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What Happened That Night
She doesn't remember that night. But she will never be the same.
One moment, Dahlia is a successful Harvard student; the next, she wakes up from a party, the victim of a brutal assault. Her life veers into a tailspin, and what's worse — her memory of the attack has been ripped away, leaving a cold rage in its wayke.
Now, years later, Dahlia is a tattooed paralegal suffering from PTSD and still haunted by that night. Until one day, a video surfaces online, and Dahlia sees her attack for the first time.
Now she knows what happened to her. And she knows who is to blame. Her rage is no longer cold, but burning, red hot.
And she is about to make everyone pay.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2018
329 people are currently reading
3724 people want to read
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May 10, 2018
What Happened That Night by Sandra Block is a quick, fast, and entertaining character driven novel.
5 years ago Dahlia was on her way to becoming a successful lawyer at Harvard University. One night Dahlia decides to attend a party with her friend and is brutally raped. Dahlia wakes up the next day and has no memory of the horrible assault.
Years later, Dahlia is currently working as a paralegal and is suffering from PTSD from that horrible night. One day, Dahlia walks into her office and sees some of her male coworkers watching a video of a girl being brutally assaulted. Although, it's not just some girl... it's Dahlia herself on this video. All the horrible flashbacks and memories begin to surface for Dahlia.
I feel like some of the scenes involving the brutal assault were hard to picture and hear about in the novel. But, the author was good about not going into too much detail involving the rape history.
Dahlia meets James one of her coworkers along the way. He seems to be struggling with some issues of his own. James and Dahlia form a friendship and he tries to help Dahlia seek revenge on her attackers. I really liked James' character! He is such a sweetie :).
The short chapters had me flying through this novel! I loved multiple POV and short chapters :).
I felt like some of the parts were a little predictable which caused my rating to be a little lower. Additionally, I felt like it was missing something. I can't quite put my finger on it. Overall, it was an entertaining read :).
3.75 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc!
Published to GR: 5/9/18
Publication date: 6/5/18
5 years ago Dahlia was on her way to becoming a successful lawyer at Harvard University. One night Dahlia decides to attend a party with her friend and is brutally raped. Dahlia wakes up the next day and has no memory of the horrible assault.
Years later, Dahlia is currently working as a paralegal and is suffering from PTSD from that horrible night. One day, Dahlia walks into her office and sees some of her male coworkers watching a video of a girl being brutally assaulted. Although, it's not just some girl... it's Dahlia herself on this video. All the horrible flashbacks and memories begin to surface for Dahlia.
I feel like some of the scenes involving the brutal assault were hard to picture and hear about in the novel. But, the author was good about not going into too much detail involving the rape history.
Dahlia meets James one of her coworkers along the way. He seems to be struggling with some issues of his own. James and Dahlia form a friendship and he tries to help Dahlia seek revenge on her attackers. I really liked James' character! He is such a sweetie :).
The short chapters had me flying through this novel! I loved multiple POV and short chapters :).
I felt like some of the parts were a little predictable which caused my rating to be a little lower. Additionally, I felt like it was missing something. I can't quite put my finger on it. Overall, it was an entertaining read :).
3.75 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc!
Published to GR: 5/9/18
Publication date: 6/5/18
June 3, 2018
One moment Dahlia is a successful Havard student. The next, she wakes up from a party, the victim of a brutal assault.
When a young, happy, carefree girl goes to a party, she is brutally attacked. When she wakes up she can't remember who it was that attacked her. Five years later, she still struggles with panic attacks and nightmares. She dropped out of Havard and now works as a paralegal. Dahlia two friends, Daisy and Eli, have always supported her. Eli even goes to the support groups with her. She met and has formed a strong friendship with James who also attends the support group. Then, a video surfaces online, and Dahlia sees her attack for the first time. She now knows exactly what happened to her.
I really liked the characters James and Dahlia, and the strong friendship they formed. The story is also told from their point of view. The chapters are short. The sexual assault part in this story is quite graphic and therefore might not be suitable or might upset some readers. This is a well written book but I did feel the ending was a bit rushed.
I would like to thank NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and the author Sandra Block for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When a young, happy, carefree girl goes to a party, she is brutally attacked. When she wakes up she can't remember who it was that attacked her. Five years later, she still struggles with panic attacks and nightmares. She dropped out of Havard and now works as a paralegal. Dahlia two friends, Daisy and Eli, have always supported her. Eli even goes to the support groups with her. She met and has formed a strong friendship with James who also attends the support group. Then, a video surfaces online, and Dahlia sees her attack for the first time. She now knows exactly what happened to her.
I really liked the characters James and Dahlia, and the strong friendship they formed. The story is also told from their point of view. The chapters are short. The sexual assault part in this story is quite graphic and therefore might not be suitable or might upset some readers. This is a well written book but I did feel the ending was a bit rushed.
I would like to thank NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and the author Sandra Block for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2018
I received a free e-book of What Happened That Night by Sandra Block from NetGalley for my honest review.
Absolutely astonishing, gut wrenching, yet amazing. I was absolutely blown away by this book. I have never read anything by Sandra Block before but I will be reading some of her other books after reading this one. This is such a powerful book and written with so much thought and depth. A young, pretty, smart and happy girl goes to a party one evening and after that night, everything changes. She can't remember the details of the night but she know what happened. Through it all she fights to take back her life from those who stole it from her. Such a strong, emotional story of something that has happened to real women.
Absolutely astonishing, gut wrenching, yet amazing. I was absolutely blown away by this book. I have never read anything by Sandra Block before but I will be reading some of her other books after reading this one. This is such a powerful book and written with so much thought and depth. A young, pretty, smart and happy girl goes to a party one evening and after that night, everything changes. She can't remember the details of the night but she know what happened. Through it all she fights to take back her life from those who stole it from her. Such a strong, emotional story of something that has happened to real women.
May 8, 2018
Thank you to Sourcebooks #partner for sending me What Happened That Night by Sandra Block. I enjoyed this one! Short chapters with multiple POVs = happy Shannon. Pub date June 5th!
Five years ago, Dahlia was viciously attacked by multiple boys while she was a student at Harvard. She still struggles with nightmares and panic attacks but the worst part about it is that she can’t remember everything that happened that night. Now, after dropping out of Harvard, she works as paralegal.
Dahlia has two great friends, Daisy and Eli, who support her through everything. Eli even goes to support groups with Dahlia. During one of her support groups she meets James who also deals with his own struggles. Come to find out they actually work at the same place!
One day at work, as Dahlia walks into the lunch room she finds a bunch of guys surrounding a phone. She’s curious enough to ask what they are watching. To Dahlia’s horror, it’s a video of her attack. James ends up coming to Dahlia with a plan. She is so angry with her attackers she agrees! Muahaha
I really loved James and Dahlia. Their friendship slowly turns into something *more*. The short chapters had me flying through this one! Betrayal, revenge, lies and secrets oooo juicy!
Five years ago, Dahlia was viciously attacked by multiple boys while she was a student at Harvard. She still struggles with nightmares and panic attacks but the worst part about it is that she can’t remember everything that happened that night. Now, after dropping out of Harvard, she works as paralegal.
Dahlia has two great friends, Daisy and Eli, who support her through everything. Eli even goes to support groups with Dahlia. During one of her support groups she meets James who also deals with his own struggles. Come to find out they actually work at the same place!
One day at work, as Dahlia walks into the lunch room she finds a bunch of guys surrounding a phone. She’s curious enough to ask what they are watching. To Dahlia’s horror, it’s a video of her attack. James ends up coming to Dahlia with a plan. She is so angry with her attackers she agrees! Muahaha
I really loved James and Dahlia. Their friendship slowly turns into something *more*. The short chapters had me flying through this one! Betrayal, revenge, lies and secrets oooo juicy!
June 29, 2018
Powerful and Thought-Provoking!
This is one of those novels where the book summary reads like a suspenseful thriller when it is in fact not. Crime, yes, since it deals with rape, but apart from that I would class it as a contemporary drama/romance, that is heavily character driven. I predicted where it was going early on, and I think most readers will as well. Even the revenge, which I thought was going to be a major plotline, wasn’t. That aside, I thought it was a very good book, and I am pleased it was advertised wrong, as I probably wouldn’t have picked it up otherwise. The writing was exceptional, and easily hooked me into the story. The two main character’s, Dahlia and James, were wonderfully drawn, and their friendship, and blossoming romance, was definitely the highlight. Those parts were also a welcome relief as there were some pretty brutal scenes (especially the dialogue) that I found hard to read, and stomach, so consider yourself warned. I think it was a good idea to use alternating chapters between Dahlia and James, rather than just Dahlia, as James was a sweet, lovable, honest guy, who respected women, and without him I feel the novel would’ve been in danger of painting all men as rapists. There were other good, decent male characters as well, but James was the standout.
To summarise, definitely worth a read, but not the fast-paced psychological suspense I was expecting.
This is one of those novels where the book summary reads like a suspenseful thriller when it is in fact not. Crime, yes, since it deals with rape, but apart from that I would class it as a contemporary drama/romance, that is heavily character driven. I predicted where it was going early on, and I think most readers will as well. Even the revenge, which I thought was going to be a major plotline, wasn’t. That aside, I thought it was a very good book, and I am pleased it was advertised wrong, as I probably wouldn’t have picked it up otherwise. The writing was exceptional, and easily hooked me into the story. The two main character’s, Dahlia and James, were wonderfully drawn, and their friendship, and blossoming romance, was definitely the highlight. Those parts were also a welcome relief as there were some pretty brutal scenes (especially the dialogue) that I found hard to read, and stomach, so consider yourself warned. I think it was a good idea to use alternating chapters between Dahlia and James, rather than just Dahlia, as James was a sweet, lovable, honest guy, who respected women, and without him I feel the novel would’ve been in danger of painting all men as rapists. There were other good, decent male characters as well, but James was the standout.
To summarise, definitely worth a read, but not the fast-paced psychological suspense I was expecting.
March 14, 2018
A timely and relevant psychological thriller/character drama centred around two very different and quirky characters, one of whom is recovering from a suicide attempt following trauma and one who has suffered a horrible loss.
It is gripping and cleverly written, I love how the main protagonists worked out their issues, not following any one path but rather working through things as they went. The author manages to portray the realities of justice and the many layers of recovery really well and it was a bit of a page turner.
One of the huge strengths of this was the growing relationship between Dahlia and James, I loved them both in different ways and What Happened That Night doesn't follow a usual path, it has a resoundingly satisfactory ending and whilst if I had one bug bear it was that a certain twist was very obvious early on and not really required to my mind, overall this is a book that I will happily recommend.
I'll be reviewing it on Liz Loves Books nearer the time of publication.
It is gripping and cleverly written, I love how the main protagonists worked out their issues, not following any one path but rather working through things as they went. The author manages to portray the realities of justice and the many layers of recovery really well and it was a bit of a page turner.
One of the huge strengths of this was the growing relationship between Dahlia and James, I loved them both in different ways and What Happened That Night doesn't follow a usual path, it has a resoundingly satisfactory ending and whilst if I had one bug bear it was that a certain twist was very obvious early on and not really required to my mind, overall this is a book that I will happily recommend.
I'll be reviewing it on Liz Loves Books nearer the time of publication.
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June 15, 2024
1-Star DNF @ 17%.
This audiobook was a free suggestion from Audible Plus. After two hours of listening I am quite certain this is NOT a book for me. The narrative style is out of my league, as is the revenge-fuelled plot.
This audiobook was a free suggestion from Audible Plus. After two hours of listening I am quite certain this is NOT a book for me. The narrative style is out of my league, as is the revenge-fuelled plot.
August 25, 2022
Enjoyed this story! Who doesn't love a tale of righteous revenge? The writing was kind of mediocre, and I could have done without James, but I still liked it.
3.5 stars rounded up
3.5 stars rounded up
May 13, 2018
I could not, in a million years, imagine what it's like to go through the trauma that Dahlia did, have PTSD of the event (that she cannot remember) and then see the attack come online years later. UFF. What I LOVE about this book is that the revenge factor is clear - but it's executed with the code of not killing anyone.
The characters - how do you NOT fall in love with James?! Absolutely LOVE his character. The build up of friendship with Dahlia to something more was so much better than any instalove I've had to endure through. This felt so real and sincere between two people who have dealt with tragedy and can understand and accept the other's quirks. What's not to love?! Dahlia is also such a strong character. The ups and downs she goes through, the backlash after the attack of blaming the victim (her) from even her own family and how she deals with the consequences of her emotional roller coaster - really heart wrenching and I felt so MUCH for her throughout this read. My favorite secondary character? Has to be Natasha - I think if you read this book you'll totally understand why.
Told from the point of view of Dahlia and James with a few chat room chats between the demons of the story, the short chapters keep your attention from page one to the very end. I felt my eyes drooping at one point but could NOT stop so fought my way through, stayed awake and finished the book. The author does a great job in putting you right inside the mind of and portraying Dahlia's heartache, James's Asberger Syndrome and even the pathetic and entitled minds of the Hawk Club.
There are some graphic parts regarding the attack that may be hard for some readers. I think the author did it tastefully though and it was necessary to really get you inside Dahlia's head.
If I had to be picky in any way about this, the ending did feel a teeny bit rushed after all the detail given throughout the rest of the book. I was so engaged in the characters that I didn't quite see the little twist! I knew there was one heading in that direction but my mind, weirdly, wasn't trying to figure it out and was enjoying the read outside of the twisty part. I am completely satisfied and could NOT put this book down. It gave me a little bit of "The Accused" movie with Jody Foster throughout.
Oh sweet, sweet revenge - sometimes it is just SO satisfying!
Thank you to the publisher for this copy <3
The characters - how do you NOT fall in love with James?! Absolutely LOVE his character. The build up of friendship with Dahlia to something more was so much better than any instalove I've had to endure through. This felt so real and sincere between two people who have dealt with tragedy and can understand and accept the other's quirks. What's not to love?! Dahlia is also such a strong character. The ups and downs she goes through, the backlash after the attack of blaming the victim (her) from even her own family and how she deals with the consequences of her emotional roller coaster - really heart wrenching and I felt so MUCH for her throughout this read. My favorite secondary character? Has to be Natasha - I think if you read this book you'll totally understand why.
Told from the point of view of Dahlia and James with a few chat room chats between the demons of the story, the short chapters keep your attention from page one to the very end. I felt my eyes drooping at one point but could NOT stop so fought my way through, stayed awake and finished the book. The author does a great job in putting you right inside the mind of and portraying Dahlia's heartache, James's Asberger Syndrome and even the pathetic and entitled minds of the Hawk Club.
There are some graphic parts regarding the attack that may be hard for some readers. I think the author did it tastefully though and it was necessary to really get you inside Dahlia's head.
If I had to be picky in any way about this, the ending did feel a teeny bit rushed after all the detail given throughout the rest of the book. I was so engaged in the characters that I didn't quite see the little twist! I knew there was one heading in that direction but my mind, weirdly, wasn't trying to figure it out and was enjoying the read outside of the twisty part. I am completely satisfied and could NOT put this book down. It gave me a little bit of "The Accused" movie with Jody Foster throughout.
Oh sweet, sweet revenge - sometimes it is just SO satisfying!
Thank you to the publisher for this copy <3
February 12, 2018
This book was trying to hit all the notes to be a topical book, dealing with sexual assault, self-harm, suicide, LGBTQ identity and autism but it ended up being messy and offensive and pretty poorly written.
May 31, 2018
Netgalley #55
Many thanks go to Sandra Block, Sourcebooks, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
You know at first this book was only so-so, but now I can’t put it down! I love the James Dahlia dynamic, and the Ramona/Robert mini plot is heartbreaking
If it weren’t for the author seeming to blatantly ruin her own twists. I’d have rated it higher
There is one conversation that could be rewritten or the story in someway edit the book so that a HUGE plot twist is not spoiled. That was really disappointing. There has to be a way to do that.
Otherwise I highly support the revenge angle. I love strong female characters who take no crap.
All in all I'd say I'd recommend this book to other readers.
Many thanks go to Sandra Block, Sourcebooks, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
You know at first this book was only so-so, but now I can’t put it down! I love the James Dahlia dynamic, and the Ramona/Robert mini plot is heartbreaking
If it weren’t for the author seeming to blatantly ruin her own twists. I’d have rated it higher
There is one conversation that could be rewritten or the story in someway edit the book so that a HUGE plot twist is not spoiled. That was really disappointing. There has to be a way to do that.
Otherwise I highly support the revenge angle. I love strong female characters who take no crap.
All in all I'd say I'd recommend this book to other readers.
September 30, 2018
Thank you so much Sourcebooks for providing my free copy of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT by Sandra Block - all opinions are my own.
I devoured this book and I am officially a fan of Sandra Block. It’s a thrilling yet emotional story of revenge, but with a code: no killing. While attending Harvard, Dahlia went to a party and suffered through a brutal assault, but when she woke up the next day she had no memory of it. Five years later, she is filled with incessant rage, along with PTSD with nightmares and panic attacks, but it gets worse. While at work, she sees her coworkers watching an online video, and to her horror, Dahlia sees her own attack, as well as who the assailants are. I could not even imagine what that would be like, but Block does such a wonderful job writing these authentic characters your heart just breaks for Dahlia.
The narrative is told from the perspectives of Dahlia and her close friend James. The short chapters are, of course, brilliant and keep you reading way past your bedtime - seriously you’ll fly through this book. I absolutely love Dahlia and James and how their relationship evolved. There are some difficult subjects tackled in the book, such as mental illness and rape, but Block writes about these topics in such a real and powerful way and with sensitivity and compassion. Can I just tell you again how much I love James?! The characters are so easy to connect with and let’s not forget this is a revenge story. So what is the plan for sweet revenge? You’ll have to read to find out!
I devoured this book and I am officially a fan of Sandra Block. It’s a thrilling yet emotional story of revenge, but with a code: no killing. While attending Harvard, Dahlia went to a party and suffered through a brutal assault, but when she woke up the next day she had no memory of it. Five years later, she is filled with incessant rage, along with PTSD with nightmares and panic attacks, but it gets worse. While at work, she sees her coworkers watching an online video, and to her horror, Dahlia sees her own attack, as well as who the assailants are. I could not even imagine what that would be like, but Block does such a wonderful job writing these authentic characters your heart just breaks for Dahlia.
The narrative is told from the perspectives of Dahlia and her close friend James. The short chapters are, of course, brilliant and keep you reading way past your bedtime - seriously you’ll fly through this book. I absolutely love Dahlia and James and how their relationship evolved. There are some difficult subjects tackled in the book, such as mental illness and rape, but Block writes about these topics in such a real and powerful way and with sensitivity and compassion. Can I just tell you again how much I love James?! The characters are so easy to connect with and let’s not forget this is a revenge story. So what is the plan for sweet revenge? You’ll have to read to find out!
March 7, 2018
This book was utter nonesense and juevenile for such a serious topic of gang rape/rape on college campus. 1 in 5 women will experience this at their school. And along comes this author who makes the serious subject matter a joke. Getting revenge on her accusers because law enforcement doesn’t take these allegations seriously? I hope this does not set back future victims, as there will unfortunately victims. The best advice is to work with the police. Immature and bad advice. Also, the writing, was mediocre at best. If you’re going to tackle a serious subject fiction or not, be responsible.
July 21, 2018
Sandra Block knows how to hook you into reading her books in one sitting! Grabbed my full attention from the first page and kept it throughout. I really didn't want it to end. Great read!
July 17, 2018
Five years ago Dahlia was on the road to become a successful lawyer but all that changed in one night when she was drugged and brutally raped. Now years later she works as a paralegal in a firm and lives a quiet life.One day though her peaceful existence is threatened when the video of her rape surfaces online and is watched by some people in her office.Seeing the video brings back memories and Dahlia vows to take revenge on all her attackers with the help of her friend James.
What Happened That Night by Sandra Block is a fast quick character driven read. Some of the scenes were quite graphic so this book might not be for everyone.The revenge tactics though were a little unrealistic and the suspense was a little predictable which lowered my rating to 3 ½ stars but still an entertaining read.
I would like to thank Sourcebooks Landmark & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
What Happened That Night by Sandra Block is a fast quick character driven read. Some of the scenes were quite graphic so this book might not be for everyone.The revenge tactics though were a little unrealistic and the suspense was a little predictable which lowered my rating to 3 ½ stars but still an entertaining read.
I would like to thank Sourcebooks Landmark & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
May 14, 2018
Review to come!
June 27, 2018
The thing about My Book Box, a subscription book service, is that whoever chooses books has a tendency to chose books I would bypass in a book store but actually love once I read them. It’s true that this has been more the rule for the non-fiction selections. The mystery selection is a bit more hit and miss. Not that the books are bad – they are more I could easily be just as happy as not reading them. But every so often the mystery book is something like Block’s work.
Honesty, this is something that if I saw in a bookstore, I might have picked it up, read the back, and walked off without it buying it. I would have written it off as a Lifetime movie, you know the one, where the woman discovers that her bestest girlfriend set her up to be raped. I hate Lifetime movies, so why would I want to read one?
But this book is not a Lifetime movie. To be fair, it does play with the idea of that trope, but it does something a bit different with it.
Dahlia was gang raped during college, she dropped out and now works as a paralegal. She has cut herself off from many things. The really good part of this book, and what Block does extremely well, is show us how Dahlia realizes that she is not as cut off as she thinks she is, how she has friends that she didn’t quite realize she had. This book has more than one positive woman/woman friendship and that is absolutely wonderful.
The book is also told from the perspective of James, a co-worker and romantic interest for Dahlia. He has his own set of issues, and to be honest, one of his reveals isn’t quite as hidden as the questions at the end of the book imply. But it to is an important and timely reason.
The book is about rape as well as the toxic masculinity that in some situations drives it. Block also deals with the question of mental illness, in particular depression, and she does it extremely well. The mental changes that both James and Dahlia go thorough are powerful, and I cannot describe the pleasure in reading a book that doesn’t treat the idea of going to therapy as something to be ashamed of or to be laughed at. She also illustrates how the process of determining to go to therapy works for some people.
In dealing with rape, Block also confronts the reaction of those to rape in a public setting, in particular with the use of social media accounts. It actually is a real examination of a variety of things that occur because of toxic masculinity. It’s a really good book.
Honesty, this is something that if I saw in a bookstore, I might have picked it up, read the back, and walked off without it buying it. I would have written it off as a Lifetime movie, you know the one, where the woman discovers that her bestest girlfriend set her up to be raped. I hate Lifetime movies, so why would I want to read one?
But this book is not a Lifetime movie. To be fair, it does play with the idea of that trope, but it does something a bit different with it.
Dahlia was gang raped during college, she dropped out and now works as a paralegal. She has cut herself off from many things. The really good part of this book, and what Block does extremely well, is show us how Dahlia realizes that she is not as cut off as she thinks she is, how she has friends that she didn’t quite realize she had. This book has more than one positive woman/woman friendship and that is absolutely wonderful.
The book is also told from the perspective of James, a co-worker and romantic interest for Dahlia. He has his own set of issues, and to be honest, one of his reveals isn’t quite as hidden as the questions at the end of the book imply. But it to is an important and timely reason.
The book is about rape as well as the toxic masculinity that in some situations drives it. Block also deals with the question of mental illness, in particular depression, and she does it extremely well. The mental changes that both James and Dahlia go thorough are powerful, and I cannot describe the pleasure in reading a book that doesn’t treat the idea of going to therapy as something to be ashamed of or to be laughed at. She also illustrates how the process of determining to go to therapy works for some people.
In dealing with rape, Block also confronts the reaction of those to rape in a public setting, in particular with the use of social media accounts. It actually is a real examination of a variety of things that occur because of toxic masculinity. It’s a really good book.
July 9, 2018
Excellent revenge thriller. Both narrators were good. Checking out other books by this author.
RTC
RTC
June 4, 2018
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this book.
Dahlia is a survivor and her tattoo attests to that. James has a revenge tattoo. The two of them meet at a support group meeting and they begin a project together. This book deals with some tough subjects -- not the least of which is recovering from a gang rape. I found it to be a forthright portrayal and left me much to think about. It would work well for a book group and is being published with a guide.
Dahlia is a survivor and her tattoo attests to that. James has a revenge tattoo. The two of them meet at a support group meeting and they begin a project together. This book deals with some tough subjects -- not the least of which is recovering from a gang rape. I found it to be a forthright portrayal and left me much to think about. It would work well for a book group and is being published with a guide.
April 25, 2019
A fast paced, character driven thriller. I think i enjoyed this book so much because i really liked & empathized with Dahlia. The author also did a great job with James. I was not at all surprised to hear she had a background in psychology, because she was really able to bring James's aspergers to life. Their relationship was a lovely part of the story i wasn't anticipating. & still there was plenty of suspense! I was dying to hear exactly what was what. Some of the revenge plotting may have been a little far fetched, but i still thoroughly enjoyed reading about those animals possibly getting theirs.. & ultimately i was relieved & satisfied with how the book ended.
March 22, 2021
I ran out of audiobooks from my library to listen to so I trawled through my personal collection and found this. Not sure how or why I had this book and can only assume this was some kind of freebie that languished in my app. With no other choice I decided to read it. Bad idea.
Look, this isn’t a bad book neither is it terribly written, however it does play out like some kind of B-movie, which honestly isn’t the style of storytelling you should be utilizing for this subject matter.
The B-movie thing really hit home when the protagonist snuck into a party to find evidence and was re traumatized again. And then her boyfriend confessed his secret to her. And then the writer decided that this was the best time for the couple to hook up, even though our protagonist should have been resting. As I said, it played out poorly.
The predictability of the plot points didn’t help either. It was easy to tell what would happen next. It was easy to tell that Eli was not the good guy he purported to be—he was such a badly written character. He had little to no personality. And then when the author wrote about his and Dahlia’s interaction after she told him what happened to her, I couldn’t help but wonder why they became best friends. It’s still not convincing. And that’s because he was not written to be a character, he was written to be a plot twist.
James was ok as a character though I doubt he would have helped Dahlia if he didn’t find her attractive or if she hadn’t evinced interest in him. Also, is he an IT guy or some genius level coder? Because those are two different skillsets and they’re merged together in this book.
The whole Ramona storyline—I figured it out but the author kept on dragging out the reveal forever and forever, almost as if Ramona being transgender was this major shocking that would rock the reader. It was obvious but the way the revelation was handled really frustrated me.
Every character is described vividly in this book and that was weird to me. They say you should just give readers or hint and let them imagine. Everyone is thin and hot, and those that aren’t...there’s an undertone of fat shaming going on.
I think the author does a good job of pointing out just how messed up society and the law is when it comes to sexual assault. Dahlia frames her attackers for white collar crimes or drugs because she was ignored by the police when she came forward with what happened to her. The one guy who confesses gets no jail time. That’s messed up.
I don’t know what to make of this book. It deals with a tough subject but it handles it like some kind of bad movie.
Look, this isn’t a bad book neither is it terribly written, however it does play out like some kind of B-movie, which honestly isn’t the style of storytelling you should be utilizing for this subject matter.
The B-movie thing really hit home when the protagonist snuck into a party to find evidence and was re traumatized again. And then her boyfriend confessed his secret to her. And then the writer decided that this was the best time for the couple to hook up, even though our protagonist should have been resting. As I said, it played out poorly.
The predictability of the plot points didn’t help either. It was easy to tell what would happen next. It was easy to tell that Eli was not the good guy he purported to be—he was such a badly written character. He had little to no personality. And then when the author wrote about his and Dahlia’s interaction after she told him what happened to her, I couldn’t help but wonder why they became best friends. It’s still not convincing. And that’s because he was not written to be a character, he was written to be a plot twist.
James was ok as a character though I doubt he would have helped Dahlia if he didn’t find her attractive or if she hadn’t evinced interest in him. Also, is he an IT guy or some genius level coder? Because those are two different skillsets and they’re merged together in this book.
The whole Ramona storyline—I figured it out but the author kept on dragging out the reveal forever and forever, almost as if Ramona being transgender was this major shocking that would rock the reader. It was obvious but the way the revelation was handled really frustrated me.
Every character is described vividly in this book and that was weird to me. They say you should just give readers or hint and let them imagine. Everyone is thin and hot, and those that aren’t...there’s an undertone of fat shaming going on.
I think the author does a good job of pointing out just how messed up society and the law is when it comes to sexual assault. Dahlia frames her attackers for white collar crimes or drugs because she was ignored by the police when she came forward with what happened to her. The one guy who confesses gets no jail time. That’s messed up.
I don’t know what to make of this book. It deals with a tough subject but it handles it like some kind of bad movie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2018
Full review posted on blog.
*Big fan of Sandra Block's Zoe Goldman series, and loved that she was able to create just as gripping & addicting a read with a stand-alone book.
*Loved the way this story is told - 3 POV's: Dahlia in the present, Dahlia from 5 years ago, & James.
*Loved the characters - Dahlia & James are the most quirky main characters I've met in a while, yet they are without a doubt the most memorable!
*Book is full of suspense & the tension builds throughout - once Dahlia has decided on her revenge plan it really takes off! She starts working fiendishly to figure out who the guys are behind her attack. There is also another layer - James has this big secret he needs to share with Dahlia that he can't quite work up the courage to share.
*Be forewarned - once you pick this book up, it will be hard to put down!
*Big fan of Sandra Block's Zoe Goldman series, and loved that she was able to create just as gripping & addicting a read with a stand-alone book.
*Loved the way this story is told - 3 POV's: Dahlia in the present, Dahlia from 5 years ago, & James.
*Loved the characters - Dahlia & James are the most quirky main characters I've met in a while, yet they are without a doubt the most memorable!
*Book is full of suspense & the tension builds throughout - once Dahlia has decided on her revenge plan it really takes off! She starts working fiendishly to figure out who the guys are behind her attack. There is also another layer - James has this big secret he needs to share with Dahlia that he can't quite work up the courage to share.
*Be forewarned - once you pick this book up, it will be hard to put down!
August 24, 2018
Dahlia was a victim of gang rape 5 years ago and she has worked hard to overcome PTSD, depression and suicidal ideation associated with her attack, of which she has no memory. One day at the law firm where she works as a paralegal, a video surfaces of her attack and she is finally able to put a face to her victims. Around the same time she meets James, who has Aspergers and is dealing with his own traumatic past. A romance blooms between the two and they quickly become co-conspirators in seeking revenge against those who harmed Dahlia.
I really loved this. I would characterize it not so much as a psychological thriller, but a character-driven suspense. Sandra Block takes on a very difficult and relevant topic with sensitivity and plausibility. Dahlia has been through hell, but she has come out on top as a strong, empowered woman who seeks revenge in the best way she can, while at the same time not letting her past bring her down. Unlike in other revenge tales, Dahlia uses the revenge to inspire her rather than define her.
I also loved the romance between Dahlia and James. Again, it was very real and very plausible. We were able to see both Dahlia’s and James’ perspectives with alternating viewpoints. I really grew fond of and was rooting for both characters.
Overall, I found this to be fast-paced, interesting and extremely satisfying. 5 stars!
Many thanks to Edelweiss, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Sandra Block for providing me with a complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this. I would characterize it not so much as a psychological thriller, but a character-driven suspense. Sandra Block takes on a very difficult and relevant topic with sensitivity and plausibility. Dahlia has been through hell, but she has come out on top as a strong, empowered woman who seeks revenge in the best way she can, while at the same time not letting her past bring her down. Unlike in other revenge tales, Dahlia uses the revenge to inspire her rather than define her.
I also loved the romance between Dahlia and James. Again, it was very real and very plausible. We were able to see both Dahlia’s and James’ perspectives with alternating viewpoints. I really grew fond of and was rooting for both characters.
Overall, I found this to be fast-paced, interesting and extremely satisfying. 5 stars!
Many thanks to Edelweiss, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Sandra Block for providing me with a complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2018
This was my introduction to Sandra Block, and I can't believe I haven't picked up more from her in the past! WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT is, at it's core, a great thriller about revenge. As a warning, it does deal with an assault that the main character endures at the beginning of the book.
Dahlia is attending Harvard and excelling in her classes, but one day she wakes up after a party and discovers that she is a victim of a horrific assault. The part that haunts her the most is that she has absolutely no memory of the event, which leaves her in a deep-seeded rage. Years later, Dahlia suffers from PTSD but is making it day by day as a paralegal. A video surfaces online and for the first time, Dahlia gets to witness her own attack as well as who is to blame.
While Dahlia is an incredible character, the real standout is James. Her best friend James is such a lovable character and Block captures him perfectly. I loved hearing her talk about him at the book tour and how he even became a favorite of hers. The readers are sucked into the minds of Dahlia and James and their emotions and struggles are so real. It's so easy to connect with them.
Who doesn't love a great revenge story? I thought it was cleaver having the strict guidelines set that there would be no killing. This had me wondering how she would exact her revenge for the brutal attack she endured. Well, you'll just have to read to find out. Careful, once you start, you won't want to stop!
i give this 5/5 stars!
Dahlia is attending Harvard and excelling in her classes, but one day she wakes up after a party and discovers that she is a victim of a horrific assault. The part that haunts her the most is that she has absolutely no memory of the event, which leaves her in a deep-seeded rage. Years later, Dahlia suffers from PTSD but is making it day by day as a paralegal. A video surfaces online and for the first time, Dahlia gets to witness her own attack as well as who is to blame.
While Dahlia is an incredible character, the real standout is James. Her best friend James is such a lovable character and Block captures him perfectly. I loved hearing her talk about him at the book tour and how he even became a favorite of hers. The readers are sucked into the minds of Dahlia and James and their emotions and struggles are so real. It's so easy to connect with them.
Who doesn't love a great revenge story? I thought it was cleaver having the strict guidelines set that there would be no killing. This had me wondering how she would exact her revenge for the brutal attack she endured. Well, you'll just have to read to find out. Careful, once you start, you won't want to stop!
i give this 5/5 stars!
June 7, 2018
#FirstLine ~ It sucks me in.
Holy Man! This book is rock solid. Block has managed to tackle some very tough topics with such a genuine and authentic voice. She is not afraid to let the characters lead the story and share their own truths. Her brilliantly thrilling book left me memorized. It was paced perfectly and the characters were those that you could not help but be moved by. This book literally knocked my socks off. It will make a PERFECT book club pick!
Holy Man! This book is rock solid. Block has managed to tackle some very tough topics with such a genuine and authentic voice. She is not afraid to let the characters lead the story and share their own truths. Her brilliantly thrilling book left me memorized. It was paced perfectly and the characters were those that you could not help but be moved by. This book literally knocked my socks off. It will make a PERFECT book club pick!
April 12, 2018
A fast-paced suspense read with memorable characters and rock-solid writing. I was utterly captivated by Dahlia’s quest for healing through revenge and totally charmed by her relationship with James. Rape, suicide, and autism are tough subjects for any author to handle but Block’s intelligence and compassionate approach allow her to succeed. What Happened That Night is a timely story with plenty of controversy for book club discussion. Highly recommended!
February 23, 2018
---- Possible spoilers! ----
This is a pretty good thriller.
You have two unconventional main characters and I really liked them. It was nice not reading about conventionally handsome man and ordinary Mary Jane Investigates! Instead, we have two people who don’t conform to social norms and who have each experienced true tragedy in their lives.
Unfortunately, I figured out the main secret of the book at about 30%. Regardless, I still enjoyed the read.
Readers should be aware that there are rather graphic descriptions of sexual assault. Some of this definitely isn’t the easiest thing to read, but the author handles it well. It never felt gratuitous. It did feel sickening, but that was the point.
I admit that I thought things would spiral out of control for our main character a bit quicker and a bit more intensely. However, the tension and suspense were still there.
A good, fast read!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
This is a pretty good thriller.
You have two unconventional main characters and I really liked them. It was nice not reading about conventionally handsome man and ordinary Mary Jane Investigates! Instead, we have two people who don’t conform to social norms and who have each experienced true tragedy in their lives.
Unfortunately, I figured out the main secret of the book at about 30%. Regardless, I still enjoyed the read.
Readers should be aware that there are rather graphic descriptions of sexual assault. Some of this definitely isn’t the easiest thing to read, but the author handles it well. It never felt gratuitous. It did feel sickening, but that was the point.
I admit that I thought things would spiral out of control for our main character a bit quicker and a bit more intensely. However, the tension and suspense were still there.
A good, fast read!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
June 5, 2018
Wow!!
A woman was drugged and gets raped on campus and doesn't remember a thing, except birds chirping, men in line, laughing, and, of course, the pain. Now, she suffers from PTSD, imagine that.
The last part of this book was killing me. I feared for Dahlia. She was crazy with her revenge. I wanted to holler "you go girl!" so many times but I just couldn't. My fear was so strong for her. That kept me going for like over half of this book.
I'm not going to spoil it for you and tell you what happened. Just know if you have a heart problem, you may want to use caution before picking this book. Because mine was beating like crazy and it kept on until the very end. However, if you like really good suspenseful books, pick this one!
A really good book that would not let me put it down or go to sleep for a while after I finished.
Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
A woman was drugged and gets raped on campus and doesn't remember a thing, except birds chirping, men in line, laughing, and, of course, the pain. Now, she suffers from PTSD, imagine that.
The last part of this book was killing me. I feared for Dahlia. She was crazy with her revenge. I wanted to holler "you go girl!" so many times but I just couldn't. My fear was so strong for her. That kept me going for like over half of this book.
I'm not going to spoil it for you and tell you what happened. Just know if you have a heart problem, you may want to use caution before picking this book. Because mine was beating like crazy and it kept on until the very end. However, if you like really good suspenseful books, pick this one!
A really good book that would not let me put it down or go to sleep for a while after I finished.
Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 25, 2018
Dahlia is gang raped at a Harvard frat party. Six years later, she still remembers nothing and continues to suffer from PTSD. At a suicide survivors group she encounters James, an autistic IT coworker who has liked her from afar (in a manner that would feel stalkish to me, but is more o function of his Aspergers than true stalking). Then she sees coworkers watching a video of her rape and Dahlia and James plot revenge on her rapists.
I’m a Sandra Block fan. I love her no nonsense writing style. She gave Dahlia and James distinct voices and seemed to get inside both their heads. As a rape survivor, I understood and have experienced many of Dahlia’s PTSD symptoms. Maybe I projected too much of my own stuff onto Dahlia, but I truly disliked James and found him creepy. His lack of boundaries would have been an immediate turn off and I’d never have given him my phone number, let alone met with so soon after connecting for the first time at the group (though also being coworkers would have eased my fears a bit). I don’t like people who glom on, like James did. Because I couldn’t buy into the connection between Dahlia and James, a huge chunk of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT didn’t work for me.
I generally don’t like revenge stories because, from a psychological perspective, I don’t think they are particularly healing for the individual. While I certainly went through my own thoughts of exacting justice on my rapists, it was a phase in my recovery to express anger and feel power, never something I actually considered. As I continued on with my healing, revenge fantasies kept me from moving on because I was tied to my rapists by my anger. Legal justice felt more fair in an unfair world than street justice.
The conclusion of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT was mixed for me. I *knew* an attorney at her firm had to be involved in the rape and was so relieved it wasn’t Conner, the obvious good guy with a dark secret trope. Eli as a bystander/participant didn’t completely shock me, but I felt mixed about having the gay guy/best friend as a perp in a heterosexual rape because of fear of outing. Sure, it’s possible, but it felt like a twist for being twisty, something an editor might have pushed on the story rather than Block’s idea. I also **hated** that James and Dahlia appeared to get back together. Dahlia triumphed. The perps were busted. She won a civil suit and was in law school across the country. If she was going to be in a relationship, she deserved someone as badass as she was (nothing against James, they seemed mismatched).
I loved Dahlia, her voice, her spunk, her humanity. I wouldn’t mind reading a series with her as the star, like Zoe Goldman, but attorney instead of psychiatrist.
I’m a Sandra Block fan. I love her no nonsense writing style. She gave Dahlia and James distinct voices and seemed to get inside both their heads. As a rape survivor, I understood and have experienced many of Dahlia’s PTSD symptoms. Maybe I projected too much of my own stuff onto Dahlia, but I truly disliked James and found him creepy. His lack of boundaries would have been an immediate turn off and I’d never have given him my phone number, let alone met with so soon after connecting for the first time at the group (though also being coworkers would have eased my fears a bit). I don’t like people who glom on, like James did. Because I couldn’t buy into the connection between Dahlia and James, a huge chunk of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT didn’t work for me.
I generally don’t like revenge stories because, from a psychological perspective, I don’t think they are particularly healing for the individual. While I certainly went through my own thoughts of exacting justice on my rapists, it was a phase in my recovery to express anger and feel power, never something I actually considered. As I continued on with my healing, revenge fantasies kept me from moving on because I was tied to my rapists by my anger. Legal justice felt more fair in an unfair world than street justice.
The conclusion of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT was mixed for me. I *knew* an attorney at her firm had to be involved in the rape and was so relieved it wasn’t Conner, the obvious good guy with a dark secret trope. Eli as a bystander/participant didn’t completely shock me, but I felt mixed about having the gay guy/best friend as a perp in a heterosexual rape because of fear of outing. Sure, it’s possible, but it felt like a twist for being twisty, something an editor might have pushed on the story rather than Block’s idea. I also **hated** that James and Dahlia appeared to get back together. Dahlia triumphed. The perps were busted. She won a civil suit and was in law school across the country. If she was going to be in a relationship, she deserved someone as badass as she was (nothing against James, they seemed mismatched).
I loved Dahlia, her voice, her spunk, her humanity. I wouldn’t mind reading a series with her as the star, like Zoe Goldman, but attorney instead of psychiatrist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2018
Be forewarned: What Happened That Night is a book that is very hard to put down once you start it. It is a compelling, character-driven read.
Five years ago, Dahlia was a student at Harvard ready to go on to law school. All that changed, when she went to a party and was brutally sexually assaulted. While she has no memory of the assault, her physical and emotional trauma was so great that she dropped out of school, losing herself to PTSD.
Stronger now through therapy, Dahlia works as a paralegal. She still struggles with the past, but she is moving on as best she can. Until she finds a group of co-workers in the break-room gathered around a terminal watching her assault online!! Now that she knows what happened to her, she is determined to bring those in the video to justice, and they are just as determined to stop her from doing so. Each ups the ante bit by bit until you want to scream because you can't turn the pages fast enough!!
Block does an excellent job of building the main characters and building suspense. She also is skilled at handling difficult topics such as sexual assault, suicide, Asperger's well. I loved the relationship between Dahlia and Frank!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Five years ago, Dahlia was a student at Harvard ready to go on to law school. All that changed, when she went to a party and was brutally sexually assaulted. While she has no memory of the assault, her physical and emotional trauma was so great that she dropped out of school, losing herself to PTSD.
Stronger now through therapy, Dahlia works as a paralegal. She still struggles with the past, but she is moving on as best she can. Until she finds a group of co-workers in the break-room gathered around a terminal watching her assault online!! Now that she knows what happened to her, she is determined to bring those in the video to justice, and they are just as determined to stop her from doing so. Each ups the ante bit by bit until you want to scream because you can't turn the pages fast enough!!
Block does an excellent job of building the main characters and building suspense. She also is skilled at handling difficult topics such as sexual assault, suicide, Asperger's well. I loved the relationship between Dahlia and Frank!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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