Wow. This was disturbing. I heard it was, but usually when people tell me it's disturbing they mean an 8-10 on their scale which is usually a 3-4 on mine. I read disturbing books more often than most, and I'm usually disappointed by people's recommendations. This however was a solid 7 for me. Not the most disturbing thing I've ever read, but definitely had a few parts that had me cringing or gasping in horror. I didn't feel physically ill, so still not close to my 10, but for sure an uncomfortable read.

The worst part for me was how much of this is part of a true crime case. The true crime case was worse, thankfully, but it's still so incredibly sad to think about. I did enjoy the main character in this. I think he was a very honest representation of a young boy in that situation. I think he let things get way out of hand, and was intrigued by some of it, but I liked when he finally decided enough is enough. I think having him as the main character was a very good way of telling a horrifying story. I think putting Meg as the main character would have been much harder of a read, and I think anyone else would have been a completely unreliable narrator. Ketchum did an amazing job telling this story. It was hard to read, but it was perfectly executed.

The only reason it's getting 4/5 stars was the ending. I wanted more epilogue. It didn't feel finished yet. I think that was part of what was so unsettling about it. It didn't feel over, and while that added to the disturbing nature of the book, I still wanted more comeuppance for everyone involved.