What in the world?!! This was an interesting book about a girl who is forced to play her twin after she goes missing. However, the ending absolutely threw me! I definitely was not expecting it and I don’t feel like the story really set up that ending! But it was definitely shocking!

I received an early copy through Netgalley but all opinions are my own.

A one of a kind novel with a truly unique and interesting premise. An emotional roller coaster between loyalty to family and individuality.

This is an emotional rollercoaster ride with an unreliable narrator that made me constantly question who she really was. One likeable, popular twin and one self-isolating, self-depreciating twin--who, if either, was our storyteller?

This novel explores mental health in ways that felt authentic and often brought out so much anger from me at what was happening to Eve as well as what she believed was the right choices to make.

The twists were ones I never saw coming and I even gasped out loud at the first major twist and had to reread the second one because it was unbelievable and heartbreaking.

This novel will stay with me for a long time. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my early digital copy for an honest review.

I really loved this book! It was a mind blown story all the way through. Imagine having to spend 18 years playing a part that right when you're fixing to escape it all the lies, and the secrets hidden all blows up right in your face when the person you've been actually shows up! Mental chaos abounds.

This book had so many twists that I felt like I was on the edge of my seat for the whole ride. I loved every second of it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC! This story hooked me in from the description. A book about a girl being forced to essentially cosplay as her kidnapped twin sister is absolutely wild. Hooyenga takes readers into the mind of Eve Ellaway, an 18-year-old girl being forced to pretend to be her kidnapped twin sister Gen for her mentally ill mother. I loved the concept of this book, and I loved the side characters of Ember and Wes. I did, however, find the book a little slow for the first 2/3, but it quickly picked up pace by the last 1/3. The ending of the book is WILD!

This was a delicious read from page one. Couldn't put it down. Shocking twists and breath taking thrills. I was intrigued by the premise but didn't expect so much suspense.

This book was WILD and the premise grabbed my attention immediately. While the writing was good and it had me turning the pages, it didn’t evoke any sense of fear or suspense

What a nice book! I could not stop reading. It's so thrilling and the twists take you by surprise. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really liked this book. It was intense. I didn't expect that at all. A 5 star read from me. I read this on the way to the store, doctors offices, and waiting to pick my daughter from school. I didn't wanna put it down. Thank you netgalley.

Thank you Netgalley and Left-Handed Mitten Publications for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“The Quiet Unraveling of Eve Ellaway” dives into a world of complex family trauma and mental illness, centering on Eve, a teenage girl forced to live in the shadow of her twin sister, Gen, who was kidnapped when they were just infants. Due to her mother's profound denial and mental health struggles, Eve's father compels her to assume the role of both twins, creating a life where she must alternate between her own identity and that of her missing sister. This bizarre, heartbreaking arrangement shapes Eve’s adolescence, leaving her grappling with her identity and unresolved grief.

The premise is both compelling and disturbing: from an early age, Eve is subjected to the psychological manipulation of embodying two personalities, effectively growing up haunted by a sister who exists only in her mind. Hooyenga’s exploration of Eve’s unraveling mind is immersive, depicting Eve’s unhealthy coping mechanisms, including conversations with her imagined version of Gen and carrying out “her” wishes. These habits evolve into what feels like a dual personality, amplifying Eve's emotional isolation.

As the story unfolds, Hooyenga focuses on Eve’s teenage experiences, including relationships complicated by lies and misunderstandings due to her fractured identity. While the story depicts some mature content, these elements are handled with care, depicting Eve’s complex journey toward self-discovery. There is also LGBTQ representation as Eve begins to recognize her bisexuality, adding another layer to her intricate identity. Hooyenga’s writing captures the nuance of mental illness, though I can’t believe the mother only went to a year of therapy when she has been in denial about her daughter’s kidnapping for over a decade. This is a family that would benefit from everyone going to therapy.

The plot is full of surprises, including two major twists that will leave you reeling. I was certainly not expecting either twist, both of which occur towards the end of the book. These twists, especially the ending, add unexpected dimensions to the story as they challenge notions of reality and you can really see the title come into play with the full unraveling of Eve.

Overall, “The Quiet Unraveling of Eve Ellaway” remains a gripping exploration of identity and mental illness. Through Eve’s story, Hooyenga crafts a memorable, if unsettling, tale of a girl lost between two selves, searching for wholeness in the midst of psychological turmoil. This dark, psychological novel is a raw journey that will captivate readers who enjoy stories that blur the line between reality and delusion.

I really did like how this one started out - a story with themes about identity? A kidnapping? An incredibly relatable and likable main character? I'm in!! I was intrigued to learn more about Eve and the twisty layers of her complicated family (my GOSH was her father horrible!!). While I loved the premise, the story left me wanting more about the background regarding the kidnapping and how the family wound up where they were. While I found myself skimming parts in the middle, I loved the twist at the end and felt the storyline did a great job paralleling Eva's mental health as the story continued. The ending felt satisfying and confusing at the same time, but I think that was kind of the point. Definitely worth picking this one up. Thanks for the ARC!

This book was amazing! I read it in one day and stayed up WAY too late because I had to finish it. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, but once I started, I was hooked! I’d never read anything by this author, but I’m definitely going to be checking out their whole catalogue. Highly recommend!

HOLY COW!!! This was absolutely amazing and wonderfully written!!! I cannot explain how much I loved this book!

I love the development of Eve and watching her unravel was insane in the absolute best of ways! The way the trauma was portrayed and tied into the mental health diagnosis was such a change because so many people do not realize how those two can be entwined together.


*I received a free ARC from NetGalley*

Really enjoyed this book! The cover and title did their job and made it a great first choice. I was hooked pretty much immediately with a great opening that got right to the heart of the story. I read a lot of suspense and thrillers and figure out a twist pretty quickly and I was pleased at the twists and things not going exactly where I expected. I enjoyed the character relationship with out it being too romance focused. The characters developed nicely with great detail with out throwing too many extra words in for no reason. I would a sequel to see what happens to Eve and her family in the future. Would absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys thrillers, mystery, and drama.

The synopsis of the book really got me intrigued, and I read the book in one sitting!

The first half of the book was slow, although necessary to understand Eve’s complicated life.

I did see some plot twists coming, but there was some surprises as well!!

Can I just say, I LOVED the wlw romance in this book, it got me kicking my feet! I wish the cast would have been more diverse though.

Also, I loved how mental health was represented in the novel!

I would’ve wished we would have learned more about the kidnapping

While at first I wasn’t sure about the writing, I’m convinced to say I will try another novel by Melanie Hooyenga!

Not quite what i was expecting, to me this is a story about mental health.
Although an interesting storyline i became confused at times mainly when Eve was being Eve.
I returned to this several times and decided it was not really for me.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Melanie Hooyenga writes a strong story in this book, I loved the tension of the story. It was great that Eve keeps her twin sister Gen alive to keep the lie alive, and how scary a concept that was. The writing was so well done and had me guessing from start to finish.

This book was a fast read. It was easy to read and get into. To me there wasn't a lot of twists and turns. However, it was sad, different, and one I would recommend to others.

The strength of this book is its premise. The whole idea for it is, frankly, insane. Reading this felt like I was witnessing something so unthinkable you can’t really believe it but also… you know it’s real. I was hooked. It was exactly the sort of messed up story I adore reading. The main character, Eve, was pretentious beyond belief and quite unbearable but I don’t think we were supposed to like her? Parts of this book felt like I’m reading her psychotic break, and it wasn’t clear if I was supposed to be reading it with that interpretation.
But the plot, that I liked. In fact, there was a twist that actually made me gasp. And if you’ve been reading my reviews here for a while (or know me in real life!) you know I am not often shocked by books. Alas, this one managed to!
I would definitely recommend this if you want a twisted and puzzling YA read.