Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Joshilyn Jackson for the advanced copy of With My Little Eye in exchange for my honest review.

I admittedly struggled connecting with this story and unfortunately decided to DNF at 42%. As is always the case for me, I will not review this book anywhere except NetGalley as I don't feel it's fair to rate books I do not finish.

I will definitely not hesitate to read this author again in the future as I've really enjoyed her previous works.

A popcorn thriller with short chapters and steady pacing. A bit corny at times and some annoying characters, but fun as a buddy read. The highlight for me was the MCs autistic daughter, Honor. She goes on my list of favorites forever! Thanks NetGalley and William Morrow for the gifted ebook!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️

The master of domestic suspense and queen of thrills, NYT bestselling southern (favorite) author Joshilyn Jackson returns following Mother May I (5 Stars) with her latest twisty suspense thriller, WITH MY LITTLE EYE —an actress/mother is forced to move herself and her daughter across the country to escape a dangerous stalker—only to discover he follows them.

July 2016 Los Angeles, CA: "I never thought I was famous enough to get murdered." —Meribel Mills

Meribel Mills is approaching 40, an actress — not a young celebrity who often sparks obsessive fans; nevertheless, she still receives fan mail and some not-so-good. Downright disturbing and CREEPY. However, this goes with being famous.

This one disturbing fan she and her daughter calls Marker Man, the unhinged guy (due to the cheap fruit-scented markers) he used for his letters. The envelopes were addressed in huge, jagged handwriting that glared cherry pink, lime green, or berry blue, which smelled of alcohol solvent and sickly-sweet faux fruit—a STALKER.

Meribel is a single mom of a delightful adopted tween (almost thirteen) daughter, Honor, through the foster system. She is on the autism spectrum. (loved her)

For their safety and her sanity, they are forced to move 2,000 miles away, across the country back to (Midtown) Atlanta, Georgia— to a furnished condo a year from the date of his first letter. A place she swore she would never return to.

She takes a new job that films in Atlanta, a recurring role on the second season of last year's breakout hit. Her character, the new lawyer at a firm specializing in representing ghosts, had a pickup option to become a regular series if it went well.

She had hired a forwarding service to send her Marker Man's letters. However, soon after she arrives in Atlanta, the letter postmarks are from towns closer and closer to where they live.

Marker Man is COMING for them.

Detective Johnson was making no progress while a psychopath edged closer and closer. His letters were arriving almost every day!

People still remembered her on the street from Belinda's World.

Meribel feels she is being watched and someone has been in her condo. She sees someone across the street. Was it James, her ex, or has the Marker Man already gotten closer?

Meanwhile, Honor was adjusting to a new school and a new therapist. She loved rules and memorized them. She also develops a friendship with a homeless girl, Sheila, whom she calls Princess Xena.

There are also men in Meribel's life.
~Cooper, her new neighbor in Atlanta
~James, her ex-husband (now married with three children)
~Cam, her LA ex-boyfriend-bodyguard

Told from POVs, Meribel, Honor, and the Marker Man, each intense and spine-chilling! Each letter includes an illustration and a violent threat. Meribel must protect her daughter. Honor is trying to protect her mom. How will they escape this madness? No one can escape social media and the internet.

Whom can they trust? Every man in her life is a suspect. When they all collide, Meribel fights desperately to protect her daughter as danger closes in.

A huge long-time fan, I have read all of Joshilyn Jackson's books, and WITH MY LITTLE EYE was spectacular!

Joshilyn is a master storyteller and always surprises you with every book, each unique. In WITH MY LITTLE EYE, she pulls out all the stops with a riveting clever psychological thriller, a strong emotional mother/daughter story, a fun beach read, and a compelling book club pick ripe for discussions.

A nail-biting thriller, well-paced, action-packed with dark humor, a well-written story, and unputdownable. Filled with suspense, courage, fear, obsession, revenge, and forgiveness.

The author highlights women, aging, and their role in business and as mothers. The pressure we are under to remain young and thin, how much our value is attached to our age, weight, and looks.

Readers will adore Honor — with all her quirks, the story's heroine.

AUDIOBOOK: Joshilyn is a former actor and a popular narrator of audiobooks. I have pre-ordered and am excited to listen to this audiobook, narrated by Joshilyn (Meribel) and her real-life daughter Maisy Jane, who is narrating (Honor)! With a full cast, I adore Michael Crouch—also performing: Graham Halstead, Jeremy Arthur, and Jesse Vilinsky. Assured it will be an award-winning performance as the characters come alive.

Stay tuned for my #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with Joshilyn, where we go behind the scenes of the book & this multi-talented author, on April 25th!

Special thanks to #WilliamMorrowBooks for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley for review purposes.

Blog Review Posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollis | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 25, 2023
April 2023 Must-Read Books

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel, releasing today!

Y'all...

I'm a Joshilyn Jackson completist and really enjoyed all her southern family drama stories; she's more recently moved into this series of thrillers (the books are unrelated though all the titles reference traditional children's games). This one follows an actress who moves back to Atlanta to avoid a stalker, who follows her across the country putting both her and her daughter, as well as new friends and acquaintances in danger.

With a disclaimer that I don't generally read thrillers, I thought Jackson's first two were alright, so I'm really not sure what happened with this one. There is one subplot/relationship that serves almost no purpose and doesn't go anywhere. Basically all of the characters are unlikable, including our lead Meribel (I did like her daughter Honor, and was glad she became a more developed and involved character as the story went along). The reveal of one of the "good guy" characters as a villain seems to come out of nowhere; I had to re-read the page where his intentions are revealed three times because I thought I was misunderstanding something or had him confused with another character. The ending is also incredibly abrupt and unsatisfying; it feels as though a timer went off and she had to stop writing under threat of punishment. Sorry to say almost nothing about this book worked for me.

Maribel is an actress with a lot going on. She has a daughter with autism, a stalker, and a boyfriend she can’t seem to commit to. When the police can’t seem to help with her stalker situation she decides to move to Atlanta, a place she swore she would never return. It’s full of memories, an ex-husband, but also a chance to start over and keep her child safe. The problem is that no one is safe from “The Marker Man” as dubbed by Maribel’s daughter. He quickly finds out where she has moved and is coming to find her. She tries to surround herself with people she can trust, but she isn’t sure who those people are.

I am a fan of Jackson’s books. They are all well written and full of surprises. This one is no different. I was impressed with the turn it took and how it was all tied together. I do have some questions about the ending, but I guess it was left so you could decide for yourself how things would turn out for the remaining characters .

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

Ok… I’ve got mixed feelings on this one…

First, let me just say that disability rep in books is always a good thing. And I loved the parts of this book that were written from the autistic character’s pov.

But… some of the other parts felt a bit too “autism mom” for my tastes. The mom (MC) felt a bit too overbearing at times. Was that on purpose? It’s quite likely. Ms. Jackson is on the spectrum herself, so it’s very possible that she’s experienced some of that well-meaning pushiness by adults in her own life. But (spoiler alert) we never find out if that’s the case.

As far as the rest of the book goes… I found it enjoyable. I wasn’t a huge fan of the MC, even looking past the “autism mom” behavior, but she was likable enough.

The ending was a little abrupt. But maybe it was a set up for a sequel?

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow Books and Joshilyn Jackson for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

With My Little Eye will be available in the US on April 25th 2023.

Actress Meribel Mills has been getting letters in the mail from someone she calls "Marker Man", because they are written in big letters with scented markers. They have become increasingly more perverse and violent, and there have been signs that he has been in her home. Meribel and her daughter Honor move across country to Atlanta to try to escape Marker Man. But she is still getting the forwarded letters, and they are no longer coming from L.A. He is on the move, and coming for her. Meribel keeps feeling someone watching her. Now everyone she sees is a suspect, and nowhere feels safe. How is she supposed to protect herself and Honor when she doesn't even know what he looks like?
I am a huge fan of this author's books, and while this one wasn't my favorite, I did enjoy it immensely. It read more as a drama than a thriller most of the time. It had a great twist at the end I wasn't expecting at all that really made the book, in my opinion. Oh, and then there was Honor. Honor was the star of the show, so to speak. Honor is on the spectrum, and says exactly what she is thinking, and is smart and brave. I only have two small complaints about the book. The book is told in the POV's of different characters, but the names of the characters weren't listed above the chapters, so it takes a couple of paragraphs before your brains clicks over to recognize this is from an entirely different POV. I wish the chapters had names above them to make it easier. Also, I really wish there were an epilogue. I really wanted to know what happened with all of the characters, even a six months later sort of thing would have been nice. I especially wanted to know the fate of the homeless teen, Maxene. Other than that, I highly enjoyed it, and think you should definitely add it to your TBR pile if you are a fan of dramas, thrillers and suspense.

I have loved all of Joshilyns previous books and was so excited to get this ARC. However this one was not my favorite of hers. It was a little chaotic at times, a lot of different storylines that didn’t mesh well together and characters that weren’t very likable. The ending felt very rushed and not finished. It had a good premise but a lot of things just did not work for me.

Meribel moves across the country from LA to Atlanta to put space between her family and a stalker. She’s lucky to find an acting job there because women near 40 are at the end of their shelf life… or so she is told. Honor is her daughter and has her own challenges, but Meribel is determined to help her through them.

This story has a great premise. I love the stalker storyline, but the multiple possible love interests is all a bit much. I get lost there for awhile. It does come together in the end quite beautifully.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the early ARC.

Jackson showed so much promise with her debut, never I have ever. Mother may I never really lived up to the promise she showed with her first novel and this one falls even further. With my little eye is the story of Meribel-a minor actress who catches the eye of a stalker and tries to seclude herself and her daughter, retreating to a condo in Atlanta. However, her stalker has found them and she feels this stalker getting closer to them. The cast is filled with red herrings (all placed in the novel for that purpose and all underdeveloped and interchangeable). For a thriller, the pacing is slow and the middle is almost painfully boring. The ending has some twists in it, but feels disjointed and with many loose threads hanging. I was disappointed and may give up on Jackson after this one.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

With My Little Eye is a stalker-thriller from Joshilyn Jackson.

"Meribel Mills had some fame playing a character on a popular TV show. She attracted the attention of a stalker who sentlots of mail using scented markers describing what he would do to her. She called him Marker Man. Meribel moves to Atlanta with her 12-year-old adopted daughter hoping to be rid of him. When the mail starts up again, she knows she must find a find to get rid of him for good."

Throughout the book, Jackson lets us know just how well-known Meribel is - people of all ages recognize her and her catch-phrase from the show. Meribel is interesting because she is torn between doing the things necessary to keep working in Entertainment and guarding her privacy and that of her daughter that happens to be autistic.
Meribel has a superpower - the ability to know when she's being watched. Sometimes it helps - but the stalker knows this and does his best to stay on the periphery hoping to catch her with her guard down.
Some red herrings but Jackson has her reasons for them. One character has a dark, dark past.

The ending is wild especially after the identity of the stalker is revealed. And it's an ending that left me wanting more.

An interesting take on the price of fame. This is a good story from Jackson.

With My Little Eye
By Joshilyn Jackson

This is thriller – or at least it would have been if its various parts had tied together better. Or maybe if there weren't so many disparate parts that really didn't come together to make the storyline believable.

The female protagonist is Meribel Mills, a second rate actress past her prime, but still having some name recognition. We find out early on that Meribel had been married previously to James in Georgia, but had run off to California when they found out they would be childless. Somehow through all this she has adopted a drug addicted autistic child named Honor. She has also started a relationship with Cameron, a man she met in a dog park. But Meribel has attracted a stalker, who seems to be more and more unbalanced and dangerous. Thus she accepts a job and moves her and her daughter back across the country to Georgia to escape him.

From here on, the number of characters multiplies: James, the ex-husband; Cam, the man she dumped who follows her east; Cooper, her new neighbor; and Marker Man, the nameless stalker who also manages to follow her trail. Additionally, we have Addie, Cooper's ex and her daughter Sheila, and Xena, a homeless teenager.

As well as the standard thriller "red herrings", this book contains many
situations that never really hang together or are explained. While the story is interesting, for me the author may have overreached by adding too many variables, which made the book hard to follow.

I enjoyed this book overall, but the ending seems unrealistic, rushed, and unfinished. I enjoyed the premise of the book however the writing was not as strong as I think it could have been.

I am going to be honest here, I have not loved a thriller in awhile... and this was another disappointing one for me. The characters were ehh, I never really connected with them. I found many parts of their interactions to be childish and unrealistic. I never felt that pull to the story - wondering what happened next and excited to pick it up at the end of the night. Maybe it is me - thrillers and I just have not been friends that past few months. If you have been a fan of Joshilyn Jackson in the past, I would still give this book a shot.

Meribel, a single mom and actress, moves from LA to her home town in Georgia when she is being stalked. He was in her home, moved her items and sent scary letters. But even after moving she feels eyes watching her. Did he follow her? Or is it someone new? How can she keep herself and her daughter safe?

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This book was so engrossing and hard to put down. I loved all the twists and turns and it continuously kept me guessing. I’m a fan of Joshilyn Jackson and this did not disappoint!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, so I could give this rave review! I hope this could be made into a movie.

📚: With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson
⭐️: 2.5/5 (rounding down on Goodreads)

Fear is a reality for actress Meribel Mills. After a stalker starts to relentlessly reach out to her, she packs her life and daughter, Honor, across the country to Atlanta. Not long after though, Meribel’s spider senses know he’s nearby - and they aren’t safe.

Twisty and twisted, this book churned my stomach at moments, with me realizing that a core (spoilery) plot point is a recent thriller trope that most definitely isn’t for me.

Big thanks to William Morrow via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. With My Little Eye is out on April 25th!

TW: Stalker, IVF infertility/ miscarriage, Rape (mentions)

First, let me thank NetGalley for letting me read for an honest review
.
•What did I think of this book? (Mult POV)
I HATE giving bad reviews, but i pride myself on my honesty.. So, I don't know what I expected but this was not it. This was full of side characters and too many details. I haven't had the pleasure of reading a book where the main character is an actress.. honestly, she couldn't have made poorer choices if she tried. Move cross country to rid a Stalker fine, okay.. but imagining it's an ex and moving to his city? And not taking better measures to ensure her family's safety? The name given is "Marker Man".. I didn't care for this read it picked up at for a moment but altogether predictable.

Too much gratuitous incel man rage for me to stomach right now. Only made it halfway before deciding to dnf. I was very intrigued and have liked books by this author before but I would have found it more suspenseful and definitely more enjoyable without thr POV from the stalker.

If You Like Escapism…..


Joshilyn Jackson is an excellent storyteller. She crafts her plot and then includes a large cast of characters to embellish her ideas. Mysteries lead to climaxes and the ending of the book has some twists and a courageous action scene.

The main character is Meribel Mills, who serves as the narrator. Meribel is an actress in her early 40’s who remains active on fan sites. Meribel has a daughter named Honor, which is a brilliant name for her. Through the years, Meribel has attracted nutty, sometimes dangerous fans. Believing she and her daughter would be safer, she moves from Los Angeles to Atlanta.

It's a cold, hard mystery so she does not escape her stalker, crazy boyfriends and the dangerous internet.
She lives in a nice rented condo with Honor and her cat, Gumball. Apparently, Gumball is a different pet since he is “walked” like a dog.
The middle of the book is slow and plodding but it builds up to an excellent finale set up by a death scene from a balcony.
The very last scene is exciting with a few surprises among the multiple storylines. The bad people in this book are purely evil.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Morrow for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Actress Meribel Mills is a working actress in LA. She's had early success on a 90s sitcom and still gets recognized from the part. She's adopted a daughter, who is about to turn thirteen. But she has a stalker who she calls "Marker Man" because his threatening letters are written in scented markers. When she lands a part in a new series being filmed in Atlanta, she decides the new location may be a safer one. All is well for a while when she discovers that the stalker is still actively threatening her and knows where she lives.

Joshlyn Jackson is a talented writer who knows how to create suspense and tension. There's plenty of it in With My Little Eye. But there's a lot going on that makes me wonder if all the subplots were needed in one story. Characters come in and out and the shifting POVs create some initial confusion as to whose perspective it is. The core story of the actress and the stalker is a solid one, but things spin a bit out of control, and I was left wanting more. Big credit to Jackson for the depiction of Honor, Meribel's daughter, who is on the autism spectrum. Honor was a bright light in this book filled with lots of less than desirable characters. Worth checking out to see if this fast-paced book is for you.

3.25 stars.