Family Ties is a tense, layered psychological suspense that kept me guessing all the way through. The story begins with a mysterious patient whose disturbing behavior and journal entries raise more questions than answers, and I found myself just as drawn in as Dr. Teresa Brock, who is desperate to uncover the truth. Every new detail added another twist, and I loved how the book blurred the lines between reality, delusion, and manipulation. I enjoyed reading it because it felt like being dropped into a puzzle I couldn’t put down, and the atmosphere kept me turning the pages late into the night

Unfortunately this wasn't a good fit for me. I found myself feeling confused and frustrated. I'm not sure what exactly I expected, but it wasn't this. The book is about a 50 something lady who is admitted into a psych ward and goes on to tell her story of her life. In the first story she has siblings and loving parents and moves around a lot due to her dad being in the military. In the second story you read much of the same things as in the first story but it's somewhat grittier. She's a single child, her parents lock her in the basement at times and are afraid of her. The book then ends with a synopsis by a psychiatrist eluding to the fact that neither story is necessarily true and that the woman needs further assessment and medication. I did read the entire book from front to back and it was a quick read coming in at about 2 hours. I would encourage other readers to pick it up and make their own opinions. As I said, unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

I really enjoyed this dark psychological thriller and found it difficult to put down. This book really drew me in as I tried to piece it all together and I'm still questioning which version of events is true even after I've read it.

I'd recommend if you are a psychological thriller fan.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
An unidentified woman is admitted to a psychiatric ward. Dr. Brock asks her to keep a journal of memories, hoping to uncover her identity. Though a diagnosis emerges, uncertainty lingers, leaving Dr Brock questioning what’s real.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
This fairly short read was suspenseful, mysterious, and unique. I’d suggest avoiding the blurb as I think it’s a bit spoilery.

I loved the journal entries which quickly gave a clear overview of “Baby Girl’s” life (that’s how she’s referred to in the journal). The journals contain 3 POVs - odd but go with it - think quirky, not confusing.

Half way through, the journal stops, then resumes leading to some ‘Groundhog Day” repetition which I enjoyed - it felt a bit like a puzzle with a bunch of uh-huh moments!

The ending is ambiguous, which left me questioning the truth. I usually prefer a resolved ending so I wish there had been more. I appreciate the idea - it’s unique and thought provoking - just felt kinda unsatisfied.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
This was a quick, entertaining, quirky read - as long as you go into it knowing the ending is ambiguous, it definitely deserves a spot on your TBR.

Thank you BookBuzz.net and NetGalley for this #gifted ARC.

🎧 No audiobook available
📖 Publishes 09•09•25 | 252 pages

What in the world did I just read!!! What happened, oh my goodness! I’ll always wonder what really happened!

I love how this book was written in 3 different voices and then in two different versions. It was super interesting to follow it. Maybe the second version, I read less detailed since it was similar, but I was so drawn to read this book! I read it in 2 sittings! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC!

this is one of those hit you in the nerves of your mind kind of books. you are instantly intrigued by the blurb. and then it leads to you questioning things. questioning the woman who has come into this hospital with very little to go on. shes held by the Psyche's in order to get a deeper understanding of what could be wrong with her and who exactly she might be.
shes asked to try and write it down, what she remembers of herself and life so the professionals can get a better picture. but are they, are we reading truths. i found myself conflicted at this point. there are many mental illness that can lead some people not to believe the narrators or what they might have gone through whether its actually "reality" or not. but i stuck with it anyway and trusted the author would play to that a stigma and im so glad i did. i love these kind of emotional and psychological to the max books. when done well they are my favourites.
this book tossers and turns inside your brain until you are delighted lol. because that means the book is brilliant, for me in means its had me in its grips. and it did grip me. i was tense and held in suspense the whole way through.
what is true about this woman and what is due to this poor woman's mental health struggles. its up to the staff and one doc in particular to find out more.
i loved trying to figure out my own theories on this book. i loved trying to see into the world of this woman and figure out which parts were true. and then little clues she gave led me to thinking a whole lot of other things.
this was a great back and id recommend it to all. there lots of deeper levels to this book and i thought it explored that really well via this plot.
the author held you tight to their story and it all felt so well thought out and was just so cleverly laid out for us.
i loved this book. its one of those i want to now type in a search engine "similar to?"

I won’t give this a star rating since I DNFd it. But it makes me give one. So 1 star it is. The writing style just wasn’t for me. I got about 20% into it and had to give up. I wasn’t connected with the characters and there’s no conversations. Just different points of view and I couldn’t get into it

Okay, this book had me playing detective in my own head the whole time! 🕵️‍♀️ Family Ties is a wild ride through secrets, lies, and a psychiatric ward that feels way too real. I couldn’t stop reading because just when I thought I had it figured out—bam!—another curveball smacked me in the face. It’s creepy, twisty, and totally addictive. If you love stories that mess with your mind and keep you second-guessing everything, this is your next binge read. 😱📖

Who would love this book? I truly think this book is for anyone. It is definitely a psychologically suspenseful story with a mystery to solve. It is also a book about family dynamics, relationships, and the psychology of the human mind. It is a great read if you are looking for something new, exciting, and novel. This is a different kind of book for the writer, but you will find the same quality storytelling and writing that the author consistently delivers to her readers.

Okay, so I’m really confused about this book. I’m not sure if I got the right one. It starts with a lady checking into a psych ward, and then three characters begin telling their stories. However, halfway through the book, it feels like you’re reading the same thing with parts left out. I thought the story could have been good, but instead, it was weird and confusing. I’m unsure if I even got a full copy of the story because if I did, I couldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Oh me! This book sucks you in and keeps hold! When an unidentified woman is admitted to a psych ward, the staff is bumfuzzled, she is not making any sense. As Dr Brock digs in she is determined to find answers. This was a stark harrowing psychological thriller. The ending will leave you breathless. This is perfect for the approaching spooky season.

The setup is promising: a nameless woman checks into a psychiatric ward, dragging only chaos in with her. Her fragmented journal entries, whispers of conspiracies, and erratic behavior put everyone on edge. Dr. Teresa Brock, determined to untangle the truth, finds that reality itself begins to collapse around the patient. Predator or prey? That’s the hook.
And honestly, I love a good unreliable narrator—when it’s done right, it can keep readers off-balance. Unfortunately, in Family Ties, it felt less like a narrative choice and more like a gimmick. I’d be hard-pressed to even call this a fully fleshed-out book. There were hints of a strong story buried in there, but the author seemed dead-set on forcing the ending into place rather than letting the narrative breathe. Normally, with a book like this, I’d DNF—and I nearly did at the halfway point. I suspect a lot of readers will stop there too. The “mystery” (using the word generously) never really takes shape, and the supposed suspense dissolves into incoherence. Unreliable narrator? More like unreliable author. For me, it made no sense, offered no real payoff, and left me frustrated rather than unsettled. I hope some readers find entertainment in it—I certainly did not.