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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
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
This book had potential, but instead of a gripping psychological thriller, it gave us frustrating characters, questionable logic, and an ending that felt like the author just wanted to wrap things up and go home. If you love cult-related thrillers, maybe you’ll find something to enjoy—but for me? This was a wild ride, and not in a good way.
What went wrong? Let’s break it down:
Characters behaving like they lost their common sense: Kate vanishes for eleven years, reappears with a baby, and somehow everyone just… accepts her nonsense? Scott and Abbi’s reactions were so illogical, I started wondering if I was the one in a cult.
Pacing that dragged like a bad Wi-Fi connection: The book starts strong, but then it’s just a slow, frustrating march toward an ending that feels like it was written in a hurry.
Twists that landed with the grace of a falling brick: The big reveals? Predictable. The shocking moments? Not so shocking. The ending? A mess.
Kate’s motivations—someone, please explain: She escapes the cult, but then runs right back? And tries to offer up her teenage daughter to them? Ma’am, what?!
Dialogue that felt like a soap opera audition: The conversations were either painfully stiff or wildly unrealistic. No one talks like this unless they’re reading from a script labeled “Bad Decisions Only.”
Cult logic that made zero sense: Kate acted like she had never seen a phone before, despite living in the modern world before she disappeared. Did the cult erase her memory *and* her ability to Google?
What went wrong? Let’s break it down:
Characters behaving like they lost their common sense: Kate vanishes for eleven years, reappears with a baby, and somehow everyone just… accepts her nonsense? Scott and Abbi’s reactions were so illogical, I started wondering if I was the one in a cult.
Pacing that dragged like a bad Wi-Fi connection: The book starts strong, but then it’s just a slow, frustrating march toward an ending that feels like it was written in a hurry.
Twists that landed with the grace of a falling brick: The big reveals? Predictable. The shocking moments? Not so shocking. The ending? A mess.
Kate’s motivations—someone, please explain: She escapes the cult, but then runs right back? And tries to offer up her teenage daughter to them? Ma’am, what?!
Dialogue that felt like a soap opera audition: The conversations were either painfully stiff or wildly unrealistic. No one talks like this unless they’re reading from a script labeled “Bad Decisions Only.”
Cult logic that made zero sense: Kate acted like she had never seen a phone before, despite living in the modern world before she disappeared. Did the cult erase her memory *and* her ability to Google?
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book and was hooked from beginning to end!
The story centers around Kate, who returns with a baby after being missing for 11 years. The narrative is told through three perspectives. The "now" chapters follow Abbi, the 16-year-old daughter who is happy her mom is back and just wants to get to know her, as she was so little when her mom disappeared. There are also chapters from Meredith, the new wife and stepmom, who is trying her best to be supportive of her family. Kate's story is recounted in the "then" chapters, describing what really happened starting 11 years ago and ending when she managed to escape. Throughout the story, the character I felt the most sympathy for was Kate. Despite being kind and supportive of everyone, it seemed that nobody truly cared about her. The writing style is very readable, and the multiple points of view were handled well, making it easy to follow and avoiding confusion.
I’m very fascinated by stories about cults and how they can manipulate and brainwash people into submission, and this book delivered on that front. It was an engaging read, and I found myself anticipating how the story would unfold and the secrets that would be revealed. Around halfway through, I began to have a sense of where the story might be headed, and it turns out I was correct! Even though it left me with a few questions at the end, I think it was written quite well.
The story centers around Kate, who returns with a baby after being missing for 11 years. The narrative is told through three perspectives. The "now" chapters follow Abbi, the 16-year-old daughter who is happy her mom is back and just wants to get to know her, as she was so little when her mom disappeared. There are also chapters from Meredith, the new wife and stepmom, who is trying her best to be supportive of her family. Kate's story is recounted in the "then" chapters, describing what really happened starting 11 years ago and ending when she managed to escape. Throughout the story, the character I felt the most sympathy for was Kate. Despite being kind and supportive of everyone, it seemed that nobody truly cared about her. The writing style is very readable, and the multiple points of view were handled well, making it easy to follow and avoiding confusion.
I’m very fascinated by stories about cults and how they can manipulate and brainwash people into submission, and this book delivered on that front. It was an engaging read, and I found myself anticipating how the story would unfold and the secrets that would be revealed. Around halfway through, I began to have a sense of where the story might be headed, and it turns out I was correct! Even though it left me with a few questions at the end, I think it was written quite well.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall it was good, nothing phenomal nothing terrible. The twist got me
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I enjoyed this book. I was disgusted by a lot of the things this “Ray” guy said, but other than that, I was invested in the story. I honestly did not guess the ending, which was a nice surprise. I have a hard time with “cult” books, but I liked the way that Lucinda Berry explained it at the end. Would recommend if you have liked her books in the past. This is my second book of hers, but definitely won’t be my last!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes