A review by readingwithrylanne
For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

dark 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

3.0

Teachers, students, and families at a prestigious private school find themselves in a tangled web of murder, poison, secrets, and lies.
 
 I was super excited to read For Your Own Good after loving Samantha Downing's other two books, My Lovely Wife and He Started It. I knew to expect some wild plot twists and unlikeable characters, and while For Your Own Good certainly had those elements, I unfortunately did not end up enjoying this book as much as I had hoped. I think the most challenging part of this book for me was the choppy point-of-view shifts that sometimes would happen every couple of pages or even paragraphs. I never really felt like I could get into one character before we moved onto someone else's. I felt disoriented while reading much of this book and was unexcited overall by the ending, but I do love good unlikeable/unreliable characters, and we definitely have those in this book. For Your Own Good was not my favorite book by the author, but I am still excited to dive into more!
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