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What She Walked Into
She woke up covered in mud. She woke up over a body. She woke up on a fresh-dug grave.
Seventeen-year-old Sophia Whitaker doesn’t remember what happens when she closes her eyes. But her town does. They’ve seen her wandering the woods and road barefoot in the middle of the night. And in a place as small as Ordinance, every story travels fast.
When her classmate disappears, the sheriff discovers the last calls and texts were to Sophia. Overnight, she becomes the center of every town rumor, every suspicion.
The police want answers she doesn’t have, and the flashes in her mind—blood, the weight of a knife, a familiar voice in the dark—are only getting worse.
If Sophia can’t piece together the truth, she won’t just lose her memories. She’ll lose herself.
For fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, One of Us Is Lying, and Sadie, What She Walked Into is a claustrophobic, twist-filled thriller where nothing and no one can be trusted.
Seventeen-year-old Sophia Whitaker doesn’t remember what happens when she closes her eyes. But her town does. They’ve seen her wandering the woods and road barefoot in the middle of the night. And in a place as small as Ordinance, every story travels fast.
When her classmate disappears, the sheriff discovers the last calls and texts were to Sophia. Overnight, she becomes the center of every town rumor, every suspicion.
The police want answers she doesn’t have, and the flashes in her mind—blood, the weight of a knife, a familiar voice in the dark—are only getting worse.
If Sophia can’t piece together the truth, she won’t just lose her memories. She’ll lose herself.
For fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, One of Us Is Lying, and Sadie, What She Walked Into is a claustrophobic, twist-filled thriller where nothing and no one can be trusted.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2025
6 people are currently reading
1516 people want to read
About the author
Taylor Jakovina
1 book19 followersHi, I’m Taylor Jakovina — author of the psychological thriller What She Walked Into.
I write stories about buried memories, unreliable narrators, and small towns full of secrets. My debut novel follows Sophia Whitaker, who wakes up sleepwalking over her classmate’s buried body with no memory of how she got there. It’s a book about memory, silence, and the dangerous things we choose not to say.
When I’m not writing, I work in data analytics (which is really just another way of solving puzzles). I’m also a big fan of late-night thriller binges, indie bookstores, and long walks with my husband and dogs, Peaches & Cece.
📚 My debut, What She Walked Into, is available on Amazon and online wherever books are sold.
If you love dark, twisty stories with haunting endings, I’d love to connect with you here on Goodreads or on TikTok (@jakovinawrites) and Instagram (@tjakovinawrites).
I write stories about buried memories, unreliable narrators, and small towns full of secrets. My debut novel follows Sophia Whitaker, who wakes up sleepwalking over her classmate’s buried body with no memory of how she got there. It’s a book about memory, silence, and the dangerous things we choose not to say.
When I’m not writing, I work in data analytics (which is really just another way of solving puzzles). I’m also a big fan of late-night thriller binges, indie bookstores, and long walks with my husband and dogs, Peaches & Cece.
📚 My debut, What She Walked Into, is available on Amazon and online wherever books are sold.
If you love dark, twisty stories with haunting endings, I’d love to connect with you here on Goodreads or on TikTok (@jakovinawrites) and Instagram (@tjakovinawrites).
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 8, 2025
I received an ARC of this book from the author - Thank you Taylor Jakovina for the opportunity to preview this before it was available to the public. Spoilers ahead.
As far as debut novels go, there is a lot to like about this book, but a lot of polish that can be applied as well. I will list of pros and cons in this review.
Pro: The book immediately opens with a plot twist that sets the stage for everything. The mystery isn't actually solved until the very last chapter. There's a lot to unpack in-between, but the way this book opens should immediately hook anyone who likes a good mystery/suspense novel.
Con: The characters in this book are exceptionally generic. I'm talking bland, white bread, cotton sheets generic. For the first half of the book, all of the Sophia chapters are told in the exact same voice. Each character is almost entirely indistinguishable from the other, and I found myself having to go back several times to remember just who was who. "Sophia", "Abbie", "Jessica", "Leo", "Stephen".... Ordinance, Ohio is apparently the most dull small town in the entire state, which doesn't serve well for a small-town mystery novel. There is very little character until you get fairly deep in the book.
Pro: Right around the 60% mark there is a drastic turn. You can tell Sophia is fed up with everything that is happening, and Sheriff Newton is suddenly plunged in way deeper than he ever expected. This is definitely where Jakovina hit her stride. Where I had been struggling to read more than a handful of chapters at a time, I blitzed through the final third of the book in one sitting. Once the talons are out, you can't help but be hooked.
Con: Sophia's personality is... hard to place. She starts out timid, meek, afraid... I guess everything you'd expect from someone who has no idea what's happening when she's lost time to (apparent) sleepwalking. She becomes bold and aggressive later, then yo-yo's back to her original state. It's almost like there's two versions of her, which I guess works out with the sleepwalking? .
Pro: There's at least 4 different characters who I thought might be the murderer. Despite the lull in pacing midway through, even when the jig is up you don't really know who the murderer is... or if it's even one of the characters you've already met?? Oh, the final third of this book is so twisty. Things went from "what's going on" to "OH HOLY SH*T" in a matter of 2 or 3 chapters, and never looked back.
And the ending? Well, let's just say you're going to be surprised one way or another. Even if you thought you knew who it was... you didn't. It doesn't take away from the satisfaction of finding out the entire story, either. And I especially appreciate how Jakovina didn't put a bunch of saccharine on it in the epilogue. Some things are best left unsaid... or unknown... or, undone.
Solid 3-3.5 stars. I wish Goodreads gave the option of rating out of 10 cuz I'd rather say 6.5 out of 10. The excellent plot and reveal makes up for the bland characters. The middle pacing almost lost me, but I'm glad I didn't give up because it's a whole roller coaster to the finish.
Good reading to you!
As far as debut novels go, there is a lot to like about this book, but a lot of polish that can be applied as well. I will list of pros and cons in this review.
Pro: The book immediately opens with a plot twist that sets the stage for everything. The mystery isn't actually solved until the very last chapter. There's a lot to unpack in-between, but the way this book opens should immediately hook anyone who likes a good mystery/suspense novel.
Con: The characters in this book are exceptionally generic. I'm talking bland, white bread, cotton sheets generic. For the first half of the book, all of the Sophia chapters are told in the exact same voice. Each character is almost entirely indistinguishable from the other, and I found myself having to go back several times to remember just who was who. "Sophia", "Abbie", "Jessica", "Leo", "Stephen".... Ordinance, Ohio is apparently the most dull small town in the entire state, which doesn't serve well for a small-town mystery novel. There is very little character until you get fairly deep in the book.
Pro: Right around the 60% mark there is a drastic turn. You can tell Sophia is fed up with everything that is happening, and Sheriff Newton is suddenly plunged in way deeper than he ever expected. This is definitely where Jakovina hit her stride. Where I had been struggling to read more than a handful of chapters at a time, I blitzed through the final third of the book in one sitting. Once the talons are out, you can't help but be hooked.
Con: Sophia's personality is... hard to place. She starts out timid, meek, afraid... I guess everything you'd expect from someone who has no idea what's happening when she's lost time to (apparent) sleepwalking. She becomes bold and aggressive later, then yo-yo's back to her original state. It's almost like there's two versions of her, which I guess works out with the sleepwalking? .
Pro: There's at least 4 different characters who I thought might be the murderer. Despite the lull in pacing midway through, even when the jig is up you don't really know who the murderer is... or if it's even one of the characters you've already met?? Oh, the final third of this book is so twisty. Things went from "what's going on" to "OH HOLY SH*T" in a matter of 2 or 3 chapters, and never looked back.
And the ending? Well, let's just say you're going to be surprised one way or another. Even if you thought you knew who it was... you didn't. It doesn't take away from the satisfaction of finding out the entire story, either. And I especially appreciate how Jakovina didn't put a bunch of saccharine on it in the epilogue. Some things are best left unsaid... or unknown... or, undone.
Solid 3-3.5 stars. I wish Goodreads gave the option of rating out of 10 cuz I'd rather say 6.5 out of 10. The excellent plot and reveal makes up for the bland characters. The middle pacing almost lost me, but I'm glad I didn't give up because it's a whole roller coaster to the finish.
Good reading to you!
September 14, 2025
I loved every second of this book! I was hooked from the very beginning and it kept me on the hook until the end! It was a fantastic thriller, I was on the edge of my seat and gasped many times throughout it. Highly recommend!
September 16, 2025
I received an ARC copy of this book— Thank you so much Taylor!
This was a solid 3✨ read for me. There was a lot of potential for this book but — for me — it fell a bit flat and here’s why:
👏🏻 This book drew me in from page one with its pacing and subject matter. I was immediately asking questions, wanting to know more, and coming up with my own theories.
👎🏻 The pacing flattened out mid way and I feel as though I was reading the same slow investigation over and over again where no one was asking the right people the right questions. I feel like the time spent here could have been better used developing the Circle, the people affiliated with it, some POVS from Stephen , and/or more development in the latter chapters as the truth was coming to a head. The ending felt rushed, off page, shallow and not without its plot holes.
👏🏻 I enjoyed the over all plot. I’ve never read another psychological thriller based around/about sleep walking and the possible consequences of what a person is capable of when sleepwalking
👎🏻 All the male characters from the high school blended together the first half of this book. I was constantly asking myself “which one is her brother” “who is Jay?” And “why is he even important and being mentioned?”. — the POV from our FMC and Newton the police officer needed a bit more definition. I felt like both characters had the same voice in early chapters.
👏🏻👎🏻 This is neither a pro nor a con— as everyone likes their own reading experience differently. I guessed 2 chapters in who Julie’s killer was— not the how or why. By the time we got to the reveal and my guess was solidified I found myself disappointed in the how/why behind it. It felt like a last ditch effort for a “wow” factor twist that just didn’t land for me. I also personally don’t care for modern day references like TikTok when reading books— this one had some light mentions of it.
This was a solid 3✨ read for me. There was a lot of potential for this book but — for me — it fell a bit flat and here’s why:
👏🏻 This book drew me in from page one with its pacing and subject matter. I was immediately asking questions, wanting to know more, and coming up with my own theories.
👎🏻 The pacing flattened out mid way and I feel as though I was reading the same slow investigation over and over again where no one was asking the right people the right questions. I feel like the time spent here could have been better used developing the Circle, the people affiliated with it, some POVS from Stephen , and/or more development in the latter chapters as the truth was coming to a head. The ending felt rushed, off page, shallow and not without its plot holes.
👏🏻 I enjoyed the over all plot. I’ve never read another psychological thriller based around/about sleep walking and the possible consequences of what a person is capable of when sleepwalking
👎🏻 All the male characters from the high school blended together the first half of this book. I was constantly asking myself “which one is her brother” “who is Jay?” And “why is he even important and being mentioned?”. — the POV from our FMC and Newton the police officer needed a bit more definition. I felt like both characters had the same voice in early chapters.
👏🏻👎🏻 This is neither a pro nor a con— as everyone likes their own reading experience differently. I guessed 2 chapters in who Julie’s killer was— not the how or why. By the time we got to the reveal and my guess was solidified I found myself disappointed in the how/why behind it. It felt like a last ditch effort for a “wow” factor twist that just didn’t land for me. I also personally don’t care for modern day references like TikTok when reading books— this one had some light mentions of it.
November 1, 2025
I really liked this book! It was fast paced and full of twists!
Read
September 30, 2025Taylor Jakovina’s What She Walked Into is a tense, atmospheric thriller that kept me hooked from the first page. With dual perspectives, a haunting small-town setting, and layers of suspense that build without ever feeling forced, it’s the kind of book that keeps you guessing until the end. Perfect for fans of psychological suspense and mysteries that linger long after you finish.
Jakovina excels at building suspense. The pacing is taut, the mystery layers deepen steadily, and the sense of unease never lets up. The feeling that every quiet town secret might harbor danger lurks behind every corner, and the small town setting contributes richly to the claustrophobic, watchful atmosphere. Sophia’s voice is compelling, fragile and uncertain, yet determined, and the sheriff’s viewpoint adds a grounded counterbalance, rooting the stakes in the broader community.
What I appreciated most is how the novel plays with memory, perception, and the line between what’s real and what’s imagined. You’re constantly doubting, re-evaluating, and turning pages, eager to find the truth but wary of every twist. The revelations don’t feel cheap, they’re earned through character, setting, and hinting layers of history.
If you enjoy psychological suspense, small-town mysteries, and unreliable narrators, What She Walked Into is a strong recommendation. It’s haunting, immersive, and full of tension, just the kind of read that keeps you turning pages late into the night.
Jakovina excels at building suspense. The pacing is taut, the mystery layers deepen steadily, and the sense of unease never lets up. The feeling that every quiet town secret might harbor danger lurks behind every corner, and the small town setting contributes richly to the claustrophobic, watchful atmosphere. Sophia’s voice is compelling, fragile and uncertain, yet determined, and the sheriff’s viewpoint adds a grounded counterbalance, rooting the stakes in the broader community.
What I appreciated most is how the novel plays with memory, perception, and the line between what’s real and what’s imagined. You’re constantly doubting, re-evaluating, and turning pages, eager to find the truth but wary of every twist. The revelations don’t feel cheap, they’re earned through character, setting, and hinting layers of history.
If you enjoy psychological suspense, small-town mysteries, and unreliable narrators, What She Walked Into is a strong recommendation. It’s haunting, immersive, and full of tension, just the kind of read that keeps you turning pages late into the night.
September 9, 2025
I absolutely LOVE when the book starts with a plot twist and catches your attention from the beginning! If you love thrillers like Jeneva rose or Fredia mcfadden you're going to love this book@ This is such an amazing thriller and everyone should get it for this fall season!
The FMC Sophia wakes up in the woods on top of her dead classmates body!!!! Waking up in a state of freight and confusion! She doesn't know what happened her memory isn't there, she has no clue how she got there at all!
In a small town everyone hears everything super fast! Judgements cast so fast onto everyone! No one believes Sophia that she doesn't remember anything. While the town is being flipped upside down, Small Town gossip and cliques make it so hard to keep going. I had so many parts in this book that I was just shocked on what happened! EVERYTIME!
If you love thrillers Definitely pick up this book!!
The FMC Sophia wakes up in the woods on top of her dead classmates body!!!! Waking up in a state of freight and confusion! She doesn't know what happened her memory isn't there, she has no clue how she got there at all!
In a small town everyone hears everything super fast! Judgements cast so fast onto everyone! No one believes Sophia that she doesn't remember anything. While the town is being flipped upside down, Small Town gossip and cliques make it so hard to keep going. I had so many parts in this book that I was just shocked on what happened! EVERYTIME!
If you love thrillers Definitely pick up this book!!
August 29, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5 Are you a psychological thriller reader? If so, then you need to let your brain wrap around this story. This story is about a girl named Sophia, who wakes up in the woods over her classmates dead body. Was she alone or was someone else there? Not understanding how she got there or what happened she is desperate to figure it out and convinced she didn’t kill Julie
Or did she?
This murder turns the town upside down, but this small town is full of secrets and some believe that Sophia is lying and is the killer. Will these secrets reveal the truth and will this town be able to handle what is about to be exposed? Just be careful who you trust? It will have you question everyone and keep you guessing! I loved this book!
Or did she?
This murder turns the town upside down, but this small town is full of secrets and some believe that Sophia is lying and is the killer. Will these secrets reveal the truth and will this town be able to handle what is about to be exposed? Just be careful who you trust? It will have you question everyone and keep you guessing! I loved this book!
September 7, 2025
First of all, THANK YOU to Taylor for giving me an ARC of this book, I enjoyed it. The first thing about this book is that it's kind of similar to a good girl's guide to murder in some ways, and I feel like after I realised that my thoughts made me compare the books which made me not-like this book so much. There were some parts in the book where I was like "wait huh what's happening?" But there also were some parts where I was like "OMFG KILL HIM" and "AINT NO FRICKING WAY". Okay so over all I reccomend this book to everyone but more so people who haven't read AGGGTM or have read just the first book of the series.
September 30, 2025
So good I read it in four days!! I would never believe this is Taylor’s debut novel! Absolutely loved the changing of perspectives throughout the book and all the twists and turns! I especially loved the character dialogue with the books main suspect, but I won’t say any more and ruin it for those still reading! Thrillers aren’t my go to genre, so if I’m saying this is a must read page turner, it must really be!!
I can say with full certainty I’ll be buying Taylor’s next novel on day 1! This was a major treat and wish I could read it for the first time all over again! Well done!!
I can say with full certainty I’ll be buying Taylor’s next novel on day 1! This was a major treat and wish I could read it for the first time all over again! Well done!!
September 5, 2025
This book gripped my attention right off the bat, I had to finish it in two sittings. I loved how it was dual points of view. Taylor does a great job weaving in twists and small reveals that make you want to keep turning the pages. The protagonist, Sophia, feels real and layered, while the side characters add depth to the story without becoming a distraction. For a debut novel, it sure is an impressive and thrilling read. I cannot wait for more from Taylor Jakovina!
September 6, 2025
What She Walked Into. What did she walk into?
For YA, the writing style is perfect! Easy to follow along, easy suspenseful read. Great book to read for a debut thriller!
Waking up after sleepwalking only to find? No spoilers here! This book back and forth with dual perspective, so you know what's going on, but do you? Great book! Can't see what else this author has in store for thriller readers everywhere!
For YA, the writing style is perfect! Easy to follow along, easy suspenseful read. Great book to read for a debut thriller!
Waking up after sleepwalking only to find? No spoilers here! This book back and forth with dual perspective, so you know what's going on, but do you? Great book! Can't see what else this author has in store for thriller readers everywhere!
September 6, 2025
"What She Walked Into" kept me on the edge of my seat from the very first chapter to the last. The story was authentic and compelling. Sophia was both vulnerable and relentless in her unyielding determination to uncover what had happened.
A perfect blend of conspiracy, mystery, love, family dynamics, and small-town drama, this book pulls you in page by page, leaving you wanting more. A gripping, emotional ride—easily 5 stars.
A perfect blend of conspiracy, mystery, love, family dynamics, and small-town drama, this book pulls you in page by page, leaving you wanting more. A gripping, emotional ride—easily 5 stars.
September 9, 2025
This debut novel hooked me from the very first page! I usually take my time finishing a book, but I flew through this one because I simply couldn’t put it down. The author’s writing style is so vivid and engaging, and the twists and turns of the mystery kept me guessing (and second-guessing!) until the very end. If you love small-town secrets, suspense, and a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is a must-read. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!
August 20, 2025
Is sleepwalking really a bad thing? It is in "What She Walked Into" by Taylor Jakovina. This thriller has you turning page after page to figure out what really happens when you sleepwalk and who really killed Julie. It has a lot of twists and turns, while making you question who you can really trust. It leaves you wanting more. Overall, a great read.
August 25, 2025
Loved this book! It had a little bit of everything. Missing time, sleepwalking, secret society, and missing girl. This book kept me guessing til the very end and I never saw the twist coming. Can’t wait to read more from this author!!
August 26, 2025
Thank you so much for allowing me to be an ARC reader.
Psychological thrillers are normally my thing but I have to admit that I really enjoyed this book. I was totally vested from beginning to end.
Psychological thrillers are normally my thing but I have to admit that I really enjoyed this book. I was totally vested from beginning to end.
September 6, 2025
Happy Pub Day!!! I was so fortunate to have read this book as an ARC and thought it was fantastic. The storyline had me engaged the entire time and the twists and turns were awesome! This is an awesome debut, I can’t wait to see what Taylor Jakovina writes in the future!
September 12, 2025
Description 11/10
Binge worthiness 10/10 (I’m a slow reader so reading it in 3 days is most people’s one day)
If you like suspense and “a raw look inside someone’s mind as they come undone” , this book is for you!
Binge worthiness 10/10 (I’m a slow reader so reading it in 3 days is most people’s one day)
If you like suspense and “a raw look inside someone’s mind as they come undone” , this book is for you!
September 12, 2025
I am so glad I was able to receive an ARC copy of this book! This was Taylor’s debut novel and it was great! Great characters and the writing style was just what I like! Kept me guessing (and I ended up being wrong about the ending). Well done, Taylor and I can’t wait to read more!
August 31, 2025
I couldn’t put this book down! Such a great psychological thriller and great read! 10/10 recommend!
September 4, 2025
Couldn't put it down! So many twists, and so many characters that you fall in love with, and some you love to hate.
September 4, 2025
This book feels like walking into a nightmare you can’t wake up from… and I loved it.”
Haunting, eerie, and unsettling.....every page drips with tension.
Haunting, eerie, and unsettling.....every page drips with tension.
September 6, 2025
what a great thriller. I was hooked from page one. this is a must read.
September 6, 2025
Was so happy to be an ARC reader for this book! First psychological thriller I’ve read in awhile and I was entertained the whole time 🙌🏽
October 13, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
I won a Kindle copy via Goodreads giveaway.
An intriguing novel-fast paced and original plot. A bit difficult to keep me captivated at times, but overall an interesting read.
I won a Kindle copy via Goodreads giveaway.
An intriguing novel-fast paced and original plot. A bit difficult to keep me captivated at times, but overall an interesting read.
February 1, 2026
It was ok
Seemed a little disjointed at times but came together ok. Had a twist ending I didn’t suspect. All in all not a bad book.
Seemed a little disjointed at times but came together ok. Had a twist ending I didn’t suspect. All in all not a bad book.
September 7, 2025
This is a 4.5 star rating
What She Walks Into by Taylor Jakovina is a suspense-filled ride that grabs you from the very first page and refuses to let go. The tension builds beautifully, and the shocking twists will keep you second-guessing every character and every turn of the plot right up until the final reveal.
What makes this book even more impressive is that it’s a debut. The writing feels confident, the pacing sharp, and the atmosphere gripping. Taylor Jakovina has stepped into the genre with the energy and punch of a seasoned thriller writer.
I’m genuinely excited to see what she delivers next. Watch out, Freida, Taylor just entered the playing field with a blockbuster!
What She Walks Into by Taylor Jakovina is a suspense-filled ride that grabs you from the very first page and refuses to let go. The tension builds beautifully, and the shocking twists will keep you second-guessing every character and every turn of the plot right up until the final reveal.
What makes this book even more impressive is that it’s a debut. The writing feels confident, the pacing sharp, and the atmosphere gripping. Taylor Jakovina has stepped into the genre with the energy and punch of a seasoned thriller writer.
I’m genuinely excited to see what she delivers next. Watch out, Freida, Taylor just entered the playing field with a blockbuster!
September 12, 2025
Told in dual perspectives: Sophia and the town’s untested sheriff, adding layers of tension and mystery.
Blends YA suspense with the emotional depth of adult thrillers.
What She Walked Into by Taylor Jakovina is well worth the read! What She Walked Into
Blends YA suspense with the emotional depth of adult thrillers.
What She Walked Into by Taylor Jakovina is well worth the read! What She Walked Into
August 31, 2025
I got this as an arc in the beginning of August…. It’s only my second arc I’ve ever been accepted to read as I’m not a creator.. but anyway…. I absolutely loved this book! The twist and turns! Also the protectiveness from 2 of characters, loved it!!!
I will be purchasing a physical copy asap!!
I will be purchasing a physical copy asap!!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews