This creepy, character-driven thriller explores the complexities of toxic familial relationships—especially between sisters. It raises thought-provoking questions about loyalty, secrecy, and the weight of shared DNA. How far would you go to protect someone you love, even when their actions become dangerous?

I loved how the characters were deeply unreliable yet remained unwaveringly devoted to each other. The tension builds well throughout the story, creating an unsettling atmosphere- especially with the cabin in the woods setting. This book offers a compelling lens into the matters of mental health and crime, exploring whether those affected these heavy topics can/do still see themselves as normal—or even good.

However, the pacing felt too slow at times, and the narrative meandered more than I would have liked. The major reveal came too late in the book for my liking, but I really enjoyed the rug pull moment where I was left questioning everything I thought I knew to be true.

That said, if you enjoy slow-burn thrillers with an eerie vibe and complex family dynamics, this one is worth checking out!

This book gave me a creepy vibe. Two sisters who ran away to live in the woods because they saw something terrible happen. The plot was kind of a who-dun-it one and you thought you knew at one point, and then something would happen. I definitely wasn't expecting the twist at the end and it made for a good one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and author Marlee Bush for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book kept me guessing the entire time. At time it seemed chaotic and messy, and it was hard to tell if it was supposed to be that way for the sake of the story or if I was because of the experience level of the author (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). The story was intriguing enough for me to HAVE to finish it to find out what was really going on.

What can I say? It was 100% the cover of When She Was Me that made me want to read this debut from Marlee Bush!

The fabrication of an unsettling plot with unreliable characters instantly created a world of mistrust! With three perspectives (from both twin sisters and an undetermined third), two timelines, and a setting that was isolated yet felt exposed, this was one dark thriller!

Although I figured out a major twist at the 75% mark, I enjoyed the guessing game this third perspective created! The last reveal makes this setting even creepier, which I loved discovering!

Imani Jade Powers did a great job with this audiobook narration! I really appreciated the differences in tone between main characters Cassie and Lenora, as well as the many other female characters within this story; it made it easy to differentiate which point of view was happening at any given time! I went back and forth on whether two narrators would have been better, but in the end I decided only having one helped link the twins together, as well as helped play on the books title!

I'm looking forward to reading Bush's forthcoming book, Whispers Of Dead Girls, set to publish this May!

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary copies to read and review.

When She Was Me is an intense psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The twists and character development make it a gripping read you won’t want to put down.

I appreciate the author trying to put red herrings and trying to pull off a big twist. Sadly, it was unbelievable and was kind of cheat-y to the reader. I do still remember the things that happened in the book, so for one, it's memorable.

Still, I will look out for this author's new releases!

***Thank you to Poisoned Pen Media for providing an e-arc of this book via NetGalley (no obligation to post a review).***

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora live a secluded life in Cabin Two, a small refuge on a Tennessee campground where they’ve found peace after a traumatic event that binds them together. Their isolation provides the perfect escape from the prying world—until the disappearance of a teenage girl camping nearby drags them back into a haunting past they’ve tried to bury.

As the investigation into the missing girl unfolds, both sisters are forced to confront the shadows of their shared history, with each suspecting the other of hiding the truth. The claustrophobic setting, with the wilderness closing in around them, creates an intense atmosphere of tension and suspense. The story is masterfully layered, with Bush slowly revealing chilling clues that keep readers guessing and questioning what really happened all those years ago.

When She Was Me is a dark and twisty tale about family secrets, guilt, and the dangers of keeping the truth hidden. With its complex characters, sharp writing, and eerie setting, this book is a haunting exploration of how the past can shape—and haunt—the present. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and mysteries.

When She Was With Me by Marlee Bush is a tense, atmospheric psychological thriller set in the remote woods of Tennessee. Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora live in near isolation, haunted by a dark secret from their past. When a nearby teenager goes missing, old fears resurface, and their already fractured relationship begins to unravel. As the sisters confront their shared trauma, they realize the lines between guilt, trust, and suspicion are dangerously blurred. The suspense builds steadily, with each twist revealing more about the sinister secrets hiding beneath the surface. This gripping novel is a haunting exploration of family, survival, and the consequences of unspoken truths.

When She Was Me is a great debut from Marlee Bush. This is a isolated location kind of thriller with a dual timeline that kept everything absorbing. It was a gripping and emotional book that kept me hooked until the end. The book explores belonging and the lengths some people go for a sense of acceptance. It was full of twists and i kept wondering what was going to happen next.

This one lost me pretty quick. Slow paced with repetition throughout. Twists didn’t twist for me despite them being built up.

When She Was Me is an excellent debut from Marlee Bush and I will probably be counting down the days until her sophomore novel is released. This was such a refreshing look at the isolated location thriller, and I loved that the stars of the show were twin sisters Cassie and Lenora. The flips between the past and present timelines kept things exceptionally absorbing, and the fact that the past is left intentionally ambiguous until the end blow my mind just a little. I was listening to the audio and have to admit it did confuse me for a bit, but once I understood what was going on, I was even more curious to learn what happened in the sister’s past that led them to a secluded campground in Tennessee.

I do think it would have been helpful to have multiple narrators for this book, but I still really enjoyed Imani Jade Powers’ narration. I can partially understand why they would choose not to have three, but two still would have been nice and I do think it amped up my confusion a bit by only having one narrator. I was completely thrown for a loop by the ending, and I don’t think I completely understand how it all tied together, but I got the general gist of it and 😳 Tensions ran high for multiple reasons throughout the story and it was sad, disturbing, and spellbinding all at the same time.

Read this if you are looking for a slower paced thriller, a deep dive into the character’s minds, and true crime podcast elements with an interesting twist.

I was unable to finish this book, unfortunately. While it had a promising storyline, I first lost interest when the author describes the dead cat. After that I found myself not interested any longer.

I really enjoyed this book! I'm an avid fan of the genre, and I appreciated the addition of this story. It was creepy and full of unexpected twists. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. Book was fine, really good if you like the genre! I would read more from this author.

I went into this one completely blind--I had high hopes but i dont think it lived up to my expectations. I couldn't get pulled into the book and struggled to stay engaged. Thanks so much for the gifted copy of this one--i'll be curious to try something else of this authors.

Was not a huge fan of this. This book felt repetitive and slow without the ending I’d hoped for. Not one I’d recommend when there are other better thrillers out there.

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush is a gripping and emotional book that will make you think long after you’ve finished it. It’s about a girl named Grace who finds out that someone is living her life—literally. Another girl, named Riley, has stolen Grace’s identity, and things quickly spiral out of control. As Grace tries to take back her life, she has to figure out who she can trust and what it really means to be herself.

What’s so powerful about this book is how it explores identity, belonging, and the lengths people will go to for a sense of control or acceptance. It’s full of twists, and you’re always wondering what’s going to happen next. Grace and Riley are both complex characters, and you get to see their lives from different angles, which keeps the story interesting and the writing is easy to follow, but there’s a lot of depth in the emotions and themes.

I had high hopes for this one, but it failed to live up to my expectations, unfortunately.

The way this book was written didn't pull me in, and it had a hard time keeping me engaged. The characters were missing something that I can't put my finger on--I couldn't bring myself to care about them in the way I was supposed to.

There were some fun/exciting moments, but overall it was a miss.

This could have amounted to so much more. I'm not sure at which point I decided to just soldier on but I did not like how some of this played out and it was kinda torturous to say the least

Oh man I wanted to like this one, cabin in the woods is one of my favorite trope in thrillers but the writing style just didnt work for me.
We follow twin sisters living a solitary life , where one of them is the caretaker and the other is just an unhinged loony. a family moves into the cabin next to theirs and their 15 year old daughter goes missing in the night , and thats where I go "I dont even care"