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We Were Never Here
An annual backpacking trip has deadly consequences in a chilling new novel from the bestselling author of The Lost Night and The Herd.
Emily is having the time of her life--she's in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women are feeling closer than ever. But on the last night of their trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she'd been flirting with attacked her, and she had no choice but to kill him in self-defense. Even more shocking: The scene is horrifyingly similar to last year's trip, when another backpacker wound up dead. Emily can't believe it's happened again--can lightning really strike twice?
Back home in Wisconsin, Emily struggles to bury her trauma, diving head-first into a new relationship and throwing herself into work. But when Kristen shows up for a surprise visit, Emily is forced to to confront their violent past. The more Kristen tries to keep Emily close, the more Emily questions her friend's motives. As Emily feels the walls closing in on their coverups, she must reckon with the truth about her closest friend. Can she outrun the secrets she shares with Kristen, or will they destroy her relationship, her freedom--even her life?
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781984820464.
Emily is having the time of her life--she's in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women are feeling closer than ever. But on the last night of their trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she'd been flirting with attacked her, and she had no choice but to kill him in self-defense. Even more shocking: The scene is horrifyingly similar to last year's trip, when another backpacker wound up dead. Emily can't believe it's happened again--can lightning really strike twice?
Back home in Wisconsin, Emily struggles to bury her trauma, diving head-first into a new relationship and throwing herself into work. But when Kristen shows up for a surprise visit, Emily is forced to to confront their violent past. The more Kristen tries to keep Emily close, the more Emily questions her friend's motives. As Emily feels the walls closing in on their coverups, she must reckon with the truth about her closest friend. Can she outrun the secrets she shares with Kristen, or will they destroy her relationship, her freedom--even her life?
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781984820464.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 3, 2021
7217 people are currently reading
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About the author
Andrea Bartz
11 books2,560 followersAndrea Bartz is a Brooklyn-based journalist and the New York Times-bestselling author of WE WERE NEVER HERE, a Reese's Book Club pick. Her debut thriller, THE LOST NIGHT, was an LA Times bestseller, and her sophomore thriller, THE HERD was named a best book of the year by Marie Claire, Crime Reads, Good Housekeeping, and other outlets. Her most recent thriller, THE SPARE ROOM, was a GMA Bonus Buzz Pick, a Marie Claire book club pick, and a best book of summer per People, Shondaland, Glamour, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Vogue, and many other outlets, and she's held editorial positions at Glamour, Psychology Today, and Self, among other publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,241 reviews
August 11, 2021
I feel stupider for having read this book. I pushed past some truly atrocious prose (“my insides tumbled like concrete,” “his clothes formed a casserole by his body”) because the setup and first few chapters were actually pretty promising. What follows is a sloppy patchwork of cliches (including a toxic female best friend with a sketchy past involving mysterious deaths, a Gone Girl style scavenger hunt of coded messages to taunt/blackmail the MC, etc) and exposition heavy scenes that test the reader’s patience. It’s painfully obvious what is really going on and waiting for Emily to catch up is laborious and repetitive. Emily is all, You mean my friend who killed two guys and ditched their bodies and shows no remorse or worry over getting caught might not be who I thought she was?! *shocked Pikachu face* The final pages are just ridiculous. Worst book I’ve read all year.
October 21, 2023
I read this via an audiobook, and If I heard the narrators voice go "Stop. Stop! STOP!" One more time I was going to yeet my phone out the window.
August 21, 2021
We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz
Every year Emily and Kristen, best friends since college, go on a backpacking trip in a foreign country. Last year's trip, in Cambodia, didn't turn out so well, leaving Emily an anxious mess once she got home. But Kristen supported her, often for hours each day by phone, since Kristen has been living in Australia.
This year's trip to Chile ends with a very similar disaster. The most common denominator of this year's disaster and last year's disaster is the role that Kristen plays in both horrors. Now Kristen wants Emily to commit to taking off work to spend six months backpacking together. Emily just wants to escape to her home, job, and new boyfriend. Not long after Emily gets home, Kristen shows up on her doorstep, back in Milwaukee for good.
This is a story of co-dependent bad judgement, manipulation, and gaslighting, with strong Amanda Knox vibes. Or, at least, Kristen likes to bring up Amanda Knox to get Emily to bow to her wishes. Finally, Emily is getting suspicious and realizing that Kristen might not be the kind of friend she thought she was.
The story starts out strong but then drags with Emily's detailed reflection of all that has gone on in the past and present. As crazy as the first part of the story is, the last part of the story is even more over the top. It becomes hard to tell where one crazy ends and the other begins between Emily and Kristen and still, the final paragraph of the story seems out of place.
Publication: August 3rd 2021
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.
Every year Emily and Kristen, best friends since college, go on a backpacking trip in a foreign country. Last year's trip, in Cambodia, didn't turn out so well, leaving Emily an anxious mess once she got home. But Kristen supported her, often for hours each day by phone, since Kristen has been living in Australia.
This year's trip to Chile ends with a very similar disaster. The most common denominator of this year's disaster and last year's disaster is the role that Kristen plays in both horrors. Now Kristen wants Emily to commit to taking off work to spend six months backpacking together. Emily just wants to escape to her home, job, and new boyfriend. Not long after Emily gets home, Kristen shows up on her doorstep, back in Milwaukee for good.
This is a story of co-dependent bad judgement, manipulation, and gaslighting, with strong Amanda Knox vibes. Or, at least, Kristen likes to bring up Amanda Knox to get Emily to bow to her wishes. Finally, Emily is getting suspicious and realizing that Kristen might not be the kind of friend she thought she was.
The story starts out strong but then drags with Emily's detailed reflection of all that has gone on in the past and present. As crazy as the first part of the story is, the last part of the story is even more over the top. It becomes hard to tell where one crazy ends and the other begins between Emily and Kristen and still, the final paragraph of the story seems out of place.
Publication: August 3rd 2021
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.
July 6, 2022
All right, here are the facts: I enjoyed the Herd and at the beginning I thought this book was truly giving me five stars alert! Two traveling friends- two murders they got away with- Amanda Knox meets Heathers, Single White Female and Girl interrupted vibes of obsessive female friendship is intriguing and dreamy formula for my huge thriller appetite!
But... yes this could have been five starred read for me even though the opening was a little wordy but also contained impressive analysis of both characters and their dysfunctional, needy relationship! Emily was the shy, obedient, insecure woman is about to be 30, suffering from trust issues after dating with demanding, possessive men!
Thankfully her best friend Kristen: her polar opposite, independent, good looking, free spirited, risk taker, dominant woman was always at her side after her breakups or her sexual assault ( actually she was the witness of the assault helped her bury the body !!!!)
Emily is still jittery and suffering from panic attacks after Cambodia incident ( yes, she got rid of the guy who tried to rape her and Kristen was there to cover her tracks) and when she agreed to go to Chile mountains but instead of drinking wine and enjoying scenery, she finds herself at another murder scene again!! This time Kristen is rape victim who sits on a blood bath, needing urgent help of her bestie to get rid of the corpse! Well, lightning doesn’t strike twice and less than five years being in two different crime scenes is a little suspicious. Wake up Emily! Your bestie already started to give me creeps!
Those girls get away with murder again and Emily returns back to her home, getting serious with her new boyfriend ( thankfully Kristin hasn’t met him yet. Because I’m sure she may find a way to force Emily break things up with him) but wait a minute why Kristin bangs Emily’s door. Wasn’t she in Australia? Wait a minute! Did she buy a new apartment at the next block of Emily? Whattt! And why she cannot stop mentioning their Chili trip in front of everyone and how she orchestrated her surprise birthday to spend entire weekend at a cabin out of nowhere with no cell reception! Oh, Emily wake the hell up! This girl is bad news and you’re about to be cheesy murder material for evening news!
Well, I have to admit: writing and characterization were great but it was way tooooo long. At least 50 pages can be emitted! When I reach at the last third I thought this book will never end. I wanted to scream at the characters to cut the crap and give us a proper conclusion of their stories but finally they gave it ( this is such a relief)
I still have good feelings about this book because I’m always a great fan of wild crazy bitch girls’ fight and I keep saying oh no she cannot dare to that, oops she did it, didn’t she? kind of tense, expect the unexpected reads about how far obsessive women go! I loved the idea and character building and I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars !
If it wasn’t for Andrea Bartz, I could give three stars without thinking any further! But I still enjoyed the cat fight of so called best friends and I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 Kristin was batshit crazy Siamese twin of Jennifer Jason Leigh on single white female stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballentine for sharing this gripping digital copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
But... yes this could have been five starred read for me even though the opening was a little wordy but also contained impressive analysis of both characters and their dysfunctional, needy relationship! Emily was the shy, obedient, insecure woman is about to be 30, suffering from trust issues after dating with demanding, possessive men!
Thankfully her best friend Kristen: her polar opposite, independent, good looking, free spirited, risk taker, dominant woman was always at her side after her breakups or her sexual assault ( actually she was the witness of the assault helped her bury the body !!!!)
Emily is still jittery and suffering from panic attacks after Cambodia incident ( yes, she got rid of the guy who tried to rape her and Kristen was there to cover her tracks) and when she agreed to go to Chile mountains but instead of drinking wine and enjoying scenery, she finds herself at another murder scene again!! This time Kristen is rape victim who sits on a blood bath, needing urgent help of her bestie to get rid of the corpse! Well, lightning doesn’t strike twice and less than five years being in two different crime scenes is a little suspicious. Wake up Emily! Your bestie already started to give me creeps!
Those girls get away with murder again and Emily returns back to her home, getting serious with her new boyfriend ( thankfully Kristin hasn’t met him yet. Because I’m sure she may find a way to force Emily break things up with him) but wait a minute why Kristin bangs Emily’s door. Wasn’t she in Australia? Wait a minute! Did she buy a new apartment at the next block of Emily? Whattt! And why she cannot stop mentioning their Chili trip in front of everyone and how she orchestrated her surprise birthday to spend entire weekend at a cabin out of nowhere with no cell reception! Oh, Emily wake the hell up! This girl is bad news and you’re about to be cheesy murder material for evening news!
Well, I have to admit: writing and characterization were great but it was way tooooo long. At least 50 pages can be emitted! When I reach at the last third I thought this book will never end. I wanted to scream at the characters to cut the crap and give us a proper conclusion of their stories but finally they gave it ( this is such a relief)
I still have good feelings about this book because I’m always a great fan of wild crazy bitch girls’ fight and I keep saying oh no she cannot dare to that, oops she did it, didn’t she? kind of tense, expect the unexpected reads about how far obsessive women go! I loved the idea and character building and I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars !
If it wasn’t for Andrea Bartz, I could give three stars without thinking any further! But I still enjoyed the cat fight of so called best friends and I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 Kristin was batshit crazy Siamese twin of Jennifer Jason Leigh on single white female stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballentine for sharing this gripping digital copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
September 8, 2021
I just wanted this book to stop, stop, stop.
August 24, 2021
I can’t fully put into words how much I hated this book. It is tedious, predictable and the first book from Reese’s book club that I genuinely disliked. If I had to read “stop stop STOP” one more time I was going to hit something.
December 29, 2023
Emily is on vacation with her bestie, Kristen, when things take a turn for the worst. Arriving back in The States, Kristen is acting like nothing happened but is acting very strangely by showing up randomly. Emily is learning more and more about the past. What really happened on vacation?
This book felt like 2 different authors wrote it. The first 25% and the last 25% were really page turning and exciting. The middle 50% was way too much inner-monologue by the main character, Emily. Also, the author tried to paint Kristen as super creepy. Sorry but maybe you don't know your besties as well as I do nor care about them as much as I do, but if my bestie told me she was moving in a few houses down, I would jump for joy and give her a hug and thank my lucky stars. If she wanted to go to my yoga class, I would be thrilled. What else is she supposed to do? Just move to the same city and try to live as far away as possible? I wouldn't find those behaviors creepy at all.
Let me tell you about my best friend. She is sunshine. She is always late because she makes friends everywhere – standing in line at the checkout counter, at school, at church, with children. She emits feelings of warmth and belonging. She gives generously and open handedly. She would give you the shirt off her back and would never bring it up, never say, “Do you remember the time that I did X for you?” She is super smart, but she never gloats about it. She is completely fluent in two languages, and she is incredibly brave and enjoys new things. She aspires to serve her family from her farm where she has horses, chickens, goats, and dogs, as well as a garden. She does not come from a family of farmers so she has had to learn all about farming and animal care. If she calls at 3 am, I answer. If she needs help, I would move heaven and earth to do so.
Now, Emily has never heard of unconditional love. She immediately jumps in and starts in on judging poor Kristen. Honestly, I still feel bad for Kristin. How could they possibly have been friends so long? This book also just rang of double-standards. When a guy shows up unexpectedly, it is romantic. When Kristin shows up, it is creepy? I mean really. Is this what the world has come to? No wonder more and more people are depressed. How can you be happy in the world when you can’t even see your best friend without being branded creepy?
Overall, this book was quite moody. It started very well, seemed like an immature teenager in the middle, and ended on a higher note (although the last couple of pages of the book were rather forgettable).
*Thank you, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
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This book felt like 2 different authors wrote it. The first 25% and the last 25% were really page turning and exciting. The middle 50% was way too much inner-monologue by the main character, Emily. Also, the author tried to paint Kristen as super creepy. Sorry but maybe you don't know your besties as well as I do nor care about them as much as I do, but if my bestie told me she was moving in a few houses down, I would jump for joy and give her a hug and thank my lucky stars. If she wanted to go to my yoga class, I would be thrilled. What else is she supposed to do? Just move to the same city and try to live as far away as possible? I wouldn't find those behaviors creepy at all.
Let me tell you about my best friend. She is sunshine. She is always late because she makes friends everywhere – standing in line at the checkout counter, at school, at church, with children. She emits feelings of warmth and belonging. She gives generously and open handedly. She would give you the shirt off her back and would never bring it up, never say, “Do you remember the time that I did X for you?” She is super smart, but she never gloats about it. She is completely fluent in two languages, and she is incredibly brave and enjoys new things. She aspires to serve her family from her farm where she has horses, chickens, goats, and dogs, as well as a garden. She does not come from a family of farmers so she has had to learn all about farming and animal care. If she calls at 3 am, I answer. If she needs help, I would move heaven and earth to do so.
Now, Emily has never heard of unconditional love. She immediately jumps in and starts in on judging poor Kristen. Honestly, I still feel bad for Kristin. How could they possibly have been friends so long? This book also just rang of double-standards. When a guy shows up unexpectedly, it is romantic. When Kristin shows up, it is creepy? I mean really. Is this what the world has come to? No wonder more and more people are depressed. How can you be happy in the world when you can’t even see your best friend without being branded creepy?
Overall, this book was quite moody. It started very well, seemed like an immature teenager in the middle, and ended on a higher note (although the last couple of pages of the book were rather forgettable).
*Thank you, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
December 30, 2021
Loved the premise, feel kinda meh about the execution towards the end. How the book resulted felt like the easy way out, which makes it unfortunately predictable. The story was definitely more fun when I projected sapphic feelings in the first 1/3 lol
February 4, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
When Emily met Kristen in college, she was immediately drawn in by the other girl's confidence and bold personality.
The two hit it off right away, becoming best friends and closest confidantes.
Years later, even though they live on different continents, the women are still best friends; two peas in a pod.
One way they maintain their closeness, is by traveling together to remote locations around the world. Last year, Cambodia; this year, Chile.
On the final night in Chile, something truly terrible happens. Kristen had headed back to their suite a little early with a cute backpacker they met in a bar. Emily, as a good friend, stayed away for a while to give the two time to be alone.
When Emily does arrive back at the suite, she walks into a horrible mess. Blood, broken glass and a very dead backpacker. Kristen is extremely distraught, saying he attacked her and she hit him in self-defense.
Emily takes control and they do what they have to do in order to get out of the country undetected. It feels surreal, Emily cannot believe what has happened, mainly because it's not the first time.
Their magical trip to Cambodia ended much the same way. Kristen claiming self-defense and both of them cleaning up a giant mess.
Back in Wisconsin, Emily is drowning in guilt. Repetitive thoughts and hazy recollections of the two infamous trips are constantly running through her head.
She's having a difficult time putting it in the past and is surprised at how easily Kristen is coping with it all. While Emily is distracted, both at work and in her new relationship with Aaron, Kristen seems to be her normal, carefree self.
When Kristen shows up in Wisconsin for a surprise visit from Australia, Emily is shocked. She's starting to see her BFF in a whole new light and it's not flattering.
The tighter Kristen tries to hold onto their friendship, the more Emily begins to feel like she's trapped. How well does she really know Kristen? What is she truly capable of?
As secrets of Kristen's past come to light, due to stealthy digging on Emily's part, it becomes clear that her best friend may not be who she thinks she is.
We Were Never Here is a tense and twisty tale of Suspense. I had fun reading this one, although in my opinion, the pace was a little uneven.
The beginning was great. It kicks of quickly and the stakes are incredibly high. As a person who travels every year with my best friend, I couldn't even imagine having something happening to us, like what happened to Emily and Kristen in Cambodia. It's frightening to even think about.
After Chile, it's clear, something is off with the besties. As the synopsis says, could lightening really strike twice?
Once Emily returns to Wisconsin, I felt like the tense tone was ripped right out from under me. I was bored with being in Emily's head; her repetitive musings seemed to go on forever.
However, once Kristen arrives, things slowly began to pick back up. I enjoyed the mystery of Kristen's background and Emily's sleuthing was definitely an element I appreciated.
The ending was absolutely wild, like WHAT!? The intensity returning with a vigor. We're talking Lifetime movie levels of drama unfolding. It was definitely fun!
In short, while the pace wasn't perfect for me, overall, I thought this was a compelling, over-the-top tale of codependent friendship. I am still thinking about and I consider that a great sign; it's memorable. Kristen, in particular, was a great character!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion!
When Emily met Kristen in college, she was immediately drawn in by the other girl's confidence and bold personality.
The two hit it off right away, becoming best friends and closest confidantes.
Years later, even though they live on different continents, the women are still best friends; two peas in a pod.
One way they maintain their closeness, is by traveling together to remote locations around the world. Last year, Cambodia; this year, Chile.
On the final night in Chile, something truly terrible happens. Kristen had headed back to their suite a little early with a cute backpacker they met in a bar. Emily, as a good friend, stayed away for a while to give the two time to be alone.
When Emily does arrive back at the suite, she walks into a horrible mess. Blood, broken glass and a very dead backpacker. Kristen is extremely distraught, saying he attacked her and she hit him in self-defense.
Emily takes control and they do what they have to do in order to get out of the country undetected. It feels surreal, Emily cannot believe what has happened, mainly because it's not the first time.
Their magical trip to Cambodia ended much the same way. Kristen claiming self-defense and both of them cleaning up a giant mess.
Back in Wisconsin, Emily is drowning in guilt. Repetitive thoughts and hazy recollections of the two infamous trips are constantly running through her head.
She's having a difficult time putting it in the past and is surprised at how easily Kristen is coping with it all. While Emily is distracted, both at work and in her new relationship with Aaron, Kristen seems to be her normal, carefree self.
When Kristen shows up in Wisconsin for a surprise visit from Australia, Emily is shocked. She's starting to see her BFF in a whole new light and it's not flattering.
The tighter Kristen tries to hold onto their friendship, the more Emily begins to feel like she's trapped. How well does she really know Kristen? What is she truly capable of?
As secrets of Kristen's past come to light, due to stealthy digging on Emily's part, it becomes clear that her best friend may not be who she thinks she is.
We Were Never Here is a tense and twisty tale of Suspense. I had fun reading this one, although in my opinion, the pace was a little uneven.
The beginning was great. It kicks of quickly and the stakes are incredibly high. As a person who travels every year with my best friend, I couldn't even imagine having something happening to us, like what happened to Emily and Kristen in Cambodia. It's frightening to even think about.
After Chile, it's clear, something is off with the besties. As the synopsis says, could lightening really strike twice?
Once Emily returns to Wisconsin, I felt like the tense tone was ripped right out from under me. I was bored with being in Emily's head; her repetitive musings seemed to go on forever.
However, once Kristen arrives, things slowly began to pick back up. I enjoyed the mystery of Kristen's background and Emily's sleuthing was definitely an element I appreciated.
The ending was absolutely wild, like WHAT!? The intensity returning with a vigor. We're talking Lifetime movie levels of drama unfolding. It was definitely fun!
In short, while the pace wasn't perfect for me, overall, I thought this was a compelling, over-the-top tale of codependent friendship. I am still thinking about and I consider that a great sign; it's memorable. Kristen, in particular, was a great character!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion!
August 19, 2022
4.5 STARS
Ride or die!
Kristen and Emily, get the itch to travel. They go to Chile and Cambodia and meet up with two very unlucky backpackers.
They wind up in a little situation.... they need to pull it together quick, think, no one at the hotel speaks English. They think about acting it out, showing their injuries, no, that won't work!
They need to hide the body, what have they done? They are off to bury a body (or two)... "Hi ho, Hi ho...."
This was one crazy, catch me if you can, roller-coaster, topsy-turvy, don't forget to breathe ride for me! I was glued to every page. I was stuck in Emily's anxiety filled head, but she had a lot on her mind so that was just fine! She needed to know if her bestie was a bit murdery! Perfectly understandable.
It was a nerve twisting page-turner filled with many cliffs to go over. Thought-provoking and chilling with some added dark humor.
About that last paragraph.....
Reese's August Book Club Pick / Purchased Copy / Read in Sept. 2021
Ride or die!
Kristen and Emily, get the itch to travel. They go to Chile and Cambodia and meet up with two very unlucky backpackers.
They wind up in a little situation.... they need to pull it together quick, think, no one at the hotel speaks English. They think about acting it out, showing their injuries, no, that won't work!
They need to hide the body, what have they done? They are off to bury a body (or two)... "Hi ho, Hi ho...."
This was one crazy, catch me if you can, roller-coaster, topsy-turvy, don't forget to breathe ride for me! I was glued to every page. I was stuck in Emily's anxiety filled head, but she had a lot on her mind so that was just fine! She needed to know if her bestie was a bit murdery! Perfectly understandable.
It was a nerve twisting page-turner filled with many cliffs to go over. Thought-provoking and chilling with some added dark humor.
About that last paragraph.....
Reese's August Book Club Pick / Purchased Copy / Read in Sept. 2021
April 16, 2023
I'm like the Peter Pan of being unpleasant.
I have a sort of whimsy to me, I never want to grow up, I am naturally suited to leading a ragtag group of people younger than me (I was a camp counselor for many years).
And also I am a huge hater.
In other words, I had to read this book for a workplace book club, and I hated it both because it's not good and because I abhor grown-up activities of any kind.
But I'll try to focus on the book. Seeing as this is a "review of it" and all.
This shindig involves some truly stunningly bad writing.
This book doesn't understand its own characters - some, if not most, of these actions have no explanation whatsoever. When the story ends and it's wrap up loose ends time, there is both a moment in which our narrator literally says the bad guy's actions are inexplicable, AND a moment when she destroys her own characterization.
In fact, the ending is so bad, so immoral, so unintentionally convincing of our main character's soullessness and her stupid boyfriend's, that it made me consider other more interesting plot points, like me killing all of them in the first cross-fiction murder spree in history.
The single most readable bit in the whole thing is when it accidentally implies a plot twist that would create a story line approximately 100,000 times more interesting than the one we actually have, and even though in any other context I would have thought it was lame I gasped with joy and gratitude.
But no. It was just misleading.
If only.
Bottom line: Everything is bad.
-----------------
pre-review
reading this for my work book club. this is the most adult thing i have ever done
update: being an adult is the worst.
review to come / 2 stars
I have a sort of whimsy to me, I never want to grow up, I am naturally suited to leading a ragtag group of people younger than me (I was a camp counselor for many years).
And also I am a huge hater.
In other words, I had to read this book for a workplace book club, and I hated it both because it's not good and because I abhor grown-up activities of any kind.
But I'll try to focus on the book. Seeing as this is a "review of it" and all.
This shindig involves some truly stunningly bad writing.
This book doesn't understand its own characters - some, if not most, of these actions have no explanation whatsoever. When the story ends and it's wrap up loose ends time, there is both a moment in which our narrator literally says the bad guy's actions are inexplicable, AND a moment when she destroys her own characterization.
In fact, the ending is so bad, so immoral, so unintentionally convincing of our main character's soullessness and her stupid boyfriend's, that it made me consider other more interesting plot points, like me killing all of them in the first cross-fiction murder spree in history.
The single most readable bit in the whole thing is when it accidentally implies a plot twist that would create a story line approximately 100,000 times more interesting than the one we actually have, and even though in any other context I would have thought it was lame I gasped with joy and gratitude.
But no. It was just misleading.
If only.
Bottom line: Everything is bad.
-----------------
pre-review
reading this for my work book club. this is the most adult thing i have ever done
update: being an adult is the worst.
review to come / 2 stars
October 14, 2021
Oh, boy did this mess with me.
March 23, 2021
Thank you to every single reader—truly!
xAndi
xAndi
January 12, 2022
I wanted to throw in the towel around the 20% mark and surprisingly a lot of people were rooting for me to do so. I feel like finishing bad books builds character, but more importantly it allows the author to surprise me in the end. Around the 75% mark the author did just that. The main character's "lizard brain" (her words, not mine) finally caught up to the reader's. There were a lot more twists than I expected, so I actually wanted to know what happens next.
So why is the middle 50% of the book so painfully bad? I honestly believe the author wrote the entire book and realized it was way too short to be published as a novel. Her solution was to make the main character as dim witted as possible to buy time. The result is a slog fest of frustrating proportions. Emily is like a different person in the last 25% of the book. She's the person she should have always been. Next time, if you have a decent novella, publish it as such. Don't waste everyone's fucking time.
So why is the middle 50% of the book so painfully bad? I honestly believe the author wrote the entire book and realized it was way too short to be published as a novel. Her solution was to make the main character as dim witted as possible to buy time. The result is a slog fest of frustrating proportions. Emily is like a different person in the last 25% of the book. She's the person she should have always been. Next time, if you have a decent novella, publish it as such. Don't waste everyone's fucking time.
October 19, 2021
No.......Not.......Never
Ya know when you are tantalized by the shiny wrapping paper and intricate bow on a package. But then you dig deep down into the tissue paper and hit a cardboard bottom. That's about what is happenin' here.
We Were Never Here takes us on a hiking trip (Twice mind you). Once to Cambodia and then on a jaunt to Chile with two best friends since college at Northwestern. It's quirky Kristen with the more demure Emily who hit the bars and the trails in these foreign countries. Both are from mild Milwaukee making an effort to spread their wings. Kristen fled to Australia two years ago and Emily remains in the confines of her birth city.
While in Cambodia, Emily brings a young man back to their hotel room. Things get out of hand beyond the usual grabby feely stage and while Emily tries to fight him off, Kristen walks in and metal meets male skull. Dumping the body comes next. No reporting the crime.
Our next flight will be landing in Chile with the usual passengers....Kristen and Emily. Lordy, lightning strikes again. Mop up on aisle four.
Now don't get me wrong. We Were Never Here started out with a bang and with a ton of possibilities. What a great premise with two best friends caught up in a deep, dark secret.....until the fissures set in and the tension escalates into near ear bleeds. But then the writing literally went beneath the Equator with tedious replays and backstories throwing shade on each other's mental stabilities. Throw in bratwurst barbecues and the irksome nano second appearance of one them showing up at the other's doorstep "unexpectantly".
Having never read an Andrea Bartz novel before, I just didn't have a feel for her style. I kept pressing onward hoping that something beyond measure was going to happen in the wrap-up. Don't even get me started on that hopped-up ending and "the last sentence". In the hands of a good screen play writer, this one could make it to NetFlix easy.
Decide for yourselves. There's a boat load of 5 Star reviews out there. To each one's own. The only way to know is to know by reading. Bon Voyage.......
Ya know when you are tantalized by the shiny wrapping paper and intricate bow on a package. But then you dig deep down into the tissue paper and hit a cardboard bottom. That's about what is happenin' here.
We Were Never Here takes us on a hiking trip (Twice mind you). Once to Cambodia and then on a jaunt to Chile with two best friends since college at Northwestern. It's quirky Kristen with the more demure Emily who hit the bars and the trails in these foreign countries. Both are from mild Milwaukee making an effort to spread their wings. Kristen fled to Australia two years ago and Emily remains in the confines of her birth city.
While in Cambodia, Emily brings a young man back to their hotel room. Things get out of hand beyond the usual grabby feely stage and while Emily tries to fight him off, Kristen walks in and metal meets male skull. Dumping the body comes next. No reporting the crime.
Our next flight will be landing in Chile with the usual passengers....Kristen and Emily. Lordy, lightning strikes again. Mop up on aisle four.
Now don't get me wrong. We Were Never Here started out with a bang and with a ton of possibilities. What a great premise with two best friends caught up in a deep, dark secret.....until the fissures set in and the tension escalates into near ear bleeds. But then the writing literally went beneath the Equator with tedious replays and backstories throwing shade on each other's mental stabilities. Throw in bratwurst barbecues and the irksome nano second appearance of one them showing up at the other's doorstep "unexpectantly".
Having never read an Andrea Bartz novel before, I just didn't have a feel for her style. I kept pressing onward hoping that something beyond measure was going to happen in the wrap-up. Don't even get me started on that hopped-up ending and "the last sentence". In the hands of a good screen play writer, this one could make it to NetFlix easy.
Decide for yourselves. There's a boat load of 5 Star reviews out there. To each one's own. The only way to know is to know by reading. Bon Voyage.......
September 16, 2021
This is the Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick for August.
I liked this book. It was a mostly entertaining ride. I just didn't love it.
It started off very strong and wicked but it just got a little too over the top for my liking. It tried to play with my mind but I was left a bit confused. The ending just seemed too strange.
I'd still recommend it as it has many twists and turns and will leave you wondering throughout. I could easily see this being made into a Netflix movie. Maybe Reese is even thinking about it already...I'd watch it 🙂
I liked this book. It was a mostly entertaining ride. I just didn't love it.
It started off very strong and wicked but it just got a little too over the top for my liking. It tried to play with my mind but I was left a bit confused. The ending just seemed too strange.
I'd still recommend it as it has many twists and turns and will leave you wondering throughout. I could easily see this being made into a Netflix movie. Maybe Reese is even thinking about it already...I'd watch it 🙂
August 13, 2021
This left me speechless, Andrea Bartz...Wow!! We Were Never Here!! Cross reference this with the 1992 movie "Single White Female" and the 1956 movie "The Bad Seed" If you love psychological thrillers, then you will devour this chilling one.
Emily and Kristen have been traveling the world together as close friends. These adventures connect them with some of the most unique places making memories along the way. Last year a tragic and traumatic event in Columbia left Emily wishing she could erase her memory. She is haunted from a backpacker attacking her in a hotel room. Was it self defense that left him dead with Kristen's help? The right thing would be to call the police, but in a foreign country they decided against it referring to the Amanda Knox story.
A year later, same scenario in Chili, except Emily walks into a bloody scene in their hotel room with a young backpacker dead in the room with Kristen. Not again...twice??
I felt like I was wearing a vice while reading it....I couldn't breathe 😳 🎶🎶Singing Miranda Lambert's song "Vice" while reading this one
"...When it hurts this good you gotta play it twice..."
"Another vice, another town
Where my past can't run me down..."
It doesn't take long to process Kristen is a controlling, manipulative frenemy. Emily has always clung to her needing a close friend until she meets Aaron who is slowly pulling her away from Kristen. As you sink into this one, get ready for a jealous betrayal of friendship with some chilling & haunting secrets surfacing in each chapter. Encountering exploitation and gaslighting, you can't prepare for that ending. This book is well orchestrated!
Emily and Kristen have been traveling the world together as close friends. These adventures connect them with some of the most unique places making memories along the way. Last year a tragic and traumatic event in Columbia left Emily wishing she could erase her memory. She is haunted from a backpacker attacking her in a hotel room. Was it self defense that left him dead with Kristen's help? The right thing would be to call the police, but in a foreign country they decided against it referring to the Amanda Knox story.
A year later, same scenario in Chili, except Emily walks into a bloody scene in their hotel room with a young backpacker dead in the room with Kristen. Not again...twice??
I felt like I was wearing a vice while reading it....I couldn't breathe 😳 🎶🎶Singing Miranda Lambert's song "Vice" while reading this one
"...When it hurts this good you gotta play it twice..."
"Another vice, another town
Where my past can't run me down..."
It doesn't take long to process Kristen is a controlling, manipulative frenemy. Emily has always clung to her needing a close friend until she meets Aaron who is slowly pulling her away from Kristen. As you sink into this one, get ready for a jealous betrayal of friendship with some chilling & haunting secrets surfacing in each chapter. Encountering exploitation and gaslighting, you can't prepare for that ending. This book is well orchestrated!
August 7, 2021
One of the worst books I’ve read this year. I’m semi annoyed I wasted two days on this book when I have a stack of TBRs that most likely all better than this heap of trash.
Predictable, subpar writing (and awful analogies), dumb pseudo twist that almost was this book’s saving grace until it turned out to not actually be the case.
Don’t waste your time on this one.
Predictable, subpar writing (and awful analogies), dumb pseudo twist that almost was this book’s saving grace until it turned out to not actually be the case.
Don’t waste your time on this one.
September 13, 2021
I loved the premise of this thriller!! And it started off really strong, I really enjoyed the first 60% of this book, but then it started to go in a predictable direction and it was less fun. Thai ending up being a pretty middle of the road thriller for me, but I listened to the entire audiobook in just two sittings cause I couldn’t put it down so 🤩
August 31, 2021
“We Were Never Here” is one disturbing story! Author Andrea Bartz writes so well, that reading this story filled me with angst. This is Reese Witherspoon’s August book choice, and it’s a good one.
Emily and Kristen went to Northwestern together and stayed friends, close friends. The girls go on a backpacking trip to Chile and Emily finds that Kristen killed a fellow backpacker in their hotel suite. While Emily is in shock, Kristen persuades her to help Kristen cover up the death.
Adding to the terror, is that one year ago the two girls were on another backpacking trip in Vietnam and a similar situation occurred. Yet, it’s hazy in Emily’s minds. What Emily thought happened in Vietnam, Kirsten changes to the point that Emily questions her own sanity.
As the story progresses, we, the reader, gets a bad feeling about Kristen. Too many sketchy things keep occurring. Kristen easily manipulates Emily….yet. Emily is confused with her own recollections of events, which brings the reader to question what is accurate and what is imagined. Kristen is the Queen of Gaslighting.
The story is told through Emily’s lens. This is a slow burn of suspense, wondering what the truth is and how will this end.
Speaking of the ending….for me, this was close to a 5 star story until the last 20 or so pages. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the ride and recommend it as a solid thriller.
Emily and Kristen went to Northwestern together and stayed friends, close friends. The girls go on a backpacking trip to Chile and Emily finds that Kristen killed a fellow backpacker in their hotel suite. While Emily is in shock, Kristen persuades her to help Kristen cover up the death.
Adding to the terror, is that one year ago the two girls were on another backpacking trip in Vietnam and a similar situation occurred. Yet, it’s hazy in Emily’s minds. What Emily thought happened in Vietnam, Kirsten changes to the point that Emily questions her own sanity.
As the story progresses, we, the reader, gets a bad feeling about Kristen. Too many sketchy things keep occurring. Kristen easily manipulates Emily….yet. Emily is confused with her own recollections of events, which brings the reader to question what is accurate and what is imagined. Kristen is the Queen of Gaslighting.
The story is told through Emily’s lens. This is a slow burn of suspense, wondering what the truth is and how will this end.
Speaking of the ending….for me, this was close to a 5 star story until the last 20 or so pages. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the ride and recommend it as a solid thriller.
November 3, 2021
I had a lot of hope for this one. Yeah, no. It tried to further a feminist viewpoint, which is great; however, it was so heavy handed it felt misplaced and obvious. In trying to capture the nuances of patriarchal oppression and misogyny it somehow failed to acknowledge the faint way that it impresses itself into every aspect of life. And, it ends with a crazy woman which feels like a degradation of the initial message. So many references to being afraid to walk alone and dangerous men... I feel like this #metoo storyline is starting to become predictable.
One of my biggest pet peeves in a thriller is when the author uses the character to voice questions that the reader should be formulating on their own as they read. This hand-holding I find to be annoying and an obvious attempt by an author to lead the reader to a specific conclusion without putting the effort into developing a strong plot that generates organic questions.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. It was too simple and felt like it needed a few more revisions and edits to be fully developed.
One of my biggest pet peeves in a thriller is when the author uses the character to voice questions that the reader should be formulating on their own as they read. This hand-holding I find to be annoying and an obvious attempt by an author to lead the reader to a specific conclusion without putting the effort into developing a strong plot that generates organic questions.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. It was too simple and felt like it needed a few more revisions and edits to be fully developed.
September 4, 2021
Audiobook….read by Becca Tobin
…..10 hours and 50 minutes long
“Hi ho….hi ho….
…..we’re off to bury a body we know”……
This psychological thriller
…. in Cambodia and Chile…with two friends, two deaths, and one boyfriend …..a Reese Witherspoon monthly pick……has all the qualities of a poolside ‘genre’ (if there is such a thing as “poolside genre”).
The escape entertainment is not without flaws ….but it has that semi-mindless -pleasurable indulgent thing going for it.
I enjoyed the ride!
3.5 - rating up for the crazy-fun of it
…..10 hours and 50 minutes long
“Hi ho….hi ho….
…..we’re off to bury a body we know”……
This psychological thriller
…. in Cambodia and Chile…with two friends, two deaths, and one boyfriend …..a Reese Witherspoon monthly pick……has all the qualities of a poolside ‘genre’ (if there is such a thing as “poolside genre”).
The escape entertainment is not without flaws ….but it has that semi-mindless -pleasurable indulgent thing going for it.
I enjoyed the ride!
3.5 - rating up for the crazy-fun of it
December 4, 2021
Every year best friends since college Emily & kirstin go on a backpacking holiday around the world for six months this time its Cambodia & Chile, they meet two unlucky backpackers. They find themselves in a desperate situation & somehow they need to get rid of the body. Kirstin & Emily ttry to tell the hotel they are staying in what happened but nobody speaks English.
They need to hide the body & quick or is it two they sing a song while thinking hi ho hi ho we are off to bury two bodies we go from here on the plot gets so insane with twists & turns at every corner i absolutely loved this book i could not put this down it was addictive , compelling & slightly manic at times Loved the character of Emily she was like a puppet who followed Kirstins every word, this was a first read by Andrea Bartz but will not be my last. 4.5 stars
They need to hide the body & quick or is it two they sing a song while thinking hi ho hi ho we are off to bury two bodies we go from here on the plot gets so insane with twists & turns at every corner i absolutely loved this book i could not put this down it was addictive , compelling & slightly manic at times Loved the character of Emily she was like a puppet who followed Kirstins every word, this was a first read by Andrea Bartz but will not be my last. 4.5 stars
May 17, 2023
3.5🌟
Talk about bad luck🤦♀️
Emily and Kristen love to travel and explore the world. But after Emily is assaulted in Cambodia they can’t get out of there fast enough. Having made their way to Chile, the two are shocked when a similar attack happens again. This time its Kristen’s turn to be the victim.
Now the weary pair return home with hopes of putting the ugly events behind them. But just exactly how innocent are these two travelers? Can their friendship hold up to secrets they left far across the globe?
I loved the beginning of this book as the storyline was laid out. But about midway it became extremely repetitive. I just needed a bit more “thrill” to keep things moving forward.
This was my first read/audio from this author and I will definitely be checking out some of her other books!
I listened to the audio version and Becca Tobin did a fabulous job with the narration
Talk about bad luck🤦♀️
Emily and Kristen love to travel and explore the world. But after Emily is assaulted in Cambodia they can’t get out of there fast enough. Having made their way to Chile, the two are shocked when a similar attack happens again. This time its Kristen’s turn to be the victim.
Now the weary pair return home with hopes of putting the ugly events behind them. But just exactly how innocent are these two travelers? Can their friendship hold up to secrets they left far across the globe?
I loved the beginning of this book as the storyline was laid out. But about midway it became extremely repetitive. I just needed a bit more “thrill” to keep things moving forward.
This was my first read/audio from this author and I will definitely be checking out some of her other books!
I listened to the audio version and Becca Tobin did a fabulous job with the narration
August 11, 2021
By 20% in, I started to wonder if this was a book I could finish. I also wondered why this book was getting rave reviews and recommendations. By 40% in, I was really slogging uphill to keep reading it.
I wasted a couple of hours of reading time and feel I did a disservice to the Los Angeles Public Library by recommending they acquire the ebook so I could read it.
I just couldn't stand either character and I didn't care how the story ended. Into the DNF bin before I wasted any more time on it.
I wasted a couple of hours of reading time and feel I did a disservice to the Los Angeles Public Library by recommending they acquire the ebook so I could read it.
I just couldn't stand either character and I didn't care how the story ended. Into the DNF bin before I wasted any more time on it.
July 29, 2021
3.5 stars
The story kicks off with a ton of potential but unfortunately it then goes into familiar territory. It just felt like I've seen all of this play out before in countless books and movies. And that's the main issue I had with this book because I was hoping for something different. The ending at least was crazy enough to keep me entertained but it wasn't enough to push this book into the awesome read category.
I liked the author's last book, The Herd, so I decided to dive right into this book without reading the publisher synopsis beforehand. I'm glad I had no prior info because I truly was caught off guard, in a good way. It's an intriguing setup of the two best friends going on these reunion vacations and the things that seem to keep happening while they are together. The book really gets off to a strong start and in my mind I was thinking the possibilities were endless in terms of where the author could take the story. Instead it turns out to be more of a typical and common thriller when I had hopes it could be something special.
On the plus side it is a quick read and the action really picks up towards the end. The beginning and ending is where you get to see the author's creative side really shine. I just wish the middle wasn't quite so lackluster.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
The story kicks off with a ton of potential but unfortunately it then goes into familiar territory. It just felt like I've seen all of this play out before in countless books and movies. And that's the main issue I had with this book because I was hoping for something different. The ending at least was crazy enough to keep me entertained but it wasn't enough to push this book into the awesome read category.
I liked the author's last book, The Herd, so I decided to dive right into this book without reading the publisher synopsis beforehand. I'm glad I had no prior info because I truly was caught off guard, in a good way. It's an intriguing setup of the two best friends going on these reunion vacations and the things that seem to keep happening while they are together. The book really gets off to a strong start and in my mind I was thinking the possibilities were endless in terms of where the author could take the story. Instead it turns out to be more of a typical and common thriller when I had hopes it could be something special.
On the plus side it is a quick read and the action really picks up towards the end. The beginning and ending is where you get to see the author's creative side really shine. I just wish the middle wasn't quite so lackluster.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
October 7, 2022
Andrea Bartz's 'We Were Never Here' is a novel that expertly explores dysfunctional friendships at their worst. When the time comes for judgment, it will be clear that there are moments when we should dread our friends far more than random strangers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh, clever, and riveting thriller. Adding to the excitement, narrator Becca Tobin does a wonderful job as the solo voice for the eleven plus hours of this audiobook. She brought the suspense to extreme heights and kept me guessing all the way the way through. She did an especially exceptional job with the extreme twists which occurred towards the end. Hope to hear more audiobooks she narrates in the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh, clever, and riveting thriller. Adding to the excitement, narrator Becca Tobin does a wonderful job as the solo voice for the eleven plus hours of this audiobook. She brought the suspense to extreme heights and kept me guessing all the way the way through. She did an especially exceptional job with the extreme twists which occurred towards the end. Hope to hear more audiobooks she narrates in the future.
August 24, 2022
3.5 stars. This book was hard to put down, but some of the situations and non-self awareness drove me bonkers! The twist revealed at the end annoyed me too. Not quite sure it's feasible. Regardless, a fast paced and entertaining summer read!
June 7, 2023
This was an okay thriller. 🤷🏼♀️ I definitely predicted how it was going to go. 🤓 But it was still entertaining enough. 👍
July 22, 2021
This book had some strong parts and some weaker parts, it is basically a character study of an insane person and a co-dependent person who doesn't really recognize that fact until it's too late.
From the beginning, I had bad feelings about Kristen. She seemed off to me and I couldn't figure out why Emily couldn't see it. When I learned more about Emily's background and how the trauma she had experienced the year before had affected her life, I could see why she was clinging to Kristen, who had a strong, forceful personality. When the girls get home after their second disaster-ridden trip in a row, I really felt like Emily should have seen the writing on the wall, especially when Kristen shows up. So many times I just wanted to shake Emily for acting so nervous and frantic and dithering around. Yes, I guess most "normal" people would act that way after what she experienced, but it was frustrating to read over and over. The beginning of the book is good and the ending is good, but the middle part did drag on and on.
Overall a fairly decent read, if you can get past all of the hand-wringing in the middle section.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
From the beginning, I had bad feelings about Kristen. She seemed off to me and I couldn't figure out why Emily couldn't see it. When I learned more about Emily's background and how the trauma she had experienced the year before had affected her life, I could see why she was clinging to Kristen, who had a strong, forceful personality. When the girls get home after their second disaster-ridden trip in a row, I really felt like Emily should have seen the writing on the wall, especially when Kristen shows up. So many times I just wanted to shake Emily for acting so nervous and frantic and dithering around. Yes, I guess most "normal" people would act that way after what she experienced, but it was frustrating to read over and over. The beginning of the book is good and the ending is good, but the middle part did drag on and on.
Overall a fairly decent read, if you can get past all of the hand-wringing in the middle section.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
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