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Pretty Little Wife
Pretty Little Wife: A Novel | Darby Kane
116 posts | 99 read | 1 reading | 60 to read
Debut author Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: shouldnt a dead husband stay dead? Lila Ridgefield lives in an idyllic college town, but not everything is what it seems. Lila isnt what she seems. A student vanished months ago. Now, Lilas husband, Aaron, is also missing. At first these cases are treated as horrible coincidences until its discovered the student is really the third of three unexplained disappearances over the last few years. The police are desperate to find the connection, if there even is one. Little do they know they might be stumbling over only part of the truth. With the small town in an uproar, everyone is worried about the whereabouts of their beloved high school teacher. Everyone except Lila, his wife. Shes definitely confused about her missing husband but only because she was the last person to see his body, and now its gone.
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review
Marquis784
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Pickpick

There are many twists in this story as the stories of Lila and Aaron are revealed. Life seems idyllic life with her husband Aaron, a math teacher. They met at Cornell, settled in NC after they married. Can broken people be repaired? How well do people really know each other? Is redemption possible for those who commit despicable crimes? Can certain crimes ever be justified? So many questions will run through your mind while reading this thriller.

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bthegood
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Pickpick

Lila has killed her husband Aaron but the body is not where she left it. Ginny is the lead investigator into Aaron's disappearance. Some women have also gone missing in the area. So begins the twists and turns as the story unfolds. Only issue is that slowly the truth unfolds until the end, then it's a data dump - almost everything unanswered is neatly explained. Overall, a good thriller.
#BookSpinBingo
Make a great day everyone 😊

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bthegood
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#WondrousWednesday @Eggs
Thanks for the tags @TheSpineView and @Enchanted_Bibliophile

1. Vanilla - reminds me of hugs and love
2. Summer morning in the Midwest - smells like the morning after a campout - reminds me of mornings at my parents cabin, spending time with family
3. Fall morning in the Midwest - I call it “going back to school“ smell - reminds me of walking to school with siblings and friends

Make a great day everyone - 🙂

TheSpineView You're welcome 9mo
Eggs So lovely❣️ # 3 is one I understand perfectly well growing up in Minnesota🍁🍁 9mo
bthegood @Eggs 🙂 9mo
25 likes4 comments
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ElizaMarie
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Pickpick

I enjoyed the plot twists in my book! Today, I prioritized my self-care routine and managed to complete everything on my list except painting my nails, but I did remove the chipped polish. In addition, I indulged in a nice, long hot shower with a shower steamer and some step exercises. #SelfCareIsNotSelfish #TherapeuticThursday #DoubleSpin #BlameItOnLitsy

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Sounds like a lovely day!! 9mo
20 likes1 comment
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ElizaMarie
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Going to be listening to this during my #TherapueticThursday.

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ElizaMarie
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Working on some #AudioCrochret project (a cloak).

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 10mo
Crazeedi Beautiful! 10mo
ElizaMarie @Crazeedi thanks! We will see what it looks like when its done... I think it's coming along well though. You can learn pretty much anything from YouTube! 10mo
Crazeedi @ElizaMarie I never learned to crochet so that's so cool 10mo
28 likes4 comments
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Sleepswithbooks
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Happy National Popcorn Day!!

Big plans for today 📖🍿

AmyG Enjoy! 10mo
AnnCrystal 💕🎉🍿💝. 10mo
TheBookHippie ♥️ 10mo
ChasingOm Oooooh! Time to celebrate! 😄 10mo
66 likes4 comments
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LibraryCin
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Pickpick

I thought this was really good. It pulled me in quickly and I wanted to know what was going on. Of course, there are a few twists and turns along the way. And I constantly wondered what to believe of Lila. She‘s very cold, not very likable. Parts of the story are also from the point of view of Ginny, the lead investigator into Aaron‘s disappearance. The two women are both very smart and tough

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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On the tbr list shelf!! Anyone read it?!

#IndelibleMoments
#Marriage

Happy Sunday everyone!! 😘

fredamans Yup, loved it! 2y
Eggs That‘s a new one to me! Sounds good 👌🏼 2y
62 likes1 stack add3 comments
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TamTracy
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Pickpick

This was a wild mystery and I didn‘t see the ending coming at all. I did think it was a bit of a reach but I also appreciated knowing the mystery up front and having to figure out what in the world went wrong! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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What are you reading tonight? I‘m trying to decide. I‘m going to see if I have anything else on Sharon‘s tbr… @sharread

#Sharreadathon
#Inmemoryof
#LitsyLove

TheBookHippie Grandson is 8 today💙🥳 I have a library stack gotta get to later! 3y
TheSpineView What a great a idea! 💗🕯 3y
CBee Did you finish Malibu Rising? I‘m really liking it! 3y
See All 14 Comments
CBee @TheBookHippie happy happy birthday to your grand baby!! ♥️♥️♥️ 3y
AmandaBlaze Really enjoying How High We Go in the Dark! 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @TheBookHippie tell him happy birthday 🎉 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @CBee no, not yet! I‘m enjoying it, just in the mood for something different.. I don‘t know what though.. suggestions?! 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @AmandaBlaze I‘ll check it out! I‘ll be mailing you a welcome packet tomorrow ❤️❤️ 3y
CBee @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I‘m not sure what all you‘re thinking about but you know I‘m always down for a good mystery! Have you read any Lisa Jewell? 3y
CBee @AmandaBlaze really want to read that! 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @CBee I‘ve only read … which ones are the best? 3y
CBee This one is good! 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @CBee thank you! I‘ll stack it ❤️ 3y
58 likes14 comments
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juliehope1019
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Pickpick

This thriller was a quick read that kept me engaged throughout the entire novel. There was plenty of forward momentum to make this one hard to put down and it was difficult to guess how the various pieces of the mystery would fit together.

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MidnightBookGirl
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Pickpick

I loved this twisty little thriller! I was also absolutely rooting for the mc the whole time. I had a lot of theories regarding this one, but it managed to surprise me and keep listening on the edge of my seat.

64 likes1 stack add
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fredamans
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fredamans
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Pickpick

AMAZEBALLS!!! Gonna be a hard one to beat for my fave of 2022. Just sayin'.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

#JumpStart2022 @clwojick @lizpixie

Read my full review: http://www.fredasvoice.com/2022/01/pretty-little-wife-darby-kane-2.html

Clwojick Looks like your reading year is off to a good start! 💖 3y
fredamans @Clwojick Thank you!! 😊 3y
28 likes2 comments
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Jeannineth
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Pickpick

I love a strong female main character and the plot was quite interesting. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Valhalla
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4 likes1 stack add
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candority
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Panpan

This book was riddled with typos and grammatical errors, but I managed to overlook them because I was HOOKED on the premise. How can a dead body just disappear? Was he not actually dead? What does it all mean?! I could forgive clunky writing and the cold MC, but then the ending happened and I was so frustrated with it! Full review (with spoilers): bit.ly/3ybrLLo

This was my #BookSpin pick for May. 2⭐️

TEArificbooks I love the book sleeve 4y
candority @mdm139 Thanks! I do too. It doesn‘t look like there are any in stock currently, but maybe the maker will bring them back? It‘s from this Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/audreywritesabroad 4y
TheAromaofBooks I hate it when the ending lets you down!!!! 4y
ShelleyBooksie Love your booksleeve! 4y
86 likes4 comments
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candority
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I haven‘t posted my April wrap up or reviews of the last few books I read, but I‘m ready for go for May‘s #BookSpinBingo! 😂

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Looks great - I love the bees!!! 4y
candority @TheAromaofBooks Thanks! It‘s one of my favourite washi tapes! 🐝 4y
83 likes2 comments
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Jemgirl2014
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Grab it!

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LiterallyLiterary
Pickpick

An absolute #pageturner !! Literally finished this book within 48 hours! What happens when a wife kills her husband but he‘s not where she left him to be found?

For fans of: #suspense #thriller #mystery #domesticthriller #murder #whodunnit

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LiterallyLiterary
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Moving on, we‘re up to Darby Kane‘s Pretty Little Wife!

#domestic #suspense #thriller #marriage

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erank58
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Mehso-so

Not bad, but not overly compelling, either. This was a nice, easy palate cleanser to gobble up over the course of a couple days. I did think this was one of the more "original" domestic thrillers I've read recently, and I have to give the author credit.

A few TWs below in the comments, but otherwise I personally didn't think this was too heavy. It may be a good choice for those who like the thrills, but not the chills! #botm

erank58 TWs for emotional abuse, mentions of violence, pedophilia/sexual abuse 4y
The_Heeler_Booklife I thought this was just okay. Gave it three stars. 4y
erank58 @The_Heeler_Booklife agreed. I've read better thrillers than this! 4y
55 likes3 comments
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Jessieleah
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Up next for April‘s #AxeTheStacks challenge is a book only recently added to my TBR thanks to this lovely community and all the hype it‘s gotten on here 😊

@howjessicareads

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DarkMina
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Pickpick

51 of 2021. Plenty of twists in this fast paced thriller. Definitely an entertaining read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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sharread
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Pickpick

Ohhhh this was good. Great thriller, starts with a bang and ends with a bang. Nice. #BOTM

54 likes1 stack add
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Rachel725
Pickpick

As thrillers go, this was a solid pick. Probably about a 7/10. I liked that it was fast paced, with strong characters. Good backgrounds and history for them. An ending you don‘t see coming. There were some plot holes I wish could‘ve been filled, and some twists were predictable. But overall a good read

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WonderlandMind
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Pickpick

Absolutely loved this domestic thriller! I thought I figured out the ending until the multiple twists left me shocked. This book had my attention from the first chapter. I love the strong female narrators. One was reliable and one was unreliable, adding to the suspense and intrigue. What a fun and entertaining read!

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Hooked_on_books
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Mehso-so

For me, the mark of a good thriller is one in which the author is able to get me to believe each twist and turn, no matter how outlandish. This one has some good structure to it and gets me partially but not all the way there, leaving me feeling a bit meh. I do think this author has potential and I would read her again.

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Hana321
Pickpick

So this story has all the buildings blocks for a successful suspense novel: strong but damaged protagonist, rotten cheating husband, murder and missing girls. All held together in a strong debut from Darby Kane. This story hooked me early on and held attention.

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One_With_Books
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Pickpick

As someone who has endure physical and mental abuse in relationships in my past, I was 100% on Lilas side the entire time. I could NOT put this book down. This, by far, topped all the books I‘ve read so far this year.
I‘m so happy that Lila got relief(+ a boat load of money lol) and justice was served to the Payne brothers.

**Funny their last name is Payne and they caused so much for everyone in their lives.

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One_With_Books
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Do typos bother anyone else as much as they bother me 😅

beautifulcrevice oh yes 🙋‍♀️ 4y
Susanita My husband works in radio. One day the traffic reporter was talking about an accident in which a car ran into a clump of trees, but for some reason he said a clump of cheese instead. 4y
Jemgirl2014 No, I just self-correct and move on lol 😁 4y
One_With_Books A clump of cheese 😅 4y
22 likes4 comments
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One_With_Books
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I can‘t wait to see how this one turns out 😍

27 likes1 stack add
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Gryffleclaw95
This post contains spoilers
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was so good! Just when I thought it couldn‘t get better, it found a way to surprise me. This was definitely a dark read that got graphic at times, but it was thrilling nonetheless with a perfect ending.

🚨 TRIGGERING CONTENT INCLUDES: mentions of child abuse, torture, pedophilia

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GinaKButler
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Going for a bingo! Up next on audio 🎧

#bookspinbingo

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Kappadeemom
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Reading with my #dorkie #dogsoflitsy

Soubhiville I love his wavy topknot 🐶💜 4y
Kappadeemom @Soubhiville he has a little Mohawk 😂😂😂🥰 4y
56 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lsmoore43
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PRETTY LITTLE WIFE by Darby Kane

This is one twisted story. It's full of ups and downs. Ins and outs. It has so much going on and was so much fun to read. It really was.
5/5 stars for this debut novel..
Full review here: https://tinyurl.com/1c6x3qly

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AudiobookingWithLeah
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Pickpick

A multi-layered mystery that is so much more than just another domestic thriller novel. With twists and turns that blow your mind but not to the point that they are unbelievable...I was really into this story..despite the audio narration debacle. (I was really disappointed that it only had one narrator for 2 POVs. I was consistently confused as to whose head I was in.)

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Twainy
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Pickpick

🎧 WOW 2 high school teacher pedophile stories in 1 week? 🤨

A twisty creepy captivating domestic suspense psychological thriller? Maybe.

I didn‘t like the MC until there was a little character development but then I totally enjoyed not liking her!!

The tag line is perfect ... Shouldn‘t a dead husband stay dead?

The mystery of where did he go kept me reading until I started liking not liking her 😁 A solid twisty mystery thriller.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/8

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candc320
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Pickpick

FINALLY got around to reading this digital ARC I‘ve been wanting to read for months (having it be my #bookspin in January for #bookspinbingo gave me the nudge I needed) and I‘m glad I did! I stayed up late to finish it so I could count it on my January board! It was a quick, twisty read that, while not blowing my mind, did keep me entertained. This time I loved how much I disliked the characters 🤪. Excited to read more by the author. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
21 likes1 comment
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nicoleyosick
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What‘s better than a snowy Sunday morning of breakfast in bed, snuggling my dog & devouring this book?

Linsy Nothing! 3y
5 likes1 comment
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ICantImReading
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️ So the premise of this really hooked me and I liked the strong women characters. However, the last twist didn‘t add up and the whole thing kind of fell flat for me. I‘ll post my spoiler thoughts in the comments! 🎧

ICantImReading At the end, Lila tells Jared she knew about him the whole time and was planning on killing him too. Did anyone else think this didn‘t really make sense? It seemed like Lila‘s thoughts the whole book were how she trusted and admired him - so were readers just being deceived for the sake of the twist? 4y
candority I just finished reading this and I totally agree with you about the last twist. I think the author was just purposely deceiving us and never actually revealed Lila‘s true thoughts, which is so frustrating! I guess it makes sense why Lila wasn‘t really that worried about the ominous notes left for her (since she would have known they were from Jared) and I guess she only kept Jared close to her because distancing herself would be suspicious? 4y
ICantImReading @candority YES, THANK YOU, I was so frustrated and disappointed by this, too!! 4y
8 likes3 comments
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Tiffiney
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Pickpick

Wow!! What a great read! I loved the twists and turns ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

38 likes1 stack add
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GeauxGetLit
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Pickpick

The first 30 minutes of the book, my heart raced and I was shook to the core because it reminded me so much of my own marriage!
Anyone ever involved or know anyone who is in a toxic relationship this book is for you
This one is going to totally shock you, it is not the typical broken marriage thriller! The protagonist is an extremely smart and sneaky female who you will end up respecting her and her choices to get away from a monster husband!

10 likes1 stack add
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GeauxGetLit
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So much fun zooming with author #darbykane about #prettylittlewife! I love #buddyreads 💜

11 likes1 stack add
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GeauxGetLit
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“How she folded her life into his, her needs were smaller and smaller and less important and less of a priority, until only broken pieces of what a marriage should be”

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GeauxGetLit
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“...he took everything from me, including my self-respect”

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mnjacques
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Pickpick

This book was absolutely amazing and got me out of my reading funk. It has so many twists and turns I didn't expect. Definitely kept me wanting to find more