A review by jennilynnmarie
Off the Deep End by Lucinda Berry

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

I both started and finished this book in one day. That's important, because I don't do that. On average it takes about a week for me to finish a book-which is good with 4 kids. But this book? That wasn't going to be an option. I sat down to read a couple of chapters, maybe check out what all the Lucinda Berry hype was about...I then stayed up until 3am so I could finish this book long after my kids had been in bed and I should've been too. But I couldn't not finish! From the very first page readers will be gripped to know what happens next. Is Jules really that insane? It wouldn't be unfathomable after losing a child, her only child, in the way in which she did especially. Where is Isaac? There's a serial killer on the loose, is he the next victim? Did he finally give into the depression that has plagued him ever since the accident? Or is it something even more sinister? I was full of so many questions while reading this-but I definitely did not see the outcome coming. I cried with the parents, feeling the emotional pain that comes with not only experiencing the loss of a child but also with a missing child; all the unknown of that situation. I had GOOSEBUMPS when some parts of the story were revealed. But that ending though? W-O-W! I'm going to recommend this book to anyone who asks. Also, this may have been my first Lucinda Berry book but it's not going to be my last! 

The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read for me I think was just the overall relationship between the characters. I think that if the initial familial relationships had been more intimate to begin with it would've made for a much more emotional story, albeit a much more twisted story however after the accident as well, all things considered-you'll see!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer as well as Lucinda Berry for the advanced reader copy I was given of this book in exchange for my personal and honest review!
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