Cover Image: Unspeakable Things

Unspeakable Things

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Member Reviews

There were plenty of 'unspeakable things' in this book and like the title, they were mainly alluded to rather than specifically described. Incest, PTSD, rape, 'swingers', abductions. In a way, having them just be hinted at in most cases made them even more horrifying. Lourey does a great job of making the readers' imagination do the work of bringing out the details.

Cassie is a mix of Scout from 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and Nancy Drew. For the most part, she's believable and a sympathetic character. The father is horrible - - but so is the mother for closing her eyes to what was happening.
The author does a good job of feeding small hints throughout the story as to what exactly was happening. The fact this story was based on a true occurrence - - and something that no doubt happens every day somewhere - - made it all the more horrifying.

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Trigger Warning: indirect content related to child sexual abuse.

Unspeakable Things was a dark fictional novel based off of a true story in 1980s Minnesota.

Cassie is a 13 year old spit fire who calls everyone out and asks questions that make people uncomfortable. I LOVED her.

The dark side of this novel, boys were being abducted and assaulted by an unknown masked man, and due to them living in the “rougher” parts of down, were told they were making it up; until a boy from a richer family goes missing.

Frank, Cassie’s best friend calls the boys who were abducted and returned werewolves because once returned, the boys were extremely disturbed. Cassie’s father and the local police are also “monsters” to Cassie.

This book was very suspenseful, difficult to read at times, but also had it’s charming moments of humor, and I loved following Cassie while she tried being Nancy Drew to find out what was happening to these boys, who used to be her friends.

4 🌟

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I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What an interesting read...It was borderline uncomfortable at times. The title really has this story pegged. A lot of what happens is very unspeakable. This story should really come with a trigger warning. There is incest, molestation, abduction, and swingers parties.

Although the story itself is dark, it is very well written and very compelling. As I do with most books, I don’t like to dive too deep into the guts of a book because I don’t want to give away spoilers. I was not immediately pulled into this book, it took me quite a bit of this book to get into it.

I would say this isn’t an easy read just because of the premises alone. It has a lot of very hard to swallow subject matter, but it was executed well. Thank you kindly to Jess Lourey, Thomas & Mercer Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to review this title.

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This is a dark, uncomfortable read about abduction, incest and swinger parties, all told through the eyes of a young girl.
It’s the summer of 1983 and young boys are being molested. The main character of Cassie has a list of suspects that includes her own father and the story takes us on her journey to discover the truth.
For me it was too dark and uncomfortable, although well written.

An OK read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

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A great suspense read.

Sephie, Cassie and their parents live in a country town - Lilydale, Minnesota.

Average girls, Sephie (9th Grade) and Cassie (7th Grade) are waiting for the upcoming summer break from school. School buses and packed lunches are the norm for these girls.Their mom is a teacher at the High School and she takes on extra duties that leave her exhausted most nights Don,.their dad, however, describes himself as an artist and a soldier. A Viet Nam vet, Don makes metal sculptures ; = for a (not so profitable) living. Mom brings the bread home, yet dad rules the roost.

Another feature keeps the reader guessing - what is up with the sporadic "parties" that the parents have.- they can't be so bad. After all, a police sergeant attends...
Also, there is the town's "peeping Tom" that does more than just peep...

A thrilling ride that the reader is bound to enjoy!

Many Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for a good read !

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Unspeakable Things is a dark and intense, very well-versed read, but from the cover and the blurb, I expected my mind to explode at its greatness, and I didn't find that. Still a very enjoyable read.

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An absolutely fantastic mystery thriller. I loved it. Really hard to put down and it went in a completely different direction than I thought x

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First for me from this author. Was a great pull you in book and kept me interested all the way through. Didn't go where I thought it was going which is good as kept me guessing. Lived the title and the cover! Wanted to read this one as soon as I saw it.

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Thankyou to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author, Jess Lourey, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Unspeakable Things in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought this book provided a good, quick read . The storyline was well thought out and written with engaging characters. It kept me hooked from the start.
We'll worth a read.

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Awesome book, read it all in a day! It was a mix of mystery, thriller and a family drama. I loved that it was told from the viewpoint of a preteen. They are so honest and at such a great age where they are still curious but starting to realize the world is not always a happy place. I needed a good thriller and this one fit the bill. I've already told my friend to read it because I'm desperate to talk about the end!

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An intense coming of age novel that is set in the middle of tragedy. The plot is multidimensional and the method of characterization is pivotal. While Lourey offers a story of unspeakable tragedy, she does so with elegant literary skill that softens the edges. The true beauty in this story is Jess Lourey’s gift of drawing the reader in with the different subplots and connotations. Excellent read. 5 stars

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #UnspeakableThings, which was read and reviewed voluntarily

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In this new read from Jess Lourey you meet Cassie McDowell. She is a preteen in the 1980's and she takes the tale of what happened that long ago summer. She lives in a farm with her parents and older sister, enjoys school and hopes to one day become a writer. Her parents throw parties that at one time were fun but as the years have passed have become quite deviant in their nature. She has seen things most young girls should never see, they make her uncomfortable but she knows better than to say anything. She learned at an early age how to handle the moods of her father and as she has gotten older she fears what he might do to her. When young boys start getting attacked and then her crush disappears making her worry about who the culprit could be. Rumors abound about what has been happening to the boys, Cassie believes she can figure out what is going on and starts to subtly ask questions. Will she go to far in her questions or even ask the wrong ones? This was such a thought provoking read that pulled me in, I finished it in one sitting. You realize you never really know what is going on in the homes around you.

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With a prologue that indicates that the main character survives and maybe even flourishes, we are taken back to Cassie McDowell's past when she is nearing the end of her seventh grade year and when terror stalks her small Minnesota town. Someone is taking boys and returning them changed.

Cassie is worried by the disappearances and the the curfew but her biggest problems are in her own home. She is terrified of her father whose unexplained rages and excessive drinking makes living with him like living with a bomb that could explode at any time. She is so terrified of him that she no longer sleeps in her own bed but either underneath it or curled up in her closet. She is also concerned about her older sister who seems to have changed greatly in the past year.

Cassie is also concerned about her parents who host swinging parties on their rural farm where the sexual hijinks embarrass her and have caused her to lose friends. She is also crushing on the nicest boy in her class and planning a future with him that he doesn't know anything about. He becomes the next victim of this strange stalker. Only he doesn't return. Cassie is left with her fears that her father could be involved or that one of his creepy friends could be.

The author mentions that she was inspired by the Jacob Wetterling abduction that was big news in her part of Minnesota when she was a child. Jacob's case took twenty-seven years to be solved and shaped a generation of kids who were his age.

I enjoyed this story but I felt that all of Cassie's concerns rather overwhelmed the thriller aspect of the story.

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Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey is a bone chilling, riveting novel, based on deeply buried family secrets, and a town where monsters walk hand in hand with the young. It surprised me that despite this book being a dark and harrowing read there were also tender moments filled with gentle humour, these moments balance the darkness of this book perfectly. Jess Lourey writing is beautiful almost poetic and although this is a disturbing story, the author leaves a lot to the reader’s imagination, only alluding to certain events, which I found far more disconcerting than having it all laid out for me.

The story begins in a small Minnesota town in the 1980s young boys are being abducted, and then returned, but on their return, the boy's behaviour has greatly changed, their moody, violent and withdrawn, and young Cassie wants to know why. The adults of the town should be protecting their children, but as we know evil takes many forms, and many of the book's adult characters prove that appearances can be deceptive.

Unspeakable Things is narrated by 12-year-old Cassie a young girl growing up in Minnesota, at first her life appears simple, she lives on a rambling farm with her parents and sister, but as we the reader delve deeper into Cassie’s life she hints at a life, that’s far darker and more horrifying, a life where monsters are real and not just a figment of a child’s overactive imagination. Cassie is a character who will break your heart into a million pieces, perfectly depicted, there’s an air of vulnerability about her, but alongside that there is a young girl who appears much older, and wise beyond her years.

Cassie’s narration of events sent shivers down my spine, followed by a growing sense of dread as the story unfolded,. As the reader you can’t help but feel Cassie’s emotional turmoil as she tries to make sense of her world, confusion, fear, and heartbreak, I’m sure I experienced everyone of these emotions alongside Cassie. The town Cassie lives in is fundamental to the plot, it feels claustrophobic, surrounded by a darkness that feels overwhelming at times, some of the residents are creepy and others downright frightening, but it’s these elements and Jess Lourey’s skills in writing a dramatic story that make this such an incredible and gripping book. If you are looking for a fast-paced read then this book probably isn’t for you, but if like me you enjoy a read that has depth, mystery, suspense and has an unforgettable protagonist then I would highly recommend you treat yourself to a copy of Unspeakable Things.

This review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

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Very different than what we've seen from Jess Lourey before, but same great writing! I never knew which way the book was going to go next.

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In Unspeakable Things, middle-schooler Cassie lives with her older sister and parents in small town Minnesota in 1983. There are serious, scary issues at home and she’s trying to figure out how to deal with that without much help. Then boys start disappearing and coming back changed. Reading this book, my heart hurt for the kids that come home and those that don’t, for those who are believed and those who aren’t.

I very much enjoyed Cassie’s voice as she attempts to investigate the attacks, while simultaneously trying to make sense of her home life and remain safe herself. Utilizing a middle schooler as the main character was perfect for this plot. Cassie’s point-of-view illustrates well the fear and confusion experienced by the whole community when something like this occurs, as well as the fact kids often know and are affected by more than you may think. A sense of foreboding permeates the entire novel. The subject matter addressed is not light or easy but the author does a fantastic job portraying this community and the stomach-churning anxiety the events create while also keeping a pace that has you soaring quickly through the novel. Unspeakable Things is about serious issues but it doesn’t preach. This book is a coming of age novel and a mystery, plus high suspense and tension from page one.

Content Warnings: <spoiler> sexual assault; homophobic language </spoiler>

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #UnspeakableThings #mystery #suspense

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Such a unique and engaging story. So well written and beautifully layered. It’s a sad story but told in such a way that it wasn’t to depressing and gruesome. Jess Lourey’s writing is beautiful. Can’t wait to read whatever she comes up with next.

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This was such an amazing title! This book was so compelling and intense and I could not put it down. The author does a great job of pulling in the reader until the very end. This one will stick with you long after you are through.

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I received a digital advanced copy from the author via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Although the readers are warned that this book is dark and one where children get hurt, it’s also based the author's, Jess, childhood and family secret. Although Jess wrote this as a fiction novel, I sense I’ll dive into an emotional roller coaster. Getting a chance to have a glimpse of one of my favorite authors’ personal life will be awe-stricken. Because it reminds us readers that in the end, authors are human too.

With that said....'Unspeakable Things' dives into the world of Cassie, a young girl living in a rural part of a small Minnesota town. While Cassie daydreams about how to get her boy crush to date her, she also struggles with having to keep a family secret to herself (because family matters are to be kept in the home) all the while boys are being harmed around town.

Be forewarned that the novel is written in more a 12 year old narrative that can get a bit childish (because duh).

Normally while reading any of Jess's novels, I dive right now and cannot escape the story. However, with this novel, I had mixed feelings and therefore it's a bit difficult for me to write a review. Some points of the novel it felt like the chapters were dragging and other chapters I couldn't stop reading. I felt anger towards Cassie's family and their dynamic of living (seriously, if I could jump through the book and kick her dad in the balls, I would). Her sister reminds me of my relationship I use to have with my sisters; distant but yet close.

I wish the character development went a bit deeper into who they were (i.e. the villain, the sheriff, the mom, the aunt, the dad). Some of those characters probably would have helped to get a clear insight into Cassie and her life.

Would I re-read this novel again? I'm not really sure. However, I hope this novel left some grief for Jess. It's not easy to try and communicate about your childhood trauma and I applaud her. As I always, keep writing, your stories are beautiful.

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This story touches on subject matters otherwise not spoken about. The storyline is gentle and transitions smoothly yet bold and uncomfortable at times.
I found myself being challenged to always be aware of what's going and to be available to people who may need help.
Jess Lourey does a great job of drawing the reader in and keeping your attention. I'm a fan of her work.

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