Reviewing: This is Not the Real World by Anna Carey (spoiler-free)
Thank you to Quirk Book Publishing for kindly sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my review whatsoever.
✰✰✰✰/5
🌶🌶/5
“We couldn't go back to being friends, because what we'd had wasn't a friendship. It was a job for her, lying to me all of those years.”
~Some Quick Stats~
Overall: 4/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 3.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
This is Not the Real World by Anna Carey is the thrilling sequel to This is Not the Jess Show. The book takes many dark twists and turns, turning 90’s nostalgia into something else. This conclusion to the duology was a fast-paced read that kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. I read this whenever I could. However, the book didn't fully meet my expectations which is why it, unfortunately, did not receive the whole 5 stars.
~This is Not the Real World Goodreads Page~
This Is Not the Real World by Anna Carey | Goodreads
~Characters~
This book followed Jess, our main character as she continued to navigate through the manipulative and abusive production company that produced the show, she unknowingly acted on for 14 years. There wasn’t much development on her part, but I didn’t mind that because the other characters' development made up for it. Characters that we didn’t get much information on in the previous book (Chrysalis, Kipps, Amber, etc.) were focused on in this one. I got to learn so much more about each character and see how they evolved throughout the book, plus how the production company affected them as well.
One thing I personally struggled with was that there were a lot of characters to keep track of. I repeatedly had to flip back to previous pages to figure out who people were. However, at the same time, I did enjoy having development with each character and how the characters weren’t just there to fill a spot.
~Plot~
This was a relatively fast-paced book, much like its previous book, This is Not The Jess Show. The plot also included so many events that took place immediately after each other. It definitely succeeded at being a thriller, because I was wide-eyed and clutching the book tightly in shock for most of the read. Those plot twists were phenomenal! Anna Carey really is a true master at thrilling the reader.
The book is only about 300 pages long, but I feel that extending it by a couple of hundred pages would allow events to be portrayed in more detail and leave fewer questions when the book ended. The plot also got quite chaotic near the end, with events overlapping and constant surprises. I wouldn’t say this was necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn’t a good thing either.
~Would I Recommend It?~
Overall, I would recommend this book! Actually, I recommend the duology as a whole. The books were thrilling, exciting and a wonderful ride to take. The sequel gave what needed to be given even though it didn't necessarily meet my expectations. I can’t wait to re-read this duology!
~Conclusion~
In conclusion, this was a delightful read and I can’t wait for it to be released so everyone experiences the same thrill that I did!
Releases May 24, 2022
Pre Order ➡️ amazon.com/thisisnottherealworld-annacarey
Follow The Author ➡️ annacareybooks.com
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XOXO,
Opal
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