by Laura Tims

YA Mystery/Thriller, 2016 by HarperCollins, 352 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

Content warning: off page sexual assault, suicidal thoughts and actions, underage drinking
The two POV characters sounded too much alike in their voices. If you were dropped in a random chapter you’d be hard pressed to guess which girl’s chapter you were in.
Predictable. What was supposed to be a twist fell flat more than once because the reader had already guessed. As a mystery, this one missed the mark.

Solid opener. You’re sucked into the story right away. Following a main character who could be guilty is a fun, smart way to develop a story. We’re invested and so is she.
As a contemporary story about the after effects and consequences of sexual assault and underage drinking, this one works. It’s dark and grim and centers on a mystery, but the heart of this story is really a lesson in unhealthy coping. Where the mystery sort of lacks the brilliance of this one is in the contemporary lessons and heart-felt messages.
Levi is a solid character. His concept of understanding a person as they relate to someone else is brilliant. I wanted better for him than we got for this story.

Contemporary YA fans who like a hard hitting story (check those content warnings first) are the best audience for this one.

Although this is billed as a mystery, it falls flat for that readership. If, however, you are a hard-hitting contemporary YA reader, this might be a fast favorite.