If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
I’ll start by saying that If We Were Villains was not enjoyable for me, and I was so relieved once I finally finished it. Initially, the premise excited me, and I thought it would be a good read as we enter the spooky season. It certainly has a gothic feel with dark academia vibes. Scenes within the story are dramatic, especially since the characters are serious students studying theater, which naturally leads to a lot of competition and built-up turmoil.
Then She Was Gone By Lisa Jewell
Ellie Mack is beautiful, caring, intelligent, and according to her mother, the “ideal” daughter. On an average morning, Ellie heads to the library to study for her GCSE’s but never returns. No one expects Ellie to have run away, especially not her mother, Laurel Mack, who is determined to find out the mystery of Ellie’s disappearance.
After Laurel’s daughter goes missing, her life falls apart. Laurel pushes her loving husband into the arms of another woman, her son Jake moves away, and she has a tense relationship with her eldest child Hanna. Heartbroken and entirely consumed by the loss of Ellie, Laurel sabotages her connections with the only family that remains.