I really wanted to like this!!! I did!

The premise is interesting:
Our lead Brooke is kidnapped off the street just moments from walking through her front door, held captive and forced to role-play her captor’s mother in this sick and twisted recreation of the old woman’s childhood. She’s been stuck there for 10 years.

But sadly, right from the first page the text was riddled with cliches, it felt overly contrived and more like a high school creative writing experiment than a well-constructed and considered adult fiction novel.

There is so little depth or exploration within any of the characters that not a single person is interesting or likeable. When new characters are introduced they are flat and two-dimensional with next to nothing by way of description of their appearance let alone their inner world and story.

I did not care about a single character in this book.

Not a single one.

This was not a good book in my opinion which is a shame, and really boiled down to the writing not being expanded and explored deeply enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ticking Tock Press, LLC for the advanced copy. I wish I had better news for you. 😂

HOLD THE PHONE, finally a thriller done right!

We begin with Brooke, who has just landed her dream job and is en route home from work. Until she wakes up from a drug induced slumber surrounded by strangers, wearing outdated clothing that isn’t hers. Fast forward 10 years later, and Brooke takes us through the timeline of what’s happened since she’s been gone.

I’m not usually a fan of forced proximity, but holy smokes was this done right. A deranged psychopath and her henchman kidnap people and hold them hostage in a remote cabin in Oregon. Grace Wakeford is a maniacal freak, she enlists her abductees and forces them to reenact the story of her life. She keeps them all living a false reality, until one of them causes an anomaly in her history. Then it’s curtain closed.

Meanwhile, Mina is a writer taking a hiatus from her husband after her marriage has suffered from the loss of their babygirl. But her neighbors at her airbnb aren’t passing the vibe check for her and soon she is in way over her head. This is one play you definitely don’t wanna make the cut for.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this fast paced thrilling eARC

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours and Steph Nelson for this advanced reader copy!

This book was suspenseful, dramatic and creepy all in its own way. It definitely not like any other book I’ve read in a long time. I was really rooting for the main characters throughout and until the last chapter, I really didn’t know how it was going to end which kept me wanting to read more and more.

Overall a fab book, and I will definitely be picking up more books from this author!

This book was intense—start to finish, gripped to the page, couldn’t put it down, INTENSE.

Brooke was kidnapped on her way home from work… ten years ago. She’s been held prisoner in an isolated cabin, playing by her captor’s twisted rules to stay alive, watching time and again as other victims fail where she, so far, has not.

But when a new victim shows up, changing the rules of the game, it becomes painfully clear time is running out for all of them, and Brooke must work out how to break the rules she’s followed so desperately to this point, in order to survive another day, and hopefully, get her life back, whatever the cost.

This wasn’t a perfect read. I had issues with bits of the dialogue and aspects of the writing structure and with some of the plot details. But… but I was so totally invested from page one, that I never really slowed down in my consumption of the story long enough to truly grasp onto any of the smaller elements that (could have) bothered me.

I was simply in it. And I had blast while there.

So, if you enjoy fast-paced suspense-thrillers, with multi-pov narratives and do-or-die high-stakes plots, this story will likely be right up your alley, too.

The book is a quick read which is both good and bad. Good because you'll fly through it but bad because we get absolutely zero sense of who these people are, what the day to day is like and enough of a reason to care about what is going on. And I wanted to. Elements of an intriguing and truly effed up story are there, but it didn't grab me. I should care about Brooke but I'm still wondering why with what she went through I was being told about her being "overweight". It was just oddly paced. Anyway, for a quick book about an elderly psychopath, it could be for you.

Alright, I’ve got a bonus review today. One of the first books I reviewed when I started this whole thing was Steph Nelson’s The Vein. And I loved it. So I’ve definitely been excited to read more of her work. Well, I got my wish, because I had the chance to read her new thriller The Final Scene ahead of release. It comes out on February 27, which is just a few days away, so now is a good time to get excited.

I don’t normally read thrillers. But when I do, I want something fast paced and dramatic. Like an HBO mini series I watch in one day, turning the pages without realizing how much time has passed. The Final Scene definitely checked those boxes. I’m always impressed when a book can carry momentum through multiple POVs. Especially when those perspectives genuinely add to the story. And in a setting like this one, the characters really need to shine.

Luckily, they do, because spending so much time in the same space with the same people would not have been engaging otherwise. Brooke was extremely complex. As our lead, we learn much of how we got to this point through her eyes. Those reveals did not feel forced. Her character and choices also felt believable given her situation. I couldn’t help but feel for her and root for her. And the characters who enter in? I don’t want to say too much, but the way they play off each other is compelling.

Which circles me back around to the plot. The summary provided does not do this justice. It’s true, but it is also so much cooler. Which meant I was quite pleasantly surprised. I normally prefer to go in without knowing much, and with a thriller especially I feel like the less knowledge the better. That being said, I’ll be brief and vague: I found it unique, and really wanted to figure out more about the situation.

I had a ton of fun with this one. And Steph, that scene? You can write more of that, anytime. And if you’re not interested in adult content, this is your warning. I did say it was like an HBO miniseries, right?

This was my first approved ARC from NetGalley, and I was SUPER jazzed on the premise.

Kidnapped people being forced to “act out” a sadistic woman’s childhood?! Seems like such a wild ride. Unfortunately, I felt that there were SO many plot holes and that the characters were very loosely developed; which made it hard to actually connect to their storylines. Especially at the fast pace that this book seems to steamroll through things, haha. I kind of hated the romantic sub plot, it felt so forced and random. And then to be honest the ending was anticlimactic and not explained very well in my opinion.

I think that if this book was like 100 pages longer, and gave more detail to why this old lady had these sick urges, why she had all of these townspeople/police in her back pocket… and just gave her character more of a presence with all that added creepiness to it… it would have drawn me in a lot more. That being said, it was a page turner. Very quick read and I’ve heard many good things about this author so I’m definitely going to give some of their other books a try. This one was just a miss for me.

Grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it before the release date!

This book was fabulous. It had the perfect amount of horror, thrill and heartbreak. I loved it. Will be recommending!

A woman is kidnapped 10 years earlier. That is it! That is the setting and all the backstory we ever get.

If this book is not a hoax, the only other option is that it must be meant for a mature but very inexperienced reader. And I mean the kind of reader who has not have a chance to built their reading foundation with basic but more elaborate elements of a novel so they tend to just focus on the essential action. In fairness, the lack of any meaningful world building might be due to extreme editing as overall the novel is in a bad need of expository elements.

In many ways this ‘novel’ is much closer to a play script than an actual novel. For example its minimalistic approach in establishing the plot or providing any believable motives. I much prefer when both these elements are present in a novel. As it is, “The Final Scene” reads quite bizarre, and not in the best way.

It has been a decade since Brooke's abduction. She's been kept captive in a secluded cabin and her adherence to the rules is what has kept her alive. A new person being abducted causes a major shift, leaving Brooke with no choice but to break the rules if she wants to get out of this nightmare.

This book was absolutely amazing, I loved it! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! The thought of being in Brooke's position evoked both excitement and terror. I loved the characters, and the writing really made me care about them. It's a mix of sadness and horror to consider what can occur when someone's mind shatters and they lose their grip on reality.

The finale was outstanding, and I was captivated by how all the puzzle pieces connected. Get ready to be enthralled by a cleverly crafted horror/thriller that will keep you guessing and leave you breathless.

Many thanks to @stephdresnelson @XpressoReads & @NetGalley for a review copy.

#NetGalley #TheFinalScene

I was allowed to read this novel on NetGalley early for my honest review. I love how unsettling the premise of the story is. Our main character, Brooke has been kidnapped ten years before the events that takes place in this novel by an elderly woman name Grace. Grace is deranged in the way of kidnapping people to act out/ do a role play of Grace's youth. I wasn't a big fan of the sudden romance towards the middle of the story between the two main characters.

"Ten Years Gone" is a rollercoaster of a thriller that grabs you from the first page and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The premise is chilling: Brooke, kidnapped and held captive for a decade, must navigate twisted instructions from her captors to stay alive. But when a new victim arrives, everything changes, and the only way to survive is to break the rules.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to create an atmosphere of suspense and tension that is palpable from start to finish. The concept of reliving the same day over and over again in captivity is both disturbing and fascinating, adding layers of complexity to the story. The inclusion of collars that could detonate adds an extra element of danger, keeping readers on their toes as the characters navigate their harrowing circumstances.

The dynamics between the characters are also well-crafted, particularly the relationship between Brooke and Kinsey. Their differences and their ability to work together in the face of adversity make for compelling reading. However, the romance between Brooke and Derek feels forced and out of place, detracting from the overall impact of the story.

While the plot twists and turns keep you guessing until the end, there are moments where the pacing lags, particularly in scenes involving Mitch, a character who lacks depth and fails to evoke much interest from the reader.

Overall, "Ten Years Gone" is a gripping and intense thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers hooked. While it may not be perfect, it's certainly a memorable and thought-provoking read that fans of the genre will enjoy.

I went into this book very excited. I knew it was going to be dark and twisted, and the beginning started out so strong. This went way beyond your normal kidnapping story, however.

The first chapter was gripping. It was intense and scary in a way that most women will understand as we experience Brooke’s kidnapping with her. I honestly feel like that was the best part of the book.
The twist on the story kind of fell flat for me. In my opinion, it wasn’t explained very well. I feel like if we had gotten more of the background with the kidnappers it might have had more impact, but it honestly felt like a small detail rather than the big plot it was meant to be.
I did enjoy how creepy some parts were, a lot of those moments were well written and I found it hard to put this book down for most of it. I read probably about 60% of it in one day, so it was a very captivating read. The need to know what happens pulls you in far.

There were some moments with the characters that felt cringy and unnecessary and I felt didn’t add much to the storyline overall and could have been left out. Some of them just felt very out of place and inappropriate. I also wish we could have had more depth with most of the characters overall. This was a pretty short book and I feel as if it could have been much more if it had been longer. As is things felt very rushed and mismatched at times.

Overall though, I did zoom through this book very quickly and enjoyed most of it. I think for a debut thriller the premise was very unique and promising!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ticking Clock Press, and the author for this ARC.
Publication date 2/27/24

Main character Brooke has lived the past 10 years of her life held hostage by a woman named Grace with a dark obsession with her own past. Forced to take part in recreating scenes from Grace’s past, Brooke’s only companions are other “actors” in Grace’s twisted game - but the others seem to come and go far too often. Grace realizes that her time is coming and she must muster up the mental and physical strength it takes to escape.

Meanwhile, a woman named Mina is renting an Airbnb when she notices a young girl in the house across the way, who has written “help” on the window. Believing she is in danger, Mina is determined to figure out the truth about what’s happening and save the girl before it’s too late - a journey that brings her on a collision course with Brooke.
—
I can truly say I’ve never read anything with a premise like this before. It took me a bit to get interested in because it was quite a bizarre idea. However, I did begin to gain interest, especially when Mina’s story started up. I was very curious to see how the different character’s stories would end up relating.

While it was a fast-paced page turner, many of the events and twists were quite unrealistic and I found several scenes to be cheesy as well. The changing POVs in each chapter were a bit confusing to follow along with sometimes for me. I also felt like the big reveal of how some of the characters are connected and why certain people were targeted to be kidnapped was just okay.

In all, this was a quick and fun read, but not going to be a super memorable one for me.

The cabin is unlocked, but there’s no escape.

When Brooke was kidnapped on her way home from work, she thought her life was over.

That was ten years ago.

She’s been held captive in an isolated cabin on the Oregon coast ever since, scrambling to follow her kidnappers’ twisted instructions to the letter. Because the price of a mistake is death.

But when a new victim shows up, everything changes. Including the rules. And this time, the only way to survive is to break them.


I absolutely loved this book! It had me hanging off the edge of my seat the entire time! I could have finished it in one sitting if I only didn’t have to work early the next day! It was exciting but also terrifying at the same time. To imagine being in the position that Brooke is in.
The characters were great and the writing definitely made me care about them. It was also sad but horrifying at the same time to think of what can happen when someone’s mind has cracked and they have lost all sense of reality.
I give this book a 5/5. I cannot wait to read more from Steph Nelson! This is one of my favorites I have read so far this year!
Thank you to NetGalley and Steph Nelson for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing thriller.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a domestic thriller and draws you in. There is a small plot hole at the end but it doesn't ruin the book overall. I am very glad I read it and would def recommend it. Looking forward to another book!

It's been a hot and sweaty end of the work day, and all it took for HIM was to grab her by her ponytail.
Ten Years later Brooke is a shadow of herself, used like a puppet in a sick Play.
Every day the newspaper is dated March 23, 1962.

Now she's at a Cabin surrounded by pine trees, near the Oregon Coast. Her ‘Colleagues’ come and go, but only memories of her daughter remain constant.

One Day though, Brooke has to try her Best, just this once, or it will be too late for everyone.

This was my first time reading a Book by the Author, and boy was I happy to receive that ARC!
Also, a thank you to Nelson for the inclusion of a full-bodied character like Brooke AND at least three male characters who admired her for who she is.

The writing style was captivating. At times, it was hard to put the book down, while at other times, the intensity required a break. The story was well-developed, leaving only a few questions unanswered (and that's only because I am a nagger when it comes to the Plot and all). At the end it all concluded perfectly, tied together like a Web! A fast paced Book, that leaves no time for a breather.

While the book may initially seem like a typical kidnapping story, it offers a unique perspective. There are no Scenes of police searches or detectives scouring the town for Brooke. We are thrust right into the Cabin ten year later.

I loved the beginning and the focus on how we women for example still have to live with the fear of walking home from Work or going jogging in a Park.
As you delve deeper into the book, you realize there’s more to the story. It’s a twisted, tense narrative centered around a cabin and a detestable old rich woman.

Regarding some of the Characters…
I had mixed feelings about Brooke, though her behavior after ten years in the Cabin was understandable.
Kinsey was endearing… and my feelings towards Derek and Mina fluctuated throughout the book.
Grace Hamilton Wakeford was a character I loved to hate from the very first page.
As for Mitch, I’m still undecided on whether to pity or despise this bloke.

My Rating as of yet is 4.65, rounding it up to a 5 Star Rating

𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲𝘀. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿.

P.S.: As soon as I get my hands on the Bonus Epilogue, I will add that part into my GR review!

This book starts right off in the thick of the plot, leaving the reader to play a little bit of catch up which I felt added to the feel of the book since when new "cast members" entered the house this is exactly how they felt. I really enjoyed the concept as I found it unique, I would have like some more details as I felt like most of the book felt like the author was just skimming over the plot instead of going deeper into it. I would of liked to have maybe some flashbacks or memory moments to help grow the characters more. Overall it was a quick, entertaining thriller read!

As Brooke clutches her bag and speed walks to her apartment, a hand yanks her hair and another covers her mouth. And just like that—she’s gone. Ten years has passed and Brooke is still alive, but no one knows except for her abductors. She’s been held captive at an isolated cabin and has only survived this long because she abides by the rules. The dynamic shifts significantly with the arrival of a new abductee, and suddenly breaking the rules is Brooke's only chance of escaping this nightmare.

The Final Scene isn’t your typical kidnapping story so I had to suspend my disbelief for this one, because there’s no way this could possibly happen. Since the storyline is quite unique and a little quirky, I honestly didn’t take it too seriously. I will say the first chapter really grabs you and reels you in. And by the end of each chapter you want to know what happens next. It’s a quick read, only taking a few hours to finish. I’d definitely recommend.

Thank you for this ARC! I LOVED IT!!! It was so twisted, and I was so invested in the characters. I loved the tie-in that was disclosed in the end. It reminded me of one of the episodes of Criminal Minds.