4.5 ⭐️ A dark, gritty and emotional standalone about the bond of sisters that’s not for the faint of heart!⁣
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Wow! Karin Slaughter never fails to grab you in a vice grip that doesn’t let go until you’ve turned the last page of one of her books. This standalone definitely held up to the hype for me. I was all in from the violent, stomach turning opening scene through to the emotional conclusion. ⁣
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I absolutely loved the unflappable bond between sisters, Leigh and Callie. The way Slaughter explores both their reactions to coping with trauma felt visceral. When I say this book isn’t for the faint of heart - I mean it. There were so many moments that made my stomach churn, gave me goosebumps and even made me feel queasy. She didn’t sugar coat addiction or abuse. She puts it out there and makes you feel its ugliness, despair and emotion. ⁣
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This book is written to reflect our current state i.e the pandemic. I didn’t feel it overpowered the storyline, but I know some people would rather not see this reality in books yet. I personally did not have a problem with the pandemic being a part of the storyline because it wasn’t its focus. It was simply a part of the characters reality, as it is ours. Slaughter addresses her reasoning for including the pandemic in her author’s note. Be sure to check it out - I definitely found it interesting
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It almost feels wrong to say that I enjoyed this book based on its subject matter - but I did. It was dark, complex and explicitly violent yet it was also emotional. It’s rare to find a thriller that truly makes you feel like this. ⁣
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The only reason this wasn’t a full 5 stars for me is because it was a