3.5 stars

I liked it, just can't say I loved it.

What I liked:
-The relationship between the 2 main characters. They fed off of each other in a way that I haven't read before and it was the driving force of the whole book.
-The premise that this all started with the telling of a secret as a teen, and the life long effects it had on the both of them.

What I didn't like:
-The pace was a bit slow for my liking and seemed to flat line a lot.
-The bouncing back at forth between timelines felt a bit jarring to me for some reason.
-I tuned out a lot of the lab, rats, and PMDD info. I get the relevance, but it dragged at times.

Megan Abbott is the queen at writing about female relationships, and once again she doesn't disappoint in the area. I was hoping for better, but am still happy I read this. It's always a good reminder to think about whom you want to share your secrets with....

ARC provided by NetGalley

Megan Abbott’s newest novel, Give Me Your Hand, promised to be a “mesmerizing psychological thriller,” and it did not disappoint.

I found the novel initially hard to get invested in because the author jumps right into the story, with the reader learning background on the characters and how they are connected as the book progresses. This initially created a lack of connection to the characters and the storyline for me. However, about a quarter of the way into the novel, I was hooked!

Kit and Diane’s perverse friendship is driven more by the desire to best one another than any actual affection between the two teenagers. They initially bond when Kit reveals a secret at summer camp that upsets Diane, and years later Diane repays the favor by sharing a secret that will change Kit’s life forever. They drift apart after high school, and Kit has no desire to ever see Diane again. Unfortunately for her, Diane shows up as her boss’s new protege one day and turns Kit’s world upside down all over again.

Give Me Your Hand will have you turning pages until the very end with all of its twists perfectly woven into the story of two women with a truly killer connection.

3.5 stars. This book confused me from page one, but was written excellently. I think that some things were not as shocking as the author was hoping it would be and it sort of seemed almost choppy at times, but the characters were done well, so I know that it's one I'll recommend in Chapter Chatter Pub before it is released, as although I was lost, I don't think all would be. The author has a beautiful way of writing!

My history with Megan Abbott books are love/hate - I either love it or hate it within the first few chapters and it becomes a struggle for me to finish the book. Give Me Your Hand was in the middle - I neither loved or hated it but I also couldn't get into it. I think I was bored by the pace and all of the scientific laboratory talk. I was looking for a reason to walk away from the book and I got it when Kit dropped her dogs off at a rescue shelter after her mother passed away.

You just don't do that.

I had a hard time with this book. I guessed what the high school secret was almost immediately and the dynamics between Kit and Diana stemming from that confession seemed way over the top and solvable 10 times over by Kit. The whole plot line from the investigation into PMDD and the forced relationship between the 2 main characters felt forced and contrived. It felt like it spun out, just to spin out; that Kit could have done something at any time regardless of what crazy Diana would tell her.

Quick read that I enjoyed.. some of the "twists" were predictable to me (I read a lot of thrillers), but there were some I didn't see coming. I enjoyed the theme of women in science and how hard it can be for them. Overall good read, would recommend to anyone who enjoys thrillers.

(Received advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

"Give Me Your Hand" is a stand out psychological thriller in a genre that has been flooded in recent years. I enjoyed the alternating timeline - two girls, lab partners in high school who meet at a cross country summer camp who then find themselves reunited in a professional setting after years of estrangement. The premise of the lab research the protagonist works on - basically, women who experience extreme PMS symptoms that drives them to acts of violence - was fascinating, if not an obvious thread of foreshadowing throughout. Plenty of plot twists, some more predictable than others, but the book was compulsively read-able. I really and truly recommend this thriller for an exceptional summer read.

First, Give Me Your Hand mix of science, suspense, and friendship is the perfect combination for a stay-up-all-night-just-one-more-chapter kind of book. Entertainment Weekly lists Give Me Your Hand as one of the Most Anticipated Books of 2018. It is easy to see why. In this psychological thriller two scientists, old friends, are connected via their darkest secrets. Like, seriously dark. All kinds of disturbing (in a good way).
All too often, thrillers center around a dead or missing women. Female friendships focus more on men than the rich, interior lives of the characters. And female characters rarely get to be brilliant, ambitious, and competitive like the characters in Give Me Your Hand. More books like this please. We need more characters like the ones Megan Abbott creates. She writes books that seem destined to be movies, filled with atmosphere, tension and twisty endings.

This was a great departure from Abbot’s latest depictions on teenage girls and their inner psychology. We get a more nuanced look into what happens when these girls grow up and are still caught in the web of their teenage rivals. A smart and riveting read.

3.5 Stars!

Dark secrets embedded in a totally unique thriller...

Most teenagers have secrets they share with friends. There is nothing unusual about that, but this secret is so dark that it threatens to change the course of two lives. Thankfully none of my high school friends shared any secrets that gave me nightmares. Kit is haunted by the secret Diane shared with her (she did what?!!). She wants to rid herself of it, but the cat is out of the bag.

I loved the "Then" and "Now" format as we learn about the two high school friends, Kit and Diane and the past they shared. Fast forward ten years and Kit is the only female working in a prestigious lab. That is until her old pal Diane walks through the door! ( Oh god no, not her!) This is when things start to go crazy!

This novel has a bit of all the genres. Some science with the laboratory setting and the research going on (even mice make an appearance), a bit of a YA feel with the high school rivalry, part thriller and maybe even a tad touch of horror. Yes, a fine wine.

I thought this one was a fast read and well paced, but not my favorite. I did set my believability factor aside to fully enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to reading another book by this author because her writing was just so engaging.

I have read several books by the author in the past and was excited when I saw this upcoming book. Give Me Your Hand is a story about secrets and what happens when you try to keep them quiet; they eventually always come out. So this story is told during two different times; one is currently and the other is in high school. Kit and Diane meet during Chemistry class in high school, where Kit doesn't really have too many ambitions for her life, where as Diane does. The two girls soon form an unlikely friendship, until Diane shares a secret with Kit that changes their entire relationship. About 10 years later, Kit feels that she had finally put Diane in her past and she is starting to fulfill her dreams of being a scientist. Her past comes back to haunt her when she finds out that Diane is also trying to get the same position that Kit covets; taking part in groundbreaking new research led by their idol. Soon the two former friends find them themselves once again in a position where their competition between each other might cause destruction.

I found this book to be different from of the authors previous books such as Dare Me and You Will Know Me which both focus mainly on girls during the teenage years. Give Me Your Hand gives us this aspect but also gives us a look at the characters when they meet again as adults. I feel that Abbott has a unique writing style that truly get into the complex minds of teenage girls and all of their many emotions and thoughts. Overall, I enjoyed this book, as it has some of the writing styles and themes from her previous books, but also gave us new perspective when looking at Kit and Diane as adults.

Thank you to the publisher, Little Brown and Company, for sending me an ARC of this book.

The psychological unravelling was hard to experience, but very interesting to read. A great suspenseful look at friendship, rivalry and secrets.

Kit is a scientist on the brink of achieving career success when the sudden appearance of an old friend throws everything into chaos. Kit knows Diane is a brilliant scientist but she also knows her secrets--and some of them are terrifying. As the past encroaches on the present, Kit begins to suspect that her life is in danger.

I was generously offered an ARC of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an objective review.

Megan Abbott is one of those rare authors who manages to do many things equally well. Over the years, I've read her books which range from riffs on classic pulp noir to stories of high school backbiting to elegant and twisted mysteries. Everything she writes maintains her signature style despite the genre. Give me Your Hand is no exception. As always, the writing is top-notch and the story moves along at a brisk clip. Abbott explores the nuances of female friendship, co-working relationships, competition and the weight of secrets. Her chosen backdrop (though it's more important than a backdrop really, almost a character itself) is an esteemed research lab. This setting felt very relevant and contemporary, providing a glimpse into the lives of several women working in the STEM field. What I like best about Abbott's book, and this one in particular, is that you really don't know where you're going when you start reading...you just go. At times, you're not sure why you're still following these characters through their story but you absolutely can't turn away. And then, BAM. There comes a reason that reveals why you've invested yourself in the story and now you simply can't rest until you reach the end.

DNF at 40%

I have tried to like Megan Abbott's writing. I feel like I should like it. I just don't. This is the 3rd novel I have picked up. I really should have liked the last one since I've always loved gymnastics. This just is not my jam. It's a lot of other peoples' style and That is fine. It's just not mine. Sorry. I promise I wanted to like it.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kit Owens and Diane Fleming have a complicated past. Before Diane transferred into her high school chemistry class, Kit was just a regular student. Diane's brilliance pushed Kit, and the two became friends—that is until Diane confessed a chilling secret to Kit that changed everything between them and almost derailed Kit's life.

Fast forward more than a decade and Kit is a scientist working in a lab. Her past collides with her work when she learns that Diane Fleming is her competition for a highly coveted opportunity to work on a groundbreaking new study led by their idol, Dr. Severin. The two former friends find themselves once again vying to get noticed, only this time, they share a secret that could derail everything that they have worked so hard for.

Abbott is a master with imagery. The theme of blood is prevalent, both in the colour red and subject matter. I enjoyed reading about the PMDD study and the hysteria that ensues as a result. This makes for interesting subject matter as well as an interesting premise.

The girls have such an complicated dynamic that blurs between friendship and rivalry—an interesting relationship to explore in today's climate where successful women are often pitted against one another. Abbot further examines this by illustrating how difficult it is for a woman to succeed in a male-dominated field like the sciences. Her character study is amazing. Diane is a complete sociopath that oddly captivates everyone she comes in contact with, including the reader.

It was dark and twisty with just enough suspense that is built by consequence. Abbot does not reveal her hand, she plays her cards one at a time, her pace is spot-on! The writing is tight, she leaves nothing to the imagination which is refreshing.

This was a thrilling page-turner and I could totally see this being adapted into a movie. Congratulations, Megan, on another master of a thriller. Well done!

I don't know if it's possible to love Megan Abbott more than I already do. Her writing is always stunning and absorbing. Her depictions of the raw mysteries of girlhood and womanhood are second to none. Give Me Your Hand doesn't disappoint and I look forward to her next, as always.

I truly wanted to enjoy Give Me Your Hand; I wouldn't have requested Abbott's latest had I thought I wouldn't be intrigued and fascinated by it. Despite my initial interest, my connection to young Kit and Diane as well as their adult lives felt thin. I can typically finish a book of this length in a day or two because I can't put it down until the drama gets resolved; it took about a week to read Give Me Your Hand and I'm not surprised. The secondary characters aren't rounded out enough for the readers to truly grapple with what their deaths signify. The "surprises" which get revealed towards the end, I had already figured out from the beginning. This would've been better as an episode of television.

A gripping and intense novel about female friendships, murder, and what it takes for women to succeed.

If you have read and enjoyed books by Megan Abbott (author of The Fever, Dare Me, and You Will Know Me among others), then Give Me Your Hand is a sure bet. Like all of Abbott’s other books, this one focuses on the subtleties of female relationships and their dark undercurrents. It also uses her trademark sharp and precise prose. The novel follows Kit Owens, an ambitious scientist, who learns that her former BFF/rival, Diane, will be soon be working at her lab. When they were seventeen, Diane told Kit a secret that tore apart their friendship. Now that they have once again crossed paths, this secret threatens to overwhelm Kit. Then something awful happens at the lab that binds Kit and Diane even closer together – and ratchets up the tension. Give Me Your Hand is an intense, absorbing novel that unfortunately fell a bit flat at the end. Still, it’s worth a look for Abbott fans like me.