How My Rating Scale Works
I rate every book using what I call my Coat System.
The Base Coat = the story, plot, characters, writing pacing and the foundation everything sits on. It is scored out of 5.
The Top Coat = the tension, how fast it pulled me in and how hard it was to put it down. This is also scored out of 5.
Both score together tell you exactly what you’re walking into before picking up your next read.
Why I Choose This Book?
TikTok sent me here, and I have zero complaints. What You Leave Behind showed up on my timeline more than once, with people saying it was worth it. So, I picked it up expecting a solid mystery. What I got was a rollercoaster that had me gripping the book tighter with every chapter. And when I finally finished it, all I could say was WOW! Yes, it was just that good.
First Impressions
Chapter one had me immediately. There was no slow warm up, no easing in. It just started pulling and didn’t let me go. That first chapater set the tone for the whole experience; something is wrong, something is connected, and you’re going to need to pay attention was that something is.
What It’s Actually About
Deena is the center of everything. She is sharp, determined, and suddenly tangled up in a mystery that keeps revealing new layers. It’s a murder mystery at its core, but it’s also about family secrets, the past refusing to stay buried, and the unexpected ways people are connected. Oh, and Deena doesn’t believe in ghosts or spirits, which is interesting, since one is guiding and protecting her throughout the story. It’s marketed as a thriller, and that is accurate, but there’s so much more going on beneath the surface.
The Reading Experience
About halfway through, I wondered how all these people were connected. I genuinely wanted to help Deena solve it. That kind of investment doesn’t happen with every book I read. The pacing was seamless, not slow, not rushed, just steady and deliberate in a way that made every detail feel intentional. I also thought I had the dad figured out early, but I was wrong. Not wrong in a frustrating way, but wrong in a way that made the ending hit even harder.
What Worked for Me
The storytelling and the way the characters were introduced. Every character came with their history to Deena, and you understood who they were and why they mattered without the story ever losing momentum. And the spiritual element running through the whole book? It could have felt out of place, but it didn’t; it fit perfectly.
What Didn’t Work for Me
I wanted Deena to push harder to find out who signed her name at that morgue! That detail was bothering me, and I needed her to be as bothered as I was lol! She does get there eventually, but just not fast enough for my patience.
The Rating
Story 💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽
Tension 💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽
Now, I know I said in the beginning that I score everything out of 5, but this book was so good that it deserved more. I gave six coats for the tension and the story because it earned it! It’s the kind of mystery that stays tight all the way through and sticks with you after it’s over.
Bottom Line
Read it!
This is one for anyone who loves a murder mystery with real twists and a story that actually means something. If you like feeling like you’re one step behind the whole time, in the best way, this is for you. Wanda M. Morris has gained a new fan in me! I can’t wait ti see what else she has in store.
Thanks for being in the nook. The full audio review can be found here. The same thoughts, just a little less edited.
Leave a Reply