The book held my interest for the first several chapters but after things were revealed, it became a little less exciting until the end when it again picked up. The different points of view threw me. Victoria, an ex pop star, gets an email from someone who has been dead for 20 years. She left her stardom behind when Victoria died and when she was also being stalked. With this email, old horrid memories are dredged up. We learn the truth about what happened to her friend and what is happening now as Victoria operates a pet rescue.
While the end was good and unanticipated, the middle was a bit confusing and, at times, a bit slow.
The character development was good, however.
Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Netgalley, Marnie Vinge, and Inkubator Books for the ebook. I love a good psycho thriller and this did not disappoint! A quick and fun read that will have you turning the pages all throughout the night!

The cover didn't lie when it said it was a gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist! I found this book very interesting and easily drawn in. I thought I knew the twist a few times and was wrong. I loved the wolves and rescue sanctuary aspect of it. The only thing I didn’t care for was the back and forth timelines. I know it’s very common in these books, but I just would have preferred a bold text of THEN and NOW at the start of a chapter. If you didn’t pay attention to the date when starting the chapter it was a little confusing for a minute. And honestly could have been just a me issue while reading it. Overall I highly recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers with a twist you don’t see coming!!

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

Crazy For You By Marnie Vinge
Publication Date: Fall 2024
Publisher: Inkubator Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

📚MY REVIEW:

If you are looking for a psychological thriller that is tension-filled and focused on edge-of-your-seat intensity, you do not want to miss Crazy For You! Wowza, this book was RIVETING!

This story was told in multiple POVs across multiple timelines...and if you're a fan of psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, buckle up for this one! Throughout the book and in every storyline, there was a pervasive stalker wreaking havoc on the characters, which created such a creepy vibe.

Our female MC, Victoria, was a teenage pop star in LA in the early 2000s. She was being stalked by a super fan and became embroiled in tabloid rumors after the death of her friend and fellow pop star, Nikki, who died while attending a party in Victoria's home. Victoria left LA, happy to be away from the limelight, and opened a wolf conservation and rescue center in Oklahoma. There's a part of this story that touches on the MeToo movement, which may be a helpful TW for some readers. The alternating perspective is told by our other female MC, Alice, who is obsessed with not only her best friend, Joey, but obsessed with Victoria at the start of her career in the early 2000s. It quickly becomes clear that Alice is (more than a little) unhinged, with her life of trauma and her increasingly toxic friendship with Joey. There's a part of this story that touches on alcoholism, which may be a helpful TW for some readers. Reading and waiting for these storylines to intersect in the present day really kept my anxiety levels up!

This book was simultaneously a fast read and a slow burn. I don't know if I've ever read a book with so much unreliability, paranoia, and tension -- it was palpable! EVERY storyline was filled with intensity. This one grabbed me instantly, with the initial chapters making me feel as if I knew what to expect in the story ahead. But I didn't. This book was an even wilder ride than I anticipated, and the second half of the book had SO many unexpected twists and turns - my head was spinning (in a good way). I will say that just before the halfway point of the book, I started feeling a little confused about all the tension, like I was missing a big piece of the puzzle. I didn't understand why everybody was so stressed out about what was happening. But very shortly after I started wondering what I was missing, clues started cluing and twists started twisting -- and I wasn't going anywhere till this book was done and all the secrets were revealed.

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators and stalking vibes, you're gonna love this one. This book is perfect for fans of Faith Gardner, Lisa Gray, or Freida McFadden. I absolutely recommend picking this one up wherever you buy your books! A huge thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for gifting me an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#CrazyForYou #MarnieVinge #InkubatorBooks #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #thrilleraddict #psychologicalthriller #thrillerlover #stalkervibes #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookrecs

Victoria is haunted by the death of Nikki Stone. Twenty years later she has tried to move on and runs a wolf rescue centre but someone can't let her go and they are determined to make her pay. Amazingly fast paced I was flying through the pages at a breathtaking speed just waiting for the twist. I felt scared trying to figure out what would happen next. I became invested in the characters even though I didn't particularly like them I was still hoping for a good outcome. It's a complicated thriller that I read while scared out of my wits about the stalker!

Marnie Vinge’s Crazy For You is a psychological thriller that combines the haunting echoes of a tragic past with the dark realities of fame and obsession. Centering on ex-pop star Victoria London, the novel weaves together themes of guilt, trauma, and the relentless grip of the past, creating a suspenseful narrative that keeps readers intrigued, even if it doesn't always deliver the emotional punch it promises.

Victoria, who once captivated the world as a music sensation, has retreated from fame after the tragic death of her friend Nikki Stone, a death that continues to haunt her two decades later. Although Nikki’s death was ruled an accident, Victoria has never been able to shake the guilt she feels for her role in it. Compounding her decision to leave the spotlight was a stalker, an obsessive fan who made her life a nightmare. The novel opens with Victoria leading a quieter, more fulfilling life running a wolf rescue charity, a stark contrast to the chaos of her past.

Vinge does a good job in setting up the eerie, unsettling tone of the novel. The email that Victoria receives about Nikki is the perfect catalyst for stirring up all the unresolved emotions and trauma that Victoria has been suppressing. The re-emergence of her past is both chilling and suspenseful, and the mystery behind who sent the email and why creates a solid foundation for the novel’s tension. The concept of a stalker or obsessed fan also adds an extra layer of unease, hinting that Victoria may never be truly free of her past, no matter how much she tries to escape it.

However, while the premise is strong, the execution falls somewhat short in places. Victoria is a complex character, shaped by guilt, fear, and a desire for redemption, but her emotional journey doesn’t quite resonate as deeply as it could. The novel hints at her inner turmoil, but Vinge doesn’t always explore these feelings in a way that truly connects with the reader. As a result, some of the more emotional moments, particularly related to Victoria’s guilt over Nikki’s death, feel underdeveloped.

The inclusion of the wolf rescue charity is an interesting touch and provides a symbolic backdrop to Victoria’s attempts to find peace. The wolves serve as a metaphor for her own wild, uncontrollable past, and the refuge she finds in their company highlights her need to distance herself from the poisonous aspects of fame. Vinge’s portrayal of Victoria’s relationship with the animals adds a unique element to the story, but at times it feels like more could have been done to integrate this aspect into the central narrative. While it provides a peaceful contrast to the rising danger around her, it sometimes feels like a secondary thread rather than a key part of the plot.

As the story unfolds and the mystery deepens, Vinge builds suspense through the growing sense that someone from Victoria’s past is out to make her pay. The slow reveal of this figure’s identity is effective, keeping readers guessing, but there are moments where the pacing drags. The middle section of the novel could have used a bit more urgency to maintain the tension that’s so well-established early on.

The novel’s final act brings the stakes to a climax, with Victoria forced to confront not only the person behind the threatening messages but also the unresolved guilt that has haunted her for years. The resolution is satisfying in terms of plot, though the emotional payoff might leave some readers wanting more depth. The confrontation is intense, but the psychological aspect of Victoria’s struggle could have been explored more thoroughly to make the ending feel more impactful.

Final Thoughts:
Crazy For You offers an engaging, suspenseful ride, with a strong premise that keeps readers hooked from the beginning. Marnie Vinge crafts a solid psychological thriller that explores the dark side of fame and the lingering effects of guilt. However, while the book delivers on mystery and tension, it occasionally falls short in emotional depth and pacing. Fans of thrillers with a touch of celebrity intrigue and a well-crafted atmosphere will enjoy the novel, though it might leave others hoping for a bit more intensity in both character development and plot execution.

I was not expecting that twist ending! This was one of those psychological thrillers that keeps you assuming and simultaneously proving you wrong. I had a lot of fun reading this book!

I thought I knew what was happening, but the turns proved me wrong. Great, easy read! I love the drama, stalker vibe of the book.
Thank you for the opportunity to read!

Crazy for you! The cover first off
Perfect for thriller spooky season
Page turning gripping
The characters some you’ll love some not so much
The guessing and ending
Great thriller

Victoria had everything a rising teen star would want - money, fame, and success. All of that comes crashing down when her best friend has a (literal) deadly fall. But then, 20 years later, Victoria hears from her - what's going on?!

This one took a little while for me to get into and felt like more of a slow burn, but it had a captivating story that kept me reading! Some of the characters could have used a bit more development and the ending made me wanting more, but overall I enjoyed VInge's ideas and plan on keeping an eye on her future works! Thanks so much for the ARC!

A solid 3.75⭐️ read. I want to rate it higher, but the ending just felt lackluster. Like Victoria just didn’t learn her lesson. I also need to know what happened to Nox.

This definitely felt like a slow-burn thriller to me. It focused a lot on what happened in Victoria’s past 20 years ago, and from the prologue you think you know. But there are quite a few twists and turns along that way that make you question your own guesses. At one point I knew who the true villain was but not who they truly were. That part was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s. Overall, if you’re looking for a solid thriller and are ok with a lot of non-linear timelines then this is a solid read for you.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for this arc. I look forward to reading more of Marnie’s work.

I was gripped! The twists and turns felt like whiplash, just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, BOOM, thrown in another direction!
Would recommend this book to all.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and thank you to Marnie Vinge.

She used to be famous. Now she just wants to survive.

Ex-pop star Victoria London is shocked when she gets an email about her old friend Nikki Stone. Nikki’s been dead for almost twenty years. And Victoria was the one who killed her.

Although Nikki’s death was a tragic accident, it has haunted Victoria ever since and was one of the reasons she turned her back on stardom. The other was an obsessed fan who stalked her and made her life a misery.

When Victoria decided to leave fame behind, she set up a wolf rescue charity. After the snake pit of life as a celebrity, she found the company of wolves safer, and much more rewarding.

But her hard-won peace is shattered by the email from an unknown sender.

It brings up painful memories and emotions she thought she had left behind. It stirs up something deadlier too - a ruthless killer who seems determined to make Victoria pay for her past mistakes.

Can Victoria hold on to her fulfilling life caring for the animals she loves? Or will she finally have to pay a horrifying price for the darkness that came with stardom?

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Crazy For You by Marnie Vinge is a thrilling psychological thriller with some good twists and turns. It starts strong, spikes interest and sucks in quickly but around the middle things kind of slow down and I started to lose interest. It felt like it went circles and circles and headed nowhere, but then some action started and I was back in the story guessing what was going on. Good turns and twists kicked in and I ended up loving the book!


Alice feels lonely so when Joey shows some interest in her she dives fully into the friendship building an unhealthy attachment towards Joey. Alice is heartbroken once Joey finds a boyfriend and falls in love with Victoria London songs. She feels that there is a connection between them.

Once Victoria London had every musical teenager's dream - contract and fame! Her songs become hits overnight, her fanbase expands unbelievably fast. Some fans become obsessive and this scares Victoria. After the fatal fall of her friend Nikki, Victoria Victoria decided to leave fame behind and turn to charity work.

When Wolf's charity runs out of money Victoria decides to give an exclusive interview to raise some money but she doesn't realise that this will open the doors to a dark past wrapped in secrets.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this copy!

This was a good thriller. I liked the twists and turns. I thought I had some things figured out but I was wrong.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator books for this ARC.

Ex-popstar Victoria left the glam and glitz behind when a tragic accident left a young girl dead. Twenty years later, she runs a struggling wolf sanctuary. In order to get fundraising to prevent the sanctuary being closed, she agrees to a tell-all interview. But now an old stalker has resurfaced, making Victoria fear for her life.
Well, Marnie has done it again. This was a brilliant, fast-paced thriller that had me flying through the pages in just a few hours. This was such a great read, and I highly recommend. Also, if you've not read any of Marnie's other thrillers, what are you waiting for?

I thought I knew where this one was heading. I put it down for two days because I was upset with how predictable the story was feeling.
I was so wrong.
I am so glad I picked it back up.
Victoria London, a former teen pop star, is getting ready got her first interview in two decades. Her hope is to bring light to her animal sanctuary. Nervous her past will be brought up instead of the focus being on the sanctuary, Victoria is comforted by her partner at the sanctuary, Joey. Things quickly go off kilter when Victoria's former lead guitarist shows up. It becomes clear that the journalist is not there because they care about the animal sanctuary and there is another reason they want to interview Victoria.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC read. I look forward to reading more by Marnie Vinge




This will be getting posted to my Goodreads account (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/107165405-nicole) tonight.
My Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/my.booktrovertedlife/) tomorrow 9/5.
My blog (https://wordpress.com/view/booktrovertinvt.wordpress.com) tomorrow 9/5.

I’ll say, right off the back that the characters names were all so similar that they had me confused and scrolling back through chapters to make sure I was understanding. I also figured out the plot of the book very early on, which made it hard for me to continue on. I kind of struggled to get through it after that. I did like the plot, but I feel like the names gave it away for me, even the character though author tried to hide details in plain sight.

When Victorias friend dies in an accident, she decides to leave behind a life of fame to run a wolf sanctuary.

She finds this life of anonymity safer but suddenly she finds herself being stalked by someone.

This is a twisty thriller and one I found quite different from the normal plots of this genre. It is an exciting and moody read.
I loved the story around the wolves they played and integral part of Victorias situation.

Crazy For You is definitely worth a read and I think it's one of those books that would make a fabulous TV drama..

I love the premises of this book, especially the wolves, and I would have liked to read a lot more about them. The main character's story is intriguing. What I did not enjoy was the repetitiveness in the book. I do understand that this is the way people are when they are obsessed about something, but it did just not work that well for me. I felt like only at the very end did the story finally move forward. Don't get discouraged though, because this is a specialty of mine. I do not like to listen to people not getting over things, obsessing about old stuff, not moving forward. Same applies to books.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Right away I got sucked into the short prologue. It’s a multi pov in first person and it’s a dual timeline There are also some minor spelling errors in some parts of the novel. Victoria London used to be famous and her best friend fell to her death allegedly. Victoria leaves LA and twenty years later she’s settled down and runs a wolf sanctuary. There’s an interview done for the first time in a long time and with that a lot of memories come back to her and haunt her and the secrets from the past. Jake gives off really creepy vibes.. I can tell right away he is around for trouble. I really feel like Alice is the one who is weird.. This definitely is about jealousy mostly and omg some characters are whacko. I love it, though it’s a slow burn for sure. Lots of drama with jealousy and friendships, blackmail and secrets. One of my fave things of this is the wolf sanctuary. I love animals. The twists in this is good but for me it was somewhat predictable but still love the drama. If you love stalker and obsessiveness you’ll love this.