Book Review Wednesday: No Exit by Taylor Adams

"No Exit" by Taylor Adams has been on my reading list for quite some time and in mid-December, I decided it was time to read it, you know, to really put myself in the winter mood.

Well, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I know tons of people, really whoever reads the book, has amazing, intense, wild things to say about it but I don't think I expected what was served to me.

I inhaled this book because I couldn't live with myself until I knew what happened. It also scared the crap out of me so I needed to be selective when I read it. That being said, I still flew through it because I couldn't put it down. It was one of the most intense thrillers I've ever read; it stayed with me for days after finishing it and I'm still thinking about it.

It also gave me massive anxiety and kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend all thriller lovers to read this, especially if you are looking for a really great winter-themed novel. You can feel the chill throughout the pages.

I'm also so excited because the book has been adapted for a Hulu exclusive movie that releases on February 25th. It's going to be an intense ride because I definitely think this probably shows up better as a movie versus a book that is saying something because I thought it was wonderfully written. 

Publisher's Summary

A kidnapped little girl locked in a stranger’s van. No help for miles. What would you do?

On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers.

Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate.

Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?

There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. But which one?

Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child’s life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape.

But who can she trust?

With exquisitely controlled pacing, Taylor Adams diabolically ratchets up the tension with every page. Full of terrifying twists and hairpin turns, No Exit will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless.

My Thoughts

I definitely should've read the summary a little more closely before diving into the novel but wow, what a story. Nothing is as it seems and it's a terrifying story. How did Darby manage to have the worst luck ever? How did this child get kidnapped? Why did she get kidnapped and which one of the strangers at the rest stop is her keeper?

The writing in this novel was exceptional; it was moving, intense, sad, thrilling... I felt so many different things while reading this and I wasn't expecting it.

At first, the book wasn't too bad... it wasn't as intense and it felt like a normal psychological thriller but as the story moved on and you discovered more about all the strangers, there was a change in the story being told. It was scary, gory, and intense. It was unpredictable and forever changing... you didn't know how it was going to go and it gave me anxiety in a way that psychological thrillers give you anxiety.

It was so twisty, especially towards the end, that I really didn't know how the story was going to end. I even had to re-read a few pages because I was so lost. There were so many twists and turns along the way, you couldn't possibly figure out what was going to happen which I always appreciate. 

"No Exit" is the perfect cold-weather thriller; it has a snowstorm, a mystery, death, sadness, and curiosity. The twists keep on coming, it's written perfectly and has a cinematic feeling. It is a must-read for all thriller lovers! 

xoxo
B