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You Are Not Alone
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2020)Shay Miller wants to find love, but it eludes her. She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end. She wants to belong, but her life is increasingly lonely.
Until Shay meets the Moore sisters. Cassandra and Jane live a life of glamorous perfection, and always get what they desire. When they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better. Shay would die for them to like her. She may have to.
Until Shay meets the Moore sisters. Cassandra and Jane live a life of glamorous perfection, and always get what they desire. When they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better. Shay would die for them to like her. She may have to.
343 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2020
About the author
Greer Hendricks
9 books9,333 followersGreer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are the number one New York Times bestselling authors of THE WIFE BETWEEN US, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, and THE GOLDEN COUPLE.
Prior to becoming a novelist, Greer obtained her master's degree in journalism at Columbia University and spent two decades as an editor at Simon & Schuster. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Allure, Publishers Weekly and other publications.
Sarah is also the author of eight internationally and USA Today bestselling solo novels. A former investigative journalist and award-winning feature writer, her work has appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, and many other publications.
Prior to becoming a novelist, Greer obtained her master's degree in journalism at Columbia University and spent two decades as an editor at Simon & Schuster. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Allure, Publishers Weekly and other publications.
Sarah is also the author of eight internationally and USA Today bestselling solo novels. A former investigative journalist and award-winning feature writer, her work has appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, and many other publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,812 reviews
May 3, 2022
Aye aye aye I’m going off the rails on a crazy train! I started my review with the lyrics of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” song because this book is literally heart throbbing, thrilling ride!
Well, I have to admit three things: This evil genius duo can write a hell of an incredible book and know how to play twisty, dark, edgy mind games with you.
Second thing: I had to check several times and made sure that book is not Harley Quinn and gang members’ adventures because we have a team of badass, vindictive, dangerous women out there acting like vigilantes and bringing the justice.
And the last thing: I read this brilliant duo’s three books and I honestly tell you this book is my favorite one. Their extra ordinary performances exceeded my expectations.
Without spilling too much spoilers which is really hard thing for me as a person who gives her friends Agatha Christie books as gifts and writes the killers’ names at the middle of those books. So here we go:
Shay Miller has a crash on a charming roommate recently found a possessive girlfriend who gives her fake smiles but probably fantasizes how to get away from her at the second Shay turns her back. Poor Shay has a little estranged relationship with her mother because of her assholish new husband and she is also about to lose her job, slowly drifting apart with her bestie who recently had a baby.
And I have to mention the most important thing about Shay: She is obsessed with statics, mathematical charts about awkward things like the percentage of women commit suicide by jumping subway tracks. Or statics about panic attacks and loneliness percentages of Americans because she believes that the numbers are pure and true. They never lie.
She also put those facts into her journal instead of writing: “Dear journal, I’m having a shitty day because I saw a woman jumping the tracks and killing herself at the subway. I thought this was like beginning of “Woman’s Edge” novel but thankfully the woman didn’t give me her baby because she doesn’t have one so it seems like I’m a part of another terrifying thriller story. I think I’ll visit dead woman’s a.k.a. Amanda’s apartment and leave some flowers.”
She didn’t write those words but she went to Amanda’s place and left the flowers and unfortunately she made another mistake by joining her memorial event. And yes, now she is a shiny, glamorous target on her forehead because she already got Siamese not evil twins but just ominous sisters Jane and Cassandra and their vigilante fight club’s attention.
Those sisters approach her with friendly intentions and lonely Shay slowly starts to break her walls, earning her own self confidence with their support but you may see those sisters had hidden agenda to destroy this naïve, shy, geek lady.
What I liked so so so much about this book:
Fast pacing, intriguing, short chapters ending with mysterious finals like binge-watching series make you addictive and make you want more!
Sucker punches, surprises the author gave us!
The parts making you question everything you read: I changed several times to decide who the evil person of this book was because nothing as it seems and you change your mind about the characters several times. And interesting fact that I have to admit, at some parts I hate JODY more than the vigilante team members or femme fatale sisters. ( I think Margot Robbie and Jen Lawrence would be great duo to play their roles!)
Final expected twist! I loved the ending!
The things I didn’t like so much and make me give four stars instead of five:
I still have hard times why Shay didn’t question sisters’ motives so much because she’s so rational person with strong left brain skills and her fast emotional attachment was so instant.
And there were so much POV including Amanda’s last months and vigilante club members’ back stories. So I went back and forth to make sure I’m reading the right characters’ POV. It was a little confusing because most of them not the main characters of this story.
Overall: It was smart, exciting, riveting, entertaining page-turner. I had a great time and highly recommend this to the die-hard thriller and mystery fans.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing me this powerful thriller’s ARC COPY in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it so much.
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Well, I have to admit three things: This evil genius duo can write a hell of an incredible book and know how to play twisty, dark, edgy mind games with you.
Second thing: I had to check several times and made sure that book is not Harley Quinn and gang members’ adventures because we have a team of badass, vindictive, dangerous women out there acting like vigilantes and bringing the justice.
And the last thing: I read this brilliant duo’s three books and I honestly tell you this book is my favorite one. Their extra ordinary performances exceeded my expectations.
Without spilling too much spoilers which is really hard thing for me as a person who gives her friends Agatha Christie books as gifts and writes the killers’ names at the middle of those books. So here we go:
Shay Miller has a crash on a charming roommate recently found a possessive girlfriend who gives her fake smiles but probably fantasizes how to get away from her at the second Shay turns her back. Poor Shay has a little estranged relationship with her mother because of her assholish new husband and she is also about to lose her job, slowly drifting apart with her bestie who recently had a baby.
And I have to mention the most important thing about Shay: She is obsessed with statics, mathematical charts about awkward things like the percentage of women commit suicide by jumping subway tracks. Or statics about panic attacks and loneliness percentages of Americans because she believes that the numbers are pure and true. They never lie.
She also put those facts into her journal instead of writing: “Dear journal, I’m having a shitty day because I saw a woman jumping the tracks and killing herself at the subway. I thought this was like beginning of “Woman’s Edge” novel but thankfully the woman didn’t give me her baby because she doesn’t have one so it seems like I’m a part of another terrifying thriller story. I think I’ll visit dead woman’s a.k.a. Amanda’s apartment and leave some flowers.”
She didn’t write those words but she went to Amanda’s place and left the flowers and unfortunately she made another mistake by joining her memorial event. And yes, now she is a shiny, glamorous target on her forehead because she already got Siamese not evil twins but just ominous sisters Jane and Cassandra and their vigilante fight club’s attention.
Those sisters approach her with friendly intentions and lonely Shay slowly starts to break her walls, earning her own self confidence with their support but you may see those sisters had hidden agenda to destroy this naïve, shy, geek lady.
What I liked so so so much about this book:
Fast pacing, intriguing, short chapters ending with mysterious finals like binge-watching series make you addictive and make you want more!
Sucker punches, surprises the author gave us!
The parts making you question everything you read: I changed several times to decide who the evil person of this book was because nothing as it seems and you change your mind about the characters several times. And interesting fact that I have to admit, at some parts I hate JODY more than the vigilante team members or femme fatale sisters. ( I think Margot Robbie and Jen Lawrence would be great duo to play their roles!)
Final expected twist! I loved the ending!
The things I didn’t like so much and make me give four stars instead of five:
I still have hard times why Shay didn’t question sisters’ motives so much because she’s so rational person with strong left brain skills and her fast emotional attachment was so instant.
And there were so much POV including Amanda’s last months and vigilante club members’ back stories. So I went back and forth to make sure I’m reading the right characters’ POV. It was a little confusing because most of them not the main characters of this story.
Overall: It was smart, exciting, riveting, entertaining page-turner. I had a great time and highly recommend this to the die-hard thriller and mystery fans.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing me this powerful thriller’s ARC COPY in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it so much.
blog
February 6, 2020
You are Not Alone is a psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It only took 22 seconds to dramatically alter Shay Miller’s life. While she is book smart (and continuously records statistics and data), she is not people smart which leads her to be easily manipulated and taken advantage of. Coincidence after coincidence after coincidence after coincidence occurs (eye roll, please) which coupled with stupid people, puts Shay’s life in danger. Perhaps her obsessions with statistics and data will save her?
The premise is intriguing but the execution falls flat.
Told in three parts, Shay is the primary narrator. However, the reader does get the opportunity to read various perspectives of the group. All of the various perspectives and characters kind of meshed together, and I couldn’t keep track of who was who, outside of Shay and eventually, another character. The supporting characters are supposed to be strong, vicious women who will stop at nothing to get revenge on those who wronged them. What I read did not match. They were flat, one-dimensional and indistinguishable from one another. I wanted more from these characters! I wanted to read more about them and get a better feel for their motivations, but their character development was lacking and made the narrative unbalanced.
I wish I could have just got sucked in for entertainment value alone, but the lack of emotions and nonchalant tone left me not caring. The plot relies too much on coincidences and twists. There are some interesting revelations, but by the time they were revealed I just didn’t care. As much as I liked Shay’s character, I got tired of her constantly spewing data, and her final sentence elicited an eye roll.
Sadly, You are Not Alone didn’t do it for me.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
It only took 22 seconds to dramatically alter Shay Miller’s life. While she is book smart (and continuously records statistics and data), she is not people smart which leads her to be easily manipulated and taken advantage of. Coincidence after coincidence after coincidence after coincidence occurs (eye roll, please) which coupled with stupid people, puts Shay’s life in danger. Perhaps her obsessions with statistics and data will save her?
The premise is intriguing but the execution falls flat.
Told in three parts, Shay is the primary narrator. However, the reader does get the opportunity to read various perspectives of the group. All of the various perspectives and characters kind of meshed together, and I couldn’t keep track of who was who, outside of Shay and eventually, another character. The supporting characters are supposed to be strong, vicious women who will stop at nothing to get revenge on those who wronged them. What I read did not match. They were flat, one-dimensional and indistinguishable from one another. I wanted more from these characters! I wanted to read more about them and get a better feel for their motivations, but their character development was lacking and made the narrative unbalanced.
I wish I could have just got sucked in for entertainment value alone, but the lack of emotions and nonchalant tone left me not caring. The plot relies too much on coincidences and twists. There are some interesting revelations, but by the time they were revealed I just didn’t care. As much as I liked Shay’s character, I got tired of her constantly spewing data, and her final sentence elicited an eye roll.
Sadly, You are Not Alone didn’t do it for me.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2019
"Numbers never lie. Statistics, charts, percentages-they don't contain hidden agendas or shades of gray. They're pure and true. It isn't until people start meddling with them, spinning and shaping them, that they become dishonest."
Oof, this is a tough one to review, because there is such a small amount of content I can discuss here without taking away from your reading experience. I'm going to tiptoe around the spoiler mines planted throughout, and my goal is to leave you wanting to read the book without ruining a single detail along the way. Obviously if you've enjoyed the author duos' previous two novels, you'll most likely enjoy this one as well, because the mode of storytelling is similar to The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl.
Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks are masters of the art of deception, and consistently throw twists and turns our way via half truths and omissive text. To readers of mysteries and thrillers, this is one of the highest forms of flattery, because it is reminiscent of the traditional form of storytelling that Dame Agatha Christie used in some of her most popular works. Even the first chapter, where the details aren't vital to the endgame of the plot, contains crafty word play that places the reader on high alert, which is one of the major reasons that I love S & G's books. Between this writing style and the ever changing POVs to tell the story in a deliciously chaotic format, I was hooked immediately by You Are Not Alone.
As two of today's most prolific domestic drama writers, I don't think I'll have to do much convincing for you to add this to your TBR, but on the off chance that you're new to these authors, this is a wonderful place to jump in. If you're anxiously awaiting the release of You Are Not Alone, there's always time to back track and read their previous two novels! Highly recommended!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Oof, this is a tough one to review, because there is such a small amount of content I can discuss here without taking away from your reading experience. I'm going to tiptoe around the spoiler mines planted throughout, and my goal is to leave you wanting to read the book without ruining a single detail along the way. Obviously if you've enjoyed the author duos' previous two novels, you'll most likely enjoy this one as well, because the mode of storytelling is similar to The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl.
Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks are masters of the art of deception, and consistently throw twists and turns our way via half truths and omissive text. To readers of mysteries and thrillers, this is one of the highest forms of flattery, because it is reminiscent of the traditional form of storytelling that Dame Agatha Christie used in some of her most popular works. Even the first chapter, where the details aren't vital to the endgame of the plot, contains crafty word play that places the reader on high alert, which is one of the major reasons that I love S & G's books. Between this writing style and the ever changing POVs to tell the story in a deliciously chaotic format, I was hooked immediately by You Are Not Alone.
As two of today's most prolific domestic drama writers, I don't think I'll have to do much convincing for you to add this to your TBR, but on the off chance that you're new to these authors, this is a wonderful place to jump in. If you're anxiously awaiting the release of You Are Not Alone, there's always time to back track and read their previous two novels! Highly recommended!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
January 18, 2023
**3.5-stars**
Shay Miller, a 30-something data researcher living in New York City, is a bit of a loner.
Estranged from her family, with no real close friends, Shay spends a good portion of her time on her own.
Sharing an apartment with a cute guy, who she happens to have an unrequited crush on, is the current highlight of her existence.
That is until he gets a new girlfriend, Jody, who slowly begins pushing Shay out.
Knowing her days in the apartment are numbered, as are her numerous temp jobs, Shay becomes desperate to find a more stable living situation.
As her life seemingly drifts out of her control, Shay witnesses a horrific event on a subway platform that unknowingly sets her life onto a new course.
After witnessing a young woman's suicide, Shay is understandably shaken. She feels like she could have done something to prevent it.
Compelled to learn more about this tragic girl, Shay discovers her name, Amanda Evinger, and curiously enough ends up attending her memorial service.
Once there, surrounded by Amanda's friends and loved ones, Shay tries to blend in, inventing a loose acquaintance to Amanda for her cover story.
Everyone is so nice to her there, including the glamorous Moore sisters, Cassandra and Jane. Despite herself, Shay gets caught up in the warmth of the service and begins to let her guard down.
After the Moore sisters come into her orbit, things begin to fall into place for Shay. She suddenly finds herself with an alternative living arrangement, a better job, and a potential love life.
When things seem too good too be true, however, they often are.
What happens next is a wild, and often unbelievable, ride through the streets of New York City, as Shay slowly pieces together the truth behind the Moore sisters.
Who is friend? Who is foe? If you don't read this book, you may never know!
Much like previous works by Hendricks and Pekkanen, You Are Not Alone successfully builds suspense throughout.
The alternating perspectives help to amp up the sense of dread as you rush towards the final conclusion. It definitely made me anxious.
Although far-fetched, it was also tense, which is one of the main elements I am looking for in a Thriller. I enjoyed Shay as a protagonist and was feeling everything she was feeling.
At first, I had no clue what was happening and as it was revealed, I thought it clever.
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I appreciate the opportunity and will continue to read anything this dynamic duo writes!
Shay Miller, a 30-something data researcher living in New York City, is a bit of a loner.
Estranged from her family, with no real close friends, Shay spends a good portion of her time on her own.
Sharing an apartment with a cute guy, who she happens to have an unrequited crush on, is the current highlight of her existence.
That is until he gets a new girlfriend, Jody, who slowly begins pushing Shay out.
Knowing her days in the apartment are numbered, as are her numerous temp jobs, Shay becomes desperate to find a more stable living situation.
As her life seemingly drifts out of her control, Shay witnesses a horrific event on a subway platform that unknowingly sets her life onto a new course.
After witnessing a young woman's suicide, Shay is understandably shaken. She feels like she could have done something to prevent it.
Compelled to learn more about this tragic girl, Shay discovers her name, Amanda Evinger, and curiously enough ends up attending her memorial service.
Once there, surrounded by Amanda's friends and loved ones, Shay tries to blend in, inventing a loose acquaintance to Amanda for her cover story.
Everyone is so nice to her there, including the glamorous Moore sisters, Cassandra and Jane. Despite herself, Shay gets caught up in the warmth of the service and begins to let her guard down.
After the Moore sisters come into her orbit, things begin to fall into place for Shay. She suddenly finds herself with an alternative living arrangement, a better job, and a potential love life.
When things seem too good too be true, however, they often are.
What happens next is a wild, and often unbelievable, ride through the streets of New York City, as Shay slowly pieces together the truth behind the Moore sisters.
Who is friend? Who is foe? If you don't read this book, you may never know!
Much like previous works by Hendricks and Pekkanen, You Are Not Alone successfully builds suspense throughout.
The alternating perspectives help to amp up the sense of dread as you rush towards the final conclusion. It definitely made me anxious.
Although far-fetched, it was also tense, which is one of the main elements I am looking for in a Thriller. I enjoyed Shay as a protagonist and was feeling everything she was feeling.
At first, I had no clue what was happening and as it was revealed, I thought it clever.
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I appreciate the opportunity and will continue to read anything this dynamic duo writes!
August 1, 2020
This writing duo’s third release proved to be my least favorite of the bunch. Absent this time around was the compulsive page-turning quality of Hendricks and Pekkanen’s first two novels. Unlike its predecessors, You Are Not Alone is hum-drum, tedious even. Some might say, the epitome of predictable. The kiss of death in this genre, if ever there was one.
While told from multiple perspectives, You Are Not Alone centers around Shay, a book-smart statistician living in the heart of New York City. Single, jobless, and tortured by the reality that her roommate/crush continues to get cozier with his girlfriend, Shay is the definition of lonely.
Mere coincidence lands Shay on a subway platform the moment a woman chooses to leap to her death. Naturally, haunted by what she’s witnessed and unable to let go of the woman's empty eyes, Shay finds herself at the memorial service. And unbeknownst to her, directly in the crosshairs of two conniving sisters, Cassandra and Jane.
Hendricks and Pekkanen attempt to sell Shay as a woman that lets loneliness override rationality or even common sense. Given her analytical mind allows her to evaluate the statistics of any scenario, I wasn’t buying it. Yet, readers are expected to contend with a hefty dose of naivety on Shay’s part and the plethora of coincidences that take shape when the sisters step onto the scene.
Another aspect that knocked this one down a peg was the so-called twist. Or more fitting, the revelation. One that makes itself known pretty late in the game, failing in many respects to enhance the story in any capacity. Reeking more of a last-ditch effort to inject shock and awe into what feels like a lifeless experience.
Overarching my discontent with the storyline, and the lackluster revelation, was my inability to succumb to the words. To find that level of reading nirvana where the words drift way, allowing the story to take over. The culprit, the complete lack of nuance. Repetitive transitions and uninspiring sentence structures bogged down by useless minutia made this a snoozefest. Literally. The flat tone proving to be a saving grace while battling my pregnancy insomnia at 2 am.
This entire experience is one I'd mark as a throwaway. A book that offers little in terms of surprise, storyline arc, or even writing. Leading me to contemplate a step back from this genre and the overhyped releases that taunt me at every turn.
*Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
While told from multiple perspectives, You Are Not Alone centers around Shay, a book-smart statistician living in the heart of New York City. Single, jobless, and tortured by the reality that her roommate/crush continues to get cozier with his girlfriend, Shay is the definition of lonely.
Mere coincidence lands Shay on a subway platform the moment a woman chooses to leap to her death. Naturally, haunted by what she’s witnessed and unable to let go of the woman's empty eyes, Shay finds herself at the memorial service. And unbeknownst to her, directly in the crosshairs of two conniving sisters, Cassandra and Jane.
Hendricks and Pekkanen attempt to sell Shay as a woman that lets loneliness override rationality or even common sense. Given her analytical mind allows her to evaluate the statistics of any scenario, I wasn’t buying it. Yet, readers are expected to contend with a hefty dose of naivety on Shay’s part and the plethora of coincidences that take shape when the sisters step onto the scene.
Another aspect that knocked this one down a peg was the so-called twist. Or more fitting, the revelation. One that makes itself known pretty late in the game, failing in many respects to enhance the story in any capacity. Reeking more of a last-ditch effort to inject shock and awe into what feels like a lifeless experience.
Overarching my discontent with the storyline, and the lackluster revelation, was my inability to succumb to the words. To find that level of reading nirvana where the words drift way, allowing the story to take over. The culprit, the complete lack of nuance. Repetitive transitions and uninspiring sentence structures bogged down by useless minutia made this a snoozefest. Literally. The flat tone proving to be a saving grace while battling my pregnancy insomnia at 2 am.
This entire experience is one I'd mark as a throwaway. A book that offers little in terms of surprise, storyline arc, or even writing. Leading me to contemplate a step back from this genre and the overhyped releases that taunt me at every turn.
*Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
February 7, 2020
Huge fan of these authors!
I held off reading reviews until I finished this one and I would recommend doing the same (mixed reviews from my goodreads friends).
I really enjoyed it from the start. The way the authors left the clues along the path was brilliant! I like to put the puzzle together as I'm reading.
Shay Miller has a thing for data (she even collects it in a special book). I found these excerpts fascinating..... "Some studies show that eating alone is more strongly associated with unhappiness than any other factor...." I found Shay to be a sympathetic character and I was pulling for her all the way. She seemed lonely and vulnerable.
I felt uneasy when she began "hanging out" with the beautiful Moore sisters, who turned heads and lived a glam life.
Could their be room for Shay in the Moore sisters world? Or perhaps she should just run?
I enjoyed it and predicted some, but not all of the turns that came rumbling in with just the right amount of tension.
Thanks to NG/ ST. Martin's Press for my copy!
OUT March 2020
I held off reading reviews until I finished this one and I would recommend doing the same (mixed reviews from my goodreads friends).
I really enjoyed it from the start. The way the authors left the clues along the path was brilliant! I like to put the puzzle together as I'm reading.
Shay Miller has a thing for data (she even collects it in a special book). I found these excerpts fascinating..... "Some studies show that eating alone is more strongly associated with unhappiness than any other factor...." I found Shay to be a sympathetic character and I was pulling for her all the way. She seemed lonely and vulnerable.
I felt uneasy when she began "hanging out" with the beautiful Moore sisters, who turned heads and lived a glam life.
Could their be room for Shay in the Moore sisters world? Or perhaps she should just run?
I enjoyed it and predicted some, but not all of the turns that came rumbling in with just the right amount of tension.
Thanks to NG/ ST. Martin's Press for my copy!
OUT March 2020
January 24, 2020
The authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have established themselves as writers of the most twisted and tense of psychological thrillers and they do not disappoint with their latest offering set in New York. Shay lives a humdrum life, she shares a small apartment with Sean, a friend who is now in a serious relationship with his girlfriend, Jody, and as the dynamics between them change, she feels shut out. She is working temp jobs, feeling unsatisfied career wise, plagued by financial worries, filling her notebook with a range of statistics and an odd collection of disparate data. She is desperately lonely, unfulfilled, facing a emotional desert when it comes to a personal life, simply craving to belong and connect with others.
On a subway platform, she witnesses the disturbing suicide of a young woman who jumps in front of a fast moving train. She begins to obsess with the victim, haunted by the tragedy, as she begins to delve into her life, wondering what on earth made her want to take her own life. This leads Shay into attending the memorial service where she meets two strong sisters in their 30s, Cassandra and Jane Moore, a meeting that is to trigger the downward spiral of her life into a hellish nightmare. The beautiful and successful Moore sisters pull Shay into their carefully chosen and tested close inner circle of friends. As far as Shay is concerned, they are everything she wants to be, as she is drawn like a moth to a flame, particularly as her life begins to improve beyond recognition, but can she trust the new paths that have opened up to her?
This is a complex, chaotic, dark and entertaining read as we follow the sinister and menacing turns that Shay's life takes upon meeting the charismatic Moore sisters. A compulsive novel that I recommend to readers who enjoy their twisty and unsettling psychological thrillers. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
On a subway platform, she witnesses the disturbing suicide of a young woman who jumps in front of a fast moving train. She begins to obsess with the victim, haunted by the tragedy, as she begins to delve into her life, wondering what on earth made her want to take her own life. This leads Shay into attending the memorial service where she meets two strong sisters in their 30s, Cassandra and Jane Moore, a meeting that is to trigger the downward spiral of her life into a hellish nightmare. The beautiful and successful Moore sisters pull Shay into their carefully chosen and tested close inner circle of friends. As far as Shay is concerned, they are everything she wants to be, as she is drawn like a moth to a flame, particularly as her life begins to improve beyond recognition, but can she trust the new paths that have opened up to her?
This is a complex, chaotic, dark and entertaining read as we follow the sinister and menacing turns that Shay's life takes upon meeting the charismatic Moore sisters. A compulsive novel that I recommend to readers who enjoy their twisty and unsettling psychological thrillers. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
March 3, 2020
Woo hoo they did it again!!!
Fabulous book. Brilliant audio. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have written an addictive and compelling story. Barrie Kreinik and Dylan Moore brought the captivating tale to life with their exceptional audio narration. Just like the previous two books from this dynamic writing dual this book was twisted and filled with complex characters. It’s like putting together a giant puzzle when you’re not certain you have all the pieces. Their stories really dive deep into their character’s brains their psyches. Twists, turns, misdirections, lies.
Shay is in need of a new job, a new love, and a new place to live. One Sunday morning she is heading off to work to escape her lovey-dovey roommate and his new girlfriend. When waiting for the subway she witnesses a woman jump onto the tracks to her death. Shay is shook and a little obsessed with what made this woman jump. In trying to understand Amanda‘s (the girl who jumped) motivations she runs across sisters Cassondra and Jane Moore. What follows is a crazy, captivating, and disturbing story that asks a lot of questions, and gives few answers. A riveting story with a startling ending. This is probably not my favorite from this author team, but it was definitely entertaining, engaging, and left me wanting more.
This book in emojis. 🚇🚕🗽🏙🎒📓🖊
*** Big thank you to St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and libro.fm for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Fabulous book. Brilliant audio. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have written an addictive and compelling story. Barrie Kreinik and Dylan Moore brought the captivating tale to life with their exceptional audio narration. Just like the previous two books from this dynamic writing dual this book was twisted and filled with complex characters. It’s like putting together a giant puzzle when you’re not certain you have all the pieces. Their stories really dive deep into their character’s brains their psyches. Twists, turns, misdirections, lies.
Shay is in need of a new job, a new love, and a new place to live. One Sunday morning she is heading off to work to escape her lovey-dovey roommate and his new girlfriend. When waiting for the subway she witnesses a woman jump onto the tracks to her death. Shay is shook and a little obsessed with what made this woman jump. In trying to understand Amanda‘s (the girl who jumped) motivations she runs across sisters Cassondra and Jane Moore. What follows is a crazy, captivating, and disturbing story that asks a lot of questions, and gives few answers. A riveting story with a startling ending. This is probably not my favorite from this author team, but it was definitely entertaining, engaging, and left me wanting more.
This book in emojis. 🚇🚕🗽🏙🎒📓🖊
*** Big thank you to St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and libro.fm for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
December 31, 2019
New Yorker, Shay, has always been obsessed with statistics and she's made them her career. Having lost her last full time job due to harassment, and her live-in boyfriend because he found someone else, Shay is now living with a male friend and working as a temp, while she looks for a new full time job. Shay is lonely and feels like a third wheel, as her roommate and his girlfriend clearly need more alone time, in their tiny apartment. Then Shay watches a woman commit suicide by jumping in front of a speeding train. Shay is horrified and also transfixed by this event and the life of this woman, who looked so kind, like she could be a friend to Shay. If only Shay could have reached out sooner, shouted out sooner, maybe she could have saved this desperate woman.
In Shay's obsessive search for more information (data!) about this woman, she comes into contact with this woman's tight group of six friends. Shay would love to have friends like these women and once the ringleaders of the group meet and embrace Shay, for the first time she feels like she could belong. Good things start happening for Shay, after meeting sisters, Cassandra and Jane, and Shay begins feeling confident and strong, with their embrace of friendship.
For me, this group of women was where the books gets way too bogged down and confusing. There is a lot time spent on the backgrounds of the women and their present activities but really, the only women I could truly keep straight in my mind, were Cassandra and Jane. After I was too far in the book, I was wishing I had been keeping a book of data (just like Shay), from the beginning, because I felt swamped under useless and too much information.
By the end of this book, what I wished for was that we could have seen this story from the perspective of Shay and the two, barely seen, woman police officers. I know that might make this more a police procedural than what the story actually was but I would have liked to have been in the heads of these two police women rather than seeing this story from the perspective of Cassandra, Jane, and the other women. I just felt so confused when usually I'm pretty good at keeping a story straight.
What I did like was Shay and her story, her love of statistics, her attempt to keep her head above water when life was going so wrong. And I also loved the use of statistics at the beginning of many chapters, relating to things in the book. Those stats put us in the mind of data obsessed Shay and were a great way to help me feel like I knew her.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
In Shay's obsessive search for more information (data!) about this woman, she comes into contact with this woman's tight group of six friends. Shay would love to have friends like these women and once the ringleaders of the group meet and embrace Shay, for the first time she feels like she could belong. Good things start happening for Shay, after meeting sisters, Cassandra and Jane, and Shay begins feeling confident and strong, with their embrace of friendship.
For me, this group of women was where the books gets way too bogged down and confusing. There is a lot time spent on the backgrounds of the women and their present activities but really, the only women I could truly keep straight in my mind, were Cassandra and Jane. After I was too far in the book, I was wishing I had been keeping a book of data (just like Shay), from the beginning, because I felt swamped under useless and too much information.
By the end of this book, what I wished for was that we could have seen this story from the perspective of Shay and the two, barely seen, woman police officers. I know that might make this more a police procedural than what the story actually was but I would have liked to have been in the heads of these two police women rather than seeing this story from the perspective of Cassandra, Jane, and the other women. I just felt so confused when usually I'm pretty good at keeping a story straight.
What I did like was Shay and her story, her love of statistics, her attempt to keep her head above water when life was going so wrong. And I also loved the use of statistics at the beginning of many chapters, relating to things in the book. Those stats put us in the mind of data obsessed Shay and were a great way to help me feel like I knew her.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
December 16, 2019
NO SPOILERS....(rather, thoughts, feelings, tidbits and teasers)
“An orbit is a regular, repeating path that one object in space takes another one”. [this quote is not from this book...but it relates]...
This is the 3rd psychological thriller I’ve read by the power-team co-authors: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.
Greer and Sarah have matching T-shirts that say....”Better Together”. ( cute)...
Their philosophy about ‘togetherness-power’, in You Are Not Alone”, comes through loud and clear....yet along the same thoughts of food combining: some combinations make for a delicious satisfying meal; if too many ingredients are added, it can be havoc on our digestive systems.
The writing succeeded at keeping me suspense-fully engaged to the end...but there ‘were’ unnecessary ingredients. Some scenes were a stretch to seem remotely possible. And a few characters were presented like a garnish....( a little parsley on the side).
I read much of this book like a gatherer. Instead of racing through it - ( yet, I read at a steady stream) - I was aware of gathering my marbles....polishing them....arranging them....separating them...and playing with them. Lots of names and details I wanted to keep straight. It wasn’t hard to do ( credit to the power-authors)...but just in case....haha....I was covering my tracks and being careful not to forget anything. I wanted to figure out the ending before I got to it. I didn’t. ( credit the authors again).
There are a lot of characters in this book. I didn’t want to miss one iota of a clue....or forget one name.
I involved myself with the authors game as much as possible. There are many puzzle pieces to put together. Some pieces went together faster then others. Blindsiding storytelling aspects are stronger than the plot. Which was fine with me once I realized the name of the game....”You Are Not Alone”....
And....I’m ALWAYS HAPPY that the Greer/Sarah ladies never exploit graphic violence in their novels.
I had a clue about the ‘woman’s group’ and their purpose together early on ... but I was still missing pieces. The ending added an interesting element - but when I looked at the ‘entire’ book....not every loose end was tied perfectly together.
Flaws and all....I’m glad I read it. I don’t think it’s the authors strongest of their three books... but its definitely engaging. 4- 4.5 rating - a little less than 5 stars ( as their past two books were).
Yet...my thoughts are still growing.
I’m left thinking about consequences to consequential and inconsequential actions.
Also at times... it felt like ants were crawling all over my skin....
A friend sent me a “what ya doing”, text right in the middle of my trying to tie strings together in this story: ... during a part I felt was CUCKOO CRAZY...( coincidences galore & gullible silliness)....
I said...”go away”....I’m busy rolling my eyes - and walking on nails.
My friend wouldn’t go away until I shared some juicy details. I realized it was fun discussing the shenanigans — so our early discussion became part of my reading enjoyment.
At first glance it looks like the powerful Moore sisters: Casandra and Jane - ( 2 years apart in age - in their 30’s), have built their life around their selected friends....preserving and demanding sacredness and loyalty.
“I get a good vibe from Amanda, Valerie had said to the rest of the women—Casandra, Jane, Beth, Stacey, and Daphne— during their next meeting. You’ve all spent a little time with her by now. I think she’s one of us”.
ONE OF WHAT?????.....I WONDERED.
The girls took a vote by raising their hands. It was unanimous but the vote didn’t mean Amanda would be invited in the group. It merely meant that the six women had decided to test her.
TEST WHAT??? WHAT TYPE OF GROUP WAS THIS?
A little about the character *Shay*:
Shay had a great friendship with her ‘guy-apartment-mate’: Sean. But once Sean became a serious couple with Jody...Shay felt like a third wheel to ‘Sean & Jody’s’ cuddling on the couch, cooking together, and their giggly ‘togetherness’.
Shay was a statistician type girl. She kept a data notebook....on thought-provoking probabilities.
Examples of her data book entries:
....”I once read a horrifying statistic that I’ve never been able to get out of my mind: cutting boards contain 200 percent more fecal bacteria than a toilet seat”.
....”Forty-three percent of American’s feel isolated...”
....”In a study of people who had witnessed suicide...”
....”If you’re going to tell a premeditated lie, here’s how to do it...”
....”About one-third of all injuries occur at home, and one of the most dangerous areas is the kitchen...”
....”Nurses have access to fentanyl, OxyContin, Valium, Percocet, Vicodin...”
....etc....
We know a lot about Shay right away... Her temp job. Her insecurities...her financial concerns...her desire to belong, connect, to have good friends, her loneliness, her values and routines....and the repercussions from witnessing a tragic symbolic-hornet’s nest.
“I’ve felt many things in the city I’ve lived in for nearly a decade: (NYC)...hopeful, despondent, joyful, irritated, and deeply lonely.
But I’ve never felt the gut-wrenching primal sense of fear I experienced just now when I......” 😉... no spoilers, remember?
You’ll meet many characters... and learn their back stories:
Cassandra, Jane, Valerie, Amanda, Beth, Daphne, Stacey, Kit, Sean, Jodi, James, Oliver, Detective Santiago, Detective Williams, etc.
Other tidbits:
Enjoy Moscow Mules, Bakery Sweets, Banana smoothies, secrets, lies, conniving schemes, a little absurdity, a pok-a-dot- dress, a sunshine necklace, a memorial service, DATAGIRL, land mines, smooth shiny hair, stilettos, motherhood, a frying pan memory, ....and the mystery of a women’s tight nit group.
In “You Are Not Alone”, characters find ways to navigate a road they never tended to travel...but sometimes a girl needs to do what a girl needs to do!
Complicated...twisty...messy......enjoyable!
Thank You St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and Sarah Pekkhanen, and Greer Hendricks
“An orbit is a regular, repeating path that one object in space takes another one”. [this quote is not from this book...but it relates]...
This is the 3rd psychological thriller I’ve read by the power-team co-authors: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.
Greer and Sarah have matching T-shirts that say....”Better Together”. ( cute)...
Their philosophy about ‘togetherness-power’, in You Are Not Alone”, comes through loud and clear....yet along the same thoughts of food combining: some combinations make for a delicious satisfying meal; if too many ingredients are added, it can be havoc on our digestive systems.
The writing succeeded at keeping me suspense-fully engaged to the end...but there ‘were’ unnecessary ingredients. Some scenes were a stretch to seem remotely possible. And a few characters were presented like a garnish....( a little parsley on the side).
I read much of this book like a gatherer. Instead of racing through it - ( yet, I read at a steady stream) - I was aware of gathering my marbles....polishing them....arranging them....separating them...and playing with them. Lots of names and details I wanted to keep straight. It wasn’t hard to do ( credit to the power-authors)...but just in case....haha....I was covering my tracks and being careful not to forget anything. I wanted to figure out the ending before I got to it. I didn’t. ( credit the authors again).
There are a lot of characters in this book. I didn’t want to miss one iota of a clue....or forget one name.
I involved myself with the authors game as much as possible. There are many puzzle pieces to put together. Some pieces went together faster then others. Blindsiding storytelling aspects are stronger than the plot. Which was fine with me once I realized the name of the game....”You Are Not Alone”....
And....I’m ALWAYS HAPPY that the Greer/Sarah ladies never exploit graphic violence in their novels.
I had a clue about the ‘woman’s group’ and their purpose together early on ... but I was still missing pieces. The ending added an interesting element - but when I looked at the ‘entire’ book....not every loose end was tied perfectly together.
Flaws and all....I’m glad I read it. I don’t think it’s the authors strongest of their three books... but its definitely engaging. 4- 4.5 rating - a little less than 5 stars ( as their past two books were).
Yet...my thoughts are still growing.
I’m left thinking about consequences to consequential and inconsequential actions.
Also at times... it felt like ants were crawling all over my skin....
A friend sent me a “what ya doing”, text right in the middle of my trying to tie strings together in this story: ... during a part I felt was CUCKOO CRAZY...( coincidences galore & gullible silliness)....
I said...”go away”....I’m busy rolling my eyes - and walking on nails.
My friend wouldn’t go away until I shared some juicy details. I realized it was fun discussing the shenanigans — so our early discussion became part of my reading enjoyment.
At first glance it looks like the powerful Moore sisters: Casandra and Jane - ( 2 years apart in age - in their 30’s), have built their life around their selected friends....preserving and demanding sacredness and loyalty.
“I get a good vibe from Amanda, Valerie had said to the rest of the women—Casandra, Jane, Beth, Stacey, and Daphne— during their next meeting. You’ve all spent a little time with her by now. I think she’s one of us”.
ONE OF WHAT?????.....I WONDERED.
The girls took a vote by raising their hands. It was unanimous but the vote didn’t mean Amanda would be invited in the group. It merely meant that the six women had decided to test her.
TEST WHAT??? WHAT TYPE OF GROUP WAS THIS?
A little about the character *Shay*:
Shay had a great friendship with her ‘guy-apartment-mate’: Sean. But once Sean became a serious couple with Jody...Shay felt like a third wheel to ‘Sean & Jody’s’ cuddling on the couch, cooking together, and their giggly ‘togetherness’.
Shay was a statistician type girl. She kept a data notebook....on thought-provoking probabilities.
Examples of her data book entries:
....”I once read a horrifying statistic that I’ve never been able to get out of my mind: cutting boards contain 200 percent more fecal bacteria than a toilet seat”.
....”Forty-three percent of American’s feel isolated...”
....”In a study of people who had witnessed suicide...”
....”If you’re going to tell a premeditated lie, here’s how to do it...”
....”About one-third of all injuries occur at home, and one of the most dangerous areas is the kitchen...”
....”Nurses have access to fentanyl, OxyContin, Valium, Percocet, Vicodin...”
....etc....
We know a lot about Shay right away... Her temp job. Her insecurities...her financial concerns...her desire to belong, connect, to have good friends, her loneliness, her values and routines....and the repercussions from witnessing a tragic symbolic-hornet’s nest.
“I’ve felt many things in the city I’ve lived in for nearly a decade: (NYC)...hopeful, despondent, joyful, irritated, and deeply lonely.
But I’ve never felt the gut-wrenching primal sense of fear I experienced just now when I......” 😉... no spoilers, remember?
You’ll meet many characters... and learn their back stories:
Cassandra, Jane, Valerie, Amanda, Beth, Daphne, Stacey, Kit, Sean, Jodi, James, Oliver, Detective Santiago, Detective Williams, etc.
Other tidbits:
Enjoy Moscow Mules, Bakery Sweets, Banana smoothies, secrets, lies, conniving schemes, a little absurdity, a pok-a-dot- dress, a sunshine necklace, a memorial service, DATAGIRL, land mines, smooth shiny hair, stilettos, motherhood, a frying pan memory, ....and the mystery of a women’s tight nit group.
In “You Are Not Alone”, characters find ways to navigate a road they never tended to travel...but sometimes a girl needs to do what a girl needs to do!
Complicated...twisty...messy......enjoyable!
Thank You St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and Sarah Pekkhanen, and Greer Hendricks
March 3, 2020
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
I am a huge fan of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. I loved their previous novels An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us. So of course, this novel was immediately added to my “to be read ASAP” list.
Thirty-one-year-old, Shay Miller is a market researcher. From a very young age, Shay realized that numbers affected the way people saw each other. She then started keeping track of stats in data books (her version of a diary). Shay is very aware of her personal stats. She is thirty-one, single, and was recently let go from her job. Her first priority is finding a new job. She has an interview the next day.
Later that day, Shay is waiting for her train when she witnesses something horrific. She’s unable to get what happened out of her head, The next day her interview doesn’t go so well. She arrives late and flashbacks leave her unable to concentrate properly.
Things can’t possibly get any worse….
All Shay has ever wanted is to be loved and accepted. Then Shay meets the Moore sisters. Cassandra and Jane Moore see that Shay is struggling and they seem to want to help.
Suddenly Shay doesn’t feel so alone.
Cassandra and Jane Moore founded their own PR Firm in their mid-twenties. They are successful, confident, and glamorous, everything Shay wants to be. They are so kind and they make Shay feel like she belongs. Now Shay has a social life and a new job on the horizon.
Things are FINALLY looking up.
However, Shay is completely unaware that someone out there is following her, delving into her background, and trying to find out everything they can about her.
Why are they doing this? Is she in danger?
Soon nothing feels safe and Shay doesn’t know where to turn.
This was an intriguing and twisted tale that reminds us to be careful what we wish for.
Quite a bit of the story is told from Shay’s point of view. There are also chapters from the Moore sisters as well as a few other characters. Although some chapters take place in the past, I didn’t have trouble keeping everything and everyone straight. However, I did find that the story got a little slow at times. I also got a bit frustrated with some of the character's actions but overall, I thought it was a pretty entertaining and engrossing read.
I really liked how Shay’s data book information was shared at the beginning of her chapters. I found a lot of the data and facts very interesting. While it may not be my favorite by the duo, I still really enjoyed this novel and can’t wait to see what they write next!
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
August 16, 2022
The beginning of this book was boring and a little bit hard to follow. The middle of the book is very fast moving and inserting. The ending I guess some of the twisted and some I did not guess, but I enjoyed it. Overall I really like this book.
This was an add to my March Book of the Month box ( https://www.mybotm.com/zr12wnytgc8?sh... )
This was an add to my March Book of the Month box ( https://www.mybotm.com/zr12wnytgc8?sh... )
March 3, 2020
Shay Miller’s life is exceptionally ordinary. That is until the day she witnesses a woman throwing herself into an oncoming subway. And of course, she struggles mightily to believe what she’s just seen. Who wouldn’t?
But for Shay it goes much deeper. She feels a sense of guilt…perhaps more precisely, a connection to this poor woman.
Suddenly Shay finds herself swept up in the woman’s past life. Even receiving help from the mystery ladys’ best friends, the highly popular and glamorous Moore sisters. Maybe something good and positive can come out of this tragedy after all. It’s starting to look as though Shay has a chance of living a life she never dreamed of.
This was a finely-crafted thriller with some ingenious twists along the way, so brace yourself!
True to form, if you’re a fan of this brilliant pairing of authors, then you’ll certainly love this one! Don’t miss out!
A buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC to read and review.
But for Shay it goes much deeper. She feels a sense of guilt…perhaps more precisely, a connection to this poor woman.
Suddenly Shay finds herself swept up in the woman’s past life. Even receiving help from the mystery ladys’ best friends, the highly popular and glamorous Moore sisters. Maybe something good and positive can come out of this tragedy after all. It’s starting to look as though Shay has a chance of living a life she never dreamed of.
This was a finely-crafted thriller with some ingenious twists along the way, so brace yourself!
True to form, if you’re a fan of this brilliant pairing of authors, then you’ll certainly love this one! Don’t miss out!
A buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC to read and review.
March 22, 2020
You Are Not Alone is an enthralling psychological thriller with an incredible storyline and some well-crafted characters. It’s a complex and emotional tale of friendship, manipulation, betrayal, and revenge.
With a dead-end job and an increasingly lonely life, Shay Miller is unhappy. But things become much worse for her as she watches a stranger (Amanda) commit suicide by throwing herself off in front of a moving train. Emotionally distressed Shay, who becomes fixated on Amanda, tracks down the young woman’s address and shows up at her memorial service. Shay’s presence attracts the attention of glamorous sisters Jane and Cassandra Moore, whose inner circle of women included Amanda. Soon, they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better. Things keep going well for Shay and her new friends until things take a sharp turn for the worst.
Amidst the several domestic suspense stories (husband-wife-ex-wife-ex lover), this book was like a breath of fresh air. Not only was the plot unique but the characters were distinctive too. The story is narrated by different characters but Shay is the primary character. The reader gets the perspectives of various characters and their motivations of the group, which fills gaps in the story nicely. The story sets up the third act which is dramatically different from the rest of the story. The characters of Shay, Cassandra and Jane were excellently crafted and given the story revolves mostly around them, it worked nicely. The writing was excellent and the short chapters kept the plot moving along at a rapid pace.
Having said that, the story gets a little slow at times. The supporting characters apart from Cassandra and Jane rest felt one dimensional. After investing in each character’s own chapter POVs through different timelines, some of these characters are rarely used which was a bit of a disappointment. The cast of characters were also hard to keep track of at times and that made the book difficult to keep up with. The plot overall was good but the final reveal and the events leading to it feel a bit unrealistic.
Having said that, the story was really entertaining. I really enjoyed the first half of this book when the mystery was being set up and the backstories on some characters. Only the third act and the ending was a bit of a letdown.
Overall, You Are Not Alone is an entertaining and engaging thriller. If you like dark and suspenseful reads with some unique twists, you will enjoy this one. Three and a half stars
Many thanks to the publishers St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss for the ARC.
With a dead-end job and an increasingly lonely life, Shay Miller is unhappy. But things become much worse for her as she watches a stranger (Amanda) commit suicide by throwing herself off in front of a moving train. Emotionally distressed Shay, who becomes fixated on Amanda, tracks down the young woman’s address and shows up at her memorial service. Shay’s presence attracts the attention of glamorous sisters Jane and Cassandra Moore, whose inner circle of women included Amanda. Soon, they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better. Things keep going well for Shay and her new friends until things take a sharp turn for the worst.
Amidst the several domestic suspense stories (husband-wife-ex-wife-ex lover), this book was like a breath of fresh air. Not only was the plot unique but the characters were distinctive too. The story is narrated by different characters but Shay is the primary character. The reader gets the perspectives of various characters and their motivations of the group, which fills gaps in the story nicely. The story sets up the third act which is dramatically different from the rest of the story. The characters of Shay, Cassandra and Jane were excellently crafted and given the story revolves mostly around them, it worked nicely. The writing was excellent and the short chapters kept the plot moving along at a rapid pace.
Having said that, the story gets a little slow at times. The supporting characters apart from Cassandra and Jane rest felt one dimensional. After investing in each character’s own chapter POVs through different timelines, some of these characters are rarely used which was a bit of a disappointment. The cast of characters were also hard to keep track of at times and that made the book difficult to keep up with. The plot overall was good but the final reveal and the events leading to it feel a bit unrealistic.
Having said that, the story was really entertaining. I really enjoyed the first half of this book when the mystery was being set up and the backstories on some characters. Only the third act and the ending was a bit of a letdown.
Overall, You Are Not Alone is an entertaining and engaging thriller. If you like dark and suspenseful reads with some unique twists, you will enjoy this one. Three and a half stars
Many thanks to the publishers St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss for the ARC.
February 10, 2020
I really enjoyed the first two books by the writing team of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. In both cases, the books grabbed me, twisted me around and kept me turning pages as fast as I could. So, I was anxious to see what they would dream up this time.
Shay Miller doesn’t have much going on in her life - she’s recently lost her job and is temping, her male roommate, who was her best friend, now has a girlfriend. Then, she witnesses a woman committing suicide by jumping in front of a subway train. The suicide does her in. But when she makes the decision to go to the woman’s memorial service, she is taken in by the woman’s friends.
The chapters alternate between Shay and the other members of the group. Shay is a market researcher and I liked how the authors punctuate her chapters with data. She’s a weird bird but I felt sorry for her.
As the title would suggest, the book tackles loneliness and what it opens us up to.
The story isn’t believable, but it’s a juicy, fun, fast read. I had my suspicions about the group of friends. The authors dole out hints in small increments about what they’re doing, although it’s pretty obvious early on. Even once you know for sure, the question is how it will all play out.
I can’t say I loved this much as much as The Anonymous Girl. I’m rating this 3.5 stars, rounded up.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
Shay Miller doesn’t have much going on in her life - she’s recently lost her job and is temping, her male roommate, who was her best friend, now has a girlfriend. Then, she witnesses a woman committing suicide by jumping in front of a subway train. The suicide does her in. But when she makes the decision to go to the woman’s memorial service, she is taken in by the woman’s friends.
The chapters alternate between Shay and the other members of the group. Shay is a market researcher and I liked how the authors punctuate her chapters with data. She’s a weird bird but I felt sorry for her.
As the title would suggest, the book tackles loneliness and what it opens us up to.
The story isn’t believable, but it’s a juicy, fun, fast read. I had my suspicions about the group of friends. The authors dole out hints in small increments about what they’re doing, although it’s pretty obvious early on. Even once you know for sure, the question is how it will all play out.
I can’t say I loved this much as much as The Anonymous Girl. I’m rating this 3.5 stars, rounded up.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
January 31, 2020
3.5 stars
Nothing is going Shay’s way. She’s a desperately lonely young woman who is having a bad day that is about to get worse.
As she stands on the subway platform a young woman jumps on the tracks to her death. This sets off a chain of events that ironically leaves Shay thinking life is finally going her way. Glamorous new friends, a new job, new apartment....too good to be true?
Loneliness and isolation makes Shay vulnerable and her dream life will soon turn into a nightmare. I won’t ruin the fun by revealing any more of the plot as its best discovered by the reader.
Shay loves data and statistics and one of my favorite parts of the story are the facts that start each chapter. Loneliness plays a big factor in the story. I liked Shay’s character and found her sympathetic. I really enjoyed the focus on loneliness which is timely. The day I finished this book I saw this on NPR: “ A new study says more than 3 in 5 Americans are lonely, with more people reporting feeling like they are left out, poorly understood and lacking companionship. Young people.... are some of the hardest hit.”
I enjoyed the writing style and the short chapters kept the plot moving along. On the con side are too many characters which I sometimes had trouble distinguishing from one another. As with most thrillers, some suspension of disbelief is necessary. Still, it’s an entertaining way to while away an afternoon.
*I received a digital copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
* this title will publish March 3, 2020 by St. Martin’s Press
Nothing is going Shay’s way. She’s a desperately lonely young woman who is having a bad day that is about to get worse.
As she stands on the subway platform a young woman jumps on the tracks to her death. This sets off a chain of events that ironically leaves Shay thinking life is finally going her way. Glamorous new friends, a new job, new apartment....too good to be true?
Loneliness and isolation makes Shay vulnerable and her dream life will soon turn into a nightmare. I won’t ruin the fun by revealing any more of the plot as its best discovered by the reader.
Shay loves data and statistics and one of my favorite parts of the story are the facts that start each chapter. Loneliness plays a big factor in the story. I liked Shay’s character and found her sympathetic. I really enjoyed the focus on loneliness which is timely. The day I finished this book I saw this on NPR: “ A new study says more than 3 in 5 Americans are lonely, with more people reporting feeling like they are left out, poorly understood and lacking companionship. Young people.... are some of the hardest hit.”
I enjoyed the writing style and the short chapters kept the plot moving along. On the con side are too many characters which I sometimes had trouble distinguishing from one another. As with most thrillers, some suspension of disbelief is necessary. Still, it’s an entertaining way to while away an afternoon.
*I received a digital copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
* this title will publish March 3, 2020 by St. Martin’s Press
February 23, 2020
4 Stars
C-RAZY!
When Shay Miller witnesses something horrific on a subway platform, her life is forever changed and she becomes obsessed trying to find out what happened.
Shay is a loner, with no real family to speak of. To say that her life is not exactly glamorous is an understatement. She works a dead end temp job and shares an apartment in NYC with her best friend who she has had a crush on forever. Too bad he has a new girlfriend!
Enter the Moore Sisters. Shay’s new Frenemies! If only she recognized them for who they were and what they wanted.
Say What?!
What a brilliant mystery/ suspense “You Are Not Alone” turned out to be! The twists and turns were cray cray! Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen never ever disappoint! Each and every novel they have written to date is different from the next and is unlike anything I have read before which frankly, I love. This pair deserves kudos for always being original. I truly enjoyed this novel and would have given it 5 stars however there were a few teeny tiny loose ends that never got tied up (which bugged me a tad). That aside, if you’re looking for a novel that is wholly original, this might be for you!
This was a fabulous buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for the arc.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 2.23.20.
C-RAZY!
When Shay Miller witnesses something horrific on a subway platform, her life is forever changed and she becomes obsessed trying to find out what happened.
Shay is a loner, with no real family to speak of. To say that her life is not exactly glamorous is an understatement. She works a dead end temp job and shares an apartment in NYC with her best friend who she has had a crush on forever. Too bad he has a new girlfriend!
Enter the Moore Sisters. Shay’s new Frenemies! If only she recognized them for who they were and what they wanted.
Say What?!
What a brilliant mystery/ suspense “You Are Not Alone” turned out to be! The twists and turns were cray cray! Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen never ever disappoint! Each and every novel they have written to date is different from the next and is unlike anything I have read before which frankly, I love. This pair deserves kudos for always being original. I truly enjoyed this novel and would have given it 5 stars however there were a few teeny tiny loose ends that never got tied up (which bugged me a tad). That aside, if you’re looking for a novel that is wholly original, this might be for you!
This was a fabulous buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for the arc.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 2.23.20.
February 28, 2020
3.5 rounded up to 4
Yet another win for this writing duo! I believe they have proven that we can always count on a thriller with a unique story line.
Oh Shay...girl you are a hot mess express. You can't help but feel bad for Shay. She is likeable but quirky and nothing is going right for her. She is in love with her roommate Sean...but Sean just asked his girlfriend to move in with them...oh and for Shay to move out. So there is that. She is stuck in a dead end temp job. She is seen as "quirky" with her book of stats she keeps. Personally I loved reading about her stats, but I stress just reading about them. If I had a friend that whipped out that odd list, well I might feel a little less entertained and a bit concerned. Just when you think it can't get worse for Shay, well she witnessed a woman jump to her death in front of a train. Then stuff gets really weird....
Lucky for Shay she meets these two great sisters- Casandra and Jane. These total strangers take her right under their wings. Wow, what fantastic new friends. I mean no need to question these two that a trying to solve all Shay's problems.....right????
Well this was quite an odd little thriller. I really enjoyed it but I kept thinking how odd it all was. Yet thinking back Anonymous Girl was a bit odd too. The kind of odd that I liked though. It wasn't as shocking and twisty as I had hoped. It was a little confusing with the different POV's but I did catch on eventually. An entertaining thriller!
Yet another win for this writing duo! I believe they have proven that we can always count on a thriller with a unique story line.
Oh Shay...girl you are a hot mess express. You can't help but feel bad for Shay. She is likeable but quirky and nothing is going right for her. She is in love with her roommate Sean...but Sean just asked his girlfriend to move in with them...oh and for Shay to move out. So there is that. She is stuck in a dead end temp job. She is seen as "quirky" with her book of stats she keeps. Personally I loved reading about her stats, but I stress just reading about them. If I had a friend that whipped out that odd list, well I might feel a little less entertained and a bit concerned. Just when you think it can't get worse for Shay, well she witnessed a woman jump to her death in front of a train. Then stuff gets really weird....
Lucky for Shay she meets these two great sisters- Casandra and Jane. These total strangers take her right under their wings. Wow, what fantastic new friends. I mean no need to question these two that a trying to solve all Shay's problems.....right????
Well this was quite an odd little thriller. I really enjoyed it but I kept thinking how odd it all was. Yet thinking back Anonymous Girl was a bit odd too. The kind of odd that I liked though. It wasn't as shocking and twisty as I had hoped. It was a little confusing with the different POV's but I did catch on eventually. An entertaining thriller!
March 21, 2020
fulfilling my 2020 goal to read (at least) one book each month that was given to me as a present that i haven't yet gotten around to reading because i am an ungrateful dick.
this is a bit of a cheat, because while it WAS a gift (thanks, michelle ! ♥) it is a gift of < a week, so it hasn't been sitting here triggering my molten-guilt core for very long. don't care, ppbbbllltt!
three and a half in my heart, review to come!
********************************
okay, here it is: THIS BOOK: is it fun? yes. is it a fast read? absolutely. is it…convincing? weeeeeeelllll…
but hey—when it comes to these kinds of twisty psychological suspense page-turners, satisfaction doesn’t necessarily depend upon plausibility; you suspend your disbelief and get swept away in the author’s (or, here—authors’) imagination; their ability to conceive a plot that deceives the reader with interlocking clues and red herrings jenga’d up into a pleasing puzzle that logic would only dismantle.
and if a book is twisty enough, it’s okay if you predict some of its surprises. and if some of the steps in the extended cat-and-mouse scheme rely too heavily upon coincidence or a character’s preternatural ability to anticipate every variable or accurately predict the actions/reactions of multiple individuals despite having only just met them, well—stop poking the jenga!
i read The Wife Between Us and i was pleasantly surprised. i bought-in-hardcover-but-haven’t-yet-read An Anonymous Girl, so i’m only able to compare this one to their debut, and while it wasn't as sparky, i was never bored. if the breed standards are that it entertain, then ✓. keep the reader guessing, ✓. deliver reasonable explanations, ✓-ish. resolve itself adroitly? no. nuh-uh. chapter sixty-eight would never ever happen. ladies, please. there are two of you. that’s TWO chances to say “let’s get some more paper and try again.”
overall, it was enjoyable without being groundbreaking or memorable. sometimes you'll get to the end of one of these and be so mind=blown that you immediately go back through to marvel at all the clues ya missed and the cheeky misdirections, and YOUR LIFE IS CHANGED FOREVER.
this is not one of those books.
but it’s a fun temporary escape and if you are quarantined—grab a stack of books like these and several bowls of candy and hunker down for as long as this takes.
WASH YOUR HANDS!
come to my blog!
this is a bit of a cheat, because while it WAS a gift (thanks, michelle ! ♥) it is a gift of < a week, so it hasn't been sitting here triggering my molten-guilt core for very long. don't care, ppbbbllltt!
three and a half in my heart, review to come!
********************************
okay, here it is: THIS BOOK: is it fun? yes. is it a fast read? absolutely. is it…convincing? weeeeeeelllll…
but hey—when it comes to these kinds of twisty psychological suspense page-turners, satisfaction doesn’t necessarily depend upon plausibility; you suspend your disbelief and get swept away in the author’s (or, here—authors’) imagination; their ability to conceive a plot that deceives the reader with interlocking clues and red herrings jenga’d up into a pleasing puzzle that logic would only dismantle.
and if a book is twisty enough, it’s okay if you predict some of its surprises. and if some of the steps in the extended cat-and-mouse scheme rely too heavily upon coincidence or a character’s preternatural ability to anticipate every variable or accurately predict the actions/reactions of multiple individuals despite having only just met them, well—stop poking the jenga!
i read The Wife Between Us and i was pleasantly surprised. i bought-in-hardcover-but-haven’t-yet-read An Anonymous Girl, so i’m only able to compare this one to their debut, and while it wasn't as sparky, i was never bored. if the breed standards are that it entertain, then ✓. keep the reader guessing, ✓. deliver reasonable explanations, ✓-ish. resolve itself adroitly? no. nuh-uh. chapter sixty-eight would never ever happen. ladies, please. there are two of you. that’s TWO chances to say “let’s get some more paper and try again.”
overall, it was enjoyable without being groundbreaking or memorable. sometimes you'll get to the end of one of these and be so mind=blown that you immediately go back through to marvel at all the clues ya missed and the cheeky misdirections, and YOUR LIFE IS CHANGED FOREVER.
this is not one of those books.
but it’s a fun temporary escape and if you are quarantined—grab a stack of books like these and several bowls of candy and hunker down for as long as this takes.
WASH YOUR HANDS!
come to my blog!
April 4, 2020
2.5 stars.
In You Are Not Alone , the latest thriller from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, a witness to a suicide has her entire life upended because of her curiosity.
It seems like just another day: Shay is headed to her office to update her resume. In a crowded subway station, she sees a woman’s necklace fall. As Shay reaches to pick it up, she sees something even more horrifying: the woman jumps in front of the moving train.
The suicide rocks Shay completely. What would cause this woman, Amanda, to take her own life? She feels compelled to learn more about her and decides to attend the memorial service Amanda’s friends are having for her, to perhaps understand what might have driven her to suicide.
As Shay faces challenge after challenge in her own life—she needs to find a job and a new place to live, and she can’t go near the subway since the incident—trying to understand more about Amanda is the only thing that buoys her. When she meets Cassandra and Jane, two beautiful sisters that seem to have it all who were Amanda’s friends, they seem to be the answer to her prayers. But she doesn’t realize that their assistance comes at a very high cost, and her curiosity is causing ripples that might endanger everything—especially her life.
So, umm, this didn’t work for me. I saw lots of great reviews so it's got me thinking #maybeitsjustme. I guess I don’t like the type of thriller where the villains are always like five steps ahead, and are seemingly ordinary people yet have all of this ability to do bad things. And the coincidences? Come ON.
Lots and lots of other friends on Goodreads and Bookstagram are big thriller lovers so if you were planning to read this don’t be dissuaded by my opinion. I’m definitely an outlier here. I enjoyed their last book, An Anonymous Girl , quite a bit.
Ah well, on to the next!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
In You Are Not Alone , the latest thriller from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, a witness to a suicide has her entire life upended because of her curiosity.
It seems like just another day: Shay is headed to her office to update her resume. In a crowded subway station, she sees a woman’s necklace fall. As Shay reaches to pick it up, she sees something even more horrifying: the woman jumps in front of the moving train.
The suicide rocks Shay completely. What would cause this woman, Amanda, to take her own life? She feels compelled to learn more about her and decides to attend the memorial service Amanda’s friends are having for her, to perhaps understand what might have driven her to suicide.
As Shay faces challenge after challenge in her own life—she needs to find a job and a new place to live, and she can’t go near the subway since the incident—trying to understand more about Amanda is the only thing that buoys her. When she meets Cassandra and Jane, two beautiful sisters that seem to have it all who were Amanda’s friends, they seem to be the answer to her prayers. But she doesn’t realize that their assistance comes at a very high cost, and her curiosity is causing ripples that might endanger everything—especially her life.
So, umm, this didn’t work for me. I saw lots of great reviews so it's got me thinking #maybeitsjustme. I guess I don’t like the type of thriller where the villains are always like five steps ahead, and are seemingly ordinary people yet have all of this ability to do bad things. And the coincidences? Come ON.
Lots and lots of other friends on Goodreads and Bookstagram are big thriller lovers so if you were planning to read this don’t be dissuaded by my opinion. I’m definitely an outlier here. I enjoyed their last book, An Anonymous Girl , quite a bit.
Ah well, on to the next!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
December 31, 2019
If you meet two inseparable sisters by the names of Cassandra and Jane Moore...it will be by design, not by accident.
Like the movie, Ocean’s 8, (without a heist) the MANY female characters associated with the Moore sisters have their specialties, their disguises and their roles to play...
Shay, is a market researcher who sees the World through Statistics. She has been keeping data books since the age of eleven, the way other kids kept diaries. Numbers don’t lie.
There is a void in her life that her roommate Sean used to fill before he met his girlfriend Jody. But, this numbers girl knows that two plus one is a crowd.
The paths of these three women are about to collide.
The question is why??
Perhaps I will be the outlier here but this was MY least favorite of the novels by this duo of writers. Both of their previous books earned 5 shiny stars from me, but this one, just three.
The cast of characters were hard to keep track of.
The motive of the sisters took too long to reveal.
I was (gasp!) getting bored!
But then again, I have never liked the Oceans 11, Oceans 12 or Oceans 8 movies...if you have, this book will be a better fit for you than it was for me!
I was fascinated, however, by the many Stats that Shay had jotted down in her Data book...
Did you know that the average person will walk by sixteen killers in the course of their lifetime? 🤭 Now that’s intriguing!
Despite this being a bit of a MISS for me, these are talented ladies and I won’t hesitate to pick up their next book whenever it comes out!
Thanks to Marilyn for buddy reading this with me!
And, Thank You to EW, St. Martin’s Press and the authors for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review! Available March 3, 2020!
Like the movie, Ocean’s 8, (without a heist) the MANY female characters associated with the Moore sisters have their specialties, their disguises and their roles to play...
Shay, is a market researcher who sees the World through Statistics. She has been keeping data books since the age of eleven, the way other kids kept diaries. Numbers don’t lie.
There is a void in her life that her roommate Sean used to fill before he met his girlfriend Jody. But, this numbers girl knows that two plus one is a crowd.
The paths of these three women are about to collide.
The question is why??
Perhaps I will be the outlier here but this was MY least favorite of the novels by this duo of writers. Both of their previous books earned 5 shiny stars from me, but this one, just three.
The cast of characters were hard to keep track of.
The motive of the sisters took too long to reveal.
I was (gasp!) getting bored!
But then again, I have never liked the Oceans 11, Oceans 12 or Oceans 8 movies...if you have, this book will be a better fit for you than it was for me!
I was fascinated, however, by the many Stats that Shay had jotted down in her Data book...
Did you know that the average person will walk by sixteen killers in the course of their lifetime? 🤭 Now that’s intriguing!
Despite this being a bit of a MISS for me, these are talented ladies and I won’t hesitate to pick up their next book whenever it comes out!
Thanks to Marilyn for buddy reading this with me!
And, Thank You to EW, St. Martin’s Press and the authors for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review! Available March 3, 2020!
March 23, 2020
I’m a bit underwhelmed by this one. This story started off promising for me, and I really enjoyed the first two parts of this book. We follow this girl Shay who witnessed this other girl Amanda commit suicide in the subway in New York when she jumps on the tracks, then Shay becomes obsessed with Amanda and tries to figure out why she did it and who she was. We get introduced to this mysterious, devious group of women which include Cassandra, Jane, Beth, Valerie and Daphne to name a few. They reminded me a bit of Oceans 8 or something haha.
I feel like part 3 is where this book really falls apart. It becomes predictable and Shay is just so naive, I feel like I figured everything out and I was just waiting for her to catch up. I feel like Cassandra and Jane are kind of over the top villainous characters that made me cringe at times. I also thought the voices of all the women in the group were difficult to tell apart because they all get their own chapter POVs and I just didn’t find that necessary? Also that ending was just.... not it. I thought it was so cheesy.
Idk, I still think this one is slightly better than The Wife Between Us but my favorite from this author is still An Anonymous Girl. I will still read anything this duo publishes in the future.
I feel like part 3 is where this book really falls apart. It becomes predictable and Shay is just so naive, I feel like I figured everything out and I was just waiting for her to catch up. I feel like Cassandra and Jane are kind of over the top villainous characters that made me cringe at times. I also thought the voices of all the women in the group were difficult to tell apart because they all get their own chapter POVs and I just didn’t find that necessary? Also that ending was just.... not it. I thought it was so cheesy.
Idk, I still think this one is slightly better than The Wife Between Us but my favorite from this author is still An Anonymous Girl. I will still read anything this duo publishes in the future.
February 18, 2020
What a stumper! What a quote! "The average person will walk past 16 killers in the person's lifetime." Yikes!
New York City.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE begins with a bang....or rather a smash that drags the already lonely and depressed 31 year old Shay deeper into the dumps adding fear of going anywhere near the subway to the list. And, as a devoted data-girl, Shay gives us readers interesting tidbits of factual information throughout the story that seems to consume her mind.
"About 50% of people who try to kill themselves do so impulsively. One study of survivors of near lethal attempts found that more than roughly a quarter considered their actions for less than five minutes."
As for Shay though, what she really needs and longs for are friends, and she's about to meet up with the gorgeous Moore sisters who befriend her and are oh-so-kind and helpful in setting her on the right path....but for what?
"About 50% of Americans rely on their instincts to help them determine what feels truthful and what doesn't. One in seven say they strongly trust their gut to make decisions, while one in ten rarely do."
As the story builds, we meet a myriad of new characters (had to take notes on this one.) and by 60% in, I was still befuddled as to where the storyline was headed and the what and why of the nefarious actions of the sisters.
Quite the mystery here, and not my favorite by this author duo, but bring on more!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the arc in exchange for review.
February 5, 2020
3.5 stars
I am such a super fan of these ladies and was super excited to be able to read an advanced copy of their new book. Having loved their previous two An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us, I was ready for a super thrilling ride for these ladies do not disappoint.
While this book was certainly thrilling, providing much exciting reading time, it was not a five star read for me unfortunately. Perhaps it as the amount of characters that sometimes overwhelmed me or the fact that some of the events seemed a bit unrealistic. However, the writing was excellent and kept the reader truly interested in the outcome of a lonely girl looking for acceptance, warmth and friendship.
Thank you to Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out March 3,2020.
I am such a super fan of these ladies and was super excited to be able to read an advanced copy of their new book. Having loved their previous two An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us, I was ready for a super thrilling ride for these ladies do not disappoint.
While this book was certainly thrilling, providing much exciting reading time, it was not a five star read for me unfortunately. Perhaps it as the amount of characters that sometimes overwhelmed me or the fact that some of the events seemed a bit unrealistic. However, the writing was excellent and kept the reader truly interested in the outcome of a lonely girl looking for acceptance, warmth and friendship.
Thank you to Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out March 3,2020.
December 12, 2019
Giveaway win!
A couple weeks ago I read The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen. I had low expectations but man I loved that book. It was fun, fast paced and I couldn't put it down.
So when I saw the giveaway for You Are Not Alone on Goodreads I immediately entered to win it.
AND I WON IT!!!!
Just like with The Wife Between Us, I feel like its best to go into this with as little info as possible. I read this knowing nothing. The back of the book gives you a 2 sentence blurb and that's it. So as I read it I had no idea what to expect and I think it added to my enjoyment of the book.
You Are Not Alone is not as good as The Wife Between Us but its still a really fun and suspenseful read. I did notice that this book shared the same thing I disliked in The Wife Between Us. Which is that I felt the ending was rushed in both books. But other than that I like this writing teams style and voice. Now I gotta go back and read An Anonymous Girl.
If you enjoyed The Wife Between Us, then you'll enjoy this one too!
A couple weeks ago I read The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen. I had low expectations but man I loved that book. It was fun, fast paced and I couldn't put it down.
So when I saw the giveaway for You Are Not Alone on Goodreads I immediately entered to win it.
AND I WON IT!!!!
Just like with The Wife Between Us, I feel like its best to go into this with as little info as possible. I read this knowing nothing. The back of the book gives you a 2 sentence blurb and that's it. So as I read it I had no idea what to expect and I think it added to my enjoyment of the book.
You Are Not Alone is not as good as The Wife Between Us but its still a really fun and suspenseful read. I did notice that this book shared the same thing I disliked in The Wife Between Us. Which is that I felt the ending was rushed in both books. But other than that I like this writing teams style and voice. Now I gotta go back and read An Anonymous Girl.
If you enjoyed The Wife Between Us, then you'll enjoy this one too!
October 19, 2020
4.5 stars! A whirlwind of manipulation, tension, twists and suspense!
This was excellent entertainment! I was hooked (actually addicted) to this storyline from start to finish!
Shay Miller’s social life isn’t what she wishes it was. She longs to find a job she loves, a circle of friends to rely on and be in a committed relationship. When she meets the successful and somewhat glamorous Moore sisters, she can’t believe how easily they build a friendship. But nothing is quite as it seems....
I loved this book! It was a fast-paced, tension-filled, edgy, gripping, secretive, twisty, compulsively readable and highly suspenseful thrilling novel. I could not figure out what was going on and it kept me flipping the pages well past my bedtime.
There are many questionable parts of this storyline that are unrealistic yet I accepted them and fully enjoyed how they played into the plot. That says A LOT about the writing which kept me gripped, intrigued and on edge for the entire book. Usually any realm of unrealistic territory throws me off and ruins a book for me, but not with this one. I was so absorbed in the storyline and characters lives that I didn’t have time to sit back and (over)analyze the reality of the situation. The clever twists and turns had me shocked and in high anticipation of what would come next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan of the physical copy!
This was excellent entertainment! I was hooked (actually addicted) to this storyline from start to finish!
Shay Miller’s social life isn’t what she wishes it was. She longs to find a job she loves, a circle of friends to rely on and be in a committed relationship. When she meets the successful and somewhat glamorous Moore sisters, she can’t believe how easily they build a friendship. But nothing is quite as it seems....
I loved this book! It was a fast-paced, tension-filled, edgy, gripping, secretive, twisty, compulsively readable and highly suspenseful thrilling novel. I could not figure out what was going on and it kept me flipping the pages well past my bedtime.
There are many questionable parts of this storyline that are unrealistic yet I accepted them and fully enjoyed how they played into the plot. That says A LOT about the writing which kept me gripped, intrigued and on edge for the entire book. Usually any realm of unrealistic territory throws me off and ruins a book for me, but not with this one. I was so absorbed in the storyline and characters lives that I didn’t have time to sit back and (over)analyze the reality of the situation. The clever twists and turns had me shocked and in high anticipation of what would come next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan of the physical copy!
March 1, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up
The book begins and we learn that Shay has been having a hard time of it lately. She is secretly in love with her roommate Sean, but he has a girlfriend. She has lost her job and is working temp jobs. To further complicate her life, she witnesses a young woman commit suicide while she is waiting for her train.
Shay's life begins to spiral, she can no longer ride the subway, she begins to panic and experience anxiety when she is near the entrance of the steps leading down, she flubs a job interview, and her roommate's girlfriend is a thorn in her side. The upside, she meets some interesting women when she attends a memorial for the woman who leaped to her death.
Shay, Shay, Shay...what else can I say? She loves statistics and each chapter begins with interesting statistics. She is also lonely and well.... read the book!
This was a 3-star book for me until the end. I really enjoyed how Shay figured things out and the Detective also was on the case (pun intended). Throughout the book, we are given little glimpses into Shay and other characters' younger years, but we don't know until the end the full "how" and "why" of the plot. On one level I found this to be a clever device, on the other, it was a little irritating. But giving this some thought, I believe this was the intent - to keep the reader in the dark just as must as Shay was in the dark. I knew what she knew. There were sections that I wished moved a little faster but overall, I enjoyed how the plot unfolded.
This writing duo continues to deliver original, well thought out books. Their writing continues to be strong. I look forward to more of their books in the future!
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The book begins and we learn that Shay has been having a hard time of it lately. She is secretly in love with her roommate Sean, but he has a girlfriend. She has lost her job and is working temp jobs. To further complicate her life, she witnesses a young woman commit suicide while she is waiting for her train.
Shay's life begins to spiral, she can no longer ride the subway, she begins to panic and experience anxiety when she is near the entrance of the steps leading down, she flubs a job interview, and her roommate's girlfriend is a thorn in her side. The upside, she meets some interesting women when she attends a memorial for the woman who leaped to her death.
Shay, Shay, Shay...what else can I say? She loves statistics and each chapter begins with interesting statistics. She is also lonely and well.... read the book!
This was a 3-star book for me until the end. I really enjoyed how Shay figured things out and the Detective also was on the case (pun intended). Throughout the book, we are given little glimpses into Shay and other characters' younger years, but we don't know until the end the full "how" and "why" of the plot. On one level I found this to be a clever device, on the other, it was a little irritating. But giving this some thought, I believe this was the intent - to keep the reader in the dark just as must as Shay was in the dark. I knew what she knew. There were sections that I wished moved a little faster but overall, I enjoyed how the plot unfolded.
This writing duo continues to deliver original, well thought out books. Their writing continues to be strong. I look forward to more of their books in the future!
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 24, 2020
3.5 stars
At first glance, my reaction to the storyline was, "oh, here we go again" After reading some more, I was surprised by our unquie main character Shay who seems like someone we all know. She has a love for statistics, and I found that an interesting and fun part of the story.
You Are Not Alone starts off with my least favourite storyline with suicide, and we are left wondering why along with our main character Shay. For me, this created little suspense to drive the story forward and things were not off to a good start. Things do get a bit complicated when Shay meets sisters Cassandra and Jane. Some tension started to rise when a game of who can outsmart who begins. I enjoyed the dynamics between Shay and the sisters.
Well, not my favourite from the authors overall it was a satisfying read that wrapped up well for me
I received a copy from the publisher on NG.
At first glance, my reaction to the storyline was, "oh, here we go again" After reading some more, I was surprised by our unquie main character Shay who seems like someone we all know. She has a love for statistics, and I found that an interesting and fun part of the story.
You Are Not Alone starts off with my least favourite storyline with suicide, and we are left wondering why along with our main character Shay. For me, this created little suspense to drive the story forward and things were not off to a good start. Things do get a bit complicated when Shay meets sisters Cassandra and Jane. Some tension started to rise when a game of who can outsmart who begins. I enjoyed the dynamics between Shay and the sisters.
Well, not my favourite from the authors overall it was a satisfying read that wrapped up well for me
I received a copy from the publisher on NG.
December 2, 2019
After thinking about this, I’m going to say even less than usual. It’s best to go into it without knowing much. This way you will be as off balance as the main character is after she witnesses a violent suicide which happens early in the novel and provides the impetus for all that follows. Just like most thrillers you do have to believe some events that are a stretch but overall this is quite satisfying.
December 23, 2019
Let me begin this review with stating that this is by far my favorite Greer Hendricks novel to date! So much fun!
Shay Miller is just your every day average woman trying to make it in NYC. She has a less than satisfying job and she lives with a room mate that she is secretly in love with and has to endure his girlfriends giggles in the next room making home the last place she wants to be.
While waiting at a train platform one day the unthinkable happens. She witnesses a lovely young woman jump to her death and the vision haunts her waking and sleeping hours. She becomes nearly obsessed with finding out about this woman. After hearing about a memorial service for her she decides she will attend and here she is introduced to the Moore sisters.
Never have you ever met sisters like these before.
From here a cat and mouse game ensues that is a devilish delight to read about. You sort of know what's happening as the story unfolds but to witness it all come together is nothing short of fantastic. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Shay Miller is just your every day average woman trying to make it in NYC. She has a less than satisfying job and she lives with a room mate that she is secretly in love with and has to endure his girlfriends giggles in the next room making home the last place she wants to be.
While waiting at a train platform one day the unthinkable happens. She witnesses a lovely young woman jump to her death and the vision haunts her waking and sleeping hours. She becomes nearly obsessed with finding out about this woman. After hearing about a memorial service for her she decides she will attend and here she is introduced to the Moore sisters.
Never have you ever met sisters like these before.
From here a cat and mouse game ensues that is a devilish delight to read about. You sort of know what's happening as the story unfolds but to witness it all come together is nothing short of fantastic. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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