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As You Lay Sleeping
I did it all for you…
Cara’s boyfriend is dead. When fingers start pointing at her, she knows she’s in more trouble than she originally thought. Because Cara can see that something isn’t right. As her carefully constructed life begins to crumble, Cara isn’t sure who she is anymore. But maybe that’s exactly what someone wants her to think…
Cara’s boyfriend is dead. When fingers start pointing at her, she knows she’s in more trouble than she originally thought. Because Cara can see that something isn’t right. As her carefully constructed life begins to crumble, Cara isn’t sure who she is anymore. But maybe that’s exactly what someone wants her to think…
204 pages, ebook
Published February 22, 2017
32 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Katlyn Duncan
21 books336 followersKatlyn Duncan is a multi-published author of adult and young adult fiction, and has ghostwritten over 40 novels for children and adults.
When she’s not writing, she’s obsessing over many (many) television series’, and hanging out on YouTube where she shares her writing process and all the bookish things.
Keep up with Katlyn by subscribing to her newsletter: www.katlynduncan.com/newsletter.
When she’s not writing, she’s obsessing over many (many) television series’, and hanging out on YouTube where she shares her writing process and all the bookish things.
Keep up with Katlyn by subscribing to her newsletter: www.katlynduncan.com/newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
February 7, 2017
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HQ Digital, LLC and NetGalley.)
This was a YA mystery story about a girl whose boyfriend died mysteriously.
Cara was an okay character although she did take some unnecessary risks at times. She also maybe moved on from her dead boyfriend a little too quickly, so I wasn’t surprised when the dead boyfriend’s sister wasn’t happy about it.
The storyline in this was about Cara discovering her boyfriend dead from an apparent overdose, and the police suspecting foul play. Cara then began investigating what had happened herself with the help of new-guy Ryan, and we also got a bit of a romance blossoming between the two. The pace in this was okay, although I did find my attention lapsing at points.
The ending to this seemed to set things up for a sequel, so things weren’t as tied up as they could have been.
6.25 out of 10
“It was an accidental overdose, that’s all.”
This was a YA mystery story about a girl whose boyfriend died mysteriously.
Cara was an okay character although she did take some unnecessary risks at times. She also maybe moved on from her dead boyfriend a little too quickly, so I wasn’t surprised when the dead boyfriend’s sister wasn’t happy about it.
The storyline in this was about Cara discovering her boyfriend dead from an apparent overdose, and the police suspecting foul play. Cara then began investigating what had happened herself with the help of new-guy Ryan, and we also got a bit of a romance blossoming between the two. The pace in this was okay, although I did find my attention lapsing at points.
The ending to this seemed to set things up for a sequel, so things weren’t as tied up as they could have been.
6.25 out of 10
February 9, 2017
This was an interesting little read. I wasn't sure I was going to like it at the beginning because there wasn't a single likable character. Especially the heroine who came across like a self-absorbed superficial bitch. That said, once Ryan comes into the picture her character improves GREATLY and I ended up liking her.
I was very quickly pulled into the story and the pace moved along nicely and kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed the developing relationship between Ryan and Cara. There were some interesting side characters as well. Both likable and not so likable. The ending was such that I foresee another book at some point. Not exactly a cliffy, but left open-ended.
As much as I enjoyed it I did feel that the whole story felt a little underdeveloped. There were things that were just skimmed over that needed more fleshing out. Joe's murder for one. He seemed like he was into some bad stuff, but his history and background is just really lightly touched on. The same with Ryan's background. It's hinted at that he has some "darker" issues, but nothing is ever pursued. We are also left with having NO clue why detective Devereaux had it out for Cara from the beginning out the book? Had these things been developed further my rating would have been higher.
SIDE NOTE: The title of the book confuses me because it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the storyline AT ALL. #confusedpartyofone
February 21, 2017
I am taking part in the blog tour for this book, head over to my blog for the chance to enter in an international giveaway! :) https://marriedtobooksreviewsandblog....
As You Lay Sleeping follows the story of seventeen year old Cara during the summer before her final year at High School where she has a group of close friends and a boyfriend about to leave for College. But before he leaves, Cara finds him dead but what really happened to him? The story follows Cara being framed for her boyfriend’s murder, her family being secretive and her friends bitching on her including her boyfriend’s sister who was up until the death Cara’s best friend and quite frankly not wanting anything to do with her. The detective investigating the case also thinks Cara killed her own boyfriend. During this period of time, Cara tries to prove her innocence with the help of Ryan, a guy she knows from years gone by. But he has secrets of his own too.
As You Lay Sleeping definitely has the makings of a great YA thriller, the descriptions of the crime scene and the areas that Cara visits creates a great setting for adventure and for the world that Cara knows to unravel right in front of her eyes. There were some story twists in there that I certainly didn’t expect to happen! But as I only write spoiler-free reviews, you’ll have to read and find out what those twists are
As You Lay Sleeping follows the story of seventeen year old Cara during the summer before her final year at High School where she has a group of close friends and a boyfriend about to leave for College. But before he leaves, Cara finds him dead but what really happened to him? The story follows Cara being framed for her boyfriend’s murder, her family being secretive and her friends bitching on her including her boyfriend’s sister who was up until the death Cara’s best friend and quite frankly not wanting anything to do with her. The detective investigating the case also thinks Cara killed her own boyfriend. During this period of time, Cara tries to prove her innocence with the help of Ryan, a guy she knows from years gone by. But he has secrets of his own too.
As You Lay Sleeping definitely has the makings of a great YA thriller, the descriptions of the crime scene and the areas that Cara visits creates a great setting for adventure and for the world that Cara knows to unravel right in front of her eyes. There were some story twists in there that I certainly didn’t expect to happen! But as I only write spoiler-free reviews, you’ll have to read and find out what those twists are
February 6, 2017
Cara is trying to dump her boyfriend. But she wants to keep it civil because her best friend is his sister and she doesn't want that relationship to suffer.
When Joe decides that Cara is right about breaking up, he wants to see her one last time. Agreeing to meet at his house, his last remark to her is ... bring some Thai food.
When Cara arrives there, she finds him lying on the sofa, so obviously dead. Because he's been using lots of drugs, her first assumption is that he overdosed. She sees a note ... ALL FOR YOU. OMG, did he commit suicide because she wanted him to leave her alone?
According to the police, he was murdered. His family is accusing Cara ... and she finds herself a suspect. So many secrets she carried about Joe that his family never knew.
As she goes about trying to get past the awful images in her head, she runs into a young man, Ryan. Seems like he had met her before. As they become good friends, things start happening. Ryan gets a text telling him to LEAVE HER ALONE. Her? meaning Cara?
As the teens start looking into Joe's death, Cara finds that Ryan isn't exactly who she thought he was. Now she's not sure who to trust anymore....
This book is aimed at Teens and YA, but I found it quite enjoyable. I really liked Cara and Ryan .. and Cara's dad. The mean girl, Joe's sister, was abrasive and just plain mean. The premise is a good one, although I can't really see police welcoming teens in investigations...even if Ryan's brother turns out to be the detective who suspects Cara of murder.
Although it reminds me of other books with themes along the same lines, it kept me reading and it kept me entertained. It's not highly suspenseful, but there are moments when you just can't put the book down for any reason.
Many thanks to the author / HQ Digital /Netgalley who provided me a copy of this book. Any opinion expressed here is unbiased and entirely my own.
When Joe decides that Cara is right about breaking up, he wants to see her one last time. Agreeing to meet at his house, his last remark to her is ... bring some Thai food.
When Cara arrives there, she finds him lying on the sofa, so obviously dead. Because he's been using lots of drugs, her first assumption is that he overdosed. She sees a note ... ALL FOR YOU. OMG, did he commit suicide because she wanted him to leave her alone?
According to the police, he was murdered. His family is accusing Cara ... and she finds herself a suspect. So many secrets she carried about Joe that his family never knew.
As she goes about trying to get past the awful images in her head, she runs into a young man, Ryan. Seems like he had met her before. As they become good friends, things start happening. Ryan gets a text telling him to LEAVE HER ALONE. Her? meaning Cara?
As the teens start looking into Joe's death, Cara finds that Ryan isn't exactly who she thought he was. Now she's not sure who to trust anymore....
This book is aimed at Teens and YA, but I found it quite enjoyable. I really liked Cara and Ryan .. and Cara's dad. The mean girl, Joe's sister, was abrasive and just plain mean. The premise is a good one, although I can't really see police welcoming teens in investigations...even if Ryan's brother turns out to be the detective who suspects Cara of murder.
Although it reminds me of other books with themes along the same lines, it kept me reading and it kept me entertained. It's not highly suspenseful, but there are moments when you just can't put the book down for any reason.
Many thanks to the author / HQ Digital /Netgalley who provided me a copy of this book. Any opinion expressed here is unbiased and entirely my own.
February 26, 2017
Easy read you can fly through quickly. I didn't know the book would focus on teenagers when I read the synopsis, but that's what it is: complete with drama about friend groups and the all important "fitting in". My rating is a 3.5 bumped up to a 4. I enjoyed it, though the ending felt a little rushed to me.
Cara is a pretty happy teenage girl in the beginning. She has loving parents, she's popular, and has some close friends. Her boyfriend is a problem. She wants to break up with him, but doesn't want backlash from his younger sister... who happens to be her best friend. Joe is perfectly aware that she's unhappy, and finally tells her that he's ready to be single too. Relieved that she won't be blamed for dumping him, she heads to his house to talk... and bring him the Thai food he demanded. When she arrives, Joe is dead on the couch. Cara has always stayed away from drugs, but Joe didn't share that sentiment. Seems like it caught up to him as he's thought to have died from an overdose. He left something behind... a note that says "all for you" for Cara. She doesn't understand. It's not like she was breaking his heart... what does it mean?
Cara's friends shun her thanks to the queen bee of the group, Joe's sister. She blames Cara for his death, insistent that she could have helped him somehow and prevented his tragic ending. Her life becomes much more boring without them, just working and spending time with her family... which opens her up to spending time with a new face in town: Ryan, whom she previously met briefly years ago and is very interested in getting to know her better.
As the police begin to suspect Joe was murdered, accusations fly. Cara knows she didn't do it, but does she know who did? And why is the detective on the case so interested in her? Secrets come out as the mystery gets closer to being solved...
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and HQ Digital, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Cara is a pretty happy teenage girl in the beginning. She has loving parents, she's popular, and has some close friends. Her boyfriend is a problem. She wants to break up with him, but doesn't want backlash from his younger sister... who happens to be her best friend. Joe is perfectly aware that she's unhappy, and finally tells her that he's ready to be single too. Relieved that she won't be blamed for dumping him, she heads to his house to talk... and bring him the Thai food he demanded. When she arrives, Joe is dead on the couch. Cara has always stayed away from drugs, but Joe didn't share that sentiment. Seems like it caught up to him as he's thought to have died from an overdose. He left something behind... a note that says "all for you" for Cara. She doesn't understand. It's not like she was breaking his heart... what does it mean?
Cara's friends shun her thanks to the queen bee of the group, Joe's sister. She blames Cara for his death, insistent that she could have helped him somehow and prevented his tragic ending. Her life becomes much more boring without them, just working and spending time with her family... which opens her up to spending time with a new face in town: Ryan, whom she previously met briefly years ago and is very interested in getting to know her better.
As the police begin to suspect Joe was murdered, accusations fly. Cara knows she didn't do it, but does she know who did? And why is the detective on the case so interested in her? Secrets come out as the mystery gets closer to being solved...
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and HQ Digital, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
April 9, 2017
This is a great read for a Young Adult - or even older adults if you prefer your thrillers less threatening and without colourful language.
This looked like a gripping read to me and I enjoyed it a lot.
The main character, Cara, started off being very self obsessed until she was forced out of her friendship ring and met a new friend. When this happened she softened a lot and had compassion for others.
I was rooting for Cara to solve the mystery and even shed a tear at the end when she was reunited with her family after spending some time apart from them against her will.
I didn't figure out who the "bad guy" was until the end of the story and that was not how it seems either....
A great read that earns a well deserved 4 stars from me.
Many Thanks to the author, Katlyn Duncan and Helen Boyce at TBC for giving me a copy of "As You Lay Sleeping" in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This looked like a gripping read to me and I enjoyed it a lot.
The main character, Cara, started off being very self obsessed until she was forced out of her friendship ring and met a new friend. When this happened she softened a lot and had compassion for others.
I was rooting for Cara to solve the mystery and even shed a tear at the end when she was reunited with her family after spending some time apart from them against her will.
I didn't figure out who the "bad guy" was until the end of the story and that was not how it seems either....
A great read that earns a well deserved 4 stars from me.
Many Thanks to the author, Katlyn Duncan and Helen Boyce at TBC for giving me a copy of "As You Lay Sleeping" in exchange for a fair and honest review.
sorry-couldn-t-finish-these
February 26, 2017I received this book for a blog tour in exchange of an honest review.
Well, I got to 52% and then I just had to give up. My head hurt, I wanted to throw all the characters into a fiery pit of doom and destruction, and oh yeah, the story didn't go anywhere and was dragging as no tomorrow. Eventually I read the last 9~% of the book to see what would happen, and found out I didn't miss much of anything by skipping. :P So I read a total of 61% of this book. Meh.
I was truly looking forward to this book when I saw the sign up for the blog tour. I am a big fan of YA thriller/mystery and I am always looking around for new books to enjoy. The blurb, the cover, they all screamed at me to read them.
We immediately started with some confusing stuff by another character, which then, awkwardly, and probably due to my ereader messing things up, went right to the MC's POV. This happened quite a few times afterwards. I would be reading E's POV, but then it would just melt into Cara's POV, which was highly confusing as both characters felt the same to me (sure, Cara was less bloodthirsty, but that was the only real difference).
The death of the boyfriend was just too disappointing. I had expected something much grander, but instead it was that, and for all of the parts I read that was actually the only creepy/thriller part that happened. The rest of what I read was just Cara trying to live with her life, find a new hot guy to drool over, annoy her sister (my lord), try to get into queen Kat's good graces (and fail), do her job at the inn/restaurant, agonise about the loss of her friends (though I didn't get why she was friends with them). *yawn*
None of the characters were particularly likeable. Oh wait, yes Ryan, but he was the only one.
For starters let me start with the detective. I just didn't get his witch hunt for Cara. He didn't seem like a really good cop/detective to me that he would act like this. For some reason, or well, for no reason, he immediately had his arrows on Cara, even though, from even my POV, she didn't do a thing. Weird!
Then there is Kat, my lord. What a total *insert some very mean, rude words here*. I disliked her from the start, and I couldn't see why anyone would be friend with such a controlling, conniving *insert some more rude words*. Oh yes, the almighty popularity that all YA characters seem to crave oh so much. *rolls her eyes* I also didn't like Kat for how she acted, how she immediately blamed Cara, and how she even was disgusted with her climb to popularity. Oh please, girl, like you wouldn't do the same thing.
Next up is Madison, the annoying sister trope, oh did I say that out loud? Oh how terrible. But sorry, the sister just pissed me off. How she acted and treated her sister. Then again, Cara wasn't that nice to Madison either, but I do wonder if that is a cause of how Madison acts towards Cara or if that is just a mean streak in Cara.
Cara was just meh, she wasn't really interesting, and her OMG I NEED TO BE POPULAR OR LIFE IS OVER was just a bit too much for me. Plus I wish she just had the balls to break up things with Joe instead of letting it go on and on and on for so long.
Plus I know she didn't like Joe, but to so quickly jump on a new boy was a bit cringey and I wasn't happy with it.
How she treated her sister was another thing that was a strike against her.
She had some nice qualities, but they were mostly overshadowed by how she acted throughout the parts that I read.
Yes, the romance between Cara and Ryan just didn't fit for me. Her boyfriend (I know, she didn't like him, but she must have loved him one time in their relationship) just died a few weeks ago, and she is already drooling over the next victim. It just didn't sit right with me. It felt off and weird. She went from OMG will I ever sleep to OMG Ryan. Meh.
Oh yes, something I did agree on when, after I read my 61% of the book, I was checking out some reviews. What the hell does the title have to do with the book?
The ending? Boy, the ending was hopeless. All kinds of grand stuff happening (finally some bit of action), and then it ends like that? Whut? Why? That is just a cop-out and I wasn't happy.
So yes, big disappointment. It looked and sounded so good.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com
Well, I got to 52% and then I just had to give up. My head hurt, I wanted to throw all the characters into a fiery pit of doom and destruction, and oh yeah, the story didn't go anywhere and was dragging as no tomorrow. Eventually I read the last 9~% of the book to see what would happen, and found out I didn't miss much of anything by skipping. :P So I read a total of 61% of this book. Meh.
I was truly looking forward to this book when I saw the sign up for the blog tour. I am a big fan of YA thriller/mystery and I am always looking around for new books to enjoy. The blurb, the cover, they all screamed at me to read them.
We immediately started with some confusing stuff by another character, which then, awkwardly, and probably due to my ereader messing things up, went right to the MC's POV. This happened quite a few times afterwards. I would be reading E's POV, but then it would just melt into Cara's POV, which was highly confusing as both characters felt the same to me (sure, Cara was less bloodthirsty, but that was the only real difference).
The death of the boyfriend was just too disappointing. I had expected something much grander, but instead it was that, and for all of the parts I read that was actually the only creepy/thriller part that happened. The rest of what I read was just Cara trying to live with her life, find a new hot guy to drool over, annoy her sister (my lord), try to get into queen Kat's good graces (and fail), do her job at the inn/restaurant, agonise about the loss of her friends (though I didn't get why she was friends with them). *yawn*
None of the characters were particularly likeable. Oh wait, yes Ryan, but he was the only one.
For starters let me start with the detective. I just didn't get his witch hunt for Cara. He didn't seem like a really good cop/detective to me that he would act like this. For some reason, or well, for no reason, he immediately had his arrows on Cara, even though, from even my POV, she didn't do a thing. Weird!
Then there is Kat, my lord. What a total *insert some very mean, rude words here*. I disliked her from the start, and I couldn't see why anyone would be friend with such a controlling, conniving *insert some more rude words*. Oh yes, the almighty popularity that all YA characters seem to crave oh so much. *rolls her eyes* I also didn't like Kat for how she acted, how she immediately blamed Cara, and how she even was disgusted with her climb to popularity. Oh please, girl, like you wouldn't do the same thing.
Next up is Madison, the annoying sister trope, oh did I say that out loud? Oh how terrible. But sorry, the sister just pissed me off. How she acted and treated her sister. Then again, Cara wasn't that nice to Madison either, but I do wonder if that is a cause of how Madison acts towards Cara or if that is just a mean streak in Cara.
Cara was just meh, she wasn't really interesting, and her OMG I NEED TO BE POPULAR OR LIFE IS OVER was just a bit too much for me. Plus I wish she just had the balls to break up things with Joe instead of letting it go on and on and on for so long.
Plus I know she didn't like Joe, but to so quickly jump on a new boy was a bit cringey and I wasn't happy with it.
How she treated her sister was another thing that was a strike against her.
She had some nice qualities, but they were mostly overshadowed by how she acted throughout the parts that I read.
Yes, the romance between Cara and Ryan just didn't fit for me. Her boyfriend (I know, she didn't like him, but she must have loved him one time in their relationship) just died a few weeks ago, and she is already drooling over the next victim. It just didn't sit right with me. It felt off and weird. She went from OMG will I ever sleep to OMG Ryan. Meh.
Oh yes, something I did agree on when, after I read my 61% of the book, I was checking out some reviews. What the hell does the title have to do with the book?
The ending? Boy, the ending was hopeless. All kinds of grand stuff happening (finally some bit of action), and then it ends like that? Whut? Why? That is just a cop-out and I wasn't happy.
So yes, big disappointment. It looked and sounded so good.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com
February 21, 2017
The story is told in the first person from the points-of-view of sixteen-year-old Cara and the mysterious and murderous E, who is searching for a girl called Sylvia. The search takes E to Chester Bay, Connecticut, where Cara lives. When Cara's boyfriend dies mysteriously, her world is turned upside down: she loses her best friends and her social standing; she's hounded by the detective in charge of the case; and someone from her past shows up unexpectedly and displays an unnatural interest in her. Should she be worried?
This is a tale of love and obsession and how far some people will go to protect their family. It's an interesting concept that doesn't quite gel. While the story kept my attention, the speech is stilted and unnatural, and the behavior of the characters is unrealistic. The author slowly builds the suspense and the creepiness factor, but the tension is soon lost. In addition, the climax is predictable and too easily resolved, while the ending leaves it open for a sequel. And the title? Sorry, I just don't get it.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (21 February): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
This is a tale of love and obsession and how far some people will go to protect their family. It's an interesting concept that doesn't quite gel. While the story kept my attention, the speech is stilted and unnatural, and the behavior of the characters is unrealistic. The author slowly builds the suspense and the creepiness factor, but the tension is soon lost. In addition, the climax is predictable and too easily resolved, while the ending leaves it open for a sequel. And the title? Sorry, I just don't get it.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (21 February): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
Read
March 4, 2018Cara is 16 when the book starts. She is ignoring her boyfriend, Joe. The only reason she wanted Joe was to get a higher social status at school, she just wanted to be one of the popular girls. Shallow? Yes, that her, but Joe is a drug addict, likes drink and some other unsavory thing that Data is thinking may not be worth it. Kat is Joe's sister and queen of the popular girls, and Cara's best friend while dating her brother.
This book is about a teenage girl finding herself, finding what's important, learning to grow up. Cara learns what family is and to think of others.
This was a great where the main character is not immediately likeable. The slowly reveals itself until Cara's 17th birthday and then it opens like heated popcorn. The author did a nice job with the twist at the end.
This book is about a teenage girl finding herself, finding what's important, learning to grow up. Cara learns what family is and to think of others.
This was a great where the main character is not immediately likeable. The slowly reveals itself until Cara's 17th birthday and then it opens like heated popcorn. The author did a nice job with the twist at the end.
February 20, 2017
Cara's relationship with Joe brings her the popularity she craves. They've been together for a long time and for a while everything was okay between them, but Joe is going to a prestigious university and Cara will be a senior in high school. It's time to go their separate ways. Unfortunately their goodbye is a bit more definite than Cara imagined it would be, as Joe is dead. Cara is being interrogated by the police. Do they think Joe was killed and if so is she a suspect? After Joe's death Cara slowly starts losing the things in life that are important to her. What is going on, is there something she should have noticed and how come someone else knows more about her life than she does?
Cara always wanted to be friends with the most popular girl at school. Dating her friend's brother makes it possible, but it also means there are high standards she needs to meet and there's a lot she has to undergo for the sake of acceptance. Joe's death is the beginning of uncertain times for her. Will his sister still be her friend, is she destined to be a social outcast or even worse, do people think she had something to do with it? Cara desperately needs a friend. She also has to find a way to prove her innocence. Will she succeed?
Cara craves to belong, but instead of being liked for who she is she has to make plenty of sacrifices. Even though this might be one of her biggest flaws I could understand why she wanted to fit in more than anything and I could easily forgive most of the mistakes she's made in her past. She's an interesting main character. She isn't perfect and she doesn't always make the right or most honorable decisions, which sometimes makes her an unreliable main character. However, I admired her capability to be honest with herself and her willingness to look inside herself to see what's there, both good and bad. She's a fascinating mix of personality traits and I couldn't wait to find out more about her.
As You Lay Sleeping is a gripping story. Cara knows something doesn't add up, but she can't prove exactly what it is. Katlyn Duncan writes about her problems and feelings in an open and descriptive way. I liked that very much about the story. There are many surprising twists and turns and the ending is strange, thrilling and unusual. As You Lay Sleeping is an intriguing story with a lot of complex psychology behind it. It's well written and compelling and I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.
Cara always wanted to be friends with the most popular girl at school. Dating her friend's brother makes it possible, but it also means there are high standards she needs to meet and there's a lot she has to undergo for the sake of acceptance. Joe's death is the beginning of uncertain times for her. Will his sister still be her friend, is she destined to be a social outcast or even worse, do people think she had something to do with it? Cara desperately needs a friend. She also has to find a way to prove her innocence. Will she succeed?
Cara craves to belong, but instead of being liked for who she is she has to make plenty of sacrifices. Even though this might be one of her biggest flaws I could understand why she wanted to fit in more than anything and I could easily forgive most of the mistakes she's made in her past. She's an interesting main character. She isn't perfect and she doesn't always make the right or most honorable decisions, which sometimes makes her an unreliable main character. However, I admired her capability to be honest with herself and her willingness to look inside herself to see what's there, both good and bad. She's a fascinating mix of personality traits and I couldn't wait to find out more about her.
As You Lay Sleeping is a gripping story. Cara knows something doesn't add up, but she can't prove exactly what it is. Katlyn Duncan writes about her problems and feelings in an open and descriptive way. I liked that very much about the story. There are many surprising twists and turns and the ending is strange, thrilling and unusual. As You Lay Sleeping is an intriguing story with a lot of complex psychology behind it. It's well written and compelling and I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.
February 6, 2017
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
I wasn't a big fan of the characters in this, but they weren't awful.
Despite this only being short, there were parts in this that dragged slightly for me, and the book felt longer than what it was because of it.
It wasn't one that I can said I really liked, but it was an alright read overall.
I wasn't a big fan of the characters in this, but they weren't awful.
Despite this only being short, there were parts in this that dragged slightly for me, and the book felt longer than what it was because of it.
It wasn't one that I can said I really liked, but it was an alright read overall.
April 17, 2017
As you lay sleeping by Katlyn Duncan is a mystery and thriller and teens and ya read.
I did it all for you…
Cara’s boyfriend is dead.
When fingers start pointing at her, she knows she’s in more trouble than she originally thought. Because Cara can see that something isn’t right.
As her carefully constructed life begins to crumble, Cara isn’t sure who she is anymore.
But maybe that’s exactly what someone wants her to think…
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. I loved the story. Kept me thinking if it was suicide or not. Definitely didn't see that coming. Highly recommended. 5*. tbc on fb.
I did it all for you…
Cara’s boyfriend is dead.
When fingers start pointing at her, she knows she’s in more trouble than she originally thought. Because Cara can see that something isn’t right.
As her carefully constructed life begins to crumble, Cara isn’t sure who she is anymore.
But maybe that’s exactly what someone wants her to think…
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. I loved the story. Kept me thinking if it was suicide or not. Definitely didn't see that coming. Highly recommended. 5*. tbc on fb.
April 24, 2017
This is a great YA book, having said that, as a 40-year-old, I found it was a good read for me too!
Initially, I didn’t warm to the Cara. At the beginning of the tale, she is a self-obsessed teenager who is constantly trying to ‘better’ herself. The sad thing is, the only way she believes she can do this, is by mixing with the wealthy, popular girls. In order to become an important part of this group, Cara dates the brother of the ‘it’ girl, even though she is deeply unhappy with the relationship. One afternoon, Cara speaks to Joe on and she is pleased to hear him say that he wants to end their relationship. He demands she visits him one last time, which she does and, when she arrives at his poolside room, Cara finds Joe is dead! The pace of the story picks up from here as the police investigation points to the fact that Joe was murdered. There are some brilliantly written, atmospheric chapters following Joe’s death.
Then, out of the blue – Ryan, an old friend of Cara comes back to town. At this point, Cara has been shunned by the popular girls and so ends up spending a lot of time with Ryan. Thankfully, Ryan is a genuinely nice, down-to-earth guy who changes Cara perception of happiness and what is important – it was at this time that I decided my initial feelings towards Cara were a little harsh – after all, don’t all teenagers just want to fit in and be popular?
It was not at all obvious to me as to who the other person was or what their motives were – things are not always what they seem!
All in all, I enjoyed this book, although the ending felt a little rushed to me, as it lacked the detail and pace of the other parts of the book. A solid 4 stars.
Initially, I didn’t warm to the Cara. At the beginning of the tale, she is a self-obsessed teenager who is constantly trying to ‘better’ herself. The sad thing is, the only way she believes she can do this, is by mixing with the wealthy, popular girls. In order to become an important part of this group, Cara dates the brother of the ‘it’ girl, even though she is deeply unhappy with the relationship. One afternoon, Cara speaks to Joe on and she is pleased to hear him say that he wants to end their relationship. He demands she visits him one last time, which she does and, when she arrives at his poolside room, Cara finds Joe is dead! The pace of the story picks up from here as the police investigation points to the fact that Joe was murdered. There are some brilliantly written, atmospheric chapters following Joe’s death.
Then, out of the blue – Ryan, an old friend of Cara comes back to town. At this point, Cara has been shunned by the popular girls and so ends up spending a lot of time with Ryan. Thankfully, Ryan is a genuinely nice, down-to-earth guy who changes Cara perception of happiness and what is important – it was at this time that I decided my initial feelings towards Cara were a little harsh – after all, don’t all teenagers just want to fit in and be popular?
It was not at all obvious to me as to who the other person was or what their motives were – things are not always what they seem!
All in all, I enjoyed this book, although the ending felt a little rushed to me, as it lacked the detail and pace of the other parts of the book. A solid 4 stars.
April 27, 2017
This was a quick read, quite pacy and with enough suspense to keep the pages turning. You have have to suspend belief at times but overall the plot was good, the characters well developed and the author shows insight into teenage girl angst - the measures some will go to to fit in and the insidious bullying some experience.
I enjoyed this book and I think it will be popular with the YA market. I'm not sure I understand the title but that's a minor point. A good 3.5 stars.
My thanks to TBConFB for this copy.
I enjoyed this book and I think it will be popular with the YA market. I'm not sure I understand the title but that's a minor point. A good 3.5 stars.
My thanks to TBConFB for this copy.
April 5, 2017
This was a quick read yet started off too slowly for me.
The pace improved in the second half of the book as did my enjoyment.
The author displayed an excellent awareness of teen angst and their mean interactions and didn't go overboard on the romance. There were some nice lines that made me smile and showed talent.
A decent end to the story led to me awarding a 4!
The pace improved in the second half of the book as did my enjoyment.
The author displayed an excellent awareness of teen angst and their mean interactions and didn't go overboard on the romance. There were some nice lines that made me smile and showed talent.
A decent end to the story led to me awarding a 4!
February 23, 2017
I have to admit when I first saw the cover of the book and the blurb, I wanted to read it as it looked like an amazing suspense story. Even the first chapter had me hooked with the Killer gaining adoption records; this had an amazing start to the story. The only thing though is that it could have been way better as I felt it had a really strong start and a positive potential to be awesome but it was like along the way it hit a standstill, and the reveal wasn't as big as it could have been. The book starts off with as I said the Killer is receiving closed adoption records, and then we jump over to Cara who we now know is the baby who had been adopted. She seems popular and has good friends and a boyfriend, though her boyfriend it seems has been acting out against her lately and now she is avoiding his calls. In one way I got the sense that Joe had been abusive, but she stayed with him for the reputation. It was like Cara was a social climber/gold digger. I didn't like her character as despite what was happening she seemed so needy, whiny and I wanted to shake her. Cara's boyfriend Joe is found murdered, and now Cara is the main suspect. This annoyed me as the detective didn't look at other options and had a one-mind track to make Cara guilty. We soon discover the identity of the killer and how they are related to Cara's past and the lengths that they will go to to have Cara back in their life. The book did end on a cliffhanger, and whether the author does intend to carry on, she has left it open-ended. In a lot of ways Katlyn Duncan's book As You Lay Sleeping reminded me of the Point Horror / Lois Duncan mystery thrillers that were popular in the late 90's/ early 2000's like I Know What You Did Last Summer.
February 26, 2017
Cara is on her way to her boyfriends to mutually break up when she finds him dead on the couch. Can you imagine the mixed feelings she has about her boyfriend, of course she didn't want him harmed, but she didn't want to be hist girlfriend anymore either.
Childhood friend comes back into the picture and it ends up being the Detective's brother, which definitely doesn't look good on her, since she is one of the suspects.
This story definitely grips you and you don't really know who killed her boyfriend until the very end. This book is full of suspense and the surprises along the way really help shape the characters, because not everyone is how they truly described in the beginning. This was an awesome book to read.
Book Blurb:
I did it all for you…
Cara’s boyfriend is dead.
When fingers start pointing at her, she knows she’s in more trouble than she originally thought. Because Cara can see that something isn’t right.
As her carefully constructed life begins to crumble, Cara isn’t sure who she is anymore.
But maybe that’s exactly what someone wants her to think…
Childhood friend comes back into the picture and it ends up being the Detective's brother, which definitely doesn't look good on her, since she is one of the suspects.
This story definitely grips you and you don't really know who killed her boyfriend until the very end. This book is full of suspense and the surprises along the way really help shape the characters, because not everyone is how they truly described in the beginning. This was an awesome book to read.
Book Blurb:
I did it all for you…
Cara’s boyfriend is dead.
When fingers start pointing at her, she knows she’s in more trouble than she originally thought. Because Cara can see that something isn’t right.
As her carefully constructed life begins to crumble, Cara isn’t sure who she is anymore.
But maybe that’s exactly what someone wants her to think…
June 20, 2022
I received a copy of As You Lay Sleeping from Xpresso Book Tours for review Consideration. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
As you lay sleeping is a YA mystery story about a girl whose boyfriend died mysteriously. It follows the story of seventeen year old Cara during the summer before her final year at High School where she has a group of close friends and a boyfriend about to leave for College. But before he leaves, Cara finds him dead, but what really happened to him?
I was truly looking forward to this book when I saw the sign up for the blog tour. I am a big fan of YA thriller/mystery and I am always looking around for new books to enjoy.
We immediately started with some confusing stuff by another character, which then, awkwardly, and probably due to my e-reader messing things up, went right to the Main Character’s POV. This happened quite a few times afterwards. I would be reading E’s POV, but then it would just melt into Cara’s POV, which was highly confusing as both characters felt and sounded the same to me.
None of the characters were particularly likeable. Except Ryan, but he was the only one. For starters the detective. I just didn’t get his witch hunt for Cara. He didn’t seem like a really good detective to me that he would act like this. For no reason, he immediately had his sight set on Cara, even though she didn’t do anything.
Then there is Kat. I disliked her from the start, I didn’t like Kat for how she acted, how she immediately blamed Cara, and how she even was disgusted with her climb to popularity. I didn’t like Cara – at all. She was self centred, vapid and just generally not nice. She also moved on from her dead boyfriend a little too quickly.
As You Lay Sleeping definitely has the makings of a great YA thriller, the descriptions of the crime scene and the areas that Cara visits creates a great setting for adventure and for the world that Cara knows to unravel right in front of her eyes. There were some story twists in there that I certainly didn’t expect to happen!
I did feel that the whole story felt a little underdeveloped. There were things that were just skimmed over that needed more fleshing out. Joe’s murder for one. He seemed like he was into some bad stuff, but his history and background is just really lightly touched on. The same with Ryan’s background. We are also left with having no clue why detective Devereaux had it out for Cara from the beginning of the book.
Despite this only being short, there were parts in this that dragged slightly for me, and the book felt longer than what it was because of it. And the mystery aspect of the book had a slow start. Sure, the murder happened in the first chapter or so, but then the first half of the book was more about the drama of Cara’s life. The second half was focused on the twists and turns of the mystery. Some things I saw coming but I still appreciated how it played out.
Overall, this was a reasonable story, with a decent plot line. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it at the beginning because there wasn’t a single likable character. Especially the heroine who came across as self-absorbed. Also the title of the book confuses me because it has absolutely nothing to do with the storyline at all.
As you lay sleeping is a YA mystery story about a girl whose boyfriend died mysteriously. It follows the story of seventeen year old Cara during the summer before her final year at High School where she has a group of close friends and a boyfriend about to leave for College. But before he leaves, Cara finds him dead, but what really happened to him?
I was truly looking forward to this book when I saw the sign up for the blog tour. I am a big fan of YA thriller/mystery and I am always looking around for new books to enjoy.
We immediately started with some confusing stuff by another character, which then, awkwardly, and probably due to my e-reader messing things up, went right to the Main Character’s POV. This happened quite a few times afterwards. I would be reading E’s POV, but then it would just melt into Cara’s POV, which was highly confusing as both characters felt and sounded the same to me.
None of the characters were particularly likeable. Except Ryan, but he was the only one. For starters the detective. I just didn’t get his witch hunt for Cara. He didn’t seem like a really good detective to me that he would act like this. For no reason, he immediately had his sight set on Cara, even though she didn’t do anything.
Then there is Kat. I disliked her from the start, I didn’t like Kat for how she acted, how she immediately blamed Cara, and how she even was disgusted with her climb to popularity. I didn’t like Cara – at all. She was self centred, vapid and just generally not nice. She also moved on from her dead boyfriend a little too quickly.
As You Lay Sleeping definitely has the makings of a great YA thriller, the descriptions of the crime scene and the areas that Cara visits creates a great setting for adventure and for the world that Cara knows to unravel right in front of her eyes. There were some story twists in there that I certainly didn’t expect to happen!
I did feel that the whole story felt a little underdeveloped. There were things that were just skimmed over that needed more fleshing out. Joe’s murder for one. He seemed like he was into some bad stuff, but his history and background is just really lightly touched on. The same with Ryan’s background. We are also left with having no clue why detective Devereaux had it out for Cara from the beginning of the book.
Despite this only being short, there were parts in this that dragged slightly for me, and the book felt longer than what it was because of it. And the mystery aspect of the book had a slow start. Sure, the murder happened in the first chapter or so, but then the first half of the book was more about the drama of Cara’s life. The second half was focused on the twists and turns of the mystery. Some things I saw coming but I still appreciated how it played out.
Overall, this was a reasonable story, with a decent plot line. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it at the beginning because there wasn’t a single likable character. Especially the heroine who came across as self-absorbed. Also the title of the book confuses me because it has absolutely nothing to do with the storyline at all.
August 7, 2017
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A heart pounding story that will keep you on the edge of you seat!
Opening Sentence: “For the last time, tell me what family she was assigned to and I will untie you.”
Excerpt: No
The Review:
Cara is getting ready to start her senior year of high school and has it all, or at least it looks as if she does! She’s popular, has a hot boyfriend, great friends and a loving family! But when her boyfriend dies her perfect life falls apart!
People start blaming Cara for his death and it looks as if senior year is going to be harder then Cara originally planned! As she tries to pick up the pieces of her broken life things start to take a sinister turn and it looks as if there really was more to her boyfriends death then she thought!
Cara was an interesting character but I struggled relating to her! She is a sweet girl with good intentions but she cared too much about what others thought of her! The more I read the more I liked her but it took a little time!
The villain was my favorite part of the story! I loved the little moments where we got to be inside their head because you could see how twisted their mind was! I found it fascinating and it really added to the creepy vibe of the story!
As You Lay Sleeping was an intriguing thriller that had a few problems but was overall a great read! My one problem with the book was how immature the characters would act at times. In all reality the way they acted was a very accurate portrayal of how many high school students behave, but in so many YA books nowadays the characters act very mature. Personally, I like that because I can relate to them easier but let’s be honest, it’s not very realistic. But due to this it was hard for me to develop a connection with the main character because I found her a little superficial and she would annoy me at times. That’s not to say I didn’t like her because I did, but I would have liked to be able to relate to her better! Overall, I thought it was a good story and I would highly recommend it to thriller fans!!!
Notable Scene:
I poked him again but he didn’t move.
Two can play at that game.
I flipped the flashlight on my phone and pointed it at his face. I expected him to pop up with a goofy grin, then go into a tirade on how he “got me.”
Instead, Joe didn’t move. At all. Surprisingly, he was a light sleeper, yet he insisted on listening to music and television to fall asleep. The change in volume should have woken him, and the flashlight definitely would have.
FTC Advisory: HQ Digtal/Harpercollins provided me with a copy of As You Lay Sleeping. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A heart pounding story that will keep you on the edge of you seat!
Opening Sentence: “For the last time, tell me what family she was assigned to and I will untie you.”
Excerpt: No
The Review:
Cara is getting ready to start her senior year of high school and has it all, or at least it looks as if she does! She’s popular, has a hot boyfriend, great friends and a loving family! But when her boyfriend dies her perfect life falls apart!
People start blaming Cara for his death and it looks as if senior year is going to be harder then Cara originally planned! As she tries to pick up the pieces of her broken life things start to take a sinister turn and it looks as if there really was more to her boyfriends death then she thought!
Cara was an interesting character but I struggled relating to her! She is a sweet girl with good intentions but she cared too much about what others thought of her! The more I read the more I liked her but it took a little time!
The villain was my favorite part of the story! I loved the little moments where we got to be inside their head because you could see how twisted their mind was! I found it fascinating and it really added to the creepy vibe of the story!
As You Lay Sleeping was an intriguing thriller that had a few problems but was overall a great read! My one problem with the book was how immature the characters would act at times. In all reality the way they acted was a very accurate portrayal of how many high school students behave, but in so many YA books nowadays the characters act very mature. Personally, I like that because I can relate to them easier but let’s be honest, it’s not very realistic. But due to this it was hard for me to develop a connection with the main character because I found her a little superficial and she would annoy me at times. That’s not to say I didn’t like her because I did, but I would have liked to be able to relate to her better! Overall, I thought it was a good story and I would highly recommend it to thriller fans!!!
Notable Scene:
I poked him again but he didn’t move.
Two can play at that game.
I flipped the flashlight on my phone and pointed it at his face. I expected him to pop up with a goofy grin, then go into a tirade on how he “got me.”
Instead, Joe didn’t move. At all. Surprisingly, he was a light sleeper, yet he insisted on listening to music and television to fall asleep. The change in volume should have woken him, and the flashlight definitely would have.
FTC Advisory: HQ Digtal/Harpercollins provided me with a copy of As You Lay Sleeping. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 4, 2017
This was a real page turner for me. In the beginning I didn't like Cara, at all. She was not nice to her sister, she thought to be better than most kids at her school, when in reality she was so scared to get back to her ordinary life. I also liked that between the chapters the killer gave glimpses of what was happening on his/her way to achieve the goal. It was a roller coaster ride, 'cause you know that Cara didn't do it, but the police officer makes her life so miserable that you just wanna scream in frustration. All hopes are on new guy in town Ryan, to bring some light into the story and solve the mystery. Well, it does not go smoothly and the problems are many. Throughout the book I hoped that the ending wouldn't spoil the story for me. But, the ending was really good and just as I like it. After finishing the story, there is this little voice in your head, saying: What if....? Grab it, read it, enjoy it!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley and HQ Digital!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley and HQ Digital!
February 13, 2021
After having read a few negative reviews for this book, I had low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised and actually really enjoyed reading it. The prose and pacing were great, the characterisation was good - I didn't find the characters at all annoying - and the mystery kept me intrigued until the end. As a YA, I found the content appropriate and it contained a few uplifting messages without it being political or condescending.
My one complaint, and the reason I didn't rate it higher is
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed As You Lay Sleeping and highly recommend it to other YA thriller fans.
4*
My one complaint, and the reason I didn't rate it higher is
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed As You Lay Sleeping and highly recommend it to other YA thriller fans.
4*
February 21, 2017
At the beginning, I already had the feeling that a woman might be the killer. The reason, I had some ideas yet, I was not sure. I liked how the twists and turns in this story. I was excited and at the same time, nervous for Cara. She was clueless who the murderer was, but she held the key in finding the truth. I was happy about how the villain was portrayed here. She was obsessed and smart, yet I also felt a little bit sad about how she ended up. Wow! It has an open ending, so, perhaps, I will be expecting a next story. Job well done to Katlyn Duncan!
June 27, 2017
this book was rushed, it unraveled too soon
I'm not disappointed by it, but still it wasn't my favorite read, I enjoyed the idea of it but the way it was written and told is what i didn't like that much.
I'm definitely interested in future books by the author, since i enjoyed the style of writing and i give this book 3 stars.
I'm not disappointed by it, but still it wasn't my favorite read, I enjoyed the idea of it but the way it was written and told is what i didn't like that much.
I'm definitely interested in future books by the author, since i enjoyed the style of writing and i give this book 3 stars.
July 21, 2017
I enjoyed this book and it was a quick read. So much happens with Cara that I found myself unable to out it down and kept turning the page. I liked the relationship between Cara and Ryan. The book alludes to him having a darker or mysterious side, and if there is a sequel (which the ending seemed to pave a path for a potential sequel) I'd love to find out more about what that side of him is.
February 22, 2017
Cara goes through the motions of being with her boyfriend, but is counting down the days until they are no longer together. When he calls her and tells her to meet him, she has no idea that she will find him dead, or that she will become a suspect in his murder. Cara just wants her life back, but something is coming and she needs to face the truth.
I picked up the book one night to just read a few chapters and was incredibly surprised to find myself at the end of the story within the same evening. I literally blew through the book, so engrossed in the story that I did not realize time passed. The author used the format of short chapters which always suckers me into reading “just one more” until I have finished the story, just like I did here. This was a teen murder mystery with some surprising plot twists as well as interesting characters.
I can honestly say that I did not really care for Cara when the story began. She seemed like a self involved snob who cared only for her social standing, not how she treated people. There were a few moments where I found myself literally cringing when she practically begged to be friends with the evil popular girl Kat, it was so uncomfortable. But as the story progressed, she completely evolved as a character and I liked who she became. Cara came to the realization of what she was doing, how she had treated people and what really mattered to her. She was even self-sacrificing, something I never would have expected when the novel began.
The mystery aspect of the book had a slow start, in my opinion. Sure, the murder happened in the first chapter or so, but then the first half of the book was more about the drama of Cara’s life and her trying to figure out her priorities. (And don’t forget Ryan, sigh, I hearted him, but I refuse to have a tangent). The second half was focused on the twists and turns of the mystery and it kept me on my toes. Some things I saw coming but I still appreciated how it played out.
I want to say the story wrapped up, and this mystery did, but the author dropped a huge bombshell the last page (which I loved!), so I don’t know if this is a standalone novel or the first in a series. Either way, I want to read more from this author.
I received this title from the author in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
I picked up the book one night to just read a few chapters and was incredibly surprised to find myself at the end of the story within the same evening. I literally blew through the book, so engrossed in the story that I did not realize time passed. The author used the format of short chapters which always suckers me into reading “just one more” until I have finished the story, just like I did here. This was a teen murder mystery with some surprising plot twists as well as interesting characters.
I can honestly say that I did not really care for Cara when the story began. She seemed like a self involved snob who cared only for her social standing, not how she treated people. There were a few moments where I found myself literally cringing when she practically begged to be friends with the evil popular girl Kat, it was so uncomfortable. But as the story progressed, she completely evolved as a character and I liked who she became. Cara came to the realization of what she was doing, how she had treated people and what really mattered to her. She was even self-sacrificing, something I never would have expected when the novel began.
The mystery aspect of the book had a slow start, in my opinion. Sure, the murder happened in the first chapter or so, but then the first half of the book was more about the drama of Cara’s life and her trying to figure out her priorities. (And don’t forget Ryan, sigh, I hearted him, but I refuse to have a tangent). The second half was focused on the twists and turns of the mystery and it kept me on my toes. Some things I saw coming but I still appreciated how it played out.
I want to say the story wrapped up, and this mystery did, but the author dropped a huge bombshell the last page (which I loved!), so I don’t know if this is a standalone novel or the first in a series. Either way, I want to read more from this author.
I received this title from the author in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
September 5, 2017
Loved the ending!
Good read. The ending was the best part. I wondered about the character on the boat. Well, I found out!
Good read. The ending was the best part. I wondered about the character on the boat. Well, I found out!
March 12, 2018
excellent
Read
April 10, 2022Famished
February 24, 2017
This is my review for As You Lay Sleeping by Katlyn Duncan. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. The first part of this review does not contain spoilers and I will indicate when spoilers come in.
5 stars The book was one of the best I've ever read
4 stars I really liked the book
3 stars I liked it
2 stars I finished it but didn't like it
1 star Did not finish the book
This book is told from two points of view, Cara and E.. The main character, Cara, grows and matures throughout the novel as she must deal with sudden changes in her life. The main plot revolves around the death of a character, and the lengths that others go to try to find out what happened. The final twist however leaves a door open to further develop the story, and I would read more books featuring these characters. Overall I would recommend this novel to both teenagers and young adults alike and I give it three and a half stars
----Spoilers from this point onwards----
The novel begins with the character of E, and we learn from the very start how ruthless this character is. They think nothing of killing Benjamin so that the police will not be able to question him about E's appearance. Following this we are introduced to Cara. We quickly learn how much she values how others perceive her.. She believes that being popular is everything, and she proves this by staying with her boyfriend Joe even though she can't stand him.
Yet everything she has built up begins to fall apart when Joe is found dead, with Cara being the one to find him. I thought it was cleaver for the author to leave the note 'all for you' for Cara to find, as we see later on what this statement actually means.
I began to feel bad for Cara as all of her friends began to turn away from her. But this is when Ryan comes in, a boy she meet during the summer several years ago. I liked reading about how Cara begins to realise that popularity isn't actually that important, and it is Ryan that helps her see this. They begin to work together to try to solve what happened to Joe.
The plot and character developments were my favourite aspects of this book. Learning that E was Elyse, and Cara's biological sister was a shock as was learning that Cara was adopted. It was these revelations that made the novel interesting. Also finally understanding what the note meant, that Elyse killed Joe for Cara, believing she was helping her in her own twisted way, cemented how far Elyse was willing to go to find her sister.
5 stars The book was one of the best I've ever read
4 stars I really liked the book
3 stars I liked it
2 stars I finished it but didn't like it
1 star Did not finish the book
This book is told from two points of view, Cara and E.. The main character, Cara, grows and matures throughout the novel as she must deal with sudden changes in her life. The main plot revolves around the death of a character, and the lengths that others go to try to find out what happened. The final twist however leaves a door open to further develop the story, and I would read more books featuring these characters. Overall I would recommend this novel to both teenagers and young adults alike and I give it three and a half stars
----Spoilers from this point onwards----
The novel begins with the character of E, and we learn from the very start how ruthless this character is. They think nothing of killing Benjamin so that the police will not be able to question him about E's appearance. Following this we are introduced to Cara. We quickly learn how much she values how others perceive her.. She believes that being popular is everything, and she proves this by staying with her boyfriend Joe even though she can't stand him.
Yet everything she has built up begins to fall apart when Joe is found dead, with Cara being the one to find him. I thought it was cleaver for the author to leave the note 'all for you' for Cara to find, as we see later on what this statement actually means.
I began to feel bad for Cara as all of her friends began to turn away from her. But this is when Ryan comes in, a boy she meet during the summer several years ago. I liked reading about how Cara begins to realise that popularity isn't actually that important, and it is Ryan that helps her see this. They begin to work together to try to solve what happened to Joe.
The plot and character developments were my favourite aspects of this book. Learning that E was Elyse, and Cara's biological sister was a shock as was learning that Cara was adopted. It was these revelations that made the novel interesting. Also finally understanding what the note meant, that Elyse killed Joe for Cara, believing she was helping her in her own twisted way, cemented how far Elyse was willing to go to find her sister.
March 2, 2017
As You Lay Sleeping.
By: Katlyn Duncan
I love the creepy book cover. It's dark, chilling and mysterious. The main characters are described well and given enough background that you can relate to their personalities. The secondary characters are a but vague but you get enough information and character description to know how they fit into the story.
I really enjoyed that the setting is described as what appears to be an idyllic, a coastal beach town. It’s a much better setting than a cold, winter in some desolate backwoods city.
Cara wants desperately to be popular, to be part of the “in” crowd. Her boyfriend Joe makes that possible. They’ve dated for 2 years but Joe hasn’t turned out to be a very good boyfriend. Cara has wanted to break up for a long time. The only reason she hasn’t is because she fears his sister, Kat, will no longer be her friend and that she will no longer be part of the popular group. When Cara discovers Joe dead her life takes some dangerous and dramatic changes. Everyone seems determined to blame her for Joes death, including the Detective investigating the case.
I liked the character Cara. She seems like an average 16 year old girl. She wants the normal things any teen does; to be popular, to be liked, to have a boyfriend, a new cell phone.
Despite Cara's bad decision to keep dating Joe just to keep her “popular” status, throughout the rest of the book she does make some better choices. Well, maybe not trying to solve the murder herself!
The book is a pretty quick read and is full of excitement, suspense and a murder mystery with some creepy, unusual twists to keep you guessing. The book ends with a cliff hanger. It leaves open the possibility that the author will write a sequel. Seeing that one of the characters is a Detective and his younger brother is a new (old) friend of Cara’s…… the possibilities seem endless!
I recommend this book for ages 14 and older.
I received the book free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not effect my rating nor my review.
My review will be posted on netgalley, amazon, good reads, and moonshineartspot.blogspot
By: Katlyn Duncan
I love the creepy book cover. It's dark, chilling and mysterious. The main characters are described well and given enough background that you can relate to their personalities. The secondary characters are a but vague but you get enough information and character description to know how they fit into the story.
I really enjoyed that the setting is described as what appears to be an idyllic, a coastal beach town. It’s a much better setting than a cold, winter in some desolate backwoods city.
Cara wants desperately to be popular, to be part of the “in” crowd. Her boyfriend Joe makes that possible. They’ve dated for 2 years but Joe hasn’t turned out to be a very good boyfriend. Cara has wanted to break up for a long time. The only reason she hasn’t is because she fears his sister, Kat, will no longer be her friend and that she will no longer be part of the popular group. When Cara discovers Joe dead her life takes some dangerous and dramatic changes. Everyone seems determined to blame her for Joes death, including the Detective investigating the case.
I liked the character Cara. She seems like an average 16 year old girl. She wants the normal things any teen does; to be popular, to be liked, to have a boyfriend, a new cell phone.
Despite Cara's bad decision to keep dating Joe just to keep her “popular” status, throughout the rest of the book she does make some better choices. Well, maybe not trying to solve the murder herself!
The book is a pretty quick read and is full of excitement, suspense and a murder mystery with some creepy, unusual twists to keep you guessing. The book ends with a cliff hanger. It leaves open the possibility that the author will write a sequel. Seeing that one of the characters is a Detective and his younger brother is a new (old) friend of Cara’s…… the possibilities seem endless!
I recommend this book for ages 14 and older.
I received the book free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not effect my rating nor my review.
My review will be posted on netgalley, amazon, good reads, and moonshineartspot.blogspot
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