I’m going to start this review with a teeny tiny bit of a spoiler:

As you read this book, you will have questions. You will not get all of those questions answered in the end.

Camilla Bruce is not here to soothe your wondering mind, or tie things up with a neat little bow. Despite my desperate adoration of this book as I was reading it, I remained frustrated for about 18 hours after finishing it. But what actually happened?? What was really real?? What is true?? Why won’t you tell me???

I felt desperate for answers and I was crawling out of my skin with want for them, until I realized that Ms. Bruce gave me the only answer that I was going to get, buried deep within the pages of this novel. See, the characters do not know what is true either, or perhaps they think they do, but what is true is different to each of them. The truth you will uncover here is just that: the truth as each character sees it.


“This is the story as I recall it, and yours now too, to guard or treasure or forget as you please. I wanted someone to know, you see. To know my truth, now that I am gone. How everything and none of it happened.”

“It’s all is very easy in Dr. Martin’s telling; the truth is neatly gift wrapped with a shiny little bow on top.”

“But Dr. Martin’s book had ripped large holes in the paper curtains of respectability and normalcy my mother had strived to keep… She would never forgive him for that. I, on the other hand, admired him, for being so bold that he told his truth.”

“How could I describe what I felt inside, that “truth” to me was like mercury, always changing, moving—didn’t matter? I could easily hold two strings of truth in my mind and feel them both to be real without getting all confused about it. Now I realize that’s not how most people feel, but then I was far more oblivious. Truth is such a fickle thing, isn’t it? Subjective and shifting like a living being.”

“…I would think you’d be pleased, truth be told. At least now someone knows you were telling the truth all along.”
“It doesn’t matter what they think. I don’t care if they think I lie. I’ve been called a liar my whole life, why would it matter to me now?”

“It must have been terrible living with a truth like that, even if it wasn’t true.”


So, you see, after 18 hours of stewing over this book after finishing it, my need for the truth fell away and I *got it.* What is true? All of it and none of it. What is true to Cassandra is not true to Olivia, or to Dr. Martin, or to Ferdinand. What is true to Dr. Martin is perhaps true to no one else in the book, save for Mara. And if you think Mara is just an extension of Cassandra, perhaps all of it and none of it is true to Cassie as well. Perhaps she, as she claims, believes two things simultaneously.

Perhaps the “true” version of the story is every version of the truth that there is, packaged together in one chilling, dark, lush, and unsettling novel.

What this story is is an exploration of your capacity to withstand shifts in reality that don’t make sense. It’s a faerie tale, it’s dark, uncomfortable, creepy, and absolutely gorgeous. I felt like I could reach out and touch the characters, like I would look up from my book and find Pepper-Man seated across the room, like I’d turn around and find Mara watching me from the corner. I had many a moment during reading when I actually felt genuine shock over a turn of events, and if not shock, then at least a cold chill down my spine.

I also felt genuine surprise at the depth of empathy I felt for Cassie. What if she told it here exactly as she experienced it? What if what she told is really real? And does it matter, if she experienced it as real either way? Given that, can I judge her? What this book asks the reader to do is to expand the boundaries of their capacity to absorb other people’s experience.

I loved every dark, otherworldly, subversive detail of this book. It’s become a favorite of mine precisely because it gnawed at me until I got it and now that I do, I feel like my ability to withstand the uncertainty of the world, the potential horrors it holds, and life’s unanswered questions, is just a bit stronger.

I also know that of all the faerie tales I’ve read, this one is the truest.


Please note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Once I read it, I turned around and pre-ordered a copy, because Camilla Bruce definitely deserves my money.

Wow. This is such a thoroughly unsettling story. But somehow, in spite of how deeply disturbing it is, it still manages to be kind of horribly beautiful. I cannot fathom how this is a debut novel for Camilla Bruce. She writes as though she’s written dozens of books before this one.

The narrative style is really interesting – it begins with a clipping from a newspaper telling the reader of the disappearance of well known author Cassandra Tripp. Her disappearance is especially noteworthy since she is a woman of advanced years (74), and also because she has an…interesting…past. She was a suspect in the investigation of the particularly violent death of her husband 38 years before, has been plagued by family tragedy ever since, and at one point had a book written about her by her former therapist entitled Away with the Fairies: A Study in Trauma-Induced Psychosis. Pretty salacious stuff, right?

The story is primarily, I think about the pain of trauma and cycles of abuse. Cassie is so traumatized that she neither knows, nor cares about the difference between fact and fiction, reality and coping mechanisms. It really made for an interesting story, too – since Cassie never knows or cares to find out, the reader isn’t allowed to either. She’s such a complicated, nuanced, and deeply damaged character.

The fairies that Cassie may or may not see and interact with are not friendly. They are wild, feral things. But they’re beautiful in a way as well, much like the story as a whole. Bruce wrote a story fleshing out one of the most interesting things (as far as I’m concerned) that the human psyche is capable of – finding beauty in the horrible. Cassie’s happiness certainly doesn’t mirror what the average person would hold, but she seems, in spite of everything, mostly happy – or is this just another (possible) trick she’s (probably) playing on herself on account of her severely traumatized mind?

This is not a light or happy read – yes, there are fairies, but they aren’t the nice kind. This one is going to keep you at the edge of your seat waiting to find out not only what the hell happened to Cassie, but how much of the resulting chaos was perpetrated or otherwise machinated by her in response. You Let Me In is a thoroughly disquieting, incredibly absorbing read.

A writer goes missing and she leaves behind clues about her mysterious past.

That sentence doesn't even explain how bizarre this book is. But I think saying more than that would ruin the whole experience.

The thing with this book is that is not for everybody. I've read some mixed reviews about it, and it seems like there's no middle point: either you hate it or love it. And I totally understand why. You Let Me In makes Sharp Objects look almost like a YA book. It's way darker and the characters are more messed up... and that's only the mystery.

We also have fairies.

Never in my whole life I expected a book like this to have fairies, but, hey, Camila Bruce made it and it works. The fairies add more depth to the plot and the characters. I don't think the book would have the same impact without them. Overall, for me, it was a good read.

I'm usually a slow reader when it comes to eBooks, so I planned to finish this in a couple of weeks at least. However, I read this in one sitting because it was so compulsive and I couldn't let it go. I just had to read one more page. When I finished, I wanted more of this story. That's my main reason why I didn't give this book five stars. I wanted another POV or an epilogue at the end, but I was disappointed. Nevertheless, I highly enjoyed the story, and I'd definitely read more books by Camila Bruce. Her books are right up my alley.

As I said before, this book is that is not for everybody, but it's worth a try. After all, you'll never know what you're missing unless you try.

Wow this book was a total surprise for me. I went in blind and I am so happy I did. This book was a shockingly twisted tale that will surprise you with how good it is. It like nothing I have ever read before as it is so unique.

The book is written so descriptively that you honestly can picture every character and every scene.

The story will leave you questioning everything as the thoughts it provokes are amazing. It is about abuse, trauma and how the mind can change what you see due to these things.

It is written as an author’s perspective, Cassandra Tipp is fulfilling her final manuscript and using said manuscript as a kind of last will and testament. A way of telling her side of the story and her mysterious other life, Cassandra is adamant that Faeries are real and that she spent her life alongside them,

Is this fact or is this the result of her damaged mind? Either way an epic read like no other.

When I read the description of this book I thought wow this sounds like an interesting read. Now I'm just totally confused?!

I am sorry to say I just didn't get it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

This dark debut by Camilla Bruce was completely different from what I expected. For the protagonist, Cassandra Tipp, perception is reality. Ostracized by her family and antagonized by her peers, Cassie seeks solace and acceptance from her fanciful world of fairies and folklore. Upon closer scrutiny, her flights of fancy might tell a much darker tale where monsters dwell much closer to home. How far will the mind go to protect one from the truth? A twisted thriller emersed in fantasy, You Let Me In will keep you guessing until the very end!

You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce is a great read! A real engrossing page-turner and worth the time of a read!!

I did not finish this book. It is outside of my normal reading preferences, and I am unable to connect with either the characters or the plot.

This book was nothing like I expected. The blurb compared it to Gillian Flynn but I saw no similarities. For me, this was just strange. Something for everyone I guess.

This is a very dark fairy tale. Two different takes on one woman's life, both of them horrendous. If you're in the mood for horror, give it a try.

"You Let Me In delivers a stunning tale from debut author Camilla Bruce, combining the sinister domestic atmosphere of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects with the otherwordly thrills of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Cassandra Tipp is dead...or is she?

After all, the notorious recluse and eccentric bestselling novelist has always been prone to flights of fancy - everyone in town remembers the shocking events leading up to Cassie's infamous trial (she may have been acquitted, but the insanity defense only stretches so far).

Cassandra Tipp has left behind no body - just her massive fortune, and one final manuscript.

Then again, there are enough bodies in her past - her husband Tommy Tipp, whose mysterious disembowelment has never been solved, and a few years later, the shocking murder-suicide of her father and brother.

Cassandra Tipp will tell you a story - but it will come with a terrible price. What really happened, out there in the woods - and who has Cassie been protecting all along? Read on, if you dare..."

To up the game of an eccentric author embroiled in death with a supernatural edge is genius!

i was given this ARC from publisher and netgalley for an honest review
i tried really hard to get into this book. i started and stopped it many times. im not sure why it didn't call to me, it has a mystery/thriller vibe to do. but also a fairy aspect? from what i took from it, it is about an author that is telling the story thru a letter to her niece and nephew regarding how she has created a fairy world but than your not sure was it just a world she created because of her neglect and trauma that she dealt with?

Well I really tried to like this book but for me it was a struggle and I had to give up on it.
I am not so much into fairy tales and this felt like one to me.

I am not going to rate this story as I did not finish it.

Nevertheless thanks to the publisher and the author for this ARC

**Disclaimer: I received a free early access reader's copy of You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce is an adult novel that falls in sort of the mystery thriller genre.  However, it has some fantasy and horror elements as well.  It tells the story of Cassandra Tipp as she writes about her life before she mysteriously disappeared.  I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.  You Let Me In releases on April 21st.


Here's the summary from Goodreads:

You Let Me In delivers a stunning tale from debut author Camilla Bruce, combining the sinister domestic atmosphere of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects with the otherwordly thrills of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
Cassandra Tipp is dead...or is she?
After all, the notorious recluse and eccentric bestselling novelist has always been prone to flights of fancy--everyone in town remembers the shocking events leading up to Cassie's infamous trial (she may have been acquitted, but the insanity defense only stretches so far).
Cassandra Tipp has left behind no body--just her massive fortune, and one final manuscript.
Then again, there are enough bodies in her past--her husband Tommy Tipp, whose mysterious disembowelment has never been solved, and a few years later, the shocking murder-suicide of her father and brother.
Cassandra Tipp will tell you a story--but it will come with a terrible price. What really happened, out there in the woods--and who has Cassie been protecting all along? Read on, if you dare...

I'm not really sure, in hindsight, what drew me to this book.  The cover is kind of intriguing and the blurb is definitely interesting as well.  I guess it was probably the blurb that drew me in the most.  I didn't know anything about this book when I picked it up and by the time it came time to read it, I forgot what it was really about and had to check out Goodreads to remind me.

This book was a weird reading experience.  I didn't expect there to be any supernatural influence in this story so the whole faerie aspect caught me wildly offguard.  Looking at the blurb again now, I should have expected it with the comparison to The Ocean at the End of the Lane.  Outside of that, I was really engaged in the story and I devoured it. I needed to know what was going to happen and which version of reality was the real one.  However, despite devouring it, there were lots of parts of this book that deeply unsettled me and made me uncomfortable.  So if you do pick up this book, be cautious and know that it deals with themes of emotional and sexual abuse.

One thing that I really liked about this book was the writing style.  It was sort of in second person in that the narrator was addressing the reader, so it was somewhat similar in writing style to You or to The Turn of the Key.  In this case, Cassandra Tipp was addressing the heirs to her estate, her niece and nephew.  The style really drew me in.  It hinted at things and left enough to keep me guessing and therefore keep me reading.  That's really what you want in a mystery/thriller.  I genuinely had no idea what to expect and theories developed as I continued through.

The premise of this story felt really unique.  Despite the style being reminiscent of other stories, I don't think I've ever read a story quite like this.  I don't want to spoil too much about it, because I think a lot of the charm is being surprised by what happened.  However, a really strong aspect of this story was that you were never really sure what was happening with Cassandra and her family.  Was she actually seeing faeries? Or was she processing her trauma in a way that that was what manifested for her?  Or was it a bit of both?  I think the fact that things weren't super clear allowed the thriller aspect to really develop.  It was a lot of he said, she said, and it's unclear who you can trust.  This was part of the reason I felt uncomfortable with the novel.  When it's unclear who to trust, it becomes hard to know who to hate for the horrible things they did to a little girl.

Cassandra was an empathetic character.  She struggled and you can understand why she lashes out.  You want her to thrive and be happy, but it always seems to elude her and it's sad to read about.  Even when she seems happy in adulthood, it doesn't feel like a true happiness.  It more seems like she just doesn't know better.

The ending of the story leaves you hanging in a certain way.  I can't spoil it any further, but I was like holy moly when I finished reading it.  It's one of those stories that is hard to process and figure out your feelings about.  However, it was hard to put down and it was definitely an engaging read.

So, if any of this sounds interesting to you, I suggest you pick this book up when it comes out on April 21st.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free ebook to review!

DNF at 35%

I’m not really sure what was going on in this book. To me, the synopsis does not match what is going on. I keep seeing that this is about a dark fairy tale, but the synopsis describes it as a murder story. I’m a little confused as to what is going on and I’m a third of the way through and it has just touched one of the people who were murdered. I can see how this book touches on mental health, but I’m just not really interested in this one.

Let me start off by saying, I'm not a huge fan of fantasy and will normally avoid it like coronavirus.

I was extremely blown away by how amazing this book was!

The style was phenomenal and well paced. It took a few chapters of getting used to and the introduction of the Pepper-Man made me roll my eyes, at first, and almost put it down. I am so glad I stuck it out! I was sucked in and stayed up all night reading this incredibly dark and twisted narrative.

When you're finished with the book, I think it gives you a lot of pause. There are many themes woven through out. Good vs evil, light vs dark, friend vs. foe. I think it's going to take a few weeks for me to fully digest this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and of course, Camilla Bruce for providing me with an ARC.

This is a book you can't put down. Beautiful writing. Well shaped characters and a story that draws you in and takes you for a ride! I'd recommend this to all my thriller/mystery readers!

4 5 stars!

Camilla Bruce's debut novel YOU LET ME IN is easily one of the strangest, most fascinating books I've read in a long time. Brilliantly crafted, this novel masterfully blurs the lines between fact and fiction, often posing the question "If one thing is true, why does that mean something else can't be equally true?" The journey that I took alongside Janus and Penolope as they discovered Cassandra Tipp's truth was an absolutely wild one and one that I won't soon forget.

Unique from the start, this story is truly a book within a book. While its unclear whether or not Cassandra Tipp is dead, it is absolutely certain that she has disappeared without a trace. Before her disappearance, however, she left one final instruction: her niece and nephew were to receive an inheritance of the money she earned as a best-selling author. There is just one catch: they are to read her final book, the story of her life, the crimes she was accused of, and the tragedy surrounding her family. Within the book, there is a password to be spoken to Tipp's lawyer. Only then can Janus and Penelope receive their money. It is through this book that readers are drawn into the story.

YOU LET ME IN contains an enormous amount of fantastical elements. Normally, this isn't my cup of tea. I'm not a huge fantasy reader as it is, but I'm especially not fond of it in thrillers. However, Bruce delivers it so well that I truly didn't mind it...and may even consider picking up actual fantasy novels from time to time, based on how much I enjoyed this. If the premise of this book is interesting to you, definitely give it a chance, even if fantasy isn't your thing.

It's hard to review this book without giving massive plot points away, so I'll leave you with this. This book is a WILD ride and one of the most entertaining that I've been on in a long time. Releasing soon, April 21, I would absolutely recommend adding this book to your spring TBR.

This may well be one of those love it or hate it reads. It's a letter from 74 year old Cassandra to her heirs- her niece and nephew- outlining her life and providing them with the key to unlock their inheritance. Here's the thing: Cassandra has a long tale to tell about her relationship to the faerie world, which she claims to have been involved with since the age of 5. That wasn't at all what I was expecting but in the spirit of things, I kept reading. If you aren't a fan of the faerie world (or like me know little about it), the worldbuilding is fascinating. Cassandra isn't the most likable character in the world but she's certainly unique. Good storytelling and an interesting premise. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This will definitely take you away from current events!

You let me in notes
I got this book from the publisher through Netgalley to read for free for reviewing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The book cover is so eerie and beautiful in it's own way. And the description was so interesting, but I forgot to look at the tags so when I read this I was quite put out. I usually don't read thrillers or mysteries, but the description really had me, so I put in my request for a review copy at netgalley. I was delighted when I got the copy but reading this was not delightful. I found this book so disturbing on so many levels.

So Cassandra got this really creepy imaginary friend Pepper Man, but apparently he is an evil fairy, really it's up to you what you believe. I feel a little grossed out reading about Cassandra and Pepper Mans relationship, it is so predatory and maybe even paedophilic. It's like a person with Stockholms syndrome. And don't forget about all the manipulation. This book is like reading about an abusive relationship, no not even that it is reading about a young girl being groomed by an older man whilst disguising itself as a girl infatuated with a faerie.
This book was interesting, but just not for me, I got too many underlying tones of paedophilia, and abuse. And I don't understand how nobody brings this up in their reviews? Or perhaps I'm just reading too much into it.
But if you are into books with murder mysteries and fairies then go on and read this.
Because this book really takes you on a journey, it's really intriguing, dark but intriguing.
That is why I leave this book with 2 stars.