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Saturday, December 28, 2019

Review: Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

Hidden Bodies 
by Caroline Kepnes


Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publish Date: February 23, 2016
Kindle Edition
448 Pages
Series: You #2
Genre: Psychological Thriller


In the compulsively readable sequel to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You, Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklist calls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.”



Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

My Review:


After reading You, I instantly had purchased this one because HELLO JOE I LOVE YOU.  But then for some reason it kind of slipped my vision and reviews came in that weren't quite that favorable.  Even the best reviews were saying this didn't live up to You...  and you know what? I would have to agree.

I don't feel we have the same Joe here.  Maybe he's evolving after leaving - or maybe this is what LA and Hollywood just does to you. (*wink*).  But something felt a bit *off* with his character as a whole.  Thank goodness for Love - because even in some of her vapidness, I found myself to drawn to her.  Weirdly she's bringing out the best in him and I'm not even quite sure what that means!

It was nice to be back in his head again - there's just something about Joe you can connect with on a base level.  How he gets laid so much is beyond me though.  I realize he's supposed to be charming and manipulative but WOW.  It can get a bit convoluted at times.  At one point I was like ok ok ok... but HOW ... HOW DOES blah blah blah (sorry guys, no spoiling here).  And then we get that ending and honestly, this is what saved it for me. 

I hear there's a book 3 coming and you best believe I'll be reading it.  I can't wait to get home tomorrow to binge season 2 and see how they bring in pieces of this book into the adaptation.  While I also still see a bit of Gossip Girl in Penn, I think he plays Joe remarkably creepy and delicious.

★★★

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