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sarahrob's review against another edition
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? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. I still feel like I’m working through what I actually think about it, but I couldn’t get through it fast enough. It was tense and thoughtful. Cammie is such a great villain, and I find myself still questioning her.
I loved the unreliable nature of each character and how the author played into that. Using an omniscient narrator, but having each characters’ understanding of reality be untrustworthy was such a fun take on the unreliable narrator.
I loved the unreliable nature of each character and how the author played into that. Using an omniscient narrator, but having each characters’ understanding of reality be untrustworthy was such a fun take on the unreliable narrator.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, and Cancer
Minor: Suicide attempt and Miscarriage
laughtrack17's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Death
Moderate: Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Self harm, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
jkar7's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Overall it was a bit boring. There were some parts I thought were done really well, but overall I just thought the characters were flat and a bit dim.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, and Suicide
Moderate: Cancer and Alcoholism
plumdustsuns's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
It was a really fun and easy read and I finished it within two days. However, the opening made an impact/impression that there would be a really dramatic climax regarding Cammie and her ways. Because she said these people tried to take “everything” from her. However, there’s nothing but a sad, failed intervention and a shot up statue. It wasn’t even necessary for Cammie to get ‘taken down’ but for her to even be a bit threatened/losing for the opening and the book to really measure up and be an all around read that would have lived up to the thrill falsely promised. They just find out and people around them don’t really care and Cammie’s family is blasé at best and she’s “troubled” but why? I can respect a female hustler but the plot was just… not.
I’m just severely disappointed with how almost nothing happened and it just falls flat as a really boring book by the end/even halfway through, considering what was the end/consequences.
I’m just severely disappointed with how almost nothing happened and it just falls flat as a really boring book by the end/even halfway through, considering what was the end/consequences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
emma_b_rhodes's review
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Cancer, and Self harm
Minor: Kidnapping
kelly_e's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Title: The Fake
Author: Zoe Whittall
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: March 21, 2023
Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Unexpected • Tense • Messy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
In the aftermath of her wife's death, Shelby is barely functioning in her grief. Her friends and family are continuously feeding her toxic positivity, which has lead to her isolating herself. At her grief support group, she meets Cammie, who allows Shelby to express her deepest, darkest feelings. With Cammie's help, Shelby starts feeling pieces of her life return. Until one day her gut tells her that something is amiss.
Gibson is still reeling from his recent divorce, and finds himself deeply depressed. When he meets Cammie at the bar one night, a whirlwind romance ensues, and Gibson feels truly known for the first time in his life. When her introduces her to his friends, they are wary and he, too, starts to question all the drama in Cammie's life.
When Gibson and Shelby meet, they realize Cammie’s stories don’t always add up. In fact, they’re far from the truth. But what kind of a person would lie about having cancer? And what does it say about Shelby and Gibson that they fell for it?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Zoe Whittall was born in my small town, and despite not knowing her personally, I still feel a sense of connection to her roots and want to support her literary endeavors. For that reason I was interested in her 2023 release, The Fake, which also had one of the most intriguing premises I have come across for new releases.
At times this novel reads somewhat like a thriller, fraught with tension and suspicious behaviour, that I thought (on numerous occasions) there would be some big revelation. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In all honesty, not a heck of a lot actually happens and there is no real denouement. Instead, what this literary novel does is dig deep below the surface into the intricacies of human relationships and connection. Of course, that is where the real value is - in reflecting on why we connect with the people we connect with? Additionally, there is a great deal of focus on mental illness and mental health, which I commend the author for handling with care in most cases. (There is definitely some insensitive language use that could have been avoided).
When it comes to the characters, none of them are overly likeable. And that may just be because there was so much room for more character development, and certainly more space for getting into each character's story. I did feel empathy for Shelby as I, too, know the depths of partner death. Some of the sections talking about grief were extremely well penned. By the time I got to the end, I was left wanting to know so much more about Cammie - her background, her motivations, her reason for being the way she is, that I was left slightly unsatisfied.
Unfortunately, the synopsis gives away too much of the central plot. In my opinion, it would have better not knowing Cammie is a con artist from the get go, as this would have allowed more of an unveiling. It is certainly a quick and interesting read, which offered me quite a bit to reflect on, but at the end of the day it just didn't blow me away.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone looking for a book with mental health rep
• readers who enjoy books filled with lies
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"It's the unknown that is truly frightening."
"There is freedom in a new friend while you're grieving. There's no expectation that you'll return to who you once where; they never knew that person anyway."
"Everyone pretends that their reality is the only one."
Author: Zoe Whittall
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: March 21, 2023
Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Unexpected • Tense • Messy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
In the aftermath of her wife's death, Shelby is barely functioning in her grief. Her friends and family are continuously feeding her toxic positivity, which has lead to her isolating herself. At her grief support group, she meets Cammie, who allows Shelby to express her deepest, darkest feelings. With Cammie's help, Shelby starts feeling pieces of her life return. Until one day her gut tells her that something is amiss.
Gibson is still reeling from his recent divorce, and finds himself deeply depressed. When he meets Cammie at the bar one night, a whirlwind romance ensues, and Gibson feels truly known for the first time in his life. When her introduces her to his friends, they are wary and he, too, starts to question all the drama in Cammie's life.
When Gibson and Shelby meet, they realize Cammie’s stories don’t always add up. In fact, they’re far from the truth. But what kind of a person would lie about having cancer? And what does it say about Shelby and Gibson that they fell for it?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Zoe Whittall was born in my small town, and despite not knowing her personally, I still feel a sense of connection to her roots and want to support her literary endeavors. For that reason I was interested in her 2023 release, The Fake, which also had one of the most intriguing premises I have come across for new releases.
At times this novel reads somewhat like a thriller, fraught with tension and suspicious behaviour, that I thought (on numerous occasions) there would be some big revelation. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In all honesty, not a heck of a lot actually happens and there is no real denouement. Instead, what this literary novel does is dig deep below the surface into the intricacies of human relationships and connection. Of course, that is where the real value is - in reflecting on why we connect with the people we connect with? Additionally, there is a great deal of focus on mental illness and mental health, which I commend the author for handling with care in most cases. (There is definitely some insensitive language use that could have been avoided).
When it comes to the characters, none of them are overly likeable. And that may just be because there was so much room for more character development, and certainly more space for getting into each character's story. I did feel empathy for Shelby as I, too, know the depths of partner death. Some of the sections talking about grief were extremely well penned. By the time I got to the end, I was left wanting to know so much more about Cammie - her background, her motivations, her reason for being the way she is, that I was left slightly unsatisfied.
Unfortunately, the synopsis gives away too much of the central plot. In my opinion, it would have better not knowing Cammie is a con artist from the get go, as this would have allowed more of an unveiling. It is certainly a quick and interesting read, which offered me quite a bit to reflect on, but at the end of the day it just didn't blow me away.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone looking for a book with mental health rep
• readers who enjoy books filled with lies
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"It's the unknown that is truly frightening."
"There is freedom in a new friend while you're grieving. There's no expectation that you'll return to who you once where; they never knew that person anyway."
"Everyone pretends that their reality is the only one."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Mental illness, Grief, Toxic friendship, Death, Toxic relationship, and Cursing
Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, Cancer, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Addiction, Vomit, and Miscarriage
depression, anxiety, PTSD, agoraphobia, death, sibling death, death of partner, divorce, adoption
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