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Stolen #2
Release
A dark, twisted and compulsively readable psychological suspense novel about desire, revenge and coercive control.
Ten years ago, sixteen-year-old Gemma Toombs was kidnapped from Bangkok Airport by an infatuated drifter, Tyler MacFarlane, who took her to a secret den in the Australian desert. Now her name is Kate Stone and it's her turn to confront Ty and try to find answers to the questions that have obsessed her since her ordeal. What is the legacy of this coercive relationship? Who holds the cards now? In the confusion of past and present, will Kate remain trapped in a deranged dance of desire and revenge? Or will she regain control and find release?
Both a courtroom drama set in London and a road trip in the searing heat of the West Australian desert, Release is the story of two people confronting each other, each intent on destruction and survival. A companion to Lucy Christopher's bestselling novel Stolen, this gripping psychological thriller explores a young woman's discovery of the complicated truth about a relationship that once seemed alluring.
For readers of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson and Helen Fitzgerald.
Ten years ago, sixteen-year-old Gemma Toombs was kidnapped from Bangkok Airport by an infatuated drifter, Tyler MacFarlane, who took her to a secret den in the Australian desert. Now her name is Kate Stone and it's her turn to confront Ty and try to find answers to the questions that have obsessed her since her ordeal. What is the legacy of this coercive relationship? Who holds the cards now? In the confusion of past and present, will Kate remain trapped in a deranged dance of desire and revenge? Or will she regain control and find release?
Both a courtroom drama set in London and a road trip in the searing heat of the West Australian desert, Release is the story of two people confronting each other, each intent on destruction and survival. A companion to Lucy Christopher's bestselling novel Stolen, this gripping psychological thriller explores a young woman's discovery of the complicated truth about a relationship that once seemed alluring.
For readers of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson and Helen Fitzgerald.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2022
124 people are currently reading
4492 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Christopher
14 books2,267 followersLucy Christopher was born in Wales but grew up in Australia. She obtained an Undergraduate degree at Melbourne University. She moved to the UK to earn a distinction in a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. The novel she wrote for this class, The Long Flight, was picked up by a publisher under a new name of FLYAWAY.
Lucy’s debut novel, Stolen, was written as part for her PhD degree. Stolen explores her thoughts on the Australian desert through the story about a teenage girl who is kidnapped and taken there.
Lucy is working on another teen novel. When she is not writing, Lucy spends her time daydreaming, emailing friends and horseback riding a mare named Topaz as well as helping to run a kid’s wildlife group at Newport Wetlands.
Lucy’s debut novel, Stolen, was written as part for her PhD degree. Stolen explores her thoughts on the Australian desert through the story about a teenage girl who is kidnapped and taken there.
Lucy is working on another teen novel. When she is not writing, Lucy spends her time daydreaming, emailing friends and horseback riding a mare named Topaz as well as helping to run a kid’s wildlife group at Newport Wetlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 368 reviews
November 23, 2022
“Perhaps you’ve come for me, like I came for you, for revenge or even forgiveness. Perhaps we’re even.”
Congratulations to Lucy Christopher for fucking up teen me with the first book and now fucking me up again ten years later. I don’t think any other author has ever managed to do that.
Lucy Christopher really waiting more than ten years to write this one, to make sure that I, like Gemma, had plenty of time to think about Ty and obsess over him (and believe me, there has not been a single year since I have read Stolen that I have not thought about it. Probably not even a single month).
I never expected to get a sequel for Stolen, so imagine my surprise when at the beginning of the year I was once again in a downward spiral, using 99% of my brain capacity thinking about Gemma and Ty, only to go on the Goodreads page of the book and seeing ”Stolen #1” underneath the title.
I am pretty sure I screamed. Probably cried.
I don’t know what I expected a sequel to be like, because, once again, like Gemma, I am pretty sure I lost my mind somewhere in book one and haven’t really found common sense again reading this one.
I don’t know what it is about Lucy Christophers writing (is it the second person perspective? do I feel more immersed because of it, like it’s me who is talking to Ty? is that what it is? I just know that since reading Stolen, second person books make my brain go brrrr) but it’s so very easy to lose yourself in Gemma’s emotions.
I think I am in love with Ty.
Every time Gemma says something that a part of me has to know is just certified insane, a bigger part of me just nods like, yeah, obviously. Of course. Seems reasonable.
Gemma thinking that she will just pick up Ty from prison and they will go have dinner and then go back to the den because that is just logic 101 and then being confused when Ty is like “Hell, no”
- Same.
I was like, “Oh yeah, definitely, Ty will be 100% into, they will just talk and have fun and all will be well, this makes sense😊” IN WHAT WORLD DOES THAT MAKE SENSE JONATHAN
Does anyone know where I can demand financial compensation from the author for giving me Stockholm Syndrome? Thanks in advance.
Release is really fun because it made me realize what an unreliable narrator Gemma is.
After reading book one there is literally no reason for me to go into this not trusting her. But having finished this now: who the fuck knows what’s true anymore?
”So, is the defendant a fantasist? Can you see behind her mask? Can you see the evil behind her exterior? You heard it yourself […] that the defendant is good at manipulating, that she likes to make up stories. So, ask yourself – is this all just a story? Is she trying to convince you to believe her own private fantasy? And do you, members of the jury, want to choose her fantasy as the truth?”
*with a weird sort of glee in my voice* I don’t know!!!!
Who knows how much of what Gemma is telling me in this book is true? Who knows if it’s not already book one that has been a lie?
I am having a mental breakdown.
I need to talk about the ending of this. And the beginning. And the middle. But mostly the ending. This already isn’t much of a review but I don’t care. I am not writing this for either of you. This is for past me and present me and future me alone.
I have too many feelings and I have always had too many feelings about this book (now series) and I might combust if I don’t put them down somewhere.
So there will be MASSIVE SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨🚨
”Is our story really a whole lot more sinister? Is there another, darker version about what happened with a gun and a waterhole that day?”
Release starts basically with Gemma being in this weird obsessive state. Ty is still in prison and she is not sure whether she wants him to be there, wants him back, or wants to kill him.
Honestly same, though there was always one ending I preferred, so I might be biased wanting a happy ever after – which just happens to also be the ending that makes the least amount of sense and could only come from a crazy person who obsessed over this for a good ten years ... so me and Gemma.
When Gemma learns that Ty is getting released from prison, she loses her mind even more and decides to go back to Australia and meet him. Which mind you, is pretty dumb and also illegal but I am all for them reconnecting so what does the law even matter at that point.
Ty – WEIRDLY ENOUGH – does not want to reconnect with Gemma but just wants to live his life now that he’s finally out of prison. So Gemma does the only obvious thing Gemma could do: she kidnaps him.
”Kidnapping. I say it out loud. Because that’s what I’m doing, isn’t it? I’m you now. But I’ll finish the job. I’ll do it better.”
Oh how the tables have tabled.
What follows is just a plot that gives me an immeasurable amount of anxiety which led to me taking weeks to finish the book the first time and then again months to finish it for the second time because I am weak and I do not like anything about the vibe in this book (untrue) (but also true).
Ty doesn’t really communicate with Gemma for the biggest part of this book and Gemma is just obsessed with getting back to the den on one hand and on the other she is in this weird mental state where we’re all honestly unsure on whether Ty is going to be her fuck, marry, or kill choice.
”I’m becoming less off a victim, as you become more of one.”
Ah yes, the duality of a woman: to kill or not to kill – is there even a decision to be made?
Not really, in my opinion. There was always only one way to end this.
After kidnapping Ty and bringing him to the den it becomes very clear to Gemma that the man is not happy about this turn of events and he will not do what she seems to want him to do.
”I thought you’d at least feel remorse.”
“Then what, we’d start over?”
So after getting into a major fight with him, she does the only logical thing: hit him on the head with a spade and leave him in the desert to die.
Cause that’s it. That’s the release she wanted, isn’t it. There is a lot of foreshadowing about Gemma killing Ty in the first half. She talks about it nonstop. She writes his name with a blood red full stop.
- But she also keeps saying that that isn’t what she wants. So what does Gemma want?
After having left him to die, Gemma decides to come back and save him.
”I don’t think I can do this. I can’t leave this place, can’t leave you. Because leaving you is leaving me too.”
So she returns. She saves Ty and they slowly get closer again.
Which if you’re me and a little bit brain damaged at this point by all that shortage of breath this book has given you, you’ll be like: hell yeah!! It’s what we came here for!! It’s what we want!! Gemma has decided and she has chosen love!!
And then Ty disappears and Gemma is on trial for his alleged murder.
But. Is it alleged?
”Do it, if you want. [Shoot me.] I’ve come to reckon you deserve it.”
What Gemma wants is a release. She says it, time and time again. She is haunted by Ty (you and me both, girl). Every moment of her entire life for the past ten years has been dominated by him.
”Here is why I can’t let you go, why we’re here. I want that fantasy. I’ve been hanging on to it for ten years. It didn’t matter that I was a mess in London, or never had friends, or a boyfriend, or fun. I had you. I had this in my future.”
Gemma wants to go back. Back to the past. Back to ten years ago. She wants to do it again. But better. She said it so before. ”But I’ll finish the job. I’ll do it better.”
So what does going back entail?
Going back means doing onto Ty what he has done onto her. And that isn’t just the kidnapping. Ty made her fall in love. Ty made her trust him. Depend on him.
So she needed to do the same.
This is why Gemma goes back after hitting him with the spade. Because she can’t let him die like that. It isn’t finished.
Yes, she has kidnapped him. And so what? They haven’t had an actual conversation yet. He doesn’t FEEL the DESPERATION she has felt for all those years. He isn’t consumed by wanting to go back to the den, wanting to go back to how things were before. He doesn’t want to stay with her.
OF COURSE, he can’t die like that? What would she have solved this way? Nothing.
So Gemma goes back. She cares for him. She nurses him back to health. And suddenly, the tables have really turned: Now it’s Ty who’s the kidnappee, falling for his kidnapper. Trusting her. Obsessing over the thought of staying.
”Maybe we could stay,” you tell me, whispering into my neck.”
”I mean it,” you say. “About staying. What else have we got now anyway? Just this.”
Now when I look at you, I see something of myself in your expression, a yearning for the impossible, a spark that’s going to set you on fire and destroy you.”
But now they’re basically back at square one. And this is also not what Gemma wants. She came for a release. Not to repeat the past.
”But I understand, at last, that even if no one else comes here ever again, us being here isn’t what I want. Not now. I want a different kind of ending.”
”But you could find me, I could tell you where. A new place.”
“There’s no new place.”
”Why did you bring me here if you …?”
“You need to disappear. That’s why.”
So how can she end it? How can she do to him what he has done to her but better? There is only one ending for them and there has always been.
”You tap your chest, your heart, my target. You smile, all teeth. Maybe this is what you really want. Or what I want. True release. I put my eye up against the gun and look down the barrel.”
Ultimately, it’s for the reader to decide what happened. Gemma doesn’t really give us a clear answer. She leaves hints. But she makes them vague enough and open to interpretation. She is and always has been an unreliable narrator.
Who on earth knows what’s true? Who even knows what about the events of the first book was true? We want to trust her because we’re in her head and she has build up that trust many years ago. But we never see another side than hers.
”And do they believe my story? Do they think I’m a reliable narrator? And where’s your voice in all this, Ty? Have I rendered you dumb?”
Personally, I think there is only one interpretation for this.
Ty’s gone. Gemma shot him and hid his body in the cave at the bottom of the pool. That’s the only way because if he’s not dead there is risk of repeat. Of their story starting over and over. Of both of them being stuck in a vicious cycle. If he isn’t dead there’s no release. And release was the only point.
”But I have released you. For better or for worse, I have released us all.”
In an unusual turn of events I am in the minority of people who absolutely loved this book. Usually it’s the other way around. And I feel like the people who didn’t enjoy this went into it expecting a different kind of story.
This book is not a romance. The first one already wasn’t, so why would this one be.
If you go into it expecting a cheap dark romance esque situation, you are going into it the wrong way.
It may be a story about love. But it was never going to have a happy ever after (I know I also said that I wanted one, but, consider this - I am also an unreliable narrator).
This is the perfect sequel. This has the perfect ending. There was only one way to do this and she did it. Were we all expecting a love story? Yes – but that’s the fucking point!!
If you think this should have ended with them being in love and together – I’m afraid you haven’t understood anything about this series. That was never an option. You were only supposed to feel like it was.
Ultimately, I think this book works best for people who have indeed waited as long as Gemma has. Those who like me have read Stolen when it was first published and sat with it for many many years. I don’t think the impact is quite the same if you read them back to back.
And what a power move by Lucy Christopher to write the sequel ten years later.
Will this stay with me like Stolen did? Or have I, like Gemma, finally found a release with this?
Only time will tell.
Now you all can finally stop bothering me about this review.
April 2, 2022
Y’all have no idea how excited I am to read this book, I was a freaking baby when I read this and now I’m a mama 😭😭😭.
June 4, 2022
This is not the book I wanted. As sick as it sounds I actually thought this was going to be a love story. 😅
June 7, 2022
I really don’t know how to feel about this book. In some ways, I feel like it ruined the first book for me. Some things are better left untouched and unsaid.
That being said, the writing was beautiful and I always love reading the gorgeous descriptions of the outback.
That being said, the writing was beautiful and I always love reading the gorgeous descriptions of the outback.
June 6, 2022
okay so first of all English is not my first language so sorry in advance for mistakes.
⚠️{{ SPOILERS }}
I am so freaking disappointed.☹
I have never loved a book like I loved stolen.
I first read stolen when i was 12 years old and I have been waiting for this sequel for 8 years. when I first find out that that Lucy Christopher is writing a sequel I was so excited. I have been reading fan fictions about stolen for last 8 years about how things turned out after ty was released but this book is not what i expected.
This book literally ruined stolen for me. I have read stolen more than hundred times in last 8 years but after this book I don't think i am ever going to read it again.
the first half of book was so good I was excited to see what will happen when Gemma will meet ty. to be honest I was prepared I knew 10 years in prison would change Ty and I have been reading reviews about release every review said that ty has changed. but this not the change I wanted , the change i expected was more like that he will be quite and more serious more mature, he will understand what he did was wrong and apologize but he did none of them ( he was literally mocking her and laughing at her ). anyways when second half started it felt like entirely different book. I didn't like gemma that much in this book, she was such a strong character in stolen.(in this book i felt like she have no self respect and i hated how she kept kissing him even though he didn't wanted to kiss her) I loved both gemma and ty in stolen and I didn't like both of them in this book, especially Ty. I did not find any closure , there should be alot more conversation between them..
all ty did in this book was laugh at Gemma and mock her. every time he laughed at her I wanted to slap him, one slap from gemma was not enough for him.. he was not even sorry about what he did..... he only apologized once and didn't even mean it, Gemma told him to apologize again then he went on his knees said sorry once( while he was still smiling and mocking her) and gemma was like this time it looks like he mean it a little 😑.
now on the part that I hate most.
He said that he lied about everything. he made a sad story about that scar so she will feel sorry for him and like him more (to be honest this part break my heart when he was laughing at her that she actually believed him) . God I just can't believe this I knew prison will change him but I never taught he would hate her this much, he seemed annoyed by her, keep calling her bitch , I just can't believe it , Ty in stolen would never do that , not only he hates Gemma but also the desert , I can't imagine him hating Gemma and desert it sounds impossible to me for someone like him to just forget about everything, this is another reason I don't like this book there is no way ty would hate desert and gemma ( does all those years he watched her day and night meant nothing to him? he loved her so much that he gave up his freedom for her. if he wanted could just leave her in plane but he didn't, than how come he hate her now for something that's not even her fault? it just does not make sense to me). stolen was so realistic about everything but this book doesn't sound realistic to me at all.. he blames Gemma for everything for leaving him and sending him to prison ( but did not gemmas mother said in stolen that they had proof against him CCTV footages from airport and other witnesses? also he was 27 in stolen and Gemma 16 ,wouldn't he still go to prison even if she said she came with him willingly).
both ty and Gemma were unrecognisable in this book and both sounded immature, there conversations , Gemma's actions all looked immature to me tbh. Gemma was more mature when she was 16 . I agree with ty when he said she was acting like a kid ( even tough he was not any Better than her 💀). I just dont understand this kidnapping plot, why did she had to kidnap him and force him to go with her back to desert, why can't they both act like adults and try to talk, was kidnapping him the only way for Gemma to be in control ? ( I don't even think she was in control of anything ).
Also where the fuck did this sister come from?
then out of nowhere ty is acting a little like his old self. Tbh i think it was just an act so that she wont hurt him and also buying himself more time to fix the car .( he was actually going to leave Gemma alone in the desert when he first found the car keys, she hit him so he could not leave and then tried to go back but she felt bad about leaving him there to die so she went back and things start to Change a little between them).ty was so mean I actually wanted her to just kill him. I was so in love with him in stolen , why did author had to make him like this in this book its was so hard to read because of ty acting so cold towards gemma😭. I Waited so Long for ty to apologize and say that he did not mean all those things he said to Gemma, that he still love her and don't want to ruin things again thats why he said all those things and that he Never lied about anything but It never happened.😞😞😞
anyways when Gemma come back things got a little bit better and then they go to separates to swim but ended up having sex (I didn't like this part either and how ty wanted to stay after they had sex😒) then next day ty disappears and police come looking for him but found gemma and she got arrested. they found clothes and blood in car but in the end they can't prove anything about Gemma actually killing ty and she's released and then we find out that Gemma is pregnant with tys child😀.
AND THEN GEMMA FINDS RELEASE ?
what kind of release was that ? is that what she wanted ,to have sex with him and then get pregnant so that she can be related to him forever? because I did not find any closure from there conversations. All this Book did was ruin stolen for me. I will never be able to read stolen again everything would look fake. I was not expecting a love story even though I wanted them to end up together but I did not wanted this book either. Compared to stolen this book was not good at all.
I feel so empty after reading I wish I had never read this book.😭😭😭
now all I am hoping for is that there will be another book and ty will apologize and tell her that he still love her and never lied about anything and then they can be together finally or I am just gonna pretend this book does not exist.
If i got anything wrong from this book than you can correct me. 🙂🙂
⚠️{{ SPOILERS }}
I am so freaking disappointed.☹
I have never loved a book like I loved stolen.
I first read stolen when i was 12 years old and I have been waiting for this sequel for 8 years. when I first find out that that Lucy Christopher is writing a sequel I was so excited. I have been reading fan fictions about stolen for last 8 years about how things turned out after ty was released but this book is not what i expected.
This book literally ruined stolen for me. I have read stolen more than hundred times in last 8 years but after this book I don't think i am ever going to read it again.
the first half of book was so good I was excited to see what will happen when Gemma will meet ty. to be honest I was prepared I knew 10 years in prison would change Ty and I have been reading reviews about release every review said that ty has changed. but this not the change I wanted , the change i expected was more like that he will be quite and more serious more mature, he will understand what he did was wrong and apologize but he did none of them ( he was literally mocking her and laughing at her ). anyways when second half started it felt like entirely different book. I didn't like gemma that much in this book, she was such a strong character in stolen.(in this book i felt like she have no self respect and i hated how she kept kissing him even though he didn't wanted to kiss her) I loved both gemma and ty in stolen and I didn't like both of them in this book, especially Ty. I did not find any closure , there should be alot more conversation between them..
all ty did in this book was laugh at Gemma and mock her. every time he laughed at her I wanted to slap him, one slap from gemma was not enough for him.. he was not even sorry about what he did..... he only apologized once and didn't even mean it, Gemma told him to apologize again then he went on his knees said sorry once( while he was still smiling and mocking her) and gemma was like this time it looks like he mean it a little 😑.
now on the part that I hate most.
He said that he lied about everything. he made a sad story about that scar so she will feel sorry for him and like him more (to be honest this part break my heart when he was laughing at her that she actually believed him) . God I just can't believe this I knew prison will change him but I never taught he would hate her this much, he seemed annoyed by her, keep calling her bitch , I just can't believe it , Ty in stolen would never do that , not only he hates Gemma but also the desert , I can't imagine him hating Gemma and desert it sounds impossible to me for someone like him to just forget about everything, this is another reason I don't like this book there is no way ty would hate desert and gemma ( does all those years he watched her day and night meant nothing to him? he loved her so much that he gave up his freedom for her. if he wanted could just leave her in plane but he didn't, than how come he hate her now for something that's not even her fault? it just does not make sense to me). stolen was so realistic about everything but this book doesn't sound realistic to me at all.. he blames Gemma for everything for leaving him and sending him to prison ( but did not gemmas mother said in stolen that they had proof against him CCTV footages from airport and other witnesses? also he was 27 in stolen and Gemma 16 ,wouldn't he still go to prison even if she said she came with him willingly).
both ty and Gemma were unrecognisable in this book and both sounded immature, there conversations , Gemma's actions all looked immature to me tbh. Gemma was more mature when she was 16 . I agree with ty when he said she was acting like a kid ( even tough he was not any Better than her 💀). I just dont understand this kidnapping plot, why did she had to kidnap him and force him to go with her back to desert, why can't they both act like adults and try to talk, was kidnapping him the only way for Gemma to be in control ? ( I don't even think she was in control of anything ).
Also where the fuck did this sister come from?
then out of nowhere ty is acting a little like his old self. Tbh i think it was just an act so that she wont hurt him and also buying himself more time to fix the car .( he was actually going to leave Gemma alone in the desert when he first found the car keys, she hit him so he could not leave and then tried to go back but she felt bad about leaving him there to die so she went back and things start to Change a little between them).ty was so mean I actually wanted her to just kill him. I was so in love with him in stolen , why did author had to make him like this in this book its was so hard to read because of ty acting so cold towards gemma😭. I Waited so Long for ty to apologize and say that he did not mean all those things he said to Gemma, that he still love her and don't want to ruin things again thats why he said all those things and that he Never lied about anything but It never happened.😞😞😞
anyways when Gemma come back things got a little bit better and then they go to separates to swim but ended up having sex (I didn't like this part either and how ty wanted to stay after they had sex😒) then next day ty disappears and police come looking for him but found gemma and she got arrested. they found clothes and blood in car but in the end they can't prove anything about Gemma actually killing ty and she's released and then we find out that Gemma is pregnant with tys child😀.
AND THEN GEMMA FINDS RELEASE ?
what kind of release was that ? is that what she wanted ,to have sex with him and then get pregnant so that she can be related to him forever? because I did not find any closure from there conversations. All this Book did was ruin stolen for me. I will never be able to read stolen again everything would look fake. I was not expecting a love story even though I wanted them to end up together but I did not wanted this book either. Compared to stolen this book was not good at all.
I feel so empty after reading I wish I had never read this book.😭😭😭
now all I am hoping for is that there will be another book and ty will apologize and tell her that he still love her and never lied about anything and then they can be together finally or I am just gonna pretend this book does not exist.
If i got anything wrong from this book than you can correct me. 🙂🙂
July 13, 2022
I remember reading the first book ten years ago, when I was only 12 or 13. I was obsessed with it, it stuck with me for years and its impact never seemed to be diluted by time.
This is why the sequel is so disappointing but also why it never would have worked. Some things are more powerful when the reader is left to speculate and really sit with the aftermath of a book. The author’s attempt to tie things up sullied the first book and just felt unnecessary and awkward, not quite satisfying or achieving anything.
stolen was a very powerful YA stand-alone novel and (imo) should have been left that way
This is why the sequel is so disappointing but also why it never would have worked. Some things are more powerful when the reader is left to speculate and really sit with the aftermath of a book. The author’s attempt to tie things up sullied the first book and just felt unnecessary and awkward, not quite satisfying or achieving anything.
stolen was a very powerful YA stand-alone novel and (imo) should have been left that way
June 7, 2022
Okay….
I waited for this book for literal years 🥲 and I must say, from here on out I’m going to forget it exists and pretend it was never written.
Felt so disconnected from the first book (which I guess could’ve been the point), and I felt both of the characters were ruined in this book. I think if I had never read the first one and grown attachments to Ty and Gemma, I would’ve read this and liked it. But it felt so far removed, almost like I was reading a sequel written by someone else and not Christopher, which I guess is what is going to make it easier to disconnect and forget this was ever written and I’m just going to clutch my og copy of stolen and appreciate it for what it was, and make up my own sequel in my head lol.
I waited for this book for literal years 🥲 and I must say, from here on out I’m going to forget it exists and pretend it was never written.
Felt so disconnected from the first book (which I guess could’ve been the point), and I felt both of the characters were ruined in this book. I think if I had never read the first one and grown attachments to Ty and Gemma, I would’ve read this and liked it. But it felt so far removed, almost like I was reading a sequel written by someone else and not Christopher, which I guess is what is going to make it easier to disconnect and forget this was ever written and I’m just going to clutch my og copy of stolen and appreciate it for what it was, and make up my own sequel in my head lol.
June 20, 2022
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
I am so grateful I received a surprise opportunity to read Release by Lucy Christopher! I’m giving it lots of love!
Release is a dark and unhinged psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator, the writing is brilliant it and it had me utterly hooked.
As the story unravels you begin to understand what is happening….Is it a love story or something extremely messed up, revenge, obsession or survival?
Release feels predatory, the writing is so atmospheric that I felt like I was there in the hot Western Australian outback desert landscape.
It was ten years ago that Gemma Toombs who was then sixteen was kidnapped by Tyler MacFarlane and taken to a den in the desert. Under a new name she is presently living in London when she receives a letter advising her that Tyler is about to be released from prison in Australia.
I don’t want to give away anything more! Do yourself a favour and grab a copy, it’s certainly a page turner! I am going to have to get my hands on a copy of 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙇𝙀𝙉 now the prequel, you certainly can read this as a standalone too.
I really loved the writing style of Lucy Christopher and hope to read more of her books.
Publication date 31 May 2022
Publisher Text Publishing
Thank you so much to the wonderful team at Text Publishingfor sending me a copy of the book.
I am so grateful I received a surprise opportunity to read Release by Lucy Christopher! I’m giving it lots of love!
Release is a dark and unhinged psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator, the writing is brilliant it and it had me utterly hooked.
As the story unravels you begin to understand what is happening….Is it a love story or something extremely messed up, revenge, obsession or survival?
Release feels predatory, the writing is so atmospheric that I felt like I was there in the hot Western Australian outback desert landscape.
It was ten years ago that Gemma Toombs who was then sixteen was kidnapped by Tyler MacFarlane and taken to a den in the desert. Under a new name she is presently living in London when she receives a letter advising her that Tyler is about to be released from prison in Australia.
I don’t want to give away anything more! Do yourself a favour and grab a copy, it’s certainly a page turner! I am going to have to get my hands on a copy of 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙇𝙀𝙉 now the prequel, you certainly can read this as a standalone too.
I really loved the writing style of Lucy Christopher and hope to read more of her books.
Publication date 31 May 2022
Publisher Text Publishing
Thank you so much to the wonderful team at Text Publishingfor sending me a copy of the book.
June 6, 2022
I'm absolutely obliterated inside.
July 1, 2022
This is so bad, I want to give you a zero. But that’s not possible, so I give you…a one.
-Tyra Banks
I didn’t really have high expectations for this book, but instead I was just so excited for it because I absolutely loved the first book. The entire story was Gemma (or should I say Kate) reflecting on the kidnapping…10 years later. I know it effed her up really badly but my gosh I was so sick of hearing about it by page 40. And then suddenly we shift to her kidnapping him and taking him to some remote desert island. Well well well, how the turntables. I tried to keep this recap as brief as possible because to be honest I skimmed through most of the book when I realized it was trash. I don’t know if this book was supposed to be a revenge story for Gemma or something but it wasn’t done well. It just wasn’t really engaging and the plot was flat.
🪱/5 worms. That’s I have to say. But on the bright side, the first book will forever be one of my favorites!!
-Tyra Banks
I didn’t really have high expectations for this book, but instead I was just so excited for it because I absolutely loved the first book. The entire story was Gemma (or should I say Kate) reflecting on the kidnapping…10 years later. I know it effed her up really badly but my gosh I was so sick of hearing about it by page 40. And then suddenly we shift to her kidnapping him and taking him to some remote desert island. Well well well, how the turntables. I tried to keep this recap as brief as possible because to be honest I skimmed through most of the book when I realized it was trash. I don’t know if this book was supposed to be a revenge story for Gemma or something but it wasn’t done well. It just wasn’t really engaging and the plot was flat.
🪱/5 worms. That’s I have to say. But on the bright side, the first book will forever be one of my favorites!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
December 3, 2021omg omg omg omg a follow up y'all cannot comprehend how excited I am literally shaking when I saw this
July 9, 2024
Not as good as the first book.... :/
May 14, 2022
Release is the sequel to Australian author Lucy Christopher’s YA novel, Stolen. Ten years after sixteen-year-old Gemma Toombs was abducted from Bangkok Airport and held for some months in the West Australian desert by Tyler MacFarlane, she is living in London as Kate Stone.
She works from home for an online travel agency, tries to be independent from her (overprotective?) mother, feeds and watches a vixen in her yard, and swims regularly as a release from her conflicted thoughts and emotions.
She still sees her therapist, but lately is less honest about her thoughts and feelings, especially those about Ty. When she is officially notified of Ty’s pending early release, she burns bridges with her fledgling romantic relationship and finds herself making plans of which she is certain her mother will not approve.
Back in Perth, mere days before Ty’s release, Kate is making preparations for a role reversal which can hardly end well, and later sees her before the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
This is one of those novels that feels a bit like a train wreck happening before your eyes and you just can’t look away: with each step Kate takes, and each rationalisation of her actions, the effect of her ordeal on her mental health becomes more apparent.
“These days I’m finding it harder to tell what you might like. You’re still there in my head, of course – you’ve been part of me for so long, and I have such a sense of loyalty – but something is shifting inside. Because what if this is it, and you really are gone?”
The story is told by Kate in a dual timeline first-person narrative addressed to Ty MacFarlane. The Perth courtroom scenes are interspersed with the story of Kate’s return to Western Australia, their journey to the place where Ty held her a decade previous, and the events that follow.
While this volume can probably stand alone, readers who have not read Stolen may find the lack of prior knowledge about Gemma’s ordeal frustrating. Kate is not an entirely reliable narrator and not all readers will appreciate the ambiguity of the ending. A dark and powerful read.
This unbiased review is from an unsolicited copy provided by Text Publishing.
She works from home for an online travel agency, tries to be independent from her (overprotective?) mother, feeds and watches a vixen in her yard, and swims regularly as a release from her conflicted thoughts and emotions.
She still sees her therapist, but lately is less honest about her thoughts and feelings, especially those about Ty. When she is officially notified of Ty’s pending early release, she burns bridges with her fledgling romantic relationship and finds herself making plans of which she is certain her mother will not approve.
Back in Perth, mere days before Ty’s release, Kate is making preparations for a role reversal which can hardly end well, and later sees her before the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
This is one of those novels that feels a bit like a train wreck happening before your eyes and you just can’t look away: with each step Kate takes, and each rationalisation of her actions, the effect of her ordeal on her mental health becomes more apparent.
“These days I’m finding it harder to tell what you might like. You’re still there in my head, of course – you’ve been part of me for so long, and I have such a sense of loyalty – but something is shifting inside. Because what if this is it, and you really are gone?”
The story is told by Kate in a dual timeline first-person narrative addressed to Ty MacFarlane. The Perth courtroom scenes are interspersed with the story of Kate’s return to Western Australia, their journey to the place where Ty held her a decade previous, and the events that follow.
While this volume can probably stand alone, readers who have not read Stolen may find the lack of prior knowledge about Gemma’s ordeal frustrating. Kate is not an entirely reliable narrator and not all readers will appreciate the ambiguity of the ending. A dark and powerful read.
This unbiased review is from an unsolicited copy provided by Text Publishing.
June 5, 2022
This sequel has been a long time coming. Stolen has maintained a hold over me for a little under a decade and I can now say that I finally feel a sense of ‘release’ with Gemma and Ty’s story having come to a true conclusion.
While Gemma and Ty have certainly changed over the years, Lucy Christopher’s writing was as beautiful as ever. She really dove deep into exploring the adult emotions behind Gemma and Ty’s perspectives on what happened in the desert all those years ago. I initially found it difficult to make the jump to understanding this adult version of Gemma as in all the time I spent wondering about the ‘after’ from my own perspective, I never imagined what 10 years of no closure would look like for HER.
Without giving away the entire plot, all I can say is that this book really took me on a journey through what Stockholm Syndrome is and can become over time. This is not meant to be a love story. What started as Ty taking a teenage Gemma turned into adult Gemma and Ty saving one another. It wasn’t exactly what I’d always imagined but I believe Lucy Christopher gave us the ending Gemma and Ty truly needed.
While Gemma and Ty have certainly changed over the years, Lucy Christopher’s writing was as beautiful as ever. She really dove deep into exploring the adult emotions behind Gemma and Ty’s perspectives on what happened in the desert all those years ago. I initially found it difficult to make the jump to understanding this adult version of Gemma as in all the time I spent wondering about the ‘after’ from my own perspective, I never imagined what 10 years of no closure would look like for HER.
Without giving away the entire plot, all I can say is that this book really took me on a journey through what Stockholm Syndrome is and can become over time. This is not meant to be a love story. What started as Ty taking a teenage Gemma turned into adult Gemma and Ty saving one another. It wasn’t exactly what I’d always imagined but I believe Lucy Christopher gave us the ending Gemma and Ty truly needed.
September 29, 2022
I found myself having Stockholm syndrome when I read book one. There was no justification for what Ty did but yet I wanted to forgive him. I found myself sweet on a man who stalked and abducted a teenage girl 9 years his junior and kept her against her will. It was a mind twist. I was devastated because I wanted them to be together even though the whole thing was so very very very very wrong.
Book two has also messed with my mind. It was sooo disappointing but yet so realistic, the same as book one was. I didn't get what I wanted out of it but I got what was raw and more real than a love story.
Ten years after the Kidnapping Gem is really messed up. Still in love or at least obsessed over Ty. She doesn't seem to know if she wants to be with him or kill him and constantly swings from one feeling to the next. Ty is finally getting out of prison and she is unsure if she should confront her past in the hopes of finally being able to move on. Or be with him. She's so messed up in a very real way.
Book two has also messed with my mind. It was sooo disappointing but yet so realistic, the same as book one was. I didn't get what I wanted out of it but I got what was raw and more real than a love story.
Ten years after the Kidnapping Gem is really messed up. Still in love or at least obsessed over Ty. She doesn't seem to know if she wants to be with him or kill him and constantly swings from one feeling to the next. Ty is finally getting out of prison and she is unsure if she should confront her past in the hopes of finally being able to move on. Or be with him. She's so messed up in a very real way.
June 7, 2022
When I heard that Stolen was getting a sequel last year I was so so excited to read what happened next. I loved how this book started but the second half really disappointed me. This was not the story I wanted for Gemma and Ty. I was expecting so much more. I have re-read the first book countless times and is still one of my favourites, I wish the sequel was just as good.
June 14, 2022
YOU DONT UNDERSTAND HOW IM SHAKING RN UPON DISCOVERING THIS. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING AGAIN AND AGAIN IN MY HEAD WHATS NEXT FOR TY AND GEMMA AND THIS OH MY GOD I CANT BELIEVE THIS IS FINALLY HAPPENING
Update: I just finished it and wtf did i just read. It's well written yes. I got the greatest book scare halfway and i thought things were doing well but then.. yeah. I re-read Stolen before reading this and im gonna make my own fantasy that whoever were on Release, werent my Stolen Ty and Gem. They just cant be. I refuse to believe. But it was a good take on the psychological suspense genre. Like how it messed up with my brain. So what really happened on their last night anyway????
Update: I just finished it and wtf did i just read. It's well written yes. I got the greatest book scare halfway and i thought things were doing well but then.. yeah. I re-read Stolen before reading this and im gonna make my own fantasy that whoever were on Release, werent my Stolen Ty and Gem. They just cant be. I refuse to believe. But it was a good take on the psychological suspense genre. Like how it messed up with my brain. So what really happened on their last night anyway????
February 9, 2024
So this wasn't the book I was wanting. That's my bad, I'm a weirdo who wants the kidnapper to get the girl. I guess it could still be that way, but the ending was left ambiguous. I did enjoy how messed up Gemma/Kate had become, but meh, I wanted more of a love story.
July 9, 2022
did she write this book and really thought that was a good idea? Whatta joke 😂
June 30, 2022
this was so disappointing.
June 4, 2022
Release. That was the feeling I felt when I got to page 407 of this breathtaking book.
This incredible, gripping, spectacular story of redemption.
10 years ago I fell in love with Stolen and more importantly I fell in love with Lucy Christopher's voice, her storytelling and her wild imagination.
And yet all this time later, Lucy still managed to surprise me- with so many twists and turns in this book leaving me on edge each time I turned the page.
But what was truly marvelous to me, was that although Release had the same tone, same style as Stolen did, there were these subtle changes. Gemma and Ty's voice reflected the change they'd both endured over those 10 years, you can feel Gemma's pain and you can understand Ty's remorse.
At the beginning I found myself craving the characters I once loved but by the end I had found peace and understanding with who they had became.
And that's the magic of Lucy's writing, she gives us what we need- not necessarily what we want. No matter what I could have imagined for this story (And I imagined a lot!), she- like always- surpassed it.
No words will ever be enough to describe how remarkable this novel is, so I'll leave you with my favourite line from my new favourite book.
'I'll miss this. But will I miss you? Can I be me without you?'
This incredible, gripping, spectacular story of redemption.
10 years ago I fell in love with Stolen and more importantly I fell in love with Lucy Christopher's voice, her storytelling and her wild imagination.
And yet all this time later, Lucy still managed to surprise me- with so many twists and turns in this book leaving me on edge each time I turned the page.
But what was truly marvelous to me, was that although Release had the same tone, same style as Stolen did, there were these subtle changes. Gemma and Ty's voice reflected the change they'd both endured over those 10 years, you can feel Gemma's pain and you can understand Ty's remorse.
At the beginning I found myself craving the characters I once loved but by the end I had found peace and understanding with who they had became.
And that's the magic of Lucy's writing, she gives us what we need- not necessarily what we want. No matter what I could have imagined for this story (And I imagined a lot!), she- like always- surpassed it.
No words will ever be enough to describe how remarkable this novel is, so I'll leave you with my favourite line from my new favourite book.
'I'll miss this. But will I miss you? Can I be me without you?'
July 28, 2022
I should never have read that book.
It ruined Stolen for me when I had adored that book.
Both character are so changed and unlovable that, even if it was to be expected after their ordeals, I loathed them both in this books.
I am so so so sorry I went out of my way to order and read it.
It also does not help of course that I expected a love story, gullible little me.
Don't misunderstand me: Lucy Christopher knows how to write but this should have been a standalone, not a sequel.
It ruined Stolen for me when I had adored that book.
Both character are so changed and unlovable that, even if it was to be expected after their ordeals, I loathed them both in this books.
I am so so so sorry I went out of my way to order and read it.
It also does not help of course that I expected a love story, gullible little me.
Don't misunderstand me: Lucy Christopher knows how to write but this should have been a standalone, not a sequel.
April 8, 2023
Stolen is one of my favorite books and put me in a reading slump. The writing captivated me. I really don’t know how to describe it. When I realized she wrote Released, I was shocked. She did a great job with Released, it’s thrilling and twisted.
—SPOILERS—
This book made me question everything within the first book. I felt that I was trapped into thinking he was this good guy but we never know what he did when Gemma was unconscious, how do we trust him? But same goes for Gemma when she drugged him and took his life which is discussed in book #2. But who do we trust more?
One ending: Kate (Gemma) killed Ty with the spade (earlier on). Still having a hard time with how she was pregnant (the timeline doesn’t add up) and so does the car being fixed (maybe the car wasn’t fixed at all and that date where they spent the night together really didn’t happen). It’s just frustrating because I don’t have answers which is I also why I love how Lucy wrote these two book.
Part of me feels that we didn’t get enough insight into Ty this book. He was angry and laughed at Gemma for the entirety of the book. During the end, I could see him changing but part of me didn’t know if I could trust him. From Stolen, I pictured him as this steamy guy and when he opened up more in Release, he basically said he lied. Another part of me hurts for him, Kate literally killed him. Ty said “Do it, if you want” and “I’ve come to reckon you deserve it.” This was their last night together and this is when Kate pointed the gun at him. I just feel like my brain is running around in circles trying to catch up because I’m hurt he’s dead but I’m hurting for Kate & Gemma as well. It makes me wondering if Ty was really Ty in Stolen or if he was making everything up. But it felt like Ty was experiencing Stockholm syndrome himself. Like she said “And you spoke to me of love, of wanting to stay.” In no way I’m condoning kidnapping or stalking. Like I said I’m not supporting what he did when he kidnapped Gemma but it’s hard for me not to see him in this perfect light that he was portrayed in and now he’s falling for her. Ugh Lucy why do you write such detailed and extremely compelling books but, I do believe that after he got out of jail, he did want to start his new life and create something new for himself.
Another ending: he’s alive and went north like they said. During the night, he left when they previously discussed this topic. Ty saw how Kate felt and the way he took her and how it impacted her life. He chose to stay when the car was fixed by giving her closure (whether that was for her to kill him or not). Still there are no answers, just an open end to feel where our emotions go and which way we sway with what the book reads us.
I honesty didn’t know who to trust in this book. One thing I wish was more clear was the dialogue between them both. I wish I got more of Ty, though I feel the pain Kate went through and the closure she didn’t get. But that’s what Lucy wants, she wants us to feel the tension and fully think about the alternate endings. We were expecting a romance book hence (me) getting Stockholm syndrome from the first book, but I’ve come to realize that this book is definitely much more than that. Which is why I love this book even more because I feel the release between their relationship and how they both have changed in huge ways. Personally, I see that they both got what they needed when they went back to the den and found that release that was holding them together.
—SPOILERS—
This book made me question everything within the first book. I felt that I was trapped into thinking he was this good guy but we never know what he did when Gemma was unconscious, how do we trust him? But same goes for Gemma when she drugged him and took his life which is discussed in book #2. But who do we trust more?
One ending: Kate (Gemma) killed Ty with the spade (earlier on). Still having a hard time with how she was pregnant (the timeline doesn’t add up) and so does the car being fixed (maybe the car wasn’t fixed at all and that date where they spent the night together really didn’t happen). It’s just frustrating because I don’t have answers which is I also why I love how Lucy wrote these two book.
Part of me feels that we didn’t get enough insight into Ty this book. He was angry and laughed at Gemma for the entirety of the book. During the end, I could see him changing but part of me didn’t know if I could trust him. From Stolen, I pictured him as this steamy guy and when he opened up more in Release, he basically said he lied. Another part of me hurts for him, Kate literally killed him. Ty said “Do it, if you want” and “I’ve come to reckon you deserve it.” This was their last night together and this is when Kate pointed the gun at him. I just feel like my brain is running around in circles trying to catch up because I’m hurt he’s dead but I’m hurting for Kate & Gemma as well. It makes me wondering if Ty was really Ty in Stolen or if he was making everything up. But it felt like Ty was experiencing Stockholm syndrome himself. Like she said “And you spoke to me of love, of wanting to stay.” In no way I’m condoning kidnapping or stalking. Like I said I’m not supporting what he did when he kidnapped Gemma but it’s hard for me not to see him in this perfect light that he was portrayed in and now he’s falling for her. Ugh Lucy why do you write such detailed and extremely compelling books but, I do believe that after he got out of jail, he did want to start his new life and create something new for himself.
Another ending: he’s alive and went north like they said. During the night, he left when they previously discussed this topic. Ty saw how Kate felt and the way he took her and how it impacted her life. He chose to stay when the car was fixed by giving her closure (whether that was for her to kill him or not). Still there are no answers, just an open end to feel where our emotions go and which way we sway with what the book reads us.
I honesty didn’t know who to trust in this book. One thing I wish was more clear was the dialogue between them both. I wish I got more of Ty, though I feel the pain Kate went through and the closure she didn’t get. But that’s what Lucy wants, she wants us to feel the tension and fully think about the alternate endings. We were expecting a romance book hence (me) getting Stockholm syndrome from the first book, but I’ve come to realize that this book is definitely much more than that. Which is why I love this book even more because I feel the release between their relationship and how they both have changed in huge ways. Personally, I see that they both got what they needed when they went back to the den and found that release that was holding them together.
July 7, 2022
SPOLIERS AND QUESTIONS
I want to start off by saying that I NEVER write reviews but, in this instance, I have to get it off my chest!
I loved Stolen. I have re-read it a few times over the years and, as I've grown, my perception of Gemma and Ty has changed. Instead of looking at Ty through rose coloured glasses, I understand why Gemma couldn't fall in love with him and the devastating impact his actions caused. My appreciation for Gemma also grew and I started to see her as a strong and brave female lead.
Release un-done almost everything I loved about the first book. We no longer have an intriguing antagonist and a brave female lead but two main characters who were so far removed from the first book I can hardly piece it together. I understand that 10 years is a long time and that their experiences in Stolen and the 10 years since would have changed them but this is taking it to the extreme!
I don't understand where Ty's venomous dislike of Gemma comes from? Especially since at the end of Stolen it was implied that she spoke in Ty's defense. I like that he understood how vulnerable he was in Stolen and that his actions had terribly affected both their lives but there was almost nothing left of the original Ty.
Equally, Gemma was such an unreliable narrator that I have no idea what was true or false... Was Ty dead by the end of release? Was the entire story made-up? I think that's what I learned towards.
I think there should have been more dialogue between the characters for us to understand where these huge changes had come from and so that we could understand them a bit more. It just jumped to a s*x scene which quite frankly came out of nowhere and didn't have the impact that I thought it would after two books of build-up.
It left us on an even bigger cliffhanger than before and unless we are gifted a trilogy (which seems unlikely) I think I will just have to stay confused.
Just to be clear, Lucy Christopher's writing was as beautiful as always - I can't fault that! She builds suspense amazingly and makes me want to re-visit Australia! I am just sad about the character development and story arch.
** I am changing my stars because I agree with all the above BUT I’m still thinking about the book ..
I want to start off by saying that I NEVER write reviews but, in this instance, I have to get it off my chest!
I loved Stolen. I have re-read it a few times over the years and, as I've grown, my perception of Gemma and Ty has changed. Instead of looking at Ty through rose coloured glasses, I understand why Gemma couldn't fall in love with him and the devastating impact his actions caused. My appreciation for Gemma also grew and I started to see her as a strong and brave female lead.
Release un-done almost everything I loved about the first book. We no longer have an intriguing antagonist and a brave female lead but two main characters who were so far removed from the first book I can hardly piece it together. I understand that 10 years is a long time and that their experiences in Stolen and the 10 years since would have changed them but this is taking it to the extreme!
I don't understand where Ty's venomous dislike of Gemma comes from? Especially since at the end of Stolen it was implied that she spoke in Ty's defense. I like that he understood how vulnerable he was in Stolen and that his actions had terribly affected both their lives but there was almost nothing left of the original Ty.
Equally, Gemma was such an unreliable narrator that I have no idea what was true or false... Was Ty dead by the end of release? Was the entire story made-up? I think that's what I learned towards.
I think there should have been more dialogue between the characters for us to understand where these huge changes had come from and so that we could understand them a bit more. It just jumped to a s*x scene which quite frankly came out of nowhere and didn't have the impact that I thought it would after two books of build-up.
It left us on an even bigger cliffhanger than before and unless we are gifted a trilogy (which seems unlikely) I think I will just have to stay confused.
Just to be clear, Lucy Christopher's writing was as beautiful as always - I can't fault that! She builds suspense amazingly and makes me want to re-visit Australia! I am just sad about the character development and story arch.
** I am changing my stars because I agree with all the above BUT I’m still thinking about the book ..
June 22, 2022
Was excited to see the second book to Stolen which I read many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed. I decided to read Stolen again before going into Release.
Gemma is still struggling to rebuild her life 10 years on from being kidnapped by Ty when she was 16 years old. Gemma was taken from Bangkok airport where she was going on holiday with her parents. Ty kidnaps her and takes her to a remote location in the outback, western Australia (WA)
Ty was convicted of kidnapping and has been in Jail the last 10 years. Gemma has changed her name, she living in the UK but still struggling to move on and rebuild her life. She receives a letter from the corrections facility in WA that Ty is up for parole. She cant believe he is being released, yet she is drawn to go to Perth and confront her kidnapper, with the hope she will be able to finally put the past behind her and move on.
It was an enjoyable read, I give this one a 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars. If you enjoyed the first book I would recommend reading the followup
Gemma is still struggling to rebuild her life 10 years on from being kidnapped by Ty when she was 16 years old. Gemma was taken from Bangkok airport where she was going on holiday with her parents. Ty kidnaps her and takes her to a remote location in the outback, western Australia (WA)
Ty was convicted of kidnapping and has been in Jail the last 10 years. Gemma has changed her name, she living in the UK but still struggling to move on and rebuild her life. She receives a letter from the corrections facility in WA that Ty is up for parole. She cant believe he is being released, yet she is drawn to go to Perth and confront her kidnapper, with the hope she will be able to finally put the past behind her and move on.
It was an enjoyable read, I give this one a 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars. If you enjoyed the first book I would recommend reading the followup
April 14, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC.
‘Stolen’ by Lucy Christopher is one of my all-time favourite novels and I have anticipated the sequel ‘Release’ for many years. I was not disappointed by this follow-up novel and finished reading it in one sitting.
Christopher’s writing has such a beautiful and authentic quality. There is never a dull moment in this book because each page is fast paced yet thought-provoking. Christopher knows how to tug on readers' heartstrings and make them experience a vast range of emotions. Her writing structure is brilliant and makes readers question themselves over and over again. I was absolutely immersed in her writing style from the beginning right until the very end.
Revisiting Gemma, Ty and the Australian desert was both nostalgic and confronting. Ten years have changed Gemma and Ty dramatically, but they are still the complex and vividly depicted characters that they were in Stolen. This book gave both characters so much more depth. I particularly enjoyed the reversed power dynamics between Gemma and Ty. It was interesting to see Gemma transition from a vulnerable girl to someone who isn’t afraid to take matters into her own hands.
The theme of ‘release’ in this book is open to multiple interpretations. This recurring theme was an excellent exploration of trauma, morality, love and redemption.
This book could technically be a standalone, but I think it is necessary to read Stolen beforehand (I swear that both Stolen and Release are brilliant reads). Without knowing the events of Stolen, it is difficult to appreciate the blurred lines of love and hate between Gemma and Ty.
I highly recommend this book for fans of Stolen and for those who enjoy unique thrillers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
*Potential spoiler?? Read on with caution! *
I absolutely loved this book, but I was disheartened by how much Ty’s character had changed. It was inevitable that Ty’s charming demeanour would perish during his time in prison, but I was still holding onto the image of Ty in Stolen when he was still young, handsome, and passionate. I appreciate how his character has evolved but I couldn’t help but mourn over younger Ty. Regardless, I still saw glimpses of his past self throughout this book, and it was truly heart-warming.
‘Stolen’ by Lucy Christopher is one of my all-time favourite novels and I have anticipated the sequel ‘Release’ for many years. I was not disappointed by this follow-up novel and finished reading it in one sitting.
Christopher’s writing has such a beautiful and authentic quality. There is never a dull moment in this book because each page is fast paced yet thought-provoking. Christopher knows how to tug on readers' heartstrings and make them experience a vast range of emotions. Her writing structure is brilliant and makes readers question themselves over and over again. I was absolutely immersed in her writing style from the beginning right until the very end.
Revisiting Gemma, Ty and the Australian desert was both nostalgic and confronting. Ten years have changed Gemma and Ty dramatically, but they are still the complex and vividly depicted characters that they were in Stolen. This book gave both characters so much more depth. I particularly enjoyed the reversed power dynamics between Gemma and Ty. It was interesting to see Gemma transition from a vulnerable girl to someone who isn’t afraid to take matters into her own hands.
The theme of ‘release’ in this book is open to multiple interpretations. This recurring theme was an excellent exploration of trauma, morality, love and redemption.
This book could technically be a standalone, but I think it is necessary to read Stolen beforehand (I swear that both Stolen and Release are brilliant reads). Without knowing the events of Stolen, it is difficult to appreciate the blurred lines of love and hate between Gemma and Ty.
I highly recommend this book for fans of Stolen and for those who enjoy unique thrillers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
*Potential spoiler?? Read on with caution! *
I absolutely loved this book, but I was disheartened by how much Ty’s character had changed. It was inevitable that Ty’s charming demeanour would perish during his time in prison, but I was still holding onto the image of Ty in Stolen when he was still young, handsome, and passionate. I appreciate how his character has evolved but I couldn’t help but mourn over younger Ty. Regardless, I still saw glimpses of his past self throughout this book, and it was truly heart-warming.
July 7, 2022
so i read Stolen back in 2014 and it's been my favourite book since then, never been moved from the number one space and no book has come near to the masterpiece that is Stolen. Stolen is one of my most re-read books and it's just so beautifully written...... now to get on to this book.
Was this book needed? no. the beauty of stolen was the different feelings it left people with. Some thought it was a love story (and i think this book was aimed at those people) but others (me) thought it was a book about a disturbed adult man who stalked a child and kidnapped her for a fantasy. Everytime i read it i do not see a love story, i see love and i know they cared for each other (under the circumstances they were in) but i don't think it was ever a love story but i'm just the reader so what do i know?
What did this book add to the story line? nothing. It destroyed the characters for me. I was 15 when i read it and now i'm 23 and the characters have aged 10 years, we've all transformed into adults but i think the characters changed too much.
Stolen will forever be my favourite book and i don't see it going down in ranks ever but i will continue to think of it as a solo book. This sequel doesn't exist to me.. it feels so jarringly different from the first book. Stolen will always and forever have my heart but this book just wasn't needed.
Why rate this 3 stars then? first of all, beautiful writing as always from Lucy Christopher (sorry about this review lucy christopher.. you're still my favourite author i promise). Second of all, it is a good book... on it's own.
I have a Stolen shrine in my book room, i collect the book because duh its my favourite thing of all time but i'm not sure if i'm gonna put this book anywhere near that shrine because as i said before, i'm going to continue to think that stolen is a solo book.
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so who was gonna tell me my favourite book of all time now has a sequel????? It was released a couple days ago and i didn't know??????????????
Was this book needed? no. the beauty of stolen was the different feelings it left people with. Some thought it was a love story (and i think this book was aimed at those people) but others (me) thought it was a book about a disturbed adult man who stalked a child and kidnapped her for a fantasy. Everytime i read it i do not see a love story, i see love and i know they cared for each other (under the circumstances they were in) but i don't think it was ever a love story but i'm just the reader so what do i know?
What did this book add to the story line? nothing. It destroyed the characters for me. I was 15 when i read it and now i'm 23 and the characters have aged 10 years, we've all transformed into adults but i think the characters changed too much.
Stolen will forever be my favourite book and i don't see it going down in ranks ever but i will continue to think of it as a solo book. This sequel doesn't exist to me.. it feels so jarringly different from the first book. Stolen will always and forever have my heart but this book just wasn't needed.
Why rate this 3 stars then? first of all, beautiful writing as always from Lucy Christopher (sorry about this review lucy christopher.. you're still my favourite author i promise). Second of all, it is a good book... on it's own.
I have a Stolen shrine in my book room, i collect the book because duh its my favourite thing of all time but i'm not sure if i'm gonna put this book anywhere near that shrine because as i said before, i'm going to continue to think that stolen is a solo book.
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so who was gonna tell me my favourite book of all time now has a sequel????? It was released a couple days ago and i didn't know??????????????
June 11, 2022
It’s really difficult to put my thoughts and feelings on this book into words! I, like many here, was completely enamored with Stolen back when it was published over a decade ago. I loved the story, the characters, the landscapes so much and it was unlike any other book I had read (and still to this date). We all fell in love with the love that developed in the story (even if it was wrong).
Release was a very different book, which makes sense after 10 years has passed for both characters. It was much darker and more emotionally confusing, which feels justified considering what both characters had been experiencing over those years. There are so many twists and turns in this book, and I think it forced us as readers to deal with the Stockholm Syndrome that we were all experiencing for Ty after reading Stolen (at least for me).
Release handed me a heavy dose of reality, sadness, and in the end, justice, and I have so many questions. It will definitely take me a few more reads and time to process all of these feelings and questions. I do want to thank Dr Christopher for not creating a happy-go-lucky love story though, because I don’t think that would’ve been realistic or fair to Gemma (even if we all secretly wanted it!).
*** Spoilers in the comments because I want to discuss some questions with you all ***
Release was a very different book, which makes sense after 10 years has passed for both characters. It was much darker and more emotionally confusing, which feels justified considering what both characters had been experiencing over those years. There are so many twists and turns in this book, and I think it forced us as readers to deal with the Stockholm Syndrome that we were all experiencing for Ty after reading Stolen (at least for me).
Release handed me a heavy dose of reality, sadness, and in the end, justice, and I have so many questions. It will definitely take me a few more reads and time to process all of these feelings and questions. I do want to thank Dr Christopher for not creating a happy-go-lucky love story though, because I don’t think that would’ve been realistic or fair to Gemma (even if we all secretly wanted it!).
*** Spoilers in the comments because I want to discuss some questions with you all ***
July 7, 2022
This is not the story I had hoped for.
SPOILERS!!!
I want to scream at the author. I’ve waited so long for this sequel to come out. And I gotta say. I hate what I read. I literally was about to STOP mid reading, just because ive had enough I where the story was leading. My Gemma. My Ty. The stolen ive FALLEN in love with. Feels like it was a lie. The sequel was good at the first half. I was anxiously waiting for the release of ty so they could reconnect with their den and past memories. I knew he was going to change but this was just heartbreaking. She was more obsessed with killing him then loving him and in doing so it made me flinch every time I had to read her describing how she wanted him dead. She’s guilty. She killed ty did she not? Acting. This book was basically saying that ty never cared about Gemma. And that Gemmas true feelings were to kill him after he agrees to stay with her. At this point in the book. When I find out she’s pregnant with tys child. I am not happy nor care. I wished it ended in a love story. They run off together. They stay in their den together. But I guess reality of it was they really weren’t meant to be. In the end I guess they both got a twisted way of “a peace of mind”
SPOILERS!!!
I want to scream at the author. I’ve waited so long for this sequel to come out. And I gotta say. I hate what I read. I literally was about to STOP mid reading, just because ive had enough I where the story was leading. My Gemma. My Ty. The stolen ive FALLEN in love with. Feels like it was a lie. The sequel was good at the first half. I was anxiously waiting for the release of ty so they could reconnect with their den and past memories. I knew he was going to change but this was just heartbreaking. She was more obsessed with killing him then loving him and in doing so it made me flinch every time I had to read her describing how she wanted him dead. She’s guilty. She killed ty did she not? Acting. This book was basically saying that ty never cared about Gemma. And that Gemmas true feelings were to kill him after he agrees to stay with her. At this point in the book. When I find out she’s pregnant with tys child. I am not happy nor care. I wished it ended in a love story. They run off together. They stay in their den together. But I guess reality of it was they really weren’t meant to be. In the end I guess they both got a twisted way of “a peace of mind”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2022
5 stars
Read this book if you want to think about the grey areas of control and love and redemption.
This book is so heartbreaking, so honest, so Gemma and Ty. I'll need to re-read as it's a lot to take in and unpack. Plus, I'm still thinking about the den 💔
Read this book if you want to think about the grey areas of control and love and redemption.
This book is so heartbreaking, so honest, so Gemma and Ty. I'll need to re-read as it's a lot to take in and unpack. Plus, I'm still thinking about the den 💔
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