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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Couldn't connect with the characters enough to get into the plot - the pace slowed a lot after the inciting incident
dark
tense
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love reading Kelley Armstrong. And I was very excited to get a ARC digital copy from NetGalley!
This book was a fun easy read. I like the general idea of the book but I am going to be honest after about 3 quarters of the book I was ready for it to end. There are just some issues in the book that are so unbelievable to me that made me question what the heck I was reading from time to time. Having said that I did like reading this book and the end wrapped up nicely.
This book was a fun easy read. I like the general idea of the book but I am going to be honest after about 3 quarters of the book I was ready for it to end. There are just some issues in the book that are so unbelievable to me that made me question what the heck I was reading from time to time. Having said that I did like reading this book and the end wrapped up nicely.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC of this book!
I picked this book up, and it pulled me in almost immediately. I was flying through the pages to get more information and find out who was behind everything. I ended up giving this book four stars and would definitely recommend it.
There are some spoilers after this point.
The book starts with an introduction to the dynamic between Tucker and Blythe that define most of their interactions for the rest of the book, and then we’re straight into the action. Things start getting weird when one of Blythe’s friends seems to suffer what people refer to as everything from a mental health episode to a psychotic break, becoming paranoid about the school’s security cameras and talking about how her parents aren’t truly her parents. It peaks when Gabi murders the vice principal of the school with Blythe watching, before hitting Blythe in the head with the same trophy and disappearing. This sets off a whole chain of events that leads Blythe, Tucker, and Tanya to uncover the answers behind why they, and some of the people around them, are having strange memories and dreams.
I thought the way we’re introduced to what’s happening was great. There wasn’t any waiting around while small, strange things happened. The first sign that something was wrong was everything going terribly wrong in one go. It only gets more out of hand from there, but Kelley Armstrong wrote it in a way where not a single discovery seemed like it had come out of nowhere. Even a comment from a side character that I initially brushed off ended up being incredibly important to the plot and the big reveal at the end of the book.
Despite the plot ending up very close to literal brainwashing territory, I just accepted everything because it felt like it fit into the natural progression of the story.
All in all, if you’re a fan of Karen M McManus with a bit of Phoenix Files, I would recommend this book to you. It was a fairly quick read with action from the very beginning and it continues pretty consistently right until the end. I think it’s a book that will hold up to rereads, especially since I was flying through it so quickly that I probably missed a few details that I’ll find next time. This was a super fun read, and I’m super glad I got to read it before it came out. I will probably be talking about it for a while in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault
Minor: Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's been a bit since I've read anything from Kelley Armstrong, but when I read the summary, I was instantly intrigued.
A young adult psychological thriller with a sci-fi twist? Yes, please!
When Blythe and her friends witness an unexpected outburst at their school, they'll soon discover their memories of the event, and what's to follow doesn't make sense. As they learn the truth, they're left with the question of how far they are willing to go to save their classmates?
My only true complaint would be not knowing this would be a new series, but in truth, I should have realized the possibility as that aligns with Kelley's writing style.
A young adult psychological thriller with a sci-fi twist? Yes, please!
When Blythe and her friends witness an unexpected outburst at their school, they'll soon discover their memories of the event, and what's to follow doesn't make sense. As they learn the truth, they're left with the question of how far they are willing to go to save their classmates?
My only true complaint would be not knowing this would be a new series, but in truth, I should have realized the possibility as that aligns with Kelley's writing style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This had a very high plot for a thriller. The setting and environment is very specific but once you've figured out the situation that our main characters are living in, it is a very interesting mystery. The ending did feel a little anticlimactic for me but it was overall very well told and a very interesting read! I really enjoyed the complicated dynamic between the main friends and how they worked together (and against each other) to solve the mystery of their friend's disappearance. I'm very excited to see what the author does next!
(this book was provided to me as an Advanced Reader's Copy by the publisher through netgalley)
(this book was provided to me as an Advanced Reader's Copy by the publisher through netgalley)
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The story seemed promising to me. We follow Blythe, a teenage girl that loves following the rules. She witnesses her friend have a mental breakdown and attack a teacher. The next day, she can't remember what happened but has "invasive thoughts" about events she thinks she is hallucinating. She and her friends investigate, and it seems everyone has a hidden truth, something that was concealed from them.
While I enjoyed the story at first, it was intriguing, and though it started slowly, the pace picked up after the first third of the book. It is well written, but the author insists on some elements for no apparent reason (so many recurring headaches/migraines at the beginning that are never mentioned afterward). It could have tied to the story, but no. It was just a random characteristic repeated over and over.
At first, I was interested in seeing where the story was going and how the characters evolve, but I stopped caring for them at one point. They felt unidimensional, like puppets serving the author, and weren't allowed any character development.
Still, I kept wanting to know what would happen next. Overall, it is a good story, sometimes rushed a little, but it kept my attention. It is nothing groundbreaking, but it was a good read.
The story seemed promising to me. We follow Blythe, a teenage girl that loves following the rules. She witnesses her friend have a mental breakdown and attack a teacher. The next day, she can't remember what happened but has "invasive thoughts" about events she thinks she is hallucinating. She and her friends investigate, and it seems everyone has a hidden truth, something that was concealed from them.
While I enjoyed the story at first, it was intriguing, and though it started slowly, the pace picked up after the first third of the book. It is well written, but the author insists on some elements for no apparent reason (so many recurring headaches/migraines at the beginning that are never mentioned afterward). It could have tied to the story, but no. It was just a random characteristic repeated over and over.
At first, I was interested in seeing where the story was going and how the characters evolve, but I stopped caring for them at one point. They felt unidimensional, like puppets serving the author, and weren't allowed any character development.
Still, I kept wanting to know what would happen next. Overall, it is a good story, sometimes rushed a little, but it kept my attention. It is nothing groundbreaking, but it was a good read.