Who We Were by B.M. Carroll

May 20, 2020 Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews rated it really liked it

Shelves: first-reads, 2020-books, aww2020, review-book

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4.5 stars

Writing for the second time under the name of B.M. Carroll, Ber Carroll presents her awaiting audience with yet another brilliant, astute and consuming thriller. Who We Were uses the stage of a high school reunion to unfurl a story of regret, revenge, deceit and mystery. I couldn’t take my eyes off this one and I begrudged having to turn my reading lamp off and stop reading before I was able to reach the thrilling climax of Who We Were.

Turning back *https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com

4.5 stars

Writing for the second time under the name of B.M. Carroll, Ber Carroll presents her awaiting audience with yet another brilliant, astute and consuming thriller. Who We Were uses the stage of a high school reunion to unfurl a story of regret, revenge, deceit and mystery. I couldn’t take my eyes off this one and I begrudged having to turn my reading lamp off and stop reading before I was able to reach the thrilling climax of Who We Were.

Turning back the clock to twenty years earlier, a group of students at an Australian high school created a yearbook charting their memories and reflections of their poignant high school years. For one of these students, high school was an absolute nightmare. Now, two decades after they forged a new life for themselves as adults, this cohort is drawn together again as plans for a reunion are made. At the head of these arrangements is Katy. We learn that Katy is very keen to prove to everyone that she is a somebody. We also catch up with other members of this alumni, including the popular crowd and the outsiders. As reconnections are made and the reunion begins to take shape, a terrible set of messages received by the former students from an unknown source hits hard. These malicious accusations follow an awful event, that strikes at the very heart of reunion group. It is unclear who is responsible for these dangerous threats, with many in the group holding secrets. Who is desperate enough to seek a deadly form of revenge for mistakes made in the past?

What a juicy and colourful subject to base a book on. Who We Were tackles the cruel and unfair world of high school, with an additional focus on reunion plans. I have to say I was relieved when I was unable to attend both my ten year and twenty year high school reunion, due to distance constraints (I went to high school in the UK and I now live in Australia). As much as there are a handful of old friends I would love to catch up with, there are some awful memories of high school that continue to haunt me to this day. B.M. Carroll does a truly excellent job of ripping apart the high school experience, warts and all, along with providing the reader with a solid focus on life after the final school bell has rung.

I will admit that it took some time to settle into the groove of this novel, but I’m glad I persisted. There are seven different narrators that alternate as the book progresses. I loved how we were introduced to these narrators via their life at present and their past aspirations thanks to their respective yearbook entries. Although there are multiple voices to be heard, each is inhabited well by Carroll. I also appreciated that Carroll sign-posted each character interchange with a chapter heading, this assisted my reading process, which I found to be smooth and very addictive.

The time period, which tracks back to the past in 2000, is recreated very well. I felt a sense of nostalgia wash over me as I read through these areas of the book. Being very close in age to the characters, with my own graduation year just one year prior to the set in this book, I was able to completely relate. I was also able to see shades of myself, my friends and members of my high school cohort in Carroll’s figures. It was little confronting at times to be reminded of this difficult past, but the realistic tone Carroll takes carried me through the hard times. Carroll does a fine job of providing a good cross section of characters. However, it was Robbie and Katy that seemed to occupy a firm place in my thoughts.

The central mystery was simply fantastic and it urged me along. The idea that someone was behind a sinister set of punishing yearbook entries outing regrets, mistakes and failures made for an interesting read. It was quite crushing for the characters and witnessing their responses was devastating at times. Carroll sets up plenty of red herrings and I wasn’t able to pick the culprit’s identity. Carroll managed to stay one step ahead of this reader, what an astute plotter!

There are a number of themes that really got to me as a I read this novel. From bullying, loneliness, disconnection, acceptance, misunderstanding, pregnancy, parenting, medical conditions, disability, drug use, loss and mental illness, Who We Were covers plenty of contentious territory. B.M Carroll provides a subtle word of caution in her new novel and she draws our attention to feelings of regret, past mistakes and retrospect. These warnings are still occupying my thoughts, which is perhaps a sign of the power of this book.

*I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

Who We Were is book #58 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge ...more

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Apr 24, 2020 Marianne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“Annabel Moore: pretty, popular, poisonous.
Grace McCrae: couldn’t go to the toilet without Annabel.
Zach Latham: thought he was so fucking funny, the idiot.
Melissa Andrews: stuck-up bitch.
Luke Willis: gay as Christmas.
Katy Buckley: always trying to be everyone’s friend.
Jarrod Harris: Annabel’s on-and-off boyfriend till he got her up the duff and became full-time ‘on’. Jarrod is the one he despises the most.”

Who We Were is the second novel by Australian author B.M. Carroll (who also writes a “Annabel Moore: pretty, popular, poisonous.
Grace McCrae: couldn’t go to the toilet without Annabel.
Zach Latham: thought he was so fucking funny, the idiot.
Melissa Andrews: stuck-up bitch.
Luke Willis: gay as Christmas.
Katy Buckley: always trying to be everyone’s friend.
Jarrod Harris: Annabel’s on-and-off boyfriend till he got her up the duff and became full-time ‘on’. Jarrod is the one he despises the most.”

Who We Were is the second novel by Australian author B.M. Carroll (who also writes as Ber Carroll). For the twenty-year reunion of class of 2000 at Macquarie High School, Katy Buckley, now a science teacher, thinks it would be a great idea to update the yearbook entries to reflect their present-day lives. But someone has taken this idea to a level with which most of the school’s ex-students would not be comfortable: official-looking emails mimicking the yearbook entries are dropping into inboxes, and they reveal private lives most have not, nor would prefer to, share.

By the time several people have received these disturbing, perhaps even slightly threatening, messages, brains are racked to deduce who the sender might be, trust is strained and suspicions emerge. Katy has second thoughts, wonders if she should cancel the whole thing, but is encouraged by the others to persevere.

Then a shocking assault has them wondering if it is related to the messages. Invasions of privacy induce a bit of paranoia, and several recipients look back on their treatment of a certain student, most with guilt and remorse, and realise that resentment of their teenaged behaviour could furnish a motive.

The story’s narrative is from seven perspectives that make it clear that several of the characters are in very different places from what was expected when they left Macquarie High. Carroll’s characters are easily relatable, and their dialogue familiar, the sort we all encounter in the café, bar or supermarket. Her depictions of teenaged cruelty, insecurity, drug use, anxiety and rebelliousness are convincing. The story also features homelessness, bullying, cliques, and step-children.

The story is set in 2020, but it’s not the written-by-Stephen-King 2020 we currently inhabit, it’s the 2020 we might have had if COVID-19 had not reared its ugly head. The mystery aspect (which definitely has a Big Little Lies/Liane Moriarty feel) is skilfully done, and even the most astute reader will be kept guessing until the final chapters. This is a brilliant novel, a moving and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Serpent's Tail/Profile Books
...more

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Sep 15, 2020 Brooke - One Woman's Brief Book Reviews rated it really liked it

Shelves: aussie-authors, read-reviewed-2020

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**4.5 stars**

Who We Were by B.M. Carroll. (2020).

20 years after they went their separate ways, friends and enemies are coming together for their school reunion. Katy is desperate to show she's not the shy girl anymore. Annabel ruled the school until her fall from grace. Zach who was popular but cruel thinks he's a changed man. And Robbie was always the victim who never stood a chance. As the reunion nears, anonymous threats are made an ...more

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Feb 07, 2020 Eve (Between The Bookends) rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs-to-review

I enjoyed this one for the most part. The mystery kept me guessing until the end. However, the "thriller" angle of the story took a back seat to the lives of all the characters. The characters themselves were intriguing, so that definitely went a long way in keeping me interested. So ya, I liked it, but it wasn't something that blew me away. ...more

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May 08, 2020 Lou rated it really liked it

Who We Were is the second standalone thriller to be written under the nom de plume BM Carroll and is a gripping novel about the power of childhood cruelty, and how it makes us the adults we become. "IT'S BEEN TWENTY YEARS...BUT ALL IS NOT FORGIVEN." Katy is not the shy schoolgirl she once was, and she's looking forward to showing her classmates who she's become. Annabel was the queen bee. But her fall from grace changed her life forever. Zach was cruel, but he thinks he's changed. Robbie was a t ...more

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Jun 27, 2020 Louise rated it really liked it

I actually really enjoyed this book! I bought it as I seen that Liane Moriarty had posted about it on her fb page so thought it would be worth a try. I found it to be a similar writing style to hers which I just love!! Glad I picked this one up 😊

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Nov 20, 2019 Liz Barnsley rated it really liked it

Who We Were is a highly addictive novel, part character drama part psychological thriller with some really engaging characters, a beautifully tense group dynamic that keeps you turning the pages.

I’ve always avoided my school reunions to be honest, fairly sure there’s a few people who at the very least would glance at me sideways, this book is basically that- the way we were versus the way we are. Do people really change and let’s just say there’s at least one person holding a severe grudge…

I lov ...more

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Oct 06, 2020 Stina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, australian-crime-thrillers, 2020, womens-fiction, chick-lit, net-galley, mystery, contemporary-fiction, australia, b-m-carroll

“Annabel Moore: pretty, popular, poisonous.
Grace McCrae: couldn’t go to the toilet without Annabel.
Zach Latham: thought he was so fucking funny, the idiot.
Melissa Andrews: stuck-up bitch.
Luke Willis: gay as Christmas.
Katy Buckley: always trying to be everyone’s friend.
Jarrod Harris: Annabel’s on-and-off boyfriend till he got her up the duff and became full-time ‘on’. Jarrod is the one he despises the most.”

The second standalone thriller by B.M. Carroll, WHO WE WERE is about the power of childhoo ...more

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Jan 03, 2021 Paula Phillips rated it really liked it

This book drew me in from the cover with the broken lollipop and then reading the back with a 20th High School Reunion, I knew I would love it as I love these type of books with a revenge twist as one of my favorite horror movies is Valentine where the bullied victim from High School gets revenge on those popular girls who made his life hell during a reunion. This book starts with Katy Burch organizing a reunion and getting in touch with some of her old classmates and we get a glimpse of where t ...more

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Feb 14, 2020 ℳacarena rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery-thriller, reviews

Sadly this wasn't for me.
The plot seemed interesting at first, but then I couldn't connect with the characters. They didn't call my attention at all. Although, this is just my point of view, so it doesn't mean there's something wrong with the book, this is more like a "sorry, it's not you, it's me" but literally.
I really wanted to like it, because thrillers are my cup of tea. Anyway, thank you so much Serpent's Tail / Profile Books and NetGalley for providing me this digital copy of the book i ...more

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Aug 24, 2020 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: aussie-authors, australian-fiction

Who We Were is the latest thriller from Irish author B.M Carroll. I had previously come across Carroll’s contemporary books when she wrote under the name Berr Carroll. Like many authors before Carroll, a change of genre has led to a change of name. Who We Were has positive reviews on Goodreads and it is the first book I have read by Carroll. Set in the present time in New South Wales, Australia, the story is told in the third person using multiple points of view. While I usually don’t mind numer ...more

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May 06, 2020 Meggy Chocolate'n'Waffles rated it it was amazing

Once in a while, a novel hits close to home. So close that your heart wraps itself around the words and keeps them warm. The chapters ignite something in you that you thought was gone. I didn’t just relate to some elements of Who We Were. I clutched the book as a survivor medal. I am grateful that B.M. Carroll found the perfect way to capture those teenage years and the scars they leave.

High school doesn’t define you. Katy was once shy, and now she is beaming, at the top of her career. Annabel h Once in a while, a novel hits close to home. So close that your heart wraps itself around the words and keeps them warm. The chapters ignite something in you that you thought was gone. I didn’t just relate to some elements of Who We Were. I clutched the book as a survivor medal. I am grateful that B.M. Carroll found the perfect way to capture those teenage years and the scars they leave.

High school doesn’t define you. Katy was once shy, and now she is beaming, at the top of her career. Annabel had won the Prom Queen title and tiara, but the shine didn’t last forever. Zach’s behavior and words were mean and sharp, far from the caring GP he has become. Twenty years ago, a high school year graduated. Twenty years later, Katy wants to reunite them. What better way to reconnect, see what everyone has become, compare their old aspirations to reality?

One chapter, one point of view. We get to compare the characters to the profile on their yearbook. I wish France had this kind of things. Or maybe not. As my profile (see above) shows, I was unpopular, different, not interested in dating, or partying, or anything deemed remotely ‘fun’ by teens I do not miss and would not agree to see again. I was the shy, top of the class girl who loved books more than guys. I was bullied and up to this day, never had a novel made me open my eyes to different stereotypes of high schools, nor talked to my heart in such as soothing way as did Who We Were. We only get to see the world through our own pair of eyes. B.M. Carroll opened my eyes to different sights, not as pretty as I would have thought.

So, back to the matter. The high school reunion planned by Katy takes a surprising turn when nasty messages find their way to several former students. Copying the profile they filed up in their yearbook, a mysterious person reveals mean and harsh facts, causing ripples in the lives of the adults they have all become. I like to think of Who We Were as a coming of age story. Why? Because life is an eternal coming of age story itself. We grow up until we die, nothing is set in marbles, but our experiences shape the person we become. Some find a brighter path, others peak at school, but we never truly shake the insecurities and traumas we go through. We learnt to live with them. And sometimes, we hold a grudge…

Twenty years is a long time and the novel is inhabited by many characters, so my radar was going crazy, and I couldn’t figure out who wanted revenge. Weirdly, it didn’t matter. What truly kept me engaged was the characterization, and the different angles with which the author handled many difficulties we are faced as youngsters, then adults. I like to think adults are kids who have eaten their spinach. We don’t know better, we just go along and pretend. The depth of this novel is outstanding and equals the tension ratcheting up with every chapter.

Who We Were is a cracking read. I was absorbed from the first to the final page. B.M. Carroll’s novel is stunning and addictive in every way. ...more

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May 19, 2020 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aww2020, arc-are, provided-by-publisher, aussie-author

Who We Were is an entertaining, fast paced contemporary suspense novel from Irish born Australian author B.M.Carroll, (who pens womens fiction as Ber Carroll).

In organising their twenty year high school reunion, Katy Barclay invites her former school mates of Macquarie High to answer a few questions to create an update of their yearbook. Annabel is the first to receive a spiteful email with her questions completed by someone else, Grace is next. In both instances the mystery writer knows details ...more

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Feb 17, 2020 Arna rated it liked it

It’s been 20 years since high school finished and Katy is organising a reunion, she’s excited to show everyone that she’s not the same girl she was 20 years ago, but mention of a reunion doesn’t spark happy feelings for everyone, someone is holding a grudge and will stop at nothing to get revenge....

This is book was certainly entertaining! Once I was nearing the end I couldn’t stop reading because I just wanted to know how it would all unfold. The ending took me by surprise but I didn’t necessar ...more

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Jun 04, 2020 Sammi rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020

Full review can be found here OneBookishGirl

Agh! This book has all the mystery and all the feels!!
I was drawn into this story from the first chapter!
The characters are engaging, relatable, and not always likeable.
They are authentic, honest (some dishonest) characters you bond with, despite some of their pasts.

I highly recommend this book to everyone!
It is a gripping, intense read with so many twists!!
I can’t wait to see what the author brings out next!!!
Thank you to the author and Allen & Un ...more

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May 03, 2020 Anna Loder rated it it was amazing

I’m so not a thriller reader, so I was scared to start reading my ARC, but this was perfect for me. It’s definitely more character based domestic noir than bloody and violent. The storyline was so interesting. 17 year olds can so self centred, obnoxious and casually cruel in ways a 37 year old with life experience and empathy would never be. The story centres around a group of people whose 20 year school reunion is coming up. It’s an interesting premise and so easily relatable. There are lots of ...more

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May 04, 2020 Gayle Noble rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense, arcs-free-review-copy, own-kindle

Katy decides to organise a school reunion after twenty years and asks those attending to fill in a profile for an up to date year book. It seems fun until a number of the ex-classmates including Katy, Annabel, Grace, Zack, and Jarrod receive communications from an anonymous source detailing secrets they wouldn't want the others to know. When one of them is physically attacked, the stakes are raised as one of them is holding a deadly grudge.

I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The story is told from ...more

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May 26, 2020 John Gilbert rated it it was amazing

This was engaging and riveting throughout. Thanks Liane Moriarity for recommending this Sydney author, it's always fun to read about one's home town, even if it mostly takes place on the wrong side of the bridge. Very involving characters told at a brisk pace, very reminicent of One of Us is Lying in a whodunnit while planning a 20 year high school reunion and a yearbook upgrade. A warning that it does get nasty at times, but always entertaining and will keep you reading until the very end.
Recom ...more

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May 29, 2020 Jo Strode rated it it was amazing

Really enjoyed this book - thought I had it all worked out but was wrong. Looking forward to reading more books by this Australian author.

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Jul 04, 2020 Amber rated it really liked it

I enjoy this book very much it was in the vain of Liane Moriarty’s work .. it wasn’t a thriller as such but the characters were well developed and everything was resolved at the end

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May 14, 2020 Honestmamreader rated it it was amazing

Many thanks to Viper Books for my invite onto this blog tour/reunion. And, thank you for my gifted digital copy.

Do you remember your high school days? For the blog tour, we were asked to say a bit about Who We Were in school, and if we related to anyone in the book. I was the shy one out of our group, if you ask my friends though they would probably tell you different. But, there were definitely more outgoing and extroverted girls in my group. Despite doing all the bad things in school like smo Many thanks to Viper Books for my invite onto this blog tour/reunion. And, thank you for my gifted digital copy.

Do you remember your high school days? For the blog tour, we were asked to say a bit about Who We Were in school, and if we related to anyone in the book. I was the shy one out of our group, if you ask my friends though they would probably tell you different. But, there were definitely more outgoing and extroverted girls in my group. Despite doing all the bad things in school like smoking, skipping classes and under-age drinking (hopefully none of my family will read this). I still kept my head down and studied hard. You could say I was the cool kid with brains. At the time school obviously wasn't the best place to be, but we tolerated it. Now looking back though I only have fond memories, I'm still very close to the group of girls and we get together to reminisce about the good ole days.

Have we had a reunion though? No, we are very long over due one. Despite only leaving school a couple of years ago (heavy note of sarcasm) but, I doubt that I'd go anyway. Like I said I'm still close to the group I hung around with, so I know what we've got up to in life. Do I want to know what the rest of the year got up to. There's social media to check on stuff like that 😂

Right down to the nitty gritty of the review. I loved this book. It did bring back memories of school days. Carroll nailed the group dynamics of the cliche school gang to a tee. Each character had their own personality and a different take on how school life was. In each character you will undoubtedly recognise someone you remember from your school days, you may even be one of these characters yourself. (I was more of a Katy)

The storyline builds up mystery and suspense throughout. Culminating in an epic reveal. As the reader we don't even know who is behind the emails and notes, and we get to work with the information as the story unfolds.

Who We Were does deal with hard hitting topics of mental health, drug use and bullying. And, it does give you pause for thought about how your treatment of people may affect people not oh in the short term but in the long term too.

A fantastic psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Fully gripping you in its mystery. ...more

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May 16, 2020 marnie | once upon a time book blog rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020

So much has changed in the world over the years, but the one thing that still remains for some is the horror of high school and the cruelty of some teenagers. Who We Were, is the perfect example of how the actions of one person can have such an effect on someone and how it shapes their life into adulthood and their life choices.

I don’t need to rehash the plot on this one as it is best going in with just what the blurb details. I will say it does deal with bullying, mental illness and drug use wh ...more

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May 25, 2020 Michelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: aww2020, may2020

Who We Were is the second novel by B.M. Carroll, who has also published novels as Ber Carroll, and the first I have read since 2015’s Once Lost (by Ber Carroll). I saw a bit of buzz on Facebook for this one and then having read the blurb I was hooked, straight onto my local Library site to place a hold and it jumped straight to the top of the pile once I got it home.

School reunions are a time fraught with emotion for many, whether it be the nostalgia of a simpler life, the scars that remain from Who We Were is the second novel by B.M. Carroll, who has also published novels as Ber Carroll, and the first I have read since 2015’s Once Lost (by Ber Carroll). I saw a bit of buzz on Facebook for this one and then having read the blurb I was hooked, straight onto my local Library site to place a hold and it jumped straight to the top of the pile once I got it home.

School reunions are a time fraught with emotion for many, whether it be the nostalgia of a simpler life, the scars that remain from being bullied and even the horror at the way teenage selves treated others. There’s an excitement about seeing how everyone has changed, or showing off how much we’ve changed; and there’s often apprehension about facing those we haven’t seen, and sometimes have no desire to.

I love that this book was centred around a 20 year reunion, I remember being excited for mine, though I didn’t make the trip in the end. The curiosity about what people had done over the years, who did what they set out to do.

Katy is driving the 20 year reunion, the first the class of 2000 have had. She has changed a lot in the years since high school and she can’t wait to show off who she’s become, no longer the plain, shy science nerd of her high school years. She also thinks it will be fun to print an updated yearbook with new photos and a new set of questions to get to know the cohort a little better.

RSVPs for the reunion are coming in slowly and there are still a couple of people no-one has been able to track down but Katy is efficient and putting in the hard yards to pull it off. Until people start getting messages answering the questions, and they aren’t pleasant. Someone is not thrilled with the idea of a reunion and the messages are putting people on edge.

Carroll has crafted a suspenseful story that I’m sure could come out of most graduating classes. There are always the popular kids, the class clowns, the unremarkable and the bullied. Most readers will be able to relate to at least one of the characters in Who We Were and empathise with their part in the story.

Who We Were is told in alternating chapters by a group of characters, all connected by their time at school but not part of the same friendship group. We get inside of their current lives, and how far from their teenaged selves they’ve come.

The character who touched me the most was Robbie. He was targeted for things beyond his control and his reactions broke my heart. His whole life after high school broke my heart and I think he touched me so deeply because I could relate him to someone I know, and it broke me to think that she could have felt the way he did. Of course, there is a lot more I want to say here but I don’t want to delve into spoiler country so I think I’ll leave it at that.

We follow Katy, Annabel, Grace, Melissa, Zach, Luke, Jarrod and Robbie through the escalating threats in the lead up to the reunion. We see their lives change once more, new friendships formed, old bonds reforged and penance paid for sins of the past.

Carroll reminds us that our words and our actions can have a profound effect on people and we should remember to always be kind. What you say and do as a thoughtless and insensitive teen can affect a person for decades, and a little life experience may see your actions haunting even you for years to come.

Exceptionally crafted suspense with a few timely red herrings leaves the reader guessing to the very end, never quite sure who is out for revenge. All of the popular crowd have things to answer for and each of them has wronged someone, and left a lingering hurt.

Alongside the theme of revenge Carroll explores a wealth of topical and hardhitting issues from violence, depression, loneliness, sexuality and drug use to the everyday issues of parenting, dating and finding balance.

Who We Were is a novel I’m glad I tracked down and would whole-heartedly recommend. ...more

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Mar 09, 2020 Elena rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, 2020, read-in-english, mystery-thriller, ebooks

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Who We Were is a light mystery, which often feels more like a contemporary. Although the characters are targeted by threatening messages, most of the book is focused on the characters' personal storylines and problems, and the stakes get higher only towards the end. I like my mysteries to be more engrossing and focused on the thriller element; however, the ending was quite good and, while I figured out the culprit eventually, I ...more

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Apr 01, 2020 Gillian Moore rated it it was amazing

Who We Were by B.M Carroll
Thanks @netgalley and @serpentstail for my arc
Publication date 7th May 2020
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This book was fabulous, a highly addictive and fast paced read. A group of friends are about to attend a Twenty year school reunion. Old secrets and dark pasts emerge. Someone is out to torment each and every one. Creepy, dark and a really authentic read. Very likeable and relatable characters. Highly recommended xxx

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Apr 27, 2020 Jay Dwight rated it really liked it

Addictive read.

Katy is organising a 20 year high school reunion. As part of the fun, she's asking for updated equivalents of their old yearbook entries from attendees. But someone is turning nasty, anonymously sending mock updates revealing secrets that attendees would not want revealed. Who is out for revenge?

A novel with a realistic feel, entertaining learning of the old schooltime insecurities, and how the characters have changed (and some not so much).

Tore through this one ! ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Michelle Jessen rated it liked it

3/3.5 stars for this book.
I think we can all look back on our school years with mixed feelings. Cringe at the things we said & did & this book was a reminder of that. How school can be a great experience for some & a misery for others. This telling of the story resonated with me & I enjoyed that part but the ‘mystery/psychological’ component just didn’t do it for me & didn’t really ring ‘true’ for me.
An ok/good book.

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Apr 21, 2020 Kelly Van Damme rated it really liked it

I’m still trying to stay away from NetGalley but I just had to go and request Who We Were. I just love that juxtaposition of who-we-were and who-we-are, the study of how people evolve, or not. And I must say, I found that incredibly well executed in Who We Were. The author nailed the high school clique thing, with all the clichés that became clichés because they’re true – the queen bee and her obedient best friend, the jock, the class clown, the shy girl, the mocked kid – and shows us some very I’m still trying to stay away from NetGalley but I just had to go and request Who We Were. I just love that juxtaposition of who-we-were and who-we-are, the study of how people evolve, or not. And I must say, I found that incredibly well executed in Who We Were. The author nailed the high school clique thing, with all the clichés that became clichés because they’re true – the queen bee and her obedient best friend, the jock, the class clown, the shy girl, the mocked kid – and shows us some very realistic character arcs.

In high school I was definitely a Katy, the shy one, the one who’s neither popular nor unpopular, the one who tries to get along with everyone, the one who keeps a low profile and mostly flies under the radar. I’ve always been an introvert and I’ve always been a reader and most people just didn’t get that. I had my own little clique of likeminded friends so high school was rather fun. Still, a few years ago there was talk of a reunion and a friend wanted us to go and I dug my heels in and said: nope, I’m not doing that! Having read Who We Were I’m glad we didn’t go, who knows what could have happened?!

In Who We Were, Katy – the shy girl who’s grown into a confident woman – is organising a reunion. It’s been twenty years since the year 2000 students last saw each other and Katy wants to do a yearbook update showing what the students have been up to, who they have become. But before long, someone is sending out hurtful messages to some of the former students, messages containing sensitive information that only a select few know. It looks like someone is trying to sabotage the reunion, but if they are really trying to settle old scores, they won’t stop there.

All the characters in Who We Were are well rounded and fully fleshed out. I became invested in them, I connected with them, I felt like I knew them, I rooted for them. When they became paranoid, I became paranoid with them, even though I knew at least some of their suspicions had to be red herrings. I did figure out whodunnit before it was revealed but for the longest time it was far from obvious (despite my fantastic sleuthing skills 😉)

Plot-driven and character-driven in equal measure, Who We Were is a highly addictive thriller, I read it in a day, staying up way past my bedtime to finish it. The outcome is surprising, yet not unrealistic and everything is wrapped up nicely in the final pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and if you like high school vs. adult life type stories, I think you will too, recommended! ...more

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May 23, 2020 Bookaholic rated it really liked it

Wow what a fantastic read, thank you for the opportunity for this arc

could not put it down would def recommend to others

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May 03, 2020 Cristal Punnett rated it really liked it

Thanks to NetGalley and serpents tail (the publishers) for my free copy.
A fast pace read, interesting characters, Robbie's story is done sensitively. ...more

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