ARC Review: You Won't Believe Me by Cyn Balog

Willow is alone, confined to a bed with restraints. She can't remember how she got there...or how long she's been there.

An old lady appears in her room to feed her twice a day. Granny doesn't talk, but Willow can hear thumping from somewhere beyond her door. It's not Granny's shuffling steps. It's too loud to be Granny's cat. Is it someone? Something?

Then Granny's cat dies in Willow's room. And Granny follows a few days later. Willow will do anything to survive. But freeing herself from her bed is only the beginning... Because there is someone else in the house. Who is this mysterious teen who calls himself Elijah? And is he the reason she's hostage or the key to her escape?

Title: You Won't Believe Me
Author: Cyn Balog

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Expected Publication Date: 6/27/23

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and give an honest review.

I enjoy Cyn's books. I've been reading her stories for quite a few years and I find she has a knack for the unbelievable and mysterious. Thrown in a little thriller and you have a recipe for great stories.

Unfortunately, this particular book of hers missed the mark for me. I really wanted to love it. And I will say the story had some good scenes, but mostly I was bored and I figured out the main part of what was happening early on.

Willow's character was done well. She is the epitome of a victim who desperately believes what she's being told. No doubt, in such a strenuous and crazy situation, this may happen to anyone. Especially with the gaslighting that was going on from Elijah. I don't want to get into their relationship too much as I don't want to ruin the story for others but suffice it to say, he is not who he appears to be.

There were times when the thrill of the booked pushed me along, and other times when the world building had me bored and wishing something, anything would happen.

The introduction of the weird flip at the end did nothing for me. It seemed like it was thrown in so the ending could leave you wondering but mostly it was just an odd thing to have in the story after 90% of the story consisted of something different. Maybe it was to make Elijiah look really crazy. Maybe it was to put total doubt in Willow's mind. And then the scene in the movie theater was very far out there.

I do love the cover and the way "lie" is highlighted.

Overall, I did not love this book as much as I would have liked. I am sad to have not enjoyed one of Balog's stories as I know she's had some really great ones. 

Her fans may or may not enjoy this one from her. Hard to say.

Cyn Balog is a normal, everyday Jersey Girl who always believed magical things can happen to us when we least expect them. She is author of young adult paranormals FAIRY TALE (2009), SLEEPLESS(2010), STARSTRUCK (2011), TOUCHED (2012), and her most recent release: DEAD RIVER (2013).e. She lives outside Allentown, Pennsylvania with her husband and daughters.

She also writes under the pen name Nichola Reilly. Nichola Reilly is Cyn Balog's post-apocalyptic fantasy-writing alter-ego. The first book in her series, DROWNED, will be releasing from Harlequin TEEN sometime in 2014, followed by a sequel, BURIED, in 2015.