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redwingschick95's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
shannyyomama's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
Definitely a good read! It’s always the boyfriend so that’s why I have it less stars. I almost was hoping it was Connor or Hope for something different but alas. Still good though. Definitely had me rethinking if he was dead or not throughout it.
the_joyful_book_club's review
4.0
"Do you believe it's over? Do you really think it's through? Find the silent people waiting. Find the lies he wrote for you."
From the start, I liked this book. The author did a great job of creating tension, and readers feel it in the first chapter. This story kept me entrenched in it and I was able to read it fairly quickly.
We are introduced to Cleo on her 18th birthday. She finds a mystery birthday gift after taking a shower and while slightly creeped out, since she was home alone and the gift was left on the bathroom counter while she showered, she assumes it's her best friend, Hope. Cleo loves solving mysteries and unraveling puzzles, but when she realizes the gift isn't from Hope, she becomes concerned.
The gift is a riddle, and the story follows Cleo and Hope as they chase down the riddles hidden all over town. Things take a turn when every riddle leads to a memory between Cleo and Declan. Although Declan has been dead for exactly a year, Cleo is still haunted by memories of him and their relationship.
This may be slightly spoiler-ish, but want to address this aspect of the story. There is clearly domestic violence between Cleo and Declan. As the story continues, we see flashbacks to these events. From my perspective, I appreciated that the author included this since teenagers experience this and maybe feel similar to Cleo, who wasn't entirely sure how to handle it or deal with her feelings after Declan's death.
The one big thing that I struggled with in this story was that it was YA. Some of the behavior felt too complex for teenagers. Especially when we find out the truth at the end. It just felt entirely unbelievable to me. I sort of wish this story had been told from an adult perspective, and sharing other characters' point-of-view would have created even more suspense.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It was an easy read, and I was hooked the entire time.
From the start, I liked this book. The author did a great job of creating tension, and readers feel it in the first chapter. This story kept me entrenched in it and I was able to read it fairly quickly.
We are introduced to Cleo on her 18th birthday. She finds a mystery birthday gift after taking a shower and while slightly creeped out, since she was home alone and the gift was left on the bathroom counter while she showered, she assumes it's her best friend, Hope. Cleo loves solving mysteries and unraveling puzzles, but when she realizes the gift isn't from Hope, she becomes concerned.
The gift is a riddle, and the story follows Cleo and Hope as they chase down the riddles hidden all over town. Things take a turn when every riddle leads to a memory between Cleo and Declan. Although Declan has been dead for exactly a year, Cleo is still haunted by memories of him and their relationship.
This may be slightly spoiler-ish, but want to address this aspect of the story. There is clearly domestic violence between Cleo and Declan. As the story continues, we see flashbacks to these events. From my perspective, I appreciated that the author included this since teenagers experience this and maybe feel similar to Cleo, who wasn't entirely sure how to handle it or deal with her feelings after Declan's death.
The one big thing that I struggled with in this story was that it was YA. Some of the behavior felt too complex for teenagers. Especially when we find out the truth at the end. It just felt entirely unbelievable to me. I sort of wish this story had been told from an adult perspective, and sharing other characters' point-of-view would have created even more suspense.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It was an easy read, and I was hooked the entire time.
alexfrieders's review
2.0
Great book for anyone who lives in Ohio and wants to be able to say “oh I’ve been there” a lot. Otherwise it’s a pretty generic mystery. My copy also had two paragraphs of editors notes typed into it so that was fun.
bright_books123's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
samanthas92's review
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
you see this one coming pretty earlier on but it was still a good readd
mollymcfly98's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0