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Pull
Alex isn’t just running from his past—he’s running from everyone’s.
Born with the ability to see people’s memories by touch, he spends his days trying to shut out the lifetime of traumatic memories he’s collected while he focuses on his work at his brother’s tech company, desperate for some semblance of a normal life. But that proves difficult with rumors of security breaches at rival companies, and the mysterious disappearance of a beloved employee.
Just as he feels he’s about to take a step toward normalcy, a violent kidnapping turns his world upside down. Unable to stand by any longer, Alex must turn to his ability to search for clues in the memories of the people around him to find the perpetrator before the ransom clock ends.
Born with the ability to see people’s memories by touch, he spends his days trying to shut out the lifetime of traumatic memories he’s collected while he focuses on his work at his brother’s tech company, desperate for some semblance of a normal life. But that proves difficult with rumors of security breaches at rival companies, and the mysterious disappearance of a beloved employee.
Just as he feels he’s about to take a step toward normalcy, a violent kidnapping turns his world upside down. Unable to stand by any longer, Alex must turn to his ability to search for clues in the memories of the people around him to find the perpetrator before the ransom clock ends.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2026
About the author
C.J. Finch
1 book2 followersC.J. Finch is the pen name of composer and sound designer Kristen Hirlinger. Her music can be heard under the pseudonym Tannins. She lives in Los Angeles with her partner and their bossy tortoiseshell cat.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 10, 2026
Rating 4.0/5.0 stars:
“Pull” is a well written “who done it” mystery with an interesting twist on the genre. It takes the idea of a murder mystery and adds a bit of spy/espionage, supernatural with a splash of tech thriller concepts to create something unique and wildly interesting.
Breakdown: I have broken my review into several parts weighted in their scoring to give me my overall rating above.
Characters: 5/5 stars
I found the characters to be well written and complex. This is very important in a thriller such as this as a lack of depth can break the plot and make the story too predictable. This was not the case here. The main character Alex is very deep and complex along with the other main characters. But for the sake of no spoilers we will stick with Alex in my example. He shows a well developed character arch near the end of the book. I found that his character was relatable, even though some of his choices through the book were questionable.
Writing style: 4/5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style the author uses through the book. Using a first person point of view really narrowed the visible scope of the scenes to only what Alex could observe in the moment. This is a great choice because some details are left out or are obscured by design. There were times I had to go back to places in the book to see if I just missed something or if I overlooked it like Alex did. I’m a big fan of small details like. One minor critique I have is there were a couple spots where my immersion was disrupted by an out of place time skip. Not big but what would equate to a minute or two in real time within the story.
Plot/pacing: 3.5/5 stars
This is where the real heart and soul of the story comes into play. I found the plot to be really creative and a good spin on a mystery thriller. Having said that there were a few points where it was a little predictable. I called who was the antagonist was relatively early in the story. It the story was still a fun ride because there were so many mind bending twists and plays on classic tropes I still don’t know what’s real.
Engagement: 4/5 stars
I found the story to be engaging, in depth and interesting. There were times where I got lost in what was happening during the memory dives. But other than that I enjoyed the story.
Lasting Impact: 3/5 stars
While this was a fun read, I find mystery thrillers are the least likely books to be reread on my shelf. This is at no fault of the author or the book itself but once I’ve read it it’s kind of lost its suspense for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A special thank you to BookSirens and C.J. Finch for giving me access to this copy.
“Pull” is a well written “who done it” mystery with an interesting twist on the genre. It takes the idea of a murder mystery and adds a bit of spy/espionage, supernatural with a splash of tech thriller concepts to create something unique and wildly interesting.
Breakdown: I have broken my review into several parts weighted in their scoring to give me my overall rating above.
Characters: 5/5 stars
I found the characters to be well written and complex. This is very important in a thriller such as this as a lack of depth can break the plot and make the story too predictable. This was not the case here. The main character Alex is very deep and complex along with the other main characters. But for the sake of no spoilers we will stick with Alex in my example. He shows a well developed character arch near the end of the book. I found that his character was relatable, even though some of his choices through the book were questionable.
Writing style: 4/5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style the author uses through the book. Using a first person point of view really narrowed the visible scope of the scenes to only what Alex could observe in the moment. This is a great choice because some details are left out or are obscured by design. There were times I had to go back to places in the book to see if I just missed something or if I overlooked it like Alex did. I’m a big fan of small details like. One minor critique I have is there were a couple spots where my immersion was disrupted by an out of place time skip. Not big but what would equate to a minute or two in real time within the story.
Plot/pacing: 3.5/5 stars
This is where the real heart and soul of the story comes into play. I found the plot to be really creative and a good spin on a mystery thriller. Having said that there were a few points where it was a little predictable. I called who was the antagonist was relatively early in the story. It the story was still a fun ride because there were so many mind bending twists and plays on classic tropes I still don’t know what’s real.
Engagement: 4/5 stars
I found the story to be engaging, in depth and interesting. There were times where I got lost in what was happening during the memory dives. But other than that I enjoyed the story.
Lasting Impact: 3/5 stars
While this was a fun read, I find mystery thrillers are the least likely books to be reread on my shelf. This is at no fault of the author or the book itself but once I’ve read it it’s kind of lost its suspense for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A special thank you to BookSirens and C.J. Finch for giving me access to this copy.
June 1, 2026
Massive thanks to C.J. Finch, Little Bird Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy of Pull. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions expressed are my own.
This started of as quite an emotional and haunting story but then developed into a fantastic thriller that had me guessing and gasping until the very last page.
Main character Alex has a "gift" - he is able to see all of a person's memory when he touches them. Although he has used this ability for good by helping to convict criminals and find missing people, it weighs very heavily on him.
This was a really good thriller which focuses on Alex trying to uncover some sort of conspiracy that is affecting his brother's company, which he also works for. It is also linked to a range of strange deaths and disappearances.
The pacing of the story was excellent and I felt fully immersed in the plot as Alex tried to work out who was masterminding events. There was a big reveal that genuinely shocked me and the pace was relentless as the book reached its conclusion.
I won't give too much away but what an ending! It turned what would have been a solid 4-star read into a definite 5-star and one of my favourite books of 2026 so far.
This started of as quite an emotional and haunting story but then developed into a fantastic thriller that had me guessing and gasping until the very last page.
Main character Alex has a "gift" - he is able to see all of a person's memory when he touches them. Although he has used this ability for good by helping to convict criminals and find missing people, it weighs very heavily on him.
This was a really good thriller which focuses on Alex trying to uncover some sort of conspiracy that is affecting his brother's company, which he also works for. It is also linked to a range of strange deaths and disappearances.
The pacing of the story was excellent and I felt fully immersed in the plot as Alex tried to work out who was masterminding events. There was a big reveal that genuinely shocked me and the pace was relentless as the book reached its conclusion.
I won't give too much away but what an ending! It turned what would have been a solid 4-star read into a definite 5-star and one of my favourite books of 2026 so far.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
PULL didn’t just surprise me—it hit me. There’s this slow, unsettling tension that builds like a pressure in your chest, and I kept telling myself I was ready for whatever was coming. I wasn’t. Not even close.
When the twist landed, it felt like the air got sucked out of the room. My heart actually dropped. It wasn’t just unexpected—it was the kind of reveal that makes you rethink every page you’ve already read, every assumption you made, every tiny detail you thought you understood. I had to sit there for a moment, just absorbing it, because it changed everything in a way that felt both devastating and brilliant.
What really got me was the emotion behind it. It wasn’t shock for shock’s sake. It carried weight. It made the story feel deeper, sadder, more human. I found myself feeling for the characters in a way I didn’t anticipate, like the twist cracked something open inside the narrative—and inside me, too.
This book didn’t just give me a plot twist. It gave me a moment I’m going to remember. Five stars, easily.
When the twist landed, it felt like the air got sucked out of the room. My heart actually dropped. It wasn’t just unexpected—it was the kind of reveal that makes you rethink every page you’ve already read, every assumption you made, every tiny detail you thought you understood. I had to sit there for a moment, just absorbing it, because it changed everything in a way that felt both devastating and brilliant.
What really got me was the emotion behind it. It wasn’t shock for shock’s sake. It carried weight. It made the story feel deeper, sadder, more human. I found myself feeling for the characters in a way I didn’t anticipate, like the twist cracked something open inside the narrative—and inside me, too.
This book didn’t just give me a plot twist. It gave me a moment I’m going to remember. Five stars, easily.
June 10, 2026
What would you do if you could capture the memories of everyone you came into contact with? What if you could influence those memories? Pull is an interesting blend of suspense and supernatural abilities. The first half of the book I found myself aligned with the protagonist and his desire to help people but seeing his ability as an obstacle. However, once the conflict reached a climax I could understand why the antagonist used her abilities in the way she did. It left me asking "Would I do the same?" "Would I take it as far as she did?". Pull is a novel that dives into the way memories affect human nature and our everyday interactions. The ending left me questions the reality of the book and left me wondering what really happened?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 8, 2026
Pull has one of the most interesting and unique speculative sci-fi thriller concepts I’ve read in a very long time. One character can pull memories out of people, while another can push memories in. Alex's power comes with a price: he has to live life avoiding casual contact, thinks ahead about being touched, and treats touch as risky because it can expose him to memories he does not want.
The book will leave you disoriented a little since the timeline & scenes are being manipulated, leaving you feeling gaslit and unsure as to what is real and what is not.
While I did get a little confused here and there... the push-pull concept was memorable enough for me to land it a 4-star personal rating.
The book will leave you disoriented a little since the timeline & scenes are being manipulated, leaving you feeling gaslit and unsure as to what is real and what is not.
While I did get a little confused here and there... the push-pull concept was memorable enough for me to land it a 4-star personal rating.
June 5, 2026
The concept on this one intrigued me--someone who can pull others' memories. I really liked where the story started off and I was 100% in trying to figure out what was going on with Melanie.
I wish the story had run with that more rather than the direction it took. The story was good, but it was not as gripping as the first quarter of the book in my opinion.
The twists were great though!
I wish the story had run with that more rather than the direction it took. The story was good, but it was not as gripping as the first quarter of the book in my opinion.
The twists were great though!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews