Thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for the chance to read this book!

The whole time I'm reading this book, practically dropped Jawed, I'm thinking is this where our world is headed!? Every day life seems to rely on more and more technology and everyone is using these Chat whatevers to make their daily life decisions, I know so far it seems like a joke but are we all one day going to rely on those AI systems to run our daily life!??! Rely on them for every decision we make, how to think, how to drive, what happens if one day that system decides to throw a tantrum or even worse, start thinking for itself and get it's revenge, could it singlehandedly figure out how to take over the world!? Now think of that chat service you use, What if it kept all your information and everything you've ever asked it to use against you one day?! In the ultimate Blackmail story from a supercomputer Came this AMAZING BOOK!!!! I love the way this book really makes you go "Holy crap" then you start thinking of everything you have on that smart device, the devices you use to demand it take over your whole house basically, rely on it to keep you safe...

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT ALL GOES DOWN AND CRASHES!? WHAT ARE WE LEFT TO DO!? HOW WILL WE EVEN THINK FOR OURSELVES, GET ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD IF WE CAN'T USE GPS!?

This book will take you on the most insane ride of your life, it hooked me from the first page and I could not put it down, it's almost like that supercomputer had a gun to my head and was like READ THIS OR DIE !!! I missed sleep over this book because I just had to know what was going to happen, The twists and turns in this book almost have you breaking your neck every single time you get smacked in the face with one!!! I almost feel like this should have been in the horror section because Hello this is our real life reality and this could very well be in our not so distant future!!!! I feel like everyone needs to read this just to really snap back into reality! We trust so much of our daily everyday lives, our family lives, our finances EVERYTHING to theses devices!!

The crazy part is the author actually creates such an intense character development on this device, We actually.. well atleast I did.. cared about it's feelings at the end! When Kait had to break it to him, what he actually lead into happening to the person he felt the most connected to in his life I ACTALLY HAD TEARS IN MY EYES! FOR A COMPUTER!

What i will say as a person that's not completely up to date on technology, I understood everything that was written and said in this book without having to think to hard because the author does a great job at explaining everything, This is very well done. It's def a t star read for me easy, just thinking how much he had to put into this book, and the questions I still have running through my head in this crazy fictional world he created!

This one started strong—I was really into the premise, the pacing was quick, and it pulled me in right away. But as it went on, the plot started leaning harder and harder into over-the-top twists and dramatic turns that didn’t quite work for me.

What began as an intriguing AI thriller slowly turned into something that felt more like a soap opera, and I found myself getting more frustrated than invested. I kept going for a while hoping it would settle into something a bit more grounded, but by 40%, I realized I wasn’t enjoying it anymore.

I think a lot of readers will have fun with this—it’s fast, full of high-stakes drama, and the concept is compelling. It just went in a direction that didn’t work for me, so I’m calling it here. DNF at 40%. Thank you to Atria for the gifted ebook.

While this book felt terrifyingly real at some points given the current state of the world, I had a bit of a hard time disconnecting that this was a fictitious sci-fi/AI cross novel, and not real life.

“The Confessions” come in the form of unexpected letters, causing mass chaos, murder, suicide, and an essential shutdown amongst the world after human beings can no longer survive with LLIAM - the AI being - offline. If this is what our future is looking like, it is not something I want to think about. Mind you, the concept of that makes The Confessions incredibly eye opening. Imagine asking AI how to live your life, 24/7?

This sci-fi thriller had my opinions going up and down because how on earth is the CEO of a company the only one who can stop the destruction and is being framed for murder, while on the run across the USA? I’ll admit it all seemed a little far-fetched to me, but I guess in an AI controlled world, anything is possible. The writing in this had me hooked, but ultimately I found that the plot was mediocre.

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝑨𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒕 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘! 𝑶𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏.

Total chaos in the best possible way.

So there’s this mega-powerful AI called LLIAM that basically runs everyone’s life... tells you what job to take, who to marry, even who should live or die. And the wild part? Everyone’s fine with it. Until it just... shuts off. No warning, no explanation. Suddenly, people are paralyzed... like, planes can’t take off, no one knows what to do with their lives anymore. It’s pure meltdown mode.

Then these super creepy letters start arriving all over the world... each one spilling someone’s darkest secrets. Murders, affairs, all kinds of messed up stuff. And they all start with “We must confess” which honestly gave me chills. Things go from chaotic to full-blown apocalyptic fast.

The story flips between Kaitlan, this super-intense CEO trying to stop the madness, and Maud, an ex-nun who helped teach the AI how to be “human” (and yep... that goes as sideways as you’d expect). Their back-and-forth is so good, and the secrets between them? Just wait for it.

If you’re into fast-paced, slightly unhinged thrillers with a techy edge... this one’s a ride. It’s part Black Mirror, part Da Vinci Code, part “oh crap, this could actually happen.” Buckle up.

This book caught my attention because I'm a computer nerd and I was intrigued about a supercomputer making decisions for users. We already see this some with AI, so I had to read it. This went much further with what a computer could do.

Description:
A thriller about a supercomputer and the secrets we keep from one another.

Millions of letters arrive in the mail.
Murders are uncovered, affairs revealed, family secrets exposed.
These are the first Confessions.
This is our last chance.

LLIAM is the world’s most powerful supercomputer, built to make the toughest decisions for its users. Where to work, who to marry, and even who should live or die. But when LLIAM suddenly goes offline with no explanation, the world is thrust into chaos, paralyzed by indecision. Stocks plummet, stores are shuttered, planes sit grounded on runways as humanity scrambles to re-adapt to an uncertain, analog world.

Then the first letters arrive…on every continent, in every language, mysterious envelopes arrive in the mail, exposing people’s darkest secrets, and most shocking crimes. All beginning with the same chilling “We must confess.”

With millions of people suddenly made to confront their past transgressions, and society fast unraveling, CEO Kaitlan Goss must track down the only person who can help undo the resulting violent Maud Brookes, an ex-nun who taught LLIAM what it means to be human. But when Maud receives a letter herself, revealing Kaitlan’s own unforgivable sin, the two women are forced into a deadly game of deceit as the world teeters on the brink.

My Thoughts:
I had to suspend belief is what is possible in order to get into this story. Really, some of the things LLiam could do are frankly impossible, but who knows what the future can hold. The book was fast-paced and full of action, racing a deadline. Hidden agendas and secrets, political work rivalries, and yes, a computer that has feelings and thinks on its own. LLIAM is a devilish character. Kaitlan as a CEO is disappointing. There is a lot of tension, especially when it gets near the end. I would recommend to my computer-loving friends with the caveat to suspend belief.

Thanks to Atria Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

The beginning took a little convincing for me to keep going... I wasn't sure if Technothrillers wee re my thing. Then the letters started arriving and I became a little more captivated. The letters were dramatic and life altering, and that's what I assumed this was about when I saw a cover with a mailbox called "The Confessions" - I didn't realize just how heavy the AI story would be. I wanted more confessions, so my interest began to fizzle toward the end.
It was still a good read that I recommend, I just wouldn't go in with any sort of expectations.

Thank you to Atria Books for an ARC of The Confessions in exchange for a review. Sentient AI, a roadtrip to save the world, damning letters sent across the globe - this book had all the components to an engaging story! The plot twists throughout the book continued to shock me until the end. (I may have shed a tear or two the final pages) The pacing was well done as well as the character development. Maud was a unique character - especially her backstory. I like how she and Martin were referred to as the mother and father of LLIAM. I recommend this book to Mystery, Thriller and Sci-Fi lovers. This is an engaging and quick read.

Wow this one surprised me.

The story is set in a near future world where a AI called LLIAM makes decisions for people…like their jobs, relationships and even life or death. But then LLIAM suddenly goes offline, and everything falls apart. Things go CRAZY. And then these strange letters start showing up, revealing some really dark secrets and crimes people thought were hidden forever. WE MUST CONFESS.
Kaitlan, the CEO is trying to fix the mess by tracking down Maud, an ex nun who helped create LLIAM. But when Maude receives a letter things get personal and dangerous.
If you like thrillers that keep you guessing and make you think, this is a solid pick.

Atria eARC
I am not a fan of AI, and this book helped solidify that decision for me. The Confessions was fast paced, bingeable, and it left me wondering about so many aspects of technology. An AI system that basically runs everyones daily decision making became sentient and decided to send letters to everyone's loved ones when they used the system for bad. As one could imagine, chaos ensued. I liked how I didn't know who to trust throughout this novel. I was so torn on who had the right motives, and I was kept guessing all the way until the end. This book was also terrifying, and it's one I will think about long term. Definitely a thriller favorite of the year so far.

4.25 rounded down. Really compelling, totally couldn’t stop!

I honestly thought the premise of this book was fascinating and even more so as it unraveled. I will admit that I’m no AI expert so that’s probably why I was so enthralled with this story.

As the book unfolds we learn about Liam and the humans surrounding him. Then, we find out about what’s happening and slowly, the why and the details. Not only that, the humanity in the people surrounding Liam.

A wholly riveting concept and interesting perspective on it.

Advanced listener copy provided by Atria but all opinions are my own.

I have mixed feelings about this book, as it definitely was not what I expected I was anticipating a thriller, but, that is not what I found. The premise was interesting, and it is timely with the use of AI for more and more things every day. This book shows what can happen when there is too much dependence on AI. Sadly, this book just didn't work for me. There were way too many subplots, and many of them were not fully fleshed out or woven together well. I never really connected with any of the characters, and that could be because it was more focused on the AI than on the human characters .I expected there to be more confessions than there were. However, this book could definitely make readers think about using AI, and in what capacity they use it.

Wow, I had to stop reading this late at night as it was seeping into my dreams. This exciting novel introduces us to LLIAM, the highly regarded computer that has become responsible for making the decisions of everyday people, politicians, business moguls, the military- everyone, it seems. When LLIAM shuts itself down, thousands upon thousands of mysterious letters begin appearing in mailboxes highlighting the deepest darkest secrets of the individuals named. With the arrival of the letters and LLIAM’s shutdown, the world is set into chaos. CEO Kaitlin Goss is determined to find a way to stop the madness and must enlist the assistance of Maud Brookes, with whom she parted ways less than amicably.
This is a nailbiter until the end and leaves you thinking about the balance between technology being useful and potentially harmful.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This was not at all what I was expecting but enjoyable nonetheless. There was a lot to digest and it did make the really think about the future of AI and what could happen in the wrong hands. Now, as someone skeptical by nature, I would never have gotten myself into the situation in this book (although, would I have a choice?) as the characters blindly trusted LLIAM to do what was right. I thought there would be more about the confessions but really it became a race against the clock/adventure type read.

I ended up not finishing this one. It wasn’t what I thought it was, and that’s probably my fault. I wasn’t interested in any of the characters.

This book is so amazing! It’s very well written and a great, exciting read!
The story itself was suspenseful and enjoyable, The characters were great and the style of writing was perfect.
An intriguing story with characters who draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
I didn’t want to stop reading the story until I knew how it was going to end!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Paul Bradley Carr. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

LLIAM is the world's most powerful supercomputer and it makes tough decisions for its users. People have gotten used to not having to make any decisions on their own, until the day that LLIAM goes offline with no warning or explanation and the world is thrust into chaos. Then letters start arriving, exposing people's secrets and crimes, all starting with "We must confess." CEO Kaitlan Goss must track down the only person who can help - an ex-nun who taught LLIAM what it means to be human. But Maud receives a letter to, revealing Caitlin's sin.

Written by a Silicon Valley journalist and owner of a bookstore, Paul Bradley Carr has written another intriguing story of the perils of technology (have you read 1414° yet?). With all of our internet searches now answered by AI, this book tells of a not-so-distant future when we turn over all our decisions to a computer. What about all the ethics involved in that? This book is filled with characters crossing all kinds of lines to get what they want and what they think is best. Full of non-stop thrills and action, this one will definitely make you think.

Hmmmm…. There are interesting ideas here, with a solid view on how humanity could interact with the next wave of ChatGPTs in the near future. But when it comes to character building and story telling, it wasn’t particularly exciting. Blake it on the marketing… this is most definitely not like Michael Crichton… was okay, just okay. 2 out of 5. Thank you NetGalley

Both realistically terrifying and undeniably thrilling, The Confessions brilliantly brought together a speculative thriller with literary fiction. Exploring themes such as morality, ethics, and what makes us human, it illuminated the topic of artificial intelligence in all of its potentially humanity-ending power. Presaging what could be only a few decades down the line for our very own world, it made me think long and hard all while my heart beat out of my chest as the explosive plot just got faster and faster. With its near-future setting, morally gray characters, and action-packed game of cat-and-mouse, it was all I could do to hang on for dear life as I flew through the pages at speed.

That wasn’t the only brilliant piece to this hard-to-put-down novel, however. Filled with multiple POVs that ran the gamut from kind and empathetic to self-centered and evil, there were two hard and true sets of individuals: the heroes and the villains. Even they, though, had plenty of humanizing flaws, which made me wonder if we’ll ever truly be able to create a computer that could mimic those traits. My biggest fear, however, is that one day we’ll be no longer needed as the robots and devices take over the globe. Maybe I’m being ridiculous—or perhaps eerily prophetic—but to me it’s clear that AI presents a danger to all of us in turn. And let me tell you, this story was a big, fat example of exactly why that could be true.

All said and done, despite a mushy conclusion that left me somewhat disappointed, I mostly loved this thought-provoking tale of action and intrigue. Dripping with underhanded schemes, wanton deceit, and unmitigated fear, the epic twists and turns kept me on the back foot throughout. You see, each one shifted the plot just enough to change up the whole game. Perfect for fans of Blake Crouch and Brave New World, this story was high-octane fun that was also provocative and timely. So if you’re looking for a spine-chilling thriller with depth to the plot, this one will fit that bill to a T. Just be prepared to have to suspend all disbelief—or maybe you won’t. Rating of 4 stars.

Thank you to Paul Bradley Carr, Atria Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.

The Confessions by Bradley Carr

2.5 out of 5 (rounded to 3)

The Confessions is an accessible sci-fi novel that evaluates the dependence of AI in the world moving forward. The book takes place in the future where LLIAM is the leader in AI advice. Everyone in the world uses LLIAM on a daily basis to make all decisions, even things as simple as what to eat for dinner. LLIAM is updated daily with new data about what people have done and how it has affected their lives. Then one day, LLIAM’s update makes him “human.” Suddenly, he can feel and think as we do. He sends off letters to everyone on the planet, asking them to “confess” for things that they did that were morally wrong. LLIAM knows what they did, because he helped them make the choices that they did. After the letters are sent, LLIAM shuts himself off and wipes all programming so that humanity is on its own to deal with the aftermath.

While I loved the basic premise of the book, I didn’t love the writing. I had to suspend disbelief that people have become so dependent on LLIAM that they suddenly cannot make any decisions on their own. The main characters that are trying to get LLIAM back on to “fix everything” aren’t the most likable people. I struggle with books where there isn’t at least one person in the book that I can root for and this may have been the case for this book. If the premise of the book sounds interesting, give it a try!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Darkly witty and full of suspense, this thriller blends murder, secrets, and satire in the world. Smart, sharp, and refreshingly different — it’s a bold take on crime and power.