Review: Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

Goodreads Blurb

In 2003, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared.

She’d been enjoying her teenage summer break: working at a fast-food restaurant, crushing on an older boy and shoplifting with her best friend. Mysteriously ominous things began to happen—blood in the bed, periods of blackouts, a feeling of being watched—though Bec remained oblivious of what was to come.

Eleven years later she is replaced.

A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec.

Soon the imposter is living Bec’s life. Sleeping in her bed. Hugging her mother and father. Learning her best friends’ names. Playing with her twin brothers.

But Bec’s welcoming family and enthusiastic friends are not quite as they seem. As the imposter dodges the detective investigating her case, she begins to delve into the life of the real Bec Winter—and soon realizes that whoever took Bec is still at large, and that she is in imminent danger.

*****

So… I finished this one last night, and still don’t really know what to think about it to be honest. I didn’t dislike it, I didn’t like it, I’m confused by it. Overall, the writing style was mostly well done. There were times when there was too much dialogue, those times mostly being in the 2003 flashback period which you can sort of understand because ‘Bec’ is a teen, and they do tend to talk a lot. I must admit I thorough enjoyed how the author was able to make me forget I was reading in the first POV for the 2014 period of the book. The change between first and 3rd POV, was neatly done which could have been a disjointed disaster otherwise.

I can’t say I was a fan of the ‘supernatural’ feel that the 2003 period had. That actually really threw me off in the back end of this story. From the 6 – 7 chapters, I was quite confused with ‘plot twist’ which then made me question the beginning of the book and strategically go through each of the events in previous chapters. I don’t know if it was the authors intention to give the supernatural feel and then twist it into a real life ‘badie’ but for me, this was the books downfall unfortunately. Once this grown ‘bec’ went to Lizzie’s house and saw Lizzie’s father, I felt like the author rushed the remaining chapters, and it was pretty much a blur.

Although, I admire the author’s knack for making me gasp aloud! There were two or three times she got me, one of those being Bec’s dad in the bedroom at the end. As well as that sense of adrenaline and anxiety with the black van, and grown ‘Bec’ under Luke’s bed. But I don’t know that I can get past this annoying feeling I felt what I closed the book after finishing and thinking, WTF. I’m still thinking it.

So I think this is one book that you’ll definitely have to ignore my opinion on and make your own, because I can’t give you a lot. I’m still confused and slightly annoyed, lol.

Over all, I rate this: /5