You #2

Joe Goldberg, upset about being swindled and lied to, decides to move across the country to glitzy-glam Los Angeles so he can track down Amy and get some revenge. But when he gets to LA, he discovers a whole different world and gets wrapped up in a whole different girl.

I wouldn’t say that this book is much of the same… it’s actually quite different than previous books. Joe is still creepy, scary, and obsessive, but on a lesser level. He’s more calculating, and at times it seems like he really just wants what everyone wants: to be loved unconditionally. He finds that in Love, but unfortunately she has a twin who is a huge piece of garbage and Joe hates having to put up with him and watch as he’s constantly the source of heartache for Love. Of course there’s murder and stalking in this one, but Joe also has a chance to come clean and confess his so-called sins.

I don’t know how Kepnes does it… she writes this horrible, disgusting character and makes you feel bad for him – even though all this bad stuff that keeps happening is totally his own fault. Joe is charismatic, intelligent, and charming when he wants to be, he’s a master at manipulation, and while I do think he’s a total psychopath, he shows moments of empathy that make him seem like a person who maybe deserves a little happiness.

The characters in this one were spectacular. I loved the dynamics and character traits of both of the twins, especially Forty’s flaws. Joe might be a sarcastic, murdering creep, but this book highlights how messed up people can also be without having to murder anyone. And Love… she was something else entirely. The ending was crazy and I wonder how their relationship will evolve in the next book. LA is full of self-absorbed people only looking out for themselves and this book shows that in full color. Everyone in this book is messed up to some extent, not just Joe.

I’m giving this one a 4 out of 5. Hidden Bodies has reviews that swing heavily in both directions but I found it to be a great evolution in the Joe saga and enjoyed it quite a bit more than previous books. It was less intense on the stalking aspect, but that didn’t take away from how dang creepily obsessive Joe is. I recommend this if you liked the first book, You, but this book won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. You’ll have to check it out and decide for yourself if its something you’ll enjoy. The audiobook was a 5/5 performance.

If you’d like to read more about Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes, check it out on Goodreads.

| Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

---

| Join me on Goodreads |

---

Never miss a review, subscribe now!

---