I received an advance digital copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read and review.

We Begin at the End is an amazing story, thrilling and simultaneously heartbreaking. You become quickly enmeshed in the characters lives. Expertly crafted and an absolute must read. Narration for this audiobook was skillfully done and hits all the right notes to keep the reader fully engaged.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

I created a new shelf after this one- "Did I Read the Same Book?" I swear, sometimes I truly wonder.

Brief synopsis- Present day, you have Star, her children Duchess and Robin. The police chief, Walk, is a family friend. Vincent is Star's high school sweetheart, who has been in prison since he was 15 (now 45). Then you have Dark, a local businessman.
Star is not a good mother- Duchess, 13, is raising her younger brother, Robin (5). They are poor, their fathers unknown, but Walk tries to watch out for them. Duchess has declared herself an outlaw, and has seen way too much for her age. She is fiercely protective of Robin, which drives almost the entire story. One single decision Duchess makes sets off a series of events and no one's lives are ever the same.

So... back to wondering if I read the same book. It was fine. It dragged at times. But I didn't love it like everyone else.

First, Duchess. I get she is supposed to be tough, but she is admittedly a poor student, yet her vocabulary is far too extensive. Kids who grow up rough have a lot of knowledge, which she displays, but she pairs it with unbelievable verbiage.

Also, there are far too many adults involved and around for a lot of events that occur with Duchess and Robin.

Some of the events are just way too far fetched.

And lastly, the end is not satisfying. The pieces fit, but they suck.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I must have started and stopped this book a dozen times. Not that it's not a good story because it is. There were a few things I struggled with. One of those was Duchess. She just didn't come across as believable a few too many times, but I still liked the storyline. I feel like I would've done better with reading the book myself than listening because the narration is where this one falls way short for me. This is my first time listening to George Newbern, and while he may be fine for something else, I don't feel like he was the right choice for this book. It's a bit too slow to hold my attention. So, yes, I liked the story, but the narration was a fail for me.

Dear Publisher - I was unable to finish this book before the digital ARC expired. I appreciate the opportunity to review this title before it was published and hope you will continue to approve access to your titles! I am continually hand selling titles I have read to my customers and recommending them on Goodreads, Litsy and my personal blog.

Incredible read. Highly recommend. Completely not what I was expecting in all the right ways! Well done, Chris Whitaker.

Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End had complicated characters who lived a relentlessly, tough life. I enjoyed the interactions of Walk, the Police Chief, and Duchese, a thirteen year old girl, who carried the world on her shoulders while fighting all the way. Walk went out of his way to help her when she needed a new start away from her tragic life. This was definitely not the upbeat read, but I finished quickly because Chris Whitaker knew how to hook you in.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this book for an honest review.

So much happens in this thriller that it will keep you on the edge of your seat. Walker’s writing is fantastic and the narrator did a great job performing this book.

Duchess Day Radley, 13, is one of the most ferociously independent heroines of all time. Living with her addicted mother and 6 year old brother, Robin, in a small California coastal town, Duchess is the only "adult" in her family. Unfortunately 13 year olds rarely have adult judgement, and her prickly temperament leads to disaster. In an attempt to protect her mother, Duchess sets off a chain of events that leaves her and Robin hidden on a small Montana farm with the grandfather they never knew, but came to love. But danger follows all the way from California, once again leaving the children alone, and Duchess heroically setting off again to make things right. This is without doubt one of the best books of the year in any genre. George Newbern's narration made it almost impossible for me to pause the audio.

One of the best books I've read all year! Mysterious, propulsive, and fantastic prose. Absolutely loved this one.

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker was an incredible audiobook to listen too. The characters were all complex with their own set of issues holding them back from being great.

The history all the characters had along with the small-town mystery gave me the same feelings as Mystic River by Dennis Lehane. I was instantly drawn in to both the characters and the plot. There were both thriller and mystery aspects to the story, right along side a story of growing up too fast. It’s the opposite of a feel-good story that is full of depth.

The Narrator also did a fantastic job!

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is Ann Incredible book with amazing characters. Duchess is a 13 year old self proclaimed outlaw who is raising her younger brother. She has been dealt a sad hand at life and deserves so much more than she gets. It's a story showIng house the human spirit prevails and love always wins.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

This book instantly drew me in, I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style. I highly recommend picking this up!

This was such a good book. It’s a mystery and thriller rolled into one. It is full of the beat characters. Once you start you’re going to be hooked on the story. There are some slow parts to it, but it’ll pick up again. I recommend checking it out!

While these characters were not necessarily likeable, they pulled me in from the beginning and I could not stop until all was resolved. The narrator was fantastic in giving a voice to each of the characters.

This is not a feel-good story. In fact, it's quite the opposite--sad and tragic. Duchess, the 13-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw, has done what it takes to survive and take care of herself and her 5-year-old brother since her mother doesn't appear to be in any shape to do so. Duchess' rage at her circumstances set off a chain of events that resulted in more tragedy and heartache.

Overall, though, this was a compelling read (or listen in my case) even though the "outlaw" was somewhat overdone and the long-standing friendship between Walk, Star, and Vincent seemed to be unlikely. Throw in a few shady characters such as Dark and the locals, as well as the ill-explained surveillance tape, and the story became a bit muddled.

Wow! This book was really good! There were so many twists and turns, none of which I was expecting! It kept me on my toes and guessing throughout the book. Two siblings, Duchess (13) and her brother (6) were left without parents after a tragedy occcurred. Duchess took on a role of parenting her little brother but I can't say that she used a lot of wisdom. Not only her youth but also her anger and bitterness got in her way at times. She's a self-proclaimed "Outlaw" so that might give a hint.

There is so much sadness, surprise, love that goes beyond the grave, old frienships renewed and so much more. The characters were so well-done, true-to-life with flaws, fears, scars that go deep; however, the author entertwined them so that they (specific ones) had symbiotic relationships. And the twists and turns in this story...brilliantly written!

George Newbern is the narrator of the audio book that I listened to and he did a really good job. He spoke clearly, his intonations were right on target and not overly done. I thought the pacing of his reading was also spot on. I love that he didn't rush it in parts where he might've but rather used his voice to indicate emotions and actions.

I highly recommend this one and I will definitely be reading more of Chris Whitaker!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free Audio Arc of this book. My opinions are honest and my own.

I just couldn't get into this one. I can't even give specifics on what didn't do it for me, it just didn't do it for me.

This was a wonderful story - heartbreaking and beautiful.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to it.

Wow!! The story, writing, twists and turns in this book are unbelievable.
What is especially memorable in this book is the beautiful relationship between the main character, Duchess Day Radley, and her brother, Robin, whom she has taken care of before and after her mother's demise. Duchess is such a complex figure and her road to self-discovery and self-preservation overwhelming.
The California town where the plot begins is a tough one and its inhabitants tough people. The description of the characters is remarkable. I felt as if I grew to know all of them, bad and good. The writing was compelling. It always amazes me when an author can make the reader so engrossed in what happens to the characters every step of the way. The unexpected outcome of acceptance and understanding were remarkable.
The narrator was superb. He knew how to create the tension along with the beauty of people's lives, even when there didn't seem to be all that much. Great book!

This was a sad story, so much grieve by all of the characters. The narrator did a wonderful job. I would recommend it to others. The author captured the essence of the character development.