kitsunebi_reads's review against another edition
3.0
A different spin on a tired plot. Fun if you're ok with a little of the same old same old.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
We’ll Never Be Apart was a great story despite the fact that I figured out what was really going on about 2% into the story. I really did enjoy the characters and being a twin, I find myself drawn to stories about twins…is that weird?
Once I started this book I didn’t want to put it down and this is probably one of the first times that through the course of the story, even though I had an idea of what was happening, I completely changed my mind on the characters. I won’t say too much here because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone but in the prologue I immediately felt for Cellie and admittedly thought Alice was in the wrong. As the story progressed, Jean changed my mind.
In my opinion, Alice is the perfect level of sarcastic which I love and her interactions with Chase made me smile. When they first meet and then she tries to win him over to help her out, are some of my favorite interactions between them. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing their friendship change along the way too.
Outside of the prologue, the story begins with Alice coming to in a mental ward and recuperating from the burns she received in her attempted escape from the hospital with her boyfriend Jason and her twin sister Cellie. For reasons we find out as the story moves forward, Cellie started a fire and not only was Alice injured, but Jason died and now Alice wants revenge. When she realizes that Cellie is in a different ward at the hospital, Alice makes it her mission to find a way to get to her and make her pay.
A piece of Alice’s plan just happens to be a boy she meets in her ward, Chase. He has some demons of his own and as he and Alice become closer, his story is revealed a bit more and he happens to be more than just the cocky troublemaker he presents himself as.
As Alice begins treatment with her doctor, she is provided with a journal to write down the things she won’t talk about and that is where most of her story is revealed. I enjoyed these pieces because it was great to understand how Alice and Cellie ended up in the situation they are in. And then as the pieces are revealed and everything comes out, I loved how it all came together.
Despite the fact that I figured out what was really going on pretty early on, I still found myself turning the pages to find out what was going on. I thought the overall story was great and I liked way Jean presented mental illness. If you are looking for a story with a bit of a mystery and some great characters, definitely check this one out when you can.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!
Once I started this book I didn’t want to put it down and this is probably one of the first times that through the course of the story, even though I had an idea of what was happening, I completely changed my mind on the characters. I won’t say too much here because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone but in the prologue I immediately felt for Cellie and admittedly thought Alice was in the wrong. As the story progressed, Jean changed my mind.
In my opinion, Alice is the perfect level of sarcastic which I love and her interactions with Chase made me smile. When they first meet and then she tries to win him over to help her out, are some of my favorite interactions between them. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing their friendship change along the way too.
Outside of the prologue, the story begins with Alice coming to in a mental ward and recuperating from the burns she received in her attempted escape from the hospital with her boyfriend Jason and her twin sister Cellie. For reasons we find out as the story moves forward, Cellie started a fire and not only was Alice injured, but Jason died and now Alice wants revenge. When she realizes that Cellie is in a different ward at the hospital, Alice makes it her mission to find a way to get to her and make her pay.
A piece of Alice’s plan just happens to be a boy she meets in her ward, Chase. He has some demons of his own and as he and Alice become closer, his story is revealed a bit more and he happens to be more than just the cocky troublemaker he presents himself as.
As Alice begins treatment with her doctor, she is provided with a journal to write down the things she won’t talk about and that is where most of her story is revealed. I enjoyed these pieces because it was great to understand how Alice and Cellie ended up in the situation they are in. And then as the pieces are revealed and everything comes out, I loved how it all came together.
Despite the fact that I figured out what was really going on pretty early on, I still found myself turning the pages to find out what was going on. I thought the overall story was great and I liked way Jean presented mental illness. If you are looking for a story with a bit of a mystery and some great characters, definitely check this one out when you can.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!
wilde91's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
syvhada's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
junjun10's review against another edition
3.0
Weird things happened in this book. The protag getting all muddy and waking up the next morning with no suspicions from the nurses in the hospital was one of them. After the twist reveal, I suppose the author would want the reader to go back and review past scenes but I can't give enough f*cks to actually do that - the writing still has a long way to go. That being said, there wasn't anything wrong with the character interactions. I found them enjoyable and it got me through this book.
apn01's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
bubblepricks's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
So she drowned her own cat? That’s what I’m taking away from this. The cat wasn’t a fixture in the book but I got emotional as she’s frantically searching the river for her cat the evil sister drowned & I feel betrayed a bit. The cat didn’t deserve that.
<spoiler/>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, and Violence
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean is a twisty, turny, edge of your seat psychological thriller. Set against the backdrop of a mental hospital, this young adult novel is a riveting mystery written in first person from seventeen year old patient Alice Monroe's point of view.
Alice and her twin sister Celia have had a very rough life. In the foster care system from age six, they bounce from home to home where they befriend another foster child, Jason. Suffering heartbreaking abuse at the hands of those who should have been protecting them, Alice, Celia and Jason help protect one another from harm. However, Celia has developed an unhealthy obsession with Alice and she turns to arson whenever she feels her sister slipping away from her. When Jason re-enters their lives after an earlier separation, Celia is threatened by the blossoming romance between him and Alice. After a trip to beach goes tragically wrong, the twins are sent to Oregon State Mental Hospital on Savage Isle while Jason winds up in juvie. Jason's attempt to help Alice escape is thwarted by yet another fire and tragically, Jason dies while Alice and Celia manage to survive the blaze. Now back at the hospital awaiting trial, Alice and another patient, Chase Ward, try to track down Celia before she can attack Alice again.
Alice is an uncooperative patient but there is no getting around her private and group therapy sessions. The doctor in charge of her case suggests keeping a journal to help her understand the events of her past and these entries provide a heartrending look into her life from the time she and Celia lost their grandfather and entered into the foster care system. As she reflects on the series of events that culminated in their first trip to Savage Isle, Alice is stunned by emerging portrait of Jason and the events that led her, Celia and Jason to this point in their lives.
Alice is essentially the good twin who is unfailingly upbeat and positive whereas Celia has been troubled right from the start. Alice is an excellent student who hopes to use college as a means to a better life while Celia skips school and sets fire to cope with her problems. Alice is overjoyed when they are reunited with Jason but Celia's jealousy over their fledgling romance takes a very twisted turn. Alice seems to be an unwitting accomplice to Celia's unsavory fascination with fire and Jason's need for revenge but her love and loyalty for the pair clouds her judgment as events spiral out of control.
Despite the rumors and secrets swirling around Chase, Alice eagerly accepts his offer of assistance. She tries to keep from getting too close to him but he sweetly and rather humorously manages to sneak past her defenses. Their friendship takes a bit of a romantic turn as they join forces to find Celia but Alice cannot help but feel betrayed by him late in the story when she discovers one of the secrets he has been keeping from her. Convinced he can help her face certain facts about her past, Chase takes matters into his own hands, but in doing so, will he cause Alice irreparable harm?
We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean is a suspense-laden psychological thriller. The novel is incredibly well written with a rather ingenious and engrossing plot. The characters are superbly developed and quite appealing despite their troubled pasts. In spite of a few suspicions about how the various story arcs would eventually play out, the overall story is quite enjoyable and the conclusion contains a few unexpected plot twists. A very intriguing young adult mystery that I highly recommend to readers of all ages.
We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean is a twisty, turny, edge of your seat psychological thriller. Set against the backdrop of a mental hospital, this young adult novel is a riveting mystery written in first person from seventeen year old patient Alice Monroe's point of view.
Alice and her twin sister Celia have had a very rough life. In the foster care system from age six, they bounce from home to home where they befriend another foster child, Jason. Suffering heartbreaking abuse at the hands of those who should have been protecting them, Alice, Celia and Jason help protect one another from harm. However, Celia has developed an unhealthy obsession with Alice and she turns to arson whenever she feels her sister slipping away from her. When Jason re-enters their lives after an earlier separation, Celia is threatened by the blossoming romance between him and Alice. After a trip to beach goes tragically wrong, the twins are sent to Oregon State Mental Hospital on Savage Isle while Jason winds up in juvie. Jason's attempt to help Alice escape is thwarted by yet another fire and tragically, Jason dies while Alice and Celia manage to survive the blaze. Now back at the hospital awaiting trial, Alice and another patient, Chase Ward, try to track down Celia before she can attack Alice again.
Alice is an uncooperative patient but there is no getting around her private and group therapy sessions. The doctor in charge of her case suggests keeping a journal to help her understand the events of her past and these entries provide a heartrending look into her life from the time she and Celia lost their grandfather and entered into the foster care system. As she reflects on the series of events that culminated in their first trip to Savage Isle, Alice is stunned by emerging portrait of Jason and the events that led her, Celia and Jason to this point in their lives.
Alice is essentially the good twin who is unfailingly upbeat and positive whereas Celia has been troubled right from the start. Alice is an excellent student who hopes to use college as a means to a better life while Celia skips school and sets fire to cope with her problems. Alice is overjoyed when they are reunited with Jason but Celia's jealousy over their fledgling romance takes a very twisted turn. Alice seems to be an unwitting accomplice to Celia's unsavory fascination with fire and Jason's need for revenge but her love and loyalty for the pair clouds her judgment as events spiral out of control.
Despite the rumors and secrets swirling around Chase, Alice eagerly accepts his offer of assistance. She tries to keep from getting too close to him but he sweetly and rather humorously manages to sneak past her defenses. Their friendship takes a bit of a romantic turn as they join forces to find Celia but Alice cannot help but feel betrayed by him late in the story when she discovers one of the secrets he has been keeping from her. Convinced he can help her face certain facts about her past, Chase takes matters into his own hands, but in doing so, will he cause Alice irreparable harm?
We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean is a suspense-laden psychological thriller. The novel is incredibly well written with a rather ingenious and engrossing plot. The characters are superbly developed and quite appealing despite their troubled pasts. In spite of a few suspicions about how the various story arcs would eventually play out, the overall story is quite enjoyable and the conclusion contains a few unexpected plot twists. A very intriguing young adult mystery that I highly recommend to readers of all ages.
toodled_o's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.5
Good fast paced interesting book. But the ending was a bit off, although I didn't expect the plot twist.