Cover Image: You Are Not Alone

You Are Not Alone

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I didn’t enjoy this as much as their debut novel and the plot was often far fetched to the point of the ludicrous. I really didn’t connect with the main character and so I found myself hoping that she didn’t find her way out of the mess she was in so it kind of spoilt my enjoyment of the book. Everyone else seems to have really enjoyed it so I feel bad but there was just a disconnect for me where I wasn’t gripped - 3.5 stars. Thanks to the authors, Netgalley and Macmillan for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

While the first book by these 2 very talented authors is still my favourite, I still very much enjoyed this one.
Written from the perspectives of multiple characters, all incredibly written, the whole book never had a dull moment, keeping me constantly on edge wondering what was gonna happen next!
Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are outstanding at writing stories that are original, fresh, intriguing and highly addictive, and this one is no different.
Secrets, lies, deceit, murder, mystery - what more could you want??
Absolutely can't wait to read more from these two!!

Was this review helpful?

Once again these talented authors have written an exciting gripping & brilliant thriller. From the moment you begin this book it grabs your attention. The plot is fast moving & exciting with the final chapter leaving a very satisfying twist.

Was this review helpful?

What a ride We meet Shay very early on when she witnesses a suicide in the subway and she is then the central character of the plot. She is the type of person that everyone knows the type, lacking in self confidence, lonely and simply a very plain Jane. Shay meets the Moore sisters and life changes for her in a seemingly positive way. The twists and turns are first rate right up to the very end.
Fantastic author.

Was this review helpful?

My second book by this duo and yet again it is original and absorbing. Shay is unhappy, unfulfilled, doesn't have many friends and fancies her flatmate who is in a relationship with someone else. She witnesses a suicide which affects her deeply and her inability to walk away from it is the start of a whirlwind friendship which spirals. The twists and turns in this tale are twisted and disturbing and very clever. Shay is well portrayed and the statistics which pepper the story are interesting and original. Look forward to reading more by this talented pair.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen/Pan Macmillan for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Loneliness could make us vulnerable, and this book proved that.

Shay was lonely, downsized from her job and losing her roommate to love, she was just about to take the subway when she witnessed a suicide. More shaken than she thought she followed the victim's life. In the meantime, the Moore sisters entered her life, bringing joy and making her feel not so alone. Then began the real story when things started happening around her.

My first book by the dynamic duo, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, I was completely immersed in the story. The web of suspense slowly clinched its tendrils around me as I turned the pages.

Shay was on a merry-go-round which seemed to be too good to be true. And you know what happens on such a trip. You almost can never get off. Many a time I wanted to poke the main character a warning, but tapping on my kindle was all I did.

The dynamic duo's writing was like a trap, waiting to capture me. Short, snappy chapters unfurled the past and present of the many characters, and each brought a tangy spice to the overall tale.

A cat and mouse atmosphere soon embroiled the book, where my heart pumped hard at the situation that unfolded in front of me. Fast pace and a plot which held me enthralled kept me going until my vision all but blurred. And the last chapter brought out the twist which I so wanted and my vengeant heart was at peace. And I was blessedly alone.

Whew!! I survived the tale

Was this review helpful?

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are two of my favorite authors so I knew I was in for a treat. Hooked from the start You Are Not Alone follows the story of Shay who works a low-paid temporary job and lives with the love of her life. A devoted statistician, she’s extremely relatable — a young woman who feels isolated and vulnerable, perhaps someone whose helplessness comes into question. But when she witnesses a shocking accident, her focus on the victim could be seen as obsessive. She meets the Moore sisters — Cassandra and Jane — two stylish and alluring women who appear to have everything, demonstrating the lifestyle Shay would love. There is definitely an unsettling mood right from the start which made me want to read on. The book digs deep into the multi-layers of each character and their secrets, an enigma if ever there was one!

Shay’s obsession to find out more about Amanda may come at a cost, and the Moore sisters seem to be all too controlling. I did wonder why she didn’t have an ‘Aha’ moment a little sooner, and regroup to weigh up her options. But she’s desperate for friends, and let’s face it, she’s been abandoned, so why not? I think this more than adequately covers for any inconsistencies in character. For instance, why didn’t she get suspicious about her make-over? Then I reminded myself that her naivety was born out of loneliness and a hungry need to fit in.

There are quite a lot of characters and for me, this became a little confusing. I wondered if they scrambled the plot a little and whether they were entirely necessary. This book is about greed, paranoia and revenge, and while the roller-coaster journey was dark and tense, the ending is nicely wrapped up. A clever twist I didn’t see coming.

At no time did I get that jarring feeling that the book was written by two authors. The narrative is joined seamlessly and effortlessly to give an outstanding reading experience. A medium to fast burn for me, which is what kept me coming back.

Thank you to netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the privilege of reading this book.

Was this review helpful?

Life for Shay is tricky. She goes to work each day in a dead end temp role, and then returns to the flat she shares with a man she adores but who already has a girlfriend. She is isolated and alone, and fears she will never realise her dream of finding somewhere she belongs. But then everything changes when a shocking accident throws her into the path of the Moore sisters. Glamorous and successful, Cassandra and Jane are everything Shay has ever dreamed of being. But appearances can be deceiving, and Shay soon realises that her new friends may not be so perfect after all…

I've never read anything by Hendricks and Pekkanen before, and if I'm honest, I was a little concerned by the idea of reading a book written by a duo. I've read books by two authors before, and I normally find it results in quite a jarring reading experience. This was the complete opposite – highly enjoyable and engaging, and so cohesive that I honestly couldn’t tell you where one author’s section ended and the other’s began.

The synopsis of this book, while intriguing, did leave a lot to me imagined in terms of plot details. It’s definitely one of those books that you go into with a very limited idea of specifics, which I think is a real strength, as it meant that each revelation was truly a surprise. However, in that sense it is definitely a slow burn of a book. While there’s obviously a sense of something not quite being right from the very beginning, it is only over time that you realise how many secrets the various characters are hiding, and it becomes clear that it isn’t only Shay who will benefit from this sudden and intense friendship. I won’t say more than that just in case of spoilers!

Shay is something of a tricky one. Initially, she seems like a character who is very vulnerable and open to manipulation. Indeed, I found that most of her early chapters really tugged on your heartstrings - I think most women in their 20s and 30s have experienced some level of isolation, and so reading about Shay’s struggles was very poignant for me. It also worked well to explain why she is so vulnerable to the influence and even manipulation of some other characters. However, over time there are definitely some questions raised about her mental state and to what extent she is a victim in everything that is happening. But then you question yourself for wondering about her, as most of the doubt comes from Cassandra and Jane. So it’s definitely a bit of a mind-bender!

While I was a bit unsure before beginning, almost as soon as I picked this one up I knew that it would be a good one. It’s immediately engaging, and so well written that you definitely won’t want to put it down. I for one can’t wait to go back and explore the authors’ other work, as I’m confident that they’ll be just as thrilling and unique as this one!

Disclaimer – I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

A great fun read, which unfortunately was marred by an implausible last quarter of the book. A night of insomnia was all I needed to pretty much finish half of this in one sitting. It raced along and pulled me in. It moves along at quite a pace, and what seems like an innocent connection between the isolated Shay Miller and the glamorous Moore sisters becomes a mystery that deepens. Intriguing and compelling.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book. One Sunday morning Shay witnesses a suicide. Amanda throws herself in front of a subway train. From then on Shay becomes obsessed with finding out more about Amanda. She is also quite traumatised by the whole experience. When she decides to attend a memorial service for Amanda she meets Jane and Cassandra Moore, glamourous, successful sisters who lead the kind of life Shay would love to live. Gradually she becomes more involved with the sisters, but why would they be interested in her? It soon becomes clear that they have an ulterior motive, but what is it? This is a great story which I thoroughly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Was this review helpful?

'You Are Not Alone' is a fantastically gripping book that I couldn't put down. The characters are electric and I wish the backstories woven through the novel were complete novels themselves so I could spend more time with the characters. I love the grey areas of morality that has given me a lot to think about.

The plot itself is twisty and turny, with parts you can see coming with a sickening sense of inevitability and others that whack you out of nowhere. The whole book is atmospheric and creepy and is a brilliant read.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this story. 

The way it was written was very well done. The author left clues along the way to help you figure it out at the end.

It kept me glued from page one with all the twists and turns

Was this review helpful?

This book grew on me as I read it and began to realise it is a great deal more than it seems at the start. It seems at first to be a tale of sisters and friends who bond and try to to do favours by influencing the lives of others. That is far from the truth. When one of their number commits suicide,it isn't time for revenge, an objective they pursue relentlessly. They woo Shay who looks like their friend and set her up to take the blame for a major act of revenge. As the book moves on,with considerable suspense,more detail emerges about their relationship,their family background and their target. It becomes a gripping story. It is well written and the characters are believable. I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Was this review helpful?

This is another great read from Hendricks and Pekkanen.
The story is told through different perspectives, though primarily by the main character, Shay.
Shay is single temp whose life takes a dramatic turn when she witnesses a young woman, Amanda, committing suicide at a subway station.
Traumatised, she decides to go to Amanda's memorial service, where she meets Amandas’ friends, Cassandra and Jane.
They go out of their way to become friends with Shay and she can’t believe it when they help her to turn her life around.
As we’re reading this from Jane and Cassandra’s perspective as well, we start to realise that they may have an ulterior motive for befriending Shay.
This is a twisted story of manipulation and whilst Shay is vulnerable, I think I’d have become suspicious before she did.
I loved the ending as it pulled everything together that had been building up throughout the book.
Thanks to Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Was this review helpful?

Wow.

I had such high hopes for this book after reading An Anonymous Girl & The Wife Between Us and this book didn’t disappoint.

This book left my heart hammering, my mind whirring trying to piece all the jigsaw pieces together and while I did figure out a few twists, the ending I did not remotely guess.

I ploughed through this book so quickly because I just had to know how it ended.

The character shay while I didn’t originally like her because she felt like such a wet wipe towards the end I did start rooting for her.

Absolutely loved this book!

Was this review helpful?

Having enjoyed Hendricks and Pekkanen's previous two novels, I couldn't wait to get my hands on their latest book.

The story of 'You Are Not Alone' is told through the perspectives of several characters, though primarily by the main character, Shay.

Shay is a single, recently jobless and soon-to-be homeless woman, whose life takes a dramatic turn when she witnesses a young woman, Amanda, committing suicide at a subway station. Traumatised, she decides to go to Amanda's memorial service, where she meets Amanda's seemingly-perfect friends, Cassandra and Jane Moore. The Moore sisters soon take Shay under their wing, and helps her to turn around her life for the better. However, Shay begins to realise that not all is as it seems...

As with the authors' previous works, I really enjoyed this book. I found that the short chapters kept the storyline fast-paced and made me eager to read 'just one more chapter'. What's more, there were a couple of twists/reveals which added to the intrigue and drama.

It lost a star in my rating as a lot of the minor characters seemed to blend into each other, and I couldn't always remember who was who (apart from the Moore sisters), despite them having interesting back stories in their POVs. Shay also seemed a little too dense at times for a logical person, but I guess that can be partly excused by her vulnerability/state of mental health.

Nevertheless, this was a quick and enjoyable read, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to other readers.

Was this review helpful?

This psychological tale had me gripped with many twists and turns. I shall look out for more from these authors. Thanks to #Netgalley for ARC

Was this review helpful?

Shay is just going about her day when she picks up a necklace on the platform and when she looks up to ask a bystander if it is theirs witnesses their suicide.
Drawn to the woman Shay attends her memorial service and from there is drawn into the orbit of the Moore sisters who offer a hand of friendship and a new lease of life to Shay.
However things pretty quickly darken and twist and as the plot thickens the story rampages along with Shay drawn ever deeper into trouble.
A great page turner- to be read in one sitting!

Was this review helpful?

Shay, a lonely young woman, witnesses a suicide one morning down in the subway station. The woman, Amanda, has dropped her necklace before jumping in front of the train and Shay picks it up. Feeling a degree of guilt that she didn't try harder to stop Amanda jumping, she attends a memorial for her held by Amanda's friends with the intention of returning the necklace. Soon she is befriended by Amanda's friends, eventually becoming completely immersed in Amanda's life, and all at the direction of her new BFF's. What do they want from Shay in return?

This is a slow burner of a read, with twists and turns aplenty. The characters are great and you find yourself rooting for Shay to cop on, read between the lines, questions things, anything but definitely don't listen to Amanda's friends!!! It's obvious they have ulterior motives and this makes it a bit of a creepy read. I was totally sucked in from the first chapter, and the stats at the beginning of each chapter only heightened my interest in what was really happening.

Best to go in blind to this hugely entertaining and enjoyable thriller. You won't be able to put this one down!

Was this review helpful?

I've read the first two books by this writer duo - Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. So I read The Wife Between Us and The Anonymous Girl last year and they both had me gripped. Their books go back and forth between various characters and I know that is not what everyone likes to read. For me it is great and you get different viewpoints but in their books it can get very intense as you know all that is going on and can feel the tension building up.

I actually felt that You Are Not Alone was their best work. I felt there was something instantly likeable about Shay and the Moore sisters were also intriguing. Their books are like a huge puzzle and you have to work out what's going on. The last few chapters I read in one night as I wanted to see how it would all end. Loved it!

I think the less you know about this book before you read it is for the best, I've seen many spoiler reviews of it and you just need to immerse yourself fully into this one. Intrigued to see what this duo do next!

Was this review helpful?