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A review by wordsofclover
You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Joe Goldberg is back again ands this time he's moved to the small coastal town of Bainbridge, and set his eyes on older librarian mom MK. The only problem is the people MK surrounds herself with, who Joe can see are just no good for her. But with the ghosts of his past catching up with him, Joe needs to be on his best behaviour which is hard to do when people keep dropping dead around him.
I really loved You, and also thoroughly enjoyed Hidden Bodies. However with the way Hidden Bodies ended, and You Love Me began I strongly feel like the series was originally meant to be a duology, and most likely the success of the TV show prompted another two books as I just felt so much was swept away way too easily about Joe's time in prison and how he got away with literal murder. It was a very quick 'The Quinn's had money and therefore good lawyers' but all the evidence was so stacked against him, I felt this was a little lazy.
The first half of this book was a 3-star for me mostly as I could feel myself getting a bit jaded with the way every You story goes - Joe sees girl, gets hooked on girl, stalks her, kills her friends etc and this one played along quite similarly as the first book without the surprise of the uniqueness of that book. I did however like the twist/change in play halfway through as we see Joe become not quite a victim but a lot more vulnerable as he's been before, and way less sure in himself.
I did still enjoy this, and listened to it on audiobook which is fun but I won't be rushing to book 4 (though will read and finish the series eventually).
I really loved You, and also thoroughly enjoyed Hidden Bodies. However with the way Hidden Bodies ended, and You Love Me began I strongly feel like the series was originally meant to be a duology, and most likely the success of the TV show prompted another two books as I just felt so much was swept away way too easily about Joe's time in prison and how he got away with literal murder. It was a very quick 'The Quinn's had money and therefore good lawyers' but all the evidence was so stacked against him, I felt this was a little lazy.
The first half of this book was a 3-star for me mostly as I could feel myself getting a bit jaded with the way every You story goes - Joe sees girl, gets hooked on girl, stalks her, kills her friends etc and this one played along quite similarly as the first book without the surprise of the uniqueness of that book. I did however like the twist/change in play halfway through as we see Joe become not quite a victim but a lot more vulnerable as he's been before, and way less sure in himself.
I did still enjoy this, and listened to it on audiobook which is fun but I won't be rushing to book 4 (though will read and finish the series eventually).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Gun violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Abortion, and Suicide