I am a person who feels that Where You End is a difficult read to review. The premise of mirror twins with one helping the other to overcome amnesia after a horrible accident is very intriguing. That being said at times I felt totally lost trying to figure out what was going on - was Kat now Jude and was Jude now Kat? What truly happened the night of the accident? As I continued to read I had more questions than answers. None of the characters were likable, with the exception of Sab, the poor man.
This is one read that I would love to meet with Abbott Kahler about as those questions will continue to linger in my mind. The plot kept me engaged throughout most of the book although it was very slow in places. I grew to hate King Bash and what he was subjecting these innocent girls to. I have to admit I felt relief when I read “Tis vore. Tis nafilly vore.”
Many thanks to Abbott Kahler, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just released book.

🐵BOOK REVIEW🐵

Where You End by Abbott Kahler
Rating: 2.8⭐️
Format: e-book (ARC)
Pub Date: Out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-two year old mirror twins, Kat and Jude, were just involved in a car accident, leaving a deer dead and one twin in a coma. When she wakes up, the only thing Kat remembers is Jude’s name and face. Kat is 100% dependent on Jude in learning about their past, the accident, and what kind of person she is, as their father left when they were kids, their mom died, and all of their friends from the last 5 years are back in Europe… or that’s what Jude says anyway…

In Where You End, we have:

🐰dual POVs and timelines
🐰a cult seemingly centered around children
🐰twin drama
🐰revenge plots
🐰poker

Although the backstory was compelling, creepy, and sad, and the “current” happenings and overall idea for the plot were intriguing, I don’t think everything came together very well. The “thriller” aspect was too slow of a burn and fell a little flat for me; it felt like I was being told everything instead of being made to feel on the edge of my seat or part of the action. I did like that the book is set in 1983 and earlier, as it helped to heighten the mystery factor, as Kat didn’t have a cellphone or easy internet access. There were some plot points and relationships with other characters that were either glossed over or were resolved in a rushed and unsatisfying way, and I was confused as to motivations of characters and even what was happening at times; one thing that could have possibly helped would have been for the “Then” chapters to be fully written in past tense.

Overall, I just wasn’t impressed with this book; it suffered from trying to do too much without following through on everything.

👁5️⃣🧠

I enjoy exploring books about cults and characters with amnesia. Where You End has both, so when I read the premise I was immediately hooked. It reminded me of a documentary on Netflix called, Tell Me Who I Am, so I couldn't wait to get stuck in. This book fits in nicely within the genre, reminicient of This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel and Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel. The story focused on realistic characters with tragic pasts but surprisingly, was not as dark and twisted as I'd anticipated. I liked both protagonist's, Kat and Jude, equally and understood both of their motivations. Kat relied on Jude to fill in her past, and Jude (remembering the abuse they'd endured) saw an opportunity to right the wrongs and give Kat a fresh start in her new life.

The story gripped me initially however, after the first act the pace slowed until the final scene ramped up the action again. The flashback scenes are still vivid, including the one involving King Bash losing his eye. The animal masks/costumes felt surreal and at times weren't easy for me to grasp, including the mind control exercises the children were trained to perform. The themes of sisterhood, memory, and trauma are very clear throughout, expressed through the mirror twin concept, the girls' secret language, and their shared trauma. The end made sense once all the characters' true identities were revealed, and the twins completed their "mission" which had started right before Kat's accident. I would have liked to know more about their father's past and what transpired between both parents. The prose was smooth, and the author's voice was very compelling to read. I'll definitely check out more of her work.

For readers who enjoy slow burning suspense, cult themes, and character driven stories.

Usually, this type of story is right up my alley: sisters, cults, unreliable narrators. Unfortunately, Where You End didn't quite land for me. The story follows twins as one of them tries to help the other piece together her entire memory following an accident. Parts of the book really grabbed me. Other parts are slow and a bit dull. However, the eerie atmosphere of the 80s is topnotch. Where You End has the right recipe for a novel I love just not enough ingredients. I do plan to give Kahler another chance when one of his other pieces happens to cross my desk.


Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for this eARC!

This was a slower one for me. I struggled to get through. It felt more drama vs thriller.
The writing was fine but I wasn’t shocked from the story. I found myself getting bored and not as into it as I thought I would be.

DNF at 30%

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but the set up is just all over the place. We go back and forth in different time periods, different point of views, nothing really makes sense. Which I suppose is the point of the book, but it isn't interesting enough to get me hooked. I think we could have sped through more of the background and gotten into the main point of the story by now. From other reviews it sounds like it picks up after 50%.

This was certainly a roller coaster ride of a book and there were times that I was like, "What just happened?" That is a good thing for a suspense/horror book. It was an easy read and I finished in one long afternoon on this bleak and wintry day.
This was about identical twin sisters who had gotten into a bad car accident which erased the memory of one of the sisters. They had secrets from the past that were better left in the past but, of course, the sister with the erased memories went in search of the past. To find out what that past in, you will need to read it for yourself. There is a cult aspect to this book, which was really engaging (I am fascinated by that).
This book, at various times, did invoke horror, which was precisely what it was going for. It was good writing, and sometimes more than that. The premise was a bit far fetched and one had to suspend disbelief but that is often true of the horror genre.
Overall, I would give it 4.5. Why not a 5? It was a bit confusing. I felt like it could have been clarified in places without taking away the suspense.

4 stars - This was a beautifully written, heartbreaking book. While at times the pace was a little slow for me, overall I was captivated to understand what had happened to Kat and Jude Bird. The last third of the book moved much quicker and was the most enjoyable for me. I think what struck me most is how much trauma can linger. I also loved the time periods that this book was set in - it was easy to picture the setting. Overall I really enjoyed it.

Kat and Jude are more than just identical twins, they are mirror imaged twins making them closer than ever. Two weeks after a near fatal accident, Kat awakes from a coma in the hospital remembering nothing about her past except her twin sister, Jude. It now falls upon Jude to fill in the gaps of Kat’s life, but is she telling her the truth or is she completely remaking her? As Kat starts to ask questions and put the puzzle together we slowing see pieces of their childhood, a childhood that isn’t quite as idyllic as Jude wants Kat to believe. Is Kat’s sleuthing about to open Pandora’s box and put the twins in danger? This book was slower paced than anticipated. Well told in dual timelines and points of view for a large portion of the book, there were also some confusing moments along the way. On the creepy side, this was a good fiction debut for Kahler. Thank you to Henry Holt and Company for an ARC of this book.

Just wow! Well done Abbott Kahler! So great to find a new to me author. This was definitely dark and creepy with strong cult-ish vibes. Alternating timelines and POVs kept me flipping pages way past my bedtime. Incredible character development.
Thank you NetGalley and Abbott Kahler for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you @henryholtbooks and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies! This one comes out TOMORROW.

A book about a cult?! Sign me up. I knew immediately after reading the synopsis that I needed this book.

Overall, this was a strong mystery read. The first half was fast paced and had me guessing. I was hooked. Maybe it was just me, but the second half was a bit hard to follow? All the characters lost me a bit and started to get jumbled in my mind.

But I think a lot of folks will like this one, so I recommend giving it a try!

Where You End by Abbott Kahler #thirdbookof2024 #arc

CW: traumatic brain injury, sexual abuse, cults, manipulation, death, murder

When Kat Bird wakes up from a coma following a car accident, she remembers nothing from her previous life, and has to rely on her twin to fill in the gaps. But Jude doesn’t tell her the truth. And Kat needs to discover why so she can relearn her history and the reason why Jude is determined to keep her from remembering.

The author of this book has written four nonfiction books but this is her first novel, and I think it was a stellar outcome. At first I didn’t care for either twin, but as I learned their backstory, their behavior started to make sense. And all of a sudden, I was all in. I was on the edge of my seat as the novel wrapped up the mystery of what happened surrounding the car accident and the traumatic history they shared.

I think this novel is well paced, and the details of the girls’ past is doled out at just the right speed. The content warnings may make it hard for some to read this one, but if you are okay with these subjects, it’s worth your time.

Thank you to @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the advance copy. (Pub date 1/16/24)

#whereyouend

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! Where You End is a crazy ride with all the cultish fervor and thrilling drive that closely echoes that of Mona Awad's work. While the story begins at a more soapy, YA premise with an amnesiac whose mirror twin seems to be the only surviving remnant of her memories, the underlying plot unfurls to be much more sinister.

After a harrowing car crash, Kat wakes from her coma only to remember her twin sister. The first third of the story illustrates Kat's ongoing struggle to assimilate back into her life, but how can she when the only person who can vouch for her identity is feeding her misshapen memories?

This book is told by both dual timelines and dual perspectives—mostly by Kat, as she seeks to resurface her old life, and sometimes by Jude, who attempts to fill the gaps in Kat's new reality. The timeline flips were the best part of this book. Each flashback vehicles in both truth and twist, and with it an excitement that sustains the story's crescendo. What I admired most was how almost every single detail was crafted to be a callback. Kahler's writing proves to be a promise that yields fulfillment every time.

The latter third of the book was so good, I couldn't put it down. The timelines switch more frequently, allowing brief vignettes to shine and drive the story forward, like watching two parallel lines finally coalesce.

My only issue with this story was the execution of some plot points. The romance with Sab for example just fell flat and almost unnecessary. The depiction of cults can often be difficult in an attempt to be original, and I do genuinely commend Kahler for her creativity; however, some aspects just felt too absurd (the naming conventions in the cult specifically), or at least not fully fleshed out to the extent that it appeared nonsensical. Not to bring it back to a place of Mona Awad, but I do feel that there are some absolutely ludicrous scenes that can be written to feel authentic despite its weirdness. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that while reading certain details in the past timelines here.

Overall, very interesting fiction debut from Kahler with a killer cover!!!

WHERE YOU END is a literary thriller that will keep you engaged from the very beginning. Told in alternating POVs and timelines, the story follows mirror twins, Jude and Kat. I recommend going into this blind for the best read, because you won't spoil any twists for yourself. I also recommend checking trigger warnings as well. I really enjoyed this read and enjoyed the alternating POVs and timelines. I have seen this marketed by some as horror, and in my opinion it is a stronger literary thriller than horror but horror readers will enjoy the creepy and psychological twists that WHERE YOU END brings.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early review copy.

Abbot Kahler does not disappoint in Where You End. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future. A novel about two identical twins on a journey to truth as one navigates to understanding who she was after an accident leaves her without any memory of her past. Love between sisters as one fights to recreate a life for them both as one desperately seeks the truth. As the author provides subtle hints throughout the novel and both travel back in time to the truth from the view of Jude as she recalls the past and as Kat battles to remember. With each page, a new part of the puzzle has one pondering the truth and eager to turn the pages. With a realist view on a cult in the 70's and the effects it had on the innocent involved. A suspenseful page-turner that had me mystified right up to the end. This book is one to be devoured and worth reading as the characters and plot are so realistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was captivating and perfectly paced. It kept me on edge for the entire story I found it deliciously gripping. Who are these twin girls and what happened to Kat for her to lose her memory? I highly recommend reading this story if you enjoy climatic gripping dramas with a side of cult.

5/5 for the premise of this book, 3/5 overall because the slow burn without sufficient payoff wasn't what it felt like the premise promised. The author's pivot from nonfiction is commendable, however, as this is definitely a creative structure and interesting story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co for the chance to read this eArc in exchange for an honest review. I like books surrounding cults and it was an interesting twist with the twins (I'm an only child so I don't know what it's like to have a sibling). It does get kind of odd at times with the story line, but it held my attention the entire way through. I also saw this was an Aardvark pick, so I would try it if you get the chance.

Where You End - Abbott Kahler Review

Jude and Kat are Mirror Twins. Identical in every way, but on the other side as if seen in a mirror. When Kat gets in a serious accident and isn’t able to remember anything except for Jude- it begins a dark and twisty story involving sisterhood, secrets, cults, amnesia, and an unreliable narrative unlike any I’ve read before.

This was a tough review to write, because there were definitely a lot of things I really enjoyed about the book, but there were also quite a few things I had a hard time with. In the end I don’t think I was able to land on a number rating because I think I was just the wrong reader for this one, and instead wanted to outline what I did and didn’t like and who I think this book would be best for.

What I liked:
The story used a split timeline in a really effective way, giving us events in interesting orders, and building characters’ personalities in the present and then juxtaposing that development with their previous actions in the past.
The author is clearly knowledgeable about cults. Having just read a non fiction book about cults, ‘Cultish,’ I recognized all kinds of things that real cults use in the language of the book, like thought terminating cliches and love bombing in the beginning.

What didn’t work for me:
The pacing was too slow and clunky for me to consider this a thriller. There were thrilling events happening here and there, but it was primarily character and atmosphere driven. It’s only a 300 page book, but I felt like I was reading a 400-500 page book because the pacing dragged a bit.
The prose used a lot of uncommon words in interesting ways to really place you in the time and setting, but occasionally overusing certain words (Looking at you: Malaise) made it feel a little clunky.
I would have possibly skipped this book altogether if I had checked the triggers beforehand. The descriptions of child abuse were just slightly too close to being on page for me as a reader. I recommend checking the trigger warnings for this book.

You might love this book if:
Some of your favorite horror and thriller books are also considered outside traditional genre themes/tone.
You love lyrical, descriptive prose that uses confusion and revealing info at specific times to create an unsettling eerie atmosphere.
You like character driven cult novels.

Where You End is releasing 1/16/2024 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt Books for this advance copy.
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Twin sisters, Kat & Jude, are in a car accident, causing Kat to lose her memory. Her sister, Jude, attempts to fill in the blanks of her past, but is she telling the truth? This is truly one of those wild, “what did I just read?” kind of books. It is very dark, with disturbing content that is mostly alluded to - happening off the page and not graphically depicted. The beginning started slow for me. A lot of time was spent building up background and the early years of life for these sisters, while also alternating time periods to present day Kat healing and searching for answers to her past. Secrets are slowly revealed and by the halfway point I could not put this book down. The last thirty percent is definitely a thrill ride. I recommend this if you don’t mind a thriller with a slow start, and enjoy something that is more dark and literary. Definitely pick this up if you are fascinated by cult stories.
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Where You End publishes January 16th. It is also a January @aardvarkbookclub pick!