Thank you Posioned Pen Press and NetGalley for the arc. All opinions are my own. Wow what a ride, I wasn't sure who to trust or how this was going to turn out. I just had to keep reading to see. I will be watching for more of Marlee Bush's novels.

Lenora and Cassie have been hiding out…surviving..getting by.. in a remote cabin in Tennessee. After a life changing event the sisters needed a new start with no prying eyes or inquiring minds. A getaway camping trip turned into a new start until the camps owner dies unexpectedly.

A new owner brings on a new challenge and a murder. A murder that brings back a flood of memories that lead to trauma bonding. Twins that grew together to never grow apart.

This novel had a lot going on with plot lines and shifting. I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to speed read and fall in love with this debut novel but it was just okay. I could see how someone would love this novel but I had trouble staying invested. The ending came full circle and answered all of the questions which was the most rewarding part of this read.


Pub Date: May 7, 2024
🌟🌟.5

3.5 stars. This book started a little slow for me and I was confused but once it got going it was a faster read. This follows twins Cassie and Lenora who live in a remote cabin after something happened during their childhood. The chapters switch between both girls and as well as back in time. A girl goes missing and it starts to dredge up their past. The setting was interesting and the character study also had some good twists.

I definitely pushed through to get to the end of this book. I know there are some who will definitely enjoy this book, but I felt there were some moments that dragged

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 5/7/24!

The atmosphere to this book immediately starts out as unsettling, with the majority of this book taking place at a small campground in the middle of the woods. Told from several POVs and two timelines, one of the POVs is a mystery until the very end of the novel. The general plot to this book was a promising one, but to me it was drawn out a bit longer than necessary. In juxtaposition, though, the end is like a hurling roller coaster. The major twist at the end I did have suspicions about but ultimately did not guess accurately. To me, this would be a good beginner thriller. If you decide to pick this one up please check any relevant trigger warnings before doing so!

“When She Was Me,” weaves a story of suspense, sisterhood, and secrets.

The story is a slow burn, told by unreliable narrators, and at times is a bit confusing. I’m not sure if that was the intent, if it was, it hit its mark. I personally, do not like to be confused, because I don’t like having to “work” at reading. With that being said, I stuck with it, and eventually it built in suspense and became twisty.

Marlee Bush, has written a solid debut novel. She had depth to her characters and story. Her exploration of the twin dynamic, and trauma is well done. Her setting, a campground, was definitely my favorite part of the book, it’s eerie and atmospheric.

Overall, a decent read,

Thank You NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the back and forth of the narration and the twisty end!? This is a great addition to the thriller/suspense genre. There were a couple parts that truly brought goosebumps to my arms, it was eerie and creepy. I thought I had it figured out but alas! I did not.

A nicely paced slow burn thriller that sees twins Cassie and Lenora realizing that there's something wrong very wrong when Tilly goes missing. The twins have walled themselves off from the world, living at a campground and scraping out a living. Now, though, a family has moved in and the daughter Tilly's disappearance forced them to look at their past. This moves back and forth in time effectively. No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good debut.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an e,e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book. I thought I have the twist figured out, but no no I didn't.

When She Was Me offers a gripping debut that delves into the lives of identical twins Cassie and Lenora, bound by childhood trauma and the isolation of their cabin in the woods.

Their world is turned upside down when a neighboring family's daughter disappears during a weekend getaway, and Lenora, sleepwalking, becomes the prime suspect.

The alternating perspectives between Cassie and Lenora, along with glimpses from the past, create a lot of intrigue. With the book only containing a few characters, I found the suspense to be amplified.

I found the pacing a bit slow, but the merging of past and present timelines was done very well and added incredible depth to the story. The twist might be predictable to a seasoned thriller reader, which may have dampened the suspense for some, but the well-written eerie atmosphere and setting delivered a captivating read.

In conclusion, When She Was Me marks a promising debut in the thriller genre, with its exploration of twin dynamics and the lasting impact of trauma. It leaves the reader eager to turn the next page to find out what will happen next. I can’t wait to see more from Marlee Bush. This book is impressive for a debut novel!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read an ARC of When She Was Me. WOW! What an amazing debut! It was a bit of a slow burn but once the twists started coming I could not put it down. I loved the secluded setting and the multiple POVs and timelines. I will definitely recommend this one!

Wow! Marlee Bush’s debut novel, When She Was Me, did not disappoint!

This book is revolves around a set of twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora, who are living in a cabin at a remote campground. Things are going well for them, until a family shows up to rent a cabin nearby. One night, the family’s teenage daughter ends up missing and subsequently murdered. Lenora was the only other person outside that night, but is unable to remember what she saw because she was sleepwalking. Is Lenora responsible for this girl’s murder??

Both sisters are incredibly unreliable narrators, so I had no idea who/ what to believe the entire book. When She Was Me flashes back and forth between present day and their childhood.

The ending was completely unexpected and just as twisty as the rest of the book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Marlee Bush, and Poisoned Pen Press for this exhilarating ARC. When She Was Me will be available for purchase on May 7, 2024.

Now, don’t get me wrong. This book was definitely a thriller and relatively attention grabbing. However, I was confused most of the time, which was the intention so, that’s fine. But I didn’t enjoy being confused. Then the twist, it was twisty as all heck. I just didn’t love this one. It wasn’t bad and I wouldn’t say I don’t recommend it but I also wouldn’t exactly recommend it. I think there are lot of people who will love this book and gasp at the twist. I didn’t guess the twist but I also didn’t love the twist.. I also did not especially enjoy how long this book was, I tend to lean more toward 300 or less pages for a thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for letting me read this one early! I will still be looking forward to what this author publishes next!

Such a good read! I can’t believe this is Merlee’s debut novel. “She was me, I was her. We are the same” I always love a good book about twins. This book hit the nail on the head! You won’t want to put down this book! If you love a good isolated thriller that’ll keep you in the edge of your seat this book is for you !

Thank you netgalley and poisoned pen press for the ARC of this book. The prologue had me hooked from the jump. I will say it was a little bit of a slow burn, am I going crazy or did this really happen feel. There are three POVs. I did kind of guess the "then" POV early on, but it didn't take away from the story for me. The ending did pull on my heart strings a little bit, and I kind of want a follow up on everyone. 4/5 for me.

Pay attention to this one! The end will have you asking yourself which twin did what?! Definitely enjoyed the twists this one took and I can honestly say I did not see the end coming. A few things were a little confusing but I think that was intentional to keep readers guessing. A worthy thriller/suspense read!

The mystery of the history was wonderfully woven into the suspense of the present. The setting was also a fantastic aspect to this story, becoming a character of its own.

This book is twisty and turny and you just don't know which sister is the sinister one. I was left guessing all the way through to the end! I love stories like this because they capture my attention and I want to push through to see what happens!

Thank you for the ARC for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cassie and Lenora are inseparable twins who have experienced a something mysterious together. Things seem to be as normal as can be for them.. alone in their cabin on a deserted campground together since "that night," but when a teenager goes missing, it brings back the memories they must use to piece together the truth of what happened. The twist in this book was really great, but it's a very slow burn.. which I'm not a huge fan of like I know some people are. I prefer books that are medium to fast pace because I like the action. I do think this was good for a debut and would be open to reading other books by this author.

I liked that this was about twin sisters and their bond. When a teen goes missing they want to find out what happened to her and their past. This was told in the past and the present which I enjoyed but it was a slow burn. I did want to keep reading to find out what happened and it was worth it. This was a good thriller debut novel.