The idea for this book seems so farfetched but then I found out it is based on a read Dutch tradition of dropping off blindfolded teens and preteens in the forest at night and letting them find their way to camp. An easy choice to turn into a thriller. Some minor plot issues but an enjoyable read. ( )

I found this to be a quick read and mostly enjoyable, but it felt like a YA book. I think it would go over really well with teens, but was a bit less relatable for an adult. Overall though I liked the premise of the story and felt like I learned a bit about a tradition I had never heard of before. :) ( )

It was this descriptor that had me wanting to read Nina Siegal's latest novel - You'll Thank Me For This.
From Mullholland Books: "A pulse-pounding psychological thriller based on the popular Dutch tradition of blindfolding and dropping teens and preteens in the middle of a forest - and what happens when it goes horribly wrong."

Well, it's a real thing! What a great premise to weave a story into.

Siegal tells this story from two points of view in alternating chapters - that of twelve year old Karin and her mother Grace. I liked Karin - she has all the attributes you want in a plucky young protagonist - a thinker and ready to act. She's twelve, but I did find her to be a young twelve - a bit too trusting. Initially I thought Grace was okay - she and Karin are part of a new blended family. But as I read further, my opinion changed. She's got rose colored glasses on and seems determined to not take them off. If it happens once, it will happen again.

The plot starts off good. There's some conflict within the dropping group, but what could have been some Lord of the Flies territory ended quickly. I found the forest scenes of Karin's journey just too farfetched for me. The wolf scene. C'mon. Really? The 'scary' people in the forest. The plot was pretty predictable after a certain point as well. The final why is a bit of a stretch, but still plausible.

I found the writing a bit stilted and choppy. I thought perhaps it was a translation thing, but no, it was written in English. The other thing I checked was what target audience was - adult or YA. It was adult. I found Karin's chapters to be quite juvenile (because she is juvenile, I know), but they just didn't grab me. I wanted 'pulse-pounding', but it never hit that mark for me. Just okay for this reader. ( )