The Obsession Book Review

Posted byreadandreviewit1Posted inMYSTERY/THRILLER, REVIEWSTags:, , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone! Today I’m going to be reviewing The Obsession by Jesse. Q. Sutanto.

Rating: ✯✯✯✯

The Obsession follows two morally grey protagonists and their twisted romance. As soon as Logan sets eyes on Delilah, he is convinced she is The One, and begins stalking her, both on social media and by installing cameras in her house. When he gets footage of her committing a crime, his obsession reaches an all time high, and he begins blackmailing her into a relationship with him. The problem? Delilah has some very dark secrets of her own, and is more dangerous than Logan realises.

There was definitely something about The Obsession which made it stand out from other books in the same genre, and it was really refreshing to read. Sutanto did a really excellent job with writing such a fast paced and interesting debut, and I really enjoyed reading The Obsession!

I think the main thing which stood out to me in The Obsession was definitely the characters. Each of the characters was really interesting and complex and you could clearly see the amount of time the author had put into developing them. Both Logan and Delilah were really twisted (although in very different ways) and I really enjoyed getting inside both of their heads!

Logan in particular was really disturbing. His obsession with Delilah made my skin crawl and it was quite difficult to read at points. He was such a complex character and I really appreciated the detail and research Sutanto had put into delusional disorder and making sure it was accurately portrayed. Logan is definitely up there with the most interesting characters I’ve read about and I really admire the way Sutanto wrote him!

The Obsession was actually the first book I’ve read that’s featured stalking, which was probably one of the reasons Logan stood out to me so much. It was definitely really creepy and it was really disturbing to read the progression of his stalking and the levels it reached. When it began I honestly didn’t think it could get much worse but I was definitely proved wrong and Logan’s obsession reached new heights.

Despite being more of a thriller, there were also some incredible friendships in this book. Both Josh and Aisha really stood out to me and I loved how willing they both were to try and help their friends. It was really nice to see some great friendships in addition to the stalking and the main plot.

Of course, there was also the twisted romance between the two. I think the romance was written very expertly on Sutanto’s part and it was really interesting to read. The two shared some nice moments before Delilah discovered Logan’s true colors and sometimes I would even find myself shipping the two, having to catch myself and remind myself how much of a creep Logan was, and how the only reason they had so much in common was because of his stalking. The sad thing about it was that I think they actually would’ve made a really lovely couple if it wasn’t for Logan’s stalking and the overall circumstances!

I also loved how fast paced the book was. The book kept up a steady pace throughout, which I really enjoyed. Pretty much every scene added to the overall storyline which was so refreshing to read. It was probably because of this that I managed to read the book within a few hours in just one sitting!

However, that’s not to say that I loved everything about this book. One thing I definitely would’ve appreciated is definitely more twists and turns. Anyone who’s read my reviews in this genre before will know how much I love twisty books which keep you guessing, and I just felt like there could’ve been a lot more in The Obsession.

There was also just something about the book which missed the mark. I went into this book with incredibly high expectations (probably due to the fantastic blurb) and I don’t think it really lived up to all of them. I was expecting a less focus on the romance aspect, so I think in that way it disappointed me a bit. Despite this, the book was still really great – I just personally think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I’d known this going in.

I also have some mixed feelings about the ending. I don’t want to spoil too much, but honestly it was a little predictable. I’m also not entirely sure if the person completely deserved what they got (for example they could’ve had therapy instead) but I suppose it was also necessary. It also left me with a lot of questions, although I’m guessing these will be addressed in the sequel. Overall I wouldn’t let the ending put you off too much as it was still a satisfactory ending to the book (despite guessing it).

Overall, I would still definitely recommend The Obsession for anyone looking for a different YA which brings something a bit different to the table. I think it’s safe to say that this book was unlike anything I’ve read before, and it was a great read! I would also recommend it for anyone who loves books with very complex characters, as this book has plentiful.

However, please be mindful that this book is definitely not for younger readers. It covers a lot of sensitive topics including domestic violence, drugs and graphic descriptions of murder. If you feel uncomfortable with any of those topics I would strongly advise you to give this book a miss.

I hope you enjoyed this review!

Ceri

62 thoughts on “The Obsession Book Review”

  1. Great review Ceri!!! I like how this thriller employs some creepy elements but also having elements of friendship and romance. This sounds like an interesting read! 👍

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  2. This is a fab review. I love romance stories. I am a sucker for all things romance. This book sounds right up my street. I would love to give it a try. Thank you for sharing!

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  4. You really made me interested in this book. As I have said I love well built characters and if we are talking about well built and twisted by both sides I will probably love it.
    I personally don’t care that much about big twists and unpredictable ending. I also don’t have any issue with descriptions of violence, drugs etc. I think it would be a lovely read for the beach. Thank you!

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    1. I’m glad to hear that! The characters in this book are definitely super developed and interesting so I’d really recommend it for that. In that case it sounds perfect for you! It definitely would be, thanks for commenting!

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  5. Hey Ceri! This was such a thoughtful and thorough review 🙂 I’ve not heard of The Obsession, but it definitely sounds like it’d be up my alley. I love characters who are so unhinged, it’s disturbing, and based on your review, Logan probably fits that bill. You mentioned wanting more twists and turns. Did the story feel too predictable?

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    1. Thank you so much 😊 I’m so glad it appeals to you! Characters like that are definitely so interesting to read. I think parts of it were (most prominently the ending) but it was also just a general sense of there could’ve been more if that makes any sense? I’m a big fan of twists and I just feel like this could’ve had more. Thanks for commenting!

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  16. Thanks for the review. Really interesting but sounds kinda creepy. The way you describe Logan makes me have goosebump, well described!

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  29. Love the review of this book; like most of your reviews, they are easy to read and researched well. I will be adding this one to my reading list; it sounds right up my street. 🙂

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  32. Logan sounds creepy to me, but, I really should give this book a try! and honestly mostly because of the obsession and how you described Delilah. A great review. I’ll go in it with little expectation to avoid disappointment.

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    1. Oh definitely, Logan definitely gave me chills at times – although I thought the best written character definitely was Delilah, she was really complex. I always find that the best approach when reading books – I hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

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