Well, I hate when I don't like a book that everyone else loves but that's the thing with opinions, not everyone will love the same thing. I opened and closed this three different times trying to really get into but never really did. I usually don't mind slow pacing but this was almost a snail's pace. The plot and storyline were good but I believe it was more of the writing style that didn't work for me. Three Stars since it wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt and Company for this ARC.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Thank you NetGalley, Abbott Kahler, and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Where You End in exchange for an honest review.

The general vibe of this thriller was very creepy. It pulled me in right from the start. The characters were interesting and the plot was enjoyable. Worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC. This was a very dark and creepy thriller. There were parts that will definitely shock and scare you. It was really well written. I was intrigued by the whole concept of it. I also liked how it went back and forth between the character's different timelines. It was a different pace that I usually look for in a thriller. Nothing personal to the Author at all. If you love books with cults this is the book for you! @abbottkahler @netgalley

My Rating : 3.5 stars

Publishing date: January 16, 2024

Summary:

Kate Bird wakes up from being in a coma but remembers nothing. All that she sees is a mirror image of herself, her twin sister Jude. Jude takes on the huge task of helping her sister rebuild each memory from the past. Kate realizes as the months go by the childhood Jude told her they had wasn't really how things were. When Kate discovers the truth will it cause a grudge between them that could destroy everything they built together?

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I am such a sucker for any kind of story that involves cults. Maybe it was because of the time my parents made us go to a Mormon church? No idea. I loved this. It is eerie, creepy, and has you wondering who really is the reliable twin.

Thank you to the author Abbott Kahler, publishers Henry Holt & Co., and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of WHERE YOU END.

"We both laugh, the sounds merging, indistinguishable. I snatch her can of hair spray and aim it like a gun, shooting a mist into the back of her head." p44

Where you end is a book about identity, vulnerability, personal history, and trust. But mostly it's about sisters, how that kind of closeness can overwhelm. And Jude and Kat are the kind of sisters who are really close. So close, they're almost the same person, even in the DNA, one reflects the other, as they are mirror twins. They each see in the other's face exactly what she sees in her own mirror reflection.

The book opens with Jude taking care of Kat as she recovers from some unknown trauma that she can't remember. The story spins out as she recovers this memory, and memory of her family, who aren't always altogether who they seem.

"For the next five minutes, we ride silently. I stare at her profile and can’t believe I came from such a fantastic creature, whose every word, gesture, and feature seems imbued with a strident grandeur: the towering height, the fortress of hair, the delicately humped nose, the gauzy blouse and abundant breasts, the enormous but elegant feet (encased, naturally, in sequined slippers), the baubles and bangles, the conspirator’s laugh, the carnival barker’s command of the room, the exotic bird flutter of her hands. We arrive at a home that rivals any of those Jude cleaned on the Main Line, an expansive facade of silver stone adorned with hanging vines and accented by two cupolas at either end. 'Is this where I grew up?'” I ask. p223

Can I just take a moment to admire the beauty of the prose? Lush and shadowy, like a rainforest. The style contributes to the suspense, mood, and tone that makes the reader feel so swallowed whole by this story.

I won't lie, I was sometimes confused about the trajectory of the narrative, especially when Kat was dealing with her trauma, but I think this was Kahler's design. The way Kat recovers certain information in bits and snatches reminds me of the acclaimed 2000 film MEMENTO. The problem is, once I reached the final twist, I wasn't that surprised. I felt other emotions instead-- like satisfaction. Also, I loved the denouement in this one. It went on just long enough, and wrapped up just enough dangling thread.

Such suspense and satisfaction!

Rating: 💭💭💭💭.5 / 5 recovered memories
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: June 24 2023
Format: Digital, NetGalley
Read this if you like:
🌙 Nonlinear timelines
🪢 Experimental narrative form
👭🏽 Sister/twin stories
🏚 Going home again

Freaky-Deaky evil twin thriller, Kat wakes up from a wholloping and can only remember through the broken looking glass POV of her twin sister. Creepy, weird and fun.

This was so so so good! I absolutely loved the simmering, atmospheric world and the characters were fleshed out and had the vibes to match the story. I loved the twists and storyline execution as well.

Between the fascinating premise and the impressive blurbs, I couldn't wait to start Where You End. I enjoyed what I read, but unfortunately, it's not the pacing that I want in a thriller. That's nothing against the author; this one just wasn't for me. However, I do think it will be a stronger fit for many other readers, and I'm excited for them to find this book.