This book was absolutely wild.

Jane has believed herself to be a sociopath her entire life, after diagnosing herself with an online quiz as a teen. She struggles with meeting new people, and making connections until she meets Thalia in a graduate writing program, and the two quickly become "best friends," although it might be one sided. Jane's obsession with Thalia culminates in murder.

Thalia leaves campus after the first year and essentially disappears off the grid. She returns 9 years later as a NYT bestselling author, and Jane picks up right where she left off with her obsession. The only thing you know for sure in this book is when Thalia and Jane are together, people around them mysteriously end up dead. At its heart, the book focuses in on toxic female friendships, and the idea that they aren't always equal.

I will just say - holy unreliable narrator. You don't know who to believe, or who is the villain and who is the victim in the story. Just when you start to sympathize with someone, the story is flipped upside down.

I am not familiar enough with ASPD to be able to say for sure how well the author handles the topic, and if that is a trigger for you, you may want to skip this book. As mentioned, Jane is a self-diagnosed sociopath (or so she thinks) but there is reference to another character having ASPD.

Overall, this was a fast paced read that I could not put down. I hated but loved to hate all of the characters.

Jane is a struggling writer who is feeling trapped in her life. She longs for her days back at Oxford when she did a creative writing program and her best friend at the time, Thalia. The only thing is, she hasn't even spoken to Thalia in years, since one night ruined everything and changed their lives. But now she has the chance to see her as Thalia is attending a book convention. Jane is determined to go to the convention and find her way back into Thalia’s life.

This book was a wild ride! From the first page, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen. I love an unreliable narrator, and this one was the most unreliable of them all. Not a single character was likable and that made it all the more fun and suspenseful. I don’t want to say too much and give anything away, but this book was entertaining from start to finish.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the advance copy. And thank you to @Berittalksbooks and @dg_reads for a fun buddy read!

To tell you the truth, women's suspense/thriller novels are not really my thing, but I LOVED Sutanto's Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers so much, I thought I'd give this a whirl. While Vera's story was packed with humor and good feelings, this one is dark. Very dark, filled with the slaughter of innocents, or if not innocents, men who didn't really deserve it. Unlike Vera, there's no humor here. None at all, and this vicious tale could really have used some comic relief.

I give the author credit - it's tough to write a book with an unlikable main character, and Sutanto chose to feature two, count 'em, TWO nasty women. (Really NASTY, not Trump nasty.) And, while this one held my interest and kept me guessing, I didn't really enjoy the read, so 3.5 stars, rounded down.

When your favorite cozy author (Dial A for Aunties duo, Vera Wong) reveals the depths of her dark mind…and appeals to your feminine rage…while also analyzing the inner workings of female friendship, you know you have a winning thriller of a novel.

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝙄’𝙢 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙔𝙚𝙩
by Jesse Q. Sutanto
352 pages - you will read it in one sitting guaranteed

Jane’s life is a mess. Midlist writing career, marshmallow husband and a Bay Area mortgage that is straining their finances. She recalls her brighter memories at her Oxford MFA program with bf Thalia - her stunning friend who meant everything to her.
She seizes the opportunity to see Thalia again, at any cost.
This novel resonated with me on many levels while also being a dark and delicious psychological thriller with enough twists to keep me captive. I read it on one long road trip (less than a day).
If you gasp out loud that many times, and you can’t set the book down, you know it is good!

𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊
🌸love some savage feminine rage
🔀 enjoy twists and turns
💀 appreciate dark characters
😬 like stories that make you gasp out loud
💗 enjoy exploring the psychology of female friendship
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you @netgalley @berkleypub for the opportunity to read this darkly delicious ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to my favorite cozy author, but is she a cozy author? 😉💗

Jesse Q. Sutanto’s latest mystery/thriller, I’m Not Done with You Yet, is apparently not in her usual microgenre (humorous cozy mysteries). I’m Not Done with You Yet is filled with unlikable, questionable characters whose lack of normality affects the reliability of their narration. It takes some writing talent to fill your story with such characters and still create an enjoyable read.

The start is slow and a bit whiny, and that slow pace continues through the first two-thirds of the book as it focuses on Jane and her belief that she is a sociopath, that she has a horrible husband/marriage, and that her writing career is as lacking as she is. Jane’s obsession with Thalia and her own issues becomes repetitive, and it felt overplayed as if the author thought readers would not be sharp enough to pick up on the personalities. The plot pace and my interest picked up significantly in the third act of the book.

In the final act of the book, there are multiple, significant twists that I didn’t see coming. One of these twists was set up in the prologue to the story, which is told by an unnamed narrator, that segues into Jane’s present day story. The multiple players in this cat and mouse chase made the story much more interesting since the advantage shifts as facts are revealed. While none of the characters are particularly likeable, Jane was my favorite. The addition of Thalia’s POV in the last act of the story shed much light on the past and present for the characters, but I didn’t care for her voice.

The author uses her own experiences as a writer, a Jakarta resident and an Oxford University graduate to provide some of the details in the story. The characters together were a unique blend that I appreciated. Overall, an interesting read for a lazy day by the pool.

After I was delighted by VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS earlier this year, I knew I had to pick up the latest release from Jessie Q Sutanto. I’M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET is a much darker novel. It is less delight-filled and more revenge-fueled than the beloved Vera. Nobody is going to capture your heart here.

The story follows the friendship between aspiring authors Jane and Thalia who become estranged after a tragic event at Oxford. Years later, they are reconnected when Thalia’s book about their toxic relationship is published.

There are some twists and turns along this way, but your enjoyment will be boosted if you expect a slow burn suspense rather than a past-faced thriller.

READ THIS IF:
You enjoy tales of toxic friendship and obsession
Books set in the publishing industry interest you
Unlikeable characters are your jam

RATING: 4/5 stars
PUB DATE: 8/22/23

Many thanks to Berkley pub for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a huge fan of @jesseqsutanto since I read Dial A For Aunties when she had me cracking up but she has completely thrown me for a loop by writing the most delicious psychological thriller that I could not put down. I’m Not Done With Yet is a dark twisted thriller about a group of friends with secrets, obsessions, mental health disorders and highly unreliable, unlikeable characters. The characters met at an MFA program at Oxford years ago and are thrown into present day when one of them has become a bestselling author and the other is languishing. Everyone has internal monologues that contradicts the others. No one can be trusted. Every single character was different than I originally thought. It was absolutely brilliant in its execution to completely thrown me off course and surprise me in every possible way. It really reiterated what an incredibly talented author she is that she can have such a wide range of genres and excel at all of them.

Jesse Q. Sutanto is so incredible versatile! She cranks out books like few other people in the industry.I was really excited to pick up her adult thriller debut that came out this week–I’m Not Done with You Yet.

Jane is a midlist writer who is very… mid. She’s unsatisfied in her marriage to Ted, who she believes isn’t supporting her writing career like an adoring husband should. She can only really remember one person and one time in her life where she did feel understood–a summer spent at a Creative Writing program at Oxford, with Thalia. She hasn’t seen or heard from Thalia in years, no matter how hard she’s tried to find her. Their time together was cut short when someone they knew turned up dead.

But when Thalia’s name pops up on the New York Times Bestseller list, Jane is desperate to reconnect with her. She knows if she can just track her down, she might revive her flatllining career.

It’s told almost exclusively through Jane’s POV, but when we start to get slices of Thalia’s POV, the story takes some weird and wild turns. Jane is frustrating and irritating as a character, but despite the flaws, you can’t help but root for her. The story has a great take on mental health, and kind of makes you zoom out on the bigger picutre of your own life.

If you read Yellowface or The Writing Retreat and enjoyed, give this one a shot!

Thanks to Berkley and BeritTalksBooks for the gifted review copy.

I could have easily finished this book in one day. I'm still evaluating how I feel about these characters - and where to start. Told via several POV, dual timeline - I just became consumed by this story. Read well beyond my bedtime - and on vacation with children. I needed sleep - but this book would not let me go.
Jane self-diagnoses herself as a psychopath. Who doesn't? She refrains from social situations, seeking to limit herself to triggers. Her self-esteem and identity are intertwined - with her acerbic single mother's voice downgrading her decisions.
Thalia befriends her right away - and so it begins.
I loved it - so many surprises, guesses and gah the characters. The unreliable main character. So enjoyable, creative and fresh.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

A wild, juicy story about two women and their toxic friendship. Jane is a struggling, midlist author trapped in dull marriage and strapped with a hefty mortgage. When she sees that her best friend in college, Thalia, is now a bestselling author attending a book convention, she becomes determined to reunite. Jane and Thalia share a secret and Jane refuses to be pushed aside again.

I love an unhinged story about two women on the verge and this one delivers. Both women are fascinating and frustrating and hilarious. I couldn’t wait to see how it all wrapped up. I can’t wait to see what Sutanto writes next!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, I fell in love with Jesse Q. Sutanto’s writing style. Now here she comes with a psychological thriller that I’m just as obsessed with. I’m Not Done With You Yet gave me all the thriller vibes I was looking for, the sociopathic vibe of Gone Girl combined with the predatory nature of Joe Goldberg. It’s a thriller-lover must read.

Jane's best friend from Oxford has been off the radar for so long. When Jane spots that she'll be appearing at a writers convention on social media, she makes a point to get herself to the event so she can reconnect with her. But does Thalia want her back in her life? Jane, this time, is determined to stay.

Jesse Q. Sutanto is such an amazing author, writing across multiple genres and doing them all so incredibly well. I absolutely loved this book. It was dark and exciting and had that little bit extra than regular thrillers. I was obsessed while reading it and shocked by the ending. Definitely one I'll be recommending for thriller fans.

As a fan of You I liked how psychological this one was. The obsession and need to be seen ran deep. There were plenty of twists to keep my interest and go keep me guessing!

Happy pub day to I’m Not Done With You Yet, a propulsive thriller by Jesse Q. Sutanto that is nothing like her beloved Auntie books. I’m so grateful to @berkleypub for a e-arc and to @prhaudio for a free audiobook.
This book is told in dual timelines and dual POVs. But mostly it’s Jane’s story. She’s a profoundly unhappy midlist writer whose books make no money and she’s trapped in a marriage with a man who seems to make her skin crawl. But when she gets an email about a new bestselling book written by Thalia, her best—and possibly only—friend who she hasn’t spoken to since their time together at the Oxford creative writing program, Jane has a new mission. Reconnect with Thalia, even if it means dredging up whatever trauma has kept them apart all these years.

Jane is not a very likeable character, but she’s definitely an intriguing one to read about. And this book was hard to put down. I definitely wanted to know where it was headed. Unfortunately for me, I guessed most of the twists and ended up questioning many of the characters choices. I kept wishing they were thinking through things a bit more. That said, everyone in my buddy read seemed to absolutely love this one so I think I’m a bit of an outlier. The book covers a lot of interesting themes including mental illness, co-dependency, and identity.

In the midst of all of that, the aspect of the book I enjoyed the most was the frank observations about the publishing industry woven through the story. I’ve read a lot of books where authors land agents quickly or get magical advances or speak to full houses at book events, so this realistic look at the process was a breath of fresh air.

I am always in awe of authors who can seamlessly switch between genres and Jesse Q. Suanto has proved that she deserves to be on that list!

I knew her for her funny rom-coms but this thriller is sure to be a hit! From the toxic characters to the page turning action and smart twists, this one definitely left me guessing until the very end! I have been enjoying a lot of thrillers with unlikeable characters lately and this book falls into that group, the characters in this one are really compelling and dynamic!

Overall, a edge of your seat spooky thriller that will leave you wanting so much more.

As usual, Jesse kills it! I’m a big fan of her aunties series and her YA thrillers. This one was just as amazing, twisty and gripping!

Talk about an author having range. I haven't read her Aunties series yet (I know I know, late to the party) but absolutely loved loved LOVED Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. Hilarious, truly LOL funny.

Well Jesse proves it's not all fun and games in I'm Not Done With you Yet. This is a darker thriller. Characters are questionable, sometimes nasty, and always a bit shady.

The ending is perfectly brilliant. Bravo 👏

This is written by the same author that wrote the Dial A for Aunties books but it’s the complete opposite. It’s a suspense/thriller read about a twisted friendship, obsession and mental health.

Jane and Thalia met at an Oxford creative writing program years ago. Jane struggles with social connections but she immediately hits it off with Thalia, so much so Jane becomes obsessed with her. After an incident that occurs at Oxford, Thalia leaves and Jane and Thalia lose touch. Years later in present day, Jane sees Thalia’s name at the top of the New York Time best seller list and that she’s in NYC for a book convention. Jane is desperate to see Thalia and will do anything to go to that convention.

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the twisted and dark friendship, and Jane and Thalia were both unreliable and deceitful characters. There were dual timelines from the days at Oxford and the present and most of the book was told via Jane with a sprinkle of Thalia’s POV. It wasn’t really fast paced but I was so captivated by the characters and plot I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen. If you enjoy thrillers with toxic friendships and unreliable narrators then you will enjoy this one.

4.5 Stars - Toxic friendships, unreliable narrators, sociopathic personalities, and all the twisty turns made this read a fun and wild ride. I loved this read so much. It was so hard to put down once you started. The characters are not likeable – at all – but then again isn’t that the point of a read like this? The story is told from multiple perspectives, with the first part swapping from past to present and then brings to the present. I loved the dark nature of this read including the antisocial personality disorder characteristics from multiple parties. If you love dark thrillers, highly recommend this!

✨ Pub Day Review: I Am Not Done With You Yet ✨

⁉️: Have you ever been to San Francisco or the Bay Area?

Mike and I visited Berkeley this summer - for me it was a two week trip for research for my monograph, and for Mike - it was to experience SF. One of the things that stood out - which was undoubtedly heart breaking was the rise of crime and homelessness in the area. I was reminded to keep safe and avoid certain areas.

Set in the Bay Area, the National best selling author Jesse Q Sutanto’s latest novel follows the story of Jane and Thalia. As I read the novel, the premise kept on reminded me of The Yellowface which I still need to read. The premise of the novel focused on Jane - a struggling writer who feel trapped in an unhappy marriage and barely surviving the mortgage in the area. Her friend, Thalia, had disappeared after their creative writing days when they studied together. One tragic night, Thalia disappears without a trace.

Things change when she discovers thy at her friend, Thalia, has struck a 7 figure deal triggering her memories of the time both of them spent at Oxford. Jane is awestruck as the events unfold.

This novel contains unlikable characters - and from the start - Jane has a very sardonic and acidic tone as she learns about her friend after all these years. But, I think by painting characters as such, these stories give us an insight into aspects of female friendships that can be toxic and disturbing. Nevertheless, this book was hard to put down and undoubtedly a 5 star ✨if you like dark and morally grey characters - I know I do!

Thank you @letstalkbookspromo, @jesseqsutanto, @berkleypub, and @penguinrandomhouse for the gifted e-copy!

#Berkleybuddyreads #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #PenguinRandomHouse #IAmNotDoneWithYouYet #JesseQSutanto #thriller #femalefriendships #BIPOCauthor #BIPOC