If your sibling goes on a mindfulness retreat and you havent heard from them in months what would you do? I for one would not jump on a boat to a remote island with a group of random people and sign any contract without at minimum reading it first.... I would likely call the police but Natalie is much braver than I!

I read this novel alongside the audiobook and really enjoyed it! This story touches on childhood trauma, domestic abuse, the development of harmful coping mechanisms and a lot of displaced anger. It's the mindfulness x cultish retreat that made this very interesting for moi.

Having multiple POVs and time jumps from past and prevented me from getting bored! I think that there is a lot going on, so it's important to pay attention to the details or you'll miss out on what's going on.

This story also does a great job of showing how two people in very similar situations can have different perspectives and experiences

I honestly did not see the ending coming at all! The plot-twist betrayal was the perfect conclusion to this book.

This book starts off with an unknown narrator which makes for an intriguing read especially in the early parts of the novel before you find out who this mystery character is. There are several parts to this book and the timeline does jump around quite a bit which may be a tad bit confusing for some readers.

The book is a bit strange and slightly creepy, both in the setting and a couple of the characters. Some parts of the book lagged a bit and though there was a somewhat satisfying twist, my favorite book by this author is still Darling Rose Gold.

My Darling Rose Gold was a surprise fav for me when it came out a few years ago, so I knew I'd need to get a copy of Wrobel's newest novel, and cult stories are among my favourites. True crime or fictional, I cannot get enough. So I'm disappointed to say that this one fell flat.

We get a tangled story from multiple narrators, of brutal childhoods. Abuse both physical and mental, punishment and neglect and extreme megalomania.

The pace is uneven, and I found it difficult to connect to the characters. I see a lot of people lately mentioning that you can't call fiction unbelievable because by it's nature it's all made up, but the ending here is completely unbelievable. It felt like Wrobel tried to juggle too many plates and they shattered instead of mesmerized us.

Her writing is still lovely, but the plot fell short.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this title.

Two sisters, a cult, dark family secrets and an amazing woman mentalist. This newest book by the author of Darling Rose Gold (a Booksta favorite) had such potential but I was sadly disappointed.

Told in alternating perspectives and timelines we get to know more about what led Kit to voluntarily go to Wisewood, advertised as an isolated island retreat to help people become their best selves. Depressed after her mother's death, Kit looks at this as a last resort and happily gives up contact with the outside world to embrace the Wisewood program. Meanwhile a threatening email sends Natalie searching for her sister in an attempt to protect her own secrets.

During her stay at Wisewood Kit opens up about her former life growing up with an abusive father and creating a famous stage career as a Mentalist (this was my favorite part of the story). I would have happily read about Kit's life on stage and the crazy things she was able to do without fear.

I didn't love how the story ended. I thought it was a little rushed and underwhelming. Recommended for fans of cult stories like The project by Courtney Summers or Ashley Winstead's upcoming The last housewife. Much thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I've been sitting on this review for over a month now. It's a tough one for me because I was really sucked into this story, turning pages late into the night, but something about it fell a little flat for me and I can't quite put my finger on it. There are alternating narrators in this book, bouncing between the past and present day, but the chapters from the past, it was very unclear WHO you were reading about because their name is never said. So for almost all of the book, I thought this character was the same character as another one so it was all quite confusing and once I figured it out I really had to stop and rethink a lot of what I had read. Anyway, I actually found the chapters that focused on the story of a young girl and her tyrannical father the most intense and interesting. His rules were insane!

Once you get to the second part of the book, most of it is spent on this creepy island where a wellness retreat is situated. Except said wellness retreat feels more like a cult than a retreat. This is where the book lost me a bit. It felt too long and a lot of the situations were super frustrating. And that ending! I'm still not sure what to think of it.

So ya, this book was quite the ride and it kept me hooked but I didn't LOVE it. But I definitely didn't hate it.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I enjoyed this book. The character of Nat and of Kit was interesting as I had never read a book that was cult like and these two characters made me interested to read more. I will definitely recommend to the interests of Jim Jones.

A book about sisters and the lengths people are willing to go to overcome a challenging childhood. Natalie hasn’t heard from her younger sister in six months, not since she left for an all-inclusive “self-improvement” program. After receiving a strange email from someone in the program, she heads out to see what’s up. The story is a story told from 3 perspectives: Natalie, her sister Kit and an unknown person which was confusing at times.

I really enjoyed Darling Rose Gold and while this was slow at times, the latter half did pick up.

Thank you netgalley , this was a really great read.
This story was odd , but in a good way,
however I'm not really sure how I feel about the ending.

The book is written in multiple viewpoints, there are three different points of view in the book.  I found it a bit confusing at times as to which viewpoint was being covered.  There is a version a young girl who is being controlled, shamed and pressured by her father and I was not quite sure if it was Kit who was experiencing this.
There are some triggers in this book  regarding child abuse and different difficult topics.  I also felt like part of the story reminded me of Nine Perfect Strangers overall.

I thought the book was good as did capture my attention as I did want to know how things pulled together and unfolded. My biggest criticism is the voices of the different viewpoints felt somewhat similar at times and hard to distinguish.

I did enjoy the book, in some ways it was better than Darling Gold Rose.

A book about sisters and the lengths people are willing to go to overcome a challenging childhood. This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel introduces us once again to a cast of intriguing characters, with a twist. Though this story centres around sisters Natalie and Kit, it is a third character that stands out the most. Growing up with a father who assigns “points” to accomplishments and challenges, this character challenges themselves to push boundaries both physical and mental to face their fears. After the death of their mother, Kit feels lost and leaves to attend a self-help retreat called Wisewood. Secluded with no contact or electronics, she commits to a 6-month stay looking to better herself, to discover her “maximized self.” When her sister, Natalie receives an email from the retreat threatening to reveal a secret to Kit, she sets off to find a way onto the island. When she arrives, she discovers what appears to be a cult. A self-help cult. Can she save her sister and bring her home or is it too late for both of them? Though all of the characters are all flawed, this story is compelling in the backstories that come as Natalie attempts to see her sister on the island. The childhood traumas, the family dynamics, and the decisions that are made by the characters both major and minor. The twist comes as you figure out who’s story is trustworthy and why. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An intriguing and interesting story that had me guessing and thinking about this health retreat that one of the sisters went to that required her to have absolutely no contact with the outside world for months. Definitely some cult like vibes from the beginning and I was interested to see what her sister would find out about the island when she arrives at the retreat looking for her sister. I was curious to learn about what exactly was going on nad learning about the islands secrets.

Cold, calculating, creative, but ultimately not that thrilling.
I had high hopes for this book, reading through the despicable origin story it presents (I'm trying to avoid spoilers). the groundwork was laid for a potentially gripping plotline, but the final outcome didn't live up to the potential of its foundations.

Wrobel's character development of her villain is incredibly impressive. We know her motivations, her underlying neuroses, what makes her tick and understand the full picture of who she was ultimately destined to become. She deserved more than this book gave her.

2.5 stars for me.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This Might Hurt is Stephanie Wrobel's new novel.
Sisters Natalie and Kit have always had a fractious relationship, but they've always stayed in touch. Natalie is worried when Kit decides to get her life together by going to Wisewood. Six month mandatory stay and no communication with the outside world. And Nat doesn't hear from her - until she receives a cryptic email from someone threatening to tell Kit the secret Natalie has kept for years. "Would you like to come tell your sister what you did - or shall we?" She decides she needs to see her sister no matter what, so she heads to Wisewood...

Okay, the creepy feeling started when I read the Charles Manson quote that the book opens with. Uh huh - I had a feeling I knew what Westwood might entail. It might look idyllic, but it's anything but.

This Might Hurt is told from three points of view - a performance artist, Natalie and Kit. The artist scared the socks off me. I had to put the book down after reading her visceral chapters. Relationships of many types are found in the pages of This Might Hurt - most of them dysfunctional and disturbing. Timelines changes as well from past to present.

The reader can't help but hope Natalie and Kit come to no harm, but I couldn't like either of them despite knowing their backstories. And there wasn't a one on the island that I liked either.

Wrobel has penned a dark, disturbing plot. At times I didn't want to read any more, but I needed to know what happened. Wrobel throws in some twists that I didn't see coming. The ending is good as well - you know what's going to happen, yet its not spelled out.

Wrobel made my skin crawl! (Gentle readers - this may not be the book for you.)

3.75 stars !

Natalie has always looked out for her younger sister Kit. Kit is unhappy with her life, and hasn't been able to move on since the death of their mother. She decides to go to Wisewood, a self improvement program on an island in Maine, where you stay for 6 months and aren't allowed contact with the outside world. When Natalie receives an email from Wisewood, asking if she wants to come tell her sister what she did or if she wants them to tell, she gets on a boat and is convinced she needs to come clean after all these years. However, when she gets to Wisewood, she sees the reality of where her sister is living and who she has become. What really is Wisewood and who are the people behind it ?

Alternating timelines, multi POV and cult vibes - three things I love! This was a quick read for me as I kept wanting to read to find out what Natalie's secret was, and what was happening at Wisewood. I really enjoyed the writing and the way the author really made you think. The first little twist was easy to miss, but it made me stop for a second and rethink everything I read and I can't decide yet if I liked that or not. I wanted more from the ending, it was a little too ambiguous for me and I would have loved another couple pages to explain or even an epilogue from a few years after. Overall, I enjoyed this but it didn't thrill me for a "thriller". Go in thinking this is more suspense !

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for a digital copy of this book !

I am hear to tell you that I really enjoyed this book. I went into this one blind after Reading Darling Rose Gold and enjoying that plus this intriguing cover I knew I would pick it up no matter what the synopsis said. I glad I did because I was not disappointed. I thought the plot was really unique. I was sucked right in from the interesting fast past beginning and the intriguing plot kept me on my toes thinking where is this going, and that ending.... like what?? It had several elements that I enjoy in novels encluding differing timelines and multiple points of view.

Wait, I really liked this XD I feel like thrillers especially can be super divisive. I never see so many mixed reviews as I do on thrillers, with people being so dramatically different in opinions. Luckily for me I’m on the good side with this one, and it really makes me realize how much I enjoy thrillers in general, and also cult themes. Why do I enjoy reading about cults so much?

I loved how twisty and dark this was without being overly graphic. There isn’t a lot of physical stuff, instead focusing on a ton of psychological stuff. I especially liked how the book explored how cult dynamics work, and how people get into that kind of mindset. And it does it from multiple POVs, so it’s not just exploring how Kit got in, for example.

I do wish we had spent just a little bit more time with Natalie. The book has three POVs, with Natalie’s being one, and once she gets to Wisewood, you get less of her POV. And I really liked her character! She’s complicated and messy and has some major trauma, but is also incredibly kick ass and take no shit. I would have really liked to see her have a little bit more agency, and do a little more to advance the plot.

But that’s really about my own complaint. I really liked the writing. The setting is amazing and it’s very vibrantly descibed. It’s like -30C here and I’m very sick of winter, so all the winter descriptions really made me understand just what the characters were feeling. I stayed up way too late reading this because it was just too engrossing and I didn’t want to stop reading.

If you like psychological dark thrillers, and cult books, I definitely would recommend this. I enjoyed it a great deal.

Representation: Nothing significant.

Content notes: Heavy child abuse themes, parentification, cult dynamics, some violence, tiny bit of gore here and there.

I wanted to love this one but unfortunately I just didn't. It started out so great but then really dragged on for me through the middle. I couldn't connect with the characters at all. This is probably more for someone that loves a good slow burn but it's just not for me.

Thank you to @netgalley, @simonschusterca and the author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Happy Pub Day to This Might Hurt! I got into bed with only 20% left to the book and had to stay up until I knew what happened.

The full synopsis is available on GR and SG and I don’t want to say much and give anything away. I really loved this book and happy that my high expectations going in were met (I LOVED her debut novel My Darling Rose Gold and couldn’t wait for the second publication).

I thought this was a really interesting premise with how many unconventional self improvement type programs I’ve seen pop up especially over the last 2 years.

I loved the multiple storylines and giving background chapters between the more recent timeline and leading up to Natalie arriving at Wisewood to see what’s happened to her sister. And the ending... 🤭

Thank you to @netgalley, @simonschusterca and the author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Is Stephanie Wrobel the master of writing about horrible parents and dysfunctional families? Perhaps., maybe she is.

Well, in this latest novel it’s not the horrible “Poisonous Patty” - the mother from Darling Rose Gold, but a cruel and repulsive father who sets the backdrop of this story. A man so dreadful it makes my stomach twist. Thankfully, this is only a small part of the story, but a part that will become the pathway to something bigger…

Natalie’s sister Kit has entered a health retreat over six months ago, one that requires no contact with the outside world for six-months. I mean absolutely no contact with anyone in any form for six-months. But when Natalie receives a threatening email from the retreat red flags go up, and now she becomes desperate to find her sister. However, getting on the private island where the retreat is located proves almost impossible. Natalie needs to go and save her sister, but once she finally gets there, it becomes clear that Kit’s loyalty is to the mysterious Teacher. And Teacher is unwilling to see her cult, um I mean health retreat, fall apart.

My thoughts: although a good story, This Might Hurt has a really great beginning and a really great ending – full of intensity and family dysfunction – but I felt like the middle parts fell flat. Told with alternating chapters, we read of how the Teacher became to be, and also how tragedy divided two sisters.

Good, but not as good as Darling Rose Gold. 3 stars.

This Might Hurt is told through two storylines; Rebecca's and Natalie's. For me, Rebecca's storyline was the most interesting, see how she grew up and what she went through made me understand her "now" character so much better. Natalie's timeline was the present so we got to see how these storylines intertwined. I will say, it did take me a hot minute to figure the two storylines out since they're not marked who is speaking. However, it didn't take away the read for me.

If you enjoy cult-like books with dual timelines than I think this is definitely worth checking out. I've seen a lot of not so great reviews about this one BUT I seriously enjoyed it. I couldn't put it down and I needed to know how it was going to end. Now I will say, the ending did let me down alittle. I wanted more of a wow factor. But hey, we can't win them all! So although there are some lower star ratings on this book, I think if it sounds interesting to you, you should check it out for yourself ! You might just end up really enjoying it like me.