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partypenguin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
The way that all of the characters are flawed, and how their desperation exacerbates those flaws, makes them feel human. No plot driven protection. It all surprised me in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Infidelity
naereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Stalking, Child death, Death, Dementia, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Grief, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts
libraryjen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
This one had some twists I didn't see, and a big one that I guessed about halfway through. It was still a wild, and enjoyable ride! Because life is busy, it took me a couple days to read the first 74 pages, then I read the rest of it in one sitting last night. I could not put it down! The characters weren't actually relatable (because I'm not crazy rich and I don't have a ton of free time or the ability to tell my staff to do my work for me when I don't feel like going to work). But, they were flawed and felt realistic to me. Her husband, Derek, and her best friend, Sal, were less likable to the than Marin, the main character. But, I still wanted good things to happen to them. The support group Marin was a part of was a great addition - it added another layer to the story.
Obviously, this book needs a trigger warning for child abduction. There's also infidelity and some not particularly graphic, but still there, sex scenes.
Overall, this was a great thriller and I definitely recommend it.
Obviously, this book needs a trigger warning for child abduction. There's also infidelity and some not particularly graphic, but still there, sex scenes.
Overall, this was a great thriller and I definitely recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Kidnapping
Moderate: Gaslighting and Murder
Minor: Sexual content and Dementia
reading_under_covers's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely a lot of drama in this one, but the ending had me đź‘€ *jaw hits floor*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Infidelity, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt
mountainstobeach's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
This book was hard to read at first due to the content so I skimmed a bunch of the initial chapters. By the end I was hooked! I knew there was a twist coming so of course, k was looking for it and figured out at least part of it before it was revealed-but I did not figure out all of the mysteries and connections ahead of time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Child death, and Domestic abuse
daniofthewood's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
karine_h's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, and Domestic abuse
Child abductionallthingsalicia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
What a read - for such an intense topic, the writing was beautifully heartbreaking. For the first half, you question where the book is going since the FMC’s grief is all consuming, but then…THEN part two completely changes the feeling, tone and direction of the book. I couldn’t put the book down after I hit the 2nd half of the book. Once the pieces started to fall together, the ending was somewhat predictable but still worth it. Highly recommend you read the content warnings for this book though, there’s a lot to unpack.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Murder, Gun violence, and Suicide
ivirtue's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Domestic abuse
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Before I go on about the good, I want to talk about what bugged me — Kenzie Li, a mixed-race AAPI woman, is described by the main character Marin, as exotic. As Kenzie (slide 8) thinks about herself, she refers to herself as exotic as well, insinuating that it is “the only thing she has going for her.” I recognize the author is Filipino & has probably been told that she “looks exotic,” so it’s not off-base for another character to show their covert racism this way. However, for the character to have that internalized racism towards themselves as a throwaway line is frustrating & exhausting. I also recognize that Kenzie was young, immature & likely unable to confront this internalized racism yet (thx to my buddy reader, Diamond @thediamondfore for pointing this out!)
This is something I’ve been asked my entire life tho— “where are you from? No, where are you REALLY from?” Meanwhile, I was born & raised in the SF Bay Area, only speak English (have been told “wow, your English is great!”) & have never been to the Philippines or China, where my parents & grandparents are from. Did I *let* these two throwaway lines get in the way of enjoying this book? No but it still triggered me :/
However, it just goes to show you the power of harmful representation & the way it can take a reader allllll the way out of a book. I don’t think the author meant harm but I’m sick of AAPI women *especially* being fetishized & oversexualized. I literally have had people PROUDLY AND UNIRONICALLY tell me “you were my first Asian” & “I’ve always wondered what it would be like with an Asian girl.” Those lines were gross & I’m so tired of this narrative.
Anyway, besides that, I didn’t see the twists & turns coming in this book at all! I felt for Marin— I felt her despair for her missing child, her rage at her unfaithful husband, & her messy unraveling. I read this in one sitting because I HAD to know what happened!
P.S. I am 32 & I’ll say bae (like they mention in the book that old people shouldn't lol) until I’m old & grey hahaha.
Overall, I will definitely try some of the author’s other works because this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read recently!!!
This is something I’ve been asked my entire life tho— “where are you from? No, where are you REALLY from?” Meanwhile, I was born & raised in the SF Bay Area, only speak English (have been told “wow, your English is great!”) & have never been to the Philippines or China, where my parents & grandparents are from. Did I *let* these two throwaway lines get in the way of enjoying this book? No but it still triggered me :/
However, it just goes to show you the power of harmful representation & the way it can take a reader allllll the way out of a book. I don’t think the author meant harm but I’m sick of AAPI women *especially* being fetishized & oversexualized. I literally have had people PROUDLY AND UNIRONICALLY tell me “you were my first Asian” & “I’ve always wondered what it would be like with an Asian girl.” Those lines were gross & I’m so tired of this narrative.
Anyway, besides that, I didn’t see the twists & turns coming in this book at all! I felt for Marin— I felt her despair for her missing child, her rage at her unfaithful husband, & her messy unraveling. I read this in one sitting because I HAD to know what happened!
P.S. I am 32 & I’ll say bae (like they mention in the book that old people shouldn't lol) until I’m old & grey hahaha.
Overall, I will definitely try some of the author’s other works because this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read recently!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide