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Four Letter Word
In this pulse-pounding thriller, Izzy and her family welcome an exchange student into their home. But after a series of mishaps and coincidences, and with a serial killer on the loose, Izzy begins to suspect the young man is not who he seems.
For most of her life, Izzy has been looking forward to fulfilling her mother’s dream of studying abroad in Italy. Going into her senior year, Izzy is counting down the days until she can leave her humdrum life behind, until Alberto, a handsome and mysterious Italian exchange student shows up for his stay with her family. Now life in her hometown doesn’t seem so drab, as Izzy, and everyone else, is immediately charmed by Alberto and his irresistible accent.
But something about Alberto isn’t quite…right. As an avid true crime fan, Izzy has been following a serial killer case in San Francisco and the murderer, whose description bears a passing resemblance to the Italian exchange student living in her house, seems to have made his way north. As Izzy pays closer attention to Alberto—his actions, his temper—she finds more and more holes in his story that he has trouble explaining away.
When a local girl is murdered, Izzy thinks Alberto might not be who he seems. Worse, a series of “accidents” seem to target Izzy herself. In a race against the clock, Izzy must convince anyone that Alberto could be a notorious killer before another girl ends up dead.
For most of her life, Izzy has been looking forward to fulfilling her mother’s dream of studying abroad in Italy. Going into her senior year, Izzy is counting down the days until she can leave her humdrum life behind, until Alberto, a handsome and mysterious Italian exchange student shows up for his stay with her family. Now life in her hometown doesn’t seem so drab, as Izzy, and everyone else, is immediately charmed by Alberto and his irresistible accent.
But something about Alberto isn’t quite…right. As an avid true crime fan, Izzy has been following a serial killer case in San Francisco and the murderer, whose description bears a passing resemblance to the Italian exchange student living in her house, seems to have made his way north. As Izzy pays closer attention to Alberto—his actions, his temper—she finds more and more holes in his story that he has trouble explaining away.
When a local girl is murdered, Izzy thinks Alberto might not be who he seems. Worse, a series of “accidents” seem to target Izzy herself. In a race against the clock, Izzy must convince anyone that Alberto could be a notorious killer before another girl ends up dead.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2024
17 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Gretchen McNeil
22 books2,166 followersGretchen McNeil is the author of the YA horror/suspense novels POSSESS, 3:59, RELIC, GET EVEN, GET DIRTY, and TEN (a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and a Booklist Top Ten Horror Fiction for Youth) all with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins. Gretchen’s first YA contemporary I’M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL, also with Balzer + Bray, hit shelves in 2016, and her next novel will be the horror-comedy #MURDERTRENDING for Disney/Freeform in August 2018.
Gretchen’s novels have been published internationally in Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, and Czech. The film adaptation of TEN starring China Anne McClain (Descendants 2, Black Lightning), Rome Flynn (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Callan McAuliffe (Flipped, I Am Number Four), directed by Chris Robert for Rain Maker Films, premiered on Lifetime on September 16, 2017.
Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd. You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on her website.
Gretchen’s novels have been published internationally in Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, and Czech. The film adaptation of TEN starring China Anne McClain (Descendants 2, Black Lightning), Rome Flynn (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Callan McAuliffe (Flipped, I Am Number Four), directed by Chris Robert for Rain Maker Films, premiered on Lifetime on September 16, 2017.
Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd. You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 8, 2024
✰ 2 stars ✰
“Everything and everyone in Humboldt County was connected to each other in that annoying and sometimes insidious way that visitors liked to call “quaint” in tones that denoted their regard for such small-town trappings, so long as they were only experiencing them from the outside.”
There are a few select Four Letter Word options that I would like to use to describe my overall feelings, but I'll go with the most polite one I know, which is fine. Fine, because I thought it would be more of a gripping thriller, but it became obvious even before the halfway mark who was behind everything, and Izzy became a protagonist very hard to root for. The story takes place in a small seaside town where she and her rather troubled family are all set to host an Italian stranger, while a serial killer is on the large stalking young women. It had the potential to be an engrossing read, one with a bit more to it to intrigue me, but the tone and dynamics of the relationships was just too displeasing for me to get into it. 🤦🏻♀️
“I’m going to preface this story by saying that I know I listen to too many murder podcasts, but I’m not making things up.”
Maybe I'm an old soul, but the latest jargon or lingo that the author chose to have her characters adopt made me squeamish - if not, a bit icky at times. It was very crass and rude and a bit purposefully immature at times - are people really like this now? 😬 Izzy's family seemed to be the epitome of dysfunctional actions, without regret or remorse, so it baffled me that they were even likely contenders for an exchange program. I thought the focus would be more on the serial killer's intentions, itself, and offering a bit more of a challenging thrill to figure out who was behind it, but. I was disappointed when it clearly was not the case. The story, instead, was more of a psychological family mess, complete with this chilled animosity between Izzy and her family and her friends. The vibe of the small-town seemed to be mired in awful-ness that made it harder to sympathize with the situation they found themselves in. 🙁
The modus operandus behind the serial killer - it really was a very dirty explanation, and I didn't feel that it was appropriate for a YA read. I don't know, maybe others wouldn't mind, but it didn't feel right for me - almost as if it was purposeful to be a mix of slasher-slander - if that makes any sense. 😑 It was hard to even care when the author didn't even hide who the killer was - not leaving anything to imagination, save for how much trouble she could put Izzy through before it finally culminated in an overly dramatic climax. And then it was topped off with a completely ludicrous ending that had me laughing at how cheesy that final play on words was. 😭
“Maybe if Izzy never reached for anything, she’d never feel the same disappointment.If I don’t want anything, I won’t become my mother.”
Izzy's family - wow! A very unlikable family, if there ever was one - complete with unresolved issues and attitude problems that it's a marvel Izzy turned out relatively sane compared to them - ' she’d ended up parenting him more than he parented her.' I liked that much of Izzy's motives and expectations and drive came from her mother's insistence and her family's preconceived notions that have led her to behave in the way that she does, but good golly, they were just awful people! 🙅🏻♀️ Not a redeemable soul of the lot of them. I did feel that a lot of unfair justice was done to Izzy; but, her attitude was so off-kilter at times that I couldn't bring myself to empathize with her. Her relationship with her mother was one of the major catalysts of the plot, and I just wish it could have developed more believably, rather than the unsympathetic U-turn it took at the end. I was just a very disgruntled and disappointed reader, neither satisfied nor content with it. 🙍🏻♀️
It's said that it's an homage to Hitchcock thrillers, but for the life of me, I don't ever remember any of his characters behaving as rudely and childishly as the way some of the characters were. 😫 I would not call it a pulse-pounding thriller, because there really was no mystery shrouding the identity, but I will say that the accidents that Izzy would find herself in, were well-played out. It's not the obvious uncertainty of where to point the finger to blame, it was the heightened fear of shock that was captured believably. After all that she had to put up with, I'm glad that she gained some backbone to speak up for herself. It's just a shame she had to take such a horrific trial for her to face her insecurities, but I guess you can't really argue with the hand of fate. Well, if you know, you know. 😔
“Everything and everyone in Humboldt County was connected to each other in that annoying and sometimes insidious way that visitors liked to call “quaint” in tones that denoted their regard for such small-town trappings, so long as they were only experiencing them from the outside.”
There are a few select Four Letter Word options that I would like to use to describe my overall feelings, but I'll go with the most polite one I know, which is fine. Fine, because I thought it would be more of a gripping thriller, but it became obvious even before the halfway mark who was behind everything, and Izzy became a protagonist very hard to root for. The story takes place in a small seaside town where she and her rather troubled family are all set to host an Italian stranger, while a serial killer is on the large stalking young women. It had the potential to be an engrossing read, one with a bit more to it to intrigue me, but the tone and dynamics of the relationships was just too displeasing for me to get into it. 🤦🏻♀️
“I’m going to preface this story by saying that I know I listen to too many murder podcasts, but I’m not making things up.”
Maybe I'm an old soul, but the latest jargon or lingo that the author chose to have her characters adopt made me squeamish - if not, a bit icky at times. It was very crass and rude and a bit purposefully immature at times - are people really like this now? 😬 Izzy's family seemed to be the epitome of dysfunctional actions, without regret or remorse, so it baffled me that they were even likely contenders for an exchange program. I thought the focus would be more on the serial killer's intentions, itself, and offering a bit more of a challenging thrill to figure out who was behind it, but. I was disappointed when it clearly was not the case. The story, instead, was more of a psychological family mess, complete with this chilled animosity between Izzy and her family and her friends. The vibe of the small-town seemed to be mired in awful-ness that made it harder to sympathize with the situation they found themselves in. 🙁
The modus operandus behind the serial killer - it really was a very dirty explanation, and I didn't feel that it was appropriate for a YA read. I don't know, maybe others wouldn't mind, but it didn't feel right for me - almost as if it was purposeful to be a mix of slasher-slander - if that makes any sense. 😑 It was hard to even care when the author didn't even hide who the killer was - not leaving anything to imagination, save for how much trouble she could put Izzy through before it finally culminated in an overly dramatic climax. And then it was topped off with a completely ludicrous ending that had me laughing at how cheesy that final play on words was. 😭
“Maybe if Izzy never reached for anything, she’d never feel the same disappointment.If I don’t want anything, I won’t become my mother.”
Izzy's family - wow! A very unlikable family, if there ever was one - complete with unresolved issues and attitude problems that it's a marvel Izzy turned out relatively sane compared to them - ' she’d ended up parenting him more than he parented her.' I liked that much of Izzy's motives and expectations and drive came from her mother's insistence and her family's preconceived notions that have led her to behave in the way that she does, but good golly, they were just awful people! 🙅🏻♀️ Not a redeemable soul of the lot of them. I did feel that a lot of unfair justice was done to Izzy; but, her attitude was so off-kilter at times that I couldn't bring myself to empathize with her. Her relationship with her mother was one of the major catalysts of the plot, and I just wish it could have developed more believably, rather than the unsympathetic U-turn it took at the end. I was just a very disgruntled and disappointed reader, neither satisfied nor content with it. 🙍🏻♀️
It's said that it's an homage to Hitchcock thrillers, but for the life of me, I don't ever remember any of his characters behaving as rudely and childishly as the way some of the characters were. 😫 I would not call it a pulse-pounding thriller, because there really was no mystery shrouding the identity, but I will say that the accidents that Izzy would find herself in, were well-played out. It's not the obvious uncertainty of where to point the finger to blame, it was the heightened fear of shock that was captured believably. After all that she had to put up with, I'm glad that she gained some backbone to speak up for herself. It's just a shame she had to take such a horrific trial for her to face her insecurities, but I guess you can't really argue with the hand of fate. Well, if you know, you know. 😔
June 11, 2024
I was rooting for the serial killer to literally off everyone because that is how much I disliked this trite pile of garbage with no character development or sensical plot points
Okay. Let’s see:
1. A serial killer manages to show up at the house of a true crime obsessed girly named Izzy who is being raised by a toxic narcissist mom and absent dad
2. Said serial killer kills a foreign exchange student and takes his place. He pretends to be Italian by adding the letter -a to the end of English words. Except he occasionally has perfect English. No one questions this. Foreign exchange student’s parents don’t worry or contact the host family? Or maybe they did, but
3. Aforementioned mom falls in love with the serial killer (along with half the town) and is going to run away with him because she believes he’s like totally innocent
4. The fbi shows up and speaks only to the 17 year old main character when she’s home alone and ask for her help. They also show her murder scene pictures so she can maybe identify a bracelet the killer took…
5. Which he just happened to give Izzy’s best friend before he tries to kill Izzy via car on monoxide poisoning and then via a noose but Izzy escapes due to some guy who is totally in love with her. In fact, hours after she almost died of carbon monoxide, she and hot guy…
6. Make out at the beach where they discover Izzy’s best friend’s boyfriend’s body
7. When they go to comfort Izzy’s BFF, she gets mad at Izzy for like totally hooking up with someone and doesn’t seem too concerned that her boyfriend of years has been serial killerered? And also Izzy’s dad is hooking up with best friend’s mom and everyone knows but Izzy
8. Izzy kills the serial killer (sad, I was rooting for him) and ends with “ciao is a four letter word” because while Izzy’s mom was content with forcing Izzy to follow HER once upon a time dream, she was not okay with Izzy saying potty words and get it CIAO because he was pretending-a to be-a Italian
What did I just read?
Okay. Let’s see:
1. A serial killer manages to show up at the house of a true crime obsessed girly named Izzy who is being raised by a toxic narcissist mom and absent dad
2. Said serial killer kills a foreign exchange student and takes his place. He pretends to be Italian by adding the letter -a to the end of English words. Except he occasionally has perfect English. No one questions this. Foreign exchange student’s parents don’t worry or contact the host family? Or maybe they did, but
3. Aforementioned mom falls in love with the serial killer (along with half the town) and is going to run away with him because she believes he’s like totally innocent
4. The fbi shows up and speaks only to the 17 year old main character when she’s home alone and ask for her help. They also show her murder scene pictures so she can maybe identify a bracelet the killer took…
5. Which he just happened to give Izzy’s best friend before he tries to kill Izzy via car on monoxide poisoning and then via a noose but Izzy escapes due to some guy who is totally in love with her. In fact, hours after she almost died of carbon monoxide, she and hot guy…
6. Make out at the beach where they discover Izzy’s best friend’s boyfriend’s body
7. When they go to comfort Izzy’s BFF, she gets mad at Izzy for like totally hooking up with someone and doesn’t seem too concerned that her boyfriend of years has been serial killerered? And also Izzy’s dad is hooking up with best friend’s mom and everyone knows but Izzy
8. Izzy kills the serial killer (sad, I was rooting for him) and ends with “ciao is a four letter word” because while Izzy’s mom was content with forcing Izzy to follow HER once upon a time dream, she was not okay with Izzy saying potty words and get it CIAO because he was pretending-a to be-a Italian
What did I just read?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2024
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
March 27, 2024
I'm giving this 5 stars because I was not expecting the total emotional overload of being a daughter of a mother with mental health issues. This book just tore me apart.
January 17, 2025
This book was such equally a hit and a miss. It’s right in between what could have been a really good book and a really bad book. I think the writing is alright, but the plot could have been done way better. A lot of the book stays flat with little sparks of suspense but nothing way out of line. Since you can kind of assume where the book is heading just from the front cover, the writing didn’t really reflect any twists or turns that could have made it stand out as amazing. I guessed a lot of what I thought might happen with some of the smaller things and although it’s a work of fiction some of it was just so outlandish I was like oh okay. Not shocked just oh okay.
The book follows a teenage girl named Izzy and her family as they welcome in a foreign exchange student from Italy. Izzy listens to a podcast that is following a serial killer and starts to have doubts about who the foreign exchange student says he is. With the murders getting closer to her hometown and following the timeline of the new houseguest, Izzy is determined to bring to light the criminal in her house. But with gaslighting, murders in her hometown, and a few attempts on Izzy’s own life, she isn’t out for an easy task. You follow along as Izzy is up against time and the storm of the century that leaves the town in darkness in more ways than just one. It’s up to Izzy to keep herself, her family, and her friends safe from a suspected serial killer. But if Izzy can’t save herself or convince any one of her beliefs, can Izzy stop what she thinks is danger?
Again, I know this is just a work of fiction. But the characters suck. Her “best friend” is a hater, her parents suck, like the few good characters don’t stand a chance against all the bad characters. And yes fiction I know, but some of it is so far fetched and seems like poorly written examples of topics. Which with more research or thought, could have been awesome plots and twists and turns, but are rushed and feel unfinished. Plus, the podcast which seems like it would have been way more important since that’s how Izzy finds out about the killer, isn’t really a big impact to the story. I just thought it was funny how they made it seem so significant but it’s hardly really brought up or really aids Izzy in her story. Like I said, from the summary alone the book pretty much points you in the direction of where it is heading. It’s slow starting out and kind of stays a slow pace throughout. Since you can pretty much assume the ending, it being slow with very little buildup was kind of boring. You would think with laying out the plot, it would have been more exciting or through in some twists that leave you shocked at what happens or how it plays out, but not really. Which was a let down! The book could have been way better done!
This book is in between for me, it was alright but it wasn’t amazing but also not terrible. I’d read at your own risk. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend saying this is a must read book, but if you read it, it isn’t the worst book you’ll ever pick up. It definitely had potential!
The book follows a teenage girl named Izzy and her family as they welcome in a foreign exchange student from Italy. Izzy listens to a podcast that is following a serial killer and starts to have doubts about who the foreign exchange student says he is. With the murders getting closer to her hometown and following the timeline of the new houseguest, Izzy is determined to bring to light the criminal in her house. But with gaslighting, murders in her hometown, and a few attempts on Izzy’s own life, she isn’t out for an easy task. You follow along as Izzy is up against time and the storm of the century that leaves the town in darkness in more ways than just one. It’s up to Izzy to keep herself, her family, and her friends safe from a suspected serial killer. But if Izzy can’t save herself or convince any one of her beliefs, can Izzy stop what she thinks is danger?
Again, I know this is just a work of fiction. But the characters suck. Her “best friend” is a hater, her parents suck, like the few good characters don’t stand a chance against all the bad characters. And yes fiction I know, but some of it is so far fetched and seems like poorly written examples of topics. Which with more research or thought, could have been awesome plots and twists and turns, but are rushed and feel unfinished. Plus, the podcast which seems like it would have been way more important since that’s how Izzy finds out about the killer, isn’t really a big impact to the story. I just thought it was funny how they made it seem so significant but it’s hardly really brought up or really aids Izzy in her story. Like I said, from the summary alone the book pretty much points you in the direction of where it is heading. It’s slow starting out and kind of stays a slow pace throughout. Since you can pretty much assume the ending, it being slow with very little buildup was kind of boring. You would think with laying out the plot, it would have been more exciting or through in some twists that leave you shocked at what happens or how it plays out, but not really. Which was a let down! The book could have been way better done!
This book is in between for me, it was alright but it wasn’t amazing but also not terrible. I’d read at your own risk. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend saying this is a must read book, but if you read it, it isn’t the worst book you’ll ever pick up. It definitely had potential!
Read
November 2, 2023Some thoughts:
1. This sounded very silly, so of course I had to read it.
2. I was right and it was very silly. Sometimes you have to read a stupid book, or even two in a row.
3. I can't decide whether this book is sillier than Notes From My Captivity (the silliest book i read last year but also somehow i cried) but i THINK it loses out simply because it doesn't have any lines that compare to the masterpiece that is the potato grave sentence.
1. This sounded very silly, so of course I had to read it.
2. I was right and it was very silly. Sometimes you have to read a stupid book, or even two in a row.
3. I can't decide whether this book is sillier than Notes From My Captivity (the silliest book i read last year but also somehow i cried) but i THINK it loses out simply because it doesn't have any lines that compare to the masterpiece that is the potato grave sentence.
March 25, 2024
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Mystery, Suspense
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
Gretchen McNeil's Four Letter Word is a story about a family that welcomes an exchange student into their Eureka, California home only to find out that things aren't what they seem. Elizabeth (Izzy) Bell is a true crime fan. She loves listening to "Murder Will Speak" which is a true docuseries featuring a serial killer they call Casanova who targets single women in bars.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Review*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Mystery, Suspense
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
Gretchen McNeil's Four Letter Word is a story about a family that welcomes an exchange student into their Eureka, California home only to find out that things aren't what they seem. Elizabeth (Izzy) Bell is a true crime fan. She loves listening to "Murder Will Speak" which is a true docuseries featuring a serial killer they call Casanova who targets single women in bars.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Review*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
March 24, 2024
For so long Izzy has been trapped in her hometown. With her older brothers all having left, she is the one stuck at home dealing with her mum’s mental health disorder. While she can’t think of a way out, Izzy is stuck living a life she dislikes.
When we meet Izzy she is preparing for the arrival of her foreign exchange student, Alberto. Much as she dislikes the thought, it has become a way of keeping her mum happy. Just like going to study abroad has become her aim, though it’s really the lost dream her mother had.
The arrival of Alberto seems positive in so many ways. He is charming, and people fall under his spell. But there is a serial killer on the loose, and the most recent kills have been close to home. Is Izzy presumptuous in thinking her exchange student might not be quite what he says?
From the moment we’re given the info about the serial killer it’s hard not to see where this is headed. The set-up seems ridiculous, and I’m struggling to imagine that so many people could be so dense - even when the evidence is staring them in the face.
This is the kind of book that could rate as one of the silliest I’ve read in a while. However, I’m sure it will have its share of fans.
When we meet Izzy she is preparing for the arrival of her foreign exchange student, Alberto. Much as she dislikes the thought, it has become a way of keeping her mum happy. Just like going to study abroad has become her aim, though it’s really the lost dream her mother had.
The arrival of Alberto seems positive in so many ways. He is charming, and people fall under his spell. But there is a serial killer on the loose, and the most recent kills have been close to home. Is Izzy presumptuous in thinking her exchange student might not be quite what he says?
From the moment we’re given the info about the serial killer it’s hard not to see where this is headed. The set-up seems ridiculous, and I’m struggling to imagine that so many people could be so dense - even when the evidence is staring them in the face.
This is the kind of book that could rate as one of the silliest I’ve read in a while. However, I’m sure it will have its share of fans.
July 27, 2025
It wasn’t so bad that I wanted to reclaim my couple of invested hours, but it was MEH even discounting an “adult reading a YA” lens.
March 5, 2024
Izzy has always wanted to study abroad in Italy, and when her family hosts an Italian exchange student, she is excited to learn from him. Alberto is handsome, charming... and possibly a serial killer. Izzy is obsessed with true crime podcasts, and begins to suspect Alberto, especially when it begins to look like she could be the next victim.
I generally enjoy Gretchen McNeil's books, and this one was pretty decent. My biggest pet peeve was the way she wrote in Alberto's accent. I have personally hosted an exchange student, and most of them don't sound like that, with-a an a-a at the end-a of every word-a. It's kind of stereotypical and insulting, on top of being pretty inaccurate. Italians don't generally sound like Mario. Other than that, it was solid, if a bit forgettable. A lot of my students will enjoy it.
I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley in return for my honest review.
I generally enjoy Gretchen McNeil's books, and this one was pretty decent. My biggest pet peeve was the way she wrote in Alberto's accent. I have personally hosted an exchange student, and most of them don't sound like that, with-a an a-a at the end-a of every word-a. It's kind of stereotypical and insulting, on top of being pretty inaccurate. Italians don't generally sound like Mario. Other than that, it was solid, if a bit forgettable. A lot of my students will enjoy it.
I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley in return for my honest review.
June 18, 2024
Incredibly predictable, the summary literally gives it away. There is also no action until way past the 100 page mark which is incredibly concerning and then everything happens all at once way too quickly with absolutely no suspense.
There is also a lot going on in this book. Way too many siblings (that do not add anything), an interesting family dynamic (mental illness, infidelity), true crime, friendship troubles, and romance. I really appreciated the mental illness aspect, but the trope of the youngest daughter holding everyone together has bene done before, and there wasn't anything new or unique added to this trope in this book.
Also, the-a a-accent bothered -a-me so a-much.
Respectfully, .
There is also a lot going on in this book. Way too many siblings (that do not add anything), an interesting family dynamic (mental illness, infidelity), true crime, friendship troubles, and romance. I really appreciated the mental illness aspect, but the trope of the youngest daughter holding everyone together has bene done before, and there wasn't anything new or unique added to this trope in this book.
Also, the-a a-accent bothered -a-me so a-much.
Respectfully, .
March 3, 2024
*****I received this free audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This YA thriller was a really slow burn. It took half of the book setting everything up. So many details that I could have been paired down. It needed to get on with the story much sooner. Once it finally got moving it was a really great read! Because it started off so slow I can only give it 4 stars. If I were rating only the second half it would have been a 5 star read.
This YA thriller was a really slow burn. It took half of the book setting everything up. So many details that I could have been paired down. It needed to get on with the story much sooner. Once it finally got moving it was a really great read! Because it started off so slow I can only give it 4 stars. If I were rating only the second half it would have been a 5 star read.
April 30, 2024
I would never recommend this to anyone, and I would not want my teen to read it. The protagonist was extremely unlikeable. Her attitude of superiority was impossible to get past. The amount of family dysfunction, emphasis on self-reliance and complete lack of resolution of anything gave this book no redeeming qualities. And the thriller part was predictable and not much of a thriller at all. I do not understand how this author’s works have been adapted for TV.
February 24, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC!
I have read many reviews that call the story predictable. Yes, you figure out who the serial killer is early in the book, but the author keeps us in suspense as Izzy figures it out. In addition to wondering if she is right about him, there is a romance brewing, issues with her best friend, many things going wrong in her family, and a foreign exchange student living in her house. This is not the summer Izzy thought she would have right before her senior year.
McNeil's descriptions of Eureka, California and the house Izzy lives in are rich in detail, immersing the reader in the scenes.
I really enjoyed this book & will be purchasing it for my high school library.
Content Warnings: Language, murder, mental illness (bipolar), violence, & since the publisher as it rated at age 12+, I think I should mention:
*there is a make out session that gets a little steamy, Nothing explicit. (pushes her shirt up & kisses her stomach, hands caressing her body)
*There are gory details of some of the killings and debate on whether the killer had sex with the female victims before, during or after killing them.
I have read many reviews that call the story predictable. Yes, you figure out who the serial killer is early in the book, but the author keeps us in suspense as Izzy figures it out. In addition to wondering if she is right about him, there is a romance brewing, issues with her best friend, many things going wrong in her family, and a foreign exchange student living in her house. This is not the summer Izzy thought she would have right before her senior year.
McNeil's descriptions of Eureka, California and the house Izzy lives in are rich in detail, immersing the reader in the scenes.
I really enjoyed this book & will be purchasing it for my high school library.
Content Warnings: Language, murder, mental illness (bipolar), violence, & since the publisher as it rated at age 12+, I think I should mention:
*there is a make out session that gets a little steamy, Nothing explicit. (pushes her shirt up & kisses her stomach, hands caressing her body)
*There are gory details of some of the killings and debate on whether the killer had sex with the female victims before, during or after killing them.
Read
March 24, 2024Izzy dreams of escaping her hometown, but instead she is stuck trying to live her mothers dream. Now a charming foreign exchange student named Alberto has come to stay with them. There is a serial killer on the loose and Izzy is an advid fan of following the case. Why does Alberto suddenly seem to have many similarities of this murderer? Can Izzy solve this without getting herself killed? Enjoyable mystery to try to solve. Recommended read.
September 5, 2024
This was an amazing read, loved the characters, and the mystery was so interesting!
February 18, 2024
Four Four-Letter-Words to Praise Gretchen McNeil's Newest Novel, Four Letter Word: Rich, Real, Eerie, Wild
Written By: Sable Quinn
Sable’s Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Content Warning: there is mention of the ‘Casanova Killer’s’ victims, the gory details of some of the cases, and how he brutally assaulted and murdered the women.
Review on Gretchen McNeil’s Four Letter Word, her newest thriller, set to be in stores by March 5, 2024. This newest thriller is based around Izzy Bell and her small hometown of Eureka, California. The audience is given Izzy Bell, her swoon-worthy and gorgeous love interest, a study-abroad student the Bell family is hosting from Florence, Italy, and a serial killer terrorizing the West Coast, nicknamed the ‘Casanova Killer,’ what could go wrong? Release date: March 5, 2024.
Rich–
My absolute favorite thing about McNeil’s writing style is her knack for description. It does not matter if she is introducing a new character or detailing the charming Bell house (a charming Queen Anne Victorian, if you will) her detail seemingly allows their readers to be transported directly into whichever scene she is presenting us with. I know not only the entire layout of the Bell house, but I can also vividly see all of the tiny quirks and small intricacies of the different rooms; Harry’s workshop represents his inner turmoil with endless unfinished projects and scraps of materials littered everywhere, Izzy’s bedroom in the attic and how it represents both her safe haven and her prison, etc.
Not only is McNeil’s attention to detail causing flutters in my stomach, but her characters are some of the most layered characters I have come across, so much so that I can still sense who each character is and what they embody.
Izzy is our lost lamb. She does not know who she is, what she wants, or how to stand up for herself. She plans her life out just to appease her mother’s long-lost dreams. Those long-lost dreams of Beth Bell’s rapidly became Izzy Bell’s future: studying abroad in Florence, Italy, and majoring in Art History. This is not the future that Izzy wants. She isn’t even sure what she wants in her future. Instead, Beth is using her daughter to vicariously live the life she never got the chance to live. Izzy goes along with her mother’s plan, the Italian Scheme, as we call it, just to ensure that Beth remains happy and peace restored throughout the Bell household.
Beth is despair, heartbreak, and fraying seams all wrapped into one person. She met Harry Bell in college, where she was on track to study Art History in the rolling, golden hills of Florence, Italy. However, as life does, it interrupts Beth’s plans. She ended up falling pregnant with Izzy’s oldest brother, Taylor, and just like that, her Italian dreams were shattered. She ended up leaving her New England hometown and moving across the country to the small fishing village of Eureka, California, with Harry. It is perpetually overcast and an extremely slow-living community within Eureka, i.e. Beth Bell’s personal Hell. Having been trapped in Eureka for almost thirty years, Beth is now made up of nothing more than isolated loneliness and bitter resentment.
Jake, my lovely, selfless, darling Jake Vargas. This guy undoubtedly became my favorite character, other than Izzy, of course. He is the embodiment of a ‘gentle giant.’ From the moment Jake returns from his internship in Monterey and is introduced, it is like a missing puzzle piece is found. He is the only character within this entire novel that has actually given a single shite about our lovely Izzy (which is bs!), he is the only one that truly knows Izzy, and he is the only one who takes any time to make sure Izzy is okay. Jake is the only thing that has brightened the colors and turned the sounds up in Izzy’s world.
We must protect Jake Vargas at all costs.
Real–
I do have to take a moment to show my appreciation to McNeil for not only avoiding making the Bell family a ‘hallmark’ family. Instead of creating the idea of what a ‘normal’ family looks like, McNeil inserted real-life problems into their dynamic.
I am particularly grateful and impressed that she has Beth Bell struggles with Bipolar II within the novel. I feel that mental health is not introduced enough in fiction; it is usually understated and glossed over or overstated and exaggerated. The representation of mental health within literature has improved with time, but having one of the main characters in Four Letter Word representing Bipolar Disorder is phenomenal.
Not only does McNeil include Bipolar Disorder in her novel, but she describes the illness the best that I have witnessed so far. As aforementioned, Bipolar is usually understated or overstated within literature, and McNeil successfully avoids doing either. Not only does she weave Bipolar in pretty well which represents Beth’s fluctuating moods, manic episodes, hair-trigger temper, and major depressive episodes, but she also inserts Jake’s dad dealing with PTSD from active duty. McNeil expertly and seamlessly includes these details in her excellent writing style.
Four Letter Word and Gretchen McNeil, are incredibly real and authentic for including this information. She also introduces the serial killer into the story well. The serial killer is almost happening in the background for the first few chapters, only really coming into the story when mentioned in Izzy’s brief true crime podcast episodes in the beginning. The serial killer is a more pressing topic once Alberto enters the story. McNeil slowly introduces the serial killer aspect to the story, which I love, rather than dramatizing the serial killer angle like most books tend to do. I find that most novels tend to compare serial killers of any type to dramatized versions like Criminal Minds. McNeil, however, does the opposite.
Eerie–
As the book starts to pick up, around the time Alberto arrives to stay with the Bell family (about page 50), I constantly feel like the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up while reading this book. Any encounters the reader ended up witnessing with the ‘Casanova Killer,’ my fingertips were white from gripping the book so hard, I was quite literally sitting on the edge of my couch, and my sweet little grandmother was getting pretty annoyed with my high-pitched chatter as I rambled and freaked out during the more intense scenes later in the book.
During the essential ‘thriller scenes,’ McNeil impressed me with the unfolding of the serial killer’s actions, making sure to weave a brilliant and articulate plan for the killer. Every reader lives for the moment the entire novel and plot click together. The feeling is as if every question I have ever thought up is answered without the questions ever passing my lips.
Wild–
Unfortunately, I do need to leave you guys with some mystery to uncover for yourselves when Four Letter Word, the newest thriller by Gretchen McNeil, is released on March 5, 2024.
The only complaint – not necessarily a complaint – would be the slow take-off. As aforementioned, the book started to pick up around the fifty-page mark for me. The only reason it is such a gradual take-off is because McNeil is so invested and skilled with her backstory and details throughout the novel. However, this quickly became one of my favorite books because of the phenomenal writing, the clever and intricate way the thriller aspect of the book unfolded, and simply because my heart is bursting and rooting for Izzy and Jake.
Four Letter Word, the newest thriller fiction novel that Gretchen McNeil created and will be sharing with the rest of the world, will be in stores on March 5, 2024. It is an intricately woven thriller with a hint of a love story to give my fellow hopeless romantics’ bleeding hearts some action of their own.
**Content Warning: there is mention of the ‘Casanova Killer’s’ victims, the gory details of some of the cases, and how he brutally assaulted and murdered the women.
Written By: Sable Quinn
Sable’s Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Content Warning: there is mention of the ‘Casanova Killer’s’ victims, the gory details of some of the cases, and how he brutally assaulted and murdered the women.
Review on Gretchen McNeil’s Four Letter Word, her newest thriller, set to be in stores by March 5, 2024. This newest thriller is based around Izzy Bell and her small hometown of Eureka, California. The audience is given Izzy Bell, her swoon-worthy and gorgeous love interest, a study-abroad student the Bell family is hosting from Florence, Italy, and a serial killer terrorizing the West Coast, nicknamed the ‘Casanova Killer,’ what could go wrong? Release date: March 5, 2024.
Rich–
My absolute favorite thing about McNeil’s writing style is her knack for description. It does not matter if she is introducing a new character or detailing the charming Bell house (a charming Queen Anne Victorian, if you will) her detail seemingly allows their readers to be transported directly into whichever scene she is presenting us with. I know not only the entire layout of the Bell house, but I can also vividly see all of the tiny quirks and small intricacies of the different rooms; Harry’s workshop represents his inner turmoil with endless unfinished projects and scraps of materials littered everywhere, Izzy’s bedroom in the attic and how it represents both her safe haven and her prison, etc.
Not only is McNeil’s attention to detail causing flutters in my stomach, but her characters are some of the most layered characters I have come across, so much so that I can still sense who each character is and what they embody.
Izzy is our lost lamb. She does not know who she is, what she wants, or how to stand up for herself. She plans her life out just to appease her mother’s long-lost dreams. Those long-lost dreams of Beth Bell’s rapidly became Izzy Bell’s future: studying abroad in Florence, Italy, and majoring in Art History. This is not the future that Izzy wants. She isn’t even sure what she wants in her future. Instead, Beth is using her daughter to vicariously live the life she never got the chance to live. Izzy goes along with her mother’s plan, the Italian Scheme, as we call it, just to ensure that Beth remains happy and peace restored throughout the Bell household.
Beth is despair, heartbreak, and fraying seams all wrapped into one person. She met Harry Bell in college, where she was on track to study Art History in the rolling, golden hills of Florence, Italy. However, as life does, it interrupts Beth’s plans. She ended up falling pregnant with Izzy’s oldest brother, Taylor, and just like that, her Italian dreams were shattered. She ended up leaving her New England hometown and moving across the country to the small fishing village of Eureka, California, with Harry. It is perpetually overcast and an extremely slow-living community within Eureka, i.e. Beth Bell’s personal Hell. Having been trapped in Eureka for almost thirty years, Beth is now made up of nothing more than isolated loneliness and bitter resentment.
Jake, my lovely, selfless, darling Jake Vargas. This guy undoubtedly became my favorite character, other than Izzy, of course. He is the embodiment of a ‘gentle giant.’ From the moment Jake returns from his internship in Monterey and is introduced, it is like a missing puzzle piece is found. He is the only character within this entire novel that has actually given a single shite about our lovely Izzy (which is bs!), he is the only one that truly knows Izzy, and he is the only one who takes any time to make sure Izzy is okay. Jake is the only thing that has brightened the colors and turned the sounds up in Izzy’s world.
We must protect Jake Vargas at all costs.
Real–
I do have to take a moment to show my appreciation to McNeil for not only avoiding making the Bell family a ‘hallmark’ family. Instead of creating the idea of what a ‘normal’ family looks like, McNeil inserted real-life problems into their dynamic.
I am particularly grateful and impressed that she has Beth Bell struggles with Bipolar II within the novel. I feel that mental health is not introduced enough in fiction; it is usually understated and glossed over or overstated and exaggerated. The representation of mental health within literature has improved with time, but having one of the main characters in Four Letter Word representing Bipolar Disorder is phenomenal.
Not only does McNeil include Bipolar Disorder in her novel, but she describes the illness the best that I have witnessed so far. As aforementioned, Bipolar is usually understated or overstated within literature, and McNeil successfully avoids doing either. Not only does she weave Bipolar in pretty well which represents Beth’s fluctuating moods, manic episodes, hair-trigger temper, and major depressive episodes, but she also inserts Jake’s dad dealing with PTSD from active duty. McNeil expertly and seamlessly includes these details in her excellent writing style.
Four Letter Word and Gretchen McNeil, are incredibly real and authentic for including this information. She also introduces the serial killer into the story well. The serial killer is almost happening in the background for the first few chapters, only really coming into the story when mentioned in Izzy’s brief true crime podcast episodes in the beginning. The serial killer is a more pressing topic once Alberto enters the story. McNeil slowly introduces the serial killer aspect to the story, which I love, rather than dramatizing the serial killer angle like most books tend to do. I find that most novels tend to compare serial killers of any type to dramatized versions like Criminal Minds. McNeil, however, does the opposite.
Eerie–
As the book starts to pick up, around the time Alberto arrives to stay with the Bell family (about page 50), I constantly feel like the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up while reading this book. Any encounters the reader ended up witnessing with the ‘Casanova Killer,’ my fingertips were white from gripping the book so hard, I was quite literally sitting on the edge of my couch, and my sweet little grandmother was getting pretty annoyed with my high-pitched chatter as I rambled and freaked out during the more intense scenes later in the book.
During the essential ‘thriller scenes,’ McNeil impressed me with the unfolding of the serial killer’s actions, making sure to weave a brilliant and articulate plan for the killer. Every reader lives for the moment the entire novel and plot click together. The feeling is as if every question I have ever thought up is answered without the questions ever passing my lips.
Wild–
Unfortunately, I do need to leave you guys with some mystery to uncover for yourselves when Four Letter Word, the newest thriller by Gretchen McNeil, is released on March 5, 2024.
The only complaint – not necessarily a complaint – would be the slow take-off. As aforementioned, the book started to pick up around the fifty-page mark for me. The only reason it is such a gradual take-off is because McNeil is so invested and skilled with her backstory and details throughout the novel. However, this quickly became one of my favorite books because of the phenomenal writing, the clever and intricate way the thriller aspect of the book unfolded, and simply because my heart is bursting and rooting for Izzy and Jake.
Four Letter Word, the newest thriller fiction novel that Gretchen McNeil created and will be sharing with the rest of the world, will be in stores on March 5, 2024. It is an intricately woven thriller with a hint of a love story to give my fellow hopeless romantics’ bleeding hearts some action of their own.
**Content Warning: there is mention of the ‘Casanova Killer’s’ victims, the gory details of some of the cases, and how he brutally assaulted and murdered the women.
January 16, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC!
"Four Letter Word" by Gretchen McNeil is a thrilling mystery that intertwines the hunt for a serial killer with themes of family, friendship, love, and self-discovery. Izzy, the protagonist, grapples with the challenges of her family dynamic—her mom's mental illness, her dad's constant work, and her attempt to fulfill her mom's dreams. The introduction of an Italian exchange student into their lives adds an element of mystery as Izzy begins to question whether things are truly as they seem.
Some parts of the mystery were a bit predictable, specifically with hints/clues about the exchange student. I thought McNeil was piling on a little too much in regards to the clues, but I think if you’re a younger reader, this type of mystery would work well. While the MC is close to graduating high school, this book read younger, like with Izzy’s inner monologue and the actions of her best friend. I think this book would work best with younger YA readers.
Despite the clues surrounding the exchange student, there were still some unexpected twists, keeping me on the edge of my seat during the final stretch of the book. The family dynamic explored throughout this book was the most interesting part to me as I found the mystery cliché, but the family aspect, like with Izzy’s mom, was well-developed and explored through different angles. Izzy’s self-exploration was also interesting to read as she tried to figure out how to live her own life instead of her mother’s, which some readers may be able to connect with throughout the book.
I will say that Arnaldo’s accent throughout the book was the one thing that kept taking me out of the story. I just kept thinking of Mario whenever Arnaldo would add -a to the ends of random words, like “take-a me home-a.” It was done throughout the book to show he had an accent, but I just honestly thought the accent was a bit overdone, though that could have been what the author was trying to do (in relation to the mystery).
I would definitely consider this a light-hearted, entertaining read. One that you could read in a day or to help you overcome a book slump. I would rate this 3 stars.
"Four Letter Word" by Gretchen McNeil is a thrilling mystery that intertwines the hunt for a serial killer with themes of family, friendship, love, and self-discovery. Izzy, the protagonist, grapples with the challenges of her family dynamic—her mom's mental illness, her dad's constant work, and her attempt to fulfill her mom's dreams. The introduction of an Italian exchange student into their lives adds an element of mystery as Izzy begins to question whether things are truly as they seem.
Some parts of the mystery were a bit predictable, specifically with hints/clues about the exchange student. I thought McNeil was piling on a little too much in regards to the clues, but I think if you’re a younger reader, this type of mystery would work well. While the MC is close to graduating high school, this book read younger, like with Izzy’s inner monologue and the actions of her best friend. I think this book would work best with younger YA readers.
Despite the clues surrounding the exchange student, there were still some unexpected twists, keeping me on the edge of my seat during the final stretch of the book. The family dynamic explored throughout this book was the most interesting part to me as I found the mystery cliché, but the family aspect, like with Izzy’s mom, was well-developed and explored through different angles. Izzy’s self-exploration was also interesting to read as she tried to figure out how to live her own life instead of her mother’s, which some readers may be able to connect with throughout the book.
I will say that Arnaldo’s accent throughout the book was the one thing that kept taking me out of the story. I just kept thinking of Mario whenever Arnaldo would add -a to the ends of random words, like “take-a me home-a.” It was done throughout the book to show he had an accent, but I just honestly thought the accent was a bit overdone, though that could have been what the author was trying to do (in relation to the mystery).
I would definitely consider this a light-hearted, entertaining read. One that you could read in a day or to help you overcome a book slump. I would rate this 3 stars.
March 7, 2025
2.5- Rounded up.
I’d like to start out by recognizing that this book was not written with me in mind. I’m not a young adult, nor am I much of a fan of thrillers. However, I’d received this as an ARC for my classroom a while back and have finally gotten around to reading it for suitability before putting it on my classroom shelves- which I shan’t be doing (non-graphic, but not ambiguous references to murder, suicide, sexual assault; as well as exploring other topics pertinent to young people such as familial dysfunction, psychological abuse, and mental health). (Middle school teacher; I’d say this book would be for those 16+)
To those who may have more interest in this: compared to other thrillers I’ve read, it moved slowly. I don’t know if that’s just how this author writes or if it has to do with the targeted age demographic— to allow less experienced readers time to piece (what I believe are very obvious, but again… inexperienced readers?) clues together. Either way, between the pacing and the conspicuous evidence of the murder mystery, I was low-key bored with the novel.
The characters are all very one-dimensional and fall within some rather trite, modern archetypes. Given that these people are- mostly- older teens and young adults, they’re annoying. That said, I do think that a decent portion of kids will be able to identify with the MC: a girl who’s largely overlooked; keenly feels anxiety surrounding peers/ family/ the opposite sex/ her future; is fascinated with true crime; and eventually comes to, tentatively, begin trusting herself.
Something I will say I was pleasantly surprised by as an educator was the vocabulary. So many books geared towards young people (and even in adult books, too!) use the simplest language possible for fear of disengaging readers. This book does not do that! It’s not so rife with unfamiliar terminology as to make its audience feel inferior, but has… maybe one word per chapter (40, short)?… that would challenge students to expand their lexicon. Given the earlier ages I think would be appropriate for students to read this, it could be a way to encourage a bit of SAT study.
I’d like to start out by recognizing that this book was not written with me in mind. I’m not a young adult, nor am I much of a fan of thrillers. However, I’d received this as an ARC for my classroom a while back and have finally gotten around to reading it for suitability before putting it on my classroom shelves- which I shan’t be doing (non-graphic, but not ambiguous references to murder, suicide, sexual assault; as well as exploring other topics pertinent to young people such as familial dysfunction, psychological abuse, and mental health). (Middle school teacher; I’d say this book would be for those 16+)
To those who may have more interest in this: compared to other thrillers I’ve read, it moved slowly. I don’t know if that’s just how this author writes or if it has to do with the targeted age demographic— to allow less experienced readers time to piece (what I believe are very obvious, but again… inexperienced readers?) clues together. Either way, between the pacing and the conspicuous evidence of the murder mystery, I was low-key bored with the novel.
The characters are all very one-dimensional and fall within some rather trite, modern archetypes. Given that these people are- mostly- older teens and young adults, they’re annoying. That said, I do think that a decent portion of kids will be able to identify with the MC: a girl who’s largely overlooked; keenly feels anxiety surrounding peers/ family/ the opposite sex/ her future; is fascinated with true crime; and eventually comes to, tentatively, begin trusting herself.
Something I will say I was pleasantly surprised by as an educator was the vocabulary. So many books geared towards young people (and even in adult books, too!) use the simplest language possible for fear of disengaging readers. This book does not do that! It’s not so rife with unfamiliar terminology as to make its audience feel inferior, but has… maybe one word per chapter (40, short)?… that would challenge students to expand their lexicon. Given the earlier ages I think would be appropriate for students to read this, it could be a way to encourage a bit of SAT study.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2024
Thanks to Disney & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't realize this was a YA book when I requested it, but that didn't dim my enjoyment of it. Other aspects may have done, however.
Izzy is 17 and being required by her frustrated-artist, bipolar mom to live all of her own missed dreams: specifically, to study abroad in Italy. Izzy's not really into it, but her older brothers have all left the nest and it's just her trying to keep her mom afloat, as her dad seems to be working all the time. Izzy's mom arranges for them to host an Italian exchange student, ostensibly so Izzy can get more immersive practice in her Italian lessons (really? Since she's just doing Duolingo or whatever, this seems like a stretch),
Alberto arrives and Izzy is quickly smitten with him: he's blond and blue eyed, and ever so charming. McNeil sets up the story so that a typical teenager wouldn't suspect the handsome student of doing anything untoward (at least initially). While all this is happening, Izzy is reunited with her best friend's boyfriend's pal, with whom she's been texting (and hoping for a deeper relationship).
The plot chugs along and doesn't deliver many twisty moments (aside from Izzy's daring move to check out Alberto's personal possessions). I have a couple of teenagers at home, and the teens depicted here are way more like the teen I was (or perhaps McNeil was). No one is on a phone except to text, and the general tone of dialog really sounds more like adults than teens, can't quite put my finger on why exactly. Also, Izzy has some TSTL moments, which, granted, might be attributable to being 17.
The plot splices itself around the threat of an oncoming storm, and it delivers in a way that assists the plot tremendously (as one would expect). There is a decent twist in the plot arc, and the book isn't *bad*, per se; it's just less sophisticated than I'd like. Izzy is not especially likeable, despite all the running around and people-pleasing she's been doing, and her so-called "best friend" is repellant. Probably the best character is Izzy's love interest, who seems like a solid dude and seems like love Izzy in spite of her lack of foresight in getting involved in these situations.
2.5 stars rounded up
I didn't realize this was a YA book when I requested it, but that didn't dim my enjoyment of it. Other aspects may have done, however.
Izzy is 17 and being required by her frustrated-artist, bipolar mom to live all of her own missed dreams: specifically, to study abroad in Italy. Izzy's not really into it, but her older brothers have all left the nest and it's just her trying to keep her mom afloat, as her dad seems to be working all the time. Izzy's mom arranges for them to host an Italian exchange student, ostensibly so Izzy can get more immersive practice in her Italian lessons (really? Since she's just doing Duolingo or whatever, this seems like a stretch),
Alberto arrives and Izzy is quickly smitten with him: he's blond and blue eyed, and ever so charming. McNeil sets up the story so that a typical teenager wouldn't suspect the handsome student of doing anything untoward (at least initially). While all this is happening, Izzy is reunited with her best friend's boyfriend's pal, with whom she's been texting (and hoping for a deeper relationship).
The plot chugs along and doesn't deliver many twisty moments (aside from Izzy's daring move to check out Alberto's personal possessions). I have a couple of teenagers at home, and the teens depicted here are way more like the teen I was (or perhaps McNeil was). No one is on a phone except to text, and the general tone of dialog really sounds more like adults than teens, can't quite put my finger on why exactly. Also, Izzy has some TSTL moments, which, granted, might be attributable to being 17.
The plot splices itself around the threat of an oncoming storm, and it delivers in a way that assists the plot tremendously (as one would expect). There is a decent twist in the plot arc, and the book isn't *bad*, per se; it's just less sophisticated than I'd like. Izzy is not especially likeable, despite all the running around and people-pleasing she's been doing, and her so-called "best friend" is repellant. Probably the best character is Izzy's love interest, who seems like a solid dude and seems like love Izzy in spite of her lack of foresight in getting involved in these situations.
2.5 stars rounded up
December 14, 2024
I am shocked to say this about one of Gretchen McNeil’s books but Four Letter World was absolutely awful. Normally I adore her books I consider her one of the queens of horror in YA but this book had none of that. First of all the plot was all over the place and it took a while to pick up. Not a great thing when the book itself is only 250 pages. None of the characters were remotely interesting or well developed. The premise is that this family takes in a foreign exchange student from Italy to stay with them for an extended period.
The only girl in the family of boys is often ignored and is hardly noticed by her family. Her “best friend” Payton who is described as gorgeous and is already practically engaged to her boyfriend Hunter is instantly attracted to “Alberto” and throughout most of the book ignored her best friend “Izzy”. Oh yeah Izzy’s dad is hardly around “working” all of the time. All the while Izzy also pines for “Alberto” while at the same time secretly pines for Jake who is a random friend of the group.
Then oh yeah mysterious murders begin happening then Izzy starts suspending “Alberto” then she finds out later that what her dad was actually doing was hooking up with Izzy’s “best friend” Payton’s mother. Then the twist of all twists Izzy’s mother is having sex with “Alberto” who turns out to be the mysterious murderer. It was laughable how bad this book was.
The only girl in the family of boys is often ignored and is hardly noticed by her family. Her “best friend” Payton who is described as gorgeous and is already practically engaged to her boyfriend Hunter is instantly attracted to “Alberto” and throughout most of the book ignored her best friend “Izzy”. Oh yeah Izzy’s dad is hardly around “working” all of the time. All the while Izzy also pines for “Alberto” while at the same time secretly pines for Jake who is a random friend of the group.
Then oh yeah mysterious murders begin happening then Izzy starts suspending “Alberto” then she finds out later that what her dad was actually doing was hooking up with Izzy’s “best friend” Payton’s mother. Then the twist of all twists Izzy’s mother is having sex with “Alberto” who turns out to be the mysterious murderer. It was laughable how bad this book was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2025
*SPOILERS*
I am quite satisfied with how this book ended. It took me like 30 to 40 pages to really get into this book like the beginning was just really romance heavy but you know kind of needed to like set up the plot and character dynamics and everything.
The ending was very basic and predictable. But I also appreciate how it wasn't unnecessarily dragged out and closed very cleanly with all loose ends tied. I do wonder what happened with her brothers but not too relevant ig.
The main character had me emotionally drawn in was rooting for her and am so proud of her. Being a daughter to a bipolar mother and a very negligent family was so heavy. Honestly, I still don't like Peyton and I wish they broke up as BFs. Jake was a good male lead. I really liked him straight, responsible, honest guy. I like how the romance between her and jake was more about being emotionally supportive than physically intimate that I feel like a lot of YA books do. Dad was always a rat. Mother was an interesting character. I would be interested in revisiting this story from her mother's pov. But yeah this book kind of reminded me how exhilarating thrillers could be even with obvious plot lines lol. But also I feel empty afterwards- hmm but satisfied for Izzy. My favorite part for her was when she told Jake she wouldn't be staying for him, but for herself :)) so proud of my girl.
I am quite satisfied with how this book ended. It took me like 30 to 40 pages to really get into this book like the beginning was just really romance heavy but you know kind of needed to like set up the plot and character dynamics and everything.
The ending was very basic and predictable. But I also appreciate how it wasn't unnecessarily dragged out and closed very cleanly with all loose ends tied. I do wonder what happened with her brothers but not too relevant ig.
The main character had me emotionally drawn in was rooting for her and am so proud of her. Being a daughter to a bipolar mother and a very negligent family was so heavy. Honestly, I still don't like Peyton and I wish they broke up as BFs. Jake was a good male lead. I really liked him straight, responsible, honest guy. I like how the romance between her and jake was more about being emotionally supportive than physically intimate that I feel like a lot of YA books do. Dad was always a rat. Mother was an interesting character. I would be interested in revisiting this story from her mother's pov. But yeah this book kind of reminded me how exhilarating thrillers could be even with obvious plot lines lol. But also I feel empty afterwards- hmm but satisfied for Izzy. My favorite part for her was when she told Jake she wouldn't be staying for him, but for herself :)) so proud of my girl.
April 2, 2024
Izzy lives in a sleepy north Californian coastal town. She wants to get out, even if that means following her mom's dream instead of her own. When her family has a chance to host a foreign exchange student from Italy, her mom jumps at the chance so Izzy can work on her italian before going to Italy to study art. At first, Alberto is a nice change to the town. andsome & charming, he helps Izzy's mom get out of her depression and excited about life again. Izzy thinks he's cute, but her best friend Peyton practically throws herself at him. Alberto loves the attention, and seems like a regular college guy. At first. Then they FBI comes knocking on Izzy's door about a serial killer that has moved up the coast of California in the last coulpe of months. They tracked him down to the flight Alberto flew in on. Even though she ha her suspicions before, Izzy knows Alberto is the killer after her visit with the FBI. But, she will have to survive the threats to her life in order to prove he's the killer.
This was a pretty good YA thriller, A few twists and turns, a little romance, some friend drama, and a serial killer! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was a pretty good YA thriller, A few twists and turns, a little romance, some friend drama, and a serial killer! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 23, 2024
The last step before Izzy is ready to spend a semester in Italy, fulfilling her mother's dream of studying art there, is to host an Italian foreign exchange student. Alberto can help Izzy practice her Italian and give her tips before she travels to Italy herself. Despite Alberto's charm, Izzy can't help but notice some red flags, and her obsession with a current serial killer mystery isn't helping things. Will anyone help Izzy put together the pieces before more people get killed?
Four Letter Word is an engaging serial killer mystery. The ending was both expected and unfulfilling, although teen readers might not be so difficult to please. The title is explained, but didn't seem to be a strong enough link for a title. I especially struggled with the relationship between Izzy and her mom. Although realistic, I don't think the book did enough to depict how unhealthy their relationship was and I wanted more about how Izzy could break free.
I listened to an ARC from NetGalley.
Four Letter Word is an engaging serial killer mystery. The ending was both expected and unfulfilling, although teen readers might not be so difficult to please. The title is explained, but didn't seem to be a strong enough link for a title. I especially struggled with the relationship between Izzy and her mom. Although realistic, I don't think the book did enough to depict how unhealthy their relationship was and I wanted more about how Izzy could break free.
I listened to an ARC from NetGalley.
August 30, 2023
Izzy's mom struggles with mental illness. Izzy's dad is always out working, trying to make ends meet. Her brothers are off living their own life, and Izzy is left trying to keep everyone happy while living her mom's dream.
When they take in an Italian exchange student, Izzy starts to think things are not all as it seems. But...she's also a big fan of true crime...so maybe a trash bag is just a trash bag??
Four Letter Word is about catching a serial killer, but also about friendship, love, finding yourself, and living your life.
I found a lot of this mystery to be very predictable. But, I was also very surprised by other twists. I'll admit, I was on the edge of my seat, reading as fast as I could for about the last 15%.
Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for an early copy for review.
When they take in an Italian exchange student, Izzy starts to think things are not all as it seems. But...she's also a big fan of true crime...so maybe a trash bag is just a trash bag??
Four Letter Word is about catching a serial killer, but also about friendship, love, finding yourself, and living your life.
I found a lot of this mystery to be very predictable. But, I was also very surprised by other twists. I'll admit, I was on the edge of my seat, reading as fast as I could for about the last 15%.
Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for an early copy for review.
February 19, 2024
Izzy’s mom has planned for her to study abroad in Italy and Izzy has looked forward to leaving her boring life behind. When Alberto, an Italian foreign exchange student, moves in with them, she realizes that her life isn’t as boring as she thought. Izzy is also a true crime fan and has been following a case of a serial killer in San Francisco. When the murderer seems to have traveled north, Izzy wonders if Alberto is who he says he is.
Four Letter Word is a predictable mystery that was still enjoyable to read. McNeil was able to put in a few unexpected twists and turns, but the trajectory of the story followed the usual path. I was satisfied with the ending, but I only recommend this for those who need a simple escape and not a heart-pounding mystery.
Four Letter Word is a predictable mystery that was still enjoyable to read. McNeil was able to put in a few unexpected twists and turns, but the trajectory of the story followed the usual path. I was satisfied with the ending, but I only recommend this for those who need a simple escape and not a heart-pounding mystery.
May 19, 2024
Izzy feels stuck living the broken dreams of her mother, who has planned her life down to the letter. This includes an Italian exchange student coming to live with them for three months to help with Izzy’s Italian. But when people start dying, Izzy, a true-crime junkie, gets suspicious. Is this a kind Italian exchange student or a serial killer in her house?
This book would’ve gotten five stars except that it was a little predictable. Granted, I read ✨a lot✨ of YA thrillers, so maybe I just see things coming. That being said, I really liked the plot, and it moved quickly and kept me interested. I would definitely recommend it.
This book would’ve gotten five stars except that it was a little predictable. Granted, I read ✨a lot✨ of YA thrillers, so maybe I just see things coming. That being said, I really liked the plot, and it moved quickly and kept me interested. I would definitely recommend it.
February 11, 2024
This book is so-called "young adult" fiction, but it would more accurately be described as "adolescent" fiction. The structure and wording are often awkward and unpolished; the language is definitely filled with our society's idea of adolescent language - often crude and profane. The story itself is well structured, with many unpredictable plot twists, smooth scene transitions, etc. A younger reader would likely identify with the characters more; I found them a little stereotypical and unrelatable. The extra star in my rating is a gift to compensate for the genre being out of my preference.
June 15, 2024
I purchased this book in a hurry after reading on the jacket how it was a pulse-pounding thriller. It wasn't until I got home and began reading that I noted it stated that it was for young adults.
I decided to read it anyway. I'm glad I did because I was quite impressed. And you will be also if you decide to grab a copy of this page-turner. The twist at the end totally threw me for a loop. So this author's particular book is not just for young adults - it's for readers of all ages, even seniors.
I decided to read it anyway. I'm glad I did because I was quite impressed. And you will be also if you decide to grab a copy of this page-turner. The twist at the end totally threw me for a loop. So this author's particular book is not just for young adults - it's for readers of all ages, even seniors.
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