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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
tayahmarie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I know that this book has received pretty low and/or mixed reviews, but clearly I’m in the minority because I ate this UP! 😭
I’ve said this before, but I love a good dual timeline, and I was so fascinated by/eager to get back to Rainy’s past and learn more about her childhood, the compound, and how her experiences shaped her into the character that we follow in the present timeline. Honestly, my heart broke for her; she went through so much loss, abuse, and turmoil starting from a young age. I’ve never been a fan of cult stories, documentaries, etc. (besides the notorious ones like The Manson Family and Jonestown) because they hit TOO close to home and humankind/reality is always a lot scarier than anything else IMO. All in all, I loved Rainy and was invested in her from the very start. I couldn’t wait for her to enact her revenge on the one person who severely wronged her - as problematic as that may sound 🤷🏾♀️
I also wanted to note that I enjoyed The Real Housewives-esque nature of Rainy’s friend group because those women were all a mess and had the stupidest drama, but I lived for it, lmao!
The main things that I didn’t care for was that the writing got a bit weird at certain points and I felt like some of what was going on in the present day timeline dragged on. I was more-so interested in the past, but I do appreciate how everything came together in the end.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I loved the story! The MC was compelling, the plot was thrilling, and all the cult sh*t was wild. Also, the last sentence of the story 🫶🏾!!! I legit teared up because it was the icing on the cake/satisfying end to a great revenge tale.
I’ve said this before, but I love a good dual timeline, and I was so fascinated by/eager to get back to Rainy’s past and learn more about her childhood, the compound, and how her experiences shaped her into the character that we follow in the present timeline. Honestly, my heart broke for her; she went through so much loss, abuse, and turmoil starting from a young age. I’ve never been a fan of cult stories, documentaries, etc. (besides the notorious ones like The Manson Family and Jonestown) because they hit TOO close to home and humankind/reality is always a lot scarier than anything else IMO. All in all, I loved Rainy and was invested in her from the very start. I couldn’t wait for her to enact her revenge on the one person who severely wronged her - as problematic as that may sound 🤷🏾♀️
I also wanted to note that I enjoyed The Real Housewives-esque nature of Rainy’s friend group because those women were all a mess and had the stupidest drama, but I lived for it, lmao!
The main things that I didn’t care for was that the writing got a bit weird at certain points and I felt like some of what was going on in the present day timeline dragged on. I was more-so interested in the past, but I do appreciate how everything came together in the end.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I loved the story! The MC was compelling, the plot was thrilling, and all the cult sh*t was wild. Also, the last sentence of the story 🫶🏾!!! I legit teared up because it was the icing on the cake/satisfying end to a great revenge tale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
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