Worst novel I have ever read!

An absolute joke. Poorly written, a ridiculous plot, and characters that are more cartoonish than anything else. Shame on you for putting this nonsensical garbage into print--have some standards!

Zero stars.

This book kept me reading and guessing until the end. The characters are all interesting, with the secrets you're looking for in a thriller. They're not especially likeable, but they're fun to follow. I didn't love the end of the book, but it was still a fast-paced read that I enjoyed.

While a fast-paced read, I found myself not liking either character. Ruth is clearly a psycho and Charlotte is the worst helicopter parent I’ve ever encountered. The story falls flat and then inexplicably ends.

Darcey Bell offers a short narrative with a purposely evasive plot and unlikeable characters. The allure of the book is that the plot is as unstable as the cast. Characterization is well developed, though a bit unconventional in this twisted storyline. Those seeking a fast-paced psychological suspense will not find it here. This is a story of instability and desperation told in moderation. A good read. 3 stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #SomethingShesNotTellingUs. It was read and reviewed voluntarily by Tarrah Marie (@wayward_readers)

I loved A Simple Favor so much that I was so excited to be able to read Something She’s Not Telling Us. While I found the overall plot enjoyable, I found it lacking at points especially the ending. I was just hoping for a little more. I did enjoy reading the different points of views from the characters but found it hard to really like any of them.

Started this and couldn’t get interested in it, but saved for later. My mother recommends I not save for later (not worth it) ... so I’ll mind her.

Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcy Bell was a well written thriller. I would give it 3.5 stars and would read this author again. The opening chapter really had me engaged and needing to know what happened. I really loved how the book went back and forth between narrator and time frame so you got to learn a bit about everyone. The characters in this book were hard for me to love. There really wasn’t a single one who stood out, but I also understood that the point may have been to portray that they were just a regular family of people.


In my mind, I was geared up for a more twisted ending, so the abrupt ending bothered me a little bit. I also wish there was an epilogue, maybe sharing what actually happened back in Mexico and how that situation was wrapped up. There were too many loose ends that left me hanging.

This was not my favorite book by this author, and honestly it was a little bit of a struggle to get through. The time frame in Mexico seemed to drone on and on. None of the characters were particularly likable, and while that is usually an okay element, they were not well fleshed out either. The plot seemed to jump around a lot, it wasn't especially tense, just Ruth, the crazy one, doing some crazy stuff. Not the best book at all.

The first half of this book really drew me in, as Ruth's lies and deception are uncovered, but the third act floundered. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying and Ruth's character didn't live up to my expectations. I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2 because it was a quick read that kept me invested enough to finish. Overall, I was expecting a little more from Bell's second novel after the success of A Simple Favor.

I tried several times to get into this book and I just could not do it. The dialogue was all over the place and I couldn't keep track of the several characters already so soon in the story. Did not finish.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

I read Something She's Not Telling Us in one non stop sitting and found the book to be very intriguing. While there were some aspects that confused me, I felt like it made sense for the story. Darcey Bell has a way of throwing is tidbits of information but not fully explaining things and while I appreciate it, I don;t always get it. Either way, I really liked this one!

Having enjoyed the film adaptation of A Simple Favor, I moved this to the top of my TBR queue when it arrived. I liked the characters as they were introduced and geared myself up for a depraved journey of woman vs woman, with a child on the line. But I don't think feel like the story ever really found its footing. It felt very underdeveloped, resulting in an underwhelming plot and conclusion. The pacing, with its brief chapters and interwoven timing, and overall brevity of the book do a good job hiding or making up for the lack of real action, but ultimately, I was left feeling that something was missing. On the plus side, I guess it does feel more realistic-- because nothing too outrageous happens, it feels conceivable, but at the same time, we seek stories like this because of the drama. While it certainly isn't a bad book, it feels like either the work of a green author or like it was rushed, more of a first draft than a book that has been meticulously edited. Hopefully this goes through another round of rewrites, to fully realize the potential of the foundation laid here in this pre-publication draft.

This book kept me guessing. Everyone seemed a little off and I wasn't sure whose narrative to trust. I was all in until I got to the ending which felt like a massive letdown. It was so anticlimactic that it changed my opinion of the whole story. This wasn't a bad read, just don't expect an emotionally satisfying ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of Something She's Not Telling Us.

I didn't read A Simple Favor but I did enjoy the movie. I know, I know, that's not the same.

Still, the author's name rang a bell when I saw this book and I was pleased when my request was approved.

Sadly, Something She's Not Telling Us didn't enthrall me. I'm not sure, after finishing it a few days later, what it is about.

A desperate woman named Ruth seeking a family of her own after the trauma of her own childhood?

An unlikable female character in Charlotte, and the stereotypical secret she holds close to her chest?

There was a serious lack of suspense, excitement and too much filler, such as Ruth's hostile workplace environment and colleagues.

There was a dearth of exposition about Ruth; where did she come from? How long has she been like this? Is she mentally ill?

The author's inability to focus on the story made my mind wander as I was reading; is this about Ruth and Charlotte? Charlotte and her daughter, Daisy? Screwy families? The secrets Charlotte and Ruth are hiding? Or the fact they are both unlikable?

Many readers have stated their dislike of the ending, its vagueness and ambiguity. I liked it, only because the story itself is meandering with no heart or focus so this abrupt ending was no surprise.

Though I loved A Simple Favor, this one fell flat for me. It lacks the intrigue/must-find-out-what’s-happening I desire in a book. The characters aren’t terribly sympathetic, and though it starts and ends well, the middle is just meh.

Loved this new novel by Darcey Bell! If you liked her other novel, A Simple Favor, you will definitely enjoy her latest. Like any strong suspense novel, the characters will weave in and out making you guess what exactly is happening. In this novel, the focus on one one character that you know early on is the problem but it takes the whole novel to put the pieces together. Something a little different and I really liked it.

I liked this for the writing and pace of the reveal. I was hoping the major theme would be envy and the childless vs child with. That wasn’t the case, overall ticks all the genre boxes.

Likes: The pacing of this story is spot on - once you get going, there's no stopping and it's a fast read. The villain's story builds perfectly, and you're actively trying to figure out if this woman is a master manipulator or actually has issues.

Dislikes: The fucking ending. It just ends. And there's no resolution on what happens to our villain, or how the big secret reveal by Charlotte goes. After all the build up, it was so disappointing when it just ended. Literally every character is unlikable, but you end up cheering for the mom because the second a child is taken, you of course are going to sympathize with the mother.

Will definitely recommend this to people, because it was so fast and engaging.

I did not know how this book would be, but it is such a good book! The plot keeps you guessing the whole time. You never know what will come next!