This had many aspects I love in a mystery and the twists took me by surprise. I did feel like it dragged on in many parts and I didn't like that but if it were cut shorter here and there, it would have been great

Cassie and Lenora are twin sisters living in the woods trying to escape their past. When something happens that not only shows their undying dedication to each other but also some mistrust.

This book has multiple POVs and dual timelines. The main characters were very complex and interesting. Their sister bond was so strong and felt like a whole character itself. I enjoyed the setting and the writing.

I did kind of figure out the twist early but I still liked it. But was surprised by some of the ending still. I did feel like it was just a touch slow here and there but overall this was a fantastic debut novel!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the copy of this book!

"When She was Me" centers on twin sisters Cassie and Lenora, who become embroiled in the mystery surrounding the death of a teenage girl near their home.

Personally, this thriller didn’t quite resonate with me. I found certain parts confusing and the pacing a bit slow. It wasn’t a bad debut at all; in fact, it showed promise for a new author. However, it didn’t capture my full attention, and I often found myself getting distracted while reading. Despite this, I would be open to exploring more from this author in the future.

This is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. Its blend of suspense, character depth, and an eerie, atmospheric setting creates an unforgettable story that will leave readers questioning the nature of truth and the shadows lurking in their own pasts.

Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora, inseparable since a mysterious night years ago, have made Cabin Two their refuge, avoiding the scrutiny of the outside world. Their secluded life allows them a fragile peace, almost enough to forget the haunting memories of their past. Almost.

The tranquility shatters when a teenage girl camping at a neighboring cabin goes missing, bringing buried memories and suspicions to the surface. As the crime unfolds, Cassie and Lenora find themselves recognizing unsettling similarities to their own past. The narrative masterfully builds tension, revealing that even so-called 'happy families' can harbor dark secrets.

Trapped in the claustrophobic wilderness, the sisters must unravel the truth of what happened years ago and confront the sinister realities of their own lives. The setting highlights the story's suspense, with the dense, isolating woods serving as a perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama.

The character development is compelling, with each sister suspecting the other of knowing more than she admits. This tension between them adds to the plot, making their journey to uncover the truth both emotionally and psychologically intense. The twists and turns are perfect, keeping us on the edge of our seats until the very end.

Highly recommend this one!

Thanks to #NetGalley for my advance copy of this book.

A well written twisty book, with an ending you won't see coning.
Great story, relatable characters, and an ending you'll never guess correctly.
4 stars from me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Thank you to NetGalley, Marlee Bush and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a little more of a slow burn than I was looking for and I still feel like I have questions I needed answered to feel satisfied with this one. I did enjoy the characters and that ending came out of nowhere and shocked me. It was great!

A creepy tale based dep in a wooded campground. Two sisters both with their own unnerving qualities. this gave me all the "someone's watching" vibes.

First off—Marlee Bush’s dry wit on social media is what made me want to read this book. I had high hopes. Well. This book exceeded all expectations. This twisty story is the perfect summer read (omg reading it while tucked away in a cabin would be amazing).
The story contained some of my favorite tropes (✔️sleepwalking. ✔️dysfunctional sisters. ✔️cabin in the woods.)And of course tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
When She Was Me is Ms. Bush’s debut, and I for one cannot wait to see what she writes next!
Five shiny stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Y’all… THE TWIST 🤯 the language, the setting, the characters, wonderful. The twist, though!!! This is top-notch popcorn thriller!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media for the copies to review.

I enjoyed this debut, it is a little on the slower burn side but my attention was held the entire time. The audio was great and enhanced the story, which was so fascinating. Twins are interesting to me and I loved how they were incorporated in here. The twist also caught me off guard in a good way, I did not see it coming at all. Overall this was very well done, very creepy and the ending was satisfying. I am looking forward to seeing what Marlee Bush writes next as she is definitely on my radar now.

Title: when she was me by Marlee Bush

Rating: dnf /5 Stars

Summary: Cassie and Lenora, twin sisters and the only permanent residents of Cabin Two in an isolated Tennessee campground, have been inseparable since a traumatic night years ago. They live in seclusion, avoiding attention and questions. Their peace is shattered when a teenage girl from a nearby cabin goes missing, bringing back old memories. As the crime becomes familiar, each sister suspects the other of hiding something. Trapped in the wilderness, they must uncover the truth about the past and the sinister secrets it holds before it's too late.

My review:
I had really high hopes for this book it kind of reminded me of We have always lived in the castle by Shirley Jackson

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a miss for me. I only read to chapter 4. I really tried but just didn't connect with the characters.

I didn't like reading about the one sisters casual relationship. Her interactions with the guy didn't add to the storyline at all. Their encounters were only physical, with no meaningful dialogue or connection, which felt unnecessary.

The story felt too repetitive and slow, with little progress being made. It just didn't hold my interest at all.

I had really high hopes for this book and I’ve been seeing really great reviews but unfortunately it’s a miss for me. I got about halfway through and gave up. I felt like it was too repetitive and slow and we just weren’t getting anywhere with the story.

This one was an odd read and if I could capture into two words, it'd be mysterious and interesting? I can't even think of how to describe it. You'll meet twins Cassie and Lenora who have been together for a LONG time, after an incident with their family years in the past *you'll find this out the further you read*. Cassie and Lenora stay on these campgrounds when one night a young girl goes missing and they are suddenly the suspects...

I swear anytime I picked this book up again, I kept getting the main characters confused... I didn't know who was who, but eventually I started to figure it out. With that being said, I recommend reading this book in as little sittings as possible to avoid confusion lol. Overall a good read, but it did drag out in parts and the suspense was a BITTTT carried out... As in, at a certain point you're kind of saying "ALRIGHT LETS GET TO IT" - but of course not that aggressive. The ending really sealed the 4 stars for me because if it wasn't for that I would have leaned towards a 3 star rating. This book highlights how far you'll go for someone you love, even if it means sacrificing your own morals.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! When She Was Me by Marlee Bush is a fast paced psychological thriller. Cassie and Lenora, twin women living in a cabin on a campground could not have imagined the turn their lives would take when the owner, Wayne, passes away. The story follows two separate timelines and flips from the present to the past. This, at times, I found to be very confusing but I kept reading, wondering how and when the stories would intersect. There were so many twists that I couldn’t put it down and just had to keep reading. What I was most surprised at was the ending. I really didn’t see it coming. Overall, a great novel that I will recommend to others.

I’m giving this book a 3 star rating.

I found this book extremely confusing up until the last 40 min of the book. Im guessing that was the desired effect from the author, but I found myself re-reading certain parts multiple times to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding my confusion…. I wasn’t, it was confusing as hell. I found it hard to follow and then of course it all came together in a very weird way, right before it got confusing again, and then wrapped back up.

Thanks NetGalley and Poisoned Press for the ARC of When She Was Me in exchange for my honest review

This book was slow for me to get into but I really enjoyed the pacing, the depth of the characters and how the author wove the story together!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for this review.

Holy smokes I DEVOURED this book. The pacing and multi-POV / narration is brilliant. What an excellent debut for Bush. Sisters. Foils yet completely entwined. Something dark is happening in the woods, but who is responsible?

I loved how each chapter kept me hanging, yearning to find answers to the twist. Deep desire to finish and find resolution. I did personally predict one of the twists, but overall am very satisfied with this novel and the time spent!

I’ve seen some mixed reviews on this one. For me, it probably would have been a 3 star book if I hadn’t enjoyed the ending twist so much! I felt the story had a slow buildup, as we kept dancing around some big secrets. I enjoyed the dynamic between Cassie and Lenore and it kept me intrigued. I think at times, the book was confusing, but I think it was on purpose to make you not see the ending twist. After finishing the book, I wanted to pick it up again and read it just to understand better!

If you have been thinking about reading this one, move it up on your list! It would be a great summer read!

Overall, I’m really excited to read another book by Marlee Bush as this was a great debut thriller!

🔪 Dual Timelines / Multiple POV
🔪 Thriller / Psychological Thriller
🔪 Isolated Cabin in Tennessee
🔪 Twin Sisters
🔪 Debut Author

"When She Was Me" by Marlee Bush was a fun read filled with twists and turns that will surely keep any thriller fan entertained.

Any story that leaves me guessing until the very end is a success in my book and I can't wait to tell my bookish friends to check this one out.

Cassie and Lenora are a set of twins living in near isolation in a small campground. When their only neighbor/landlord suddenly dies, they immediately become wary of the new owner.

The new owner quickly welcomes guests to the campsite. but then one guest suddenly turns up dead. Now there is a race to discover who killed her, who this new owner is, and why the twins are in isolation in the first place.

Thank you NetGalley, Marlee Bush, and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me this ARC. I can't wait to read more from Marlee Bush now!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc of this book.

I really enjoyed this book, I will say I spent most of the book thinking that one person was responsible and was pleasantly surprised by the ending. This book does skip between the past and the present which I found to be helpful because it gave you an overview on how we got where we did.