Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author.
Loved this thriller, fast paced, quick read.
Recommend

I received an ARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book creeped me out but for all the wrong reasons. It’s a thriller featuring a set of twins, Tilda and Callie. Callie has always been obsessed with her over the top twin Tilda and it’s a bit extreme. I mean, I get that twins are close, but when you start consuming you sisters hair, teeth, and urine once and awhile to feel closer to her, that’s creepy and disgusting. Callie creeped me out more than the rest of the crazy characters involved in the book.
The plot itself had so much potential but i felt it just failed to develop properly. I didn’t feel any sense of urgency or danger. It wasn’t believable and was too over the top, particularly with Callie’s online obsession and the people she interacted with. I also had to shake my head at Callie’s experiences with the police, which was the polar opposite, too underplayed.
I wasn’t totally impressed and expected more but I also didn’t hate it. Give it a try if you’re into obsessive twins, controlling men, and online crazies.

We were lost in the weedy, mudding, murky coulee reading this with some of our Traveling Sisters and we ended up splitting into different coulees.

White Bodies is a chilling, creepy and unsettling psychological suspense thriller that explores the dark side of love and obsession that binds twin sisters together.

Jane Robins does a good job bringing on a very shocking unsettling twist that stunned us and we all became a little uncomfortable in the weedy muddy puddles of the coulee and wondering if we should find a more comfortable spot or leave the coulee altogether.  We all decided to settle in and see where this story goes.  

Jane Robins does a great job creating two different and unreliable sisters here that left us wondering who was the unreliable one and who was the one to trust.  Jane Robins throws a clever little twist in there that threw some of us off and left us shocked with the ending.  

This is one unforgettable story with some disturbing revelations that we soon won’t forget even though the sisters splitting from the murky coulee just wanted to go onto the next coulee.  We highly recommend giving this one a try and finding out what that shocking, unsettling revelation is for yourself.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Jane Robins for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The concept of this book is so intriguing, but it had many weird aspects that were hard to get past.

First of all, this story talks about an important issue. Domestic violence. Particularly, abusive partners who are very controlling. There are some serious situations in the novel that show just how dangerous these relationships can be. It’s scary to imagine a loved one in this kind of relationship, while being helpless to get them to see the truth.

Callie is weirdly obsessed with her sister. She’s worried about her sister’s relationship which is valid, but the way she stalks her is strange. Callie waits outside her sister’s home to follow her and she sneaks into her house to find out stuff about her relationship. That was so extreme.

I found Callie super creepy. When she was younger, she would eat things belonging to her sister to feel closer to her. She would eat her sister’s hair, paper from her journal, and even her baby teeth. Yes her baby teeth. I was so grossed out that it made me really dislike Callie. I couldn’t get past her weird obsession with Tilda.

Some parts of the story reminded me of The Girl on the Train, in the way that the plot unfolded. Callie is an unreliable narrator, so it’s hard to know what to believe. But Callie was so creepy that I didn’t even want to get involved in her story. And she made some strange and dangerous decisions.

Normally I don’t mind an unreliable narrator because they can add to the mystery, but I couldn’t get past Callie’s strange tendencies in this story.

Wow! What a great read! White Bodies is a great psychological thriller which focus on the relationship between twin sisters, Tilda and Callie.

Right from the beginning, this thriller kept me on the edge of my seat...First with whom is really Felix? Then, who is Scarlet? I couldn't guess the end...

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of White Bodies.

A dark twisted story about twin sisters Callie and Tilda. A slower paced thriller that builds suspense as it goes. The ending delivers a good punch. Enjoyed this read.

I am so happy I stuck with this book and it's psycho-thriller plot (which twists and twists and twists)! The first while seemed to be a bit slow but the characters are so complex that you really get sucked into their strangeness. I couldn't stop thinking about the unsettling relationships and the entire 'mystery' that oozed creepiness, start to finish.

A thrilling read that kept me changing my mind as to what was going on until late into the book. The whole book was compelling and I read it with a sense of dread knowing that something bad was going to happen but unsure as to who and why? Callie and Tilda are twins. Tilda is the more glamorous of the two and begins a new relationship that progresses quite quickly. Callie has been an 'observer' her whole life who becomes worried that her sister's new boyfriend is controlling and abusive so begins watching and investigating and recording . Part of Callie's research takes her to an anonymous online forum about controlling men which leads to more worries, along with contacts that may or may not be what is presented. Through glimpses back to the sisters younger years we learn more of their unhealthy bond as well as their individual issues leading to a climax of murder and suspicion. I found Callie's growing paranoia and reckless behaviour added to the building tension. Robins does a good job of making characters likeable, even when doing unlikable things. (Trigger warning regarding domestic abuse situations.)

A deep, dark examination of the relationships between twin sisters, one seemingly outgoing and the other introverted. But also the relationship of one of this sisters as seen by the sister is troubling and personal. Well written.

I am such a sucker for a psychological thriller; I am always on the hunt for something new that will leave me thinking. Enter, White Bodies by Jane Robins, a book that topped by fall TBR list and one that I was eagerly anticipating.

The story begins and develops your typical love story: man (Felix) meets girl (Tilda), man controls girl, twin sister of girl (Callie) gets mad, man ends up dead. Ya know, the stuff that makes ya warm and fuzzy inside. I loved how Robins slowly built and weaved the tension throughout the plot; it truly left me feeling unsettled. Especially in regards to the Callie character. What a treat she was. A completely disturbing and pretty messed up treat, but a treat nonetheless! I think one of the first “um…WTF Callie??!” moments comes at about 13% into the book. I don’t think I will ever look at a pair of twins the same!!

I also felt like the writing style of this one was incredibly different; the premise is like other books I have read but the execution felt more original. The story does not follow a specific linear path; instead, it focuses on alternative narrative moments in time between the present and then two different snapshots from the past. I think my favourite (is that okay to say something was my favourite when it was so twisted) were the Callie chapters from her childhood. Creepy.

My biggest complaint with this novel was the pacing. I felt like the first 100 pages or so really dragged. I was interested. I wanted to keep reading but I didn’t find myself tearing through the pages. However, the second half of the book really shone and I did find myself completely engrossed. I guess I wish it had paced more evenly so I felt entirely dedicated throughout. I also had a hunch regarding the “reveal” fairly early on, but that didn’t deter me from completing the novel. I loved Robin’s style.

Overall, if you want a psychological thriller that will give you the creeps, then I would pick this one up. It is totally worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
“White Bodies” is the first fiction novel from author Jane Robins. In “Bodies”, Tilda, a has-been actress, meets and falls in love with Felix, an American financier. Tilda’s twin sister, Callie, is as quiet and reserved as Tilda is outspoken and loud. It is Callie who notices the marks on her sister’s arms, how her sister’s once commandeering personality has dwindled into someone small and meek, and immediately assumes the worst of Felix. Callie begins to investigate further, desperate to save her sister. When Felix dies suddenly, Callie’s doubts begin to surface and she is now plagued with the question- was Felix murdered?
This novel is suspense-laden and filled with intrigue and mystery. The ending is completely unpredictable- as each character has their own eccentric quirk that makes them totally capable of the deranged actions that take place. Just when I made one assumption about what happened and who was responsible, I was sidelined by a plot twist that had me thinking the exact opposite. When the ending arrived and all questions were answered- I was both surprised and satisfied.
Tilda and Callie are both well-developed characters- Tilda is self-absorbed and arrogant, Callie is reserved and awkward, yet both are likable (at least for most of the novel) and realistic, both struggling with clear psychological disorders that play off the other like flutes in an orchestra. The author has a way of drawing in a reader’s attention and holding it- I read most of this novel in one continuous loop, not wanting to put it down.
For an author new to fiction, Robins seems to have found her niche. Unpredictable and somewhat deranged, this novel was a pleasant surprise. I sincerely look forward to Robins’ next fiction work.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

What the feck did I just read??????

A completely twisted weird and thoroughly enjoyable debut novel. I get put off by the publishers stating this is the next great psychological thriller but this one I felt warranted that title.

Twins Callie and Tilda are totally opposite, Tilda is a talented actress riding on the success of her starring role in Rebecca( one of my favourite books and films ever) Callie is working in a bookstore whilst she frets and fusses over her twin.

Tilda meets charismatic and rich Felix and quickly becomes embroiled in an intense relationship. Callie is desperate to protect her vulnerable twin and resorts to stalking to keep her safe.

I think this book is a bit of a marmite one, I thought it was very good, kept my interest and I was keen to find out how it all worked out. Having said that I can see why some people will dislike it, parts of it are very strange and bordering on seriously crazy. I will definitely be looking for more by Jane Robins.

A very good psychological thriller with numerous layers of deceit and manipulation. The twins, Callie and Tilda, are such good foils for each other, both predatory in their own way. Much good writing and unexpected turns. The reason I gave it four instead of five stars is because the author reverted into telling instead of showing in the last 10% of the novel, which distanced me just when I should have been utterly enthralled. That said, it's still an excellent novel and such good original characters.

Thanks, Netgalley, for the e-review copy.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book and was so happy when I was approved for an ARC. I will give Robin's debut 3.5 stars. Our protagonist, Callie is seemingly already obsessed with her sister but becomes even more obsessed when she's certain her sister's husband is super controlling and abusive. Callie then gets dragged into the website, controllingmen.com that is an online support group for people that have loved ones in abusive relationships.
I found this story dragged me in right away. The first chapter opens with Felix's funeral and Callie fells responsible for his death and she is shocked that the police haven't come to find her yet. The story then backs up to when Tilda and Felix have just met and have just started dating. I found it a slow build-up to Felix's death again. Some chapters in the first half flip back to when Callie and Tilda were kids, giving the reader a glimpse into the weird dysfunctional relationship these two sisters have. The second half was more exciting.
I did like the writing style of Robins. It was a good mixture of description and dialogue. The story is told in first person POV of Callie. Within a few chapters I was pretty certain I had the ending figured out and for the most part I was right. I feel I must comment on Callie's "weird behaviour" that she starts as a little girl and I must say this was one of the weirdest things a character in any book I've read has ever done and I just didn't get how it added to the story or was needed.
Thank you to NetGalley for approving me for this ARC.