I really loved You & Hidden Bodies. I thought book 3, You Love Me, was pretty awful. But this one was by far the worst. The characters are thoroughly unbelievable (especially Sarah Beth.) The qualities that made Joe so unique in the first book really just make him obnoxious in this one. I really hope the author just puts Joe out of his misery.

I’ll start by saying I love this author and this series. This installment just wasn’t it for me. It felt confusing at times and hard to keep track of what was going on. Many parts felt very “Joe Goldberg” while others felt like I was reading a totally different plot line. I love Joe’s deranged sense of love which is why I was so excited for this one. Disappointed that it just didn’t hit the mark of me like the other 3 books in the series did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for this ARC!

Joe Goldberg is back and he is now at Harvard, where he got a spot in a writing fellowship. This time he isn’t selling books, he’s writing them! He meets Wonder, and they’re both very similar so of course, Joe thinks they’re a match made in heaven. Joe will kill anyone and make anything happen for Wonder and him to succeed not only in their relationship but also their careers.

I really hate to say this but I didn’t love this book. There were parts that got me hooked and then there were others that felt really repetitive. I feel like Joe’s inner monologue was him repeating himself over and over again every other chapter. The ending was just okay for me. I enjoyed reading parts of this book but not something I would reread again unfortunately.

I think I have officially ended my run with Joe Goldberg. This is an engaging book, well-written and intriguing, however I am over Joe Goldberg. I think my first issue is that I was introduced to him via TV before reading any of the books and after reading it’s hard to separate the two and keep track of the changes. He’s despicable, a disgusting, sick character and these are all compliments. Hats off to Caroline Kepnes for writing a character that makes me simultaneously hate him, but want to see how his story ends.

This book was a huge disappointment. It took so long to get into it because it was soo wordy and just didn’t keep my interest. And I say this a huge fan of the You novels. I will shout praises of books 1-3 without hesitation. Maybe my expectations were too high for this one, but I was let down.

My favorite thing about the You series is the “oh no, Joe” moments that keep you invested and on the edge of your seat. This book lacked the bait to keep me reeled in. Joe is typically a hate to love, love to hate character, but in this book he was just boring and annoying. All the characters felt like afterthoughts to add more to substance to the story but they all fell flat and not a single one was likable or interesting.

I can say the only semi redeemable parts of the book ended up being all the modern literary references. There weren’t many, but I loved the passion for books and writing throughout the story. I will remain a Joe Goldberg fan.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Way back when I first heard that the original You would have a sequel, I found myself wondering this was really a sustainable concept for a series. But Kepnes has kept the Joe Goldberg surprisingly fresh and sharp, and this is probably the best installment yet.

I think it’s a testament to Kepnes’ understanding of her audience (this one’s for you, intellectual snobs), and it’s a good indicator that the series won’t dumb down and equivocate to accommodate certain segments of the tv audience.

It’s not often that we root for a serial killer (is Joe really a serial killer though? I’m not sure I think that’s true except by the most basic definition), but it happens again here. It’s not that we would want Joe’s victims to die in real life for their transgressions, but once aligned with the moral relativism of this fictional world, we gleefully agree with Joe about who simply has to go.

And ah, Wonder. Perhaps it’s a flaw in me (or in the entire audience for this book), but is there anything worse than someone who is poorly educated and wears it like a badge? Who isn’t unusually bright but thinks they’re outsmarting everyone? I found Wonder tough to stomach from the jump, but when we really turn on her as an audience is toward the end when it becomes apparent that she didn’t actually understand the meaning of what she claims is her favorite book. The Yankees - Red Sox analogies Kepnes uses with this character are brilliant and spot on, especially the part about the Boston fans who liked the Red Sox better *before* they won.

The academic setting helped this book a lot too, and I now find myself really excited for the next installment of the series.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better IT DOES! Wow loved this book. Fast-paced and couldn't get enough.

Joe Goldberg - Oh my. I got an early arc of this book but waited for the audio version because the narrator does such an amazing job of narrating Joe! He puts the reader right there in the middle of everything going on in Joe's crazy mind which goes 90 to nothing and I'm here for it! It exhausts me listening lol. I enjoyed this book a lot! Maybe not quite as much as the previous ones - (where are all the bodies?? Carolyn) I did like Sarah Beth a lot. One of my favorite series ever! .

This book was definitely 200 pages overwritten. I REALLY struggled to get and stay into this one. The plot was discombobulated. The story was the same as the previous three books. It wasn't original or unique at all. It was the same. That's my biggest gripe with this series as a whole. There isn't character development, there isn't suspense, there isn't even a unique plot. It's just all the same thing book after book with new characters. I probably won't read another in this series...

Since reading You, I have been at the front of the line for any forthcoming Joe Goldberg antics. For You and Only You delivers in spades and this fourth instalment is consistent with what we've come to love and expect. The problem is that it's almost too consistent. I enjoyed the experience of reading this book and I'll probably read a fifth book, too, but it is starting to feel a little repetitive and formulaic. Still, totally immersive and intense, Kepnes's dialogue remains as sharp and clever as ever.

I have previously enjoyed all the previous books of You series, however I found that I was skimming though chapters of this book.

I love love love this authors books. I'm pretty sure this is the last book in the series and boy was I so sad about that. I think I was focused more on the fact that it was the end than the actual book. Still this author is great and so is this book.

Kepnes continues her streak of engaging Goldberg novels with her latest entry. This time, joe is a fellow in a writing program at Harvard-surrounded by other writers. Of course, per usual, joe finds himself embroiled in another case of obsession and murder. While this is another edition like all the others in the series, revisiting joe is always like revisiting an old friend. Kepnes tone unlike any other and it is the unique voice that she infusions in joe that sets the series apart and keeps the formula fresh. Joe is always darkly comical and, while he’s no doubt a psychopath, he is still likeable. Finding joe in new situations and quagmires is always fun and exciting. There will be nothing new here to discover, but that is sure to please all fans of this series!

For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes is a masterpiece of descent into madness! I've had the pleasure of reading every book in this series and they just keep getting better and better. In this latest installment, Joe has his eyes set on the ivy league and is up to his old tricks and mental jangling. Told from the descent into madness of Joe's brain, For You and Only You is brilliant, thrilling, and creepy... and I loved every minute of it.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I hate to say it, but I love Joe and will probably read anything related to this series as they are always so much fun in such a twisted and unsettling, darkly humorous way. This one however, wasn’t as exciting to me as the rest! It’s possible Joe needs to be put to rest, but then again.. I can’t help but want more.

So many dead bodies. RIP...RIP...RIP. And yet somehow, we knew that was coming because Joe is the serial killer we love to love!

But can we talk about Caroline Kepnes and her incredible word play? Songs, books, movies, cultural references, oh my! Throwbacks to the previous books and the TV series ("Everyone's pissed in a copy of coffee at some point"). And some tongue in cheek jabs at the book business, publishing and Harvard, and yes that right jab at Goodreads girls got me where it hurts! But like Joe, I'm going to relentlessly pursue my loves (books) and pushing out reviews on Goodreads and socials.

This book veered a little off course from the first three in the series.... this time, the girl, Wonder, loves him. No, she doesn't. But now she does. And he loves her. But now he doesn't. So luckily, we still have the same Joe-lusional thinking - he's right, and there's something wrong with everyone else. The books beg the question, can you truly be happy for someone whose star is rising while yours might be on the downslide? But also, he's got a nemesis, SB, and she "sees" him. Because maybe she's just a little more warped than he is...

How can I ever thank YOU - NetGalley, Random House and Caroline Kepnes for bringing this bit of smart writing into my life!

I'll always be a sucker for anything in the "You" universe. In this installment, Joe goes to Harvard as a writing fellow, only to become infatuated yet again, this time with another fellow named Wonder. I enjoyed this book, and I like the stream of consciousness style of writing that Kepnes uses, but this latest story just felt slightly less compelling than the earlier three. In the first book, the style of narration makes the reader actually start to empathize with Joe and feel a little crazy, whereas where we are now, he's just a serial killer.

Still a solid three stars, and one that I'd recommend to any fan of the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second favorite book in the series after book one! Although I enjoyed this one more than the previous two releases, I still struggled at times to get really into it. I think I may have done myself a disservice by reading book three immediately before this one. I wish there was more of a continuation from each previous book and more character overlap. Instead, it feels as though the storylines from the series are all similarly repeated with the addition of new characters.

I really did enjoy Wonder (Goodreads Girls unite) and loved that her name came from the Natalie Merchant song. Am I reaching here? That's not my favorite thing about her of course, but I truly did love that reference and honestly all of Kepnes pop culture references (when I get them LOL). I think the reason I enjoyed this one more than the previous two was because of the writing workshop setting and reading references. I love a good author/reader story and this was an interesting incorporation to the Joe universe.

While parts of the book did hold my interest, there were far too many moments where it felt like a chore to get through. This was about 150 pages too long for that kind of effort-again maybe just too much "You" at once for me. Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Random House for my eARC. I appreciate it!

I like to see series through, so I was so glad to be approved for this one.

I liked For You and Only You much more than You Love Me. The setting felt more on brand for Joe and got closer to pretentious OG Joe.

However it was pretty boring. The people who died were obvious the whole time, the most annoying people made it out alive. Joe wasn't as unhinged as he used to be. It was an okay read.

For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes

Published: April 25, 2023
Random House
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 435
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

CAROLINE KEPNES is the New York Times bestselling author of YOU, HIDDEN BODIES, PROVIDENCE, YOU LOVE ME and FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU. The Netflix series You is an adaptation of her Joe Goldberg/You novels.

“Life is not a book. It’s boring.”

Joe has landed himself a fellowship at Harvard. He has written a book and is preparing for publication. He’s confident and ready to wow these people. When he makes eye contact with another fellow, he knows. She’s the one. His one. They are meant to be.

This was such a twist on this storyline. But I liked the direction that it went, and I liked the build-up. The way the story creates build-up when necessary and the way Joe used his experience was well done.

I didn’t like Wonder, but I don’t think we are supposed to. She was shallow but in an “I’m not shallow” way. I caught on to her pretty quickly. I enjoyed the connection between the other fellows and Joe. It was interesting to see the interactions.

The twists in this book were so beautifully done, and I did not see them coming. I loved the turn things took, and it was entertaining watching Joe not have the upper hand.

This was such a perfect conclusion to this series. This book was a full-circle moment, and I loved how everything came together.