This book was not for me. I tried and tried to get into it, but I struggled a lot. I finished it and I feel like I didn’t really even read anything. I was pretty disappointed with all of the things that went on through this story. I Am Watching You is about Anna, a teenaged girl who goes missing after going into the city with her friend. A witness sees the girls chatting with 2 men on the train who are recently out of prison, and despite her instincts to say something, decides to keep to herself only to find out the following day that Anna is missing. I love a good unreliable narrator story, and the changing POV of this one made sure I never knew who to suspect. There were many twists and hints to the culprit along the way, which I missed while reading. The ending was satisfying and all questions were answered!

Thank you to Kindle First for allowing me to read this before the publication date in exchange for an honest review. I read this for "Free Space/Creepy Raven". "I am Watching You" by Teresa Driscoll which is a thriller/mystery.

Stickers

It was an okay read for me. It was real slow. But my main complaint is the author wrote more about the characters’ personal life and less about Anna’s missing or the mystery. It’s told in multiple POV (both in 3rd and 1st person) and one of them was a private investigator that Ella was hired but I really didn't understand his role in the story because until the first 70% he was with his wife and his newly born daughter, like all the time! Anna’s father most of the time thought about his past with his father and his past with his girls! Ella was stressed out about her son! The Watcher’s POV was too short and actually it didn’t have anything to say, it wasn’t even thrilling! Sara was involved with her personal life! So there was less about Anna and her missing! The characters’ personal life was a bit too much in this story for me! But it was unpredictable! It keeps you on the edge of your seat (somehow) as well as in the dark; so that you don’t know what happened until the end. Well, unless you can read between the lines and take hints OR unless you are super intuitive. Let me know if you have read it and what you think about the book! Also, if you have some recommended books, I totally would love to hear them!!! ❤ Ella (The Witness) is taking the train and noticed two young girls. She immediately decides she should keep an eye on them when two young men board the train and start talking to them. She eavesdrops and realizes the two men are fresh out of jail and the girls and the men end up talking and drinking together. She overhears the one girl's name (Anna) and is able to piece together that she lives on a farm. Ella is tempted to call Anna's parents or warn the girls for talking to these men. When she walks to get something and overhears one of the girl's having sex in the bathroom (Sarah) she gets upset that she thought they were nice girls and washes her hands of them. This book was part of my #21readsin2021 challenge, where I’m trying to get through 21 books I bought/received in 2020 but didn’t get to. Progress is slow but I’ve finished 9/21 of those reads! I’ll certainly have a similar list for 2021 though.

Use italics (lyric) and bold (lyric) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part It’s not merely about solving a mystery of a missing girl but rather a tragedy that ties families together. It reminds us as well of the carelessness of the youth. So, did I at least get a good payoff for my investment? NO!!!! When we finally find out what happened it was so ridiculous! It felt like it came out of no where, there was no build or set up to even think that would be the outcome. 😤😤😤 He knows that he should go to his wife –to help her, to console her –but he knows also that it will make no difference and so is putting it off. The truth? He wants just a little longer like this, looking out on the lawn. In this strange space, this addition to the house that has never really worked –always too hot or too cold, despite all the blinds and the big dust- magnet fan they had installed at ridiculous expense –he has managed somehow to drift into a state of semi- consciousness, a place in which his mind can roam beyond his body, beyond time, out into the garden where this very minute, in the early morning light, he is listening to them whispering in their den in the bushes. Anna and Jenny.”

Memes

While I enjoyed the writing quality, there was room for improvement on the voice of each character. See, the following line had me convinced Ella was of the unreliable narrator variety and in fact didn't even have a husband or child and had something to do with Anna's disappearance:

I wanted to phone not because I was worried for the girls, but as a punishment, because I was angry at how Sarah had made me feel. Why Dawn?’ ‘Because you don’t like yourself very much, Sarah. And no girl of seventeen should hate themselves. Especially when they have experienced what you have. You need a fresh start, lovely. In my opinion, and it is just my opinion, you need the sun to come up.” For me, this book serves two major stories — the mystery of the disappearance of Anna and the experience of parenthood with losing and having a child. I am not a parent myself but the book succeeded to feel these situations beautifully.THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR — Matthew Hills is the private investigator hired by Ella. His main job was to help Ella figure out the person who sent her the threatening letters. Throughout the story, we can get a glimpse of her personal life as well as his investigating skill in handling the case. Especially when they have experienced what you have. You need a fresh start, lovely. In my opinion, and it is just my opinion, you need the sun to come up.” This book has more than a few sordid details surrounding Anna's story. I loved all the guessing and secrets unfolding throughout the book, it really kept me interested the whole time. I have to say even though there were some clues I didn't guess the whole plot, so it was I surprise till the end for me.