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kellyvandamme's review against another edition
4.0
We Watch You hits the ground running by means of a prologue that talks about the human capacity for self-delusion and ends with the ominous words of the title: we watch you. Who?! Why?! Diving into a novel from a new-to-you author, you usually don’t need to read a lot to know whether or not their writing gels with you, and for me, that prologue was enough to know I was on to something good.
The principal storyline is told from the perspective of Lauren, who has just found out that Tina, one of her oldest friends with whom she has fallen out, has gone missing. Lauren is on the autism spectrum, which is most noticeable in her sometimes somewhat awkward social interactions. I really loved her, despite her naiveté and occasional guilt trip. One reveal seemed quite inevitable to me, but obviously not to Lauren, and I just wanted to shake her and shout at her to smell the bloody coffee!
Alternating with Lauren’s POV are old blog posts from the missing girl, letters and reports. This is definitely a set-up that worked for me, it keeps the pace up and it reveals much about the characters while simultaneously triggering all sorts of questions. It also makes for a very addictive read, because I always wanted to known what was around the corner.
We Watch You is a gripping psychological thriller that carefully peels back the layers to expose quite a few festering issues. Well, with most of the characters hiding things from each other, and often themselves as well, I guess there is lots to lay bare! How did four friends become three friends and an outlier and how does that bear upon the disappearance of Tina? Was she kidnapped, was she killed, did she run away, did she kill herself?! And how are her former friends connected, and all the mishap that is happening to them?
The search for the truth leads to the kind of finale that one does not expect from this type of story. Not gonna lie, I’m pretty sure it won’t work for everyone but I do love me a bit of a genre mash-up and I bloody loved that ending! With one of the characters hinting at something, I had this feeling about where this might be going, and I was over the moon when it turned out I was right!
We Watch You is a fab debut, I had a great time with it, and I honestly can’t wait for whatever N.S. Ford comes up with next!
Massive thanks to the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
The principal storyline is told from the perspective of Lauren, who has just found out that Tina, one of her oldest friends with whom she has fallen out, has gone missing. Lauren is on the autism spectrum, which is most noticeable in her sometimes somewhat awkward social interactions. I really loved her, despite her naiveté and occasional guilt trip. One reveal seemed quite inevitable to me, but obviously not to Lauren, and I just wanted to shake her and shout at her to smell the bloody coffee!
Alternating with Lauren’s POV are old blog posts from the missing girl, letters and reports. This is definitely a set-up that worked for me, it keeps the pace up and it reveals much about the characters while simultaneously triggering all sorts of questions. It also makes for a very addictive read, because I always wanted to known what was around the corner.
We Watch You is a gripping psychological thriller that carefully peels back the layers to expose quite a few festering issues. Well, with most of the characters hiding things from each other, and often themselves as well, I guess there is lots to lay bare! How did four friends become three friends and an outlier and how does that bear upon the disappearance of Tina? Was she kidnapped, was she killed, did she run away, did she kill herself?! And how are her former friends connected, and all the mishap that is happening to them?
The search for the truth leads to the kind of finale that one does not expect from this type of story. Not gonna lie, I’m pretty sure it won’t work for everyone but I do love me a bit of a genre mash-up and I bloody loved that ending! With one of the characters hinting at something, I had this feeling about where this might be going, and I was over the moon when it turned out I was right!
We Watch You is a fab debut, I had a great time with it, and I honestly can’t wait for whatever N.S. Ford comes up with next!
Massive thanks to the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
kazza27's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to The Write Reads for the invitation to the blog tour and for my copy of the ebook in return for a fair and honest review.
The book starts with a disappearance of a womanTina she has suffered with depression over the years. Her friends Lauren, Jess and Claire meet up and Lauren is really anxious about Tina. Tina’s Mum Michelle asks to meet Lauren which she is not sure about but agrees to. Lauren feels like she is responsible for Tina’s disappearance but we don’t know why.
The book is written from different perspectives including Lauren and a blog by Tina but there is another voice who is unknown to the women why is he interested in them ? It becomes apparent as the story uncovers that the friends are linked to Tina being missing because of their actions to her.
This is a gripping psychological thriller, I got into the book really easily and I wanted to find out what has happened to Tina and what the women did to her. It is complex and looks at the relationships between the women from childhood into adulthood. I felt for Lauren who is autistic and struggles with the world.
As events take an even darker turn and Lauren is threatened. I enjoyed the suspense and the building tension as the book progresses.
Unfortunately the ending was not what I had expected from the rest of the story and a massive curve ball that did detract from my enjoyment of the whole book others may not feel the same as me.
3.5 stars ***.5
The book starts with a disappearance of a womanTina she has suffered with depression over the years. Her friends Lauren, Jess and Claire meet up and Lauren is really anxious about Tina. Tina’s Mum Michelle asks to meet Lauren which she is not sure about but agrees to. Lauren feels like she is responsible for Tina’s disappearance but we don’t know why.
The book is written from different perspectives including Lauren and a blog by Tina but there is another voice who is unknown to the women why is he interested in them ? It becomes apparent as the story uncovers that the friends are linked to Tina being missing because of their actions to her.
This is a gripping psychological thriller, I got into the book really easily and I wanted to find out what has happened to Tina and what the women did to her. It is complex and looks at the relationships between the women from childhood into adulthood. I felt for Lauren who is autistic and struggles with the world.
As events take an even darker turn and Lauren is threatened. I enjoyed the suspense and the building tension as the book progresses.
Unfortunately the ending was not what I had expected from the rest of the story and a massive curve ball that did detract from my enjoyment of the whole book others may not feel the same as me.
3.5 stars ***.5
tessa_talks_books's review against another edition
4.0
What's it about (in a nutshell):
Three friends can't believe that one of their own could be dead, so they go on a fact-finding mission to determine what happened to their childhood friend.
What I Enjoyed:
The characters were unique and well-developed. I loved how interesting the characters' unique aspects and personal challenges are. Each one came to life on the page and compelled me with their journey separate from each other.
The sci-fi angle definitely intrigued me. Like Wendig or Koontz, the surprise sci-fi element of the story fascinated me with its implications. It also adds to the thrills even after I closed the book and thought back to the story. It created that lasting creepiness that marks a good psychological thriller.
The story is full of thrills and fast-paced. I adore a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat from page 1 until the last page, and We Watch You is just that type of novel. The stakes stay high for the three friends as someone may be after them as well as the friend they are trying to find. And, I never could have guessed the conclusion, and it is absolutely jaw-dropping.
Characters:
I adored Louise, the main character, and that she contends with being on the Autism spectrum. I thought that her challenge was portrayed realistically and intriguingly. It is also handled with the utmost respect and not as a plot device. Or is it?
Three friends can't believe that one of their own could be dead, so they go on a fact-finding mission to determine what happened to their childhood friend.
What I Enjoyed:
The characters were unique and well-developed. I loved how interesting the characters' unique aspects and personal challenges are. Each one came to life on the page and compelled me with their journey separate from each other.
The sci-fi angle definitely intrigued me. Like Wendig or Koontz, the surprise sci-fi element of the story fascinated me with its implications. It also adds to the thrills even after I closed the book and thought back to the story. It created that lasting creepiness that marks a good psychological thriller.
The story is full of thrills and fast-paced. I adore a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat from page 1 until the last page, and We Watch You is just that type of novel. The stakes stay high for the three friends as someone may be after them as well as the friend they are trying to find. And, I never could have guessed the conclusion, and it is absolutely jaw-dropping.
Characters:
I adored Louise, the main character, and that she contends with being on the Autism spectrum. I thought that her challenge was portrayed realistically and intriguingly. It is also handled with the utmost respect and not as a plot device. Or is it?
avoraciousreader68's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Lauren, Jess, and Claire have secrets and when their other friend, Tina, goes missing and someone seems to have targeted them, they wonder who will be next.
This is a slower moving than I anticipated read, but it’s still a great mystery. The reveal unwinds more and more as each page turns until the ending. And that ending? Whoa. There is closure, but there’s also a hint that maybe there’s more to come.
The characters are not really all that likeable. And yet they are. I can’t explain it. The underlying menace running through the entire story is palpable and I really enjoy the way it’s told. The switching POVs are great though most of the story is told from Lauren’s perspective. A little too neatly done in some areas, but forgivable because the plot is intriguing. I’d definitely read more by this new-to-me author.
tessa_talks_books's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What's it about (in a nutshell):
Three friends can't believe that one of their own could be dead, so they go on a fact-finding mission to determine what happened to their childhood friend.
What I Enjoyed:
The characters were unique and well-developed. I loved how interesting the characters' unique aspects and personal challenges are. Each one came to life on the page and compelled me with their journey separate from each other.
The sci-fi angle definitely intrigued me. Like Wendig or Koontz, the surprise sci-fi element of the story fascinated me with its implications. It also adds to the thrills even after I closed the book and thought back to the story. It created that lasting creepiness that marks a good psychological thriller.
The story is full of thrills and fast-paced. I adore a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat from page 1 until the last page, and We Watch You is just that type of novel. The stakes stay high for the three friends as someone may be after them as well as the friend they are trying to find. And, I never could have guessed the conclusion, and it is absolutely jaw-dropping.
Characters:
I adored Louise, the main character, and that she contends with being on the Autism spectrum. I thought that her challenge was portrayed realistically and intriguingly. It is also handled with the utmost respect and not as a plot device. Or is it? 😉
Reminds Me Of:
The sci-fi twist reminds me of the twists in Dean Koontz and Chuck Wendig's books.
What I Wish:
I wish the setting were more descriptive and immersive. I love to be pulled into the story through sensory descriptions of the surroundings. It's a potent tool, and I can imagine it would make even an exciting read such as this one go to the next level
I also wish there had been more clues or innuendo leading up to the sci-fi reveal. I've seen this done, and it works better for me, as a reader, if the reveal is hinted at throughout the book or more obviously hinted at (if it's indeed there and I just missed it). I would also love that plot aspect to have been developed more. It is so intriguing that I really wanted to know more about it.
To Read or Not to Read:
If you are looking for a psychological thriller with a unique sci-fi twist, you won't want to miss this indie-published book by NS Ford.
bookmadjo's review
4.0
We Watch You is a very twisty thriller that does not reveal itself until the very end. It is so multi-layered that you will not realise what is happening until the layers are peeled away. Primarily the voice we hear is Lauren, who is autistic, and sometimes struggles to understand societal norms. I found my sympathy was firmly with her at the beginning of the story, but at the same time it was not entirely clear what it was that she had done that made her a potential victim. Interspersed between chapters from Lauren’s point of view are letters written by her friend Claire, and blog posts from the missing friend, Tina. In addition there are other character voices that are less easy to identify, but honestly, as confusing as that sounds, it all becomes clear as the book progresses.
Set in a small town where people tend to stay and not move away, there was a slightly claustrophobic feel to the story, which was perfect in relation to the build up of tension as more of the story is revealed, and particularly as Lauren began to feel like she was being followed.
I found this such an entertaining psychological thriller, with a mysterious element to it which intrigued me. I would definitely recommend this book, and look forward to what N.S. Ford does next.
Set in a small town where people tend to stay and not move away, there was a slightly claustrophobic feel to the story, which was perfect in relation to the build up of tension as more of the story is revealed, and particularly as Lauren began to feel like she was being followed.
I found this such an entertaining psychological thriller, with a mysterious element to it which intrigued me. I would definitely recommend this book, and look forward to what N.S. Ford does next.
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