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emmysforeverbooked's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Maybe it was just my own personal ignorance, but I truly don't think I saw anything that happened in this book coming. I felt so utterly engaged with every turn of the page that I truly felt whiplash every time something new would happen.
I struggle a lot with books that don't have romance. I just, I don't know, it's in my nature to just want a happy ending. Which I think is why I struggle with enjoying thriller/mystery books. But this one had a very tiny romance subplot and it was just strong enough to have me not caring that there wasn't a ton of romance in this book.
This review has been all over the place but I end it by saying this: pick up this book. The only negative thing I have to say is that the first 40% or so is very slow-paced. I stuck it out and I am so glad I did because this might now be my favorite read of the year.
Riley Sager, I need you to make this book into a movie. It would truly and completely fix me.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Murder, Sexual assault, and Mental illness
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicide, Cursing, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Don't let all the content warnings I have listed scare you off. This book to me was no scarier than your average Criminal Minds episode. If you can handle true crime shows, you can handle this book.bookedfortheweekend25's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Cancer
leahdanielle131's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Grief, Death, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Cancer, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
Minor: Vomit, War, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury
hunkydory's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Cancer, Suicide attempt, and Car accident
brookey8888's review
- 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? Yes
3.75
I’ve said this in at least one of my reviews for Riley Sager, but he has a formula with the males and it’s easy to figure out if they’re going to be “good” or “bad”. As for the ending I liked it, but then something happened and I didn’t really like the “true ending”, which is why I didn’t round up to a four star.
Graphic: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence
kimberlyswalters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Terminal illness, Car accident, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence, Mental illness, Gun violence, and Vomit
mallory10100's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Drug abuse, Grief, Medical content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
Minor: Body shaming
minimicropup's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
We follow a University student looking for a rideshare so they can return to their childhood home after their roommate was brutally murdered. They are struggling with the losses and stresses in their life and it affects the decisions they make and how they interpret events.
- Set in Autumn 1991 on the route from New Jersey to Ohio, USA
- 🔇 Switched from audio to digital. The narrator and writing style didn't pair well for me. It made everything seem campy and cheesy, and took away from the suspense. That wasn't a problem when I read the text, just when listening. I'm not sure why - narrator wasn't bad, maybe just not nuanced enough?
- Charlie makes some ridiculous choices during the plot. When she's clearly in danger she doesn't try to escape, but when she's not in any obvious danger she's ready to hurl herself out of a moving vehicle. As her character develops we come to understand the reasons for her behaviour and rationale, but there are moments that still felt contrived, particularly as we near the end and get the tea about what is really going on.
- The ending seemed very cringe, BUT it isn't all that it seems. Can't explain without giving up some spoilers! I thought it was clever, but I could see it being more on the trickster side for some. I think it was justifiable, not lazy - it made me feel differently about the MC and plot.
Cred Rating 🤔: Plausible + Justifiable OTT campiness
Mood Reading Match Up:
- Touch of '90's teen thriller movie vibes
- Suspenseful slasher turned cat-and-mouse action adventure plot
- Stories with classic Hollywood and cinephile themes
- Character-driven mysteries with unreliable narrators and serial killers
Content Heads-Up: Fire. Vehicle accident (fatalities). Terminal illness (on page). Gun Violence. Kidnapping and confinement. Mental illness (dissociative, hallucinatory, psychosis)
Format: Library Digital via Libby
Graphic: Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Mental illness, Terminal illness, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
taylorsimon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Vomit
aweso10's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Moderate: Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury