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The Foxglove Killings
Gramps always said that when the crickets were quiet, something bad was coming. And the crickets have been as silent as the dead. It started with the murdered deer in the playground with the unmistakable purple of a foxglove in its mouth. But in the dying boondock town of Emerald Cove, life goes on.
I work at Gramps's diner, and the cakes―the entitled rich kids who vacation here―make our lives hell. My best friend, Alex Pace, is the one person who gets me. Only Alex has changed. He's almost like a stranger now. I can't figure it out...or why I'm having distinctly more-than-friend feelings for him. Ones I shouldn't be having.
Then one of the cakes disappears.
When she turns up murdered, a foxglove in her mouth, a rumor goes around that Alex was the last person seen with her—and everyone but me believes it. Well, everyone except my worst enemy, Jenika Shaw. When Alex goes missing, it's up to us to prove his innocence and uncover the true killer. But the truth will shatter everything I've ever known about myself — and Alex.
I work at Gramps's diner, and the cakes―the entitled rich kids who vacation here―make our lives hell. My best friend, Alex Pace, is the one person who gets me. Only Alex has changed. He's almost like a stranger now. I can't figure it out...or why I'm having distinctly more-than-friend feelings for him. Ones I shouldn't be having.
Then one of the cakes disappears.
When she turns up murdered, a foxglove in her mouth, a rumor goes around that Alex was the last person seen with her—and everyone but me believes it. Well, everyone except my worst enemy, Jenika Shaw. When Alex goes missing, it's up to us to prove his innocence and uncover the true killer. But the truth will shatter everything I've ever known about myself — and Alex.
389 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
17 people are currently reading
2183 people want to read
About the author
Tara Kelly
11 books398 followersTara Kelly adores variety in her life. She’s an author and one-girl-band by night, and a graphic designer, video producer, and photographer by day. She lives in Sin City with her beloved guitars, sound design master husband, and a fluffy cat named Maestro.
Ratings: I give honest ratings, even if I like you. I'm extremely picky with quirky tastes and many books (even well written books) don't connect with me. Anything 3 stars and above means I LIKED it, and it's a compliment. If a book ends up on my 'mythang' shelf, it means I found it especially memorable for one reason or another.
Ratings: I give honest ratings, even if I like you. I'm extremely picky with quirky tastes and many books (even well written books) don't connect with me. Anything 3 stars and above means I LIKED it, and it's a compliment. If a book ends up on my 'mythang' shelf, it means I found it especially memorable for one reason or another.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
September 3, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC, and NetGalley.)
This was a YA murder mystery story, and I didn’t guess who the killer was.
Nova was an okay character, and she worked hard at her grandfather’s restaurant, but she was also lying to herself a bit when she said that she wasn’t interested in her best friend Alex, as she was totally in love with him!
The storyline in this dragged a bit for me, which put a bit of a dampener on things. I wasn’t able to guess who the killer was, and when the killer was named it was a little bit unusual.
There was a bit of romance in this, but not a lot. I did think that Nova and Alex were cute together though, and it would have been nice if they had been able to be together a bit more.
The ending to this was okay, although again, I found the killer to be a bit of an odd choice.
6 out of 10
This was a YA murder mystery story, and I didn’t guess who the killer was.
Nova was an okay character, and she worked hard at her grandfather’s restaurant, but she was also lying to herself a bit when she said that she wasn’t interested in her best friend Alex, as she was totally in love with him!
The storyline in this dragged a bit for me, which put a bit of a dampener on things. I wasn’t able to guess who the killer was, and when the killer was named it was a little bit unusual.
There was a bit of romance in this, but not a lot. I did think that Nova and Alex were cute together though, and it would have been nice if they had been able to be together a bit more.
The ending to this was okay, although again, I found the killer to be a bit of an odd choice.
6 out of 10
August 13, 2015
It is hard not to jump at the chance to read a mystery in the young adult genre, simply because there are so few and even fewer that are actually written well and keep you guessing until the very end.
I am pleased to say, that Ms. Kelly succeed on both counts. Not only was this written well, with hints and foreshadowing along the way, but this did indeed, keep me guessing almost until the very end about what was really going on.
To say this was a pleasant surprise, would be putting it mildly.
The plot was fast paced, the characters very well fleshed out, the setting felt very real, and the chilling murders, notes, and mystery kept me constantly on my toes wondering if I knew who the killer was and why.
I ended up reading this in one sitting, flipping the pages trying to get to the end to see if I was right and had it all figured out.
Ms. Kelly truly wrote something that I think will please any lover of a good mystery thriller, in any genre.
I am pleased to say, that Ms. Kelly succeed on both counts. Not only was this written well, with hints and foreshadowing along the way, but this did indeed, keep me guessing almost until the very end about what was really going on.
To say this was a pleasant surprise, would be putting it mildly.
The plot was fast paced, the characters very well fleshed out, the setting felt very real, and the chilling murders, notes, and mystery kept me constantly on my toes wondering if I knew who the killer was and why.
I ended up reading this in one sitting, flipping the pages trying to get to the end to see if I was right and had it all figured out.
Ms. Kelly truly wrote something that I think will please any lover of a good mystery thriller, in any genre.
September 2, 2015
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
I didn't connect to any of the characters in this, So I didn't really like any of them.
I can't say that I loved this book, but it wasn't bad. There were times where it dragged slightly, but the majority of it was fine, and it managed to keep my interest.
Overall, An okay read.
I didn't connect to any of the characters in this, So I didn't really like any of them.
I can't say that I loved this book, but it wasn't bad. There were times where it dragged slightly, but the majority of it was fine, and it managed to keep my interest.
Overall, An okay read.
October 2, 2015
I totally thought I had this one figured out! Towards the beginning third of the book I had a random thought on a suspect & thought it’d be a pretty good plotline to have this person be the killer but also thought for sure I was way out in left field. As the story progressed I started thinking, maybe I wasn’t wrong, and maybe the person I thought really IS the killer. Not because any of the clues were pointing this person’s way but because I had no other idea of who it could be! I thought this right up until those final chapters and then WHAM Tara Kelly totally got me!! I thought, oh WOW that’s good, that’s like really, really good!! She did an excellent job at hiding who the killer was but once I knew I went back and looked at certain scenes in a new light and realized that the clues were there all along . But wait, cause Kelly wasn’t done, nope! She threw another HUGE twist in there and my mouth literally hung open during that last climactic scene!! It was totally freaking brilliant and never, ever in a million years would I have guess what was really going on and who was behind it all.
The Foxglove Killings begins with our main character, Nova, walking through the park with her best friend Alex when they make the gruesome discovery of a mutilated and staged deer. After failing to pull her gaze away, Nova notices a purple foxglove has been placed in the deer’s mouth, this alone really creeps her out as purple is her favorite color. A few days later another animal is found dead and mutilated, this time at the wealthy home of a popular local girl, this animal also had a foxglove placed in its mouth. Then Nova begins receiving strange, cryptic letters from someone, letters in purple envelopes written on purple paper. Is this person an admirer, a stalker, some combination of both? She has no idea but they are seriously creeping her out, especially when one is taped to her bedroom window one night! But the weirdness in this town doesn’t stop there because a few days later one of the rich girls in town, Amber, goes missing and oddly enough, she was Nova’s biggest enemy.
Now the whole town is starting to panic and tensions are rising between the local kids and the Cakes (the rich summer kids). In fact, some people are starting to suspect Alex could be behind the mutilations and Amber’s disappearance. That he’s doing all this for some sort of payback for the torture and humiliation that he and Nova have been subjected to for years thanks to the Cakes. He’s been so angry lately, spouting off so much hate, pushing back for the first time in his life instead of letting them push him down. But Nova’s known him for 8 years; she knows he couldn’t possibly do something like this. Right? As bodies start to show up and more people disappear Nova finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about the one person who knows her best.
Interlaced throughout the chapters were short bits from a diary of sorts that were clearly from the killer. I thought this was such a fabulous little touch! Every time one popped up I would actually get excited and then stop and re-read it a few times, trying to pick up on clues from the killer’s cryptic ramblings. Set along the Oregon coast, The Foxglove Killings is one of those books that pulls you right into the story, my arms were covered in goosebumps by chapter two and I’m not sure if they’ve even gone away yet! I love an author that can create this type of dark, creepy atmosphere with such ease and then keep that feeling throughout the entire book. Tara Kelly does this flawlessly; I was honestly a bit stunned by how much I loved this book and how deeply it crawled under my skin. This is my first book by Kelly so I had no idea what to expect but Foxglove certainly won’t be my last!
I loved, loved every single aspect of this book, this is how YA thrillers are supposed to be written! The Foxglove Killings now sits at the top of my list for best teen thriller!! Of course I’m going to highly recommend this to both adults and young adults, this is the perfect read for anyone who loves intense thrillers, complex characters, and a dark and creepy setting. There’s a little touch of romance in this novel but it felt perfectly placed and not a tad overdone. Due to language and some awesomely gruesome scenes I’m going to suggest this novel be recommended for teens age 16 and up.
A hue thank you to publishers, Entangled Teen and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary, advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
The Foxglove Killings begins with our main character, Nova, walking through the park with her best friend Alex when they make the gruesome discovery of a mutilated and staged deer. After failing to pull her gaze away, Nova notices a purple foxglove has been placed in the deer’s mouth, this alone really creeps her out as purple is her favorite color. A few days later another animal is found dead and mutilated, this time at the wealthy home of a popular local girl, this animal also had a foxglove placed in its mouth. Then Nova begins receiving strange, cryptic letters from someone, letters in purple envelopes written on purple paper. Is this person an admirer, a stalker, some combination of both? She has no idea but they are seriously creeping her out, especially when one is taped to her bedroom window one night! But the weirdness in this town doesn’t stop there because a few days later one of the rich girls in town, Amber, goes missing and oddly enough, she was Nova’s biggest enemy.
Now the whole town is starting to panic and tensions are rising between the local kids and the Cakes (the rich summer kids). In fact, some people are starting to suspect Alex could be behind the mutilations and Amber’s disappearance. That he’s doing all this for some sort of payback for the torture and humiliation that he and Nova have been subjected to for years thanks to the Cakes. He’s been so angry lately, spouting off so much hate, pushing back for the first time in his life instead of letting them push him down. But Nova’s known him for 8 years; she knows he couldn’t possibly do something like this. Right? As bodies start to show up and more people disappear Nova finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about the one person who knows her best.
Interlaced throughout the chapters were short bits from a diary of sorts that were clearly from the killer. I thought this was such a fabulous little touch! Every time one popped up I would actually get excited and then stop and re-read it a few times, trying to pick up on clues from the killer’s cryptic ramblings. Set along the Oregon coast, The Foxglove Killings is one of those books that pulls you right into the story, my arms were covered in goosebumps by chapter two and I’m not sure if they’ve even gone away yet! I love an author that can create this type of dark, creepy atmosphere with such ease and then keep that feeling throughout the entire book. Tara Kelly does this flawlessly; I was honestly a bit stunned by how much I loved this book and how deeply it crawled under my skin. This is my first book by Kelly so I had no idea what to expect but Foxglove certainly won’t be my last!
I loved, loved every single aspect of this book, this is how YA thrillers are supposed to be written! The Foxglove Killings now sits at the top of my list for best teen thriller!! Of course I’m going to highly recommend this to both adults and young adults, this is the perfect read for anyone who loves intense thrillers, complex characters, and a dark and creepy setting. There’s a little touch of romance in this novel but it felt perfectly placed and not a tad overdone. Due to language and some awesomely gruesome scenes I’m going to suggest this novel be recommended for teens age 16 and up.
A hue thank you to publishers, Entangled Teen and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary, advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
June 12, 2016
I couldn't guess the killer so that was exciting.
September 1, 2015
**I was received an eBook copy of The Foxglove Killings through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.**
When I originally read the synopsis, I didn't know if I wanted to read it. I wanted to because it sounded so interesting and I love watching those crime shows. At the same time, knowing how big of a pansy I was, I knew I'd be scared if I read it. I got 5 pages in -- where the deer is discovered -- and I closed the book because then I started hearing noises and freaked the heck out. I told you, pansy. I pulled through and kept reading because once it really started, I couldn't put it down. I needed to know who did it! The concept isn't anything new, there's a bunch of murder mysteries out there but the plot was really fantastic. I really liked the direction that it went and I even enjoyed the romance. I love best friends discovering feelings for each other.
The writing was really great and detailed. It pulls you right into the story and the imagery gave me chills. I think that with the addition of the diary/journal entries before the chapters added extra mystery and really strings you along. It was hard to put down the book when the next chapter starts with the thoughts of the killer. My only issue, which I dropped half a star for, was that the beginning was a little slow for me. After the discovery of the deer, things slowed down a bit and I was waiting for something to happen. It was also unclear when exactly Amber (the bully) disappeared. I felt like it was a tiny plot hole there, where one day they were talking and the next people where whispering about it but the main character already knew. I think that was the only part in the writing that bothered me. Kelly did really well to build the anticipation and deflecting blame to make it hard for you to guess who did it.
I couldn't really relate to any of the characters since they've gone through so much worse in their lives than I ever had. They grew up in such bad situations and I really liked how strong Nova, Alex, and even Jenika are. I like Nova's investigative side. Her voice was very likable and I didn't get annoyed by her. She's a smart kid and deals pretty well with her circumstances. I really liked Alex -- I can't really explain why because it took me by surprise. One moment, he was just best friend Alex and then the next it was different. I know it had to do with how much he loved Nova and everything he does to protect her and stand up for her. I have to say though, he does get pretty sketchy and sometimes I wavered on whether he was guilty or innocent. Jenika was an interesting character, definitely memorable. She was very snarky and feisty. I kind of liked it.
The Foxglove Killings was more 4.5 than 4 stars to me. I have to say it did scare me and I could feel my heart beating like crazy when a dead body was discovered. It was all a part of the thrill I guess. I tried to be a detective while reading this and let's just say Crime Scene Investigator or being a part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit is not in my future. I could not guess who the killer was! So finding out who was behind it all along was a huge shocker! It blew my mind! Even if you don't like murder mysteries, you should give this a try!
When I originally read the synopsis, I didn't know if I wanted to read it. I wanted to because it sounded so interesting and I love watching those crime shows. At the same time, knowing how big of a pansy I was, I knew I'd be scared if I read it. I got 5 pages in -- where the deer is discovered -- and I closed the book because then I started hearing noises and freaked the heck out. I told you, pansy. I pulled through and kept reading because once it really started, I couldn't put it down. I needed to know who did it! The concept isn't anything new, there's a bunch of murder mysteries out there but the plot was really fantastic. I really liked the direction that it went and I even enjoyed the romance. I love best friends discovering feelings for each other.
The writing was really great and detailed. It pulls you right into the story and the imagery gave me chills. I think that with the addition of the diary/journal entries before the chapters added extra mystery and really strings you along. It was hard to put down the book when the next chapter starts with the thoughts of the killer. My only issue, which I dropped half a star for, was that the beginning was a little slow for me. After the discovery of the deer, things slowed down a bit and I was waiting for something to happen. It was also unclear when exactly Amber (the bully) disappeared. I felt like it was a tiny plot hole there, where one day they were talking and the next people where whispering about it but the main character already knew. I think that was the only part in the writing that bothered me. Kelly did really well to build the anticipation and deflecting blame to make it hard for you to guess who did it.
I couldn't really relate to any of the characters since they've gone through so much worse in their lives than I ever had. They grew up in such bad situations and I really liked how strong Nova, Alex, and even Jenika are. I like Nova's investigative side. Her voice was very likable and I didn't get annoyed by her. She's a smart kid and deals pretty well with her circumstances. I really liked Alex -- I can't really explain why because it took me by surprise. One moment, he was just best friend Alex and then the next it was different. I know it had to do with how much he loved Nova and everything he does to protect her and stand up for her. I have to say though, he does get pretty sketchy and sometimes I wavered on whether he was guilty or innocent. Jenika was an interesting character, definitely memorable. She was very snarky and feisty. I kind of liked it.
The Foxglove Killings was more 4.5 than 4 stars to me. I have to say it did scare me and I could feel my heart beating like crazy when a dead body was discovered. It was all a part of the thrill I guess. I tried to be a detective while reading this and let's just say Crime Scene Investigator or being a part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit is not in my future. I could not guess who the killer was! So finding out who was behind it all along was a huge shocker! It blew my mind! Even if you don't like murder mysteries, you should give this a try!
November 28, 2015
I bought a copy of The Foxglove Killings off the back of a Goodreads recommendation and am so glad I did – not only is it a beautiful little hardback that will look good in the collection but it had a great story well told.
Nova lives in a small town year round – tourists invade in season – the summer kids or “cakes” as they are locally known have always had a fairly confrontational relationship with the residents – but when one of them goes missing and is later found murdered, Nova wonders just what exactly does she know about the people around her. Especially as the prime suspect appears to be her best friend Alex..
This was a great murder mystery – Tara Kelly has done some good old fashioned storytelling here and wrapped it up in a contemporary modern setting. Capturing the feel of small town life perfectly, the story twists and turns its way to an edge of the seat conclusion – and gives you everything you want in this kind of tale. Suspects galore, great depth to the characters and an inclination to scratch your head as you think you have worked it out, then change your mind, then change it back again and almost end up suspecting yourself. So in that sense its really great.
There is more to it though which is what I like to find in a good YA novel – the author explores the themes of friendships and trust with an insightful eye – looking at how relationships with those closest to us can change as we get older especially during those formative teenage years. I loved the dynamic between Nova and Alex – and the wider relationships she has with her family are well drawn and fascinating. As a character drama on top of a whodunnit it is excellent.
Jenika was probably my favourite character. Edgy, feisty, not taking any erm, rubbish, from anyone she is at times incredibly dislikeable but given her circumstances completely believable – but then on the character side they all have that certain something that gets you involved in their world and rooting for them (or wishing they would fall off a cliff) all the way through.
And hey, I did NOT guess the outcome. Nope I had no IDEA who it was that was hiding a darker side to themselves. Came as a complete surprise to me, Tara Kelly weaves an intelligent and intricate plot that hides nothing yet hides everything. Nicely done.
Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
Nova lives in a small town year round – tourists invade in season – the summer kids or “cakes” as they are locally known have always had a fairly confrontational relationship with the residents – but when one of them goes missing and is later found murdered, Nova wonders just what exactly does she know about the people around her. Especially as the prime suspect appears to be her best friend Alex..
This was a great murder mystery – Tara Kelly has done some good old fashioned storytelling here and wrapped it up in a contemporary modern setting. Capturing the feel of small town life perfectly, the story twists and turns its way to an edge of the seat conclusion – and gives you everything you want in this kind of tale. Suspects galore, great depth to the characters and an inclination to scratch your head as you think you have worked it out, then change your mind, then change it back again and almost end up suspecting yourself. So in that sense its really great.
There is more to it though which is what I like to find in a good YA novel – the author explores the themes of friendships and trust with an insightful eye – looking at how relationships with those closest to us can change as we get older especially during those formative teenage years. I loved the dynamic between Nova and Alex – and the wider relationships she has with her family are well drawn and fascinating. As a character drama on top of a whodunnit it is excellent.
Jenika was probably my favourite character. Edgy, feisty, not taking any erm, rubbish, from anyone she is at times incredibly dislikeable but given her circumstances completely believable – but then on the character side they all have that certain something that gets you involved in their world and rooting for them (or wishing they would fall off a cliff) all the way through.
And hey, I did NOT guess the outcome. Nope I had no IDEA who it was that was hiding a darker side to themselves. Came as a complete surprise to me, Tara Kelly weaves an intelligent and intricate plot that hides nothing yet hides everything. Nicely done.
Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
November 17, 2015
OK, I can't fully give this a five-star rating, but I can't tell you why it didn't quite hit the mark without spoilers, and since this book is a *mystery* I consider it doubly wrong to include spoilers in a review.
That said, I really enjoyed this novel. I stayed up far too late last night so I could finish it--I just had to know the ending before I went to bed.
I thought Nova, for the most part, was a likable character. And the romance that developed flowed naturally in the story. The other relationships were kind of hit and miss for me. I know teen friendships and such can be full of drama so it was realistic, but at times I got a little annoyed by everyone hating everyone.
I really liked that Nova had a good relationship with her mom. And her brother. It was nice seeing a family that, despite less than ideal circumstances, including an out-of-the-picture father, were basically happy and got along and supported each other. I particularly liked Nova's grandfather, too.
Anyway, even though I thought the story had a few minor speed bumps, I'd definitely recommend it! (A recommendation reserved for older teens, though, due to some thematic elements and sexual situations/references.) The writing is solid, the characters realistic, and the voice true teen--and it's a genuine mystery, not just a romance with a mystery in the background.
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That said, I really enjoyed this novel. I stayed up far too late last night so I could finish it--I just had to know the ending before I went to bed.
I thought Nova, for the most part, was a likable character. And the romance that developed flowed naturally in the story. The other relationships were kind of hit and miss for me. I know teen friendships and such can be full of drama so it was realistic, but at times I got a little annoyed by everyone hating everyone.
I really liked that Nova had a good relationship with her mom. And her brother. It was nice seeing a family that, despite less than ideal circumstances, including an out-of-the-picture father, were basically happy and got along and supported each other. I particularly liked Nova's grandfather, too.
Anyway, even though I thought the story had a few minor speed bumps, I'd definitely recommend it! (A recommendation reserved for older teens, though, due to some thematic elements and sexual situations/references.) The writing is solid, the characters realistic, and the voice true teen--and it's a genuine mystery, not just a romance with a mystery in the background.
My Website
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My YA fantasy series:
book 1
book 2
August 20, 2015
The review will be up sooner to the release date! :)
January 20, 2019
the first half was mostly romantic tension that was admittedly engaging and addicting to read, I was most definitely invested
the second half is where the mystery/thriller aspects come out which was also creepily slow and winding
i found the ending and the killer reveal to be quite good!! I was happily surprised!!
3.75/5
the second half is where the mystery/thriller aspects come out which was also creepily slow and winding
i found the ending and the killer reveal to be quite good!! I was happily surprised!!
3.75/5
September 1, 2015
Out today!!! "Twisty-turny, full of intrigue and romance, and an ending that will keep you guessing until the last tense moment, The Foxglove Killings is an expert mystery perfect for fans of E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars." --Glitter Magazine
TFK is also a Junior Library Guild selection.
TFK is also a Junior Library Guild selection.
June 20, 2015
Check out Chapter One of The Foxglove Killings here:http://www.entangledpublishing.com/th...
February 21, 2024
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The Foxglove Killings is a suspenseful YA mystery set in a small town filled with unforgettable characters. Nova lives in a small tourist town with a huge divide between the rich visitors and the townies. Tensions have always been high between the vacationing kids (the cakes) and the kids who live in the town full-time, but they get even higher when one of the cakes ends up dead. Suddenly, fingers are getting pointed in every direction and people seem ready to explode at the slightest provocation. Everyone wonders who the killer is – and who will be next to die.
What I loved:
Tourist town dynamics.
One of the biggest draws of this book was the explosive rivalry between the cakes and the kids who lived in the town all year long. Unfortunately, the tension wasn’t just based on stereotypes – a lot of the townie families really didn’t have it together and they lived up to the white trash title that the cakes saddled them with. Even Nova herself didn’t love a lot of the people in her town – except Alex. As the book went on, you learned more and more about Alex and Nova’s histories and families – the issues that held them back and made them want to escape their small town – and I definitely felt for them. The characters in the book were complex and compelling, though – even Nova’s feelings about them all shifted as the book went on. I loved getting to know these people in this town – the good, the bad and the ugly!
Alex and Nova.
Speaking of well-drawn characters, I was completely drawn into the relationship between Alex and Nova and the connection between them. At the same time, I wasn’t sure where the relationship was going – I wasn’t even sure that there was going to be a romance between them at all, even though we knew from the start that Nova had feelings for Alex (and I was hoping for one). As the book went on and you learned more about the complexities of the relationship between these two I was drawn in either way – I was shipping them hard, but I could have seen it playing out in so many different ways and I was actually okay with that. I won’t spoil what does eventually happen, but I’ll just say that I was a fan of these two – both as friends and as romantic interests.
The ending.
Obviously, I can’t say how this book ended, but I will say that the conclusion to the mystery completely shocked me and the way everything played out in the end was both exciting and surprising!!
The negatives:
Misleading blurb?
The blurb implies that you’ll learn something shocking about Nova that also involves Alex. I kept waiting for that revelation, but it never really came. Don’t get me wrong – I was incredibly surprised by how it all played out, but I feel like the blurb is slightly misleading. Oh, and Jenika and Nova don’t team up until about 70% into the book – so again, I kept waiting for something to happen that was very slow in coming. That’s what I get for reading the blurb right before I read the book! (I actually usually don’t.)
Misleading clues?
There was one aspect to what happened that I was a little surprised by because it didn’t really end up tying into the rest of the story. I don’t want to get too much more specific than that, but I’ll just say that some of the “clues” about what was happening turned out to be pretty much unrelated and I didn’t quite believe the explanations that were eventually given for them. It just didn’t make total sense to me and wasn’t cleared up sufficiently (for me).
This was a really enjoyable mystery – it had me hooked from the beginning with its compelling characters, and Kelly definitely kept me guessing!. I give this book 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
The Foxglove Killings is a suspenseful YA mystery set in a small town filled with unforgettable characters. Nova lives in a small tourist town with a huge divide between the rich visitors and the townies. Tensions have always been high between the vacationing kids (the cakes) and the kids who live in the town full-time, but they get even higher when one of the cakes ends up dead. Suddenly, fingers are getting pointed in every direction and people seem ready to explode at the slightest provocation. Everyone wonders who the killer is – and who will be next to die.
What I loved:
Tourist town dynamics.
One of the biggest draws of this book was the explosive rivalry between the cakes and the kids who lived in the town all year long. Unfortunately, the tension wasn’t just based on stereotypes – a lot of the townie families really didn’t have it together and they lived up to the white trash title that the cakes saddled them with. Even Nova herself didn’t love a lot of the people in her town – except Alex. As the book went on, you learned more and more about Alex and Nova’s histories and families – the issues that held them back and made them want to escape their small town – and I definitely felt for them. The characters in the book were complex and compelling, though – even Nova’s feelings about them all shifted as the book went on. I loved getting to know these people in this town – the good, the bad and the ugly!
Alex and Nova.
Speaking of well-drawn characters, I was completely drawn into the relationship between Alex and Nova and the connection between them. At the same time, I wasn’t sure where the relationship was going – I wasn’t even sure that there was going to be a romance between them at all, even though we knew from the start that Nova had feelings for Alex (and I was hoping for one). As the book went on and you learned more about the complexities of the relationship between these two I was drawn in either way – I was shipping them hard, but I could have seen it playing out in so many different ways and I was actually okay with that. I won’t spoil what does eventually happen, but I’ll just say that I was a fan of these two – both as friends and as romantic interests.
The ending.
Obviously, I can’t say how this book ended, but I will say that the conclusion to the mystery completely shocked me and the way everything played out in the end was both exciting and surprising!!
The negatives:
Misleading blurb?
The blurb implies that you’ll learn something shocking about Nova that also involves Alex. I kept waiting for that revelation, but it never really came. Don’t get me wrong – I was incredibly surprised by how it all played out, but I feel like the blurb is slightly misleading. Oh, and Jenika and Nova don’t team up until about 70% into the book – so again, I kept waiting for something to happen that was very slow in coming. That’s what I get for reading the blurb right before I read the book! (I actually usually don’t.)
Misleading clues?
There was one aspect to what happened that I was a little surprised by because it didn’t really end up tying into the rest of the story. I don’t want to get too much more specific than that, but I’ll just say that some of the “clues” about what was happening turned out to be pretty much unrelated and I didn’t quite believe the explanations that were eventually given for them. It just didn’t make total sense to me and wasn’t cleared up sufficiently (for me).
This was a really enjoyable mystery – it had me hooked from the beginning with its compelling characters, and Kelly definitely kept me guessing!. I give this book 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
May 3, 2016
I'm not sure where to start with this one. I read what was probably my first YA thriller a couple months ago and absolutely loved it. It was The Creeping, if anyone wants to check that out. I picked this book up in hopes of finding another suspenseful thriller for the Halloween season.
I'm afraid this one didn't live up to my expectations. The story centers around a teenage girl named Nova (what even is that name?) and her group of friends as they attempt to unravel the mystery behind people and animals that have mysterious shown up dead with foxgloves in their mouths.
The main problem with this story is that it really isn't a thriller at all. The story focuses more on the relationships between the characters rather than the murders, and that would have been all right, expect for the fact that I couldn't stand the characters.
The characters were extremely immature for their age. This dialogue felt very young, but then I would be thrown off because the characters would constantly swear and discuss sexual things. It's like when you see those videos of five year old cursing; it's kind of funny, which is why I had such a hard time taking these characters seriously.
I think this book was having a major identity crisis. It would go from super gory details to characters sitting around pining away after one another, which was really jarring. Is this a romance or a thriller?
Back to those gory details. When a crime scene was described the author went all out on the gore. The problem with that was that gore does not equate to creepy. Gore just makes me say 'gross' in my head, it doesn't create any sense of urgency within the story.
Thrillers need to be atmospheric. It's what sucks you into the story, gets your heart pumping faster. This book had such a great opportunity to be atmospheric; we have a small town in the woods setting that if done right can do a ton to enhance the story. Sadly I did not think the setting was utilized well at all. There would be references to their town being tiny, but I never felt it, which may have been part of the reason I never was truly immersed in the story.
Not to mention, the actual murders didn't happen until like 150 pages in! Like, that's almost half, more than a third. That's way, way too much setup, especially when I don't even like the characters. I wanted a creepy read, not 150 pages of petty relationship drama. Nova was freaking annoying, and Alex, murderer or not, was sketchy af.
So why not one star? Good question, I'm starting to rethink that decision. Before I change my mind I wanna go into a couple of positives. Once the actual murders did happen things did start to heat up. When we were actually concentrating on the murders rather than the romances, this wasn't a bad book. It was rather suspenseful at times, and I had fun guessing the killer. I mean, I locked my guess in right after the first murder and was right.
Anyway if you want a good Halloween thriller I would recommend The Creeping over this, as while there was potential for a very creepy story here I think the characters really ruined it.
I'm afraid this one didn't live up to my expectations. The story centers around a teenage girl named Nova (what even is that name?) and her group of friends as they attempt to unravel the mystery behind people and animals that have mysterious shown up dead with foxgloves in their mouths.
The main problem with this story is that it really isn't a thriller at all. The story focuses more on the relationships between the characters rather than the murders, and that would have been all right, expect for the fact that I couldn't stand the characters.
The characters were extremely immature for their age. This dialogue felt very young, but then I would be thrown off because the characters would constantly swear and discuss sexual things. It's like when you see those videos of five year old cursing; it's kind of funny, which is why I had such a hard time taking these characters seriously.
I think this book was having a major identity crisis. It would go from super gory details to characters sitting around pining away after one another, which was really jarring. Is this a romance or a thriller?
Back to those gory details. When a crime scene was described the author went all out on the gore. The problem with that was that gore does not equate to creepy. Gore just makes me say 'gross' in my head, it doesn't create any sense of urgency within the story.
Thrillers need to be atmospheric. It's what sucks you into the story, gets your heart pumping faster. This book had such a great opportunity to be atmospheric; we have a small town in the woods setting that if done right can do a ton to enhance the story. Sadly I did not think the setting was utilized well at all. There would be references to their town being tiny, but I never felt it, which may have been part of the reason I never was truly immersed in the story.
Not to mention, the actual murders didn't happen until like 150 pages in! Like, that's almost half, more than a third. That's way, way too much setup, especially when I don't even like the characters. I wanted a creepy read, not 150 pages of petty relationship drama. Nova was freaking annoying, and Alex, murderer or not, was sketchy af.
So why not one star? Good question, I'm starting to rethink that decision. Before I change my mind I wanna go into a couple of positives. Once the actual murders did happen things did start to heat up. When we were actually concentrating on the murders rather than the romances, this wasn't a bad book. It was rather suspenseful at times, and I had fun guessing the killer. I mean, I locked my guess in right after the first murder and was right.
Anyway if you want a good Halloween thriller I would recommend The Creeping over this, as while there was potential for a very creepy story here I think the characters really ruined it.
September 1, 2015
Wow. Color me impressed with The Foxglove Killings by Tara Kelly. It is full of mystery and suspense. It will keep you on your toes guessing and drive you crazy trying to figure it all out. Definitely a job well done.
The Foxglove Killings starts out with Nova and Alex walking through a park. They assume that their walk is going to be like any other day with nothing eventful going on, but they are wrong. They come across a mutilated deer. The body parts spread all around, the head put up for display on the swings. In the mouth of a deer Nova finds a Foxglove. Very suspicious.
If the mutilated deer wasn't bad enough, another animal was found at house of local rich girl Gabi's house. It too had a Foxglove in its mouth.
But it doesn't stop there. Nova receives a strange letter from an anonymous person in a purple envelope. And one of the rich girls visiting the town for the summer with her family goes missing.
No one knows who is to blame for the mutilations. Nova has no idea who the letter is from. Did Amber run away or did something worse happen? And are all of these things connected? If so, how?
Sounds like a thrilling story full of mystery and suspense to me. Thankfully it doesn't disappoint at all. It does start out a little slow in the beginning, but some where around 1/4th of the way in the story really picks up and gets juicy. Things just keep happening. One thing after another and you never know what is going to happen next. It is quite a fantastic ride.
The Foxglove Killings is also filled with a lot of teenage angst.
The big issue in this story is the rich tourist vs the somewhat poor locals. The rich teenagers throw parties all the time and find as many ways as possible to torment the locals. The locals aren't blameless though. They do their fair share of starting problems too.
This leads me to the thing that bothered me the most about The Foxglove Killings. All of the teenagers seemed so hard in this story. Ready to throw down and fight it out at any disagreement that came there way. Male or female, it didn't matter. This was the way it seemed whether they were one of the rich tourists or one of the poor locals. It felt a little unrealistic at some points and it got a little annoying. It felt as though someone was always saying to someone that they should take their disagreement outside and have it out right then and there. There are other ways to create tension between characters and I would have liked to see some more of those techniques used.
Tara Kelly did use a technique that I found really interesting though. Every so often between chapters there was something that seemed like it was a diary or journal entry. They were usually pretty short and they were filled with a lot of emotion. However, you don't know who wrote them. It helps increase the suspense of who is behind everything and what his/her motive is.
The Foxglove Killings has a lot of mystery and suspense and a little bit of romance. It is a great read that you will not want to put down.
My Rating
4 out of 5 stars
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
August 11, 2015
Being a mystery novel and all that, I am going to go the mysterious route with my review for The Foxglove Killings... Wouldn't want to give anything away, now would I?! So, short and sweet and simple this go around y'all!
I was a little hesitant to try this one, even though I loved the sound of it. YA Mystery stories are very hit or miss with me. I don't mind knowing early on the "whodunit", but I at least want to be entertained, even after figuring things out. And yes, I did figure things out with this one a little early on, but by George, I was entertained! Tara Kelly is great at keeping up the tense atmosphere, creating a setting that is dark and creepy. The very first scene in the book she starts building her story, and never once lets up. Not only is there great atmosphere, there are seriously in-depth and multi-dimensional characterizations. Those two things, settings and characters, are such important parts of the story for me, and Tara Kelly knocked it out of the park.
Nova is a great study in contradictions. She is very layered, and the further I dove into the story, the deeper her layers seemed to be. Not just her, but every single character in this book. And there are quite a few that I would consider man players. Nova, who wants to be a detective one day. Smart and fierce, incredibly vulnerable and tough at the same time. I really liked her character, even though some of her actions baffled me at times. Having such well written characters helps you understand their actions even when those actions aren't your favorites. Another MC is Alex. Nova's best friend since they were little, and someone she might just be falling in love with. Talk about a head scratcher! He is a ball of anger, fury, despair, vulnerability, insecurities. I HATED some of the things that he did throughout the story, but I loved him just the same. As well as his little sister, Megan. She added a nice touch of little sisterness to the story. There are more characters that I could talk about all day..... Christian the hotheaded jerk whom I disliked immensely, Zack who was a big mess, Gaby the rich girl who was confusing always, Janika the rebel biyatch, Matt her best friend who just likes trouble, Brandon the cops son who was really nice.... So many great characters all packed into one story. Kudos to you, Ms. Kelly! I look forward to more from you!
The Foxglove Killings was a great mystery, with a great plot. Nicely paced, not too fast and not too slow. So many aspects, so many views of the world. I really and truly enjoyed this story very much. The ending was very solid, and only added to the overall goodness of the story. So, yep! This book turned out to be a hit with me, and I am looking forward to seeing what this awesome author has planned next! I would highly recommend checking out The Foxglove Killings. Especially to those readers who love mysteries, great characters, and dark and dangerous settings! Be warned: There are some instances where language is used, as well as references to sex and other sexual implications.
Thank you so much to Around the World ARC Tours for sending me a copy of this book for review! Y'all rock, as usual!
I was a little hesitant to try this one, even though I loved the sound of it. YA Mystery stories are very hit or miss with me. I don't mind knowing early on the "whodunit", but I at least want to be entertained, even after figuring things out. And yes, I did figure things out with this one a little early on, but by George, I was entertained! Tara Kelly is great at keeping up the tense atmosphere, creating a setting that is dark and creepy. The very first scene in the book she starts building her story, and never once lets up. Not only is there great atmosphere, there are seriously in-depth and multi-dimensional characterizations. Those two things, settings and characters, are such important parts of the story for me, and Tara Kelly knocked it out of the park.
Nova is a great study in contradictions. She is very layered, and the further I dove into the story, the deeper her layers seemed to be. Not just her, but every single character in this book. And there are quite a few that I would consider man players. Nova, who wants to be a detective one day. Smart and fierce, incredibly vulnerable and tough at the same time. I really liked her character, even though some of her actions baffled me at times. Having such well written characters helps you understand their actions even when those actions aren't your favorites. Another MC is Alex. Nova's best friend since they were little, and someone she might just be falling in love with. Talk about a head scratcher! He is a ball of anger, fury, despair, vulnerability, insecurities. I HATED some of the things that he did throughout the story, but I loved him just the same. As well as his little sister, Megan. She added a nice touch of little sisterness to the story. There are more characters that I could talk about all day..... Christian the hotheaded jerk whom I disliked immensely, Zack who was a big mess, Gaby the rich girl who was confusing always, Janika the rebel biyatch, Matt her best friend who just likes trouble, Brandon the cops son who was really nice.... So many great characters all packed into one story. Kudos to you, Ms. Kelly! I look forward to more from you!
The Foxglove Killings was a great mystery, with a great plot. Nicely paced, not too fast and not too slow. So many aspects, so many views of the world. I really and truly enjoyed this story very much. The ending was very solid, and only added to the overall goodness of the story. So, yep! This book turned out to be a hit with me, and I am looking forward to seeing what this awesome author has planned next! I would highly recommend checking out The Foxglove Killings. Especially to those readers who love mysteries, great characters, and dark and dangerous settings! Be warned: There are some instances where language is used, as well as references to sex and other sexual implications.
Thank you so much to Around the World ARC Tours for sending me a copy of this book for review! Y'all rock, as usual!
September 10, 2015
**I received an arc through Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review.**
Gramps always said you could tell when something bad was coming. The air felt different. Still and thick. The crickets and the birds would stop chirping, too.
I hadn't heard a cricket all night.
The Foxgloves killings is a solid YA mystery. This whole book just carried this eerie, ominous feeling all the way through, and I loved every second of it. Set in a small town where series of murders don't normally occur, we follow a girl who hopes to be a detective someday. So when animals and people start showing up dead, of course she is intrigued. She sees a connection and wants to find out what the hell is going on, and why her best friend is a suspect.
I kept seeing her eyes. Eyes as dead as the January sky.
The characters were all written in such a way that everyone was easily a suspect, as far as the local teens and summer vacationing rich kids are concerned. It becomes hard to know who to trust, and sometimes your enemies are your only allies, even then they are just as easily a suspect as anyone else. I loved Alex, her best friend, I just wish we had gotten to see him more, but the reason we didn't is pretty crazy. When everything begins to come together, I swear I could feel the anxiety of the characters, I found myself taking slow breaths and just waiting for things to explode into insanity. The ending is slightly heart wrenching and unexpected.
Some people have darkness inside them that most of us can't comprehend. Not until we're face-to-face with it.
Underneath everything there was also a love story. The kind where you had known each other your whole lives and had no idea there was a love story at your fingertips kind of thing. Certain hings have to happen before they realize what they really are to each other. But the love story did not take over the mystery, that is what this book is at its heart.
I also loved that the parents weren't completely missing, as in so many YA novels. Her mom and grandfather were present quite a bit, though they worked a lot, but she was there working with them sometimes. There was actual concern from the family shown. Sometimes in YA it's like the kids don't have parents at all.
Honestly, I really wish there were more mystery/crime novels like this in YA. I feel like there is a severe lack of them, and I have not read anything quite like this. (If you know of any, please let me know!) Maybe this will start a trend. This was so easy and enjoyable to read, so check it out!
Gramps always said you could tell when something bad was coming. The air felt different. Still and thick. The crickets and the birds would stop chirping, too.
I hadn't heard a cricket all night.
The Foxgloves killings is a solid YA mystery. This whole book just carried this eerie, ominous feeling all the way through, and I loved every second of it. Set in a small town where series of murders don't normally occur, we follow a girl who hopes to be a detective someday. So when animals and people start showing up dead, of course she is intrigued. She sees a connection and wants to find out what the hell is going on, and why her best friend is a suspect.
I kept seeing her eyes. Eyes as dead as the January sky.
The characters were all written in such a way that everyone was easily a suspect, as far as the local teens and summer vacationing rich kids are concerned. It becomes hard to know who to trust, and sometimes your enemies are your only allies, even then they are just as easily a suspect as anyone else. I loved Alex, her best friend, I just wish we had gotten to see him more, but the reason we didn't is pretty crazy. When everything begins to come together, I swear I could feel the anxiety of the characters, I found myself taking slow breaths and just waiting for things to explode into insanity. The ending is slightly heart wrenching and unexpected.
Some people have darkness inside them that most of us can't comprehend. Not until we're face-to-face with it.
Underneath everything there was also a love story. The kind where you had known each other your whole lives and had no idea there was a love story at your fingertips kind of thing. Certain hings have to happen before they realize what they really are to each other. But the love story did not take over the mystery, that is what this book is at its heart.
I also loved that the parents weren't completely missing, as in so many YA novels. Her mom and grandfather were present quite a bit, though they worked a lot, but she was there working with them sometimes. There was actual concern from the family shown. Sometimes in YA it's like the kids don't have parents at all.
Honestly, I really wish there were more mystery/crime novels like this in YA. I feel like there is a severe lack of them, and I have not read anything quite like this. (If you know of any, please let me know!) Maybe this will start a trend. This was so easy and enjoyable to read, so check it out!
Read
February 24, 2017The Foxglove Killings by Tara Kelly is an amazing, descriptive, and drama-filled book. I really, really recommend this book. I could never put it down it was such a page turner. The Foxglove Killings is about a girl named Nova who lives in a small town called Emerald Cove. She works in her grandfather's dinner, the cakes rich kids who vacation in Emerald Cove, make Nova’s life really difficult. Her only friend, Alex, is the only one the keep Nova sane. She recently found out she has a crush on Alex. He then changes, making him a complete stranger to Nova. Nova has no clue what’s going on with him. He use to tell her everything. Now he’s keeping secrets, sneaking out, and hanging out with the wrong people? Nova one day receives a purple envelope the letter doesn’t mention who it’s from. She has no clue who it is, a secret admirer, maybe? She doesn’t tell Alex, afraid she’ll just bother him. Then someone went missing. When they finally turned up, they were found murdered. The police have no clue who it is. The crime scene was clean of evidence of someone else being there. Everyone is in a panic, wondering who’s next. Some wonder if they’ll ever be caught? If you’re looking for a book with mystery, drama, and romance this the book for you.
March 21, 2020
"Some people have darkness inside them that most of us can’t comprehend"
Actual rating 3.5 stars
The first half was a bit slow, with all the dramas evolving around the town with the teens and their social issues. Put in some romance and the angst of teenage relationships and you would think this was just a mundane story about a small town mystery, But once you get past that, it becomes more interesting
I already had a good guess on the perpetrator but I needed the motive and of course how they had managed to do it. And though I have predicted right, It still came out as a surprise that I had managed to unravel the mystery beforehand. But what I really liked was that it still didnt disappoint with the last few chapters, in which all was explained and executed fairly well in my opinion.
September 28, 2023
I would give it a 3.5 stars. I feel like the ending was rushed and there should have been a lot more details.
August 17, 2015
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Review also at Pinker Than Fiction Reviews.
Tara Kelly has crafted an unnerving mystery that keeps you guessing until the end!
And I truly mean that because guess what? I didn't predict who the killer was! For that alone, I love The Foxglove Killings. Honestly, it doesn't happen often. Usually if it's not outright obvious there's some little clue that gives it away just that bit too early, but this time around I got to enjoy the revelation in the moment. And oh, how I did. It wasn't that it's this huge giant shock because it does make sense. For me, I paused, replayed all that had happened in this new light and thought "well, holy shit". Major kudos to Tara Kelly. I feel like I should've realised and that makes it all the better. What Kelly did such a fantastic job of was providing us multiple suspects. So many characters throughout this book could've legitimately been the killer, because at one time or another each had motive and Kelly successfully had me questioning all of them. This only builds the tension because like Nova I couldn't decide who to trust and so there's this constant note of danger, increasing as the story continues and characters disappear.
The suspense of The Foxglove Killings is palpable. This book is definitely a thriller. Right from the beginning Kelly sets the scene and she never loses the tone throughout the rest of the novel. It is an intense, nerve-wracking and chilling atmospheric read that I couldn't put down. I started reading The Foxglove Killings pretty late and at about 11.30pm when I was getting into bed, Kindle had helpfully informed me I only had an hour and a half left to read. I figured, why not? I had nowhere to be the next day. Yeah, finishing the book at 1.30am in a pitch black and silent house? Not my brightest idea. It's not that The Foxglove Killings crosses into horror. There's certainly some horrific moments but not in an overly gory, scare the bejeezus out of you way. It's subtle. It's the creepy moments that have you reading with bated breath, that evoke just enough fear and disgust that your skin crawls. It's the descriptions of that feeling of being watched, of hearing a noise outside the window, of unknowingly being vulnerable and in danger, of realising just how sadistic the killer is. I finished The Foxglove Killings, settled in to go to sleep, and then froze with fear because something rustled outside my window, which is actually a common noise. It wasn't until that moment that I even realised Kelly's writing had honestly freaked me out. Which then had me grinning, because I do love being scared. It just wasn't something I expected from this book!
The Foxglove Killings portrays some heartfelt drama too. Because while a psychopathic killer is on the loose, life still goes on. So throughout this book there's still the everyday issues of love, loss, bullying, family, friendship, sex, betrayal, prejudice, and the like. Kelly strikes a great balance, because the everydayness, the things seemingly unrelated to the murders and the killer, still increase the terrifying nature of the mystery. Because let's face it, one of these characters, dealing with their own issues, is also a murderer. Plus so many of the characters have an inherent brutality to them. This entire town has that feeling, what with the feud between the residents and the 'cakes'. It's terrible, the fighting and bullying. And Nova is caught in the middle of it. I really liked Nova. She has this depth to her, this thoughtfulness and way of seeing and feeling that is relatable. I liked her relationships with other characters, Alex especially. You're hoping these two figure out their feelings for each other and are able to make it work while I also worrying there's more to it that they can't get past. The emotion of being best friends but facing inevitable changes and the possibility of romance is charged. Jenika increases the tension, both of the story and between Nova and Alex. She's full of so much anger and bitterness. The way her and Nova clash but also connect is great. Seriously, the intensity between all of these characters kind of made my heart hurt. The clear winner for Favourite Character is Gramps though. I loved how he was always prepared to listen to Nova, to be honest and forthright. He gave you the sense that everything could be okay, which is interesting in a book that is at times so unsettling.
The Foxglove Killings is everything I want in a mystery. Unpredictable and frightening, it packs a whollop.
I received this book through NetGalley from Entangled Teen for review.
Review also at Pinker Than Fiction Reviews.
Tara Kelly has crafted an unnerving mystery that keeps you guessing until the end!
And I truly mean that because guess what? I didn't predict who the killer was! For that alone, I love The Foxglove Killings. Honestly, it doesn't happen often. Usually if it's not outright obvious there's some little clue that gives it away just that bit too early, but this time around I got to enjoy the revelation in the moment. And oh, how I did. It wasn't that it's this huge giant shock because it does make sense. For me, I paused, replayed all that had happened in this new light and thought "well, holy shit". Major kudos to Tara Kelly. I feel like I should've realised and that makes it all the better. What Kelly did such a fantastic job of was providing us multiple suspects. So many characters throughout this book could've legitimately been the killer, because at one time or another each had motive and Kelly successfully had me questioning all of them. This only builds the tension because like Nova I couldn't decide who to trust and so there's this constant note of danger, increasing as the story continues and characters disappear.
The suspense of The Foxglove Killings is palpable. This book is definitely a thriller. Right from the beginning Kelly sets the scene and she never loses the tone throughout the rest of the novel. It is an intense, nerve-wracking and chilling atmospheric read that I couldn't put down. I started reading The Foxglove Killings pretty late and at about 11.30pm when I was getting into bed, Kindle had helpfully informed me I only had an hour and a half left to read. I figured, why not? I had nowhere to be the next day. Yeah, finishing the book at 1.30am in a pitch black and silent house? Not my brightest idea. It's not that The Foxglove Killings crosses into horror. There's certainly some horrific moments but not in an overly gory, scare the bejeezus out of you way. It's subtle. It's the creepy moments that have you reading with bated breath, that evoke just enough fear and disgust that your skin crawls. It's the descriptions of that feeling of being watched, of hearing a noise outside the window, of unknowingly being vulnerable and in danger, of realising just how sadistic the killer is. I finished The Foxglove Killings, settled in to go to sleep, and then froze with fear because something rustled outside my window, which is actually a common noise. It wasn't until that moment that I even realised Kelly's writing had honestly freaked me out. Which then had me grinning, because I do love being scared. It just wasn't something I expected from this book!
The Foxglove Killings portrays some heartfelt drama too. Because while a psychopathic killer is on the loose, life still goes on. So throughout this book there's still the everyday issues of love, loss, bullying, family, friendship, sex, betrayal, prejudice, and the like. Kelly strikes a great balance, because the everydayness, the things seemingly unrelated to the murders and the killer, still increase the terrifying nature of the mystery. Because let's face it, one of these characters, dealing with their own issues, is also a murderer. Plus so many of the characters have an inherent brutality to them. This entire town has that feeling, what with the feud between the residents and the 'cakes'. It's terrible, the fighting and bullying. And Nova is caught in the middle of it. I really liked Nova. She has this depth to her, this thoughtfulness and way of seeing and feeling that is relatable. I liked her relationships with other characters, Alex especially. You're hoping these two figure out their feelings for each other and are able to make it work while I also worrying there's more to it that they can't get past. The emotion of being best friends but facing inevitable changes and the possibility of romance is charged. Jenika increases the tension, both of the story and between Nova and Alex. She's full of so much anger and bitterness. The way her and Nova clash but also connect is great. Seriously, the intensity between all of these characters kind of made my heart hurt. The clear winner for Favourite Character is Gramps though. I loved how he was always prepared to listen to Nova, to be honest and forthright. He gave you the sense that everything could be okay, which is interesting in a book that is at times so unsettling.
The Foxglove Killings is everything I want in a mystery. Unpredictable and frightening, it packs a whollop.
I received this book through NetGalley from Entangled Teen for review.
November 14, 2018
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have mixed feelings for The Foxglove Killings. I love it and I hate it, all at the same time.
For most of her life, Nova has lived at Emerald Cove – she works at her grandfather's diner and has been friends with Alex Pace for years. Every summer, wealthy kids take a vacation at Emerald Cove and make life difficult for the lowly residents who live there year-round.
The first half of the book I really hated. Nova only finds a mutilated deer with a foxglove in its mouth one summer morning and life continues on for the residents of Emerald Cove. The majority of that half is essentially outcasts vs. rich folk – both sides go at each other and make their lives difficult. There's a lot of petty revenge varying from past to recent with immature responses consisting of vandalism, useless threats, nasty gossip and rumors.
The wealthy kids who visit every summer are known as the cakes. WHY are they called cakes? HOW did Nova, Alex, and the kids who live year-round come up with this nickname? I'm very perplexed, but I had an absolute field day giggling every time "the cakes" appeared. I imagined vanilla cupcakes with evil little horns sticking out from the velvety red frosting and fangs sticking out from evil grins.
Okay, okay. I'm not making fun of the Tara's word choice. I just want to know WHY the cakes are called "the cakes" so I don't actually giggle like a little girl that just witnessed someone embarrassing themselves (like overly-exaggerated impersonations). I'm seventeen. I'm mature most of the time, but you can't expect me to be THAT mature. (Mom says I should be more mature at this rate. This might be why she's mopey all the time.) Also, that is probably just one of the few hand-drawn artworks you'll ever witness.
It was two sides made up of teenagers going at each others' throats while the adults went on with their lives, and it was highly annoying to read. It's not until one of the wealthy teenagers who visit every summer disappears, turns up murdered, and Alex is accused of being the potential murderer that things actually get remotely interesting.
The second half continues the whole revenge of the outcasts theme, but it's not the main focus anymore. There's a bit of tension in Emerald Cove after one teenager is found murdered and a lot of people just want to get the murderer found and over with so everything can be normal again. There's more drama after another teenager is found murdered and Alex goes missing – finally, it's not all about petty high school drama brought into summer vacation.
Nova and Jenika put aside their differences and start tolerating each other as they try to prove that Alex isn't actually the murderer – it's someone else entirely. When they actually find out who it is, the whole petty high school drama theme actually goes along with the entire plot of the book. Tara Kelly gives us a guessing game in The Foxglove Killings – it was a thrill to take guesses and find out I was completely and absolutely wrong.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
I have mixed feelings for The Foxglove Killings. I love it and I hate it, all at the same time.
For most of her life, Nova has lived at Emerald Cove – she works at her grandfather's diner and has been friends with Alex Pace for years. Every summer, wealthy kids take a vacation at Emerald Cove and make life difficult for the lowly residents who live there year-round.
The first half of the book I really hated. Nova only finds a mutilated deer with a foxglove in its mouth one summer morning and life continues on for the residents of Emerald Cove. The majority of that half is essentially outcasts vs. rich folk – both sides go at each other and make their lives difficult. There's a lot of petty revenge varying from past to recent with immature responses consisting of vandalism, useless threats, nasty gossip and rumors.
The wealthy kids who visit every summer are known as the cakes. WHY are they called cakes? HOW did Nova, Alex, and the kids who live year-round come up with this nickname? I'm very perplexed, but I had an absolute field day giggling every time "the cakes" appeared. I imagined vanilla cupcakes with evil little horns sticking out from the velvety red frosting and fangs sticking out from evil grins.
Okay, okay. I'm not making fun of the Tara's word choice. I just want to know WHY the cakes are called "the cakes" so I don't actually giggle like a little girl that just witnessed someone embarrassing themselves (like overly-exaggerated impersonations). I'm seventeen. I'm mature most of the time, but you can't expect me to be THAT mature. (Mom says I should be more mature at this rate. This might be why she's mopey all the time.) Also, that is probably just one of the few hand-drawn artworks you'll ever witness.
It was two sides made up of teenagers going at each others' throats while the adults went on with their lives, and it was highly annoying to read. It's not until one of the wealthy teenagers who visit every summer disappears, turns up murdered, and Alex is accused of being the potential murderer that things actually get remotely interesting.
The second half continues the whole revenge of the outcasts theme, but it's not the main focus anymore. There's a bit of tension in Emerald Cove after one teenager is found murdered and a lot of people just want to get the murderer found and over with so everything can be normal again. There's more drama after another teenager is found murdered and Alex goes missing – finally, it's not all about petty high school drama brought into summer vacation.
Nova and Jenika put aside their differences and start tolerating each other as they try to prove that Alex isn't actually the murderer – it's someone else entirely. When they actually find out who it is, the whole petty high school drama theme actually goes along with the entire plot of the book. Tara Kelly gives us a guessing game in The Foxglove Killings – it was a thrill to take guesses and find out I was completely and absolutely wrong.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
August 31, 2015
The Foxglove Killings is a new ya thriller/who done it story which we don’t see much of in ya. Crime/murder stories aren’t typically my thing but the synopsis of this one really caught my eye! I LOVED this book so much I was carrying it around everywhere, because I seriously could not wait to find out WHO was behind all the craziness. And let me tell you…I did not see the ending coming which is a huge plus. There is a whole lot of drama but the drama is what makes it so dang difficult to figure out who is behind everything. You have the rich kids known as the Cakes on one side of town, and the poorer ones on the other side. There is a lot of fighting between the two sides and when murders start happening people start blaming without hard evidence which creates even more of a mystery to unravel. Pretty much everyone seems to have some sort of motive.
Nova has been getting creepy letters even at work at the diner. Someone writes messages on her window while she sleeps. And people go missing after a deer is found dead with foxglove in its mouth. On top of all that craziness, Nova’s best friend Alex has completely changed and isn’t acting like himself. Nova wants to be a detective eventually and so she is determined to figure out what is going on with the help of her enemy Jenika. The problem is everyone is starting to believe that Alex is behind the murders especially the Cakes; however, Nova and Jenika just can’t believe he is capable of such cruelty even though there are some things that make him seem highly suspect.
Aside from the mystery aspect, one thing I really loved about this book is that it read more like a maturer ya book. The crime scenes were quite brutal and pretty detailed, there’s a ton of cussing, and it just seemed different from typical ya’s. I know that some people may not like that but I have to say I liked that the main character didn’t seem overly immature for her age.
Even if crime novels isn’t your cup of tea I really recommend The Foxglove Killings because:
1. THE MYSTERY FACTOR
9 times out of 10 I am able to predict “who done it” in the very beginning. I did not see the ending coming even if it had hit me over the head I still don’t think I would have figured it out. That’s not to say you won’t figure it out too early, but I think the mystery part of the plot is genius.
2. HOOK LINE AND SINKER
This book hooked me and did not let go until the end! I have had a huge problem getting into ya books here lately, and I was so surprised and happy that this one kept me flipping the pages!
3. THERE IS ACTUAL PARENTAL CONCERN
A lot times within ya parents are in lala-land and they really don’t have any concern (maybe because they are oblivious?) about the protagonists. However, in this book, you can you tell Nova’s mom cares about her without being extremely overbearing and annoying. Although her dad is a different story….
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Nova has been getting creepy letters even at work at the diner. Someone writes messages on her window while she sleeps. And people go missing after a deer is found dead with foxglove in its mouth. On top of all that craziness, Nova’s best friend Alex has completely changed and isn’t acting like himself. Nova wants to be a detective eventually and so she is determined to figure out what is going on with the help of her enemy Jenika. The problem is everyone is starting to believe that Alex is behind the murders especially the Cakes; however, Nova and Jenika just can’t believe he is capable of such cruelty even though there are some things that make him seem highly suspect.
Aside from the mystery aspect, one thing I really loved about this book is that it read more like a maturer ya book. The crime scenes were quite brutal and pretty detailed, there’s a ton of cussing, and it just seemed different from typical ya’s. I know that some people may not like that but I have to say I liked that the main character didn’t seem overly immature for her age.
Even if crime novels isn’t your cup of tea I really recommend The Foxglove Killings because:
1. THE MYSTERY FACTOR
9 times out of 10 I am able to predict “who done it” in the very beginning. I did not see the ending coming even if it had hit me over the head I still don’t think I would have figured it out. That’s not to say you won’t figure it out too early, but I think the mystery part of the plot is genius.
2. HOOK LINE AND SINKER
This book hooked me and did not let go until the end! I have had a huge problem getting into ya books here lately, and I was so surprised and happy that this one kept me flipping the pages!
3. THERE IS ACTUAL PARENTAL CONCERN
A lot times within ya parents are in lala-land and they really don’t have any concern (maybe because they are oblivious?) about the protagonists. However, in this book, you can you tell Nova’s mom cares about her without being extremely overbearing and annoying. Although her dad is a different story….
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2015
The Foxglove Killings had me on the edge of my seat from the first opening scene to the very last pages. I am so glad I picked up The Foxglove Killings; it is the perfect book to get back into mysteries and get myself in the mood for Halloween next month. While I loved the synopsis, I have had trouble reading anything lately. I was nervous that I was not going to be able to get into the story and mystery plot line and be able to devote my full attention to it. Most enjoyably that was not the case, this book managed to send my book blues away and have me so focus on reading I could not put it down until I finished in one setting.
Nova is a teen who wants to grow up to work in the police force, but it currently stuck being harassed by the local rich kids also known as cakes while working at her grandfather’s diner. The only thing she can count on besides her family is her best friend Alex. When animals turn up mutilated with a foxglove in their mouth, Nova certain it going to lead to something more. Suddenly a “cake” turns up murdered and Alex is prime suspect due to a few rumors. When things start to go sideways, Nova has to work with the one girl that despises her most. This kind of antagonist relationship leads to a great deal of drama in the book as well as Nova’s new feeling for Alex. I kind of like the added dramatics for the poor townies versus the rich tourist “cakes.” It was like a mild version the Socs and Greasers from The Outsiders aside for the raging serial killer storyline.
The drama really unfolds as Nova tries to prove Alex’s innocence as everyone around starts to believe he is guilty. As she uncovers more about those around her and the “cakes” the more everyone begins looking like a suspect. For once, I did not know who was behind the killings until the very last chapter as things unfolded. Even when I thought I knew who was guilty, there was a twist after twist that kept me on my toes until the final reveal. Not often do I not see a murder mystery suspect for who they are before there is any reveal, but The Foxglove Killings defiantly had my blinded until the end.
The action had my heart pounding, the mystery had my brain whirling, and the relationships had my romantic bone tingling. The Foxglove Killings balanced all the elements perfectly and I loved every minute of it. I would say I probably read it much faster than I normally would have because the tension had my heart pumping and my brain wanting answers. I would defiantly read another book from Tara Kelly, and I am overjoyed that I chose to read The Foxglove Killings.
**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**
Nova is a teen who wants to grow up to work in the police force, but it currently stuck being harassed by the local rich kids also known as cakes while working at her grandfather’s diner. The only thing she can count on besides her family is her best friend Alex. When animals turn up mutilated with a foxglove in their mouth, Nova certain it going to lead to something more. Suddenly a “cake” turns up murdered and Alex is prime suspect due to a few rumors. When things start to go sideways, Nova has to work with the one girl that despises her most. This kind of antagonist relationship leads to a great deal of drama in the book as well as Nova’s new feeling for Alex. I kind of like the added dramatics for the poor townies versus the rich tourist “cakes.” It was like a mild version the Socs and Greasers from The Outsiders aside for the raging serial killer storyline.
The drama really unfolds as Nova tries to prove Alex’s innocence as everyone around starts to believe he is guilty. As she uncovers more about those around her and the “cakes” the more everyone begins looking like a suspect. For once, I did not know who was behind the killings until the very last chapter as things unfolded. Even when I thought I knew who was guilty, there was a twist after twist that kept me on my toes until the final reveal. Not often do I not see a murder mystery suspect for who they are before there is any reveal, but The Foxglove Killings defiantly had my blinded until the end.
The action had my heart pounding, the mystery had my brain whirling, and the relationships had my romantic bone tingling. The Foxglove Killings balanced all the elements perfectly and I loved every minute of it. I would say I probably read it much faster than I normally would have because the tension had my heart pumping and my brain wanting answers. I would defiantly read another book from Tara Kelly, and I am overjoyed that I chose to read The Foxglove Killings.
**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**
August 6, 2015
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
I've eyed this book for months now, and I was so excited to read it. I was even more excited when it was in the Entangled Teen newsletter and I could request it. I been on a mystery/thriller kick and I couldn't wait to feed this one to that burning monster.
Reasons why I DNFed it:
-I was only up to 35% and Amber just went missing. Plus, no one seemed overly concerned with the fact she just vanished. Her boyfriend was sad, but it was like they broke up. Not that Amber just up and disappeared after a party.
-I get you have expectations with your friends. But Nova and Alex's friendship didn't seem like a good one. His sex life is none of her business, and she shouldn't make him feel bad that he didn't want to tell her. She basically told him the things he was doing was stupid, all because he branched out and made other friends besides her.
- All the "Cakes" were just assholes and I didn't like a single one of them. Even if Zach was nice at moments.
-Nova gets upset that people talk about her, but she doesn't do ANYTHING to shut down the rumors. She keeps let them spread and spread, destroying her image in the town. Plus her actions don't exactly help them at times. She tries to seem all tough but she really isn't.
-I was genuinely confused with who had feelings for who, so Alex was hooking up with Jenkia (an enemy to both of them) and Nova was in love with Alex, who at times did things that suggested that they should be more then friends, but once upon a time Nova and Zach has sex and then he broke up with her so she hooked up with Matt and then someone started to spread rumors? It wasn't very clear at moments. I am not even sure that was all correct.
-I get building up the story and characters, but 25% to do so? I got it at 5% This is the middle of nowhere town that is basically a vacation spot for rich families.
I am not saying for you not to try this book, it just didn't work for me. My biggest issue was Alex and Nova's friendship, as well as the choices that Alex was making. He basically began to chose the people that made his life hell for years over Nova (Who he knew since the 4th grade) but Nova also acted like a baby about it. Sigh. I really did wish I could have like this one.
I've eyed this book for months now, and I was so excited to read it. I was even more excited when it was in the Entangled Teen newsletter and I could request it. I been on a mystery/thriller kick and I couldn't wait to feed this one to that burning monster.
Reasons why I DNFed it:
-I was only up to 35% and Amber just went missing. Plus, no one seemed overly concerned with the fact she just vanished. Her boyfriend was sad, but it was like they broke up. Not that Amber just up and disappeared after a party.
-I get you have expectations with your friends. But Nova and Alex's friendship didn't seem like a good one. His sex life is none of her business, and she shouldn't make him feel bad that he didn't want to tell her. She basically told him the things he was doing was stupid, all because he branched out and made other friends besides her.
- All the "Cakes" were just assholes and I didn't like a single one of them. Even if Zach was nice at moments.
-Nova gets upset that people talk about her, but she doesn't do ANYTHING to shut down the rumors. She keeps let them spread and spread, destroying her image in the town. Plus her actions don't exactly help them at times. She tries to seem all tough but she really isn't.
-I was genuinely confused with who had feelings for who, so Alex was hooking up with Jenkia (an enemy to both of them) and Nova was in love with Alex, who at times did things that suggested that they should be more then friends, but once upon a time Nova and Zach has sex and then he broke up with her so she hooked up with Matt and then someone started to spread rumors? It wasn't very clear at moments. I am not even sure that was all correct.
-I get building up the story and characters, but 25% to do so? I got it at 5% This is the middle of nowhere town that is basically a vacation spot for rich families.
I am not saying for you not to try this book, it just didn't work for me. My biggest issue was Alex and Nova's friendship, as well as the choices that Alex was making. He basically began to chose the people that made his life hell for years over Nova (Who he knew since the 4th grade) but Nova also acted like a baby about it. Sigh. I really did wish I could have like this one.
September 2, 2015
The Foxglove Killings is a suspenseful murder mystery psychological YA thriller about a small town called Emerald Cove that has a rough trailer park on one side, and rich vacation homes on the other. Nova and her best friend Alex are from the run-down trailer park and after years of having snobby entitled rich kids abusing them each Summer, they had no idea that this Summer would change their lives forever. When the rich kids start to go missing and one-by-one their bodies turn up, Nova sets out to uncover the truth, suspecting everyone, even her best friend.
This book was an excellent thriller. It had me hooked from the very start of the book, where we were immediately hit with the murder of an animal, and my interest only grew as the danger within the town became stronger.
I really liked the characters and the relationships within this story. All of the characters within the story - even the not-so-nice ones - had my interest and I wanted to know more about each and every one of them. Nova's relationship with her mother was refreshing, whilst there were moments where she hid things from her and lied, she was more honest than most teenagers would be with their parents and it was enjoyable to read about. My favourite relationship in the book, however, was that between Nova and her grandfather. The way she could speak to him about anything and be open and frank was so great to read about in a YA book. Even more surprising, perhaps, was the fact that her grandfather treated her like an adult and was as open and honest as she was with him - something few YA books manage to achieve, preferring to have adults who patronise teenagers instead.
As any good thriller should, this book kept me guessing until the very end. There were hints and twists dropped along the way, but they were subtle enough that the outcome wasn't obvious, at all, and I'm pretty good at guessing plot lines in thrillers. The story was fast-paced and I could speed through it, wanting to know what would happen but not wanting the mystery to be over at the same time. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who likes mysteries and thrillers, I promise you won't see this one coming.
*I received a copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley
This book was an excellent thriller. It had me hooked from the very start of the book, where we were immediately hit with the murder of an animal, and my interest only grew as the danger within the town became stronger.
I really liked the characters and the relationships within this story. All of the characters within the story - even the not-so-nice ones - had my interest and I wanted to know more about each and every one of them. Nova's relationship with her mother was refreshing, whilst there were moments where she hid things from her and lied, she was more honest than most teenagers would be with their parents and it was enjoyable to read about. My favourite relationship in the book, however, was that between Nova and her grandfather. The way she could speak to him about anything and be open and frank was so great to read about in a YA book. Even more surprising, perhaps, was the fact that her grandfather treated her like an adult and was as open and honest as she was with him - something few YA books manage to achieve, preferring to have adults who patronise teenagers instead.
As any good thriller should, this book kept me guessing until the very end. There were hints and twists dropped along the way, but they were subtle enough that the outcome wasn't obvious, at all, and I'm pretty good at guessing plot lines in thrillers. The story was fast-paced and I could speed through it, wanting to know what would happen but not wanting the mystery to be over at the same time. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who likes mysteries and thrillers, I promise you won't see this one coming.
*I received a copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley
August 31, 2015
This was my first book by Tara Kelly and I really enjoyed it.
The Foxglove Killers is about Nova and some of the regulars at Emerald Cove and the "Cakes" who are the rich kids that are vacationing with their parents. The cakes are always picking on the regular kids and have done some pretty mean things to some of them.
Nova and her friend Alex run across a deer that is staged with a foxglove in it's mouth and Nova just feel that this might just be the beginning. Then the first teen is found dead with a foxglove in her mouth and things begin to escalate between the two groups.
Some of the rich kids are saying that Alex was last seen with Amber and he must be the killer. Of course Nova doesn't believe it but she has seen a change in her best friend that is a bit scary.
The one person that Nova can't stand is the only person who believes that Alex didn't do it so they grudgingly team up to prove he didn't do it.
Nova is a good character but she has her flaws. She can see how her friend is changing but I felt she didn't dig into the reason why or anything to much. She was a bit selfish in the fact that she didn't want him to change or understand why he had. Though he had changed she never faltered in the fact that she thought he was innocent and I liked that about her.
The mystery in this story was really good. I was always trying to figure out and guess who might be killing the rich kids and I was really surprised by who the killers were. So I really loved that fact that I didn't figure it out and was so surprised, that makes for a good mystery.
Overall I thought it was a good YA mystery though it did have some slow parts. If you like YA and mysteries then you will enjoy this one.
The Foxglove Killers is about Nova and some of the regulars at Emerald Cove and the "Cakes" who are the rich kids that are vacationing with their parents. The cakes are always picking on the regular kids and have done some pretty mean things to some of them.
Nova and her friend Alex run across a deer that is staged with a foxglove in it's mouth and Nova just feel that this might just be the beginning. Then the first teen is found dead with a foxglove in her mouth and things begin to escalate between the two groups.
Some of the rich kids are saying that Alex was last seen with Amber and he must be the killer. Of course Nova doesn't believe it but she has seen a change in her best friend that is a bit scary.
The one person that Nova can't stand is the only person who believes that Alex didn't do it so they grudgingly team up to prove he didn't do it.
Nova is a good character but she has her flaws. She can see how her friend is changing but I felt she didn't dig into the reason why or anything to much. She was a bit selfish in the fact that she didn't want him to change or understand why he had. Though he had changed she never faltered in the fact that she thought he was innocent and I liked that about her.
The mystery in this story was really good. I was always trying to figure out and guess who might be killing the rich kids and I was really surprised by who the killers were. So I really loved that fact that I didn't figure it out and was so surprised, that makes for a good mystery.
Overall I thought it was a good YA mystery though it did have some slow parts. If you like YA and mysteries then you will enjoy this one.
September 1, 2015
I don't even know what to really say about this book. I have such conflicting emotions about this book, more leaning towards negative than positive. It was definitely not what I expected it to be. At times it seemed to connect more with the personal relationships going on in the book and their petty drama than the actual killings going on. For instance, all that nonsense with Nora and Alex just irked me. It seemed really irrelevant, and the entire "friendzone" situation is one that bothers me intensely in YA books. Speaking of Nora, the main character, I did not like her. I thought she was naive, spineless, and pretty damn selfish. She spent so much time trying to be a detective when she really wasn't even that good at being one.
On to the good stuff, which although I can't think of a lot, it is there. In the beginning, I almost put down this book because it really didn't interest me. It seemed slow and I was waiting for a plot to happen, which sometimes it felt like the central plot wasn't even the main plot. But that is besides the point. Once I got drawn into the book, I couldn't stop reading it, which is a good thing because that is what all thrillers or mysteries should strive for. In addition to that, when the killer was finally revealed, I was totally in shock. I had guessed everyone except who it really was. Now, I still don't quite understand what their motives were and what the hell was wrong with them because the excuses made just don't make sense to me.
Overall it was an alright book. In all honesty, in the end it just left me wondering what the hell I had just read.
*This book was provided for review by Entangled Teen. Thank you!*
On to the good stuff, which although I can't think of a lot, it is there. In the beginning, I almost put down this book because it really didn't interest me. It seemed slow and I was waiting for a plot to happen, which sometimes it felt like the central plot wasn't even the main plot. But that is besides the point. Once I got drawn into the book, I couldn't stop reading it, which is a good thing because that is what all thrillers or mysteries should strive for. In addition to that, when the killer was finally revealed, I was totally in shock. I had guessed everyone except who it really was. Now, I still don't quite understand what their motives were and what the hell was wrong with them because the excuses made just don't make sense to me.
Overall it was an alright book. In all honesty, in the end it just left me wondering what the hell I had just read.
*This book was provided for review by Entangled Teen. Thank you!*
September 1, 2015
Original Post: http://booknauthors.blogspot.com/2015...
From the start, thousands of questions start coming up. And you won't get the answers until the end. But to be honest, there was so much extra suspense that the story started to become irritating. And I never understood the "Foxglove flowers". There was so much anxiety. One of the enemies of Nova & Alex has been mysteriously killed and everyone suspects one person, Alex (Actually I suspected him too). The way the kids at school treat him is so cruel. And then he starts to ignore the main character & best friend, Nova. There were many depressing stories which were horrifying. Megan & Jenika were amazing characters & they truly were bomb shells. I couldn't even deal with the depressing story of Alex's sister, Megan. One thing that I liked was that all the characters were awesome and cool.
I tried to engulf myself into this story but failed. The writing style: ok, Description: too much, Romance: gave me headaches. I read this book like so slowly because it wasn't what I thought it'd be like.
After 50%, the story becomes more confusing. I seriously couldn't make myself interested in the story.
From the start, thousands of questions start coming up. And you won't get the answers until the end. But to be honest, there was so much extra suspense that the story started to become irritating. And I never understood the "Foxglove flowers". There was so much anxiety. One of the enemies of Nova & Alex has been mysteriously killed and everyone suspects one person, Alex (Actually I suspected him too). The way the kids at school treat him is so cruel. And then he starts to ignore the main character & best friend, Nova. There were many depressing stories which were horrifying. Megan & Jenika were amazing characters & they truly were bomb shells. I couldn't even deal with the depressing story of Alex's sister, Megan. One thing that I liked was that all the characters were awesome and cool.
I tried to engulf myself into this story but failed. The writing style: ok, Description: too much, Romance: gave me headaches. I read this book like so slowly because it wasn't what I thought it'd be like.
After 50%, the story becomes more confusing. I seriously couldn't make myself interested in the story.
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