The first half really captured me, premise was unique, and the narration was done incredibly well for twin sister POVs.

As the story progressed it got more engrossing…until it didn’t. Unfortunately, the second half fell a little flat for me and got convoluted. There were lots of repetition without much further information being provided, and my interest fell off quickly.

The ending was interesting but unfortunately not enough to pull it all together for me. I will say that the ending did have me excited to continue listening however bored I got through the second half.

I’m excited to check out Marlee Bush’s future works, and I hope to hear more from Imani Jade Powers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC of When She Was Me!

This was a great suspense novel. I wouldn’t go quite as far to say it’s a thriller (maybe a very small part of it is) but for the most part it’s a pretty slow-burn style of mystery/horror/suspense. I loved the dual POV’s and the dual timeline, as well, because things like that almost always manage to keep my interest. And in the case of a slow-burner like this, it was definitely needed. I also loved the creepy atmosphere and setting for this book- a fairly deserted campground in the backwoods of Tennessee. And while I didn’t personally love the two sisters, I thought they were unique and interesting enough to make the story even creepier.

I also really liked the narrator for this story. Her voice was absolutely perfect for this book! It had a slight southern twang to it, and I loved how she subtly differentiated between the two sisters.

Overall a great read if you like suspense!

I thought that the narrator did a great job with this one. It is a difficult task to differentiate two characters, especially twins.

I thought this book started off really strong and I really liked the premise of it. I thought there was a little too much of telling us that the sisters had a secret without telling us what the secret was. The buildup was a lot, and the end just kind of went a little too far for what it was.

Overall, I had a difficult time following which character was which, especially when it came to the past timeline.

The writing was very good, and I will certainly give this author's work another chance. Overall, the story just became too convoluted for my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC.

Unfortunately, this thriller was a miss for me. I ended up listening to half on audio and I switched the kindle version. I enjoyed the narrator, but I would have liked at least two narrators to tell the twins apart.

The plot was very interesting to me at first, but by the end it changed so much and I found it to be unrealistic.

I really enjoyed Marlee’s writing, but the switch up between first and second POV was also confusing at times.

I've heard good things about the book, and maybe I'm in the minority, but I didn't enjoy the book very much. Not sure if audio was the best format. Hard to keep up with who is speaking and whether it's the present or past. The plot twist was not very interesting to me. Kind of seemed over the top and unrealistic. Overall, this wasn't for me.

•When She Was Me by Marlee Bush•
★★★☆ 3.5/5 stars
Published May 7th!

• 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 :
•eerie, ominous vibes
•creepy cabin in the woods
•twin sisters with a dark past
•debut author
•unreliable narrators
•slow burn thrillers that keep you guessing
•jaw dropping twisty endings

•𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨
Identical twin sisters Cassie & Lenora live in an isolated cabin deep in the woods. Running from a traumatic childhood, they rely only on each other, each the half of a whole.
Now the past is coming back to haunt them when a teenage girl visiting a nearby cabin goes missing. A nail-biting story of sisterhood, suspicion, and suspense. When She Was Me weaves together past and present seamlessly to create a twist you won't see coming.

•𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨
It was suspenseful, atmospheric & will keep you guessing until the very end!

The deep woods, isolated, creepy cabin was the perfect setting. The alternating POVs & timelines, although at times a bit confusing, made it a super fast read! I just had to figure out how everything connected. I enjoyed the writing style with its sense of foreboding & dread. It made you question everything & everyone! With a twist I didn’t see coming, tension was high making for a very strong & shocking conclusion.

I thought this was a great debut, & would absolutely read another book from Marlee Bush!

thanks to @netgalley, @dreamscape_media & @poisonedpenpress for the opportunity to listen to this ARC ◡̈

This was an impressive debut novel for Marlee Bush! The setting was written so well that I was fully immersed in the deep woods scenery. Even the narrator’s accent added to it all.
The story itself was multi-pov with now-and-then chapters between our main characters. Twins, btw. Twins! Odd, unique, troubled twins! A great detail to add to the psychological thriller trope. Lots to unpack with them. There was also an element of mystery as the past was laid out through the book with some bombshell twists towards the end. This was a slow burn for me but I held on as I needed to know how it all wrapped up.
I cannot wait to see what Marlee Bush writes next.

I was worried this wouldn't handle the twin thing well but it really does wonderful!, this is a really good unreliable narrative book. I adored thus.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of When She Was Me in exchange for an honest review.

This title was very average, with regards to the mystery genre and, despite having listened to it recently, I already can't remember most of the twists, nor do I understand the significance of some of the flashbacks which don't really add much.

As a result, the title feels incredibly long and the pacing is skewed, making what could be an easy listen arduous.

Thank you Dreamscape Media & Marlee Bush for this audiobook read!

This book took me quite a while to get hooked into it. I think it was about 40% before it really amped up. This book is perfect for lovers of unreliable narrators, plots full of secrets and unsettling content. It was a slower burn and had unexpected twists and turns.

Overall this read had me wondering how everything was going to tie together and the author did it really well. It was unexpected with twists and turns, unsettling and excellent setting!

3.5/5

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush

Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia, and @marleebushwriter for the opportunity to read this #advancedreadercopy in exchange for my #honestbookreview! This book is available now.

This was full of creepy vibes, and nearly every character had a closet full of skeletons. Another dual timeline book where all the dominoes start to fall into place. Vibe wise this reminded me of Pretty Little Liars meets The Last Time I Lied - twisty, turny, and an action packed sequence towards the end. I highly recommend this one for someone looking for a slow build suspense read.

TWs: loss of a loved one, SA, false accusations, framing, ga*slighting, substance *buse, *rson, more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4/5

Thank you netgalley, Marlee Bush and Dreamscape audio for the audio arc of When she was me.
Narrated by Imani Jade Powers

Imani Jade Powers has a great voice to narrate this medium paced psychological thriller. Twins. Cassie and Lenora are at a cabin in the middle of the woods with their POV. There is also an unknown narrator who appears to be interjecting with flashbacks through the plot. It sets the scene for a very atmospheric thriller.

The plot is well paced but I did find there were a few parts that felt drawn out. There's a good number of twists and turns which lead you on a bit of a merry dance and the conclusion was fairly decent if not a little predictable.

This is the first book by Marlee Bush and even though this particular book didn't quite hit the spot for me, Ill be looking out for more books

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape_media for this audio ARC. Let me start by saying this was an incredible debut novel! Loved the cover and the audio from start to finish! The narrator did a fantastic job because was able to distinguish between the POV with ease! I was unable to predict this ending and I had a difficult time trying to figure out which Twin sister was a liar and which one was telling the truth!! It was very entertaining! I would definitely recommend this and I hope the author continues to write more!!!

"When She Was Me" by Marlee Bush, narrated by Imani Jade Powers, was an enthralling audiobook experience from start to finish.
The story centres around twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora, who live in isolation at Cabin Two in a remote Tennessee campground to evade prying eyes and distractions. Their peaceful existence is disrupted when a teenage girl camping nearby goes missing, triggering memories of a dark event from their past that threatens to unravel their lives. As suspicions and secrets emerge, the sisters must confront their shared history and the sinister truth lurking within it.
The narrative weaves a complex web of deception, uncertainty, and intrigue, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I try to unravel the mystery alongside the unreliable narrators. The twists and turns in the story kept me guessing until the very end, making for a thrilling and suspenseful listening experience.
I was particularly drawn to the dynamic between the twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora, and how their bond, guilt, and protectiveness toward each other shaped their actions and decisions. The exploration of their past traumas and present dilemmas added layers of depth to the plot, making the characters and their motives feel richer and more compelling.
Imani Jade Powers' narration of the audiobook was exceptional, bringing the characters to life with nuance, emotion, and authenticity. Her skilful delivery kept me fully immersed in the story, enhancing the overall listening experience.
Overall, "When She Was Me" is a gripping psychological thriller that skilfully delves into themes of family, identity, trauma, and darkness. Marlee Bush's storytelling is masterful, building tension and suspense throughout the narrative and delivering unexpected twists that kept me engaged until the very last moment.

Had to DNF this new to me author's thriller. I just couldn't get into it at all. Not for me but maybe a hit for someone else. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to listen to an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Marlee Bush's When She Was Me is a strong debut, and I'm already excited to see what she writes next. Among the things I love are books about twins and slow-burn thrillers, and so this one checked all the boxes for me, but what ultimately sealed it for me was the ending. I never saw it coming, and it is epic! It's perfectly narrated for maximum suspense, and I was riveted!

WOW! Is this really a debut?! If you are a thriller lover, then you know that trying to figure out the ending before it happens is just something our brains do. This was IMPOSSIBLE to figure out. The big plot twist sucker punched me like Mike Tyson! These days it is easy to see the same trope replayed in thrillers, but I must say this was very unique. I listened to the audiobook and I really loved the narrator. The way it was laid out was easy to distinguish who's POV you were the listening to. I can't say too much without giving away spoilers, but there were some parts that were a little hard to distinguish who was who. However, once I got to the ending I realized why! I would definitely recommend this book to any thriller lovers! We aren't even halfway through the month but I know this will make it to my list of favorites for this month!

This audiobook was published earlier this week and it is a doozy of a thriller. Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora live in Cabin Two at a remote Tennessee campground to escape prying eyes and true crime fanatics. They rarely have to interact with other people, the exception being when someone books the cabin next door to theirs. A family suddenly books the neighboring cabin and then the teenage daughter goes missing.

This story is full of twists and turns. I was never sure who was lying and who was telling the truth. I highly recommend this audiobook to listeners who enjoy stories with unreliable narrators and remote settings.

Thank you @dreamscape_media for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

Gripping thriller that will keep your interest throughout. I really enjoyed the twin aspects of knowing everything about each other. There are so many lies and deceptions that you have to uncover to find the truth. The audiobook was really good. I enjoyed the narrator. I know that the alternative timeline you need to figure out who is narrating, but I would have loved a different narrator. Overall, a good thriller!!

*Thank you @poisonedpenpress and @dreamscape_media for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

I experienced an immersive thriller. As I delved into the story, I found myself drawn into a world of suspense and intrigue. While my emotional investment in the characters was not absolute, the narrative's intricate plot and suspenseful twists kept me engaged throughout.

Throughout the listen, I found myself empathizing with the characters, feeling their struggles and challenges as they navigated through the gripping storyline. Although excitement was not the predominant emotion, there was a compelling allure to the narrative that held my interest.

Despite not feeling fully immersed, the audiobook added an extra layer of intensity to the storytelling, making it a memorable experience. Overall, the thriller provided a captivating journey into the depths of suspense and mystery, making it a worthwhile listen for any fan of the genre.