Another book I had on my to-read shelf for a long time. Really enjoyed this! Fast-paced with interesting characters, even though there were so many of them (the girls in the Garden, the Gardener's family, the cops, Maya's friends before her kidnapping). All the characters were realistic and had their own unique characteristics and quirks. It was never too hard to tell any of them apart, but I admit I did go back at a few points to get names down straight.

This story is told in alternating 3rd person POV when in the present, and in 1st person when talking of the events in the past (in the Garden), with more time spent talking about Maya and the events of the Garden. Lent a creepy vibe to the story. The Gardener is one twisted fellow, and Maya is one tough chick. You truly did feel sorry for the girls who were trapped, because they knew there was no way out, yet tried to make the best of it, anyway.

Very fast-paced. Starts off with the aftermath of the raid on the Garden, and the story jumps back and forth from there. Many scenes were very short, but moved the story along. Very few, if any, slow parts. A lot of F-bombs dropped in the book, and scenes are not too graphic. As in, you get a good sense of what's going on, but it's never described in great detail. Loose ends were tied up at the end.

Though there was more "telling" rather than "showing", it was interesting and well-written enough that you wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. Though, I never really felt like I was that invested in anyone. 4 stars only because of this, and the twist at the end, which personally, I didn't find all that thrilling, nor did it really add anything to the story.

All in all, I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend. Am looking forward to the next book in this series! ( )

Wasn't expecting this

Amazing book, worth anyone's time to read. A little graphic but rightfully so and getting past it is very rewarding. ( )

It seems wrong to enjoy this novel, afterall, it was disturbing in every sense of the word.
This was dark, twisted, and just very messed up. But the story itself was incredible. I was sickened throughout but found myself thinking about the strength of these girls through the day.
This was one of you most shocking novels I have ever read. ( )

I would give this a 3.5 but not a 4. I went into the book completely blind because I honestly forgot to read the description before I added it on my kindle. I really appreciated the dual timeline and perspectives to really help develop the story as well as the characters you met in the Garden. I think ultimately the story was a tad darker than I was initially anticipated and for that reason I probably won't read the rest of the series. Overall, the writing style was easy to read and the pace moved steadily to keep me invested. ( )

This is an interesting take on kidnapping/mystery stories, and it's very well written. Highly recommend, if you're looking for an easy read. ( )