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Run on Red
A rural country road. No cell signal for miles. A terrifying game of cat-and-mouse.
By the time Laura and Olivia notice the headlights tailing them through the hills, it’s too late. What seems, at first, like a case of road rage quickly unfolds into a heart-pounding chase—and a battle for survival.
Who are the men in the truck? What do they want? And can Laura and Olivia outrun—and outsmart—them long enough to call for help, even if it means taking their chances in the hills on foot?
As their situation grows more perilous, the girls realize that the real terror has only just begun. But flight won’t save them from their pursuers. If they’re going to make it home alive, they'll have to fight.
By the time Laura and Olivia notice the headlights tailing them through the hills, it’s too late. What seems, at first, like a case of road rage quickly unfolds into a heart-pounding chase—and a battle for survival.
Who are the men in the truck? What do they want? And can Laura and Olivia outrun—and outsmart—them long enough to call for help, even if it means taking their chances in the hills on foot?
As their situation grows more perilous, the girls realize that the real terror has only just begun. But flight won’t save them from their pursuers. If they’re going to make it home alive, they'll have to fight.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2022
About the author
Noelle W. Ihli
7 books1,320 followersNoelle’s two great passions are murder and horses (separately, never together).
She lives in Idaho with her husband, two sons, and two cats. When she's not plotting her next thriller, she's scaring herself with true-crime documentaries or going for a trail ride in the foothills (with her trusty pepper spray).
She lives in Idaho with her husband, two sons, and two cats. When she's not plotting her next thriller, she's scaring herself with true-crime documentaries or going for a trail ride in the foothills (with her trusty pepper spray).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,734 reviews
January 8, 2023
Read this in one sitting. Literally could NOT put my Kindle down for 5 hours straight I’m exhausted
January 23, 2023
⭐️2.5
If you are a real true crime junkie, you would not leave your house and drive over an hour away to a party in the middle of nowhere with your phone at 15%
If you are a real true crime junkie, you would not leave your house and drive over an hour away to a party in the middle of nowhere with your phone at 15%
November 9, 2022
Idk how I feel about this one. The action started from page one and I was hooked! But as the story progressed the plot became unbelievable. The ending felt rushed and what started out as an exciting on the edge of your seat thriller turned into a bad Lifetime movie.
Liv and Laura are on their way to a bonfire party when a creepy truck begins following them. The cat and mouse game lasts for quite awhile and the action is heart pounding. Who are these strangers and why are they doing this?
Run on Red is available November 18,2022
Thank you to netgalley and dynamite books for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Liv and Laura are on their way to a bonfire party when a creepy truck begins following them. The cat and mouse game lasts for quite awhile and the action is heart pounding. Who are these strangers and why are they doing this?
Run on Red is available November 18,2022
Thank you to netgalley and dynamite books for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
January 24, 2023
Picked this up on KU because people on booktok said it was a thriller they couldn’t put down.
Spoiler. I did in fact, put it down. Multiple times. This book is barely 300 pages yet somehow it felt like it was dragged out and repetitive. I just couldn’t get invested in the characters or the story.
I’m sure some people will enjoy this quick read, but it didn’t work for me.
Spoiler. I did in fact, put it down. Multiple times. This book is barely 300 pages yet somehow it felt like it was dragged out and repetitive. I just couldn’t get invested in the characters or the story.
I’m sure some people will enjoy this quick read, but it didn’t work for me.
November 11, 2022
A dark county road, headlights in the rear-view mirror, a vehicle following closely....
Laura and Olivia are on their way to a bonfire deep in the woods when they notice a truck following them closely - too closely. It's tailing them and as their anxiety piques, it becomes clear that they are in a dangerous situation.
What do the men want? Will Laura and Olivia get away? One of the men's voices is familiar, but they can't quite pinpoint who the man is. Will they be able to call for help before it's too late? Will they woman be able to outsmart the two men pursing them?
This is a scary book about survival as two young women are pursued by truck then foot on a dark night. The women do not know who is following them or why.
This was a fast read as the book is not very long. There is action and some pulse pounding moments. The author taps into readers fears of being pursued by unknown persons for unknown reasons. The book comes together and read like a suspense/horror/survivor film.
I enjoyed the book for what it was: a fast, action filled read. It kept my attention and there were no slow parts.
Thank you to Dynamite Books, LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Laura and Olivia are on their way to a bonfire deep in the woods when they notice a truck following them closely - too closely. It's tailing them and as their anxiety piques, it becomes clear that they are in a dangerous situation.
What do the men want? Will Laura and Olivia get away? One of the men's voices is familiar, but they can't quite pinpoint who the man is. Will they be able to call for help before it's too late? Will they woman be able to outsmart the two men pursing them?
This is a scary book about survival as two young women are pursued by truck then foot on a dark night. The women do not know who is following them or why.
This was a fast read as the book is not very long. There is action and some pulse pounding moments. The author taps into readers fears of being pursued by unknown persons for unknown reasons. The book comes together and read like a suspense/horror/survivor film.
I enjoyed the book for what it was: a fast, action filled read. It kept my attention and there were no slow parts.
Thank you to Dynamite Books, LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
April 14, 2023
the idea of this was really great. the execution tho… no <3
repetitive. boring. and it doesn’t even give enough backstory to make me interested in the characters or the plot.
by the time it got to the “reveal” (if we can even call it that) i was like OKAY AND?? i don’t care.
the only good thing about it was the end.
repetitive. boring. and it doesn’t even give enough backstory to make me interested in the characters or the plot.
by the time it got to the “reveal” (if we can even call it that) i was like OKAY AND?? i don’t care.
the only good thing about it was the end.
January 16, 2023
It has great parts however, I felt like it dragged. It was overly descriptive which bored me a bit. ⭐⭐⭐
October 2, 2023
Friends Laura and Olivia are driving on a dark rural road on their way to a bonfire party when they realize they're being pursued by a truck containing two men wearing masks. They evade them for quite a while but ultimately they're forced off the road and down an embankment.
Some GR friends had rated this book highly so when I found it was free with a Kindle Unlimited membership I checked it out ... nine months ago! I'm trying to get caught up on some of my outstanding reads and it seemed like this book could be a quick one. No kidding! Short snappy chapters which leave you wanting to know what happens. My recommendation is not to read it at bedtime though! My heart was pounding so hard, I had to read some of a duller book to get calmed down enough to sleep. I liked the two main female characters - or should I say three since the old beat-up Volvo they're in is a character of its own - and the strong friendship between them. I'll definitely be looking into some of this author's other works. Although parts of this book are frightening I wouldn't consider it horror but I guess everyone has their own definition of horror. I'll never understand why a young person would go out for an evening without a fully charged phone but I guess that would change the story quite a bit. 3.5 Stars rounded up!
Some GR friends had rated this book highly so when I found it was free with a Kindle Unlimited membership I checked it out ... nine months ago! I'm trying to get caught up on some of my outstanding reads and it seemed like this book could be a quick one. No kidding! Short snappy chapters which leave you wanting to know what happens. My recommendation is not to read it at bedtime though! My heart was pounding so hard, I had to read some of a duller book to get calmed down enough to sleep. I liked the two main female characters - or should I say three since the old beat-up Volvo they're in is a character of its own - and the strong friendship between them. I'll definitely be looking into some of this author's other works. Although parts of this book are frightening I wouldn't consider it horror but I guess everyone has their own definition of horror. I'll never understand why a young person would go out for an evening without a fully charged phone but I guess that would change the story quite a bit. 3.5 Stars rounded up!
January 17, 2023
I would have given this a 3 star but had to knock off a star due to a few errors I found. These might be minor to some but unfortunately it happened too often that it was highly distracting and almost made me stop reading. As stated, without the errors, I would have given this 3 stars. I liked the main characters and the writing was decent but the plot was a little predictable and seemed a little basic/average to me. It was a quick and easy read but I do think it may have benefitted from being even shorter. It's a shame because I would have enjoyed this book more had I not keep coming across inaccuracies.
At the very beginning of the book it is stated that it is set in August 2006. I found many inconsistencies that suggested this book was actually set in more current times and for some reason was either changed last minute or the author forgot. Other than the mention of flip phones and myspace, there was no real reason or evidence for this to be set in 2006 so this could have been avoided. Either way, it's hard for me to see how these errors were not picked up by the author or any editors.
Examples:
Page 11 - 'like a police sketch I'd seen on Twitter' - Twitter was created in July 2006 so while it's possible Olivia was on twitter in August 2006, it's highly unlikely as twitter took a while to take off.
Page 21 'And the battery had dipped to just five percent. Berating myself for not turning off roaming sooner, I quickly navigated to Settings then snapped the phone shut' - Battery percentage was referenced multiple times throughout the book. Battery percentage was not a thing until the Iphone 3GS released in 2008. Old flip phones (at least ones I've ever experienced) never had battery percentage. Also most flip phones did not have roaming/proper internet. It was only on the browser page, not used for anything else really. It wasn't something you turned on in settings.
Page 23 'I moved one finger to hover over the Emergency Call button, glancing between the glowing red text and the headlights' I don't think there were ever emergency call buttons on flip phones, you just dial the number.
Page 60 'I pictured Tish at the library, cell phone on airplane mode, dutifully cracking open another textbook' Again, airplane mode is a more recent thing.
Page 125 'I tucked the finger behind the phone and re-read the texts I'd tried to send Tish. "Text not sent" still appeared beneath the little green bubble, like I knew it would.' Green bubbles suggests this is an Iphone not a flip phone from 2006.
Last one hidden as it could contain spoilers.
At the very beginning of the book it is stated that it is set in August 2006. I found many inconsistencies that suggested this book was actually set in more current times and for some reason was either changed last minute or the author forgot. Other than the mention of flip phones and myspace, there was no real reason or evidence for this to be set in 2006 so this could have been avoided. Either way, it's hard for me to see how these errors were not picked up by the author or any editors.
Examples:
Page 11 - 'like a police sketch I'd seen on Twitter' - Twitter was created in July 2006 so while it's possible Olivia was on twitter in August 2006, it's highly unlikely as twitter took a while to take off.
Page 21 'And the battery had dipped to just five percent. Berating myself for not turning off roaming sooner, I quickly navigated to Settings then snapped the phone shut' - Battery percentage was referenced multiple times throughout the book. Battery percentage was not a thing until the Iphone 3GS released in 2008. Old flip phones (at least ones I've ever experienced) never had battery percentage. Also most flip phones did not have roaming/proper internet. It was only on the browser page, not used for anything else really. It wasn't something you turned on in settings.
Page 23 'I moved one finger to hover over the Emergency Call button, glancing between the glowing red text and the headlights' I don't think there were ever emergency call buttons on flip phones, you just dial the number.
Page 60 'I pictured Tish at the library, cell phone on airplane mode, dutifully cracking open another textbook' Again, airplane mode is a more recent thing.
Page 125 'I tucked the finger behind the phone and re-read the texts I'd tried to send Tish. "Text not sent" still appeared beneath the little green bubble, like I knew it would.' Green bubbles suggests this is an Iphone not a flip phone from 2006.
Last one hidden as it could contain spoilers.
May 3, 2023
No início estava a gostar e não conseguia parar de ler; entretanto, aborreci-me
November 13, 2022
Can a survival thriller be boring? Clearly yes.
This had a promising start. I love how the book jumps right into it from the get-go and the isolated setting made everything feel all the more eerie. However, the story soon loses its momentum (and the reader), just like the characters' beat-up Volvo. I found myself bored less than halfway through.
What follows is a very formulaic read and to quote another reviewer, a bad Lifetime movie. As with most thrillers that have a small cast, the whodunit is predictable and kills any existing suspense. Some parts felt garbled and weren't explained well.
Even though there were things about the novel that I liked such as how it highlights sexual violence against women + a strong protagonist + her true crime knowledge, none of that ever really amounted to anything.
For a fast-paced thriller that's under 300 pages, this was a slog to read and I was glad to reach the end.
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
This had a promising start. I love how the book jumps right into it from the get-go and the isolated setting made everything feel all the more eerie. However, the story soon loses its momentum (and the reader), just like the characters' beat-up Volvo. I found myself bored less than halfway through.
What follows is a very formulaic read and to quote another reviewer, a bad Lifetime movie. As with most thrillers that have a small cast, the whodunit is predictable and kills any existing suspense. Some parts felt garbled and weren't explained well.
Even though there were things about the novel that I liked such as how it highlights sexual violence against women + a strong protagonist + her true crime knowledge, none of that ever really amounted to anything.
For a fast-paced thriller that's under 300 pages, this was a slog to read and I was glad to reach the end.
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
April 20, 2023
W O W
Two college girls on their way to a bonfire. It was a long drive mostly on back roads. From there, hold onto your seat because you are in for a breathless ride when two guys begin following them.
I found myself holding my breath several times. This book was so well written and faced paced that I had to force myself not to skip words to read what happens next. What a good book and a real mail biter!
Two college girls on their way to a bonfire. It was a long drive mostly on back roads. From there, hold onto your seat because you are in for a breathless ride when two guys begin following them.
I found myself holding my breath several times. This book was so well written and faced paced that I had to force myself not to skip words to read what happens next. What a good book and a real mail biter!
July 12, 2023
THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD
August 19, 2023
no me gustó mucho cómo se desarrolló la historia :(
January 25, 2023
The references in this book made no sense at all, time wise, so much so that I was too distracted to even think if the book was good or not. It was ok. But the main character's internal monologue was SO repetitive and made the book move way too slowly. The scenes where the girls were in the canyon after their car had been pushed off the road, to the point where the men found them again and put Laura in the truck, took FOREVER. It dragged so badly, and this was because of this repetitive monologue where every single action was excruciatingly planned, then replanned, then two other plans were thought about (the same plans that were repeatedly mentioned- nothing new), and then finally painstakingly described in extreme depth. Every footstep was detailed. And the Mc's shoes were not consistent- one second she was wearing flats, the next second sandals. Maybe the author was thinking calling sandals flats was a thing, but it is not. Flats are their own distinct shoe, that apparently get filled constantly with rocks and dirt. You would think at one point no more debris could get in the mc's shoes-- think again, bc her shoes filling with dirt will be mentioned 3 more times while still in the canyon portion of the novel. The shoes were just one inconsistency among many. And it annoyed me so much, I did my research. Twitter (came into being July 2006), Facebook, Myspace (03-08), Ask Jeeves (ended Feb. 06) were all mentioned. Did you catch that Ask Jeeves (which the mc mentioned recently using) ended before Twitter began-- making the timeline of the story IMPOSSIBLE!! I think this is supposed to be set fall/winter times (exact year is never mentioned), and she mentions using the search engine to look up amusement rides- so maybe she used it that summer-- that STILL doesn't work bc it ended in Feb! Also flip phones are mentioned with some sort of green text bubble. To me this is a reference to the bubbles used in texting while a continuous conversation shows up on the screen- modern day texting. I believe this texting form came into being with the first iPhone- which came out in 2007. Flip phones, to my knowledge gained from being alive at this time period, NEVER had texting like this. It was a single message every single time, so you had to open old messages one by one to see what was previously said. Yet another inconsistency. Additionally "fuckboy" and "extra" were used. "Fuckboy" first came into being in a song in 2002, but I will argue this term, and calling someone "extra" didn't become a mainstream thing until the 2010s- again we have an impossible time setting. One more thing that was dumb was the car the girls was using has a boom box in it since the radio/players don't work- I literally tried this in my car when my radio stopped working-- it skips like a mother. Unless they have magical, extreme no-skip technology (which never really works anyway) this would not be practical. Additionally, the identity of one of the bad guy was obvious from 1,000 miles away, yet dumb dumb Olivia could only figure out who it was once she saw his face. Basically, the inconsistencies of the time setting of this book were so annyoing and obvious that it ruined the book, I guess just for me though, as this seems to have good ratings.
December 10, 2022
This was one jam packed action/thriller/horror book! I started it and it was almost like I could see it on a big screen (that development wouldn’t surprise me at all; this would make a great movie). The writing was exceptional and very vivid, and the premise made for a relatively original horror/thriller.
Laura and her best friend, Olivia (Liv), are off to a bonfire party one night. Liv, always a worrier, didn’t want to go, but eventually she gave in. She knew she’d be cold and miserable all night in her short dress and cute shoes, but she had no idea how accurate that premonition would end up being!
As they driving into the hills towards the party, a truck starts tailgating, then starts tapping their bumper, then starts trying to run them off the road. The synopsis will lead you to believe that this is a road rage incident, but here’s the-most-minor-spoiler-because-it-is-the-whole-book … this isn’t simple road rage, and it isn’t a random attack.
I just read another book about fraternities/sororities and hazing, so it was interesting to get another one that dips into Greek life. This isn’t about hazing though - all I’ll say is you’ll need to read it to find out how it connects with our party-going main characters.
This was 100% a page turner, and it was quite fresh. This quick read didn’t quite reach five-star status for me, but I still highly recommend it as a fast and suspenseful story. It does have some graphic violence, but other than that, don’t worry about the “horror” label if that’s not your usual genre - if you’re a gritty thriller or suspense lover, you’ll like it too!
(Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours, Noelle W. Ihli, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
Laura and her best friend, Olivia (Liv), are off to a bonfire party one night. Liv, always a worrier, didn’t want to go, but eventually she gave in. She knew she’d be cold and miserable all night in her short dress and cute shoes, but she had no idea how accurate that premonition would end up being!
As they driving into the hills towards the party, a truck starts tailgating, then starts tapping their bumper, then starts trying to run them off the road. The synopsis will lead you to believe that this is a road rage incident, but here’s the-most-minor-spoiler-because-it-is-the-whole-book … this isn’t simple road rage, and it isn’t a random attack.
I just read another book about fraternities/sororities and hazing, so it was interesting to get another one that dips into Greek life. This isn’t about hazing though - all I’ll say is you’ll need to read it to find out how it connects with our party-going main characters.
This was 100% a page turner, and it was quite fresh. This quick read didn’t quite reach five-star status for me, but I still highly recommend it as a fast and suspenseful story. It does have some graphic violence, but other than that, don’t worry about the “horror” label if that’s not your usual genre - if you’re a gritty thriller or suspense lover, you’ll like it too!
(Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours, Noelle W. Ihli, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
November 11, 2022
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I immediately like the main character, Olivia, after she drops a true crime reference and an X-Files comparison in the first couple pages.
The action starts fairly fast in this book with Olivia and her friend Laura driving to a bonfire party being held outside city limits. It preys on a fear many women have—being followed by a car in the middle of nowhere at night. At first you can’t tell if the car is following you with malicious intent or if they just happen to be going to the same place as you. After a few minutes and turns, you ask yourself if you should call the police or if you’re overreacting. And then if the person or people in the car behind you are out to harm you, will you be able to either outsmart them or overpower them?
This book kept my attention all the way through. I could see it being made into a movie.
I immediately like the main character, Olivia, after she drops a true crime reference and an X-Files comparison in the first couple pages.
The action starts fairly fast in this book with Olivia and her friend Laura driving to a bonfire party being held outside city limits. It preys on a fear many women have—being followed by a car in the middle of nowhere at night. At first you can’t tell if the car is following you with malicious intent or if they just happen to be going to the same place as you. After a few minutes and turns, you ask yourself if you should call the police or if you’re overreacting. And then if the person or people in the car behind you are out to harm you, will you be able to either outsmart them or overpower them?
This book kept my attention all the way through. I could see it being made into a movie.
November 24, 2022
My Rating System: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ extremely edge of my seat stars LOVED IT!!!
It begins with a reluctant night out and turns into the most terrifying game of cat-and-mouse on a rural country road with no mobile phone service… and nowhere to hide.
College students Laura and Olivia are on their way to bonfire night dressed to party not dressed to run for their lives. By the time they realise they are being followed and this isn’t a case of road rage things take a massive turn for the worse.
What do these crazed maniacs want, why are they trying to run them off the road and why do their voices sound so familiar?? Can the girls outrun - outsmart - or outfight their pursuers before they catch up to them??
WOW!!! I will be honest (as I always am) I was expecting this to let me down hard. I loved the sound of it but I thought, yep I’ll get approved and it will be dud city!!! Was I wrong about that!!! This book kept me up late, made me tired for work and I felt like my entire body was poised ready to pounce at every turn.
Disclaimer: maybe everyone else will find this to be vanilla and not edge of your seat so don’t take my sole word as gospel HOWEVER I personally was captivated by the chase, the tension and the terror. If you are a fan of Sara Ennis and her Dollhouse series this one might be for you - the writing style is very similar and it just felt so easy to read.
This is marketed as a horror book - and if I am being honest I don’t really know what that genre encapsulates. I always think horror then I think Demons, Supernatural, Spinning heads and Exorcisms. IF you are after this kind of horror you will definitely not find it here. BUT if you are after something that is a fully fledged nightmare on steroids that is horrifying well…. This may just be what you are looking for.
I would say the story veers into the ‘urban legend’ area in some parts however it really just comes back to the ‘horror’ that other human beings unleash on each other. The sheer disregard for human life and psychopathic nature of those truly awful people in society. This felt very real!! I am not ashamed to admit I was a little bit scared at times, I was nail biting and tensed!! I could really feel the terror that Laura and Olivia must have felt when confronted in this way.
I am not going to go into the actual story in detail because truly if you find that you want to read this you want it to unfold for you on the pages. This is a really easy read - I do not mean that in a bad way. The story unfolds so well, the writing style is kind of conversational in that it feels like Olivia is really talking to us as the read or we are literally listening to the commentary going on in her mind. Of course there are interactions in the book between the goodies and the baddies and so on… but its not multiple POV or timelines. This is happening in the space of I think perhaps 48hours start to finish… real time, real drama, really full on!!
What I also liked was there was some background given to us throughout the narrative of the girls personalities but it wasn’t spelt out… Laura thinks Olivia is a bit OTT sometimes with her paranoia and oh Olivia is a bit of a true crime junkie who is always worried about something bad happening. These things are true… however, they are woven into the story so you get a feel for their personalities.
What I really liked also, was when the chips were down and I mean WAY down and the girls had to dig super deep - it was interesting to see how their tenacity and courage came to the top. Olivia is terrified (rightly so) but she really comes to the party with her bravery. This is also not a smooth sailing ‘action film’ style story. There are many bumps along the way, mistakes are made and pretty ordinary things happen. While it is a bit scary there aren’t too many really bad trigger warnings.
The author has done a wonderful job of keeping you on the edge with suspense, that feeling that something so bad is going to happen at the end of every page. Does it or doesn’t it… sometimes its both but the suspense is the real boom in this one.
The ending was fairly tight, was it a bit unrealistic - OF COURSE - but it wasn’t EXTRA. It was actually pretty satisfying but that’s just my opinion. Don’t take my word for it grab an advanced copy of NetGalley and give this one a go. 😉
A big thank you to Dynamite Books, NetGalley and the author Noelle W.Ihli for an advanced copy of this super book for an honest review.
It begins with a reluctant night out and turns into the most terrifying game of cat-and-mouse on a rural country road with no mobile phone service… and nowhere to hide.
College students Laura and Olivia are on their way to bonfire night dressed to party not dressed to run for their lives. By the time they realise they are being followed and this isn’t a case of road rage things take a massive turn for the worse.
What do these crazed maniacs want, why are they trying to run them off the road and why do their voices sound so familiar?? Can the girls outrun - outsmart - or outfight their pursuers before they catch up to them??
WOW!!! I will be honest (as I always am) I was expecting this to let me down hard. I loved the sound of it but I thought, yep I’ll get approved and it will be dud city!!! Was I wrong about that!!! This book kept me up late, made me tired for work and I felt like my entire body was poised ready to pounce at every turn.
Disclaimer: maybe everyone else will find this to be vanilla and not edge of your seat so don’t take my sole word as gospel HOWEVER I personally was captivated by the chase, the tension and the terror. If you are a fan of Sara Ennis and her Dollhouse series this one might be for you - the writing style is very similar and it just felt so easy to read.
This is marketed as a horror book - and if I am being honest I don’t really know what that genre encapsulates. I always think horror then I think Demons, Supernatural, Spinning heads and Exorcisms. IF you are after this kind of horror you will definitely not find it here. BUT if you are after something that is a fully fledged nightmare on steroids that is horrifying well…. This may just be what you are looking for.
I would say the story veers into the ‘urban legend’ area in some parts however it really just comes back to the ‘horror’ that other human beings unleash on each other. The sheer disregard for human life and psychopathic nature of those truly awful people in society. This felt very real!! I am not ashamed to admit I was a little bit scared at times, I was nail biting and tensed!! I could really feel the terror that Laura and Olivia must have felt when confronted in this way.
I am not going to go into the actual story in detail because truly if you find that you want to read this you want it to unfold for you on the pages. This is a really easy read - I do not mean that in a bad way. The story unfolds so well, the writing style is kind of conversational in that it feels like Olivia is really talking to us as the read or we are literally listening to the commentary going on in her mind. Of course there are interactions in the book between the goodies and the baddies and so on… but its not multiple POV or timelines. This is happening in the space of I think perhaps 48hours start to finish… real time, real drama, really full on!!
What I also liked was there was some background given to us throughout the narrative of the girls personalities but it wasn’t spelt out… Laura thinks Olivia is a bit OTT sometimes with her paranoia and oh Olivia is a bit of a true crime junkie who is always worried about something bad happening. These things are true… however, they are woven into the story so you get a feel for their personalities.
What I really liked also, was when the chips were down and I mean WAY down and the girls had to dig super deep - it was interesting to see how their tenacity and courage came to the top. Olivia is terrified (rightly so) but she really comes to the party with her bravery. This is also not a smooth sailing ‘action film’ style story. There are many bumps along the way, mistakes are made and pretty ordinary things happen. While it is a bit scary there aren’t too many really bad trigger warnings.
The author has done a wonderful job of keeping you on the edge with suspense, that feeling that something so bad is going to happen at the end of every page. Does it or doesn’t it… sometimes its both but the suspense is the real boom in this one.
The ending was fairly tight, was it a bit unrealistic - OF COURSE - but it wasn’t EXTRA. It was actually pretty satisfying but that’s just my opinion. Don’t take my word for it grab an advanced copy of NetGalley and give this one a go. 😉
A big thank you to Dynamite Books, NetGalley and the author Noelle W.Ihli for an advanced copy of this super book for an honest review.
October 16, 2023
I give this a 3.5 maybe a 4.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'm a huge sucker for a thriller/suspense novel. I truly enjoyed the twists and turns along the way and how the ending wrapped up nicely. I took away a star because some bits seemed to drag on a bit for me, it just made me lose interest in those moments. I did love the fight and courage Liv had throughout the story though! Was amazing she did what she did, I give her props! Now I'm excited to read Red X and see how that plays out!
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'm a huge sucker for a thriller/suspense novel. I truly enjoyed the twists and turns along the way and how the ending wrapped up nicely. I took away a star because some bits seemed to drag on a bit for me, it just made me lose interest in those moments. I did love the fight and courage Liv had throughout the story though! Was amazing she did what she did, I give her props! Now I'm excited to read Red X and see how that plays out!
January 15, 2024
This just didn't live up to the hype. The premise is solid, but there were too many instances where you have to suspend disbelief to make the story work. I agree with another reviewer who said that if you're a true crime junkie; would you really go off with a friend at night to the middle of nowhere for a party, and oh by the way, you phone isn't fully charged?!?
This is a pass for me.
This is a pass for me.
Read
November 24, 2022Two girls against two men - in a race against time with stakes higher than they could ever imagine - who will come out victorious?!
I am not going to be star rating this one for the simple reason that this is an indie author and I do not like affecting indie author's ratings. I did not enjoy this book. This book is for you if you like only plot, action, and nothing else. This book promised psychological thrills but delivered only flat characters and predictable plotlines.
Once the story started and it became clear there would be no depth in terms or characterization nor any new ideas implemented into what seems like an endless list lately (I'm tired), then my interest quickly waned until reaching its inevitable conclusion where everything came together nicely but not surprisingly; nothing particularly stuck out about these characters or their interactions with each other
What's the Point of This Book?
The whole point is that there isn't one. It wishes to be an abduction scene, but it lasts for 300 pages with no other writing or content- just action scenes involving characters who don’t really have any depth at all! Maybe if you're a big fan James Bond movies where eit's all and only about the chase then maybe this will satisfy your craving...
I am not going to be star rating this one for the simple reason that this is an indie author and I do not like affecting indie author's ratings. I did not enjoy this book. This book is for you if you like only plot, action, and nothing else. This book promised psychological thrills but delivered only flat characters and predictable plotlines.
Once the story started and it became clear there would be no depth in terms or characterization nor any new ideas implemented into what seems like an endless list lately (I'm tired), then my interest quickly waned until reaching its inevitable conclusion where everything came together nicely but not surprisingly; nothing particularly stuck out about these characters or their interactions with each other
What's the Point of This Book?
The whole point is that there isn't one. It wishes to be an abduction scene, but it lasts for 300 pages with no other writing or content- just action scenes involving characters who don’t really have any depth at all! Maybe if you're a big fan James Bond movies where eit's all and only about the chase then maybe this will satisfy your craving...
April 5, 2023
4 Stars ⭐️
This book stayed in my mind for a few days, I saw a girl recommending this book on TikTok, and as soon as she said “ 2 girls driving at night, are being followed “ I knew it would be my type of book.
It was an intense read!!
I loved how the Author get to the point and doesn’t drag the story for long to the point it gets boring, I felt excitement from the beginning to the end.
However it’s sadly 4 stars because I knew who was it in the end and it didn’t come as a surprise and for that and that only 4 stars ⭐️
This book stayed in my mind for a few days, I saw a girl recommending this book on TikTok, and as soon as she said “ 2 girls driving at night, are being followed “ I knew it would be my type of book.
It was an intense read!!
I loved how the Author get to the point and doesn’t drag the story for long to the point it gets boring, I felt excitement from the beginning to the end.
However it’s sadly 4 stars because I knew who was it in the end and it didn’t come as a surprise and for that and that only 4 stars ⭐️
November 10, 2023
Read this in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down, but it’s super gripping, with really good twists.
Also it is pretty short (less than 300 pages) so if you need an afternoon thriller, choose this one.
Also it is pretty short (less than 300 pages) so if you need an afternoon thriller, choose this one.
February 3, 2023
I hated this book!! I should have DNF’d it but I kept giving it one more chance to change my mind. It started off strong. I liked the plot. The two female leads were likable and it was suspenseful. That’s where the good ends. There were so many repetitious paragraphs and many inconsistencies. One part the write explains that Olivia is wearing flats and then all of the sudden she’s wearing strapped sandals. Clearly it wasn’t edited well. Anytime a potentially intense part came up Olivia ruined it with her incessant chatter. She would overthink everything to death! It was super annoying!!
Let’s talk about the “bad guys.” What the actual eff?? Two sociopathic fraternity brothers and then a whole fraternity house as sub-bad guys? It just didn’t work for me. That whole plot line wasn’t even explained well. I hated the writing about this particular plot line.
The ending BLOWS!!! Holy crap was that a waste of time.
I will never read another book by this author. It’s just all trash and that’s exactly where this book belongs.
Let’s talk about the “bad guys.” What the actual eff?? Two sociopathic fraternity brothers and then a whole fraternity house as sub-bad guys? It just didn’t work for me. That whole plot line wasn’t even explained well. I hated the writing about this particular plot line.
The ending BLOWS!!! Holy crap was that a waste of time.
I will never read another book by this author. It’s just all trash and that’s exactly where this book belongs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2022
T
E
N
S
E
VERY TENSE!
Talk about a full on claustrophobic story,the action starts with the first word ending with the last and there really isen’t a let up throughout, this is a full on ‘being followed, captured and then trying to escape’ read, with bells on
Rarely do I shudder when reading, this made me, it felt and sounded and read as 100% real and I was there, with them, being pursued and caught and trying, trying so hard to get freedom
Not a relaxing read then but a fully involved read that I guarantee you won’t forget
Does harrowingly gruellingly awesome make sense? Well that’s the best phrase I can use to sum it up
10/10
5 Stars
E
N
S
E
VERY TENSE!
Talk about a full on claustrophobic story,the action starts with the first word ending with the last and there really isen’t a let up throughout, this is a full on ‘being followed, captured and then trying to escape’ read, with bells on
Rarely do I shudder when reading, this made me, it felt and sounded and read as 100% real and I was there, with them, being pursued and caught and trying, trying so hard to get freedom
Not a relaxing read then but a fully involved read that I guarantee you won’t forget
Does harrowingly gruellingly awesome make sense? Well that’s the best phrase I can use to sum it up
10/10
5 Stars
June 22, 2023
if i could give this 0 stars i would. im never listening to tiktok again. 300 pages of awfully written fanfic written by a 12 year old. so long with no point. predictable and amateur it actually made me mad 😭😭😭
August 26, 2023
I did like this book, I have never read a book this fast but I did not find the ending that great and it is dragged a bit for the first half.. I did like it because English is not my first language and I found it to be a very easy read
June 21, 2023
This is the second book that I have read by this author and I have realized that she’s just not for me. I really wanted to like this book but it took everything in me to not DNF it and keep reading it. The only reason I did was because I wanted to know why they kidnapped Laura and Olivia.
It was pretty predictable that you knew Tony was the other guy, I’m not sure if that was suppose to be the big twist or not but I knew it was him before it was even said.
It was so hyped up and drawn out on why they had kidnapped them, it was such a let down to find out why, I literally almost stopped reading it.
I love a good description as much as the next person but this book was too much. There was paragraphs of unnecessary descriptions which also made it hard to read.
It didn’t make sense that they said they were two hours away from where they were from to the location and yet the police car made it there in no time?
Overall, I just couldn’t really get into the book like I wanted too. It was such a drag, they escaped multiple times just to end up caught again. I found a lot of it unnecessary. This will be the last book I read by this author.
It was pretty predictable that you knew Tony was the other guy, I’m not sure if that was suppose to be the big twist or not but I knew it was him before it was even said.
It was so hyped up and drawn out on why they had kidnapped them, it was such a let down to find out why, I literally almost stopped reading it.
I love a good description as much as the next person but this book was too much. There was paragraphs of unnecessary descriptions which also made it hard to read.
It didn’t make sense that they said they were two hours away from where they were from to the location and yet the police car made it there in no time?
Overall, I just couldn’t really get into the book like I wanted too. It was such a drag, they escaped multiple times just to end up caught again. I found a lot of it unnecessary. This will be the last book I read by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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