When She Was Me provided just enough intrigue to keep me hoping for more. However, in the end, the mystery wasn’t that mysterious, nor the suspense as suspenseful as I’d hoped. It was still enough to keep me reading to the end. Good for when you’re in the mood for a light beach read with a bit of mystery and some twin energy.

Imani Jade Powers did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Marlee Bush, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

♡ 𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 ♡
•missing person
•duel timeline (past and present)
•duel POV (Cassie and Lenora)
•identical twin sisters
-
4 ⭐️
When She Was Me is a thriller | murder mystery debut by Marlee Bush, and I have to say she did a great job writing this story. This story had me hooked from the beginning to the end. The identical twin trope is amazing. The love and the sister bond that Cassie and Lenora are phenomenal. Having secrets and keeping secrets.
This book definitely had twists and turns.

♤ 𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 May.7 ♤

•Thank you, Netgalley, and Dreamscape Media for the (ALC)-Audiobook for my honest review.

A really fabulous debut novel for Marlee Bush! I definitely love a crazy twisted story, and this was on the less “wild” side but still super intriguing.

Twins with very opposite personalities - Cassie with a front and center attitude and Lenora with agoraphobia who is basically a shut-in except for her sleepwalking ventures. They have resided in a small cabin in the woods since “that night” and they are now caught up in the middle of a murder case of a 15 year-old girl in a nearby cabin. Told from alternating POV from the sisters created some great questions and tension throughout.

The lines were blurred throughout from the past and present, who is reliable and who is protecting who, and why? Definitely eery in the telling of this story as it is set in the woods and has many mixed components, but not scary or horror-filled.

Thank you NetGalley for an early reader for an honest review.

This is Marlee debut novel and was impressed with her writing. This was a fast read, as I read it in one sitting.

Twin sisters Cassie and Lenora, hiding from a tragic past, find refuge as permanent residents of a secluded campground. When the campground changes ownership after the previous owner’s sudden death, the sisters face new challenges as visitors return, including a family with a teenage daughter who goes missing and is later found dead in the woods. As memories resurface, Lenora struggles to maintain her grip on reality while Cassie fights to protect them both at any cost.

I had no idea how this book was going to end honestly or what was going to be revealed, the reveal at the end was a nice plot twist.

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!

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 ALC for my honest review!

When She Was Me by Marlee Bush

Thank you NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the audiobook & ARC.

Blurb:
"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." — Tracy Sierra

✨My thoughts:
I loved this! It was a fast an ominous read/listen that I couldn’t put down or stop listening to. Deep diving into sister bonds, the unreliable narrator was the star of the show for me. I truly did not see that twist coming. Deep in the woods, isolated, and creepy… Marlee Bush really gave us a backdrop to be unsettled in. I haven’t read too many books using the twin trope but if they’re anything like this, sign me up to read more! I loved the story, loved the writing, and I can’t wait to read more by this author. This is a book I want to get a finished copy of to keep on my shelves! When She Was Me is out 5/7/24! You won’t want to miss it.

Happy reading

This review contains spoilers.. I thought the premise of this book was really intriguing. The idea of two sisters escaping their past and having it come back to haunt them in an unexpected way. That being said, I think the idea of “did she do it?” (“It” being the unalivings of the kid) hinted at got to be pretty repetitive. It got to the point that it was clear that is what we were being lead to believe as the reader so much so that I was sure there was another explanation. By process of elimination there was only a few people it could be. That being said, I thought the book had great atmospheric vibes and tension. I thought it was an entertaining read and the writing was easily digestible and well done. The ending was not predictable but I do think it’s because it was so out of left field & you definitely have to suspend disbelief to enjoy it. I could do that, so I liked it 3.5 stars

Twins Cassie and Lenora live on a remote campground, where they enjoy their peace and quiet. That all changes when a teenage girl visiting the neighbouring cabin goes missing.

I love twins in thrillers. They always make for such interesting subjects, especially when one is so different to the other. I listened to the audiobook narration of this one and boy, it was so hard to stop! I had it on constantly throughout my day as I did chores, went to pick the kids from school and went for my walk. In the end, I really enjoyed it and thought the twists were well executed. It is a fantastic debut for Marlee Bush. I'm excited to see what she comes out with next.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape for the audiobook and to Poisoned Press for the e-book!

I am floored that this was a debut and am pumped to have a new author in the thriller space!

This book was so easy to listen to and I never wanted to put it down! I loved the alternating perspectives between the two sisters and especially loved the campground setting.

There were parts that seemed a little repetitive as we learned about the twin's backstory, but overall it was a really fun and enjoyable read!

I can't wait to see what she writes next!

This will be available for purchase on May 7th!

If you love thrillers that feature isolation in the woods, When She Was Me will be just what you're looking for. Twin sisters - Cassie & Lenora - live in a cabin in a small campground. They suffered a horrible tragedy when they were young, and now are facing a new situation that makes them truly see each other.
A new campground owner has rented out another cabin, and soon after a teenager dies. There are so many questions surrounding the circumstances of this, and the journey throughout this book will completely blow your mind. It wasn't until the very end that it all came together, and I seriously just froze and had to digest everything.
A true thriller of devotion, family, and reality.

The narrator was excellent as well and did an amazing job of differentiating the POVS of the two sisters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this early release in return for my honest opinion.

Pub Date: 07 May 2024

I received a gifted ARC for WHEN SHE WAS ME by Marlee Bush – thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley!

WHEN SHE WAS ME follows twin sisters, Cassie and Lenora. One night years ago forever bonded and traumatized them. In the present they stay out of the public eye, hiding from the world and their memories of what happened. They reside in a Tennessee campground where they are the only permanent residents. When a new owner takes over the campground, it shakes up their world. Added to that, the teenage girl camping nextdoor goes missing. All of this together starts uncovering past memories and big fears for the sisters.

I had a really good time with this book! I think the author did a great job at hinting at the secrets of the sisters’ past while also keeping us guessing as to the details. We can clearly see the trauma’s impact on their life, even without knowing what exactly happened to their family all of those years ago.

One of the things I enjoyed most with this book was the relationship between the sisters. On the one hand they are fully supportive of each other while on the other, they do get on each other’s nerves at times and they keep secrets from eachother. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out whether this was a good relationship or not. The way they are also a bit mixed in their own minds and identities as well complicated matters. The interactions with the campers and the new owner, plus the mystery of the missing girl, all serve to open up a lot of questions and possibilities.

This wound up surprising me a few times which I really enjoyed!

Book Title: When She Was Me
Author: Marlee Bush –Debut Author
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Imani Jade Powers
Publisher: Dreamscape Media/Poison Pen Press
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
My Rating: 4.5 rounded up
Pages: 400

Story is told ‘then’ and ‘now’ from the POV of twins Cassie and Lenora - there is a third narrator who isn’t clear who - I figured it was one of the twins when they were teens but the dialogue was so different my Spidey sense had me wondering if there was a third sister!

These identical twins grew in their mother’s womb in one sac –.it wasn’t clear there were two babies until late in the pregnancy- thus the title- ‘when she was me’.

These identical twins definitely look alike but their personalities are not! Cassie is outgoing and Lenora more reserve. Cassie was the larger at birth over 7 lbs. and Lenora less than 5 lbs. Cassie always felt she needed to take care of Lenora.

Ever since that night, fifteen years ago, Cassie and Lenora have been inseparable. They have been living in Cabin Two, at a campground in Tennessee. An arrangement was made fifteen years ago with Wayne, the landlord who lives in Cabin One. They were to pay monthly rent.
When Wayne died and his nephew sells the campground, the twins worry the new owner Sarah Hill may not allow them to continue living there; pleased when she is aggregable.

Guests stay next door in Cabin Three. When their recent guests arrive they have a fifteen-year old daughter, Tilly, who seems a bit wild and then goes missing; most figure she just wondered off perhaps to meet a boyfriend. Lenora was outside that night to use shower at the bath house and states she saw Tilly but later isn’t really sure what she saw as she was sleepwalking and actually may have dreamt she saw Tilly. (Of course, no one believes her.)

Story kept me curious and although it is a bit long it kept me glued.

I love a good audiobook which means a good narrator. Imani Jade Powers was GREAT. Her performance of the characters was right on. In fact, when she performed Cassie or Lenora it was clear as to which twin was speaking.

I am impressed with Marlee Bush’s debut; and look forward to reading or listening to another!

I was hoping to read the Author’s notes and/or “Acknowledgements’ as I was curious about the author’s motivation and research on identical twins-however neither was available which is typical in audiobooks.
Since it was not provided, I looked it up ~ https://www.verywellfamily.com/identical-twins-2447126
Identical twinning is officially described as monozygotic. Monozygotic twins form from a single (mono) fertilized egg (zygote). The
zygote splits into two parts after conception, resulting in the development of two individual embryos. Because the two embryos are the
result of a single egg/sperm combination, they have the same genetic origins and thus the same DNA.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media/Poison Pen Press for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 7, 2024.

I had my eye on this book for so long, but in the end was a bit disappointed because I felt like I'd read something very similar before. I did not expect the twist at the end though, that was highly unexpected and bumped up my rating a bit. Other than that, some of it could have been edited down a bit, it felt a bit long for what it was. Or a sub-storyline was needed to keep things really interesting and different.

With the twin motif at its core, this was an intriguing first thriller. I've always been fascinated by twins, and this novel was no exception, albeit Cassie and Lenora's personalities were noticeably different. The pacing was a little slow for me, which was difficult because I like my thrillers to move more quickly. The way the timelines from the past and present came together in the end was enjoyable to me. When a book does this well, I always like it, and this one did.

When She Was Me was an addictive, creepy and sinister read. It was definitely a slow burn in the beginning but once everything started picking up and piecing together it was unputdownable. I am loving these twin thrillers recently. This is a debut but I found the writing to be stellar.

The multiple POV's made for an engaging read, the narrators were very unreliable. I had no idea who to trust. I didn't know what was real, what wasn't. The past and the present timelines were also great, once they all came together it was even better.

The ending shocked me and took me by surprise. It was nothing I could've imagined, I was sitting there with my mouth open at that final plot twist. Honestly very well done !

🎧 The narration by Imani Jade Powers was very good. She was able to play both twins so distinctively that you knew who was talking. I felt the emotions through her voice, the fear of the characters. Stellar performance.

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia & @marleebush for my gifted ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamacapeMedia for the book #WhenSheWasMe by #MarleeBush. A book about sisters and the things that have happened to them along the way. Can they survive the past and move on? Why had their mother treated them the way she did? I could not stop listening to this book!

I have never had a book hook me as much as this one has. The storyline is so intriguing and focuses on twin sisters and their bond. I did find that there was such good history and mystery behind the twins. This story has layers of the characters backstory and this new mystery girl that disappears. I found that it did focus a bit less on the girl and more on the twins. I adored this story and ended up staying up all night to finish it. The narrator did an incredible job reading and keeping the story interesting. I loved the two sisters POV and reading their thoughts. I thought I knew everything then there would be a twist. It can be a lot story wise but that is what I loved about it. My top audiobook so far! I will highly recommend it as an audiobook!

When She Was Me is much more than a whodunnit mystery thriller. With its eerie isolated setting, the contrasting personalities of the twins, and the alternating timelines/POVs, you’re immersed directly into the fear and thoughts of each character.

This is a slow burn story, and I’m not sure I would have enjoyed reading it as much as listening. 🎧 The narrator did a perfect job at truly bringing the creepiness of the story to life! Although, the twins had such similar voices that it requires you to really pay attention and remember is speaking.

Solid debut novel! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.

In the beginning, I was picturing the movie Nell with Jodie Foster being one of a twin who had something tragic happen in the past, and now lives in the middle of nowhere in the woods. But this book had more action right from the beginning with a girl going missing and a mystery to find out what happened to her. You would think you could eliminate the main characters as suspects since you can hear their thoughts, but interestingly enough, you cannot cross anyone off the suspect list.
There were so many parts of this book that I thought were clever, including the fact that Cassie is a crime podcaster and how that affects her view of the world. I really found the twin relationship to be intriguing.
I would not have expected this to be a debut novel. Beautifully written.

My favorite quote:
“Mom used to say we’d leave the world the same way we entered it. When I entered the world, there was only Cassie, and I intend to leave it the same way.”