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oxfordcommas91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Was totally hooked to this twisty, dark, and at more than one moment, disturbing suspense/thriller about two women who come into each other’s lives through sheer happenstance - finding out that they are “birthday twins” while out celebrating their 45th birthday, at the same bar.
Josie convinces famous podcaster Alix to do a pod about their lives as “birthday twins” and the undertaking Josie claims she is making to change her life for the better.
This book really held my attention as it wove and dipped through these two women’s lives. I don’t want to give anything away, just suffice to say that by the end my mind was reeling. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, and Mental illness
Moderate: Murder and Death
fink1129's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Stalking, Blood, Cursing, Death, Medical content, Alcoholism, Incest, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Grief, Murder, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Pandemic/Epidemic, Mental illness, Addiction, and Pedophilia
norwegianforestreader's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cursing, Excrement, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, Eating disorder, Grief, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia
kimveach's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Vomit, Blood, Cursing, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Murder, Pedophilia, and Violence
blackcatkai's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
this book made me angry in a bunch of different ways. i wish I had known going in that it centered around an abuse/grooming victim.
I know that a lot of the different characters act very true to life in regards to how pervasive victim blaming is & painting horrible people as martyrs or good men in their death. how someone being not entirely truthful can make everyone around them believe that then EVERYTHING is a lie, even when it isnt. so much of what happens in this book is very true to life.
however, I am still conflicted. honestly, what Josie did isn't ok. but neither is all she went through or how everyone treated/saw her. she was a woman who desperately needed help & care from such a young age and she never got that. a narcissistic mother, a married 45 year old man taking advantage of her as a young teen, her own adult children never seeming to understand how fucked up it is that their dad groomed their mother.
I don't know. I don't honestly think we're supposed to side with alix. I really don't. I can see how Jewel is also attempting a commentary on how true crime can sensationalize and twist stories about real people and turn them into something else entirely. and she's not wrong! but overall something just feels off with the way the subject is handled that doesn't sit well with me, but I also can't quite put my finger on it.
there's also a tiny moment of autism mentioned in regards to a character that also felt a bit... not quite right. just go in carefully with this one.
I will say either way that the audiobook is done EXCEEDINGLY well. a full cast & production. little touches that make the podcast moments feel like a real podcast. very well done, in that respect.
Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Mental illness, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Blood, Gaslighting, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Murder, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity, Confinement, and Medical content
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Rape
sebradley29's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
jennabeck13's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, and Medical content
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What a mind f*ck! Totally unreliable narrators. Yes, narrators. The events in the end are hard to unravel. The only one I believed was Alix. I know what I think happened but am I right? Who knows! Only the author. It wasn't super predictable it was just twisty AF.
Overall a good book.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, Death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Infidelity, and Sexual content