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My...Self #1
My Dark Self
Josslyn is a normal 28 year old woman, but she holds a dark secret. She has a voice in her head who she calls Alicia ... who just happens to be a psychopath.
Josslyn must uncover the truth about who Alicia really is and deal with the deadly consequences of her own actions.
"My name is Josslyn and I'm a psychopath. Actually, that's not technically true....let me explain."
"My name is Alicia and I am a psychopath."
There are two people in my head, but Alicia is dangerous and I can't control her anymore.....but who (or what) is she?
Also, why do I get the feeling I'm being followed … and why don't cats like me?
Josslyn must uncover the truth about who Alicia really is and deal with the deadly consequences of her own actions.
"My name is Josslyn and I'm a psychopath. Actually, that's not technically true....let me explain."
"My name is Alicia and I am a psychopath."
There are two people in my head, but Alicia is dangerous and I can't control her anymore.....but who (or what) is she?
Also, why do I get the feeling I'm being followed … and why don't cats like me?
395 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2021
482 people are currently reading
884 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Huntley
22 books439 followersJessica Huntley is an award-winning and best-selling psychological thriller author. She's an ex-British soldier and Personal Trainer and has been writing almost non-stop for the past four years.
She is now the author of sixteen books, including two trilogies, six standalone thrillers, two anthologies, a co-written horror project and a novella. She is both self-published and traditionally published with Inkubator Books and Joffe Books.
She writes books for thriller readers who like their stories dark and twisty with complex, yet memorable characters, who often suffer from relatable mental health disorders.
When she isn't writing, Jessica is either keeping fit, walking her dog or looking after her young son.
Sign up to her email list to receive news about her upcoming book releases, get a first look at covers and some thriller recommendations. Visit her website where you'll also be able to download a short story called "You Die ... I Die".
She is now the author of sixteen books, including two trilogies, six standalone thrillers, two anthologies, a co-written horror project and a novella. She is both self-published and traditionally published with Inkubator Books and Joffe Books.
She writes books for thriller readers who like their stories dark and twisty with complex, yet memorable characters, who often suffer from relatable mental health disorders.
When she isn't writing, Jessica is either keeping fit, walking her dog or looking after her young son.
Sign up to her email list to receive news about her upcoming book releases, get a first look at covers and some thriller recommendations. Visit her website where you'll also be able to download a short story called "You Die ... I Die".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
July 1, 2021
OH MY ...🤯😱
Really liked this book 😍 it was amazing and so ... psychotic!!!
Freaking Four stara from me 🌟🤯🥳
̶
Okay... Something about the book!!
This is the story about Josselyn and different, psychotic voice in her head - which is her imaginary friend - Alicia!
Josslyn is a normal 28 year old woman, but she holds a dark secret. She has a voice in her head who she calls Alicia ... who just happens to be a psychopath.
Josslyn must uncover the truth about who Alicia really is and deal with the deadly consequences of her own actions.
"My name is Josslyn and I'm a psychopath. Actually, that's not technically true....let me explain."
"My name is Alicia and I am a psychopath."
There are two people in my head, but Alicia is dangerous and I can't control her anymore.....but who (or what) is she?
Josselyn often find her mind wondering in some dark places!!
The writing was so good that I cannot put it down!! This story uncovers the Truth about Alicia, Josselyn's stalker and Josselyn herself!!
It was mind- blowing, gripping and really well - written!
𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍!!
I cannot wait to read the other two parts of this book and also...
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
̶T̶h̶i̶s̶ b̶o̶o̶k̶ e̶n̶d̶e̶d̶ w̶i̶t̶h̶ a̶ C̶l̶i̶f̶f̶h̶a̶n̶g̶e̶r̶!̶!̶!̶
I'm not going to reveal the plot but if you like reading thriller and psychological stories then you should definitely read this!
Really liked this book 😍 it was amazing and so ... psychotic!!!
Freaking Four stara from me 🌟🤯🥳
̶
Okay... Something about the book!!
This is the story about Josselyn and different, psychotic voice in her head - which is her imaginary friend - Alicia!
Josslyn is a normal 28 year old woman, but she holds a dark secret. She has a voice in her head who she calls Alicia ... who just happens to be a psychopath.
Josslyn must uncover the truth about who Alicia really is and deal with the deadly consequences of her own actions.
"My name is Josslyn and I'm a psychopath. Actually, that's not technically true....let me explain."
"My name is Alicia and I am a psychopath."
There are two people in my head, but Alicia is dangerous and I can't control her anymore.....but who (or what) is she?
Josselyn often find her mind wondering in some dark places!!
The writing was so good that I cannot put it down!! This story uncovers the Truth about Alicia, Josselyn's stalker and Josselyn herself!!
It was mind- blowing, gripping and really well - written!
𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍!!
I cannot wait to read the other two parts of this book and also...
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
̶T̶h̶i̶s̶ b̶o̶o̶k̶ e̶n̶d̶e̶d̶ w̶i̶t̶h̶ a̶ C̶l̶i̶f̶f̶h̶a̶n̶g̶e̶r̶!̶!̶!̶
I'm not going to reveal the plot but if you like reading thriller and psychological stories then you should definitely read this!
Read
November 30, 2022I thoroughly enjoyed writing this book (and the next 2 in the series). I feel a strong connection to Josslyn and Alicia because they are named after myself and my sister (Jessica and Alice). I have used various instances from my own life.
It's a face-paced thriller, with hopefully plenty of laughable moments, as well as some dark ones.
It's a face-paced thriller, with hopefully plenty of laughable moments, as well as some dark ones.
September 7, 2021
It took me a day to gather my thoughts enough to write this review. At least I think they are my thoughts, I’m not so sure now after reading this amazing and completely captivating novel.
I think we all had an imaginary friend to some extent when we were children. I know I had and, after reading this book, I am so thankful it was only a harmless bunny!
Even as adults we still tend to have an inner voice – another self to reason with, discuss our hopes and dreams with, work out our problems with and share our disappointments with – but this is just our own mind dealing with the day-to-day issues we face.
But what if that inner voice isn’t ours? What if is someone else? Or something else?
Josslyn is a strange woman. She is a loner, prefers animals to people and doesn’t care much about herself. She has only one friend and that is Alicia, a voice in her head.
Alicia first appeared as an imaginary friend to combat Josslyn’s childhood loneliness and has remained in her head ever since.
But Alicia isn’t a nice person. She is a psychopath and what she wants is to be free to live her own life, not Josslyn’s. And she doesn’t care who she hurts or destroys to achieve her desire.
Huntley takes our imaginary friend scenario to a whole new level that is dark and very, very disturbing. It is brilliantly written with perfect imagery and dialogue and it has left me thinking about this book days after finishing it. Well, I think it is me thinking about it. It might be… oh, not going there!
This is one of the best books I have read in a while. The author makes some of the well-known horror/thriller writers look like Enid Blyton.
If you like a heartwarming and cosy book, My Dark Self is not for you. But if you want to read something that is disturbing and terrifying, buy this book RIGHT NOW!
I think we all had an imaginary friend to some extent when we were children. I know I had and, after reading this book, I am so thankful it was only a harmless bunny!
Even as adults we still tend to have an inner voice – another self to reason with, discuss our hopes and dreams with, work out our problems with and share our disappointments with – but this is just our own mind dealing with the day-to-day issues we face.
But what if that inner voice isn’t ours? What if is someone else? Or something else?
Josslyn is a strange woman. She is a loner, prefers animals to people and doesn’t care much about herself. She has only one friend and that is Alicia, a voice in her head.
Alicia first appeared as an imaginary friend to combat Josslyn’s childhood loneliness and has remained in her head ever since.
But Alicia isn’t a nice person. She is a psychopath and what she wants is to be free to live her own life, not Josslyn’s. And she doesn’t care who she hurts or destroys to achieve her desire.
Huntley takes our imaginary friend scenario to a whole new level that is dark and very, very disturbing. It is brilliantly written with perfect imagery and dialogue and it has left me thinking about this book days after finishing it. Well, I think it is me thinking about it. It might be… oh, not going there!
This is one of the best books I have read in a while. The author makes some of the well-known horror/thriller writers look like Enid Blyton.
If you like a heartwarming and cosy book, My Dark Self is not for you. But if you want to read something that is disturbing and terrifying, buy this book RIGHT NOW!
November 8, 2022
Two people sharing one body, but one is a psychopath and wants to be in full control. What will happen when she finally gets it?
This story has a dual POV - Josslyn and Alicia, who both share a body with one another. Josslyn is the more dominant in terms of control of the body but Alicia slowly crawls her way to the surface. Later on, there is also a dual timeline as in one part, the story is being told in the present but later on, it talks about what has happened a year and a half later.
This book kept me hooked throughout and I actually struggled to put this book down because it was incredible. There was a lot of twists and turns - some that I did see coming and others that I didn't - I was so engrossed in the book that it didn't matter that I had guessed some parts of the plot.
I felt like Josslyn and Alicia were both relatable and the more that I learnt about them, the more that I felt connected to them. It was interesting to see how different but also similar they both were to each other.
I will definitely be checking out the other books within the My ... Self series and I would recommend checking this series out if you are looking for a new psychological thriller to read!
There was an error within this book on page 35 with "last one in, last one out" but it should have been "first one in, last one out".
⚠️ Content warnings: profanity, derogatory language, psychopathy, alcohol and weapon use, physical assault, suicidal ideation, animal cruelty/death, strangulation, D.I.D., mentions vomiting, blood, suicide, murder, domestic abuse, stalking, incestuous sex/sexual situations, rape, childbirth death and car accident ⚠️
This story has a dual POV - Josslyn and Alicia, who both share a body with one another. Josslyn is the more dominant in terms of control of the body but Alicia slowly crawls her way to the surface. Later on, there is also a dual timeline as in one part, the story is being told in the present but later on, it talks about what has happened a year and a half later.
This book kept me hooked throughout and I actually struggled to put this book down because it was incredible. There was a lot of twists and turns - some that I did see coming and others that I didn't - I was so engrossed in the book that it didn't matter that I had guessed some parts of the plot.
I felt like Josslyn and Alicia were both relatable and the more that I learnt about them, the more that I felt connected to them. It was interesting to see how different but also similar they both were to each other.
I will definitely be checking out the other books within the My ... Self series and I would recommend checking this series out if you are looking for a new psychological thriller to read!
There was an error within this book on page 35 with "last one in, last one out" but it should have been "first one in, last one out".
⚠️ Content warnings: profanity, derogatory language, psychopathy, alcohol and weapon use, physical assault, suicidal ideation, animal cruelty/death, strangulation, D.I.D., mentions vomiting, blood, suicide, murder, domestic abuse, stalking, incestuous sex/sexual situations, rape, childbirth death and car accident ⚠️
January 12, 2022
My Dark Self was not what I expected at all, and I meant that in the best possible way. It is hard to write a review without giving any spoilers. If you're into twisted books that differ from the norm - this is it.
September 23, 2021
WOW, WOW, WOW. I love Jessica's writing style, it is so dark. I've been so fortunate to read and review both of her books. They are very addictive reads.
This book started off a bit slower but by the end of chapter 3 it had me shocked and the book instantly upped its pace.
I loved Josslyn and you could tell she was a troubled soul. I found Alicia a great contrast to Josslyn and found the whole concept of the book very lifelike. I really wasnt keen on Peter's character either.
I was surprisingly pleased with the way that book ended and it really left me with a smile on my face. I cant wait to read the next book of Jessica's.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book started off a bit slower but by the end of chapter 3 it had me shocked and the book instantly upped its pace.
I loved Josslyn and you could tell she was a troubled soul. I found Alicia a great contrast to Josslyn and found the whole concept of the book very lifelike. I really wasnt keen on Peter's character either.
I was surprisingly pleased with the way that book ended and it really left me with a smile on my face. I cant wait to read the next book of Jessica's.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 5, 2021
Holy. Crap!
I absolutely loved this tale, and am looking forward to the next one! It is rare that I find a book about a psychopath to be so well written that I don't see the twists and turns coming ahead of time. But this one kept me on my toes!
I completely recommend this to anyone looking for a good thriller with a lot of twists and turns.
I absolutely loved this tale, and am looking forward to the next one! It is rare that I find a book about a psychopath to be so well written that I don't see the twists and turns coming ahead of time. But this one kept me on my toes!
I completely recommend this to anyone looking for a good thriller with a lot of twists and turns.
April 28, 2022
Firstly thank you Jessica for having me on your Arc Team and for the three signed copies of your book series. The first book in the series being My Dark Self.
I cannot believe you took up your childhood hobby of writing again and a novel writing course in our first lockdown and have managed to publish 5 books ? One a collaboration with other authors. You should be immensely proud of yourself this book was so good !
If not for moving home I’d of finished so much quicker. The book just makes you want to keep reading.
Couple of chapters in and you’ll be hooked it’s a thriller, it’s a psychological thriller it also has hints of humour and it’s also dark with a cracking storyline !
The book follows Josslyn who thinks she’s a psychopath well not exactly, Josslyn has a psychopathic voice in her head ‘Alicia’. She’s been in her head for a long time. So long she cannot imagine her not being there. As a child I guess an imaginary friend.
Everyone has thoughts they keep inside that only they know about, that they would never say aloud, but Alicia isn’t just thoughts and feelings but something else !
This book was so up my street well done Jessica
It’s a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Now on to the next one ……!!
I cannot believe you took up your childhood hobby of writing again and a novel writing course in our first lockdown and have managed to publish 5 books ? One a collaboration with other authors. You should be immensely proud of yourself this book was so good !
If not for moving home I’d of finished so much quicker. The book just makes you want to keep reading.
Couple of chapters in and you’ll be hooked it’s a thriller, it’s a psychological thriller it also has hints of humour and it’s also dark with a cracking storyline !
The book follows Josslyn who thinks she’s a psychopath well not exactly, Josslyn has a psychopathic voice in her head ‘Alicia’. She’s been in her head for a long time. So long she cannot imagine her not being there. As a child I guess an imaginary friend.
Everyone has thoughts they keep inside that only they know about, that they would never say aloud, but Alicia isn’t just thoughts and feelings but something else !
This book was so up my street well done Jessica
It’s a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Now on to the next one ……!!
October 26, 2022
Well that was a crazy ride of a book!
The twists in this book are insane, they crept up on me & really caught me out & surprised me! I love it when a book is able to continue to surprise me throughout, it made for a fantastic read!
I’ve never read a book quite like this one, but let me tell you I’m glad I have, because I found it almost impossible to put down. I loved the protagonist, or should I say protagonists, really likeable, funny & witty!
I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump recently and this book has successfully grabbed me & pulled me straight out of it, I couldn’t stop flicking the pages to find out more, Jessica’s writing is so gripping & fun!
I can’t wait to read the rest of the ‘My Self Series’ because that ending has left me wanting to know more!
I would definitely recommend picking up this book if you enjoy a pacy, twisty psychological thriller, with a likeable protagonist who draws you in!
The twists in this book are insane, they crept up on me & really caught me out & surprised me! I love it when a book is able to continue to surprise me throughout, it made for a fantastic read!
I’ve never read a book quite like this one, but let me tell you I’m glad I have, because I found it almost impossible to put down. I loved the protagonist, or should I say protagonists, really likeable, funny & witty!
I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump recently and this book has successfully grabbed me & pulled me straight out of it, I couldn’t stop flicking the pages to find out more, Jessica’s writing is so gripping & fun!
I can’t wait to read the rest of the ‘My Self Series’ because that ending has left me wanting to know more!
I would definitely recommend picking up this book if you enjoy a pacy, twisty psychological thriller, with a likeable protagonist who draws you in!
June 29, 2021
Thank you for gifting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
This was my first book in this genre.
I would like to actually call it a psychological thriller because it definitely had such elements and blew my mind!
I loved the medicolegal aspects because
1)I'm a medico
2)I binge watch crime shows-Savdhaan India,crime alert,crime patrol,crime satark,etc
So,yes,this book is a cocktail made for me🍹
Alicia seems to be angry and bloodthirsty all the time and looks like she's responsible for all the blood and gore in Jossy's life.
But who's responsible for the pain that wrecks Jossy's mind and body? Who's the stalker literally breathing down her phone for minutes on end? Why do cats not like the VET for crying out loud? Why does Jossy seem to be acting and walking weirdly when Alicia supposedly take over?
Answers to all these questions is in this book that will keep you flipping through the pages in no time and sweating so much that you'll need a moment to collect yourself from being sucked into a world of death,destruction and personality disorders.
I think most of us have our own versions of Alicia,the devil on our shoulders,so to speak.I definitely relate with her on more than one occasion but not to the point of murder,let's just say it's really annoying to please everyone all the time and Alicia's solutions are tempting 😂 On the other hand,I found Jossy to be,um,how to phrase it...weak? Yes,Alicia also calls her weak..I somehow found she was too good and kind of a doormat without Alicia so the ending was quite a twist and I'm eager to see how goody-two-shoes is so not what she seems to be😳
What I would have liked is,trigger warnings. I didn't really get triggered but the amount of red was a bit much for me😂
This is first of a trilogy,so stay tuned🔪😈
TWs:Blood,gore,death,violence,stalking,abuse,parental secrecy,etc
This was my first book in this genre.
I would like to actually call it a psychological thriller because it definitely had such elements and blew my mind!
I loved the medicolegal aspects because
1)I'm a medico
2)I binge watch crime shows-Savdhaan India,crime alert,crime patrol,crime satark,etc
So,yes,this book is a cocktail made for me🍹
Alicia seems to be angry and bloodthirsty all the time and looks like she's responsible for all the blood and gore in Jossy's life.
But who's responsible for the pain that wrecks Jossy's mind and body? Who's the stalker literally breathing down her phone for minutes on end? Why do cats not like the VET for crying out loud? Why does Jossy seem to be acting and walking weirdly when Alicia supposedly take over?
Answers to all these questions is in this book that will keep you flipping through the pages in no time and sweating so much that you'll need a moment to collect yourself from being sucked into a world of death,destruction and personality disorders.
I think most of us have our own versions of Alicia,the devil on our shoulders,so to speak.I definitely relate with her on more than one occasion but not to the point of murder,let's just say it's really annoying to please everyone all the time and Alicia's solutions are tempting 😂 On the other hand,I found Jossy to be,um,how to phrase it...weak? Yes,Alicia also calls her weak..I somehow found she was too good and kind of a doormat without Alicia so the ending was quite a twist and I'm eager to see how goody-two-shoes is so not what she seems to be😳
What I would have liked is,trigger warnings. I didn't really get triggered but the amount of red was a bit much for me😂
This is first of a trilogy,so stay tuned🔪😈
TWs:Blood,gore,death,violence,stalking,abuse,parental secrecy,etc
August 31, 2021
This book was amazing!!!
Amazing and different read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Could you imagine having another voice in your head constantly? Missing days where you don't know what happened? What if the person in your head did unspeakable and irreversible things when she took over your body and used it for her own. What would you do? If you had the chance to get rid of the voice forever would you take it if it meant feeling alone once again? Josslyn struggles with such a life and throughout this book she learns maybe shocking revelations. What will she do? How will she handle the news? With the presence that's been inside of her head for 20 years win in the end? Read to find out more. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Amazing and different read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Could you imagine having another voice in your head constantly? Missing days where you don't know what happened? What if the person in your head did unspeakable and irreversible things when she took over your body and used it for her own. What would you do? If you had the chance to get rid of the voice forever would you take it if it meant feeling alone once again? Josslyn struggles with such a life and throughout this book she learns maybe shocking revelations. What will she do? How will she handle the news? With the presence that's been inside of her head for 20 years win in the end? Read to find out more. I promise you won't be disappointed.
September 19, 2021
Everyone has that little voice inside their head, right? The one that warns you something is a mistake or tells you to punch someone in the face when your angry. What if that voice isn't your subconscious but is another version of yourself?
Josslyn is a mild mannered vet but she shares her head with Alicia, her invisible friend from childhood - but Alicia is so much more than that, she's a psychopath.
This premise really intrigued me and I enjoyed the novel. There were a couple of twists which I did guess, but equally there were others which came out of nowhere. This was a quick read and I would recommend. All credit to the author, I can't say much else without dropping some kind of spoiler!!
I was gifted an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
Josslyn is a mild mannered vet but she shares her head with Alicia, her invisible friend from childhood - but Alicia is so much more than that, she's a psychopath.
This premise really intrigued me and I enjoyed the novel. There were a couple of twists which I did guess, but equally there were others which came out of nowhere. This was a quick read and I would recommend. All credit to the author, I can't say much else without dropping some kind of spoiler!!
I was gifted an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2023
I couldn't put this book down! I absolutely love psychological thrillers and this one delivers! She keeps you guessing throughout and ends it where you have to dive into book two straight away!
💀💀💀💀💀
💀💀💀💀💀
March 20, 2023
This is an excellent thriller. It ends on a very unexpected cliffhanger but the series is complete so just start the next one!
January 13, 2023
4.5 stars My Dark Self by @jessica_reading_writing was a bingable twisted treat! It's a psychological thriller, book one of three. I couldn't put down my kindle! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor at least three times. If you're looking for a chilling read look no further. It's a doozy. Believe me, you will want to play detective and collect all the answers. This trilogy is also on Kindle Unlimited* I highly recommend it.
July 19, 2022
Twisted. Different. Shocking
The book description and the cover hooked me. The author didn't disappoint and put together a Dark and Twisty psychological thriller. My first time reading Jessica Huntley but this is just the first book of a series, it won't be my last.
The book description and the cover hooked me. The author didn't disappoint and put together a Dark and Twisty psychological thriller. My first time reading Jessica Huntley but this is just the first book of a series, it won't be my last.
April 1, 2024
I've read a few other books by this author, and I do have to say that I liked those better. (They were written more recently, so I feel as though she's really honed her craft since this one was written, which is fantastic!) That's not to say this is a bad book by any means (though there are several editing errors that made me have to double back and reread lines a few times to make sure I understood correctly), and I really enjoyed it from beginning to end, just not as much as the others I've read previously. It's such an interesting premise, and once I got into the writing style for this one, I kept turning pages to see what happened. I did figure out quite a bit of it somewhat sooner than I would've liked to, but it was still entertaining to see it all laid out once we got to that point, and the ending definitely left me wanting more.
This author is one that I'm keeping my eye on, and whenever she puts out something new, I'm going to be here for it every time.
3.5 stars rounded up because it made me want to continue the trilogy
**I received a review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and comments contained within are my own.**
This author is one that I'm keeping my eye on, and whenever she puts out something new, I'm going to be here for it every time.
3.5 stars rounded up because it made me want to continue the trilogy
**I received a review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and comments contained within are my own.**
September 26, 2021
Oh my where to start…. I put my kindle stunned at what I’d read. It’s like nothing I’ve read before!
So meet Josslyn and Alicia, two halves of the same person. Josslyn is the calm introvert who just wants to stay home with her dog and look after her clients’ pets. Alicia is the rogue extrovert full of anger and very unpredictable. Then one day Joss makes a discovery which starts a chain of events that turns her life upside down. And what a ride it was!
My Dark Self is very dark and twisted. The underlying concept of split personalities can be a terrifying prospect and Huntley has encapsulated this with the uncontrollable actions of Alicia. Alicia is like the evil twin that tries to lead the good twin (aka Joss) astray. Sometimes Alicia gets her way, other times, Joss is fully in control.
I finished this pacey read in two sittings, gripped by the exploration of Alicia and Josslyn’s life. As the story hit its climax I didn’t realise I’d been sat so tense but then came the sucker punch which if you see that coming, I’d be seriously impressed!
So meet Josslyn and Alicia, two halves of the same person. Josslyn is the calm introvert who just wants to stay home with her dog and look after her clients’ pets. Alicia is the rogue extrovert full of anger and very unpredictable. Then one day Joss makes a discovery which starts a chain of events that turns her life upside down. And what a ride it was!
My Dark Self is very dark and twisted. The underlying concept of split personalities can be a terrifying prospect and Huntley has encapsulated this with the uncontrollable actions of Alicia. Alicia is like the evil twin that tries to lead the good twin (aka Joss) astray. Sometimes Alicia gets her way, other times, Joss is fully in control.
I finished this pacey read in two sittings, gripped by the exploration of Alicia and Josslyn’s life. As the story hit its climax I didn’t realise I’d been sat so tense but then came the sucker punch which if you see that coming, I’d be seriously impressed!
May 3, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
From the first page, I had chills. I wanted to know more about Josslyn, and Alicia. Alicia's is Josslyn's darker self, and Alicia is a psychopath. This was very dark to read, and unsettling, but I was gripped by it.
I think that when a character is cold, cruel, and lacks empathy, that character interests me in a very dark sort of way. I feel the need to read their story, to understand them, and what drives them to be that way. For that reason, I found it hard to lay this aside until I'd finished it.
It appears that this character will feature in more books, and I look forward to reading those too. If you like dark psychological thrillers, give this a try.
Thank you to Booksirens and the author for a free copy to review.
From the first page, I had chills. I wanted to know more about Josslyn, and Alicia. Alicia's is Josslyn's darker self, and Alicia is a psychopath. This was very dark to read, and unsettling, but I was gripped by it.
I think that when a character is cold, cruel, and lacks empathy, that character interests me in a very dark sort of way. I feel the need to read their story, to understand them, and what drives them to be that way. For that reason, I found it hard to lay this aside until I'd finished it.
It appears that this character will feature in more books, and I look forward to reading those too. If you like dark psychological thrillers, give this a try.
Thank you to Booksirens and the author for a free copy to review.
August 24, 2021
Really enjoyed this one! I am a huge fan of books with complex female characters - and this one definitely has that! It was a thrill to read a book that really explored this. Great twists and a pacey plot. This is a great read for any thriller fans out there. Plus, I LOVE the cover!!
September 23, 2021
"My name is Josslyn and I'm a psychopath. Actually, that's not technically true....let me explain."
"My name is Alicia and I am a psychopath."
There are two people in my head, but Alicia is dangerous and I can't control her anymore.....but who (or what) is she?
Josslyn is a somewhat normal 28 year old vet who prefers animals to people and enjoys spending time by herself doing her own thing. Except, she is never by herself. Alicia is Joss’s imaginary friend from childhood that seems more than real to Joss but not real enough to be able to tell anyone about her. Joss goes through instances of ‘blackouts’ where she knows Alicia has overtaken her mind and body and cannot remember a thing. Can Joss get to the bottom of these blackouts and find out what has been going on and why she has woken up covered in blood one morning?
Another great read from Jessica Huntley. I did not realise this was going to be a series and I am very interested in where she will take it. I liked the characters and the storyline - some nice twists and turns running throughout to keep you gripped. I kinda guessed the last one but it was still good enough for me to anticipate it and want to read more about it.
There are some parts throughout that I thought perhaps weren’t ‘real’ enough for me and I feel like the psychopathic tendencies could have been worked on a bit more and made Alicia to be a bit more of a darker character however overall the story came together very well, it tied up all the loose ends and unanswered questions and I really liked that she incorporated last year's pandemic into the story as well.
I am intrigued to see where the next step will take us and hope it will be as enjoyable a read as this one!
TW: loneliness, animal cruelty, psychopathic tendencies, stalking, murder, domestic abuse, adoption, blood/gore.
Thank you to Love Books Tours for a chance to read in exchange for an honest review.
"My name is Alicia and I am a psychopath."
There are two people in my head, but Alicia is dangerous and I can't control her anymore.....but who (or what) is she?
Josslyn is a somewhat normal 28 year old vet who prefers animals to people and enjoys spending time by herself doing her own thing. Except, she is never by herself. Alicia is Joss’s imaginary friend from childhood that seems more than real to Joss but not real enough to be able to tell anyone about her. Joss goes through instances of ‘blackouts’ where she knows Alicia has overtaken her mind and body and cannot remember a thing. Can Joss get to the bottom of these blackouts and find out what has been going on and why she has woken up covered in blood one morning?
Another great read from Jessica Huntley. I did not realise this was going to be a series and I am very interested in where she will take it. I liked the characters and the storyline - some nice twists and turns running throughout to keep you gripped. I kinda guessed the last one but it was still good enough for me to anticipate it and want to read more about it.
There are some parts throughout that I thought perhaps weren’t ‘real’ enough for me and I feel like the psychopathic tendencies could have been worked on a bit more and made Alicia to be a bit more of a darker character however overall the story came together very well, it tied up all the loose ends and unanswered questions and I really liked that she incorporated last year's pandemic into the story as well.
I am intrigued to see where the next step will take us and hope it will be as enjoyable a read as this one!
TW: loneliness, animal cruelty, psychopathic tendencies, stalking, murder, domestic abuse, adoption, blood/gore.
Thank you to Love Books Tours for a chance to read in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2021
My Dark Self by Jesicca Huntley is the first-person story of Josslyn, a twenty-eight-year-old living on her own in an apartment above her own vet practice. She is just like any other introvert: she gets up, goes to work, and prefers staying close to home, spending time with her dog, Oscar. She, like us, has a voice inside her head. You know the one, right? Telling you to eat healthier, stand up for yourself, kill your .... wait, what?
That voice in Josslyn's head goes by the name of Alicia. Alicia is a psychopath and wow do things get complicated. Especially when Alicia wants nothing more than to be the one controlling said body. Throughout the book, we see a literal internal struggle between both these two as well as a search for some much-needed answers. Is Josslyn strong enough to finally take full control of her body or will Alicia's psychopathic traits win in the end?
From the moment I read the synopsis, I knew I needed to have this book. This psychological thriller gave me everything I could have asked for and left me wanting more. The characters were well developed and I was able to see how both Josslyn and Alicia grew a bit with each chapter. The story itself was entertaining and captivating without making anything seem too far-fetched. There were several lines in the book where I felt I personally related to (which one? the introvert or psychopath character? You will just have to read it yourself to guess). It has a perfect balance of heavy, crazy scenes and funny ones. I strongly recommend this to any thriller lover. Just a word of warning: It does contain sex scenes, murder, violence, and leave-you-at-the-edge-of-your-seat, gripping content! I give this a strong 5 out of 5 stars. I have the digital copy, but to the physical copy: can you hear me? I am going to get you! Especially since this is only the first in the My ... Self trilogy! (insert jumping up and down Cinthia here).
Thank you to @jessicah_reading_writing for sending me a digital copy for my reading pleasure, in exchange for this honest review.
That voice in Josslyn's head goes by the name of Alicia. Alicia is a psychopath and wow do things get complicated. Especially when Alicia wants nothing more than to be the one controlling said body. Throughout the book, we see a literal internal struggle between both these two as well as a search for some much-needed answers. Is Josslyn strong enough to finally take full control of her body or will Alicia's psychopathic traits win in the end?
From the moment I read the synopsis, I knew I needed to have this book. This psychological thriller gave me everything I could have asked for and left me wanting more. The characters were well developed and I was able to see how both Josslyn and Alicia grew a bit with each chapter. The story itself was entertaining and captivating without making anything seem too far-fetched. There were several lines in the book where I felt I personally related to (which one? the introvert or psychopath character? You will just have to read it yourself to guess). It has a perfect balance of heavy, crazy scenes and funny ones. I strongly recommend this to any thriller lover. Just a word of warning: It does contain sex scenes, murder, violence, and leave-you-at-the-edge-of-your-seat, gripping content! I give this a strong 5 out of 5 stars. I have the digital copy, but to the physical copy: can you hear me? I am going to get you! Especially since this is only the first in the My ... Self trilogy! (insert jumping up and down Cinthia here).
Thank you to @jessicah_reading_writing for sending me a digital copy for my reading pleasure, in exchange for this honest review.
August 20, 2025
My Dark Self by Jessica Huntley
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I loved this intense psychological thriller story!! It was so engaging, exciting and entertaining!!
Josslyn has grown up with a special friend Alicia. Alicia has always been there for her, until things begin to change with their relationship.
Josslyn finds out some crazy and shocking secrets and information about her life, which changes her, and an internal battle begins.
The multiple POV between Josslyn and Alicia are excellent. I loved how all the pieces in the puzzle of the story fit together!
Jessica Huntley has quickly risen to a must read author for me! I’m absolutely loving her books!!
I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator did a fantastic job! It was a fast listen as I didn’t want to stop!
This is book 1 in the My… Self series.
My Bad Self (book .5, prequel)
My Dark Self (book 1)
My True Self (book 2)
My Real Self (book 3)
I’m super excited to read book 2!! My Bad Self and My Dark Self were easy 5🌟’s!!
*This is a wild read and I highly recommend it!!*
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I loved this intense psychological thriller story!! It was so engaging, exciting and entertaining!!
Josslyn has grown up with a special friend Alicia. Alicia has always been there for her, until things begin to change with their relationship.
Josslyn finds out some crazy and shocking secrets and information about her life, which changes her, and an internal battle begins.
The multiple POV between Josslyn and Alicia are excellent. I loved how all the pieces in the puzzle of the story fit together!
Jessica Huntley has quickly risen to a must read author for me! I’m absolutely loving her books!!
I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator did a fantastic job! It was a fast listen as I didn’t want to stop!
This is book 1 in the My… Self series.
My Bad Self (book .5, prequel)
My Dark Self (book 1)
My True Self (book 2)
My Real Self (book 3)
I’m super excited to read book 2!! My Bad Self and My Dark Self were easy 5🌟’s!!
*This is a wild read and I highly recommend it!!*
August 1, 2025
Interesting
I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting when I started this book a couple of days ago but I can safely say it has been filling up the majority of my time since page 1.
To keep.things spoiler free I will.just say that the idea of having a 'team's imaginary friend (you'll understand if you read it) worked well. Having someone who will 'take over' when ,certain things need taking care of made both characters fun to be around.
There were a lot of twists, some I didn't see (which I enjoyed) but also some that seemed so.obvious I saw them long before they landed.
There are two more books in the series and I am sure I will get to them at some point in the near future (possibly holiday/poolside reads I think) but I don't feel the urge to pi,I up the next one straight away.
3.5/5*
I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting when I started this book a couple of days ago but I can safely say it has been filling up the majority of my time since page 1.
To keep.things spoiler free I will.just say that the idea of having a 'team's imaginary friend (you'll understand if you read it) worked well. Having someone who will 'take over' when ,certain things need taking care of made both characters fun to be around.
There were a lot of twists, some I didn't see (which I enjoyed) but also some that seemed so.obvious I saw them long before they landed.
There are two more books in the series and I am sure I will get to them at some point in the near future (possibly holiday/poolside reads I think) but I don't feel the urge to pi,I up the next one straight away.
3.5/5*
February 6, 2025
Definitely entertaining but there were so many wtf moments. So many “twists” that came from nowhere (I get that that’s part of a twist, but it needs to make sense). I’m still reading the rest of the series tho
August 29, 2021
Josslyn and Alicia are one and the same. Different personalities fighting to be in control of the one body and one of them is a psychopath.
I enjoyed this story and it's twists and turns. It's written mainly from the point of view of Josslyn as she discovers a secret that was kept from her and tries to get the answers she needs, but there are a few chapters dotted throughout giving Alicia the spotlight and her thoughts on things. I am looking forward to seeing where this story goes and can't wait for the next in the series.
I enjoyed this story and it's twists and turns. It's written mainly from the point of view of Josslyn as she discovers a secret that was kept from her and tries to get the answers she needs, but there are a few chapters dotted throughout giving Alicia the spotlight and her thoughts on things. I am looking forward to seeing where this story goes and can't wait for the next in the series.
September 25, 2021
I did not understand what happened. The book was going well and last 100 pages confused me and changed the whole plot. And the change wasn't even justified.
.
.
Maybe it was me that was not able to understand maybe. Maybe otherwise.
.
.
Maybe it was me that was not able to understand maybe. Maybe otherwise.
October 3, 2021
What a truly interesting book. I loved the character development throughout and never once found myself confused or wondering who was speaking. It was always obvious whether or not it was Alicia or Josslyn.
I loved the difference between the two characters and how Alicia became who she was. I thought the storyline was very intriguing a lot of the time I found myself surprised at what was happening, the twists and turns throughout the book were fantastic.
The book was so twisted I couldn’t quite believe it.
Thank you Jessica for sending me a copy of your ARC and I can’t wait to read book 2 and find more out about Josslyn and her alter-ego.
I loved the difference between the two characters and how Alicia became who she was. I thought the storyline was very intriguing a lot of the time I found myself surprised at what was happening, the twists and turns throughout the book were fantastic.
The book was so twisted I couldn’t quite believe it.
Thank you Jessica for sending me a copy of your ARC and I can’t wait to read book 2 and find more out about Josslyn and her alter-ego.
November 3, 2021
This book was amazingly written in a way that a reader can have a form of connection with the character. And I couldn’t put it down. I related so much to one character that I felt like an omg moment. It was funny and amazing. The author did a great job in Introducing the story and keeping it interesting.
February 18, 2022
Holy hell! This book should be everywhere. It's the most shocking, dark and twisty novel i have ever read. There were so many unexpected twists, it was completely enthralling. I can't wait to read the next one!
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