I wanted to love this one! The premise is great, but the writing style wasn't my cup of tea. There wasn't nearly enough dialogue, which makes it feel so dry. If the book is shortened and the writing is improved a bit, this could easily be a 4 star read. As it stands, it was hard to finish and I was so tempted to DNF it from the 30% mark. The cover also could use some work. 1.5 stars.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

No spoilers! Julia's husband David died, leaving her shocked and her daughter Tash adrift. Things change, however, when Julia finds a young man (the "kid") after he is injured and then discovers that he's got her husband's watch in his pack. Hmm. He's also got a tattoo of a butterfly. Butterflies and moths are something of a theme in this suspenseful novel where you might think you know what's happening but, trust me, you probably do not. Tash and Julia realize quickly that some of the creepy things that they've discounted over the last months have root in something they should be concerned about. This is about how they sort things out and find a way to move forward in their lives. And, oh, then there's the kid. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This is a really good read. I did not guess the twist at the end at all. The whole story is very cleverly written. The details about the moths I felt added to the story. I felt involved with the characters and the short chapters kept me reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

The writing style of this book was a bit prosey, if that is a word. The language and sentence structure were a bit poetic and at first it was a bit off putting. However, I got used to it quickly and actually enjoyed how it was written. Additionally, I loved how the chapters alternated between the mom/wife/main character Julie and the antagonist, whose chapters were written based on a variety of different moths. You know how I love a little education snuck into my fictional reading! The book had plenty of action and suspense but I wish I could have gotten to know a few of the characters, beyond Julie and the antagonist, better. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read!

Julia, a doctor, had recently lost her husband, David (also a doctor) in an accident. Now, at Julia's summer home, she catches a "kid" looking into her window and then running away. She finds him on the cliffs where he is bleeding out. However, a good Samaritan hears Julia's cries for help and a helicopter rushes both Julia and the "kid" (identity still unknown) to the hospital in Cardiff.

The "kid" survives surgery but is placed into an induced coma. The reader also senses that there may be a link between Julia's daughter, Tasha (a student at uni), and the unidentified boy.

Butterflies and moths introduce an unknown character who remains anonymous - yet you keep trying to figure out who, if anyone already in the story, is THEIR identity, also.

An interesting, fast-paced book - Recommend.

Many Thanks to Amazon UK, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a good read!

In the gloomy six months since Julia suddenly lost her husband her main worry has been her daughter, Tash. She was devastated to lose her father but to Julia it finally seems that a little bit of her daughter's gloomy clouds may be dissipating. Their worlds are turned upside down after Julia valiantly saves the life of a young man who was loitering outside her beach cottage. When she returns home she begins to attempt to work her mind around why he was there, who is he - he remains unidentified recovering at the hospital, and why did he have her late husband's watch in his backpack? Julia is wildly hoping it's a random theft from their cottage but with a mysterious package delivered in the mail along with some incidents Tash previously dismissed while at university it seems not only unlikely but also appears someone has been keeping tabs on them. Julia and Tash attempt to puzzle out who this young man is - they just don't realize what they're looking for is looking back at them.

Whooooo boy, I really didn't see the end of this one coming to be completely honest. This book was a solid read; interesting, suspenseful and a little bit creepy. The moth chapters are a very unique way of learning not only about the moths themselves but about our antagonist. This book was a study in just how convoluted and terrifying real life can be, especially when you're wading through attempting to find answers (this is true for both sides of this story). I also have a fondness for reading British writers - their word use is sometimes entirely different from what I normally see and I love it.

It's kind of funny that moths play a part in this novel because I actually don't like moths. Oh they're fine from a distance but I severely dislike their erratic light seeking fluttering. I live in an area where we are usually swarmed with moths (specifically the Army Cutworm aka to locals as just miller moths or millers) during the summer months and sometimes later in the fall. Some years are infinitely worse than others as well as different areas, my parents house which is further East than mine is usually worse. That isn't to say that they moths aren't interesting just insects in force are not my forte. I actually saw several White-lined Sphinx this year and they are so COOL - you'd think they're a hummingbird until you get close to them.

Can You See Me? was an overall somewhat fast paced novel to read for me. I never really struggled to read it other than just being busy this time of year. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers, suspense and psychological novels. A very big thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

The main character Julia, who recently lost her husband, was surfing one day when she saw a boy snooping outside her beach house. She tried to call after him but the boy got injured. Luckily she knew what to do and managed to get help and save him but, who was he? And why was he around her house? The only thing she knows is that he has a butterfly tattoo.

After that, her daughter Tash remembered a series of strange things happening and Julia realised they were being watched. That made Julia even more desperate to know the identity of the boy and get to the end of it.
____________________________________________________________

Lee did an amazing job here. It took me a few tries to get into the book but then I couldn't put it down. At the beginning it felt like it was dragging and a bit slow but trust me, once you're past that it's so so gripping and you'll understand how necessary it was.
The story and the characters are great, I loved Julia as a protagonist. It's quite refreshing seeing a strong female character without feeling like it's forced into that role just to please the people. Their development, the mysteries and secrets made me want to read more and I was happy with the ending. Something I usually struggle with when I finish a book.

Filled with secrets, lies and betrayal!
I enjoyed how the book moved between Julia’s search to seek the truth about the boy with the butterfly tattoo and the cryptic moth titled chapters written by someone who has been damaged by the world around them. Julia was a wonderful lead character extremely strong and determined to find the truth and protect her daughter.

Can you see me if you don't know I exist?? Shouldn't you know since you are miss worldly and smart? I will just take matters I to my own hand and THEN you will SURELY see, feel and hear me! Pay attention, this book will catch you off gaurd. Excellent read!

Thanks Netgalley and to the publisher for the advance ecopy. Julie is a strong woman. She is determined to find out the truth while protecting her daughter Tash. There's a few surprises throughout and twists. Julia saves a boy that was hanging around her cottage, he ran and fell off a cliff and her being a doctor helped him. She found her late husband's watch in his bag and things get even more weird for them. The boy she noticed had a butterfly tattoo on his wrist. Julia and Tash realize they are being watched but they don't understand why.

I am torn about this review.

I loved so many things about this book:
I loved the writing style, which really drew me in
I loved the way that the story was going in one direction, and then suddenly there were some surprises
I loved how this was different from anything I've read in a while
I loved the main characters and their stories

So why am I torn?
There was a big "twist" that I saw coming a mile away. There was too much foreshadowing. But maybe it wasn't supposed to be a twist?

There were a few other things about the characters that kind of annoyed me. However, I can't detail them without giving anything away.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I want to thank the publisher and Net Galley for the advance copy, which did not impact my review. I'm really glad I read this, and will look for more books from this author.

This book is addictive and suspenseful, once I started I was glued to the story to the very end.

We meet Julia who is morning the loss of her husband, and she is also the mother to Tash her teenage daughter.
One day while surfing, Julia saw a boy near her home, when she approached him he fled injuring himself in the process and Julia had to rescue him. There is no way to tell who the boy is or what was he doing near Julia's house, he only has a butterfly tattoo.

Then Julia discovers her late husband's watch in the boy's possession without a clear explanation. From thereafter strange events start happening, and soon Julia and Tash realize that they are being watched, but by who and why?

We set on a journey with Julia that is filled with riveting twists, turns, surprises, and secrets, but will she be ready to face the truth? A clever, pacy, and engaging take on the classical theme of realizing that we may never really know those closest to us.

Thanks Netgalley, the publisher, and author for a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a slow start for me and I was unsure if I was going to stick with it. I did and it seemed to be well written but it didn't grab my attention like I was hoping. Julia lost her husband recently and rescues a teenager that she had found spying on her. Her daughter Tash is gravitating to him but Julia needs to know more, especially why he was spying on him and who he is really is. The ending is something I guessed but wasn't sure of. While it wasn't the most fast paced or engaging read for me it is still worth a read.

This was a straight up did not finish book for me. I hate not finishing a book and rarely skip reading a book, especially one I agreed to review. I did not care for the writing style and there was not enough dialogue

I'm not 100% sure what to do with this. It kept me interested. It kept me guessing, in some ways, but now that I'm done I'm left with no impression whatsoever.

Julia, a doctor who recently lost her husband to a stroke, finds a boy standing outside her house at the start of this book. She chases him off only to watch him fall into a jagged rock pile. She saves his life and keeps tase on his recovery. What she doesn't realize is that the boy is connected to her late husband. As the story progresses Julia realizes that her husband kept a major secret from her. She also suspects that someone is watching her and her daughter. The story was slow in parts but built up to a solid climax. I would read another book by this author.

I knew there would be a twist, and I can usually guess it, but I was surprised. An engrossing thriller that will keep you guessing.

A seemingly familiar trope of love, lies and betrayal. As the protagonist uncovers deep seated secrets, she finds herself and her daughter in the midst of formidable danger. What Lynne Lee does though to push her narrative past the familiar is add an alternative perspective. One that, once the reader can look past what is being handed over at surface level, digs deep into a dark side of character development. Lee has used another level of creativity to express perspective here and it brings so much to the book.. Love when authors force a bit of deep thinking on the reader.


Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #CanYouSeeMe. It was read and reviewed voluntarily by Tarrah Marie (@wayward_readers)

I hate the cover of Can You See Me but the book is fantastic! But seriously the cover doesn’t appeal to me at all and it does the story no justice!

The first thing I loved was the Moth chapters, the illustrations are small and really added to the madness of the antagonist, the way these chapters get darker and more chilling is absolutely a work of art. The antagonist twist was extremely intelligent and I was completely surprised. I thought I ad the plot all figured out....well clearly I didn’t!

I do believe this book could be shortened without losing any of the plot but I love a story with lots of detail so Can You See Me was perfect!

A 5/5 thriller full of suspense. It just needs a better cover.

I really wanted to connect and enjoy this book and the storyline sounded like it would be a great read. I just found this long and just didn't grab me unfortunately. I just found it missing that spark however it's still an overall ok read