Mystery

I almost bailed on this because I had just finished The Husbands and it seemed like it was going to be mega similar but then I saw a friend with similar book taste gave it a rare 4 stars so I stuck with it... So glad I did. It was twisty adventure goodness on the cul-de-sac with minimal eye rolling required. Interesting with lots of unique relationship dynamics. ( )

This is an easy read! I truly enjoyed this domestic thriller by Joshilyn Jackson. The plot flows, with twists and turns. I knew I would love this book before I even opened the cover. Never Have I Ever is a catchy title. It already reminded me of games like Spin the Bottle. This book plays on the fear of exposing old skeletons in the closet (not literally). Amy Whey is definitely the protagonist and Roux is the antagonist. Their struggles dominate the whole book. This book portrays themes of family, knowing when the truth helps or hurts, and making restitution for things done wrong. It also shows how the effects of guilt can drive different people to do different things, such as relocate to another area, block bad memories and try to do penance by doing nice things. I loved living through the character of Amy and her brilliant mind to always be one step ahead of tricky Roux. Since I don't want to give spoilers, I will just state that I was surprised at one revelation toward the end, although I felt the foreshadowing of something evil when the baby was held earlier in the story. I wouldn't mind reading a sequel or seeing the movie version. If you like sinister plots, quick wit, or books that are an easy read without being a total spoiler, you will LOVE this book! ( )

Damn! This one had me on the edge of my seat the WHOLE TIME, and I devoured it. Great story -compelling characters. I'd love a whole separate book about Tig ( )

I ended up liking this book more than I originally thought I would.
I'm not a huge fan of blackmail stories, and wanted this to be more about the game than that; however, the layers that the author added from about halfway to the end made it a 3 star instead of a 1/1.5.
I didn't like any of the characters, even the one you were supposed to like the most. I'd say the one I disliked least was Maddie, but even then, her "loving nicknames" for her parents annoyed me. ( )