Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is a very violent thriller featuring non-stop action, even though it is a dual-timeline story going back and forth between the protagonist’s past and her evolving present. Oftentimes, that slows down the pace of a book (not good in thrillers) or creates confusion. Fortunately, this debut author is able to keep the pace thrumming despite switching back and forth. For me, she did so because she presented Nena/Echo as a complex killer from the very first scenes. The dual timelines take place in the protagonist's childhood (told in the first person present) and her adult present (told in the third person past). The scenes from her childhood make us better understand how she came to be the way she is and why triggering events at the start of the book cause her to ponder her motivations and ultimately change. The only issue I have with the book is I think the book description should have listed the multiple triggers of this book. While I appreciate that the author has put them at the front of the book, people don't always read a preview before diving in, especially for something like First Reads or other times where they just might choose a book simply by genre or hype. So, for the reader who might not see the author's note before choosing the book, I'll list the triggers stated in the note below. In the same note, the author stresses that she believes she has handled these topics with sensitivity. I did not necessarily think that was so. TRIGGERS: Emotional, sexual, and physical abuse; parental death; human trafficking; and physical and sexual violence.