Boy, this was a wild ride. I've read Mindy McGinnis before, so I knew it would be intense, but I was not prepared for this one.

I love books with unreliable narrators and it was interesting to read one where the protagonist can't even trust herself. There was a lot of character development throughout the story, not all of it positive, but it made for very unique characters.

I wasn't expecting the plot twist and it broke my heart. I was rooting for Neely until the end and I'm glad she got the help she deserved. My one complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked more details on how Neely was able to tell her side of the story and start working toward healing.

Overall, this was a fast-paced, intense story that created an honest conversation about mental health and how we should rethink harmful stereotypes. I would definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading this.

dnf @ 37%


I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the narrative voice and the world the author fleshed out. But I felt like the book itself dragged -- by the 30% point, I still wasn't sure precisely where we were headed, and I didn't feel enough tension to draw me further along. I would like to try more from this author in the future, but this one unfortunately didn't hold my interest, despite the parts I did like.

Mindy McGinnis never fails at delivering immersive, creepy, and just plain messed up thrillers. I had the pleasure of meeting her at an author visit at my library, and she's such a cool person. I was so excited to receive a copy of this book. Neely has such a crazy backstory, and her struggles with auditory hallucinations added another layer of creepy to what she was going through. This one kept me guessing right up until the end.

Mindy McGinnis' books are always a solid pick. It was very raw and emotional, especially at the end. Highly recommended to readers who can handle a gritty, difficult read.

One thing is for sure, I never know where McGinnis is taking me. Her stories are always a surprise. There’s no doubt this is the most flawed protagonist I’ve ever read. Mental illness is scary as hell to me. Neely’s is slow torture. Even beyond that, I think I have to admit that McGinnis is writing straight up horror. It’s psychological, deceptive, and unflinching. She’s brought to life a sharp edged version of Poe for the digital age. You’ll want to stay up all night reading.

“My monsters are real, but only when I can’t ignore them any longer.”
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Neely has monsters just like her brother did and her father did. Both are gone now and Neely is struggling alone with the voices she hears daily. When Neely decides to get a job at the one place she doesn’t have to hear her monsters’ voices, she befriends a girl named Mila. After a midnight party Mila and Neely go to the caves where they work. Mila never comes out. Now Neely must come to terms with the fact that her grip on reality is slipping as she tries to find Mila’s murderer…and wonders if it’s her.
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Mindy McGinnis is an auto read for me. This cover, the title, the T.S. Eliot references—it all works. I was even crying at the end, which for this YA thriller was not expected at all. Just please know that this, like most of McGinnis’s books, is a dark read. Check all the content warnings on this one before reading or recommending to high school students. This novel is out March 19.

CW: death, blood, mental illness, suicide, death of a parent, car accident (recounted), death of a sibling, sexual assault, dark web, murder, alcohol and drug use, torture

Neely’s monsters don’t always follow her rules, so when the little girl under her bed, the man in her closet, and the disembodied voice that shadows her every move become louder, she knows she’s in trouble.

A great blend of mystery, the supernatural, suspense, and a study in mental illness. I really enjoyed this.

I went into this expecting it to be pretty intense--there's even a trigger warning included in the book. But somehow that didn't prepare me for how much of an emotional toll this book would take. The general plot was interesting, but I was pretty overwhelmed by the suicide, and really intense mental illnesses, and dead parents, and sexual assault, etc.-- it was really too much for me. I am forever and always a fan of Mindy McGinnis' writing style--I get sucked in so fast and her narrative voices are always pretty unique and compelling, but this read was not my favorite. I can absolutely see why people will like this, but I was so distracted by how awful the themes made me feel that I couldn't really get immersed in the story/I had to keep putting this down so I didn't get totally swallowed by sadness. This was emotional, and heart-wrenching, and while I didn't love it I can absolutely see a lot of people both needing and really connecting to this read.