Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to Tarryn Fisher and allowing me to read the book before release.

First, and this may be a me issue, but the formatting on my kindle for this book was completely jacked. I have not had this issue before with and books I have received from NetGalley. It was really distracting but I am not letting it affect my rating.

I gave this book 3 stars because it was slow. Not a slow read, as I read it in under a day, but the story was slow. It started out great for the first part of the book but then it started to wane around the 30-70% marks. The book follows along with a twin, Iris, who's sister, Piper, was kidnapped in front of her when they were 15. The police don't believe her and insist she was a run away. Tarryn jumps between the present and past, but it still wasn't enough to hold interest. My other main concerns are the lack of believability within the characters themselves and the story, ending, etc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an E-ARC of Tarryn Fisher’s Good Half Gone!

When Iris was 15, her twin was kidnapped. With the police believing her twin ran away and not pursuing the case, Iris and her grandmother are left to investigate on their own.

The story goes back and forth from the 911 call Iris places, to where she is in the present, getting an internship at the hospital she believes her twins kidnapper is.

If you love a story with twists and turns, this is the book for you. It took me a few chapters to get into this book, which why it isn’t a five star read for me.

This was the first book that I've had the chance to read by Tarryn Fisher and after finishing it I was shown exactly why she is a NYT best selling author. This book was amazing right from the start. It had characters that were easy to relate to but more importantly was the story was one that I couldn't being myself to put down. Even with multiple time changes which I normally don't like this was just the perfect way for the author to get the story across and she did so with such a flair that it really made everything possible. When our main character Iris witnesses her twin sister Piper get kidnapped she is devastated she tries to follow the van but can't keep up. What makes things worse however is when she goes to report it no one believes her. How can this be happening? Now years later Iris has not forgotten what happened and is desperate for answers and nothing and no one will get in the way of her confronting the man she believes is responsible. I found this to be quite a fast read simply because I was unable to put it down. Everytime I though I was getting to the bottom of what happened I was thrown another twist which always makes me super invested. Great plot, and great characters. I'm so glad that I was able to check this book out and I will definitely be recommending it to everyone I know.

Book: Good Half Gone
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Pub Date: September 26, 2023

I feel like all of Fisher’s books are solid reads. I can’t say they are five star reads necessarily but very enjoyable books that I wouldn’t miss reading one. I’m falling somewhere in the middle on this one. I loved how it started out with Piper’s kidnapping and Iris’s story being dismissed. I was completely hooked in the beginning with Piper and Iris as teens and how she was kidnapped. And then it took a turn. The present day Iris at Shoal Island was completely unbelievable. The story for me just fell apart after that. I’m sure what I have read is not the final copy but there needs to be some cleanup on aisle 4. I feel like I missed my calling as a copy editor. If anyone needs one….call me. The ending was rushed and didn’t pull the story together. There were a lot of inconsistencies but with a little elbow grease she can pull this together before final publication.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is March 19, 2024.

Thank you for the ARC!
This book was amazing ! Loved it and kept me reading all the way to the end. I could not figure it out for sure but when they revealed it at the end it all made sense ! I definitely recommend this book!

Whoa! What just happened??? Just finished this and it took my breath away. I’m not a twin but I have close sisters and this made me think of what I would do if something similar happened to one of them. A lot of crazy twists keep you on the edge of your seat until the final jaw dropping moment! So good! This author knows how to write really great descriptions of places and characters. An author I will be watching for!

This book was as phenomenal! A wild ride from start to finish! I stayed up late to finish it because it was miss out on sleep good! There were twists and turns all the way up until the end that I didn't see coming. Iris was an interesting and layer e character and I wish we could have a second book to see what she does next!

Good Half Gone features a girl named Iris who witnessed her twin sister’s abduction when they were only 15. Desperate to find out what happened to her sister and letting grief control her life, Iris is ready to stop at nothing to confront the man she believes is responsible.

As I started this book, I had high hopes. Tarryn Fisher’s writing is typically hit or miss for me. The storyline hooked me right away, and the beginning of the book kept me actively engaged. As the story progressed and Iris started her internship on the island, there were so many small characters with little to no character development so they all started to blur together. While the overall storyline was good and kept you wanting to know how to pieces fit together, it was very choppy writing. There were multiple instances where certain aspects of the story didn’t match up with what was previously mentioned (for example: the story mentions Iris being homeschooled after her sister’s disappearance and barely getting C’s - then maybe 20 pages later talks about how she graduated with a 4.0 GPA - huh???)

I was hoping 🤞 for an epic ending to really secure this book as deserving of a higher rating, but the twist at the end was once again choppy. While, I overall didn’t see the ending coming - multiple parts had me going what? How? Why? 🤨 I did guess the main protagonist about half way through the book, which I think played a part in my frustration. This book had so much potential, and perhaps the choppiness will be fixed prior to final publishing. For the reader’s sake, I hope so, which is why as I struggled to rate this book, I’m giving it some benefit of the doubt for final edits.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you NetGalley, Tarryn Fisher, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this book! All opinions are my own.

Iris Walsh barely escaped her twin sister’s fate as a teen: kidnapped and trafficked. The cops won’t take her seriously, so Iris takes things into her own hands.
 
Now an adult, Iris gets an internship at the Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane, where Iris believes she might find some real answers to her sister’s case. But Iris soon realizes that something even more sinister is simmering beneath the surface of the Shoal, and it’s something that you would never guess.

I could not stop reading this book! It was so gripping! And the ending!!! I wouldn’t expect anything less from Tarryn Fisher!

I would highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of twisty, fast paced thrillers! Out on March 19th.

This book definitely took me on a lot of twists and turns, the plot, just everything had me everywhere! Although there was some inconsistencies with the ages and years for the first half of the book, it went from 8 to 9 in many places, it didn’t bother me too much though

What is it about prisons on islands that is so dang spooky??

I’m so proud of myself! I guessed the ending! However, it took me a really long time before I suspected it., and I was along for the ride and totally engaged. All the little reveals along the way were expertly placed. I need to wait a few months and read it again to look for all of the Easter eggs that are undoubtedly there. I’m excited to read Tarryn Fisher’s other work!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I am a huge fan of Tarryn Fisher and was so excited to get the opportunity to read her newest novel. This book grabs you immediately and I didn’t put it down until I knew what happened to Piper.

I’m a Tarryn Fisher fan. I am not a “Good Half Gone” fan. This book was on the short side and yet still felt too long. There was useless things added to the story and then the end felt rushed and so unbelievably far-fetched that it was absurd. It definitely did not tie things up with a nice bow and everything making sense. Far from it.
As someone who actually works in a facility that houses people who have been deemed incompetent to stand trial, I have first hand knowledge of how those types of places are ran and this story is a laughingstock. There is a joke about the insane people running the asylum but this book takes it a step even further.
I would say you’d have to read it to believe it, but I don’t want you to waste your time like I did.
Despite my disappointment in this book, I thank NetGalley and Harlequin Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for this review.
Find my review on Goodreads!

I feel like there was real potential with the beginning of the story, I was instantly hooked. It was almost a slow burn, gathering little pieces of information here and there to finally reveal the big picture. The big mystery of what happened to Piper has been an obsession with her twin sister and Iris has revolved her career choices around getting close to this person she believes is responsible for Piper's disappearance (or murder).

The ending.... what can I say? It felt so rushed and incomplete. Not to mention totally unrealistic! I was left thinking there is no way!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and Tarryn Fisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date for Good Half Gone is March 19, 2024

I have read a few books by this author and liked them a lot so I was excited to dive into this one. Really enjoyed it. It was suspenseful and kept me entertained. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this ARC.

Good Half Gone starts with an intriguing premise that quickly grabs your attention. However, as you delve deeper into the story, you notice the cracks in its execution.

The narrative needs to work on maintaining a consistent pacing. One of the main issues I had was the amount of time spent on details that, while interesting, do not significantly contribute to the story's progression or the characters' development. These detours from the main plotline can frustrate and disconnect the reader from the storyline.

Another area where the book could improve is its character development, specifically the protagonist, Iris. She is a character who is driven by her past and her desperate need for closure. Yet, her character needs more depth, and her motivations often must be clarified. This lack of clarity creates a disconnect between the reader and Iris, making it hard to empathize fully with her struggles and journey.

The story's setting, Shoal Island Hospital, is meant to add a layer of suspense and mystery to the plot. However, its secrets are revealed predictably, reducing the suspense and leaving the reader underwhelmed.

Despite the promising setup, the novel fails to deliver on its potential fully. The narrative could benefit from a better balance between the plot and character development and a more unpredictable reveal of secrets. The novel provides a mediocre reading experience that leaves the reader wanting more depth and complexity from the story and its characters.

Thank you to HTP (Harlequin Trade Publishing), Graydon House, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Eeeeeehhhh I’m kind of left scratching my head at the end of this one. Not sure that this has a very believable ending, but if I look at it firmly from an anything can happen in the fiction world I can possibly buy it.

I love this author and have previously rated some of her other works 4/5 stars. This one was more of a 3.5. The idea of one twin being kidnapped and her twin looking for answers caught my attention. I would definitely say it’s worth the read but go into it knowing you have to be ready to believe the unbelievable.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC for my review

3.5/5

I'm a big fan of Tarryn Fisher, but the central twist wasn't entirely surprising to me. The novel's strength lies in its emotional core and compelling character relationships. I really liked Iris's determination. Her relationships with other characters, particularly her grandmother and Cal, were enough for me to not be bothered that the mystery seemed very obvious.

I do think that some of the plot in the middle could've been left out, and if the middle had been more focused on what Iris was supposed to be doing, I probably would've rated this higher.

Despite this slight dip in pacing, 'Good Half Gone' remains a captivating read. My biggest issue would have to be that when I sent the ARC to my Kindle, it formatted really weird. It was hard to follow, but eventually I got into it. This did NOT factor into my rating, but I wanted to note it here in case anyone sees this when requesting. Hopefully it get's fixed!

This pains me to say but this book didn’t do a thing but make me mad.

1. The authors need to crap on religion so frequently in her works is really annoying. Small side note- christians can have tvs in their house. Like what, that line took me out. “They didn’t even have a tv.. they’re super christian” LOL

2. Not a single thing in this book would have happened in real life. Not one. You can’t even cop that “but it’s fiction” bc no. Just no.

The twist was also glaringly obvious. From the minute the same weird thing happened with two different characters… you just know. There were also multiple lines repeated that served no purpose to the story. The plot holes are all over the place.

This did not feel like a Fisher book to me.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and Tarryn Fisher for this ARC. Tarryn Fisher as an author has been a bit hit or miss for me, and this one sadly was a bit of a miss for me.
I was really excited to read this book based on the author and synopsis, however I found the story to be a bit disjointed between the multiple characters + backstories, subplots and (what felt like) a random romantic relationship in the middle.
Once the FMC finally made it to the criminal care facility, I was like HERE WE GOOO but sadly this just didn’t get better for me.
However, I know a lot of people love this author, and maybe this particular story was just not for me.
2.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 3