I liked this one! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great. I was captivated from the very beginning and my attention was held to the end. I liked the twists, but above all else, I really liked the storyline!

This is How We End Things by R.J Jacobs. I really wanted to love this book. The plot of the book was super unique. The narrators were fantastic but it really didn't keep me engaged like I would want it to. The ending was very good but the rest was definitely a slow burn. More of a mystery than a thriller. Overall, I liked it but wanted to love it.

This was my first book by R.J. Jacobs. And I am sure it will not be the last!
It is kind of a mixture between a dark academia thriller with a bit of YA (which fit perfectly well) combinded with a murder mystery spiced up with plenty of twists and turns! Ah and not to forget about the locked-room- element due to snow!
Narrated by Chelsea Stephens an enjoyable mystery!
Thank you #NetGalley #HighBridge Audio for this audiobook

I loved the Narrator! Good story, kept me interested till the end. I would definitely recommend this audiobook to friends in the future.

This dark academia thriller has an interesting premise with a group of students participating in a study on deception and lies. There is a murder, secrets slowly revealed, and a twist that I found surprising. The snowy setting adds to the tension and I liked the multiple points of view. An intriguing thriller that will keep you turning the pages long into the night.

This was a wild ride but I did see that twist coming. However, I still enjoyed the ride and love that there was a hopeful happy ending! I am now adding all of R.J. Jacobs' books to my TBR!

#ThisisHowWeEndThings
#NetGalley

Readable, catchy police procedural where the psychologists working at the university are getting murdered. Might this be connected to the - well, unethical tests on cheating they are running on unsuspecting students? Or is this connected to some link from the past?

I find this being a smart novel, offering some deeper food for thought alongside the solid murder cases. How well do we know people we are spending our time with? Who has our best interests at heart - and who is looking only for what benefits them?

This author is quite good and after this novel I will follow his work.

I like the narration as well. The narrator has a pleasant voice and a good grasp on text.

Love the setting and concept.

However, I failed to establish an emotional connection with any of the characters. Overall, just an okay read for me.

*** Thank you to NetGalley, R.J. Jacobs, and HighBridge Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

This is How We End things is an exceptional thriller! The premise of a graduate student study in “lying” differentiates the book from many others I’ve recently read. The story kept me engaged and the plot line flowed. I enjoyed how each of the main characters were very different and had intriguing back stories. I was slightly disappointed in how I figured out the “mystery” early on; however, I will note I did remain interested in the story through to the end. This is my first book from R.J. Jacobs and I will definitely be reading any future thrillers from this author.

The story started off a little slow for me but definitely picked up. I knew right off the bat who the killer was and why, but it was still an entertaining story nonetheless. I can see it moving toward a sequel with the detectives character. I would definitely read more from this author!

Huge thanks to Highbridge Audio and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Psychological thriller with plenty of red herrings to keep readers guessing!

Told from multiple POVs, R.J. Jacobs' This is How We End Things is a twisty murder mystery with a fast-moving plot, an eclectic cast of characters, and an ending most won't see coming. A college psychology professor and five of his graduate students conducting an experiment on lying will find themselves trying to snuff out the liar in their group when one of them ends up brutally murdered after hours on campus. Each person is hiding something, and there is a serious lack of trust within the group. Detective Larson and university police officer King are racing the clock to figure out who's innocent and who's guilty when a second body is found. Is there a psychopath in their midst? And who is truly what they seem?

Thoughts: This murder mystery had me hooked from beginning to end! Jacobs balances the murder plot with giving brief backgrounds on stories and characters, which is a delicate balance given the cast of this book. While I wasn't completely surprised by the whodunnit, it wasn't who I suspected until about two-thirds of the way into the story. For the most part, I really wasn't sure who was guilty, which is the makes of a great murder mystery. Each character was distinct enough to easily tell apart from one another but also made sense together, another delicate balance Jacobs pulls off rather easily. The ending had plenty of action to hold interest even after the killer was revealed, and made for a tense ride at the end. Everything is pretty neatly wrapped up, which should leave readers satisfied, as well. As a whole, I really liked everything about this story and would recommend it to any mystery fan who is looking for something a little less predictable.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for an audioARC in exchange for an honest review.**

This was so, so good!!! Thanks @netgalley for the chance to review This is How We End Things by R.J. Jacobs. This book started with a research team doing an experiment where they provoke people to get them angry. Someone ends up dying… and there were so many twists! You pretty much expect everybody at one point in time. So, so good!

Excellent narration!

I love a good psychological thriller, especially come fall. This story captivated my attention from the start and I couldn’t stop reading it. Several twists in the story that I didn’t guess made me like it even more.

Everyone in the group has their own secrets to hide. So a study in lying and deception, becomes more of a mind game when you are now forced to question all of your peers. What could go wrong!!

I will be adding more books to my TBR so that I can read others by R.J. Jacobs.

This was a medium-paced thriller set in a college campus, several grad students begin to suspect one another after a colleague turns up dead. I would enjoyed the narration and would highly suggest this narrator for future works. She personified the multiple characters and was easy to listen to. I felt I enjoyed this more as an audiobook than I likely would have as a physical copy, but enjoyed it nonetheless and would read more by this author!

Rounded up from 3.75/5.

This thriller kept me guessing throughout. I enjoyed that there were so many POVs because you never knew who was an unreliable narrator.

This had a lot going on with so many POVs but I was unable to put it down. I loved the premise of setting a psychological thriller within a psychology study. Every character a suspicious in their own way and untangling the clues was so fun!

I listened to the audiobook (thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC) and enjoyed the narrator. I felt the fear, panic, suspicion, curiosity, excitement, and ambivalence of each character throughout.

I received this audiobook as an ARC from NetGalley. I couldn't get into this book. I'm not sure if it was the narrator or the story.

Dark academia just reminds me of fall. This starts off with a banger of a chapter to really hook the reader. I saw this listed as YA a few times which doesn’t seem to fit - the characters are all adults and it doesn’t have the Scooby Doo vibes that a lot of YA does. The psychological study was so intriguing and while we didn’t get to see much of the study, it really set up the novel well. Since you know all the characters know how to lie, it makes it a fun whodunnit.

This is How We End Things by R.J. Jacobs

A group of graduate students who were studying the science behind the acts of lying. Apparently these students and Professor Joe Lyons were quite good at hiding their secrets and lying. While they were doing some tests, one of them was dead. They all now trapped in the snowstorm.

One of them was the murderer. But they all could lie...

Who to trust and what was the motive?

The story presented in various POVs, like conversation. The narrator Chelsea Stephens presented each of them vividly which I found myself enjoyed the story even more. This is How We End Things was a slow-burnt but compelling thriller. It was very entertaining to keep guessing along the stoet development.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and R.J. Jacobs for the audiobook!

Format: Audiobook (9h35m)
Pub date: Sep 12, 2023

THIS IS HOW WE END THINGS by R. J. Jacobs and narrated by Chelsea Stephens is a dark academic suspense that feels perfect for the start of cooler weather!

I was super excited to read a dark academia story, and I have to say, Chelsea Stephens took this audio to a solid level.

I don't want to say much about the plot except it is centered around a group of graduate students studying lying. Then one is found brutally murdered, and it doesn't end there.

I had to start this one a few times before I really got going. It felt a bit hard to follow, but I kept going and it did come together and I did enjoy it by the end.

⭐⭐⭐💫

I do think the audio made this so enjoyable, and I am grateful to @netgalley and @highbridgeaudio for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and share my thoughts! This is out today, so Happy Pub Day!

I loved this audiobook so much! Group of grad
students? Murder? Hell yes! I loved the pace of the story and how different each character was! You can literally picture them in your head!! I would like to see this books as a movie or a mini series because it would be so cool!! Also I loved how well the author ended the story with each of the characters' story. I really enjoyed it!! Highly recommended!
TW: stabbing, shooting, blood, stalking, drug addiction, death, murder
Thank you @netgalley and @highbridgeaudio for the advanced listening copy.

This review will be posted on my Bookstagram @daisype.reads, goodreads and storygraph.