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lex_the_dolphin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
What Was Great!
- Super fast-paced and really interesting subject matter
really interesting take on cults and what would happen if a cult leader utilized the internet and children who grew up in the compound to grow his following which made for a great summer thriller.
Went Either Way:
- The Characters- The narrative is split into 2 different timelines: one from when Rainey was a kid, Then, and the other in present day as an adult, Now. In my opinion, the plot feels more fleshed out during the Then timeline, with the relationships between Rainey and her mother and Rainey and Sara more developed and integral what makes Rainey into the adult she becomes. While there are some interesting characters in the Now timeline, they felt much more one-dimensional and like they were just there to serve as markers for Rainey to get from A-to-B rather than being integral to development of Rainey as a character.
What Needs Some Work…
- The Plot- While the plot could be really page-turning, there were some plot points that felt really out-of-character or non-sensical.
- The Twist- I’m usually comically bad at figuring out a twist, but I could see this one a mile away. It wasn’t a bad twist, it just felt kinda predictable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Torture, and Trafficking
okiecozyreader's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
In the now:
Rainy (formerly Sunny) recently moved to Tiger Mountain (Washington) to be with her boyfriend. When he has a business trip to Japan, he encourages her to go with “friends” of his to Vegas on a girl’s trip. She has a past in that area and doesn’t want to go, but she reluctantly agrees for him.
There is a dual timeline of then, when she (now Sunny) and her mom Lorraine are hard on their luck and go to live with a group of people in “Friendship” led by a guy Lorraine went to school with. After they get there and are separated Lorraine realizes he has changed.
This is one of those books that you don’t know who you can trust. Are any of her friends honest or do they want to be her friend? Of course, everything in Friendship is unnerving. I think it kind of feels like a debut (I know she has written a couple other books but I haven’t read them yet). If you like cult stories, you might like this one.
“No one knows where I am, she thought as she drifted off to sleep… an honest lie.” P 189
“Her dad, her drug-loving con man of a father, used to say, ‘Tell an honest lie when you need to.’” P117
“What I like to examine in my books are the ways our complex personalities overlap in society. In my last two books, I wrote about how they overlap in a negative way, so this time I went in a different direction. I wanted to showcase a female bond that surpassed circumadtance and situation. There is a choice being made in this book to do what is right regardless of how dangerous it is.” Author Q&A
Rainy (formerly Sunny) recently moved to Tiger Mountain (Washington) to be with her boyfriend. When he has a business trip to Japan, he encourages her to go with “friends” of his to Vegas on a girl’s trip. She has a past in that area and doesn’t want to go, but she reluctantly agrees for him.
There is a dual timeline of then, when she (now Sunny) and her mom Lorraine are hard on their luck and go to live with a group of people in “Friendship” led by a guy Lorraine went to school with. After they get there and are separated Lorraine realizes he has changed.
This is one of those books that you don’t know who you can trust. Are any of her friends honest or do they want to be her friend? Of course, everything in Friendship is unnerving. I think it kind of feels like a debut (I know she has written a couple other books but I haven’t read them yet). If you like cult stories, you might like this one.
“No one knows where I am, she thought as she drifted off to sleep… an honest lie.” P 189
“Her dad, her drug-loving con man of a father, used to say, ‘Tell an honest lie when you need to.’” P117
“What I like to examine in my books are the ways our complex personalities overlap in society. In my last two books, I wrote about how they overlap in a negative way, so this time I went in a different direction. I wanted to showcase a female bond that surpassed circumadtance and situation. There is a choice being made in this book to do what is right regardless of how dangerous it is.” Author Q&A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rainy has uprooted her life as an artist in New York to live with her partner in the Pacific Northwest. Having spent most of her life running from the past, moving to this isolated, nondescript location is the perfect place to hide. However, at the encouragement of her partner, she’s trying to immerse herself in the community, and much to her chagrin, finds herself on a weekend trip to Las Vegas with new “friends”. Here, she comes to come face to face with the horrors of her past, which she’ll have to confront to escape Nevada alive…
It took me a while to warm up to this one, but by around the midway point I was absolutely hooked. This book coiled at the back of my mind, striking out periodically with a deep desire to know what’s happening next, to stop whatever I was doing to immerse myself back in the story.
This book is first and foremost about flawed, complex women, and how they navigate through power dynamics in relationships. I loved how badass Rainy was throughout this story and how she showed incredible strength in the face of vulnerability.
The ending came a bit too abruptly for my taste and there were loose threads lingering that that were not nearly tied up, which still perplex me. But ultimately, this was a satisfyingly tense and twisty thriller. This was my first Tarryn Fisher book, it definitely won’t be my last.
This book is for you if you like:
* Alternating timelines
* All things cultish
* Contrasting settings between the Pacific Northwest, the Nevada desert, and the glitz of Las Vegas.
Thanks to the HarperCollins Canada’s Killer Crime Club for hosting this giveaway to win a digital review copy to read through Netgalley!
It took me a while to warm up to this one, but by around the midway point I was absolutely hooked. This book coiled at the back of my mind, striking out periodically with a deep desire to know what’s happening next, to stop whatever I was doing to immerse myself back in the story.
This book is first and foremost about flawed, complex women, and how they navigate through power dynamics in relationships. I loved how badass Rainy was throughout this story and how she showed incredible strength in the face of vulnerability.
The ending came a bit too abruptly for my taste and there were loose threads lingering that that were not nearly tied up, which still perplex me. But ultimately, this was a satisfyingly tense and twisty thriller. This was my first Tarryn Fisher book, it definitely won’t be my last.
This book is for you if you like:
* Alternating timelines
* All things cultish
* Contrasting settings between the Pacific Northwest, the Nevada desert, and the glitz of Las Vegas.
Thanks to the HarperCollins Canada’s Killer Crime Club for hosting this giveaway to win a digital review copy to read through Netgalley!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture and Murder
Minor: Drug abuse and Pregnancy
azazellos_fang's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Vomit, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Drug abuse, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail