Gripping thriller that will keep your interest throughout. I really enjoyed the twin aspects of knowing everything about each other. There are so many lies and deceptions that you have to uncover to find the truth. The audiobook was really good. I enjoyed the narrator. I know that the alternative timeline you need to figure out who is narrating, but I would have loved a different narrator. Overall, a good thriller!!

*Thank you @poisonedpenpress and @dreamscape_media for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

I experienced an immersive thriller. As I delved into the story, I found myself drawn into a world of suspense and intrigue. While my emotional investment in the characters was not absolute, the narrative's intricate plot and suspenseful twists kept me engaged throughout.

Throughout the listen, I found myself empathizing with the characters, feeling their struggles and challenges as they navigated through the gripping storyline. Although excitement was not the predominant emotion, there was a compelling allure to the narrative that held my interest.

Despite not feeling fully immersed, the audiobook added an extra layer of intensity to the storytelling, making it a memorable experience. Overall, the thriller provided a captivating journey into the depths of suspense and mystery, making it a worthwhile listen for any fan of the genre.

I ended up quite enjoying this one! The plot was original for a mystery/thriller and I loved the quant cabin setting. At the end, things felt just a pinch too unrealistic for me personally, but I still had a good time and was pretty consistently on the edge of my seat!

Cassie being a detective seemed to be the more outspoken take charge one while Lenora seemed to be the timid, soft spoken twin. I kept going back and forth between the two trying to figure them out. The author did a great job at keeping their secrets. Keeping secrets while living secluded in cabin #2. Lenora is more affected by what happened years ago and her sister Cassie wonders what may be happening in the present. What unfolded was so unexpected I did not see what was coming!!


This audiobook had me feeling all kinds of crazy, confused, and shocked, in a good way! Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora had me wondering who I could trust before I came to the conclusion that they are both unreliable. This one is very twisty and the plot twists towards the end will have you feeling like what did she just say (listening to the audiobook). This was a great debut psychological thriller and I will be itching to pick up Marlee’s next one!

I will say there was a patch in the middle that did slow the pace down, but the rest is fast-paced! Check out my aesthetic to convince you to grab this one. I LOVED the audiobook!

Cassie, is a podcast host with a unique focus: the victims of serial killers, after tragedy struck her own family her podcast has become wildly popular and she uses the money to support her and her sister. Cassie and Lenora, her twin have always had a special bond having been monoamniotic twins in utero, Lenora being the weaker twin, Cassie has always felt a deep guilt and protectiveness towards her. After what happened at home, Cassie moved them to a secluded cabin away from prying eyes, but Lenora has never got over the incident and is reclusive, only leaving the cabin to use the outhouse, she carries with her a black Polaroid camera and a silver dollar, that once belonged to their father wherever she goes.

The cabin is situated in what was once a popular camping ground but is now mostly deserted. When the landowner passes away, Sarah takes over the running of things. However, when a family visits using one of the cabins for a long weekend, their daughter, Tilly, goes missing, only to be found dead. The mother immediately accuses Lenora, igniting suspicions within Cassie, especially when she discovers Lenora's coin near the scene of the crime. Can Lenora really be capable of such a deed?

The prose is beautifully crafted, drawing readers into the story with vivid descriptions and palpable tension. The plot uses dual timelines, skilfully alternating between past traumas and current mysteries, which can sometimes be confusing but ultimately leads to a breathtaking twist that I didn't anticipate until the last moment.

The narrator delivers an exceptional performance, keeping listeners engrossed in the story with impeccable pacing and emotional depth.

“When She Was Me" is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of family, identity, past trauma and the darkness which resides within us all. Bush's accomplished storytelling and unexpected twists make this a wonderfully gripping thriller to the vey end.

I found this audiobook a little hard to follow - the main characters are twin girls who live on a campground in the middle of the woods. I found myself getting lost as to who was actually speaking and who’s POV I was in (but maybe that was intended since they are twins). I loved the secluded setting and how it added to the eeriness of the story. The plot was a little slow/drawn out until the last 30% of the book.

Overall I liked this one, and the twist was unexpected and pretty creepy!

Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review!

I found this book enjoyable overall. The characters were good. I especially liked the bond between Cassie and Lenora, two sisters that ran from their past. I liked that it took place in a cabin in the woods where the two sisters lived and never left, it made it seem a little more creepy. There were secrets, paranoia, history, trauma, mental health challenges, and mystery, the two sisters depended on each other, the one more than the other. I would recommend this book to others because it was a good story, but I gave it a 3 because I thought it was a little slow, at least for me.
Enjoy!

Thank you Dreamscape Media and Marlee Bush for the gifted ALC!

Ooooooh y'all I will not lie this one threw me for a LOOP! As I was reading/listening I was thinking this is good but it seems obvious where it's going... I could not have been more wrong. The big twist was sooo good I think my jaw actually dropped. Very surprised and impressed that this is a debut!

I enjoyed the narration of this one too which is always a plus for me.

Even though this one is longer than your "average" thriller, I think the build-up is important and I can confidently recommend it to fellow thriller lovers.

And what's better than the fact that it's on bookshelves now and you can get your copy ASAP!

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

When She was Me follows twin sisters Cassie and Lenora. A teenage girl goes missing near where they live and they have to try to figure out what exactly happened to her.

Personally this thriller just wasn’t really for me. I found parts to be confusing and it was a little slow. It wasn’t bad at all and it was actually pretty good for a debut author. It just wasn’t my favorite and I found myself getting distracted a lot while reading it. I would still consider trying out this author in the future.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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When She Was Me is an interesting take on identical twins. Cassie and Lenora are inseparable, living in a secluded cabin. When a girl in a neighboring cabin goes missing, memories of their haunting past come rushing back.
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This one is told in a dual POV through the eyes of Lenora and Cassie but also in a dual timeline. The present timeline is that of Lenora and Cassie; though the past it’s not clear who is speaking. I found this to be a little bit confusing at points, but for the most part I was able to keep up. I enjoyed the characters. I felt a pull to both Cassie and Lenora, I just wanted to know their story.
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This was a super slow burn and I wouldn’t say anything major or suspenseful happens until the last 15-20% or so but let me tell you that last 20% was absolutely phenom and the ending was one that I did not see coming at all. And Honestly loved every second of it! There was some repetitiveness in this one and it could have been shorter but for a debut this one was great!
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I listened to this one via audiobook. Imani Jade Powers was a great narrator and I love what she did with this one! Highly recommend the audio if you are thinking of picking this one up!
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When She Was Me was just released yesterday 5/7. This was a solid debut and I am super excited to follow Marlee on her writing journey! Check this one out! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Marlee Bush and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed the chapters that took place in the past and I really could not figure out who the narrator was for these chapters throughout the book. I really enjoyed the dynamics between the sisters and how they could not fully trust each other because they were never honest with each other. This was a good thriller and I enjoyed this book.

I’ve got mixed feelings about this one. I loved the twin dynamic and the uneasy feeling I felt while reading this. It was written well in that way. It was a bit confusing with all of the jumping back and forth but I really enjoyed the setting of the lonely cabin in the woods. I wasn’t very shocked by the twist…but that’s probably because I read mostly thrillers. Overall it was a good read.

Thanks NetGalley and Dreamscape for my ALC of this book which published 5/7/24

had high hopes for this one because 1) i love thrillers 2) i love anything related about twins because they fascinate but it was straight up boring and i lowkey zoned out at like 52% and i just didn't understand anything that was going on for more than half of the book. seriously unimpressed

thanks netgalley for this audio arc!

I had high hopes for this one, but it couldn't quite keep my interest. It wasn't one that I was continuously craving to read, I felt like it didn't have a ton going on and wasn't as "thrilling" as it could have been.

*I did like the narrator!

Interesting premise, but it was repetitive and slow. It picked up somewhat, around 70%, and then went back to the initial inner thoughts. The ending was rushed, and the twist was anticlimactic.

The audiobook was great! The narrators pace was well done. The only thing is I couldn't distinguish the sisters voices from one another, but aside from that I enjoyed my audio experience.

I couldn't quite make sense of the story until the major twist was revealed. Despite this, I really enjoyed the dual POVs and timelines. The reveal of the person narrating the past completely caught me off guard!

At one point, I almost stopped listening halfway through because it felt repetitive and exhausting. However, I'm glad I pushed through because the book's ending was satisfying to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

• New Release Tuesday •

OUT NOW! Happy Pub Day!

Swipe for synopsis ➡️

Thank you @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for making this new release available to me!

I have learned I really love the lost in the woods type thrillers and although the twins aren’t technically lost but rent the cabin in the woods still gave me all the vibes!

This was a very mysterious read and I was continually questioning what was going on and what was I missing.

The only thing I was having trouble with was the narrators “southern” accent. Because the book takes place in Tennessee I understand the idea of having southern accents but it just wasn’t for me and I would have preferred it without, but that’s just me personally.

Congrats on your debut novel @marleebushwriter

#happypupday #outnow #newreleasetuesday #audiobook #arc #poisedpenpress #dreamscapemedia #netgalley #marleebush #debutnovel #thriller #suspense #mystery

3.5⭐️

Happy Pub Day to this gem of a thriller!!!
Thank you to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC copy, along with Dreamscape Media for the ALC copy!

I found this to be such an odd story, with quite odd characters, but that's a big reason it drew me in. I really enjoyed the POVs here and how you were left guessing who one of the POV's belonged to throughout most of the book.
The setting was absolutely perfect for where this story led & gave it the best backdrop in my opinion.

The audio was also done well & really gave some extra life and distinction to the characters!

I would have enjoyed a little bit quicker of a pace, and truly had a hard time deciding on my final rating. I would recommend this one, especially if you enjoy twins, true crime (ish) and an outdoorsy camp setting!

Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora lives in a secluded campsite to escape their past. When a teenage girl disappears, it unravels layers of secrecy which triggers a confrontation of what haunts them. What exactly are they hiding from, how did they get here, and what happened?

I found this book quite enjoyable overall. The characters were distinct, their development was well-crafted, and the plot felt solid. I particularly appreciated the eerie atmosphere of the secluded cabin setting, which added a sense of unease and creepiness. It follows Cassie and Lenora's alternating perspectives and timelines. There were secrets, paranoia, history, trauma, mental health challenges, and mystery. The mystery kept me turning the pages, but it was a VERY slow burn reveal. It felt like it dragged on which caused me to get easily distracted. Even though the twist took me by surprise, the book was longer than necessary. Despite this and considering it's the author's debut novel, I still look forward to reading her other work. I would recommend reading this with either digital book or physical book if you're able to commit your full attention because it can get very confusing with an audiobook and I've had to replay to hear what I missed multiple times.

Thank you @netgalley & Dreamscape Media @dreamscape_media, Poisoned Pen Press for providing me an advanced eARC and advanced audiobook copy of this book.

⚠️ [Content warning: agoraphobia, depression, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, family violence, voyeurism, death. Other topics touched on: arson, substance abuse (addiction and overdose), CSA, animal harm]

This one was a solid three stars for me. It was mildly interesting at parts, but there were slow parts that didn't hold my attention. I listened to the audiobook version and didn't love the narrator's inflection because, while it was clear that she was trying to do a slight Southern Tennessee accent, she didn't hold it constant so it waivered in and out. There were multiple POVs but sometimes hard to differentiate characters for me. Overall a good middle of the road thriller but not one that left an impression on me.