Farewell, my paradise

by Jyuu Anna

Gisele Gravelle is a psychologist at the exclusive Echelon Psychological Institute, a clinic specializing in the care of celebrities. She is the first to leak confidential files from the clinic to the public, which makes her a witness in a murder case. A staff member gave one of the patients a powerful sleeping pill without the doctors prescription. The famous handballer (Daniel Adler) eventuelly dies from an overdosis. Little did they know, that was one of the harmless things that happened at Echelon.
Journalist Jesse Jarvis was the last person to see the handball player alive, thanks to an interview she conducted with him just a few days earlier. The accompanying article, which didnt get the handballer a good run, now became the focus of the coverage. It became a bestseller thanks to many headlines.

The case is taken over by Terence Troska, a lawyer hired by the Adler family. He himself is marked by a painful past, due to his sister, who was bullied at a young age. This motivates him to fight against the injustices in the social and legal system. His interest in his project, which aims to criminalize emotional and mental abuse, stems not only from professional ambition but also from his deep compassion for people suffering from psychological violence.

405 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2025

Reviews

[alfz♡ (aprilxsprings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a psychological thriller that explores the complex and lasting effects of bullying, with Gisele's story serving as a haunting example. The slow-burning narrative offers an exploration of her psyche, keeping readers engaged with its air of mystery.

However, the story can get confusing, particularly when timelines shift and most of the characters lack detailed descriptions, making it tough to keep track of who's who. The supporting characters could've been well established just like Gisele's but it fell flat for me there.

Despite this, the book's emotional resonance is undeniable, man I was reallt rooting for Terrence and Gisele😕.
Overall, it's a thought-provoking read, albeit one that requires patience and attention.

🧠𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔
characters: 3⭐️
plot: 3⭐️
ending: 3⭐️
writing style & structure: 3⭐️
themes & message: 4⭐️
OVERALL: 3⭐️

thanks to the author for the arc copy🤍

[ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

i hate to say this, but i had to DNF it. with arc reads i try even more than any other book, but i just couldn’t. not entirely the books fault. i really liked the writing style, i just couldn’t connect to the characters and kept forgetting them. i have to be honest tho, my brain capacity is close to 0 currently due to work, therefor it was just a little too complex for me right now

[literayture · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You’ve never thought about it? I thought most of what psychologists do is think and reflect.”

—————————————————————————————

This book is not like anything I’ve read recently. The psychological themes were intriguing and I definitely feel like I learnt something from this read. I still find myself thinking about the characters and the story, days after finishing the book.

With such thought-provoking themes, this book had so much potential. But it fell short because of the lack of detail in some sections. I would have loved to get a better sense of some of the characters’ backgrounds and a clearer mental image of what the characters looked like. During parts of the book, I was just lost because I didn’t understand what was happening or I couldn’t follow which character was talking. Some parts I felt could have been explained in a bit more detail - I definitely was left wondering about the reason behind Daniel’s death at the end of the book.

However, I must say, Giselle’s character is so well established and unpacked in this book, she really came to life. The dynamic between her and Terrance was definitely a highlight and I enjoyed their interactions.

I applaud Jyuu Anna for writing such a deep and thoughtful book and I definitely don’t regret reading it. While I really wanted to love this book, it just missed its mark for me because I was left with too many questions at the end.


Thank you Jyuu Anna for the ARC and giving me the opportunity to read your lovely work.

[Viki · Rating 3 out of 5]

„Farewell, my paradise“ war für mich ein Buch mit Höhen und Tiefen. Die Grundidee fand ich echt interessant – dieses psychologische, leicht düstere Setting hat mich sofort angesprochen. Aber beim Lesen hatte ich öfter das Gefühl, dass die Geschichte viel verspricht und dann nicht ganz liefert.

Ich bin am Anfang ziemlich schwer reingekommen, weil das Tempo eher langsam ist und die Atmosphäre sehr schwer wirkt. Die Hauptfigur ist zwar spannend, aber teilweise so undurchsichtig, dass ich mich emotional gar nicht richtig auf sie einlassen konnte.

Was mir aber wirklich gut gefallen hat, war die Art, wie bestimmte Emotionen beschrieben wurden – stellenweise richtig eindringlich und sehr treffend formuliert. Auch ein paar symbolische Elemente fand ich richtig gelungen.

Insgesamt hat es mich aber trotzdem nicht komplett gepackt. Das Ende kam für meinen Geschmack zu plötzlich und hat sich nicht so „verdient“ angefühlt.

Fazit: interessante Idee, ein paar starke Momente, aber für mich insgesamt eher durchwachsen.

[Dhimma Ayogu (altoreluwa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

sooo first off… i’m super grateful to the author @jyuuanna for sending me this beautiful arc 🥹thank you so much!!!!

okay, so i semi loved this book 😂 the plot got a bit confusing here and there, but overall it was such an interesting and emotional read. like it really makes you think and feel.

i totally loved the dynamic between terrance and gisele (twas kinda the highlight for me) the tension was there🫶🏽. and omg who keeps a rat as a pet?? 😭😂 that was wild.

major stars for being really psychological and fast-paced.

and i pray irena and her cronies rot in hell just like every bully who hides behind insecurity 😤🔥

overall, twas a good read not perfect, but definitely worth it 👌🏽
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(3.8) /5

what to look out for:
📘 psychology setting
💔 trauma
🖤 morally complex characters
👥 bullying

Full review here——> (https://www.instagram.com/p/DQO3l7XCO...)

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the first line I knew this book was going to be amazing!

I have been looking for a thriller to keep me on the edge of my seat and this one exceeded my expectations

Such an interesting and unique concept this book really helped me get out of a readers rut.

This book follows the stories of three main characters and at the center is the death of a famous handball player who they were all in some way connected to. Now the story can get a bit confusing if you don’t know whose point of view it is. I admit I did have to flip back and read over some pages.

That is one of the reasons I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5.

This story does deal with a lot of trauma, bullying, mental illness etc so I would make sure to read the description and other reviews before picking this book up. But if you are able to read this I would highly suggest it

Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my honest review. I truly enjoyed it !

[Brittany T · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this book wasnt like anything I have ever read, I love psychological thrillers, the trauma and everything truly builds the story for me, there is always a back story to the characters which I love. This book was no exception the characters were emotionally complex, which adds to the tension of the book. The story got a little confusing which is why I gave it the 4 stars instead of 5, but I enjoyed how everything was built up, and how everything fit together.It was deep and complex and I enjoyed the psychological part to it alot. If your wanting to try something different and off the beaten path I would reccomend this book, It was a really good read! I am so thankful I was given a chance to read this.

[Sisana🤍 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not so into psychological thriller genre when it comes to books but I really enjoyed this one, it was not an easy read, took me a while to finish it but I’m glad I stuck with it. So, If you enjoy stories where your mind turns into a battlefield and a weapon, and where every character is a suspect, you’ll be obsessed with this one. It is dark, twisty, and compulsively readable.

This book follows three different characters Gisele, Jesse, and Terence, whose lives collide inside the elite psychiatric institution Echelon. Each of them have their own secrets, and the @jyuuanna does an incredible job peeling back those layers without ever giving too much away too soon. I especially loved how Gisele, a psychologist, becomes both investigator and suspect, navigating her own fractured mind while trying to expose the truth.

What really hooked me, though, was the atmosphere. The book is packed in psychological tension, therapy rooms that feel like interrogation chambers, and the constant question of who is actually telling the truth. It’s the kind of thriller that gets inside your head and has you thinking about days after you are done with it.

This book took me by surprise in the best possible way. What starts as a mysterious death quickly unravels into a layered psychological thriller.

Thank you @jyuuanna for sharing your art with me, I really enjoyed it. It is a 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of I’m so grateful for receiving this arc from the author, thank you so much!

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand it was super interesting and entertaining. I loved the psychological aspect a lot and was really intrigued to know more about Daniel’s death and what was going on in the psychiatric hospital. I also really liked that it was set in Germany since that’s where I’m from.

On the other hand I was slightly confused at first by the multiple povs and by the lack of different passages, as i was so used to it from other books.

Still this was a really interesting and enjoyable read and you should definitely check it out.

[Dionne Scorgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨
Farewell My Paradise was unlike anything I’ve read before. The writing style was haunting and mysterious, pulling me deep into its dark and twisted world.

This story explores psychological manipulation, betrayal, and revenge in a way that feels both raw and heartbreakingly real. It’s emotional, gripping, and beautifully written — the kind of book that lingers long after the final page.

A truly brilliant read. 🌹

[Gabrieleec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly I would like to thank Jyuu Anna for sending me a eARC.
This book is unlike anything I've read before. Really loved and enjoyed many unexpected moments and the ending was really good. But I think the sorry sometimes got too much confusing with the time jumps and the characters could be a bit more described. Overall really enjoyed it and was such a fun read could really recommend to any psychological thriller fan.

[Mirely Valles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review

I really enjoyed reading Farewell My Paradise this book was such a unique experience for me. I don’t usually read many psychological thriller but this books was good. I like learning about psychology which is why I liked this book. I gave it a 4 stars because it is in 3rd person POV but non the less I still enjoyed it. Thank you so much to the author for sending me this E-ARC <333

[AudreyOBonsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give it a 3.8 ( but I don't think I can give half's of Goodreads so 4) This book was truly a world wind. The structure of the book for me reinforced the state of the characters mindsets and I truly believe this was captured so well and draws on the psychological aspect of the plot. I felt for all the characters in the book, and LOVED Gisele 🥹 it captured the impact of mental abuse so well!

[Kendall Solinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

In ashamed to say I DNF this. I found it rather confusing. I was very intrigued by the story, but I think it needs some editing and revising before it’s ready for publication. I want to love it, but I don’t think it’s there yet. Maybe I’ll try again later.