This book (legitimately) got me back into reading.
I've been having book burnout ever since I got my creative writing degree about five years ago and haven't been able to stick with a book since. The cover of this caught my eye at Barnes and Noble and I read it in four days. It's the first book I've read on my own in years. I flipped through the pages in the bookstore and just knew it was my book. I couldn't put it down and for the first time in like half a decade I felt like myself again, in the arms of a good book.

Pros:
-really good writing. The prose is just beautiful. Prose is a #1 for me in books, and if you're looking for something with beautiful prose, this is it.
-suspense. I wanted to know WTF was going on from page one. It's not as twisty and turny as other thrillers I've read since this one, but it was still satisfying. I need to do a second read, because the twist changed everything.
-characters. They were well-written, relatable (yikes for me), and just good to read with. Made me feel like staying around.
-good pacing and a fast read. I blew through this and I'm a slow reader
-environment. I was IN that forest with those sisters
-the ending (see cons) even despite a little cheesiness, still felt satisfying and I liked the way everything wrapped up and came together. This won't be the most twisty book you've read this year, but it is a GOOD book, and the twist still changes the entire book.

Cons:
-a little bit predictable, but this didn't bother me, because I was here for the characters and the prose
-the ending device was a little cheesey, but it didn't discount any of the pros for me

All in all, this book is going to have a really special place in my heart and kind of reads like a comfort book for me (yikes again for me?? lol). Hats off to such a good debut, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for this author. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to getting me back into reading!

3.5/5 rounded up. Only 3.5 because the constant addressing to the past seemed a bit redundant, and when they did wrap up the story it felt a bit rushed.

Read if you like: thrillers, multiple POVs, sister stories, isolated settings, dark pasts, shady neighbors

Twin sisters Cassie and Leonora are hiding something in their past. Living in a cabin in the woods, Cassie tries to take care of her agoraphobic sister who is clearly dealing with a lot of trauma and obsessive tendencies . When a girl camping nearby goes missing, will Cassie’s greatest fears be realized? Could her sister be a killer?

This story was atmospheric and fast paced, splitting timelines and POVs each chapter. I did not care for Leonora’s character and Cassie was only a little more tolerable.

I enjoyed the amount of doubt and suspicion the author was able to cast about through the book but found the ending to be a little too “scooby doo” for my liking. I wish the pieces fell together more organically instead of having to be told the “master plan”. All in all, still an entertaining read.

I enjoyed the book and. Would recommend to a friend.

Terrible. I was hoping for more but was very disappointed. It didn’t seem like it could get better and it didn’t. It just felt messy. I had a hard time figuring out what was going on and I think because I wasn’t engaged in it.

Really 1.5. The .5 because I finished it.

One of the best written books that kept me looking over my shoulder the entire time. I read this in one sitting because I was so invested in the story! I caught myself holding my breath and turning pages as fast as I could read! I cannot wait until the next Marlee Bush book!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

I'll start with the bad. I found it really hard to understand the setting of this book. The premise says remote Tennessee campsite, and I could not envision what that looked like, especially in terms of the cabin that the two sisters live in.

I also had a hard time completely understanding Cassie and Lenora in general and their relationship. I felt like a lot of things were left in the dark and maybe I would have enjoyed this novel more with better explanation.

This novel moved slowly for me, which is another reason for my 3 start rating. However, when things finally started coming together, I couldn't read it fast enough. The ending was definitely interesting, and I think had the entirety of the book read more like the ending I maybe would have enjoyed this story more.