Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co for the chance to read this eArc in exchange for an honest review. I like books surrounding cults and it was an interesting twist with the twins (I'm an only child so I don't know what it's like to have a sibling). It does get kind of odd at times with the story line, but it held my attention the entire way through. I also saw this was an Aardvark pick, so I would try it if you get the chance.

Where You End - Abbott Kahler Review

Jude and Kat are Mirror Twins. Identical in every way, but on the other side as if seen in a mirror. When Kat gets in a serious accident and isn’t able to remember anything except for Jude- it begins a dark and twisty story involving sisterhood, secrets, cults, amnesia, and an unreliable narrative unlike any I’ve read before.

This was a tough review to write, because there were definitely a lot of things I really enjoyed about the book, but there were also quite a few things I had a hard time with. In the end I don’t think I was able to land on a number rating because I think I was just the wrong reader for this one, and instead wanted to outline what I did and didn’t like and who I think this book would be best for.

What I liked:
The story used a split timeline in a really effective way, giving us events in interesting orders, and building characters’ personalities in the present and then juxtaposing that development with their previous actions in the past.
The author is clearly knowledgeable about cults. Having just read a non fiction book about cults, ‘Cultish,’ I recognized all kinds of things that real cults use in the language of the book, like thought terminating cliches and love bombing in the beginning.

What didn’t work for me:
The pacing was too slow and clunky for me to consider this a thriller. There were thrilling events happening here and there, but it was primarily character and atmosphere driven. It’s only a 300 page book, but I felt like I was reading a 400-500 page book because the pacing dragged a bit.
The prose used a lot of uncommon words in interesting ways to really place you in the time and setting, but occasionally overusing certain words (Looking at you: Malaise) made it feel a little clunky.
I would have possibly skipped this book altogether if I had checked the triggers beforehand. The descriptions of child abuse were just slightly too close to being on page for me as a reader. I recommend checking the trigger warnings for this book.

You might love this book if:
Some of your favorite horror and thriller books are also considered outside traditional genre themes/tone.
You love lyrical, descriptive prose that uses confusion and revealing info at specific times to create an unsettling eerie atmosphere.
You like character driven cult novels.

Where You End is releasing 1/16/2024 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt Books for this advance copy.
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Twin sisters, Kat & Jude, are in a car accident, causing Kat to lose her memory. Her sister, Jude, attempts to fill in the blanks of her past, but is she telling the truth? This is truly one of those wild, “what did I just read?” kind of books. It is very dark, with disturbing content that is mostly alluded to - happening off the page and not graphically depicted. The beginning started slow for me. A lot of time was spent building up background and the early years of life for these sisters, while also alternating time periods to present day Kat healing and searching for answers to her past. Secrets are slowly revealed and by the halfway point I could not put this book down. The last thirty percent is definitely a thrill ride. I recommend this if you don’t mind a thriller with a slow start, and enjoy something that is more dark and literary. Definitely pick this up if you are fascinated by cult stories.
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Where You End publishes January 16th. It is also a January @aardvarkbookclub pick!

Memory loss is an incredibly traumatic event. Trust me, I know. In the summer of 2017 I had a seizure, and from that point until the fall of 2018 I have maybe one or two memories because I was diagnosed as having a type of epilepsy caused by traumatic brain injury. We don’t even know what the traumatic brain injury was because I can’t remember. I have a specific type of PTSD that’s tied directly to the trauma of having over a year of time lost. To this day, my memory is splotchy at best.

So I can deeply identify with Kat, the twin who loses her memory in a car accident at the beginning of this book. When you lose your memory, you become completely dependent on those around you to fill in the blanks. Then you have to hope that those around you are honest and ethical enough to tell you the objective truth and not mislead you.

Can you imagine that level of trust? (Yeah, I have a lot of trust issues).

Luckily, Kat knows one solid thing once she wakes up: her mirror twin, Jude. Jude is where she ends and begins, like a Mobius strip. They twist and flow into one another. They may be separate beings, but they share that mystical twin link, and Jude is determined to care for Kat and help her slowly but surely remember all she has lost.

The thing is, Kat lives up to her name, for she is curious and things just don’t quite add up.

The things I liked the most about this book were the prose and the psychological terrors that lie behind trusting someone else to fill in your memories. It doesn’t matter how good someone’s intentions are–memories intrinsically belong to the individual, and unless you spend 24/7/365.25 with a person you can’t begin to provide them with anything close to a reliable recitation. Even if you try, you should be truthful, even if the truth is painful.

The prose is compelling and propulsive, engaging in its vigor and imagery. If this wasn’t so clearly a thriller novel I would classify it as literary fiction. Kahler has a lovely way with words, painting vivid pictures and thrilling scenes throughout the book.

The book is truly great, but it’s a little too long, in my opinion. I feel like it could have been trimmed in a few places in each act and made for a much tighter novel, but I don’t truly believe the story suffers overmuch for it. I definitely recommend it.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Cult Fiction/Domestic Thriller/Historical Fiction/Psychological Thriller/Suspense Thriller

Twins Kat and Jude are in a car accident, and Kat sustains a traumatic brain injury where she remembers nothing from her past (except her sister).

Jude realizes it’s up to her to rebuild her sister’s life—and decide what to tell her about their shared history.

From absent parents to mysterious strangers to what they were really doing the night of the accident, is Jude protecting her sister or manipulating her into keeping deadly secrets?

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The chapters alternate between the sisters’ POVs and timelines. Kat is in the present, after her accident. Jude’s chapters are mostly in the past—appropriate, considering she alone holds those memories now.

The book started strong, with a good hook. But it floundered early and I was struggling with whether to finish it. I’m glad I did; the twists were satisfying and the prose itself was well written.

It was a sad story about the relationships closest to us; the people who should protect us and the ones who actually do. The bond between sisters was strong, but individually the characters seemed a little one-dimensional. Maybe because they’re so connected to each other?

Overall, a good thriller with an interesting angle.

Thanks to @netgalley and @macmillanusa for the eARC. This book will be published on January 16, 2024.

Check out this book if you like dark, complicated, emotional thrillers.

I wanted to love this book so bad! The premise is so interesting. We have a pair of twin sisters in a horrible accident and one of them loses all of her memories and becomes completely dependent on the other. The past is cloudy and so is the truth, we don't have any sense of a reliable narrator and its really interesting. I think the book lost me on the shifting perspectives and time frames. It was just too much. For majority of the book we only see Jude's, the twin without amnesia, perspective from DECADES in the past and it took away from everything going on with Kat, the twin with amnesia, and made it feel like two separate stories. It wasn't until just about the end that the two began to seem cohesive. I know this was meant to be a mystery and I'm not saying they should have gotten rid of all the suspense but by giving Kat absolutely ZERO memories we don't have context for any of Jude's past memories and we don't really have a reason to care. I didn't enjoy Jude's perspective until very late in the book because of that. Then I didn't like the way that they left Kat and Sab's romance completely unresolved and vague after it takes up so much of the first 2/3rds of the book. Lastly the ending was really abrupt and I still felt like the twins had a lot of loose ends still, I feel like their story wasn't finished. But this didn't feel like a good cliffhanger-y type of unfinished, it just felt meh.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this literary thriller by Abbott Kahler and perfectly narrated by Megan Tusing; Samantha Desz - 4 stars!

When 22-year-old Kat Bird wakes from a coma in the hospital after an accident, she finds herself looking into her mirror image, her twin, Jude. Jude is all that she remembers from her past, and Kat relies on Jude to try and relearn her history. But is Jude being honest or is she hiding Kat's past from her?

Best go into this one as blind as possible to be even more surprised at all the twists and turns. This book is told in such a creative way - we get the past from Jude and the present from Kat. But are either of these stories reality? A great read!

"Where You End" is a gripping novel perfect for fans of literary suspense. The pacing is not especially fast so that's why I say "literary" suspense versus a typical thriller. The author did a great job of weaving a complex narrative and keeping the reader guessing. I was not a big fan of the cult storyline, but I am sure a lot of readers will be.
The ending does provide a satisfactory conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance e-galley; all opinions in this review are my own.

a great, twisted horror thriller with dark vibes. the twins work great as protags, and i'd so rec it! thanks for te arc

Where You End, while classified as a thriller, I think is better defined as a literary thriller, as the bulk of this book was about the character development between Kat and Jude rather than a more traditional thriller. It took me about half the book to get really engaged in the story and while I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down once I got there, it took me a while to get to that point. For lack of better words, the character development felt clunky at times, especially when first introduced to the twins. Some minor edits that need to happen, which is to be expected with a galley. I loved the cult aspects and Kat and Jude grew on me but I was not invested in them for a bit too long.

The premise of this - a mirror twin who wakes up from a coma with amnesia and has to rely on her twin to fill in the holes in her memory about her past - intrigued me. The plot alternates between past and present. Some very strange things happened in the past, which heavily influence the decisions the twin makes in keeping secrets from her sister. The plot was definitely unique and unexpected, not quite what I thought it would be, but that’s ok. It will appeal to readers who are looking for a psychological suspense with a little edge.

This book had a very promising premise: twins, memory loss, and cults. But the pacing was glacial and the plot didn’t make a lot of sense. Why isn’t Kat being monitored more closely after her accident? Perhaps by a neurologist? Why didn’t she question her tattoo? Why didn’t she research anyone except her childhood home if she had the means? It was frustrating, to say the least.

This is for the weird girls!! And I loved it.

We follow Kat and Jude, mirror twins, after an accident that leaves Kat without any memories at all. It is up to Jude to fill in the blanks about their past, but is Jude being truthful?

This has a distinct literary flavor. It leans more toward the literary fiction genre than thriller, both in tone and pacing. This is not action packed or really even suspenseful. It is just an unwinding of the twins’ pasts and how it led them to where they are now. The initial set up drew me in immediately and the slow reveals took a dark turn that kept me hooked. I thought the whole story was really well done and personally didn’t feel the same as some other reviewers saying they were a little lost in the middle.

I will definitely pick up anything the author puts out in the future!

Wow! This is the amazing story about twin sisters, one who lost all her memories after a car accident of who she was and all that has happened to her. She relies on her twin to fill in the gaps, but not all is as it seems. This is a very dark tale set in the 1970s and 80s. An eccentric mother, a genius father, and a group of individuals who pledge your mind can do magic. This story made me feel sad, angry, and disgusted of childhoods lost by many. I would absolutely recommend this book, however, check your trigger warnings.

An extremely enjoyable, unique, quirky, and at times devastating story about "mirror twins" - twins that are mirror images of eachother, and even closer in the womb than regular identical twins. Kat and Jude are the mirror twins and at times it's hard to tell which one is the "evil" twin, though Jude lays claim to the title. In the beginning of the story, Kat loses her memory in a devastating accident, and it is up to her twin Jude to help her rebuild their shared memories. But is Jude being truthful with Kat? Or is she reconstructing fictional memories for her own reasons?

This story is fascinating and basically has everything: Murder! Mayhem! Twin switches and antics! Amnesia! A cult! Even more importantly than its unique plot though, is that this book is beautifully written. i found myself marvelling more than once over the magical way this author can turn a phrase. Abbott Kahler is one to watch for sure. This book was devastating, striking, wild, beautiful and twisty -- everything I look for in a thriller. The audiobook narrator also did an excellent job with the voice acting.

Abbott Kahler is a talented and unique author and from now on I will always reserve room for her on my bookshelf

Where You End by Abbott Kahler was a book I was really looking forward to. Billed as a psychological thriller about identical "mirror" twins Kat and Jude, the story follows the twins as they grapple with Kat's amnesia which renders her only able to remember Jude and nothing else. As time passes, Kat pieces together her past and questions the stories that Jude tells her.

Ultimately, this story fell flat for me. It was overwritten and drawn out. I was looking forward to the cult aspect of the story but it was one dimensional and not quite as thrilling as I anticipated.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

An unusual literary thriller about remaking the ugly past. Kat and Jude are mirror twins who were raised first by their mother who has mental health issues and then in a cult. Now, Kat's been in an accident and has amnesia, allowing Jude to built out her life before. Kat, however, puts herself out there a bit when she meets a man who takes her to a poker game. It might seem slow and a tad confusing at first but keep in mind throughout that these women are in their early 20s, they did not attend school, and that the conditions, the games, their lives before will not be revealed for a while. Kahler does a good job with, for want of a better word, world building. She also building the horror and the tension, with the reveals sliding up on you. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Hard to review without spoilers but know that nothing and no one is what it or they seem.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Where You End is a story about twins (Jude and Kat) that grow up in a cult, escape, and later get in an accident that results in one of them (Kat) losing their memory. Jude chooses to keep their past hidden from Kat and Kat goes looking for the truth.

I was shocked to realize how much of a slow burn this was. The description made it seem like it was going to be a fast-paced thriller and the premise was so interesting that I expected to read it in 1 to 2 days. Well, several weeks later, I'm finally done after sitting down and making myself focus solely on this book (crediting my new Kindle for this win). The last 10-15% of the book picked up and was a breeze to get through which is always a plus but it was odd after slogging through such a slow 85%ish of the book, the ending was so rushed. The author sped through the most exciting part. I wish she had removed some of the back/side story to give more time to the main plot.

A lot is going on in this book and most of it feels underdeveloped. Sab as a character is unnecessary and promotes physical and emotional emotion in relationships. The parents... omg the parents are actually heinous and deserve prison (if not the chair). And the twins... they make one bad move after another and somehow manage to make it work, it is peak book magic. I'm also sad to say the twist at the end lacked luster and could be seen a mile away, but I will concede that it went half a step further than expected, depending on what version of events you chose to believe. I'm going with the one that at least got a "well look at that" out of me.

I will say that the duel timeline with dual POV was a really good move on the author. The jumps back and forth really added a level of intrigue and the meeting of the past and the present was well executed. We were experiencing the hardship Jude placed upon herself as Kat was starting to see through Jude's rainbow-colored glasses.

I was pleased with the happy(?) ending.

Thank you, NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co., for my complimentary digital copy for review.

In this novel, we are introduced to Kat, a young woman who has lost her memory due to an accident. Her twin sister, Jude, becomes her sole connection to a forgotten past. However, as Kat begins to uncover the truth, she realizes Jude may not be as forthcoming as she initially believed. What follows is a gripping tale that delves into the depths of a cult and the sinister forces they are desperately trying to escape.

One of the book's strengths is its portrayal of the unique bond between twin sisters. The relationship between Jude and Kat serves as a driving force in unraveling the central mystery. As events unfold, the author expertly peels back layers of the past and present, creating a slow-burn narrative that keeps readers engaged. While the pacing may be slow-burn, the tantalizing glimpses into the answers to the mystery maintain a sense of curiosity and intrigue.

The book is a dark tale exploring the complexities of sisterhood, loyalty, and the lengths individuals will go to attain freedom. The sisters' actions are thought-provoking and chilling, leaving readers pondering the boundaries of love and sacrifice.

Overall, this book is a compelling and atmospheric read that will captivate fans of psychological thrillers and intricate family dynamics.

Abbott Kahler's fiction debut, "Where You End," is a tour de force that seamlessly blends suspense, psychological intrigue, and masterful storytelling. From the moment I delved into the world of identical twins Kat and Jude, I was ensnared by the novel's gripping premise.

The tale unfolds with Kat's awakening from a coma, her only connection to the past being the face and name of her twin sister, Jude. As Kat grapples with profound questions about her identity and the events leading to her accident, Kahler masterfully guides readers through a labyrinth of twists and turns. The author's ability to capture the nuances of Kat's confusion and quest for answers creates an emotional resonance that immerses readers in the narrative.

The enigma of mysterious pursuers and Kat's unexplained flashes of anger inject a thrilling sense of danger into the narrative, making "Where You End" an intense and compelling read.

Kahler's writing is both intensely creepy and beautifully nuanced, creating an atmospheric tension that heightens the intrigue. "Where You End" is not just a tale of amnesia but an exploration of revenge, redemption, and the resilience of the human spirit. The novel's thematic depth and captivating storytelling make it an unforgettable read.

"Where You End" is a phenomenal reading experience that I would recommend you consider picking up upon release.