I went in completely blind and was expecting a domestic thriller based on the title… domestic thriller this was not! A bit far-fetched but a dizzying engrossing conspiracy deep dive.

so this one was kinda crazy but i would still recommend it

now THIS is a thriller

3.5* I really enjoyed her last book so I was incredibly stoked to read this. I went in pretty blind - didn’t really read the back cover. I wanted to be surprised. The trigger warnings were helpful, and should definitely be heeded. I’m not sure why this book didn’t really do it for me in the end. I could not put it down; her books are always addicting. And while I was very much engrossed in the story, I just kept asking questions. There were too many ‘convenient’ circumstances or things that felt too fantastical. Usually I can kind of turn my brain off and just enjoy the ride but I had a hard time doing that this time around. Do I doubt that this stuff happens in real life? Of course not. But it’s how the story was presented - or at least I think that was it? Her writing felt a little juvenile at times, which I also noticed with her last book. And yes, I knew what was going to happen about half way through, which is kind of annoying. But it also felt really obvious? Maybe I’m crazy. This subject matter is super daunting and I feel like she did a good job tackling that. She asked some really important questions and did NOT hold back. This book was hard to read sometimes, in a good way. Overall, a thrilling read but just not a favorite.

I will be honest I am not sure how this book hit my radar, if it was tik tok or a recommendation on goodreads. But I don't regret it, not one bit. If you like true crime and cults.. this is right up your ally.

Omg let me just….im still tripping over this book! Easily a favorite now. I loved this book. Please check trigger warnings, she puts them in the beginning of the book. This book has you going through what Shay goes through in the investigation of her friends death and her path which leads her down a dangerous road. I loved reading about her past and what she went through. The plot twists!!! Omg I saw who the first cult leader was but not who the other one was. 5/5 stars 10/10 would recommend.

a mind fuck the whole way through, i would not recommend going into this book completely blind like i did. but i was completely sucked into it and was on the edge of my seat the whole time

This is a very dark book and can be triggering as the author portrays subjects that we experience in today’s society such as misogyny, patriarchy, physical abuse, trauma, human trafficking. The theme of power between men and women is explored. How society treats beauty and sexual consent. Moralities are questioned throughout and END of the book! Overall a really good thriller.

ASHLEY WINSTEAD… TAKE ALL MY MONEY! 🙌🏼🎉

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3.5!! idk i wish i loved it more but there were few things missing that i didn’t like but i can’t pinpoint it exactly. The vibes wasn’t properly set up i think

So dark, interesting, and unique. Men are literally disgusting rats.

4.5🌟

This book has a trigger warning written at the front and it needs it! Lots of dark and disturbing things happening in this one. However, I kinda dig that so I gave this five stars. There's sex, lies, murder, mystery, suspense, cults, a relationship...it was right up my alley. One of my fav books of the year.

Definitely a lot darker and disturbing than what I was expecting

Fitting I finished this book on Election Day when are rights are actively trying to be returned to the 50s 😳

holy — this is one dark and twisted book. full rtc closer to release.

Ashley Winstead has somehow managed to surpass the high expectations I had for her second thriller. In My Dreams I Hold a Knife was one of my favorite reads last year and The Last Housewife is even better. It blew my mind and terrified me by opening my eyes to just how scary it can be to be a woman in this world. I had the ultimate confidence in Winstead that I didn’t even read the synopsis before picking this book up. Within the first few chapters though I knew I had a sex cult on my hands. It was intriguing seeing how it all played out both within Shay’s head yet still seeing things through my own lens. The cult made sense to me and I could see how Shay and her friends were sucked into it. They go to a “ultra-feminist” college that produces strong and forward thinking women yet somehow are drawn into this group with those feminist principles twisted in such a way that they look the same. It really made me question if we’ve come as far in trying to achieve equality as we’ve been lead to believe. I loved being in Shay’s head, but also being able to take a two back and get my own perspective on her situation. At times I found Shay vapid and shallow, so obsessed with her looks and the power her beauty gave her while also making her a target. I know exactly what that’s like, to train yourself to seem small and avoid eye contact when walking down a street yet take that power and use it to your advantage in other situations. It’s like walking a fine line and we see Shay trying to balance that and her thinking she’s got it down but it also being used against her. At times it was like holding up a mirror to Shay and seeing myself reflected back in it. Utterly terrifying to glimpse that side of myself playing the game as she did. This was a heavy book (obviously if you’ve made it this far in my review) but there was so much to unpack. Discussions about what it means to be a victim, what different people consider to be consent, the anxiety of what it’s like to be a woman in public, and just how much powerful men are willing to do to keep control of women. The books is eerily timed with the Roe v. Wade discussions which just make it that much more impactful. I made the mistake of thinking I was getting a typical thriller and instead found something so much scarier.