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durrareadsstuff's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
3.5
The way the book was a combination of spookiness and thought-provoking insights is really fresh (for me) and I quite liked it. I liked the deep conversations and the subtle eerieness that gradually builds.
‼️ POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD‼️
The ending was good and I definitely didn't see it coming, but it was honestly quite a shame. I appreciate the genius of it, the repetition and how the pronouns kept changing in the end—that was really good. I was just sort of disappointed? It's like all that earlier part was for nothing, you know? I think I'm just sick of reading horror books that keep turning out like this.
‼️ POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD‼️
The ending was good and I definitely didn't see it coming, but it was honestly quite a shame. I appreciate the genius of it, the repetition and how the pronouns kept changing in the end—that was really good. I was just sort of disappointed? It's like all that earlier part was for nothing, you know? I think I'm just sick of reading horror books that keep turning out like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual content
eucareads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
What did I just read?
The entire book is awkward and uncomfortable. Then it gets scary. Then the twist hits and it felt like a major mindf*ck.
Honestly, for a psychological thriller under 250 pages, this was worth the read. I’m curious to see how Netflix is going to make this to life.
The entire book is awkward and uncomfortable. Then it gets scary. Then the twist hits and it felt like a major mindf*ck.
Honestly, for a psychological thriller under 250 pages, this was worth the read. I’m curious to see how Netflix is going to make this to life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Suicide
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Animal death
wastingtime1994's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
This book fucked me and I didn’t even understand it.
Once I decide to add a book to my TBR, I download it on my Kindle. Then when I need a new book, I just pick one that’s already downloaded without looking up the description again. This did not help my case with this book.
At first, I thought it was a cute romantic novel, then when they get to the school, maybe true crime? Then slowly but surely, it changed. I didn’t notice it at first, but I was hyper aware that I was flinching at every fly, a slight breeze moving the trees scared me, and when the neighbors cat jumped over the fence, my blood felt cold and my heart didn’t stop racing for a few minutes. And that’s when I realized it MUST be a horror book.
I clung on to every word, scared to skip ahead even the tiniest bit. And I still have no idea what happened. Not just in the book either. I was shellshocked for a bit, and then when I got up to go inside and refresh, all of a sudden nothing felt real. I was questioning my whole day; what time was it? Nothing felt okay until a few hours later when someone else came home and I could have a conversation with them.
Our minds are a terrible place - and they’re even worse when you’re alone.
I don’t ever want to read this book again. But I think I have to.
4.5/5
Once I decide to add a book to my TBR, I download it on my Kindle. Then when I need a new book, I just pick one that’s already downloaded without looking up the description again. This did not help my case with this book.
At first, I thought it was a cute romantic novel, then when they get to the school, maybe true crime? Then slowly but surely, it changed. I didn’t notice it at first, but I was hyper aware that I was flinching at every fly, a slight breeze moving the trees scared me, and when the neighbors cat jumped over the fence, my blood felt cold and my heart didn’t stop racing for a few minutes. And that’s when I realized it MUST be a horror book.
I clung on to every word, scared to skip ahead even the tiniest bit. And I still have no idea what happened. Not just in the book either. I was shellshocked for a bit, and then when I got up to go inside and refresh, all of a sudden nothing felt real. I was questioning my whole day; what time was it? Nothing felt okay until a few hours later when someone else came home and I could have a conversation with them.
Our minds are a terrible place - and they’re even worse when you’re alone.
I don’t ever want to read this book again. But I think I have to.
4.5/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Stalking
Moderate: Body horror, Torture, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
weinerman's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Violence
kibiiiariii's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I truly disliked this book.
The writing itself isn't that bad, but the beginning and end of this book really are. The beginning is extremely boring and filled with superficial philosophy, the long car ride does really feel like one, it´s never-ending the end made me full of rage, I already wasn't enjoying this book but the ending really felt like I had wasted hours of my life, the author pulled the it was all a dream shtick . The middle part didn't feel as bad.
As for the characters, I cannot stand the main one, (whose POV we always follow) I was actually constantly rooting for her death. I am aware she represents more than appears at first sight, but I still find her insufferable.
On a brighter note, or darker in this case, I felt the tense and ominous environment was really well maintained from the half point onwards, but this wasn't enough to save this book for me.
The writing itself isn't that bad, but the beginning and end of this book really are. The beginning is extremely boring and filled with superficial philosophy,
As for the characters, I cannot stand the main one, (whose POV we always follow) I was actually constantly rooting for her death. I am aware she represents more than appears at first sight, but I still find her insufferable.
On a brighter note, or darker in this case, I felt the tense and ominous environment was really well maintained from the half point onwards, but this wasn't enough to save this book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Body horror, Gaslighting, Gore, and Physical abuse
chloevienna's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
3.75
really solid horror book - read it in a few hours. i’d seen the movie first, but definitely enjoyed the book more and felt it gave interesting insights. really spooky and oddly deep??
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Animal death, Gore, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Death, Body horror, and Self harm
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual content
sar_a_i's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Body horror, Self harm, Stalking, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
youreawizardjerry's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
horchata's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The first 50-80 pages were an insightful, thoughtful journey into the latter third of a withering relationship, and then the rest of the book was a race through increasingly intense, frightening circumstances. It was a true thriller. At every turn I was questioning what was happening why our narrator was shoving herself smaller, not listening to her instincts, and then once we got to the girls at Dairy Queen, I lost it. I was no longer reading, but frantically skimming to try to figure out what was happening and what was going to happen. This would have been four stars if the ending of the book had more explicitly stated what exactly was going on, but I am sorry to say that we never really get a clear picture or answer for what happened with Jake and the girlfriend and the janitor, all who seem to be the same person, caught in a deep delusion, unstuck in time, and haunted by specters and missed connections alike. It makes me want to read someone else’s analysis rather than read the book again. which, to me, means there was enough missing that I needed to really know what actually happened. Sometimes being left with a mystery is satisfying, but in this case, I feel like it tripped and fell right before the finish line.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Violence
emma_hensley's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Torture, and Violence