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brainpieces's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I loved this book! It felt well planned out and written. My only complaint is that because I listened to the audiobook, the way the timeline jumped around was hard to follow a few times. I don't think this would be a problem reading the book and being able to see the paragraph ends/page breaks.
cleoharper's review against another edition
3.0
I love a good YA thriller and this did not disappoint. I liked the addition of the text conversations, news articles, and interview transcripts. There were some fun plot twists, and I liked the characters.
*ARC provided by Netgalley for review*
*ARC provided by Netgalley for review*
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Loved reading this book, loved the mystery and how it turned out!
worldsunlikeourown's review against another edition
3.0
Find this review and more on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own.
3.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jenna Dallas is near the beach at dawn, taking photos as she usually does when she hears a cry for help, only to discover that it is Adam Cole, who has found a body in the water – Colleen O’Dell, who attends the same school as Jenna. The coastal town is shocked by the news, especially after it becomes clear that this was no accidental drowning. Jenna and all her friends are interviewed by the police in light of this revelation and when her best friend, becomes a key suspect, Jenna is determined to get to the bottom of things. As she examines the possible suspects, she is increasingly certain that the boys at Rookwood Reform School, where Adam is also a student, know more than they are letting on. Adam, meanwhile, is just trying to finish up his time at Rookwood and when Jenna starts digging, he wants no part of the drama. But as his friends begin to be investigated, trusting Jenna to find the culprit might be the only way to keep them safe.
I love a good murder mystery, so I could hardly pass this one by when I’d been hearing about it since the beginning of the year! The pace of the narrative was well maintained throughout and the story was an intriguing one from start to end, so much so that I read the entire thing in one go! However, I felt that there wasn’t too much about this book that particularly stood out – much of it felt like it was a script I’d seen before, intermixed with a lot of high school drama. The inclusion of the police interview transcripts were a nice touch though, as they gave the perspective of the characters that don’t have POVs. I didn’t see the point of the flashbacks initially, but they turned out to be key to the mystery later on. I also liked that there were so many possible scenarios that kept popping up and it was really hard to pin down any one suspect from a reader’s angle.
As far as the characters go, Jenna and Adam were solid protagonists and their POVs were easy to follow, giving us insight into the two major groups of people surrounding the mystery. Adam was quite interesting as it was rather obvious that he was hiding something right away and the story leaves that thread hanging for a while. I was hoping to get more of a backstory for both him and Jenna and some of the side characters as well, because they show up very frequently. Unfortunately, character development was this book’s major weak point. I found it really hard to connect to any of them and the romance, although quite minimal felt very unnecessary and out of place. There simply wasn’t enough time in the story to allow for it.
The ending was quite unpredictable, and personally I thought that there weren’t enough hints at who was behind the whole thing, so a more drawn out reveal would have really helped. Overall, this was a quick and easy read, and an entertaining one too. I think this book would be a great choice if you’re in the mood for a mystery that’s not overly complex or for any reader who is new to the mystery genre.
3.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jenna Dallas is near the beach at dawn, taking photos as she usually does when she hears a cry for help, only to discover that it is Adam Cole, who has found a body in the water – Colleen O’Dell, who attends the same school as Jenna. The coastal town is shocked by the news, especially after it becomes clear that this was no accidental drowning. Jenna and all her friends are interviewed by the police in light of this revelation and when her best friend, becomes a key suspect, Jenna is determined to get to the bottom of things. As she examines the possible suspects, she is increasingly certain that the boys at Rookwood Reform School, where Adam is also a student, know more than they are letting on. Adam, meanwhile, is just trying to finish up his time at Rookwood and when Jenna starts digging, he wants no part of the drama. But as his friends begin to be investigated, trusting Jenna to find the culprit might be the only way to keep them safe.
I love a good murder mystery, so I could hardly pass this one by when I’d been hearing about it since the beginning of the year! The pace of the narrative was well maintained throughout and the story was an intriguing one from start to end, so much so that I read the entire thing in one go! However, I felt that there wasn’t too much about this book that particularly stood out – much of it felt like it was a script I’d seen before, intermixed with a lot of high school drama. The inclusion of the police interview transcripts were a nice touch though, as they gave the perspective of the characters that don’t have POVs. I didn’t see the point of the flashbacks initially, but they turned out to be key to the mystery later on. I also liked that there were so many possible scenarios that kept popping up and it was really hard to pin down any one suspect from a reader’s angle.
As far as the characters go, Jenna and Adam were solid protagonists and their POVs were easy to follow, giving us insight into the two major groups of people surrounding the mystery. Adam was quite interesting as it was rather obvious that he was hiding something right away and the story leaves that thread hanging for a while. I was hoping to get more of a backstory for both him and Jenna and some of the side characters as well, because they show up very frequently. Unfortunately, character development was this book’s major weak point. I found it really hard to connect to any of them and the romance, although quite minimal felt very unnecessary and out of place. There simply wasn’t enough time in the story to allow for it.
The ending was quite unpredictable, and personally I thought that there weren’t enough hints at who was behind the whole thing, so a more drawn out reveal would have really helped. Overall, this was a quick and easy read, and an entertaining one too. I think this book would be a great choice if you’re in the mood for a mystery that’s not overly complex or for any reader who is new to the mystery genre.
letmeusethusapppls's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
barbistull's review against another edition
4.0
What a way for Jenna and Adam to start their separate morning--finding a dead body floating off shore. And what's worse is that the body is of Jenna's classmate, Colleen.
Despite how things appear, it is unclear to Jenna if Adam was involved in Colleen's death. Jenna's best friend Hollie, however, has somehow become suspect number one after a video of an argument between Hollie and Colleen is shared. With loyalty to the best friend she knew wouldn't hurt someone, Jenna launches her own investigation and we learn just how much she didn't know was going on right under her nose.
Who doesn't enjoy a form school for boys being just a hop, skip and a jump away from a girl's preparatory school?! It's almost always cause for a good time. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an e-arc for an honest review.
Despite how things appear, it is unclear to Jenna if Adam was involved in Colleen's death. Jenna's best friend Hollie, however, has somehow become suspect number one after a video of an argument between Hollie and Colleen is shared. With loyalty to the best friend she knew wouldn't hurt someone, Jenna launches her own investigation and we learn just how much she didn't know was going on right under her nose.
Who doesn't enjoy a form school for boys being just a hop, skip and a jump away from a girl's preparatory school?! It's almost always cause for a good time. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an e-arc for an honest review.
raeof_sunshinebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
ashleereads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ikler's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75