Kepnes continues her streak of engaging Goldberg novels with her latest entry. This time, joe is a fellow in a writing program at Harvard-surrounded by other writers. Of course, per usual, joe finds himself embroiled in another case of obsession and murder. While this is another edition like all the others in the series, revisiting joe is always like revisiting an old friend. Kepnes tone unlike any other and it is the unique voice that she infusions in joe that sets the series apart and keeps the formula fresh. Joe is always darkly comical and, while he’s no doubt a psychopath, he is still likeable. Finding joe in new situations and quagmires is always fun and exciting. There will be nothing new here to discover, but that is sure to please all fans of this series!

For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes is a masterpiece of descent into madness! I've had the pleasure of reading every book in this series and they just keep getting better and better. In this latest installment, Joe has his eyes set on the ivy league and is up to his old tricks and mental jangling. Told from the descent into madness of Joe's brain, For You and Only You is brilliant, thrilling, and creepy... and I loved every minute of it.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I hate to say it, but I love Joe and will probably read anything related to this series as they are always so much fun in such a twisted and unsettling, darkly humorous way. This one however, wasn’t as exciting to me as the rest! It’s possible Joe needs to be put to rest, but then again.. I can’t help but want more.

So many dead bodies. RIP...RIP...RIP. And yet somehow, we knew that was coming because Joe is the serial killer we love to love!

But can we talk about Caroline Kepnes and her incredible word play? Songs, books, movies, cultural references, oh my! Throwbacks to the previous books and the TV series ("Everyone's pissed in a copy of coffee at some point"). And some tongue in cheek jabs at the book business, publishing and Harvard, and yes that right jab at Goodreads girls got me where it hurts! But like Joe, I'm going to relentlessly pursue my loves (books) and pushing out reviews on Goodreads and socials.

This book veered a little off course from the first three in the series.... this time, the girl, Wonder, loves him. No, she doesn't. But now she does. And he loves her. But now he doesn't. So luckily, we still have the same Joe-lusional thinking - he's right, and there's something wrong with everyone else. The books beg the question, can you truly be happy for someone whose star is rising while yours might be on the downslide? But also, he's got a nemesis, SB, and she "sees" him. Because maybe she's just a little more warped than he is...

How can I ever thank YOU - NetGalley, Random House and Caroline Kepnes for bringing this bit of smart writing into my life!

I'll always be a sucker for anything in the "You" universe. In this installment, Joe goes to Harvard as a writing fellow, only to become infatuated yet again, this time with another fellow named Wonder. I enjoyed this book, and I like the stream of consciousness style of writing that Kepnes uses, but this latest story just felt slightly less compelling than the earlier three. In the first book, the style of narration makes the reader actually start to empathize with Joe and feel a little crazy, whereas where we are now, he's just a serial killer.

Still a solid three stars, and one that I'd recommend to any fan of the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second favorite book in the series after book one! Although I enjoyed this one more than the previous two releases, I still struggled at times to get really into it. I think I may have done myself a disservice by reading book three immediately before this one. I wish there was more of a continuation from each previous book and more character overlap. Instead, it feels as though the storylines from the series are all similarly repeated with the addition of new characters.

I really did enjoy Wonder (Goodreads Girls unite) and loved that her name came from the Natalie Merchant song. Am I reaching here? That's not my favorite thing about her of course, but I truly did love that reference and honestly all of Kepnes pop culture references (when I get them LOL). I think the reason I enjoyed this one more than the previous two was because of the writing workshop setting and reading references. I love a good author/reader story and this was an interesting incorporation to the Joe universe.

While parts of the book did hold my interest, there were far too many moments where it felt like a chore to get through. This was about 150 pages too long for that kind of effort-again maybe just too much "You" at once for me. Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Random House for my eARC. I appreciate it!

I like to see series through, so I was so glad to be approved for this one.

I liked For You and Only You much more than You Love Me. The setting felt more on brand for Joe and got closer to pretentious OG Joe.

However it was pretty boring. The people who died were obvious the whole time, the most annoying people made it out alive. Joe wasn't as unhinged as he used to be. It was an okay read.

For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes

Published: April 25, 2023
Random House
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 435
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

CAROLINE KEPNES is the New York Times bestselling author of YOU, HIDDEN BODIES, PROVIDENCE, YOU LOVE ME and FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU. The Netflix series You is an adaptation of her Joe Goldberg/You novels.

“Life is not a book. It’s boring.”

Joe has landed himself a fellowship at Harvard. He has written a book and is preparing for publication. He’s confident and ready to wow these people. When he makes eye contact with another fellow, he knows. She’s the one. His one. They are meant to be.

This was such a twist on this storyline. But I liked the direction that it went, and I liked the build-up. The way the story creates build-up when necessary and the way Joe used his experience was well done.

I didn’t like Wonder, but I don’t think we are supposed to. She was shallow but in an “I’m not shallow” way. I caught on to her pretty quickly. I enjoyed the connection between the other fellows and Joe. It was interesting to see the interactions.

The twists in this book were so beautifully done, and I did not see them coming. I loved the turn things took, and it was entertaining watching Joe not have the upper hand.

This was such a perfect conclusion to this series. This book was a full-circle moment, and I loved how everything came together.

As a You series fan, I couldn’t believe my luck for being approved for this ARC. After the way readers were left wondering what’s next for Joe in You Love Me (You, #3) I was ready to read about Joe’s new obsession. After Mary Kay’s death, Joe moves to Florida to get away from the pain of Bainbridge. As an inspiring author, Joe is accepted into a writing program at Harvard. There, Joe meets his new obsession, Wonder Parish. As a fan of the series, I was disappointed that Joe would go for someone like Wonder. I found her character to be immature and rather boring. As Joe commits to the writing group, I hope for his usual antics to come through: killing others who get in his way. Joe abnormally is focused on the writing program rather than just Wonder. I found Sarah Beth’s character to be somewhat redeeming but overall this book doesn’t feel like the Joe we knew in the first few novels. Overall, I’m thrilled to read about Joe’s next adventure, but this novel left me wanting more.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Caroline Kepnes for an ARC of this book!**

Well hello again...YOU.

(and if you don't mentally read that in Penn Badgley's voice...you just don't know what you're missing!)

Joe Goldberg is back and living the high life: his meandering travels (read: escape from the locales of his most recent murder) have led him to the pursue the Ivy League life in Beantown: that's right, our boy is Harvard bound. And even more impressive, Joe has managed to land himself a spot in Glen Shoddy's prestigious literary fellowship, where his fellow "Shoddys" are all hoping to break into the biz with a recommendation from none other than Shoddy himself. HERE, Joe thinks, he HAS to finally meet the sort of intellectuals who will appreciate his brand of genius.

But what he finds instead? A band of snobs, silver spoons practically in hand, who send his inner monologue into overdrive. He starts to think that maybe this whole adventure was a giant mistake...until SHE comes along...and Joe starts to wonder where this WONDER has been his whole life. That's right, her NAME is Wonder and she's that elusive rare gem that Joe has been so desperate to find. After all, Wonder is a writer, and an INCREDIBLE writer...and who better as a life partner than one who can look beyond the monotony of every day and see the beauty in minutiae? But the road to happily ever after won't be so easy...not with so many obstacles in Joe's way. If he could just get Wonder to see the future HE sees...then maybe the past won't matter. But when a certain someone shows up with a LITTLE too much information about the paper trail (trail of bodies) Joe has left behind...does Joe have ANY hope of getting Wonder and keeping her from the truth...or even keeping himself out of prison?

I'll come right out and say it: these books are no longer truly about Joe's Perfectly Plotted Murders. The murders in this one were so 'mild' (if there is such a thing) compared to some of Joe's previous exploits that in some ways, it almost felt like he was phoning it in. Where some of the previous installments of the series focused on the long and tortured path of finding the perfect love and methodically removing each and every obstacle between Joe and said obsession via cruel and dramatic measures, this one sort of let them play in the background when needed, and in some ways, the plot could have functioned almost the same way WITHOUT them (which is a pretty crazy thought, in Joe Goldberg's world). The plot itself is fairly slow moving and doesn't have some of the breakneck intensity we've experienced in Joe's world in the past, and for many readers this alone will be a huge turn off.

HOWEVER...with all that being said, this book could have easily been called "There's Something About Joe," because it is the voice, the intensity, the passion, and the almost hypnotic wordplay of one Joe Goldberg that keeps me GLADLY coming back for more....over and over and OVER again.

About 70% of FYAOY is full to bursting with Joe's observations about everything and everyone around him, from the horrifying to the mesmerizing, and as the reader, you once again have a front row seat to the insanity...and the brilliance. And Joe IS brilliant in his own way: snarky, biting, comedic without trying. The mere amount of pop culture references (special shout outs to Berger from SATC and Kate and Leo's first look at one another in Revolutionary Road, among COUNTLESS others...maybe it's her background working as a pop culture journalist for EW, but Kepnes never misses a beat) and song lyrics woven into his every thought...so much so that as a fellow music aficionado, I can't help but smile each time I catch a reference.

The funny thing is, despite the fact that I've read a fair number of rom-coms and books that were supposed to be humorous this year...this is the first one that made me laugh OUT LOUD multiple times. Call it kinship (and who knows what that says about me!) but there's just something about Joe...even though this book is LONG (448 pages!) and wasn't quite unputdownable by any stretch...watching Joe tackle and dissect the literary world was even more delicious, and his references from Faulker to Rooney had me grinning. And then there's the Goodreads references. Joe labels Wonder as a Goodreads Girl, and I won't spoil the 'qualifications' for that title, but needless to say, I felt both called out AND seen..and I loved every minute of it.

As much as Joe might seem to be treading over well-worn territory and the ending of this particular installment was not the scintillating cliff hanger I was hoping for (leaving me VERY curious if we are going to hear more from Joe...and if the answer is no, color me crushed!) I can always take solace in the fact that like it or not, I now know that I am a Goodreads Girl through and through...and there's nothing wrong with that.

I mean...as long as Joe doesn't find out.

4 stars

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Most of this series I’ve had the pleasure of reading advanced copies, and I feel honored. Caroline Kepnes has a magical way of connecting her books with pop culture and a continuously streaming inner monologue that is always hilarious and oh so relatable! This has been one of my favorite series since I first read an ARC of You and it’s always a go to when I’m recommending books to family and friends! If you haven’t fell in love with Joe Goldberg yet, start from the beginning, find a cozy reading spot, and enjoy! I can’t wait to see where his story takes him next!

Joe is back at it again, but at Harvard where he was chosen to participate in a writing fellowship.

I’ve always enjoyed these books, so whenever I get the chance to review them I take it. Kepnes’ writing in second person is what makes these novels so eerie and atmospheric. Honestly, these novels wouldn’t work as well in first or third person.

Joe is introduced to his new obsession, Wonder. She’s not like the other people in the writing fellowship. She’s different from them but similar to Joe. Thus, kicking off Joe’s stalkerish ways. Joe is willing to do just about anything for Wonder, as he demonstrates clearly throughout the novel, while she struggles with her family life and writing.

For You and Only You may seem like a repeat of the previous novels. Joe is predictable, but isn’t that why we keep returning to him? Joe is what you see is what you get and I’m always excited for another peak into the world of Joe. I absolutely loved Joe’s comments on relevant events and happenings.

Overall, For You and Only You is another entry into Joe’s world that will keep you flipping the pages wondering how he’s going to navigate the situation he finds himself in.

This book went straight into it. And at first it was “good ole Joe” but over time his inner monologues got to be too much and too repetitive. He was extra pretentious in this book and not in an entertaining way, most of the time. He rambled a lot. And referenced stuff left and right so much I had trouble keeping up. There was a lot of nothing in this book, to be honest. Every time it would start to get interesting, it just lost momentum and fell flat. The ending was unexpected and not in a good way. I’ll keep this spoiler free and not get into body counts but this book just felt unjoe in a way? He was still entertaining but only really because I’m a fan of him already. I think, compared to past Joe, I was just expecting more from him in this book. As for his little world in this book and the cast of characters? They were fine. Nothing special. But not too the same either. This book was just meh really. I hope it either ends here or turns a major corner to make it interesting again.

In my opinion, the first book was the best and one of my favorite thrillers. The second was kinda garbage. The third was in between those two. This one was just boring? I’d rate it close to the second. 3 stars is a little too generous honestly.

✍🏼 FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU ✍🏼

#happypubday to the latest Joe Goldberg novel! 🎉

the fourth book of the “You” installment has Joe headed to Harvard academia, landing a spot in a coveted writing fellowship. led by notorious literary author Glenn Shoddy, Joe is ready to show the world his talents as a writer.

but true to Joe form, he gets a little distracted when he falls for Wonder, a girl in his fellowship who seems to care more about her shift at Dunkin than her writing. he’s desperate for Wonder to commit herself to her debut novel, picturing their future together as acclaimed authors. and as we know, Joe will stop at nothing to get what (and who) he wants—whether it’s at the risk of ending his own career, or a few others along the way.

this was my first experience hangin w/ Joe off-screen, and honestly, I think I might like him a little more on there 🫤 i had a really hard time adjusting to the writing of this novel, as it went from his inner-thoughts to spoken dialogue so rapidly. I had to remind myself that this is how the show is, as well; but if I didn’t have prior knowledge from the show, I definitely would have struggled with this. this was okay to read as a stand-alone, but there were definitely references to characters from previous books (I recognized some of the names from the show, but others were unfamiliar).

i haven’t read any of the other “You” installments, but I found this one to be tediously long at 448 pages, pretty repetitive, and a bit of a drag at times. this is hard for me to admit to, as I loooove the show & was so excited to receive this ARC! i’m still interested in reading the 3 previous installments, for sure. I still love Joe & his psycho tendencies, I think this one was sadly just a miss for me. I didn’t find it to be overly twisty like the show, & the love interest was the worrrrrrst IMO (it’s not your fault, Joe!)

this book is out today!! check it out if it sounds intriguing to you, or maybe start at the first book to understand all the references beforehand 🙂

Joe is on the move again, this time from Florida to Cambridge. Joe has written a book and won a place at a Harvard writing fellowship where he meets...you. You're beautiful, a townie, a brilliant writer. After a disastrous critique session with your book, Joe feels protective and does what he does best. Protecting you by removing the obstacles in your path. Unfortunately, one of the other fellows is a mystery writer, and she has put together a few pieces in Joe's past. Will she ruin Joe's life and finally bring the police down on him, or will his downfall be you?

This was a fun, devious entry into the You series. I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get ot see much of what happened down in Florida, especially since Joe finally owns his own bookstore! With a jukebox! I just think of all the fun Joe could have had with a snowbird, a spring breaker, or just someone trying to mend a broken heart on Florida's beautiful beaches.
But! Joe is at HARVARD! Despite not having a degree, Joe is at one of the most hallowed educational institutions in the country, and a much coveted fellowship led by a PULITZER PRIZE winner! I will admit, that twist that happens just before 30% into the book? Yeah, I guessed that, and I love how it foreshadows events that happen later in the book. I may love you (and Sly) a little bit. too.

3.5 stars rounded down because there are just.a lot of pages, and some of it dragged unnecessarily

This is the Fourth installment of Kepnes' You series. It centers around Joe who is puckish and passionate about books, a voracious reader, he works at an indie bookstore in the first novel, he falls in love easily and he also happens to be a serial killer. But as Joe will explain, he doesn’t ever mean to do any harm, and the way Kepnes writes his character has you somehow rooting for Joe the entire time, which fascinates me as a writer and also is of course disturbing. In this forth installment, Joe has been accepted into a writing fellowship program at Harvard. Everyone is working on a novel. His fellow fellows are all from wealthy backgrounds except for a womoan named Wonder, whom Joe quickly falls in love with as he tends to do. He also becomes obsessed with her. It doesn’t take long before people start dying and more than one character has something on Joe. There’s something about seeing all of these writers vying for attention and success that is so entertaining. The book is full of literary references, humor, and Joe being Joe: smart, dark, observational and an empathetic murderer. If you haven’t read any of the books in the series, I’d suggest starting with book one as all of the books do make references to the ones that came before. If you read this as a one-off, you’ll be okay, but you might have lingering questions. Thank you to Random House and to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

For You and Only You- 2⭐️s this was not my favorite Joe Goldberg book by a mile. I couldn’t stand his love interest and really much about this plot. They’re always a little ridiculous but Joe causally getting into Ivy League with his fake identity? I loved being in Joes mind again, these books are so clever and unique but this one did not hit the mark for me.
*

If you know you know.

You is a classic of the genre. Joe Goldberg - the self-aware psychotic anti-hero is one of the most exciting and enduring characters in Psychological fiction.

For You And Only You is the fourth book is the series. Told in Joe's first person perspective, the style swerves into stream of consciousness, hyper self-aware taking us deep into his troubled mind once again.

Joe is starting a fiction writing course at Harvard, and it doesn't take long for him to find a new object for his obsessive behaviour.

Caroline Kepnes writing about Joe writing and his impulsive and passionate reactions to the his classmates' writing is just wonderful. A masterclass in first person writing.

It's brilliantly done, Caroline Kepnes's writing is as sharp and detailed as ever. There are gasps, and shocks and laughs. The level of detail in the writing, and Joe's train of thought never fails to impress me.

Definitely best if you've read the series up to this point, if you have then this is a must read asap.

An essential addition to one of the very best series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group

Every time a new You book comes out I remember picking up the ARC, seeing the Stephen King blurb on it, and thinking, "Well, let's see what Stephen King recommends." When the show was announced, I thought, "GOOD, now the book will get all the attention it deserves." When the show blew up, I thought, "Oh, a second book." When the third book came out, I thought, "Oh, this is better than the second." And now here we are.

Joe's a narcissistic loser whose terrible myopic choices make me want to scream. Kepnes, thankfully, does not romanticize handsome, manipulative Joe Goldberg in this book. Dude is a f*ck-up who continually gets in his own way. He projects. He's not half as good at reading people as he thinks. And he's grown so high on his own continued success that he's become increasingly reactive. Who needs to put in all that effort with a bunch of rich Bostonian elites, as their heads are so far up their own rectums that they can't see what he's doing anyway?

It all makes for another Joe adventure. Maybe my second favorite of the bunch? Tied for second? Still better than the second book but I'll probably never feel as creeped out as I did reading the first one. (Or as happy about not owning a smartphone.)

Caroline Kepnes returns with her famous Joe Goldberg (YOU) series, YOU AND ONLY YOU —Joe, the bookseller, is now a writer, and course falls in love with his only kind of dark, twisted love and obsession.

We all LOVE Joe! Even though he is a narcissistic, evil, manipulative, and twisted murderer, he is highly ENTERTAINING! After four successful TV seasons and four books, he remains as wild, crazy, and dangerous as the day we met.

A big fan, can you believe Joe, the serial killer, the hopeless romantic, the bookseller, is a WRITER?
Joe is living the dream. A creative class at Harvard. He is surrounded by talent.

He writes a novel titled Me and winds us in a workshop headed up by Glenn Shoddy, the author of Scabies for Breakfast. Shoddy, an acclaimed literary author, recognizes Joe's genius and invites him to join the tight-knit writing fellowship at Harvard.

His classmates are published writers; best of all, Joe has his sites set on his soulmate, Wonder Parish. She manages Dunkin' Donuts and lives at home with her blue-collar family. He thinks they have much in common. No college degrees, pretensions, or stories from prep school or grad school. Just a love for literature.

Joe thinks she is a gifted writer, and he falls in LOVE. He will sacrifice his art for hers. And if he has to, he will kill her darlings for her. He can push, inspire, and empower her to write her first novel.

Then there is a podcast about the Body on Bainbridge. Watch out, Joe; your past may be rising to the surface. Shoddy's wife, Sly, has her own secrets.

As usual, the bodies start dropping when Joe is around. Is he the only KILLER in the class?

Kepnes keeps the fun and twists coming with literary references and Joe SHINES. Get inside his head, where one minute he is your biggest fan, and the next he is planning your murder.

Joe's obsession with Wonder resembles Beck's in the earlier books. He goes back to his roots fixated on Wonder, leaving him emotionally torn between proving himself as a writer and proving his devotion to his new love. His inner struggle. However, in the end, Joe is out for himself.

With creativity, cultural and literary references filled with dark, sarcastic humor, and wit—another hit by the talented author.

Is Joe's time running out? Will he soon be caught for his crimes? I'm still determining what Kepnes has in store for Joe next, but I would love to see him in prison, how he fares from the inside, and the trouble he gets into. Will he fall for an inmate, someone as evil and twisted as he? I am in for the long haul.

Thanks to #RandomHouse for a gifted e-ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 25, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
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