You by Caroline Kepnes

Title: You
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Page Count: 422
Rating: A
Keywords: Thriller, Stalking, Mystery, Twisted
Genre: Fiction
Younger Readers: Absolutely not for children. Sexual content, drugs, stalking, and language.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

My Review:

This book was dark, twisted, and absolutely disturbing. That being said, it is also addictive and completely intriguing. It is better to go into this one without knowing too much about the plot. Just know that this is not even remotely appropriate for children and will probably make you uncomfortable at least once!

I read this book at the beginning of 2017 while on vacation with my now fiance (yay!). He would read passages over my shoulder and be completely weirded out but also grudgingly interested. That says a lot. He is typically a self admitted high fantasy genre only reader. This is one of the most awkward books to recommend to someone because the content is so intense at times but completely worth the roller coaster of emotions.

Characters are all flawed in extreme ways and Carline Kepnes does an amazing job of writing them so fully that they feel real. Joe's mental state is never played up too much that it feels comical. She perfectly maintains a feeling of realness that will have you afraid to walk alone for weeks.

If you enjoy mysteries, thrillers, and truly engrossing books check out this novel. You will be sucked in immediately and feel very awkward recommending this to your friends and family. But you totally should.

Bonus, Lifetime is developing this book into a television show with Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley playing Joe Goldberg. Check out the book before you watch the show.