Member Reviews

There is just something about Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen books that resinate with me. You Are Not Alone is just as enjoyable as their first two books and once again is different than the other two. I feel like this book was a little more action driven and fast paced which was a fun change and their were interesting twists throughout the book. I think this writing duo does a fantastic job of creating characters; the protagonists are flawed but generally likable but what I really appreciate is how they develop their villains, they are complex and often verge on being sympathetic. In this book those elements of character development really make this a truly solid thriller. Can't wait for their next book!

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Shay is somewhat of a loner and somewhat lost. She was recently laid off from her job. Her roommate, who she’s in love with, is moving in with his girlfriend forcing her to move out of their apartment. She just feels so alone. When Shay witnesses something on the subway and subsequently meets the Moore sisters, Cassandra and Jane, her life seems to take a turn. They are both so glamorous and live the life that Shay dreams of. They have a great group of friends and Shay just wants to be a part of their circle. She’s excited when they befriend her, but what exactly do the Moore sisters want from her?

I’m a big fan of this Greer Hendrick’s and Sarah Pekkanen’s books. An Anonymous Girl was one of my favorite books of 2019, and this one did not disappoint. It’s told from multiple points of view which may be confusing for some readers, but it did not confuse me. I was able to keep up with the timeline and whose story we were reading. I loved that the book had short chapters and moved at such a quick pace. I honestly didn’t want to put it down. This duo is known for their twists, and I honestly did not see the twists coming which makes for a great thriller. The ending moved at such a quick pace, but it was filled with surprises that made it a very exciting read. I highly recommend this book to fans of the mystery genre, and if you haven’t read their other books you should read them as well.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Loved this one! Had me guessing from the beginning. I really enjoyed the other books by these authors as well. Shay is the primary narrator, but it is told in 3 parts. I kept wanting to yell at Shay to get a clue, but you couldn't help but feel bad for her at some points. If you like to keep on guessing through a story, this one is for you!

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Thank you Netgalley for the early copy of this book.

I had really hard time getting into this book. I took me about 55% to really start enjoying it. I wasn’t a fan of the 3rd person writing style. I think having so many female characters got confusing. The ending was decent.

I just didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as An Anonymous Girl.

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I think I feel into the hype of this one. It was okay. It was interesting enough that I wanted to finish, but parts of it felt dragged on and predictable. “The Husband Between Us” is still my favorite novel by this duo.

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Thank you to @stmartinspress {#partner} and @netgalley for their gifted advanced readers copy and finished copy of You Are Not Alone in exchange for an independent and honest review! I was so excited to find this amazing package on my doorstep!
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Review of You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen:
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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Shay has a dead end job, no girlfriends, and zero love life. She is isolated and unhappy. One day she witnesses a woman complete suicide on the subway train tracks. After this traumatic incident follows a sudden friendship with the Moore sisters who just so happened to have been friends with Amanda, the woman who died. Shay suddenly finds herself with a job, friends, an apartment, and a love interest. Everything in her life seems to be going on track but at what cost? Who are these Moore sisters and why do they immerse themselves in Shay’s life and conveniently seem to know everything about her?
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Wow. Jump aboard the Crazy Train because this book is literally about some batshit crazy women! Master manipulators who seem to have no remorse and exhibit sociopathic tendencies. 🤯 This author duo has weaved a story line that is masterful and full of suspense. It could also be used as an instruction manual for how to frame someone for murder. 🤷🏽‍♀️ The mind games these women played and how deceitful they were is simply jaw dropping. I do wish there were more chapters on the perspectives of the other women involved as the book fell flat in that area. The character development was also lacking. But reading how Shay investigated things herself and how the group of women set things up was the best part of the whole story; and the ending where everything was tied up in a neat little bow! For a psychological thriller that will have you turning the pages, read this! This book was released this past Tuesday, 03/03/3020, so be sure to go out and grab yourself a copy today!

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Shay witnesses a suicide via subway train. It absolutely sends her into a downward spiral. Then she meets the Moore sisters. Their friendship changes her life. She has a makeover, finds a new apartment and a new job. But, at what cost?

Shay is a little bit in the weird side. She keeps a journal, not of thoughts or experiences, but of data. She is a bit analytical. So when the gorgeous Moore sisters show up in her life, she is in awe of their beauty, clothes and their life. It does not take much for these ladies to influence her and to move her like a pawn to do what they want.

This story just keeps winding tighter and tighter then when it starts to unravel….WOW! I enjoy a smart read and this is definitely it! You cannot skim a single word of it or you will miss something important. I did not think it was possible to top An Anonymous Girl, but these ladies have done it. They are the top of their craft! I just love the intricate movements of this story. It is intense and masterfully done!

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Shay is a numbers-obsessed single woman in NYC, who lives with her best friend, Sean, who she wishes was more than just a friend. Sean is oblivious to Shay’s interest in him and has a girlfriend, Jody. Shay has also recently lost her job. One day she is waiting for the subway when the woman next to her jumps onto the tracks. So begins the funhouse ride of a book called You are not Alone. These are the same authors as my 2018 favorite, The Wife Between Us. So you know to expect some misdirection and it is there, in spades.

A group of six women led by sisters Cassandra and Jane have a connection to the dead woman. Shay also feels a strange underlying connection to the woman, later found to be named Amanda. And it’s not just Amanda’s necklace, which Shay retrieved from the subway station floor.

Surprise about everyone’s motives is key to the reader’s enjoyment of any of these authors’ books so I won’t say more. Suffice it to say, You are not Alone is a thrill ride not to be missed. If you’re like me, your alliances will change frequent as you read the book. I would also like to call out the lead-ins in front of each chapter from the “Data Book”. With facts about suicides to how to lie effectively, they were icing on the cake (whether they were true or not). 5 stars and a favorite 2020 thriller.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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These two authors are truly a dynamic duo to the book loving world. I've read their previous collaborations are thought they were pretty good. I don't like to compare, but this one was my least favorite.

The characters were definitely interesting, but I felt like I had a hard time keeping track of them all. There were sisters, Cassandra and Jane, and Shay who were the main parts of this story, but I found myself wanting to know more about the background characters than the main. I could really keep the stories of Cassandra and Jane straight, while the other details and information got lost somewhere in the back of my brain.

I think that the thing about this novel is that it has a really good idea and story, but it took too long to get out there. By the time I reached half way through the book, I was still questioning some things and had to stop and think about whether or not if I should even bother going the next twenty-or-so percent if I didn't get anything by then.

My favorite part of this novel was Shay's data. Now, I'm not someone who is really interested in statistics or statistical data, but Shay made it really interesting. I really appreciated learning some cool things throughout this novel even though I didn't get much out of the story.

"The average person will walk past 16 killers in the person's lifetime."

Again, I love these two writers when the collaborate. I think they have amazing imaginations and I think that their books make for amazing movies if they are made in to them. This novel just didn't have that WOW factor for me this time, but I won't hesitate to pick up another one of their collabs in the future!

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Thank you,thank you to Netgalley and St.Martins Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 out of 5 stars

I must say in advance that this was my most anticipated book of the year from the moment that I saw that it would be coming out in 2020. I am a huge fan of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen as a writing team! I was thrilled to be able to read this early!

Shay Miller lives a lonely life and she feels as if she is at a crossroads. She shares an apartment with her friend who she has a secret crush on but he has a girlfriend. She lost her job and has a job as a temp and she barely see her best friend because she has a busy life with her new baby. One hot August morning as she is waiting for the subway she noticed a pretty young woman in a dress with polka dots moving closer and closer to the edge of the platform. Before she knows the woman has jumped in front of the train. Of course Shay is shocked but there is more to it than that, she feels a connection to the girl that jump. She doesn't know why but there was just something about this woman that drew her in. She felt she was lonely like her. Perhaps they could have been friends had she not died. After Shay finds out the woman's name (Amanda) and where the memorial service is being held she decides to go to it. Perhaps it is to prove to herself that they are not as alike as she sensed. There she meets the Moore sisters Jane and Cassandra. They are beautiful and glamorous and when they speak to her she is a little shy and a little uncomfortable. They as her how she knew Amanda but she can't help but lie because she is embarrassed about the reason she is there. The problem for her is that Cassandra and Jane become very curious as to why she is really there and how she knew Amanda.

Cassandra and Jane don't trust Shay. They are convinced that she knows much more than she actually does so they will do anything they can to find out exactly who Shay is. Shay doesn't know the trouble she created for herself when she walked into the memorial.

This is a twisty and brilliant thriller filled with some extremely wicked characters.

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A wonderful thriller you don't want to miss. Shay is a young woman down on her luck. She witnesses a pretty lady throw herself in front of a subway train. Why would a beautiful young lady take her own life? It torments Shay and soon becomes an obsession. There are so many twists and the turns the book kept me guessing the entire time.

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen kept me on pins and needles the entire book. Masterful writing that is intriguing and suspenseful. An absolute must read!

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Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the e-ARC. I thought the premise was fascinating, writing was as expected from these authors, and characters were intriguing!

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Thank you to NetGalley, Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen and St Martin’s Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for this year! I was so excited to be able to review this one before it was released, as these ladies haven’t done a single thing wrong in my opinion. I was not at all disappointed with this new release either! I found this novel to be extremely interested and I wasn’t really sure what was happening until ¾’s through the novel and I love that. I adored the main character Amanda and how sweet and innocent she comes across in this novel and how the two sisters seem the opposite but we don’t know what exactly is going on. I was so thrilled with the twist in the end that I really didn’t see coming. Another amazing novel from these authors in my opinion!

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I was pretty skeptical about how much I would like this book since their other books were just okay for me. I was shockingly surprised how much I loved this one!! I loved the way it was written and was reading faster than I should have so I could get to the end to find out what happened! Definitely recommend this one, even if you were not a fan of the authors other books!

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With a duo like Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, I couldn't wait to see what this book would be like. As a huge lover of The Wife Between Us, I just knew (or hoped) it would be every bit as good.

I was drawn to the book by the authors and the description but I felt the story just went on and on. I found myself just wanting to get through it to see how it ended and what brought all the characters together.

As much as I wanted to love it, I am going to have to give You Are Not Alone a two star rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

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These authors did not disappoint! I love that their story lines are so original. It kept me guessing til the very end where they were going with this. I loved the twist at the end and how it all then made sense. I wish there was more of a back story of the two girls and how they became who they are.

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Shay uses logic to survive. Numbers. Statistics. Put it all together and everything makes sense. She learns that simply is not always true. Her boyfriend cheated on her and she lost her job. She is a third wheel when her roommate's girlfriend finds her in the way. Shay certainly has a lot to figure out.

When she witnesses a woman who jumps in front of a train, she cannot get over it and starts pursing any details or facts that she can. She even attends the memorial service of the victim. She meets the woman's friends, Cassandra and Jane, sisters who definitely are not who they seem.

This fast-paced book by Hendricks and Pekkanen is a thrilling read. Lies and danger dog Shay’s every footstep. Has she gone too far in trying to get to the bottom of the suicide? Needless to say, the twists and turns kept me scratching my head. As sharp as Shay is when it comes to numbers and statistics, using these skills were no match against the true facts and her own safety.

I felt going in with this third book by the amazing dynamic duo that it would be a five star read. I am thrilled to say that my prediction was on point. I know I have a long wait ahead of me, but I cannot see the next book they deliver to readers.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen always leave you hanging at the end of their books. You sense their heroine will fare well, but they offer you no closure, no certainty. She stands alone, stronger perhaps, but operating with her strengths and weaknesses and no one else's.

The duo's newest book follows in that same vein. At the start, Shay is adrift. She doesn't have a full-time job, her best friend is a new mother, and the guy she loves is with someone else. She is, as the title implies, alone, and that loneliness crushes her. It also causes her to make some judgmental mistakes. For someone who studies data and makes connections, Shay shows a rather remarkable sluggishness when it comes to connecting the dots of her own life.

Until she does, and it happens almost rapid-fire.

You have to make a leap, plot-wise. You have to buy into The Big Reveal and you have to believe it. Otherwise, you're left with a story that feels like different threads that don't coalesce into a fabric. I did not believe that moment. It felt forced and fantastical, as if I were watching an episode of All My Children.

WIth Hendricks' and Pekkanen's other books (The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl), the plot twists felt organic and, more importantly, plausible. That sense is missing here. The premise is fascinating, really, and many times I wished the Moore sisters were the book's focal point.

Hendricks' and Pekkanen's heroines tend to be imprintable, for lack of a better word. You make of them what you wish. If you need her to be strong, you will find her strength. If you only see weakness and vulnerability, she rewards you. They also tend to be unlikable; you don't want any of these women to be your friend. Shay wears this lineage well.

I'd love to know what you think of this book. Did it work for you? Did you like Shay? What do you think of the Moore sisters?

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New this week!

Folks, Hendricks and Pekkanen have done it again. I loved The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl, so I knew You Are Not Alone would be a hit.

Hendricks and Pekkanen have a knack for writing compelling thrillers that aren’t boring in the build-up. (That’s one of my recent beefs with thrillers. I get sick of reading 80% of the book confused, then finding out all the answers at the very end.) With these authors, they give you the whodunit thriller that you want, but throw in interesting pieces to keep you guessing and not completely in the dark. I will read anything these two put out without hesitation.

You Are Not Alone bounces between several characters’ points of view. Shay Miller is a young woman living in New York, just stumbling through life, trying to figure out where she belongs. On the way to an interview one day, she witnesses the suicide of another young woman on the subway platform. From that day forward, Shay’s life will never be the same.

Cassandra and Jane Moore are two sisters that get what they want in life. They have a tight-knit group of friends that are like family to them, and they’ll protect each other no matter the cost. So when a mysterious girl (Shay) shows up at their friend Amanda’s memorial service after her suicide, they aren’t sure what her motives are. Did Amanda tell Shay something about the group’s secret? Does she know too much?

The sisters take Shay under their protective wing to find out more — they need to see if Shay should be taken care of (in a good way or a bad way). But no one is who they seem in this book, so you’ll keep guessing until the very end.

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I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

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Great psychological thriller written seamlessly by two authors with alternating viewpoints drive the plot forward.
Shay is a relate able protagonist who is lonely and trying to find herself in a big city. It is easy to see how she can be swept up into a new life with the addition of new friends- for better or for worse.
I only wish there was more character building around Cassandra and Jane.

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