Did not finish. Could not grasp what was suppose to be happening in this book. I was very intrigued until we got to Mr. Pepperman....?

You Let Me In is a dark fantasy that will both disturb and intrigue. Cassandra Tipp is dead...we think. Her body is nowhere to be found, but her will is left behind distributing her massive fortune and one final manuscript that tells a story Cassandra is dying to tell. This is a book that readers won't expect. It's beautifully written and will keep readers hooked until the very last page. Highly recommended to readers who are looking for a completely original read. If you enjoy fantasy, but also enjoy domestic dramas, this is the book for you! Be sure to check out You Let Me In today.

I was disappointed in this book. I couldn’t get into it and didn’t finish it. I wasn’t wild about the writing style and it just never caught my interest. I give it 2 1/2 stars but am rounding it up to 3. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Although a book many would likely enjoy, this just wasn’t a book I could get into. I think that, rather than it being classified as a mystery, it would more accurately fall under a horror/fantasy genre.

The writing style was engaging, especially after the beginning of the book setting the stage for a wealthy missing writer, formerly a murder suspect, who leaves a manuscript behind for her niece and nephew to read. This premise was intriguing, and it seemed that the story had a lot of potential. Sadly, once the horror and fantasy elements began, this ceased being a book I felt engaged with.

Overall I would try to read this author again, because I really liked her writing style. However, the story just had too many bizarre elements that made me question what exactly was going on, and what exactly I was reading about.

People who enjoy dark fantasy novels would likely enjoy this read and, as I said, the writing was really good. Ultimately, this just wasn’t the book for me.

As eerie and weird as all hell. An original tale which will send a chill down the spine of the most ardent creepy story fan.

Hmm...what to say about this one. It was a DNF for me. I just couldn't get into it. Idk what it was between the writing or the way it was just scattered everywhere. I had hope for this one which I was disappointed in.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unsettling, captivating, different than traditional fantasy in a good way. If you’re interested in dysfunctional families and childhood trauma, it’s excellent. Great voice. I flew through this book. Love the psychological questions behind it all. Can’t wait to read the next one.

I tried. I failed. I cannot finish. Just my opinion but I gave 2 stars for the writing. I just couldn't get into this one. Thanks Netgalley and to the publisher for the advanced ecopy.

3 for neutral. I tried on multiple occasions to get into this book, but never got very far. It seemed to be a bit scattered and different than I was expecting, and just never grabbed me. I don’t feel comfortable rating something poorly that I did not read, so I did a 3 for neutral and will update if able to enjoy at a later date.

This book was absolutely different from what I expected. Somehow the description didn't really fit the book completely.
It was a pretty scary book, not badly written, but somehow not very great either. It felt very incoherent, all over the place. I couldnt really follow the story and in the end it felt like not everything was told. As if a part was left out.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce. The premise of this book is interesting, but I do think this is more of a "scary book", than a thriller.
An older woman, Cassandra Tipp, is missing. She is best selling author and her disappearance is very sudden. She does leave behind something for her niece and nephew - a manuscript. She has stated that it is for them in case she disappears (mmmmm and then she disappears). The book tells Cassandra's story from childhood to adulthood, and it is not a typical novel by any means.
This is quite good and some parts I would describe as horrific., Not for the weak of heart.
2.5 stars.

It is hard to describe my thoughts about this book without giving away any spoilers.  I found it to be a bit disturbing and a bit scattered.  I got the underlying storyline, but was left with many questions.  Not a book that I would recommend.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy. This book sounded so interesting and right up my alley. Sadly, I was just wasn’t able to connect with the characters. I was easily sidetracked from reading it and finally gave up. Although I didn’t finish this book, I would still try another read from this author and hope the next one draws me in.

I really enjoyed the writing style of this one but sadly couldn’t connect with the fantasy element. Intriguing and despite not clicking with the whole plot, did enjoy the book. Definitely bizarre and different from anything I’ve read lately!

You Let Me In, Camilla Bruce‘s debut novel, is miscategorized as a mystery/thriller. It is, in fact, horror/fantasy, with plenty of violence delivered by fairies who have nothing in common with innocent Tinkerbell.

Cassie has lived her entire life in thrall to an ancient fairy called Pepper-Man, who feeds on her blood and draws her into the world of the fairies who live in the mound, a place invisible to ordinary humans. Cassie’s family, teachers, classmates — everyone around her — always considered her an evil girl, but the damage attributed to her was usually perpetrated by Pepper-Man.

Now Cassie is an old woman, a wealthy bestselling author of women’s fiction — and she has disappeared, leaving a fortune that her niece and nephew are eager to claim. First they must read Cassie’s last, unpublished manuscript and discover the magic word within it. That manuscript is the story of her life and is, for the most part, the book in the reader’s hands. Except for a period when she is able to meld both her worlds without society’s knowledge, Cassie’s life is haunted by violence, murder and the suspicion of it. Her emotional connections are to fairies, particularly Pepper-Man and one other, not to people.

The subject matter is sometimes gory, but Bruce‘s writing is gorgeous. You Let Me In will surely appeal to fans of both horror and fantasy.

Written from the perspective of seventy-four-year-old writer Cassandra Tipp, who has suddenly vanished, the bestselling novelist left behind a manuscript for her niece and nephew in case she were to ever disappear. In this manuscript, Cassandra describes her childhood and explains how she became a suspected murderer.

You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce is not at all what I was expecting. This is a dark fairy tale retelling (think Grimm), with dark, sinister writing and creepy creatures. In the end, we are left questioning whether the fairies are real or a coping mechanism Cassandra created to survive her dysfunctional family. If you do not enjoy ambiguity in your novels, I would not recommend this one.

I really loved this book. I read a lot of thrillers and this one had me surprised. I loved the twists znx and turns. The end was satisfying for me.

2 STARS

This book was definitely not what I expected! Although it didn’t win me over, I think that it would appeal to others.

Not your typical thriller/family drama as it includes a large dash of supernatural (or was it just the crazed mind of the narrator?) that ends up leaving you with more questions than answers.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of You Let Me In.

I didn't know what to expect from You Let Me In but the premise was so mysterious so I was excited my request was approved.

You Let Me In is a cross between Pan's Labyrinth, a domestic drama and a fantasy novel with brutal realities woven in. Painful themes are touched upon here including sexual and physical violence, child neglect, emotionally distant and verbally abusive parents, to name a few.

Cassandra Tipp, bestselling novelist, is presumed dead, and has left her fortune to her niece and nephew. But, before they can claim their inheritance, she has one final story to tell.

A story of tragedy and magic, death and family secrets. Nothing is as it seems. Not even life.

You Let Me In pulled me right in; the plot is macabre, dark and forbidden.

If you think faeries and magic is all sweetness and light, think again.

Ms. Bruce weaves a disturbing tale of Cassandra and her faerie friend (foe or predator, you decide), sprinkled with supernatural elements twisted with threads of a domestic drama.

Is Cassandra an abused child the result of a traumatic childhood, the victim of her cold mother and distant father? The spurned wife of a womanizing adulterer?

Has all the mental and emotional abuse wreaked such havoc on her soul and mind that she has concocted a fantasy to give credence to all that she has suffered, to explain the terrible things she's seen and done, and to placate her wounded mind after all that she's been through?

Or did everything Cassandra witness, suffer and live through is all true?

You be the judge.

If you enjoy dark, spooky tales that make you uneasy and your stomach twisted into a knot, then this is for you.

This was definitely for me.

Cassandra Tipp is either dead or missing. The eccentric well-known novelist who is rumored to have gotten away with murder has left her fortune to her only niece and nephew. But before they can claim it, they are required to read one last manuscript that she left for them...

It sounds like a good mystery thriller, doesn't it? I sure was taken in by the synopsis when requesting my copy of the book. Little did I know that it isn't a mystery novel, neither is it a thriller, let alone a crime book.
The synopsis leads you to believe that you're embarking on a thrilling journey to discover the eccentric novelist's past and her disappearance, but it couldn't be more misleading. What you get is a fantasy book about fairies.
I am truly struggling to find anything good about this book, but I admit it might be because that particular genre isn't my cup of tea.
At some point, I was convinced that it was a concealed metaphor of child abuse, but the closer I got to the ending, the less sure I was about my theory.
I skim read most of it, and the only thing stopping me from ditching the book all together was the hope that it will, at some point make sense or at least provide a twist that could rehabilitate the wasted time. But it didn't happen.
I've seen that the opinions on this book are divided, it's the kind of book that you either love or hate, so if you're into fantasy then this novel might be for you, but I feel disappointed that I was led to believe it was a mystery thriller.