Unspeakable Things

Loved this book to the very end. The writing was amazing and on point with the era. Lots of great detail. Kept me interested and excited to read the next chapter. Enjoyed all the character building and felt like I was part of the story. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Unspeakable Things was dark, heavy, and emotionally exhausting in a way that only very powerful storytelling can be. This is not an easy read by any means. Please, please check your trigger warnings before diving in because this book covers a lot of very difficult subject matter. So much happens in this story that at times I had to stop and just sit with what I read. It’s sad, raw, and painfully honest. The author does not hold back, and the weight of everything the characters go through really stays with you long after you put the book down. This is one of those books that you don’t necessarily “enjoy,” but you appreciate for how boldly and realistically it tells its story. It’s impactful, unsettling, and unforgettable.

I really want to love this story, but there are a few things stopping me. This was my first book by Lourey, and I don't think it'll be my last, as I do believe the writing itself was very well done. Simply put, I wish Lourey would have done a bit more research, more on that later. The worldbuilding was very well done. And I think that is what stands out the most to me. The countryside, the farm houses, the little town of Lilydale, it was all picturesque, clear and alive in the mind's eye, and that is thanks to the author's ability. I recognize this place (and story) are modeled from a real place and event, but that's not the point. Whether completely a figment of an author's imagination or a biographical retelling, it's the ability of the author to place the reader in the world of the story that matters, and Lourey has that talent. The characters were also fairly well done, not as well done as the worldbuilding, but well done none the less. They were each distinct personalities. Cassie was obviously the most fully fleshed character in the story, but even she felt just a touch off. The storyline itself was a great concept. Overall, I really liked the storyline. A child's perception of a major crime in her small town, and it came off very credible. I could imagine much of what occurred as how a twelve year old wound perceive them. My issue was the very misguided notion that all s€xual kinks equate to being s€xuallY devi@nt, and all devi@nts are the essentially same. If that was not the author's intent, that is certainly how it read. None of that is accurate in the least. A little more research could have gone a long, long way. I do grasp, too, that some of the intent was likely intentional to match the era of the story, but even in that era there was much of that was presented here that would not have been believed in that way. It really took me from the story, especially because do much of the book was so good. I'd recommend it as a decent read, enjoyable, and certainly keeps you wanting to know what happens next. I would just also caution that the actual nitty gritty details are not accurate in the least.

I absolutely loved this book, despite how painful it was for me to read at times. While I've never lived through the horror of abductions and murders, I know all too well the fear and unpredictability that comes with growing up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional, and abusive home, so I greatly identified with the main character, Cassandra, and her older sister, Persephone. I don't know anything about the author's background, but I can tell you she wrote about the way that the fear brought on by angry, erratic alcoholic parents shifts and dominates the lives of the family members around it flawlessly. She must also be a survivor. If not, she did an incredible job telling the story as if she were and deserves utmost praise for it. Thank you for telling such a challenging, necessary story and shining a light on homes like these, Jess Lourey! Sadly, there are so many more homes like this than people realize. I also greatly appreciated the non-traditional POV in the form of Cassie. It immediately grabbed me and never let go. Some might find the immature ramblings and thoughts of a pre-teen girl tedious, but I thought it lended a real sense of the humanity and innocence lost by a poor girl who had her childhood stolen from her by monsters both inside and outside her home. For me, the mystery of what happened to the boys in town and who did it wasn't nearly as interesting as what was going on in Cassie's own home and with her family members. This is as much a family drama as it is a thriller, which I loved because I identified with it so strongly. I only wish the secrets I eventually learned about Cassie's family weren't so devastating and close to home. As difficult as it can be to read at times, given the subject matter, I still highly recommend this book! You won't want to put it down, and you won't be sorry you didn't.

Cassie McDowell’s life in 1980s Minnesota seems perfectly wholesome. She lives on a farm, loves school, and has a crush on the nicest boy in class. Yes, there are her parents’ strange parties and their parade of deviant guests, but she’s grown accustomed to them. All that changes when someone comes hunting in Lilydale. One by one, local boys go missing. One by one, they return changed—violent, moody, and withdrawn. What happened to them becomes the stuff of shocking rumors. The accusations of who’s responsible grow just as wild, and dangerous town secrets start to surface. Then Cassie’s own sister undergoes the dark change. If she is to survive, Cassie must find her way in an adult world where every sin is justified, and only the truth is unforgivable. Oh wow did I love this book. Written from the main character's POV, Cassie, who is a thirteen year old but this is not a childish book. Because Cassie is a child and innocent in many ways we see her draw incorrect conclusions about people and things that have happened, but at the same time the way she sees the world around her is unique and compelling and we're taken on her journey as she navigates the sometimes very dark world of adults. The dialogue between the children and adults or children to children is excellent. The writing is superb and so descriptive is makes your toes curl, it is creepy and dark. I loved sentences like, 'I jumped so high that I left my skin behind. ' I can just imagine a thirteen year old saying that, or, 'I was panting like a scared dog.' Yes the ending could have been better but I don't care because I enjoyed every nail biting moment I read this book.

I bought the book because how much people hyped this book on social media. Unfortunately i have to agree with the other 1 Star reviews. There is absolutely nothing happening at all until the last 4 chapters which is a total of 13 pages. I have to say that i really liked the book being written in the POV of a 13 year old girl. But i feel its more like a following of her life. I also like the way it was written BUT the title, the cover and the "scare" on the back of the book dont match whats written for the first 286 pages. Again ... nothing happens.

Captures perfectly the sonic, pulsing, ever-present dread of a child growing up in an abusive household, headed by a narcissist supported by his enablers; and in a place where kids must grow up fast as the adults continually fail them

I struggled a little bit getting into this but it was a decent read and I definitely am glad I read it.

This will keep you in the edges if your seat and will make you chew all your nails out. This is a hybrid of a psychological thriller, stark reality and unending suspense. I could relate to young Cassie and could picture every other character in their environment . A fabulous work