The story of Cassie and Lenora immediately intrigued me and I was excited to read about how they got where they did and what transpired beforehand to make them want to live in the woods. The story jumps back and forth between POV's and timelines and slowly builds up to the end which I did not see coming. I did enjoy this book but did find myself distracted a bit while reading it but I'm glad I stuck with it. Great book for a debut author and I look forward to reading more from them in the future.

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Marlee Bush for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cassie and Lenora have been inseparable. As the sole permanent residents of Cabin Two, their refuge on an isolated Tennessee campground, they manage to stay away from prying eyes, probing questions, and true crime junkies. Just the two of them, Cassie and Lenora against the world. The peace and quiet is almost enough to make them forget what happened all those years ago. Almost. Until a teenage girl camping at the neighboring cabin goes missing, and the memories come rushing back. As the crime becomes ever more recognizable—they know better than anyone that so-called 'happy families' can be anything but—each sister suspects the other knows more than she's letting on…. Trapped in the isolating, claustrophobic wilderness, Cassie and Lenora must piece together the truth of what happened and the sinister truth lurking in their own pasts before it's too late
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me an advance copy.

While this book wasn’t my favorite the plot had the chance to be intriguing. It just lacked the execution. 3 stars.

This was my first book by Marlee Bush and I am a new fan! Great story with lots of twists and turns.

This was a solid three star read for me. I love the multiple POV and timelines. There's creepy, woodsy setting. Dark pasts full of secrets. Unreliable narrator vibes. Building suspense and ominous tension. And the twists are really good. Objectively, it has everything I typically really love in a thriller. For some reason though, I never felt fully connected or invested in the story. I'm not sure if it was the writing style/voice that just fell flat, or maybe it is entirely just me. While it was an enjoyable experience, it's not something that has really stuck with me or blown me away. It's a great debut that I'd definitely still recommend to others, and I'll be interested in seeing what this author writes next.

the idea behind this one was cool, but the execution wasn’t there. the only reason i finished this one was because i was trying to finish one last book before the end of the year.

Not much of a thriller girl but this wasn’t for me. The writing is fine and gets the job done with being creepy but it’s just missing something. Very slow and a lot of cliches. I wish there was more markers of time as well? Overall wasn’t a fit for me

Leave me guessing until the very end, why don’t you?! This book is a great read for fans of isolated thrillers!

Cassie & Lenora are twins, living in a cabin in a small campground. When their only neighbor (and landlord) suddenly dies, they are wary of the new owner. She quickly welcomes new guests to the campground, but then one of them ends up dead. Who is responsible? What happened in the twins past to send them into isolation?

I would recommend this if you want a twisted tale/dual timeline & POV/sister dynamics.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

This had a great overall feel for this type of book, it had everything that I was hoping for. I enjoyed how suspenseful atmosphere was and that the characters felt different and right for this book. The use of the wilderness worked with everything that I was looking for in a claustrophobic way.

Really struggled to get into this book from the beginning. Maybe it was just my mood that day. Will park it and go back to it. Sorry, thanks for thr opportunity.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A creepy whodunit. The characters are well written. I didn't see the ending coming.

It took me a while to get into it but I solely think it's because I wasn't focused.

There's an underlying story from the twins childhood 15 years ago that serves as the catalyst for who they are today. Throughout the novel, we get flashbacks as the story builds to that inciting moment.

The flashbacks are told in someone's perspective, but it is unclear who exactly is speaking. As the reader you make your own assumptions based on what you know of the twins now but you may or may not be correct.

At about 60% it completely sucked me in. I was speed reading trying to find out what happens next. I couldn't figure out who to believe AND THEN THAT TWIST- the name drop that changed the entire story.

For this to be a debut novel, it was extremely well done!

Cassie and Lenora are sisters, twins who were birm from the same sac (hence the title.). They live in an isolated cabin in the hills of Tennessee with two cabins immediately adjacent. One recently housed a man named Wayne until his death, the other is kept for renters. Now a woman named Sarah Hill has taken over Wayne’s cabin. Lenora never leaves their cabin except to visit the same bathhouse and hasn’t done for about fifteen years.

On a weekend shortly after Sarah moves in renters come for the weekend bringing along teenage daughter Tilly. Tilly goes missing in the night and is later found dead. Who killed Tilly, and why?

This wasn’t a bad book and it will likely have lots of champions, it just wasn’t for me. Whenever I was reading it I found myself wanting to do something else. Don’t take that as a statement on quality, though, maybe I just wasn’t in the mood.

What an awesome debut from Marlee Bush! When She Was Me is a twisty, psychological thriller that will have you invested from start to finish. The book centers around the dynamics between the sisters Cassie and Lenora (who are twins) that live in isolation. The mystery unfolds when a neighbor is found dead. This thriller is a must read and I highly recommend. 4.5 stars!

This was a twisty psychological thriller that gripped me from the very first page! Super creepy and interesting dynamic to read about the sisters. Would recommend!

This was a captivating debut that was deeply atmospheric and filled with dread. Cassie and Lenora are twins living in an isolated campground in Tennessee. They prefer to stay away from curious people and prying eyes of their troubled past, so this location suits them perfectly.

But when a girl from a neighboring cabin is found dead, it brings up all the memories they have tried to hard to bury. Told in dual points of view with the addition of another first person narrator, this story is the very definition of a slow burn, which I usually get impatient with, with the gradual build-up of suspense kept me riveted to the story, and the ending was just perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the early read. This title will publish on May 7, 2024.

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 for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!

The twist at the end was good!This was a very slow read for me. I normally read psychological thrillers in a couple days this took me about a week and a half. The story about twins living in a cabin with no real neighbors and feeling the need to protect each other.
I maybe more critical because I read so many psychological thrillers. For me it was hard to follow because it jumped from present to "then". This being her debut book I would say keep writing!!!

I was shocked to find out this was a debut. The writing was that of a well seasoned author, and the story was delivered so meticulously, leaving me beyond impressed. This book had it all. Dual P.O.V's between twin sisters, both with an unbreakable bond and love so strong for one another while also suspecting something may not be right with the other. An atmospheric setting in the woods with suspicious characters in the neighboring cabins. A mysterious past timeline containing dangerous behavior. I personally love a slow burn like this when the author takes their time telling you the story and building the suspense, but for those of you who don't, the twisty ending will make it all worth your while. I loved this one and cannot wait to see what this author has in store next. Four stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.