that girl with a book

I feel like when a Freida book goes “part II” and switches perspectives, you know it’s going to be a banger. I was surprised how much I liked this book. We start part I from Natalie’s perspective. She’s your stereotypical hot blonde 25 year old, perfect skin, perfect face, whatever. She works at some health products company thing as a saleswoman and is the top employee. Her coworker, Dawn, is a very organized, punctual lady who really REALLY likes turtles. She’s clearly written to be a very stereotypical person on the spectrum, and I think it’s interesting that Freida chose to not address that and just calls her “quirky.” Hmm.

So Dawn is always at her desk on time and one day she doesn’t show up. Natalie starts crashing out and everyone tells her she’s being dramatic. Then, she gets a call from Dawn’s desk saying “Help me.” Lit. Natalie goes to Dawn’s house and sees a fuck-ton of blood, then calls the cops. Now the investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, the plot thickens as we get chapters revealing emails from Dawn, months earlier, to someone named Mia. Mia appears to be her only friend. Dawn describes her life to Mia, starting at her new job, meeting Natalie, etc. Except for as the chapters go on, we see Dawn describing Natalie being an absolutely ruthless bitch to her. I actually could have cried at the chapter where Natalie dumped Dawn’s homemade turtle cupcakes into the trash.

In real time, Natalie is being more and more heavily investigated by the police. They find a body and identify it as Dawn. Natalie confides in her new boyfriend, Caleb the tech guy, and her sleezy, recently divorced boss, Seth, who she was sleeping with on the DL. She cheats on Caleb with Seth, securing my hate for her. She didn’t feel bad. Fast forward to Natalie’s charity race (in honor of her childhood bestfriend, Amelia) for cerebral palsy. Right before the race, Natalie gets arrested. Shoot. Bad look for charity. Sorry Amelia.

Now, throughout this whole investigation, Natalie has been getting some weird phone calls. She managed to track one down right before the race and gives the address to boyfriend Caleb as she’s being hauled off by the cops.

Boom. Part II- Dawn’s Perspective. Whaaat? Dawn? That’s right. NOT DEAD. However, is being actively tracked down by boyfriend Caleb. Watch out, Dawn.

Caleb finds Dawn and big reveal: Dawn and Caleb are a thing. Dating, it seems. Caleb was faking it the whole time with Natalie. And better yet, Dawn planned this whole thing and faked her own death to frame Natalie. But why?

Natalie’s “friend” who she did the charity run for- Amelia? Actually Mia, Dawn’s only friend. And also Mia slit her wrists in high school due to relentless bullying from Natalie and random second tier bully Tara. Natalie didn’t remember Dawn from high school, which is probably the least believable part since Dawn is rather memorable. And Caleb was Mia’s older brother.

So as we move forward, it is revealed that the body in the woods was not in fact Dawn. Which tracks. But now Dawn is like “oh fuck, they’re gonna let Natalie out of jail.” Nope. Not on Dawn’s watch. Dawn tells Caleb she’s gonna fix it and heads off to go jump in the lake with a boulder tied to her ankle.

Unfortunately for Dawn, sleezy boss Seth has bailed Natalie out of jail, and a panicked Caleb reveals Dawn’s secret to her. Natalie tracks Dawn down before she can jump and tries to talk her out of it. Dawn’s like “you know what, great point” and turns with the boulder to beat the eff out of Natalie. Natalie somehow talks her down and Caleb and Sleezy Seth arrive to see their respective women. Dawn realizes that Caleb actually loves her and decides maybe the boulder jump isn’t the move.

At the end, Dawn and Caleb are happily together and so are Natalie and Seth. They still work together with the blackmail for each hanging over each other’s head.

I forgot to mention. Naturally, Natalie’s been embezzling from the company the whole time. Dawn’s the accountant.

Now, what we’ve all been dying to hear. My thoughts.

Natalie is such a bitch. I don’t think she was written to be likeable, so mission successful, Freida. On the other hand, I really fw Dawn heavy. That bitch really liked turtles and made it everyone’s problem. Plus, she committed to the bit. When Dawn was about to take Natalie out, I was waiting with some popcorn.

I like that we got a revenge plot on the mean girl story with perspective from the mean girl. I also like that there wasn’t any tragic backstory that made us feel bad for Natalie. She was just mean.

I had half a thought that Dawn might be alive, but I was surprised by the Mia thing and surprised by the Caleb thing. The story tied together rather beautifully.

Highkey I think Natalie should have ended up in the lake at the end. I thought it was unrealistic that Dawn could be talked out of it after all that time and determination. Down one star for sparing Natalie, Freida.

Live, laugh, love

girlwithabook