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A review by minimicropup
The Night Before by Wendy Walker
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Captivating, mysterious, inquisitive.
We are following the POVs of two siblings. One is happily married to their childhood sweetheart with a toddler, now hosting their arrested development sibling who has upended their life after yet another romantic break-up. Drama ensues when their sibling doesn't return from an in-person date with an online stranger.
🇺🇸 Set in small-town Connecticut
🐺🐕 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags:
👌Realistic portrayal of sister-sister bonds, family secrets, how kids pick up on the way adults feel about them and how that plays out in adulthood, and mental illness.
👌I really enjoyed this story. It was twisty and I didn't want to put it down. The writing is crafted so that the astute reader can pick up on all the clues. The depth and intrigue along with the immersive writing style kept me hooked even for moments where I predicted what was going on.
👌Amateur sleuthing done right! We are racing around with Rosie looking for Laura after she doesn't return from an online date, and I felt like I was running around with her and musing over what to do next. It wasn't OTT or relying on convincing authorities to spill the tea or contrived situations.
👌I loved how we followed two POVs and they are limited so we only know as much as the two characters. There are flashbacks from both POVs, therapy session memories, and deep-in-their-heads narration. Normally that combo leads to frustrating moments to me, where authors have to rely on lie by omission, suspense via interruption/delay, or repetition. That didn't happen here! We know what is going on with both sisters, but I was as invested in both of them and what would happen despite knowing what the other was up to (and the mystery was maintained).
Mood Reading Match Up 📱❤️🩹👮
-Themes of emotional neglect and rejection, difficult-to-love children, volatile personalities and therapy
-Family secrets and drama
-Coming-of-age lifelong friendship dynamics showing how it all turned out in adulthood
-Self-destructive, "I'm gonna wreck my life" trope
-who-to-trust, should-I-or-shouldn't-I, first-date-jitters romantic suspense
Content Heads-Up: Infidelity. Murder. Violence. Self-medicating with alcohol. Kidnapping/captivity. Obsession and stalking. Sexual content on-page (not gratuitous but descriptive)
Format: Paperback
We are following the POVs of two siblings. One is happily married to their childhood sweetheart with a toddler, now hosting their arrested development sibling who has upended their life after yet another romantic break-up. Drama ensues when their sibling doesn't return from an in-person date with an online stranger.
🇺🇸 Set in small-town Connecticut
🐺🐕 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags:
👌Realistic portrayal of sister-sister bonds, family secrets, how kids pick up on the way adults feel about them and how that plays out in adulthood, and mental illness.
👌I really enjoyed this story. It was twisty and I didn't want to put it down. The writing is crafted so that the astute reader can pick up on all the clues. The depth and intrigue along with the immersive writing style kept me hooked even for moments where I predicted what was going on.
👌Amateur sleuthing done right! We are racing around with Rosie looking for Laura after she doesn't return from an online date, and I felt like I was running around with her and musing over what to do next. It wasn't OTT or relying on convincing authorities to spill the tea or contrived situations.
👌I loved how we followed two POVs and they are limited so we only know as much as the two characters. There are flashbacks from both POVs, therapy session memories, and deep-in-their-heads narration. Normally that combo leads to frustrating moments to me, where authors have to rely on lie by omission, suspense via interruption/delay, or repetition. That didn't happen here! We know what is going on with both sisters, but I was as invested in both of them and what would happen despite knowing what the other was up to (and the mystery was maintained).
Mood Reading Match Up 📱❤️🩹👮
-Themes of emotional neglect and rejection, difficult-to-love children, volatile personalities and therapy
-Family secrets and drama
-Coming-of-age lifelong friendship dynamics showing how it all turned out in adulthood
-Self-destructive, "I'm gonna wreck my life" trope
-who-to-trust, should-I-or-shouldn't-I, first-date-jitters romantic suspense
Content Heads-Up: Infidelity. Murder. Violence. Self-medicating with alcohol. Kidnapping/captivity. Obsession and stalking. Sexual content on-page (not gratuitous but descriptive)
Format: Paperback