Advertisements
Mirror twins Kat and Jude Bird are trying to get back to normal after a car accident left Kat with amnesia. As time passes though, Kat starts to question if Jude is telling her the truth. As she begins digging, she’s left with even more questions including who can you trust if not your own twin?

The premise of this story has everything I want in a thriller. Mystery, cults, unreliable and complex characters, and mind games. I was initially incredibly invested but I just lost interest midway through the audio and had to force myself to continue the story. Towards the end, the story picks up but not enough to save the story. There is just one too many timelines/alternate storylines that switching via an audiobook was hard to keep track of. In addition, I never felt fully connected to any of our characters.

This is such a unique story, and it has a great concept, it just needed a bit of cleaning up. I would have preferred the entire story to be cult related, as that was the most interesting pieces of the story. It lacked a strong sense of ‘horror’ and while it’s a mystery, it was a little too slow paced for me to count it as a thriller. I honestly can’t put my finger on what exactly was missing but I just need more of something.


Where You End is out now. Huge thank you to Henry Holt and Macmillan Audio for my copy in exchange for an honest review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the eARC.

I am not sure I have ever read anything like this. I was really enamored with the use of amnesia in this novel. I loved the dual timelines. I think this may not be for every reader, but for those willing to try something a bit different this is great. Plus, cults - I love a good cult story.

Where You End, by Abbott Kahler
Rating: 4/5
Published: Now
What a ride! Kat Bird wakes up from a coma, and remembers nothing except for the fact that she’s a twin. Her twin sister, Jude, is at her side, and explains that Kat has been in a car accident. Jude decides to give her sister an entirely new set of memories, ones that are kinder and less traumatic than the truth, but Kat begins to realise that certain things don’t add up. She sets out to discover the dangerous truth for herself, with terrible consequences. Kat no longer knows who she can trust, and Jude is desperate to protect her from the past. This book is a thrilling ride, full of twists and turns. It features a strange mix of quirky characters, and we never truly know what their intentions are. I particularly liked the juxta-positioning of the cult sequences with the present. Kahler keeps you on your toes throughout. You get the feeling that something terrible is always about to happen, and that just heightens the intensity. Loved it.

It took me a minute to get into this one, but I think it was a me thing. Once I realized what was going on a little bit, I was hooked. I thought this had some very unique twists that kept me fully engaged.

DNF at 43%.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the moment the cult-y society was introduced, it took me out of the story even further.

Thank you, though, to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I tried going out of my usual on this one, and it just didn't keep my interest. This title published January 16, 2024.

As a mother of twins, I'm always drawn to these twin trope thrillers. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Loved the curveballs thrown, and definitely appreciated the ending.

3.5 Stars. Thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy.

I absolutely loved this debut novel! Cleverly crafted & expertly written. The story flows beautifully & the characters are more than memorable. Filled with intrigue & suspense this compulsive & chilling read is as absorbing & riveting as it is unsettling & sinister. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company & Abbott for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Favorite Line: “I want to understand how someone can be terrified of her own mind when that mind is a perfect stranger.”

Wow, this book gripped me and pulled me in from the very first chapter. I loved the writing style and the alternating viewpoints between the twins. I had guessed the major twist about halfway through the book, but that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying it. Some areas were confusing with the back and forth of timelines between past and present and twin to twin.

I was enamored with the idea of the mirror twins and think it was a great idea to write a book around it. Kudos to Abbott Kahler for taking this idea and truly running with it.

I would advise a trigger warning regarding this book about cults as one of the major plot points of the book. While it doesn't come right out and say that the girls are part of a cult, one can piece that together. Certain people may be triggered by that and want a trigger warning prior to reading.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would rate it 4.2 stars, mainly because I guessed the major twist so early on. Lastly, thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Abbott Kahler for the eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Step into a world of mystery and deception in this captivating tale of identity and betrayal. When Kat Bird awakens from a coma, her only link to the past is her twin sister, Jude. Yet, as Kat unravels the truth, she discovers that Jude is weaving a complex web of lies to reshape their history. The narrative explores questions of identity, the consequences of trust, and the shadows that lurk in the aftermath of tragedy. As Kat attempts to decipher reality from fiction, she faces not only the mysterious figures trailing her but also the unraveling of a carefully crafted facade. A compelling story that delves into the intricacies of sisterhood, trust, and the high stakes of survival.

Where You End

Kat and her twin sister, Jude, are mirror twins. When Kat is in a serious accident, causing her to go into a coma, Jude prays for her to wake up. When she does, Kat only remembers Jude and nothing else, leaving her reliant on Jude to fill in her memories for her.

It’s not long before Kat takes things into her own hands, realizing that maybe Jude has embellished a perfectly happy life for her. As strange things begin to happen, it soon become apparent that there’s a reason Jude hasn’t been forthcoming and Kat’s exploration into her past could put the sisters into very real danger.

Where You End had a slow start for me and initially, I had a hard time figuring out the why of things. I’m glad I stuck with it. This is a suspenseful story with a dark message at its heart. The dual timelines work well in the telling of this story and even though its more of a slow burn drama, the underlying theme and Judes ultimate motive is where the true horror lies.

My thanks to Henry Holt for this gifted DRC.

Gosh, the premise of this book was super intriguing and the summary had me really interested in the plot. But, sadly, it was boring and slow for me. It really dragged and the changing perspectives detracted more from the story than they helped. It was confusing and lacked tension. This one was a miss for me.

I am a person who feels that Where You End is a difficult read to review. The premise of mirror twins with one helping the other to overcome amnesia after a horrible accident is very intriguing. That being said at times I felt totally lost trying to figure out what was going on - was Kat now Jude and was Jude now Kat? What truly happened the night of the accident? As I continued to read I had more questions than answers. None of the characters were likable, with the exception of Sab, the poor man.
This is one read that I would love to meet with Abbott Kahler about as those questions will continue to linger in my mind. The plot kept me engaged throughout most of the book although it was very slow in places. I grew to hate King Bash and what he was subjecting these innocent girls to. I have to admit I felt relief when I read “Tis vore. Tis nafilly vore.”
Many thanks to Abbott Kahler, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just released book.

🐵BOOK REVIEW🐵

Where You End by Abbott Kahler
Rating: 2.8⭐️
Format: e-book (ARC)
Pub Date: Out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-two year old mirror twins, Kat and Jude, were just involved in a car accident, leaving a deer dead and one twin in a coma. When she wakes up, the only thing Kat remembers is Jude’s name and face. Kat is 100% dependent on Jude in learning about their past, the accident, and what kind of person she is, as their father left when they were kids, their mom died, and all of their friends from the last 5 years are back in Europe… or that’s what Jude says anyway…

In Where You End, we have:

🐰dual POVs and timelines
🐰a cult seemingly centered around children
🐰twin drama
🐰revenge plots
🐰poker

Although the backstory was compelling, creepy, and sad, and the “current” happenings and overall idea for the plot were intriguing, I don’t think everything came together very well. The “thriller” aspect was too slow of a burn and fell a little flat for me; it felt like I was being told everything instead of being made to feel on the edge of my seat or part of the action. I did like that the book is set in 1983 and earlier, as it helped to heighten the mystery factor, as Kat didn’t have a cellphone or easy internet access. There were some plot points and relationships with other characters that were either glossed over or were resolved in a rushed and unsatisfying way, and I was confused as to motivations of characters and even what was happening at times; one thing that could have possibly helped would have been for the “Then” chapters to be fully written in past tense.

Overall, I just wasn’t impressed with this book; it suffered from trying to do too much without following through on everything.

👁5️⃣🧠

I enjoy exploring books about cults and characters with amnesia. Where You End has both, so when I read the premise I was immediately hooked. It reminded me of a documentary on Netflix called, Tell Me Who I Am, so I couldn't wait to get stuck in. This book fits in nicely within the genre, reminicient of This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel and Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel. The story focused on realistic characters with tragic pasts but surprisingly, was not as dark and twisted as I'd anticipated. I liked both protagonist's, Kat and Jude, equally and understood both of their motivations. Kat relied on Jude to fill in her past, and Jude (remembering the abuse they'd endured) saw an opportunity to right the wrongs and give Kat a fresh start in her new life.

The story gripped me initially however, after the first act the pace slowed until the final scene ramped up the action again. The flashback scenes are still vivid, including the one involving King Bash losing his eye. The animal masks/costumes felt surreal and at times weren't easy for me to grasp, including the mind control exercises the children were trained to perform. The themes of sisterhood, memory, and trauma are very clear throughout, expressed through the mirror twin concept, the girls' secret language, and their shared trauma. The end made sense once all the characters' true identities were revealed, and the twins completed their "mission" which had started right before Kat's accident. I would have liked to know more about their father's past and what transpired between both parents. The prose was smooth, and the author's voice was very compelling to read. I'll definitely check out more of her work.

For readers who enjoy slow burning suspense, cult themes, and character driven stories.

Usually, this type of story is right up my alley: sisters, cults, unreliable narrators. Unfortunately, Where You End didn't quite land for me. The story follows twins as one of them tries to help the other piece together her entire memory following an accident. Parts of the book really grabbed me. Other parts are slow and a bit dull. However, the eerie atmosphere of the 80s is topnotch. Where You End has the right recipe for a novel I love just not enough ingredients. I do plan to give Kahler another chance when one of his other pieces happens to cross my desk.


Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for this eARC!

This was a slower one for me. I struggled to get through. It felt more drama vs thriller.
The writing was fine but I wasn’t shocked from the story. I found myself getting bored and not as into it as I thought I would be.

DNF at 30%

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but the set up is just all over the place. We go back and forth in different time periods, different point of views, nothing really makes sense. Which I suppose is the point of the book, but it isn't interesting enough to get me hooked. I think we could have sped through more of the background and gotten into the main point of the story by now. From other reviews it sounds like it picks up after 50%.

This was certainly a roller coaster ride of a book and there were times that I was like, "What just happened?" That is a good thing for a suspense/horror book. It was an easy read and I finished in one long afternoon on this bleak and wintry day.
This was about identical twin sisters who had gotten into a bad car accident which erased the memory of one of the sisters. They had secrets from the past that were better left in the past but, of course, the sister with the erased memories went in search of the past. To find out what that past in, you will need to read it for yourself. There is a cult aspect to this book, which was really engaging (I am fascinated by that).
This book, at various times, did invoke horror, which was precisely what it was going for. It was good writing, and sometimes more than that. The premise was a bit far fetched and one had to suspend disbelief but that is often true of the horror genre.
Overall, I would give it 4.5. Why not a 5? It was a bit confusing. I felt like it could have been clarified in places without taking away the suspense.

4 stars - This was a beautifully written, heartbreaking book. While at times the pace was a little slow for me, overall I was captivated to understand what had happened to Kat and Jude Bird. The last third of the book moved much quicker and was the most enjoyable for me. I think what struck me most is how much trauma can linger. I also loved the time periods that this book was set in - it was easy to picture the setting. Overall I really enjoyed it.

Kat and Jude are more than just identical twins, they are mirror imaged twins making them closer than ever. Two weeks after a near fatal accident, Kat awakes from a coma in the hospital remembering nothing about her past except her twin sister, Jude. It now falls upon Jude to fill in the gaps of Kat’s life, but is she telling her the truth or is she completely remaking her? As Kat starts to ask questions and put the puzzle together we slowing see pieces of their childhood, a childhood that isn’t quite as idyllic as Jude wants Kat to believe. Is Kat’s sleuthing about to open Pandora’s box and put the twins in danger? This book was slower paced than anticipated. Well told in dual timelines and points of view for a large portion of the book, there were also some confusing moments along the way. On the creepy side, this was a good fiction debut for Kahler. Thank you to Henry Holt and Company for an ARC of this book.