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The Fear
Hot on the heels of the New York Times bestsellers The Twin and The Lake, the undisputed queen of YA thrillers is back.
Don't be afraid. Be terrified.
It’s just a stupid meme that’s going around their small fishing town in the dead of winter—people reposting and sharing their biggest fear. But when her classmates start turning up dead—dying in the way that they said scared them the most—Izzy knows it’s no joke.
With each death hitting closer to home, Izzy sets out to try to stop the killer. Could her older sister’s friend Tristan have something to do with the deaths? He’s given her some strange vibes. Or what about his brooding cousin, Axel? But he’s in her classes at school. He’s not a murderer . . . is he? Izzie’s soon on a path that will lead her right to the killer . . . and her own worst nightmare.
Don't be afraid. Be terrified.
It’s just a stupid meme that’s going around their small fishing town in the dead of winter—people reposting and sharing their biggest fear. But when her classmates start turning up dead—dying in the way that they said scared them the most—Izzy knows it’s no joke.
With each death hitting closer to home, Izzy sets out to try to stop the killer. Could her older sister’s friend Tristan have something to do with the deaths? He’s given her some strange vibes. Or what about his brooding cousin, Axel? But he’s in her classes at school. He’s not a murderer . . . is he? Izzie’s soon on a path that will lead her right to the killer . . . and her own worst nightmare.
360 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2022
About the author
Natasha Preston
48 books13.6k followers#1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Cellar and The Cabin. Romance and YA Thriller writer, boy mum, Tom Hardy enthusiast. Always buried in a book and a glass of wine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,180 reviews
December 10, 2022
That ending 😳😳 was wild. This is such a good winter young adult mystery. I also love the plot concept: There’s a viral meme going around about the worst way to die and then teens start dying in the way they said was their scariest way to die. I never ever in a million years would’ve guessed the ending. Not exactly sure how I feel about the ending tbh but it was surprising.
March 7, 2022
The end…I think my brain is about to bust open and explode.
March 23, 2022
Otro thriller adictivo de Natasha Preston.
Cuando leí la sinopsis de The Fear, no pude esperar a comprarlo en pre-order. ¿Un meme viral donde la gente de un pueblo muestra cómo teme morir y que empiecen a aparecer cuerpos siguiendo esos mismos miedos? COMPRO.
Una de las cosas más interesantes de este libro es algo que Natasha Preston ya hizo con El sótano, que es narrar desde el punto de vista del villano. Me parece inteligente e interesante, porque no dejan de ser libros sencillos con personajes sencillos, pero esto le añade una capa extra de trabajo y profundidad. Los capítulos de FEAR, que son los del asesino, son tenebrosos y te pondrán los pelos de punta, además de tener muy buenas frases para marcar. Diría que hasta incluso tienen un toque filosófico.
La protagonista se llama Izzy y... es muy insulsa. No sabemos demasiado de ella más que siempre está en todos los fregados, y conoce a todo el mundo que pueda estar implicado. La relación que tiene con su mejor amiga y su prima es también de lo mejor del libro, porque hay buen dinamismo entre ellas y sirve para que entre ellas hagan suposiciones, así como irse enterando de nuevos sospechosos. Que la protagonista sea básica no significa que no cumpla con su propósito, eh.
En The fear, la trama avanza rápido. La verdad es que no hay ningún capítulo donde no suceda nada o tengamos un giro, lo que hace que te lo ventiles sin darte apenas cuenta. No lo podrás soltar. Son unos cincuenta capítulos, así que os podéis imaginar lo adictivo que es si cada 5 páginas tenemos un cambio en los acontecimientos. El ritmo es algo que la autora maneja de una forma sublime, no te deja escapar.
Y respecto al final... A ver, no es algo demasiado complejo. Es probable que lo adivines. Sin embargo, el final-final, lo que es la última página. WELL. Me ha sorprendido, porque no me esperaba de nuevo otro giro. Me recuerda a la manera en la que termina La huida, tipo: no me puedo creer que este sea el final porQUE NECESITO MÁS. Si estás leyéndolo en una silla, te caerás.
En definitiva, el nuevo libro de Natasha Preston sigue en la línea de los demás. Me ha gustado mucho, es ágil, lleno de misterio y con un montón de posibles sospechosos. La acción no te deja respirar y la trama me ha encantado. Ahora solo me queda un thriller más de la autora para haberlos leído todos y estoy triste. Próxima parada: The Lake.
Cuando leí la sinopsis de The Fear, no pude esperar a comprarlo en pre-order. ¿Un meme viral donde la gente de un pueblo muestra cómo teme morir y que empiecen a aparecer cuerpos siguiendo esos mismos miedos? COMPRO.
Una de las cosas más interesantes de este libro es algo que Natasha Preston ya hizo con El sótano, que es narrar desde el punto de vista del villano. Me parece inteligente e interesante, porque no dejan de ser libros sencillos con personajes sencillos, pero esto le añade una capa extra de trabajo y profundidad. Los capítulos de FEAR, que son los del asesino, son tenebrosos y te pondrán los pelos de punta, además de tener muy buenas frases para marcar. Diría que hasta incluso tienen un toque filosófico.
La protagonista se llama Izzy y... es muy insulsa. No sabemos demasiado de ella más que siempre está en todos los fregados, y conoce a todo el mundo que pueda estar implicado. La relación que tiene con su mejor amiga y su prima es también de lo mejor del libro, porque hay buen dinamismo entre ellas y sirve para que entre ellas hagan suposiciones, así como irse enterando de nuevos sospechosos. Que la protagonista sea básica no significa que no cumpla con su propósito, eh.
En The fear, la trama avanza rápido. La verdad es que no hay ningún capítulo donde no suceda nada o tengamos un giro, lo que hace que te lo ventiles sin darte apenas cuenta. No lo podrás soltar. Son unos cincuenta capítulos, así que os podéis imaginar lo adictivo que es si cada 5 páginas tenemos un cambio en los acontecimientos. El ritmo es algo que la autora maneja de una forma sublime, no te deja escapar.
Y respecto al final... A ver, no es algo demasiado complejo. Es probable que lo adivines. Sin embargo, el final-final, lo que es la última página. WELL. Me ha sorprendido, porque no me esperaba de nuevo otro giro. Me recuerda a la manera en la que termina La huida, tipo: no me puedo creer que este sea el final porQUE NECESITO MÁS. Si estás leyéndolo en una silla, te caerás.
En definitiva, el nuevo libro de Natasha Preston sigue en la línea de los demás. Me ha gustado mucho, es ágil, lleno de misterio y con un montón de posibles sospechosos. La acción no te deja respirar y la trama me ha encantado. Ahora solo me queda un thriller más de la autora para haberlos leído todos y estoy triste. Próxima parada: The Lake.
October 17, 2022
THAT FINAL SENTENCE! 😳😳😳
Want to read
July 5, 2021It's cover reveal day for The Fear!!
I adore it and can't wait to share this book with the world.
Don't be afraid. Be terrified.
I adore it and can't wait to share this book with the world.
Don't be afraid. Be terrified.
March 1, 2022
SO predictable.
Ending was awful.
Characters were unlikeable and ungodly stupid.
The whole plot was super unbelievable. I should have went into this with satire in my head, because I probably would have enjoyed it more as a slasher parody book. Oof. BIG miss for me.
Ending was awful.
Characters were unlikeable and ungodly stupid.
The whole plot was super unbelievable. I should have went into this with satire in my head, because I probably would have enjoyed it more as a slasher parody book. Oof. BIG miss for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2022
Singularly the worst book I have ever read. I don't remember being angrier at a book in my life. The ending part 1 is utterly predictable garbage. Anyone could accurately guess who the killer was. The main heroine of the story is unfortunate in the way that she suffers from plot related blindness.
Number 2, there is always snow storm because the author loves it as a dramatic setting. The book will literally say "it's not supposed to storm" two minutes later she can't see who the killer looks like because of the thick snow. I hate this snow.
And finally the final twist ending has two lines of text dedicated to it. It comes out of left field. And the other clearly didn't write the book planning on this ending. She clearly just put it in last second for shock value. It is bad, dumb and has fueled me with rage. Not only does it keep anyone from walking away alive in the stupid book, but it was the most stupid out of left field thing to happen. Seriously I have lost sleep to how miserable of a twist ending it was.
Does this book deserve a 1 out of 5 stats, for this ending, absolutely. The ending was so bad it poisoned the whole book. The story isn't resolved, everyone you cared about is dead, and the twist was stupid. I hated this book so much I have written reviews everywhere I can to express my displeasure. I don't do that. I made a account for goodreads just so I could try and warn people of how bad it is.
Number 2, there is always snow storm because the author loves it as a dramatic setting. The book will literally say "it's not supposed to storm" two minutes later she can't see who the killer looks like because of the thick snow. I hate this snow.
And finally the final twist ending has two lines of text dedicated to it. It comes out of left field. And the other clearly didn't write the book planning on this ending. She clearly just put it in last second for shock value. It is bad, dumb and has fueled me with rage. Not only does it keep anyone from walking away alive in the stupid book, but it was the most stupid out of left field thing to happen. Seriously I have lost sleep to how miserable of a twist ending it was.
Does this book deserve a 1 out of 5 stats, for this ending, absolutely. The ending was so bad it poisoned the whole book. The story isn't resolved, everyone you cared about is dead, and the twist was stupid. I hated this book so much I have written reviews everywhere I can to express my displeasure. I don't do that. I made a account for goodreads just so I could try and warn people of how bad it is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
“It’s like Tristan said, Izzy. Murder really does run in the family".
OH. MY. GOD!!!!! Totally unexpected!!
OH. MY. GOD!!!!! Totally unexpected!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2022
Preston's books are quick reads, but they are garbage. I must stop reading them. Three of the teenagers in this town are parentless? Somehow I'm supposed to believe they would be living by themselves without a job? And Izzy... Get a clue. How are the parents, the remaining parents, so dumb? The final twist is supposed to send chills down your spine, but who cares after 300 pages of crap?
January 6, 2022
“The truth is, when death comes, no matter how it comes, it’s always scary.”
When an author is proclaimed to be the queen of YA thrillers, you have to experience their books at least once to see if it is all true. I mean, that is a huge title to live up to and it can go one of two ways. One: she can live up to that title and so much more or two: it could be a deception. I didn't realize there could be a third option until completing this book and that is to fall somewhere in between.
I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into nor what to expect. Trying a new to me author is always a thrilling ride. I love a spine-chilling thriller and I love YA, so I was instantly sold on this book. No arm twisting was involved in this decision.
A meme on social media goes viral and people are reposting it telling the world their most fearful way to die. Then kids from a small town are murdered in the way they posted on social media. A few were lucky enough not to repost but for those who do sure have a huge target on their backs. The hunt is now on!
The mystery to this story was very predictable and I guessed who was behind this as soon as the character was introduced. There was no second-guessing who it was when it was shoved right into your face. I found that to be disappointing. It took me at least fifty pages to get into this book, the writing style didn't instantly hit me like other thrillers. It does have an interesting concept about a social media post going viral with your most fearful way to die.
And the craziest thing about this was that my favorite character was the murderer. Not that I have a soft spot for the weird (ha!) but that this person was just so damn intriguing. Now, let's not forget the best part about this. That freaking last line! Holy s**t!! That ending line will give you goosebumps! It did me and I screamed with delight. That's what makes this book so messed up. It was brilliant.
The Fear was a good thriller. The murders were excellent, the suspense was killer, and that end line was superb. While I guessed who was behind all of this, I still enjoyed myself and it kept me entertained. Readers will love this well-paced thriller.
Be afraid of what you repost online, you never know the consequences.
When an author is proclaimed to be the queen of YA thrillers, you have to experience their books at least once to see if it is all true. I mean, that is a huge title to live up to and it can go one of two ways. One: she can live up to that title and so much more or two: it could be a deception. I didn't realize there could be a third option until completing this book and that is to fall somewhere in between.
I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into nor what to expect. Trying a new to me author is always a thrilling ride. I love a spine-chilling thriller and I love YA, so I was instantly sold on this book. No arm twisting was involved in this decision.
A meme on social media goes viral and people are reposting it telling the world their most fearful way to die. Then kids from a small town are murdered in the way they posted on social media. A few were lucky enough not to repost but for those who do sure have a huge target on their backs. The hunt is now on!
The mystery to this story was very predictable and I guessed who was behind this as soon as the character was introduced. There was no second-guessing who it was when it was shoved right into your face. I found that to be disappointing. It took me at least fifty pages to get into this book, the writing style didn't instantly hit me like other thrillers. It does have an interesting concept about a social media post going viral with your most fearful way to die.
And the craziest thing about this was that my favorite character was the murderer. Not that I have a soft spot for the weird (ha!) but that this person was just so damn intriguing. Now, let's not forget the best part about this. That freaking last line! Holy s**t!! That ending line will give you goosebumps! It did me and I screamed with delight. That's what makes this book so messed up. It was brilliant.
The Fear was a good thriller. The murders were excellent, the suspense was killer, and that end line was superb. While I guessed who was behind all of this, I still enjoyed myself and it kept me entertained. Readers will love this well-paced thriller.
Be afraid of what you repost online, you never know the consequences.
February 10, 2022
First of all. That ending. What the actual ...? This has to get a sequel, right?
This gave me such Pretty Little Liars vibes and I'm here for it. The author had a great way of keeping the tension high at all times which I really liked and I definitely didn't guess who the killer was which is a big thing for me. I usually manage to ruin books like this for myself simply by being able to figure everything out too quickly.
Be warned, though - even though the author doesn't go into details that much, some of the murders are pretty crotesque and disturbing.
This gave me such Pretty Little Liars vibes and I'm here for it. The author had a great way of keeping the tension high at all times which I really liked and I definitely didn't guess who the killer was which is a big thing for me. I usually manage to ruin books like this for myself simply by being able to figure everything out too quickly.
Be warned, though - even though the author doesn't go into details that much, some of the murders are pretty crotesque and disturbing.
January 10, 2023
Cliffhangers should be illegal
March 19, 2022
Really good until the non ending.
October 7, 2021
I'm really over the little cliffhanger comments at the end of every chapter. They're short chapters, you don't have dangle possible danger in front of me like a carrot. I don't even like carrots.
March 2, 2022
If this book gets a sequel I’ll up the rating 😡
March 4, 2022
listen the criminal minds episode did it much better but tHE ENDING OF THIS BOOK??? CRIMINAL IN ITSELF
August 20, 2023
how are the premises of this author’s books so good with such poor execution??
July 10, 2022
That ending was terrible. Are you freaking kidding me? Just SO stupid.
October 12, 2022
4.5!! this book was so good holy crap. BUT THAT ENDING? WHY😭😭
August 25, 2022
if i can rate this book a 0 i would
March 8, 2022
Maybe an unpopular review because a lot of people loved this book, but it fell a little short for me in character execution especially. The plot? Well, the idea is super spooky and cool and it gives a PLL/Gossip Girl type feel (more PLL because, y'know, the murders...) but I didn't *love* Izzy and while the main character doesn't have to be all that for me, at least having other characters make up for it is nice...but...close but no cigar for this one. Eh, not a bad book, though not one I was particularly thrilled about.
September 4, 2023
the last page of this book was good. everything else was insubstantial and mediocre. that’s all i have to say.
November 6, 2024
[Highlights: thriller (?), not really though, flat characters good LORD, only liked about three of them, VERYYY plot-driven, nothing's wrong with that but I mean develop your characters woman.]
Ew no what why. That's the foundation of my review. "Ew no what why."
Also, this thriller...isnt thrilling.
The single most fascinating character in this series is kicked to the morality curb (meaning that they are not who we thought they were, ahem.) and it's stupid. I know people think the ending was wild and shocking and were so surprised they nearly peed themselves. Yeah, if you haven't gotten around to this one yet, hold your bladder.
In my personal opinion, there was nothing, NOTHING shocking about the ending. I don't really care how cool it was executed, (which actually was decent). It was generic and kind of stupid. I know the intention of the author. A reverse-psychology on the reverse-psychology. But for me, personally, it did not work.
Let's go through my top problems with this book, (in no particular order.)
1. Pacing - Kind of horrible, there's no real direction. The murders happen sporadically and I wish there was more of the killer's perspective. Not for the sake of redemption or anything, that's stupid. Just because it was the most interesting part. I was constantly waiting for the next chapter from their POV because it felt the most real out of anything the author wrote in this book. Raw and nasty and unapologetic. If that was all this book was, a brief, cryptic novella with no sure way of connecting the dots, I could see myself loving it.
2. Character Development, or Lack Thereof - The worst, honestly. There was nothing to most of these people. And the ones who had potential either ended up dead in a ditch, evil or had a sob story.
3. Content...or Lack Thereof - So much of this was lacking, but I especially found the number of murders disappointing lmao. Sounds twisted, I know. But it keeps you on your toes, you know? Within this book I believe less than five people are taken, and less killed. Obviously that's better for humanity and stuff but it felt like there could've been a lot more suspense with more kills. I don't know. Is that weird? You tell me.
Anyways, that's MOSTLY it, or at least as much as I can tell you in a spoiler-free review. I feel like maybe I was a little harsh on this book, but I didn't enjoy it very much so it's only fair lmao.
Good luck!!
Ew no what why. That's the foundation of my review. "Ew no what why."
Also, this thriller...isnt thrilling.
The single most fascinating character in this series is kicked to the morality curb (meaning that they are not who we thought they were, ahem.) and it's stupid. I know people think the ending was wild and shocking and were so surprised they nearly peed themselves. Yeah, if you haven't gotten around to this one yet, hold your bladder.
In my personal opinion, there was nothing, NOTHING shocking about the ending. I don't really care how cool it was executed, (which actually was decent). It was generic and kind of stupid. I know the intention of the author. A reverse-psychology on the reverse-psychology. But for me, personally, it did not work.
Let's go through my top problems with this book, (in no particular order.)
1. Pacing - Kind of horrible, there's no real direction. The murders happen sporadically and I wish there was more of the killer's perspective. Not for the sake of redemption or anything, that's stupid. Just because it was the most interesting part. I was constantly waiting for the next chapter from their POV because it felt the most real out of anything the author wrote in this book. Raw and nasty and unapologetic. If that was all this book was, a brief, cryptic novella with no sure way of connecting the dots, I could see myself loving it.
2. Character Development, or Lack Thereof - The worst, honestly. There was nothing to most of these people. And the ones who had potential either ended up dead in a ditch, evil or had a sob story.
3. Content...or Lack Thereof - So much of this was lacking, but I especially found the number of murders disappointing lmao. Sounds twisted, I know. But it keeps you on your toes, you know? Within this book I believe less than five people are taken, and less killed. Obviously that's better for humanity and stuff but it felt like there could've been a lot more suspense with more kills. I don't know. Is that weird? You tell me.
Anyways, that's MOSTLY it, or at least as much as I can tell you in a spoiler-free review. I feel like maybe I was a little harsh on this book, but I didn't enjoy it very much so it's only fair lmao.
Good luck!!
August 31, 2022
Here’s the thing about Natasha Preston….. I don’t understand my stance as her fan. Like….. I am totally a fan of hers, and I will read every book she publishes. However, there’s not a one of them that’s not awful. Her books have amazing premises. And that’s about where the good things stop. Her writing style is juvenile at best, her characters are one dimensional and oh so stupid, every SINGLE chapter ends with a “cliff hanger,” and every one of her books has a dumb AF “plot twist” ending that never fails to feel rushed. Just kinda makes me wonder if she has a good editor.
Also, SPOILER ALERT, she needs to STOP giving away the killer within the first few chapters, or in this case on the freaking back cover of the damn book 🙄
Also, SPOILER ALERT, she needs to STOP giving away the killer within the first few chapters, or in this case on the freaking back cover of the damn book 🙄
January 16, 2023
what. the. fuck.
I thought I’d read books with insane plot twists until I read this one.
The last page. The last sentence. Oh my God.
I cannot.
I NEVER saw that coming. I need a sequel but i don’t think there will be one. i’m lowkey mad at the ending but also like…just woah. literally speechless. I need to pick up more books by Natasha Preston this year because oh my God. What?! I have so many questions. read this right now. Perfect winter murder mystery set at high school with short cliff-hanger chapters and an ending you will not see coming.
I thought I’d read books with insane plot twists until I read this one.
The last page. The last sentence. Oh my God.
I cannot.
I NEVER saw that coming. I need a sequel but i don’t think there will be one. i’m lowkey mad at the ending but also like…just woah. literally speechless. I need to pick up more books by Natasha Preston this year because oh my God. What?! I have so many questions. read this right now. Perfect winter murder mystery set at high school with short cliff-hanger chapters and an ending you will not see coming.
February 15, 2024
es una especie de karen mcmannus pero más pedorro, la mayoría del libro me pareció absolutamente aburrido, daban vueltas todo el tiempo.
el final estuvo bueno pero tampoco la gran cosa.
el final estuvo bueno pero tampoco la gran cosa.
March 8, 2022
Thank you so much to Penguin Audio and Natasha Preston for my copy of The Fear! This book was perfect to listen to on a car ride where I wanted to be both distracted and entertained. The book is about Izzy, a shy girl just trying to blend in. When a viral meme starts floating around her school, the students can tell it was created near where they live. The meme asks people to describe their worst fear, and quickly became a trend.
But one by one, students are being killed in the ways that they fear most. And Izzy is right at the center of it. Somehow she is around for so many important moments, and it seems like she may have some connection to the killer.
Thoughts: This book was a fun YA that was very entertaining. It was my first book by this author so it took a while to get used to her writing patterns. She loves to describe little details that are not necessarily important. There were a few fun characters, but it was hard to believe that there was a teenage serial killer mastermind who never left any clues behind.
I actually thought of a twist that would have been amazing, but the answer was a lot more straightforward. The author tried to throw in some red herrings, but with a cast this size, there are only so many people that it could be. As in many young adult books, there were a lot of things that just conveniently happened, which is always a pet peeve of mine. This book was definitely entertaining, and would be fun to read as an intro to thrillers. 3 stars.
But one by one, students are being killed in the ways that they fear most. And Izzy is right at the center of it. Somehow she is around for so many important moments, and it seems like she may have some connection to the killer.
Thoughts: This book was a fun YA that was very entertaining. It was my first book by this author so it took a while to get used to her writing patterns. She loves to describe little details that are not necessarily important. There were a few fun characters, but it was hard to believe that there was a teenage serial killer mastermind who never left any clues behind.
I actually thought of a twist that would have been amazing, but the answer was a lot more straightforward. The author tried to throw in some red herrings, but with a cast this size, there are only so many people that it could be. As in many young adult books, there were a lot of things that just conveniently happened, which is always a pet peeve of mine. This book was definitely entertaining, and would be fun to read as an intro to thrillers. 3 stars.
March 6, 2022
I read her book The Twin and I didn't love it. I felt the ending was rushed and left you hanging. But I love the book titles and I love the covers so I figured I would give this one a shot. I honestly was totally into the story. I was bouncing between three boys who I thought could be the killer. But that ending was another WTF moment. It was quick and abrupt; I would say her style is just not for me.
March 7, 2023
4/5⭐️
Autorka mnie oszukała. Wydawało mi się, że znam prawdę, a tu proszę, okazuje się, że jestem słabym detektywem. Emocji nie brakowało, niepewności i napięcia również, nie było to jakoś wybitnie opisywane, ale ta cała zagadka i otoczka robiły swoje. Dobrze się bawiłam i jestem wściekła na zakończenie
Autorka mnie oszukała. Wydawało mi się, że znam prawdę, a tu proszę, okazuje się, że jestem słabym detektywem. Emocji nie brakowało, niepewności i napięcia również, nie było to jakoś wybitnie opisywane, ale ta cała zagadka i otoczka robiły swoje. Dobrze się bawiłam i jestem wściekła na zakończenie
March 12, 2022
Omg! This book is full of twists and turns. It's a page turner. This is my second book I read by this author, and I must say I am hooked. The ending though, I was like WHATTTT?
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