You

The back cover blurb of You by Caroline Kepnes tells us this is a novel about love and obsession. Though - in case you're wondering - it's mostly about obsession, with a bit of stalking thrown in for good measure.

One day, like any other, Joe Goldberg is minding his own business in the book shop he manages when Guinevere Beck enters his life to buy some books. He's funny and flirty. She's funny and flirty. And Joe decides that Beck (as she prefers to be known) is obviously in love with him and they're destined to be together.

And we all love a guy who's so into us he's compelled to pursue us? Don't we?

We spend the entire novel in Joe's head as it's essentially written in second person, to Beck. Although we're not privy to his every-waking-thought Joe very offhandedly mentions that he's gotten into Beck's apartment and 'taken' things by which to remember her. (Yes, I know... how sweet!)

He's got access to her emails and text messages so knows everything she's doing.

Of course, true love isn't all smooth sailing. Beck's got an on-again, off-again lover, Benji and is also perhaps sharing more than she should with her attractive married therapist.

But Joe's determined and - after engineering another encounter with his beloved - he clings for dear life.

It's pretty obvious early on that Beck is far from perfect. Joe even recognises this but finds it sweet and continues for forgive her again and again.

It's also early in the novel we learn that Joe had a similar 'love' in the past, but alas... it didn't end well.

In all honesty everything about Joe and Beck's relationship seems doomed from the start. Or... one wonders... could the pair be equally fucked-up and actually make a go of things?!

I struggled a little with this novel at stages. It's quite clever in many ways. Being in Joe's head means we naturally identify with him to some extent. His logic even (sometimes) seems... logical. He can be well-meaning. And loyal. Oh, and sociopathic of course.

Author Caroline Kepnes is apparently a TV writer and journo and this is reflected in her sharp sassy prose. Despite their (ummmm) various neuroses I actually thought both Joe & Beck were terribly intelligent and witty.

I believe however there was the potential for this novel to be something really REALLY good. Something darker. A real mind-f*ck. But in the end Beck's character wasn't as complex as it could have been. We had some insight via her text messages and emails but a bit more insight into her world and thinking would have been interesting.

The only other slightly-strange thing were the constant references to social media and technology. On one hand it makes it very 'contemporary' but there's the risk of it really 'dating' a novel. And - someone not into twitter or hashtagging might not get some of those elements.

Nevertheless, You was an enjoyable and very different read. I've read other books from the perspective of the 'baddie' and Joe's voice - his seeming sanity and intellect - keep me turning the pages: I knew what was coming but needed to 'look' anyway.

Joe Goldberg works in a book shop and one day his dream girl walks in. Her name is Guinevere Beck or 'Beck' as she prefers to be known by and there starts his obsession with her.
Well, this book had all the hall marks of something I'd love, a psychological thriller and romance - although a twisted one at that.
This book toyed with my brain at first, I just couldn't get into it and really believe it was the narration that didn't work for me.

Since we were privy to all of Joe's thoughts I just felt like telling him to 'shut up' and it was all this excess 'chatter' that made me realise that I couldn't read the book properly as I should.
On the other hand the story was so intriguing that I couldn't totally put it aside, therefore I sped read about 2/3rd's of it but there were parts that had me glued to my reader.
At first I couldn't understand Beck, was she shallow and manipulating or are we just getting Joe's view on her?
And Joe, was Beck the first person he's been obsessed with or were there others, especially as he seemed to 'interact' with Beck's friends with ease. (Yes, I'm using 'interact' in a veiled way)

Anyway... a clever, intriguing book that had me thinking and I know I didn't do it justice but I can totally understand the big contrast of reviews that this book is getting.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for a copy to review

YOU is a particularly fascinating read. Not only is the story intriguing, the author has chosen to tell the story like no other novel I have read. This approach made the story one I couldn't put down. I was hooked from start to finish.

This is the first book in this series and the first time I've read Caroline Kepnes, it will not be my last!

This book gets a hold of you pretty quickly and keeps you reading on...even though it's seriously creeping you out to do so....I mean seriously!
You soon get caught up in all of the "creepiness" as you follow Joe's obsessive behavior from the moment he looks up from the counter of the bookstore he works in, to discover the most beautiful girl he has ever dreamed of, standing between the F - K book shelves. Their eyes make contact and they begin to engage in a play on words, and in those next moments Joe falls instantly and irreversibly in love.
Also, in those few short moments he realises he must have you, and in the following moments he is already learning about you. Your name is Guinevere Beck, he learns this even before you tell him your name and it is music to his ears, and it is this easy that you unwittingly become his object of desire, his obsession.
You [the reader] will shudder and cringe at the ease with which he can find ways to observe his new object of desire. How easily he can manipulate situations and circumstances, in order to quietly insinuate his way into her life.

I cringed and shuddered at the thought of just how easy it is for some creep to gain such an advantage on a woman who is totally unaware of what is going on...only just outside of her peripheral zone, even when she feels safe.
If you are a woman reading this, it will almost certainly get you thinking about the way you do, and don't, interact with random strangers...especially men.

However, is there more to this story than meets the eye? From time to time throughout the story I personally had occasion to wonder at just who was stalking who? I even surprised myself at times when I began to feel sympathetic towards Joe, in spite of his obviously flawed character...that was a worry!
Is this how you get sucked in? Is this how Guinevere might get sucked in?
Who's stalking who?
Who can you trust?

This really is one creepy book, but it does have the benefit of raising the awareness of how these things can and do happen....eek!
Life can be so unfair.

Creep factor 4! 4★s

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy to read and review.