Kathy Parks

"Like Siberia itself, this story is wild, mysterious, full of danger—and then, quite unexpectedly, captivates you with its beauty. I was so glad I went on the adventure." —Goldy Moldavsky, New York Times bestselling author of Kill the Boy Band Notes from My Captivity is a sharp, sensitive, and darkly funny novel perfect for fans of Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens and Adam Silvera’s More Happy Than Not. Adrienne Cahill cares about three things: getting into a great college; becoming a revered journalist like her idol, Sydney Declay; and making her late father proud of her. So when Adrienne is offered the chance to write an article that will get her into her dream school and debunk her foolish stepfather’s belief that a legendary family of hermits is living in the Siberian wilderness, there’s no question that she’s going to fly across the world. But the Russian terrain is even less forgiving than Adrienne. And when disaster strikes, none of their extensive preparations seem to matter. Now Adrienne’s being held captive by the family she was convinced didn’t exist, and her best hope for escape is to act like she cares about them, even if it means wooing the youngest son.

Notes from My Captivity

Kathryn 

** spoiler alert **
           *1.5*

This book was just an overall no for me. First of all the description/title gives away waayyy too much about the actual book. The first 30-40% of the book is wondering if this mystical family exists which it literally tells in the title and description so that felt a little anticlimactic and frankly pointless. The main character is incredibly rude and disrespectful to her stepfather who’s literally flying her to Siberia to help her future career as a journalist. He was so nice and she was just awful to him. 

There was also some really odd magical realism aspects that just didn’t make any sense with the story and the “romance” was just uncomfortable. Literally Stockholm Syndrome. 

This book was just not it. Nope nope nope.

Elizabeth Raines

I’m usually not one to read books set in the modern times. I almost gave this book a four star review rather than a five because of modern slang terms and what not but I felt that would not be fair and as I read more and more I began to see past that. I could not put this book down, it was filled with plot twists and had me at the edge of my seat not knowing what would happen next. I highly recommend this book!

Stephanie Vischer

I LOVED this book! From the style of writing to the authenticity of the plot and the lingering question that I kept asking throughout the story until the very end if magic had a part in it, or if it was 'just' coincidences and hallucinations.

But let’s roll this up from the beginning, shall we?
I was a bit sceptic at first, tbh because it was a bit of a slow start and I couldn’t really see where the story was going – which I, as a reader, don’t necessarily have to, and it didn’t keep me from wanting to find out what was gonna happen that justified the title of the book.

After the first 100+ pages, however, I was hooked! That’s when the plot thickened and where sooo many questions formed in my head (and I LOVE when this happens).

While I didn’t really hold on to the believes and explanations of the main characters for what had happened I was still very much eager to find out WHY and HOW it had happened. And while we get the answers quite late in the book the rest of story felt necessary. Not least, because it helps us form a bond with the characters which is something I enjoy very much while reading.

The characters stole my heart. Each and every one of them – yes, even Marat – and I’m still devastated at some, or most of their fates.
It even made me forget about the noticeably numerous typos. Though there weren’t all too many there were a few more that caught my eye than with any other book I’ve recently read.

Ultimately, if you enjoy a bit of mystery with a hint of thriller in your books, this might be one for you ☺️

Notes from My Captivity

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