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You Won't Believe Me
Willow is alone, confined to a bed with restraints. She can't remember how she got there...or how long she's been there.
An old lady appears in her room to feed her twice a day. Granny doesn't talk, but Willow can hear thumping from somewhere beyond her door. It's not Granny's shuffling steps. It's too loud to be Granny's cat. Is it someone? Something?
Then Granny's cat dies in Willow's room. And Granny follows a few days later. Willow will do anything to survive. But freeing herself from her bed is only the beginning... Because there is someone else in the house. Who is this mysterious teen who calls himself Elijah? And is he the reason she's hostage or the key to her escape?
An old lady appears in her room to feed her twice a day. Granny doesn't talk, but Willow can hear thumping from somewhere beyond her door. It's not Granny's shuffling steps. It's too loud to be Granny's cat. Is it someone? Something?
Then Granny's cat dies in Willow's room. And Granny follows a few days later. Willow will do anything to survive. But freeing herself from her bed is only the beginning... Because there is someone else in the house. Who is this mysterious teen who calls himself Elijah? And is he the reason she's hostage or the key to her escape?
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2023
93 people are currently reading
6668 people want to read
About the author
Cyn Balog
15 books876 followersCyn Balog is a normal, everyday Jersey Girl who always believed magical things can happen to us when we least expect them. She is author of young adult paranormals FAIRY TALE (2009), SLEEPLESS(2010), STARSTRUCK (2011), TOUCHED (2012), and her most recent release: DEAD RIVER (2013).e. She lives outside Allentown, Pennsylvania with her husband and daughters.
She also writes under the pen name Nichola Reilly. Nichola Reilly is Cyn Balog's post-apocalyptic fantasy-writing alter-ego. The first book in her series, DROWNED, will be releasing from Harlequin TEEN sometime in 2014, followed by a sequel, BURIED, in 2015.
She also writes under the pen name Nichola Reilly. Nichola Reilly is Cyn Balog's post-apocalyptic fantasy-writing alter-ego. The first book in her series, DROWNED, will be releasing from Harlequin TEEN sometime in 2014, followed by a sequel, BURIED, in 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 389 reviews
October 24, 2023
This book has so many plot lines I honestly cannot tell what is reality and what isn’t.
Willow’s life is so confusing. From start to finish I just wanted answer and I felt like none of my questions were ever answered, especially because of that epilogue.
The back of this book is so intriguing and hints at a post apocalyptic thriller story but I cannot see any of that because so many other things were going on at the same time.
Don’t even get me started on the ending because wtf. That’s it? What do you mean that’s the ending????
Willow’s life is so confusing. From start to finish I just wanted answer and I felt like none of my questions were ever answered, especially because of that epilogue.
The back of this book is so intriguing and hints at a post apocalyptic thriller story but I cannot see any of that because so many other things were going on at the same time.
Don’t even get me started on the ending because wtf. That’s it? What do you mean that’s the ending????
July 2, 2023
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“No. I have to get out of here. If I don’t, who knows when I’ll be found? Maybe years from now.”
You won't believe me when I tell you this, but You Won't Believe Me gripped my attention from the start. IT DID! We have our narrator, sixteen-year-old Willow Lafayette, junior at Pensacola High School, only child to research scientists, who work at a laboratory, specializing in finding a cure to an ongoing pandemic that has swept the globe. The kicker is that she wakes up - tied to a bed - without any memory of how she ended up here - how long she's been here - no idea who her captor is - nor what the outside world has become. It is a twisted mind-warp that spirals into even more delusion and danger that kept me turning the page, curious to see what future awaits Willow.
The writing captures your attention - it was fearful, and horrific, and downright chilling to the core. The fear of nausea, the palpitations of memory loss, the stench of an odor - it is vividly present in the little details that we get of the glimpses into the life Willow has found herself trapped in.
“Heaving great big sobs into his T-shirt, I can’t stop shaking.
And Elijah does the first human thing he’s ever done. He wraps his arms around me and holds me.”
And when we are introduced to Elijah, we are left to wonder is he a friend or foe? As we learn about his own tragic past, and doubt Willow's own confusing state of mind, we also question is a captor or savior? It is heightened with the level of fear that are they the last two in a strange world, haunted by zombies from a sickness that is only fueled further that the threat of the pandemic is still out there. 😨😨 It's a scary thought that transpired across the pages for me...
But, then that ending...
That effing ending!! That effing twist! I am so effing frustratingly ticked off - I, honest to God, refrain really hard from using offensive euphemism, but... 🤬🤬🤬
Nothing infuriates me more than an ending that is so utterly ridiculous and nonsensical and completely derailed from the objective that the story had set out on, to make it so absurdly ridiculously generically typical and unoriginal and then to NOT EVEN WRAP IT UP PROPERLY! 😮💨😮💨 It did not even resolve, it left with such a strange ending that left me even more perplexed than Willow felt - AT THE START OF THE BOOK! *kicks trashcan in frustration* That is just a waste of a good story, gone terribly sour. I would have been more than happy for the story to have continued on the trajectory it had set out on. 😩
If I could, I would rate it even lower; but, it's saving grace was that Cyn Balog captured my interest with the riveting beginning that set the scene for what could have been a very unique premise, if executed to the complete extent. She subjected me alongside to Willow's plight, so much so that through the writing, I did feel it; so, it would be a disservice to her talent for me to not acknowledge it. 😔
“No. I have to get out of here. If I don’t, who knows when I’ll be found? Maybe years from now.”
You won't believe me when I tell you this, but You Won't Believe Me gripped my attention from the start. IT DID! We have our narrator, sixteen-year-old Willow Lafayette, junior at Pensacola High School, only child to research scientists, who work at a laboratory, specializing in finding a cure to an ongoing pandemic that has swept the globe. The kicker is that she wakes up - tied to a bed - without any memory of how she ended up here - how long she's been here - no idea who her captor is - nor what the outside world has become. It is a twisted mind-warp that spirals into even more delusion and danger that kept me turning the page, curious to see what future awaits Willow.
The writing captures your attention - it was fearful, and horrific, and downright chilling to the core. The fear of nausea, the palpitations of memory loss, the stench of an odor - it is vividly present in the little details that we get of the glimpses into the life Willow has found herself trapped in.
“Heaving great big sobs into his T-shirt, I can’t stop shaking.
And Elijah does the first human thing he’s ever done. He wraps his arms around me and holds me.”
And when we are introduced to Elijah, we are left to wonder is he a friend or foe? As we learn about his own tragic past, and doubt Willow's own confusing state of mind, we also question is a captor or savior? It is heightened with the level of fear that are they the last two in a strange world, haunted by zombies from a sickness that is only fueled further that the threat of the pandemic is still out there. 😨😨 It's a scary thought that transpired across the pages for me...
But, then that ending...
That effing ending!! That effing twist! I am so effing frustratingly ticked off - I, honest to God, refrain really hard from using offensive euphemism, but... 🤬🤬🤬
Nothing infuriates me more than an ending that is so utterly ridiculous and nonsensical and completely derailed from the objective that the story had set out on, to make it so absurdly ridiculously generically typical and unoriginal and then to NOT EVEN WRAP IT UP PROPERLY! 😮💨😮💨 It did not even resolve, it left with such a strange ending that left me even more perplexed than Willow felt - AT THE START OF THE BOOK! *kicks trashcan in frustration* That is just a waste of a good story, gone terribly sour. I would have been more than happy for the story to have continued on the trajectory it had set out on. 😩
If I could, I would rate it even lower; but, it's saving grace was that Cyn Balog captured my interest with the riveting beginning that set the scene for what could have been a very unique premise, if executed to the complete extent. She subjected me alongside to Willow's plight, so much so that through the writing, I did feel it; so, it would be a disservice to her talent for me to not acknowledge it. 😔
January 23, 2023
This book tried to do too many things at once, and it gave me a migraine.
Willow wakes strapped to a bed, with no memory of how she got there. The only human contact she has is a woman who feeds her twice daily. Then the woman dies. When a young man comes to unstrap her, Willow isn't sure if he is a friend or foe.
The synopsis of this book is attention-grabbing. It sounded right up my alley, but as I was reading, I became more confused about what this book was trying to be. Thriller? Post-apocalyptic romance? Science-fiction? The plot was unclear on the end goal, and it did not work for the overall book.
There is a lot of repetition in the beginning. Initially, I was fine with this because of the atmosphere it was building. This however got tiresome really quickly. The monotonous days dragged on for what is a relatively short book. After this, we skip a whole section of the characters' lives in favor of the climax. Since there was no connection between me and the characters, the ending dragged on and was a letdown.
The epilogue of a book should not be several chapters long. In fact, one of the "big" plot points in this book is revealed at the very end of the epilogue, which I almost did not finish reading. At that point, it felt like the start of a second book, not a quick continuation of where the characters were in a few months' time.
I think all of the plots had potential, but not together. Combined, it just became a big jumble of words with no clear finish line.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks fire for the advanced copy.
Willow wakes strapped to a bed, with no memory of how she got there. The only human contact she has is a woman who feeds her twice daily. Then the woman dies. When a young man comes to unstrap her, Willow isn't sure if he is a friend or foe.
The synopsis of this book is attention-grabbing. It sounded right up my alley, but as I was reading, I became more confused about what this book was trying to be. Thriller? Post-apocalyptic romance? Science-fiction? The plot was unclear on the end goal, and it did not work for the overall book.
There is a lot of repetition in the beginning. Initially, I was fine with this because of the atmosphere it was building. This however got tiresome really quickly. The monotonous days dragged on for what is a relatively short book. After this, we skip a whole section of the characters' lives in favor of the climax. Since there was no connection between me and the characters, the ending dragged on and was a letdown.
The epilogue of a book should not be several chapters long. In fact, one of the "big" plot points in this book is revealed at the very end of the epilogue, which I almost did not finish reading. At that point, it felt like the start of a second book, not a quick continuation of where the characters were in a few months' time.
I think all of the plots had potential, but not together. Combined, it just became a big jumble of words with no clear finish line.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks fire for the advanced copy.
January 19, 2024
Holy shit.
I thought this book was incredible.
I saw the reviews about “too many things going on” but it was brilliant.
I could keep track of everything going on and all the pieces coming together made my jaw drop. It started confusing but stick with it. I thought it was worth it.
It is incredibly complex but I was truly impressed. Bravo.
I thought this book was incredible.
I saw the reviews about “too many things going on” but it was brilliant.
I could keep track of everything going on and all the pieces coming together made my jaw drop. It started confusing but stick with it. I thought it was worth it.
It is incredibly complex but I was truly impressed. Bravo.
July 17, 2023
Like many people, I was pissed off by the final twist... but perhaps for a different reason. I was pissed off because that twist actually would have been amazing if it had been earned, something that connects to my overall issue with this book: no foreshadowing. I think it's meant to seem like it's filled with twists, but instead it just feels random because those twists are not foreshadowed well. It feels like they're put in to surprise readers rather than built in to craft a cohesive narrative.
So this is a book about . See what I mean? It wants to be a mind-bending series. Instead, it's an incoherent mess. And that pissed me off, because I actually really liked the idea of the twist! I like that sort of thing! But everything else was so poorly done.
Also I didn't like the main character. Small point, I know, but being trapped inside her head was not a pleasant experience.
So this is a book about . See what I mean? It wants to be a mind-bending series. Instead, it's an incoherent mess. And that pissed me off, because I actually really liked the idea of the twist! I like that sort of thing! But everything else was so poorly done.
Also I didn't like the main character. Small point, I know, but being trapped inside her head was not a pleasant experience.
June 6, 2023
My Recommendation
OMG! What have I just read?!! I have entered the Twilight Zone! The mystery, suspense, the plot twist at the end! I loved every minute of this book. Willow Lafayette is a typical high school teenager, minus the fact she is a YouTube star. A pandemic has hit and her scientist father is fired from his job in the midst of finding a cure for the virus. She is abducted and made to believe the world is ending. Go read this book!
OMG! What have I just read?!! I have entered the Twilight Zone! The mystery, suspense, the plot twist at the end! I loved every minute of this book. Willow Lafayette is a typical high school teenager, minus the fact she is a YouTube star. A pandemic has hit and her scientist father is fired from his job in the midst of finding a cure for the virus. She is abducted and made to believe the world is ending. Go read this book!
December 6, 2022
It's rare for me to willingly read a Young Adult book. It's even more rare that I end up loving it, which with this one, I really did. The description alone had me intrigued; a teen wakes up tied to a bed not remembering how she got there. Twice a day an elderly lady who demands to be called Granny comes in to feed her. Until one day she dies in front of her. Not knowing if she is alone in the house, she screams for help and what comes next is beyond what anyone can imagine.
This starts off right away pulling you in. The intensity is astounding and although it's categorized as Young Adult, anyone will enjoy this. The main character did have her moments where you're screaming in your head at her but that's what makes it more suspenseful. What happens in this I never could of guessed. The story was brilliant and the delivery of it was exceptional. I may be biased because this had everything I love in a story which I can't say without spoiling it. Five Stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ARC.
This starts off right away pulling you in. The intensity is astounding and although it's categorized as Young Adult, anyone will enjoy this. The main character did have her moments where you're screaming in your head at her but that's what makes it more suspenseful. What happens in this I never could of guessed. The story was brilliant and the delivery of it was exceptional. I may be biased because this had everything I love in a story which I can't say without spoiling it. Five Stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ARC.
August 16, 2024
You Won't Believe Me by Cyn Balog never would have been on my radar if not thanks to my bestie, and I have to say this story rocked my world because 🤯 It took me a second to get into the groove of this book but once I was there I was fully invested and couldn't wait to see what would happen. Some of it is gross and I was unable to eat any sort of solid while I read it, but I loved the mix of horror with the thriller/mystery. This might be YA, but it didn't feel juvenile to me even though I can't say Willow was the smartest at times. She's young though so it fits.
The audiobook is narrated by Eleanor McCormick, and I thought she was absolute perfection. Her pacing was perfect, and I loved her voice for Willow's character. There is a very strong end-of-the-world apocalyptic vibe throughout that kept me intrigued and the pacing felt pretty dang quick to me. I don't read YA too often but when I do this is my favorite type to read, i.e. full of suspense and intense moments. You Won't Believe Me blew me away and I will definitely have to check out more of Balog’s titles!
The audiobook is narrated by Eleanor McCormick, and I thought she was absolute perfection. Her pacing was perfect, and I loved her voice for Willow's character. There is a very strong end-of-the-world apocalyptic vibe throughout that kept me intrigued and the pacing felt pretty dang quick to me. I don't read YA too often but when I do this is my favorite type to read, i.e. full of suspense and intense moments. You Won't Believe Me blew me away and I will definitely have to check out more of Balog’s titles!
December 10, 2022
It appears thar Goodreads did me dirty and didn't post my review along with my rating. Soooo, yeah, you should totally add this to your tbr and preorder it. Fricken amazing take on 'zombies' and a pandemic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2023
okay I’m not even exaggerating when I say this was one of the best books I’ve ever read. At first I was a little skeptical but it just kept getting better. and the ending?! I mean it’s not what I expected at all but I love it
October 20, 2023
4.5 ⭐
what a ride
this was really good! I don't want to say too much about it since I'm scared of accidently spoiling smt lol
just make sure to check triggers before reading!!
what a ride
this was really good! I don't want to say too much about it since I'm scared of accidently spoiling smt lol
just make sure to check triggers before reading!!
November 21, 2024
This is going to be a dnf! I don't even want to count it towards my goal...buttt it did waste my time so! 😒🤷🏾♀️
September 22, 2023
Overall, this cover and blurb just has a vibe that the story is going to be absolutely terrible, but I saw this in Cardiff and we don't get many US editions here, so I decided to just try it. While I do think the ending is going to divide a lot of readers, this was truly a book I could not stop reading, ending up reading over a hundred pages in one go when I only meant to read thirty.
We first meet Willow when she's tied to a bed, heavily sedated, being spoon fed every day by a mysterious old lady. After the old woman suddenly dies, Willow meets Elijah, who tells her the world has ended, something that seems pretty feasible as Willow's world feels like a future where Covid has started to evolve, and Willow's scientist father is struggling to find a cure for.
Seeing that she's on a small island away from civilization, she chooses to trust Elijah, and they settle into a life of quiet domesticity. But months later, Willow starts to find more and more things that make her question if Elijah is lying to her. Because of the drugs, it's hard to tell throughout this if what Willow is seeing is real or not, so everything she finds and sees I had ton question throughout, which kept me guessing.
I actually loved the incredible twist at the end of this story, I felt that the author managed to do it without leaving me feeling like the story was ending on a cliffhanger, or that reading it was a waste of time. I felt like I had read enough of Willow and Elijah's story, and was happy to leave them as they were.
We first meet Willow when she's tied to a bed, heavily sedated, being spoon fed every day by a mysterious old lady. After the old woman suddenly dies, Willow meets Elijah, who tells her the world has ended, something that seems pretty feasible as Willow's world feels like a future where Covid has started to evolve, and Willow's scientist father is struggling to find a cure for.
Seeing that she's on a small island away from civilization, she chooses to trust Elijah, and they settle into a life of quiet domesticity. But months later, Willow starts to find more and more things that make her question if Elijah is lying to her. Because of the drugs, it's hard to tell throughout this if what Willow is seeing is real or not, so everything she finds and sees I had ton question throughout, which kept me guessing.
I actually loved the incredible twist at the end of this story, I felt that the author managed to do it without leaving me feeling like the story was ending on a cliffhanger, or that reading it was a waste of time. I felt like I had read enough of Willow and Elijah's story, and was happy to leave them as they were.
nope-dnf
August 19, 2024DNF 19% okay honestly this is just starting to feel a bit tedious and the questions I had I've increasingly lost interest. There was some nice writing in this just not compelling enough to keep me reading.
Reading Journey notes:
○ First note I LOVE this audio narrator.
○ Excellent prologue chpt 👏 poetic writing
○ 1% Shoot ya know what I think this is actually horror 😅 but actually I can see this being more of a thriller by the end if if there's some huge twist.
○ this writing is actually top tier. Kind of getting fairytale vibes from the plot
...very Hansel and Gretel or red riding hood esque.
○ But ugh this is kind of getting too dark then I'm in the mood for rn 🙃😬 I feel like this will put me in a MAJOR reading slump if I continue.
However I am Intrigued enough to continue for now because I can't quite tell if this is "option a" girl abducted by creeps twist, "option b" girl has delusions and is unreliable narrator twist, or "option c" is a paranormal twist.
I will dnf if its option a. But if it's b or c I will enjoy.
○ 5% Okay it's starting to read like post apocalyptic twist. Which incidentally I'm fine with. 🙂 I LOVE a dystopian, "world is ending" story!!!
○ Also I can already tell that this is one of those books where it's absolutely best to go in knowing as little as possible. Especially how the story is unfolding, you don't have any grasp yet or context...it unfurls little by little. But best if you know as little as possible so you can get the twists as they come!
○ 12% This is definitely something about a zombie like apocalypse where they turn into like zombies that can hear your every move and that's how you find them. The whole "hush" thing.
○ I will say this may be triggering for some as this is a pandemic illness situation.
Reading Journey notes:
○ First note I LOVE this audio narrator.
○ Excellent prologue chpt 👏 poetic writing
○ 1% Shoot ya know what I think this is actually horror 😅 but actually I can see this being more of a thriller by the end if if there's some huge twist.
○ this writing is actually top tier. Kind of getting fairytale vibes from the plot
...very Hansel and Gretel or red riding hood esque.
○ But ugh this is kind of getting too dark then I'm in the mood for rn 🙃😬 I feel like this will put me in a MAJOR reading slump if I continue.
However I am Intrigued enough to continue for now because I can't quite tell if this is "option a" girl abducted by creeps twist, "option b" girl has delusions and is unreliable narrator twist, or "option c" is a paranormal twist.
I will dnf if its option a. But if it's b or c I will enjoy.
○ 5% Okay it's starting to read like post apocalyptic twist. Which incidentally I'm fine with. 🙂 I LOVE a dystopian, "world is ending" story!!!
○ Also I can already tell that this is one of those books where it's absolutely best to go in knowing as little as possible. Especially how the story is unfolding, you don't have any grasp yet or context...it unfurls little by little. But best if you know as little as possible so you can get the twists as they come!
○ 12% This is definitely something about a zombie like apocalypse where they turn into like zombies that can hear your every move and that's how you find them. The whole "hush" thing.
○ I will say this may be triggering for some as this is a pandemic illness situation.
July 8, 2023
Audiobook reread. Definitely saw the Misery connections more this time. Just a very unsettling story and I love it.
November 29, 2024
WTF did I just read?!?
This is definitely one of the craziest books I've ever read and this book definitely won't work for everyone. There were so many plot points and twists that I was on the edge of my seat through the whole book. This was also a mix of so many genres including, dystopian, horror and thriller. after thinking about this for a bit, I definitely loved this! Weird books are always hit or miss but this really hit for me.
I loved the craziness and all over the place writing. The characters were so fascinating to follow and the plot was amazing. I'm still reeling from the ending because what?!? I so wasn't expecting it.
All of this to say, I'm not necessarily recommending this widely to everyone because it won't work for most people, but if you do decide to read this be prepared for an insane journey with it!
This is definitely one of the craziest books I've ever read and this book definitely won't work for everyone. There were so many plot points and twists that I was on the edge of my seat through the whole book. This was also a mix of so many genres including, dystopian, horror and thriller. after thinking about this for a bit, I definitely loved this! Weird books are always hit or miss but this really hit for me.
I loved the craziness and all over the place writing. The characters were so fascinating to follow and the plot was amazing. I'm still reeling from the ending because what?!? I so wasn't expecting it.
All of this to say, I'm not necessarily recommending this widely to everyone because it won't work for most people, but if you do decide to read this be prepared for an insane journey with it!
September 2, 2023
3.5 stars…This was a bit different for me. I did enjoy it. The overall premise of the book was not like one I had read before. I would read another book by this author. It was a quick easy read.
September 29, 2023
Oh my gosh this story I tell you! It was good but also creepy! And it's definitely a fall/Halloween creepy book. I will read more from this author.
June 6, 2024
This book had so many unexpected twists and turns, and the second I thought I knew what the reality was I was shocked again. It was one of those book that left me unsure how to feel, but made me want to know more. It had the most perfect ending that tied perfectly into the rest of the story. I wasn’t expecting to be a huge fan of an apocalypse themed book, but I was so wrong. It had so much mystery and intrigue mixed in that I didn’t even care that it wasn’t my usual genre. Highly recommend!
April 11, 2023
“You Won’t Believe Me,” is one of those novels that has a great premise but fails to deliver, unfortunately.
First of all, the story was trying to be to many things at the same time. As a result, it was hard to tell if it was try a thriller, romance, post apocalyptic story. This did not work. It became a drag, hard to read, and confusing.
The characters were one dimensional, we didn’t get much of a back story on them and there was a lot of repetition in the first half. This may have of been alright had the story knew what it was. However, it did not, so it was confusing and boring. As a result, as a reader, I could not relate and/or connect with the characters.
The ending, simply, a let down. The Epilogue went on so long I thought it was the beginning of a new book.
Was there potential? I think so. In my opinion, the story needed to know what it was, and have a clear and concise finish line.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
First of all, the story was trying to be to many things at the same time. As a result, it was hard to tell if it was try a thriller, romance, post apocalyptic story. This did not work. It became a drag, hard to read, and confusing.
The characters were one dimensional, we didn’t get much of a back story on them and there was a lot of repetition in the first half. This may have of been alright had the story knew what it was. However, it did not, so it was confusing and boring. As a result, as a reader, I could not relate and/or connect with the characters.
The ending, simply, a let down. The Epilogue went on so long I thought it was the beginning of a new book.
Was there potential? I think so. In my opinion, the story needed to know what it was, and have a clear and concise finish line.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 25, 2024
I was out when the plot line turned into "I Am Legend. "...ummm, nope. Next, please!
October 9, 2023
It was an interesting story but it just seemed to drag on, especially in the first half. I almost didn’t want to finish it, but once I start a book it’s hard for me not to see it through. I did like how the ending wrapped everything up and the pieces fell into place to make sense of the nonsense (or so I thought) of the beginning of the book. I probably wouldn’t recommend this one though.
June 27, 2024
I can't write a book, but if I were to write a book.. this is what it would be 😐
August 4, 2023
I won't pretend that I'm well versed in this genre, so maybe I would like anything I came across, but I cannot pretend that this wasn't chilling and thrilling. I was perusing through lists of books coming out this year when I first encountered this novel, and it immediately captured my attention. I wanted something like Natasha Preston's The Cellar (but that didn't come from Wattpad, sorry). This seemed similar with the main character waking up locked in an unfamiliar place.
But the actual plot of the book quickly diverges from the synopsis. Or does it? Willow is soon freed and has to contend with a whole other set of problems that have nothing to do with the Granny. Maybe to say anything more would have been spoilers, but I think mentioning something about pandemic themes or even Ventex would have given the reader a better idea of the vibes of this book. But while this book didn't turn out to be what I expected, I was engrossed all the same.
The best and most intriguing part of this book is Elijah- the creepy, unsettling feeling his presence brings even when he's portrayed as the savior, and the many reveals about his motivations for the duration of the novel. Throughout, until the very end, the reader questions their trust in him. Wow.
In the back of my mind, I always had this assumption that Elijah would be vindicated in the end because he's the love interest, even if that's a more minor thread, and I didn't think that the author would make someone in that role truly horrible, this being YA. My assumption turned out to be true, but it was questioned at every turn, and even I questioned whether I was right. And even in the end with everything about his intentions laid bare, even as Willow immediately understands and forgives for the sake of the novel's urgency, the reader is still left with unsettling questions about Elijah's morality, and whether all he did was worth it.
A small but important note is that this author's world building was superb. Even the smallest details were so powerful, and it all came together to create a thick atmosphere of paranoia and delusion. That first sighting of the pizza box- and the later scenes Willow passes by in the police car on her way back to civilization- were like a punch in the gut. Normal activites like a picnic or even people on the streets felt strange and raw, which is a testament to the insular world the author (and by proxy Elijah) created. You believe "E" is doing so little to improve their living conditions because he is a broken person, and this little island is all he's ever known, when in reality he's actively keeping her there with all these calculated little steps, like hiding the generator cap. It's truly chilling.
The strongest section of this book for me was towards the end at the final stages of her living at Elijah's house and learning what she thinks is the ugly truth. The dam breaks when Elijah kills two police officers, claiming that they were only there to harm her, but the murder unsettles her enough that she gets brave enough to explore the house. With each new room she enters, my heart truly pounded. What she found was truly shocking, and the extent to which Elijah psychologically manipulated her, no matter that we later find it was for a "good cause," was terrifying. The voices, the beating on the door, all these hallucinations turning out to be his invention was something I never saw coming.
The one place where I feel the author truly went astray was that final reveal, arguably the biggest and most important, that they were in a time loop and Elijah was ultimately the hero, doing all this to save the world from Willow's father. I was really disappointed in this twist, and it really lost me there. Maybe this is a typical convention of the genre so I can't judge too harshly, but it came seemingly from nowhere with no in-story explanation provided. If you're going to do something this outrageous to explain the whole book, there needs to be reasons and justifications as to why this makes sense for the story. None of that was found here. You're just supposed to go with this and believe it despite no supernatural/paranormal elements beforehand? Sorry, that's a little too much for me to reasonably suspend my disbelief.
But I will say that the timing of its reveal was on point, and Willow's shock/subsequent actions were just the right note to end the book on. I read the ebook version of this so I didn't even realize I was at the end, and when I flipped the final page into the acknowledgments section, all I wanted was more. I couldn't believe that was the end with my heart still thumping. That, to me, is the sign of a good book, with a reaction that lasts after the final pages.
This book left me with so many questions:
-How is the grandma involved in this, did she know or why would she keep Willow hostage?
-How was Willow's memory lost, like wouldn't she remember showing up at the motel and seeing Elijah?
-Why is it a time loop, and why did Willow at the end enter it with him?
-Why'd she bite her date's ear off at the end?
-Why is her father doing this?
It is true that some of these are plot holes or just would have been better served to be answered in the book, but I like a novel like this, especially in this genre, that leaves itself a bit open ended, with more questions in the reader's mind at the end so that the book can be remembered long after its end. I'm not saying that's happened with me because I only just finished it, and I'm also not saying that it warrants a sequel to go back and answer everything, but I do like that there's still food for thought after it's all over.
So while this certainly wasn't what I expected it to be, it was entertaining. There were some long stretches in the middle that were boring and repetitive, but there were moments of intrigue sprinkled throughout, like when Willow finds her parents in the car. I will admit that basically any faults can be overlooked by me if the ending is good enough, and I certainly think that's what saved the book here, but there were elements in those boring parts that make better sense in retrospect, and were pivotal to building the suspense and the reveal.
As mentioned this is not my typical genre, but after reading this and surprisingly liking it more than I thought, maybe I'll give it more of a shot. I know we're coming into a bit of a phase of mystery/thriller/horror books being in vogue, so maybe it has something to do with not being left out of the hype, but this give me hope that I'll be able to enjoy more in this vein.
But the actual plot of the book quickly diverges from the synopsis. Or does it? Willow is soon freed and has to contend with a whole other set of problems that have nothing to do with the Granny. Maybe to say anything more would have been spoilers, but I think mentioning something about pandemic themes or even Ventex would have given the reader a better idea of the vibes of this book. But while this book didn't turn out to be what I expected, I was engrossed all the same.
The best and most intriguing part of this book is Elijah- the creepy, unsettling feeling his presence brings even when he's portrayed as the savior, and the many reveals about his motivations for the duration of the novel. Throughout, until the very end, the reader questions their trust in him. Wow.
In the back of my mind, I always had this assumption that Elijah would be vindicated in the end because he's the love interest, even if that's a more minor thread, and I didn't think that the author would make someone in that role truly horrible, this being YA. My assumption turned out to be true, but it was questioned at every turn, and even I questioned whether I was right. And even in the end with everything about his intentions laid bare, even as Willow immediately understands and forgives for the sake of the novel's urgency, the reader is still left with unsettling questions about Elijah's morality, and whether all he did was worth it.
A small but important note is that this author's world building was superb. Even the smallest details were so powerful, and it all came together to create a thick atmosphere of paranoia and delusion. That first sighting of the pizza box- and the later scenes Willow passes by in the police car on her way back to civilization- were like a punch in the gut. Normal activites like a picnic or even people on the streets felt strange and raw, which is a testament to the insular world the author (and by proxy Elijah) created. You believe "E" is doing so little to improve their living conditions because he is a broken person, and this little island is all he's ever known, when in reality he's actively keeping her there with all these calculated little steps, like hiding the generator cap. It's truly chilling.
The strongest section of this book for me was towards the end at the final stages of her living at Elijah's house and learning what she thinks is the ugly truth. The dam breaks when Elijah kills two police officers, claiming that they were only there to harm her, but the murder unsettles her enough that she gets brave enough to explore the house. With each new room she enters, my heart truly pounded. What she found was truly shocking, and the extent to which Elijah psychologically manipulated her, no matter that we later find it was for a "good cause," was terrifying. The voices, the beating on the door, all these hallucinations turning out to be his invention was something I never saw coming.
The one place where I feel the author truly went astray was that final reveal, arguably the biggest and most important, that they were in a time loop and Elijah was ultimately the hero, doing all this to save the world from Willow's father. I was really disappointed in this twist, and it really lost me there. Maybe this is a typical convention of the genre so I can't judge too harshly, but it came seemingly from nowhere with no in-story explanation provided. If you're going to do something this outrageous to explain the whole book, there needs to be reasons and justifications as to why this makes sense for the story. None of that was found here. You're just supposed to go with this and believe it despite no supernatural/paranormal elements beforehand? Sorry, that's a little too much for me to reasonably suspend my disbelief.
But I will say that the timing of its reveal was on point, and Willow's shock/subsequent actions were just the right note to end the book on. I read the ebook version of this so I didn't even realize I was at the end, and when I flipped the final page into the acknowledgments section, all I wanted was more. I couldn't believe that was the end with my heart still thumping. That, to me, is the sign of a good book, with a reaction that lasts after the final pages.
This book left me with so many questions:
-How is the grandma involved in this, did she know or why would she keep Willow hostage?
-How was Willow's memory lost, like wouldn't she remember showing up at the motel and seeing Elijah?
-Why is it a time loop, and why did Willow at the end enter it with him?
-Why'd she bite her date's ear off at the end?
-Why is her father doing this?
It is true that some of these are plot holes or just would have been better served to be answered in the book, but I like a novel like this, especially in this genre, that leaves itself a bit open ended, with more questions in the reader's mind at the end so that the book can be remembered long after its end. I'm not saying that's happened with me because I only just finished it, and I'm also not saying that it warrants a sequel to go back and answer everything, but I do like that there's still food for thought after it's all over.
So while this certainly wasn't what I expected it to be, it was entertaining. There were some long stretches in the middle that were boring and repetitive, but there were moments of intrigue sprinkled throughout, like when Willow finds her parents in the car. I will admit that basically any faults can be overlooked by me if the ending is good enough, and I certainly think that's what saved the book here, but there were elements in those boring parts that make better sense in retrospect, and were pivotal to building the suspense and the reveal.
As mentioned this is not my typical genre, but after reading this and surprisingly liking it more than I thought, maybe I'll give it more of a shot. I know we're coming into a bit of a phase of mystery/thriller/horror books being in vogue, so maybe it has something to do with not being left out of the hype, but this give me hope that I'll be able to enjoy more in this vein.
June 20, 2025
I really liked this! It was behind creepy. And it almost seems way too out there but because we all lived through Covid… it’s not so out there.
The ending was a bit…. Rough? I may have missed what the author did there but I really enjoyed everything else. It creeped me out and that’s what I wanted
The ending was a bit…. Rough? I may have missed what the author did there but I really enjoyed everything else. It creeped me out and that’s what I wanted
March 22, 2024
2.5⭐️
If someone were to say „explain and summarize this book in a few sentences, or get shot“…i‘d be dead
If someone were to say „explain and summarize this book in a few sentences, or get shot“…i‘d be dead
June 25, 2024
This was all over the place, and I'm still confused about many things
April 4, 2025
DNF.
No. Just no.
No. Just no.
September 15, 2024
I’m still confused and bored
September 8, 2023
Holy crap. It was insane to read and to find out that everything she believed was a lie. Such a crazy plot twist.
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