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WHAT THE YEARS REMEMBER
Fraternal twins. Apart for decades. Their worlds are about to collide.
Growing up in New York’s Hudson Valley, fraternal twins Amber and Jade were always different. Amber, somewhat shy and affable, is a happy, well-liked child. Jade, often angry, laments from an early age that others have what she covets. As the girls grow up, Jade’s jealousy escalates. Dangerously so.
At sixteen, enraged by their classmate Michael’s affection for Amber, Jade lures her sister to an abandoned lot, shoves her onto concrete, and leaves her for dead. Knowing Jade would try again, her parents agree to fake her death. Amber moves to New York City with her father, and Jade moves with her mother to Los Angeles.
Twenty-three years have passed. Amber is alive, happily married to Michael, with a son, and living in New York City under her new name. Jade, still living in California, has been cavalierly committing crimes. After a robbery attempt on a woman in Beverly Hills ends in her death, Jade flees to New York. Amber, quickly learning that her sister is nearby and a bigger threat than ever, goes on the offensive to stop Jade before she can decimate the lives of everyone Amber holds dear. But uncertainty, altered paths, and unexpected revelations can change everything.
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. This book also contains some situations, that while not explicit, may be triggering to some readers. If this is not to your liking, please don't read this book. Thank you.
Growing up in New York’s Hudson Valley, fraternal twins Amber and Jade were always different. Amber, somewhat shy and affable, is a happy, well-liked child. Jade, often angry, laments from an early age that others have what she covets. As the girls grow up, Jade’s jealousy escalates. Dangerously so.
At sixteen, enraged by their classmate Michael’s affection for Amber, Jade lures her sister to an abandoned lot, shoves her onto concrete, and leaves her for dead. Knowing Jade would try again, her parents agree to fake her death. Amber moves to New York City with her father, and Jade moves with her mother to Los Angeles.
Twenty-three years have passed. Amber is alive, happily married to Michael, with a son, and living in New York City under her new name. Jade, still living in California, has been cavalierly committing crimes. After a robbery attempt on a woman in Beverly Hills ends in her death, Jade flees to New York. Amber, quickly learning that her sister is nearby and a bigger threat than ever, goes on the offensive to stop Jade before she can decimate the lives of everyone Amber holds dear. But uncertainty, altered paths, and unexpected revelations can change everything.
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. This book also contains some situations, that while not explicit, may be triggering to some readers. If this is not to your liking, please don't read this book. Thank you.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2024
About the author
Lisette Brodey
18 books253 followersLisette was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. She spent ten years in New York City, and now resides in Los Angeles.
She’s a multigenre author of fourteen books: Crooked Moon (General/Literary Fiction); Squalor, New Mexico (Coming-of-Age/Literary Fiction); Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Desert Series: Mystical High; Desert Star; and Drawn Apart (YA paranormal), Barrie Hill Reunion (Literary Fiction); Hotel Obscure (themed short stories, Literary Fiction); Love, Look Away (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Sum of our Sorrows (Contemporary Fiction), The Waiting House: A Novel in Stories (Literary Fiction), All That Was Taken (Contemporary Fiction), Twice a Broken Breath (suspense), and What the Years Remember.
In addition to her fourteen books, two of Lisette’s short stories are published in an anthology: Triptychs (Book 3, The Mind’s Eye Series.)
She’s a multigenre author of fourteen books: Crooked Moon (General/Literary Fiction); Squalor, New Mexico (Coming-of-Age/Literary Fiction); Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Desert Series: Mystical High; Desert Star; and Drawn Apart (YA paranormal), Barrie Hill Reunion (Literary Fiction); Hotel Obscure (themed short stories, Literary Fiction); Love, Look Away (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Sum of our Sorrows (Contemporary Fiction), The Waiting House: A Novel in Stories (Literary Fiction), All That Was Taken (Contemporary Fiction), Twice a Broken Breath (suspense), and What the Years Remember.
In addition to her fourteen books, two of Lisette’s short stories are published in an anthology: Triptychs (Book 3, The Mind’s Eye Series.)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 17, 2024
As the saying goes, the best villains don't believe they've done anything wrong, and Jade certainly doesn't. Reading scenes from her point of view is chilling: what the reader knows is cruel and dangerous to Jade mostly seems like a lark, no matter how shocking the consequences.
If Jade needs a conscience, her sister Amber needs a backbone, and after almost a quarter of a century of living in fear, she's finally starting to develop one. Teenage Amber thought the best solution to the problem of her sister was to hide, but adult Amber has a life she's built, including a family, so now it's time to turn the tables. Jade has done a lot of damage, and thus a lot of moving parts have to be in play before Amber can make sure Jade is finally stopped. The set up is intricate, but the payoff is worth it (and it was a treat to see my favorite characters from Twice A Broken Breath play important roles in the plan).
Another nail biter from Brodey!
If Jade needs a conscience, her sister Amber needs a backbone, and after almost a quarter of a century of living in fear, she's finally starting to develop one. Teenage Amber thought the best solution to the problem of her sister was to hide, but adult Amber has a life she's built, including a family, so now it's time to turn the tables. Jade has done a lot of damage, and thus a lot of moving parts have to be in play before Amber can make sure Jade is finally stopped. The set up is intricate, but the payoff is worth it (and it was a treat to see my favorite characters from Twice A Broken Breath play important roles in the plan).
Another nail biter from Brodey!
November 6, 2024
Two things I’ve learned from reading Lisette Brodey’s books; One, she is a master at building suspense. Two, she develops the kind of compelling and likeable characters we not only root for, but feel emotionally invested in their wellbeing, which in turn magnifies our apprehension as potential danger unfolds. What the Years Remember is a perfect example and my new favorite of Brodey’s books.
Amber and Jade are fraternal twins who are complete opposites. Amber is good-natured and kind, while Jade is self-serving, spiteful, and sly. Despite Ambers efforts to get along with her sister, Jade’s resentment and bullying escalates over the years. When the girls are sixteen, Jade finds a way to get rid of her sister so she can take her boyfriend Michael for herself, leaving Amber for dead. Both parents realize Amber will never be safe from Jade’s anger, so they fake Amber’s death and split up, with the mother taking Jade across the country to California. Amber and her father change their names and move to New York City. Twenty-three years later, Amber is married to Michael and her parents, with new names, have gotten back together, all have cautiously moved on with their lives. That is until Jade’s spiraling life of crime prompts her to seek help from her missing parents and her delusional soulmate, Michael, who is now married to Amber. As Jade’s devious and psychotic mind begin to plot revenge, Amber and family, terrified of being discovered, grapple with ways to protect themselves and end the lifelong terror.
Brodey has woven a stunningly complicated plot, while she allows us an intimate look into the mind of a deranged psychopath who is intelligent, manipulative, narcissistic, and without remorse and seemingly unstoppable. Her beauty, cunning, and fake innocence seem to easily disarm her prey. We also have a similar look into the minds of Amber and her family and friends who have lived a precarious and fearful life, terrified their location and Amber’s existence will be discovered. The relationships Amber and Micheal have developed, both new and old, are beautifully portrayed and richly developed. I was delighted to recognize some surprising character crossovers that truly enhanced the story. There are many twists and turns and surprising reveals as this captivating story keeps you on pins and needles, never letting up until the very end. I highly recommend this powerful and intense psychological thriller.
Amber and Jade are fraternal twins who are complete opposites. Amber is good-natured and kind, while Jade is self-serving, spiteful, and sly. Despite Ambers efforts to get along with her sister, Jade’s resentment and bullying escalates over the years. When the girls are sixteen, Jade finds a way to get rid of her sister so she can take her boyfriend Michael for herself, leaving Amber for dead. Both parents realize Amber will never be safe from Jade’s anger, so they fake Amber’s death and split up, with the mother taking Jade across the country to California. Amber and her father change their names and move to New York City. Twenty-three years later, Amber is married to Michael and her parents, with new names, have gotten back together, all have cautiously moved on with their lives. That is until Jade’s spiraling life of crime prompts her to seek help from her missing parents and her delusional soulmate, Michael, who is now married to Amber. As Jade’s devious and psychotic mind begin to plot revenge, Amber and family, terrified of being discovered, grapple with ways to protect themselves and end the lifelong terror.
Brodey has woven a stunningly complicated plot, while she allows us an intimate look into the mind of a deranged psychopath who is intelligent, manipulative, narcissistic, and without remorse and seemingly unstoppable. Her beauty, cunning, and fake innocence seem to easily disarm her prey. We also have a similar look into the minds of Amber and her family and friends who have lived a precarious and fearful life, terrified their location and Amber’s existence will be discovered. The relationships Amber and Micheal have developed, both new and old, are beautifully portrayed and richly developed. I was delighted to recognize some surprising character crossovers that truly enhanced the story. There are many twists and turns and surprising reveals as this captivating story keeps you on pins and needles, never letting up until the very end. I highly recommend this powerful and intense psychological thriller.
November 2, 2024
Once again, talented author Lisette Brodey manipulates time to enthrall readers in a psychological thriller that grabs you before you can turn the first page. Gifted character development introduces two twin sisters. Amber is trying to live an everyday life in New York City and keep secrets tamped down. The other sister, Jade, is on the West Coast, inhabiting a life twisted and tormented by a disturbed mind. A tenuous hold on reality is tripped when Jade is mission-driven to find her parents and claim what she feels is deserved. The reader ventures along this dark path with Jade as what was carefully crafted to protect slowly unravels before those who fear Jade’s discovery the most. The price proves dear, but for whom? Don’t miss this edge-of-your-seat thriller.
October 16, 2024
What The Years Remember by Lisette
Fraternal twins Amber and Jade are complete opposites in every way. Jade is envious and evil, Amber caring and kind. When Jade attempts to kill Amber decisions are made, Amber fakes her death for her own protection. Decades later Jade is back with a vengeance, wanting to reclaim what she feels is rightfully hers.
The story moves at a fast pace, character driven, with chilling suspense. Twist, turns and secrets had me on the edge of my seat. With a few didn't-see-that coming moments I was hooked from the first page. A compelling, thought-provoking intense read.
Overall I found WHAT THE YEARS REMEMBER very enjoyable. Lisette Brodey knows how to grab you by the heart and not let go. I highly recommend to those who enjoy domestic thrillers.
Fraternal twins Amber and Jade are complete opposites in every way. Jade is envious and evil, Amber caring and kind. When Jade attempts to kill Amber decisions are made, Amber fakes her death for her own protection. Decades later Jade is back with a vengeance, wanting to reclaim what she feels is rightfully hers.
The story moves at a fast pace, character driven, with chilling suspense. Twist, turns and secrets had me on the edge of my seat. With a few didn't-see-that coming moments I was hooked from the first page. A compelling, thought-provoking intense read.
Overall I found WHAT THE YEARS REMEMBER very enjoyable. Lisette Brodey knows how to grab you by the heart and not let go. I highly recommend to those who enjoy domestic thrillers.
October 15, 2024
The unputdownable psychological thriller “What the Years Remember” by Lisette Brodey transports readers to the broken world of fraternal twins Amber and Jade whose lives have drastically changed after a violent and betrayed upbringing. Twins split apart by an almost fatal jealousy act is the novel's unsettling premise, from which a complex web of suspense, anguish and emotional depth is woven.
The tale explores their opposite fortunes and is set against the settings of Los Angeles and New York City.
Now living under a new name Amber enjoys a perfect life that was planned to shield her from the twin who attempted to kill her. She lives with her husband, Michael, and their son.
However, the twin Jade continues to be a volatile character, her covetous personality spinning into a life of crime. After a failed robbery, Jade runs away to New York which heightens the tension as Amber has to face her wild sister.
The storyline becomes s a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Brodey writes in a piercing and unsettling style. Her psychological insights and rich descriptions combine to create a gripping story that immerses readers in a world where mistrust permeates every contact. Conversations between Amber and Michael in particular have a rhythm that reflects a relationship burdened by unsaid concerns and plagued by the shadows of Amber's past. The novel's eerie tone is enhanced by moments of black comedy that transform the ordinary into frightening.
The capacity of “What the Years Remember” to conflate sanity and insanity is its true strength.
The reader is left wondering about the motivations and actions of the characters—especially Amber's—thanks to Brodey's deft use of ambiguity. Is she really the helpless victim, or has she been subtly affected by her sister's evil? Because of Amber's disjointed thoughts and reliving of prior tragedies, there is a continuous sense of dread that heightens the psychological strain.
Long dialogue is frequently used to convey Amber's reflections on her trauma, but this does little to detract from the novel’s overall impact. The psychological weight, combined with a series of flashbacks and revelations, keeps the reader on edge, unraveling the story layer by layer.
Brodey also paints a vivid contrast between the opulence of California's Beverly Hills and the darkness of human greed and desperation. The setting is not just a backdrop, but a reflection of the inner turmoil of her characters, particularly Jade, whose fixation on wealth and status mirrors her unfulfilled desires. This juxtaposition of glamour and emotional bleakness lends a heightened sense of irony to the story—an outwardly beautiful world crumbling from within.
“What the Years Remember” grips you from the first page with its unpredictable plot and stylized narration. The psychological depth of the characters, particularly the twins’ complex, toxic relationship, is what sets this novel apart from typical thrillers. Brodey skillfully navigates the blurred line between right and wrong, leaving readers guessing not only what will happen next, but what it all truly means.
“What the Years Remember” is a brilliant exploration of family dynamics, envy, and survival. It captures the weight of unresolved trauma while maintaining a nerve-racking tension that will leave readers breathless. This is a novel that plays with your perceptions and keeps you turning the pages, uncertain of who to trust—even after the final twist has been revealed.
The tale explores their opposite fortunes and is set against the settings of Los Angeles and New York City.
Now living under a new name Amber enjoys a perfect life that was planned to shield her from the twin who attempted to kill her. She lives with her husband, Michael, and their son.
However, the twin Jade continues to be a volatile character, her covetous personality spinning into a life of crime. After a failed robbery, Jade runs away to New York which heightens the tension as Amber has to face her wild sister.
The storyline becomes s a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Brodey writes in a piercing and unsettling style. Her psychological insights and rich descriptions combine to create a gripping story that immerses readers in a world where mistrust permeates every contact. Conversations between Amber and Michael in particular have a rhythm that reflects a relationship burdened by unsaid concerns and plagued by the shadows of Amber's past. The novel's eerie tone is enhanced by moments of black comedy that transform the ordinary into frightening.
The capacity of “What the Years Remember” to conflate sanity and insanity is its true strength.
The reader is left wondering about the motivations and actions of the characters—especially Amber's—thanks to Brodey's deft use of ambiguity. Is she really the helpless victim, or has she been subtly affected by her sister's evil? Because of Amber's disjointed thoughts and reliving of prior tragedies, there is a continuous sense of dread that heightens the psychological strain.
Long dialogue is frequently used to convey Amber's reflections on her trauma, but this does little to detract from the novel’s overall impact. The psychological weight, combined with a series of flashbacks and revelations, keeps the reader on edge, unraveling the story layer by layer.
Brodey also paints a vivid contrast between the opulence of California's Beverly Hills and the darkness of human greed and desperation. The setting is not just a backdrop, but a reflection of the inner turmoil of her characters, particularly Jade, whose fixation on wealth and status mirrors her unfulfilled desires. This juxtaposition of glamour and emotional bleakness lends a heightened sense of irony to the story—an outwardly beautiful world crumbling from within.
“What the Years Remember” grips you from the first page with its unpredictable plot and stylized narration. The psychological depth of the characters, particularly the twins’ complex, toxic relationship, is what sets this novel apart from typical thrillers. Brodey skillfully navigates the blurred line between right and wrong, leaving readers guessing not only what will happen next, but what it all truly means.
“What the Years Remember” is a brilliant exploration of family dynamics, envy, and survival. It captures the weight of unresolved trauma while maintaining a nerve-racking tension that will leave readers breathless. This is a novel that plays with your perceptions and keeps you turning the pages, uncertain of who to trust—even after the final twist has been revealed.
October 16, 2024
The publication of a new Lisette Brodey novel is invariably one of the highlights of my year. Her YA books aside, I have read everything she has published and enjoyed it.
‘What the Years Remember’ starts with an intriguing opening, and the pace never slackens from then on.
“'Is she dead?'”
"Hmm. I turn to the thirty-something-year-old baby nanny who asked me the question. “I don’t know. How hard did you push her?” I stare at the well-dressed, unconscious woman who’s lying face down in the alley off the palm-tree-lined Beverly Hills street. Pools of blood from what must be a nasty gash to her head form a puddle to the right."
Over twenty years have elapsed since Amber last set eyes on her psychopathic sister Jade – a sister who tried to murder her. Jade was told at the time that Amber had died, but in fact she is alive, well, married, and living in New York. The city where Jade is headed.
The past never really leaves us…
Ms. Brodey provides us with a gripping tale of damage, jealousy and reluctant reunion, and as always has a few surprises in store.
‘Years’ is a well-articulated psychological thriller, emotionally engaging, and cunningly constructed. The fact that this dark novel is written in alternating first person POV lets you get deeply inside the heads of the main protagonists. And Jade will make your skin crawl. Guaranteed.
“I need to make sure that [her] fairytale life won’t ever be a happily-ever-after one. I shouldn’t have to think about her anymore. She needs to pay for having flaunted her money in front of me. Can’t wait to check that one off my list.”
And…
“I wish I could shove this unshaven mess to his death.”
See what I mean?
‘What the Years Remember’ starts with an intriguing opening, and the pace never slackens from then on.
“'Is she dead?'”
"Hmm. I turn to the thirty-something-year-old baby nanny who asked me the question. “I don’t know. How hard did you push her?” I stare at the well-dressed, unconscious woman who’s lying face down in the alley off the palm-tree-lined Beverly Hills street. Pools of blood from what must be a nasty gash to her head form a puddle to the right."
Over twenty years have elapsed since Amber last set eyes on her psychopathic sister Jade – a sister who tried to murder her. Jade was told at the time that Amber had died, but in fact she is alive, well, married, and living in New York. The city where Jade is headed.
The past never really leaves us…
Ms. Brodey provides us with a gripping tale of damage, jealousy and reluctant reunion, and as always has a few surprises in store.
‘Years’ is a well-articulated psychological thriller, emotionally engaging, and cunningly constructed. The fact that this dark novel is written in alternating first person POV lets you get deeply inside the heads of the main protagonists. And Jade will make your skin crawl. Guaranteed.
“I need to make sure that [her] fairytale life won’t ever be a happily-ever-after one. I shouldn’t have to think about her anymore. She needs to pay for having flaunted her money in front of me. Can’t wait to check that one off my list.”
And…
“I wish I could shove this unshaven mess to his death.”
See what I mean?
October 14, 2024
This was an intense, gripping, psychological suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happened next. Fraternal twins, Amber and Jade are nothing alike - not even a little. Jade is a psychopath and Amber is a loving daughter, wife, mother, and friend. The story starts with the memory of Jade trying to kill Amber (and Jade thinking her awful deed was a success). Years later, Jade's delusional psychosis goes into overdrive and she begins a quest to find her parents (who for their own safety changed their names) and a son who she thinks belongs to her. From that moment, everything she does centers on murder, manipulation, lies, deception, stealing, and using her body to get what she wants. The author touched on many sensitive subjects. I feel she handled them well. She exposed the dark emotions, experiences, and decay of Jade, and the fear she spawned in Amber, Michael, and her parents. While the story is filled with Jade's heinous behavior, there are also rays of light in the form of friends who aid Amber, Michael, their son Ben, and the parents. What the Years Remember touches on the things we store in the vault of our minds. Eventually that vault is crammed with so much stuff that it can't hold anything more. The vault bursts open and everything pours out. The conflict, twists, turns, array of emotions, and surprises were plentiful. This story is a well-written thousand-piece puzzle where the pieces finally fit together in a brilliant ending!
November 3, 2024
After reading and thoroughly enjoying several of Lisette Brodey’s books, I can say that this author cerainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and keep them engrossed until the very last page. The opening of this book does not disappoint as we dive into a murder scene in Los Angeles, during which we are introduced to the despicable Jade.
The story unfolds at a rapid pace as we learn that Jade has a fraternal twin, the kind and caring Amber. The two haven’t seen each other for twenty-three years, following Jade’s vicious attempt to kill Amber in a jealous rage. Desperate to keep Amber safe, their parents allow Jade to believe her attempt to kill her sister was successful. In order to do that, the family of four split up. Their father takes Amber to live with him in New York, whilst their mother takes Jade to Los Angeles.
Twenty-three years later, with a failed marriage behind her and her parents together again in New York City, the psychopathic Jade decides to head there and demand they take her in and give her what she believes is owed to her. After visiting and threatening relatives and former friends, with blistering rage consuming her, Jade sets out to destroy the people who have lied to her for so many years.
The final part of the narrative is vividly and beautifully constructed as the component threads are pulled together to create an explosive and revelational finale.
Overall, What the Years Remember is a well plotted, well written psychological suspense with superb characterisation, which I highly recommended.
The story unfolds at a rapid pace as we learn that Jade has a fraternal twin, the kind and caring Amber. The two haven’t seen each other for twenty-three years, following Jade’s vicious attempt to kill Amber in a jealous rage. Desperate to keep Amber safe, their parents allow Jade to believe her attempt to kill her sister was successful. In order to do that, the family of four split up. Their father takes Amber to live with him in New York, whilst their mother takes Jade to Los Angeles.
Twenty-three years later, with a failed marriage behind her and her parents together again in New York City, the psychopathic Jade decides to head there and demand they take her in and give her what she believes is owed to her. After visiting and threatening relatives and former friends, with blistering rage consuming her, Jade sets out to destroy the people who have lied to her for so many years.
The final part of the narrative is vividly and beautifully constructed as the component threads are pulled together to create an explosive and revelational finale.
Overall, What the Years Remember is a well plotted, well written psychological suspense with superb characterisation, which I highly recommended.
October 30, 2024
Envy and revenge spiral out of control in Author Brodey's latest thriller. Fraternal twins Jade and Amber have a seemingly ideal life, until unhinged jealousy drives a teenage Jade to kill her sister.
Unbeknownst to her, Amber survives and makes a frightening plea to her parents--she wants them to take her away and let Jade think she's died. In a heartbreaking twist, Amber's mother takes Jade to live in California, while her father takes Amber to New York City for a new life away from her evil twin's dangerous tendencies. Will the deceptive move work?
Fast forward twenty-three years. A bitter and deranged Jade is determined to go to New York to find her parents and take back the life she thinks she deserves, at any cost. Visits to childhood friends and family turn dangerous, and deadly. Dark secrets and memories emerge, with unexpected twists and turns. Author Brodey weaves a page-turning, psychological thriller that will leave you breathless! A highly recommended read!
Unbeknownst to her, Amber survives and makes a frightening plea to her parents--she wants them to take her away and let Jade think she's died. In a heartbreaking twist, Amber's mother takes Jade to live in California, while her father takes Amber to New York City for a new life away from her evil twin's dangerous tendencies. Will the deceptive move work?
Fast forward twenty-three years. A bitter and deranged Jade is determined to go to New York to find her parents and take back the life she thinks she deserves, at any cost. Visits to childhood friends and family turn dangerous, and deadly. Dark secrets and memories emerge, with unexpected twists and turns. Author Brodey weaves a page-turning, psychological thriller that will leave you breathless! A highly recommended read!
November 1, 2024
"What the Years Remember" is a new psychological thriller by author Lisette Brodey. The story centers around twins Jade and Amber, who were born with personalities as different as night and day...so much so that Amber and her parents have to fake her own death as a teenager to keep her safe from her sister. While this drastic separation holds until the girls grow into adults, all bets are off when an angry and dangerous Jade uncovers the truth. What follows is a twisty, dark game of cat and mouse in which Jade seems to take unhinged delight, while Amber is forced to learn to fight back and stand her ground. Dark secrets add to the tension of the story, leaving readers not wanting to put the book down until the very end. A highly entertaining read for lovers of psychological thrillers and suspense!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews