As seen on my blog: 
 3.5 STARS 
 I felt like I was trapped inside of an extremely small hole as I read this book. From Clarissa's first words, I felt imminent danger, and an irrepressible need to climb out for air. The tone was set, straight away, in 
 The Book of You 
 , and it was one of a suffocating tension, of good ol' spine chilling, shadow lurking, FEAR. This was definitely one of those books that held you precariously close to the edge, and watched you try to thrash yourself to safety. 
 Rafe. The cause of every spark of negative emotion within Clarissa's being. Rafe. A man she once welcomed a little too closely into her life. Rafe. Someone who has now dangerously obsessed with her. Rafe. Clarissa's stalker. That was my attempt at a suspenseful synopsis. 
 The Book of You 
 is written from Clarissa's perspective, alternating between journal entries addressing Rafe, and Clarissa's real time, day-to-day life. Rafe is a constant presence in Clarissa's life, whether physically, in her nightmares, or in the little "gifts" he has taken to leaving for her: letters, ballet tickets, notes, rings. With no one else to turn to for help, Clarissa begins to collect, and document, evidence of Rafe's infatuation. When she starts a 8-week jury duty position, she can't thank her lucky stars enough. Surely she's safe there, and out of his reach. Surely he can't turn the few people in her life, against her. Surely..someone is going to believe her when she finally starts speaking out... 
 The Book of You 
 was appropriately named. It was completely woven through with a Rafe's presence: his voice, his body, and his disturbingly specific involvement in Clarissa's life. I fell asleep some nights, half expecting to awake, and find him standing in the dark by my bed. Claire Kendal did such a great job of creating an extremely stifling atmosphere. I was just as desperate as Clarissa to find a way to shake his grip, to alert SOMEBODY of what this man was doing to her. The characters were few in this book, but each person played such an important role, especially when it came to the manipulation, whether intentional or not, of Clarissa's state of mind. 
 I wouldn't rate 
 The Book of You 
 as a highly successful psychological thriller, but it definitely achieved what it set out to do, which was to realistically portray the VERY REAL dangers of someone with an unhealthy attachment. It's obvious that Rafe was crafted to be a step above your average stalker-his attention to detail, and calculated movements, were sometimes a little too much. But with similar situations happening just outside your door, 
 The Book of You 
 will seep into your brain like a poison, and have you begging for an antidote. 
 Recommended for fans of: Psychological Thrillers, Gillian Flynn, Elizabeth Haynes, S.J. Watson, 
 The Silence of the Lambs