yannis_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
For the ones who haven't read the book yet, go and read it. It has been different from other books I have read and definitely is one of them that you never forget.
Great book, can't wait to read her second novel.
Spoiler
At the beginning, Stacy Willingham let me think that the story was bad written and developed. I remember thinking "this can't be SO obvious and she thinks we won't understand! Little did I know... I did not expect the end of the book. There is a moment you start thinking if she is the one doing all of this or is it Danile? Or maybe her brother? And this goes on and on.Great book, can't wait to read her second novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, and Murder
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Infidelity, and Violence
mrk100100's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Drug abuse
lizziemarie01's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
brittanylee0302's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This book blew me away. The slow burn killed me & I was really ready for the ultimate disappointment at the end but it definitely held up. I feel like it took forever to get to anything that was really exciting though & more things could have been sprinkled throughout instead of holding it all for the last 30%. Another thing I really struggled with is the flashbacks or more so day dreams, I feel like they could have been better separated because I was so lost at some points that I had to be like what time period are we in & what exactly is going on? Just a space between paragraphs would have been a little helpful instead of just jumping right into things
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Death, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Rape, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Vomit, Sexual content, and Gun violence
staciloverock's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, and Child death
fluffy1st's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Death, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Self harm
aprilblues348's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Stalking, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child death, and Death of parent
kaynova's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It took me a full work day to finish this audiobook, which is a good thing because that means I deeply enjoyed it and found myself immersed into the story. However, the characters made me MAD! Which most times in mystery/suspense books that happens but the reason this book ups it a little is because Chloe is a dumb b*tch. Girl, you are still recovering from years of trauma from your father's arrest and you don't even think to change your name and move further from Louisiana. You move only an hour away and think NO ONE knows who you are. Darling, the case happened in 1999, the beginning times of the internet, and 20 years later, is the height of the internet, yes everyone friggin knows! To honestly believe her fiance did not know was laughable. He definitely knew, but he didn't know how to say it like her other flings and boyfriends. You would think if she's going to keep going through this to just be open and honest to weave people out of her life, but again, no she doesn't. Instead, she gets vulnerable with the wrong people (which isn't always her fault) and is honest at the times she should've been honest before.
Now, I love a good unreliable narrator trope (though imo, anything written in first person is an unreliable narrator, but we will digress). As readers, we are going through the days with her and learn she has mass paranoia and PTSD that makes it difficult for her to trust people. But how you don't trust people but get engaged to a man a year later? Or? It didn't make sense to me at times and I tried to reason it with her drug abuse and her past trauma, but I can tell the author was not going that route, so her inability to put distance between people has nothing to do with her trauma, though she says it is. She said something about laying down with people to feel another heartbeat against hers, but she gets too close to the wrong guys (except Daniel, though he had his own issues. Like you knew who her dad was and her situation AND still threw her surprise party and sexually choked her during sex. Like dude did not communicate or read the room). I kept wondering what makes a person qualified to be in her circle, in her heart and I didn't get any answers.
MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD
I really wanted it to be Cooper and Daniel as the masterminds of this, but when it turned midpoint, I was hoping it was all three in some crazy way. I loved the twist but I was still disappointed. I don't know why; I just was. Cooper, like many serial killers, don't need a reason for being a murderer and I'm glad the author stuck with that, though the whole "it's the darkness. the devil himself" blew me because not one second did the author introduce them as god worshipping people. It was very believable and the entire book you get clues who's the real guy though, again, Chloe Davis is a dumb b*tch. A lot of ways she reminds me of Pip from AGGGTM by never looking at every angle. She jumped right in and thought it was her fiance and some point I agreed until certain things still bothered me. She kept chasing after him and never took her own advice. The advice that the arms that she kept running to should have been the arms she should've ran away from, and those arms were her brother's.
Now, I love a good unreliable narrator trope (though imo, anything written in first person is an unreliable narrator, but we will digress). As readers, we are going through the days with her and learn she has mass paranoia and PTSD that makes it difficult for her to trust people. But how you don't trust people but get engaged to a man a year later? Or
Spoiler
fuck the fake reporter only knowing him for like three weeksMAJOR SPOILER AHEAD
I really wanted it to be Cooper and Daniel as the masterminds of this, but when it turned midpoint, I was hoping it was all three in some crazy way. I loved the twist but I was still disappointed. I don't know why; I just was. Cooper, like many serial killers, don't need a reason for being a murderer and I'm glad the author stuck with that, though the whole "it's the darkness. the devil himself" blew me because not one second did the author introduce them as god worshipping people. It was very believable and the entire book you get clues who's the real guy though, again, Chloe Davis is a dumb b*tch. A lot of ways she reminds me of Pip from AGGGTM by never looking at every angle. She jumped right in and thought it was her fiance and some point I agreed until certain things still bothered me. She kept chasing after him and never took her own advice. The advice that the arms that she kept running to should have been the arms she should've ran away from, and those arms were her brother's.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Child abuse
suzy94's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I feel like it was a bit slow to start with but the last 1/2 speed up and was much more tense. I didn't like the main character, she needed her own therapy vs giving therapy. I gave it 4/5 stars because it took me a little bit to get into the book and for a mystery book I want it to have my full attention. I could put this book down for several days without feeling like I HAD to finish it. The plot was very good and he writing it excellent I just wanted a faster pace at times.
<spoiler alert!>
At the very begging of the book I had a feeling her father was innocent. I suspected the brother because who else would the father protect!? But I have to say as it went on I started to think it was a copy cat and really thought it was Daniel until the end.
<spoiler alert!>
At the very begging of the book I had a feeling her father was innocent. I suspected the brother because who else would the father protect!? But I have to say as it went on I started to think it was a copy cat and really thought it was Daniel until the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Child death