Ep. 33: Lit It or Quit It: The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

Join Kelsey and Amanda as they unravel the twisty plot of 'The Reappearance of Rachel Price,' dive deep into its complex family dynamics, and debate whether the protagonists are brilliantly complex or just utterly insufferable.

00:00 Welcome to Lit Vibes Only!

00:25 Follow Us on Social Media

02:57 Current Reads

09:48 Summary of 'The Reappearance of Rachel Price'

16: 38 Book Discussion

51:35 Final Recommendations

52:32 LITerally the Best or LITerally the Worst

Follow us on TikTok & Youtube @litvibesonlypodcast and on Instagram @litvibesonly_podcast. We'd love to hear from you!

See you on Mondays!

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Lit Vibes Only!
• 0:25 Follow Us on Social Media
• 2:57 Current Reads
• 9:48 Summary of 'The Reappearance of Rachel Price'
• 16:38 Book Discussion
• 51:35 Final Recommendations
• 52:32 LITerally the Best or LITerally the Worst

Transcript

Ep. 33: Lit It Or Quit It: The Reappearance of Rachel Price
===

[00:00:00] Kelsey: Welcome to Lit Vibes Only, where we lit the shit outta books we love and hate. I'm Kelsey, the unhinged, diehard romantic and fantasy reader. 

[00:00:14] Amanda: And I'm Amanda, the insightful, thrill seeker and historical fiction nerd. Welcome, welcome, welcome. We are so glad you're here for our final or put episode for the month of April.

[00:00:25] Amanda: As always, as always, please make sure if you are not already to follow us on our socials. We are on Instagram at Lit Vibes only under. Podcast. Correct. And we are also on YouTube and TikTok at Lit Vibes only podcast. So be sure to follow, comment, subscribe, all of the things over there if you're not already.

[00:00:46] Amanda: We have a really, we have a good time. We have a good time on our socials. We 

[00:00:49] Kelsey: do. We hope you do too. 

[00:00:50] Amanda: And it's just, we are working 

[00:00:51] Kelsey: hard out there though. Like real, we are working so 

[00:00:53] Amanda: hard and posting like crazy. And it's nice to know that people are like responding and we're not just like shouting into the [00:01:00] void.

[00:01:00] Kelsey: Yes. So, so please come join. 

[00:01:02] Amanda: Yeah. And like comment on our videos. Yes. 

[00:01:06] Kelsey: Oh my gosh. We were just 

[00:01:06] Amanda: talking about that this morning. We're just like, especially on Instagram. I look books to grammars. I know you're out there. Okay. Yes. Somewhere. I don't know what it, it is somewhere, but we get like, so little engagement on our Instagram compared to our TikTok.

[00:01:20] Amanda: It's like drastically different. 

[00:01:22] Kelsey: Very, very, very different. Very different. 

[00:01:24] Amanda: It's like crickets 

[00:01:25] Kelsey: over there. 

[00:01:26] Amanda: Literally like we post, like people will like it, but not comment. Yeah. Yeah. Kelsey just posted our literature, quit it video for the women, and we have women have so many comments on, on TikTok, on TikTok, and literally zero.

[00:01:39] Amanda: No one said a word. Yeah. 

[00:01:41] Kelsey: On 

[00:01:41] Amanda: Instagram. 

[00:01:42] Kelsey: On Instagram, they're like, meh. 

[00:01:43] Amanda: Oh, those, those books. Instagram, girlies and guys and folks, they just, I don't know. They're tough. And typically 

[00:01:49] Kelsey: the comments we, if we do get a comment, it's like, from my husband or from a friend of ours, 

[00:01:57] Amanda: literally. So 

[00:01:58] Kelsey: come join us. 

[00:01:59] Amanda: [00:02:00] Yes. You So something on our Instagram, we would love that would, we would love it so much.

[00:02:04] Amanda: It would truly make our day. But yeah, we have fun. We have a good time. So come, come say hand socials if you're not, and then lastly, I always forget, but I just remembered do not forget to rate and review if you have not done that yet. Especially with rating. 'cause it really does take so little time to just hit that little five star.

[00:02:22] Amanda: Yes. On Apple podcast or on Spotify. Mm-hmm. It really helps to promote what we're doing and get more eyes and ears on our podcast. And if you want to write to review, that would be great. It can be any length. And if you're on Spotify. For some strange reason you can't write a review. I still think that's so bizarre.

[00:02:39] Amanda: It is weird, but you can, you can write a comment on an episode, so if you like, really, like this episode for example, you could be like, oh my gosh, Holly Jackson, yay. Or 

[00:02:48] Kelsey: like, yeah, I totally agree. This sucked. 

[00:02:51] Amanda: Yes. And then so we'll see. Then I'll respond and be like, no. So it'll be great. It's gonna be great.

[00:02:57] Amanda: I just realized, Kelsey, do you have [00:03:00] like a book talk news segment for us? I feel like we didn't really, we didn't 

[00:03:03] Kelsey: talk about it, talk about it before, 

[00:03:05] Amanda: but we can also talk about what we're reading currently too. Yeah, that's 

[00:03:07] Kelsey: what I was thinking. I, I don't have anything. , okay, so those of you who remember we are educators.

[00:03:14] Kelsey: Yes. And Kelsey did a overnight. Last minute study sesh. She sure did. She crammed before the final exam. I just finished the reappearance of Rachel Price last night, like at 10:00 PM Yeah, so I was very much, she texted me yesterday and was like, I still have five 

[00:03:33] Amanda: hours left in this book. 

[00:03:36] Kelsey: And I was like, wish me luck.

[00:03:38] Kelsey: And I was like doing things too. I was like socially out doing things and I was like, sorry guys, I need to listen to this. Like while we're in transit to different places and it was like, it was, it was a little socially weird, but like it was whatever. I was gonna ask if you were 

[00:03:53] Amanda: listening to the audiobook or if you were like reading the physical book.

[00:03:56] Amanda: Listening. So, yeah. Okay. 

[00:03:58] Kelsey: Okay. I started way too late [00:04:00] and the book is like 400 something pages. Yeah. I wasn't, I wasn't gonna be able to read 

[00:04:04] Amanda: it. It took me a while to get through it. I took it with me when I did my little like cabin reading retreat Oh, nice. Back in February. And like, I pretty, it was a recent read.

[00:04:14] Amanda: Yeah, it was a recent read. Okay. And I'm a pretty fast read and I was like, oh, it's like a y thriller. Like, I'm gonna breeze through this in like three or four hours. Nope. No. It took me literally like eight hours to get through it. Interesting. With like a couple of breaks in between. So not like straight through.

[00:04:27] Amanda: Yeah. But I was like, dang, this really took me like the whole day and I thought it wasn't so, and interesting. Yeah. It took a while. We'll talk more about 

[00:04:33] Kelsey: that later. We should will. But what are we currently reading? Yes. What are you reading, Kelsey? I did just finish that one, but I also am currently reading Emily Wild's, encyclopedia Edia of Fairies.

[00:04:44] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. So I'm still in the middle of that one. Okay. I, I really like it so far. It, it is interesting and mm-hmm. Cute 

[00:04:52] Amanda: because you were talking about that in our neurodivergent awareness. Oh, yes, yes. Episode

[00:04:56] Kelsey: and as soon as I opened the book, I was like, oh yes. She [00:05:00] very much is like super, like neuro divergent.

[00:05:03] Kelsey: And I was like, yeah, neurodiverse. And I was like. Okay. Yeah. This makes total sense. Yeah. So still recommend it for that reason. 

[00:05:12] Amanda: That's excellent. You'll have to tell me because like when you were describing it on that episode, I was like, Ooh, I think I'm gonna like 

[00:05:17] Kelsey: it. But I 

[00:05:17] Amanda: wanna hear your thoughts. I think you could like it.

[00:05:19] Amanda: Yeah. Before, 

[00:05:19] Kelsey: It also has like a creepy element to it, so Ooh, yes. Yeah. Sign me 

[00:05:24] Amanda: up. 

[00:05:25] Kelsey: Sign 

[00:05:25] Amanda: me up. Okay. That sounds very cool. I am currently reading things we do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier. This is my second thriller novel that she's written or that she is written, that I've read, I should say. And she base a lot of her stories in our neck at the woods.

[00:05:41] Amanda: So like in the p and w. So this story takes place largely in like Vancouver. And Seattle. Mm-hmm. Which I love. I'm like, oh, I know what she's talking about. I know where Carrie Park is in Queen Ann. But that, that's such a tiny park. I know. It's got great views of Seattle, amazing views. So yeah, so I'm reading that it's, I was just telling Kelsey [00:06:00] before we started, like literally I was reading a couple pages while I was waiting for Kelsey to hop on.

[00:06:04] Amanda: Yeah. And just described like this super gory murder. And I'm like, yeah, this is, this is what I do. This is what I read for entertainment. And when I just need to like decompress, which I'm like, what is wrong with me? 

[00:06:18] Kelsey: You're like, just a bit of light reading. 

[00:06:20] Amanda: Just a little bit of light reading. But it also, at this point I'm thoroughly like, I don't entirely know what's going on.

[00:06:25] Amanda: And I'm trying to hypothesize and predict. Yeah. I'm like, I don't think any of my predictions are correct. I'm like, yes, I love it. I love this so much. So that's what I'm reading. It's, it's a good one. Maybe, maybe we'll read it at some point. We'll see. But yeah, I guess we can just dive in because I feel like mm-hmm.

[00:06:42] Amanda: I know that you wrote the summary for this and it is twisting kind of long, so we'll wanna make sure we give time for that. But let me quickly tell y'all what I had Kelsey read and why. So, yes. I had Kelsey Reed at the Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson. Mm-hmm. My familiarity with Holly Jackson is through [00:07:00] her first, well, I guess it's not her first book, but her most well-known book, which is A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, which I read mm-hmm.

[00:07:06] Amanda: A couple years ago and really enjoyed and I cannot remember someone on, I think books, Instagram actually recommended this book and I was like, Ooh, I haven't read Holly Jackson in a while. Let me check this out. And as I said, I read it over my little book vacation, my vacation I took back in February.

[00:07:23] Amanda: Mm-hmm. It was just for me, it was kind of surprise after surprise, I guess a couple of things. Didn't see a couple of other things coming. Mm-hmm. Really enjoyed it. So I chose it for Kelsey for that. There's a lot of twist in it. And I know she liked Verity because it was weird and twisty. I also picked it because I know she's a fellow Ya fiction lover like myself.

[00:07:42] Amanda: Mm-hmm. And so I thought it would be great for that reason. Then yeah, I also chose it because Holly Jackson's well known, this book is pretty, pretty well known. Mm-hmm. I considered have her having her read A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but I wanted her to read something that it's a bit more recent.

[00:07:55] Amanda: Mm-hmm. So I might still have her read it. We shall see. We'll see. But those are my main [00:08:00] reasons and Kelsey and I have not really talked about this book at all. At all. So I have zero idea. I sent you one text did, I was like, and , it seemed like you didn't like Val or how she was responding to her mom.

[00:08:10] Amanda: But outside of that, I have no idea. Yeah. So, I have a question to ask Kelsey and then. We'll get into the summary. So without further ado, Kelsey was the reappearance of Rachel Price a lit it or quit it for you. 

[00:08:24] Kelsey: This is always a tense moment. 

[00:08:27] Amanda: I know. I was, I legit get so nervous. It's so weird. 

[00:08:31] Kelsey: So this was a lit it for me.

[00:08:34] Amanda: I was like, so certain you were gonna be like, this is Well, okay, I'm just gonna calm down. Okay. You know what? Okay. Short answer. We won't dive into it. Breathe. Breathe. Amanda. I didn't even say soft 

[00:08:45] Kelsey: lit it. It was a lit it for me. Oh my God. So wait. 

[00:08:48] Amanda: Time out. Time out. I think this is the first solid lit it because I think even with Verity, was verity like a solid or like a soft lit it?

[00:08:57] Amanda: I'm trying to remember. I can't 

[00:08:58] Kelsey: remember. Actually, I can't lid it. 

[00:08:59] Amanda: [00:09:00] Okay. I'm like having all the heels right now. Oh my God.

[00:09:06] Amanda: Okay. Alright. So, we'll, so funny, we'll dive into all that later. I'm literally beating over here. If you're not watching this on YouTube, I'm just like grinning from ear to ear. 

[00:09:16] Kelsey: This is very rare. You guys, this is very, very rare. It's so 

[00:09:19] Amanda: rare, especially because like, I have been striking out with the thrillers with Kelsey.

[00:09:23] Amanda: Like, yes, none of this is true. The inmate like, so I'm, I'm thrilled. Okay, I'm gonna stop talking. 

[00:09:29] Kelsey: It's so funny, like, I was reading some of the negative reviews and I was like, eh, I didn't feel so, like 

[00:09:37] Amanda: glorious day, literally happiest day of my life. 

[00:09:41] Kelsey: But I will argue their points. Of course, by 

[00:09:43] Amanda: all 

[00:09:43] Kelsey: means, 

[00:09:44] Amanda: by all means.

[00:09:45] Amanda: We still have to get into it. 

[00:09:46] Kelsey: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So I'm here with the summary, right? Mm-hmm. That's what I'm doing next. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. 

[00:09:52] Amanda: I'll say, especially for this book, read the book first before you listen to this episode because it is very twisty. It is [00:10:00] very long. 

[00:10:00] Kelsey: Okay. So we read the Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson. And so the opening starts with Bel. She is the narrator and main character, and she's currently 18 years old in the story.

[00:10:13] Kelsey: Her mom, Rachel disappeared 16 years ago. So when Bel was two and like an infant, right? And so, or toddler I guess you would say. Mm-hmm. She lives currently with her dad, Charlie, it's just him and her. So for 16 years it was just her dad, Charlie, and her. Some characters of the family that are important include grandpa who is old and has dementia and is kind of near the end of his life, doesn't remember anything about his life.

[00:10:42] Kelsey: I guess that's not fair to say, but like, doesn't remember a lot of details. Mm-hmm. And isn't super coherent. Jeff, who is married to Sherry, and I couldn't remember, is Jeff 

[00:10:52] Amanda: the one 

[00:10:53] Kelsey: related or is Sherry the one related? Jeff 

[00:10:55] Amanda: is Charlie's brother. Okay. So Bell's dad's brother, her uncle. 

[00:10:58] Kelsey: Perfect. And so Sherry and [00:11:00] Jeff are married and they have a daughter Carter.

[00:11:03] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. And the story starts out with Bell recording an interview for a documentary directed by this guy Ramsey. And it is a documentary called The Disappearance of Rachel Price. Mm-hmm. And, like I said, Bell's mom was taken when she was two years old and Bell was left though in the backseat of the car where her mom disappeared from.

[00:11:22] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. So, coming back to present day when Bel is leaving the interview, she crosses paths with her grandma Rachel's mom. Mm-hmm. Who still believes Charlie, the dad had something to do with Rachel's disappearance. She really thinks that Charlie killed Rachel. And then skipping a little forward to some important details.

[00:11:41] Kelsey: Later in the week, Bel is filming a reenactment of that scene where Bell was left in the backseat of the car. And to this day, she still has like issues with back seats. Mm-hmm. There's some sort of trauma there for her. And so they're filming this reenactment. And [00:12:00] then, the film crude had hired a Rachel Lookalike.

[00:12:03] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. That kind of triggered bell, and Bell runs away from the set. And while she's running away and she's like in town, she just happens upon the real Rachel Price. Mm-hmm. And she like, knows immediately that it's hers, hoping that it's not her. 'cause she's like very shocked. When she sees her,

[00:12:21] Kelsey: then Rachel comes home, comes to the house, and Charlie comes home and is completely shocked to see Rachel doesn't really understand like how she could be there. Rachel says she's been kept in a basement for 16 years and never saw the man that took her. She was able to get home because the man just let her go and dropped her off in the middle of nowhere.

[00:12:42] Kelsey: This is her story. And then Bel is immediately suspicious of Rachel and doesn't believe her story at all. She very much feels like , there's this juxtaposition between her mom and her dad. It's either mm-hmm she's on , her dad's side, or she's on Rachel's side, and so mm-hmm.

[00:12:57] Kelsey: Since she has grown up with Charlie, [00:13:00] she is very much like in his camp, right? Mm-hmm. Like she believes his story. She doesn't wanna believe Rachel. And she feels like there is some sort of battle between the two so then Bel begins to investigate what actually happened to Rachel.

[00:13:15] Kelsey: And so I skipped some of those details 'cause mm-hmm. It's not necessarily like super important for everyone to like rehash all of those. Mm-hmm. But along the way she enlists the help of one of the camera crew members, Ash, and he helps her record like all of her findings along the way. As she's uncovering the truth about what happened.

[00:13:34] Kelsey: About a week into Rachel's reappearance Charlie goes missing and supposedly has left for Canada. That's what the clues. Reveal about his disappearance. Mm-hmm. And in the end she uncovers like many of the details and the truth is revealed. And so in the end, it's really the grandpa who now has dementia was the one that took Rachel and kept her in his yard [00:14:00] for 15 years.

[00:14:01] Kelsey: And I couldn't, was it like a junkyard? I couldn't understand. Yeah, it was like a scrap yard. Mm-hmm. What it was. Okay. Mm-hmm. And so then she was in like this crate thing that they call a truck, but like a storage container. Yeah. Yeah. And so, she was in this giant storage container for 15 years.

[00:14:16] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. And this was because Charlie blackmailed him to kill her. But the grandpa never did kill Rachel. He wanted to see if Charlie would be ever upset about Rachel dying. Mm-hmm. And then would let her go. But Charlie never had remorse over what he had done. And so Charlie wanted Rachel dead because he was a controlling husbands.

[00:14:39] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. And I didn't get much more insight than that. But then when Rachel was kidnapped she was pregnant. So this is another plot twist. She was pregnant and was trying to get away from Charlie because she knew that he was trying to be controlling of her. And when she had the baby.

[00:14:56] Kelsey: The grandpa ended up taking the baby away and [00:15:00] then gave it to Jeff and Sherry as like an adopted daughter. But they had her grow up as if she was their daughter, and the two of them had wanted a baby and weren't able to have any. And so this is Carter, who is actually Rachel's daughter.

[00:15:14] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. And grew up with Sherry and Jeff. Mm-hmm. And then Charlie, it turned out never had gone missing. Rachel actually had kidnapped him and given him kind of a taste of his own medicine and kept him in that storage container. Mm-hmm. For two weeks I think it had been to the point that he was there and put him in the same place, dah, dah, dah.

[00:15:38] Kelsey: And in the final scenes. Rachel Bell, Jeff and Charlie are all in the storage container and Charlie is begging to be let out. And Jeff does let him out, or he let freeze him. Yeah, thank you. Freeze him from the chains that he was connected [00:16:00] to. And in the final scenes, Charlie Escapes and then Jeff, and both of them are pushed over a cliff and supposedly fall to their deaths.

[00:16:10] Kelsey: And in the end, the three girls, Rachel Bell Carter, cover up the murders and then tell Sherry that Jeff left to start a new life in Canada, just like Charlie, and that she needed to follow them and never come back. Mm-hmm. And so then the three girls are left in the end. And it doesn't do like a future forward, it just mm-hmm.

[00:16:32] Kelsey: Ends, ends there. Mm-hmm. So, yeah. Yeah. That is. Yeah, that's it. Thank Did you so, so a 

[00:16:38] Amanda: couple, yeah, just a couple of quick like additions. So that final scene where Charlie and Jeff die mm-hmm. Charlie and Charlie has been obviously been held captive for like a couple of weeks. Yeah. And Jeff, when Jeff releases Charlie freeze him, he then immediately proceeds to go hunt down [00:17:00] Rachel and Bell, who have just recently left.

[00:17:03] Amanda: So they're like running through the woods. They're at the lip of this like. This mine shaft, this cliff. And just when it seems like all is lost and Charlie is going to kill Rachel Carter shows up and pushes Charlie and Jeff kind of tries to save him and they both tumble over the edge. So Carter innocent, murdered them in self-defense.

[00:17:24] Amanda: So there's that little piece, the other piece mm-hmm. 

[00:17:27] Kelsey: That 

[00:17:27] Amanda: kind of this pivots on the reason why Patrick, who's the grandfather. Yeah. The reason why he agrees to this crazy plan to like kill his daughter-in-law, the blackmail that his son has on him is that he killed like the grandfather Patrick killed his wife.

[00:17:45] Amanda: And Charlie knows that. Charlie knows that his dad killed his mom. And he's like, I'm basically going to tell everyone about what you did. Mm-hmm. If you don't essentially kill my wife for me. And so he is like, okay. And so, and he couldn't, he couldn't go through with it. So he keeps her in the storage container hoping [00:18:00] like, yeah.

[00:18:00] Amanda: Kelsey said he would at some point show remorse. And if he did, then he'd be like, okay, here's your wife back jk. Actually, she's not dead. Yeah.

[00:18:07] Amanda: It's one reason why I love this book, which is like twist on. Twist on twist. Okay. So I know that this was a lit it for you, so there maybe there's a lot of positive things that you have to say, but what are some of like the primary, the big positives that really made you enjoy this book? 

[00:18:19] Kelsey: Yeah. So I, I was not able to figure out exactly the ending.

[00:18:25] Kelsey: I was shocked by some of the details because I was like. It still has three hours to go. And we, we figured out same, the majority of what happened, Uhhuh, like what else could possibly be out there. Yep. Same. And the whole fact that Carter was her child, I was like, what the fuck? I actually gasped when I found that out.

[00:18:52] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. Mostly because I was thinking about like she was fucking pregnant in mm-hmm. The container. Mm-hmm. And that [00:19:00] like, just shocked me. And then I was thinking back to the details of that and how that would've like gone on like that. Mm-hmm. That was just wild to me mm-hmm.

[00:19:07] Amanda: To think. 

[00:19:08] Kelsey: Yep. 

[00:19:09] Amanda: Giving birth in a storage container by yourself. Yes. Yes. Yeah. 

[00:19:12] Kelsey: Yep. All of that. That was, that was wild to me. Yeah. So I did really appreciate and enjoy the the twist in this book. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And that was, yeah, that was the main thing that I really loved about. Okay. The book. Yeah. 

[00:19:25] Amanda: I, with the, with the Carter thing, I partially called it only because very early on I don't.

[00:19:30] Amanda: Mm-hmm. I don't know if you remember in the book, during the very first family interview, there's that comment that Charlie makes about Yeah. Sherry, it was so strange when you were pregnant, you were just so flat and then all of a sudden you just popped. Right? Oh 

[00:19:43] Kelsey: yeah. 

[00:19:43] Amanda: It was like, oh, something's off about her pregnancy.

[00:19:45] Amanda: Like, I think it was a fake pregnancy. And then I was like, okay, so then who the heck is Carter? Like, who are her real parents? Yeah. So I didn't quite put it together that it was Bell's sister. Right. Rachel was the mom. Yeah. But I definitely was like very suspicious right from the start. And I thought that [00:20:00] was really smart with Holly.

[00:20:01] Amanda: 'cause if you weren't really paying attention, you might not think anything of it. Yeah. But I was like, oh, something's going on. And I think that 

[00:20:06] Kelsey: they also characterized Bel and Carter as sisters, like growing up. Yeah. It's the way that they 

[00:20:12] Amanda: acted. Yeah. 

[00:20:13] Kelsey: And then there was that weird thing about. Bell calling her her baby.

[00:20:18] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. In that one video. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah, there were definitely like foreshadowings mm-hmm. Leading up to that. Mm-hmm. But yeah, the biggest shocker was just the fact that like, that happened to her in a storage container like that, that whole thing. I was like, out all the 

[00:20:35] Amanda: twists. That was the one that got you.

[00:20:37] Amanda: I know. 

[00:20:38] Kelsey: I was like, what the fuck? Yeah, it made sense in the end that the grandpa was the one that took her because mm-hmm. Because he just can't remember now and can't give like correct answers or like, yeah. Yeah. Or understandable answers. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. They're just a little out there and random.

[00:20:59] Kelsey: Yeah. [00:21:00] So that made sense in the end. Okay. And I knew Charlie had something to do with it. I just didn't understand why. 'cause I, I didn't see this in any of the reviews, but like, the reason why Charlie wanted to kill Rachel isn't super strong in my opinion.

[00:21:16] Amanda: Yeah. What is kind of hinted at and sort of told directly is that mm-hmm. She was essentially. Becoming more what is the word I want to say? I don't wanna say rebellious, because that like puts her in a, in a negative light. But she basically Yeah. Wasn't just going along with his manipulation anymore.

[00:21:34] Amanda: Yeah. It was putting up more of a fight and being like, no, that's not what happened. So, yeah. Again, just to give a little bit of context for folks, Charlie, yes, he's controlling, but his main thing is that he gaslights the women in his life. So he would tell Rachel that she had done something that she hadn't, right?

[00:21:51] Amanda: Like, oh, you , left the window open last night and someone could have gotten, and she's like, no, I'm pretty sure I didn't. And he's like, no, you for sure did. Yeah. And, I actually liked the [00:22:00] way that she portrayed Charlie because. For the majority of the book, he seems like this really great dad.

[00:22:06] Amanda: Mm-hmm. He's like, so attentive and kind and, they seem to have this genuine, a genuinely good, healthy relationship. And, and so then it made that twist so much more interesting at the end. 'cause I was like, oh, I do remember him. So the same gaslighting techniques he used on Rachel, he uses on Bel.

[00:22:24] Amanda: Mm-hmm. And he's like, oh, like you broke my favorite mug. And Bel's like, oh God did, I didn't even remember doing that. So sorry. Mm-hmm. And as a reader, when you're first encountering this, you believe the dad, you're like, oh my gosh. Yeah, Bel just must be really clumsy and et cetera. Yeah. And so you also get a sense of like secondhand guilt, like Yeah.

[00:22:41] Amanda: I also was fully gaslit as the reader. Mm-hmm. And fully believed that. The dad was like this great guy and just like looking out for Bel and yeah. You know, she was really absent-minded and forgot to tie up the trash or whatever it might have been. Mm-hmm. So I really enjoyed her portrayal of the dad because essentially he was the villain and mm-hmm.

[00:22:58] Amanda: You couldn't tell [00:23:00] for a 

[00:23:01] Kelsey: long time. Yeah. So the other thing too about that is I think I related to that in a way because I've been in really awful relationships mm-hmm. In the past, and that's kind of how they go. Mm-hmm. Or that can be a characteristic. Mm-hmm. And so, my biggest criticism of the book is that I fucking hated Bill.

[00:23:21] Kelsey: You say that the whole time. I really did. I did hate her. But I think I'm kind of. Understanding mystery a little more. Okay. Tell us more the whole time I was thinking, well, she's fucking traumatized by something and it didn't make sense that it was only because her mom left her.

[00:23:39] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. Like, it didn't make sense to me that it was just because Oh yeah. She was left in the, backseat of the car. Mm-hmm. Like sure it showed up and that she peed herself when her dad left her in the backseat of the car when she was young. But I was like, but there's something else going on here.

[00:23:56] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. That she is traumatized clearly. Mm-hmm. By [00:24:00] something. Mm-hmm. She's one so fucking annoying, but also just like so fixated on different things. Mm-hmm. And then she was, is that called a kleptomaniac? 

[00:24:08] Amanda: A kleptomaniac is someone who steals less. Is that what you're talking about? 

[00:24:11] Kelsey: Yeah. Yeah, because she, she does.

[00:24:12] Kelsey: Yeah. And so she'll steal things to feel better and I think that was really well done because it was shown and not told. Mm-hmm. Like exactly. Mm-hmm. And because it is connected to her trauma Yeah.

[00:24:24] Kelsey: In some way. And so Bel, I think, really thinks that it's because people leave her. Mm-hmm. Or because like her mom left her. Mm-hmm. And that's like her continued like through line around trauma. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But I really do think it was because her dad fucked with her her entire life.

[00:24:41] Kelsey: Yeah, exactly. And then it's not shown though, it's like mm-hmm. Told in this way. And so, I thought that Bel was actually a very complex character Yeah. Where she doesn't understand herself. Nope. And she doesn't understand the things that her dad was doing to her Right. Throughout her entire life.

[00:24:58] Kelsey: Yeah. And, and then [00:25:00] not only that, it was like her grandpa too, right? She has all of these people around her who are very manipulative, incredibly manipulative. And of course you're going to internalize that in different ways. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I thought the way that Bel was portrayed was well done because she has these incessant thoughts and obsessive like thoughts around how people treat her and how she mm-hmm.

[00:25:20] Kelsey: Responds to the world. Mm-hmm. And so, that made sense to me in the end. Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:25:25] Amanda: And I think, I mean, she obviously has huge abandonment issues and I think because of that, she's so willing to overlook any potential issues in her dad or grandfather. 'cause she's like, I can't lose anybody else.

[00:25:35] Amanda: Right. You're all I have. Yeah, that too. And even what you mentioned with her, like, so there's this scene or this event when she's younger, her dad leaves from the backseat of a car. She's like 12. Mm-hmm. And he apparently goes to Taco Bell, right? Mm-hmm. And in. His retelling, he leaves her for 15 minutes.

[00:25:53] Amanda: Yeah. But in actuality it was three hours. And so she'd been in the carpet so long and she ended up wetting herself because she like really needed a bathroom. Yeah. And you know, [00:26:00] you bringing that up, it's like that was an example of him traumatizing her. Mm-hmm. Then gaslighting her into thinking like everything was fine.

[00:26:06] Amanda: And so that's like really deep internalized trauma. Like she doesn't even realize fully that she has been traumatized and what happened to her was really awful. And that her dad lied to her and left her for hours while he was off having an affair, or not having an affair, but off woman. Fucking a woman.

[00:26:19] Amanda: Yeah, exactly. That was wild. Wild. So yeah, she's, she's continually being traumatized, doesn't realize it. Mm-hmm. And so I found her, like, I knew you didn't like her, but like I found her thoughts and her behaviors very believable. Even more so like, I know she's 18, so technically she's like an adult, but she's like a teenager.

[00:26:37] Amanda: She's, yeah, she's young, right. And so she's like trying to just like go through all of those changes while also dealing with a ton of trauma. Yeah. And I think she's doing a pretty good job of it, especially seeing the way that she cares for Carter and is like this big sister to her and is like looking out for vice versa.

[00:26:54] Amanda: They both take care of each other. Mm-hmm. So I really empathized with Bell [00:27:00] and I thought that her choices made sense given her situation. Um mm-hmm. 

[00:27:06] Kelsey: But that doesn't make sense to you until the end of the book. 

[00:27:09] Amanda: Right. But I guess from the beginning, even just with the trauma with her mom, uhhuh unquote abandoning her, I was like, I think that's enough too for me to feel like empathy towards her and give her like, some grace to just kind of be a hot mess.

[00:27:21] Amanda: Yeah. 

[00:27:21] Kelsey: I didn't feel 

[00:27:22] Amanda: that. Yeah. 

[00:27:23] Kelsey: At first I definitely did. I don't know, but there's something else wrong with her. Yeah. 

[00:27:29] Amanda: And yeah, she's, you know, she's angry at times. Mm-hmm. And like Kelsey said she steals things all the time. Yeah. Which I think can be just like this idea of like, I need something that is mine.

[00:27:38] Amanda: I need something that I have control over. Yep. And she knows where all of those things are. She keeps them in this drawer. So it's also like, okay. Like. I don't know. I think it really tracked much totally with who she was. Mm-hmm. What did you think about her relationship with Ash? So Ash is Ramsey's cousin and or brother, sorry.

[00:27:55] Amanda: Yeah, I think brother. 

[00:27:56] Kelsey: Brother-in-law, right. Brother-in-law, 

[00:27:57] Amanda: or is it brother? Some I saw somewhere it was [00:28:00] brother, 

[00:28:00] Kelsey: but like I, like I could have sworn it was brother-in-law. That's what I thought too. 

[00:28:03] Amanda: But he essentially is helping with the filming of the documentaries and, yeah. Yeah. 

[00:28:09] Kelsey: I think, I don't know her attraction to her made sense because he's kind of this weird quirky dude that's like mm-hmm.

[00:28:15] Kelsey: Super unique and like, yeah, not really. Yeah. I don't know. And it just seemed like he had interest in her in the beginning, or was like, helpful to her in the beginning, and so mm-hmm. She naturally connected to him. Yeah, it, it was interesting. Mm-hmm. And it was kind of this healing arc for her in a way.

[00:28:36] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. Yeah. 'cause she was like. Yeah, he's always gonna leave. Mm-hmm. Because he doesn't, he's not from here. He doesn't live here. Yeah. He's go to England. She always knew she, he was gonna leave, and then in the end she was like, coming to terms with that. Mm-hmm. You know? 

[00:28:48] Amanda: Yeah. That people can still care about you and still might have to leave for a variety of reasons, 

[00:28:52] Kelsey: and that it's okay for her to have a connection with somebody.

[00:28:55] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Even I think that was the basis of his [00:29:00] character. Yeah. Like the, the reason for his relationship with her. 

[00:29:04] Amanda: And I just, I loved the humor and the relationship as well, like the ways in which they interacted and I guess, quote unquote flirted. I just found that very interesting. So 

[00:29:14] Kelsey: awkward. 

[00:29:15] Amanda: It was so awkward and so entertaining.

[00:29:18] Amanda: And I loved how in spite of all of her snarkiness, , like, nothing phased him, whatever, like literally nothing phased him. He very much knew who he was in his, his impeccable fashion sentence. But I, I thoroughly enjoyed that and I liked that. It wasn't 'cause I was afraid. Because it's a white book.

[00:29:35] Amanda: I was like, oh, I don't want this to be some like super mushy gushy, like unrealistic romance. Especially considering everything else that's so gritty and real happening in her life. Like I was afraid it was gonna detract from that. Mm. If it was this, cute little, like, I don't know, Cinderella story happening in the midst of all of it.

[00:29:51] Amanda: Yes. That's why I liked the fact. That their relationship very much, I think melded with the rest of the story Yeah. And maintained the same [00:30:00] tone. Absolutely. And, you know, they don't end up together, but they do learn from each other and they have conflict and figure out how to resolve it.

[00:30:06] Amanda: Yeah. So I, I really liked that. I thought that was all done. Also just like, as a quick aside, which I think is interesting, Holly Jackson is British. Oh, okay. And so it's interesting because this book is set in the United States and a Good Girl's Guide to Murder I think was originally when they published in the United States, they changed the setting so that it was set at like an American school, et cetera.

[00:30:29] Amanda: And so, I'm also like, oh, I wonder what it's like being someone from a different country who lives in a different country writing a book that's set Yeah. In a country that's not your own. And like trying to make sure you're getting all the details right and the cultural things right. Because I. If I hadn't known that I wouldn't have read this book and been like, oh, something was off Like this felt like, no, they didn't get like the details of, I don't know.

[00:30:53] Kelsey: No, I didn't feel that way either. 

[00:30:55] Amanda: Yeah. Yeah. And there were British characters in the story. So the documentary, yes. The film crew [00:31:00] is from England. . So, okay. Yeah. So what did you not like about it aside? I mean, go ahead. 

[00:31:06] Kelsey: Yeah. My biggest criticism was Bel. Okay. And just like her, like it made sense, but there was like a few quotes where I was like, why the fuck is she so dramatic?

[00:31:20] Kelsey: I was like, we not, how a dramatic life. She's dramatic life. I was like, come on. Hold on. There's like, did you write them down? I only wrote one down. Okay.

[00:31:33] Kelsey: She was talking about getting like DNA from somebody. And like how you can't get DNA from someone who's dead or someone who doesn't exist there. And she was like, yeah, because non-existent men didn't have DNA. I was like, wait, what is that about? I'm like, wait. It was constant lines like that where it was just like it was already said, and then it was dramatized in another sentence that was so unnecessary.[00:32:00] 

[00:32:00] Kelsey: I see. And I, 

[00:32:02] Amanda: I was trying to like figure out what part of the story that is that what part? It's like, it's the, it's when she thinks like there is someone, not her grandfather who took Rachel's that it and she's trying to Yes. Yeah. 

[00:32:15] Kelsey: Be it. I think it's when she still believes. She's still trying to uncover everything and that Rachel lied about this man that took her.

[00:32:25] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. Like there's no man that took her. Yeah. And so she's like, yeah, because non-existent men don't have DNA. I was like, what the, why 

[00:32:33] Amanda: is that 

[00:32:33] Kelsey: necessary? It wasn't. I mean, 

[00:32:36] Amanda: okay. Teenagers are dramatic, let's be honest. Okay. I think it's very, Holly was really going for it Makes sense. Imagine like, imagine if you were like 18 if this was happening.

[00:32:46] Amanda: I mean, 18-year-old Kelsey would've been like, yeah. Yes. Nonexistent men don't have DNA. And I think that was, yeah. I would have, it was 

[00:32:55] Kelsey: all over this book. It was all over this book. 

[00:32:57] Amanda: It's very much in that sense. A Hawaii book, I [00:33:00] think. 

[00:33:00] Kelsey: Yes. And I think Holly Jackson like very much got in the perspective of an 18-year-old, you know?

[00:33:06] Kelsey: Yeah. And I think, I think that has, some merit to it, you know, like that mm-hmm. Is the point. 

[00:33:11] Amanda: Mm-hmm. 

[00:33:12] Kelsey: I think. Yeah. But it was extra. 

[00:33:14] Amanda: Yeah. Teenage are extra. I work with them every day. They're really extra. Oh 

[00:33:18] Kelsey: yes. They're, 

[00:33:19] Amanda: I did wanna point out one thing about the book that I didn't like, which is okay, tell me.

[00:33:23] Amanda: And it was really small. And this is the comment that I was gonna make before we started recording, which is uhhuh thrillers are hard. Thrillers. Thrillers are hard to write. We've talked about this before because mm-hmm. On the one hand, you don't want your book to be super obvious and kind of have things spelled out and have it be really predictable and realistic, quote unquote, because then mm-hmm you're gonna get the feedback that your book is boring and lame and not a good thriller.

[00:33:49] Amanda: Mm-hmm. Like, people want to be shocked and , their jaws need to hit the floor and they need to be totally taken by surprise. Mm-hmm. And the flip side of that is, if you do that. And write a really wild story. Then the [00:34:00] feedback is like, this is so unbelievable. Yes. Right. Like, this would never happen.

[00:34:03] Amanda: And so I don't envy thriller writers at all. Yeah. So the one, the only part of the book that took me out for just a moment where I did do kind of a little eye roll was the fact that, so again, for folks who maybe didn't read the book or just need a little bit of context 

[00:34:17] Kelsey: mm-hmm. The 

[00:34:18] Amanda: day that Rachel disappears, so the day that Patrick was supposed to take her Yeah, right.

[00:34:23] Amanda: Kidnap her and supposed to kill her, but kidnapped her. Mm-hmm. Was also happened to be the same day that Rachel had finally decided to run away from her husband, and it was the day that she and Little Bell were going to essentially flee and start a new life. And Yeah. Because of that. It led to kind of an interesting series of events that day.

[00:34:44] Amanda: And I think having both of those things just so happened on the same day was a little bit of a stretch. Mm-hmm. I know coincidences happened, life is crazy. And so like, it wasn't a huge deal, but I was like, oh, that just seems like a little much [00:35:00] the day that, you know, a little too 

[00:35:03] Kelsey: convenient. A 

[00:35:04] Amanda: little too convenient.

[00:35:05] Amanda: That was the only eye roll moment that I had. But the rest of it, I was fully on board . 

[00:35:10] Kelsey: When Rachel, I was gonna say this too. When Rachel comes back, I was like, something's wrong with her. Obvious. Like there was something off about her right away. Yeah. It was like, I don't know what it is, but for sure, like either she did run away herself Yeah.

[00:35:23] Kelsey: Or like something's going on because she had no clues mm-hmm. Into the fact that she was. Kept for 16 years. Mm-hmm. Right? Like, yeah, there was no like trauma or anything like that. The only weird thing that she did was put a lock on her door. Mm-hmm. But immediately that I was like, oh, well that means Charlie has something to do with this.

[00:35:42] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. Because she's, she's scared of something. Yeah. Yeah. Something in the house. In the house. Yeah. Yeah. And so, that was the only thing I was like, what? Like, but when you find out that she had been out for like eight months or something like that. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It makes more sense. Yeah. But I think there [00:36:00] could have been, I don't know, maybe she could have pretended that she was like more traumatized by the incident because can you imagine?

[00:36:11] Kelsey: Being kept for 15 years. That's honestly, 

[00:36:14] Amanda: I think she, she seemed almost too normal. 

[00:36:17] Kelsey: Yes. 

[00:36:18] Amanda: Like, is that what you're saying? 

[00:36:19] Kelsey: Yeah, that's 

[00:36:19] Amanda: what I'm saying. Okay. Okay. Okay. I was like, she shouldn't have to pretend that she's traumatized. Like she should be traumatized after, I know that's what was 15 years locked into storage container.

[00:36:29] Amanda: That was a pothole, in my opinion, by her father-in-law. So, yeah. I felt, and now granted, so the other thing to know, one of the things that happens in the book is Rachel Escapes from the storage container, but she doesn't immediately go home. She takes a year and she like, goes off. She finds a job, she kind of gets her life together and is trying to figure out what she wants to do next.

[00:36:51] Amanda: Yeah. And the reason why she decides to come back at this moment is because they're filming this documentary. Mm-hmm. And that's kind of the catalyst for her deciding like, okay, , I'm gonna [00:37:00] go home, essentially. So that's the other thing to note. It wasn't like she got freed from the storage container, like mm-hmm.

[00:37:04] Amanda: Immediately went back home. Right. She like had a year. Off on her own, like, which was interesting. Mm-hmm. I think the other thing about this book that honestly, I don't know if it was completely necessary, I didn't mind it, of course. 'cause I love this book. I dunno if it was a completely necessary storyline, was the storyline of the stalker.

[00:37:24] Amanda: Oh. So , in the book, there is a guy, I'm blanking on his name, who's like obsessed with the Raging price case 'cause it's, you know, been all over the news, et cetera. And so when Bel is like, I don't know, eight or something, he essentially, I think takes her from her school, like kind of kidnaps her one day after school.

[00:37:39] Amanda: Mm-hmm. And like puts her in the backseat of his car and is like, where's your mom? Like what happened? You were two years old and you were in the car with you disappeared, have memories. Like you have the Angela, he's obsessed with this case. Yes. And so they arrest him and take him away and all of that stuff.

[00:37:52] Amanda: And then he comes back later in the book mm-hmm. And ends up kind of like, it's like a home invasion one night. And he shows up [00:38:00] and I'm trying to remember. Oh, that's what it was. Now I remember why his story mattered. He would randomly break into their house 

[00:38:09] Amanda: after Rachel. Rachel. She came back disappeared. Yeah. Before she came back. And he overheard Oh right. Her dad. And was it Jeff or her dad and Patrick, I think it was her or her dad and Patrick. I think it was Patrick. 

[00:38:22] Kelsey: What was, 

[00:38:23] Amanda: I think it was her dad and Patrick. And they were talking about essentially what was, what was going on, what they had decided to do.

[00:38:29] Amanda: Mm-hmm. And so he had insight into the truth of the story. So that's, I guess that's why his storyline mattered. I was trying to remember. 

[00:38:36] Kelsey: But also it 

[00:38:36] Amanda: adds to 

[00:38:37] Kelsey: bell's trauma. Yes. You know, so that's another you kidnapped and all of that. Another trauma point why she's kind of strange. It does add to that for her.

[00:38:46] Kelsey: Yeah. And then just the kind of the insight of like, that's what was going on. That was what it was like for their family is like massive invasions of privacy. Yeah. Yeah. I think is also what that portrayed as well. 

[00:38:57] Amanda: Yeah. And overall, like her [00:39:00] family is super dysfunctional. Oh, super. Like there's that scene where they all have dinner and the documentary crew is gonna film them having this family dinner and it's like pure and total chaos.

[00:39:10] Amanda: Like it's an absolute shit show and it's hilarious. But also like, oh my God, this is the most dysfunctional family in America. Yeah. I was like, what's actually 

[00:39:17] Kelsey: wrong with all of them? 

[00:39:18] Amanda: Yes. And the thing that's crazy, and again we haven't touched on this yet, but Jeff and Sherry got this baby from Jeff's dad.

[00:39:27] Amanda: From Patrick. Yes. And they knew it. They realized at some point that Carter was Bel sister. Like they realized Carter was Rachel's daughter and did nothing like, so they were all complicit. Totally. And this horrible like kidnapping and just were just like, ladi da life is good. Like we're all just one big happy family.

[00:39:52] Amanda: Don't ask too many questions. 

[00:39:54] Kelsey: And like, who? I'm just like, who fucking does that? Where they're just like, I [00:40:00] want a baby so bad. Like yeah, I'll take it from an illegal 

[00:40:02] Amanda: immigrant. Like what? I know. 'cause Patrick tells 'em like, this baby is from an illegal immigrant, and she like couldn't go to the authorities and let them know that she was pregnant and blah, blah, blah.

[00:40:11] Amanda: Yeah. They never met 

[00:40:12] Kelsey: her. This baby just shows up and like, they believe Patrick. I'm like, what? 

[00:40:16] Amanda: But there are stories, like a lot of stories from real life of women who have been desperate for a child, have kidnapped babies from like hospitals, like people have done crazy things. They have Yeah. To have a baby of their own.

[00:40:28] Kelsey: Like, and that's the thing is like this whole family is fucked up Yeah. Before these things happen, right? Yeah. Before they even happen because in order to do these things, you had to be a bit fucked up in the head. Right. To do them in the first place. 

[00:40:43] Amanda: Well, because it like talks about these cycles of trauma because it, 

[00:40:45] Kelsey: yeah. 

[00:40:46] Amanda: It all starts with Charlie's dad, Patrick killing his mom. When Patrick. You know? Yes, exactly. You know when, when Pat, or when, when Charlie was young, right? Yeah. And Charlie and Jeff were brothers, so they're growing up in this super dysfunctional house, 

[00:40:58] Kelsey: right?

[00:40:59] Amanda: They go on, have [00:41:00] super dysfunctional relationships. So you just see these cycles of trauma and violence and abuse, like playing out. Yeah. And so , if you think about it, it makes sense why they are the way that they are. But 

[00:41:11] Kelsey: yeah, 

[00:41:12] Amanda: it, it's, yeah, it's a lot. I was, I think I was curious. Because I thought you wouldn't like this book because, well, one, I thought you were, you would be like, oh my gosh, this is so unrealistic.

[00:41:23] Amanda: And I thought again, you were gonna be like, I don't believe these characters choices. Like they're being Yeah. That's often your criticism. So I'm curious like why you didn't have that criticism with this book. 

[00:41:33] Kelsey: I think that it was because, I kind of related to some of the trauma, going on, it was clear that Bell was super outlandish if you didn't know her story.

[00:41:44] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. But , she is clearly affected by a lot of trauma and for one, it was , the disappearance of her mom. But like further than that, it just made me more intrigued about, okay, what else happened to this girl? Because I was like, no [00:42:00] way. Is it just because her mom disappeared?

[00:42:02] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. I was like, no way. There's something else going on. This family, something's going on in this family. And so, it kind of intrigued me and I think I hooked onto it because I was like, she's super traumatized and I can tell, but like, I don't know why. Okay. Yeah, I'm trying to think about like, none of this is true.

[00:42:18] Kelsey: Like there wasn't, yeah. There like clearly, yeah, she's traumatized, but she's also just kind of fucked up and it doesn't really explain why she's traumatized. Her mom's just like, yeah, she's just an evil person, mm. 

[00:42:32] Amanda: So you like, what 

[00:42:32] Kelsey: was wrong with her? You know, we don't know.

[00:42:35] Amanda: Okay. So maybe if there was more like character development and ability to connect with that character, you would've felt differently maybe. Okay. But also 

[00:42:41] Kelsey: I think it was around relationships, right? It was around trauma in relationships that intrigued me personally if it was like trauma that was like, I don't know I don't know what kind of trauma would be different, but [00:43:00] like.

[00:43:00] Amanda: Usually I'm thrillers, not all of them, but it's often is trauma around relationships. Like it's interpersonal relationships gone bad or gone dysfunctional. Like you see that and none of this is true to a certain degree or to a lot of degrees. You see that, but like you 

[00:43:13] Kelsey: don't, it doesn't get described.

[00:43:15] Kelsey: It doesn't, you don't understand why. What's the main character's name again? And none of this is true. Yeah, I have, I forget her name, but then like the podcast woman. Yeah. You have no idea why she's making the decision she's making. Yeah. That's, she's just dumb. That's, yeah. Well, from our perspective, she is might be dumb.

[00:43:33] Kelsey: Never gets, you never really have an insight into it. Yeah. So it just didn't make sense. Okay. It fell flat for me. Okay. So 

[00:43:40] Amanda: I guess that's the reason. Did you feel the same about the inmate? Like you felt you didn't, 

[00:43:46] Kelsey: the 

[00:43:46] Amanda: inmate 

[00:43:46] Kelsey: you Yeah, I mean, I guess because you 

[00:43:49] Amanda: also thought they were dumb too. Likes like, oh, she's flip flopping between the 

[00:43:53] Kelsey: guys and I don't, that didn't make sense.

[00:43:56] Kelsey: Like, why would she do that? Like , she was almost murdered, [00:44:00] supposedly by this one guy. And she's like, no, I'm gonna fuck him. And like, I was just in a relationship with this other guy like that does not, that does not track. Okay. Okay. In my brain. Okay. 

[00:44:12] Amanda: That's, I mean, that's, that's fair. , I'm asking these questions because I'm like, okay, I gotta lid it out of her.

[00:44:16] Amanda: Yeah. Yeah. I need to understand why, so, why I can like, continue on this streak, like what it is you look for. Good luck, Amanda and I. 

[00:44:26] Kelsey: So it sounds like I'm not even trying with you anymore, like on my side, you, me. Oh. Oh. 'cause I had you read Powerless and I had you read, you knew I was gonna hate it.

[00:44:33] Kelsey: What? I, yeah. I was like, no, I know she's gonna hate it, but I love it and I know, like, I don't care what she 

[00:44:38] Amanda: thinks. Okay. Maybe for my next book, I need to choose something that I like, know. You're gonna be like, what the heck is this? I mean, I, I might still have you go back and read. The secret chord, the one that you started.

[00:44:50] Amanda: Oh God, please know, because I already know. But honestly, I think you might end up liking that book more than you realize, because I think once you get into it and get yourself [00:45:00] situated with the characters, I think you might like it. But anyway, I think the first portion of it is like totally 

[00:45:05] Kelsey: not well. How far did you get into it?

[00:45:08] Kelsey: I was like, what is even happening? There's sheep here. There's a guy. It's world anything. 

[00:45:15] Amanda: I might have you read it at some point, but I 

[00:45:17] Kelsey: hate 

[00:45:17] Amanda: you. You made me read Divine Rivals. You made me, that was a good book. Read Power You, great book. Read Powerless. Great book. You made me read Bride Like You Tortured Me Bride was so fun.

[00:45:28] Amanda: So much more on this podcast than I have. I've been basically a saint. Okay. But anyhow, before we go, go off on a tangent, any other thoughts, comments, concerns, questions about this book that we have not touched on? Oh, and I know we'll bring up stuff in , the review section too. Yeah. You know what was funny to me is 

[00:45:50] Kelsey: the dad, well isn't his, his name is Charlie.

[00:45:54] Kelsey: Yeah. I, the only person I kept picturing 

[00:45:57] Amanda: is The Twilight. 

[00:45:58] Kelsey: Yes. Is the Twilight Dad. [00:46:00] I know. 

[00:46:00] Amanda: Do they 

[00:46:00] Kelsey: ever describe him? Does 

[00:46:02] Amanda: he have a mustache 

[00:46:04] Kelsey: like 

[00:46:06] Amanda: that would track actually, if he had a mustache, I could, I could see him. The thing is, because Charlie is super likable in Twilight, right? Everybody loves Charlie and like in this book for the most part, right?

[00:46:16] Amanda: Until you realize how crazy he is. Like, yeah, you also like him. He seems like a great, like aw shucks kind of dad who works at his you know, car, whatever, auto shop and like, loves his daughter. And so I could, I could see him being like Charlie, like Twilight Charlie. Yeah, for sure. 

[00:46:32] Kelsey: I, oh I guess the one thing I will mention is Uhhuh is it was really brilliant of Rachel the way that she tried to escape and it was through books.

[00:46:42] Kelsey: Yeah. Yeah. That was really fun. I didn't talk about that. We didn't talk about it. 

[00:46:45] Amanda: Yeah, go for it. So, 

[00:46:46] Kelsey: those of you listening who haven't read and just are gonna listen to this episode,. Part of the clues that bell finds throughout the book is, is she finds out that [00:47:00] Rachel left messages in books that her grandpa had.

[00:47:04] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. So her grandpa would give Rachel books to read mm-hmm. To like, pass time. And I'm like, okay, actually maybe not so bad. Maybe that's why she's not traumatized. A storage container with some bugs. And so she ends up leaving these very subtle messages in the books. Mm-hmm. And it says, help my name is Rachel Price and I'm being kept in the red container, or whatever she says.

[00:47:30] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. And, and I'm being kept by Patrick. Mm-hmm. What's his price? Uhhuh. And so call police or something like that. And those never get. Figured out. 

[00:47:42] Amanda: No. 

[00:47:43] Kelsey: I just can't imagine the amount, like the, there needs to be like another book for Rachel. I feel like, just like in her own perspective of how she handled all of that.

[00:47:54] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. And like, they would be so wild to understand because how does a person not go [00:48:00] crazy? That's, yeah. I would literally, I think I'd lose my mind. Yeah. I think you would just go crazy. Yeah. And that's part of the reason why she just doesn't feel any remorse for the people that did this to her, which makes sense.

[00:48:10] Kelsey: Like , that made sense to me. But I like she could have been more crazy. Like she should have been more. Yeah. Yeah. Or there could be like an extension book. Mm-hmm. Where now Rachel's got her revenge. Mm-hmm. And while she cares for her daughter, she like continues to go on a, I don't know, there's gotta be something more because that mentally, how do you, the fuck do you get through something?

[00:48:31] Amanda: I don't know. And, and come out seemingly. Unca normal, mentally, like. Yes. And, and so again, for folks who didn't read it, like she's in the storage container, she's got like a manacle around her ankle, so she can only walk so far in the storage container, obviously. So she can't like Yeah. Jump out and escape whenever Patrick opens the door to bring her food or whatever.

[00:48:50] Amanda: Mm-hmm. So , she has like limited movement. She barely not, not getting sunlight. Yeah. Like she, like, so sometimes Patrick would come and open the doors and he would like sit in the entryway and like give her [00:49:00] some fresh sunlight and air Yeah. Or whatever.

[00:49:03] Amanda: But like, I, especially as someone with hyperactive A DH, ADHD would legitimately have just it would go 

[00:49:10] Kelsey: crazy. Yeah. My, my brain would, it would be done, it would just 

[00:49:13] Amanda: melt. It would like melt outta my ears. 

[00:49:14] Kelsey: Yeah. it's incomprehensible to me. Mm-hmm. Mm. And like the amount of time that would pass, like, you're spending years in four walls. Mm-hmm. Same four walls. Mm-hmm. Either really cold or really hot.

[00:49:27] Kelsey: And you just have, you don't talk to anybody. You don't see anybody. You don't go outside. Yeah. Like you do nothing. You sit there and, and read sometimes, and sometimes read. Yeah. Like 

[00:49:42] Amanda: for 15 years. Yes. It's not a, a year, it's not even 15 years, a decade and a half. And I, 

[00:49:51] Kelsey: I think that she had to do that. Holly Jackson had to do that because it had to be an age where Bell would not remember.[00:50:00] 

[00:50:00] Kelsey: Yeah. And then on the flip side, she would be old enough to do the things that she was doing, you know? Sure. Yeah. So I think it, it had to be that time frame for the story to work. Sure. But like. Yeah. I think that was the thing that was missing was Rachel's like mental health. I'm like, she, right. Yeah.

[00:50:17] Amanda: Because like, there have been people who have been kept captive for that length of time. 

[00:50:20] Kelsey: Yeah. And 

[00:50:21] Amanda: I feel like they've had to go through extensive therapy and like Oh, absolutely. And they also weren't kept, well, some of them were maybe in really tight quarters. Mm-hmm. But some of them it's like, oh, we were in a basement or something.

[00:50:31] Amanda: But yeah. Yeah., that would've been interesting to dive into a little bit more. Yeah, I think, I mean, it would've been a much longer book. 

[00:50:37] Kelsey: There just needs to be different book. 

[00:50:39] Amanda: Yeah. 

[00:50:39] Amanda: Did you 

[00:50:39] Kelsey: ever watch the OA on Netflix? 

[00:50:42] Amanda: No. I remember you talked about it and I, oh my God, 

[00:50:45] Kelsey: this reminds me of this of Okay. Don't spoil anything. I still need to watch it. Part of, part of the, part of the thing is like. People are being held captive. Okay. But but yeah, you, I'm putting it on my to watch list right now.

[00:50:58] Kelsey: You have to, even though it's [00:51:00] unfinished and it's never gonna be finished. Well, that's why I didn't watch. It's, you're like, it's still so worth it. Okay. 

[00:51:06] Amanda: Alright. I will, I will, I promise you 

[00:51:08] Kelsey: it's so 

[00:51:09] Amanda: worth it. I'm adding it to my to watch list. Anyone else 

[00:51:11] Kelsey: agree with 

[00:51:12] Amanda: me? 

[00:51:12] Kelsey: This needs to be a teaser. Go watch the OA and let us know.

[00:51:17] Amanda: Do you agree? Yeah. Or if you've watched it, I wanna know if you agree with Kelsey. Kelsey, is it worth it? Me getting invested in the show and then having no resolution at the end? 

[00:51:25] Kelsey: Yeah. Let Amanda know because yes. These, these things are important. Yes. I 

[00:51:30] Amanda: need to know. Okay. I, I think that's it. I think our last thing Yeah.

[00:51:34] Amanda: Is just like final recommendation. Kelsey, would you recommend? Totally. Okay, great. That was so quick. Oh, wait. 

[00:51:40] Kelsey: Yes, I would. Okay. I would recommend it. 

[00:51:43] Amanda: Okay. I mean, I would as well. I think if you, I mean, clearly, even if you're like Kelsey and you don't normally read thrillers,, it's enjoyable. It will keep you guessing.

[00:51:51] Amanda: It's fairly easy to get. It's long, but it's like easy to get through. Like you want to keep reading, you wanna find out what happens next. And I think even if you're [00:52:00] somebody who is like an experienced thriller reader like myself, like I also was left just shaking my head like, wait, what just happened?

[00:52:08] Amanda: By the end of it all. And there's a lot jam packed into that last section of the book. 'cause I like Kelsey. Yes. Was that like the, I don't even know. Maybe like the halfway mark. 60% mark. And I was like. Okay. This book is, it's gotta be almost done. Like, how do I still have this many pages up to Yeah.

[00:52:21] Amanda: What else could possibly be, revealed? Yeah. And the, the twist kept coming. Mm-hmm. So highly recommend it. It's a fun ride for sure. And then, yeah, and if you haven't also read A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, it's fun. Okay. Let's do our literally the best. Literally the worst. I'm gonna read some five star reviews.

[00:52:38] Amanda: Kelsey's gonna read some One star reviews. One star. I have four. Is that how many you have? Yep. I have four. 

[00:52:42] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. 

[00:52:43] Amanda: I feel like that's our standard now. Yeah. Do you wanna go first or do you want me to 

[00:52:48] Kelsey: Okay. I can go first and we can leave on a positive note. Okay. Love it. Alright, so first one, these are all from Good Reads.

[00:52:57] Kelsey: I don't really know how to say this name, but [00:53:00] Nihari. 

[00:53:02] Amanda: Okay, 

[00:53:02] Kelsey: we'll go with that. Niharika reads, Niharika Reads. Okay. This book is a mystery. All right. A mystery as to why anyone would bother reading it in the first place. Mm. The attempt at suspense in this book is about as effective as Whispering Boo to a deaf person.

[00:53:20] Kelsey: What. Bell's character was about as deep as a kitty pool and just as predictable. Forget about rooting for the main character. I was secretly hoping she'll trip over her own shoelaces and accidentally solve the murder. In the process, she just bumbles through clues like a blindfolded toddler in a game of hide and seek.

[00:53:40] Kelsey: But wait, there's more. Bell also manages to alienate every side character faster than you can say red herring, because Wamp wamp, everyone leaves me in the end. Sis. Have you ever thought everyone left because you're simultaneously clueless and insufferable? In conclusion, the reappearance of Rachel Price is a [00:54:00] thriller in the sense that it's thrilling to see just how many bad decisions one character can make in 448 pages.

[00:54:06] Kelsey: If you're in the mood for frustration and disbelief, look no further. Okay. 

[00:54:13] Amanda: Oh wow. Okay. There's so many things where I'm like. I am 100% on the opposite side. I feel like she didn't bumble through things. And also she's an 18-year-old girl, not Sherlock Holmes. Yes. Like I thought Totally, totally. Like it was very believable and 

[00:54:27] Kelsey: I was in suspense.

[00:54:29] Kelsey: I don't agree. I was like, what? 

[00:54:31] Amanda: I know. I was 

[00:54:32] Kelsey: shocked by some of the details. Oh my gosh. So many things. So yeah. So funny. Yeah, we 

[00:54:36] Amanda: clearly, we read a different book because that was not my experience at all, but I get that 

[00:54:40] Kelsey: Everyone leaves me in the end thing. That was, yeah, it was very much 

[00:54:43] Amanda: repeated. Yes. But also I think tracks considering, okay, my first one is from Jenny.

[00:54:52] Amanda: Let me tell you one thing to begin with. Holly Jackson is my queen, and I believe in supremacy of her books. And this one is no exception. [00:55:00] This story was addicting, all caps. I was hooked from the beginning to the very end, and I can't wait to reread it again. I was totally sucked into Bell's World from the get-go.

[00:55:09] Amanda: She such a relatable protagonist. Jaded, cynical, and feeling totally isolated. Okay? As she doves deeper into her own trauma and tries to uncover the truth about her family, I was right there with her hanging on every word. And let me tell you. The twists and turns in this book, mind blowing, Holly Jackson totally nailed it with a plot twist.

[00:55:29] Amanda: They were perfectly set up, yet still managed to catch me off guard every time. And the ending, whew. It had me shook. But the reappearance of Rachel Price isn't just a mystery. It's also a deep dive into family dynamics loyalty and the meaning of justice. It's emotional thought provoking and kept me guessing until the very end.

[00:55:48] Amanda: Seriously, this book was the most fun I've had reading in ages. I was constantly trying to piece together the puzzle and just when I thought I had it all figured out, Jackson threw in another twist that kept me guessing. It's a wild ride from start to finish [00:56:00] and I loved every minute of it. Yeah. I also liked that she took it a step further and wasn't just like, oh, this was just really twisty.

[00:56:07] Amanda: It does talk about family dynamics and loyalty and justice. 'cause like at the end of the story, they do murder two people, right? Yes. Like they murdered Charlie and Jeff and they're never , you know. Punished for it, essentially, or seemingly. Seemingly, right. Not at least, not, at least within like, the justice system, you know?

[00:56:28] Amanda: And part of you is like, Ooh, how do I feel about that? Am I okay with him getting away with murder? 'cause of all the horrible things that happened is murder, just like never. Okay. You know? Is it justified? Mm-hmm. Because the other thing that we didn't talk about is that Ramsey and Ash know the truth.

[00:56:45] Amanda: Oh yes. 

[00:56:45] Kelsey: Yeah. That's the other thing. They know what 

[00:56:47] Amanda: happened. Yeah. And they choose to stay silent and they don't move to prosecute them, 

[00:56:52] Kelsey: which I found interesting on Ramsey's part. Yeah. I would not have suspected that. 'cause you, you didn't need that [00:57:00] portion in there in the end. Yeah. Like, because Bell had destroyed all of the tapes.

[00:57:05] Kelsey: Mm-hmm. Which is something we did not talk about. But with Ramsey included, like. He would've wanted a really good story. So I'm guess I'm confused as to why he would be okay with that. 

[00:57:17] Amanda: Yeah. Mm-hmm. And they don't really give us a lot of reasoning as to why. Yeah, because yeah, he has all of the tapes backed up, so he has all the information.

[00:57:25] Amanda: So even though she destroyed them. Yeah. And yeah, he's just like, yeah, okay. Like, I wish you all the best. Yeah. And I, part of it's like, oh, maybe he's just a good person. He realizes all of the horror that these women have been through and the abuse and manipulation and the, you know, being locked in a storage container for 15 years.

[00:57:41] Amanda: But yeah, it didn't quite track 'cause he did Well no, wait, wait, wait, wait. He filmed that documentary before before he did this one. What document before? So remember his previous documentary that he was working on? Oh. Before he filmed the Disappearance. Yes. Now Reappearance of Rachel Price. Yes.

[00:57:59] Amanda: And I [00:58:00] remember, I'm, I'm blanking on the specific details, but he either. Ended up not finishing it or not, it was a flop. Was it a flop or was it that it never, 

[00:58:11] Kelsey: it was not, it just didn't do good. I don't, it was a flop 

[00:58:13] Amanda: because like, I, but it wasn't it because he just, he ended up like not telling the full, I feel like there was something about that that showed he did have this empathetic side and he wasn't just about making a quick buck.

[00:58:27] Amanda: Mm-hmm. And I think they did hint at that, like with his work on the previous documentary, I'd have to go back because it had, yeah, I 

[00:58:33] Kelsey: don't remember that part, 

[00:58:35] Amanda: but I think maybe she included that to give a little bit of lead up as to like his ultimate decision not to say anything. Yeah. 

[00:58:41] Kelsey: I also think it could be.

[00:58:43] Kelsey: Another book. 

[00:58:45] Amanda: I mean, it 

[00:58:45] Kelsey: could be like, it totally could be where that's part of it where he's actually coming back and he's like, yeah, no, I have all the videos. So what are you going to give me? Type of deal. I mean, 

[00:58:55] Amanda: it's, it's possible. She's good at writing series, so 'cause a Good Girl's Guide to Murder is a part of a series.

[00:58:59] Amanda: [00:59:00] Yeah. So anyhow, okay, you gonna do your ing Do your next one? 

[00:59:03] Kelsey: This one's really short from Leah. Straight to the point. Holly, what happened here? Are you okay? Are you in danger? Did you forget how to write that? Is it 

[00:59:14] Amanda: Oh damn. Short but scathing. I think Holly definitely knows how to write and again, I dunno.

[00:59:21] Amanda: Book you read I 

[00:59:22] Kelsey: think also though is a Good Girl, good Girl's Guide. Guide to Murder. To Murder. Mm-hmm. Is that one ya as well? 

[00:59:30] Amanda: Yeah. 

[00:59:31] Kelsey: Oh, okay. 

[00:59:32] Amanda: Yeah, she must, she, I think, I don't wanna say she exclusively write to 'cause I'm not sure, but I think she. Mostly rights away. 

[00:59:38] Kelsey: Mostly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was curious because a lot of the narration, right, is mm-hmm.

[00:59:44] Kelsey: Well, all the narration is from Bell. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And she's 18 years old, right? Mm-hmm. And so, that personality and that, yeah. The time for some people line like yeah. It could be offputting. 

[00:59:56] Amanda: Yeah. , that makes sense. If you're an adult who only reads adult thrillers or adult fiction Yeah.

[00:59:59] Amanda: [01:00:00] And you picked up this book, I could see you being annoyed for sure. Yeah. But I like way fiction and I also work with teenagers, so it's all good. 

[01:00:07] Kelsey: We're 

[01:00:07] Amanda: just love, like, listening to their voices. We, we hear them all the time, so it like, didn't even phase me. Okay. Next five star review from Zfa, Kato Kato.

[01:00:20] Amanda: Okay, who had that? I'd be crying in the final chapters. 10 outta 10 on Yelp. Recommending to friends, I saw replies on one of my updates. Don't read this at 2:00 AM asking if it was nerve wracking or addicting. Yes, but I am baby and I used to get scared reading the Goosebumps series and watching Detective Conan that I couldn't sleep, but oh my God, just, oh my God, I love it here.

[01:00:44] Amanda: The way Holly wrote these characters that felt so tangibly real, the emotions that come from being someone who had something taken from you. The hints scattered all along the story, the full circle that happens, the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. I loved it. Need it to be [01:01:00] adapted into a movie or TV show, because this works.

[01:01:03] Amanda: Imagine documentary style filmed from multiple cameras with spaces for the watcher to fill them in. Netflix, hire Me. 

[01:01:11] Kelsey: I actually think this would be a really great movie. It would be. 

[01:01:14] Amanda: It would be. Yeah. Either I could see it be a Netflix show, actually, like a mini series. I could totally see that because there's so many twists.

[01:01:21] Amanda: Yeah. You could end with so many cliffhangers you know, and over like the span of like three or four episodes. I think it would be great also that yeah, that's 

[01:01:29] Kelsey: possible. 

[01:01:29] Amanda: Yeah. But yeah, I think the other thing that I liked is, 'cause sometimes with thrillers it can be frustrating when the author doesn't give you any foreshadowing and there's like no way to put things together on your own to a certain extent.

[01:01:40] Amanda: Mm-hmm. And so then the ending does feel a little contrived 'cause you're like, wait, I had mm-hmm. I couldn't see the buildup. Mm-hmm. And so I think she did a really good job of leaving breadcrumbs along the way, even with, like I said, with like the pregnancy hint at the beginning with Sherry. Yeah. It's like, okay, something is off.

[01:01:57] Amanda: Mm-hmm. And so you don't feel completely, or like the hint that [01:02:00] maybe the Taco Bell story that her dad told her isn't completely true. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So I like the way that she planted those, those seeds of doubt. Okay. 

[01:02:07] Kelsey: True. True. Okay. Next is Angeline. I went through the five stages of grief reading the Reappearance of Rachel Price.

[01:02:17] Kelsey: I had been so excited to start on another Holly Jackson book, only to be so disappointed. The more I read, the worse it became. Bella was an unlikeable protagonist and being stuck in her mind made me want to get Lobotomized. The romance between her and Ash was unnecessary and the plot twist was mediocre.

[01:02:39] Kelsey: The book itself, to put it lightly, was mediocre. And to think Holly Jackson considers this her favorite of her books, reading a Subjective, sure. But I find it hard to believe that anyone could enjoy the reappearance of Rachel Price better than a Good Girls Guide to Murder and five Survive.

[01:02:58] Kelsey: I. So, so [01:03:00] disappointing. I should have guessed that this book would be a shit show. The moment Covid and TikTok were referenced. What, which I, I didn't understand why that was like a, such a hit on a book. Like, I, I don't understand why people, why is that? Yeah. I don't know. Like it's real. These, 

[01:03:21] Amanda: these books are of our time and Covid had a huge impact on all of us, so why wouldn't it?

[01:03:26] Amanda: Like, so 

[01:03:26] Kelsey: I don't know. 

[01:03:27] Amanda: Okay. Well, I actually like learning that This is Holly Jackson's favorite book. That's, that's really, that's cute. And I, I actually gave this book Five Stars and I gave a Good Girls Guide to Murder when I wrote it. Four stars. So I do like this one better. I haven't rated this 

[01:03:41] Kelsey: book yet.

[01:03:42] Amanda: Oh. What do you think you're gonna give it? 

[01:03:45] Kelsey: Probably a four. 

[01:03:46] Amanda: Oh, nice. All right. Yeah. I'm, I'm done with that. I'm say, okay, next one. Eva says. Complex characters, grief, paranoia, and fractured relationships. Holly Jackson's The Reappearance of Rachel [01:04:00] Price is a gripping ya, a thriller that masterfully blends family drama with a suspenseful mystery.

[01:04:05] Amanda: The story follows, 18-year-old Bell as her mother Rachel presumed dead for 16 years, suddenly reappears with a shocking tale of captivity. What begins as a chance for familial reconciliation quickly unravels into a 10th investigation. As Bell grows suspicious of Rachel's seemingly inconsistent story.

[01:04:23] Amanda: The narrative unfolds alongside the filming of a true crime documentary, adding layers of voyeurism and intrigue. There's an atmosphere of perpetual unease as the truth about Rachel's disappearance reveals itself in unexpected ways. The novel also delves into themes of trauma manipulation and the ambiguity of truth, making it both emotionally resonant and intellectually engaging.

[01:04:45] Amanda: This one was way better than a Good Girl's Guide to Murder, in my opinion. It was darker and had a more intricate narrative. I really enjoyed this one. Oh my God, I so agree. I so agree. Like a Good Girl's Guide to Murder almost feels a, like a little more [01:05:00] shallow, not that it's a bad book. Mm-hmm. But this one I think just is a bit grittier and dives in, I think into yeah.

[01:05:07] Amanda: Families and like human nature and like, , what was the line? The ambiguity of truth. Like, I don't know. This book made me think more than a Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Yeah, 

[01:05:19] Kelsey: for sure. One thing I didn't mention and it keeps coming in and out of my mind,, is that I didn't have to guess.

[01:05:27] Kelsey: It wasn't ambiguous in the end. Mm-hmm. Like, yeah. Like some of the books that you have given me and I'm like, oh, I hate it when it ends just on this cliffhanger where it's like, what the fuck? I wanna know what intended , to write. Yeah. Like, I don't wanna be left hanging. Yeah. That's fair. So this very much felt like, oh, okay, this is what happened.

[01:05:49] Amanda: Yeah. It has a, it has a very strong resolution. Yes. At the end for sure. But yeah, , I did feel uneasy the entire time. 'cause I really was like, do we believe Charlie? Do we believe Rachel? What the heck [01:06:00] actually happened? Like who's the good guy? Who's the bad guy? And I love that about thrillers though, because as humans we wanna quickly identify , who is the good person?

[01:06:06] Amanda: Who am I rooting for? And in this book, it takes you a long time to figure that out and know . Who side you're supposed to be on. 

[01:06:12] Kelsey: Well, I still think that could be a bit ambiguous. Of course, I'm not root for any of them really. Mm-hmm. But like, I wanna know the truth for sure. 

[01:06:22] Amanda: Yeah.

[01:06:22] Amanda: That's the thing. I don't know. I mean, I was definitely team Rachel and Bel by the end, obviously. Like, I wasn't in Charlie's camp at all. 

[01:06:31] Kelsey: I was in nobody's camp. Oh, in the end, okay. Yeah. Yeah. I wasn't even like, oh, yay. So they're gonna be happy. Good for them. Like, I, it wasn't even like that. I was like, they're gonna, you know, they're gonna have to deal with all their fucking trauma and like, everything that they've dealt with and what they mean, it's did, it's, 

[01:06:47] Amanda: yeah.

[01:06:47] Amanda: It's certainly not gonna be like a happily ever after. There is no happily ever after for them. Right after everything. The, the best is like, I don't know, having a somewhat normal. Life maybe. Yeah. You know, like get [01:07:00] Yeah. And not going to prison for murder. 

[01:07:01] Kelsey: Yeah. The hopes that they don't go to prison. Yeah.

[01:07:04] Kelsey: Yeah, exactly. But yeah, I could see that if, if there ever was a second book, the like kind of yeah. Aftermath. I could see Carter. Yeah. I could see Carter going down this road of like, I killed someone and I'm not okay with it. Yes, exactly. Yeah. Eating at her. Yeah. Anyway. Okay. My last.

[01:07:21] Kelsey: One star review. Mm-hmm. This was from Pink. Amy loves books, cats, and naps. Okay. I'm like, how long can a username guide? I know. I'm not sure. Okay. First, the positive. I love the premise reappearance stories and the family dynamics that ensue intrigued me. The negative. Rachel never seemed traumatized as someone who was kept in a trunk truck for 16 years would Bell was extremely unlikeable and not like teenagers I've ever met.

[01:07:51] Kelsey: Don't work with a lot of teenagers. The level of disrespect for adults sounded more like what a teen would wish she could [01:08:00] say, rather than what she actually would. I can't imagine anyone talking to a cop like Bel did and not being arrested. She was also extremely selfish and unkind. Nearly every character was just as bad as Bel.

[01:08:13] Kelsey: The premise who did? What to whom was ridiculous. The story moves very slowly with repetitive scenes. The rating, I tried to find a way to justify more than a star and couldn't. 

[01:08:28] Amanda: Wow. Yeah, it really is like we read two different books and yeah, clearly this person, like, I don't know how old they are, but they sounded like you are like one of those old like children these days.

[01:08:38] Amanda: So disrespectful. I'm like, girl, you have not worked with teenagers. Like clearly, not clearly. So out of touch, like 

[01:08:46] Kelsey: they literally talk to adults this way all the time. All the time. Oh my God. Infuriating. 

[01:08:54] Amanda: Yes. Oh my. It's real. I'm just imagining some like, I don't know, like older woman with her cats in [01:09:00] her little house.

[01:09:00] Amanda: Just like, well, it's pink, Amy. Oh my God. Okay. Thank you Pink Amy for your thoughts. Okay, last five star review from Noah de Campos Netto. 

[01:09:12] Kelsey: All right. 

[01:09:13] Amanda: This is without a doubt the best thriller book I've ever read and possibly the best book I've ever read, period. From the first page to the last, I was completely engrossed in the plot and I found it incredibly hard to put the book down in parentheses.

[01:09:26] Amanda: I'm writing this review at 2:30 AM because I just finished it. I had high expectations, but this book surpassed them all. I am honestly at a loss for words. The characters were brilliantly developed, the plot twist were logical, and the story was consistently compelling. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves YA thrillers.

[01:09:45] Amanda: It's simply amazing. Yeah, there you go. Yep. Right there with you. Noah absolutely loved it. I know if it's the best book I've ever read, but it is definitely a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm so glad Kelsey liked it as well. I did the [01:10:00] cherry on top. But yeah, if you guys have read this book, obviously let us know.

[01:10:06] Amanda: You can comment on this episode. You can hop on our socials if you're a Holly Jackson fan or not. Or not, let us know what you think, because this is my first 

[01:10:15] Kelsey: book of hers that I've read. Yeah. And, 

[01:10:17] Amanda: and Kelsey enjoyed it. So, you know, that's high praise. High praise. It is. It is. Takes a lot. Kelsey is, yes.

[01:10:24] Amanda: Kelsey is very critical of thrillers. Okay. Do you wanna do social 

[01:10:28] Kelsey: so we can wrap this up? Yes. So now that you've listened to this entire episode, go run to our socials and tell us what you thought. And also just be a follower, you know? Yeah. Yes. 'cause we would love that. So you can find us on Instagram at Lit Vibes only podcast, and you can find us on TikTok where people are more friendly and talkative and.

[01:10:54] Kelsey: Lit Vibes only podcast and also on YouTube where we have our [01:11:00] full length episodes on there at Lit Vibes only podcast. So come join in on the fun. We work our asses off, we really do to get content out there. So I hope you enjoy, go enjoy with the rest of them and then 

[01:11:14] Amanda: tell us how 

[01:11:15] Kelsey: much you're enjoying it.

[01:11:16] Amanda: You're like, oh my God, I enjoyed this so much. Yes, that's all you have to say. And then of course, rate and review us as well. Another way to show appreciation and we appreciate it. We appreciate it so much. So thanks for hanging out with us guys and we'll see you next Monday. Yeah, bye.