Monsters Among Us

by Monica Rodden

When Catherine Ellers returns home after her first semester at college, she is seeking refuge from a night she can barely piece together, dreads remembering, and refuses to talk about. She tries to get back to normal, but just days later the murder of someone close to her tears away any illusion of safety.

Catherine feels driven to face both violent events head on in hopes of finding the perpetrators and bringing them to justice with the help of her childhood friend, Henry. Then a stranger from college arrives with her lost coat, missing driver's license--and details to help fill in the gaps in her memory that could be the key to solving both mysteries. But who is Andrew Worthington and why is he offering to help her? And what other dangerous obsessions is her sleepy town hiding?

Surrounded by secrets and lies, Catherine must unravel the truth--before this wolf in sheep's clothing strikes again.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2021

Reviews

[Irena BookDustMagic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked Monsters Among Us because I was in a mood for something dark, and although not so dark but more depressive I got.
Still, because of the writing style with all the confusin parts written in italic, jumpings from present to past and third person, I couldn't get into the story nor feel for the characters as much as I wanted to.
It also feels like the author more told us about Catherine's trauma then showed us.

The book reads slowly (at least in my expecience) because most of the time it was boring.

The story follows Catherine who comes back home from collage after being gang raped. The book covers such an important topic, and I wish it wasn't overshadowed by murder in the story.
Still, I appreciate how Rodden showed us different kinds of monsters that walk among us in every society.

I have to admit that, unlike other readers, I didn't guess the big relevation and was little shocked by it. I guess that is a good thing.

Would I recommend this book?
I would, but only to fans of darker stories written for young adults.

[Sunflowerbooklover · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, initially I thought I was all in with this one and was sure that it was going to be a 5 star.

I finished this awhile ago...and couldn't get around to writing my review for it. Now, looking back I couldn't really remember the main storyline for it. Hmm.. I guess that's a sign that this wasn't something that was that memorable for me.

Monster Among Us has two different storylines going on here... and unfortunately the author didn't do that well of a job converging the two. Catherine has been raped at a college party and has no memory except leaving a dorm room without her ID and blood dripping down her legs.

Then the other storyline... Catherine comes home from Christmas break and her neighbor a young girl named Amy has been murdered. Catherine and her friends become some what of detectives trying to solve the murder of Amy as well as connecting the dots to help Catherine remember what happened to her that awful night she was raped.

Rodden misses the mark on this one for me... it turned out to be a pretty predictable YA thriller and lacked the gritty, dark, and gruesome unputdownable storyline that I crave in my thrillers. This was compared to those that enjoyed Sadie (which I LOVED)... and I feel that Sadie and Monsters Among Us are very very different from one another.

Overall, 3 stars for me.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian Children's Publishing Group for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 10/27/20
Published to GR: 8/2/20

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

MONSTERS AMONG US tries to weave together stories about Catherine, a college freshman home from school, traumatized by rape and Amy, a murdered tween Catherine once babysat.

I never connected to Catherine, possibly because the third person narrative told, more than showed her pain. I guessed Amy’s murderer early on, which didn’t take away from my enjoyment is that I didn’t care much about the story or the characters. While sympathetic, the slow-paced writing left me bored more than empathic. Amy was at least an interesting character, much more so than Catherine.

Monica Rodden’s word building is beautiful, at times even poetic but slow pace and flat characters had me wanting to quit reading more than once.

Readers who enjoy literary fiction *might* like this more than me, but I don’t recommend MONSTERS AMONG US for most.

[Shelly Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Monica Rodden's debut YA novel. Dealing with sexual assault and the trauma that accompanies it, the main character, Catherine, goes home for the holidays after being gang raped after a party. She doesn't remember what happened, but when a young man who witnessed part of the attack brings her coat to her home, she starts to think about the missing pieces.

In the midst of her recovery, a young girl in the town in murdered, and Catherine tries to investigate what happened and who to blame. She feels like this is taking action--something she didn't do in her own situation.

I think this book would be best for an individual read for students in the classroom. It would be a great fit for students who like books like Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, or The Way I Was by Amber Smith, or any number of YA books dealing with sexual trauma. It would also be a great book for those students who like a good mystery. The author keeps readers guessing until the very end.

[Angela Akeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine, college freshman, is a survivor of sexual assault, at least she thinks she is; most of the night is a still a blur. She heads home to find comfort--only to find another brutal tragedy. She is compelled to help with the investigation; she can't just stand by helplessly.
I had to stay up late reading this one because I could not put it down! Riveting, tragic, and true-to-life.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the first half of the book and skimmed the rest. It was boring and drawn out. The storylines don’t fit together as well as they should. Don’t bother with this one.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

During her first semester away at university, Catherine Ellers wakes up in a stranger's dorm room. Unable to fully recall the events of the night before, she makes a quick escape and drives home to her parents house for the Winter break. Slowly, Catherine begins to piece together what happened that night, as memories surface and cautious conversations are had. But tragedy strikes in her quiet hometown, leaving Catherine reeling once more. With the help of her childhood friend and the arrival of a fellow student, Catherine is determined to uncover the truth about that awful night and solve the mystery behind the death of a beloved neighbour.
This is a dark and mysterious story that closely examines the aftermath of a rape and a murder. Catherine's pain, shame, confusion, and anger are realistically portrayed and very relatable. This first novel from author Rodden, with her captivating and descriptive writing, will have readers eagerly awaiting her next book.

Bonus points awarded, as I was unable to guess who the murderer was.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars / 5

Monsters Among Us is not an easy book to read. I knew going into it that it dealt with sexual assault, so that wasn’t a surprise. However, the main character, Catherine, understandably has internalized a lot of the misogyny that society imparts on women who have been raped, and this and some of the other feelings of Catharine’s that pop up early on in Monica Rodden‘s debut novel compound the emotional impact of the story. Keep this in mind if you’re interested in YA thrillers with a focus on gender-based violence.

While it is hard to read at times, there are characters who offer a voice that dissents against the status quo in really important ways. Some of these characters are fully on Catherine’s side from the get go, and they’re exactly what not only Catherine needs, but also what the reader needs in that moment. Some of the characters may make mistakes at one point in the story and don’t behave or act in the best way because they ignore their intuition or are afraid of acting to protect others. However, if you stick with the novel, you’ll realize that they may do their best to rectify the situation later. Even Catherine’s parents, who clearly love her, find their own feelings about what happened to Catherine at college get in the way of really being there for their daughter in the way she needed them to be at first, but as with many of the other flawed characters, they do overcome these setbacks and offer a more positive environment for their daughter when things go from bad to much worse. In other words, there are many bright spots in this dark and moody novel, so keep a lookout for those moments.

While, overall, I had a good experience reading this novel, there were also some aspects that might be a downside to readers of thrillers and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention them. On the good side, I found the story compelling. It’s the kind of book that you want to read to the end to see how the author weaves all of the details together and ramps up the tension until it reaches the climax. By the time you get that far, you’ll be so invested, you’ll be unable to put the book down until all of the storylines are wrapped up in a neat bow. Moreover, while the subject matter is kind of dark and even gets darker the further into the novel you get, it is handled sensitively. Also, Catherine’s character arc demonstrates growth and strength, which could definitely be aspirational for other survivors who pick it up. At the same time, it could help quiet a lot of the misogyny that some readers will have internalized from their family, friends, significant others, and society at large just by being who they are.

While there is a lot of good, I would be remiss if I didn’t share a few cons about this book. If, like many people, you decide whether to pick up a book based on the descriptions, then you might pick this one up expecting it to be like Sadie by Courtney Summers and You by Charles Benoit. I’ve read both of these books, one of them multiple times, and it doesn’t match up to the best things about either of them. Rather this is a situation where the marketing for the book is trying to hook readers with a comparison to popular YA thrillers, which is a stretch. Yes, Monsters Among Us is a feminist book like Sadie, but it doesn’t have the podcast aspect or the first person present voice that made Summers’ book so great. And yes, the reader is given an impression about a scene that isn’t a true depiction of what actually happened like You, but it doesn’t have quite the same shocking reversal as Benoit’s novel and isn’t written in second person. If you’re specifically looking for the next Sadie or You, then you may be disappointed, but if you don’t come with those expectations, then you’ll find that Monsters Among Us is great in its own way. Last, but not least, I was able to spot the perpetrator of one of the crimes from the first moment that character was introduced. At some point along the way, I doubted my initial intuition, but by the climax—if not before—I learned I was right all along. Some thriller readers may be disappointed if they, like me, could see the perpetrator a mile away.

Beyond the theme of sexual assault, I knew that Monsters Among Us was marketed to me as a retelling of Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë before I picked it up. Even though this classic is my least favourite Brontë novel, I still was interested in reading Rodden’s debut. I would say that it’s not a strict retelling. In other words, if you weren’t a huge fan of Wuthering Heights, then I wouldn’t necessarily let it dissuade you from picking up this book.

There were a few things I didn’t expect but rather enjoyed. First, I liked how Rodden incorporates other literary allusions and themes throughout the novel. In particular, the allusions to various fairy tales was something that I appreciated, and if you also have a few books of fairytales on your bedside table, then you, too, might be happy for this inclusion. Second, the dedication to this novel hit me right in the feels. I don’t want to say anything more so it can have the same effect on anyone who does decide to pick it up, but just know that it’s the kind of dedication that will sing for survivors of sexual assault and those who know someone who was sexually assaulted. And with good reason.

While there are many positives to Monsters Among Us, at least for me, you might want to pass on this one if knowing the identity of the perpetrator will ruin it for you or if you were only interested in the book because it was being compared to some bestselling YA thrillers of the past.

[ash]

Cousin’s first book!

[ThatBookGal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled a bit with Monsters Among Us, the early chapters promised a unique read, but the further in I got, the more I felt as though I'd read the book before. There are two 'mystery' storylines that run alongside each other, but the serious sexual assault ends up really overshadowed by the murder plot, and I felt that was a shame as it almost seemed to be thrown in there for no real reason. I also guessed the 'twist' super early on, within the first 10% at least, and I always find that ruins my enjoyment of books like these. Not a new favourite for me.

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I grill this book, I want to say I do think it’s awesome that the author plans to continue aligning YA fiction with the classics. Very cool idea and I’m excited to see what comes of it!

Now for the grilling...

After the first couple of chapters I was really excited about this book. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations. The book follows two different storylines: 1) a college student is raped and trying to work through that and 2) a child is murdered in her town and she’s trying to solve that.

Neither storyline is really done justice. I predicted the book’s ending within the first 10 minutes of reading (to the author’s credit they did throw a few loops along the way), the characters weren’t well-developed, the main character isn’t all that likable, and I don’t believe the writer accurately portrayed the intensity of PTSD from these events in a young woman’s life.

The author has an interesting writing style... some of it is very simple and then a random literary technique or use of imagery is thrown in there and it doesn’t flow. Overall, it’s kind of jarring. In fairness, this might be because I’m an adult reading a YA book. The graphic experiences come in flashes and then you blink and the characters are back to normal as if nothing happened.

Overall, a quick YA read, predictable thriller/mystery with dark themes. However, I would not suggest the content of this book for the reading level that it meets.

Triggers: gang rape, suicidal thoughts, child murder, domestic abuse, mental health, amoral church leadership

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading young adult mysteries and thrillers, so this was right up my alley. It's about a girl named Catherine who goes home for the winter break after her first semester at college. She survived a sexual assault a few weeks before returning home, and she is still shaken from it. When a close friend is murdered, Catherine's world is turned upside down again. She teams up with a childhood friend and a mysterious new boy to figure out what happened.
This book is twisty, dark, and full of surprises! It reminded me of The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas a little bit, in a good way. It featured a protagonist who had gone through something traumatic and is now consumed by solving a mystery. You'll love it if you enjoy small towns, police scandals, and the Netflix series You.

Content: Language, violence, and trauma.

Source: Netgalley.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

holy fucking shit what the fuck holy crap so good omg

[Angelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een buitengewoon geweldig, indrukwekkend verhaal. Ik kreeg er kippenvel van, zo goed is het geschreven

[Megan Welshans · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was such a painful, exhausting read. I truly tried, but it got to a point I dread picking it up. I typically like books where the author weaves to stories together but this was done haphazardly, I was confused the whole time and had to continually go back and reread things because nothing was making sense. Predictably “twist”, I guessed the suspect very early on.

[Gina Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for access to an early copy!!

This book really came out of left field for me. I hadn’t heard about it at all!! It’s a book about sexual assault/rape, male entitlement to so much more than they deserve from a girl, and grief and healing. There’s not much at all that’s non-spoiler that I can say, but the mystery aspect of the story definitely eases the heaviness of the rape, even though the mystery is that of another girl’s murder. I guess it just gives Catherine something to put energy into and focus on while slowly healing herself. I thought the mystery was well done, quite enough characters to keep you guessing... the ending was a little cheap but it was still unexpected enough. I recommend giving this book a try if you like tough topics in your stories.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost quit reading this book very shortly after I began it. I was afraid that I would be spending a book caught in the traumatized memory of the main character. And she was traumatized! Catherine Ellers was raped after drinking too much and attending a party. She doesn't remember much about the experience. She sees the bruises and knows she washed away blood. She can't remember and both does and doesn't want to remember. Since it is just before Christmas Break, she comes home where her parents don't know how to help her.

Catherine reconnects with her childhood friend Henry Brisbois and his dog Molly. They had lost contact with each other at the end of Elementary School for reasons that make Catherine feel guilty. But now his presence is something of a comfort to her because he doesn't look at her strangely and know about what happened at college.

When twelve-year-old Amy Porter is found strangled to death. Catherine is pulled out of her introspection and needs to find out who killed her. Catherine had been Amy's babysitter/nanny for three summers and feels very connected to her. Catherine recruits Henry to help her with her investigation.

Then a boy named Andrew Worthington comes to town with Catherine's coat and drivers license and debit card and knowing more about what happened the night Catherine was raped than Catherine does. His need to assuage his own guilt makes him add himself to the investigative team.

The three teens find out all sorts of buried secrets as they investigate including secrets about what happened to Catherine. The story was filled with tension that kept building and building. I enjoyed the story and thought it was a well-plotted mystery with a surprising twist.

[Miesha (BookedAnBusy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book opens ominously. You are aware that something has happened, and we meet Catherine, a college student, who is trying to piece together events that happened at a party.

Told in multiple points of view, Catherine’s dad can barely look at her, and Catherine’s mom was tiptoeing around her. Immediately, I wanted to know what had happened at this party. I felt for Catherine not knowing what had happened to her, and trying to figure out exactly what happened that awful night. It made me sad that Catherine blamed herself for events that she couldn’t remember. There was a plus side to coming home, though, with Henry, Catherine’s childhood friend. There was an awkwardness at first, but I did like this duo together. I also liked Catherine’s roommate, Amber. Amber was a great friend who was very supportive of whatever Catherine decided to do in regards to being assaulted. There is also some insight from Amy, a young teenage girl who Catherine used to babysit. Amy has aspirations to start a baking business, but unfortunately, she is murdered.

I was interested to see how and if the assault and murder would tie together. Catherine went from one trauma to another, and I honestly didn’t blame her for her anger. While the beginning of the book was a slow burn, I kept reading and it made sense as to why the author structured the plot this way. There was a lot of mystery, which I enjoyed. I was not expecting the killer to be who it was at all. Overall, I did enjoy the murder mystery of this book, but I did feel like this was two novels in one, and the assault aspect of this book I could have done without because I wanted it to be better explained as the reader.

[Melissa Redding · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review. I spent the first half of it frustrated because I was struggling with two prominent plots and not feeling like either was developing enough. The middle of the book seemed to take much longer than it needed to, but I pressed on, curious. The last quarter of the book saved it entirely. It made it worth having struggled through the first 3 quarters. There are little snippets in the book, things like references to flashbacks or long winded thought trains or conversations that I had a hard time following, like maybe the previous incident referenced wasn't prominent enough to have left a lasting impression on me, but that is something that the author may be able to overcome as she writes more and gains experience. However the overall storyline was interesting and held a fair level of suspense. An easy read, but one that will likely hold a lower position displayed on my bookshelf than others in similar genres.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

So, initially I thought I was going to rate this pretty highly, but I finished it a few days ago and couldn't even convince myself to write anything about it. I was strangely ambivalent. And now, 2 days later, I almost couldn't even remember what the main story line was, so clearly it wasn't something that stayed with me. Part of this might be due to the fact that this walks to very different paths. 1-It is a gritty realistic fiction look at what happens after a girl is raped after a party at college. Catherine has no memory of it happening and only knows that she comes to in a stranger's dorm room and tries to make her way home without her coat, her ID, and with her dress on backwards and blood dripping down her legs. This in itself is a compelling story. 2, though is a different matter. The other path this story takes is about when Catherine comes home for Christmas break and her neighbor, a young girl (Amy) she used to nanny for, goes missing and then is found dead. She then becomes almost a Nancy Drew type character, with her old friend from middle school (and someone she avoided in high school) and Adam, a guy who shows up at her doorstep with her ID (from that night) who is dealing with guilt because he knew what was happening to her and never stepped in to help. This trio sets out to find out who killed Amy. This too could have been a compelling story.

The intertwining of the two narratives took something away from the overall book, for me. It had been hyped as a book for those who liked Sadie, but I feel like that is a bit of a stretch. The grittiness is there, but only in flashes. Rodden abandons that for a more plotted and predictable YA thriller about a girl who has been killed.

Overall, this is a second purchase for large collections that have a huge mystery/thriller fan base.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating 2.5 stars
Catherine’s first semester at college ended with her stumbling from a dorm room, her dress on backward and blood streaming between her legs. When she gets home for Christmas, she finds distraction with her childhood friend Henry and the girl she used to nanny for, Amy. Then, Andrew shows up with her coat and ID: items left behind in her rush to leave the dorm room. His appearance sparks faint memories and recollections, things she’d rather stay buried. But when a body is found at Lookout Point, Catherine’s world is upended again, and she grows determined to find the murderer.

As this is stated to be “inspired by Wuthering Heights,”, I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if I had read the classic? On one road trip to visit my sister, I tried listening to audio of this classic; I stopped about halfway, I think. Boredom while behind the wheel of a car on a lonely highway is never a good idea! Anyway, since I’m not familiar with the source material, I wonder if that affects my overall final reaction to this story. In reading some other Goodreads reviews, it appears I’m not alone in my trepidation.

The two distinct storylines {Catherine’s rape at school and the murder in her hometown} did not really flow together. It was as if two different novels were being crammed into a single story; it became a distraction wondering if two would have been better than one. There sure was enough in both storylines to warrant two different tales.

I had an incredibly difficult time getting used to the character voices and their interactions. It continued to feel forced and choppy. Each character had appeal and provided glimpses of intrigue. Just enough to keep me reading.

I would not say reading this was a waste of time. It had promise. It just didn’t come together.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly inspired in part by Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, this book follows college freshman Catherine Ellers after she returns home from Christmas break after a sexual assault. She has no memory of exactly what happened, but she remembers washing blood from her body and leaving someone's dorm room. Although she tries to deny its effects on her, clearly, Catherine is shaken up, so disturbed that she has flashbacks and seriously considers not returning to school. She spends time with Amy Porter, a young girl who she nannied previously. She also renews her acquaintance with Henry Brisbois, her childhood friend, and deals with the arrival of Andrew Worthington who returns her coat and driver's license. When Amy is murdered near a cliff, Catherine is sure she knows who killed the young girl. Her suspicions fall on various individuals, and she, Henry, and Andrew form an uneasy alliance as they try to find the killer. But there are secrets among them, and Catherine is completely off base with her suspicions. The author provides neat little hints about the killer's identity throughout the story, and they only become significant as the book rushes to its close. It becomes clear that someone has been nursing a grudge and an obsession for quite some time. At one point, I just shook my head at Catherine's confusion and thought to myself, "If only you had actually read Wuthering Heights when it was assigned, you would have seen this coming." It was chilling to watch how trusting she is of the wrong person, but then again, how could she have known that there really was a monster lurking nearby. It took me quite awhile before I saw the connections to the classic story of obsessive love, but once the book picked up speed, those connections came fast and furious. At its heart, of course, this is a story of obsession but also one of empowerment, judged by the book's ending.

[Kath (kath_reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catherine is sexually assaulted but she can barely remember what happened that night after the party. She remembers leaving someone's dorm room with her dress on backward and blood dripping down her legs. It's haunting her but she refuses to talk about it. She heads home for the holidays to be with her family and friends. She is reunited with Henry, her childhood friend and Amy, a young teenage girl she used to babysit. Few days later, Amy turns up missing and is found dead. On the same day, a guy named Andrew shows up with Catherine's stuff that she left while leaving the stranger's door room. She feels responsible for solving Amy's murder so she makes her own investigation together with Henry and Andrew.

I liked that this book is written in mutiple perspectives but it took me awhile to get used to the writing. Both storylines are equally important but I thought the sexual assault was overshadowed. Catherine is going through a really serious matter and having a hard time so reading her perspective was hard. Her story felt unfinished and it could have been much better. One of the characters I found really interesting to read about was Andrew. I was able to identify the perpetrator early on but it didn't ruin my enjoyment. This book is inspired by Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights which I haven't read yet so I wasn't able to see the similarities. Overall, this was still an entertaining read. It kept me intrigued throughout the end.

TW: rape/sexual assault, murder of a teen, PTSD
Disclaimer: Huge thanks to PRHInternational and NetGalley for my free e-arc. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

[Auds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was distraught when I finished this book. It was too murky for me to be liked. At first, I was
thrilled that this is going to be a good mystery book for me but it was not.

As the synopsis have had told, the protagonist—Catherine Ellers- was raped and had no
memory of it. She was just left with the memory of her dress on backward and blood flowing on
her legs. What happened to her also traumatized me and felt nothing but pity over Catherine.
But the story was quickly shifted to Amy. Catherine was used to be a nanny for Amy when she
was just a toddler. Amy was found dead and Catherine being fond of Amy thinks she needs to
solve the mystery of her death. It was supposed to be a good story. Sadly, it was not or should I
say the build-up to the plot was not good. Made me confused and slow to catch on. I was really
looking forward to reading this as its genre is what I like. I am not disappointed but rather sad
that it was not that good.

It took me a while to finish this book. A couple of days. First I thought I was just busy and can`t
hold on to my reading habit. But when I finished it, that is the time that occurs to me that it was
not that I was a bit busy but it was the book that I had not to mind. The stories were not for me.
It did not give me the Mysteries and Thrill that I liked. I would not say it is lame but more of a
clutter. The book would not make a reader delight in its storyline. It will make you feel
disoriented.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catherine returns home from college in shambles, she's been sexually assaulted but doesn't really remember the details. While at home recovering and deciding what to do about the next semester she reconnects with Henry, a childhood friend, and Amy the little girl that she often takes care of during the summer.

Then, something else horrible happens and while the whole community is shaken by the events, Andrew Worthington shows up with Catherine's coat, wallet, and ID. Catherine, Andrew, and Henry begin trying to piece together the events surrounding the town tragedy and to find the responsible party. Catherine also needs to find out exactly who Andrew is and why he wants to help.

I really wanted to love this book. It checks a lot of boxes for me. Mystery, danger, adventure, teenagers trying to solve crimes...but it fell kind of flat for me. It took awhile to get into the book and a few days after I finished the book, I found myself hard pressed to remember major details of the story. I also feel like the stories two plot lines were kind of in conflict with one another. I think would have liked a story about Catherine's recovery or about the incident that shakes up her home town more.

[Zoe Newfarmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a bit harder to finish mainly cause of the nature of the assault, it was really just disturbing and written very well. I did like the characters in this book and the way Catherine was coping with the rape was believable as well as just overall haunting.

I did not like Henry at all from the moment I met him, he was very manipulative to Catherine and just an asshole to Andrew the whole time. I liked the idea that he’s the one who proposed the church leader as a murderer when in reality he was the one who did it out of desperation to make Catherine stay. Him being the murderer all a long made sense but also didn’t, he conducted this entire plan but how could he be certain that he wouldn’t named in the meeting Catherine spied on? And what made him so sure? Also why did he even bother trying to defend James?

Something I found a bit irritating is the flow of memories mixed with the present, it did not blend well and it was very forced with a lot of the memories not really being needed. Sure they gave the characters depth but I think there are better ways around that.

I also did not like how it would just randomly switch to another character, it did not fit at all and I feel like we could’ve done without. We also could’ve just had a multi pov instead of just following Catherine around and occasionally switching to Andrew or Henry. It just didn’t really do good.

Overall it was pretty good.

[Addie BookCrazyBlogger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catherine was in her first year of college when she blacks out at a party and something unquestionably violent happens to her. She moves back home and befriends her childhood chum, Henry, again, desperate to forget whatever little she can remember about that night. While there, the little girl down the street, Amy Porter, is murdered and Catherine is compelled to solve her murder. Complicating things, is a student from her college, Andrew Worthington who shows up to help fill in the gaps of her missing memory. Catherine is surrounded by liars and can’t trust anyone and whatever she might find, might get her killed. This was very teen drama and felt very young. There was a lot of stuff that made me go hmm okay, need to really put my suspension of disbelief into here. That being said, I think it works for people who are interested in “A good girl’s guide to murder,” because that’s the kind of vibes I got. I did click the villain pretty early on but that almost made it more fun because I got to watch them scheme. Catherine was also a very strong character and I really enjoyed her development. She was a very 3D character-lifelike and easy to relate too.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this chilling book! Monsters Among Us is the story of a girl who gets raped in college, and how she deals with that, while also investigating the death of a child in her community. The story is mainly told from Catherine's perspective, but there are small parts told from the perspective of other characters as well, which I felt overall worked very well, and gave some more depth to all the characters in the book. The plot takes many twists and turns, and there were several moments where I was sure I knew who had committed the murder, just to be completely surprised by the ending. I love mystery stories that are unpredictable, and this one did not disappoint. It also dealt with some very heavy themes, and I think that overall those themes were handled very well and with utmost sensitivity. This book is extremely dark and chilling, so although I would definitely recommend it, I would also say that it's probably not for everyone. Overall, a great read!

[Caitie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't bad at all, I just think it was trying to do too many things. I feel as though the two major plots--Catherine's assault at college and her friend (and former babysitting charge) Amy's death--did not belong in the same book. Once the whole Amy situation happened, it was like Catherine's assault fell by the wayside, and I wish it hadn't. I think I wanted more that particular storyline, and maybe Catherine finding some kind of solace in being at home and trying to figure out what actually happened to her. The story and writing was there, but not quite there at the same time. I think I wanted more from this, more of a complete story instead of two seemingly separate ones. And I know this sounds bad, but this book dragged on and I just didn't really care about 100 or so pages into it. I truly wanted to care about Catherine and what happened, but as I've said, because the story didn't focus on Catherine's college experience (and probably due to the third person narrative) I just couldn't connect.

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine has suffered a traumatic event at college and is still trying to remember what exactly happened over Christmas break. She is trying to pretend that nothing is wrong but failing miserably. While home, she reconnects with her childhood buddy, Henry. They grew apart once they started high school. Then Amy, who Catherine babysit, is murdered. Andrew, who attends the same college as Catherine, brings back her coat and I won’t reveal more about that in order to not give anything away. Led by Catherine, she, Henry, and Andrew start investigating Amy’s murder, while Catherine is also dealing with her own trauma. An intense, psychological thriller that deals with Catherine coming to terms with what has happened to her as much as solving the murder. I had NO clue that it was going to turn out the way it did. I particularly liked the way Rodden dealt with Catherine reclaiming her life and independence. I thoroughly enjoyed this first novel from Rodden, and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.