| Title | : | For You and Only You (You, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 448 |
| Publication | : | First published April 25, 2023 |
Thankfully, Wonder enters the picture. They have so much in common. No college degrees, no pretensions, no stories from prep school or grad school. Just a love for literature. If only Wonder could commit herself to the writing life they could be those rare literary soulmates who never fall prey to their demons. Wonder has a tendency to love, to covet, but Joe is a believer in the rule of fiction: If you want to write a book, you have to kill your darlings.
With her trademark satirical, biting wit, Caroline Kepnes explores why vulnerable people bring out the worst in others as Joe sets out to make this small, exclusive world a fairer place. And if a little crimson runs in the streets of Cambridge . . . who can blame him? Love doesn’t conquer all. Often, it needs a little push.
For You and Only You (You, #4) Reviews
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unfortunately it appears i will keep reading these books as long as they keep coming.
even as they continue to ruin my life.
these are peak guilty pleasure content and are also sometimes not pleasurable at all.
at its best, this series is a pretentious guy who is also an unreliable narrator who is also truly hilarious getting up to hijinks on the regular. and of course by hijinks i mean felonies and murder — the best kind.
tragically this installment contains a lot more writing about writing than it does writing about murder. and also a lot of self-soothing.
all i'll say is that a fairly major character in this book is a female author who longs to write respected works of (self-insert) literary merit, but when she breaks from her beloved but unrespected bestselling thrillers she is roundly mocked.
and i will leave it
at that.
giving yourself some therapy while getting paid thriller-series-contract money...that's great work if you can get it.
generally this lacks the same MAGIC as its predecessors. each entry in YOU seems to have less and less fun, forcing itself to become serious for no reason and losing the goofiness and originality that made the first one among my favorite thrillers of all time.
but this one did coin the phrase "Dunkin' Sally Rooney," so it can't be all bad.
bottom line: keep em coming, kepnes. masochism awaits me.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc) -
Joe could move to Iowa and start stalking a Walmart greeter and I’d still read it.
—
Remind yourself what you loved about You and come into For You and Only You with your heart and arms open, ready to embrace your friend who still feels familiar if different from the last time you saw them. It might feel awkward as the ways you’ve grown apart are most salient at first, but once you start to catch up, the years will fall away.
I’m not going to pretend that FYAOY is for everyone, or even everyone who enjoyed the first book; it’s not. It has a jerky start getting off the runway, and the ride’s a little bumpy for the first third.
You’ll love this installment of You if you love all of these things mutually and without exception: Joe Goldberg, Dunkin’, reading about writing, that season of Gilmore Girls where Rory goes to Yale and dates that rich annoying blond dude, literary critiques, Coolattas, hating dudes who cycle,
this delightful article from Electric Lit, Bahston, the confidence of mediocre whitemenmale writers, reading about reading, nepotism, and true crime podcasts.
When Joe arrives at Harvard for his first fellowship session, he notices a hot girl in a midi skirt perched on the steps of Barker Center reading Faulkner performatively. Glances are exchanged, but Joe declines to engage.
I know who you really are. You run, you try so hard to kill your feelings for me that you wind up dead in real life, dead inside. I’m not built like you. I never get over you, any of you.
Just a few pages later, Joe is surveying his cohort with irritation, noticing that all of the female members are married.
It’s not like I expected to fall in love, but the possibility would be nice—I am human, I am single—and all three of my female fellows are little Mrs. Tuffets [sic]. Visibly married.
This skillful insight into Joe’s questionable psyche and narration is a delight and beautifully sets up Joe as an unreliable narrator. He doesn’t see his own inconsistencies, but we do.
“We’re writers, Joe. We want to be in control all the time…”
I have never tried to control anyone in my entire life. I have only tried to help people make good decisions.
I don’t want to give anything else away! I love books about books, I don’t have a hard time turning off my brain and allowing myself to enjoy a work flaws and all, and I thought FYAOY was great. I’d rank it third in overall enjoyment for the series, ahead of Hidden Bodies which is not my vibe.
“The eyes of others our prisons; their thoughts our cages.” Virginia Woolf -
Joe Goldberg is my all time favorite antihero, a guilty pleasure, an addiction I cannot let go!
I screamed a lot as soon as I got the arc copy and had a privilege to find out what kind of new and thrilling adventures await us, where Joe will move and rewrite a new cover story for himself to start over!
The series on Netflix is announced to release first half of new season 4 on February 9th ( yes, it’s earlier than this book’s release date) There’s a small difference about the location between new series and the book:
In this book: Joe restarts his new life in Harvard as an aspiring writer candidate, attracts a famous author’s attention with his talent and get approval to join tight- knit writing fellowship. And wait for it! All of his expenses are paid. But in the series, the producers carried Joe’s adventure to the UK. He will hang out with intellectual Oxford students.
Instead of getting irritated by British snobs, Joe finds himself to barely communicate with a bunch of American, artificial intellectuals. He’s the only pure talent, joining in the pretentious, know it all circle of privileged author wannabes and he is the only one who didn’t graduate from a college! Wait a minute: he’s not the only one. A peculiar girl slurping her Chocolatta steals his thunder! Nice to meet you Wonder!
Joe finds his new Wonder Woman! She’s not pretentious just like the other members of their new writing group! She works at Dunkin Donuts as a manager. She’s living at the same old house with her family, taking care of her needy, grumpy father, her careless sister and her lovely nephew. She likes to read a lot and writes great Goodreads reviews. ( hey Joe, I’m also very popular in Goodreads and I already put my kettle on and bought delicious cookies if you want to stop by! ) But most importantly, Wonder is looking for commitment, pure love as she’s mentioned at several times on her reviews.
Joe’s regular tendencies take over and his stalking obsession, his desire learning more about Wonder’s life give him his new purpose! He can push her to write her first novel. He can kill her darlings for her! He can do anything to earn her devotion! He was unlucky but maybe he has closest chance to reach his own HEA! Don’t you think?
Well, I admire Joe’s extra creative, sarcastic dark humor! I love how Caroline Kepnes designed a special world belongs to him. She takes us to a long tour inside Joe planet and we find ourselves get lost in his rambling mind embellished with rich cultural references, laugh out loud criticism of our modern world! Only bad thing in this book: the intense and continuous rambling of different opinions overshadowed the entire execution. It gets repetitive and it affects the pacing a lot. Joe’s story can be told at least 100 pages shorter. The repetitive cycle disappointed a big Joe rambling fan like me!
The other thing I didn’t much enjoy was the ending of the story. I thought a few alternative endings on my mind but I cannot share it with you for not giving spoilers. But this conclusion wasn’t the kind of Joe Goldberg kind of ending I expected!
I just cut two points because slow burn storytelling, semi satisfying ending and a repetitive cycle push us stay on Joe’s mind too much longer ! I enjoyed the previous book a little more and I have to admit it was so much better than season 3 of the series!
I was expecting a little more from new Joe Goldberg book! And I actually find Wonder a little flat, boring character.
I’m giving three solid stars and giving my hopes up to enjoy the next book a little more!
I’m still so thankful to have this greatest opportunity to have a chance to read this book before the release date as a die hard Goldberg fan ( as it’s tattooed on my left shoulder! )
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest feedback. -
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Caroline Kepnes for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 4.25!!**
Well hello again...YOU.
(and if you don't mentally read that in Penn Badgley's voice...you just don't know what you're missing!)
Joe Goldberg is back and living the high life: his meandering travels (read: escape from the locales of his most recent murder) have led him to the pursue the Ivy League life in Beantown: that's right, our boy is Harvard bound. And even more impressive, Joe has managed to land himself a spot in Glen Shoddy's prestigious literary fellowship, where his fellow "Shoddys" are all hoping to break into the biz with a recommendation from none other than Shoddy himself. HERE, Joe thinks, he HAS to finally meet the sort of intellectuals who will appreciate his brand of genius.
But what he finds instead? A band of snobs, silver spoons practically in hand, who send his inner monologue into overdrive. He starts to think that maybe this whole adventure was a giant mistake...until SHE comes along...and Joe starts to wonder where this WONDER has been his whole life. That's right, her NAME is Wonder and she's that elusive rare gem that Joe has been so desperate to find. After all, Wonder is a writer, and an INCREDIBLE writer...and who better as a life partner than one who can look beyond the monotony of every day and see the beauty in minutiae?
But the road to happily ever after won't be so easy...not with so many obstacles in Joe's way. If he could just get Wonder to see the future HE sees...then maybe the past won't matter. But when a certain someone shows up with a LITTLE too much information about the paper trailtrail of bodiesJoe has left behind...does Joe have ANY hope of getting Wonder and keeping her from the truth...or even keeping himself out of prison?
I'll come right out and say it: these books are no longer truly about Joe's Perfectly Plotted Murders. The murders in this one were so 'mild' (if there is such a thing) compared to some of Joe's previous exploits that in some ways, it almost felt like he was phoning it in. Where some of the previous installments of the series focused on the long and tortured path of finding the perfect love and methodically removing each and every obstacle between Joe and said obsession via cruel and dramatic measures, this one sort of let them play in the background when needed, and in some ways, the plot could have functioned almost the same way WITHOUT them (which is a pretty crazy thought, in Joe Goldberg's world). The plot itself is fairly slow moving and doesn't have some of the breakneck intensity we've experienced in Joe's world in the past, and for many readers this alone will be a huge turn off.
HOWEVER...with all that being said, this book could have easily been called "There's Something About Joe," because it is the voice, the intensity, the passion, and the almost hypnotic wordplay of one Joe Goldberg that keeps me GLADLY coming back for more....over and over and OVER again.
About 70% of FYAOY is full to bursting with Joe's observations about everything and everyone around him, from the horrifying to the mesmerizing, and as the reader, you once again have a front row seat to the insanity...and the brilliance. And Joe IS brilliant in his own way: snarky, biting, comedic without trying. The mere amount of pop culture references (special shout outs to Berger from SATC and Kate and Leo's first look at one another in Revolutionary Road, among COUNTLESS others...maybe it's her background working as a pop culture journalist for EW, but Kepnes never misses a beat) and song lyrics woven into his every thought...so much so that as a fellow music aficionado, I can't help but smile each time I catch a reference.
The funny thing is, despite the fact that I've read a fair number of rom-coms and books that were supposed to be humorous this year...this is the first one that made me laugh OUT LOUD multiple times. Call it kinship (and who knows what that says about me!) but there's just something about Joe...even though this book is LONG (448 pages!) and wasn't quite unputdownable by any stretch...watching Joe tackle and dissect the literary world was even more delicious, and his references from Faulker to Rooney had me grinning. And then there's the Goodreads references. Joe labels Wonder as a Goodreads Girl, and I won't spoil the 'qualifications' for that title, but needless to say, I felt both called out AND seen..and I loved every minute of it. 😂
As much as Joe might seem to be treading over well-worn territory and the ending of this particular installment was not the scintillating cliff hanger I was hoping for (leaving me VERY curious if we are going to hear more from Joe...and if the answer is no, color me crushed!) I can always take solace in the fact that like it or not, I now know that I am a Goodreads Girl through and through...and there's nothing wrong with that.
I mean...as long as Joe doesn't find out.
😉
4 stars
Now in paperback! -
"Karma doesn't kill people, people kill people."
Joe Goldeberg is back and is hitting the cobblestone streets of Cambridge, Ma. after earning a fellowship at Harvard being held by one of his favorite authors. He's finished a book, Me, and is ready for the admiration of the world and all the money that comes with it.
While there he meets Wonder Parish, Dunkin worker by day and an aspiring writer, and Joe falls head over heels for her but why does everyone keep trying to get in the way of their budding relationship?
Another installment in the YOU series and it definitely lacked the magic held by the others. I can't even believe that I am going to say this but Joe is starting to get a little boring. The first 20% of this book was a struggle and, in fact, I almost set this down but once Joe got murder on his mind it did start to pick up. Still, his stream of consciousness ramblings, while at times entertaining, had me at other times wanting to tell him to just shut the F up already. I'm so torn about this. I also wasn't fond of Wonder Parish. I didn't find her remotely interesting and I couldn't understand what all the fuss was over her.
What I did enjoy was the locality. Being a Massachusetts native I loved all the local nuggets of information. Fenway and the Red Sox, mentions of Chronicle and Shayna had me dying - I love that show! Heck, even having Wonder work at a Dunkin was perfect. I kid you not when I say there's a Dunkin on every street corner in Massachusetts. Oh, and the terrible driving, we've got that too.
"When we get to my Tesla you take the wheel - this is your town, not mine - and you drive like a Masshole. No turn signals and no regard for life."
Cue the guitar:
"The bar is too loud - fucking Massholes, can they go five minutes without blasting "classic" rock?"
This one put a smirk on my face:
"You tell Lou that you already read his book - you won a galley in a Goodreads giveaway - and ah. You're a Goodreads girl. You "love to read" - good - and you're all about freebies - bad."
Guilty as charged!
All in all this wasn't as great as I was hoping for but it wasn't terrible by any means. I just think the Joe schtick may be running it's course. The ending does leave possibilities for more Joe and I wouldn't be completely opposed to it though I will temper my expectations in the future. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my complimentary copy. -
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I really hate to do this but book four was so very disappointing. At almost 450 pages I found it much too long for what it was trying to say. It was also very repetitive and Joe has lost his lustre. It was simply the same old, same old but without the serial killer vibe and is more like a physiological drama.
The characters lacked depth and there was a lot of rambling and musing going on, so much internal dialogue that was really just Joe muttering nonsense about his book. It felt like there was nothing happening a lot of the time and I am so over Joe by this point. This go was such a slow burn but not in a good way. I had a really hard time getting into it.
To me, it seemed a bit formulaic but without the interesting characters from the previous three novels, which I loved. The characters in this one lacked any sense of personality and there was just so much talk and not enough of Joe doing. I feel this series is drawn out and the Wonder/Joe relationship was really childish at times with their back and forth.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy. -
Well, what do you know, Joe is back and I'm starting to be a little over it.
Joe Goldberg has moved to Massachusetts and after being invited to a writing fellowship at Harvard. What an accomplishment for Joe, a lifelong book lover! He used to sell books now he is going to write them. But he is also ready to fall in love, be obsessed, share some of his humor, obsess some more, and do what Joe does!
Joe has been an interesting character to follow. I was blown away when I read
You. I thought it was fantastic and could not get enough of Joe. But now, I'm ready to break up with Joe. This book, although great in parts, was slow and a tad boring in other parts. It also felt long, and more editing would have been nice. I didn't care for Wonder, his love interest. He usually falls in love with more interesting (and annoying) characters. You picked the wrong love interest here, Joe.
This has been a great series, but I just wasn't feeling this one as much as I expected I would. I went in waves this book where I really enjoyed it, then was bored by it, I was annoyed, I found some passages brilliant, I enjoyed Joe's observations, then I was back to twiddling my thumbs. This must be how Joe feels on a daily basis.
Joes moves around a lot, one must when you leave bodies in your wake, but it would be nice to see Joe go back to his roots, have a bookstore, and be a little more rooted. It was nice to see goodreads mentioned!
Although I was all over the place with this book, I still enjoyed it, but didn't love it.
Thank you to Random House publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
www.openbookposts.com -
DNF 17%. Joe Goldberg has gone from being a thrilling, terrifying antihero to a big baby-back bitch and even that would be okay if he also weren’t such a fucking bore. The previous book in this series hinted at some growth for this character, so what happened here? Caroline Kepnes can write her ass off, I’ve loved all her previous books, and DNFing this breaks my heart. But I just can’t go on. Between Joe’s incessant pop culture references (seriously, it feels like this is Family Guy and he’s setting up cutaways) to the clunky, overdone cursing, to totally simping over a woman for no real reason—? For the hundredth time? Oh, I wonder how it’ll go! Joe, you’re no longer scary, nor cool, nor clever, and it’s been a fun ride but I think this is where I get off.
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It was wonderful getting back into Joe's twisted head!
Joe is no longer selling books: he wrote one instead. On top of that he has a fellowship to Harvard led by one of the best selling authors in the nation. And there? There he meets his new love/obsession.
Will she be the ONE for Joe after all this time? Or will his relationship with her deteriorate, much like all of his previous relationships? You'll have to read this to find out!
There were definitely surprises in this one, but the fact remains that Joe's story is getting a bit formulaic. There was a long period here where I thought the book was going to be very different but then it passed. I love being in Joe's head though, I have to admit it. Plus this time Joe is in Boston, and as a resident of MA, I must admit to enjoying that too.
The ease with which Caroline Kepnes sucks me in blows me away. As soon as I started reading I fell back into the mesmerizing mind of a sociopath, though Joe himself would not like that term. I think it's my fascination with that mind that keeps me coming back, formulaic or not.
All in all, I found this a mostly satisfying volume and a quick read. Do I wish Joe would break out of his continuing downward spiral? Kind of. For a while here, I thought he might do just that, but I was wrong. Does that mean I'm going to stop reading this series? No, it does not. I rated this 3.5/5 stars, but rounded up here for Goodreads. I'm still ready to read another Joe book!
*Thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!* -
“Don’t fuck with me because unlike a lot of people on this planet, I fuck back.”
Joe is back, and slightly mellowed! (Only slightly 😂)
Joe is done with love. He has written a novel and been accepted onto a prestigious program at Harvard University. He is going to focus on his craft.
That is until, inevitably, he meets ‘you’. In this instance ‘you’ is a girl named Wonder. A writer like him, but full of flaws and complexities. Joe is immediately smitten as always, and will do anything for her. Even murder.
Gripping as always, there was a lot more in depth conversations between Joe and Wonder than there have been with his other relationships - I did zone out from some of those.
But ultimately another enjoyable instalment. -
For You and You Only is the 4th book in the You series written by Caroline Kepnes. The narrator speaks directly to the reader by referring to the subject of the book (Wonder) as "You," just as he did in previous books with the woman he'd fallen in love with. In the previous three books, Joe Goldberg (narrator) essentially kills his love interest when she doesn't love him the way he wants or needs to be loved. These books must be read in order, or you'd never understand the history and complexity of his mind. That said... as much as we should hate Joe for killing about ~10 people at this point (and not getting caught), we love him. But by this book, I admit, I'm starting to waver about his appeal.
Joe's fallen in love before, sometimes with a girl we don't necessarily like. Wonder is a lot like Beck in that way, but she's also seemingly ordinary and not his type, so I didn't quite care if they were together whereas in the past, I wanted him to win the girl. At many points in this book, I rooted for Joe, but there were chapters that bored me for several pages. I kept plugging along and would hit moments that were sheer brilliance, and then I found myself intrigued with one of the fellows is writing group, Sara Beth. While the relationship and plot between them expands, it doesn't go where it should have gone, and quite honestly, it would have been the perfect ending.
All that said, it's not as good as the first in the series (none usually are) but it fits well within the overall theme of the larger story. Fans should read it. Newcomers shouldn't start here. I hope the books end here because there isn't a lot more to do with Joe unless he goes to prison or a psychiatric hospital where he falls in love with a guard, warden, nurse or doctor! But Kepnes is a strong writer, and amid the ethereal literary fiction droppings and silly Goodreads references, there's a woman with a deep and profound understanding of human nature. -
Caroline Kepnes has always had a knack for giving characters obnoxious names and nicknames but I think I might hate Wonder the most. Not only does Wonder get a childish name but she acts like a child too. Unless I'm mistaken, she was in her 30s but everything about her felt like a teenage freaking girl. I mean, at one point she just rips her top off and lunges at Joe in the middle of a fight. Bizarre.
We are four books into the You series and honestly, I'm over Joe. The formula is stale and I feel like Kepnes tries to switch it up a little but she doesn't commit and we're back to the same, boring plot. And this one was a chore to get through.
I didn't love the fellowship plot. It was honestly a snooze having to read about their workshops. O.K. (of course she has a quirky nickname!) was such a pointless character only to have her disappear halfway through. And Sarah Beth, the thriller writer? She felt like a caricature.
In the last book, Joe was worried about committing crimes because he'd been in prison but I guess Covid times erased those worries? I'm finding it harder and harder to believe Joe can keep getting away with his crimes across the States.
Final thought: Was this book sponsored by Dunkin'?
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
3.5 stars rounded up - Yes, the Joe Goldberg I knew & loved is back & so too are all the literary and pop culture references as Killer Joe tries on a Harvard fellowship/writer’s workshop where he meets his latest obsession. So, so much better than #3 which I really disliked. That said, it’s hella, hella long (my e-reader kept telling me hours & hours to read it) and I got tired of being in Joe’s head a bit as Kepne’s did her meta thing and “kills her darlings” (literally & figuratively). Some of it only a true “Goodreads Girl” could even understand, and it’s probably too over the top for a NetFlix binge-watcher.
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Oh Joe what did YOU do to me? YOU were so excellent in the first two books but you got redundant. And it makes me sad…..
I love this series and my last review said while the third book wasn’t my favorite I would be interested in a fourth and sure enough I jumped at the chance .
My issue with this one is it was so slow and long. I would say it took 50% of the book for something to happen and then it would take off and then slow down again. So much potential but then fell off.
What I loved and would have thought would have been great was more of Sara Beth! Awesome idea of the podcast…and that storyline was awesome. Loved it!
What I didn’t like: Wonder….nope didn’t work and then the repetition of all the previous novels . Joe finds someone stalks them to then realize things aren’t happily ever after . But the idea of the fellowship didn’t work for me, it was too literary. And Sly and Glen didn’t work for me
Joe as much as I have followed you from New York, to Washington , to Florida and then to Massachusetts I’m done. It was a great trip but I might have to drop off
Thanks so much to to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy -
For You and You Only was so different from the previous three books, and I mean that in the worst way possible.
If in my review for You Love Me I said I empathize with Joe and that he's "not that bad", I have definitely changed my mind now, as I finally got to see the true psychopath that he is. Full review coming at some point. (I do mean it and hope I'll soon sit my butt down and review all these books I keep labeling "rtc" 🤦♀️😂) -
Joe Goldberg is back! And this time, he's where he belongs - in a writing fellowship at Harvard, writing a book which is, of course, called, "Me."
I loved the inside references to writing and publishing and the little jokes about pretentious writers and their habits. I loved the idea that Joe would join such a fellowship. I loved his pretentious teacher and pretentious fellow students. And of course when Joe falls in love again (which he always does), people start turning up dead.
The plot was a little disjointed for me and hard to keep up with at times but the tone and voice of Joe and the constant humor kept me engaged as always throughout. I enjoyed the little gems about writing and the Joe banter. I remain a superfan of Joe and Caroline Kepnes, and can't wait to see what hey both do next.
Thanks to Random House, NetGalley, and the author for the much-anticipated ARC! -
Hoping this series wraps up soon because each instalment is just a worse version of the one before with no cumulative plot progression
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There’s a fourth one coming!? 🤩
-
I hadn't planned on reading more of Joes, to be honest, but couldn't resist it in the end. You see, while I really enjoyed the books, I kinda enjoy the Netflix show more. By now, they have diverged quite a bit. Season 4 is about socialites and Joe teaching in London at university. Book 4 is about Joe still being in the US and trying to get published as a writer while studying at Harvard.
Nevertheless, finding out that it's about literature and Goodreaders, I entered this story with a healthy amount of enthusiasm. Sadly, it seems it wasn't fully warranted.
Like I said, Joe is at Harvard. He's in a fellowship of wannabe-writers spearheaded by a guy who supposedly published a bestseller and now only has his teaching job. How ironic to look for guidance from a one-hit-wonder. But that is Joe's world for you.
Of course, there soon is a young woman he falls for. Why, is beyond me, however. Of all the girls he's dated, Wonder (her actual name) is the absolute worst. Urgh! And the phony people they surround themselves with (rich and poor alike) are just fucking terrible. Realistically so, probably, but it gets tiresome.
Maybe there is some warranted criticism of the publishing world (agents, publishers, writers, readers, reviewers, the whole lot of us), but I've seen it done way better than in this book.
There is also a nice array of cultural references, especially to books and movies / shows (which I enjoyed a lot) and Joe's social criticism was nice again. However, it wasn't as snappy as in the other 3 books.
When we finally do get to the ending, it's more like a wimper than a bang. So where does that leave me now? Honestly? I don't know. Should there be, I'm not sure I'll continue the (book) series. Although ... if the book series mirrors the show, there will be only one more and I AM a completionist (sometimes). *lol*
So yeah, I'm on the fence here. Lukewarm. Too bad, really, because the concept used to work quite well in a dark sort of way. Which is why I'm rounding up rather than down. -
I have been ride or die with Joe Goldberg since I received You as an ARC. I have defended his crazy, defended the readers who love him, defended Kepnes for writing such a despicable character we can’t get enough of. But sadly this one was simply turrrrrrible. I’m going to give it a pass, though, because nearly everything written during the time of the dilemma was pretty horrible and I’ll simply await the next one. -
Psycho Joe is up to his old tricks again and looking for love in all the wrong places. This time he’s moved to Boston and set his sights on Wonder, a woman who just happens to live across the street from him and is in the same fellowship at Harvard. Joe and Wonder start getting close and Glenn, Joes friend and fellowship leader starts criticizing Wonders writing. Joe goes from butt kissing RIP Glenn to planning his demise. The story is told from Joes point of view. He has some wild and crazy thoughts. Sometimes funny. This was a suspenseful read that I couldn’t hardly put down. This is the fourth book in the series. It can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading them in order. Many thanks NetGalley and Random House. This will be be released April 24th 2023.
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Well, I’m sad. I just read 400 and something pages and this just didn’t feel like the other 3 books. I understand that this storyline is always going to be formulaic to a degree…. Joe sees girl, Joe obsesses over girl, Joe kills and manipulates his way into girls life, and then he eventually realizes that, shocker, she’s a normal person with flaws, so he inevitably loses feelings, or somehow he ends up with the girl and something horrible happens. Moral of the story is that he never gets his happily ever after.
I don’t mind this formula, and usually it’s a comfort to know that I’m about to read him go through some crazy shit. Like, I wholeheartedly expect and look forward to the chaos that is Joe Goldberg, but this one just… I don’t understand what happened.
Joe meets Wonder at a fellowship at Harvard, they are both writers who have written their own books (you go, Joe!), and they both received scholarships to attend, whereas everyone else in the fellowship is rich, privileged, and connected. He sees Wonder wearing a tight graphic t-shirt and it was love at first sight.
Everything felt rushed, but then at the same time the book DRAGGED. He spent most of the book just talking to himself as if Wonder lives inside his head and the kills were anticlimactic. I only enjoyed the very beginning when there was one solid twist.
In addition, the dialogue was just painful, this was nonstop author banter and endless evaluations of both of their novels and everyone else in the fellowship. I felt like maybe if I was a writer myself maybe I would have connected more, but there were endless evaluations of Wonder’s Goodreads reviews and we get that mouse in the house shit (Dr. Nicky throwback) brought up again SO many times. This entire book was Joe just being nervous and self conscious over his book and trying to succeed, while simultaneously trying to help Wonder succeed. I can see Caroline Kepnes was kind of making this a love letter to writers and readers, but it just didn’t work for me.
Now in regard to Wonder, Wonder herself had no personality! If Beck was a better writer, was more kind/empathetic, and had zero friends; that’s Wonder. However, she is smarter than Beck. I liked Wonder for her instincts, and her constant intuition that Joe wasn’t always honest. She was the strongest of all his female love interests, but she wasn’t developed enough. After reading all of those pages I feel like I barely knew her, but maybe that was the point. I feel like maybe in this book Joe just slid further into insanity and that’s why he felt more unhinged in this one.
All in all, I love being in Joe Goldberg’s mind and Caroline Kepnes does an amazing job with these books, but I hated the setting and overall execution of this one. Joe felt sloppy and for much of this book it felt like nothing was happening and that was a huge bummer.
I’ll still read the next one, but I do hope it’s a final book because the ending was so lackluster I couldn’t even believe it was over.
Thank you NetGalley, Randomhouse Publishing Group, and Caroline Kepnes for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. -
This is part of a series. I would suggest reading the series in order. In this one Joe is at Harvard and he is in a fellowship of writers. He is hoping to get published when he meets his new obsession.
This one did not do it for me like others in this series. I was glad right away as the majority of the storytelling follows the pattern of the first and third book of this series. Joe is stalking and keeps using the term "you" when describing an action. It gives off a serious creepy vibe that I enjoy so much. Also Joe was in my neck of the woods which was a pleasant surprise. Then why the two star rating? This book never excited me. One of the most exciting parts for me was when Joe visits a place that is literally five minutes from my house. Not a good state for this book that the most excitable I got was when a fictional character visited a place that really exists. The problem was this book is repetitive. There is nothing new here. I expect a formula. Joe meets a girl, falls in love, and goes batshit crazy and kills. But in the last book I thought Joe had personal growth. Where did that go? The repetition was just not limited to the overall plot. I swear Dunkin Donuts and Tesla had a paid sponsorship for this book as they were mentioned over and over. My biggest gripe with this book was with one of the twists. Just no. It was implausible and I just don't buy it. Up to this point I was liking this book. Afterwards I just wanted it to end so I can move on to my next read.
After reading the second book I claimed that maybe this should have been just one book to experience Joe and his adventures. I was wrong as the third book brought me back into enjoying this series. I am here to say it is time to put Joe to rest. The problem is that there will be another book as the ending hints towards it. And I know even though after this book I am disillusioned with this series I will be right there reading and experiencing Joe and his psychopath ways. -
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
I said that 2023 would be catching up with the series I have committed myself to in the past. Keep that TBR low. This certainly wasn't the final book but I feel that Caroline Kepnes is soon going to help us say goodbye to our favorite stalker and killer. Honestly, Joe was a bit boring in this one. He seems to be losing his mojo.
A short recap of my reactions to Joe Goldberg and the You book series and Netflix adaptation. SPOILERS ABOUND. The times I use the word boring -probably too many times. I am sorry.
You book 1 = 5 stars! OMG, I loved this so freaking much. Joe's sarcasm and his general ability to make me laugh. Please let there be more!
Hidden Bodies book 2= 4 stars. I hate L. A! Just like Joe Goldberg. Liked the twists!
You Love Me book 3- 3 stars. Okeee.... it's starting to be a little bit formulaic but I am sticking with the series.
For You and Only You book 4 2 stars= Harvard is not that exciting. A lot of these characters were not very memorable. Did like that someone is starting to catch on to Joe. Still going to see where the series goes.
Netflix Series( binged all 4 seasons in Winter of 2023)
Season 1= Acting is great. Overall, very faithful to the book. Didn't bother me the little changes or creative licenses taken. Appreciated out the fleshing out of Joe's back story. But... sometimes I felt bored. Is that because I had read the book?
Season 2= Acting is great. Joe & Love ❤️❤️❤️ Don't mind the changes from the book. But after a few episodes, all Forty scenes were fast-forwarded. Also, Jenna Ortega is a great actress but I grew tired of her in this. Sometimes, I was bored. Maybe these books don't need ten episodes?
Season 3= Acting is FANTASTIC! I know, I know, a huge departure from the books but let's see the direction it goes in. Oh, gosh, LOVE IS insane! I am glad to see Scott Speedman again. I always feel bad that I was TEAM Noel. But he is great at this next-door neighbor role. But I am REALLY bored, like, I don't want to watch this television show anymore. But my momma didn't raise a quitter!
Season 4= Acting was great. Some episodes didn't really hold my attention. Seriously, why do we need ten episodes of this show? Why am I so bored?
Season 5= It has just been announced this will be the final season. I hope it blows all the other seasons out of the water.
Expected Publication Date 25/04/23
Goodreads Review Published 16/04/23
#ForYouandOnlyYou #NetGalley -
I don’t know what to say. The YOU series has been one of my absolute favorite releases to look forward to. But this one just didn’t have the usual Joe flair. It was lacking in Joe. I feel like he may have met his match and the end is near. So sad to give this one three stars. 😥
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Hot Damn! Joe Goldberg is coming to my little state of Massachusetts!
And if a little crimson runs in the streets of Cambridge . . . who can blame him?
I need this right NOW!!! 😍 -
For You and Only You is another enjoyable edition to the Joe Goldberg series. I never thought I’d be so drawn to an antihero like I am with gool old Joe here. But his perspective is one I can’t get enough of. And while I found this book to be a tad too long for being a fourth book in a series, I still enjoyed watching joe HUNT for the love of his life… again. If you’re a fan of the series, then you won’t want to miss this one! It’s certainly one of my favorites.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 rounded up) -
Overall Rating : B-
"It's the worst kind of enemy, a smart, accomplished woman with a clever mind."
Joe's at Harvard now and is looking to step his toes into writing. And if he so happens to find love while he's there? Well, Wonders never cease. Oh, he might also have to kill a few people, but what else is new?
While I always appreciate going into the mess that is Joe Goldberg's mind, it's starting to feel a little repetitive. Like reading a watered down version of book one. And while I did enjoy some of the side characters - Sarah Beth!!! - most of them felt like a passing fling.
I am most definitely betting that there will be a next book since Joe never really seems to learn his freaking lesson, I am surprisingly hoping there will eventually be one. At least a satisfactory one. -
This was torturously long and boring
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All right, friends. It's time for the newest YOU book and the review.
For a reminder, let's go over the past three and their rating:
You ★★★★★
Hidden Bodies ★★★★★
You Love Me ★.5
Mini spoilers throughout, major will be blocked out.
Okay, already the Florida storyline is done. I don’t care if COVID effed up her writing plans for why he went there. Why leave the second and third books the way she did for them to be totally railroaded over with a new plot? Very annoying. Very lazy. Very “Annie Wilkes circa the movie Misery when she’s explaining to Paul Sheldon about how when one episode ends and the next one starts with no regard to how the other ended.” I felt like that. Did she think we wouldn’t remember Florida and why he escaped there?
The first 40% was a whole lot of setup with very little interest. Typical Joe. Typical formula. Except this time, I had a few laughs, which was nonexistent in the third- I’m talking no lip twitch, no smirk, nothing. At least Joe had a few authentic jokes that felt very “You #1” but that could be because of the narration. I flipped back and forth between ebook and audiobook.
Here’s where things started to bug me:
I felt like by this fourth book, it is clear as day that Caroline Kepnes can write. But the execution killed me. This fourth book was almost like a slap in the face for all the non-literary readers who don’t pick up Salinger or all the other legendary authors. It felt like I was invited to their fellowship and it was a damn English class. Way too much focus on the actual writing aspects and what makes a great writer. I didn’t want to hear about all that. I wanted Joe killing people. I didn’t care about Joe’s book- because seriously, he knows he’s a fantastic author, why is this being shoved down our throats? I feel like it’s Caroline’s way of admitting she knows she’s a great writer. Also enough of the critiquing and overanalyzing of Scabies For Breakfast and every other Shoddy's book. Like OMG it literally felt like I picked up a guide for authors.
Okay but onto the new love interest. Wonder. Umm better than Mary Kay. Worse than Love and Beck. She was just… there. Not bad, not great. As I said above, around 40% is when things got interesting. But I didn’t like her. Why does he seem to choose these mundane women? And women who make him work for it? Why can’t he find a nice lady who appreciates him and doesn’t play hard to get? It’s getting old. And oddly enough, I don't even recall them making it official. I feel like we spent the majority of the book when they were separated as opposed to dating. So when Joe admits he loves her (yes, I know he falls easy and fast), I was like wait. How long have they even been "together?"
77% I’m like wtf is up with all the damn book crap?!? It wouldn’t end! The plot dropped off and it only became about Joe’s writing and the feedback he got from Sly and Bernice. Literally zero plot in the last 25%. I stopped for a moment and was like wtf am I even reading this for? I didn’t want to finish it. I didn’t care to hear how Joe knows he’s a great writer, how Wonder is unsure and scared and blah blah. The boat scene. The fight scene. It. Was. Too. Long.
But some positives: while the fight at the end was longer than necessary—let’s be real, so many of Joe’s monologues could have been cut and we’d follow along just fine—there was some good writing there as they slung insults at each other.
The dark humor returned.
And for the lame, childish things:
Wonder. Cherish. Caridad. Sly. What’s with all the weird names? Is she pulling a Colleen Hoover?
Okay and sorry I just cannot. Why. Why. Why does Joe have a child out there and it’s swept under the rug? Why did the third book even happen at all? I know books don’t have to be realistic—it’s freaking fiction—but if you’re going to have him fall in love with someone like Love (my favorite of all his girlfriends), and ruin their story, pretend it never happened, it makes me not take this fourth book seriously. I still can't get over what happened with Love. I can't believe Caroline did her like that!
Ugh. I don't know. I didn't love this one but it was better than the third, which got 1.5 stars. I refuse to watch the show because they butchered the books. They basically went on their own way, so why use the books as inspiration if you're not going to at least follow a little of the plot?
Will I read the 5th book if one is coming? Probably. Because I'm a masochist.
But damnit, can we get a change up for Joe? Something new? The formula is getting stale.
