The description of this book intrigued me so I downloaded an ARC through NetGalley. Thank you, Atria Books.

This thriller is really a book within a book. Eliza's book "The Dots" is about to be published when she is rescued from the bottom of a pool at a resort in Palm Springs. Did she jump or was she pushed? Why is her memory so spotty? Why does she perceive a presence hovering in the periphery of her vision? All those questions are answered and tied up quite neatly through the book.

Something about this book struck me as off. Perhaps it is the transition from YA to Adult and it is stuck in the middle. There was a lack of maturity to the narrative that for me was distracting and affected my experience.

If you are a fan of unreliable narrators, look NO FURTHER than this one. This may be as unreliable as they come. This book follows Eliza, soon-to-be published debut author while she deals with the fact that she woke up in the bottom of a pool and cannot swim, so someone is trying to kill her. The chapters in Eliza’s life are set side-by-side with chapters from her book. Ultimately, what is she to believe happened to her and what should we believe as the reader?

This book is by the author of the PLL series and hits shelves next week!

Eliza Fontaine heads to Palm Springs and finds herself at the bottom of the hotel pool. Eliza can't swim, and her family assumes this was yet another one of Eliza's failed suicide attempts, as she has a history of winding up at the bottom of swimming pools. But Eliza swears this time was different; yes, she was drinking that evening, but she's sure someone pushed her, even if she can't remember exactly how she wound up at the pool or even the hotel bar. The sole witness is the man who rescued her, so Eliza tracks him down. But as they attempt to figure out what happened, Eliza only grows more confused. She's about to get her first novel published, and it seems as if events from the novel are intertwining with her life. She thought her novel was fiction, but now she's bewildered, feeling followed, and wondering if she's finally losing her mind for good.

This was an odd little book and not at all what I was expecting. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, and the more I think about it, the more I should have realized that Sara Shepard is quite masterful at playing with our minds. This is actually almost two books in one: we get the novel itself; as well excerpts from The Dots, Eliza's debut novel, which is set to be published a few weeks after she's found in the pool. As we get deeper and deeper into The Dots, we're left to wonder how much its protagonist, Dot, is like Eliza--where does Eliza end and Dot begin?

It's really quite an ingenious setup and it's quite fun. I actually really liked the excerpts more at times. The novel revolves around the confusing question of identity, as Eliza struggles to figure out who she is and what she remembers about her life and past. My only struggle was that Eliza does a lot of thinking (aka talking or narrating) and I lost interest at some points when she talked on a bit. Still, most of the time, this was a pretty suspenseful book; it's certainly "trippy" and often confusing, as you work to puzzle out things alongside Eliza. I definitely didn't have everything figured out immediately, though I worked most things out as I went along.

Overall, this is a quick read (I read the entire thing during during two consecutive plane rides), and the book-within-a-book setup is fun and adds to the suspense. This isn't a read for those who love intricate, deeply plotted thrillers, but it's enjoyable and compelling and perfect for YA fans looking for a psychological thriller.

I love psychological thrillers, so I jumped on The Elizas by Sara Shepard.  From the start it is abundantly clear that Eliza is an unreliable witness.  It is also clear that she doesn’t have the best relationship with her family.  Her relationships with other people in her life are marginal at best.

I was intrigued and curious about the story line, but I wouldn’t say that I found the story gripping. The author tells the tale in chapters that alternate between Eliza’s present day and excerpts of the book she has written.  The fact that the plot of Eliza's book parallels her life makes readers question Eliza’s reality.

When Eliza finally comes to terms with reality, the story threads are woven together.  The Elizas is truly a psychological thriller as most of the action takes place in the main character’s muddled head.  It is a meaningful story for readers who are sympathetic to mental health issues.

3.5 stars

Having been a fan of the Pretty Little Liars series, I was really excited to jump into the authors newest standalone suspense novel. Eliza is truly an unreliable narrator and wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but I still managed to really enjoy the story once the plot thickened! The constant questioning of what's reality and what is simply in Eliza's head is what drove me to continuously think about the book once I had set it aside for the night.

While the jumping back and forth between the present and Eliza's novel irritated me in the beginning, by mid-way I couldn't decide which version I liked more and thoroughly enjoyed the story as a whole. Though I can't say I am completely satisfied after finishing this book, I do appreciate the obstacles taken to get there - I truly couldn't figure this one out and especially loved the curveball there at the end.

Overall, I think this was a pretty good slow burn thriller and a fun read to take you away from reality for a little while and get your mind reeling.

First line: I’m screaming as I wake up.

Summary: When Eliza Fontaine, a debut author, is found at the bottom of a pool her family believes that she has tried again to commit suicide. Eliza knows that she was pushed into the pool but cannot remember who pushed her. As she looks deeper into the incident, she learns more secrets have been kept from her. Why is everyone assuming that her upcoming book is a parallel with her life? It is fiction. Or is it?

Highlights: I liked the mystery and fast pace of the second half of the novel. I kept thinking the story was finished but a new twist was added digging deeper into the mystery. The cover was really pretty as well. I really enjoy reading Sara Shepard’s books. She can write a fun story that keeps me coming back for more. Dorothy was a very interesting character. She is flamboyant and eccentric. She added a little fun and spice to the story.

Lowlights: The first half of the novel was slow moving. I nearly gave up on it. I did not like the intertwining with Eliza’s book but as the story progressed, it grew on me. And Desmond was not a character I liked or connected with.

FYI: Check out her Pretty Little Liars series!

Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: Confusing to start (Sorry no spoilers here.)

Check out author's other books? Yes
Recommend this book? Yes

Notes and Opinions: Don't give up early on with this one. Stick it out and read it all becuase it will blow you away!! This is only the second book that I have read from this author but it will not be the last. This one will keep you on your toes as you try to figure out what in the world is going on and trying to figure out how it was all going to end. This one really blew me away with everything and I can not wait for more by this author!! She can do it all young adult and no adult. If you haven't check out her other titles do so and make sure to read this one as well. It would be perfect for a mystery lover or those who love thrillers! You just will not know what is going on and who you can trust!

Go Into This One Knowing: Amazing, Mysterious and Thrilling!

Review will post on blog on tour date

When they fish Eliza Fontaine, upcoming author, out of the bottom of the pool, her family think it's another suicide attempt. After all this isn't the first time, or even the second, that they've had to pull her out of the water. But Eliza knows she didn't try and commit suicide. Although her memory of the events of that night have either disappeared or are hazy, one thing she does remember is a hand pushing her into the pool. But, as Eliza investigates reality and fiction start to become entwined and what's real and what's fantasy start to blur.

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting. Mainly because I was expecting a straightforward, although interesting, thriller about an attempted murder and a plucky heroine racing to save her life and convince everyone she's in danger. Instead, we get a psychological mystery where not even the heroine is sure if someone pushed her or not. As for the plucky heroine, I didn't get it right there either. Eliza takes some getting used to, she is a damaged individual who isn't always very likeable and who makes some questionable decisions.

All this combined just made for a fascinating read. Although it is a slow starter, I recommend that you keep reading as the mystery and intrigue pick up as you read further on. What I liked about this book was that although some aspects of the story line I guessed straight away, and was correct, there were layers of mystery and I didn't quite understand the breadth of until towards the end.  There's nothing  better than a book that keeps you guessing.

This won't be a book for everyone, it keeps a fairly sedate pace and although Eliza is fascinating you don't always like her. However, it's well worth the read as Shepard delivers an interesting narrative that shows the impact of childhood trauma as fiction and reality collide in the life of one woman.

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have such conflicting feelings about this book. There were some parts that I was so into and I could not wait to turn the pages to find out what was going to play out in the story. However there were long parts of it that were just repetitive information regurgitated over and over. I do see what the author was trying to do there, in trying to make our unreliable narrator even more unreliable. However, I don't think it was as successful as it could have been. I have read similar story plots that used the same type of technique but done in a different way to make more details appear and throw you off kilter. Instead in this story it was just the same information over and again. Those parts took away from the book for me and slowed it down considerably. The parts that were action packed and moving quickly to follow our narrator down another path of revealing information were great and I really enjoyed them. Overall the book is an average thriller but I would consider it more YA than adult. The surprise at the ending was good but I didn't get that satisfied feeling at the end of this thriller like I have done before. I got the feeling of oh ok that's what happened and not the excited feeling of of OH WOW! I am on the blog tour for this and will upload the link after the video has gone live.

As you can see from the millions of books listed under Shepard's name up on my blog, I'm a huge fan of her. I've read almost every book she's written (except for a few of her older releases) and enjoyed all of them. Her writing style is quick and addicting to read, even though some stories are too similar and/or formulaic. However, THE ELIZAS appeared to be a departure from her norm... so I was excited and a little nervous to dive in!

I ended up not liking this one nearly as much as I hoped. The first half really kept me guessing and wondering what was going on with Eliza. I was trying to piece everything together for so long, until things finally clicked into place... and the answer was so obvious. I kept hoping and thinking there would be another twist I didn't expect, but it just ended up being very predictable. There was a slight twist at the end of something I didn't consider, but it was otherwise too obvious.

Eliza was an interesting character and it was purposely hard to connect with her, which was good. I couldn't really connect with any character, actually, because she was so suspicious of everyone and confused about what was going on. I liked that aspect. I loved Shepard’s writing style as always and it was a somewhat quick read once I got going, but definitely not my favorite of hers.

I was very excited to read this new novel by Sara Shepard! I fell in love with the Pretty Little Liars series. This new novel, "The Elizas" is geared more towards the adult audience, as opposed to her previous novels in the Young Adult genre.

My full review will be added to this post closer to the release date of April 17, 2018. For the meantime, I will tell you I really enjoyed this read!

This thriller was easy to get into from the start. The cast of characters are interesting, diverse and relatable. Mysteries and plot twists kept coming and I stayed engaged throughout the story. I honestly didn't see the end coming!

If you are looking for a vacation read, this is a must! I think Sara Shepard did a great job transitioning to adult fiction. I look forward to her next novel!

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for allowing me a free copy to read and give my honest review! It was a 4 star read for me! Look for my complete review next month and pre-order this new novel now!

Happy Reading!

Eliza has always been prickly and erratic, so checking into a swanky resort and getting wasted isn't entirely unexpected behavior. Even nearly drowning in the hotel pool fails to raise eyebrows. Her family thinks it's yet another suicide attempt inspired by her recently-excised brain tumor, but Eliza knows she was pushed. She starts to investigate her attempted murder, but is hampered by memory loss and her loving family. Interspersed with Eliza's story are excerpts from her soon-to-be-published novel, a work of psychological suspense that's pure fiction . . . probably. Eliza is staggeringly unreliable and not particularly likable but completely riveting. Her trip down the rabbit hole is creepy fun.

A young fiction author with a history of mental breakdowns and suicide attempts tries to prove that her latest dead weight dive into a pool was an attack, not a suicide attempt. Along the way she learns her perpetual paranoia, may not be so unfounded.

This book had great psychological suspense and the story was captivating. I really enjoyed the intertwining of Eliza’s story and the story of the main character in her book. But, I felt the book as a whole was a bit spoiled by hand wavey medical science and characters taking away the agency of the main character with little or no consequence.

An okay read for any psychological suspense fan who has torn through better titles.

The duality of the narrative was appealing to me and the murder mystery was intriguing and kept my interest right up until the end of the book. It was also interesting to get new information about the scene of the crime as the book progressed so you saw it differently.

Eliza and Dot - one is a real person, and the other is a character in Eliza’s book.

The similarities are striking and a bit confusing.

We follow both Eliza and Dot as they move through situations both in real life and in Eliza's book.

The book begins as Eliza was pulled out of a swimming pool, and no one believes that it was an accident since she previously tried to commit suicide. Doctors and family members also question her story and her memory about many things, but are they just trying to make her think she can’t remember things?

THE ELIZAS was odd, but interesting. The characters seemed to be trying to put Eliza in a bad light even though Eliza’s publicist met with her and said the stunt with the pool was a brilliant tactic for publicity.

Were they really worried about Eliza or their book sales? Was anyone really worried about Eliza or just themselves?

Eliza couldn't let everyone think she had purposely jumped in the pool and was more interested in clearing up the story the police are telling everyone about the pool incident than worrying about publicity for her book.

Each chapter was titled Eliza or Dot, and the ending of the chapters about Eliza seemed to have someone questioning her memory. When Eliza asks a question about a situation since she can't remember, the other characters confirm that it is someone she knew or a situation that had happened. Each chapter parallels each other with a similar situation for each character.

THE ELIZAS was a psychological fest. Did I or didn't I do that? Did I or didn't I remember that situation? Is the character in my book really me?

THE ELIZAS was a bit confusing at first and kept me guessing. Once a few things were revealed, the tension mounted and things came together, but the oddness continued.

More than one story seemed to be going on at once throughout the book.

Be patient and read carefully when you read THE ELIZAS. You never know who may be lurking. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Novelist Eliza was discovered one night in a pool and her family assumes it’s one more of her many suicide attempt resulting due to the tumor in her brain. Eliza though is pretty sure she was pushed and is confident that somebody is stalking her. Soon Eliza enlists the help of a friend that rescued her and tries to piece back the events of that night. But reality and fiction collide and Eliza is unable to differentiate between her novel and her real life.

Sara Shepard has a way of drawing out the characters and sympathizing with even the unlikable characters . The book started slow for me but picked up pace in the middle. A slow moving suspenseful read enjoyable by all Sara Shepard fans

I would like to thank Atria Books & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

It's rare in a Shepard novel that I don't find myself yelling at one of the characters and asking why the heck they could make such a ridiculous decision. This novel was a little different though. The Elizas allowed me to take a break and allow myself to be absorbed within a novel. I was fascinated by the twists the book took and how even what you might have guessed was still not exactly what it seemed.

Initially I was a little annoyed by the fever dream quality of the story and had a hard time connecting with Eliza who seemed to be suffering from a joint case of “poor little rich girl” and a deep desire to always be a little bit too much.

As I continued to read I was still struggling with encountering so many characters who are deeply and proudly odd that there was an oversaturated manic pixie feeling to everyone. It made me want to put the book down. But when I put the book down I found that I was still thinking about and would pick it back up a read a little more. And as the many mysteries around Eliza swirled I found that I had to keep reading.

The story isn’t entirely a new one. I won’t name specific references in order to avoid spoilers, but suffice to say there’s two movies in particular that come to mind once I got to around the 80% mark of the book. They happen to be movies I enjoyed, and the book still delivers it with a unique twist, so I don’t mind revisiting this idea.

If, like me, you read many of the Pretty Little Liar books when they came out and had a love/hate relationship with the drama, there’s none of that teenage soap here. Some of the choices the characters make, especially in terms of keeping secrets for the supposed benefit of others feels just as outlandish, but without the extra bonkers vibe the PLL books gave. By the end of the book in particular, Eliza’s story is firmly in the adult world.

This story is thoroughly enjoyable once you get to know everyone and actively make the decision to just strap in for the ride. You'll have the most fun if you're willing to suspend your disbelief for awhile and step into Eliza's shoes.

There’s quite a few fun little nods to being an author in this day and age, the social media requirements and the ways that someone’s personal traumas can be spun into salacious fodder for selling more books.

Overall I can’t help but want to deem this book a great vacation read or “beach read” for the light tone of the writing, and the blend of darkness, quirk, and glamour of the content. It’s fun in it’s own odd way.

This book was another in the unreliable narrator category— but it worked so well. Although the Eliza character was a bit unsympathetic, I was rooting for her to figure out what happened the night she was found in a pool. I loved the book within a book and that made the alternating chapters just as enjoyable. I picked the perfect time to pick up this lighter thriller and absolutely enjoyed it.