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Someone Is Always Watching
Their lives are a lie. Their memories may not be real. A new young adult psychological thriller by #1 NYT bestselling author, Kelley Armstrong.
Blythe and her friends — Gabrielle, and brother and sister Tucker and Tanya — have always been a tight friend group, attending a local high school and falling in and out of love with each other. But an act of violence has caused a rift between Blythe and Tucker . . . and unexpected bursts of aggression and disturbing nightmares have started to become more frequent in their lives.
The strange happenings culminate in a shocking event at Gabrielle is found covered in blood in front of their deceased principal, with no memory of what happened.
Cracks in their friendship, as well as in their own memories, start appearing, threatening to expose long-forgotten secrets which could change the group’s lives forever. How can Blythe and her friends trust each other when they can’t even trust their own memories?
Blythe and her friends — Gabrielle, and brother and sister Tucker and Tanya — have always been a tight friend group, attending a local high school and falling in and out of love with each other. But an act of violence has caused a rift between Blythe and Tucker . . . and unexpected bursts of aggression and disturbing nightmares have started to become more frequent in their lives.
The strange happenings culminate in a shocking event at Gabrielle is found covered in blood in front of their deceased principal, with no memory of what happened.
Cracks in their friendship, as well as in their own memories, start appearing, threatening to expose long-forgotten secrets which could change the group’s lives forever. How can Blythe and her friends trust each other when they can’t even trust their own memories?
360 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2023
355 people are currently reading
24875 people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
302 books33.5k followersKelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,197 reviews
May 4, 2023
Alright, look: if you can suspend your disbelief and are okay with over the top wild plot lines, this one is a home run. If you can, I recommend going in blind and reading no reviews, including this one. Alas, I did not realize that this was going to be outside of the usual, normal realm (trying to be careful with my words and avoid spoilers), so once I caught on in the first few chapters, I adjusted my expectations accordingly. An interesting take on this trope, with twists and turns galore. A YA popcorn thriller from one of my favorite authors of our time, it wasn’t my favorite Kelley Armstrong novel, but still a worthy, quick read.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
March 17, 2023
I had pretty high expectations going into this book. I haven’t read the author’s other work but I’m aware of her. And the synopsis made it seem like this book would be right up my alley. At the beginning, I was certain this was going to be a five-star read for me. We had a girl behaving irrationally, with paranoia over being watched on the school security cameras to the point she is willing to murder her vice principal or kill herself to escape them. Mix in some nonconsensual memory-erasure and a concern that the people raising the teen characters are not their actual biological parents, and you have the makings of an incredible sci-fi thriller. I was so ready for this to be my next favorite book.
But then it turned out the teens had the whole plot figured out in practically the first quarter of the book. There was nothing for the reader to figure out, no clues doled out to allow us to put together the puzzle pieces and figure out what was going on. The story devolved into the teens hashing and rehashing their theories over and over, and the plot became convoluted. By the end it sounded like they were just trying to force the pieces together to fit a story that really didn’t make sense. In the end there was no government conspiracy, no evil organization. Characters died for no real purpose other than unfortunate little accidents. Some characters had no point or purpose in the story other than to solve what appeared to be problems on the author’s end. For example, there are several mentions made of a character named Andre, who is part of the main characters’ friend group. Except he never actually appears in the book save for one brief moment where he hands a razor blade to another character to be used as a weapon later. Could she not have gotten a razor blade from anywhere else? I don’t understand why Andre was even in the book. There is also a scene where the teens steal some encrypted files, and they reach out to a teen whose sole purpose in the book was to decrypt those files. Cassidy actually had a very interesting role to play in the beginning, as the main character’s younger sister’s love interest, and she had a backstory about being trapped in a religious organization with homophobic, abusive parents. But once she decrypts the files for the main character, she is never seen again. She served her purpose and the character was then just dropped from the book, same as Andre.
Speaking of stealing classified files, my largest problem with this book is that, despite being called “Someone is Always Watching,” it turns out nobody was ever watching! I imagined that since all the main characters were teenagers involuntarily being experimented on, that they would be closely monitored. But they freely spy, break and enter, and steal without consequence or really any fear of being caught. It was just too easy for them to go sneaking around and Gabrielle’s whole hangup about security cameras, which were expected to play a huge role in the story that took its title from that issue, turned out to just be Gabrielle’s personal issue from childhood and had nothing to do with anybody else and never really came into play after the inciting incident. The adults in the story never have any idea what’s going on, even with their own children. Absent adults are often a problematic issue in YA books, but in this case it was an especially questionable choice because they were supposed to be scientists running an experiment, and they had absolutely no clue what was happening with their subjects at any point in the book.
The first quarter of the book felt really polished, fleshed-out and filled with what I expected to be clues to unlocking the big mystery behind the rest of the book. But the longer I read, the more convoluted and rushed the story felt. The beginning feels like a finished product, but everything after the halfway mark feels like a first draft still pending editing. Suddenly a lot of things seemed to just be summarized instead of the reader getting to see the scenes fully play out, more like an outline was being drafted than the second half of a book being written. Devon kidnapped Gabrielle, but she suddenly pops out of nowhere in the final scene, and the reader never knows how she was kidnapped, from where, where she’d been held or how. The biggest mystery in the book revolved around “where’s Gabrielle and who took her?” and we actually never find out those things.
I was confused as to why one character's perspective was written in first-person but everyone else's chapters were written in third. I didn't notice at first, but once I did, it felt distracting. I liked reading from Blythe's perspective the best because she felt like the most fully-realized character, but it also made me not care about the other characters as much because there was an obvious focus on Blythe.
I was also distracted by the names of the siblings, Tanya and Tucker. I couldn't help think about country music singer Tanya Tucker every time. Was that an intentional reference? If so, maybe some clues should be sprinkled into the story. Maybe their dad is a big Tanya Tucker fan. Otherwise, it was distracting and didn't make sense.
I also noted some dated language, like when the main character uses the word “ticker-tape.” I had no idea what that is, and I’m in my 40s. Google explained the concept to me but said the word had fallen out of use by 1970. So I don’t understand why teens would be using a word like that, or how teens today would be expected to understand it when they see it.
I feel like there are good bones and serious potential to this book but they need fleshing out. I was very invested in the beginning, but the more I read, the less I enjoyed it. In its current state I would not be able to recommend this book and I would not purchase a copy to reread it.
But then it turned out the teens had the whole plot figured out in practically the first quarter of the book. There was nothing for the reader to figure out, no clues doled out to allow us to put together the puzzle pieces and figure out what was going on. The story devolved into the teens hashing and rehashing their theories over and over, and the plot became convoluted. By the end it sounded like they were just trying to force the pieces together to fit a story that really didn’t make sense. In the end there was no government conspiracy, no evil organization. Characters died for no real purpose other than unfortunate little accidents. Some characters had no point or purpose in the story other than to solve what appeared to be problems on the author’s end. For example, there are several mentions made of a character named Andre, who is part of the main characters’ friend group. Except he never actually appears in the book save for one brief moment where he hands a razor blade to another character to be used as a weapon later. Could she not have gotten a razor blade from anywhere else? I don’t understand why Andre was even in the book. There is also a scene where the teens steal some encrypted files, and they reach out to a teen whose sole purpose in the book was to decrypt those files. Cassidy actually had a very interesting role to play in the beginning, as the main character’s younger sister’s love interest, and she had a backstory about being trapped in a religious organization with homophobic, abusive parents. But once she decrypts the files for the main character, she is never seen again. She served her purpose and the character was then just dropped from the book, same as Andre.
Speaking of stealing classified files, my largest problem with this book is that, despite being called “Someone is Always Watching,” it turns out nobody was ever watching! I imagined that since all the main characters were teenagers involuntarily being experimented on, that they would be closely monitored. But they freely spy, break and enter, and steal without consequence or really any fear of being caught. It was just too easy for them to go sneaking around and Gabrielle’s whole hangup about security cameras, which were expected to play a huge role in the story that took its title from that issue, turned out to just be Gabrielle’s personal issue from childhood and had nothing to do with anybody else and never really came into play after the inciting incident. The adults in the story never have any idea what’s going on, even with their own children. Absent adults are often a problematic issue in YA books, but in this case it was an especially questionable choice because they were supposed to be scientists running an experiment, and they had absolutely no clue what was happening with their subjects at any point in the book.
The first quarter of the book felt really polished, fleshed-out and filled with what I expected to be clues to unlocking the big mystery behind the rest of the book. But the longer I read, the more convoluted and rushed the story felt. The beginning feels like a finished product, but everything after the halfway mark feels like a first draft still pending editing. Suddenly a lot of things seemed to just be summarized instead of the reader getting to see the scenes fully play out, more like an outline was being drafted than the second half of a book being written. Devon kidnapped Gabrielle, but she suddenly pops out of nowhere in the final scene, and the reader never knows how she was kidnapped, from where, where she’d been held or how. The biggest mystery in the book revolved around “where’s Gabrielle and who took her?” and we actually never find out those things.
I was confused as to why one character's perspective was written in first-person but everyone else's chapters were written in third. I didn't notice at first, but once I did, it felt distracting. I liked reading from Blythe's perspective the best because she felt like the most fully-realized character, but it also made me not care about the other characters as much because there was an obvious focus on Blythe.
I was also distracted by the names of the siblings, Tanya and Tucker. I couldn't help think about country music singer Tanya Tucker every time. Was that an intentional reference? If so, maybe some clues should be sprinkled into the story. Maybe their dad is a big Tanya Tucker fan. Otherwise, it was distracting and didn't make sense.
I also noted some dated language, like when the main character uses the word “ticker-tape.” I had no idea what that is, and I’m in my 40s. Google explained the concept to me but said the word had fallen out of use by 1970. So I don’t understand why teens would be using a word like that, or how teens today would be expected to understand it when they see it.
I feel like there are good bones and serious potential to this book but they need fleshing out. I was very invested in the beginning, but the more I read, the less I enjoyed it. In its current state I would not be able to recommend this book and I would not purchase a copy to reread it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2022
This is exactly my kind of thriller. Focused on the psychology and relationships, without being too slow. A mystery to figure out, without a surplus of impossible red herrings.
This book follows Blythe, a teenage girl that loves following the rules. Blythe witnesses her friend have a mental breakdown and attack a teacher. The next day, she's met with memory loss and gaslighting at every turn.
Blythe and her band of (dysfunctional) friends investigate, but surprises lurk at every turn. It seems like everyone has a skeleton in their closet, no one is fully trustworthy, and every relationship is one reveal away from toppling.
For Blythe, she's in situations where it might be worth it to break the rules, if it means getting to the bottom of this web.
In the beginning, I loved this book because of the characters. Blythe and her best friend have recently had a mysterious falling out, and I was curious to see what it was. As the plot unfolded, it hooked me and kept me in its clutches until the very end. This book weaved together the relationships and the thrilling attacks perfectly.
This book deals poignantly with themes of what shapes a person (their memories, how others treat them).
A review video including this book will appear on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://www.youtube.com/chloefrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra books for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
This book follows Blythe, a teenage girl that loves following the rules. Blythe witnesses her friend have a mental breakdown and attack a teacher. The next day, she's met with memory loss and gaslighting at every turn.
Blythe and her band of (dysfunctional) friends investigate, but surprises lurk at every turn. It seems like everyone has a skeleton in their closet, no one is fully trustworthy, and every relationship is one reveal away from toppling.
For Blythe, she's in situations where it might be worth it to break the rules, if it means getting to the bottom of this web.
In the beginning, I loved this book because of the characters. Blythe and her best friend have recently had a mysterious falling out, and I was curious to see what it was. As the plot unfolded, it hooked me and kept me in its clutches until the very end. This book weaved together the relationships and the thrilling attacks perfectly.
This book deals poignantly with themes of what shapes a person (their memories, how others treat them).
A review video including this book will appear on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://www.youtube.com/chloefrizzle
Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra books for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
August 29, 2022
4.5 Stars
It's not a secret that I adore just about any book that Armstrong writes and I jump at every opportunity to read them. Something about her writing is just so engaging and downright magical. I am always being transported to a different place and experience and sometimes even to a different time.
She makes the impossible possible and all of her stories are so believable and fun.
Her latest is no exception. I absolutely was sucked in from the very first mysterious chapter and before long I was completely hooked and needed to know what was going to happen next and more importantly, what was real and what wasn't.
This kept me eagerly turning the pages and i loved every minute of it! I don't read a lot of YA anymore but this was completely worth it and I'm so glad I did. Definitely a story that will stick with me and make me wonder just what's possible and what isn't.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
It's not a secret that I adore just about any book that Armstrong writes and I jump at every opportunity to read them. Something about her writing is just so engaging and downright magical. I am always being transported to a different place and experience and sometimes even to a different time.
She makes the impossible possible and all of her stories are so believable and fun.
Her latest is no exception. I absolutely was sucked in from the very first mysterious chapter and before long I was completely hooked and needed to know what was going to happen next and more importantly, what was real and what wasn't.
This kept me eagerly turning the pages and i loved every minute of it! I don't read a lot of YA anymore but this was completely worth it and I'm so glad I did. Definitely a story that will stick with me and make me wonder just what's possible and what isn't.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
May 31, 2023
Literally no one was ever watching.
June 18, 2023
this books was literally so freaking weird
April 17, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I am a fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work so I was eager to dive into her newest YA novel. I found this book to be fast-paced and entertaining. I was able to guess some of the twists but there were others that kept me guessing until the very end which was great since I am always looking for a book that can keep me guessing. I liked Blythe and the rest of the characters and thought that they dealt with an impossible situation very well. The story was probably completely unrealistic but fun to read.
Blythe’s friend Gabrielle has a couple of breakdowns at school which has everyone wondering what is really happening. I enjoyed watching the pieces slowly fall into place as we learn the events that lead up to this event. Blythe, Tucker, Tanya, and Gabrielle have always been friends but after an incident, there is some attention between Tucker and Blythe. I couldn’t wait to see how things would work out.
I would recommend this book to others. This book had me questioning what was real as I tried to piece everything together. I think that readers who enjoy psychological thrillers will enjoy this entertaining read.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Tundra Books.
I am a fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work so I was eager to dive into her newest YA novel. I found this book to be fast-paced and entertaining. I was able to guess some of the twists but there were others that kept me guessing until the very end which was great since I am always looking for a book that can keep me guessing. I liked Blythe and the rest of the characters and thought that they dealt with an impossible situation very well. The story was probably completely unrealistic but fun to read.
Blythe’s friend Gabrielle has a couple of breakdowns at school which has everyone wondering what is really happening. I enjoyed watching the pieces slowly fall into place as we learn the events that lead up to this event. Blythe, Tucker, Tanya, and Gabrielle have always been friends but after an incident, there is some attention between Tucker and Blythe. I couldn’t wait to see how things would work out.
I would recommend this book to others. This book had me questioning what was real as I tried to piece everything together. I think that readers who enjoy psychological thrillers will enjoy this entertaining read.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Tundra Books.
June 11, 2023
Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint me. I love her versatility and I am not sad she is successfully tackling young adult thrillers at this point. The first couple of chapters showed me the book wasn’t going to be what I expected, but it was easy to readjust my expectations and enjoy the ride. I devoured this book in one day because I didn’t want to put it down. Blythe and her friends have always been close, but when there was an incident last summer she followed her parents wishes and separated from her friend Tucker which cost her the friendship of his sister Tanya. But when they start to realize that everything might not be what they remember they have to all work together to figure what exactly is going on.
April 14, 2023
I highly recommend going into this without reading the synopsis, which is what I did, because I see now that it actually gives almost the whole game away. This thriller works a lot better when you have the mystery of set-up (the whats and the whys) to contend with, too -- though I'll admit it isn't full-on thriller, though maybe it's enough for the YA demographic?
Having said that, obviously this has not become my new favourite thing but I still think it was a fascinating premise and enjoyed how the events, and reveals, unfolded. With one major exception being the whoddunit of it all. While I absolutely think the little twist about their role in the whole thing is great, and the quandaries it reveals (about the whole thing, really), the methods seem.. sus.
Yep, I'm being even more vague than usual, but it's a mystery (I'm calling it this now instead of thriller), come on, how else can I talk about this?
Regardless, if you're an Armstrong fan, I'm sure this is already on your radar and while it's more mystery than edge of your seat suspense, the issue at the heart of the story is compelling. Will I forget about this one in a month's time? Probably. But I still had a good time.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Having said that, obviously this has not become my new favourite thing but I still think it was a fascinating premise and enjoyed how the events, and reveals, unfolded. With one major exception being the whoddunit of it all. While I absolutely think the little twist about their role in the whole thing is great, and the quandaries it reveals (about the whole thing, really), the methods seem.. sus.
Yep, I'm being even more vague than usual, but it's a mystery (I'm calling it this now instead of thriller), come on, how else can I talk about this?
Regardless, if you're an Armstrong fan, I'm sure this is already on your radar and while it's more mystery than edge of your seat suspense, the issue at the heart of the story is compelling. Will I forget about this one in a month's time? Probably. But I still had a good time.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
August 23, 2023
I've read a handful of books by this author. I like her creativity. She has a certain propensity for creating new edgy worlds and she seems to rivet the nuances of these worlds down for the most part. I liked her Rockton series and its spinoff. She can also create some great characters.
This book was also built around a new world but it didn't work so well for me. It seemed a little far fetched. It was odd that for being a closed society with big secrets, that things weren't as secret as everyone else seemed to believe. And if that weren't an eye brow raiser, the fact that kids were stumbling right into them all over the place wasn't helping. They also seemed wise beyond their years. Again not helping.
On the plus side though, Bliss was sweet as was Tucker. I liked the characters and their plight had merit. So I'll round up to 3 stars.
This book was also built around a new world but it didn't work so well for me. It seemed a little far fetched. It was odd that for being a closed society with big secrets, that things weren't as secret as everyone else seemed to believe. And if that weren't an eye brow raiser, the fact that kids were stumbling right into them all over the place wasn't helping. They also seemed wise beyond their years. Again not helping.
On the plus side though, Bliss was sweet as was Tucker. I liked the characters and their plight had merit. So I'll round up to 3 stars.
April 17, 2024
tuckerblythe i ❤️ u
September 22, 2024
what cute ending to a book.
This book definitely meets all the requirements for a psychological thriller and will have readers turning page after page trying to find the truth. I personally could not put this book down during the action-packed scenes and chapters that ended on cliffhangers. Some of the minor details did get lost in the twists and turns of the plot, but by the end, the story was tied up with a satisfying ending. Someone is Always Watching is a fast-paced psychological thriller that will enthrall readers from the first few pages. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thrill and wants to get their blood pumping.
the start is confusing until you start to see the full picture
This book definitely meets all the requirements for a psychological thriller and will have readers turning page after page trying to find the truth. I personally could not put this book down during the action-packed scenes and chapters that ended on cliffhangers. Some of the minor details did get lost in the twists and turns of the plot, but by the end, the story was tied up with a satisfying ending. Someone is Always Watching is a fast-paced psychological thriller that will enthrall readers from the first few pages. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thrill and wants to get their blood pumping.
the start is confusing until you start to see the full picture
June 24, 2023
SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING
Kelley Armstrong
OH, my GOD.. this is just so ... redundant... slow... it drags on and on.
1 star
Happy Reading!
Kelley Armstrong
OH, my GOD.. this is just so ... redundant... slow... it drags on and on.
1 star
Happy Reading!
July 29, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
𝚜̲𝚙̲𝚘̲𝚒̲𝚕̲𝚎̲𝚛̲ ̲𝚏̲𝚛̲𝚎̲𝚎̲
11/12+
𝐭𝐰:violence, murder, child abuse
-𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖-
I think this book was a good thriller, but to be completely honest I kind of have an idea of what happened in the book, but I don't actually remember all that much 😭😭
-𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒-
𝐁𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞
↪I don't remember what she was like at all 😭
𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞
↪She was kind of absent in the book
𝐓𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫
↪He was kind of annoying tbh
𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐚
↪Bestie eat slay
𝐒𝐲𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲
↪Cutie yes
-𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍-
This book was a good fast paced thriller and it was kind of memorable/unique, but at the same time I kind of forget what happened, BUT I still remember that it was good so I would recommend!
𝚜̲𝚙̲𝚘̲𝚒̲𝚕̲𝚎̲𝚛̲ ̲𝚏̲𝚛̲𝚎̲𝚎̲
11/12+
𝐭𝐰:violence, murder, child abuse
-𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖-
I think this book was a good thriller, but to be completely honest I kind of have an idea of what happened in the book, but I don't actually remember all that much 😭😭
-𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒-
𝐁𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞
↪I don't remember what she was like at all 😭
𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞
↪She was kind of absent in the book
𝐓𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫
↪He was kind of annoying tbh
𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐚
↪Bestie eat slay
𝐒𝐲𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲
↪Cutie yes
-𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍-
This book was a good fast paced thriller and it was kind of memorable/unique, but at the same time I kind of forget what happened, BUT I still remember that it was good so I would recommend!
April 10, 2023
This is one of those stories where you are fed little bits of information piece by piece as the layers peel back. You’re never sure who you can trust and you spend your time reading going back and forth on who is reliable (if anyone).
This story follows a group of teens and their siblings at a high school where odd things seem to be happening and memories are unclear.
This story starts when Gabi keeps insisting someone is always watching and that her parents are not truly her parents as a sort of mumbling to herself and particularly around cameras.
Fellow students Tucker, Blythe and Tanya (Tanya and Tucker are siblings) all have a sixth sense that something is massively wrong and then Blythe’s sister Sydney is suddenly missing when she should’ve been at a movie with a friend from coding camp. Later on Devon is thrown into the mix of teens as well. The characters personality traits all intertwine with their backstories that are revealed as the novel continues and it gives you a deep insight into who they are and the ability to guess what may or may not have happened to them as the narrative continues.
I definitely think the story could’ve used a bit of refining/polishing. The story jumps around, seemingly at random which causes confusion when reading. I also would’ve liked more clear and developed back stories and a clear definition of what happened in the past without any room for questioning.
Overall, I think fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson will love this book and I recommend they add it to their TBR immediately!
3.5 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story follows a group of teens and their siblings at a high school where odd things seem to be happening and memories are unclear.
This story starts when Gabi keeps insisting someone is always watching and that her parents are not truly her parents as a sort of mumbling to herself and particularly around cameras.
Fellow students Tucker, Blythe and Tanya (Tanya and Tucker are siblings) all have a sixth sense that something is massively wrong and then Blythe’s sister Sydney is suddenly missing when she should’ve been at a movie with a friend from coding camp. Later on Devon is thrown into the mix of teens as well. The characters personality traits all intertwine with their backstories that are revealed as the novel continues and it gives you a deep insight into who they are and the ability to guess what may or may not have happened to them as the narrative continues.
I definitely think the story could’ve used a bit of refining/polishing. The story jumps around, seemingly at random which causes confusion when reading. I also would’ve liked more clear and developed back stories and a clear definition of what happened in the past without any room for questioning.
Overall, I think fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson will love this book and I recommend they add it to their TBR immediately!
3.5 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2023
Suspend your disbelief. Very little of this actually makes sense if you stop and think about it. Don’t. Sit back, enjoy the craziness and don’t think too hard. Whether that’s a recipe for a memorable read or not, it definitely makes for a page turner.
Our main character, Blythe, and her friends have always been close. They’ve shared so many things. But when Gabrielle seems to experience a psychotic episode/breakdown it sets off the others. They hear things. They see things. They struggle to trust their memories. We’re never sure of the extent to which we can trust their memories, so have to sit tight while they try to figure it out.
The reality is, I’d like to think, wholly improbable but there’s a glimmer of possibility that it’s plausible. As such I read this in a curious state of shock/unease and felt pretty pleased to get back to my boring life once the cover was closed.
Our main character, Blythe, and her friends have always been close. They’ve shared so many things. But when Gabrielle seems to experience a psychotic episode/breakdown it sets off the others. They hear things. They see things. They struggle to trust their memories. We’re never sure of the extent to which we can trust their memories, so have to sit tight while they try to figure it out.
The reality is, I’d like to think, wholly improbable but there’s a glimmer of possibility that it’s plausible. As such I read this in a curious state of shock/unease and felt pretty pleased to get back to my boring life once the cover was closed.
May 6, 2023
2.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/05/06/...
It's no secret I’m a big fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work, but I must confess that, to date, I’ve only pretty much read her adult thrillers. Someone is Always Watching is my first venture into her YA, and I’m thinking, Hmm…maybe I’ve been spoiled.
The story here is a bit dysfunctional, and well, to tell the truth, so are all the characters. We follow a group of teenagers—our protagonist Blythe, her friends Gabrielle, Tucker, and Tanya—as they navigate high school life through several traumatic events. First, Gabrielle experiences paranoia which culminates in a mental breakdown, coming back to herself afterward with no memory of what happened or why is drenched in blood with the dead body of the school’s principal at her feet. Things are not the same between the four friends after that, as Blythe struggles to come to terms with what Gabrielle is thought to have done.
Meanwhile, brother and sister Tucker and Tanya are having problems of their own. Memory lapses and unsettling dreams plague their day-to-day, putting stress on their relationships. Formerly tight with the siblings, Blythe now begins to question all her friendships with no idea who she can trust. Then suddenly, Blythe’s sister Sydney goes missing, but the teens’ parents, supposedly adults that they can trust, all seem to know something they’re not telling.
If the above summary feels vague, that’s because I don’t want to accidentally reveal any spoilers. Also, this book was just strange and, if I’m being brutally honest, kind of a hot mess. All this makes it hard to discuss any story details. The plot was disjointed and chaotic; we jumped from scene to scene with poor transitioning, seemingly with no rhyme or rhythm. While there were twists aplenty, these didn’t seem too well thought out, and felt either too predictable or too unconvincing.
Then there were the characters. On the positive side, I liked how the story explored the psychology of mistrust and gaslighting, and enjoyed the way the author wrote about Blythe and her friends’ reactions to having their identities slowly being stripped away. After all, if you are a product of your life experiences, what does it mean when you can’t remember or start doubting the veracity of your memories? Still, I often found myself frustrated by the teens’ passive responses and lack of ability to come up with any real solutions. Round and round they went, going nowhere fast and dealing with too much trivial drama.
I suppose if you are into YA thrillers, this one is perfectly serviceable. It’s twisty, it’s fun, it’s a little edgy. It has plenty of suspense and even some romance. On the surface, it checks all the boxes, but for me, I personally wanted something more. I also think I’ve come to expect much more from Armstrong as a writer, and this book felt lacking in polish compared to the quality I’m used to from her work. The story didn’t flow as smoothly, the pacing was wonky, the themes weren’t very well realized—everything was in place but just felt a little…off.
That said, if you are a Kelley Armstrong fan, Someone is Always Watching is probably still worth reading, but I will say it’s probably my least favorite of her books that I’ve read so far. And okay, it’s also possible that I might have just hyped myself a bit too much for this one. Though I won’t say no to her future YA, next time I’ll definitely learn to adjust my expectations.
It's no secret I’m a big fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work, but I must confess that, to date, I’ve only pretty much read her adult thrillers. Someone is Always Watching is my first venture into her YA, and I’m thinking, Hmm…maybe I’ve been spoiled.
The story here is a bit dysfunctional, and well, to tell the truth, so are all the characters. We follow a group of teenagers—our protagonist Blythe, her friends Gabrielle, Tucker, and Tanya—as they navigate high school life through several traumatic events. First, Gabrielle experiences paranoia which culminates in a mental breakdown, coming back to herself afterward with no memory of what happened or why is drenched in blood with the dead body of the school’s principal at her feet. Things are not the same between the four friends after that, as Blythe struggles to come to terms with what Gabrielle is thought to have done.
Meanwhile, brother and sister Tucker and Tanya are having problems of their own. Memory lapses and unsettling dreams plague their day-to-day, putting stress on their relationships. Formerly tight with the siblings, Blythe now begins to question all her friendships with no idea who she can trust. Then suddenly, Blythe’s sister Sydney goes missing, but the teens’ parents, supposedly adults that they can trust, all seem to know something they’re not telling.
If the above summary feels vague, that’s because I don’t want to accidentally reveal any spoilers. Also, this book was just strange and, if I’m being brutally honest, kind of a hot mess. All this makes it hard to discuss any story details. The plot was disjointed and chaotic; we jumped from scene to scene with poor transitioning, seemingly with no rhyme or rhythm. While there were twists aplenty, these didn’t seem too well thought out, and felt either too predictable or too unconvincing.
Then there were the characters. On the positive side, I liked how the story explored the psychology of mistrust and gaslighting, and enjoyed the way the author wrote about Blythe and her friends’ reactions to having their identities slowly being stripped away. After all, if you are a product of your life experiences, what does it mean when you can’t remember or start doubting the veracity of your memories? Still, I often found myself frustrated by the teens’ passive responses and lack of ability to come up with any real solutions. Round and round they went, going nowhere fast and dealing with too much trivial drama.
I suppose if you are into YA thrillers, this one is perfectly serviceable. It’s twisty, it’s fun, it’s a little edgy. It has plenty of suspense and even some romance. On the surface, it checks all the boxes, but for me, I personally wanted something more. I also think I’ve come to expect much more from Armstrong as a writer, and this book felt lacking in polish compared to the quality I’m used to from her work. The story didn’t flow as smoothly, the pacing was wonky, the themes weren’t very well realized—everything was in place but just felt a little…off.
That said, if you are a Kelley Armstrong fan, Someone is Always Watching is probably still worth reading, but I will say it’s probably my least favorite of her books that I’ve read so far. And okay, it’s also possible that I might have just hyped myself a bit too much for this one. Though I won’t say no to her future YA, next time I’ll definitely learn to adjust my expectations.
July 2, 2023
This was wildly over the top, impossible to suspend disbelief for, and full of really insufferable characters. But the mystery was just enough to keep pulling me through. Though maybe not in a fully engaged mystery way, but more of a "how the fuck will will the author manage to make anything out of this, I must see!" kind of way. Mostly because we just kept getting plot information dumped on us, so rather than clues to help the reader solve the mystery, I could only keeping asking "wtf where will this go now, and why isn't anyone seeing the obvious since we've been told everything?" This book also commits the heinous crime of writing one POV in 1st person and the rest in 3rd. It's not a clever, it's just annoying and makes the authors seem wildly unskilled. The cover and title are good, but ultimately don't seem to actually have much to do with the story. The pacing was bad, the writing was stilted, and the dialogue was cringey and weirdly outdated for modern teens. Extra star for lesbians not given because all inclusion here felt performative and weird and not natural to the world or the story.
June 19, 2024
What fun! This is a really well-done YA thriller despite the premise being slightly outlandish. The pacing is perfect and the characters are an intriguing cast, particularly the twins Tucker and Tanya, although our narrator is a bit bland. The requisite romantic subplot (thankfully, limited) did not slow down the action and was very believable.
I received a free copy of the book from Tundra Books for review.
I received a free copy of the book from Tundra Books for review.
March 8, 2023
This was a fair and enjoyable read.I did enjoy the writing of this book. It’s not super dense and was easy to devour. The characters and the mystery was fun. If you just want a simple mystery thriller to have fun with, I think it’s worth the read.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2023
Do you ever mix up the summeries of two books and end up being really confused? 🤣🤡
The writing wasn’t great but the story was still interesting
The writing wasn’t great but the story was still interesting
December 5, 2023
SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING starts off average and quickly goes down hill. Have you ever heard the term from the sublime to the ridiculous? That’s SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING.
January 19, 2025
This was really interesting. The concept was very new, I haven’t read anything similar. I also thought the characters were interesting and well developed. The story kept me intrigued. A solid good read.
March 4, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
i really liked this book, the writing was easy to follow and read (though sometimes the information given all at once was overwhelming for me haha). besides that, the beginning was intriguing but starting from the second chapter it really got me hooked. the concept of an unreliable narrative caused by a supposed memory loss had great potential, but i felt it was missing that last bit of umph, especially the ending cause it felt rushed and vague but nonetheless it was still fairly well written.
the reveal (especially for blythe i would say) shocked me cause i really didnt see those coming, it made what was happening make sense. but in the near end i could kinda figure out who was the odd one out i would say.
the characters were well rounded i would say, i really liked blythe, tucker, and tanya the most. each of them had their own charm and personality which was nice. there was some lesbian and ace representation in this book as well so points for that.
i really liked this book, the writing was easy to follow and read (though sometimes the information given all at once was overwhelming for me haha). besides that, the beginning was intriguing but starting from the second chapter it really got me hooked. the concept of an unreliable narrative caused by a supposed memory loss had great potential, but i felt it was missing that last bit of umph, especially the ending cause it felt rushed and vague but nonetheless it was still fairly well written.
the reveal (especially for blythe i would say) shocked me cause i really didnt see those coming, it made what was happening make sense. but in the near end i could kinda figure out who was the odd one out i would say.
the characters were well rounded i would say, i really liked blythe, tucker, and tanya the most. each of them had their own charm and personality which was nice. there was some lesbian and ace representation in this book as well so points for that.
September 24, 2023
As I continue to read more from Armstrong, I’m learning just how creative her writing and plots are and this YA Psychological thriller definitely had a unique and intriguing concept! I went into this one pretty blindly and I highly recommend you doing so as well!
I’m going to keep this relatively vague to avoid spoiling anything but I will say this one went a bit more “sci-fi” then I expected but ends up being quite thought provoking. In the end, I found it a bit convoluted and suspended belief is required but it’s certainly a page turner nonetheless!
I’m going to keep this relatively vague to avoid spoiling anything but I will say this one went a bit more “sci-fi” then I expected but ends up being quite thought provoking. In the end, I found it a bit convoluted and suspended belief is required but it’s certainly a page turner nonetheless!
April 11, 2023
Kelley Armstrong is my favorite author. This is a standalone YA thriller featuring a group of teens who attend a private STEM high school.
When one of them starts acting erratically the rest go on a hunt for the truth. Friendships are tested. Memories are questioned.
This book is creepy and mysterious and there is some romance. Overall it's a fascinating read.
Thanks Penguin Canada for allowing me to read this book.
When one of them starts acting erratically the rest go on a hunt for the truth. Friendships are tested. Memories are questioned.
This book is creepy and mysterious and there is some romance. Overall it's a fascinating read.
Thanks Penguin Canada for allowing me to read this book.
July 9, 2023
I have always likes Kelley Armstrong's writing so I had really high hopes for this one too and let me tell you it did not disappoint. is it the best mystery/thriller I've ever read? no. but it was fine and I was hooked from the first page itself so that's saying a lot. it was fast paced and a lot was going on the whole time so there wasn't any part where you'd feel bored. the plot was interesting and the short term memory loss thing provided the "unreliable narrator" concept, and I absolutely loved it. the characters were nuanced and typical teenagers (not in a bad way) which added to the credibility of their actions and made them seem believable. however I do think the ending was kind of rushed but that could be the opening for a sequel so I don't know. Other than that, this book served and i devoured every second of it.
also, maybe its just me but the premise did give me "don't worry darling" with the whole secret organization dealing with neurological science and these seemingly (almost) perfect families with everyone having some sort of secrets which added to the ominous setting the book was aiming at.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
also, maybe its just me but the premise did give me "don't worry darling" with the whole secret organization dealing with neurological science and these seemingly (almost) perfect families with everyone having some sort of secrets which added to the ominous setting the book was aiming at.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2023
sadly, this one started off so intriguing and heart pounding, but it fell kinda flat after that 🙃
I love a good ol mind control premise, especially when it has to do with sci fi advancements and not a divine intervention (*cough* manifest *cough*)! so I was super into the beginning and the mystery of the government hiding certain events!
the intrigue, however, ended there. the characters were capable of only making bad decisions and wandering off on their own. literally, they did nothing else.
and don’t even get me started on their parents. for being labeled helicopter parents, they sure were pretty lenient about their high school children 🤨
the ending was a little too wrapped up and HEA for this kind of story. I wanted an ambiguous sci-fi ending, and instead, I got “and all was well and right in the world.” and I was like … alrighty then?
it just felt super unedited and disjointed for me, but I loved the premise!!
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: napa valley sauvignon blanc
I love a good ol mind control premise, especially when it has to do with sci fi advancements and not a divine intervention (*cough* manifest *cough*)! so I was super into the beginning and the mystery of the government hiding certain events!
the intrigue, however, ended there. the characters were capable of only making bad decisions and wandering off on their own. literally, they did nothing else.
and don’t even get me started on their parents. for being labeled helicopter parents, they sure were pretty lenient about their high school children 🤨
the ending was a little too wrapped up and HEA for this kind of story. I wanted an ambiguous sci-fi ending, and instead, I got “and all was well and right in the world.” and I was like … alrighty then?
it just felt super unedited and disjointed for me, but I loved the premise!!
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: napa valley sauvignon blanc
February 10, 2023
Kelly Armstrong has done it again with her new YA thriller! And while I’m no longer a teen I loved this book! Which didn’t surprise me, she is one of favourite authors after all.
This novel had me hooked from the very first chapter and I couldn’t put it down until I finished, the only issue I had was, the next book in this series( I’m guessing it will be a series, there are still some unanswered questions) isn’t out yet.
This book makes you think about what really makes you well… you? And how far can people go to change that? Is it nature or nurture?
This book gives darkest power series vibes minus the supernatural aspects, which I loved ( that was my favourite series when I was a teen) I would recommend to anyone who loves an extremely amazingly written thriller/ suspense/mystery novel, that grips you and doesn’t let you go until the very end, then makes you want more!!!
10/10 thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random house for the ARC!
This novel had me hooked from the very first chapter and I couldn’t put it down until I finished, the only issue I had was, the next book in this series( I’m guessing it will be a series, there are still some unanswered questions) isn’t out yet.
This book makes you think about what really makes you well… you? And how far can people go to change that? Is it nature or nurture?
This book gives darkest power series vibes minus the supernatural aspects, which I loved ( that was my favourite series when I was a teen) I would recommend to anyone who loves an extremely amazingly written thriller/ suspense/mystery novel, that grips you and doesn’t let you go until the very end, then makes you want more!!!
10/10 thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random house for the ARC!
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