In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Yes! That is what I'm talking about! I feel like I've been stuck in mediocre thrillers lately and I am so ecstatic that this one totally blew me away! The only reason it took me longer to read this book is because I wanted to savor it, I wanted to fully feel every single page deep in my soul. Also, this is the only book in a school setting that left me feeling somewhat anxious and a bit nostalgic for my own school days, that's something I've never gotten from a book before this. I just think this is as close to perfect as a thriller can get for me- from the atmosphere to the pace of the plot and the twists and turns, I will be recommending this book to anyone and everyone that will give me the time of day!

To begin with, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is about a girl, Jessica, who is going back to her college homecoming reunion, 10 years later, and she is desperate to prove herself as a woman who got it all, even though ten years prior a lot of messed up things happened on campus and her roommate was killed. Things take quite a turn, when her old roommate's brother corners Jessica and her old college friends, desperate to find answers about who really killed his sister all those years ago. I freaking loved this plot! School settings tend to not be my favorite tropes in thrillers and yet this one proved just how good that trope could be if done right. I thought the pacing was masterfully done and I was literally anxious to find out what actually happened all those years ago, and yet I also couldn't stop reading the book. The dual timelines are also masterfully crafted and I loved going between the now and then skipping around between all their four years in college. We also got a few chapters from the other friends' perspectives and I really appreciated that, since I grew attached to every single one of them. I will definitely be reading all her future works, she has instantly become an auto-buy author for me, that is for sure.

Further on, the characterization in this book was beyond superb. All the friends from the friend group had complicated backgrounds and I loved seeing how these backgrounds were able to come together into a rather messed up friend group and the dynamics that formed as a result. We are really able to dive deep into the psyches of these complex individuals and understand why they acted the way that they acted at certain times and what really drove them to end up in the place where they were now, in the present moment, at the reunion homecoming. There were so many layers to each of them and quite frankly, I would have been ecstatic if this book would have been made into a series or if we even got books from any of the other characters that we have read about in here.

Finally, the writing style was top notch, at least in my opinion. It was a bit sophisticated but not overly complex and definitely gave of a rather charming and dramatic vibe, but that's what I find I love in my thrillers. Each and every chapter flowed so smoothly and even though the chapters weren't the shortest I've ever read, the pages felt as if they were flipping themselves, effortlessly. Also, the end of every chapter left with a bit of a cliffhanger and I was hooked! There were also so many deep thoughts and pondering in this book that it's one I would like to reread in the future, to catch what I didn't catch the first time and I NEVER reread books. This book literally moved me that much!

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to EVERYONE! I think that thriller lovers would love it but so would most other readers as well because it left a lasting impression on me and moved me to the point of tears. I believe that anybody can benefit from delving into this story because at the root of it, there are tons of psychological aspects and life truths all throughout it. This is the kind of book that could really make for some profound discussions and conversations. If you haven't read this book yet, what are you waiting for?!!