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emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It wasn't for me. It was emotional and a bit hard. But a bit slow for me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy, Abandonment
dark
emotional
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I don't generally like thrillers, this was pretty good. I really connected with Laurel and Ellie, and I felt invested in their stories. While maybe a little slower than I would have liked, it was still engaging and fun.
364 pages
- I still think it's weird that Hannah marries Theo. Your dead sister loved him, he's off limits girl
- Noelle is a terrible person. Her just leaving Ellie to die in the cellar is so disturbing. Especially with her just slowly losing interest in her and Poppy. You ruined her life because of that and then you just don't care anymore? Chilling.
- I love the scene with Poppy and Laurel brushing her hair. That was sweet.
- I feel like Floyd wouldn't have been charged with the accomplice thing if he could've spun the story right.
364 pages
- I still think it's weird that Hannah marries Theo. Your dead sister loved him, he's off limits girl
- Noelle is a terrible person. Her just leaving Ellie to die in the cellar is so disturbing. Especially with her just slowly losing interest in her and Poppy. You ruined her life because of that and then you just don't care anymore? Chilling.
- I love the scene with Poppy and Laurel brushing her hair. That was sweet.
- I feel like Floyd wouldn't have been charged with the accomplice thing if he could've spun the story right.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Kidnapping, Stalking, Pregnancy
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A solid mystery with a messed up twist per usual with Lisa Jewel and it mostly worked! The narrator did a great job with different voices and accents too.
My biggest issue:Floyd and Noelle weren’t properly held accountable. Floyd “accidentally” killed Noelle after finding out she kidnapped Ellie, and that Poppy wasn’t his biological daughter. He just ran away from Laurel and Poppy and ended his life instead of facing some consequences! And it frustrating for me, to see that Floyd was selfish till the very end, because Poppy loved him being her father! Maybe in some weird alternative he could’ve still been involved? But he took the selfish way out and poor Poppy has to suffer.
My second issue was that Laurel doesn’t really seem to care for her 2 kids who were still alive. She compares Ellie to Hannah FAR too often, and doesn’t talk to her son. I wish she had some sort of reckoning earlier in the book, and I wish Hannah confronted her about it. But I’m glad her ex-Paul did. Because Laurel kept seeing herself as the only one suffering but like Paul said, she abandoned her family once Ellie disappeared.
Other than that, this was another solid mystery.
My biggest issue:
My second issue was that Laurel doesn’t really seem to care for her 2 kids who were still alive. She compares Ellie to Hannah FAR too often, and doesn’t talk to her son. I wish she had some sort of reckoning earlier in the book, and I wish Hannah confronted her about it. But I’m glad her ex-Paul did. Because Laurel kept seeing herself as the only one suffering but like Paul said, she abandoned her family once Ellie disappeared.
Other than that, this was another solid mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping
Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment
Minor: Suicide, Murder
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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:
Complicated
Spoilersssss!!!!
This book was incredibly traumatic to read as a mother and as a woman. Starting with the Noelle's perspective where she explains meeting Floyd. She was clearly falling in love with him and this man found her attractive 'enough' but not really. At first it was clear he only wanted sex even though she was a Virgin at an old age. Any intelligent man could see she was interested in more. I am not at all sympathizing with her but his actions led her to do some crazy things just to "keep" him so to speak.
Next there of course is the kidnapping of ellie. A bright young girl who just wanted to pass her exams and graduate with her boyfriend at the time. She was kidnapped and for a long time didn't even know why. Then suddenly this teenager was pregnant, forced to have the baby with no medication in a filthy basement where she eventually passed away dreaming of her mother. As a mom these are some of my deepest fears, not to mention that she was so close to home and never found. If you have read this far into my reveiw and still want to read this book, you have been warned.
This book was incredibly traumatic to read as a mother and as a woman. Starting with the Noelle's perspective where she explains meeting Floyd. She was clearly falling in love with him and this man found her attractive 'enough' but not really. At first it was clear he only wanted sex even though she was a Virgin at an old age. Any intelligent man could see she was interested in more. I am not at all sympathizing with her but his actions led her to do some crazy things just to "keep" him so to speak.
Next there of course is the kidnapping of ellie. A bright young girl who just wanted to pass her exams and graduate with her boyfriend at the time. She was kidnapped and for a long time didn't even know why. Then suddenly this teenager was pregnant, forced to have the baby with no medication in a filthy basement where she eventually passed away dreaming of her mother. As a mom these are some of my deepest fears, not to mention that she was so close to home and never found. If you have read this far into my reveiw and still want to read this book, you have been warned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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:
No
I found the ending predictable, but the character development and writing were really enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Soooop slow but it was fun to piece the events together. The back and forth between narrators and time period was a bit confusing at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 ⭐️ idk I messed up the shelving of this
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, Stalking