This is one of the most unusual tales I have read. It is about a group of women looking for friendship and acceptance only to be mulipulated by tow sisters. The characters are real and the situation is scary as the sisters try to cover up 2 murders and frame a young women who thinks they are her saviors.

Review of Digital Galley

When Shay Miller sees Amanda Evinger jump in front of a moving subway train, her life changes in ways she could never have expected. Feeling guilty for not having saved the desperate young woman, Shay researches to find the woman’s address and then goes to Amanda’s apartment building, trying to make some sense of things. She leaves a flower on the stoop and, later, attends a memorial service for Amanda.

And before she realizes what is happening, Shay finds herself caught up in secrets and lies, as her lonely life becomes something that, after the first dizzy whirl of pleasure, seems just a bit too good to be true.

Set in New York City, there's a strong sense of place throughout the story, making readers feel as if they are actually in the city. Early on, they will become aware that not everything is as it seems; unexpected twists keep the story moving in new directions as the well-defined characters slowly reveal their true selves. The unfolding narrative slowly reveals its multi-layered complexity as the chapters, narrated alternately by Shay, Cassandra and Jane, Amanda, Valerie, Stacey, Daphne, and Beth, gradually expose the backstory so essential for readers to understand the manipulation and the deception.

There are moments that readers may cringe at Shay’s decisions, but the intriguing drama, filled with surprises readers simply won’t see coming, promises to keep them immersed in this unputdownable tale until they’ve turned the final page.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this digital eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#YouAreNotAlone #NetGalley

Aye aye aye I’m going off the rails on a crazy train! I started my review with the lyrics of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” song because this book is literally heart throbbing, thrilling ride!

Well, I have to admit three things: This evil genius duo can write a hell of an incredible book and know how to play twisty, dark, edgy mind games with you.

Second thing: I had to check several times and made sure that book is not Harley Quinn and gang members’ adventures because we have a team of badass, vindictive, dangerous women out there acting like vigilantes and bringing the justice.

And the last thing: I read this brilliant duo’s three books and I honestly tell you this book is my favorite one. Their extra ordinary performances exceeded my expectations.

Without spilling too much spoilers which is really hard thing for me as a person who gives her friends Agatha Christie books as gifts and writes the killers’ names at the middle of those books. So here we go:

Shay Miller has a crash on a charming roommate recently found a possessive girlfriend who gives her fake smiles but probably fantasizes how to get away from her at the second Shay turns her back. Poor Shay has a little estranged relationship with her mother because of her assholish new husband and she is also about to lose her job, slowly drifting apart with her bestie who recently had a baby.

And I have to mention the most important thing about Shay: She is obsessed with statics, mathematical charts about awkward things like the percentage of women commit suicide by jumping subway tracks. Or statics about panic attacks and loneliness percentages of Americans because she believes that the numbers are pure and true. They never lie.

She also put those facts into her journal instead of writing: “Dear journal, I’m having a shitty day because I saw a woman jumping the tracks and killing herself at the subway. I thought this was like beginning of “Woman’s Edge” novel but thankfully the woman didn’t give me her baby because she doesn’t have one so it seems like I’m a part of another terrifying thriller story. I think I’ll visit dead woman’s a.k.a. Amanda’s apartment and leave some flowers.”

She didn’t write those words but she went to Amanda’s place and left the flowers and unfortunately she made another mistake by joining her memorial event. And yes, now she is a shiny, glamorous target on her forehead because she already got Siamese not evil twins but just ominous sisters Jane and Cassandra and their vigilante fight club’s attention.

Those sisters approach her with friendly intentions and lonely Shay slowly starts to break her walls, earning her own self confidence with their support but you may see those sisters had hidden agenda to destroy this naïve, shy, geek lady.

What I liked so so so much about this book: Fast pacing, intriguing, short chapters ending with mysterious finals like binge-watching series make you addictive and make you want more!

Sucker punches, surprises the author gave us!

The parts making you question everything you read: I changed several times to decide who the evil person of this book was because nothing as it seems and you change your mind about the characters several times. And interesting fact that I have to admit, at some parts I hate JODY more than the vigilante team members or femme fatale sisters. ( I think Margot Robbie and Jen Lawrence would be great duo to play their roles!)

Final expected twist! I loved the ending!

The things I didn’t like so much and make me give four stars instead of five:

I still have hard times why Shay didn’t question sisters’ motives so much because she’s so rational person with strong left brain skills and her fast emotional attachment was so instant.

And there were so much POV including Amanda’s last months and vigilante club members’ back stories. So I went back and forth to make sure I’m reading the right characters’ POV. It was a little confusing because most of them not the main characters of this story.

Overall: It was smart, exciting, riveting, entertaining page-turner. I had a great time and highly recommend this to the die-hard thriller and mystery fans.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing me this powerful thriller’s ARC COPY in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it so much.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an early copy of You Are Not Alone! Shay, a New Yorker down on her luck witnesses a horrific suicide and becomes entangled in the victim’s life. Unfortunately, this thriller felt a little contrived and I didn’t enjoy it as much as the authors’ previous novels.

There were too many characters who I could see being on the editing floor (Daphne and Beth) and the lead up didn’t feel intentional. The whole novel felt a bit phoned in, like the authors followed a formula and it felt more obvious this time. Also, the authors’ writing styles came across more this time. I felt that Shay’s chapters were much more compelling and moved the story along. The other POVs felt forced and gimmicky,

Four crazy-pants stars! I'm giving no spoilers as I think this one is best going in cold with just the book summary.

I think what will remain with me most is Shay's loneliness at the beginning of the book. With statistics about activities, people engage in and feel lonely. It's not something I think about nearly enough so this has made me more mindful of that. As an only child, I find I enjoy my own company so reading about Shay, an only child had a completely different setting was captivating. Where I've always had the company I want when I want it, I've also been told it's sad when I'm perfectly happy to go to a movie alone or dine alone in a restaurant or anywhere with a good book (to the extent that people have approached to ask to join me so I'm not lonely!). It's often assumed that because one is alone they must be lonely. Shay fascinated me because she wasn't just alone, she was lonely. She craved connection but also expressed confusion at how she had lost the connections she'd once had. I found her very interesting at the start and less so as she was a bit subsumed with the friends' group. But then, the sisters Cassandra and Jane held my intense interest.

There were seven narrators and it was a lot. Some of the friends' group were never fulling visualized in my head as they seemed a bit vague in the reading. I admit to skimming a couple voices when it felt their parts weren't as pivotal to what was really going on. By the end, I still wondered about a couple of characters who just disappeared and if one or two threads left untied were to keep the reader wondering. Slush and mist aside, all in all, this was quite the page-turner. I definitely enjoyed this one and look forward to the duos next.

And of all the things that raised my brow while reading, this is the one that will remain with me forever:

"The average person will walk past sixteen killers in the person's lifetime."

I'm sorry... WHAT?!!!

Many thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the opportunity to read this free arc and share my thoughts. (less)

“When someone conjures unease in you, there are usually good reasons behind it.”

Yes, friends! Our Momma’s were 💯correct when they foretold this warning when we were tiny tots!! Momma is always right I’ve learned and we should always trust our gut. We should always trust our intuition. Honestly, if you don’t believe me, just ask Shay! She’s the type of gal who trusts numbers and statistics. And to me - math and numbers are the devil!😂😂💯! Ok but on a serious note, if you want the scoop on this tasty treat you’re gonna have to read the book.🤷‍♀️😳 Too bad so sad! I’m never a gal to give up the goods of a story but I leave you with this.

You Are Not Alone hands down gets the Brandy 5 star rating. I love this dynamic duo writing team and this read was yet another one that kept me baffled. Loved it! 👏🏻👏🏻5 stars

Wow! This was one incredibly ambitious book! I knew from The Wife Between Us & Anonymous Girl to expect a twist toward the end but this whole storyline was full of them throughout. It was so layered and complex, that even if you didn't enjoy this book- which I did very much- there's no way you can stop reading because you truly have no idea where the story is going! I actually read it in two days! I don't want to give a whole lot of it away other than just say stick with it- which isn't hard. There really isn't a moment where it drags or gets stale. The characters are all so likeable or glamorous or interesting in other ways that keep you going. First five star not only this year but in a long time! I will honestly read just about anything these two write.

This is going to be a hugely successful book once again the authors give you major twists that keep you guessing. Once you pick up this book it is incredibly hard to put down. I loved you think you know what the outcome of the chapter is let alone the book and then here comes a twist around the corner that is amazing. I found myself reading this and being like "WOW" out loud not many books give you that feeling. IT is a MUST read that is for sure!!! WAY to go Shay (the main character) she kept finding herself in trouble then still finding her way out.

I received a complimentary copy of You Are Not Alone from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Oh, this one was a lovely psychological thriller... Just when I thought I knew where the plot was heading, something new appeared and changed direction all over again! Shay, in the wrong place at the wrong time, witnessed a suicide on the subway platform, which then adversely affected her life in more ways than even PTSD style flashbacks of the event itself. Shay was a perfect oblivious/naive character, and was the poster child for the human condition--just wanting to be accepted and have somewhere to belong. (I found myself rooting for her in most cases and offering her advice in others.) The Moore sisters who took her under their wings during her time of need sounded so classy, I wanted to be friends with them too! This novel had so many unexpected twists, it REALLY kept me guessing. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Couldn't put this book down. I had one part of mystery figured out early on, but only a very small part. Full of twists & turns. What some people will do to have "friends" and how willingly they are to do things just to fit in can be frightening .

I received an advanced copy, but voluntarily left this review

Will leave 5 star review on Amazon under name of Connie
Thanks for granting me access to this book

Shay, a woman who seems lost in the depths of New York City, finds her place after witnessing Amanda's suicide. Although a traumatic experience, she finds solace in Amanda's friend group of Cassandra and Jane. When Shay's life is falling apart, Cassandra and Jane are there to pick up the pieces. Just when Shay's life seems to finally be turning around, the nightmare truly begins.

I have read (and loved) every book by Hendricks and Pekkanen, but this one is something special. It is a tale of good vs. evil; privilege vs. desperation. It shows the reader that the most beautiful and groomed person can be truly twisted and evil, and the victim is often someone like us.

You Are Not Alone is my first 2020 must-read recommendation. You will not be disappointed. Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this excellent book!

You Are Not Alone is creepy good!

This writing duo creates a memorable cast of characters; and, although there are many characters in this book, they are each well developed and their personalities well described.

The story itself pulled me in, and I couldn't wait to read more each day.

Thank you to the publisher, authors, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I hope you enjoy You Are Not Alone as much as I did.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review! I can’t explain how much I enjoy reading @greerhendricks and @sarahpekkanen ‘s books! Their writing just flows so well. I loved #thewifebetweenus and #ananonymousgirl . I can read their books knowing that the plot will evolve and move quickly. #youarenotalone is no exception! I was hooked immediately and quickly engrossed in the plot.
After Shay observes a woman committing suicide, she becomes seduced by the woman’s close circle of friends. However, things aren’t exactly as they seem. Are these women really out to replace their missing friend with friendship or do they have an ulterior motive? You’ll have to read to find out!
I really don’t want to spoil anything about the book, so I’ll leave it there. However, I will say that Shay is involved in one of my worst nightmares- having to prove the truth! 😳 Is this on your TBR? Make sure you add it for its upcoming release in March! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
#bookstagram #books #readersofinstagram #suspense #tbr #januaryreads2020

Shay witnesses a suicide in the subway, she becomes extremely curious about the woman's life. When the woman's friends begin to friend Shay, she is flattered by their attention. But, WHY are they so interested in Shay? Absolutely loved this book which kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages as fast as I could. Highly recommend.

You Are Not Alone is another great book by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. This duo knows how to suck a reader in and keep you guessing until the last second! Most of the story is told from Shay’s perspective, but I liked the chapters that told the story from a different character. It helped move the story around at a quicker pace when you saw things from another side. While you can start to piece a lot of the mystery together throughout the book, the end twists I do not see coming and I love that about these authors, they always manage to make the endings so worthwhile!

Wow! The duo of Hendricks and Pekkanen have done it again! You Are Not Alone is a modern day film noir worthy of a Hitchcock award! Well crafted complex characters drive a twisty tale of suspense and manipulation. This is a must read for psychological thriller fans!

“You Are Not Alone” by: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Shay Miller was an isolated and lonely single woman who loved numbers, data, and statistics. Her life revolved around probabilities and opportunities to belong, to be wanted, to feel confident, to be seen and to be admired. Without the self confidence, she constantly hid in the shadows of her charts and graphs. Until...

One day in the subway she witnessed a woman jump into the tracks and kill herself. Intrigued and disturbed by what she saw, she started to look into the woman’s life by going to her apartment, leaving flowers, and even attending her funeral and befriending the woman’s friends. This caught the attention of sisters Cassandra and Jane whom Shay takes advantage of.

In the series of lies told and assumptions, Shay gets caught up in a spiraling secret involving the woman’s death that no one wanted to be a part of.

This was my first thriller read from duo Hendricks and Pekkanen. I loved the storyline and plot twists that kept my attention for sure. The pacing is fast, highly entertaining and I loved it. I felt that the writing was solid and definitely an enjoyable read. I am definitely reading their previous two books in the backlist.

I recommend this read for fans of the duo or for first time readers of their work! This was so enjoyable!!

I was so excited to see that these authors were putting out another book - I read An Anonymous Girl all in one night, it was such a page turner. That said, I think I may have like You Are Not Alone even better.

I found the character of Shay to be so compelling and real, she really made the book for me. I liked the juxtaposition of her thoughts with Jane and Cassandra as they saw her actions through their own world view, thinking just of themselves and only superficially of Shay’s point of view. I wish more time had been spent on some of the other characters, but of course it’s hard to juggle how much depth can be added to more minor characters while maintaining mystery.

I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything, so I’ll just end with this - if you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, definitely give this book a try.

This book was about a woman that needed a new. beginning. She lost her boyfriend, her old job and was living with a boy “friend” and she needed a change. She needed some close friends that were lacking in her life and was understandably taken in by these “girls” that befriended her after her encounter with their friend that committed suicide in front of her. I empathized with Shay and understood her through the whole book. I think there might have been one too many girls in the group, the plot could have been accomplished without the added characters. I don’t want to spoil it for future readers so I’ll end here. The book was definitely worth reading and I will read this author again in the future. I thank netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC for my honest opinion.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE
BY GREER HENDRICKS AND SARAH PEKKANEN

I read and reviewed their book called, "AN ANONYMOUS GIRL," in 2018 and I loved it because of my interest in psychiatry. I was going to become a psychiatrist in undergraduate school until I discovered in my pre-med biology course that I could not dissect fetal pigs. I felt like I was cutting up our Siberian Huskies four puppies that zi watched their mother give birth and I kept placing her runt of the litter up to the mother so he could feed. We kept all four puppies and grew attached to them so we ended up with seven dogs before having kids. Why am I telling you this? Both me and my lab partner both changed our majors to English because we both couldn't stand cutting up what looked like my puppies. We both knew that we would never be able to cut up a human cadaver in our first year of medical school in Gross anatomy. I am still fascinated with psychology and psychiatry and I received an A in my psychology course that's was designed to weed out all of the students who didn't have a natural affinity and who could not do the work. In another words: the class was designed to make most fail who couldn't do the work further and weren't really interested in it and who most likely couldn't do the work. Most of the class failed but somehow I didn't. I love books that feature abnormal psychological pathologies in their characters sometimes. This book features some pretty disturbing characters but I loved "YOU ARE NOT ALONE," which is a perfect title by the way.

Cassandra and Jane are sisters whom I never trusted from the start. The both exhibited saccharine sweet facades when they tried to befriend Shay. Who was lonely but kind. They acted like they were her friends by giving her glamorous gifts all materialistic things such as an apartment. There was a group of them including the cold and disturbed character Valerie who was relentlessly committed to doing the most harm. Their clique was sick and they all were fake and their motives were not authentic towards Shay? But why was that? Why did they want Shay and what were their plans for her and why?

In the very beginning Shay is on a subway platform and for a split second she gaxes into Amanda's eyes and feels a kinship. Amanda is the girl in the white and green polka dot dress that drops a necklace and Shay picks it up but that will be a very bad choice. Ask yourself why that is? Amanda suddenly appears to have jumped to her death onto the tracks and is run over by the subway train. Shay witnessed Amber fall to her death but was it really a suicide? This event will have alarming consequences for Shay in a profound way that it affects her in a multitude of ways.

Amber and Shay have much in common in this twisted story that leads back to the sachararine fake sisters and their clique but why? For one thing they are the most honest and sympathetic characters and are both likable. But they both get involved with a group of deviant people and I really felt sorry for both of them. The sisters find a way to exploit both of them and the puzzle and the consequences for both of them are what drives this narrative and also ratchets up the suspense. Loved that element of this twisty and turns of a great storyline. I loved the unique premise of this novel and found it to be very clever. It is fascinating how this story goes back and forth in time. As a reader you will bear witness as to why both Amber and Shay have so much more in common than meets the eye. They both serve a purpose for this vile group of women and the more you read the more you find out the motives behind Cassandra and Janee and company and why they have a role to play in this tantalizing book and you will love to hate this deplorable group for the self serving purposes that this evil group feels in both Amber and Shay. They are used for methods which are abnormally pathological and self serving and this group is devoid of a conscious yet on the surface their fake charm is both Amanda and Shay's unravelling.

Shay keeps a book of statistics which I also thought was fabulously executed here in this novel and found them very interesting. She analyzes data for companies and she discloses some eerie statistical information which I loved and enjoyed and I think helps keep this novel fresh and unlike any that I have already read. I was seriously creeped out when Shay gets mixed up in this self serving game perpetuated by Cassandra and Jane. I said to myself while reading that the show is about to start. I said to myself oh no. Don't you see right through them?
As I already mentioned above they all have their self serving motives for befriending Shay and even Amanda. You must read this book all of you fans of thrillers to discover why this clique is so sinister and cruel while appearing altruistic. Why do they inflict their brand of bad and illegal acts on others? The theme is Revenge!!!!!!

I thought that this was well written and I loved the book and will be recommending it to all of my friends and followers who want to read a great thriller. I really enjoyed it and was highly entertained throughout the eighty percent of the book. My critique of this manuscript is that the last twenty percent the sentences weren't flowing as nicely. As Shay is trying to find a connection to this whole arc of the story and while she is ruminating in near exhaustion and on the cusp of delirium it just became too choppy and stilted hence the four stars. This was a disappointing ending to what could have been a masterpiece. Maybe that is the only way to exonerate her was too have this inner monologue. It just didn't work for me. This book is a close tie with these authors other book called, "THE WIFE BETWEEN US." This put "AN ANONYMOUS GIRL," as my favorite thus far. Don't get me wrong the last two were excellent reading experiences that I am grateful to have read. I will recommend all three. There is no denying that these two authors are talented and write captivating and addictive novels.

Thank you to Net Galley, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen and St. Martin's Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date March 3, 2020

#youarenotalone #greerhendricksandsarahpekkanen #netgalley
#stmartinspublishing