I'm giving this book about a 3 1/2 stars on my own personal rating scale. It was a rough start for me because the writing style was quite different than the books I've been reading lately, so I admit it took me a little while to get acclimated to the way this author talks out her story. Most of the books that I seem to be drawn to are narrated with the all knowing invisible narrator, looking down from the sky, relaying the color and texture of the scenes, the characters, their movements etc. This book was different in that the main character tells the entire story. It's different but it almost seems if it leaves the story kind of, vulnerable, is a good word. If you only see what the main character telling the story sees, only her view, there are so many sides to the outlook of the whole that are lacking. It was for me the equivalent of watching a movie and yelling at the screen because the main character is walking in one direction right into the arms of peril and the outside viewer being able to look on at a distance can see the risk. It was a mystery, possibly a thriller if on screen but also very predictable. I remember thinking as I read the book that I had assumed something similar would happen and it did. The mystery of it all was interesting and although I sense it was meant to have the ere of suspense, it was more the ere of curiosity than the emotion of suspense. Any interested in this book can get a general idea from the synopsis so I'm basically giving my response to what I've read. It's supposed to be thriller, mystery, romance, nostalgic, espionage, government secrets that link to the past: yes, but fell a little flat.The only thing I must express because it was a 100% pet peeve that annoyed the crap out of me.. was these flash backs! Now, those who've read my reviews know that I don't mind a little "toggling". It actually can make for wonderful story detail and be quite functional as a cog fitting the story together. The present and future are nothing without the history of the past. That being said, as I've stated the book talks in first person and rather than our main character just remember and I assume think aloud the past pieces that the reader needed to comprehend the story.. suddenly you'd turn a page, the font would change a date month and year would be in the corner as if in a diary or journal of some sort and some flash back sequence would progress. It was never clear that our protagonist carried a journal. When did she write in this journal? As a part of her character she mentions how she moves around a lot and only takes the neccesities with her leaving most of her belongings in the home of her parents. Then where was this journal? At another point in the story, her flat is destroyed, but we yet run across pages later, the font change, the date.. oh guess what, it's the journal. This to me, was confusing, the mysterious journal. I'd rather the invisible narrator tell us or the scene be set properly pre story than our main characters frequent waxing and waning on about her past. Things she suddenly remembered. Things that were quite important to the story. What was this invisible journal?To conclude, I liked the book once I got into it. Would I recommend it? It's good for the curious. It's got some mystery. If you're easily thrilled, ok, some thriller. It's a quick read. The whole time I was reading this book I had the feeling that I had read it before. I could predict exactly what was going to happen and it was starting to drive me nuts. I really liked the book and kept going over movies in my mind wondering if I had watched something similar. It was starting to get a bit freaky because I really could predict the next chapter. Needless to say I started researching some of Jenoff's books because I really do enjoy her writing style and came to find that it is the same book as "Almost Home," so yes, I had read this book before. I really did enjoy it though, even the second time around. I love her characters and the pace of her books. So if you have read "Almost Home," you can skip over this one. :) If not, I would suggest it and all the other books that she has written.
