Was it just me, or did this book seem really disjointed?

It comes from journals of three different people and there didn't seem to be a lot of cohesion... It was a real shame because I could see some real talent in the writing but something wasn't working with this book.

I loved the premise of the book and it was pretty dark and it wasn't well paced either.

I so wanted to love this book but it missed the mark a tad for me!

3 stars

The Rule of Three by Sam Ripley follows three separate main characters as they attempt to understand an urban legend that all three seem to be involved in. Each of the characters have a similar history, with a sibling and both parents dying- three years apart. Individually it may seem like bad luck, but speculation suggests that there’s something more sinister at play. The twist got me because I was so involved in the story, I wasn’t looking for the answer. The ending wrapped everything up perfectly and put a bow on top!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story!! It definitely awoken my middle school urban legend obsessed self!! I found the story kept the reader on the edge of their seat, building suspense and in such a way that each part had me forgetting the past parts. I loved it all! Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy in return for an honest review!!

I'm not always a fan of horror or horror adjacent but decided to try this and it really wasn't for me. The writing was disjointed and it all felt sort of surface-level. Plus I didn't realize it was epistolary (made up of characters' journals) and I'm not at all a fan of that. Appreciate the chance to try this but it wasn't the right fit for me at all.

We have journals/writings from three women: Amy, lla and Eve. At an unnamed university in an unnamed town, these three young women all have a connection to and fear of the "rule of three". Though their stories are years apart, they all share a common theme... Bad things happen in 3’s. This book was engaging, well paced & twisty. It's told from the POV of three women as they try to uncover the mysteries surrounding a series of deaths. I would definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced e-copy!

I really wanted to like this book. The description sounded intriguing. It should have been my exact cup of tea. The author could not build a since of terror or dread. The main character was so unlikable and ridiculous that she didn't elicit any fear FOR her. I had the sense during the entire book that I had read this all before, but better.

This novel is noted as a mix of The Whisper Man and The Blair Witch Project. I was intrigued that it had a bit of suspenseful thriller and urban legend tied into the narrative.

Unfortunately this one ended up being a dnf by the third chapter. I struggled with the main characters thought processes and the writing style.

I recommend checking trigger warnings for this one. Personally, I wasn't wholly on board with the way suicide was represented and didn't feel the grief from the MC that I would've expected. However, that could just be due to how far I made it.

Even though this wasn't for me, it may be perfect for those who enjoyed The Whisper Man or The Blair Witch Project. Check out the synopsis for more.  If it sounds like your jam, I encourage readers to check out other reviews!

This one didn't really work for me, but I think others will enjoy it.

The concept of the book is that bad things come in threes. It gave me some Final Destination vibes, and I really liked the concept behind it.

I think my biggest issue is that I wasn't really able to connect or feel anything for the characters. I wasn't able to fully immerse myself with the story because I didn't have a particular feeling either way about what happened.

We have all heard bad things happen in threes. The Rule of Three by Sam Ripley takes this concept and runs with it to make a great thriller.

The story is told from the perspectives of 3 different women each encountering the curse and trying to stop it.

I went in completely blind and really loved this book! The book is written in a way that makes it feel like they are talking directly to you. The Rule of Three immediately drew me in and I finished 60% of the book on the first day. I just could not put it down.

Fans of multiple POVs and the movie Urban Legend will love this book. Solid 4-star rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC!

Thank you @atriabooks for my complimentary copy. My thoughts are my own.

Although the premise of this one sounded intriguing, the story seemed to drag on and I quickly lost interest. I did push through the first part, but the second part was not any more interesting. I decided not to continue reading . I think perhaps this book is more suited for teen readers.

Thank you, Sam Ripley and NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

First things first, you have to read a good portion of this book to really understand what's going on. You can't just read part one, then quiet, or you're missing out on so much. Every part adds to the story, and then at the end, it all ties together. It might get frustrating, but when I tell you it's worth it, it truly is. From beginning to end, this book truly is one of a kind. I enjoyed every moment of it and hope to read more like this in the future. This book makes you think about urban legends and certain things a little more and think what if?

The rule of three. Is it real? Is it true? Or is it false and just an urban legend? The main characters of this book all believe in the rule of three. It's changed their lives, turned them upside down, and now it's coming for them. What will they do? Will they survive, be able to stop it from happening or continuing on to others? So much death has happened, and yet no one believes in our main characters. It's up to you, find out what happens before it's too late.

This truly is a maddening Rollercoaster. So much is put into this book. It's very much a mystery all on its own, and if you don't pay attention to the details, you will miss it. I know for a fact that I'm definitely going to read this again to see how I missed what I missed. Even with how the book is laid out, I never gave up, and the ending blew my mind.

Full confession...I almost DNF's The Rule of Three. Twice. The book is sectioned into thirds, each one with a different narrator, and the first third feels like YA with a completely unlikable main character. The second narrator is slightly more mature, and there's an interesting tie-in to the first narrator, and so my interest was temporarily rekindled. Only because i really wanted to see how it was all going to tie together did I keep reading, but it was with the third narrator that things got interesting, and I was glad that I stayed with it.. The last third of the book ties everything together in a jaw-dropping way, and I developed more of an appreciation for the previous two parts. I ended up really enjoying the ending, and I'm glad that I ignored my thoughts of quitting. Thanks for the opportunity to review!

3.5/5

This may not be for me. I liked it fine but I couldn’t connect to any of the characters and the story was just kind of meh. It’s saving Grace? The writing and how it was told. Just ok for me.

OMG! Why did I like this book so much?!? It’s making me mad, and my brain is all scrambled. True psychological thriller - mind blown.
“I know you. I know you’re terrified and overwhelmed. I know no one believes you and you’re desperate and going out of your mind. I know you because I was you. I thought I had it all figured out. I thought I knew it all. I was so very, very wrong.”
Each section is a different POV, someone who believes they are a victim of “The Rule of Three” … excitedly I followed along, absorbing all the details. Thinking I had it figured out, then realized I didn’t, tried again, way off … so wrong!

I have always believed in the Rule of Three. The premise of this book was intriguing, but the the plot was redundant. It was hard to relate to the characters or get a feel for who they were outside of being hyper focused about "the rule."
This was a tough book to get through.

This cover will for sure draw in potential readers! The Rule of Three has a killer concept and an intriguing blurb!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

Do bad things really happen in 3? That is what the characters in Sam Ripley's new novel are trying to come to terms with. This book was initially hard for me to get into, I had to adjust to the writing style of the 3 POVs. However, once I got into it I did find it to be enjoyable!

Bad things happen in threes…this book was creepy and so enjoyable! Told in multiple storylines/povs you’ll be on the edge of your seat!

The Rule of Three has so much potential. It didn’t live up to that potential for me. I live a good urban legend yet this particular legend is obscure and scattered at best even without this book.

The beginning is so good and kept me turning the pages but as the book went on, it just seemed repetitive and made less sense.

It’s a fun premise but the povs were interchangeable to me. I did guess the killer and flew to the end to see if I was right. I was. Yes there is a killer keeping the rule of three active. This book just wasn’t really my jam overall. I will read this author again as like I said, potential is there!

Thanks for the early copy - all my opinions are my own and you may really like this one. I hope you do!

You're going to read this and think you know where it's going, but don't. There were unexpected things here, more than one twist, and a cast of mostly unlikable characters who manage to snare your curiosity.

The first journal, Amy, is difficult to get through. She's a mess, she's frustrating, but she's also unbelievably tragic. Get through it and pay attention - all the answers are there but you'll have no idea what your looking for until it all smacks you in the face, and it's not what you think either. The next two journals, Ila and Eve, are much more engaging and characters you'll like more. Ila has the creepy factor, and Eve is where we go hard-boiled mystery.

This is a thriller of threads upon threads, braids woven into braids, and I was more hooked than I expected to be since I did struggle a little in the beginning. Have fun, enjoy it for what it is.

Bad things always come in threes, they say… Well, so does Sam Ripley, and I am here for it.

This was such a fun read. It’s urban legend, supernatural thriller, and intense mystery all in one. I found myself immersed in the story and, while there were some lulls, ultimately, this was great!