i feel like i really can’t talk about this book without getting into a little spoilery territory, so please skip over this review if you wish to know i feel like i really can’t talk about this book without getting into a little spoilery territory, so please skip over this review if you wish to know nothing about this thriller! (and i do say thriller and not thriller mystery because there really isn’t much mystery to this story whatsoever, which is also probably a reason i didn’t enjoy it as much!) but i picked this up because 1) i have enjoyed ruth ware in the past and 2) the girls were saying survivor meets love island and i will always be here for that set up! But instead of love island and survivor, we get lord of the flies and men's rights activists.
our main character, lyla, reluctantly agrees to go on a reality tv dating show, set on a secluded island, because her boyfriend is an actor and really begs her to do it because it could be very good for his career. lyla’s lab contract is up next month, and the funding renewal isn’t looking too good, so she also agrees under the condition that she can work on her paper and that she can only be on the island for two weeks. but after filming for only 24 hours, a big storm comes that is not only deadly but has completely made the people on the island not be able to contact anyone to come save them. And then she and the rest of the people are trying to survive while… red pill lord of the flies ensues.
i really do respect making the villain who it was, and i respect the talk of the manosphere and the following these mens right activities accumulate on youtube and other platforms that also leads to the perpetuation of violence against women. but oh my god, i just hated reading about this man with all the sum of hate i have in my body. after that storm, that man would have been GONE by me and me alone and i would not have… done what they did at the end (even though that's an important discussion too, and it does make sense, but again - i just hated reading about it!) i hope if you pick this one up, you have more fun reading it than i did, friends!
trigger + content warnings (these will content some plot spoilers so please use caution or do not read if you do not need to know any tw/cws): extremely bad storms, talk of fear of water, extremely abusive relationships, blood, death, drowning, talk of loss of parent in past (one sentence), suicide mentions, not having the insulin that you need, grief, depression, loss of partner, grooming in past, and discussion of men's rights activists throughout (always in a negative light but it is a lot)
i feel like… if more people knew that this book is sapphic then more people would pick it up. maybe people don’t want to say that because it has sapphi feel like… if more people knew that this book is sapphic then more people would pick it up. maybe people don’t want to say that because it has sapphics doing bad things, but there are sapphics doing good things too… so i don’t know. but i was truly bamboozled (in the best way) when i opened this up and realized! and how much of a discussion on comphet, and how that can make figuring out your sexuality harder to figure out/accept, were held within these pages!
but this is a mystery thriller about a (you guessed it) writing retreat, where four people are invited each year to write a story alongside a famous author who has quite the following. yet this year, there are going to be five attendees, one being our main character and one being her ex best friend. the retreat is held at a very isolated victorian mansion in the winter, and our aspiring writers have no connection to the outside world. But when one of the other attendees go missing, the mystery really begins.
everything i typed above is the reason i picked this up, and truly i had such a good time with this. i never wanted to put it down, i loved the setting, and i was really enthralled by our main character and her mind. But this is really a discussion on how society makes women competitive with each other in all aspects of life, but especially with achievements. how the world makes women feel like there isn’t enough room for multiples, you have to be singularly the best. And then when you add everything i said in the first paragraph, about sexuality and trying to figure that out in a world that automatically makes this inhospitable environment… this was a really thought provoking book and i really was very impressed by this debut. I think this is my favorite thriller of the year, and i really recommend it.
trigger + content warnings: anxiety, panic attacks, blood, intrusive thoughts, mention of child abuse in past, ptsd, child abandonment + neglect in past, a few mentions of the holocaust and n*zis, domestic abuse in past, brief homophobia in past, talk of suicide, mention of cancer, mention of loss of a loved one, gun violence, gaslighting, manipulation, missing person, unwanted + unknowing filming happening, captivity, talk of aids, racism, sexism, drugging, mention of bullying and harassment in past, and dubious consent in a sexual encounter
i really wanted to read my first ashley winstead because so many of my friends have absolutely loved in my ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
i really wanted to read my first ashley winstead because so many of my friends have absolutely loved in my dreams i hold a knife, but i really think i did myself a disservice making this the one i picked up. i don't want to be overly negative, because i do think this book is important for some people who grew up with abuse under the guise of religion, and they were able to find escapism and safety and happiness in literature, like twilight. and i just really don’t want to downplay the importance of that safe place for kids and teens, especially when you can just tell this story feels very personal to the author.
but i think this was just so completely different than what i was anticipating, that it felt like a really big disappointment to me. this felt like a literary romance with some suspenseful elements, not a mystery thriller in the slightest. you will truly know from the first 10% of this book what is going to happen, and the rest is just a lot of twilight comparisons. now, i will also give this book credit because it made me rewatch twilight, and i did miss that blue filter more than i realized. i will also say i liked the very end, which i know will be an unpopular opinion, but it was a definite risk i do not think many authors would take, and i respect that. i will still for sure read in my dreams i hold a knife and report back!
trigger + content warnings: death, murder, violence, blood, cults, religious abuse, talk of suicide, gun violence, animal injury + death, talk of animal sacrifice, extreme child abuse in past, child captivity in past, talk of domestic abuse in past, mention of bullying in past, power imbalances, sexual assault (attempted rape), depression, panic attacks, hospital setting, talk of forced abortion, ableism (always in a negative light), implied pedophilia, implied human trafficking, trauma, grief, death of a mother during child birth in past, alcoholism mentions, drugs, misogyny, fire, snakes
even though i did not love this, i think i have finally recognized that i’m just not this type of horror reader. i love anything speculative, anythingeven though i did not love this, i think i have finally recognized that i’m just not this type of horror reader. i love anything speculative, anything paranormal, but actual murders/slasher-like stories? they just don’t work for me, they have never worked for me, and this one also did not work for me. and if a sapphic cottagecore one didn’t work for me, i fear just none ever will. so i really implore you to look at other reviews if this book sounds good to you - here are some of my faves: gabby, genesee, cassidy
but yeah! sapphic, cottagecore, two girls meeting at a farmers market, but something sinister is always looming in the background. our main character is an assistant professor who has finally moved from the big city after a bad breakup. she is very lonely, very isolated, and trying to find a bit of happiness despite some major trust issues. i felt like this book was told in a satirical way, where the author is very aware and letting you know how pretentious rosemary is, and how she is just ignoring every red flag left, right, and center. yet, i also thought it was exploring themes of not wanting to see you are in an abusive relationship, and wanting to believe your partner so badly that you will very much be hurting yourself in the process by ignoring their abuse. and that’s important and something that i think can be hard to see, especially in your 20s and you’re leaving the only life you’ve ever really known, on top of having emotionally abusive family situations who have normalized abuse for you.
again, sadly, this just didn’t work for me, i think mostly because i just knew what was happening and for some reason having to watch it play out was just not as enjoyable as i wished it was. It really did feel like the 200 pages did go quickly and i was invested enough, maybe hoping a different twist would come and change the trajectory of the very obvious plot, but i never wanted to put the book down! and i will also say the very end of this book was actually insane and i let out the biggest gasp i didn’t know i was holding lol. i just kind of wish we had a moment like that in the middle of the story, and then the last half could have felt fresher and like there were more possibilities. not to be spoilery, but i was highkey hoping the roles would be reversed at the midway point, but alas! regardless, i hope if you pick this one up that you enjoy it! happy reading, and happy trying to enjoy eating charcuterie boards with meat after this one, friends!
trigger + content warnings: a lot of talk of body image, mention of infidelity, mention of loss of a father in the past, abandonment, missing person mention, abusive guardian in past, child abuse in past, animal cruelty + animal death (racoon), drinking, throwing up, unwanted videos being taken, one sentence mention/insinuation of pictures of underage children taken at a pool with them unknowing in the past, unknowing (and knowing) cannibalism, gaslighting, abuse in a relationship, abduction, captivity, amputation, violence, torture, gore
okay, maybe i just give every riley sager book three stars, but this one was truly my favorite out of all the other ones i’ve read! 80’s setting, mansokay, maybe i just give every riley sager book three stars, but this one was truly my favorite out of all the other ones i’ve read! 80’s setting, mansion on the coast of maine, a family massacre in a small sleepy town, the only survivor (who is also the only suspect) is now an old woman who needs 24/7 care, because her last nurse has left in the night never to be seen again! a lot of good and spooky atmosphere and allure, true? and we follow the newly hired caregiver, who grew up in this town with this haunted house, who is unable to say no for the position because of something very sad in her own life. And with the help of a typewriter, the spooky story of what really happened all of those years ago unfolds!
i honestly had a really good time with this, and my rating is for sure a very high three stars. this book will really keep you on your toes with guessing, and you will hit a point in the story where it is just all out constant reveal after reveal! this is something i did enjoy, but i feel like it was a little too much. kind of like when you’re on a rollercoaster and the first few dips and loops and plunges feel good, but if there are too many it loses the appeal and the fear, you know? but also take all of this with a grain of salt, because you all know i am not a big mystery thriller reader and reviewer! but i had a really fun time with this one overall, and for sure recommend. also, i really adored the ending of this one and thought it was close to perfect.
trigger + content warnings (please use caution reading these, because they do give away some major twists and plot reveals): toxic home, loss of a parent in past, talk of cancer, grief depiction, depression depiction, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, suicide attempt, abusive parents, captivity, nightmares, infidelity, overdose, talk of diet, negative body talk, slut shaming, pregnancy surprise, birth, blood, alcholism, drug addiction, bad medical help, brief insinuation of homophobia/homophobic parents in past, death, murder use of ouija board
first and foremost, i will for sure say i think this is a book that you would benefit from going in to withARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
first and foremost, i will for sure say i think this is a book that you would benefit from going in to without knowing anything (trigger and content warnings below if you do need/want) - so maybe even pass on reading this next paragraph all together until you have finished. also, i believe the synopsis is vague and mysterious for a reason, and i opened these pages expecting roshani to weave me an adult dark fairytale - which she totally did - but this book is so much more than that.
“Who were we when not cleaved to each other?”
this is a beautiful and lush atmospheric story, with a gothic spooky house setting, all centered around the mystery that is the fae and three people who have been searching their whole lives for them. but the heart of this story is about grief, abuse, neglect, and how the world can be so extra unfair to children that they are forced to find and create their own places in magical worlds to feel safe, loved, and be able to escape. This book was very hard to read at times, and roshani is an expert at blending dark whimsy and dark reality together flawlessly. i could not put this book down, because i needed to know more and more answers each time one was unlocked! but also while i was having that intense feeling of seeing scenes play out while you are watching with your hands kind of covering your eyes. you don't want to know, but you need to know. plus roshani’s writing is such a tier above everything, this story is filled with very intense and juxtaposing feelings. ahhh, i feel like i have already said too much - but i love all roshani’s stories and i am always so proud of her and her voice - i hope the world loves this story and all the well crafted and very important layers.
oh and lastly, some early reviews are saying this is a bluebeard retelling, but i am not familiar with that story, i am sorry! but she also pulls from so many other stories and myths (this really is also a love letter to dark and cruel and beloved tales), one being another brothers grimm story that i was somewhat familiar with, and it really added another dark and scary layer that really helped emphasize the scariest monsters of all time will always be humans.
tw/cw: loss of a loved one, extreme nightmares, a lot of blood depiction + drawing blood, gore, abuse, domestic abuse, child abuse, child neglect, child abandonment, gaslighting, animal deaths, human deaths, murder, mention of child death, kind of brief mentions of dieting/eating a very specific way, bullying, cheating, codependency, suicidal ideation and thoughts, drugging, pedophilia (very weird things being said, the child being scared/constant state of fear at home, creepy and unsettling vibes every scene with intention for more, and then at 17 years old unwanted touching/brushing past + maybe more/set up to be more… this is a hard trigger warning, but it is a constant thing in the book that is very hard to read so please use caution)
[image] “It made me wonder what shape I'd be if I'd never met another human being”
this was so unexpectedly haunting in all the right ways. i truly [image] “It made me wonder what shape I'd be if I'd never met another human being”
this was so unexpectedly haunting in all the right ways. i truly knew from the first chapter that this was going to be a new favorite. the atmosphere, the mystery, the main character... all perfection. also, this book truly has twists upon twists upon twists, making it impossible to ever want to put down. and we always love a spooky summer camp in the woods setting, especially with a secret group of popular girls, with a extra hyped queen bee, up to maybe no good. i loved this book's discussion of the gender binary and in general i personally found so much of this story really powerful. and i think so many different types of readers will really love this one, so i recommend it with my full heart, but it can be very spooky, creepy, and gory so.... please keep that in mind!
trigger + content warnings: grief depiction, loss of a loved one, cancer mentions (childhood cancer mentions), blood depiction, talk of suicide, parental manipulation, anxiety depictions, funeral of a loved one, death, murder, violence, gore, lots of insect depictions (in a... horror book involving bees way... hehe), talk of spiders too, blackmailing (with manipulation/action of private photos being shown), bullying, harassment, misogynistic comments//sexism (always in a negative light), drowning depiction, fire depictions, and transphobia + homophobia.
➽ content and trigger warnings: mention of rape, assault, death of a toddler *page 124* police injustice, police brutality, drugs, drug abuse, desolat ➽ content and trigger warnings: mention of rape, assault, death of a toddler *page 124* police injustice, police brutality, drugs, drug abuse, desolate living conditions, suicidal ideology, alcoholism, murder, criminal activities (thank you so much Michelle!)
ARC provided by Wednesday Books ✨ My Review for SADIE
"Having a sister, Mom says, is a place only the two of them will shar
[image]
ARC provided by Wednesday Books ✨ My Review for SADIE
"Having a sister, Mom says, is a place only the two of them will share, made of secrets they never have to say aloud—but if they did, it would be a language only the two of them could speak."
Courtney Summers is an author who has always meant a lot to me and her stories always impact me more than I have words to write in a review. I truly believe no other author writes about the sibling experience and feelings that I personally have better than her, even though I always am left feeling grateful and thankful that I am not a main protagonist in her stories. And The Project is no different; it is hard hitting, filled with twists and turns that make you constantly question what is real, it is lyrically written, emotional, and fully a heart-wrenching story about the things you are willing to do for someone you unconditionally love, even when you feel isolated and confused and so very scared. Oh, and it’s about cults and how they prey on people who are isolated and confused and so very scared, too.
Lo was only thirteen-years-old she was in a car accident that left her parents dead and with everyone believing that she wouldn’t be alive much longer. Bea was only nineteen-years-old when she watched her world fall apart when she walked into the hospital to maybe say goodbye to her little sister. Desperate for hope that Bea wouldn’t lose Lo too, she went looking for something to believe in inside the hospital, and found Lev Warren. And when Lo ends up making a huge leap to recovery that very night, Bea realizes there is nothing she wouldn’t pay to ensure her sister will live.
"Bea closes her eyes. She wants Lo to understand that night in the hospital, what was supposed to be Lo’s last night on earth. How it brought Bea to her knees and how it split her heart in half and how its breaking called forth a miracle."
Six years later, Lo is alone again and hasn’t spoken to Bea in many years. She feels hurt and abandoned and just misses her sister so much, and she directs all that pain in to the Unity Project, that Lev Warren runs and where Bea is a member. And then one morning, Lo’s world gets touched again by the Unity Project when she witnesses someone take their own life, but before they do they recognize her because of Bea. And this death touches even closer when it impacts her job, and she gets the opportunity to finally do a story for the magazine she is working for. And she decides she will finally contact her sister again and make her see the corruptness of the Unity Project, and she won’t let anyone stop her, especially Lev Warren.
"All I wanted was to claw my way back to my sister, but the whole time she was surrounded by new love, she buried her old family and built a new one on top of its bones."
This story is mostly told in Lo’s perspective, but we get little glimpses of Bea’s throughout and every time I could feel my stomach and heart just drop lower and lower. The things that both of these sisters were willing to do for one another renders me utterly speechless. Truly, I feel like no one can write vulnerability and sacrifice, unconditional sibling love, earth-shattering desperation, and pure heartbreaking hope like Courtney Summers. All while also making her characters feel so real, and their journeys feel like you are right beside them experiencing everything alongside them. Yet, also make you question everything at every twist and turn.
Lev is written in a way that is scarier than any monster in any fantasy book, because monsters like him are living and dwelling and thriving in our world today. They prey upon people who are isolated from their families, people from lower incomes, people who are unable to get help from broken American health care systems, people who very rarely will realize that what they are experiencing is manipulation, gaslighting, and abuse. And if they are able to realize it, they are unable to seek help because men like Lev are gaining more and more power, more and more followers, and more and more resources to keep you trapped every single day. This is a hard book, and it is so very dark at times. The range in which Lev is able to manipulate people into believing his cult is a community is actually harrowing. And seeing Lev lead people into believing that he is a vessel for God, chosen to do His wants, is truly some of the scariest literature I’ve ever read and it really will leave me feeling haunted forever.
"The hard part is this: the small broken girl inside me clawing against the wall I’ve built to keep us separated. The one who still wants so much for certain things, despite all she knows."
Overall, I really did love this and I very much believe Courtney Summers was born to write and impact so many people with their stories. Her way of crafting and telling stories leaves me in awe, and I’m always completely blown away reading all her last lines. The reason I am giving it four stars is because I didn’t love the ending. I mean, this wouldn’t be a Courtney Summers’ book without a bit of a mysterious ending, but this one was just a little too mysterious for me and left the book at a little bit of a weird note when you look back at everything that was endured. But the last line? Perfection. Speechless. Masterpiece. Everything. Courtney Summers and her stories truly are something special and I’ll carry them within my heart always, despite how heavy they are.
Content and Trigger Warnings: abandonment, loss of loved ones, sleep paralysis, grief, depression, panic attacks, hospitalization, talk of death of child in past, physical abuse, torture, emotional abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, blood depiction, complications with childbirth, murder, child abuse, captivity, and cults. Please use caution and make sure you are in the right head space for this book, because a lot of these triggers are themes that are brought up a lot and unapologetically. Stay safe, friends!
This was one of the hardest books I've ever read. But I will say that the ending might feel really heartbreaking and disappointing, but that is becausThis was one of the hardest books I've ever read. But I will say that the ending might feel really heartbreaking and disappointing, but that is because we live in a heartbreaking and disappointing reality. There is no wrong way to heal and live through horrible things that were done to you, and there is no time limit either.
Content and Trigger Warnings: rape, pedophilia, gaslighting, sexual assault, physical abuse, grieving, child pornography mention/acts, talk of suicide, suicide, fatphobic comments, disordered eating, brief but very horrible mention at other child abuse things, blood depiction, and overall this is just a very dark book that will most likely make you very uncomfortable to read so please use caution....more
K. Ancrum is truly just a once in a lifetime author. Her prose and craft are so unique and so smart and every book by her feels like something of magiK. Ancrum is truly just a once in a lifetime author. Her prose and craft are so unique and so smart and every book by her feels like something of magic. Darling is a modern day thriller reimagining of Peter Pan with a very diverse cast; our main character is Black and we have a very full cast of side characters side characters of color (Black, Korean, and Ojibwe), who are queer (lesbian rep, ace rep, bi rep, and a really beautiful Chicago drag scene moment that I could gush about forever), and disabilities (hearing impairment & amputated hand).
Wendy has recently moved to Chicago, but when moving into her new bedroom she realizes the window is broken and unable to stay closed. And this story is told over the course of one night when she leaves through the window with Peter Pan himself because of a promise of a party, but she soon realizes that Peter did not walk out of the pages of a fairytale.
This is a very unsettling and uncomfortable story about the vulnerability of kids (especially bipoc queer kids) who feel like that don't have a place to belong. Every book by this author is truly a love letter to found families, but this book also explores the importance of safety and how hard it can be to recognize abuse, especially when it it can be disguised as kindness when you are longing to find a place to belong. Again, this can be a bit of a terrifying read at times, but you will be swept alongside Wendy, becoming more and more enthralled, discovering all the things, and wanting to protect all the lost kids.
K. Ancrum is just an author that really means a lot to me, and I know her stories are touching and helping and healing so many kids who are able to find her words. She is such a bright light in this universe, and I'm forever thankful that I get the honor to read her books. Truly, once in a lifetime.
Content and Trigger Warnings: death (off page), murder (off page), police brutality, child abuse, manipulation, abduction, child abandonment, explosions, grooming, blood depiction, brief mention of disordered eating, and anxiety depiction.
[image] ARC acquired at Book Expo in exchange for an honest review.
“The twelfth floor is special”
Lock Every Door is about a girl name Jules[image] ARC acquired at Book Expo in exchange for an honest review.
“The twelfth floor is special”
Lock Every Door is about a girl name Jules, who wakes up in a hospital after being hit by a car. She is twenty-five, recently single, and very much struggling with money. But then she gets an opportunity to apartment sit in a very rich and exclusive complex in Manhattan.
All of the floors in the apartment complex have four units, except for the twelfth floor, which only has two, and one of those units happen to be the one that needs apartment sitting. Basically, our main character, Jules, will earn 4,000 a month, for three months, but no one is allowed in the apartment besides herself, and she is also expected to not get close to any of the other tenants, since they are mostly high profile celebrities who value their privacy.
Jules accepts, without question, even though the secrecy does give her a strange vibe. The new endeavor also takes a strange twist when the author of the book that she and her sister (who has been missing for almost a decade) obsessed over, Heart of the Dreamer, lives in the apartment complex. But Jules quickly befriends a couple other apartment sitters, who seem to know more information about this too good to be true offer they have all accepted.
You quickly meet many of the residents of this apartment, but when one goes missing, you will start to question it all, right along side Jules. And my favorite part of this story, was getting to know all of the players in this game and trying to piece together their probable motives. And honestly? I really loved reading the twists and turns, right up until the very end, sadly.
I didn’t like the end of this book, which I feel like is a very unpopular opinion. I just feel like it took a lot of inspiration from a very famous, award winning movie. I can’t tell you which movie, without completely spoiling the twist, but it was just too apparent for my liking and honestly just really ruined the ending for me. (view spoiler)[it’s Get Out(hide spoiler)]
Overall, this was a fun reading experience for the most part. This was my second book by the author, and I feel like he has a very captivating writing style that not only keeps you on your toes with guessing, but makes it almost impossible to not read his book in one sitting, because you never want to put it down.
Content and Trigger Warnings: talk of being cheated on in the past, talk of loss of a loved one in the past, self-harm (fire + hand), talk of past suicide, talk of cancer, and murder.
“So much water. So much land. So many places to disappear.”
The Last Time I Lied was such a fun book to read during this spooky seas[image]
“So much water. So much land. So many places to disappear.”
The Last Time I Lied was such a fun book to read during this spooky season. It really kept me on the edge of my seat, it was so thrilling, it was so chillingly atmospheric, and that ending was really unpredictable. I’m so happy I picked this book up this October! Also, to everyone who participated with us in #FridayFrightAThon, thank you so much! It was such an honor to read alongside so many of you! And hopefully this last book helped you get into the Halloween mood!
This is a story about a twenty-eight-year-old woman named Emma, who is still haunted by something that happened fifteen-years ago at summer camp. In present day, she is an artist that is finally having her first gallery event. But the thing is, all the inspiration for all the paintings at the showing were also inspired by what happened when she was thirteen-years-old.
Fifteen-years ago, Emma went to summer camp late and was forced to bunk with three older girls in a cabin. She quickly becomes close with one of them, Vivian, who treats her like a little sister. But she soon finds out that Vivian was keeping secrets from her. Yet, Emma never found out what those secrets were, because one morning she wakes up and the three girls are missing and are never to be found again.
This story is told with flashbacks constantly showing us what really happened all those years ago. And we slowly find out why Emma is unable to paint anything but those three missing girls. But Emma is offered some closure, when she is asked to go back to the camp, to teach art, and to maybe receive some semblance of closure for herself and for her art.
But once she goes back to Camp Nightingale, she learns that some people’s lives never went back to normal after that haunting morning. And Emma also realizes that some people aren’t going to let her forget that they blame her for whatever happened.
Again, this was so much fun to read. I was so surprised at how many different directions this story was able to take, and how I never saw which way the story was going. I also think the second person point of views were really well done and distributed throughout the story for the perfect amount. I honestly never wanted to put this book down.
But, not to get into spoiler territory, I hated the epilogue. Well, I loved and hated the epilogue. I actually think the last twist was such a work of genius. But I was absolutely appalled at the way Emma handled it. Therefore, the book was kind of left off on a sour note for me, sadly.
Overall, I really did enjoy this one. I loved going along with Emma and solving the present-day mystery and the mystery of the past at the same time. And, seriously, the summer camp setting was so perfectly spooky. I think I’m just a bit of a harsh rater with thrillers, honestly. But if you’re looking for something that you won’t be able to predict, and that will put you in a scary mood, I completely recommend this!
Content and trigger warnings for schizophreniform, anxiety attacks, loss of a loved one, alcoholism, slut shaming (a lot), peeping toms, many fatphobic comments, negative comments about food, talk of cancer, and sex between a sixteen-year-old and nineteen-year-old.
“You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough.”
This book is so haunting, so atmospheric, so gripping, and so perfect. A[image]
“You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough.”
This book is so haunting, so atmospheric, so gripping, and so perfect. And If you, too, love The Secret History by Donna Tartt then I recommend this book with every single bone in my body. Also, this is such a love letter to Shakespeare and all his work, so if you appreciate that I think you’ll also fall so head over heels for this story. I’m honestly not sure what I expected going into If We Were Villains, but it is now one of my favorite books of all time.
This story follows seven very pretentious theater students, going to a very prestigious and private college. They moved to Ohio to go to the university from all over the world, but they really made a found family with each other, while all living in what they call the Castle on campus. But one night their life completely changes when they all come together on a decision that alters their fate.
“Nothing mattered much after that morning. Our two souls—if not all six—were forfeit.”
➽ Richard - has a bad temper and is the “mean” one.
➽ Meredith - Richard’s girlfriend, and the “sexy vixen” type.
➽ Filippa - The “cool” one, in my opinion. Mysterious home life. My second favorite.
➽ Alexander - Gay, grew up in foster care, and I believe is Latinx. Yet, is the “stoner” one.
➽ Wren - Richard’s cousin, and “the girl next-door” type.
➽ James - The best actor and our main protagonist’s roommate. I’d say the “popular” one.
➽ Oliver - Our main protagonist, who is nice, and who is sweet, and who just wants to keep the peace between his group of friends. Also, Oliver is totally pansexual and no one can change my mind on this.
“My infatuation […] transcended any notion of gender.”
Oliver is for sure the main character, and this book starts out with him getting out of prison ten years after the events of that frightful night. And he is finally telling the story of what actually happened. This book is also broken up in five acts, but we get to see the events of what really happened that night, a decade ago, and we get to see the ramifications of how that altered everyone’s lives in present day.
“How tremendous the agony of unmade decisions.”
And each act, to me, really highlights a different Shakespearean play, that really sets the tone for what is unfolding in that act. From A Midsummer Night's Dream, to Julius Caesar, to King Lear, to Romeo and Juliet, to so many more; the honoring, appreciation, and celebration are all there and it truly makes for a read like no other. This book is a love letter to theater. And this book is structured so perfectly, written so expertly, that I really think that R.L. Rio crafted something beyond genius.
“It’s easier now to be Romeo, or Macbeth, or Brutus, or Edmund. Someone else.”
Friends, I feel like this is a book that won’t be for everyone, but if it is for you then you will love it with the sum of your being. This was perfection for me, and completely made my October this year. If you’re looking for something haunting, and thrilling, and so very atmospheric, then please give If We Were Villains a try. And that last line? It is going to haunt me forever with its beautiful perfection.
Content and trigger warnings for: death, murder, physical abuse, slut shaming, a transphobic comment, a onetime use of the slur for Romani people, a homophobic comment, drug overdose, PTSD depiction, depression depiction, suicide, self-harm, and mention of an eating disorder (and a poor taste comment about it).
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