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cloreadsbooks1364's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There's a reason why I never reviewed the AGGGTM series, or wrote a long review of Five Survive. Holly Jackson has a way of writing the best plot twists, weaving complicated mysteries that I could never predict. Her books always leave me shocked and exhilarated, and The Reappearance of Rachel Price was no outlier.
This one features Bel, an 18-year old whose mother Rachel disappeared when she was young. A documentary is being filmed of her family, which she is not overly happy about, when suddenly Rachel Price returns...
Sharing my opinions of the plot twists or the very complicated members of Bel's family would spoil a lot, so I'll just describe this book by comparing it to a roller coaster. The start was slow, but I could feel it preparing for a drop. Then came the speedy dashes around, down, side to side, more and more information and twists thrown at me. Then the ending, when it slowed down and sweetly steered back to starting position. The ending to this book (the last 2/3 chapters after the climax) felt out of place for me.
I'm rating this book 4 stars, because I didn't like Bel's treatment of Ash (the clumsy camera assistant) at the beginning and because the ending felt wrong. But I hope that doesn't discourage mystery fans from picking up this YA mystery thriller.
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infertility, and Pregnancy
staceyinthesticks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death of parent, Murder, Stalking, Death, and Dementia
Minor: Infertility, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Grief, and Emotional abuse
crunchycrystals's review
4.25
Graphic: Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, and Stalking
sophiab27's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Stalking, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, and Emotional abuse
alexandramcgrew's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Abandonment, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Minor: Body shaming and Stalking
leos_library's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Kidnapping and Violence
Minor: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
sharanya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Holly Jackson continues to be the Queen of Excellent Plotting with this one — maybe a little bit too excellent? Like, the clues were so well laid out that the plot “twists” felt less like twists & more like puzzle pieces slotting neatly into place. I could’ve used a little more surprise, maybe.
TBH, I should’ve guessed earlier that Holly would’ve written another “f*** all the men” mystery novel. That’s her typical MO so again, I was not very surprised when it turned out that, in fact, nearly all the men in the book are kidnappers & murderers. & lol, how mad am I about that, really?
That said, I LOVED Bel & her take-no-shit attitude, & her relationship with her sister Carter was so tender & real. The pacing of Bel uncovering each piece of the mystery was ✨PERFECTION✨ bc, as I said, Holly is the Queen of plotting. The eventual answer to the mystery was well put together and felt pretty satisfying.
My ONLY final caveat is — is Bel gonna get some therapy? Bc she seems remarkably okay with the fact that she spent 16 years fiercely loving & defending a man for exactly the crime that he pretty much committed. Like. A) that seemed WAY too easily wrapped up and b) how is she so okay? Pls.
Despite my quibbles, this is EXACTLY the kind of mystery thriller that pulls you in & does not let go until the last page. A keeper for sure!
Moderate: Murder, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Stalking
Minor: Body shaming
stellabyproxy's review
- 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
4.0
Rachel Price has been missing for sixteen year and suddenly makes a reappearance, just as her daughter, Annabel Price — known as Bel — and family are filming a documentary about her disappearance. this reappearance brings with it many emotions of anger, sadness, joy and grief from Bel, who was abandoned in a car at only 2 years old on the day her mother was kidnapped. the shadows of family secrets and mysteries is a difficult place to grow up in, and as the lights (camera, bitch smile) are shone on this family, what seems to be a happy conclusion is only the beginning.
i enjoyed every second of seeing Bel messily navigate having her mother back, the scepticism surrounding her return, and the drama that came with it. from the shadows, she found her light, and beautifully blossomed. and her sleuthing similarities to Pip (AGGGTM) were nothing like i’d expected and more than i could’ve hoped for.
as a gnostic theist, i rarely bring religious lore into things, however to truly sum up this novel:
Luke 8:17
“For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”
Graphic: Abandonment, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Dementia, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Minor: Stalking, Infertility, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
persephonefoxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy and Stalking
amalauna's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Dementia, Abandonment, Confinement, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting