This Town Is Not All Right

This Town Is Not All Right #1

by M.K. Krys, Michelle Krys

Driftwood Harbor may seem like an ordinarily boring, small New England town, but there's something extremely strange and downright creepy happening within town limits.

Twins Beacon and Everleigh McCullough are moving from their home in sunny L.A. to Driftwood Harbor, a rainy fishing village in New England. If that wasn't bad enough, there's something strange about this town and the mysterious group of too-perfect students called The Gold Stars. After Everleigh is recruited into their ranks, Beacon must uncover Driftwood Harbor's frightening secret before he loses his sister forever.

Genres: Middle Grade, Horror, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 2020

About the author

M.K. Krys (Michelle Krys) is the author of Hexed, Charmed, and Dead Girls Society. When she’s not writing books, Michelle moonlights as a NICU nurse. She lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, with her family. You can visit her online at michellekrys.com and follow @MichelleKrys on Twitter and @michellekrysbooks on Instagram.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a book! I'm trying to read more creepy novels as my middle school students want more of them in our library. I thought this one was great! Almost every chapter ends in a cliffhanger compelling readers on to the next one. I started this one evening and almost read the book in one sitting. The only thing that stopped me was the thought of having to subsist on 6 hours of sleep the next day. Needless to say, I finished it the following evening.

Yes, the main storyline is about a boy who notices all these off things going on in the small town his dad has moved him to, however, a parallel storyline is about the grieving process of losing an older brother/son. This is very much woven into the fabric of the book. I thought this worked as it directly impacted how the characters behaved and reacted in the face of the creepy stuff. However, a lot of middle grade novels deal with grief and it's starting to get difficulty to find funny books that are lighthearted but still complex. I know a lot of my students aren't in the mood to read sad books right now (which I SO get) so, while I am excited to buy and feature this book for them, I think it could be a tough sell in today's climate.

I did appreciate that this was creepy without being nightmare inducing. It gives me a Twin Peaks vibe. I really hope there is a sequel.

Content Notes:

Profanity/Swearing: 7-10 instances of taking the Lord's name in vain, otherwise none

Sex: None

Religious elements: The Gold Stars meet in a building that used to be a church but no longer is

LGBTQ+ rep? None specified

[John Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Older readers and adults may find logical disconnects at a point or two (Who has a CDC location where wireless and internet are spotty at best) and it starts a bit slow, but then someone pours gasoline on its backside and lights a match. From that point on, it's a wild ride with great creep and nonstop action, leading to a Twilight Zone finish. Great book for teen horror fans and one a library should certainly consider adding to their collection. I zipped through in about three hours.

[Brandy F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Creepy, atmospheric and fun.

[Vfum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good read! I had been reading lots of sappy stuff and needed a dark break! This book was perfect!!!

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beacon, his twin sister Everleigh, and their dad are moving to Driftwood Harbor, Maine from their hometown in Los Angeles to get away from the memory of their older brother/son Jasper and his tragic death the year before. Their father is hoping this will be a fresh start for the twins, especially Everleigh who blames herself for Jasper’s death. Strange things happen as soon as they enter the town, however. Their car breaks down as they cross the town line and teenagers from a “Gold Star” club come out of the woods. Even worse, Beacon swears he sees one of those teenagers out in the ocean later that night, but no one believes him. After the first day of school and a vitamin injection, Everleigh starts acting weirdest of all -- she’s kind, polite, and even joins the soccer team. Now Beacon really knows something is up. Beacon has to team up with town outcast and UFO believer, Arthur, to figure out what’s going on in this town, which is clearly not all right.
I liked this one! It’s well-paced and has some significant surprises along the way that are out of this world (hint, hint). There’s a lot of action, excitement, and drama. I hope there is a sequel!

[Arafat · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Driftwood Harbor may seem like an ordinarily boring, small New England town, but there's something extremely strange and downright creepy happening within town limits.

Twins Beacon and Everleigh McCullough are moving from their home in sunny L.A. to Driftwood Harbor, a rainy fishing village in New England. If that wasn't bad enough, there's something strange about this town and the mysterious group of too-perfect students called The Gold Stars. After Everleigh is recruited into their ranks, Beacon must uncover Driftwood Harbor's frightening secret before he loses his sister forever.

This Town Is Not All Right is the middle-grade horror debut from M.K. Kyrs (YA author Michelle Krys). Be prepared for a thrilling page-turner with a major mystery because the residents of Driftwood Harbor will do whatever it takes to keep their dark secrets from rising to the surface.

[Jessicaa Batgee · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my god the ending?!?!? major wow

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seemed like it was going to be a gentle midgrade suspense/alien story, but took a turn and, without spoiling the ending, is no longer gentle. I'm left feeling like I do at the end of adult suspense stories, which is to say disappointed at the lack of closure leaving the plot hanging.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great middle grade sci fi read! Loved the cliffhanger ending - but hoping the next book comes out soon!!

[Garrett Garcia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so boring i couldn't even finish it👍

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

🪵🌊🛸This Town Is Not All Right🛸🌊🪵
Beacon and Everleigh move with their dad to Driftwood Harbor. A enigmatic place with a small population, many mysteries, and orderly, and demure, people. Jasper is the twins beloved older brother who they lost when he drowned. Now being brought to Driftwood Harbor being surrounded my the ocean is not the easiest thing. Beacon notices that something is off; the town is silent; the kids are quiet and orderly, and he swears he saw a girl walking into the ocean in the middle of the night, only to be found sleeping the whole time. When his school gives vitamin shots to Everleigh, he notices she is acting strange. Suddenly her rebellious, outspoken personality has disappeared; she loves dresses and only hangs out with the cool kids. Beacon narrowly escaped getting a shot, and when he teams up with Arthur and joins YAT, the two find that there might be something in the shot that is changing people. History traces a UFO crash back to Driftwood Harbor only for it to disappear. Beacon and Arthur are determined to find the truth: before they get controlled too.

A book with an spine-chilling premise, aliens, mysteries, and hidden society's. I rarely dip my toes in this genre; so I was up for quite the surprise. This book reminds me of a TV show I watched on Netflix called The Unlisted that was adapted off of a book. I really like the plot point where something is seriously wrong with a town and the mystery is uncovered. When the mystery is solved, the feeling of exhilaration is like puzzle pieces all fitting into a picture, beautiful tapestry all weaved, and an insight into what really is going on.

Krys did a good job at keeping this at a generally fast-pace that allowed room to breathe with character development. I liked the twists and turns this took. The friendship between Arthur and Beacon was great. In this book, Krys builds into the lore of a UFO crash that happened in Driftwood Harbor. This book weaves science, aliens, and friendship. The motive behind what the opposing force was doing, although not 100% good did make a lot of sense. I'm excited for book two. The ending was exciting while also open-ended leaving me to wonder what would happen next.
✅PLOT
🆗CHARACTERS
✅PLOT TWIST

[Anna Hargett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. It is difficult to find the words on how much I enjoyed this book! I do not give out 5/5 stars to books often. In fact, it's pretty rare that I do. If I could give this book 10/10 stars I would!

This is a very cool and different kind of YA book. I had never read anything from M.K. Krys (Michelle Krys), and I am completely enamored by the way she writes. The way she writes the subtle nuances of each character so simply yet effective is truly a gift that not all writers can do well. I saw this book play out like a movie in my head and practically every page kept me on the edge of my seat.

The main characters in the book are Beacon and his twin sister Everleigh. I truly enjoyed these characters as I felt I could connect with them in some level that is difficult to explain. Beacon is the book boyfriend I'm sure I would fallen in love with if I had read this book back when I was a teen! And Everleigh is not your typical damsel in distress/please-help-me/annoying type of character you normally encounter as she is a headstrong individual and pretty kick @$$!

I really do not want to go into so much detail as I regularly do in my reviews as I do not want to spoil ANYTHING for the person who is interested in reading. I loved this book so much that I am now purchasing a hard copy of the book (I read it as an e-book), and I am immediately buying the second book This Town is a Nightmare. I do not usually like to read series, and I usually stay away from them, but this is a book I cannot wait to read and I hope there are 10 more books in the series!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teenage twins Beacon and Everleigh McCullough move from LA to a small New England town with their dad a year after the death of their older brother. They are all looking for a fresh start. Beacon notices immediately that people in the town are acting strangely. Soon after they start school, Everleigh becomes friends with the Gold Stars, an elite group. Her personality changes and she becomes a much more positive person, like the rest of the strange people in town. Beacon is scared of losing his sister, so he has to hunt for the secrets hidden beneath this town.

This was an incredibly fast-paced story. I love stories with a spooky atmosphere. This small town was so creepy and it had a history of a UFO landing. Since the story was fast-paced, it didn’t take long to find out what was happening.

The ending of this story was so intense. I love it when the plans keep changing and you can’t tell who’s on what side. I was holding my breath for the last couple of chapters, and I was shocked until the last page. I’m so glad I don’t have to wait a long time to read the sequel, because it was just published this week.

This Town Is Not Okay is a fast-paced young adult thriller!

[Kay S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the first half of this book's use of thriller/horror tropes to set the scene (it did give off super Twilight vibes though - golden stars that sparkle and everything). That being said, the drastic shift to Sci-Fi adventure series was super jarring and the way the twists kept coming felt more like I was reading a script for a weekly tv show than an entire novel (complete with sweeps/season ending cliffhanger). I really did not appreciate the lax, almost ridiculing way they spoke of handling their grief. I almost got the feeling that any of them would do anything than be emotionally vulnerable with a professional counselor/therapist. Beacon falls into the role of de facto councilor too easily, especially at the end, where he's delicately reminding people it's okay while pushing down his own emotions (terrible coping mechanism if I do say so myself). Overall, I can see kids liking this book in all its shifty glory but it wouldn't be my first pick.

[Minda King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conspiracy theories, aliens, adventure, and a set of twin. What more could you want in a book? Beacon and Everleigh, twelve year old twins, along with their dad move across county to start over. Things are a little strange from the moment they arrive. Imagine a town with no crime and perfectly behaved children then you have their new home. What exactly is going on and how will they keep from joining the ranks.

I thought this was a well thought out book with so much going on. While I am wouldn’t usually read this type of book, I loved it and can’t wait for the next one. This book is the perfect combination of creepy and sci-fi. I have multiple students that will love this book. Be prepared for a cliffhanger.

[C.° · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first half of this book was so good. i was ready to start recommending it to fans of STRANGER THINGS. but then everything went off the rails and became too out there for me. the aliens thing and the injections was just so goofy, even for a middle grade book. i don’t know if i want to read the next one bc i’ve a feeling the plot is about to become even more ridiculous.

and the sudden pov change in the last paragraphs was so freaking weird......like, i get it, the author wanted the book to end in a cliffhanger by letting us know the kids are being deceived but couldn’t they write an epilogue or a small, extra chapter through this new person’s pov???? why use beacon’s chapter???

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The things I do for my students, like reading creepy books. While it had a bit of a slow start, the plot picks up quickly and before you know it, there is lots of action and suspense. Beacon and Everleigh, twins, move to a small weird town in Maine with their dad, after the loss of their brother. Beacon notices things that are off about the town and soon mysteries get solved or become even deeper. While much of the story is around the weird town and the people, a good bit is devoted to the grief of losing a loved one. A mix of horror and sci fi. Some mild violence. 6th grade and up.

[R.E. Sharf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was convinced that this was YA only to find out it was middle grade 20% in. It wasn’t bad? Not sure how to rate middle grade since I’m not the target audience for this nor am I a constant consumer of the genre but 4 seems fair? It was a pretty blatant Disturbing Behavior rip off in the beginning but ended up going its own way. I guess I have to read book 2 now because if I don’t the completionist inside me will cry.

[Jennifer Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beacon, Everleigh and their dad are moving from California to a New England small town. They are staying at a local bed and breakfast until they find a place to live. Things just feel weird to Beacon and the kids do not seem normal. Once they start school they are required to take a "vitamin shot." Beacon is DEATHLY afraid of shots and runs away. After Everleigh has the shot she is different. Beacon has met a boy that seems normal, but really likes science. He helps Beacon start to unravel what is going on with the town and why his sister changed. Do you believe in aliens????

Fast reading, twisty turny book. The ending will leave you worried about what comes next.

[♡ tegan ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was slow at first, but after I'd finished half of it, the speed picked up and it got interesting. Overall, the book was pretty good, but I do think that I was probably a bit too old to really like it. I bought it because it was on the YA shelf in Dymocks, but it's aimed more at pre-teens. If you fit in this age bracket and love mysteries, this book will be perfect for you.

[grace !! · Rating 3 out of 5]

uh. um. it’s interesting… it was mainly just a collection of everybody you liked betraying everyone else you liked. it was a little bit odd, and I’m not too sure exactly how I feel about it. It would help if goodreads would give everybody the option to put half stars but since that’s not a thing imma go for 3.

[Debbie Delano · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a young reader/middle grade book, this held my attention so well. I finished it in 2 days and oh my goodness I loved it so much. I laughed, cried, and was shocked a few times. Idk if there's another book or if it's a standalone designed to make the reader think after finishing but it's so good and I love it. I'll definitely be looking into more books by this author.

[Natasha King · Rating 3 out of 5]

My teen told me to read this. It starts off with some surprisingly deep thoughts from two teenage twins that have just lost their older brother. then you start to unravel the mystery of their new town. An entertaining book, would recommend for any kid. Apparently it has a sequel which is good because this ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's wrong with Driftwood Harbor? All the children are polite (or, to quote Garrison Keeler, "above average"), and while the town looks in need of some TLC, people seem happy there. But there are those vitamin shots... and a drowning girl who never drowned... so something is clearly Not Quite Right. Beacon can't believe the changes in his twin sister Everleigh, and his new science-loving friend Arthur suggests they figure out the big secret to Driftwood Harbor. No spoilers, but this is more Twilight Zone/horror than Stepford Kids.

[teegs · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slow, but overall pretty entertaining. The ending had me shocked, this was the first mystery book I ever read (my parents are strict 😭) so I enjoyed it a lot, however, I was expecting it to be more adult as it was in the YA section and it's quite immature.

[A Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was amazing, and the end had a huge plot twist that leaves you thinking what happens next.

[Christy]

This book has an ending you won't soon forget. Would make a fabulous Halloween series!

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Volevo leggere un thriller e non una storia di alieni e il finale (che non è neppure un finale) è davvero deludente.

[IT Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s becoming quite a trend for middle grade books to have a dead parent or sibling— this had both, plus Albert the best friend had two dead parents. The book was pretty good though. 3.5.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a very good book, however, I would recommend this to people who enjoy adventure