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dblue236's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Trigger warnings: Kidnapping, sexual abuse/assault, terrorism.
I don't quite know why, but I had a really hard time connecting with the characters in this book. The storyline was strong, but I found myself not being able to root for anyone and not particularly caring how things turned out for them. Maybe it was just that I wasn't in the mood for this type of book at the time, I'm not sure. But at any rate, I found myself disappointed overall. Definitely not the worst thing I've read recently, but it wasn't particularly memorable especially where the characters were concerned.
I don't quite know why, but I had a really hard time connecting with the characters in this book. The storyline was strong, but I found myself not being able to root for anyone and not particularly caring how things turned out for them. Maybe it was just that I wasn't in the mood for this type of book at the time, I'm not sure. But at any rate, I found myself disappointed overall. Definitely not the worst thing I've read recently, but it wasn't particularly memorable especially where the characters were concerned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Confinement, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Death
Moderate: Car accident, Grief, Gun violence, Gore, Sexual violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Cancer, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Chronic illness and Racism
christinesreads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Kidnapping, Death, Confinement, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Rape
liamliayaum's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Confinement
Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, and Violence
Minor: Car accident
johcie's review against another edition
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Rape, Kidnapping, and Confinement
Minor: Death of parent
readingwithtrey's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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? No
5.0
I was sucked in by the very first pages and was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I felt all of the emotions including anger, sadness, anxiety, dread, and hope. While I knew of some inequities when it comes to missing women and the attention their cases receive, there were still a few incredibly heartbreaking things that I learned while reading this. It made me so angry and sick to my stomach to know that the specific girls who were abducted were taken for calculated reasons (e.g. their families were poor and therefore not much money would be allocated to their search and return).
While I had a feeling Chelsey's sergeant was involved in some way, I did not piece together the entire story, and I love thrillers where I can't guess what will happen. There was also a literal jaw dropping twist that I never in a million years would have guessed.
I don't know the words to describe Ellie's chapters other than amazing. But I don't feel that that is the correct word to use due to the content within them. But the writing was literal perfection. I could feel the fear, confusion, desperation, and despair that Ellie felt. It was a constant stomachache the entire time I was reading. I was rooting for her and all of those girls. I literally SOBBED at the end of Ellie's last chapter. It was heart wrenching.
The entire book was the work of brilliance. But one thing that really stood out to me was the contrast between Ellie's dad and the men who took Ellie and the other victims. Ellie's dad always felt inadequate and insecure because he couldn't provide for this family the way that he wanted. He felt less than as a man, but he took his frustrations to the sea, boating whenever he could. While he wasn't perfect, he tried not to take his frustrations out on the women in his life. He loved them. There was a very pivotal moment where he apologized to his wife for his inability to fully provide over the years especially when she was pregnant with their daughters, but his wife responds that it was okay because they were a team. She never saw him as less than. Now, when we look at the motivations of the men who took Ellie and the other victims, we see that they too felt inadequate and insecure. They suffered from abandonment issues and looked at the successes of women (one in particular who I won't mention as it could be a spoiler) as their downfall. Instead of getting therapy or seeking more productive avenues to get out their frustrations, they chose violence toward women. It was interesting to see the two different paths that were taken between these men that stemmed from the same feelings of insecurity.
I feel like this entire review is just me rambling, but I cannot recommend this enough. ALL. THE. STARS!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Books for a chance to be an early reader!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Rape, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Torture, Child abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny
Minor: Racism and Racial slurs
thrillofthepage's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Alcoholism, Death, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Confinement, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Violence, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Grief, Death of parent, Rape, Excrement, and Pregnancy
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I read this in one sitting because I wanted to know what happened. I genuinely adored Tokyo Ever After & Mika In Real Life. Soooo, I was beyond thrilled that EJ was writing an adult thriller/mystery!
Ellie Black returns two years after she went missing and is apprehensive to working with the police to bring her kidnapper (and alleged murderer, because other girls have gone missing and their bodies had been found later). She is skittish, disoriented, and understandably uninterested in discussing what happened to her. The detective on the case wants to bring Ellie’s kidnapper to justice, with extra pressure from her boss, Sergeant Abbott. Chelsey’s sister Lydia also went missing and was murdered when Chelsey was in high school, so she has an added layer of wanting to succeed in finding the man who did this to Ellie.
So ultimately, the mystery and little reveals were quite clever, and J genuinely was deeply intrigued by Ellie’s first-person narrative chapters as she recounted her time in being kidnapped. I thought that the set up and unraveling of this mystery were actually executed quite well! I really appreciated and lamented with the overarching message of the story, with regards to how society normalizes violence and abuse against women. Misogyny is a widespread issue, and incels are a danger to us all. I totally agree!
However, I wish the main character of this story (Chelsey — transracial Japanese adoptee of a white family) was not a cop, and not proud to be a cop. I have just kind of had it with cop stories, especially when they’re painted as the heroes. Chelsey even mentions her “cop origin story” when tying it back to making her late cop dad proud. I just don’t vibe with it. She could have been a private investigator, the former best friend of Ellie Black, a former teacher of Ellie Black, a journalist, whatever! Anyway, her occupation really bothered me.
Overall, I enjoyed the story but it frustrated me that Chelsey was so thrilled to be a cop🥴
I read this in one sitting because I wanted to know what happened. I genuinely adored Tokyo Ever After & Mika In Real Life. Soooo, I was beyond thrilled that EJ was writing an adult thriller/mystery!
Ellie Black returns two years after she went missing and is apprehensive to working with the police to bring her kidnapper (and alleged murderer, because other girls have gone missing and their bodies had been found later). She is skittish, disoriented, and understandably uninterested in discussing what happened to her. The detective on the case wants to bring Ellie’s kidnapper to justice, with extra pressure from her boss, Sergeant Abbott. Chelsey’s sister Lydia also went missing and was murdered when Chelsey was in high school, so she has an added layer of wanting to succeed in finding the man who did this to Ellie.
So ultimately, the mystery and little reveals were quite clever, and J genuinely was deeply intrigued by Ellie’s first-person narrative chapters as she recounted her time in being kidnapped. I thought that the set up and unraveling of this mystery were actually executed quite well! I really appreciated and lamented with the overarching message of the story, with regards to how society normalizes violence and abuse against women. Misogyny is a widespread issue, and incels are a danger to us all. I totally agree!
However, I wish the main character of this story (Chelsey — transracial Japanese adoptee of a white family) was not a cop, and not proud to be a cop. I have just kind of had it with cop stories, especially when they’re painted as the heroes. Chelsey even mentions her “cop origin story” when tying it back to making her late cop dad proud. I just don’t vibe with it. She could have been a private investigator, the former best friend of Ellie Black, a former teacher of Ellie Black, a journalist, whatever! Anyway, her occupation really bothered me.
Overall, I enjoyed the story but it frustrated me that Chelsey was so thrilled to be a cop🥴
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Excrement, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Blood, Child death, Physical abuse, Torture, Vomit, Sexism, Pedophilia, Murder, Gore, Cursing, Confinement, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual content
cc_shelflove's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing a physical copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Okay, Emiko Jean. I see you! I could not wait to uncover what happened to Ellie Black. The book opened to a girl found in the woods following a two-year disappearance. Where did she go? Who took her, and what did she endure? Are there other girls in danger as well? Told in alternating timelines, we watch Detective Chelsey Calhoun as she follows the threads to Ellie’s captor, with chapters in between that include Ellie’s accounts of where she went. I really loved how the reader knew what happened to Ellie before Detective Calhoun figured it out. It added a level of suspense that made me sad but also hopeful. While this book contained a twist that was all too convenient, I thought it was thrilling nonetheless. I think I may have enjoyed it more if we had a third timeline re: Ellie’s captor’s life in the “before.” Jean should definitely be awarded for stepping outside of her comfort zone; this author previously dabbled in YA contemporary romance. I hope she writes more thrillers!
“But often, Chelsey wondered if her father, if people in general, should spend less time protecting daughters and more time worrying about sons. The dangerous things boys do. How they might be raised differently.”
Okay, Emiko Jean. I see you! I could not wait to uncover what happened to Ellie Black. The book opened to a girl found in the woods following a two-year disappearance. Where did she go? Who took her, and what did she endure? Are there other girls in danger as well? Told in alternating timelines, we watch Detective Chelsey Calhoun as she follows the threads to Ellie’s captor, with chapters in between that include Ellie’s accounts of where she went. I really loved how the reader knew what happened to Ellie before Detective Calhoun figured it out. It added a level of suspense that made me sad but also hopeful. While this book contained a twist that was all too convenient, I thought it was thrilling nonetheless. I think I may have enjoyed it more if we had a third timeline re: Ellie’s captor’s life in the “before.” Jean should definitely be awarded for stepping outside of her comfort zone; this author previously dabbled in YA contemporary romance. I hope she writes more thrillers!
“But often, Chelsey wondered if her father, if people in general, should spend less time protecting daughters and more time worrying about sons. The dangerous things boys do. How they might be raised differently.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Murder, and Rape
honestlyyours77's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I rarely give a book 5 stars so when I do it is exciting for me. I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
To be honest I got drawn to the book because of its title and actually it’s my only criticism of the book. There is a book that I had read in the past called “The Truth and Lies of Ella Black” and when I saw this current book I thought maybe it was a sequel as I confused the Ellie Black for Ella Black.” So my criticism is that more care should have been taken when choosing the titular characters name. A quick Google search would have brought up the older book and the names are just too similar making it easy to confuse the two.
However, it is most certainly not the same world at all once I started reading it. The description says “ It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.
Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.
But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.
The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.
The book is female centered for sure but I wouldn’t call it a “feminist tour de force” so don’t let that guide your decision to pick up the title when it debuts in May 2024, which you totally should.
Stephen King is quoted as saying “The Return of Ellie Black is a page-turning suspense novel, a shrewd character study, and a captivating mystery, all at the same time. The last fifty pages are magnetic. I couldn’t put it down until I’d experienced every last twist and turn.”
Other than calling it a suspense novel which I wouldn’t call it that, everything else he stated was a perfect description of my opinion as well, especially the last 50 pages. Many times I figure out various intended surprises of a book but this time I was so engrossed and turned the pages so fast that I didn’t even try to unravel things. The story zipped along giving entertaining content where you didn’t fall into a sleuthing mode. Instead I wanted to keep reading simply to find out Ellie’s story.
However, by the end everything came together rather quickly and it all made perfect sense. The author did a wonderful job creating the world without being predictable or relying on overused YA tropes. I also liked the structure of the book which switches between narrators as well as time frames seamlessly.
Lastly, I will say that either I am having Deja vu or I have heard a similar story at some point either from the news or a life time movie. I really can’t remember at all and that’s fine as it didn’t detract from the story at all.
I look forward to reading more of this authors works. It’s refreshing to read flawed and unreliable narrators but still want to root for them along the way.. if you’re a lover of YA thrillers, crime, psychological crime and light suspense (I guess) than this book is for you!
To be honest I got drawn to the book because of its title and actually it’s my only criticism of the book. There is a book that I had read in the past called “The Truth and Lies of Ella Black” and when I saw this current book I thought maybe it was a sequel as I confused the Ellie Black for Ella Black.” So my criticism is that more care should have been taken when choosing the titular characters name. A quick Google search would have brought up the older book and the names are just too similar making it easy to confuse the two.
However, it is most certainly not the same world at all once I started reading it. The description says “ It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.
Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.
But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.
The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.
The book is female centered for sure but I wouldn’t call it a “feminist tour de force” so don’t let that guide your decision to pick up the title when it debuts in May 2024, which you totally should.
Stephen King is quoted as saying “The Return of Ellie Black is a page-turning suspense novel, a shrewd character study, and a captivating mystery, all at the same time. The last fifty pages are magnetic. I couldn’t put it down until I’d experienced every last twist and turn.”
Other than calling it a suspense novel which I wouldn’t call it that, everything else he stated was a perfect description of my opinion as well, especially the last 50 pages. Many times I figure out various intended surprises of a book but this time I was so engrossed and turned the pages so fast that I didn’t even try to unravel things. The story zipped along giving entertaining content where you didn’t fall into a sleuthing mode. Instead I wanted to keep reading simply to find out Ellie’s story.
However, by the end everything came together rather quickly and it all made perfect sense. The author did a wonderful job creating the world without being predictable or relying on overused YA tropes. I also liked the structure of the book which switches between narrators as well as time frames seamlessly.
Lastly, I will say that either I am having Deja vu or I have heard a similar story at some point either from the news or a life time movie. I really can’t remember at all and that’s fine as it didn’t detract from the story at all.
I look forward to reading more of this authors works. It’s refreshing to read flawed and unreliable narrators but still want to root for them along the way.. if you’re a lover of YA thrillers, crime, psychological crime and light suspense (I guess) than this book is for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Vomit, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Suicide, Racism, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racial slurs
pomoevareads's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
The Return of Ellie Black was a fun thriller to end 2023 with.
When Ellie is found in a forest two years after she went missing, Detective Chelsey Calhoun, who has a sister who was killed and is very empathetic, takes the case on. Unfortunately, Ellie doesn’t want to provide any details from her captivity making Chelsey’s job very difficult. Something doesn’t add up and this detective wants to ensure another girl isn’t taken. Twist after twist, this fast paced plot driven thriller will keep you guessing.
My reading life right now needed something fairly easy to take on and this one fit the bill. The writing is straightforward and the character development is strong enough to satisfy. I always enjoy a dual POV and this one has the added interest of the captive being one of them.
I recently watched a tv show about cold cases of murders in State Parks in the US (Wild Crime on Disney+) and with this in the back of my mind as I read about Ellie showing up in the Olympic National Forest area, my hairs were up and my mind alert. Great setting!
My only criticism of this book is that it suffered a bit from a claustrophobic character pool. By that I mean, everyone is too well connected. Because of this, one of the final twists was a bit unbelievable. I think some readers will be irritated. If you can look beyond that to the message of why the author made this choice and the consequence then I believe it fits in to the messages about free will.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for my honest opinions. The Return of Ellie Black publishes May 7, 2024
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Confinement, Sexual assault, Rape, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Murder
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