Title: Hidden Bodies
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Series: You, #2
Narrator: Santino Fontano
Published: Audio – Simon & Schuster Audio / Print – Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Length: Audio – 13 hours 3 minutes / Print – 448 pages
Source: Audio – Personal copy via Audible / Print – via Netgalley
Summary:
Joe Goldberg is no
stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something
has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now
he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined
to put his past behind him.
In Hollywood, Joe blends in
effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a
bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem
fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his
shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay
that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and
threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds
it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to
keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he
wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done,
he may not have a choice…
My thoughts: As dark and twisted as You, the first book in this series was, I knew that I just had to keep going with this series, even though I didn’t really feel that there needed to be a sequel. I would follow Joe Goldberg to the ends of the earth – just to see what he does next…crazy, right? But he is just that type of character.
I think what brings you back to this series, what makes you want to follow Joe Goldberg is the way this series is written. You are completely inside Joe’s head the entire time. I love that!!! And despite the fact that Joe is completely, totally insane, and I mean he is 100%, absolutely, without a doubt a psychopath, you just cannot walk away from him. Once you start reading, or in my case, listening to these books, you just get sucked in, you become fully invested in what he is going to do next.
Caroline Kepnes has managed to create a serial killer that is charming, crazy smart and at times, wickedly humorous. You want to dislike Joe because he is a serial killer and a psychopath, but there are times when you end up liking him. I ended up rooting for him and wanted things to turn out right for him. It’s weird and it makes you feel a little guilty about it. But oh well – that’s how it is and I don’t care. That’s a testament to the author’s writing…and it’s that good!
Once again, we have another obsessive tale that is just as addictive as the first one. While it has a bit of a different feel than the first book, it’s still just as binge-worthy and compelling and I can’t wait until the next book – oh yeah, there is going to be another!!!
Audio thoughts: Without a doubt, I enjoyed this book as much as I did because of who narrated it…I 100% believe that. Santino Fontana rocked as the voice of Joe Goldberg and the other voices and I truly believe this book, and You, would not have had the same impact had it not been narrated by him. His voice is so silky and yet creepy at the same time, it is perfect for Joe Goldberg. I can’t think of a more perfect narrator for this series and I hope that Santino Fontana is the narrator – it would be a crime to have anyone else give voice to Joe Goldberg!
Books in this series:
- You
- Hidden Bodies
This sounds awfully creepy!