(Rounded up to 4.5 stars)

A woman travels to a remote island to bring home her sister who has joined a cult. As she grapples with the secret she carries, she discovers that the cult may be more than a program for self-actualization. Author Stephanie Wrobel returns to the difficult spaces between trauma and grief with the slightly disturbing but utterly compelling book This Might Hurt.

Natalie Collins is worried about her sister. Even though Kit has always been a little flaky, she usually checks in at some point. Since the death of their mother, it seems like the sisters have needed one another even more and also been more at odds.

It doesn’t help that Natalie’s always been the responsible one and Kit has always been more free-spirited. Every time Kit turns around, it’s like she can hear Natalie in her head commenting on whatever she’s doing and judging her. That’s why she needs a break, and Kit thinks she’s found the perfect place for it.

When her sister announces she’s going to a retreat called Wisewood on a private island off the coast of Maine, Natalie doesn’t believe it but Kit just packs her bags and leaves. The stay was supposed to last six months, but the time has come and gone and no word from Kit. What’s worse, Natalie has a secret about the day their mother died. Her guilt has been eating her up, and she needs to tell Kit what really happened. But how can she do that when she has no way of contacting her sister?

Then Natalie gets a cryptic email from Wisewood threatening to tell Kit the truth, which leaves her furious and scared. What happened with their mother is between her and Kit. How dare someone else try to get involved?

She goes to Wisewood to tell Kit her secret but feels like she’s stepped into a different world. One of the rules of the retreat is no cell phones or internet connections with anyone. Everyone keeps talking about “maximizing the self,” and Kit is nowhere to be found. Then Natalie learns that Kit has joined the staff and doesn’t want to leave.

Between the creepy caretaker who keeps popping up, the lack of answers, and her guilt, Natalie just wants to find Kit and drag her back home where things make sense. She doesn’t realize, however, that since arriving Kit has formed a close alliance with Wisewood’s founder, Rebecca. Neither Rebecca nor Kit come to meet Natalie, leaving her with the growing sense that something is horribly wrong.

Author Stephanie Wrobel mines the deepest levels of trauma and grief to explore the relationship between Kit and Natalie, between Rebecca and Kit, and between family members who are capable of doing the worst to one another. Readers might find themselves wincing at the lengths to which some characters can go while also facing a startling truth: given the right circumstances, people are capable of absolutely anything.

As readers learn more about Wisewood’s founder, Rebecca, they’ll learn just how apt the title of the novel is and how trauma can be passed down from one generation to the next. Wrobel’s research and level of detailing shine most in Rebecca’s sections, and readers will wish they had even more information than what they get on the cult founder’s life. At the same time, Wrobel manages to give the same attention and care to Kit and Natalie. The result is a story world that feels so real readers will ache for all of the characters.

If the book can be faulted anywhere, it’s when the point of view changes from one chapter to the next. Readers might need to take a few moments to figure out who’s talking and which storyline they’re following. Once those things are made clear, however, readers will have no trouble settling in for the rest of the chapter.

Those willing to spend time with these characters in the darkest, hardest moments of their lives will definitely want to check this out. Stephanie Wrobel fans will adore this one for sure.

This Might Hurt is the newest book by @stephaniewrobel. Stephanie’s first book, Darling Rose Gold was the buddy read I participated in when I joined Bookstagram!

This books start off slowly with two different POVs. The first is Natalie, who is missing her sister since she moved away to a lifestyle retreat in Maine. Kit took the death of their mother very hard, and wanted to use Wisewood to help her move on. Natalie hasn’t heard from her until she receives a threatening email and she just got to see his sister. The other POV is a mystery, we don’t find out who it is until about halfway through the book. It’s told me a young girl with a very controlling father and a dysfunctional family.

Once the two stories met, I couldn’t put this book down. Wisewood was fascinating and all the rules and strict guidelines reminded me a lot of the Handmaid’s Tale. The use of magic and theatrics was really interesting to me especially done by a young girl who really has to go against the wishes of her family to do so. I loved that Houdini was such a inspiration to her.

This book is definitely unlike anything else I’ve read, and I’m not sure it’s for everyone. I really liked it once it got going and I was very intrigued by Wisewood. This is another hit for Stephanie; I’m really looking forward to her next book!

Thank you so much to the author and @berkleypub for my gifted copy. This Might Hurt published yesterday, so get your copy today! I’m obsessed with the color of this book- Kelly green is my favorite color.

Who else loves a good cult story???? Anyone? Just me….ok! This book has strong similarities to the NXVIM cult and I just watched that movie...perfect time to binge read This Might Hurt!

I’m immediately struck by how well Worbel has lured me in with a story that could be straight from recent headlines but adds her own spin. I started This Might Hurt yesterday and I’m hooked…on the edge of my seat. It’s a case study on fear and manipulation and though disturbing it’s also mesmerizing.

The ending was ambiguous, left to the reader so if you hate that ending style be prepared. A friend pointed out that she didn't love the end, that Rebecca's actions didn't seem the same as she was earlier in the book. I took that in and wondered why it didn't resonate with me. I think because as I read I could see that her age was a factor as well as the desire to prove herself once again but initially it was fear that lead her to the situation. How ironic.

Let me grab Darling Rose Gold, I’m hooked on Worbel’s writing style!! This was 4.5 stars rounded to 5 for me. My only issue was the swift change of POV and needing to recognize which character I was reading occasionally.

Thank you @berkleypub @netgalley and @stephaniewrobel for my digital copy of the book to review!

I didn’t love this one as much as I loved Darling Rose Gold, but it was still a solid read. Kit and Natalie are sisters. Natalie hasn’t heard from Kit in about 6 months. Kit has headed off to a place called Wisewood, which is a commune/cult. Communication is cut off once you come to this place. No phones, no outside people etc. Natalie receives a very cryptic email about her sister, which leads Natalie to go to Wisewood to help her sister, whom she fears is in danger.

Once Natalie gets to her sisters new residence, things take a turn. This is one strange, strange place. Things begin to unfold…I don’t want to say too much or it will give away more than I would like to reveal to anyone who has yet to read this book.. The POV in this book is told from both sisters. I didn’t mind the ending. It worked well with the story. There were a couple scenes that felt a little unbelievable, but I didn’t mind. A book is supposed to be an escape, so I went with it. I do feel like there have been quite a few books about ‘cult’ like atmospheres lately. I didn’t like this as much as Rose Gold, but Stephanie Wrobel is an author I will definitely read again in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I was able to read this one pretty fast, as it held my interest:)

I usually avoid a book synopsis at all costs. I tell people to go in blind and enjoy the ride because the synopsis often gives too much away. This is a rare case where the reader embarks in a tale that they never could have imagined. I was intrigued to see how the two stories came together and loved the added element of magic/illusions. The ending was lukewarm for me but overall I found it a unique read.

Fantastic! That is the first word that comes to mind. There are so many layers in this story. Between sisterhood, abuse, cults, obsession, you will find something that fascinates you.

Natalie heads to Wisewood after getting an email about something she has done in the past. Her sister Kit is there, this cultish spot where Kit has gone to find herself. She wants to get to Kit before her secret is revealed. We also read a lot about the past of the two sisters. I have to admit I was totally confused as to who was who with the sisters but it is all explained in time. It really was an interesting look into why people go to these places, what they are looking for and what it takes to become one of the people who run them. The ending left me in chills.

I loved Wrobel's book Rose Gold as well and this had the same intelligent look into things that maybe a mind can't always grasp or understand.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for a copy of this book for review.

Natalie and her sister, Kit, haven’t spoken in months. Kit has been living at Wisewood, an island on the coast of Maine where phones and internet are prohibited and guests stay for 6 months. Unexpectedly Natalie receives a threatening email from someone at Wisewood. She decides to go to the island to find Kit and confess to a secret that she’s been keeping for years. When Natalie arrives, she discovers that Wisewood is a cult. Will Natalie be able to leave and will she be able to convince Kit to leave as well before it’s too late?

The premise sounds so good, but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I did enjoy that the story was told through three POV’s and different timelines – Natalie, Kit and (at first) an unknown narrator and timelines of the past and present. I was thoroughly invested in the story at the beginning and I was just waiting for something to happen. I was waiting and waiting and nope, nothing exciting/thrilling happened at all! Even the ending was meh.

A huge thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the author's first book 'Darling Rose Gold' (a must-read!), so I was very excited for her second book. The premise sounded so intriguing! There are definitely elements of both the real-life
NXIVM Cult and the fictional series 'Nine Perfect Strangers'.

Natalie Collins is a high-achiever and at the top of her profession. Her personal life does not run as smoothly. She has not been able to reach her sister Kit for months. The book is told from the points of view of Natalie, Kit and a third person who suffered a traumatic and abusive childhood. I was confused about who this person was and assumed it was Natalie but I was so wrong!

Kit has found structure and purpose at Wisewood, located on a remote island in Maine, which requires that its "guests" sign nondisclosure agreements. Guests are also not allowed contact with family members. When Natalie receives an ominous email from someone at Wisewood threatening to reveal a family secret, she is determined to find her sister.

Wisewood is run by "Teacher", who demands loyalty from those at Wisewood. Natalie is alarmed by all of this but Kit seems to have accepted all of the demands and rigors of the program. To the reader, it might seem obvious that Wisewood was a cult, but Kit seems to be thriving. Although she is not the old, friendly Kit that Natalie expected, she seems to be stronger.

It was a little confusing keeping track of the points of view but the story moved very quickly. I found the flashbacks to one of the character's abusive childhood to be very disturbing, although those events were central to how this person turned out to be as an adult. This book examines the reasons why people are drawn to join a cult, and sadly, how an abused child can turn into an abusive adult.

“What’s the only way you’re going to succeed? … Through my willingness to endure.”

Although I didn't enjoy this book as much as the author's first book, it is an interesting psychological thriller with lots of surprises thrown in.

(Thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced reading copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel was a good book. I went into this one blind after reading Darling Rose Gold. I'm glad I read it because I was not disappointed. I thought the plot was really unique. I was sucked right in from the interesting fast past beginning and the intriguing plot kept me on my toes thinking where is this going, and that ending.... It had several elements which I enjoy in novels including differing timelines and multiple points of view.

If you love cult books, this one is for you. I was intrigued by the first half. The second half was kind of meh for me, but I’ve also read a ton of cult books lately so that could be it

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was very lucky to also receive and review a copy of Darling Rose Gold, which is Wrobel's debut novel. Although I did like Rose Gold, it didn't wow me. When I was offered a copy of this I was not sure I would be interested in the subject matter. I am SO glad I accepted. This book from the very start pulled me in and kept me wanting more. We are reading two story lines about sisters from different times and circumstances. Their upbringings were different but still hard in many ways. It is really hard to review this without giving away plot or story. I will say this, I think that Wrobel has really improved since her debut. She wrote believable and likeable characters whos stories are intense and have you turning the pages just to know more about them and where their lives are leading. You feel for the characters and also feel yourself trying to tell them NO when they are making certain choices. There were parts where some characters had the feeling that they were being watched. The setting where most of the book takes place, Wisewood, is creepy all in itself. You can tell something is just off here but you don't know what, you don't know who's watching and you want to! Wrobel did an excellent job with this book and I'm so excited to read whatever she writes next! She has written and fantastic page turning novel here and I highly recommend it!

Sisters Natalie and Kit have a strenuous relationship since their mother died. Kit is lost with her life and her sister is always trying to help her (or she thinks she is) Then Kit finds out a place called WiseWood that will help helps their guest reach true fearlessness. They are go to a private island for 6 months and have no contact with the world outside! (what could go wrong)

I love a good cult book! I really enjoy how its told by the in two point of view, the past and then the current with WiseWood and the sisters. I loved the way things were slowly revealed, the reason and origin was great, it kept me so invested. I'm not sure how I feel about the sisters relationship, but it felt real. You meet lots of interesting characters on the island like Teacher who runs the island and program. You get to know a lot about the cult and what they trying to do. The twist at the end was great, it took a turn I wasn't expecting.


Thank you to Berkley Books and Netgalley for my review copy!

𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭:

🤯𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭🤯

Holy. Freaking. Moly. If you like cult thrillers, or really any fast paced suspense novels, ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR RN. I AM MIND FREAKING BLOWN🤯🤩🖤

Ps. If you liked YELLOWJACKETS, read this book. Similar vibes but totally different. It was SO good👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: thriller
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞: fearless-based cult on a deserted island
𝐏𝐮𝐛. 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: TODAY💃🏼 2/22/22
𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 5000 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.57 (y’all. These people tripping. It’s so good)

𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

This book follows a cult/commune on an island that is based in teaching ‘fearlessness’. The POV switch back and forth between the past life of the cult leader, a cults new member, and that members sister who goes on a hunt looking for her. Tons of twists, dark secrets, and brainwashing. IT WAS SO GOOD.

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

Guys. If you like cults or culty books, stop what your doing and pick this one up ASAP. Loved it so much. The ending was insane also so if you have read it, please dm me!! I need to CHAT😬🤯!

I thought the premise of this sounded so great, and as I really liked her first book I was very excited to read this one. It started off really strong but then lost its way and my interest by the end. I struggled to keep the timelines straight and the characters were just all a bit odd, and overall this one fell flat for me.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy to review.

Thank you Berkley Pub & NetGalley for gifting me the ebook.
——
The book begins with the POV of two sisters, Nat and Kit, who have a somewhat mercurial relationship with each other. Kit decided to go to a retreat and has shut off from all communication since months. Nat, the big sister who has always been protective of Kit and sheltered her, gets an email that’s about to majorly disrupt the relationship that’s left with Kit. So Nat decides to embark to the retreat to talk to her sister directly. Soon Nat realizes that the retreat is anything but normal, with major cult vibes.

We are also introduced to another title-less POV of a family with a sociopathic father and dysfunctional family dynamics. We learn over time that the dad’s abuse results in dangerous self-esteem issues and a messed up sense of validation to the older daughter. There is a sister duo in this POV as well, and for a good amount of time, I was confused who these sisters were and how they were related to the other sister duo. It takes almost half the book for the reveal and I felt the chapters between the alternate sister duos were disjointed from each other.

Once the reveal happens, the story focuses on the present situation of the retreat, run by a manipulative and distrustful “teacher.” The ending however, did not make sense to the personality of the teacher that we were introduced to, nor to the relationship between Kit and Nat. I had high hopes for this one because I loved Darling Rose Gold. The only common thing between the 2 books were poor parent-child relationships, but overall, I was let down by this one.

Did not finish. I got to 53% and decided that this is not for me. I wasn't at all invested and was struggling to maintain focus. I think the back and forth with the timelines and POV's had me struggling to connect with a single character.

#ThisMightHurt:

“Die with memories, not dreams”

The prologue really grips you and has you waiting for this wild ride. I’m sure I audibly gasped. I honestly had no idea where this book was going to go, but when I figured out we were dealing with a cult, I got my coziest socks and blanket and binged away.

I will say I didn’t feel as though the “big” reveal gave me the “wow” factor I was looking for. There’s a slow and gradual buildup and then a reveal. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I was expecting a big magic trick shebang (because we’re all about Houdini and magic tricks, get it.. I’ll see myself out) but just got a reveal. There was a smaller reveal before the big one, and honestly, that had me clutching my pearls. It was said so casually and that “wow” factor came through as a smirk like the audio, “you’re shocked? You’re shocked” Yes, Stephanie Worbel, I’m freaking shocked.

This does goes through different POVs and timelines and that was easier to keep track of. I enjoyed being able to see how different Nat and Kit were and how they would try to almost force a reconnection. Some people are just related by blood, and that’s it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This book was wild, toxic, dysfunctional, and definitely one that really seeps into your pores and keeps you thinking about it. This really solidified my love for dysfunctional characters and also cults. Thank you so much Berkley for the gifted copy. This might hurt is out today!!

“They will root for me to break the glass ceiling as long as none of the shards nick them”.

THIS MIGHT HURT follows a couple shifting points of view. Natalie is a young professional who receives an email out of the blue saying that if she doesn’t tell her sister the truth, the unknown sender will. Her sister went away to a 6 month retreat where she’s been cut off from everyone and everything for six months and Natalie has no way to reach her without following the instructions sent by the person behind the email.

In alternating POVs we’re following the life of an unnamed young woman with a controlling, abusive father and a troublesome family dynamic. She’s forced to confront her desperate fear of water and anything else that her father wants for her to do.

It is hard to say a whole lot about this book without getting into spoilers, but I can say that it really hooked me in from the opening (rather graphic and disturbing) passage. This book involves a lot of broken people and those who take advantage of them. While we don’t know how the different narratives will connect initially, it is clear that the author is bringing us along toward an inevitable connection.

This is a dark read. Trigger warnings for abuse, grooming, and self harm. It is also a slow burn. While it hooked me right away, this is a story which takes time, not one that will necessarily keep you at the edge of your seat with pulse pounding. Still, it was a hard book to put down and the author does a fantastic job of leaving you with small clues as to the coming twists that keep you guessing and re-guessing along the way!

I really loved the author’s DARLING ROSE GOLD, so I was so excited to pick this one up and I am very glad that it lived up to my hopes for a great read! THIS MIGHT HURT is out today!

Was I the only one to find the entire first half of this book confusing? I’m dying to know. I spent the entire first half of this book confused as to who was who in this book. I don’t know if everyone thought that way when they read it. Maybe I was just tired and missed the forest for the trees, but yeah. I was confused, and it distracted me from having as much fun with the story as I thought I would.

What’s funny is… I thought this book would be a lot more fun than it was. I thought it would be scarier. I thought it would be spookier. I thought it would just be… more. But this book tells three separate stories, and I only enjoyed one of them: the story of the terrified little girl who learns to conquer fear. Her sections of the book were the most interesting and fun to read by far. It was like reading the journey of someone who was born raw material and was shaped by time and circumstance into a weapon of complete apathy and narcissism. The sections following her performances eventually ended up reminding me of performance artist Marina Abramovic (although the author credits Emma Sulkowicz as the inspiration in the acknowledgments). The sections involving the characters of Nat and Kit, however, I found to be lackluster in comparison.

While the book as a whole is very well-written, it’s not a good sign when one-third of the story is much stronger than the other two-thirds.

Is it a good book? Yes. I’m not denying that. It’s just not a fantastic book.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Berkley for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This Might Hurt brings to the forefront what an abusive childhood can do to a person. Natalie hasn't heard from her sister in months, and after receiving an odd email, she goes looking. Her search takes us to a very atmospheric island retreat. Wrobel's writing is so descriptive that it gives you chills at times. For me, the book had a slow build and then the last few chapters had me gasping for air! I had to go back and reread them a few times, but no spoilers here.

I am looking forward to whatever Stephanie Wrobel brings to the table next!