Scan barcode
michelle_my_belle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a very fast paced, action packed thriller. It leaned a little too far into horror for my tastes and contained a lot of graphic violence. I will say, it was a very compelling story and I continued reading wanting to find out what happened, so it was definitely successful in drawing me in and building suspense. Overall, it just wasn’t really for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Torture, Animal cruelty, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Ableism, Death, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Trafficking, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Cancer
sosocrafty's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Violence, Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Gore, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit, Terminal illness, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Rape, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, and Animal death
melissa_h's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A pretty solid thriller with some good twists.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Death, Mass/school shootings, Body horror, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Murder
noceur's review
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
3.0
i thought this was going to be a mystery but apparently not we learn who the kidnapper is in the first chapters, i have mixed feelings about this book some parts were cheesy and sometimes the villain came of as the over the top, mustache twirling kind and it took me out of the story but other times i would find myself rooting for the fmc and guessing what will happen, overall it was a good time but just keep in mind that this book relies on the shook value if you want things to make sense all the time this is not it there are some stupid decisions
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny
Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, and Pedophilia
meeklovestoread's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I put this book down 22 pages in the first time, but I just couldn't help not knowing what happens especially considering how popular it was online so I decided to give the book a chance. I did finish it this time. Overall I'd say it was a very entertaining read for me. All together I read it within a few hours. Very fast paced in my opinion, however there were numerous inconsistencies, idiotic behavior, and unsettling details that didn't need to be included.
We find out who the perpetrator(s) is/are pretty quickly which to me wasn't a surprise. The person revealed themsleves earlier but the main character just didn't pick up on the dialogue. The part about Lars and Ashley being brother's was unexpected. I'll grant the author that, but having Sandi involved felt ridiculous. She didn't really contribute much to the story. Also I wasn't too surprised that she was involved cuz she was a little too calm for me to believe something wasn' t up.
Also, the author has a tendecy to utilize plot points only when they're convenient for the story to either move the plot along or to enhance the stakes rather than having the plot points make sense.
For example, we're told they're in a blizzard, but when the characters would go outside there's rarely any mention of them being affected the gushing winds pulling them back or suffering from frost bite or them shivering at all.
Another example is how the abducted child, Jay, was portrayed. She has Addison's disease and is told that extreme stressful situations can indirectly lead to her death. But this element is only utilize when the author wants to raise the stakes because when Darby ultimately finds her way to Jay she is unbelievably calm. And she remains calm in most of the situations the main character encounters. Not once did she shed tears or cry hysterically. I thought this was deliberate and that the author was gonna reveal some big twist that the girl was in on it too or something, but no, it's just poor writing.
Also, I found the use of racial slurs in this book to be so unnecessary. As well as the potential incest/molestation and animal cruelty. Like we get the main perpetrator is a reprehensible psychotic human being, but I think we established that the moment it's revealed that they sex traffick young girls and don't care. All that other stuff wasn't just unnecessary icing an already drenched cake.
Also we find that Lars suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome which to me, was very unnecessary and I think was only used to establish that he was a "mindless" follower and a victim to his brother's conditioning. But I don't think it was necessary to add things like fetal alcohol syndrome and pancreatic cancer when they literally contributed little to nothing towards the plot.
Also, the ending felt kinda ambiguous to me, but maybe I just looked too much into it. I'm glad I read it so I can assuage my curiosity so I know to never pick it up again. Don't think I'll ever read anything this author writes. It just wasn't for me.
We find out who the perpetrator(s) is/are pretty quickly which to me wasn't a surprise. The person revealed themsleves earlier but the main character just didn't pick up on the dialogue.
Also, the author has a tendecy to utilize plot points only when they're convenient for the story to either move the plot along or to enhance the stakes rather than having the plot points make sense.
For example, we're told they're in a blizzard, but when the characters would go outside there's rarely any mention of them being affected the gushing winds pulling them back or suffering from frost bite or them shivering at all.
Another example is how the abducted child, Jay, was portrayed. She has Addison's disease and is told that extreme stressful situations can indirectly lead to her death. But this element is only utilize when the author wants to raise the stakes because when Darby ultimately finds her way to Jay she is unbelievably calm. And she remains calm in most of the situations the main character encounters. Not once did she shed tears or cry hysterically. I thought this was deliberate and that the author was gonna reveal some big twist that the girl was in on it too or something, but no, it's just poor writing.
Also, I found the use of racial slurs in this book to be so unnecessary. As well as the potential incest/molestation and animal cruelty. Like we get the main perpetrator is a reprehensible psychotic human being, but I think we established that the moment it's revealed that they sex traffick young girls and don't care. All that other stuff wasn't just unnecessary icing an already drenched cake.
Also, the ending felt kinda ambiguous to me, but maybe I just looked too much into it. I'm glad I read it so I can assuage my curiosity so I know to never pick it up again. Don't think I'll ever read anything this author writes. It just wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, and Trafficking
Minor: Animal cruelty, Grief, Incest, Medical content, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Vomit
weird_but_fucking_beautiful's review
dark
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? No
4.0
This book reads like a Liam Neeson movie. Once the action begins, it is rapid fire quick and the dialogue crackles with menacing suspense. The cliffhanger chapter endings beg you to push on even if it is 1am on a work night…you know you won’t sleep until you find out what happens next. Taylor Adams ratchets up the tension like the best of them a la Stephen King. In fact it if I didn’t know better, it felt like I was reading an earlier novel by Mr. King (the emphasis on “earlier”)
Darby, the reluctant heroine of this book proves to be both resourceful and badass. In the course of this fateful eight hours she grows from an angsty college student with a chip on her shoulder to a pragmatic and selfless guardian to young Jay.
The novel’s intent is to entertain and it delivers on that intent. It was a creepy and fun ride with copious amounts of snow, which in my opinion ALWAYS ratchets up the anxiety and foreboding to the Nth degree (think The Shining).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Murder, Confinement, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Medical content, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Vomit
Minor: Grief and Emotional abuse
violetbentbackwards1036's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Pedophilia, Medical content, Terminal illness, Torture, Trafficking, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Animal death, Gore, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Gun violence, Murder, and Vomit
lucimolri's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? No
5.0
Madre mía, como me he gozado este libro! Intrigadísima de principio a fin, me ha gustado muchísimo! El set up, los personajes, los plot twist… cuando sospechas de algo, la autora viene y te pone otra idea en mente para luego volver a darle la vuelta a la tortilla. Da gusto leer algo de misterio cortito y que te enganche tanto que no quieras dejar de leerlo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Car accident, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Torture, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, and Trafficking
thewildnorry's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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? No
2.5
2.5 stars. May add more later but the horrific of treatment of characters with developmental delays, needless and annoying repetition and lack of subtlety make me want to burn this book. Add the disappointing and nonsensical Epilogue and there we have it.
[CHARACTERS]
Lars
When first introduced to Lars I took him for one of those stereotypical boys who's obsessed with anime and first person shooters and puts people off because of this and their annoying, gross, and misogynistic tendencies. His dumbness and spinelessness seemed to be maybe a slight developmental delay but more due to his poverty and past trauma than an actual illness.
When it was revealed that he has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, I almost threw up. Then I almost burned the book. Then I wrote long rants about representation of those with developmental delays, mental illnesses, and other disabilities in books. Can a person with FAS be a villain? Sure. Is it ok to have the protagonist to call the character with FAS "Rodent Face" on almost every single page? Hell. No. The FAS facial features tend to come as a result of their syndrome and so making fun of his looks that come from this? Off the table. Mouth-breathing? Sure. His awful actions? Go for it. But what the actual fuck was this.
Ashley
So bad that he was unbelievably bad. If someone has to say "I'm a big bad guy. I'm a monster in a monster movie. I'm evil. I'm a liar." Then they're not well-written. We should be able to tell.
Darby
Has no flaws. Oh, was I supposed to believe the fact that an 18/19 year old said awful things to her mother and had a bad relationship with her is supposed to be a major character flaw? I understand why the movie added in the drug addiction because that makes sense for the "high stakes" of their fraught relationship as opposed to just personality conflicts and bad choices. That said, I do like her cleverness a lot more in here.
Ed
The best of the best. His character and growth throughout the story was so well done. I adored him.
Sandi
Fine. Her motives for getting involved in the plot are never fully explained though. I also don't get why she'd ransom a kid to help battered women? Like that was weird.
Jay
Such a badass. Totally done dirty by the movie. I mean was it unbelievable that this didn't send her into an Addisonian Crisis? Yeah 100%. But I still enjoyed her being more active here.
[WRITING]
The author seemed to lack any trust in his readers to be able to piece together clues or recognize foreshadowing coming into fruition. Everything was obvious and nothing was subtle.
* The idea that Ash is a "magic man" and "showman" regularly comes up. So does Ash's torture tendencies and reminders that he's a liar. Why don't you let readers slip into forgetting so we're shocked when something bad happens or feel validated when we catch him out with Darby?
* "'And never insult Ashley, either,' Jay warned. 'He . . . he acts like it’s okay at first, but he remembers for later. And he gets his payback if you hurt his feelings—'” - It's such obvious foreshadowing that when this does come full circle, it's more like "Oh this is when that happens" as opposed to us realizing the depravity of his character.
* For some reason the fact Ashley acknowledges about his and Darby's names earlier in the book (that Ashley has a traditionally girls name and Darby has a traditionally boys name) does not come full circle despite the opportunity for this to be the reason that Spoiler the policeman shoots Darby instead of Ashley. I mean how awful (but beautifully written) would it be if Jay tells the policeman to save Darby from Ashley, and that's another reason why the police officer gets it wrong.
The pacing would be so much better if the author cut out all the repetition and just got to the action. I read the same phrase several times, and the characters had the same thoughts several times.
The dialogue was terrible. Especially Ashley's once he was revealed as a villain. I mean the things he said entirely earnestly? No one says that. Or even thinks like that. It was so hard to take him seriously as a scary figure when he continued to use the words "golly" and "jelly side up" and "magic man" un-ironically.
The author gives fantastic descriptions and there were several really clever lines in here as well. You can find them in my notes and highlights.
Last, I didn't like the way the author spoke about mental illness, disabilities, religion, women's issues, guns, and other things. Like most of the things (other than that which I already expounded on) were really minor wording issues that spoke to a viewpoint that I found uncomfortable and wrong. (Using the r-slur like it's nothing, mentioning the NRA was right, etc.)
[LIVE REACTION NOTES]
- Some really killer one liners.
- I *really* enjoy Ed's character.
- Ash is a much more obvious charlatan.
- Oh good. Ash's racist.
- I like the note passing scene.
- *DYING* laughing at the note passing scene with the girlfriend and mouthing.
- Ashley's interrogation of Darby is disarmingly charming. Here he has to put his narcissism aside to do the job.
- Two thumbs down for the worst described kiss ever.
- In the movie it was unclear why she didn't choose the former marine. Now it makes more sense.
- Movie also missed the humor.
- Bringing up the nail gun as a yellow card makes that scene with Darby so much more sinister. That he's done it before and it's not desperation
- "You're kind of a damaged girl. I like it." Oop.
- Enjoys back and forth quips.
- Darby gets to be more of a badass and isn't super flawed. All her flaws are in the past and she's overcoming them.
- Ashley is like a caricature and uses the weirdest fucking sayings that aren't human "Golly" "toast lands jelly side up" "let the monsters do their thing"
- Holy shit the sudden violence.
- The perspective shifts only happen when the author gets excited but we as a reader don't need them.
- Also Ashley here is so over the top narcissistic and easy rather than the just DARK version in the movie
- Uncle is interesting both places.
- Wtf is this language "smooch"
- "Oh Darbs. I love You." His love is kinda creepy.
- The revelation that Lars and Ashley wanted to be here is interesting. Idk if I like it more or less than movie
- Oh I *really* don't like how they portray fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Yikes. Sandi is even more gross.
- Ed is also still great.
- Well that was gory and gross. (Ed + Sandi)
- It woulda been better if Jay hadn't said "Dont insult him he always remembers but instead just said something vague."
- Let. The audience. Piece It. Together.
- The police going to the wrong rest area is SUCH a good twist.
- SO repetitive.
- "Jelly side up" makes me literally angry
- Ashley's sick fascination with Darby is boring. I liked the movie better.
- I also liked Darby's story in the movie better but not necessarily the coke? Idk tho. Definitely makes for a better unreliable narrator but only if it'd been revealed not right away.
- If the cop didn't get confused because Jay said Darby and Ashley than there is no point to having named him Ashley
- Oh. There's no point. cool.
- Why is she alive.
- Why not just have Jay do a rubbing. Wtf.
- damn.
[CHARACTERS]
Lars
When first introduced to Lars I took him for one of those stereotypical boys who's obsessed with anime and first person shooters and puts people off because of this and their annoying, gross, and misogynistic tendencies. His dumbness and spinelessness seemed to be maybe a slight developmental delay but more due to his poverty and past trauma than an actual illness.
When it was revealed that he has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, I almost threw up. Then I almost burned the book. Then I wrote long rants about representation of those with developmental delays, mental illnesses, and other disabilities in books. Can a person with FAS be a villain? Sure. Is it ok to have the protagonist to call the character with FAS "Rodent Face" on almost every single page? Hell. No. The FAS facial features tend to come as a result of their syndrome and so making fun of his looks that come from this? Off the table. Mouth-breathing? Sure. His awful actions? Go for it. But what the actual fuck was this.
Ashley
So bad that he was unbelievably bad. If someone has to say "I'm a big bad guy. I'm a monster in a monster movie. I'm evil. I'm a liar." Then they're not well-written. We should be able to tell.
Darby
Has no flaws. Oh, was I supposed to believe the fact that an 18/19 year old said awful things to her mother and had a bad relationship with her is supposed to be a major character flaw? I understand why the movie added in the drug addiction because that makes sense for the "high stakes" of their fraught relationship as opposed to just personality conflicts and bad choices. That said, I do like her cleverness a lot more in here.
Ed
The best of the best. His character and growth throughout the story was so well done. I adored him.
Sandi
Fine. Her motives for getting involved in the plot are never fully explained though. I also don't get why she'd ransom a kid to help battered women? Like that was weird.
Jay
Such a badass. Totally done dirty by the movie. I mean was it unbelievable that this didn't send her into an Addisonian Crisis? Yeah 100%. But I still enjoyed her being more active here.
[WRITING]
The author seemed to lack any trust in his readers to be able to piece together clues or recognize foreshadowing coming into fruition. Everything was obvious and nothing was subtle.
* The idea that Ash is a "magic man" and "showman" regularly comes up. So does Ash's torture tendencies and reminders that he's a liar. Why don't you let readers slip into forgetting so we're shocked when something bad happens or feel validated when we catch him out with Darby?
* "'And never insult Ashley, either,' Jay warned. 'He . . . he acts like it’s okay at first, but he remembers for later. And he gets his payback if you hurt his feelings—'” - It's such obvious foreshadowing that when this does come full circle, it's more like "Oh this is when that happens" as opposed to us realizing the depravity of his character.
* For some reason the fact Ashley acknowledges about his and Darby's names earlier in the book (that Ashley has a traditionally girls name and Darby has a traditionally boys name) does not come full circle despite the opportunity for this to be the reason that Spoiler the policeman shoots Darby instead of Ashley. I mean how awful (but beautifully written) would it be if Jay tells the policeman to save Darby from Ashley, and that's another reason why the police officer gets it wrong.
The pacing would be so much better if the author cut out all the repetition and just got to the action. I read the same phrase several times, and the characters had the same thoughts several times.
The dialogue was terrible. Especially Ashley's once he was revealed as a villain. I mean the things he said entirely earnestly? No one says that. Or even thinks like that. It was so hard to take him seriously as a scary figure when he continued to use the words "golly" and "jelly side up" and "magic man" un-ironically.
The author gives fantastic descriptions and there were several really clever lines in here as well. You can find them in my notes and highlights.
Last, I didn't like the way the author spoke about mental illness, disabilities, religion, women's issues, guns, and other things. Like most of the things (other than that which I already expounded on) were really minor wording issues that spoke to a viewpoint that I found uncomfortable and wrong. (Using the r-slur like it's nothing, mentioning the NRA was right, etc.)
[LIVE REACTION NOTES]
- Some really killer one liners.
- I *really* enjoy Ed's character.
- Ash is a much more obvious charlatan.
- Oh good. Ash's racist.
- I like the note passing scene.
- *DYING* laughing at the note passing scene with the girlfriend and mouthing.
- Ashley's interrogation of Darby is disarmingly charming. Here he has to put his narcissism aside to do the job.
- Two thumbs down for the worst described kiss ever.
- In the movie it was unclear why she didn't choose the former marine. Now it makes more sense.
- Movie also missed the humor.
- Bringing up the nail gun as a yellow card makes that scene with Darby so much more sinister. That he's done it before and it's not desperation
- "You're kind of a damaged girl. I like it." Oop.
- Enjoys back and forth quips.
- Darby gets to be more of a badass and isn't super flawed. All her flaws are in the past and she's overcoming them.
- Ashley is like a caricature and uses the weirdest fucking sayings that aren't human "Golly" "toast lands jelly side up" "let the monsters do their thing"
- Holy shit the sudden violence.
- The perspective shifts only happen when the author gets excited but we as a reader don't need them.
- Also Ashley here is so over the top narcissistic and easy rather than the just DARK version in the movie
- Uncle is interesting both places.
- Wtf is this language "smooch"
- "Oh Darbs. I love You." His love is kinda creepy.
- The revelation that Lars and Ashley wanted to be here is interesting. Idk if I like it more or less than movie
- Oh I *really* don't like how they portray fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Yikes. Sandi is even more gross.
- Ed is also still great.
- Well that was gory and gross. (Ed + Sandi)
- It woulda been better if Jay hadn't said "Dont insult him he always remembers but instead just said something vague."
- Let. The audience. Piece It. Together.
- The police going to the wrong rest area is SUCH a good twist.
- SO repetitive.
- "Jelly side up" makes me literally angry
- Ashley's sick fascination with Darby is boring. I liked the movie better.
- I also liked Darby's story in the movie better but not necessarily the coke? Idk tho. Definitely makes for a better unreliable narrator but only if it'd been revealed not right away.
- If the cop didn't get confused because Jay said Darby and Ashley than there is no point to having named him Ashley
- Oh. There's no point. cool.
- Why is she alive.
- Why not just have Jay do a rubbing. Wtf.
- damn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Torture, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Animal death, Cancer, Racial slurs, and Alcoholism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Incest
hitnoises's review
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Read it all in one sitting and I enjoyed. I had fun, I was weirdly captivated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Child abuse, Medical content, and Sexual violence