Review: We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

Title: We'll Never Be Apart 

Author:  Emiko Jean
Publisher:  HMH Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date:  October 6th 2015

Pages: 288
Genre: YA Psychological Thriller

Series:  Stand Alone
Source: ARC

 

Murder. 

Fire.

Revenge.

That’s all seventeen-year-old Alice Monroe thinks about. Committed to a mental ward at Savage Isle, Alice is haunted by memories of the fire that killed her boyfriend, Jason. A blaze her twin sister Cellie set. But when Chase, a mysterious, charismatic patient, agrees to help her seek vengeance, Alice begins to rethink everything. Writing out the story of her troubled past in a journal, she must confront hidden truths.

Is the one person she trusts only telling her half the story? Nothing is as it seems in this edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller from the debut author Emiko Jean.

This book snagged me from the very first moment I read the summary. The title drew me in, the description hooked me. I was very happy to receive an ARC of this book and I dove in. It was really really good. It was more a mystery drama than a thriller but it did have some thrilling parts. As far as this genre goes, it's on my favorites for this year. It was good, intense characters, a past to piece together, and some very crazy moments. 

Alice is in the psyche ward for the second time. So is her sister Cellie. Without really truly knowing why they were in there the first time, the second time is understood to be from escaping said first time, a fire, a death, and they are some what a little crazy. Especially Cellie. Alice is determined to find where they are hiding... well where Cellie is being held... and getting to to her. She needs to find her to end all this madness. The last time they were together, Cellie killed Alice's boyfriend. Now revenge is on Alice's mind. 

Okay so I thought this book pretty much rocked. I wished it had been a bit longer, more information given about the sister's past. Just a little more. This however is a complaint I have because I really liked the book and just wanted to know more. I thought it was over just a tad to quickly. The story was not lacking from said missing information.... there really wasn't missing information, I just really wanted to more. I felt it was over just a bit too soon. But the story was great as was.

This story was told in Alice's point of view. It was told from the present and the past alternating between the two. One from Alice's current viewing and the past told in way of her journal. I love the stories that are pieced together between past and present. I do know some can get confusing during the transitions but this book had none of that. It was very well done and easily followed. The only issue I had I wanted more of whichever I was reading but I had to wait. It was a bit frustrating but both parts were interesting so I was good once I got into the rhythm. I do think I enjoyed the journal bits of the past more.

Alice was a very interesting character. I didn't like or dislike her, I  just felt the need to want to know more about her. Of course this is very hard to do because she is a bit undone from everything that has happened. The journal put me into her mind a bit more.. her "before" mind. The journal entries were the parts where I connected to Alice.

Chase was another character in the story. He was in the psyche ward with Alice and is pretty determined to help her. His past was a bit mysterious too and it made him questionable in nature. I didn't really connect to him well but I liked him enough. He felt minimal to the story even though he wasn't. A little more of Chase would have been nice but didn't take away from my overall feelings of the story.

This book is very much about the story but very character driven. Alice, her state of mind, her feelings for her sister, her story... that was the center of the book. It really is about Alice's journey and its a crazy one.

The book was a very fast read and a page turner.

If you want to take a couple of hours to read a wonderful crazy psychological thriller. Try this one. 

Hi, I’m Emiko.
When I am not writing, I am reading. Most of my friends are imaginary. Before I became a writer I was an entomologist, a candle maker, a florist and most recently a teacher. I live in Washington (with my husband and very large dog) and love the rain.
My debut novel, WE’LL NEVER BE APART, was inspired by my work with children in foster care, and will be published by HMH Books for Young Readers Oct 6, 2015. I am represented by Erin Harris at Folio Literary Management.