CW: PTSD, panic attacks

I have no idea what to think about this book. When I read Ally’s Heist Society trilogy, for the most part all three were fun reads and I could overlook that they weren’t really that good. Meanwhile, I wasn’t sure how this novel could be written by the same author.

I didn’t particularly like any of the characters and even though it’s set in the real world, the setting was kind of lax. The first half of the book was unbelievably dull, and I couldn’t fathom why the blurbs said anything about a thriller. However, in the last half and especially the last 50-ish pages, I was surprised. It went from 0 to 100 really fast, to the point where I nearly couldn’t follow. Admittedly, there were some good twists, but I think the pacing and the execution made them more confusing than mind-blowing. Although those twists are also what got this book an extra half star. I don’t know. I’m confuzzled.

I plan to read the second book out of sheer curiosity, and I’ll definitely be going in with lower expectations. Hopefully that one makes more sense, and takes advantage of all the things that could’ve made this one so good.