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bakedparmesan's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Synopsis:
Joe is a writing fellow at Harvard and becomes obsessed with a fellow fellow.Another fellow discovers his secrets, and he confesses all his bodies to her. He is now her muse for her thriller novels and she asks him to kill her ex boyfriend that wronged her 10 years ago. He doesn’t end up killing Wonder or Sarah Beth or Sarah Beth’s ex boyfriend. Wonder ends up publishing a watered down version of her book and is seen as a “sell-out” by Joe. Sarah Beth ends up killing her ex boyfriend herself and her husband leaves her. She invites Joe to stay at her cabin in Maine for a while, he invites her to go with her. They leave together.
Review:
My favorite book in the series (aside from the first one since those never count). The narration is so good. I feel like after four books, I know Joe and his voice is so pronounced. The books feel like I’m genuinely eavesdropping on someone’s (insane) life. I hate Joe! And I’m happy about that!
Recommend? YES
Synopsis:
Joe is a writing fellow at Harvard and becomes obsessed with a fellow fellow.
Review:
My favorite book in the series (aside from the first one since those never count). The narration is so good. I feel like after four books, I know Joe and his voice is so pronounced. The books feel like I’m genuinely eavesdropping on someone’s (insane) life. I hate Joe! And I’m happy about that!
Recommend? YES
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking
fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Have to admit these books are getting tired and I wish I wasn’t compelled to finish series that I start. Joe’s obsessive, controlling, self-justifying, and needy personality disorder is A LOT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, and Mental illness
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Confinement, Violence, Death, Stalking, and Gaslighting
annanas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I think this book was very interesting since it was a lot about privilege and elitism when it comes to education and publishing books. For example what counts as good or bad writing? Or who can be a good writer? Otherwise it follows the same formula as the previous books. I have listened to all of the audiobooks in this series and I really enjoy the narration from Santino Fontana!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Stalking
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Death
Minor: Classism and Sexual harassment
david_slack110507's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I've finally finished the You series/books, at least for now, and it's sad to say that as much as I loved the first and most of the second and third books, it seems like the books are running their course by this point which is sad to say because Joe's adventures were often fun and self-aware that would balance his more criminal endeavours with his sharp-tongued and sarcasm filled inner monologues but this one features more of the latter, disrupting the balance, and for that, it feels like, to me at least, the worst book in the series.
First the positives: I really liked the focus on books, writing and the world of publishing, particularly the social commentary on how it is for female authors such as having their work stolen or 'borrowed' by male authors to much higher and more critical acclaim then they would see and experience if it was under their own name. Another strong aspect was the character of Sarah Beth, a member of the fellowship that Joe is apart of and invited to in this book at Harvard, who ends up trapping Joe and forces him to confess to his crimes for better inspiration for her latest book due to her writing career waning, her character I felt like had two purposes: 1) She acts as a self-insert for Caroline Kepnes as like Sarah Beth, she too has struggled to get recognition for her non-You/non-Youverse works and how frustrating it must be for a writer to be stuck in a mould just to be able to have a successful career rather than get to branch out and do projects that they want to do and 2) She acts as an adversary to Joe as she knows what he has done but doesn't go to the police with it, instead using it as a bargaining chip and a way to gain inspiration. This creates some drama and allows for time to be passed in this manner.
However, while I liked Sarah Beth, she is also a criticism I have with this book as later in the book, when it focuses more on the interpersonal relationships between Sly, Wonder and Joe, Sarah Beth is just pushed to the side and then has her plot wrapped up with a semi-cliffhanger as in the epilogue, she gets payoff to her main issue of the book but is then we are left with the question of if she survives as she leaves with Joe and what happens to the tapes that she has of Joe's confessions to all his crimes over the past few books. I hope in the next book, should there be one, we actually get answers to these questions. Wonder, the main 'love interest' of the book, was also a criticism as she was probably my least favourite out of Joe's 'love interests'/obsessions, it felt like she hardly had any depth in her character and all her and Joe did was argue. She just didn't feel all that interesting and a huge aspect of her character, her family, all felt unfinished and just done to either cause conflict or waste time. I will say that I liked how in the end, she wasn't killed by Joe, which was a nice change of pace, but I feel like overall Wonder was just a really boring love interest which could have been a lot more interesting had she been given more characteristics beyond what was necessary to set out her character and cause conflict.
I feel like my experience with this book was really weird as, like with all the previous books, I listened to the audiobook version of For You and Only You and so it went by very smoothly and Santino Fontana continues to be an excellent portrayal of Joe even if some of the voices for the other characters are.... a choice to say the least, but this book for me was just largely forgettable and could have taken a better direction of having Joe take on Sarah Beth or work alongside her whilst also trying to get the tapes of him confessing to all his crimes. Overall, it was decent, and I enjoyed it as best as I could and I would be interested in seeing where the books/series goes next, particularly if it continues with having Sarah Beth as a present figure, but the You series does seem to be struggling to match the quality of the first book and even some of the later instalments.
First the positives: I really liked the focus on books, writing and the world of publishing, particularly the social commentary on how it is for female authors such as having their work stolen or 'borrowed' by male authors to much higher and more critical acclaim then they would see and experience if it was under their own name. Another strong aspect was the character of Sarah Beth, a member of the fellowship that Joe is apart of and invited to in this book at Harvard, who ends up trapping Joe and forces him to confess to his crimes for better inspiration for her latest book due to her writing career waning, her character I felt like had two purposes: 1) She acts as a self-insert for Caroline Kepnes as like Sarah Beth, she too has struggled to get recognition for her non-You/non-Youverse works and how frustrating it must be for a writer to be stuck in a mould just to be able to have a successful career rather than get to branch out and do projects that they want to do and 2) She acts as an adversary to Joe as she knows what he has done but doesn't go to the police with it, instead using it as a bargaining chip and a way to gain inspiration. This creates some drama and allows for time to be passed in this manner.
However, while I liked Sarah Beth, she is also a criticism I have with this book as later in the book, when it focuses more on the interpersonal relationships between Sly, Wonder and Joe, Sarah Beth is just pushed to the side and then has her plot wrapped up with a semi-cliffhanger as in the epilogue, she gets payoff to her main issue of the book but is then we are left with the question of if she survives as she leaves with Joe and what happens to the tapes that she has of Joe's confessions to all his crimes over the past few books. I hope in the next book, should there be one, we actually get answers to these questions. Wonder, the main 'love interest' of the book, was also a criticism as she was probably my least favourite out of Joe's 'love interests'/obsessions, it felt like she hardly had any depth in her character and all her and Joe did was argue. She just didn't feel all that interesting and a huge aspect of her character, her family, all felt unfinished and just done to either cause conflict or waste time. I will say that I liked how in the end, she wasn't killed by Joe, which was a nice change of pace, but I feel like overall Wonder was just a really boring love interest which could have been a lot more interesting had she been given more characteristics beyond what was necessary to set out her character and cause conflict.
I feel like my experience with this book was really weird as, like with all the previous books, I listened to the audiobook version of For You and Only You and so it went by very smoothly and Santino Fontana continues to be an excellent portrayal of Joe even if some of the voices for the other characters are.... a choice to say the least, but this book for me was just largely forgettable and could have taken a better direction of having Joe take on Sarah Beth or work alongside her whilst also trying to get the tapes of him confessing to all his crimes. Overall, it was decent, and I enjoyed it as best as I could and I would be interested in seeing where the books/series goes next, particularly if it continues with having Sarah Beth as a present figure, but the You series does seem to be struggling to match the quality of the first book and even some of the later instalments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Murder, Stalking, Death, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Sexism, Misogyny, Ableism, Addiction, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Medical content, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use
bekah1210's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, and Stalking
Moderate: Bullying, Ableism, and Addiction
Minor: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Cursing
theremightbecupcakes's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Addiction, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Murder, and Death of parent
Minor: Mental illness, Infidelity, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Cursing
ghostoncamera's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
ellaticonstellation's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Well, I devoured this even more because Santino Fontana narrated the audiobook companion. His narration is the chef's kiss as usual. Thank you, Caroline, for this interesting book. Hoping for more🔥
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Murder
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Cursing, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Classism, Sexism, Misogyny, Confinement, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Addiction
Moderate: Drug use, Ableism, and Violence
Minor: Kidnapping, Cancer, Vomit, Terminal illness, Sexual content, and Blood