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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
I wanted a slightly creepy thriller for Halloween vibes and this did deliver, but more in like a mystery of what's really happening kind of way. I knew from the very beginning that Lena was an unreliable narrator. I mean she even said she used to make up stuff in her journals to pretend it was real. I was a bit frustrated that she blamed herself for a lot of things that weren't her fault. I mean other people blamed her too, but the idea that someone would kill themselves and blame someone else is so fucking selfish. I like how Bo was able to kind of make her see the light a little. At certain points I wasn't sure if he was real, but as soon as Rob "came back" I was like ok, it's def him manipulating her.
mysterious
medium-paced
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Trigger warnings: mental and physical abuse, drug abuse, mental illness (schizophrenia), self harm, suicide.
If you told me this book was originally written in 2010 and re-released, I would believe you. The story follows Lena, who has been sent to live with her grandparents after a hospitalisation that you discover more about as the book progresses. While she’s there, she reunites with old friends from her youth and it spawns the entire book. She also does a lot of hiking and it leads to an instant love between her and a boy. There’s also murder, a mystery, and drugs.
This book portrayed a lot and hardly any of it was done well- our main character’s schizophrenia is the major plot point in this, so much so that it is actually used against her in a rather... unimaginative way. Furthermore, the author connects four suicides to this girl through her schizophrenia and that’s a stretch for me. The drugs problems were looked down on for most of the book and were, in fact, how the killers picked their victims. The book was correct in saying that most people suffering drug abuse/addiction aren’t looked for by police; my main issue was the tone the book took about society and drugs.
The characters were pretty flat too, there was a whole bunch of side characters that actually did play some role in the story and yet, weren’t that real. As if all the effort went into us believing the mental illness + murder plot line.
Honestly, the only interesting part of this whole book was who the actual killers were and the discussion of assisted suicide.
Trigger warnings: mental and physical abuse, drug abuse, mental illness (schizophrenia), self harm, suicide.
If you told me this book was originally written in 2010 and re-released, I would believe you. The story follows Lena, who has been sent to live with her grandparents after a hospitalisation that you discover more about as the book progresses. While she’s there, she reunites with old friends from her youth and it spawns the entire book. She also does a lot of hiking and it leads to an instant love between her and a boy. There’s also murder, a mystery, and drugs.
This book portrayed a lot and hardly any of it was done well- our main character’s schizophrenia is the major plot point in this, so much so that it is actually used against her in a rather... unimaginative way. Furthermore, the author connects four suicides to this girl through her schizophrenia and that’s a stretch for me. The drugs problems were looked down on for most of the book and were, in fact, how the killers picked their victims. The book was correct in saying that most people suffering drug abuse/addiction aren’t looked for by police; my main issue was the tone the book took about society and drugs.
The characters were pretty flat too, there was a whole bunch of side characters that actually did play some role in the story and yet, weren’t that real. As if all the effort went into us believing the mental illness + murder plot line.
Honestly, the only interesting part of this whole book was who the actual killers were and the discussion of assisted suicide.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
I really wanted to like this book. The blurb hooked me in immediately, giving me a Gossip Girl x PLL vibes but ultimately it didn't stand to the test. While Lena's tale is unpredictable it is also quite long-winded. The pacing of this book is off and could do with cutting out substantial fillers.
I didn't enjoy the voice of the narrator, it was a bit bland and even though drip-feeding was implemented, I don't think it had the effect the author wished for. I think what really did it for me is the lack of empathy and connection with the characters. The skeleton of the story is there but because you don't feel enough for Lena, it's not possible to get sucked into the narrative.
I will say, however, that I liked Lena's backstory and how complicated it was. I also enjoyed the "Dr. Goodnight" element of the book.
I really wanted to like this book. The blurb hooked me in immediately, giving me a Gossip Girl x PLL vibes but ultimately it didn't stand to the test. While Lena's tale is unpredictable it is also quite long-winded. The pacing of this book is off and could do with cutting out substantial fillers.
I didn't enjoy the voice of the narrator, it was a bit bland and even though drip-feeding was implemented, I don't think it had the effect the author wished for. I think what really did it for me is the lack of empathy and connection with the characters. The skeleton of the story is there but because you don't feel enough for Lena, it's not possible to get sucked into the narrative.
I will say, however, that I liked Lena's backstory and how complicated it was. I also enjoyed the "Dr. Goodnight" element of the book.
Easy holiday read, last 20-25% was utter confusing drivel, drove the stars right down
2.5⭐️/5⭐️
2.5⭐️/5⭐️
*I was provided with an ARC of this book by the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion.
I don’t tend to read thrillers for some reason, but I always seem to enjoy them when I do and it was no different with this book. There’s just something about thrillers that pulls you in and makes your heart beat faster. Having said that, this was definitely in a class of its own, it was intricately woven and there were so many different layers to the story that left me so impressed. There were also so many different twists and turns that it took, that it really shined in the mystery and tension elements that the thriller genre is known for. And it wasn’t just nervous anticipation that something bad was going to happen. There was tension in almost every area of the novel, from who Magda can trust in her present life, the looming threat of the deaths in the woods, whether Magda herself will be able to stay on the straight and narrow, then lastly the uncertainty of just what exactly happened in Magda’s past to land her in her current situation. Bearing all this in mind, this book feels like your walking on thin ice and you’re not sure which places are going to surprise you by breaking.
The structure of this worked flawlessly to heighten all the most loved aspects of a thriller. Thrillers like to feed the reader only bits and pieces, to create suspense and intrigue. And What She Found In The Woods, used time to give the reader bits and pieces, scrambling to put all the pieces together, until it was ready for the big reveals. The novel shifts between past and present many times throughout. The present is documenting Magda’s current situation after being released from a mental hospital, sent to live with her grandparents, where we see her essentially trying to piece her life back together away from the bright city lights. Then we have Magda recounting memories from her past, which are all highlighted by italics. These sections are focused on Magda reflecting on her life before, when she was in the most popular, beautiful and rich group of girls at her school. She tells of everything that led to her eventual downfall and then her stint in the mental hospital. I enjoyed these different viewpoints from one character so much, as the more I read about the Magda from the past, the more I understand the Magda of the present. I also always had a deep anticipation for these italicized sections, because I was eager to learn more about Magda. Both of the viewpoints were very strong, both in the writing and I was engaged in both, but I think I just preferred the sections focused on the past that little bit more, because they revealed so much and were just a bit more ‘entertaining’ if you will.
It’s weird, because Magda was one of the most blunt and straight forward protagonists that I’ve read about, but there still seemed to be this air of mystery about her, that I couldn’t fully grasp her, even with her being quite a candid first person narrator. I didn’t mind this though, I actually found it quite fascinating and it didn’t stop me from liking her, I genuinely thought that she was a brilliant protagonist. It just made me more excited to peak into the past in the sections in italics, to learn more about her. It was particularly interesting to have a protagonist that is so convinced that they are some sort of monster and yet you can see both the frightening and also the good parts of them. Magda was by far one of the most complex characters I’ve encountered and I enjoyed trying to figure her out and how I felt about her past actions as they came to light. With Magda being in this kind of negative mental state, whilst trying to find her feet outside of hospital, it was beautiful to see her open up to Bo. To have a character like Magda who is secure in herself and yet sees herself so negatively because of her past behaviour, it was magnificent to see her paired with someone as pure and optimistic as Bo. They honestly brought out the best in each other and I really adored reading all of their interactions. There was just something so mesmerisingly raw and innocent about it, compared to the anxiety and foreboding that stuck to the rest of the story. Bo was the best, and he was exactly what Magda deserved and it was so gorgeous to see someone who is struggling with their mental health, emotionally/physically neglected by everyone else in their life find a home in someone who’s known nothing but love. I’m a little bit in love with their relationship and the stunning sentences that the author weaved to describe their most tender and heartfelt feelings for one another.
This was definitely one of those guessing games where you think that you’ve got something or somebody figured out, but then there’s another twist and your left blindsided. There were some characters that I completely overlooked that turned out to be ‘heroes’ or ‘villians’ and I was honestly shocked. However, there were some things that I was completely right about and it was extremely gratifying to see that my suspicions were warranted. And that’s one of my favourite things about books like this and thrillers in general, that you as a reader are made to think, whether you’re actively or subconsciously trying to figure everything out and it’s rewarding if you’re right and generally just fun/entertaining even if you’re wrong. I had a great time with this one and think it was extremely cleverly crafted and impressive how everything slotted into place to make a smooth and clear bigger picture at the end. This was one of the best thrillers that I’ve read, in terms of writing, general structure, characterisation and storyline. I was engaged and fully had Magda’s back, even if she proved herself to be an unreliable narrator at times. I highly recommend this, especially if you are wanting to try out a YA thriller, but don’t know where to start.
I don’t tend to read thrillers for some reason, but I always seem to enjoy them when I do and it was no different with this book. There’s just something about thrillers that pulls you in and makes your heart beat faster. Having said that, this was definitely in a class of its own, it was intricately woven and there were so many different layers to the story that left me so impressed. There were also so many different twists and turns that it took, that it really shined in the mystery and tension elements that the thriller genre is known for. And it wasn’t just nervous anticipation that something bad was going to happen. There was tension in almost every area of the novel, from who Magda can trust in her present life, the looming threat of the deaths in the woods, whether Magda herself will be able to stay on the straight and narrow, then lastly the uncertainty of just what exactly happened in Magda’s past to land her in her current situation. Bearing all this in mind, this book feels like your walking on thin ice and you’re not sure which places are going to surprise you by breaking.
The structure of this worked flawlessly to heighten all the most loved aspects of a thriller. Thrillers like to feed the reader only bits and pieces, to create suspense and intrigue. And What She Found In The Woods, used time to give the reader bits and pieces, scrambling to put all the pieces together, until it was ready for the big reveals. The novel shifts between past and present many times throughout. The present is documenting Magda’s current situation after being released from a mental hospital, sent to live with her grandparents, where we see her essentially trying to piece her life back together away from the bright city lights. Then we have Magda recounting memories from her past, which are all highlighted by italics. These sections are focused on Magda reflecting on her life before, when she was in the most popular, beautiful and rich group of girls at her school. She tells of everything that led to her eventual downfall and then her stint in the mental hospital. I enjoyed these different viewpoints from one character so much, as the more I read about the Magda from the past, the more I understand the Magda of the present. I also always had a deep anticipation for these italicized sections, because I was eager to learn more about Magda. Both of the viewpoints were very strong, both in the writing and I was engaged in both, but I think I just preferred the sections focused on the past that little bit more, because they revealed so much and were just a bit more ‘entertaining’ if you will.
It’s weird, because Magda was one of the most blunt and straight forward protagonists that I’ve read about, but there still seemed to be this air of mystery about her, that I couldn’t fully grasp her, even with her being quite a candid first person narrator. I didn’t mind this though, I actually found it quite fascinating and it didn’t stop me from liking her, I genuinely thought that she was a brilliant protagonist. It just made me more excited to peak into the past in the sections in italics, to learn more about her. It was particularly interesting to have a protagonist that is so convinced that they are some sort of monster and yet you can see both the frightening and also the good parts of them. Magda was by far one of the most complex characters I’ve encountered and I enjoyed trying to figure her out and how I felt about her past actions as they came to light. With Magda being in this kind of negative mental state, whilst trying to find her feet outside of hospital, it was beautiful to see her open up to Bo. To have a character like Magda who is secure in herself and yet sees herself so negatively because of her past behaviour, it was magnificent to see her paired with someone as pure and optimistic as Bo. They honestly brought out the best in each other and I really adored reading all of their interactions. There was just something so mesmerisingly raw and innocent about it, compared to the anxiety and foreboding that stuck to the rest of the story. Bo was the best, and he was exactly what Magda deserved and it was so gorgeous to see someone who is struggling with their mental health, emotionally/physically neglected by everyone else in their life find a home in someone who’s known nothing but love. I’m a little bit in love with their relationship and the stunning sentences that the author weaved to describe their most tender and heartfelt feelings for one another.
This was definitely one of those guessing games where you think that you’ve got something or somebody figured out, but then there’s another twist and your left blindsided. There were some characters that I completely overlooked that turned out to be ‘heroes’ or ‘villians’ and I was honestly shocked. However, there were some things that I was completely right about and it was extremely gratifying to see that my suspicions were warranted. And that’s one of my favourite things about books like this and thrillers in general, that you as a reader are made to think, whether you’re actively or subconsciously trying to figure everything out and it’s rewarding if you’re right and generally just fun/entertaining even if you’re wrong. I had a great time with this one and think it was extremely cleverly crafted and impressive how everything slotted into place to make a smooth and clear bigger picture at the end. This was one of the best thrillers that I’ve read, in terms of writing, general structure, characterisation and storyline. I was engaged and fully had Magda’s back, even if she proved herself to be an unreliable narrator at times. I highly recommend this, especially if you are wanting to try out a YA thriller, but don’t know where to start.
i disliked most of this but it also kept me hooked at the same time so i cannot possibly give it one star - a two star read it is
my reasons for disliking it: i felt mental health issues and bisexuality were used as plot points and Reasons For Behaviour which made me uncomfortable, i liked precisely one (1) character that had more than two lines (maeve), and the plot and writing in the first 100 or so pages was unengaging. overall, it was so unrealistic to the point where i was muttering "yeah right" every other page
also, i cannot say i now understand why bo's dad has to stay under the radar and why bo can never return to his family???? what happened there???? was it because people THOUGHT he was dr goodnight?? i have no idea
my reasons that made me not hate it with a passion: the names of the kids were so cute, i wanna live in a treehouse now, maeve was so sweet
my reasons for disliking it: i felt mental health issues and bisexuality were used as plot points and Reasons For Behaviour which made me uncomfortable, i liked precisely one (1) character that had more than two lines (maeve), and the plot and writing in the first 100 or so pages was unengaging. overall, it was so unrealistic to the point where i was muttering "yeah right" every other page
also, i cannot say i now understand why bo's dad has to stay under the radar and why bo can never return to his family???? what happened there???? was it because people THOUGHT he was dr goodnight?? i have no idea
my reasons that made me not hate it with a passion: the names of the kids were so cute, i wanna live in a treehouse now, maeve was so sweet
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
I think this fell short in some areas, wasn’t believable in others, and generally needed more build-up for me to buy it all, especially as you near the end. But definitely an easy read and pretty hard to put down. It was a great palate cleanser book.