This is a slow burn thriller about twins that are running from the horrible past. Secrets slowly start to come out as things go wrong in the place they thought they were safe. I enjoyed the sister dynamic and the bond they share through tragedy.
The part I struggled with was the past events. I was just kind of confused by the end. I liked the twist, but I think some it kind of went over my head.
2.5

Thank you to Poison Pen Press and Netgalley for my gifted copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in excahnge for my honest opinion! Like most of the reviewers for this novel, I can't believe it's a debut read! If this is how Marlee Bush is beginning, I can't wait to see how far she goes! The story was intriguing, the characters were well fleshed out, and the writing style is just *chef's kiss*! I also loved to see the bond between the sisters and how it evolved over the course of the book. Bravo to Marlee Bush!

Trapped, isolating, creepy. The atmosphere was so tense and unsettling, that it added so much to the book. I really enjoyed the twin aspect and loved how the book resolved.

When She was Me is a slow-burn mystery, with alternating POV's and timelines. A bit confusing and repetitive, this story is set in the remote, eerie woods of Tennessee. Twin sisters escaped home for "what" we don't learn until much later in the book, to live a desolate life removed from everyone. A new owner takes over the cabins they call home, bringing vacationeers to rent the others. .

Tragedy strikes, and the sisters unravel the mystery of the young girl who has been murdered in the woods. If you can let go of your disbelief this novel takes a wild turn at the end.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

When She Was Me is absolutely one of the most intense, claustrophobic and twisting thrillers that I've read this year.

Admittedly this one starts off as a bit of a slow burn, and I did find a few parts a bit repetitive in nature - but the flipping character POV's and the timeline shifts from present day, to the sister's past and their defining trauma that led them to living in this isolated and remote cabin suck you in chapter after chapter. I love a good murder mystery and all the elements here (red herrings, missing time, unreliable narrators and suspects galore) kept me guessing right through the end. I love being surprised and this book, without question, surprised me.

No spoilers, but I will say that this makes for perfect, easy summer reading. Not to be missed!

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t get into it. It was just too slow for me. I tried reading it a few times and had to take a couple breaks because it wasn’t pulling me in, I just felt bored. Dual POVS are always interesting but I had a hard time knowing which twin was talking during each POV. I love thrillers and there was definitely a little suspense but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Marlee and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

A creepy murder mystery featuring identical twins with a past, what more could you want? I can't believe this was a debut with such great writing!
For me, it started off slow with a lot of questions but the writing really set the scene in the deep woods of Tennessee. The isolation of the campgrounds was eerie and everything you want in a mystery book. The POVs from both sisters was expertly written and gave such insight into the twins past and their mistrust of others as well as themselves.
The ending left me shocked and with a hole in my chest.
What a great read!
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this debut title.

Gripping thriller that will keep your interest throughout. I really enjoyed the twin aspects of knowing everything about each other. There are so many lies and deceptions that you have to uncover to find the truth. The audiobook was really good. I enjoyed the narrator. I know that the alternative timeline you need to figure out who is narrating, but I would have loved a different narrator. Overall, a good thriller!!

*Thank you @poisonedpenpress and @dreamscape_media for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

This was a good solid thriller for about 90% of the book. I think the ending was rushed & really didn’t make a lot of sense. Marlee is a great writer and I’m excited to see more from her.

This book. Wow. Every twist and turn got me honestly. Well written and good but honestly, it’s probably just a one time read for me.

When she was me is about identical twins named Cassie and Lenora, Cassie feels they are soul sisters and attached to the hip, while Lenora feels a disconnect between them two.. Their friend whom they just met went missing one night and one of them maybe had something to do with it in their sleep?
When she was me flashes back between the present and past life of Lenora and Cassie. The book felt like it was taking forever to get to the next set of events. I had a hard time staying interested. I feel like if the story was more condensed it would have been great. "Parent Trap" was a favorite movie of mine and this book had essence of seeing double like the movie.
I truly wished I enjoyed this book more.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book is guaranteed to make your head spin and you’ll be questioning everything! Unreliable narrators galore so you never quite know what you should believe or take with a grain of salt! I really enjoyed the character development and the setting of camping cabins in the mountains. It created the perfect backdrop for the identical twins to hide out and be reclusive. I would definitely recommend if you like psychological thrillers and mysteries!

This is the first book in over a year that genuinely gave me the creeps reading in the dark. I felt like I was going crazy the entire time alongside Lenora and Cassie. I will now read every book this author has written.

OMG this book is great. This is a murder mystery the perfectly skates the line with a horror novel and has psychological tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. I am absolutely blown away by this debut novel. The story centers on identical twin sisters Cassie and Lenore. Most of their life is shrouded in secrets, but you know that there was a terrible night that resulted in the sisters living in one of three secluded cabins in the woods. Cassie likes to roam the woods barefoot and feels the need to always be there for her sister. Lenore has agoraphobia and rabbit holes in the lives of her neighbors believing that they are keeping secrets. The campsite they live on is sold to Sarah, who is looking for a change of pace from her previous life. She moves into Cabin one the same day renters come to cabin 3. In under a week weird things begin happening on the property that was previously only occupied by the twins, and everything seems to keep leading them back to that one terrible night in their past... When Tilly, the teenager staying in cabin three with her family, goes missing the lives of the twins becomes one long waking nightmare. The story is told from both sister’s point of view and jumps between the present and a mysterious “then”. There were times when the narrative was a little repetitive but overall, it worked. I get that sometimes you have to keep saying “what happened that night” in a secretive manner instead of telling the reader what happened that night. But oh boy do you really want to know what happened. I love how the story ended up coming together and how I was sucked into the psychological aspects of the story and forced to doubt my own thoughts on what was happening. The characters were both worth rooting for and despising in equal measure. This book is a welcome addition to the thriller genre.

I would like to preface this review by thanking sourcebooks landmark for sending me an ARC of When She Was Me in exchange for an honest review.

Cassie and Lenora are identical twins living in a cabin in the woods. When the owner of the camp ground passes away, a new owner takes over and things start to get strange. What are Cassie and Lenora hiding from?

I want to start this off by saying there is a lot of trigger warnings on this one especially discussion of complex PTSD, so please check your trigger warnings before reading.

This thriller was definitely a slow burn thriller which usually I don't love but I really enjoyed this one. This book goes between Cassie and Lenora's point of view along with flashbacks from their past. This book will keep you guessing until the end. I found myself speed reading to keep up with everything that was happening towards the end because I just HAD to know. If you don't mind a slower paced thriller I think this is perfect for you. I think this is great for people who are a little scared of thrillers. I didn't find this to be graphic or even scary so if you're looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing, this one's for you.

Cassie being a detective seemed to be the more outspoken take charge one while Lenora seemed to be the timid, soft spoken twin. I kept going back and forth between the two trying to figure them out. The author did a great job at keeping their secrets. Keeping secrets while living secluded in cabin #2. Lenora is more affected by what happened years ago and her sister Cassie wonders what may be happening in the present. What unfolded was so unexpected I did not see what was coming!!


This book had me feeling all kinds of crazy, confused, and shocked, in a good way! Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora had me wondering who I could trust before I came to the conclusion that they are both unreliable. This one is very twisty and the plot twists towards the end will have you feeling like what did she just say (listening to the audiobook). This was a great debut psychological thriller and I will be itching to pick up Marlee’s next one!

I will say there was a patch in the middle that did slow the pace down, but the rest is fast-paced! Check out my aesthetic to convince you to grab this one. I LOVED the audiobook!

I had no idea what was coming in this book. Cassie and Lenora sisters with secrets. The love they have for each other has no end! What will happen when someone else enters their story. There is death all around these women and someone must end it’s! I really likes this book. There was so much happening and it never let up. Great characters that were never quite who you thought they were or were they!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

Marlee Bush has made an exceptional debut. I’m completely lost on how to even begin. This book has the perfect combination of expertly intertwined perspectives, unsettling twin themes, and a thrilling plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story had an extraordinary ability to captivate the reader, with its fast pace and immersive atmosphere. Marlee Bush deserves praise for this incredible novel! It’s out now, so I highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Marlee Bush for the gifted digital ARC!

Ooooooh y'all I will not lie this one threw me for a LOOP! As I was reading/listening I was thinking this is good but it seems obvious where it's going... I could not have been more wrong. The big twist was sooo good I think my jaw actually dropped. Very surprised and impressed that this is a debut!

Even though this one is longer than your "average" thriller, I think the build-up is important and I can confidently recommend it to fellow thriller lovers.

And what's better than the fact that it's on bookshelves now and you can get your copy ASAP!