Fact Or Fiction

This is a well written book that I did not want to put down! It has multiple views and timeframes that keep you wondering "who and what". This book is a must read because once again Minka has the reader wondering what is fact or fiction.

Minka Kent is one of my must reads whenever a book comes out so when I was able to read this advanced copy thanks to #Netgalley I was incredibly excited. Kent did yet another great job with character development and using the different perspectives to tell this fast paced story.
The story focuses on Celia and Genevieve, two sisters raised by ultra religious parents. Eventually Celia leaves the rigid confines of her parents leaving her sister behind. As an adult the two sisters attempt at reconnecting but it isn’t until a dark secret comes to light that the relationship is allowed to mend. As always, Kent does a wonderful job of adding twists to the story, which is always the best part.
Thank you to #netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this advanced copy.

Gone again was a fantastic mystery. It kept me on the edge wondering what was coming next!! What happened to Celia? Will Celeste solve this mystery? Minka knows how to keep us guessing! Can’t wait for her next. Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent with us. Your books never disappoints!!

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review
A fun 40th birthday party until Celia opens her present and discovers a note saying “You don’t deserve this”
Add to that the feeling that she is being stalked. Not able to sleep she gets in the car and drives. This usually helps. But when her husband wakes the next morning and she has vanish he begins hunting for her.
A horrible childhood with secrets leads to a missing woman and baby. A shocking story

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑.

Soon after I read this book, I watched the Netflix documentary on "Doomsday Mother" Lori Vallow and went down a rabbit hole about the damage organized religion has done over the years, especially to young girls and to women.

Celia is celebrating her 40th birthday, and among the piles of gifts is a note that says, "𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴." She can't figure out who would be so cruel, so crass, and so...correct. The next morning, Celia walks away from her life. Her friends and husband are beyond worried about this out of character behavior. Celia's estranged sister Genevieve begins to put together the fractured pieces of the girls' life together growing up in an austere, fundamentalist Christian household. A secret that Celia has prayed to stay buried all of these years is coming to light, and she must face the truth.

Told in alternating points of view with a dual timeline, this was a tense read that I flew through in an afternoon. I've never been disappointed by this author's books, and this one really spoke to me. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this early read. GONE AGAIN publishes March 7, 2023.

It was a strong story about the relationships between sisters. The sisterhood is strong whether or not there has been a time between them. I find the story's pace to be extremely slow in the middle. It goes around and around in a circle to fill the pages. The ending was okay.

Thank you, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story is told from two POV's sisters Celia and Genevieve. They grow up in a super strict religious household with secrets that haunt Celia. On Celia's 18th birthday she runs away and starts a new life. Only the past doesn't stay in the past after 26 years things done in the dark come to light.

I enjoyed this book although it wasn't as thrilling as I had hoped it would be it was very suspenseful. Definitely an attention grabber.

Thank you Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced copy for my honest review.

This was a fast-paced thrill ride by author Minka Kent. I had one thing figured out about halfway through, but I didn't know the why behind it. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters, but I did want to know what happened to them by the end. 3-3.5 stars for this story.

An enjoyable, fast-paced read.

It's a little sticky at the start, getting clogged up in backstory, but it's worth persisting.

Unreliable characters galore, ulterior motives and a twist I didn't guess. (I was close though.)

Finished in under 24 hours. Like every other Minka Kent book I've read.

This thriller is told from dual perspectives and dual timelines. Celia and Genevieve are estranged sisters who are slowly trying to reconnect. The past timeline shows an abusive childhood with strict rules and regulations. In the present, Celia has gone missing after celebrating her 40th birthday surrounded by loving friends and her doting husband. As Genevieve searches for Celia long-buried secrets slowly emerge.

This is a fast-moving, propulsive book, but I found the resolution of the novel and the various reveals to be pretty anticlimactic. It won't be winning any awards, but is worth a try if you're looking for a quick read that grabs your attention.

Note: I am easily frustrated by continuity errors. Early in the book Celia is mesmerized the first time she sees her nails painted when she's with her friend Rachel. Later on in the book when discussing Celia's former babysitter Alison, it mentions how the babysitter would give the kids ice cream and paint their toenails. It's such an easy contradiction to avoid within the text. I found myself reviewing the timeline but I'm fairly confident it's just an overlooked error.

Minka Kent's last book in 2020 was 5-stars so I could not wait to dive into her latest book "Gone Again". Told in 2 point of views by sisters - Genevieve and Celia. They were brought up by 2 very strict religious parents and some of their story was just truly heartbreaking. TRIGGERS - CHILD ABUSE. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Another great, twisted read from Minka Kent! She never disappoints! I am always excited to see a new book from her!

~Arc Review~

GONE AGAIN by Minka Kent:

Gone Again had a lot of potential. The beginning was a little boring but it picked up pace fast. By the time I was half way through I was fully invested in the story. I loved hearing about the main character’s past and I was really excited to find out what happened, but the ending fell short. It was really rushed and left so many questions unanswered. I also feel like the characters were so dramatic for no reason and then when they had real reason to be upset they weren’t which was weird. I still enjoyed this book I was just a little disappointed.

rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thanks to netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.

This book comes out March 7, 2023!

Celia was always running away, and with good reason as we discover when this twisted thriller finally unfurls. Gone Again is mysteries and secrets within mysteries and secrets, all starting with the strict church in which three sisters are raised.

You will have to read it yourself, and it’s worth reading, to find out this tangled web.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

Every single time I read Minka Kent's books I have to remind myself not to start them till I have nothing to do because the minute I start reading I get nothing done! I read until I finish the book! This book was no exception I finished in a day and yes I said a day! I couldn't put this book down! Love the fast paced storyline going between then and now also between Celia and Genevieve. So much mystery. Where did Celia run to and why this time? Genevieve looks deeper into' s Celia life to find out. Loved this book it kept me on my toes and so much page flippin was going on . I don't think this author knows how to write a bad book. Absolutely thrilling! Read it ! You will not be disappointed!

This book had me hooked from the first chapter!!!! Minks Kent is becoming one of my favorite authors.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope she writes more! I am totally hooked!

Wow! What a thriller! I was immediately hooked and could not put this down. Celia was such a strong character and I loved the support that she had from her husband, especially after everything she endured. The emotions expressed through the other characters were very believable and I thought each point of view was well written.

The beginning hooked me pretty much from the start. And I felt like I was in the heads of the characters. The flashback chapters were so good! The parents, the dad especially, made my blood boil. The middle didn't drag, but I wanted more than the sister investigating. And the end, I felt like was kind of abrupt. Like, *the person* did all this and all it took was a phone call and conversation and all is well. There were some shocking things but the ending was rushed and left me feeling cheated. I did enjoy the writing style and will pick up another of her books.

Minka Kent is an author I look for, having read some of her previous books. This book is not full of action, but more of character development, and the story is different from others I’ve read. It focuses on three sisters who grew up in an abusive ultra-religious household. The oldest sister became rebellious, determined to escape, while the middle child cared for the much-younger sister and did her best to obey. It goes back and forth in time, and gives the point of view from the oldest and middle sisters. It does so smoothly, and not in a confusing way.

So many authors feel the need to have a grand twist, and I love a good twist, but only if they make sense and add to the story and aren’t there only for shock value. The twist in this book does make sense and adds to the plot. My one criticism would be that three characters have two-syllable names that start with a “C” and that got a little confusing when I had to put the book down for a couple days, then tried to get back into it. Making the names a little more different would’ve helped.