Member Reviews

This one fell a bit flat for me. I enjoy dark academia type stories very much. However, I thought the execution of this one was off. I thought the plot was good it just seemed to me that the characters were very unlikeable and it seemed a bit far fetched on how all of these people with all of these secrets would all end up at this place together.

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I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a wickedly twisted thriller sure to have you guessing until the end. Two author friends reunited after a dark history from university & time spent apart. One is a struggling mid-list author while the other, who she hasn’t seen, heard or spoke to in many years, is her one muse & the only person she’s ever cared for, Thalia. A New York Times’ Best Seller List put Thalia back into her world. Read what happens next & I think you’ll be in for a shock.

I was fascinated reading a book about authors, their books & their lives. It was a different perspective in the mystery world. For some reason, I struggled to connect to this one. I felt a disconnect with the characters & sat this one down for awhile. However, I am glad I finished reading because the ending was interesting. I so enjoy their writing style & think this just wasn’t my particular book. I’ve loved everything else they wrote & I still think this is a good book.

I’ve now read 3 books with 3 different genres from this extremely talented author & I am just blown away. Their ability to adapt to the different genres is remarkable & I stand in awe. Moreover, the fact they’ve publishing these so close together. *Insert standing ovation here.* I will continue to read anything they write.

Massive thanks to Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Because I rated this 3 stars, I will not be posting this anywhere else.

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What an absolutely twisty story from the author of Dial A for Aunties. I'm not sure what I expected, but definitely not what I got - this was so twisty, dark, and gave me shivers at some points. It was very different from what I read from this author previously, but I thought it was a good change of pace! The ending was a tad predictable, and the story lagged a little in the middle, but I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!

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First book by Jesse and it certainly won't be my last. Psychological thrillers are my jam and this one was no exception. What a thrilling and chilling creepy ride of a story. The twist at the end? I did not see it coming and that's how you know it's a GREAT psyche thriller!

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An immensely propulsive thriller diving deep into the alluring power of female friendships, obsession, and self-identity. I thought the pace really picked up around 65% into the novel and loved the twists toward the end. Would definitely recommend picking up a copy!

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I didn't love the cover of this one, so I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it or not. Plus, the description didn't give much away. Well, I'm so glad I gave it a chance! It was so much twisty fun. I loved how unhinged the book became the longer I read. I'm good at figuring out mysteries, but these twists were a complete surprise. The beginning did drag a tad, but it picked up so much by the half-point. I'd definitely read more from the author.

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This was such a let down, especially after loving Jesse Q. Sutanto's Dial A for Aunties. The characters were insufferable.

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Jane and Thalia became friends during a creative writing course at Oxford. Their friendship ended after a tragic incident, and they haven’t seen each other for years. Jane has been unable to locate Thalia over the years, but now Thalia has a bestselling book, and Jane knows how to find her.

I’m Not Done with You Yet is primarily told from Jane’s point of view. Jane is an unreliable narrator. Unlikable characters and unhealthy relationships make for an entertaining read.

A dark and twisty novel. Recommended for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with devious characters and toxic friendships.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Easily in my top 5 favorite books of 2023!

This psychological thriller has everything I could want—a dark academia setting, a story of two writers, obsession, revenge, lying, deception, a few dead bodies, and just the right amount of dark humor to make it an absolute delight to read!

The book begins with Jane narrating the story of her meeting a classmate named Thalia while in her first year of her MFA at Oxford. Jane is a quiet, introverted, Asian woman who comes from humble beginnings and is a self-diagnosed sociopath. We learn Jane’s mother contributed to many of Jane’s issues through flashbacks to her childhood. When Jane meets Thalia, she is enamored by the glamorous and kind woman in front of her. Jane’s insecurities get in the way sometimes, but she and Thalia form an unlikely friendship. Thalia and Jane both aspire to be writers and Jane sees Thalia as something of a muse. But it all leads up to one night that changes everything…

In the present day, Jane is unhappily married to a man named Ted who she has come to despise. They live in San Francisco and their life is largely financed by him and his work. Jane is a published author but her books make no greater than four figures each. Jane is unhappy and often thinks back on her friendship with Thalia and their time together at Oxford. She wonders what happened to Thalia—the two lost touch after that fateful night. Jane went on to graduate, while Thalia left Oxford without a trace.

Until one day Jane stumbles upon news of Thalia. Thalia has just hit the best seller list with a psychological thriller that Jane thinks is partly based on their friendship. She’s also going to be appearing at an upcoming conference called SusPens Con in New York City. Jane will do anything to go there and reunite with Thalia. She doesn’t care if she has to pawn some of her own items to cover the trip, or bring along her husband Ted, or that she doesn’t actually have a ticket to get in… She’ll make it work!

But Jane is soon buried deep in the lies and ploys she used to get to SusPens Con and it could all be for naught if she can’t get in. Thankfully she runs into a mutual friend of hers and Thalia’s from Oxford and that starts the events in motion that can’t be undone… Afterall, Jane will do anything to rekindle her friendship with Thalia.

The first half of the novel is narrated solely by Jane—switching between Jane and Thalia’s year together at Oxford, present day where Jane lives in San Francisco with her husband, and brief glimpses into her childhood. In the present timeline, Jane is determined to reunite with Thalia no matter what it takes. In the past timeline, Jane’s story is heading towards a mysterious incident that leads to the end of her friendship with Thalia. Understanding what could have happened to drive a rift between the two friends drives the suspense forward.

Eventually, the past events are fully laid out and the crash course towards a potentially unwelcome reunion with Thalia is driving Jane’s narrative. When they finally do meet for the first time in a decade… well I obviously can’t spoil it for you, but it is surprising and unsettling. Things felt heightened because Jane has told so many lies to get to this reunion, and then has to continue lying to her husband so she can reconnect with Thalia.

In the back half of the book, we start getting other POV in addition to Jane and the twists and turns the plot takes had me in a chokehold! I couldn’t put the book aside—I was captivated by the story of Jane and Thalia. Their bond at Oxford felt almost too good to be true at first, but the more we learn about things they share in their past, the more it makes sense. I couldn’t figure out what might have broken them apart, particularly since Jane was so clearly devoted to Thalia and Thalia sought out Jane as a safe person to confide in.

The first half builds steadily so the back half can shine. This is the sort of book I wish I could post a spoiler review of because the twists are so fun! But there is no way I can spoil the fun of experiencing each twist one at a time.

The story delves into the complexities of female friendship, particularly that fine element of competition that often exists between friends. In this book a lot of the competition isn’t between Thalia and Jane like you’d expect, it’s between Jane and another student at Oxford named Ani. Ani and Jane are both Asian, but their similarities end there. Ani comes from a very rich family and is tall, thin, beautiful, and looks like a model Asian. She’s attending the business program at Oxford. Jane is short, curvy, poor, and lacks the social confidence that Ani has. Somehow they find themselves in a competition to be Thalia’s best friend.

I loved the addition of Ani to this book because she’s this beautiful bland figure that Jane is often in what seems to be a one-sided competition with. Jane’s ongoing narration about Ani adds a fresh and biting humor that is partly why the reader loves Jane, even though she is often unhinged.

Don’t skip this book. This is easily one of my favorite books of 2023—I absolutely loved it from start to finish!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

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Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!

I’ve long been a @jesseqsutanto fan in light of her romcom series Dial A For Aunties, and her penchant for making me laugh out loud at her characters’ antics.

But Jesse as a thriller writer?!? Watch out world, because this girl is on fire!

I loved every aspect of this book. The unreliable narrators. The dark academia. The palpable suspense that, at times, made me antsy. The vacillating timelines of past and present.

And the twistiness!! And that ending!! Please, please tell me we’re getting more of this story!!

I went into this one blind, so in conclusion, I’ll just say get your library holds and pre-orders in for Aug. 22 and get ready for a wild ride!!

Thank you so much to @prhaudio @jesseqsutanto and @berkleypub for my gifted audiocopy and the opportunity to read, review, and fall in love with this story prior to publication!! If you get the chance, definitely give this one a listen because the narrators absolutely slay this book!! @eunicewongnarration @alice_in_punderland

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I enjoyed the cat and mouse games played by the narrator Jane and her best friend, Thalia, first at Oxford when they were creative writing students, and nine years later, when Thalia becomes a well known author and invites unsuccessful writer Jane to a writing retreat with other famous authors.

I liked the later switch in focus from Jane to her successful friend Thalia and the plot twists involving lovers and husbands and friends. The ending was a surprise and not one I'm sure I'm comfortable with. But it fits the description of a rather noir novel of twisted friendship.

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I had a difficult time with this book right from the beginning. Jane is the most negative hateful person. It got to the point that I couldn't read it anymore. So I skipped ahead and I still didn't like it.

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I have read several of Sutanto’s books and loved them all, and I was excited to see what she would do with I’m Not Done With You Yet as it sounded much darker than her previous books. It was a little slow for me to get going, but once it did this one was incredibly enjoyable. I liked the dual timelines from past to present, and the toxic friendships between Thalia, Jane, and Annie were incredible. Throw in Jane’s sociopath self-diagnosis and that she is married to a husband that is allegedly out to get her and this made for one wild and fun ride.

Sutanto is firmly on my auto-read list and I only have a couple more on her backlist to go read and will do that soon. The audiobook was well done and I really enjoyed listening to this one. Thank you to Berkley and PRH Audio for the copies to review.

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Toxic doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface when it comes to describing these friendships. Jane is unhappy. There is not much that gets her through the days until she sees an email about a convention featuring best selling author Thalia. Her former best friend disappeared after something dark happened at their masters writing program at Oxford and Jane is desperate to see her.
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I absolutely do not want to give much away so it is best to go in blind but part 3 made me go back and re read the first chapter, which is something I love in a book!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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This book is everything I wanted it to be and so much more than I could have ever expected. Put some time aside because you will not be able to put this book down, brace yourselves for a ride of a lifetime, surrender your hearts to Ms Sutanto and trust them that they know what they're doing.

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In this electrifying literary escapade, two brilliant minds collide, weaving a narrative that ignites sparks of excitement and challenges the very fabric of morality. As the stories entwine, the boundary between good and bad dissolves into a tantalizing enigma, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, craving resolution in a whirlwind of emotions.

Passion and reason clash like thunder and lightning, illuminating the pages with raw, unbridled energy. Characters, painted with vivid strokes, evoke a rollercoaster of emotions, from profound empathy to spine-tingling unease. This audacious exploration of human nature reverberates with intensity, urging readers to question their own convictions, igniting a thrilling intellectual dance.

Prepare for an exhilarating journey into the intricate tapestry of desire and deceit, where every twist and turn leaves you breathless, contemplating the blurred lines of right and wrong. This is not just a story; it's an adrenaline-fueled odyssey that seizes your imagination, leaving you exhilarated, provoked, and utterly captivated.

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Jane is a struggling midlist writer, weighed down by novels that barely scrape four figures in sales. She's ensnared in a marriage that offers little satisfaction, trudging along to meet the daunting financial burden of a Bay Area mortgage on a house that embodies a life she never truly desired.

Throughout her tumultuous journey, one person holds an irreplaceable position in Jane's heart, the one soul who comprehended her profoundly: Thalia. Nearly a decade ago, Thalia was Jane's dearest and only friend, a bond forged during their days as Creative Writing students at Oxford. That time was a rare oasis of happiness in Jane's life, filled with cobblestone streets, the scent of ancient books, the embrace of damp English air, and the intoxicating allure of wine and sweet cider. And then came one night that obliterated everything—an evening drenched in blood, a night that should have forever united Thalia and Jane but instead led to Thalia's inexplicable vanishing. She evaporated without a trace, eluding Jane's relentless search. Until now.

The best way to encapsulate this book is to liken it to a multifaceted chess game intertwined with obsession, avarice, sociopathy, and murder. Its characters wield various degrees of manipulation, creating an enthralling narrative. "I'm Not Done With You Yet" is a dark and suspenseful tale centred on toxic female friendships. Brimming with dark humour and unexpected plot twists, the story captivates readers and keeps them engrossed until the very last page.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Ended up listening to the audio and really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the narrators and thought they did a great job adding gothic elements to the story. I also loved the dual timeline and Oxford setting!

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Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and Jesse Q. Sutanto for an ARC of Im Not Done With You Yet in exchange for an honest review. Alright, Ill start this off by saying I have always loved this authors work and this suspenseful novel was no different! We start out by meeting Jane and quickly realize that she is unhappy in life. We travel back to her college days to see her at her happiest when she was obsessed with her friend Thalia. As the story progresses, we see the lengths Jane will go to be around Thalia. A murder ends up taking place at a writers retreat that both ladies are attending, naturally Jane becomes the number one suspect. As the story continues, we see how far people are willing to go for revenge, for loyalty, and for themselves. I will add that the ending truly shocked me. This one is out now and if you love this author like I do, you wont want to miss out on picking this one up! 4.5 stars

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An unexpected read from Jesse Sutanto! A darker psychological thriller with toxic friendships. It was twisty and kind of fun but it wasn't anything shocking. I did enjoy the Oxford scenes (very atmospheric) as well as the insights into the publishing world. I appreciate Sutanto branching out and trying something new but I personally enjoy her cozy books more and look forward to reading more of that style from her - I like her sense of humor which I missed in this book.

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