#allthebookreviews: How Far She's Come by Holly Brown @wmmorrowbooks @hollybrownbooks
How Far She's Come
by Holly Brown
Thank you to William Morrow for this copy in return for my honest opinion.
A work place thriller that will keep you turning the pages late into the night!
Come see what Jessica and I thought below...
Publisher: William Morrow
Publish Date: May 22, 2018
Paperback
416 Pages
Standalone
Genre: Thriller
Oh, how far she’s come…but how far will she have to go?
Twenty-four-year-old Cheyenne Florian has just received the kind of job offer that dreams are made of. On the strength of a few vlogs, she’s recruited to be the new correspondent on the recently hatched Independent News Network, INN.
With its slogan "Because independent thinking is the only way out," INN strives to be exciting and innovative. Yet once Cheyenne joins the INN team, she’s disappointed to find age-old dynamics in play. A few of the female staff resent her meteoric rise, while some of the men are only too happy to welcome her. Even Edwin warns her to watch her back. And then there’s the diary left for her anonymously, written by a female broadcast journalist icon named Elyse Rohrbach in 1991. The mysterious diary is accompanied by a note, urging Cheyenne to learn from the past. Is it meant as inspiration and friendly advice — or as a warning? Still, she can’t see how it has anything to do with her … until disturbing events begin.
As more unsettling events unfold—events that appear as if someone is engineering the similarities in Cheyenne’s life to match those from Elyse’s past — it becomes clear that she is a pawn in a very twisted game. But Cheyenne is determined to rewrite the rules and play her own game. Though they’re separated by more than twenty-five years, Elyse and Cheyenne are learning the same lesson: Nothing is more threatening than a woman who doesn’t yet know her own power…
My Review:
Cheyenne, who has already been vilified via social media, receives a job offer of a life time. Based on her previous presence, the head of Independent News Network, INN, wants to make her their new IT girl. An offer, she can't pass up. Shortly after she begins her stint, she receives the diary of a female journalist icon. Suddenly she sees her own life paralleling this diary and she begins to trust nobody and her paranoia rises to a level of uncomfortable.
Brown does a fantastic job bringing in real life issues of workplace sexual harassment that we see in the news today. Intertwining this fictional story with current issues. From page one to the last page, this story draws you right in. Going back and forth from present day in Cheyenne's life and the diary of Elyse, we get a look into the gritty side of broadcasting, the perils that come with being a celebrity and the emotional roller coaster that comes from one good broadcast to a bad one.
It's frustrating to see women using their "assets" even as they're getting harassed, just to stay in the "game" and try to get back at the men who are condescending and powerful enough to "get away" with it. We see this every day in the media.
The book is quick paced, compulsive and you get fully immersed in where Cheyenne is going to end up in this food chain riddled with sharks.
★★★★
Jessica's Review:
This was my first time reading anything by Holly Brown, and I will definitely be going back to find more from her! HOW FAR SHE'S COME is a compulsive thriller that will keep you sucked in until the prologue!
Cheyenne Florian has just been offered the job of a life time - she's being recruited by Independent News Network. This has all been based on her growing social media and vlogging presence. INN wants her as their new IT girl and she jumps at the opportunity.
After starting, Cheyenne is making waves with the female staff at her quick rise, and she is also drawing the attention of her male coworkers. One day, there is a diary left at her desk with a note warning her to learn from the past. The diary belonged to Elyse Rohrbach, a female broadcast journalist from 1991. Cheyenne quickly stars seeing parallels between her life and Elyse's which causes the paranoia to grow.
I think Brown did a great job building the tension and paranoia throughout this novel! We jump back and forth between present day and 1991 and we get to see firsthand how their lives are mirroring each other's. The pacing is great and keeps you pulled in until the final pages. Brown did a great job incorporating very relevant topics such as how we view media and celebrities, as well as a look into sexual harassment in the workplace.
If you want a quick thriller, then this needs to be on your summer TBR!
I give this 4/5 stars!
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