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    Providence
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    Providence
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    Providence
    Audiobook12 hours

    Providence

    Written by Caroline Kepnes

    Narrated by MacLeod Andrews, Emily Rankin and Paul Michael

    3.5/5

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    Unavailable in your country

    About this audiobook

    *** From the bestselling author of YOU, now a major Netflix TV series ***

    'Compelling' Observer 

    With her trademark flair, precision eye for detail and acerbic wit, Caroline Kepnes brings the suspense thriller to a whole new level with PROVIDENCE – a dark story of death, loss, horror, redemption and the love that binds us all.​

    In 2008, 13-year-old Jon Bronson disappears on his morning walk to school. After even his parents give him up for dead, only his best friend, Chloe, remains certain that he would come back.

    Four years later, Jon returns with no memory of anything after the day he disappeared. But something’s different about him. His presence seems to cause spontaneous nose-bleeds in those around him. When he hugs his father, the older man passes out. The family dog disappears.

    Jon’s only clue to his missing four years is the battered book left behind by the man he believes abducted him. And he and Chloe are determined to figure out what happened to Jon… before his presence does more than cause a couple of bloody noses. They’re sure they can solve the mystery and save Jon.

    But this is a Caroline Kepnes novel. You know that the worst is yet to come.

     'The Netflix adaptation of Caroline Kepnes’ thriller You starts in December. The book is GREATNESS' Lucy Mangan

    *** PRAISE FOR CAROLINE KEPNES ***

    'Intense and deeply disturbing, You is a dark story told in a fresh voice, and an addictive read from beginning to end... Both a thrill and a nightmare, and yet I didn't want to wake up' Jennifer Hillier, author of THE BUTCHER on YOU

    'Both original and compelling. If you only read one new thriller this year, make it this one. It will stay with you long after you have put it down' Daily Mail on YOU

    'Hypnotic and scary...never read anything quite like it' Stephen King on YOU

    'I am RIVETED, AGHAST, AROUSED, you name it. The rare instance when prose and plot are equally delicious' Lena Dunham on YOU

    'YOU is superb. So funny, apart from anything else, and properly clever. It is: different, hot' Sophie Hannah on YOU

    'I can’t remember the last time I felt so guilty for enjoying a book so much' S Magazine on HIDDEN BODIES

    'There’s something deeply insidious about the storytelling of Caroline Kepnes. As satire of a self-absorbed society, Kepnes hits the mark, cuts deep, and twists the knife' Entertainment Weekly on HIDDEN BODIES

    'So brilliant, we reckon it’s invented its own genre: hipster thriller, anyone?' Glamour on HIDDEN BODIES
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio UK
    Release dateNov 15, 2018
    ISBN9781471176531
    Unavailable
    Providence
    Author

    Caroline Kepnes

    Caroline Kepnes is the author of You, Hidden Bodies, Providence and numerous short stories. Her work has been translated into a multitude of languages and inspired a television series adaptation of You, currently on Netflix. Kepnes graduated from Brown University and previously worked as a pop culture journalist for Entertainment Weekly and a TV writer for 7th Heaven and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She grew up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and now lives in Los Angeles.

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    Reviews for Providence

    3.5/5

    159 ratings26 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I won this book in a giveaway. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.I really enjoyed the You duology, so I was excited for the new release by Caroline Kepnes. I really enjoyed the beginning of this story, and flew through the first 50 pages. I did not realize this was going to a paranormal turn, and that is when it lost me. That is just not something I really get into. I would give the story around the kidnapping and etc four stars, but I ended up DNF the rest. Since this was an ARC, I may try this on audiobook in the future as I tend to enjoy these types of stories that way more.Overall, just not for me.
    • 2/5
      Jon Bronson is about 14 when he is kidnapped by Roger Blair, an H. P. Lovecraft fanatic who keeps him under sedation for four years and somehow gives him special powers during his captivity. Then Blair releases Jon, who must come to terms with the fact that he is now quite strong and can kill people and animals without touching them. Then the story skipped ahead another six years. The story is told in alternating chapters by Jon, his childhood friend Chloe and Eggs, a police detective who is trying to connect the deaths of a bunch of random people. This book just wasn't for me. It was mostly internal monologues and painfully slow. The conglomeration of young adult angst and mild horror didn't do it for me. I quit after reading about 40%. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
    • 3/5
      This is one of five hotly-anticipated novels to come out this year for me, the others being the new offerings from Paul Tremblay, Marisha Pessl, and two from Stephen King.

      Kepnes' narrative style hasn't suffered at all, I still love it as much as I did with her last two novels. And the overall plot is an absolutely fascinating one. Think H.P. Lovecraft with some romance and actual dialogue, meets When Harry Met Sally without any of the comedic bits.

      There's a lot to love here, but overall, much like the first of the Stephen King offerings The Outsider, it started strong and then...just kind of...fizzled for me.

      I could anticipate the set up of the ending by about two-thirds of the way through the story, but Kepnes did manage to throw in a bit of twist, but nowhere near enough to mitigate the impending fizzle of the ending as a whole.

      I think the biggest issues I had with this one was with the bulk of the main characters. I wasn't overly sympathetic to Jon's plight, or Eggs, and Carrig is simply a whiny asshole.

      So, for those keeping count, of the five anticipated books, two of the five have started strong, but let me down by the end.
    • 4/5
      Well this was another enjoyable yet very sad story. To basically have your whole life taken from you without having any choice in the matter so somebody else can do what they want is completely unfair. And having such catastrophic results due to this seems absolutely horrid. But I really did enjoy the book!
    • 4/5
      I went back and forth with this book. Parts did drag for me, but for the most part, it was an interesting read. Well written, and as with You and Hidden Bodies, you know it’s going to be a different ride!

      Jon is an odd child, often bullied, and Chloe is his only friend. There is something special between the two. One day on the way to school, Jon is kidnapped. He returns 4 years later, a completely different person. Odd things begin to happen when people are around Jon. This starts the book in motion. The story will follow Jon, Chloe and a cast of characters dealing with the new Jon.

      This book is sometimes horror, suspense, love story, and small town dynamics rolled into one. There is a lot going on, so pay attention! Will keep you thinking long after you read the last page! I received an ARC of this book, thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher. All opinions are my own.
    • 3/5
      13-year-old Jon Bronson only has one friend: Chloe. She is the only one he confides in and shares his dreams with. The other kids torture him that’s why he takes the long way to school. Until one morning when he is kidnapped in the woods. With Jon gone, the world seems to stop for Chloe. She knows that one day he will return. Four years later, Jon wakes up in a mall. He doesn’t remember what happened in the time he was gone, only that his former teacher Roger Blair was to one to kidnap him. But something has changed, even though Jon cannot really say what it is. In his presence, strange things start to happen: spontaneous nose bleeds and people passing out. Since he has become a serious threat to others, Jon withdraws from to world to figure out what this evil teacher did to him in those ominous four years of absence. “Providence” is labelled a thriller, unfortunately, I didn’t really find any thrill in it. For me, it was first and foremost a kind of love story and some supernatural or sci-fi added that did not really make sense to me. I really liked the beginning of the novel. Jon is a bit strange, but a likeable, intelligent boy. The fact that he is bullied by his classmates just raises more compassion for him. When he is abducted and we only get Chloe’s grief for the loss, the novel even becomes quite gloomy and admittedly, I really despised the adults who were absolutely ignorant about the girl’s loss. Jon’s return is a real mystery, there is an inexplicable aura surrounding him which is hard to grab and explain. Then, unfortunately, the novel becomes quite lengthy. It’s a kind of hunt for the kidnapper without real progress. Added to Jon and Chloe is an elderly detective with a “gut-feeling” who is chasing ghosts, too. In the end, there was some kind of solution that I couldn’t really believe.
    • 2/5
      Best friends Jon and Chloe have an unusually strong bond, an understanding that seems to defy explanation. Socially inept, Jon has taken to walking through the woods to get to school in order to avoid the kids who regularly beat him. Early one February morning, Jon never makes it to school. All efforts to find him are in vain. Jon is gone.Chloe is devastated and, as time passes, she struggles to move on without her soulmate friend. Finally, she accepts that Jon will never be coming back and she accepts that her world will no longer include her forever best friend. Jon returns home four years later. But he’s not the same; his kidnapper has done something to him, something unexplained. And when otherwise healthy people begin dying of heart attacks, it becomes apparent that whatever has changed in Jon, it is deadly for others.Determined to keep those he loves safe, Jon leaves . . . this time by his own choice . . . and tells no one where to find him. But he misses Chloe. Can Jon find the answers he so desperately seeks? Can he and Chloe find their way back to each other?Teen-age angst defines the lives of most of the largely unlikeable central characters of this chronically-depressing tale and Jon frequently seems obsessive toward Chloe. The slowly-paced narrative is dark and bleak; repeated references to H.P. Lovecraft and “The Dunwich Horror” aren’t fully explained and may serve as a stumbling block for readers unfamiliar with the author and his works. A parallel storyline with Detective Charles DeBenedictus, who seeks to understand Jon’s involvement when otherwise-healthy people suddenly succumb to heart attacks, only tangentially connects with Jon’s story. Again, it does not reach a satisfying denouement.The author’s decision not to explain exactly what the substitute teacher, Roger Blair, did to Jon while he held the teenager captive for four long years may not sit well with reader expecting some clarification. The far too many unanswered questions are likely to leave readers feeling dissatisfied with the narrative.
    • 2/5
      Did you read the synopsis of the book that is above? There you go. You've read the book. I'm extremely frustrated that I read the 400 pages that make up this book and really, when you get right down to it, nothing else happened. Let me repeat that, nothing else happened. I've given this two stars because I loved You so much.
    • 3/5
      2.5 StarsI loved You by Kepnes and I went into this thinking it would be more of the same creepy, fantastic type story. Providence, however, isn't so much a thriller as it is a sci-fi, horror mash. While there were parts I enjoyed, I didn't like it nearly as much as I thought I would. Still, Kepnes is a strong writer and I look forward to see what she comes up with next.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this new novel from Caroline Kepnes! It kept me in suspense the entire time and kept me wanting more. I was very intrigued by Jon and Chloe’s relationship after Jon was kidnapped and returned. Kepnes did a fine job of portraying their frustration with the result of Jon’s kidnapping. I felt like I needed more closure at the end. I felt as if their story wasn’t over. I hope this leaves room for a sequel! I was very satisfied with this novel and will be reading other books from the author!I received a free advance copy of this novel from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review!
    • 4/5
      Providence by Caroline Kepnes
Publisher : Random House Publishing Group
June 19th 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A bizarre and thrilling story of love, loss and love? Jon and Chloe share a unique friendship in middle school until Jon is kidnapped. Four years later he escapes and is "changed". This story is loosely a thriller and more of a "will they ever be together". Which begs the question, is this a mystery or a romance novel?
I have yet to read Caroline Kepnes other two books; You and Hidden Bodies but was offered an ARC of Providence and jumped at the chance. It wasn't at all what I was expecting as far as the mystery portion of the story. I wanted to know what happened to Jon in his missing years. Instead I was left without.
That said, there is a unique voice among this story that kept me flipping pages until the very end. There is an easiness to the story here that kept me engrossed throughout, even when part way through the book a new set of characters (Eggs and Lo) were introduced. I think this book is one of those love it or hate it books and I kind of just loved it.
While I wasn't totally thrilled with the ending, it made sense. I'm even more interested to read Kepnes other books in hopes that they create the same sort of experience.
I was offered an ebook from Random House and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

    • 5/5
      Wow! This book took me on a wild ride! I work with teenagers every day so when I started reading Providence it felt as if it was a typical teen mystery but THEN part way through I realized I was reading a sci-fi love story. It was new. And it was fun! Even transitioning from one person to another was very smoothly done. #NetGalley #Providence
    • 5/5
      I was lucky enough to win this wonderful book from LibraryThing and the publisher. I actually won it two months ago and just now read it. Wow. How did I let it sit that long?I first read this author's book, You, some time ago. I remember that when I first started reading that, I sat it aside as I wasn't sure. The thing that drew me back to it was the wonderful way Caroline Kepnes writes. And I loved that book and will read it again. In this book, so many issues pan out over the course of years, and we are viewing it all through the eyes of Jon, Chloe, and a detective with a knack for just knowing things. No matter what things happen, and some of the most heart-breaking things ever do happen, the impressive thing is the undeniable love between Jon and Chloe. It defines them through it all. We see that, we feel that, but we are feeling all the unbridled sadness of circumstances at the same time. I cried for all of them and laughed with all of them and shared their hopes and dreams. I won't be able let them go for awhile. This book is important, it is brilliant, it is a must read. It is a life story, a love story, a mystery, a thriller, and amazing.
    • 4/5
      Jon and Chloe are school-age friends -- Jon a little bit quirky and Chloe on the edge of popularity. Then one day Jon disappears (kidnapped). He wakes up four years later with no memory of the past few years but with a different body: older, stronger, handsomer. He returns to his previous life briefly, but with lots of unanswered questions, and with a strange "power", a power that he can't control and that tends to hurt those that he loves. In order to protect his loved ones, he flees, leaving Chloe lost and bereft over his disappearance.I've not yet read Kepnes' previous novels which appear to have enjoyed a fair amount of praise, but I'm inclined to think that this book is different than those. It was slow going for me at the beginning, and actually through the first half of the book. I put this one down for a while and only when I was stuck on an airplane for several hours did I pick it back up and then pretty much raced through the second half. I'm still not totally sure how I feel about it. It's an odd mix of sort-of romance, thriller, and supernatural that felt disjointed to me at times. I didn't not enjoy this, but it took a while for me to really submerge myself into the story. Once I did, it drew me in, but the story itself is a little unconventional and the unrealistic/supernatural aspects kept me from liking this more than I maybe could have.
    • 1/5
      This book starts off really strong! A boy is kidnapped, and wakes up four years later, remembering nothing! And he seems to have some sort of "power"! But then, for me, it becomes a young adult type book, mostly about a "romance" between Jon and Chloe (a.k.a. Chloe Smells Like Cookies). And it bored me near to tears. I hung in to find out what happened in those missing four years, and was bitterly disappointed. There is even an H.P. Lovecraft theme throughout, an author that I enjoy, and it was so overwhelming and prominent that I felt it began to obscure this story. Honestly, at the end, I felt cheated at what I thought was promised at the beginning. But if you do enjoy YA books, this may be for you! It just really wasn't the type of book that I enjoy.
    • 4/5
      Providence is a unusual novel about a middle school misfit named Jon who is abducted from the woods near his home and returns four years later with strange supernatural powers that drain the life force from anyone within his general proximity. It’s also about Chloe, his best friend [and possibly more] and Charles DeBenedictus, a detective who becomes obsessed with solving the mystery around the string of deaths by “natural causes” that Jon leaves in his wake. While most of the publicity around this book seems to focus on Jon and Chloe, the story really explores two complex and troubled relationships – Jon and Chloe and DeBenedictus (aka Eggs) and his professor wife, Lo. Upon his release, his kidnapper gifts Jon with a copy of H.P. Lovecraft’s short story, “The Dunwich Horror,” with the handwritten note, “We did good work down here.” It probably isn’t necessary to be familiar with Lovecraft’s story, but it’s easy enough to find the complete text online (or the Cliff Notes version on Wikipedia) so I took the time to read it myself. At first I thought the reference was a bit of a McGuffin - more of a gimmick than anything else - because, in the context of the story, it’s not only irrelevant but actually doesn’t make any sense at all. I mean why would someone whose goal it is to produce a master race liken his experiments to a horror story? But in terms of its symbolic meaning, it’s much more germane.It seems that DeBenedictus has a son with autism so severe he’s been institutionalized since he was a toddler (do they even really do that anymore?). He convinces himself that he’s emotionally incapable of seeing the boy and instead dives deeper into investigating closed cases, in direct opposition to the wishes of his superiors. Over the course of the story, he and Lo drift further apart as he nearly loses himself (and risks his job) in his quest to bring Jon to justice. Both men, Eggs and Jon, have something that drives a wedge between themselves and the women who care about them. And the similarities between these two relationships are at the heart of the novel. Like in the Lovecraft story, each man is harboring a monster that seeks to destroy everything he holds dear. Jon’s condition is his monster while for Eggs it’s the psychic weight of the son who (like the monstrous child in the Dunwich Horror) has been hidden away but looms large over his every thought and action. And through it all, both Chloe and Lo suffer the collateral damage while still managing to love and believe in them.While ostensibly a supernatural horror novel, Providence actually addresses much more earthly, commonplace and universal themes. It’s about what connects us and what divides us; it’s about love, patience, compromise and staying the course.
    • 3/5
      Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for an e-ARC of Providence by Caroline Kepnes in exchange for an honest review. I do not normally read reviews before I start a new book in order to have an open mind to write my own review. However, I was so underwhelmed with this book that I thought it must be me. I no longer feel alone. It seems the author tried to write in as many genres as possible, thus creating a confusing and uninteresting text. Halfway through, the reader stops caring what happens to the characters or the storyline. This was my first book by Caroline Kepnes and I understand that her previous work was far superior. This one reads like it was written in a hurry. I look forward to reading other novels by this author.
    • 4/5
      Growing up Jon was the outcast at his school except for his best friend, Chloe. Most of his fellow classmates thought that Chloe only took pity on Jon since she was one of the most popular girls in school. Jon knows he’s in love with Chloe and Chloe feels that Jon is the only person who truly understands her. The day has come and Jon is going to tell Chloe he’s in love with her until he is suddenly kidnapped by a substitute teacher from his school who is obsessed with H.P. Lovecraft and confident he can alter Jonathan in ways that will save humanity.Chloe and Jon’s parent appear to be the only ones to mourn his loss. Each fill the void left behind in different ways, Chloe by rebelling and then returning to the popular crowd and Jon’s parents by getting a dog. When Jon is finally able to escape he realizes he has become even more of an outcast than before thanks to an uncontrollable power generating from his heart whenever his emotions become high. In order to protect those most important to him Jon decides to run away and go into hiding. Jon and Chloe are both unable to stop the way they feel for each other and both dedicate their lives to trying to find each other and track each other’s movements. Will Jon be able to figure out what is happening with his body and live a normal life?Caroline Kepnes blew my mind with YOU, so when I found out I won a copy of her newest novel I was instantly over the moon! PROVIDENCE is a unique novel that has a strong science fiction base with the novel centering around H.P. Lovecraft. If you’re like me and don’t have much experience with Lovecraft, don’t let that deter you from trying out this book. That being said, if you’re looking for a thriller, don’t expect that from this book. Ultimately, PROVIDENCE is hard to categorize as it contains elements of science fiction, mystery, romance, crime fiction, and a coming of age story. For me the combination was just right! Kepnes made my heart leap through a series of emotions alongside Jon as he desperately tries to find his place in the world. My attention was kept on high as the chapters alternated between narrators and I found myself desperate to get to the end. I highly recommend PROVIDENCE to readers looking for a unique storyline, but please don’t go into it expecting another YOU because what Kepnes has created here is entirely different. A special thank you to Library Thing, Lenny, and Caroline Kepnes for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
    • 4/5
      In a small New Hampshire town, Jon and Chloe were best friends in high school, on the way for their relationship to become something more. Then, Jon was kidnapped by a substitute teacher when he was taking a shortcut through the woods to school. Chloe is frantic and eventually rebels when no one seems to care. Eventually, she returns to her popular friends and acts like everything is normal. Four years later, Jon wakes up in a mall basement with no memory at all of the time elapsed. He finds that he somehow hurts people by being near them and runs away until he can get a handle on the power after he kills someone. Chloe goes on to be a successful artist and a detective named Eggs starts to follow mysterious heart attack deaths with interest. Will Jon ever have a normal life or will his crimes catch up with him before that can happen?Providence is a much different book than Kepnes' previous two book, You and Hidden Bodies. Some fans of those books are going to be disappointed with a Lovecraftian, supernatural story. However, the mutual obsession between Jon and Chloe brings in that intense point of view that she did so well. I love supernatural books, so this wasn't an issue for me. The plot has a lot of positive elements. I can't help but feel for Jon, abused by others as a child, kidnapped, robbed of four years of his life, and saddled with toxic powers to those around him. The Lovecraftian elements are well done and friendly to those not familiar with his work. Passages from The Dunwich Horror are provided for context and integrated into the story as Jon's obsession because it was the only thing left by his captor. His actual powers are mysterious for much of the book, but make sense and something I haven't seen before. I also enjoyed how unhinged Jon became nearing the end of the book as well as his evolving feelings about his powers throughout.Unfortunately, I had numerous problems with the book as well. First, the book plods along and my interest phased in and out as it went. Second, Chloe is always defined by Jon and never really moves on unless it's to a toxic ex from high school. She never seems to know how to survive alone or find someone completely outside of her hometown and her trauma. It was incredibly frustrating to witness because of her potential and talent for art. Third, the way Chloe treated Jon when they were teens was pretty awful. She would hang out with him and treat him nice alone and then act like she didn't know him in front of popular people. She would never call anyone out for teasing or bullying him and seemed to just be using him. Fourth, so much would have been solved with a simple phone call, text, or email from Jon to Chloe.Providence is an interesting novel that combines Lovecraftian horror with a mystery thriller. It's a bit out of the box for Kepnes and I enjoyed it about as much as her You series. Even though I have mixed feelings about most of her books, I enjoy the unique ideas she brings to her novels. I would still be curious to read whatever new releases she comes out with, particularly if it has a more fantasy or horror angle.
    • 4/5
      As kids, Jon and Chloe are best friends, even though she realizes that Jon is a little different from the other kids. Then one day Jon vanishes after taking a shortcut on his way to school. The town searches for him, but it's a bit halfhearted they must admit, as he is not one of the popular and beloved kids. But his absence strikes Chloe in the heart. She finds solace in her art and begins fitting in better at school, making more friends. Still, she cannot forget Jon or how much he meant to her. Imagine her shock when Jon turns up four years later, after escaping from a kidnapper, and revealing himself to be viral and strong--everything he wasn't before the kidnapping. He also quickly learns that he has a strange and uncontrollable power over people, especially when he's feeling strongly about something. This power drives Jon into seclusion, isolating him from his beloved Chloe. Jon begins to search for the truth about what has made him this way, while Chloe tries to figure out her place in the world, with or without Jon.Well, this was an interesting one and nothing like what I expected. Obviously Kepnes is well-known for her novel, You, which is a story of love and obsession gone wrong. Supposedly many reviewers felt that this new book was a far twist from YOU, but I couldn't help but feel that parts of it reminded me of that novel, due to some of Jon's obsession and focus on Chloe. Still, I can understand that feeling, as PROVIDENCE also has a bit of an almost paranormal science fiction twist to it. That is a change. It requires a little suspension of disbelief, but once you go with it, the book is incredibly addictive and hard to put down. I read it in one day while on vacation, completely addicted to the strange and fascinating plot.There's no denying that Kepnes can write, and you become immersed in her characters. I was intrigued by Jon and a bit by Chloe as well. I didn't adore them, but they were multi-faceted, and their dilemma unique. I'll admit that I didn't even know that Lovecraft--the author on whom Jon's situation is based--was real, so obviously all of those references went right over my head. Ha! I might have gotten into that scenario more if I knew the author, but the whole "turned you into a monster--or did I?" concept isn't exactly difficult to follow, and it's an interesting idea.The novel is told from the points of view of Jon, Chloe, and a detective named Eggs. I enjoyed Eggs' perspective; he added a much-needed third viewpoint to the tale. Eggs is tracking Jon, but we also get a nuanced look at his relationship with his wife.In the end, this is a weirdly fascinating novel that is hard to describe. I'm glad I read it, as I can't imagine not reading any of Kepnes' books, truly. It's a story of dysfunctional and potentially misguided love, but I enjoyed how you could feel Jon and Chloe's need for one another stretching and pulling across the pages. Kepnes is just so good at obsession and oddity (and love) that I couldn't stop reading. I enjoyed this one.I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley/Librarything in return for an unbiased review (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 06/19/2018.
    • 2/5
      A special thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Growing up in a small town, Jon and Chloe are the only ones who truly understand each other. Jon doesn't fit in and is bullied. Chloe doesn't seem to care what her friends think when she hangs out with Jon. They each have feelings for each other that are more than friends, but neither expresses their feelings. Jon finally gets up the courage to tell Chloe how he feels about her, but he never gets the chance because he is kidnapped on the way to school by his substitute teacher. Mr. Blair, who is obsessed with H.P. Lovecraft, has given Jon some kind of power in his plight to save humanity. Chloe carries on and tries to live a "normal" teenage life even though her best friend is missing. She continues to mourn Jon while trying to fit in and gains popularity with the in crowd. Four years have passed and Jon wakes up from a coma. Jon realizes that he possesses an uncontrollable power, and that is life threatening to anyone he has any kind of feelings for. To protect Chloe, he runs away, but not before he has attracted the attention of a detective who is obsessed with a string of deaths that appear to be connected. This was a mixed bag for me. Obviously Kepnes can write, the hook had me until the four years later part. I'm not sure if it was the supernatural element that didn't quite work, but something had me skimming. So the positive was the writing, as I mentioned. Kepnes explores complex relationships that deal with the multi facets of love/relationships (Jon and Chloe, Eggs and his wife and son), how we struggle with identity, how passion can be dangerous when ignited, and how the lines of all of these things blur into one another. There was some really incredible stuff here. But...for some reason I just couldn't stay invested and engaged in the story. And now for the negative. I'm not understanding the purpose of the depth of the sub plot with Eggs (yes, that was his name). It was too complex and it was like reading two books at the same time. Eggs' story was about his relationships with his passive-aggressive wife, his non-existent relationship with his severely handicapped son, and his in denial relationship with his own self and his health. There's a lot to unpack here. I also felt a disconnect to the story because of the H.P. Lovecraft references—fans of his works will definitely enjoy this book more than I did since this was completely lost on me. Again, this was the tie-in to the supernatural elements that really threw me. This book was not what I expected. All that being said, I have heard amazing things about You. I will definitely pick it up, I'm not done with Caroline Kepnes yet.
    • 4/5
      There is nothing flashy about this book but what kept me reading and hanging around were the characters. What this book lacked in theatrics made up for in character connection. The beginning of the story begins fast. There are not a lot of details given about Jon's kidnapping. Yet, all is revealed as the story progresses about what really happen to Jon years ago. To be honest, I feel like what happened to Jon made him a more interesting person. If, he had not been kidnapped, than, he would have been just another guy. Jon and Chloe's relationship is a sad one. They can't be together but yet they are drawn to each other like magnets. Although, Jon was no the only person that I was drawn to. There is Eggs and his wife, Lo. Eggs is trying to make sense of his life. He works in law enforcement. As part of his job, he witnesses the destruction left behind in Jon's wake. Don't miss out on this book that is sure to be talked about for 2018.
    • 5/5
      I love weird books, and PROVIDENCE is definitely one of them. On the surface, the story binding Jon, Chloe, and Eggs is a strange one, but, once you get past the supernatural angle, you realize that the story is also underpinned with the most universal of themes: love. Caroline Kepnes can do obsessive love like no one else (as anyone who has read YOU or HIDDEN BODIES can tell you), and she doesn't disappoint here. *** Thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for sending me an advance copy!
    • 3/5
      Providence was okay. It's hard to say that about a book I anticipated so much, but that's unfortunately how it is. I probably would have enjoyed Providence more if I hadn't been so eager ... there comes a point when a book can only let you down and that may have happened here. CharactersThe relationship between "Eggs" and Lo was bittersweet, and often made me want to cry (and set the book down). Chloe was an interesting character, but her decision making skills left lots to be desired. Sometimes as a reader, I just wanted to shake some sense into her. EndingI did like how Kepnes did the ending. It wasn't a cliff hanger (thank goodness) but felt appropriate for the story. I recommend this book for people who are just dipping a toe into supernatural reads ... it may be a good starting point for those unfamiliar with the genre.Disclaimer: I received this book for free from LibraryThing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
    • 2/5
      This book just didn't do it for me. It started out with a bang, but somewhere near the center I kind of lost my way. If you have read and enoyed Caroline Kepnes before, then you will this one, too. The story just fell flat (for me).

      Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this advanced readers copy.
    • 1/5
      Jon and Chloe are young, they're best friends. And when Jon finally decides to tell Chloe the feelings he has for her, he's kidnapped on his way to school by an old substitute teacher who is obsessed with H.P. Lovecraft and has a plot to save humanity. Thoughts of Jon are never far away, but Chloe tries her best to fit in with the popular crowd and keep her life moving forward. But all that comes to an end when Jon escapes. He discovers he has an uncontrollable power that endangers anyone he has intense feelings for. He stays away from Chloe, for her own good. He struggles to find the answers he's looking for that will bring him and Chloe together like they should be. But he's also being tracked by a detective who is fascinated by a series of killings that he thinks are connected.Unpopular opinion here and it pains me to say this, but I did not like this book at all. The big clue for me in the blurb should have been "an uncontrollable power that endangers.." and I ignored it. After that part of the story came into play my interest immediately faded. The book did start off great - two young friends at that awkward age are dancing around the feelings they have for one another then the boy is kidnapped and everyone who cares about him is thrown into turmoil. But as time went on I realized I didn't love these characters, I didn't like them nor did I hate them. I just didn't care about them. I didn't connect with any of them and I didn't get any depth from them. It was a boring story, full of nothing. I felt like I was reading forever and only made it to 52% before I skipped (it wasn't even worth a skim through) right to the epilogue which was just as boring and unsatisfying as everything that came before it.Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.