Jennifer Hillier

I've become a pretty big fan of Jennifer Hillier's work so when I got an invitation to listen to an upcoming audiobook release of an older book that I hadn't read, I was a happy woman. Hillier has a great writing voice and creates seriously dark tales with flawed characters that are believable. Wonderland is another in that category.

There are quite a few characters in this book but our main POVs are Vanessa, the new deputy chief of police in Sea Side OR, Oz, her love interest with ties to all sorts of things happening, Ava, Vanessa's 14 year-old daughter who works at Wonderland, and Bianca aka The Dragon Lady, the CEO of Wonderland and seductress of 18 year-old "wonder workers" who all have a specific type.

Wonderland is twisted and creepy and filled with red herrings and potential bad guys. And I enjoyed it all. Mostly. There are issues with repetitive information sharing and some unbelievability but nothing that made me regret my time spent with the cast of characters.

Narrator Eunice Wong did a great job. Sometimes narrators get in the way of enjoying a book but Ms. Wong only enhanced my enjoyment.

Big thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook!… (more)

I Refuse To Be My [Parent]. Yes, a version of the title line of this review is said in the book. And that was the moment the book hit particularly hard for me. Because I've lived it. Not directly, but as the child of a person that did. To be clear, it was not the same kind of abuse that my parent endured, but it *was* abuse and it *did* shape that parent in ways that have played out over the course of my own life. So at that moment, this book became very, very real for me and I could see that character's actions as clear as day and understand them on levels I don't often get to even in fiction.

The rest of the book, with a present day murder and blackmailing, a secret identity, a true crime podcast looking at a murder years ago and how it all ties together... was all excellently done. Other reviews complain about the backstory, but for me that was the actual story - because it shows everything that caused the person to utter the line I titled the review with. Overall a strong tale that survivors of domestic abuse may struggle with, but which ultimately should prove cathartic indeed even for them. Very much recommended.… (more)

So, a hint if you're going to read and you like that some books have soundtracks now, you can search for the lyrics and I think they all probably fit the Parts that they start. I didn't do it until Part Five. I wish I had in hindsight.
With the BNL song playing in the background I finished the book. The lyrics of the song seemed to fit in well with the feeling of the chapters. Maybe I just wanted them to. IDK. It helps I like BNL (seeing them a 2nd time in concert this month!)

The story was good. I am actually reading another book with a woman who is taking on a different identity for similar reasons (The Passenger) so it was almost like a theme week. The story sort of bogs down a bit in the center. I think you kind of have to suspend disbelief for Paris to have managed to make it as far as she did. Sadly, all the other child abuse, poor parenting, and various allusions to sexual assault I believe fully and entirely. It can be a difficult read if you have similar demons in your past.… (more)