You Are Not Alone Book Review
If you’re looking for a psychological thriller featuring a powerful and ominous girl gang, then you are going to want to stick around for my You Are Not Alone book review.
I know, I know. That’s a very specific request. But while You Are Not Alone seems like a book about a slightly awkward girl experiencing trauma and making new friends as a way to work through the pain, it’s actually more.
So. Much. More.
I found this book interesting in multiple ways. I’ve read thrillers by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen before and they just have skill for creating a story that enthralls you and also keeps you guessing. The authors of An Anonymous Girl return with a new book, and this one is just as good.
What Happens in the Book You Are Not Alone?
Shay Miller is a young twenty-something living in New York City. She doesn’t live the most glamorous life. She’s single and unfulfilled at her job. And she doesn’t have her own apartment. Instead she rents a room from her friend Sean. But she’s on the way to working things out. But one day when she’s on her way to the subway platform she witnesses an unthinkable act.
While trying to cope with the aftermath, she meets the Moore sisters at a memorial service. Jane and Cassandra are seemingly perfect. They live a life of glamorous perfection. And when Shay is in their company, she feels more confident and like she could be one of them. They have connections to people all over the city and manage to connect Shay with leads on a job and an apartment.
But even better, they have an unbreakable circle of friends. Shay’s life is fine, but it’s also lonely. Her best friend is busy with her new baby and hanging out with Cassandra and Jane Moore makes Shay feel like she is part of something. If she could just break into their friend group then everything might be better. She could distract herself from her problems and focus on the good things.
Although they have a close-knit group of friends, Jane and Cassandra Moore aren’t quite what they seem. In this brand new novel of psychological suspense, Shay’s character must use her expertise as a data analyst to conduct her own investigation into the Moore sisters so that she can avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Who are Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen?
Authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are a fabulous writing duo who publish female-focused thrillers. They are the authors of The Wife Between Us as well as other novels. I’ve actually reviewed some of their other books here and here. Their stories often feature women who are going through hard times, and who can often be an unreliable narrator. They are a dynamic duo and I recommend all of their books.
- An Anonymous Girl
- You Are Not Alone
- The Wife Between Us
- The Golden Couple
Their books are all standalone thrillers so you can start with their latest release. The reading order doesn’t matter.
What Did I Like About This Book?
The first thing that I will say about this book is that it pulled me in from the very beginning. I found Shay very interesting and I liked that she lives in New York City and rides the subway. I myself live in the suburbs so I always appreciate a story set in NYC. Writing duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen must live near the city themselves, because it seems like a lot of their books are set there.
I also related to Shay in a way because I’m not that far out of my twenties and I remember how difficult things felt when I was searching for my real adult job. It can take a toll on your mental health when you want something really badly and it’s just not happening. I’m sure Shay is a young woman who we can all relate to in one way or another.
Shay is a very sweet character who is interested in data, and keeps a little notebook where she stores facts and statistics. It’s kind of weird, but Shay’s data book is a unique part of the story and comes in handy later on in the story.
What are the Trigger Warnings in You Are Not Alone?
Please be aware that this trigger warning contains spoilers for the book.
At the beginning of the book, Shay witnesses the traumatic event of a woman jumping in front of a moving train. This is an important part of the story because although she is only in the book for a short time, what happens to Amanda Evinger is awful but also moves the story forward. By attending Amanda’s memorial service, that’s how Shay meets the friend of Amanda as well as the glamorous Moore sisters.
This book also discusses mental illness, as well as bullying. Bully books can sometimes be triggering for people who have experienced similar situations.
What I Didn’t Like About This Book
As much as I liked Shay and felt bad for her, she also made me uncomfortable at times. It’s like she was self aware enough at times to know her behavior was inappropriate and yet she couldn’t stop herself from doing it anyway. Her action of ingratiating herself into Amanda’s life was definitely creepy, even though she was also being manipulated by Jane and Cassandra.
I didn’t really understand her relationship with Sean. She has an unrequited crush on him but it’s a very small part of the story that isn’t really explained. And she’s clearly a little jealous when his new girlfriend announces she’s moving in but also doesn’t really react. I don’t know. I felt like that part of the story could have been explored more.
I also felt like it was tricky to keep track of Amanda’s friends because even though they all had different backstories, there were just too many of them. Realistically they were a small part of the story so even though we learned more about them during the grieving process, I had a hard time remembering who was who.
In Conclusion
You Are Not Alone is a fascinating story about female friendships with a sinister twist. I’ve read this book two times now and I think it’s a really original story. Not the best thriller in the world, but definitely enjoyable if you are a fan of the genre. Shay is a good person for the most part who is just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But wait, there’s more!
If you’re looking for more book recommendations, you can read more of my book discussions here!
