happy and you know it take your meds" , one even gives her a knitting needle (for her own safety). But they did give her the exit code, right??
For me this one is (more silly than serious) with some pretty animated characters. The Mad Hatter could be possibly in for the night, or Spider Man may make an appearance!🕸️
I enjoyed the audio narration and fast pace, but if this setting isn't your cup of peach tea, take a pass! 🍑🫖
Came out May 8, 2023/ Borrowed my Audio from Libby
Who will survive the night?
Mindless entertainment, be prepared for some wilder than wild behaviors that make this far-fetched, and gives it a feeling of Alice, (or Amy in this case) in Wonderland, falling into a rabbit hole of fantasy, but in the Psych Ward!
Amy is a medical student and is walking on pins and needles as patients yell "Let me out of here" and sing out tunes like "If your happy and you know it take your meds" , one even gives her a knitting needle (for her own safety). But they did give her the exit code, right??
For me this one is (more silly than serious) with some pretty animated characters. The Mad Hatter could be possibly in for the night, or Spider Man may make an appearance!🕸️
I enjoyed the audio narration and fast pace, but if this setting isn't your cup of peach tea, take a pass! 🍑🫖
Came out May 8, 2023/ Borrowed my Audio from Libby
May 12, 2023
2.5 ⭐
Will Amy survive the night? Medical student Amy is doing a night shift at Ward D, a psychiatric ward in Long Island. Amy is anxious and on edge the whole night and rightfully so when people go missing and weird things are happening.
This is two timelines alternating format, 8 years apart and we get to know the characters' backgrounds from these flashbacks.
Two out of two books by McFadden and I'm seeing a pattern with her MCs in both of the books I read, the other being "The Inmate". I feel the leading ladies are a bit dense despite the one here is a med student. Amy's insensitive IMO to refer patients as "crazy", really? I understand if the bad characters say that but not from the MC. There was no jaw-dropping twist for me this time.
Ward D is a fast-paced and a quick listen/read psych thriller. I actually prefer The Inmate over this one. The audiobook is enjoyable enough. Leslie Howard did a fantastic job amping up the suspense with her narration so I'll give McFadden another go!
Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for my ALC.
Published May 9, 2023!
Will Amy survive the night? Medical student Amy is doing a night shift at Ward D, a psychiatric ward in Long Island. Amy is anxious and on edge the whole night and rightfully so when people go missing and weird things are happening.
This is two timelines alternating format, 8 years apart and we get to know the characters' backgrounds from these flashbacks.
Two out of two books by McFadden and I'm seeing a pattern with her MCs in both of the books I read, the other being "The Inmate". I feel the leading ladies are a bit dense despite the one here is a med student. Amy's insensitive IMO to refer patients as "crazy", really? I understand if the bad characters say that but not from the MC. There was no jaw-dropping twist for me this time.
Ward D is a fast-paced and a quick listen/read psych thriller. I actually prefer The Inmate over this one. The audiobook is enjoyable enough. Leslie Howard did a fantastic job amping up the suspense with her narration so I'll give McFadden another go!
Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for my ALC.
Published May 9, 2023!
May 9, 2023
~ Quick Summary ~
“Medical student Amy Brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward.”
~ Pick this up if you enjoy/don’t mind the following ~
📖 Quick and easy read
🤯 Twists
🤼 Unlikeable characters
~ Thoughts ~
It felt like such a negative representation of mental illnesses from how Amy described them, she did not sound professional at all. For example, she described patients as “crazy” and people who have lost their mind.
This sounded like a YA book, and the characters sounded immature. For example, it was mentioned multiple times that Amy was dumped due to a test and people wearing heavy makeup. I couldn’t tell the difference in maturity in the 2 timelines that were several years apart. It all just felt like petty drama. There was so much build up around Amy knowing one of the patients, but their meeting was anticlimactic.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC.
“Medical student Amy Brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward.”
~ Pick this up if you enjoy/don’t mind the following ~
📖 Quick and easy read
🤯 Twists
🤼 Unlikeable characters
~ Thoughts ~
It felt like such a negative representation of mental illnesses from how Amy described them, she did not sound professional at all. For example, she described patients as “crazy” and people who have lost their mind.
This sounded like a YA book, and the characters sounded immature. For example, it was mentioned multiple times that Amy was dumped due to a test and people wearing heavy makeup. I couldn’t tell the difference in maturity in the 2 timelines that were several years apart. It all just felt like petty drama. There was so much build up around Amy knowing one of the patients, but their meeting was anticlimactic.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC.
April 7, 2024
The more I think about it, the more mad I get. Hard no.
I'm generally a Freida fan, but oh my goodness this one was a giant disaster (I guess in my seemingly unpopular opinion based on Goodreads and bookstagram). I sat on this review for over a week because I didn't want to jump to any harsh conclusions because I honestly do enjoy Frieda's other work, but I can't get over the plot and rhetoric in this book.
This book is centered around medical student, Amy, who has a FEAR of the psychiatric ward. The whole book revolves around this fear as Amy has to spend the night in the psychiatric ward (as a medical student, not patient). Amy is constantly reminding us of her fear and beliefs that the mentally ill are all crazy, scary, and violent. Now her beliefs are super cringey and they certainly illicit second-hand embarrassment- she's a med student for goodness sake. Despite feeling all the ick reading her not-so-hot takes, I was mostly willing to chalk up Amy's beliefs as unfortunately accurate for a lot of ignorant people (yes, even in the medical field) and given her past experiences with her best friend.
But what blows my mind (and I can't chalk up to anything other that a massive lapse in judgement), is that Amy's rhetoric and fear is continuously reinforced throughout the book. There is no lesson here from practicing physician McFadden. The overuse of the word crazy and the idea that the mentally ill ARE all violent is just reinforced by the "big twist" and ending of the book. Like really, Amy even gets with the one person from the ward she claimed seemed "normal." LOL no. This book just made me feel gross with no redemption. Even the twist let me down. I mean there is only so many ways a locked room thriller can go.
The book was faced-paced as usual, but you really, really can't think about this one if you want to enjoy it. I wish I felt differently. Thank you NetGalley for my opportunity to review this eARC for my honest review.
I'm generally a Freida fan, but oh my goodness this one was a giant disaster (I guess in my seemingly unpopular opinion based on Goodreads and bookstagram). I sat on this review for over a week because I didn't want to jump to any harsh conclusions because I honestly do enjoy Frieda's other work, but I can't get over the plot and rhetoric in this book.
This book is centered around medical student, Amy, who has a FEAR of the psychiatric ward. The whole book revolves around this fear as Amy has to spend the night in the psychiatric ward (as a medical student, not patient). Amy is constantly reminding us of her fear and beliefs that the mentally ill are all crazy, scary, and violent. Now her beliefs are super cringey and they certainly illicit second-hand embarrassment- she's a med student for goodness sake. Despite feeling all the ick reading her not-so-hot takes, I was mostly willing to chalk up Amy's beliefs as unfortunately accurate for a lot of ignorant people (yes, even in the medical field) and given her past experiences with her best friend.
But what blows my mind (and I can't chalk up to anything other that a massive lapse in judgement), is that Amy's rhetoric and fear is continuously reinforced throughout the book. There is no lesson here from practicing physician McFadden. The overuse of the word crazy and the idea that the mentally ill ARE all violent is just reinforced by the "big twist" and ending of the book. Like really, Amy even gets with the one person from the ward she claimed seemed "normal." LOL no. This book just made me feel gross with no redemption. Even the twist let me down. I mean there is only so many ways a locked room thriller can go.
The book was faced-paced as usual, but you really, really can't think about this one if you want to enjoy it. I wish I felt differently. Thank you NetGalley for my opportunity to review this eARC for my honest review.
April 13, 2024
•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 4,8 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•
Amy is a medical student, and she's going to spend one night in Ward D, where she once went.
She's afraid and she's got secrets, as all Freida's characters.
My first thought when she gets there, it's what real happened, but as the story developed, I started to have other ideas.
I can't say this was one book that surprised me, but I liked the story anyway, and kept me hanging until I finished the book.
June 4, 2023
I’ll be staring at the wall for the next hr
February 16, 2024
This was hands down the best Freida book I’ve read so far. Genuinely had me creeped out/worried the whole time. Such a good time
May 28, 2023
DAMN!! Well thankfully I am typing this review because I am speechless. This book is up there as one of my favourites. I had been drawn to try one of McFadden's book as I have seen so many great reviews on so many different books of hers on GR lately. Well now I know why all the buzz. More have been ordered :)
I want to add that I have sat awhile prior to reviewing this book. As I thought about it I saw one review by a supposed psyche nurse saying what a bunch of crap this book was. Well for sure liberties were taken here. It is kind of flawed in a major way as well and yet I still loved it. I mean who wouldn't be apprehensive as is our main character about spending a night in a locked in psyche ward of a hospital. It's got creepy written all over it.
And back to that negative review which I could not comment on as they are to popular on GR to allow for my piddly comment. Note to all in the prior's boats I do not ever like anything I cannot comment on so hah!! like I matter :)
So I kept thinking of that nurses review and it hit me. Perhaps they just don't know how a violent psyche patient gets delivered to them because when they have gone through the process they are delivered in a catatonic/zombie like state to the psyche floor and are no longer any problem at all.
So let me enlighten everyone as most of you know I am a retired police officer. So a family member enters into a state of psychosis. Just flat out irrationality. Possibly seeing devils, likely talking jibberish or at a 100 miles an hour. The family is clearly distressed and calls the police. Police then attend and try to rationalize with a clearly irrational person who is now so very scared that the police are there, especially if he has gone through this before. The police seeing this poor victim in the state they are currently in have now kind of been handcuffed by the desperate family only seeking help. The police clearly seeing that this victim of psychosis is a clear danger to likely both himself and others need to get him to the hospital or face lawsuits for doing nothing if something bad does ensue. Reason is attempted by the police but again this person is in who knows what world seeing who knows what. If they have been through the process before it may actually work in the favour of the police who will try and tell that person that the way to be assessed is to voluntarily attend the hospital with the police because being dragged in kicking and screaming is not the way to convince doctors that you are ok. This actually works a lot. Sadly though what usually happens is the fight is on. This person in psychosis is no longer you're average person though. In his so scared and very heightened state he sometimes has the strength of literally ten men. It is like being in a state of excited delirium (google excited delirium) and the ensuing fight with police and the several units needed as back up to deal with the psychosis victim is on. Often these people will not even feel the effect of tasers being used upon them. It is a physical battle unlike you can imagine. The police of course will eventually win out. Perhaps half beaten the victim is restrained in a gurney by police and paramedics and brought to the ER room. For some insane reason in our city of 300K the paramedics have to transfer the patient from their gurney to another so as to keep their specific gurney. I always wondered why they couldn't simply have another gurney. Stupid right. But n0, so he is wheeled into a bubble room where another gurney waits with restraints for the psychosis patient. So now that the patient has had time to regain his psychosis composure when the restraints are taken off everyone hopes and they remain calm all is ok. Yet usually what happens is that a second struggle/fight ensues. Often he is beaten and subdued again by police, hospital security and ER staff who will also give him a shot to calm him down. The bubble room is designed so if the fight is too bad for the hospital to put up with the doors are slammed shut on the psychosis patient and he is left in there until he calms down which may be a day or two. Unbelievable. And oh, once in restraints, and having had his calming shots which put him in a catatonic/zombie like state he then gets delivered to the psyche floor. Now how they can assess someone in such a state is beyond me. The whole process is a mess and you know what I have done this ugly ugly scenario well over 500 times maybe even more than a 1000. Literally the worst type of police call going. Yet who do you call to deal with a person in psychosis?
So our main character Amy Brenner has had dealings with the mentally ill while she was a teenager. The novel is written in two time frames which is the present predicament that Amy as a medical student must face which is spending the night on the locked ward D. She is scared and when the author shows us why she is scared through the timeline of when she is 16 it all starts coming together.
Like I said the book is kind of flawed and yet I so enjoyed it. I cannot see any of it happening really but can you see zombie's happening, vampires and werewolves happening? Of course not and yet there are so many great books concerning those subjects. So yeah this is so unlikely and yet so good.
Also the author brings up some great points regarding a very very ugly subject - mental illness. I really hope if you read this you take note of her points. They are spot on and though the language used may be offensive it only heightens the points she is making. Her father is a psychiatrist and her mother feels this novel is her best. I think her family knows of what she speaks of. There is not a lot of preaching on mental illness so to speak and in fact I feel that most people will read her point and just keep reading without really thinking of it.
Here are most of her points believe it or not. You can see there are not many. I noted the pages they were on so you can see for yourself. I have commented on them as well.
p. 95 How does somebody get to the point where their brain stops functioning, like a normal brain? That their reality completely breaks from the reality that every person in the world lives in?
-Harsh words perhaps but just so damn truthful
p.96 He’s playing the piano and is just so good. It’s sad that somebody with so much talent had their brain crap out on them like that. Is it true that people with incredible talent are more susceptible to mental illness?
-again I can see a woke person reeling in disgust by the language. Yet truer words were never spoken. My thought, I think the very nice and naïve people who have to put up with the savages that most are in this world are the highly susceptible ones.
p.122 “They’re never going to get my medications right.” Jade grumbles “They’ve been trying for the last 8 years.”
-just spot on. It’s not a proven science and the docs may never get it right.
p.249 Jade always complained about how hard it was to be on antipsychotic medications…… I’m beginning to realize what she has gone through over the last 8 years.
p.259 It was so hard to see my best friend pumped full of drugs that made her like a zombie.
-love the use of the word zombie as it or catatonic best describe the results of the meds in way too many times.
So Amy's night on Ward D is her worst nightmare come true. The book was excellent with twists and turns everywhere inlcuding one of the biggest which was on the very last page. From start to finish it was just awesome. My wife reads cozy mysteries but I told her she had to read this one. She could not put it down She skipped doing so many things because she just had to finish it. She rated it 4.8/5 and read it in two days. Me, this was dear to my heart. One of my family members suffered one of the worst forms of mental illness. He went through hell but so did my family. Often families abandon the mentally ill and they become homeless.
And I wanted to just include this. This fall the Canadian government will pass into law the right for the mentally ill to be able to take their own life. Like wow, really? Currently a sick person can elect to take their own life but has to get ok'd by 3 psychiatrists. My question how can a mentally ill person be deemed mentally fit to make that decision? It is an ugly road to travel down in my opinion. What comes next the autistic, those with Downs Syndrome. To me if Canada passes this legislation I so hope they are ostracized by the G20 with severe economic punishing consequences. Only in Canada, where you can no longer have a gun, no longer peruse the internet at will as the government will be monitoring internet content, face fines for saying things on the internet which can cost you in excess of 70K, where buying a cigar will soon be impossibe because of pending legislation there. Kind of reminds me of the guy who started WWII!!!!! Enjoy the read (while you can) :)
I want to add that I have sat awhile prior to reviewing this book. As I thought about it I saw one review by a supposed psyche nurse saying what a bunch of crap this book was. Well for sure liberties were taken here. It is kind of flawed in a major way as well and yet I still loved it. I mean who wouldn't be apprehensive as is our main character about spending a night in a locked in psyche ward of a hospital. It's got creepy written all over it.
And back to that negative review which I could not comment on as they are to popular on GR to allow for my piddly comment. Note to all in the prior's boats I do not ever like anything I cannot comment on so hah!! like I matter :)
So I kept thinking of that nurses review and it hit me. Perhaps they just don't know how a violent psyche patient gets delivered to them because when they have gone through the process they are delivered in a catatonic/zombie like state to the psyche floor and are no longer any problem at all.
So let me enlighten everyone as most of you know I am a retired police officer. So a family member enters into a state of psychosis. Just flat out irrationality. Possibly seeing devils, likely talking jibberish or at a 100 miles an hour. The family is clearly distressed and calls the police. Police then attend and try to rationalize with a clearly irrational person who is now so very scared that the police are there, especially if he has gone through this before. The police seeing this poor victim in the state they are currently in have now kind of been handcuffed by the desperate family only seeking help. The police clearly seeing that this victim of psychosis is a clear danger to likely both himself and others need to get him to the hospital or face lawsuits for doing nothing if something bad does ensue. Reason is attempted by the police but again this person is in who knows what world seeing who knows what. If they have been through the process before it may actually work in the favour of the police who will try and tell that person that the way to be assessed is to voluntarily attend the hospital with the police because being dragged in kicking and screaming is not the way to convince doctors that you are ok. This actually works a lot. Sadly though what usually happens is the fight is on. This person in psychosis is no longer you're average person though. In his so scared and very heightened state he sometimes has the strength of literally ten men. It is like being in a state of excited delirium (google excited delirium) and the ensuing fight with police and the several units needed as back up to deal with the psychosis victim is on. Often these people will not even feel the effect of tasers being used upon them. It is a physical battle unlike you can imagine. The police of course will eventually win out. Perhaps half beaten the victim is restrained in a gurney by police and paramedics and brought to the ER room. For some insane reason in our city of 300K the paramedics have to transfer the patient from their gurney to another so as to keep their specific gurney. I always wondered why they couldn't simply have another gurney. Stupid right. But n0, so he is wheeled into a bubble room where another gurney waits with restraints for the psychosis patient. So now that the patient has had time to regain his psychosis composure when the restraints are taken off everyone hopes and they remain calm all is ok. Yet usually what happens is that a second struggle/fight ensues. Often he is beaten and subdued again by police, hospital security and ER staff who will also give him a shot to calm him down. The bubble room is designed so if the fight is too bad for the hospital to put up with the doors are slammed shut on the psychosis patient and he is left in there until he calms down which may be a day or two. Unbelievable. And oh, once in restraints, and having had his calming shots which put him in a catatonic/zombie like state he then gets delivered to the psyche floor. Now how they can assess someone in such a state is beyond me. The whole process is a mess and you know what I have done this ugly ugly scenario well over 500 times maybe even more than a 1000. Literally the worst type of police call going. Yet who do you call to deal with a person in psychosis?
So our main character Amy Brenner has had dealings with the mentally ill while she was a teenager. The novel is written in two time frames which is the present predicament that Amy as a medical student must face which is spending the night on the locked ward D. She is scared and when the author shows us why she is scared through the timeline of when she is 16 it all starts coming together.
Like I said the book is kind of flawed and yet I so enjoyed it. I cannot see any of it happening really but can you see zombie's happening, vampires and werewolves happening? Of course not and yet there are so many great books concerning those subjects. So yeah this is so unlikely and yet so good.
Also the author brings up some great points regarding a very very ugly subject - mental illness. I really hope if you read this you take note of her points. They are spot on and though the language used may be offensive it only heightens the points she is making. Her father is a psychiatrist and her mother feels this novel is her best. I think her family knows of what she speaks of. There is not a lot of preaching on mental illness so to speak and in fact I feel that most people will read her point and just keep reading without really thinking of it.
Here are most of her points believe it or not. You can see there are not many. I noted the pages they were on so you can see for yourself. I have commented on them as well.
p. 95 How does somebody get to the point where their brain stops functioning, like a normal brain? That their reality completely breaks from the reality that every person in the world lives in?
-Harsh words perhaps but just so damn truthful
p.96 He’s playing the piano and is just so good. It’s sad that somebody with so much talent had their brain crap out on them like that. Is it true that people with incredible talent are more susceptible to mental illness?
-again I can see a woke person reeling in disgust by the language. Yet truer words were never spoken. My thought, I think the very nice and naïve people who have to put up with the savages that most are in this world are the highly susceptible ones.
p.122 “They’re never going to get my medications right.” Jade grumbles “They’ve been trying for the last 8 years.”
-just spot on. It’s not a proven science and the docs may never get it right.
p.249 Jade always complained about how hard it was to be on antipsychotic medications…… I’m beginning to realize what she has gone through over the last 8 years.
p.259 It was so hard to see my best friend pumped full of drugs that made her like a zombie.
-love the use of the word zombie as it or catatonic best describe the results of the meds in way too many times.
So Amy's night on Ward D is her worst nightmare come true. The book was excellent with twists and turns everywhere inlcuding one of the biggest which was on the very last page. From start to finish it was just awesome. My wife reads cozy mysteries but I told her she had to read this one. She could not put it down She skipped doing so many things because she just had to finish it. She rated it 4.8/5 and read it in two days. Me, this was dear to my heart. One of my family members suffered one of the worst forms of mental illness. He went through hell but so did my family. Often families abandon the mentally ill and they become homeless.
And I wanted to just include this. This fall the Canadian government will pass into law the right for the mentally ill to be able to take their own life. Like wow, really? Currently a sick person can elect to take their own life but has to get ok'd by 3 psychiatrists. My question how can a mentally ill person be deemed mentally fit to make that decision? It is an ugly road to travel down in my opinion. What comes next the autistic, those with Downs Syndrome. To me if Canada passes this legislation I so hope they are ostracized by the G20 with severe economic punishing consequences. Only in Canada, where you can no longer have a gun, no longer peruse the internet at will as the government will be monitoring internet content, face fines for saying things on the internet which can cost you in excess of 70K, where buying a cigar will soon be impossibe because of pending legislation there. Kind of reminds me of the guy who started WWII!!!!! Enjoy the read (while you can) :)
July 24, 2023
freida mcfadden’s thrillers are absolutely delectable and just so much fun. while i’m still new to the author, her storytelling & writing style make it so difficult to put down her books and just have your mind swirling with theories.
summary:
medical student amy brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward.
amy has been dreading her evening working on ward d the hospital’s inpatient mental health unit. their are very specific reasons why she never wanted to do this required overnight rotation. reasons nobody can ever find out.
as the hours tick by, amy grows increasingly convinced something terrible is happening within these tightly secured walls. when patients and staff start to vanish without a trace, it becomes clear that everyone on the unit is in grave danger..
amy’s worst nightmare was spending the night on ward d.
and now she might never escape.
ward d freida mcfadden:
🔪 single pov
🔪 flashback chapters
🔪 fast-paced
🔪 untrustworthy characters
🔪 gaslighting
🔪 murder
🔪 mental illness rep
characters:
absolutely no one could be trusted including amy!
thoughts:
i had fun with this!! nothing absolutely chilling or shocking in terms of thrillers but it was nice little pallet cleanser for me. i was able to guess that final twist but i still liked it nonetheless. i also don’t know a lot abt psychiatry or mental illness in general but i was bothered by the fact that the representation was very cliche, lacked depth & amy came off as more than a little insensitive at times, regardless of her paranoia. nonetheless this is a fun little thriller as long as your willing to just have fun with it.
memorable quotes:
“after all, if you meet someone who is truly mentally ill, that’s the only way to know that you’re sane.”
3.75 ⭐️ stars!!!
summary:
medical student amy brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward.
amy has been dreading her evening working on ward d the hospital’s inpatient mental health unit. their are very specific reasons why she never wanted to do this required overnight rotation. reasons nobody can ever find out.
as the hours tick by, amy grows increasingly convinced something terrible is happening within these tightly secured walls. when patients and staff start to vanish without a trace, it becomes clear that everyone on the unit is in grave danger..
amy’s worst nightmare was spending the night on ward d.
and now she might never escape.
ward d freida mcfadden:
🔪 single pov
🔪 flashback chapters
🔪 fast-paced
🔪 untrustworthy characters
🔪 gaslighting
🔪 murder
🔪 mental illness rep
characters:
absolutely no one could be trusted including amy!
thoughts:
i had fun with this!! nothing absolutely chilling or shocking in terms of thrillers but it was nice little pallet cleanser for me. i was able to guess that final twist but i still liked it nonetheless. i also don’t know a lot abt psychiatry or mental illness in general but i was bothered by the fact that the representation was very cliche, lacked depth & amy came off as more than a little insensitive at times, regardless of her paranoia. nonetheless this is a fun little thriller as long as your willing to just have fun with it.
memorable quotes:
“after all, if you meet someone who is truly mentally ill, that’s the only way to know that you’re sane.”
3.75 ⭐️ stars!!!
April 28, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Freida McFadden is one of those authors that everyone seems to have read (and enjoyed) but me. When I saw an audiobook written by her featuring a locked room mystery set in a psychiatric ward, it sounded far too intriguing to pass up. But this one feel way short of the expectations that I had.
To start with, it’s narrated by Leslie Howard. She did a good job with this, but she has a very young-sounding voice in this story. That, combined with the overly young-sounding writing made it come across as a YA book, and I found myself checking more than once that this wasn’t actually YA but an adult title. I had to tell myself several times that the MC, Amy, couldn’t be a medical student if she was still in high school.
The plot itself wasn’t bad. I wanted to know what was actually going on behind the scenes, because it was clear that something was fishy, but I couldn’t quite put all of the pieces together.
However, as someone with a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, and having had worked with people who had severe mental illnesses much like the people in the hospital in this book, I was astounded at how poor the mental health representation was. It felt like the author just kind of checked out a few diagnoses in the DSM and then figured that she knew enough about it to write a book. The psychiatric care, how the unit functioned, medical ethics, mental illness, and even Amy’s skills are all represented so poorly in this story.
My biggest issue with this book is that it portrays the majority of people with mental illness as violent. In a world where violence is rampant, there’s no need to further stigmatize an already struggling population with a false label. According to the American Psychological Association, less than 3% of people with serious mental illness are violent, and those that are have other risk factors for violence. People who have mental illness are sick and need treatment, not judgment and fear directed their way. And this book doesn’t help the stigma.
Amy is portrayed as a medical student, and is in her third year (I believe). However, when she’s instructed to give an intramuscular injection, she completely froze and had no idea what to do. This is probably one of the easiest things a person can do, I’ve been giving myself intramuscular injections at home for my disability for years, and I learned from the insert how to do it. After three years in medical school, I’d expect her to have learned that and a whole lot more, but she seemed so ignorant about anything related to medical or psychiatric treatment. As for the psychiatric diagnoses, she sounded like she read straight from the DSM rather than actually knowing the information.
As a therapist, I often visited clients who were inpatient in hospitals across Long Island, where the book is set. I’ve never seen solitary rooms in a regular hospital setting, although they may have them in units for people designated as “criminally insane.” But this was set in just a regular inpatient psych unit, where if someone has to be restrained, it’s done in their room. Regular checks are done, which were completely missing in this book. I was shocked to see a hospital without a backup generator in the event of a power outage. In addition, the ethical issue of Amy’s fears with having an overnight shift at Ward D was completely overlooked.
Overall, this was a quick read, but definitely wasn’t a good one. The inconsistencies and harmful mental health representation moved this one right to the bottom of my list, and I don’t think I’ll be jumping on the Freida McFadden bandwagon anytime soon after this. I much prefer to read books that actually represent a stigmatized population in a realistic and non-harmful way.
Freida McFadden is one of those authors that everyone seems to have read (and enjoyed) but me. When I saw an audiobook written by her featuring a locked room mystery set in a psychiatric ward, it sounded far too intriguing to pass up. But this one feel way short of the expectations that I had.
To start with, it’s narrated by Leslie Howard. She did a good job with this, but she has a very young-sounding voice in this story. That, combined with the overly young-sounding writing made it come across as a YA book, and I found myself checking more than once that this wasn’t actually YA but an adult title. I had to tell myself several times that the MC, Amy, couldn’t be a medical student if she was still in high school.
The plot itself wasn’t bad. I wanted to know what was actually going on behind the scenes, because it was clear that something was fishy, but I couldn’t quite put all of the pieces together.
However, as someone with a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, and having had worked with people who had severe mental illnesses much like the people in the hospital in this book, I was astounded at how poor the mental health representation was. It felt like the author just kind of checked out a few diagnoses in the DSM and then figured that she knew enough about it to write a book. The psychiatric care, how the unit functioned, medical ethics, mental illness, and even Amy’s skills are all represented so poorly in this story.
My biggest issue with this book is that it portrays the majority of people with mental illness as violent. In a world where violence is rampant, there’s no need to further stigmatize an already struggling population with a false label. According to the American Psychological Association, less than 3% of people with serious mental illness are violent, and those that are have other risk factors for violence. People who have mental illness are sick and need treatment, not judgment and fear directed their way. And this book doesn’t help the stigma.
Amy is portrayed as a medical student, and is in her third year (I believe). However, when she’s instructed to give an intramuscular injection, she completely froze and had no idea what to do. This is probably one of the easiest things a person can do, I’ve been giving myself intramuscular injections at home for my disability for years, and I learned from the insert how to do it. After three years in medical school, I’d expect her to have learned that and a whole lot more, but she seemed so ignorant about anything related to medical or psychiatric treatment. As for the psychiatric diagnoses, she sounded like she read straight from the DSM rather than actually knowing the information.
As a therapist, I often visited clients who were inpatient in hospitals across Long Island, where the book is set. I’ve never seen solitary rooms in a regular hospital setting, although they may have them in units for people designated as “criminally insane.” But this was set in just a regular inpatient psych unit, where if someone has to be restrained, it’s done in their room. Regular checks are done, which were completely missing in this book. I was shocked to see a hospital without a backup generator in the event of a power outage. In addition, the ethical issue of Amy’s fears with having an overnight shift at Ward D was completely overlooked.
Overall, this was a quick read, but definitely wasn’t a good one. The inconsistencies and harmful mental health representation moved this one right to the bottom of my list, and I don’t think I’ll be jumping on the Freida McFadden bandwagon anytime soon after this. I much prefer to read books that actually represent a stigmatized population in a realistic and non-harmful way.
May 18, 2023
3.75 ⭐️ fun and quick!!! binged it in one sitting as usual w freida’s books.
i did expect me to love this way more than i did but i still liked it. the housemaid remains my favorite book by this author.
the twists in my opinion were pretty predictable. i wanted more of a shock value but the epilogue was cool.
the main character was very annoying and the mental health rep was EXTREME GARBAGE. but it was a fun read if u don’t take it too seriously.
i did expect me to love this way more than i did but i still liked it. the housemaid remains my favorite book by this author.
the twists in my opinion were pretty predictable. i wanted more of a shock value but the epilogue was cool.
the main character was very annoying and the mental health rep was EXTREME GARBAGE. but it was a fun read if u don’t take it too seriously.
May 31, 2023
Like all Frieda McFadden books Ward D was full if twists and turns - some predictable and others not.
I know other readers didn't like the unreality of the plot, but it didn't bother me. It was a light, fun thriller. I don't need too much reality right now.
I know other readers didn't like the unreality of the plot, but it didn't bother me. It was a light, fun thriller. I don't need too much reality right now.
April 29, 2023
One of my new favorite's from Freida McFadden . I'm not sure if having worked on a psych ward myself made this book that much more entertaining, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Amy Brenner is a medical student who is about to do her rotation on the psychiatric ward, She has her reasons for not wanting to go there, least of which she has to pull an overnight shift. All night, locked inside the mental health unit has her a feeling anxious. What if they learn her secret? What if she gets confused as a patien?. So many worries crowd her head as she enters, but none of them prepared her for who she sees on Ward D. Will she make it through the night? This heart pounding thriller will keep you guessing and wondering who you can trust.
I listened to this audiobook and really enjoyed the narration by Leslie Howard. She did an amazing job, I look forward to listening to more books narrated by her.
Thanki you Netgalley for this ARC audiobook for me to listen to for an honest review.
Amy Brenner is a medical student who is about to do her rotation on the psychiatric ward, She has her reasons for not wanting to go there, least of which she has to pull an overnight shift. All night, locked inside the mental health unit has her a feeling anxious. What if they learn her secret? What if she gets confused as a patien?. So many worries crowd her head as she enters, but none of them prepared her for who she sees on Ward D. Will she make it through the night? This heart pounding thriller will keep you guessing and wondering who you can trust.
I listened to this audiobook and really enjoyed the narration by Leslie Howard. She did an amazing job, I look forward to listening to more books narrated by her.
Thanki you Netgalley for this ARC audiobook for me to listen to for an honest review.
September 5, 2023
3.5
debo admitir que leerlo de noche NO FUE BUENA IDEA, porque me cagué de miedo en muchas partes. dejando eso de lado, leí este libro demasiado rápido. algo que admiro de freida, es su capacidad para engancharme en la primera página y mantenerme pegada hasta el fin.
esperaba un poquitito más de los plot twists y del final. aún así, lo recomiendo harto jiji.
debo admitir que leerlo de noche NO FUE BUENA IDEA, porque me cagué de miedo en muchas partes. dejando eso de lado, leí este libro demasiado rápido. algo que admiro de freida, es su capacidad para engancharme en la primera página y mantenerme pegada hasta el fin.
esperaba un poquitito más de los plot twists y del final. aún así, lo recomiendo harto jiji.
May 24, 2023
Ward D by Freida McFadden is a book that brings all your nightmares to life. First thing through the book I am thinking is HIPPA Violation over and over in my mind. Then I realize I DO work in a lock unit at work. Whoa! So here I am in the dark with my thoughts and dreams thinking of Spider Dan and Damon! Oh! That Jade! She is pure evil! Sociopath! They are all crazy….or are you the crazy one? Look out for little girls in frilly dresses!
April 1, 2024
آخيش! یه جاهایی دیگه فشارم بد رفته بود بالا 😆
فضای این کتاب برام به نسبت تریلرهایی که خونده بودم جدیدتر بود. داستان تو بخش روانپزشکی یه بیمارستان اتفاق میفته و همین باعث میشه خواننده نتونه به هیچکدوم از شخصیتها اعتماد کنه. دوتا خط زمانی داره که خب من انتظار داشتم اونی که گذشته رو روایت میکنه شامل یه نکته هولناک یا خیلی مهم باشه که خب این اتفاق نیفتاد، اما درهر صورت دوستش داشتم.
فکر کنم به این نتیجه رسیدم که من کتابهای مکفادن رو یکی درمیون دوست دارم. 🤷🏻♀️
فضای این کتاب برام به نسبت تریلرهایی که خونده بودم جدیدتر بود. داستان تو بخش روانپزشکی یه بیمارستان اتفاق میفته و همین باعث میشه خواننده نتونه به هیچکدوم از شخصیتها اعتماد کنه. دوتا خط زمانی داره که خب من انتظار داشتم اونی که گذشته رو روایت میکنه شامل یه نکته هولناک یا خیلی مهم باشه که خب این اتفاق نیفتاد، اما درهر صورت دوستش داشتم.
فکر کنم به این نتیجه رسیدم که من کتابهای مکفادن رو یکی درمیون دوست دارم. 🤷🏻♀️
January 11, 2024
I’m a huge fan of Freida’s books and normally I’m hooked really early on - 4 stars this time from me but only because it took a slightly longer for me to get into it & start putting together the pieces, although, did I really fit the pieces together??? LOL. I would still recommend to anyone who loves the psychological thrillers.
July 2, 2023
2.5 Stars
Ward D is the new Suicide Squad! 🤸🕷🕸
Joker & Harley Quinn wannabes taking on the patients at the psychiatric Ward D in Freida McFadden’s newest (entertaining, but insensitive) psychological thriller. 🤪
I’ve read four books by this author so far, and I have to give it to her that her books have a way of sucking you in and making you forget time (at least that’s been my case). They’re quick to read and engaging. While I found the other three quite satisfactory, this one was the silliest of them all. 😂😂 I was going to rate it 3 stars, but then I remembered:
I have noticed that I tend to not like thrillers that have characters with mental illness cause I’ve always thought it seems like a cop out or lazy red herring by the author just to throw readers off and keep them guessing. 🤷♀️ I don’t recommend this book because it is unable to offer you the courtesy of a decent representation on a certain important matter. Nevertheless, this is recommendable if you’re in it purely for the fiction & the Mad Hatter-ness. Especially, for those who enjoy medical or escape room type mystery. 🙌
Freida McFadden’s books often have teeny tiny romance element/undertone in them. In case you’re looking for doctor/patient romantic suspense sets in a mental hospital, try the underrated Come Closer by Brenda Rothert. 🙃
(Read as an Audiobook)
Ward D is the new Suicide Squad! 🤸🕷🕸
Joker & Harley Quinn wannabes taking on the patients at the psychiatric Ward D in Freida McFadden’s newest (entertaining, but insensitive) psychological thriller. 🤪
Basically the premise is that a medical student (Amy Brenner) spends an overnight shift on a locked psychiatric ward, and weird things are happening while she’s on duty.
I’ve read four books by this author so far, and I have to give it to her that her books have a way of sucking you in and making you forget time (at least that’s been my case). They’re quick to read and engaging. While I found the other three quite satisfactory, this one was the silliest of them all. 😂😂 I was going to rate it 3 stars, but then I remembered:
1) I guessed ALMOST all the plot twists. 🤡
2) Amy was a bumbling idiot and an embarrassment to the entire healthcare industry. I wanted to chalk it up to her being a student with no experience & training, but her incompetence was unreal. 💀 She was gullible and ultra paranoid, which made her unreliable (but I think this one is simply the nature of narrators of this genre in general). Most of all, she was a hYpoCriTe...talking about patients having to take their medications to get better when she herself fully aware she had mental problems, yet she avoided treatment like the plague and didn’t even acknowledge her own condition.🙄
3) Mental health rep being fictionalzied/treated as a joke. 🤧 I’m not knowledgeable on the disorders that the patients in this book have. However, the way the author wrote them made me feel some typa way, namely...icky & uncomfortable. 👉👈 I feel like Ms. McFad gave them such negative connotation solely for the sake of entertainment/shock value.
I have noticed that I tend to not like thrillers that have characters with mental illness cause I’ve always thought it seems like a cop out or lazy red herring by the author just to throw readers off and keep them guessing. 🤷♀️ I don’t recommend this book because it is unable to offer you the courtesy of a decent representation on a certain important matter. Nevertheless, this is recommendable if you’re in it purely for the fiction & the Mad Hatter-ness. Especially, for those who enjoy medical or escape room type mystery. 🙌
Freida McFadden’s books often have teeny tiny romance element/undertone in them. In case you’re looking for doctor/patient romantic suspense sets in a mental hospital, try the underrated Come Closer by Brenda Rothert. 🙃
(Read as an Audiobook)
May 14, 2023
This story of a medical student doing a rotation on a psychiatric floor has a good start but, for me, veers into too many unbelievable twists and turns. I really wanted to like this but was disappointed.
September 5, 2023
Enter Ward D with medical student Amy Brenner. She has to work in Ward D for 13 hours straight. The psychiatric ward is locked up tight and she has a code to get out IF she needs to! Amy is afraid to stay in Ward D for the night because she has a secret no one else knows. This had me glued to the pages from page 1 and I could not stop reading! Freida is the master of psychological thrillers and this is my new favorite! This is book #14 for me of hers and yes, she’s my favorite thriller author too! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published May 8, 2023. Run out and buy it THAT day!
PS I have now also listened to Ward D on Audio and I now give it 10 stars. I just love this book so much!!!
PS I have now also listened to Ward D on Audio and I now give it 10 stars. I just love this book so much!!!
May 18, 2023
Terrible and harmful representation of mental illness. Missed opportunity... DNF after reading 'crazy'/some other negative bullshit too many times.
Furthermore, I picked up that I really don't like the main characters in Freida's books. Either I find them to be gullible, stupid or annoying in some other way.
This is my sign to stay away from her books from now on.
Furthermore, I picked up that I really don't like the main characters in Freida's books. Either I find them to be gullible, stupid or annoying in some other way.
This is my sign to stay away from her books from now on.
January 20, 2024
من این داستان رو خیلی خوب درک کردم، چون توی دوره دانشجوییم ۲۷ روز شیفتِ بخش اعصاب و روان داشتم و دقیقا فضاشو می فهمیدم! واقعا تیمارستان به همین ترسناکیه. می تونم از تجربیات اون ۲۷ روزم صدتا رمان بنویسم💀
به هر حال،
بخش دی داستان هیجان انگیزی داشت. کلا قلم و پلات های فریدا مک فادن جذابن و به همین زودی طرفدارش شدم، البته گویا همشون یه باگی دارن که باعث شه نتونم پنج ستاره کامل بدم.
من ترجمه انتشارات کوله پشتی رو خوندم که خوب بود فقط از نظر اطلاعات پزشکی و ترجمه اصطلاحات روانپزشکی و توضیح شون یکم مشکل داشت که البته تا کادر درمان نباشی به چشمت نمیاد. ولی خوب می شد اگه یکی که تخصص این کار رو داره بازبینی ترجمه رو انجام می داد.
به هر حال،
بخش دی داستان هیجان انگیزی داشت. کلا قلم و پلات های فریدا مک فادن جذابن و به همین زودی طرفدارش شدم، البته گویا همشون یه باگی دارن که باعث شه نتونم پنج ستاره کامل بدم.
من ترجمه انتشارات کوله پشتی رو خوندم که خوب بود فقط از نظر اطلاعات پزشکی و ترجمه اصطلاحات روانپزشکی و توضیح شون یکم مشکل داشت که البته تا کادر درمان نباشی به چشمت نمیاد. ولی خوب می شد اگه یکی که تخصص این کار رو داره بازبینی ترجمه رو انجام می داد.
April 8, 2023
Amy is a medical student that is required to do a rotation on Ward D. This psychiatric floor is the last place she wants to spend an entire night, but not for reasons anyone would ever know. From the time she arrives on the floor, she just can’t shake the bad feeling that continues to overcome her. Turns out she may have more reasons to be concerned than she ever could have imagined…will she live to tell about her night spent on Ward D?
Frieda has become one of my immediate buy authors. She has yet to disappoint me and this book is no exception. I think I’m used to her style and at some point will be willing to figure out her twists, but that certainly hasn’t happened yet! You do not want to miss Ward D available May 8th!
Thanks to #netgalley and #freidamcfadden for this ARC of #wardD!
Frieda has become one of my immediate buy authors. She has yet to disappoint me and this book is no exception. I think I’m used to her style and at some point will be willing to figure out her twists, but that certainly hasn’t happened yet! You do not want to miss Ward D available May 8th!
Thanks to #netgalley and #freidamcfadden for this ARC of #wardD!
December 2, 2023
This was an entertaining book. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator a lot, she really brought the main character to life. I will say after having worked in locked residential units there was a lot of the story that was unbelievable and I would have expected better even from the medical student Amy, but if you suspend that disbelief it was fun. I did predict the biggest twists coming, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. Amy is doing a psych rotation as a medical student and has been dreading her shift in the locked psychiatric unit. When she gets there she is dismayed to see her ex-boyfriend traded shifts and is on call with her, but that is nothing compared to the rest of the night. Amy’s best friend from childhood Jade is also on the unit, as a patient. As things get more and more creepy it becomes clear to Amy that something is wrong on Ward D.
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