Thank you so much to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and author, Marlee Bush for sending me this e-arc to read and review!

Ok. Wow. This book keeps you sitting in the shadows of secrets and suspense from beginning until the end when the truth bursts through making your jaw drop and drool on the floor. I am still processing everything I read and questioning my own brain's ability to absorb the twistiness. The atmospheric setting is creepy and cringy and absolutely perfect for the story of these sisters, hiding and running from someone? Something? Multiple pov’s and flashbacks add to the intense mystery of it all. Overall, an outstanding and addictive debut thriller from this author who I am sure will give us more nail biting thrill rides in the future!

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush is her debut novel, and it was very interesting. It is a slow burn thriller that takes place in a secluded campsite. Cassie & Lenora are identical twin sisters who permanently lice in Cabin 2. When a teen, Tilly, who is staying in cabin 3 with her family, goes missing memories come rushing back. With their past, they know that not all "happy" families are actually "happy." Cassie and Lenora must price together the truth of what happened before it's too late.

This book is told from both Cassie and Lenora's POV and a mystery person from the past. The twists in this book had me second-guessing everything. It was written very well and was a great debut thriller. I will definitely read more from Marlee in the future.

🔸️Thriller
🔸️Secluded Campsite
🔸️Past Trauma
🔸️Identical Twin Sisters
🔸️Dark Pasts
🔸️Mystery POV
🔸️Twists

I want to pluck your brian out and put it under a microscope. Roll it around my fingers and feel your thoughts.

She was me. I was her. We were the same.

They don't warn you about this in school. They warn you about the men in vans offering treats to get you inside. They warn you of drug use and STDs. But no one ever warned me about the dangers of my own thoughts. No one ever told me that there could come a time when trusting myself would be difficult, and hating myself would be easy.
What to do when the monster is you.

I received an advance review copy from Marlee Bush, Poisoned Pen, and NetGalley, and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

I was shocked to find out this was a debut. The writing was that of a well-seasoned author, and I was beyond impressed by it. The story is told in dual P.O.V's between twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora, both with an unbreakable bond and a strong love for one another. Now both are now questioning what the other is really capable of. This setting is atmospheric, you feel like you are in the Pacific North West woods, where cabins are nestled in between thick tree trunks. Staying in those other cabins are suspicious neighbors. read about how did they get where they are and what transpired beforehand to make them want to live in the woods. It’s a mysterious past timeline containing dangerous behavior.

This one is a slow burn, but I did like the way that the author was building the suspense, but for those who are not fans of a slow burn, the twisty ending will make it worth it. I loved this one and cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next.

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Marlee Bush for the privilege of being able to read an ARC.

Since that ominous night, twin sisters Cassie and Lenora have remained inseparable, residing as the solitary permanent occupants of Cabin Two, their sanctuary in an isolated Tennessee campground. Shielded from prying eyes, intrusive questions, and the fascination of true crime enthusiasts, they face the world together. The serene ambiance almost lulls them into forgetting the haunting events of their past—almost, until the disappearance of a teenage camper from a neighboring cabin triggers a rush of memories. As the crime unfolds with eerie familiarity, both sisters suspect the other harbors secrets. Surrounded by the oppressive wilderness, Cassie and Lenora must unravel the truth of their past and confront the sinister secrets lurking within, before it's too late.

For a debut novel, it has a very interesting premise which really piqued my interest. Although this book is sort of a slow burn for me, I enjoyed every bit of it. The storytelling of each other’s perspective builds the suspense and tension between Cassie and Lenora. Phenomenal! Marlee Bush successfully brought the creepiness of the story to life. It kept me guessing until the very end. And I would also like to point out that all the questions that I have formulated were answered towards the end.

This book will be published on May 7, 2024. Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a fantastic debut. This one is filled with all the twists and turns you want a good thriller to have and then more. I really thought I had the story figured out and nope I did not. I loved how the chapters were written with the two sisters povs and the flashback to then. Kept me turning the pages and wanting to figure it out.

This is an entertaining run of the mill thriller, with both strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are mostly focused on the twin sisters Cassie and Lenora, as we get dual narratives from each of them, which balances out both insight into each other as well as misdirection about each other due to unreliability. Unreliability about how they see each other AND how they see themselves. It makes for a lot of good red herrings as well as some well hidden secrets. But what didn't work as well was that the mystery was pretty run of the mill and didn't really think outside the box, as well as falling into pretty well explored tropes regarding twins and their co-dependence and how that can add to layers of a mystery. I was entertained as it was going and it would almost certainly be a good poolside read as we enter the summer months.

An incredible debut thriller that delves into mental health and dealing with trauma. We also get a heartfelt view into the bond of twin sisters. Ripe with murder mystery this will make anyone’s True Crime loving heart giddy. Read this book now!

When She was Me is such a confusing, psychologically draining and frustrating tale in so many amazing ways! This story is about two sisters that have suffered a very intense tragedy when they were younger and now their future mirrors their past forcing them to take a good hard look at themselves and each other.
This story is about devotion, the strength of blood, connection, truth vs perception. It touches on so many prolific themes while sending the reader on the biggest mind f@#$ journey that was honestly enjoyable and fascinating to be put through. The writing was brilliant. The world building and character creation was phenomenal. I can not say enough good things to do it justice.
When She was Me is a MUST READ! DO IT! I dare you... 😉😉😉😉 5 solid stars ✨🌟⭐💫☀️

This was gifted by Netgalley & the publisher.

Cassie and Lenora are tied together, basically inseparable. They reside in cabin 2, in a isolated Tennessee campground. They like the isolation, as it allows them to stay out of the public eye, it makes it easier to forget the past. But then one of the teenagers goes missing in one of the other cabin's which brings up the past again.

I thought that this was a fun popcorn style thriller. I really loved all of the elements, they were well described and it felt like I was right there in the woods with them. I think this would be a fun one to read if you like to go camping. But the overall plot was not new or unique, but it was a fun time. 2.5/5

Rating: 3 stars!

This is a debut novel? Everyone needs to keep their eyes out for this author and all of their future releases.

The story contains Dual(?) POV betweeen twin sisters. The love that these sisters feel for each other is a bond like no other. They are in an isolated camp ground in the woods where they only have each other. The owner of the camp ground passes away and new ownership takes over. In that process, the camp ground starts to have occupants again, which is great, until its not.

Throughout the story, you get dual timelines to explain why the sisters are in the situation there are in now. The story is a slow build with a wild ending. I cant wait to see what this author releases next.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a solid debut. I found the timeline to be a bit confusing at times (there were times where I couldn’t tell if something was actually happening at that moment or if they were reminiscing), but overall the author has a clear, vivid writing style and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

I really tried to get into this story but it just didn’t click with me, I see what the author was trying to do but it fell flat for me.

I appreciate NetGalley for allowing me the chance to check this one out.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was shocked when I found out this is a debut novel, it's so good and it reads so well.

Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora live in a cabin on a campground away from the rest of the world, isolated and most importantly: together. They've always been close but ever since "That Night" the two became inseparable and their cabin is a safe haven away from the media, true crime fans and the idea of facing life after the tragedy they lived at such a young age. But when a cabin next door gets rented and the family's teenage girl goes missing, Cassie and Lenora are brought back to a past they want to leave behind.

Told through recollections of the past and the present, When She Was Me caught me completely off guard with it's ending. I love when I don't see something coming!

Very solid thriller about what it means to love someone you are scared for and scared of. I do think it could have been shorter though, that's why I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4.

The twins, Cassie and Lenora, live in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. When one of their neighboring campers dies there are lots of questions with no answers. Who killed the camper, and what are our sisters hiding from? This is a good start off thriller from a debut author. I thought I guessed the twist, but I was wrong. Any book that can keep me guessing is a good thriller.

This book is told through dual POVs, and it has a past/present timeline. The setting is perfect for this book. I can imagine the woods and the creepiness of it. I also enjoyed the bits of anxiety I experienced throughout the story. I didn't know where the plot was going, but everything came together in the end. I do feel like it was a tad slow and I found myself getting a bit distracted when reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC to review. All opinions are my own! This book will be available on May 7th, 2024.

Read if you like
​🏕️ Cabins and Woods oh my!
👓 Dual POVs
🫣 Books that make you nervous
🧠 Psychological Suspense

If this is Marlee Bush’s debut novel I can’t wait for her next one. This book kept me on my toes the entire time, second guessing everything I thought I had figured out with every turn of the page. Twins living out in a cabin in the woods, isolating themselves because of some trauma they experienced in their past and it seems that more trauma has followed them out there. I absolutely loved this one and I will be patiently waiting for Marlee’s next book to add to my TBR.

I really enjoyed this thriller, and I was not expecting the twist at the end! I like the multiple points of views, and the chapters that took us to the past tricked me in the best way. Thank you for the opportunity to read it early!

Solid debut and 3.5 stars.

We meet sisters, Cassie and Lenora, and I was definitely immediately interested in hearing their story. And boy did they have a story!

There were multiple POVs and timelines, and I will admit that sometimes on the audio (I had both audio and eARC), I was confused and wasn't sure who or what timeline it was in. I ended up reading more of the eARC because I found it easier to follow.

And that ending!

Will definitely look for more from this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media for eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good thriller! The whole flashback and flash forward chapter alternations played with my mind so much leading up to the twist, which was unexpected and awesome. Would recommend to others for a quick and easy spook.

I was so excited when I received a copy of this eBook from Net Galley. Poisoned Pen Press always releases book that peak my interest. When She Was Me definately peaked my interest. The biggest selling point was the twin aspect, there’s so many ways that that trope (does twins count as a trope? lol) can go. Now unfortunately me and this book didn’t jive for some reason. I enjoyed the alternating time frames and it definitely tricked me (I can’t tell you more or it would spoil it). I have guessed the ending, but the other half I didn’t see coming. And this was a quick read for me. I would still recommend it to mystery/ thriller lovers. I think other readers will have rated it higher.
The characters I didn’t really connect with. Like I previously stated I enjoyed the twin trope. I think I was a bit confused at the whole “why?” The story is actually unfolding and some of the parts I got lost. Sometimes I couldn’t remember which twin was who when they were doing things so it would confuse the storyline for me. The Tilly part still seems weird to me because we don’t really get the details even when we find out. And Lenora’s like nightmares/ dreams parts were confusing and they actually made me believe that the book was going to have a supernatural element (which I don’t like so I’m glad that was a incorrect guess on my part). The character that was the most interesting to me is Wayne and we learn nothing about him lol.
Like I mentioned earlier I think a lot of people will love this story it just wasn’t the best I have read but it was still a good read. Thanks again to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the copy to review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sourcebooks for this copy of "When She Was Me."

Cassie and Lenora are identical twins who are living? hiding? in a cabin in a campground in Tennessee.

Lenora's unreliable memories and PTSD have caused agoraphobia but she does leave the cabin when she sleepwalks at night.

When a new family rents one of the cabins and their teen daughter is found dead, Cassie and Lenora are afraid the past may be repeating itself.

The ending was explosive and completely unexpected. I understand now why part of the story felt disjointed, so if you feel that it's moving a little slowly, just know that the end is worth it.