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truequeenofchaos's review against another edition
5.0
A ten-point buck and a dead body make the same sound when they hit the forest floor.
A group of five extremely close boys, known as The River Point Boys, go on a hunting trip one weekend in their home state of Louisiana. What's the problem? Only four come back alive. None of the boys are talking, there's no DNA evidence, and the boys' wealthy fathers have the local judge in their pockets. With nothing to go on, the police have practically given up. But the case lands on the desk of an old district attorney, aka Kate's boss, and they start to dig deep to uncover the truth.
The mystery itself was so freaking well done, that for the first time in my life, I truly couldn't figure out who the bad guy was. I kept switching back and forth and coming up with all these different theories, so I was definitely full of suspense the whole time trying to figure it out. I was truly shocked by the ending, although it totally makes sense.
“If one of us goes down for this, it’ll be as bad as all of us going down for this,” I say. “We can’t let that happen.”
The characters were all so complex and layered that they felt very realistic. Every one of The River Point Boys had ulterior motives and seemed extremely sketchy and I am so here for that. I love morally grey or just "bad" characters in general plus it made the mystery that much harder to figure out. But even the MC, Kate, and the rest of the cast were all great as well.
This was my first time reading a novel by Ashley Elston but I absolutely loved her writing style. The writing itself really set the eerie mood and made the plot creepier than it already was. And my favorite thing about the entire novel was how it was narrated. Of course the majority of it was told from Kate's POV, and her perspective was highly enjoyable. But we also got to see video surveillance of the initial interrogations from the police of The River Point Boys. (Basically this part was done similarly to The Illuminae Files) But the absolute best thing about the narration is that we get a POV from the murderer!!!! But we don't know who he is. It was FANTASTIC.
Honestly the only issue I had with This Is Our Story was the romance, and even that was only minor. It flowed with the storyline well, but it seemed a little cliché. But that's my ONLY complaint.
“We’re in this together. We stick together.”
I lean forward and the other three do the same. Hovering over poor, dead Grant, I say, “Okay, this is our story…”
Characters - 17/20
Plot line - 16/16
Originality - 16/16
Writing Style - 15/16
Pace - 15/16
Ending - 15/16
94/100
5/5 stars
I'd highly recommend this novel to anyone! It's a highly enchanting thriller that definitely keeps you on your toes. I think anyone would like it.
A group of five extremely close boys, known as The River Point Boys, go on a hunting trip one weekend in their home state of Louisiana. What's the problem? Only four come back alive. None of the boys are talking, there's no DNA evidence, and the boys' wealthy fathers have the local judge in their pockets. With nothing to go on, the police have practically given up. But the case lands on the desk of an old district attorney, aka Kate's boss, and they start to dig deep to uncover the truth.
The mystery itself was so freaking well done, that for the first time in my life, I truly couldn't figure out who the bad guy was. I kept switching back and forth and coming up with all these different theories, so I was definitely full of suspense the whole time trying to figure it out. I was truly shocked by the ending, although it totally makes sense.
“If one of us goes down for this, it’ll be as bad as all of us going down for this,” I say. “We can’t let that happen.”
The characters were all so complex and layered that they felt very realistic. Every one of The River Point Boys had ulterior motives and seemed extremely sketchy and I am so here for that. I love morally grey or just "bad" characters in general plus it made the mystery that much harder to figure out. But even the MC, Kate, and the rest of the cast were all great as well.
This was my first time reading a novel by Ashley Elston but I absolutely loved her writing style. The writing itself really set the eerie mood and made the plot creepier than it already was. And my favorite thing about the entire novel was how it was narrated. Of course the majority of it was told from Kate's POV, and her perspective was highly enjoyable. But we also got to see video surveillance of the initial interrogations from the police of The River Point Boys. (Basically this part was done similarly to The Illuminae Files) But the absolute best thing about the narration is that we get a POV from the murderer!!!! But we don't know who he is. It was FANTASTIC.
Honestly the only issue I had with This Is Our Story was the romance, and even that was only minor. It flowed with the storyline well, but it seemed a little cliché. But that's my ONLY complaint.
“We’re in this together. We stick together.”
I lean forward and the other three do the same. Hovering over poor, dead Grant, I say, “Okay, this is our story…”
Characters - 17/20
Plot line - 16/16
Originality - 16/16
Writing Style - 15/16
Pace - 15/16
Ending - 15/16
94/100
5/5 stars
I'd highly recommend this novel to anyone! It's a highly enchanting thriller that definitely keeps you on your toes. I think anyone would like it.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
4.0
Ooooooh, what fun. I loved the characters, the premise and working the solution along with the main character. Did not figure it out on my own and it could have been any one of them.
bajablastqueer's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
starx444's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
thereadrose's review against another edition
4.0
11/8/16 (M/D/Y)
I am so excited for this book to be released. It's my most anticipated book of the year!
12/7/16
I really enjoyed this book! It was a great YA thriller and kept me on the edge of my seat! I'm not sure what I would add/change to this book, just something about it kept me from giving it five stars. It was a great book though and I definitely suggest you pick it up, like yesterday!
I am so excited for this book to be released. It's my most anticipated book of the year!
12/7/16
I really enjoyed this book! It was a great YA thriller and kept me on the edge of my seat! I'm not sure what I would add/change to this book, just something about it kept me from giving it five stars. It was a great book though and I definitely suggest you pick it up, like yesterday!
lilythebibliophile's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
If you know me, then you know that I am very picky when it comes to YA mysteries, and I am so happy I enjoyed this one as much as I did! After reading this book, I know I'll be picking up all of Ashley Elston's previous (and future) mystery titles.
♢ I loved this book because it was so innovative. The beginning vignette from the boys' perspective draws you in, and I loved how it characterized the boys as being one singular unit rather than individual people.
♢ Also, I have never read a YA legal thriller before. I'm not sure if any more of them even exist. It was fresh and fun to read from the perspective of Kate as she investigated the murder with full support from the assistant District Attorney she worked for.
♢ I also LOVED the ephemera in this book, especially the transcripts of the interviews with the suspects and witnesses. The addition of the body language commentary from Kate was impeccable. It was novel to me, added more to the story, and felt well-placed.
♢ Usually, text conversations between love interests can feel trite to me, but here, they felt natural and I understood why Kate would feel the way she did towards her love interest.
♢ The plot of this novel is compelling because it is just so well done. Each chapter propelled the plot forward in a delightfully unexpected way, and the little mysteries and reveals woven into the story were well-thought-out and didn't rely on tired, overused YA mystery tropes (no student-teacher affairs, here, guys!) Ashley Elston found a way to create a secret for each member of the River Point Boys that was unique, and I deeply appreciate that.
♢ I also loved the red herring in the boys' segments. IYKYK.
♢ I was surprised by how much I ADORED the romance in this book. Usually, romance subplots in YA mystery novels feel unnecessary to me, but I was grinning and giggling in public while I was listening to this audiobook.
♢ I loved the way Kate andShep's connection unfolded naturally and Kate's belief in Shep's innocence did not feel forced. It gave me all the feelings a first love should give; anticipation, butterflies, and an innocent I-cannot-believe-this-is-happening-even-though-of-course-it-is feeling.
♢ Truly, all of the character relationships here felt believable. Kate and Stone, Kate and her mom, Kate and Reagan; even Kate and Pat's relationship felt authentic and true. I felt like I got a full picture of Kate's life and the people in it with a few carefully-crafted sentences placed here and there.
♢ Overall, YA mysteries are just so much better when they subvert all the usual tropes, and when they don't have a standoff with the killer where the protagonist is in danger. The fear that the standoff would come (because it almost always does) was enough to keep the ending exciting.
♢ This book felt cozy in a way, because the legal aspect of it kept the story grounded and exciting without being overly-sensational or dramatized. Most of the characters in the novel are morally good and trying to do the right thing, so that was nice. It was also pleasantly atmospheric due to its consistent writing.
♢ The reveal at the end was deeply satisfying. I wouldn't have wanted the book to end any other way. Ashley Elston could've gone one way, but she decided to give the mystery even more layers and I loved it.
♢ My only minor gripe with the story is that Kate didn't seem to have that much of a distinct voice to me. She was obviously smart and caring, and I understood her life and relationships, but I was missing that little bit of added depth that would make her a truly memorable narrator. I can excuse this, though, because I enjoyed the book so much.
♢ I loved this book because it was so innovative. The beginning vignette from the boys' perspective draws you in, and I loved how it characterized the boys as being one singular unit rather than individual people.
♢ Also, I have never read a YA legal thriller before. I'm not sure if any more of them even exist. It was fresh and fun to read from the perspective of Kate as she investigated the murder with full support from the assistant District Attorney she worked for.
♢ I also LOVED the ephemera in this book, especially the transcripts of the interviews with the suspects and witnesses. The addition of the body language commentary from Kate was impeccable. It was novel to me, added more to the story, and felt well-placed.
♢ Usually, text conversations between love interests can feel trite to me, but here, they felt natural and I understood why Kate would feel the way she did towards her love interest.
♢ The plot of this novel is compelling because it is just so well done. Each chapter propelled the plot forward in a delightfully unexpected way, and the little mysteries and reveals woven into the story were well-thought-out and didn't rely on tired, overused YA mystery tropes (no student-teacher affairs, here, guys!) Ashley Elston found a way to create a secret for each member of the River Point Boys that was unique, and I deeply appreciate that.
♢ I also loved the red herring in the boys' segments. IYKYK.
♢ I was surprised by how much I ADORED the romance in this book. Usually, romance subplots in YA mystery novels feel unnecessary to me, but I was grinning and giggling in public while I was listening to this audiobook.
♢ I loved the way Kate and
♢ Truly, all of the character relationships here felt believable. Kate and Stone, Kate and her mom, Kate and Reagan; even Kate and Pat's relationship felt authentic and true. I felt like I got a full picture of Kate's life and the people in it with a few carefully-crafted sentences placed here and there.
♢ Overall, YA mysteries are just so much better when they
♢ This book felt cozy in a way, because the legal aspect of it kept the story grounded and exciting without being overly-sensational or dramatized. Most of the characters in the novel are morally good and trying to do the right thing, so that was nice. It was also pleasantly atmospheric due to its consistent writing.
♢ The reveal at the end was deeply satisfying. I wouldn't have wanted the book to end any other way. Ashley Elston could've gone one way, but she decided to give the mystery even more layers and I loved it.
♢ My only minor gripe with the story is that Kate didn't seem to have that much of a distinct voice to me. She was obviously smart and caring, and I understood her life and relationships, but I was missing that little bit of added depth that would make her a truly memorable narrator. I can excuse this, though, because I enjoyed the book so much.
lucyg1805's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
girlinthepages's review against another edition
4.0
There's nothing like reading a book set in autumn during the actual autumn season, and This is Our Story was my quintessential fall read this year. Though published back in 2016, the book has been on my radar since Kristin recommended it a few years back in her Autumn Book Recommendations video. Her recommendation plus the beautifully haunting cover made it a book that survived on my "Want to Read" shelf during my recent Goodreads reorganization and I'm so glad that I finally got around to it this year!
Similarly to what Kristin mentions in her video (which I had actually completely forgotten about since I watched her video two years ago), the book gave me major Raven Boys vibes but with a contemporary setting. The book follows Kate, a high school senior who works part time at her local DA's office, who becomes involved with the case of the murder of a local private school student who is shot while hunting in the woods with his four wealthy friends. Kate becomes obsessed within finding out who shot him and bringing the person to justice, while becoming deeply involved in the investigation and entangled in the boys' private lives as well. They are privileged, secretive and have a brother-like relationship while each bringing something different to the group, which is likely what led to the Raven Boys vibes.
For some reason (probably because I am terrible at reading the synopsis of a book after initially adding it to my TBR) I didn't expect this book to be as much of a legal thriller as it was, which I really enjoyed (I love courtroom dramas). It had a very autumnal setting with the woods and the hunting lodge that the group of boys always frequented, and a dark tone ran throughout the narrative, with Kate finding out about a lot of shady things that were going on as she investigates, even if not directly related to the murder (the seedy underbelly of wealth and privilege, etc). The narrative was also a mixture of traditional prose, text messages, transcripts from the investigation, and a few excerpts from the killer's POV. I tend to enjoy a mixed media format and it really felt like I was uncovering different elements of the case along with Kate.
Alongside figuring out who killed Grant (the boy who didn't come back from the woods during that hunting trip), there's sort of a parallel plot going on with Kate finding out exactly the kind of person Grant was and reconciling that with what she thought she knew about him and his friends. There were definitely some disturbing revelations behind some of the characters' motivations and personalities that were made, but I appreciated that it kept things suspended in a grey area and showcased that neither the boys nor the other students who became involved in their situation (fellows students, folks at the parties that took place at the hunting lodge, etc) were all good or all bad and all were suggestible to manipulation. I never felt like I could trust what any of the characters were saying or doing and that unreliable quality is perfect in a mystery novel.
My one complaint about the story is that it often felt like Kate was making very bad choices and obvious mistakes that helped move the plot along. There were so many things she did/said as a result of the knowledge she had working on the case that I'm pretty sure were illegal at worst or severely breaching confidentiality at best. Some elements also felt rather convenient or just implausible, such as using a burner phone to text one of the main characters under suspicion (like his phone wouldn't be monitored) or constantly photographing the boys and getting caught or finding evidence obtained by trespassing. Don't get me wrong, the story was great but a lot of the resolution felt like it depended on a few things that weren't very realistic and/or ethical.
Overall: This is Our Story is an atmospheric YA mystery that focuses on the legal processes and proceedings involved and is overall an engaging read. Though it could feel a bit slow in pace or improbably in plot at times, I enjoyed it and can't wait to read the author's other novels.This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
Similarly to what Kristin mentions in her video (which I had actually completely forgotten about since I watched her video two years ago), the book gave me major Raven Boys vibes but with a contemporary setting. The book follows Kate, a high school senior who works part time at her local DA's office, who becomes involved with the case of the murder of a local private school student who is shot while hunting in the woods with his four wealthy friends. Kate becomes obsessed within finding out who shot him and bringing the person to justice, while becoming deeply involved in the investigation and entangled in the boys' private lives as well. They are privileged, secretive and have a brother-like relationship while each bringing something different to the group, which is likely what led to the Raven Boys vibes.
For some reason (probably because I am terrible at reading the synopsis of a book after initially adding it to my TBR) I didn't expect this book to be as much of a legal thriller as it was, which I really enjoyed (I love courtroom dramas). It had a very autumnal setting with the woods and the hunting lodge that the group of boys always frequented, and a dark tone ran throughout the narrative, with Kate finding out about a lot of shady things that were going on as she investigates, even if not directly related to the murder (the seedy underbelly of wealth and privilege, etc). The narrative was also a mixture of traditional prose, text messages, transcripts from the investigation, and a few excerpts from the killer's POV. I tend to enjoy a mixed media format and it really felt like I was uncovering different elements of the case along with Kate.
Alongside figuring out who killed Grant (the boy who didn't come back from the woods during that hunting trip), there's sort of a parallel plot going on with Kate finding out exactly the kind of person Grant was and reconciling that with what she thought she knew about him and his friends. There were definitely some disturbing revelations behind some of the characters' motivations and personalities that were made, but I appreciated that it kept things suspended in a grey area and showcased that neither the boys nor the other students who became involved in their situation (fellows students, folks at the parties that took place at the hunting lodge, etc) were all good or all bad and all were suggestible to manipulation. I never felt like I could trust what any of the characters were saying or doing and that unreliable quality is perfect in a mystery novel.
My one complaint about the story is that it often felt like Kate was making very bad choices and obvious mistakes that helped move the plot along. There were so many things she did/said as a result of the knowledge she had working on the case that I'm pretty sure were illegal at worst or severely breaching confidentiality at best. Some elements also felt rather convenient or just implausible, such as using a burner phone to text one of the main characters under suspicion (like his phone wouldn't be monitored) or constantly photographing the boys and getting caught or finding evidence obtained by trespassing. Don't get me wrong, the story was great but a lot of the resolution felt like it depended on a few things that weren't very realistic and/or ethical.
Overall: This is Our Story is an atmospheric YA mystery that focuses on the legal processes and proceedings involved and is overall an engaging read. Though it could feel a bit slow in pace or improbably in plot at times, I enjoyed it and can't wait to read the author's other novels.This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
annalisenak97's review against another edition
4.0
Oops I read this whole thing in two hours
Mystery really isn't my thing, but the slow burn in this story was excellent, and the twists were really gripping. Even the legal thriller parts (even less my thing) were very entertaining. The love story in the middle of it all was real cute and I am a big fan of these characters.
Mystery really isn't my thing, but the slow burn in this story was excellent, and the twists were really gripping. Even the legal thriller parts (even less my thing) were very entertaining. The love story in the middle of it all was real cute and I am a big fan of these characters.
situationnormal's review against another edition
3.0
This was a really fast read (I read the majority on a plane) and I enjoyed flying through it. That said, I didn't get very attached to any of the characters and I found the plot twists a little predictable. Overall, I think it's a fun read if you want something quick, but not if you're looking for a ton of substance.