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You Better Watch Out
He's making a list.
It's Christmastime at Elsinore House School, and what better way for class 11S to get into the festive spirit than with a Secret Santa? Sixteen-year-old ELERI isn't the most outgoing or popular girl in school, so when a gift is left for her each day in the abandoned tower block opposite her house, she can't help but be flattered. It's certainly a welcome distraction from a difficult home life and the trauma of last Christmas, when NINA, the new girl and Eleri's Secret Santa giftee, went missing.
But who could be her Secret Santa? And why go through the effort of giving her a whole advent calendar's worth of gifts? Fingers crossed it's the handsome and enigmatic bad boy RAS, whom Eleri was flirting with last Christmas and on whom she still has a massive crush ... Eleri's friends are, however, less convinced: Ras seems unruly and unstable. And why store the gifts in a creepy and dilapidated old tower block?
As the countdown to Christmas continues, the gifts themselves take on an increasingly dark and dangerous nature. What initially seemed like a harmless bit of festive fun might just turn out to be a sick joke, or something entirely more sinister... With time running out, Eleri starts to wonder: could it, after all, have something to do with the disappearance of Nina last Christmas? And, if so, will Eleri be next?
It's Christmastime at Elsinore House School, and what better way for class 11S to get into the festive spirit than with a Secret Santa? Sixteen-year-old ELERI isn't the most outgoing or popular girl in school, so when a gift is left for her each day in the abandoned tower block opposite her house, she can't help but be flattered. It's certainly a welcome distraction from a difficult home life and the trauma of last Christmas, when NINA, the new girl and Eleri's Secret Santa giftee, went missing.
But who could be her Secret Santa? And why go through the effort of giving her a whole advent calendar's worth of gifts? Fingers crossed it's the handsome and enigmatic bad boy RAS, whom Eleri was flirting with last Christmas and on whom she still has a massive crush ... Eleri's friends are, however, less convinced: Ras seems unruly and unstable. And why store the gifts in a creepy and dilapidated old tower block?
As the countdown to Christmas continues, the gifts themselves take on an increasingly dark and dangerous nature. What initially seemed like a harmless bit of festive fun might just turn out to be a sick joke, or something entirely more sinister... With time running out, Eleri starts to wonder: could it, after all, have something to do with the disappearance of Nina last Christmas? And, if so, will Eleri be next?
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2023
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588 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
December 7, 2023
I don’t really know what to say about this book, because I forgot mostly everything about this story within the first few hours after reading it and I’m sure if I look back in a few weeks, I won’t remember anything, this book just wasn’t memorable.
The writing felt very clunky and the characters seemed much younger than they supposedly were. There weren’t any big twists for me, everything felt rather obvious. I absolutely hated the FMCs best friend, their friendship (if you can call it that) felt very toxic and unhealthy. Some scenes in this book didn’t really add to the story or make sense, so I’m still wondering why they were included and overall it was just a boring read for me. I wasn’t invested in the story at all and just glad that it was over in the end.
The writing felt very clunky and the characters seemed much younger than they supposedly were. There weren’t any big twists for me, everything felt rather obvious. I absolutely hated the FMCs best friend, their friendship (if you can call it that) felt very toxic and unhealthy. Some scenes in this book didn’t really add to the story or make sense, so I’m still wondering why they were included and overall it was just a boring read for me. I wasn’t invested in the story at all and just glad that it was over in the end.
December 31, 2023
This Christmas is going to be different for Elsinore. She is still affected by last year’s events. Her friend Nina, disappeared without a trace last December. And her friend Ras stopped talking to her for no apparent reason.
Trying to make the best of the holidays, all El wants this year is to have a good time with Beni and Cal, her only friends left.
But Secret Santa has other plans. Every year at school the students organize a Secret Santa. This year someone uses this opportunity to send El a message. She starts receiving weird text messages and gifts from her Secret Santa. But who is terrorizing El and what do they want from her?
Even though it was a lot of fun to see El retrieve the presents and try to figure out what it all meant, it can become at some point a bit repetitive since the same thing happens almost every day. But the author did manage to add some tension to those scenes every time she would go to get the next present.
The characters did not always make the best decisions and some parts of their friendship I found to be a bit weird. However it was interesting to discover what secrets they had kept from each other.
I was happy to see more adults and parents involved and participating in their kids' lives. It definitely helped to bring the characters to life and make them a lot more real and relatable. We have some disability rep as well as a lot of different ways a person can go through grief.
I probably would have rated the book a bit higher since it was a really fun read for the holidays but the Secret Santa reveal was a bit weak for me.
Trying to make the best of the holidays, all El wants this year is to have a good time with Beni and Cal, her only friends left.
But Secret Santa has other plans. Every year at school the students organize a Secret Santa. This year someone uses this opportunity to send El a message. She starts receiving weird text messages and gifts from her Secret Santa. But who is terrorizing El and what do they want from her?
Even though it was a lot of fun to see El retrieve the presents and try to figure out what it all meant, it can become at some point a bit repetitive since the same thing happens almost every day. But the author did manage to add some tension to those scenes every time she would go to get the next present.
The characters did not always make the best decisions and some parts of their friendship I found to be a bit weird. However it was interesting to discover what secrets they had kept from each other.
I was happy to see more adults and parents involved and participating in their kids' lives. It definitely helped to bring the characters to life and make them a lot more real and relatable. We have some disability rep as well as a lot of different ways a person can go through grief.
I probably would have rated the book a bit higher since it was a really fun read for the holidays but the Secret Santa reveal was a bit weak for me.
December 22, 2023
Sixteen year old Eleri lives with her mum in a tower block in London. When someone starts leaving mysterious and, sometimes, strange gifts in the empty tower block opposite Eleri isn't sure if it's her Secret Santa playing pranks or something more sinister. This is a slow burning mystery with the added element of the possibility of a connection with a missing girl from Eleri's school. I enjoyed the various twists and the final outcome was well played out.
November 27, 2023
You know the book is bad when you don’t remember anything that happened
January 7, 2024
Eleri, Calista and Beni have been close friends since primary school but this Christmas everything is different. Eleri is exhausted from helping her disabled Mum, Calista’s Mum is more interested in her new family and Beni is spending more time with his new drama friends. Then Eleri starts getting messages, and a secret Santa gift each day to collect from the abandoned tower block next to her own. As the gifts become more disturbing she realises it all links back to her friend Nina who disappeared last Christmas. Who is stalking her and is she in danger?
A mystery thriller that has twists and reveals, perfect for a winter crime fix. The teens relationships are messy and complex, wildly swinging from love to hate to suspicion to confusion. The representation is great, POC, disability and different beliefs, they all mix in a wonderful story of family and friendship, loss and grief, blame and forgiveness.
The crime at the heart of this is heartbreaking and sadly believable. The main character Eleri is both brave and frustrating. Honestly I sided with the secret Santa in this story although their actions were extreme. A fun mystery that will keep you guessing.
A mystery thriller that has twists and reveals, perfect for a winter crime fix. The teens relationships are messy and complex, wildly swinging from love to hate to suspicion to confusion. The representation is great, POC, disability and different beliefs, they all mix in a wonderful story of family and friendship, loss and grief, blame and forgiveness.
The crime at the heart of this is heartbreaking and sadly believable. The main character Eleri is both brave and frustrating. Honestly I sided with the secret Santa in this story although their actions were extreme. A fun mystery that will keep you guessing.
December 26, 2023
Did I buy this for the title and cover alone just because it shouted “December TBR” yes..yes I did BUT I really enjoyed it! First off it’s a YA … not sure why I always stay away from YA reads because the ones I have read I’ve always liked… the story follows the protagonist Eleri a teenager who starts to receive her secret Santa gifts in December…however what started out as fun and exciting, these daily gifts slowly start to take a turn and the secret Santa becomes Eleris worst enemy!
I loved the writing and just how at home I felt reading this! I can’t remember the last time I read a book based in the U.K, it was actually heart warming to have such British things named within it! Simple things like Shops, sayings, and teenager nostalgia! I need to read more British books!
The book packed a lot in to those 350+ Pages, I loved all the characters within and it really did keep me guessing up until the very end…a few unrealistic parts where I thought “really?but hey it’s fiction it’s allowed right 🤷♀️
defo a must read especially perfect for Christmas, highly recommend this mystery thriller!
I loved the writing and just how at home I felt reading this! I can’t remember the last time I read a book based in the U.K, it was actually heart warming to have such British things named within it! Simple things like Shops, sayings, and teenager nostalgia! I need to read more British books!
The book packed a lot in to those 350+ Pages, I loved all the characters within and it really did keep me guessing up until the very end…a few unrealistic parts where I thought “really?but hey it’s fiction it’s allowed right 🤷♀️
defo a must read especially perfect for Christmas, highly recommend this mystery thriller!
December 19, 2023
This book was... eh.
At first it sounded really intriguing and I sort of had high hopes for it but they didn't come through.
The plot was there and I get what they were trying to do but, it wasn't suspenseful enough for me and it just didn't grab my attention like it should. While reading the book there were so many times I thought of different ways for Eleri to catch this "secret santa" in the act and I thought at some point in the book she would do them but she never did.
Eleri's character was okay I found her to just be a follower and she didn't really think for herself. I didn't sympathise with her at all when she complained about her mum leaving a well paying job and now working in Sainsbury's and Eleri has to cook and clean for herself most days.
When I was Eleri's age, which was like 5 years ago almost, I would be doing that too and I didn't really complain because it meant I can just make what I like and chores is just a normal thing that all kids do so, I didn't really see the big deal here.
I think the characters were supposed to be around the ages of 17-18 if I'm not wrong, but they just seemed a lot younger to me and I think it may have been because of their attitudes towards things things like chores, crushes and friendships.
The book should come with some sort of trigger warning for Calista because as someone who has had experience with a toxic friend, it was difficult to get through. It hit a little too close to home for me when we found out Cal had returned the invitation Ras sent Eleri saying "in you dreams psycho". I once had a toxic friend like that who told the guy I liked, who I knew liked me back, that I wasn't interested even though I had told her countless times I was.
I had a feeling Cal had some sort of involvement with Nina's disappearance as she would act so weird around other people that weren't in their friend group. What she did was despicable and disgusting. She put Eleri in so much danger and had a young girl lead to suicide because she didn't want her friends to leave her. It all started with her and Eleri has every right to be angry and no longer befriend Cal because of this but she still forgave her?? If I were her I would cut her out of my life completely, people like that are not worth keeping around.
Another thing I did not like was Hendrick. Yeah, he was the culprit behind everything in the end but there was literally no development with his character like we knew nothing about him. I get that it's always going to be the people you least expect and that's what the author was going for but, we need to know something about the character it all needs to build up to it. There should be little clues that would lead to Hendrick. They may be small details we'd miss because we think it's not important but in the end seems to be a major roles in their plot.
I was also irritated that they just let Hendrick go. Like he gave his reason saying that he loves Nina so he wants revenge but he literally escaped the tower when the police came and then he shows up at Nina's grave on Christmas Day. Eleri had every opportunity to call the police but she doesn't and it's so stupid. She just let's him go! And he even admits that he's going to kill the teacher that had SAed Nina and his wife and baby. AND ELERI JUST LET'S HIM GO?!?!? The teacher that SAed her probably deserves it but an innocent baby? The wife? The girl does not think.
Overall, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I wanted to. As I said, the plot was there it just need to be executed better... and maybe have a better ending where the culprit doesn't get away scot free to commit more murders.
At first it sounded really intriguing and I sort of had high hopes for it but they didn't come through.
The plot was there and I get what they were trying to do but, it wasn't suspenseful enough for me and it just didn't grab my attention like it should. While reading the book there were so many times I thought of different ways for Eleri to catch this "secret santa" in the act and I thought at some point in the book she would do them but she never did.
Eleri's character was okay I found her to just be a follower and she didn't really think for herself. I didn't sympathise with her at all when she complained about her mum leaving a well paying job and now working in Sainsbury's and Eleri has to cook and clean for herself most days.
When I was Eleri's age, which was like 5 years ago almost, I would be doing that too and I didn't really complain because it meant I can just make what I like and chores is just a normal thing that all kids do so, I didn't really see the big deal here.
I think the characters were supposed to be around the ages of 17-18 if I'm not wrong, but they just seemed a lot younger to me and I think it may have been because of their attitudes towards things things like chores, crushes and friendships.
The book should come with some sort of trigger warning for Calista because as someone who has had experience with a toxic friend, it was difficult to get through. It hit a little too close to home for me when we found out Cal had returned the invitation Ras sent Eleri saying "in you dreams psycho". I once had a toxic friend like that who told the guy I liked, who I knew liked me back, that I wasn't interested even though I had told her countless times I was.
I had a feeling Cal had some sort of involvement with Nina's disappearance as she would act so weird around other people that weren't in their friend group. What she did was despicable and disgusting. She put Eleri in so much danger and had a young girl lead to suicide because she didn't want her friends to leave her. It all started with her and Eleri has every right to be angry and no longer befriend Cal because of this but she still forgave her?? If I were her I would cut her out of my life completely, people like that are not worth keeping around.
Another thing I did not like was Hendrick. Yeah, he was the culprit behind everything in the end but there was literally no development with his character like we knew nothing about him. I get that it's always going to be the people you least expect and that's what the author was going for but, we need to know something about the character it all needs to build up to it. There should be little clues that would lead to Hendrick. They may be small details we'd miss because we think it's not important but in the end seems to be a major roles in their plot.
I was also irritated that they just let Hendrick go. Like he gave his reason saying that he loves Nina so he wants revenge but he literally escaped the tower when the police came and then he shows up at Nina's grave on Christmas Day. Eleri had every opportunity to call the police but she doesn't and it's so stupid. She just let's him go! And he even admits that he's going to kill the teacher that had SAed Nina and his wife and baby. AND ELERI JUST LET'S HIM GO?!?!? The teacher that SAed her probably deserves it but an innocent baby? The wife? The girl does not think.
Overall, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I wanted to. As I said, the plot was there it just need to be executed better... and maybe have a better ending where the culprit doesn't get away scot free to commit more murders.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this fast paced Ya mystery thriller book, was perfect for the holiday's
December 22, 2025
I have enjoyed reading this book a chapter a day in December but just couldn't wait to read the last couple chapters 😀
December 27, 2023
Where do I start.. it was very slow getting into it, had to re-read a lot at the start but as I got a fair few chapters in, it was a little easier and quick to read.
I liked the story in general but a bit disappointed with it as a whole and the ending, I expected it to be a bit juicier.
To find out ‘who dunnit’ and that Eleri wasn’t actually in any danger was a bit of an anti climax moment.
I liked the story in general but a bit disappointed with it as a whole and the ending, I expected it to be a bit juicier.
To find out ‘who dunnit’ and that Eleri wasn’t actually in any danger was a bit of an anti climax moment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2024
fin nulle. pas assez de suspense, boringgggg en plus le plot avait tellement de potentiel 🙄
January 17, 2024
I love extending the holiday feeling by picking up festive reads, and especially death murdery ones. This is a 'high concept' horror/mystery/thriller following Eleri as she gets drawn into a game with a deadly Secret Santa who leaves her a 'gift' for each of the days of advent. The gifts get more threatening as the days progress, and what will be behind door 25?!
Apparently this was written to a brief (like the Point Horrors) and I do think the book shoe horns itself a little into the concept and might have benefited from some pruning, or possibly restructuring to extend the mystery around missing Nina's family and clues that we get from certain gifts. But I did enjoy the progression and I was kept guessing as to who the Secret Santa was until the end.
This book packs in a lot. There's mental health issues, disability rep, LGBTQ+ rep... There's weighty topics too like friendships, bullying, grief, sexual assault. It is set in contemporary England and even includes political issues and current events like Grenville and covid. The setting is actually my favourite aspect of the novel. The gifts that are left for Eleri are in a tower block that mirrors her own apartment building, except it has been coated in flammable cladding and as such was never populated. I found myself googling if such a tower block even exists in the UK somewhere - a brand new block left to rot because of the dangers - but I couldn't find any evidence of this. I thought it was a great idea though. In addition to this the school Eleri attends is very British and it is a perfect representation of an under-funded, cut throat secondary school of which there are many dotted around the country. In some ways the book reads more like a gritty contemporary reflection of British teen life than a mystery/thriller. Eleri's thoughts are not always pretty either, so we follow her emotional arc on her journey through this terrible December.
Definitely an interesting one, and I think thriller lovers and contemporary drama fans alike will enjoy this read.
Apparently this was written to a brief (like the Point Horrors) and I do think the book shoe horns itself a little into the concept and might have benefited from some pruning, or possibly restructuring to extend the mystery around missing Nina's family and clues that we get from certain gifts. But I did enjoy the progression and I was kept guessing as to who the Secret Santa was until the end.
This book packs in a lot. There's mental health issues, disability rep, LGBTQ+ rep... There's weighty topics too like friendships, bullying, grief, sexual assault. It is set in contemporary England and even includes political issues and current events like Grenville and covid. The setting is actually my favourite aspect of the novel. The gifts that are left for Eleri are in a tower block that mirrors her own apartment building, except it has been coated in flammable cladding and as such was never populated. I found myself googling if such a tower block even exists in the UK somewhere - a brand new block left to rot because of the dangers - but I couldn't find any evidence of this. I thought it was a great idea though. In addition to this the school Eleri attends is very British and it is a perfect representation of an under-funded, cut throat secondary school of which there are many dotted around the country. In some ways the book reads more like a gritty contemporary reflection of British teen life than a mystery/thriller. Eleri's thoughts are not always pretty either, so we follow her emotional arc on her journey through this terrible December.
Definitely an interesting one, and I think thriller lovers and contemporary drama fans alike will enjoy this read.
December 9, 2023
YOU BETTER WATCH OUT is about Secret Santa getting very, very sinister.
The entire set up, the text from the mystery number, the abandoned, never finished tower block with windows lighting up on different floors, the bizarre gifts. It's so well set up to make you uneasy from the start, even when Eleri and some of her friends are very positive about it all. There's also something deeply upsetting and violating about the stolen bag and the potentials that opens up.
I raced through this on trains, wanting to know who was behind it all, why they were doing it, and what they ultimately wanted. I had a sense that it must connect to Nina (or why else was she mentioned in the book?) but not how, and I really like how it all linked up.
It is also a book about friendships, the good and the messy. Eleri's two friends represent these - Beni is the simple, easy friendship while Calista is a really difficult, messy, complicated one. I thought the Calista/Eleri relationship was really interesting to explore, a mess of history and dependency and inability and unwillingness to let things change. There's all these jealousies when new people come that play out alongside difficult home lives that show just how important friendships are but also how tricky they can be to navigate.
Like many thrillers, YOU BETTER WATCH OUT discusses a wide variety of topics such as bullying, disbelieving sexual assault victims, friendships, homelessness. Eleri's mum also has cerebral palsy, and so the book explores hostile workplaces to disability and the strain having to be a carer to your parent can place on children. I thought the explosion of that strain was portrayed really well, really putting you in her mum's shoes, having spent the whole book in Eleri's.
The entire set up, the text from the mystery number, the abandoned, never finished tower block with windows lighting up on different floors, the bizarre gifts. It's so well set up to make you uneasy from the start, even when Eleri and some of her friends are very positive about it all. There's also something deeply upsetting and violating about the stolen bag and the potentials that opens up.
I raced through this on trains, wanting to know who was behind it all, why they were doing it, and what they ultimately wanted. I had a sense that it must connect to Nina (or why else was she mentioned in the book?) but not how, and I really like how it all linked up.
It is also a book about friendships, the good and the messy. Eleri's two friends represent these - Beni is the simple, easy friendship while Calista is a really difficult, messy, complicated one. I thought the Calista/Eleri relationship was really interesting to explore, a mess of history and dependency and inability and unwillingness to let things change. There's all these jealousies when new people come that play out alongside difficult home lives that show just how important friendships are but also how tricky they can be to navigate.
Like many thrillers, YOU BETTER WATCH OUT discusses a wide variety of topics such as bullying, disbelieving sexual assault victims, friendships, homelessness. Eleri's mum also has cerebral palsy, and so the book explores hostile workplaces to disability and the strain having to be a carer to your parent can place on children. I thought the explosion of that strain was portrayed really well, really putting you in her mum's shoes, having spent the whole book in Eleri's.
December 24, 2023
This book was soooo good! It was great for a little festive read since it’s December, a mix between a horror and a mystery!
There was always something exciting going on or some sort of plot twist, I couldn’t put it down!
There was always something exciting going on or some sort of plot twist, I couldn’t put it down!
December 20, 2023
Pages
375
YA Thiller
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Eleri reveals that Nina has gone missing, after putting up posters, news reports Nina has still not been seen.
Eleri's bag is taken by someone and placed in a tower block on the estate. Eleri gets it back but feels un easy after someone else has been touching her stuff. Eleri Receives A text from an unknown number with two emojis.
Eleri thinks that Ras who she fancy is the secret santa. There Are Secnce where Nina is talked about so this would be before she went missing.
Eleri receives another text saying door 3, she and Beni go to floor 3 of the tower block to find A Stuffed octopus.
Eleri gets a ring a real ring with A diamond. Her and her friends test it to confirm its a real ring. Eleri conforts Ras and Ras claims that he didn't leave the ring in the tower block. Meanwhile Eleri, Ras and Nina talk about different subjects that how they become friends before Nina went missing. Eleri and her friends try to figure out if her keys have been copied, Eleri keeps the gifts in A pillowcase under her bed.
Eleri and her mum go out with her mum not telling her where they are going. They meet Adam who is giving a Kitten called Lavender. For Eleri's mum. Eleri receive another gift after unwrapping box after box it's A key but it's not Eleri's key.
Eleri and Beni go to the shed to find out that the grounds keeper is living in it. Eleri and Beni thought that Ray had kidnapped a girl and is feeding her microwave meals.
The whole of the school are pulled into assembly, there's A person from the police to tell everyone that A woman discovered Nina's Body in whales. Eleri is in complete shock.
So towards the end we find out that Nina's boyfriend Hendrick is behind the secret santa he's out for revenge because people hurt Nina to the point of her ending her life. With a fight Eleri pushes Hendrick down the lift shaft to save Beni & Calista.
Eleri finds out that Calista was behind taking Ninas stuff as she was jealous of Eleri and Ninas friendship.
A very slow read took me 19 days to read. A lot of Unnecessary detail. Not A lot of plot twists. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book that much due to theses things.
375
YA Thiller
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Eleri reveals that Nina has gone missing, after putting up posters, news reports Nina has still not been seen.
Eleri's bag is taken by someone and placed in a tower block on the estate. Eleri gets it back but feels un easy after someone else has been touching her stuff. Eleri Receives A text from an unknown number with two emojis.
Eleri thinks that Ras who she fancy is the secret santa. There Are Secnce where Nina is talked about so this would be before she went missing.
Eleri receives another text saying door 3, she and Beni go to floor 3 of the tower block to find A Stuffed octopus.
Eleri gets a ring a real ring with A diamond. Her and her friends test it to confirm its a real ring. Eleri conforts Ras and Ras claims that he didn't leave the ring in the tower block. Meanwhile Eleri, Ras and Nina talk about different subjects that how they become friends before Nina went missing. Eleri and her friends try to figure out if her keys have been copied, Eleri keeps the gifts in A pillowcase under her bed.
Eleri and her mum go out with her mum not telling her where they are going. They meet Adam who is giving a Kitten called Lavender. For Eleri's mum. Eleri receive another gift after unwrapping box after box it's A key but it's not Eleri's key.
Eleri and Beni go to the shed to find out that the grounds keeper is living in it. Eleri and Beni thought that Ray had kidnapped a girl and is feeding her microwave meals.
The whole of the school are pulled into assembly, there's A person from the police to tell everyone that A woman discovered Nina's Body in whales. Eleri is in complete shock.
So towards the end we find out that Nina's boyfriend Hendrick is behind the secret santa he's out for revenge because people hurt Nina to the point of her ending her life. With a fight Eleri pushes Hendrick down the lift shaft to save Beni & Calista.
Eleri finds out that Calista was behind taking Ninas stuff as she was jealous of Eleri and Ninas friendship.
A very slow read took me 19 days to read. A lot of Unnecessary detail. Not A lot of plot twists. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book that much due to theses things.
December 12, 2023
Eleri isn’t overly thrilled at the thought of a class Secret Santa, especially not since last year. The last time she was someones Secret Santa—new girl, Nina—they went missing. But when Eleri’s secret-someone begins leaving her gifts everyday in the abandoned tower block opposite her house that no one dares go near, she can’t help but be flattered, despite the eeriness of the location. She could use the distraction from toxic family life and friendships, and knowing her crush barely notices her, at least.
But as much as Eleri’s friends are dubious about her Secret Santa leaving her an entire advent of gifts, she’s less worried and more thrilled at the thought of it being her crush, Ras, but she’s not sure how much that is down to wishful thinking and reading too much into things. Especially not when his behaviour is verging on unstable, agreed by her concerned friends. It’s not until the gifts take a steep turn into dangerous territory that Eleri sees this for what it is: scary. As Christmas fast approaches and the gifts get darker and more sinister, Eleri starts putting the pieces of a strange puzzle together. Does her Secret Santa have anything to do with Nina’s disappearance last year? Who is behind it? And if things keep getting increasingly more horrifying, is she going to be next?
Overall, You Better Watch Out was one of those books you read in a whole setting and have to sit with for a while to really process how intricately smart it was. Far from a Christmas vibe and well into the depths of thrills, it’s perfect for people that aren’t too into the holidays and want a little more violent night than silent night. I had initial trouble getting into the story, but this was swiftly eradicated by the action beginning and rooting myself into the plot. I think it deals with the reality of some toxic friendships in school very believably. With twists you won’t see coming and a haunting vibe that lingers long after the last page was turned, it had everything you want in a YA Thriller and more. I can’t wait to read more from Sarah.
But as much as Eleri’s friends are dubious about her Secret Santa leaving her an entire advent of gifts, she’s less worried and more thrilled at the thought of it being her crush, Ras, but she’s not sure how much that is down to wishful thinking and reading too much into things. Especially not when his behaviour is verging on unstable, agreed by her concerned friends. It’s not until the gifts take a steep turn into dangerous territory that Eleri sees this for what it is: scary. As Christmas fast approaches and the gifts get darker and more sinister, Eleri starts putting the pieces of a strange puzzle together. Does her Secret Santa have anything to do with Nina’s disappearance last year? Who is behind it? And if things keep getting increasingly more horrifying, is she going to be next?
Overall, You Better Watch Out was one of those books you read in a whole setting and have to sit with for a while to really process how intricately smart it was. Far from a Christmas vibe and well into the depths of thrills, it’s perfect for people that aren’t too into the holidays and want a little more violent night than silent night. I had initial trouble getting into the story, but this was swiftly eradicated by the action beginning and rooting myself into the plot. I think it deals with the reality of some toxic friendships in school very believably. With twists you won’t see coming and a haunting vibe that lingers long after the last page was turned, it had everything you want in a YA Thriller and more. I can’t wait to read more from Sarah.
July 13, 2025
This book feels like a slow burn thriller; it's more of a slow-paced one compared to what I normally read, but that's okay.
-It took way too long for Eleri to realise that it was not Ras that was doing all the giving her gifts and sending messages smh
-also the plot on the book says that she had history with Ras, and i thought they were like exes or something …. They were just former friends, or rather, Ras stopped talking to her after Nina disappeared
-Am I tripping or is Eleri like mean towards Nina like she made 2 comments now about her weight, like hello??
-Calista, oh, Calista, - there are so many words to describe her but I have no comments (based on her actions in this story from beginning to end)
The victim in this story is Nina, ofc, no one else
I can't lie, this story made me guess the person behind the secret Santa thing like every chapter , i didn't expect it to be Hendrick, tbh, but then again it's kind of like a trope that u sometimes see in other books
Sorry, but the ending?? Eleri, why on earth would u forgive and accept what Calista did, it's just off-putting to me , like imagine your friend telling u that she was the one that caused all that mess and u wanna be buddy buddy with her ….sigh
-It took way too long for Eleri to realise that it was not Ras that was doing all the giving her gifts and sending messages smh
-also the plot on the book says that she had history with Ras, and i thought they were like exes or something …. They were just former friends, or rather, Ras stopped talking to her after Nina disappeared
-Am I tripping or is Eleri like mean towards Nina like she made 2 comments now about her weight, like hello??
-Calista, oh, Calista, - there are so many words to describe her but I have no comments (based on her actions in this story from beginning to end)
The victim in this story is Nina, ofc, no one else
I can't lie, this story made me guess the person behind the secret Santa thing like every chapter , i didn't expect it to be Hendrick, tbh, but then again it's kind of like a trope that u sometimes see in other books
Sorry, but the ending?? Eleri, why on earth would u forgive and accept what Calista did, it's just off-putting to me , like imagine your friend telling u that she was the one that caused all that mess and u wanna be buddy buddy with her ….sigh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2025
I liked this book - 3 1/2 stars. It really captured all the emotions with every chapter you read. At times I found it got a bit repetitive, and boring but as you got into it, the story began to reveal itself. I found the plot twists very interesting… though I thought there were too many of them. Now come the SPOILERS…
I found that Calista was just there as a kind of person to create drama. She didn’t really have a purpose in the book, and was not someone anyone was meant to like. I think at times, we were meant to feel sorry for her, because of her dad, but I couldn’t really feel that emotion when it came to her.
Beni was my favourite character. He was funny and supportive towards Eleri and never stopped to complain to her about anything. Towards the end, when he got that overdose, I felt like Haymitch had no feelings at all, for anyone except Nina. I get that Nina taking her own life was hurtful against him, but overdosing Beni was just a step too far. It was Calista who got Eleri into this mess, and Beni shouldn’t be the one to pay for it. He was just himself - kind, open, with a sense of protection over his friends. I personally think, that this book wouldn’t be a book without him.
I found that Calista was just there as a kind of person to create drama. She didn’t really have a purpose in the book, and was not someone anyone was meant to like. I think at times, we were meant to feel sorry for her, because of her dad, but I couldn’t really feel that emotion when it came to her.
Beni was my favourite character. He was funny and supportive towards Eleri and never stopped to complain to her about anything. Towards the end, when he got that overdose, I felt like Haymitch had no feelings at all, for anyone except Nina. I get that Nina taking her own life was hurtful against him, but overdosing Beni was just a step too far. It was Calista who got Eleri into this mess, and Beni shouldn’t be the one to pay for it. He was just himself - kind, open, with a sense of protection over his friends. I personally think, that this book wouldn’t be a book without him.
December 25, 2025
If you cut all the unnecessary detail out of this book it would have been 24 pages long.
This had potential. The plot was definitely intriguing but everything about it just fell flat. There was simultaneously too much and not enough going on. Typically in the thriller such as this, if the author throws out a seemingly irrelevant piece of detail, it turns out to be foreshadowing or setting up a later moment. Except in this book, Naughton was absolutely battering the reader with unnecessary detail after unnecessary detail. Clearly she likes writing description, and she’s pretty good at it, but an editor really needed to go through with a red pen and cut it all out.
Also the characters felt pretty juvenile and the general writing felt like something from the children’s section (more like Cathy Cassidy than Karen McManus). Don’t get me wrong, I have so much time for teenagers acting like teenagers, but these really felt like teenagers written by someone basing their characters off of mid-2000s British media.
Eleri was also a very passive protagonist, and in a thriller where the protagonist is the driving force, this doesn’t work very well. She just kept randomly accusing people and chasing empty theories despite the mounting evidence that all her suspects were innocent.
This had potential. The plot was definitely intriguing but everything about it just fell flat. There was simultaneously too much and not enough going on. Typically in the thriller such as this, if the author throws out a seemingly irrelevant piece of detail, it turns out to be foreshadowing or setting up a later moment. Except in this book, Naughton was absolutely battering the reader with unnecessary detail after unnecessary detail. Clearly she likes writing description, and she’s pretty good at it, but an editor really needed to go through with a red pen and cut it all out.
Also the characters felt pretty juvenile and the general writing felt like something from the children’s section (more like Cathy Cassidy than Karen McManus). Don’t get me wrong, I have so much time for teenagers acting like teenagers, but these really felt like teenagers written by someone basing their characters off of mid-2000s British media.
Eleri was also a very passive protagonist, and in a thriller where the protagonist is the driving force, this doesn’t work very well. She just kept randomly accusing people and chasing empty theories despite the mounting evidence that all her suspects were innocent.
December 28, 2024
This is a thriller story based at Christmas where the female main character is left a gift in the abandoned tower block opposite hers, everyday of Christmas a advent, with each day a light is on in one of the windows.
I feel like the premise of this was really good and I was drawn in by it, but for me personally it fell a little flat. I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary filler and by the end I found I was skim reading to get to the reveal, and the last 5% of the book seemed to cram so much into it.
I really enjoyed the exploration of Eleri’s relationships, which all had their own complications and impact on her life.
There were moments during this where I really felt the tension, and the eerie feeling of the looming abandoned tower block. I was hoping for a little more gore, but that’s just personal preference.
I found myself struggling to push through the end of the book and felt like it could of been slightly shorter with more elements condensed and others fleshed out.
This is an ok Christmas thriller read if you want to add it to your TBR.
I feel like the premise of this was really good and I was drawn in by it, but for me personally it fell a little flat. I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary filler and by the end I found I was skim reading to get to the reveal, and the last 5% of the book seemed to cram so much into it.
I really enjoyed the exploration of Eleri’s relationships, which all had their own complications and impact on her life.
There were moments during this where I really felt the tension, and the eerie feeling of the looming abandoned tower block. I was hoping for a little more gore, but that’s just personal preference.
I found myself struggling to push through the end of the book and felt like it could of been slightly shorter with more elements condensed and others fleshed out.
This is an ok Christmas thriller read if you want to add it to your TBR.
February 13, 2024
A bit of a slow burn for the first few chapters, although sometimes suspenseful and wanting to know what happens next, I can’t really remember a lot about the book
The last handful of chapters caught my attention with the content but the way in which they were written was confusing for me, sometimes it felt like it was third person and then other times it was from Eliris point of view
Didn’t actually discover what happened to Nina in the end which left me feeling really disappointed since the way the prologue was written is suggesting that Nina was murdered but it was never mentioned again
The last handful of chapters caught my attention with the content but the way in which they were written was confusing for me, sometimes it felt like it was third person and then other times it was from Eliris point of view
Didn’t actually discover what happened to Nina in the end which left me feeling really disappointed since the way the prologue was written is suggesting that Nina was murdered but it was never mentioned again
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2024
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The author spent a lot of time developing every character which added another layer to the story. I have read quite a lot of books like this one and a recurring problem is undeveloped characters so when plot twists happen it feels strange, or just developing certain characters. So I really appreciate the time put into understanding every characters motivations for their actions. Especially because the plot twists and the story was more of a character driven mystery than a plot driven mystery.
A solid read
A solid read
December 13, 2023
To be reasonable, I’ve rated based on what I believe a 13 year old who’s just getting into reading might enjoy.
It definitely has tense moments and the arc is good. It just takes AGES to get there.
And the ending makes no sense. It lets the book down. If Cal was the antagonist/ stalker, it would have been more predictable but then the focus could have been an enjoyable read rather than a complicated plot.
It definitely has tense moments and the arc is good. It just takes AGES to get there.
And the ending makes no sense. It lets the book down. If Cal was the antagonist/ stalker, it would have been more predictable but then the focus could have been an enjoyable read rather than a complicated plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2024
A great thriller. Not too intense to feel sick, but tense enough to be gripping. A very good guessing game, too, of who is responsible for the terrorising. I was constantly second-guessing myself with the protagonist.
I enjoyed the friendships and rivals a lot. They felt genuine and true to teenagers, never being characatures.
Warning for anyone yet to see the film Scream, and who really wants to: this book will spoil the film by literally telling you the ending.
I enjoyed the friendships and rivals a lot. They felt genuine and true to teenagers, never being characatures.
Warning for anyone yet to see the film Scream, and who really wants to: this book will spoil the film by literally telling you the ending.
December 13, 2024
2.5 stars.
Started out promising and was a page turner for half the book… but then once it starts glossing over the parts that you’ve probably picked the book up for it becomes a bit of a slog and feels like it was wrapped up a little too quickly for me. But I understand I am not the target demographic for this book… maybe it works better for a YA audience.
Glad to have read a different sort of Christmas story but I don’t know if I’d pick this one up again.
Started out promising and was a page turner for half the book… but then once it starts glossing over the parts that you’ve probably picked the book up for it becomes a bit of a slog and feels like it was wrapped up a little too quickly for me. But I understand I am not the target demographic for this book… maybe it works better for a YA audience.
Glad to have read a different sort of Christmas story but I don’t know if I’d pick this one up again.
January 6, 2025
The plot twist was incredible, did not expect it at all. The characters were written quite well and had depth to them. I am just annoyed that Eleri stuck with Calista after what she did but that's a person opinion. The writing style was questionable at times as teenagers dont text like what was shown so that threw me a bit.
But overall a good book, would recommend. The pacing was excellent and I didn't get bored once. 4.2☆
But overall a good book, would recommend. The pacing was excellent and I didn't get bored once. 4.2☆
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2024
Omg! Where do I even begin!!? This book was so creative with the Secret Santa and the days leading up to Christmas Eve like an advent calander. I knew I didn't like the bestfriend for a reason. This book kept me at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book, guessing what was gonna happen next, and being suspicious of every character around Eleri.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2024
Not really sure how to feel about this book.
It felt that the author was trying to put doubt in certain characters when it wasn’t needed. And I just found that most of the characters were really annoying, especially Eleri and Calista who’s “friendship” was very toxic. The only character I liked was Beni.
Idk the characters ruined it for me
It felt that the author was trying to put doubt in certain characters when it wasn’t needed. And I just found that most of the characters were really annoying, especially Eleri and Calista who’s “friendship” was very toxic. The only character I liked was Beni.
Idk the characters ruined it for me
December 23, 2023
I don’t really know what to say. I really enjoyed the concept of it, but it really started to drag after chapter 15 for me. So I ended up skipping to the end (which felt anticlimactic). I also, didn’t like any of the characters, which didn’t keep me engaged.
May 16, 2024
3,5 sterren. Vond het een matig boek. Heel moeilijk om in te komen en te blijven lezen. Het was wel spannend maar net iets te onverwachts waardoor dat stukje van het gokken wie het heeft gedaan in het boek weg is en dat vind ik juist leuk.
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