From the description I was expecting more of a murder mystery. Instead this was more introspective, about how different people can view mental illness differently. Kyra repeatedly says that the town loved her because of her mental illness (bipolar disorder) and Corey loved her despite her mental illness. Both sides contributed to Kyra's feelings of alienation. The cult-like feeling of the town was intriguing and I kept expecting to get something more from them, only none of them really stood out to me - they were a group of hostile people who seemed to want to harm Corey for reasons that didn't make much sense to me. Kyra was probably the brightest character in the whole story, and only appeared in flashbacks. I didn't feel like Corey had a character arc at all - she left with the same suspicions she entered with. The concept about mental illness was really the centerpiece.

This is a fascinating read. It felt like a fever dream, like being underwater. I was intrigued by the storytelling and would recommend to anyone seeking weird and good stories.

Marieke Nijkamp's Before I Let Go is a poignant exploration of grief, friendship, and the complexities of mental illness. The novel follows Corey as she returns to her small Alaskan hometown after the tragic death of her best friend, Kyra.

Nijkamp skillfully navigates the delicate balance between Cory's personal loss and the broader societal issues surrounding mental health. The author's portrayal of Kyra's bipolar disorder is both sensitive and informative, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals and their loved ones.

The novel is a powerful exploration of the enduring nature of friendship and the complexities of grief. Corey's journey as she grapples with the loss of Kyra is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The author's ability to evoke a range of emotions from readers is a testament to her storytelling prowess.

While the novel's pacing is uneven at times, the overall impact is undeniable. Before I Let Go is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant read that will stay with readers long after the final page.

In an insular community, a young woman tragically dies. When her lifelong friend returns, less than a year after she left everything in the town has changed. In her absence, the young woman they ostracised has been elevated to the status of saviour, and nothing about her death makes sense.

Whether it's the story, the characters, the subject matter, or the atmosphere of Lost Creek, two words sum up everything about this book; dark and isolating.

Having read and loved Marieke Ninkamp’s other book This is Where it Ends I was left a little disappointed by this one. The setting is interesting and I was invested in the characters but the whole thing together fell short for me sadly.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite meet my expectations. However, I have a generally positive view on it after reading. I still think that This is Where it Ends will always be Marieke’s masterpiece, but this was a real original, haunting story.

I struggled a bit with this novel although the premise seemed promising it was tough to process. For that reason I was not able to finish with a good understanding of the story.

DNF'd. I like thrillers but it felt weird and kind of surface level? There was definitely room to amp up the mystery and to create characters that were appealing. Unfortunately, you just have a teenager who doesn't know how to handle grief and halfway through the book I knew we weren't going anywhere significant with the plot.

I remember enjoying Nikkamp's other novel, but found that quite dark and difficult at times, as this one was too, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but something to be aware of.

Sadly this was a DNF for me. I have tried to read other books by this author and always.end up not finishing them.

This book was something. I had mixed reviews. But I enjoyed the read. I loved and hated it. Let’s just say that.

I read this book ages ago and loved it. It is a great story. I did order it for my library at the time.

This book was very good and very honest and representative of those suffering with bipolar disorder. It did well by especially describing a situation in which the person suffering did not have any of the help that they desperately needed. Such a heart-breaking but powerful story.

Great book, love this author and how they can keep my attention to the end! The plot is well developed, characters are believable and they obviously paid attention to detail to make the story worth your time to read.

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp is a young adult mystery read. After finishing this book I'm beginning to think that perhaps Marieke Nijkamp is just not an author for me. Last year I read This Is Where It Ends and while the idea behind the story was one that I was really taken in with the execution of the book left a lot to be desired for me and unfortunately now I can say the same with Before I Let Go.

I think really my biggest issue with this book came with the character development which was pretty non-existent. Corey is really the only character that felt developed and I find myself hard pressed to say even that as all that is repeated is she and Kyra had been close so now instead of owning up to her own mistakes she is determined to find who is at fault for Kyra's death which should be touching and emotional but instead I just disliked Corey and found myself not caring if other's were at fault or not.

Now as far as the mystery is concerned in this one it is buried within the repetitive nature of Corey blaming the town and eventually does come to light. It's one that I might have been really taken with as there was a creepy and disturbing vibe but if I blinked while reading I would have missed it as that part of the story wasn't developed very well in my opinion. So as sad as I am to say this one just wasn't for me and as much as the ideas behind Ms. Nijkamp's stories appeal to me I think this may be my last attempt.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was... fine. It's hard to articulate it more thoroughly, It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but bland and forgettable enough that I couldn't describe the plot to you a week later if you paid me. I enjoyed the setting, but found the characters boring and hard to care about. I ended up skipping a lot, and speed reading it when I originally read this book, which is why I didn't give it a review originally. It was kind of meh.

2.5- 3 stars

I don’t like being totally negative in a review but I just didn’t like this one. I loved THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS and was really looking forward to reading something else from the author but I just could not connect with BEFORE I LET GO. I thought it was written in a very weird style and it just fell flat. I thought it was going to be more of a murder mystery/suspense but it was just odd.

Sadly, a DNF. I have tried several books by Nijkamp, and I just think I don't mesh well with the author's style.

Found the book too depressing as it deal with Mental Health issues. So beware if this is a trigger for you.

I enjoyed Nijkamp's earlier work, which is why I requested this. However, I ended up hating their more recent books, and haven't been able to work myself up to reading this one. I think this author is just not for me.