Book Review: This Might Hurt

 Book Review: This Might Hurt

By Stephanie Wrobel

Natalie has come to look for her sister, Kit. Kit left to visit the therapy island Wisewood almost six months ago and hasn't been heard since. Then out of the blue Natalie receives an email from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal her darkest secret to her sister, panicking Natalie makes a last minute trip to Wisewood itself to find Kit and bring her home. Little did she know what she was walking into as Wisewood is not all that it seems. 

Madame Fearless, like her name is the woman with no fear but not only that she wants to show others to remove their own fear and live a life of freedom. Growing up with an abusive father and learning that nothing she did was ever going to be good enough, Madame Fearless went to prove herself as one to live life to the fullest. 

Kit, left for the island of Wisewood six months earlier from the start of this novel. After the death of her mother a few years earlier, she feels lost in her purpose. After coming across the mysterious Wisewood she applied with quick acceptance. 

Natalie, at the top of her career Natalie has never known happiness. Her mother was dead and her sister had not been heard from in six months. After receiving an emailing reveiling a secret she doesn't want anyone to know most of all her sister, she notices the email is coming from Wisewood the very place her sister had been known to be staying. Quickly deciding, Natalie jumps on the next boat to the very island she had doubts on from the beginning. 

Wisewood, an island to better know yourself. No technology or outside contact allowed, the resistences are not allowed to touch and everyone is only allowed to stay for a total of six months before returning to their new lives. Wisewood is a place of understanding yourself, overcoming your insecurities, and reinventing yourself to reenter your life. 

The three narrators tell the story of how they all come to being on the island with the plot twist revealing the answers to all questions. The novel jumps around in timelines for each narrator. One narrator is nameless except for the name Madama Fearless, she is by far the most interesting part of the novel. 

I personally enjoyed this novel, I was interested in reading Wrobel's second novel after enjoying Darling Rose Gold so much. This Might Hurt had an intriguing concept with mostly interesting characters. I found the nameless narrator the best part of this story, trying to find the connection to Natalie and Kit's story was a fun mystery. 

Overall, I did enjoy this novel. I thought it had a developing storyline, I am glad it wasn't longer as I think it might have overdid it. 

I gave this novel a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review!