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You Shouldn't Be Here
Two strangers search for the truth behind bizarre occurrences no one else dares to discuss—only to discover that they’re connected by secrets that could destroy them both. A thrilling and twisty novel by the acclaimed author of the Mindy’s Book Studio pick I’ll Stop the World.
When sixteen-year-old Angie Stewart starts hearing a mysterious voice in her house, she’s thrilled at the possibility of a ghost. Finally, something interesting is happening in her boring hometown of East Henderson, Pennsylvania. But why is she the only one who can hear it? And what does it want from her?
Meanwhile, first-year teacher Madelyn Zhao just got the keys to her new home, which is located close to her job, within walking distance of a dog park—and, most importantly, in the town where her cousin went missing several years ago. No one in East Henderson wants to talk about what happened, but Madelyn is determined to find answers.
As the two strangers search for clues, their investigations begin to point toward the same dark place. But by the time they realize that the truth could be deadly, it’s too late to turn back. And someone out there will stop at nothing to make sure their secrets stay buried.
CW: You Shouldn’t Be Here contains depictions of narcissistic abuse and manipulation, assault, misogyny, discussion of school shootings, gun violence, murder, and death.
When sixteen-year-old Angie Stewart starts hearing a mysterious voice in her house, she’s thrilled at the possibility of a ghost. Finally, something interesting is happening in her boring hometown of East Henderson, Pennsylvania. But why is she the only one who can hear it? And what does it want from her?
Meanwhile, first-year teacher Madelyn Zhao just got the keys to her new home, which is located close to her job, within walking distance of a dog park—and, most importantly, in the town where her cousin went missing several years ago. No one in East Henderson wants to talk about what happened, but Madelyn is determined to find answers.
As the two strangers search for clues, their investigations begin to point toward the same dark place. But by the time they realize that the truth could be deadly, it’s too late to turn back. And someone out there will stop at nothing to make sure their secrets stay buried.
CW: You Shouldn’t Be Here contains depictions of narcissistic abuse and manipulation, assault, misogyny, discussion of school shootings, gun violence, murder, and death.
396 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2024
About the author
Lauren Thoman
2 books303 followersLauren Thoman writes speculative fiction for teens and adults. Her debut novel, I'll Stop the World, was selected for publication in 2023 by six-time Emmy nominee Mindy Kaling through her eponymous imprint, Mindy's Book Studio. Lauren's pop culture writing has also appeared in numerous online outlets including Parade and Vulture. Lauren lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and two children in a house full of dogs and fish. When she's not writing, she's probably on the hunt for tacos or coffee, poking around her flowerbeds, or buried underneath a pile of dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 493 reviews
April 26, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Lauren Thoman for the eARC.
I hate to say, but I couldn't finish the book. After about 25% through, the hot button topics were just too much for me. I read for enjoyment and a bit of escape into a story to take my mind off the divisiveness in the US, and this one just didn't do it for me. I believe and respect differing opinions - everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course, but I'd rather read apolitical books for my leisure time. I'm sure there are plenty of readers that will enjoy this story, and I did like the premise! I really do my best to stick with a book and give it a fair shot but I just couldn't do it this time.
I hate to say, but I couldn't finish the book. After about 25% through, the hot button topics were just too much for me. I read for enjoyment and a bit of escape into a story to take my mind off the divisiveness in the US, and this one just didn't do it for me. I believe and respect differing opinions - everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course, but I'd rather read apolitical books for my leisure time. I'm sure there are plenty of readers that will enjoy this story, and I did like the premise! I really do my best to stick with a book and give it a fair shot but I just couldn't do it this time.
March 20, 2024
This book had me hooked from the start! When Angie starts hearing those spooky voices in her house, I thought, "Here we go, classic ghost story!" But Thoman had some surprises up her sleeve! The plot twists were unexpected and kept me on my toes!
The way Thoman weaves together Angie's story with Madelyn's investigation is masterful. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was pleasantly surprised! 🙀 And can we talk about the villain? So despicable, but in the best way possible. Those tweets and quotes at the beginning of each chapter added an extra layer of intrigue!
And let's not forget about the characters! Angie and Madelyn felt like close friends by the end of the book. And Raymond? Such a shady character, but Thoman develops him so cleverly. The hints she drops about him? Pure genius!
Now, onto the slight drawbacks. The pacing in the first half was a bit slow, but don't let that deter you! The tension builds gradually, and once it picks up, you won't be able to put the book down!
"You Shouldn't Be Here" is a gripping read with plenty of surprises. Thoman's writing is engaging, and I'm curious to check out her other book and hopefully even more works in future. If you enjoy mysteries with unexpected twists, give this one a shot! It's a solid 4-star read!
The way Thoman weaves together Angie's story with Madelyn's investigation is masterful. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was pleasantly surprised! 🙀 And can we talk about the villain? So despicable, but in the best way possible. Those tweets and quotes at the beginning of each chapter added an extra layer of intrigue!
And let's not forget about the characters! Angie and Madelyn felt like close friends by the end of the book. And Raymond? Such a shady character, but Thoman develops him so cleverly. The hints she drops about him? Pure genius!
Now, onto the slight drawbacks. The pacing in the first half was a bit slow, but don't let that deter you! The tension builds gradually, and once it picks up, you won't be able to put the book down!
"You Shouldn't Be Here" is a gripping read with plenty of surprises. Thoman's writing is engaging, and I'm curious to check out her other book and hopefully even more works in future. If you enjoy mysteries with unexpected twists, give this one a shot! It's a solid 4-star read!
July 4, 2024
No, no, no, no, no !!!! Not for me in the least......I downloaded this as my first choice of two this month from Kindle First. I spotted the author writes for teens and younger folk than myself but that doesn't usually matter.
However.....Madelyn was moving house and her pal Syzygy was moving some of furniture for her and she writes, "...judging by their last few texts, they were at least half an hour away...." I assumed there was more than one pal coming and let that go. Then on page 30 Syzygy decided to stay over that night, since THEY were too tired to drive and I realised that this is one of those pronoun abominations I am sitting through. Well, I'm not prepared to. It's utter tripe, in my opinion, it's not edgy and it is not clever. It's nonsensical drivel !!
She overdid the quotations at the very start as well, I thought. I then made a note 9 pages in when something's referred to as "vaguely racist" that someone was clearly hunting for something to be offended by, which irritated me. She doesn't capitalise French, either.....
So I'm done. It makes no sense whatsoever and just makes the author sound like she didn't graduate 6th grade !! It has to be awful for me to only give 1*, trust me, but I'm not going along with this mental nonsense.
However.....Madelyn was moving house and her pal Syzygy was moving some of furniture for her and she writes, "...judging by their last few texts, they were at least half an hour away...." I assumed there was more than one pal coming and let that go. Then on page 30 Syzygy decided to stay over that night, since THEY were too tired to drive and I realised that this is one of those pronoun abominations I am sitting through. Well, I'm not prepared to. It's utter tripe, in my opinion, it's not edgy and it is not clever. It's nonsensical drivel !!
She overdid the quotations at the very start as well, I thought. I then made a note 9 pages in when something's referred to as "vaguely racist" that someone was clearly hunting for something to be offended by, which irritated me. She doesn't capitalise French, either.....
So I'm done. It makes no sense whatsoever and just makes the author sound like she didn't graduate 6th grade !! It has to be awful for me to only give 1*, trust me, but I'm not going along with this mental nonsense.
Want to read
July 26, 2024Just wanted to thank all the bigoted reviewers who helped me choose this as my First Reads pick for this month! It is wild that y'all get so upset about anyone’s pronouns or gender identity. Gender-nonconforming people are hardly new; they have been documented throughout history. And if you’re not interested in different cultures or civilizations, you’re more than welcome to look into the science of gender identity. You might not understand, and that’s OK—because you really, absolutely, don’t *need* to. The only way this impacts you at all is that it might take a few extra seconds to adjust to the singular “they,” and if that’s too much for you (as at least one reviewer said), you’ve got way bigger fish to fry and should be spending your time seeking a qualified doctor and not spewing on Goodreads.
Thanks also to the commenter who shared this beautiful gem:
Roses are red,
Violents are blue
Singular "they"
Predates singular "you"
🙌🏻👏🏻❤️
Thanks also to the commenter who shared this beautiful gem:
Roses are red,
Violents are blue
Singular "they"
Predates singular "you"
🙌🏻👏🏻❤️
February 27, 2024
Oh, I loved this!
It’s mysterious. It’s suspenseful. It’s got the sweetest romance, fabulous friendships, diversity, thrills and a villain who is just the villainy-ist villain to ever villain.
The writing is clever and one reveal had my jaw dropping. I definitely didn’t see it coming.
I was all in on our main characters, but also loved the side characters – and I didn’t want the book to end.
I would happily read the author again!
• ARC via Publisher
It’s mysterious. It’s suspenseful. It’s got the sweetest romance, fabulous friendships, diversity, thrills and a villain who is just the villainy-ist villain to ever villain.
The writing is clever and one reveal had my jaw dropping. I definitely didn’t see it coming.
I was all in on our main characters, but also loved the side characters – and I didn’t want the book to end.
I would happily read the author again!
• ARC via Publisher
July 7, 2024
YOU SHOULDN’T BE HERE is full of social commentary, left-leaning politics, and even a non-binary character. If that’s your thing, you might like this one. But to me, it’s just plain lazy to always paint the conservative white male as the villain. I hated this one.
March 2, 2024
The saving grace of the book was the tweets and podcast transcripts excerpts used in the beginning of every chapter.
As appalling and ridiculous they were, they were too realistic and I'm sure you can think of real people who have the same warped mentality.
The problem was, the dialogues of the villain were really underwhelming, one reviewer described his character as cartoon-ish and they nailed it. He was described as indestructible and having high connections everywhere, but there was no backstory, no explanation whatsoever.
Ten years ago he was a normal man owning a real estate agency, and in the present, he is the big brother of the county. Even the period in between was extremely vague. The timeline started with Angie and ended with Piper, no recollection of the time between.
Moving on to the characters, they were really bland, apart from the times they frustrated the heck out of me. There was a scene where a part of a corpse was found by Madelyn's dog, you know what was her reaction? I'll gladly tell you. After a few minutes of shock and panic, the woman was hinting at being intimate with Alex. I didn't know whether to laugh or cringe.
It also didn't help that the characters lacked depth, they felt as if they were actors just reciting their lines, there was a sense of detachment from what was going on around them, almost like they were faking their reactions.
The ending was commercial-movie one, it was on the same bar with the rest of the book so I wasn't shocked by that time.
I think it's the kind of book that would go viral on social media because the author focused so much on social media, trends and representation, like writing Syzygy as nonbinary, which took me a lot of time to figure out the pronouns in the narrative. It was a book wrote to appease and sell.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
As appalling and ridiculous they were, they were too realistic and I'm sure you can think of real people who have the same warped mentality.
The problem was, the dialogues of the villain were really underwhelming, one reviewer described his character as cartoon-ish and they nailed it. He was described as indestructible and having high connections everywhere, but there was no backstory, no explanation whatsoever.
Ten years ago he was a normal man owning a real estate agency, and in the present, he is the big brother of the county. Even the period in between was extremely vague. The timeline started with Angie and ended with Piper, no recollection of the time between.
Moving on to the characters, they were really bland, apart from the times they frustrated the heck out of me. There was a scene where a part of a corpse was found by Madelyn's dog, you know what was her reaction? I'll gladly tell you. After a few minutes of shock and panic, the woman was hinting at being intimate with Alex. I didn't know whether to laugh or cringe.
It also didn't help that the characters lacked depth, they felt as if they were actors just reciting their lines, there was a sense of detachment from what was going on around them, almost like they were faking their reactions.
The ending was commercial-movie one, it was on the same bar with the rest of the book so I wasn't shocked by that time.
I think it's the kind of book that would go viral on social media because the author focused so much on social media, trends and representation, like writing Syzygy as nonbinary, which took me a lot of time to figure out the pronouns in the narrative. It was a book wrote to appease and sell.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
August 6, 2024
Publication Date: 1st August 2024
The story centres around East Henderson, Pennsylvania and the strange goings on where people just disappear, but no one will talk about it.
Angie has lived here all her life and starts to find life interesting when she hears a ghost, but no one will believe her and she can't figure out what the ghost wants.
Madelyn moves here to start her teaching job, she also hopes to find out what happened to her cousin, who has mysteriously disappeared but in doing so comes across more than she bargains for.
What a brilliant mystery, with some great twists and turns. The characters are adorable, I really loved them and was invested in finding out what was going on with them.
I love the use of articles, emails, clips, etc at the beginning of each chapter to give a little more insight into the plot and the two points of view from Angie and Madelyn and their experiences.
It is quite dark in places and as the trigger warning mentions, the book does cover some difficult situations, but I think it is handled very well and is needed for the plot to enhance characterisation.
I really enjoyed immersing myself in this world and was a little sad when it ended.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon
Happy to make friends on all socials
The story centres around East Henderson, Pennsylvania and the strange goings on where people just disappear, but no one will talk about it.
Angie has lived here all her life and starts to find life interesting when she hears a ghost, but no one will believe her and she can't figure out what the ghost wants.
Madelyn moves here to start her teaching job, she also hopes to find out what happened to her cousin, who has mysteriously disappeared but in doing so comes across more than she bargains for.
What a brilliant mystery, with some great twists and turns. The characters are adorable, I really loved them and was invested in finding out what was going on with them.
I love the use of articles, emails, clips, etc at the beginning of each chapter to give a little more insight into the plot and the two points of view from Angie and Madelyn and their experiences.
It is quite dark in places and as the trigger warning mentions, the book does cover some difficult situations, but I think it is handled very well and is needed for the plot to enhance characterisation.
I really enjoyed immersing myself in this world and was a little sad when it ended.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon
Happy to make friends on all socials
March 21, 2024
Wow!! I loved this book! The mystery, the suspense, the romance, the friendships, and so many unexpected twists! There were a couple of instances where I audibly gasped. And moments where I laughed out loud. It was fast paced and kept me guessing throughout. I loved the romance that was tied into the story but also that it didn’t take over the plot. The paranormal aspect added another layer of intrigue that had me on the edge of my seat!
My only complaint is that the pacing was a tad slow in the beginning and the dual POVs and timelines took me a few chapters to understand, but once I did this book was unputdownable.
The characters were well developed and the story was action packed and engaging. I really enjoyed how everything tied up at the end and there were no questions left unanswered. I highly recommend this novel and hope to read more from this author in the future.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC!
My only complaint is that the pacing was a tad slow in the beginning and the dual POVs and timelines took me a few chapters to understand, but once I did this book was unputdownable.
The characters were well developed and the story was action packed and engaging. I really enjoyed how everything tied up at the end and there were no questions left unanswered. I highly recommend this novel and hope to read more from this author in the future.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC!
July 5, 2024
I barely got started and I knew exactly what this was going to be like. A book laced with political ideologies. I don’t want to read a book and know what the authors political stances/opinions on everything are. These could be ideas I agree OR disagree with….either way. I’ll read a political thriller if I want politics in my books. Sorry.
March 18, 2024
Madelyn moves to a new town to find her missing cousin
Each chapter starts with a social media post or article about the local villainous megalomaniac who runs the town, Doug Raymond. He’s rich, powerful and anyone that questions his motives seem to disappear
Madelyn comes to town to try and find her cousin Piper, knowing that Doug Raymond her old boss must know something
We also get to know teen bff’s Angie and Bas who seem to be dealing with a ghost, haunting Angie
It took 240 pages for something thrilling to happen - huge build up, and too slow for me
Some strong representation: the nonbinary character Syzygy and a liberal opinion on the 2nd amendment
This is a slow burn suspense with some romance, and a sliver of paranormal
I’m not a paranormal or romance fan, so this area wasn’t my cup of tea. I am a huge suspense fan, and I know that a build up is vital, but this dragged for me. The romantic element also took its time and felt kinda YA, so perhaps this book would be popular with a younger audience
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to this eBook ARC in exchange for my honest review
Each chapter starts with a social media post or article about the local villainous megalomaniac who runs the town, Doug Raymond. He’s rich, powerful and anyone that questions his motives seem to disappear
Madelyn comes to town to try and find her cousin Piper, knowing that Doug Raymond her old boss must know something
We also get to know teen bff’s Angie and Bas who seem to be dealing with a ghost, haunting Angie
It took 240 pages for something thrilling to happen - huge build up, and too slow for me
Some strong representation: the nonbinary character Syzygy and a liberal opinion on the 2nd amendment
This is a slow burn suspense with some romance, and a sliver of paranormal
I’m not a paranormal or romance fan, so this area wasn’t my cup of tea. I am a huge suspense fan, and I know that a build up is vital, but this dragged for me. The romantic element also took its time and felt kinda YA, so perhaps this book would be popular with a younger audience
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to this eBook ARC in exchange for my honest review
March 30, 2024
I don’t even know where to start! Let’s just say it’s after 1 am and I am still awake because I could not rest until I finished this book!
This book has it all. Suspense, mystery, romance, ghosts, secrets, humor. Whew, what a read.
Madelyn moves to a new town in search for a family member who has gone missing, and uncovers all types of things! Meanwhile another girl goes missing and Madelyn is determined to find out how/if the two cases are related.
One of the twists literally had me sit up straight and say WHAT?!
This is a thriller you absolutely will want to read. Highly recommend!!!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy!!
This book has it all. Suspense, mystery, romance, ghosts, secrets, humor. Whew, what a read.
Madelyn moves to a new town in search for a family member who has gone missing, and uncovers all types of things! Meanwhile another girl goes missing and Madelyn is determined to find out how/if the two cases are related.
One of the twists literally had me sit up straight and say WHAT?!
This is a thriller you absolutely will want to read. Highly recommend!!!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy!!
February 25, 2024
Thank you Netgalley for my copy.
I hate to do this for an ARC but I am required to give an unbiased and honest opinion on this book. I didn't like it. Despite not being all that long, it dragged. Most of the characters were annoying and just silly half of the time. The villain was almost a caricature of a marvel supervillain. I hated them all, except Syzygy and Potato, they were pretty cool.
It wasn't bady written, I just didn't enjoy the story.
Apologies to the author, would happily try something else by them in the future though.
I hate to do this for an ARC but I am required to give an unbiased and honest opinion on this book. I didn't like it. Despite not being all that long, it dragged. Most of the characters were annoying and just silly half of the time. The villain was almost a caricature of a marvel supervillain. I hated them all, except Syzygy and Potato, they were pretty cool.
It wasn't bady written, I just didn't enjoy the story.
Apologies to the author, would happily try something else by them in the future though.
July 13, 2024
Do not read. Horrible! Contains alternate lifestyles that are portrayed as positive and functional.
July 27, 2024
#ad I received a gifted copy of this book - many thanks to @laurenthomanwrites & @amazonpublishing & @mbc_books #partner
This is a first reads pick if you have Amazon Prime & Kindle.
I love the cover of this one! You’ll be pulled into this story from the jump. Piper is somewhere she shouldn’t be, seeing documents that she shouldn’t be seeing. And then someone walks in on Piper and something bad happens.
Skip forward, Angie is convinced that her house is haunted and is determined to prove it. Madelyn has just moved into a new house, and is here to find answers about her missing cousin. She’s determined to go up against the CEO of Raymond Reality Group, Doug Raymond. He may have the entire city in his back pocket but Madelyn won’t be intimidated.
This is a timely, fast-paced, mind exploding read with high tension and lots of suspense. I loved everything about this book and didn’t ever want it to end. You’ll love the characters and the mystery equally and everything else too.
What do you fear more: the ghosts you can’t see or the monsters you can see that are hiding in plain sight? This would be a great read for a book club I feel because there’s just so much to discuss.
I loved the little info before each chapter. It’s a mix of news articles, social media posts, emails, interviews, which only add to the narrative.
Highly recommend this one. You’ve got to read this book this Summer/Fall. So add it to your TBR and thank me later.
This is a first reads pick if you have Amazon Prime & Kindle.
I love the cover of this one! You’ll be pulled into this story from the jump. Piper is somewhere she shouldn’t be, seeing documents that she shouldn’t be seeing. And then someone walks in on Piper and something bad happens.
Skip forward, Angie is convinced that her house is haunted and is determined to prove it. Madelyn has just moved into a new house, and is here to find answers about her missing cousin. She’s determined to go up against the CEO of Raymond Reality Group, Doug Raymond. He may have the entire city in his back pocket but Madelyn won’t be intimidated.
This is a timely, fast-paced, mind exploding read with high tension and lots of suspense. I loved everything about this book and didn’t ever want it to end. You’ll love the characters and the mystery equally and everything else too.
What do you fear more: the ghosts you can’t see or the monsters you can see that are hiding in plain sight? This would be a great read for a book club I feel because there’s just so much to discuss.
I loved the little info before each chapter. It’s a mix of news articles, social media posts, emails, interviews, which only add to the narrative.
Highly recommend this one. You’ve got to read this book this Summer/Fall. So add it to your TBR and thank me later.
July 14, 2024
Ugh, only a couple chapters in but this one’s going in the DNF pile. First, I noticed the “vaguely racist” comment and rolled my eyes at the character being so easily offended and dramatic. Add to that the pro 2A realtor being described as if that’s a bad trait and I’m thinking it’s another annoyingly woke book, but thought maybe I could read past it. But the last straw was the reference to the Syzygy character. First of all, what in the world kind of name is that?! Secondly, “judging by THEIR last few texts, THEY were at least an hour away still.” No, not trudging through a book written by an author who doesn’t understand pronoun use. Please learn to just write good stories without the political statements. I’ve said it before, but I’ll continue to advise authors, at least half of your readers don’t agree with you politically and 100% of them don’t want to read about it either way.
August 16, 2024
I am putting myself on outlier island because I find myself scratching my head. This paranormal mystery sounded intriguing but it started quite slow, picked up for a bit and then it seemed drawn out towards the end.
This was one of my July Amazon First Reads picks.
Goodreads review published 13/08/24
This was one of my July Amazon First Reads picks.
Goodreads review published 13/08/24
August 2, 2024
If I start writing a review it’s going to turn into a rant of all the things I disliked about the book and I’d rather spend my time reading a better book.
March 29, 2024
When I read the synopsis, I wasn't sure what to expect. I really liked the writing and the story line. It was fast paced enough that it kept me engaged. I liked that the story was different than any other mystery I've read. I did not see the plot twists coming and those definitely took me by surprise. The author made the characters relatable, which I liked. Looking back, the way it ended was kind of predictable but over all I really enjoyed this book. I would read more from this author again and I would definitely recommend this book.
March 3, 2024
WOWWWW what an incredible thriller!!! This was SO well written and I loved every single page!! The characters were fantastic and I felt so connected to them. The plot was fun and super twisty, I audibly gasped at so many moments of this! The villain is super hateable and I love-hated the tweets and quotes from him at the beginning of each chapter. I started reading faster and got physically closer to my book as I was reading as if I could take it in more that way 🤣 I LOVED this book!!!!!
July 13, 2024
I am officially a fan of Lauren Thoman, her first book, I’ll stop the world, was one of my top ten books of 2023. This book is about Madelyn, who moved to a small town in Pennsylvania where her cousin was from. The very same cousin that went missing two years ago without a trace. She gets a job as a choir teacher and rents a home from a villainous CEO.
He’s a one dimensional villain, an easy guy to dislike. Each chapter begins with a quote from Doug, each one worse than the last.
Bonus points for having a non-binary best friend Syzygy. First character name with no vowels!
Overall this was a medium romance and a good mystery.
He’s a one dimensional villain, an easy guy to dislike. Each chapter begins with a quote from Doug, each one worse than the last.
Bonus points for having a non-binary best friend Syzygy. First character name with no vowels!
Overall this was a medium romance and a good mystery.
August 23, 2024
Wanted a ghost story - kind of got one, though it’s a bit more complex than that.
It was a fun read, I enjoyed it and probably would have given it 4 stars but bumped it up to 5 because some reviews have rated 1 star purely for having a non binary character, and i think that’s silly.
It was a fun read, I enjoyed it and probably would have given it 4 stars but bumped it up to 5 because some reviews have rated 1 star purely for having a non binary character, and i think that’s silly.
February 20, 2024
Listen.. this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Description: Two strangers search for the truth behind bizarre occurrences no one else dares to discuss—only to discover that they’re connected by secrets that could destroy them both. A thrilling and twisty novel by the acclaimed author of the Mindy’s Book Studio pick I’ll Stop the World. [description pulled from netgallery]
When you think you have the plot figured out, you get absolutely back handed. There were time jumps but it all played a critical role in the plot. Beautifully written and foreshadowed with exquisite perfection. It gives off “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” with the idea of money can buy you anything, everything and effectively sweep crime under the rug. Instead of Alex Murdaugh, it’s Douglas Raymond.
We see the story from two points of view and dual timelines. Angie and Madelyn. Angie is a teen who believes she’s hearing ghosts in her home and decides to partake in her own paranormal investigations. Madelyn is a middle school chorus teacher who finds herself in a huge web of conspiracy. Angie and Madelyn’s path cross in ways you don’t expect them.
Description: Two strangers search for the truth behind bizarre occurrences no one else dares to discuss—only to discover that they’re connected by secrets that could destroy them both. A thrilling and twisty novel by the acclaimed author of the Mindy’s Book Studio pick I’ll Stop the World. [description pulled from netgallery]
When you think you have the plot figured out, you get absolutely back handed. There were time jumps but it all played a critical role in the plot. Beautifully written and foreshadowed with exquisite perfection. It gives off “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” with the idea of money can buy you anything, everything and effectively sweep crime under the rug. Instead of Alex Murdaugh, it’s Douglas Raymond.
We see the story from two points of view and dual timelines. Angie and Madelyn. Angie is a teen who believes she’s hearing ghosts in her home and decides to partake in her own paranormal investigations. Madelyn is a middle school chorus teacher who finds herself in a huge web of conspiracy. Angie and Madelyn’s path cross in ways you don’t expect them.
March 10, 2024
LOVED THIS BOOK! I could visualize the characters and wanted to be friends with them. It also had a number of plot twists that I was never expecting which made me laugh and yell out loud. For anyone who has encountered and gone up against a powerful, narcissistic person, you’ll enjoy this book even more.
August 3, 2024
With You Shouldn't Be Here, Lauren Thoman has done it again, and by "it" I mean "written a great book that's difficult to review without spoilers because even the genre is a spoiler." If you've read
I'll Stop the World
, you'll have some idea of how she operates as an author, and I think she's one of the more exciting new writers of the moment precisely because of how she operates as an author. While it appears to be marketed as a mystery/thriller with elements of horror, it's also a compelling romance with elements of [SPOILER]. Thoman has a knack for balancing multiple genres, and it works because of her strong character work that provides a grounded throughline to keep you stable in whatever mode the book happens to be operating in at any given moment.
Angie, a teenage girl in East Henderson, Pennsylvania, thinks her house is haunted. She tells her best friend, Bas, who's skeptical but reluctantly helps her investigate. Meanwhile, Madelyn Zhao—a name people in East Henderson still have difficulty pronouncing, apparently, even after a Zhao has won an Oscar—comes to town to investigate the disappearance of a woman who worked for Raymond Realty, which has its grubby little corporate fingers in every possible municipal pie. She meets Alex, a fellow (hot) teacher, and, as one Taylor Swift would say, sparks fly. Thoman weaves together these characters and their investigations, paranormal and procedural, to create a real page-turner where I had little idea of what would happen next.
While I was definitely more drawn to the potentially supernatural occurrences being hinted at, Thoman establishes a very recognizable reality through specificity of detail. She frequently has characters namecheck the TV shows, movies, or books they're watching or reading—or give enough information that I knew what she was talking about—which could make the book feel "dated" if you want to use that pejoratively or it can make the book feel "intentionally rooted in time" if you understand the purpose of this technique. Thoman creates the most lovable literary character of 2024, a dog named Potato—POTATO—who is written by someone who has clearly observed dog behavior. She also creates the most hateable literary villain of 2024 in Doug Raymond, whose racism, misogyny, gaslighting, and manipulation could make him feel like a caricature if he weren't a distressingly accurate portrayal of many actual CEOs I've read about. Raymond is more terrifying than any Lovecraftian monstrosity because he really exists.
Thoman does so much to make you feel at home in this reality, from putting us inside Madelyn's head for her relatable reckonings with how poorly her ex had treated her compared to how Alex behaves with her to giving her a non-binary British roommate named Syzygy who functions much like Lil Rel Howery's character in Get Out, a virtual presence on the outside keeping watch over their friend as she goes into the lion's den. And it's all these relatively normal touches that blend so well with the eeriness sprinkled throughout. The book opens with Angie declaring she's got a ghost, so it's not a spoiler to say there's some spooky shit happening, but the book never becomes a full-on horror novel. Instead, it's content to posit a real world that's stranger than you might think, and the characters react accordingly, armed with their own knowledge from pop culture and learning from experience. I guess they call this...slipstream? But that term conjures up something more slippery and loose than what Thoman does, which feels to me more akin to a kind of magical realism.
I'm largely talking around what actually happens in the book because, as I said, I never knew what would happen next, I was simply engrossed in whatever was happening at the time, and honestly even though I wanted to know what was up with Angie's ghost, I got SUPER INVESTED in the romance between Madelyn and Alex. Yeah yeah, there's a ghost story in here, yeah yeah, there's a paranoid conspiracy thriller in here, but also IS THAT FLIRTING IS HE FLIRTING WITH HER AAAAHHHHH. And Thoman kept me so hooked on all the little parts that every time she BLINDSIDED ME WITH A TWIST, my virtual jaw was on the virtual floor. She has a way of hiding everything in plain sight so that it never feels like a cheat, simply something she didn't give you the space to consider because she's very clever.
But as much as I loved all the twists—and the climax is a thrill and a half, reframing practically the entire narrative so that you finally see the full scope of the story—what had the most impact was how much I grew to like these characters as I spent time with them and how fully realized and heartfelt their relationships were. There's a sense that their interactions were fated, that they were meant to be in the right place at the right time, and that gives me a warm sense of comfort, that they were able to help and heal each other in this way. Thoman hid so many books inside this one book, and it's remarkable that they all resolve so satisfyingly in the end.
Angie, a teenage girl in East Henderson, Pennsylvania, thinks her house is haunted. She tells her best friend, Bas, who's skeptical but reluctantly helps her investigate. Meanwhile, Madelyn Zhao—a name people in East Henderson still have difficulty pronouncing, apparently, even after a Zhao has won an Oscar—comes to town to investigate the disappearance of a woman who worked for Raymond Realty, which has its grubby little corporate fingers in every possible municipal pie. She meets Alex, a fellow (hot) teacher, and, as one Taylor Swift would say, sparks fly. Thoman weaves together these characters and their investigations, paranormal and procedural, to create a real page-turner where I had little idea of what would happen next.
While I was definitely more drawn to the potentially supernatural occurrences being hinted at, Thoman establishes a very recognizable reality through specificity of detail. She frequently has characters namecheck the TV shows, movies, or books they're watching or reading—or give enough information that I knew what she was talking about—which could make the book feel "dated" if you want to use that pejoratively or it can make the book feel "intentionally rooted in time" if you understand the purpose of this technique. Thoman creates the most lovable literary character of 2024, a dog named Potato—POTATO—who is written by someone who has clearly observed dog behavior. She also creates the most hateable literary villain of 2024 in Doug Raymond, whose racism, misogyny, gaslighting, and manipulation could make him feel like a caricature if he weren't a distressingly accurate portrayal of many actual CEOs I've read about. Raymond is more terrifying than any Lovecraftian monstrosity because he really exists.
Thoman does so much to make you feel at home in this reality, from putting us inside Madelyn's head for her relatable reckonings with how poorly her ex had treated her compared to how Alex behaves with her to giving her a non-binary British roommate named Syzygy who functions much like Lil Rel Howery's character in Get Out, a virtual presence on the outside keeping watch over their friend as she goes into the lion's den. And it's all these relatively normal touches that blend so well with the eeriness sprinkled throughout. The book opens with Angie declaring she's got a ghost, so it's not a spoiler to say there's some spooky shit happening, but the book never becomes a full-on horror novel. Instead, it's content to posit a real world that's stranger than you might think, and the characters react accordingly, armed with their own knowledge from pop culture and learning from experience. I guess they call this...slipstream? But that term conjures up something more slippery and loose than what Thoman does, which feels to me more akin to a kind of magical realism.
I'm largely talking around what actually happens in the book because, as I said, I never knew what would happen next, I was simply engrossed in whatever was happening at the time, and honestly even though I wanted to know what was up with Angie's ghost, I got SUPER INVESTED in the romance between Madelyn and Alex. Yeah yeah, there's a ghost story in here, yeah yeah, there's a paranoid conspiracy thriller in here, but also IS THAT FLIRTING IS HE FLIRTING WITH HER AAAAHHHHH. And Thoman kept me so hooked on all the little parts that every time she BLINDSIDED ME WITH A TWIST, my virtual jaw was on the virtual floor. She has a way of hiding everything in plain sight so that it never feels like a cheat, simply something she didn't give you the space to consider because she's very clever.
But as much as I loved all the twists—and the climax is a thrill and a half, reframing practically the entire narrative so that you finally see the full scope of the story—what had the most impact was how much I grew to like these characters as I spent time with them and how fully realized and heartfelt their relationships were. There's a sense that their interactions were fated, that they were meant to be in the right place at the right time, and that gives me a warm sense of comfort, that they were able to help and heal each other in this way. Thoman hid so many books inside this one book, and it's remarkable that they all resolve so satisfyingly in the end.
August 25, 2024
4.5 stars.
Honestly, the whole book was pretty good, but my favorite part was "store brand Trump" getting his just deserts. The haunting aspect was pretty unique, too. I love the authors writing; it flowed so well, and I never had a moment where I wasn't invested in the story.
Honestly, the whole book was pretty good, but my favorite part was "store brand Trump" getting his just deserts. The haunting aspect was pretty unique, too. I love the authors writing; it flowed so well, and I never had a moment where I wasn't invested in the story.
July 8, 2024
I thought this was a great mystery/thriller. It had great characters, good pacing and some great plot twists (some of which I didn’t see coming). It had a lot of pop culture references which I’m normally not a fan of, but they didn’t bother me too much in this. The dual POVs and flashbacks were done very well and added to the story perfectly. And it had a cute little romance thrown in which I adored!
July 8, 2024
Creative, really satisfying read
Really enjoyed this book- requires some suspension of disbelief but really great friendshis, fun characters and an intriguing storyline. Loved it!
Really enjoyed this book- requires some suspension of disbelief but really great friendshis, fun characters and an intriguing storyline. Loved it!
July 5, 2024
not that good
Totally annoying and ungrammatical to keep referring to her friend in the plural. So pc and unnecessary - it would have been really ok without that. Then to have Angie show up after 10 years duh
Then to have Szyg and Angie hook up
Blah blah
Totally annoying and ungrammatical to keep referring to her friend in the plural. So pc and unnecessary - it would have been really ok without that. Then to have Angie show up after 10 years duh
Then to have Szyg and Angie hook up
Blah blah
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2024
Garbage
Poorly written with many grammatical errors and unlikable characters. I could not even finish reading it, a first for me.
Poorly written with many grammatical errors and unlikable characters. I could not even finish reading it, a first for me.
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