"What shape is your fear?” - Jude, Where You End

I had no idea what a ride this book would be. I could not put it down, I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next.

Where You End is like wine, it gets better with every taste. It's not plain and simple or overly revealing, but trickles information creating a thick air of suspense and intrigue, at times it's like wading through a lucid dream. It's lyrical conclusions to thoughts and circumstances gives characters a unique depth. There are cleverly crafted twists, turns, and reveals that splinter and shatter what you thought you knew.

Where You End is a dark mystery with interesting characters dealing with a heavy past, eerie circumstances, and people you just can't trust. Someone is hiding something and some memories might be better left forgotten.

I feel like I don't have the vocabulary to sum up the style and feel of Where You End, something close might be "refreshingly odd with a deep sense of intrigue and doom." With characters that are driven, devoted, and relentless, and desperate, indulgent, and blind.

I love how real the interactions feel and how authentic the characters thoughts are. The dark honesty, if only in their mind. The anger full and whole, the way it creates mantras in their brain. The expression of suffering seen through body posture alone. Something about it all just feels unique and real; this is not just another formula fiction.

I love the authors descriptions and writing style, some of my favorite bits and pieces:

”...Fearful and emboldened and remorseful and defiant—and I don’t know which to settle on, or if it’s possible to inhabit them all at once.”

”Someone whose sharp edges are a virtue, whose dark corners are worth exploring, a person who is not broken but instead reborn.”

One thing that I REALLY appreciate is that this book is tasteful considering the story's context. I'm not a fan of graphic violence, gore, or graphic sexual violence; the author had plenty of opportunities to go there, but kept it very reasonably tasteful.

When reading the first couple of chapters I wasn't sure if I was going to like the book but I was still intrigued. Something felt muddy and I couldn't yet read between the lines but things start to get more and more interesting and make more sense as we move through the first couple of short chapters; I'm incredibly glad I hung in there, I had no idea this book was going to be this good. Don't expect this book to spoon feed you, become your own detective or just go along with this twisted ride. I found the pace to be perfect and I am a bit of the impatient type, so I'm not sure how other reviewers found it to be too slow.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a pre-release digital copy of this book in exchange for my opinion of this book. I was not paid, this is an honest review. I'm just glad I didn't have to drudge through another beige and uneventful book; this is a good one! Thanks!

Same review can be found on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133287050-where-you-end?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=3igAxSxAnY&rank=3

The pros: The way the author explored trauma - both individual and shared. The romantic subplot. The way the author explores how someone might rebuild their identity after losing their memories to traumatic brain injury.

The cons: The way the author explored the relationship between the twins at the core of the story grated on my nerves. (I could have done without the cutesy made up language they used, for one. Even if they did create and use a language like that as kids, would they still be using in their 20s?)

Imagine this: you are in an accident and wake up with no memories of anyone or anything – except for the fact that you remember your super identical twin sister, and you have to rely on her entirely to put your life back together. This is the conundrum we find Kat, the protagonist of Abbot Kahler's Where You End, in when we meet her at the beginning of the story. The narrative is primarily told from Kat's point of view, with many interesting flashbacks woven in, as it tells the tale of a young woman in 1983 trying to make sense of the last 22 years of her life. Jude, Kat's sister, is a comforting presence, sharing details about their family history, how their dad left, their mom's death, and their time traveling through Europe until Kat's accident. However, doubts arise when there are no pictures from their Europe trip, and Jude appears to want to keep Kat on a tight leash. This leaves us wondering if Jude is being fully honest and what motives she may have for not being truthful. Interwoven between Kat's 1983 narrative are flashbacks that reveal the girls' upbringing, some of which involves a situation that appears to be a cult.

All in all, Where You End is an entertaining psychological thriller that fans of the genre will enjoy. I liked it, but I did not love it, and I'll outline my reasons in the grading scale below:

Characters: 7/10 - I did like Kat, but I could not relate to her "trust first, question later" mentality. I was not a huge fan of Jude or many of the side characters, but I believe they served their purpose.

Premise and Originality: 7/10 - While the premise is something thriller lovers like myself will find familiar, as it involves memory loss and reliance on someone else, the twist here is that it's the protagonist's sister she leans on. It's a fascinating thriller trope, but it didn't feel entirely original at first.

Execution of Premise & Plot: 8/10 - The action in the flashbacks took a little too long to develop, and some questions were left unanswered. Additionally, some subplots felt like filler.

Pacing: 7/10 - It took a bit too long to get to the intriguing part of the girls' youth, and the ending felt rushed.

Enjoyability: 9/10 - I enjoyed the book and was never bored with it.

Memorability: 7/10 - I'll likely remember this book mainly due to the relationship between the sisters and the engaging flashbacks. However, it doesn't feel like a genre-defining work.

Stakes: 8/10 - I felt invested in Kat's efforts to piece her life together, and it felt like her life was at stake. However, at times, I couldn't fully grasp where the story was leading, which affected the stakes.

Ending: 9/10 - I enjoyed the unexpected ending, though it felt rushed.

Unputdownable: 9/10 - I found myself wanting to return to the book for answers to the mystery surrounding Kat's missing memory.

Writing style: 9/10 - Kahler is a great writer, and there were no issues with redundancy or confusion. Improved pacing would have made the reading experience even more enjoyable. I look forward to reading whatever Kahler puts out next.

Overall, I rate this book 80%, which is equivalent to a B- from Ann-otated Books, earning 4 stars.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company and have provided an honest review.

This review will be posted on publication day on Goodreads as well as my blog, ann-otatedbooks.com

This book is sooo slow moving. The random flashes of Kats anger are sudden and confusing - which I get with the plot line. Overall, this was difficult to get through as I found myself avoiding picking it up.

This book was dark and delicious! When Kat Bird wakes up from a car accident she remembers nothing except her twin sister Jude. While she knows her mirror twin like the back of her hand, she knows nothing of the 22 years of her life with her sister. As they have no family, it is up to Jude to reconstruct Kat's life for her.

Kat is grateful but soon starts to feel suspicious and things she are told just don't feel quite right.

The book shifts between the sisters now and also Jude's story of there childhood, which is not the same story she paints for Kat.

This book includes all of the elements I want in a book--conflicting narrative, coming of age, and drama!

Thank you for choosing me to read your ARC!! I was really pleased with this book! The character development was done well and I love the way "After Kat" handled things and didn't put up with any BS. The ending was also everything I could have hoped for. It wouldn't have hurt to add a little more detail about "The Plan" because I was a little confused at times but I put the pieces together eventually. I liked learning about the twins' pasts a little at a time so that it kept me wondering and anticipating the answers. Overall I would definitely recommend reading Where You End and cannot wait to see it officially published!

I recommend going in blind with this one. Also, expect more literary thriller than psychological thriller. Don't let that put you off. The story is deliciously creepy and will induce actual goosebumps. The authors use of scene and language building is razor sharp and executes the plot twists with a fine hand for hairpin turns. This is the twist everyone will be talking about next winter! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this great read

Where You End
A Novel
by Abbott Kahler
The book seemed very slow to me. As a thriller, I was difficult to hold my attention. I most enjoyed the beautiful cover. It was a good book, but not a great one for me.

This dark thriller will have you leaving the lights on. It's really well written, but it took different turns and pacing than I expected. Definitely a unique read if you are a dark thriller reader!

I loved this book but it wasn’t my favorite. I feel like the plot just didn’t catch my interest like I thought it would. I will give it a 4 because I loved the characters I also love the cover I may buy it for my collection for the cover

Haunting, visceral,Dark and exciting. Pacing was top notch. Devoured every page. Thank you Net Galley for ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

I liked the complex characters the most, they were definitely the best part of this book. The story was creepy enough to pull me in, but the pace was very slow at times. Still, an enjoyable read, definitely recommendable.

Well, I hate when I don't like a book that everyone else loves but that's the thing with opinions, not everyone will love the same thing. I opened and closed this three different times trying to really get into but never really did. I usually don't mind slow pacing but this was almost a snail's pace. The plot and storyline were good but I believe it was more of the writing style that didn't work for me. Three Stars since it wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt and Company for this ARC.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Thank you NetGalley, Abbott Kahler, and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Where You End in exchange for an honest review.

The general vibe of this thriller was very creepy. It pulled me in right from the start. The characters were interesting and the plot was enjoyable. Worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC. This was a very dark and creepy thriller. There were parts that will definitely shock and scare you. It was really well written. I was intrigued by the whole concept of it. I also liked how it went back and forth between the character's different timelines. It was a different pace that I usually look for in a thriller. Nothing personal to the Author at all. If you love books with cults this is the book for you! @abbottkahler @netgalley

My Rating : 3.5 stars

Publishing date: January 16, 2024

Summary:

Kate Bird wakes up from being in a coma but remembers nothing. All that she sees is a mirror image of herself, her twin sister Jude. Jude takes on the huge task of helping her sister rebuild each memory from the past. Kate realizes as the months go by the childhood Jude told her they had wasn't really how things were. When Kate discovers the truth will it cause a grudge between them that could destroy everything they built together?

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I am such a sucker for any kind of story that involves cults. Maybe it was because of the time my parents made us go to a Mormon church? No idea. I loved this. It is eerie, creepy, and has you wondering who really is the reliable twin.

Thank you to the author Abbott Kahler, publishers Henry Holt & Co., and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of WHERE YOU END.

"We both laugh, the sounds merging, indistinguishable. I snatch her can of hair spray and aim it like a gun, shooting a mist into the back of her head." p44

Where you end is a book about identity, vulnerability, personal history, and trust. But mostly it's about sisters, how that kind of closeness can overwhelm. And Jude and Kat are the kind of sisters who are really close. So close, they're almost the same person, even in the DNA, one reflects the other, as they are mirror twins. They each see in the other's face exactly what she sees in her own mirror reflection.

The book opens with Jude taking care of Kat as she recovers from some unknown trauma that she can't remember. The story spins out as she recovers this memory, and memory of her family, who aren't always altogether who they seem.

"For the next five minutes, we ride silently. I stare at her profile and can’t believe I came from such a fantastic creature, whose every word, gesture, and feature seems imbued with a strident grandeur: the towering height, the fortress of hair, the delicately humped nose, the gauzy blouse and abundant breasts, the enormous but elegant feet (encased, naturally, in sequined slippers), the baubles and bangles, the conspirator’s laugh, the carnival barker’s command of the room, the exotic bird flutter of her hands. We arrive at a home that rivals any of those Jude cleaned on the Main Line, an expansive facade of silver stone adorned with hanging vines and accented by two cupolas at either end. 'Is this where I grew up?'” I ask. p223

Can I just take a moment to admire the beauty of the prose? Lush and shadowy, like a rainforest. The style contributes to the suspense, mood, and tone that makes the reader feel so swallowed whole by this story.

I won't lie, I was sometimes confused about the trajectory of the narrative, especially when Kat was dealing with her trauma, but I think this was Kahler's design. The way Kat recovers certain information in bits and snatches reminds me of the acclaimed 2000 film MEMENTO. The problem is, once I reached the final twist, I wasn't that surprised. I felt other emotions instead-- like satisfaction. Also, I loved the denouement in this one. It went on just long enough, and wrapped up just enough dangling thread.

Such suspense and satisfaction!

Rating: 💭💭💭💭.5 / 5 recovered memories
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: June 24 2023
Format: Digital, NetGalley
Read this if you like:
🌙 Nonlinear timelines
🪢 Experimental narrative form
👭🏽 Sister/twin stories
🏚 Going home again

Freaky-Deaky evil twin thriller, Kat wakes up from a wholloping and can only remember through the broken looking glass POV of her twin sister. Creepy, weird and fun.

This was so so so good! I absolutely loved the simmering, atmospheric world and the characters were fleshed out and had the vibes to match the story. I loved the twists and storyline execution as well.