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You Should Have Seen This Coming
A teen girl who sees visions of the past must use her gift to save a kidnapped classmate in Shani Michelle's high-stakes YA thriller You Should Have Seen This Coming!
Hayden sees the past. Just touching an object will occasionally give her flashes of the previous owner's memories. And if that memory happens to be a deeply hidden secret, then she has no problem making you pay for your crime, in cash.
Cassie sees the future, and it sucks. She will randomly wake up from dreams filled with disasters that she feels compelled to stop, and she would really like to stop watching her boyfriend fall in love with someone else!
But when Cassie tries to warn Hayden that her latest blackmailing scheme is a trap, she knows she's really in trouble. All her visions warn her of the upcoming kidnapping, nothing she does stops it. And it's all Hayden's fault!
Can Hayden's gift help her find Cassie before it's too late?
Hayden sees the past. Just touching an object will occasionally give her flashes of the previous owner's memories. And if that memory happens to be a deeply hidden secret, then she has no problem making you pay for your crime, in cash.
Cassie sees the future, and it sucks. She will randomly wake up from dreams filled with disasters that she feels compelled to stop, and she would really like to stop watching her boyfriend fall in love with someone else!
But when Cassie tries to warn Hayden that her latest blackmailing scheme is a trap, she knows she's really in trouble. All her visions warn her of the upcoming kidnapping, nothing she does stops it. And it's all Hayden's fault!
Can Hayden's gift help her find Cassie before it's too late?
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2022
17 people are currently reading
4163 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 1, 2022
3.5/5 stars rounded to 4.
This YA supernatural thriller has a Nancy Drew-esque twist.
The main premise: Quintessential outsider Hayden has visions of the past she uses to exploit her rich classmates, and popular girl Cassie (cute allusion) has visions of the future that have recently taken a turn for the worse. After Cassie is kidnapped, Hayden has to make use of her visions to solve the mystery before time runs out.
The best parts? You Should Have Seen This Coming's combination of YA fantasy and mystery is refreshing.
Its characters are based in high school stereotypes, but subvert expectations through surprising depth of character. The dialogue is fresh and its twists were genuinely surprising.
The meh bits? There were gaps in the magic system I hope to see explained in follow-up novels. There were times that the plot points felt forced and like random or unnatural progressions.
This YA supernatural thriller has a Nancy Drew-esque twist.
The main premise: Quintessential outsider Hayden has visions of the past she uses to exploit her rich classmates, and popular girl Cassie (cute allusion) has visions of the future that have recently taken a turn for the worse. After Cassie is kidnapped, Hayden has to make use of her visions to solve the mystery before time runs out.
The best parts? You Should Have Seen This Coming's combination of YA fantasy and mystery is refreshing.
Its characters are based in high school stereotypes, but subvert expectations through surprising depth of character. The dialogue is fresh and its twists were genuinely surprising.
The meh bits? There were gaps in the magic system I hope to see explained in follow-up novels. There were times that the plot points felt forced and like random or unnatural progressions.
April 13, 2022
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Special thanks to FierceReads and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
I absolutely love mysteries/thrillers that have a little paranormal aspect. I think this niche genre is having a spike in YA right now, and I am here for it!
YSHSTC follows two girls with supernatural abilities—one who can see the future, and one who can see the past. When their paths collide, Cassie (the future-seer) gets kidnapped, and it’s up to Hayden (past-seer) to team up with Cassie’s best friends in order to save her.
I flew through this book. I read 60% in one sitting, and I only put it down because it was after midnight. It was the perfect mix of mystery and suspense without really getting creepy, making it a great read for younger YA readers and older ones. Cassie and Hayden both had distinct, loveable personalities that drew me into their narrations. Getting snippets from Cassie’s POV (I’d say the book is 70% Hayden, 30% Cassie) made the stakes feel so much higher because I, as the reader, had been in her head and felt all the more invested in her for it.
I loved how the supernatural aspects were woven into the narrative and plot. Despite there being visions and empaths and paranormal abilities, the mystery and the plot felt grounded. Sometimes authors (especially debuts) can lean too heavily on these supernatural aspects and turn them into crutches, but I think this book was stronger for those aspects. It was never used as a deus ex machina.
The mystery itself was engaging, and kept me guessing without the true culprit feeling as if they came out of left field. It was nothing truly groundbreaking, and it’s a plot I’ve read before, but it was well done. There were plenty of red-herrings, but they never felt like red-herrings. There were several suspects at all times, and that really kept me engaged and had me thinking about the book even when I wasn’t reading. I actually dreamed about this book, my subconscious was so absorbed in figuring out the whodunnit.
All in all, this was a fun, engaging, and suspenseful read that I highly recommend for anyone looking for a good mystery.
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Special thanks to FierceReads and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
I absolutely love mysteries/thrillers that have a little paranormal aspect. I think this niche genre is having a spike in YA right now, and I am here for it!
YSHSTC follows two girls with supernatural abilities—one who can see the future, and one who can see the past. When their paths collide, Cassie (the future-seer) gets kidnapped, and it’s up to Hayden (past-seer) to team up with Cassie’s best friends in order to save her.
I flew through this book. I read 60% in one sitting, and I only put it down because it was after midnight. It was the perfect mix of mystery and suspense without really getting creepy, making it a great read for younger YA readers and older ones. Cassie and Hayden both had distinct, loveable personalities that drew me into their narrations. Getting snippets from Cassie’s POV (I’d say the book is 70% Hayden, 30% Cassie) made the stakes feel so much higher because I, as the reader, had been in her head and felt all the more invested in her for it.
I loved how the supernatural aspects were woven into the narrative and plot. Despite there being visions and empaths and paranormal abilities, the mystery and the plot felt grounded. Sometimes authors (especially debuts) can lean too heavily on these supernatural aspects and turn them into crutches, but I think this book was stronger for those aspects. It was never used as a deus ex machina.
The mystery itself was engaging, and kept me guessing without the true culprit feeling as if they came out of left field. It was nothing truly groundbreaking, and it’s a plot I’ve read before, but it was well done. There were plenty of red-herrings, but they never felt like red-herrings. There were several suspects at all times, and that really kept me engaged and had me thinking about the book even when I wasn’t reading. I actually dreamed about this book, my subconscious was so absorbed in figuring out the whodunnit.
All in all, this was a fun, engaging, and suspenseful read that I highly recommend for anyone looking for a good mystery.
April 11, 2022
I was granted eARC access to You Should Have Seen This Coming by Shani Michelle as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with XPresso Book Tours. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
You Should Have Seen This Coming is a YA thriller about a kidnapping in a high school population and the efforts of the kids who took the law and search effort into their own hands when the adults of the town weren't taking the case seriously. Oh, and two of the teens involved happen to have visions. One see the future, the other sees the past.
I'm going to go right ahead and admit that I liked this book a whole lot more than I expected to! I read the synopsis and saw the average rating this book already had and thought I'd be one of the ones deciding between 3 and 4 stars but nope! This is a 5. I loved just about every moment of this book!
The teen angst feels quite real, from what I remember of being their age, and I love how everybody's actions, misbehaviour, and oddities were tied back to very real problems outside of school that countless real kids do and will experience. Take out the psychic abilities of some characters and everything about this rings true for the population of pretty much every high school.
I loved the earned trust and friendships that build up as the plot progresses. It feels like Mean Girls if it turned out the Plastics were just average girls and eventually everyone, even Regina George, learned to understand and respect each other without the life-altering injuries. My only complaint is that at some point there is a stumbling block for some emerging friendships that plays like the fake-real romance trope where the sham is discovered after it stops being a sham and it didn't feel earned. I just ended up being annoyed with that character for a few pages until it got rectified.
If you like teen dramas and a hint of paranormal in your thrillers, read this book!
You Should Have Seen This Coming is a YA thriller about a kidnapping in a high school population and the efforts of the kids who took the law and search effort into their own hands when the adults of the town weren't taking the case seriously. Oh, and two of the teens involved happen to have visions. One see the future, the other sees the past.
I'm going to go right ahead and admit that I liked this book a whole lot more than I expected to! I read the synopsis and saw the average rating this book already had and thought I'd be one of the ones deciding between 3 and 4 stars but nope! This is a 5. I loved just about every moment of this book!
The teen angst feels quite real, from what I remember of being their age, and I love how everybody's actions, misbehaviour, and oddities were tied back to very real problems outside of school that countless real kids do and will experience. Take out the psychic abilities of some characters and everything about this rings true for the population of pretty much every high school.
I loved the earned trust and friendships that build up as the plot progresses. It feels like Mean Girls if it turned out the Plastics were just average girls and eventually everyone, even Regina George, learned to understand and respect each other without the life-altering injuries. My only complaint is that at some point there is a stumbling block for some emerging friendships that plays like the fake-real romance trope where the sham is discovered after it stops being a sham and it didn't feel earned. I just ended up being annoyed with that character for a few pages until it got rectified.
If you like teen dramas and a hint of paranormal in your thrillers, read this book!
May 14, 2022
You Should of Seen This Coming
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.4
Genre: YA Thriller / Fantasy / Mystery
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 4/12/22
Author: Shani Michelle
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Pages: 368
Goodreads Rating: 3.87
Thank you to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for providing a copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Hayden sees the past, sometimes just touching an object will illicit flashes of the owner’s previous memories. If the memory Hayden sees is a deep secret, she will use this to her advantage by blackmailing the person for cash to keep the secret. Cassie sees the future and it sucks. Cassie frequently wakes after dreaming of a disaster that she feels compelled to stop. Cassie also envisions her boyfriend falling in love with someone else, the “sucks” part. When Cassie tries to warn Hayden that her latest blackmail scheme is a trap, she knows she’s really in trouble. She has the visions to warn of an upcoming kidnapping, however, no matter what she tries, she is unable to stop it. Hayden could be to blame. Can Hayden do good and help find Cassie before it’s too late?
My Thoughts: Most of the chapters are short, which I love, however, there are a few that are longer. The story is told from the POV of our MCs, Cassie and Hayden. Here lately, I have really been loving YA books and this one is no different. This book has a spin of supernatural/fantasy that just works well for this story. I really enjoyed this story. Cassie’s banter was amazing and the sarcasm displayed by Hayden is my favorite. The characters are very well-developed and intriguing. I love the supernatural spin with the psychic gifts, makes for an amazing story. This was a fast-paced book that was mysterious and page-turning, I continued anticipating the next twist, when boom it was in my face. I would read more by this author. Very good read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.4
Genre: YA Thriller / Fantasy / Mystery
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 4/12/22
Author: Shani Michelle
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Pages: 368
Goodreads Rating: 3.87
Thank you to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for providing a copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Hayden sees the past, sometimes just touching an object will illicit flashes of the owner’s previous memories. If the memory Hayden sees is a deep secret, she will use this to her advantage by blackmailing the person for cash to keep the secret. Cassie sees the future and it sucks. Cassie frequently wakes after dreaming of a disaster that she feels compelled to stop. Cassie also envisions her boyfriend falling in love with someone else, the “sucks” part. When Cassie tries to warn Hayden that her latest blackmail scheme is a trap, she knows she’s really in trouble. She has the visions to warn of an upcoming kidnapping, however, no matter what she tries, she is unable to stop it. Hayden could be to blame. Can Hayden do good and help find Cassie before it’s too late?
My Thoughts: Most of the chapters are short, which I love, however, there are a few that are longer. The story is told from the POV of our MCs, Cassie and Hayden. Here lately, I have really been loving YA books and this one is no different. This book has a spin of supernatural/fantasy that just works well for this story. I really enjoyed this story. Cassie’s banter was amazing and the sarcasm displayed by Hayden is my favorite. The characters are very well-developed and intriguing. I love the supernatural spin with the psychic gifts, makes for an amazing story. This was a fast-paced book that was mysterious and page-turning, I continued anticipating the next twist, when boom it was in my face. I would read more by this author. Very good read.
April 28, 2022
In contemporary fiction of any sort, do me a favor and don’t name your seer any sort of variation on the name Cassandra, please? Talk about a little bit too on the nose and a little bit too cringe, am I right?
I don’t know what it was about this book, but it was all a little bit too cringe, and it was all a little bit of a mess. To me it came across not only as a YA book that didn’t sound like it was written by an author who understood how to write YA (remember when Kevin Williamson was writing “Dawson’s Creek” back in the day and everyone’s largest complaint was that teenagers don’t talk like that?), but also as a book that didn’t solidly know what genre it belonged in. It didn’t know what it wanted to be, and so the pacing was off and so were the characterizations. There was just too much going on, all the time.
I did enjoy the juxtaposition of a seer who looks into the future and a clairvoyant who looks into the past as our two main characters (incidentally, the etymology of the name “Hayden” ends up going back to the root word for “heathen”, which is interesting), but I really, really wish the whole plot hadn’t been set into motion by something so feeble. This book could have been so much better than it was.
Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Children’s Books, and Swoon Reads for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. Per personal policy, this review will not appear on social media or bookseller websites due to its rating of 3 stars or lower.
I don’t know what it was about this book, but it was all a little bit too cringe, and it was all a little bit of a mess. To me it came across not only as a YA book that didn’t sound like it was written by an author who understood how to write YA (remember when Kevin Williamson was writing “Dawson’s Creek” back in the day and everyone’s largest complaint was that teenagers don’t talk like that?), but also as a book that didn’t solidly know what genre it belonged in. It didn’t know what it wanted to be, and so the pacing was off and so were the characterizations. There was just too much going on, all the time.
I did enjoy the juxtaposition of a seer who looks into the future and a clairvoyant who looks into the past as our two main characters (incidentally, the etymology of the name “Hayden” ends up going back to the root word for “heathen”, which is interesting), but I really, really wish the whole plot hadn’t been set into motion by something so feeble. This book could have been so much better than it was.
Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Children’s Books, and Swoon Reads for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. Per personal policy, this review will not appear on social media or bookseller websites due to its rating of 3 stars or lower.
April 13, 2022
I was a little iffy about teens having visions because it sounded a little like some Disney channel show (or Nickelodeon, you get it). But this was really a thriller, as promised.
Cassie can see the future and Hayden can see the past. They're not friends. Hayden is new at school but thanks to her abilities she's managed to get money to hide half the school's secrets. Although Cassie is nice to her, she can't trust her. Until Cassie disappears and Hayden finds out they have a lot in common.
I'm not sure how much Cassie's POV added to the story and those chapters happened sporadically, aside from the beginning. I even wonder how much cooler it would have been to find out with Hayden about Cassie's abilities. Having her POV made it less mysterious. But of course, it makes us learn things, especially her conundrum because she sees that Hayden will be her boyfriend's girlfriend in the future and even son she doesn't hate Hayden. I'm not sure how this information would be without her perspective.
Anyway! The book is a nice read, I like the main characters a lot and the visions are very cool—though I wish Hayden could have gotten to use her power more. Because she can't control it, it's not something that happens a lot in the book.
There's also a romance in development, a cute one. It's not predominant, so if you're not a fan of teenager romance, you can still enjoy it. But if you are, it's good, look forward to it.
I also liked the conclusion, I confess I didn't figure out the culprit until the big reveal and kept guessing all along. Still, it made sense. Check on a good conclusion to the mystery.
Though not memorable, I liked the book a lot and would love to read more like this one.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by the publisher for the blog tour through Netgalley. Many thanks for this opportunity.
Cassie can see the future and Hayden can see the past. They're not friends. Hayden is new at school but thanks to her abilities she's managed to get money to hide half the school's secrets. Although Cassie is nice to her, she can't trust her. Until Cassie disappears and Hayden finds out they have a lot in common.
I'm not sure how much Cassie's POV added to the story and those chapters happened sporadically, aside from the beginning. I even wonder how much cooler it would have been to find out with Hayden about Cassie's abilities. Having her POV made it less mysterious. But of course, it makes us learn things, especially her conundrum because she sees that Hayden will be her boyfriend's girlfriend in the future and even son she doesn't hate Hayden. I'm not sure how this information would be without her perspective.
Anyway! The book is a nice read, I like the main characters a lot and the visions are very cool—though I wish Hayden could have gotten to use her power more. Because she can't control it, it's not something that happens a lot in the book.
There's also a romance in development, a cute one. It's not predominant, so if you're not a fan of teenager romance, you can still enjoy it. But if you are, it's good, look forward to it.
I also liked the conclusion, I confess I didn't figure out the culprit until the big reveal and kept guessing all along. Still, it made sense. Check on a good conclusion to the mystery.
Though not memorable, I liked the book a lot and would love to read more like this one.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by the publisher for the blog tour through Netgalley. Many thanks for this opportunity.
February 16, 2022
You Should Have Seen This Coming by Shani Michelle is a fast past mystery/magical realism book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This was a one-day read for me because the pace is rapid.
The novel is dual POV between two eleventh-grade girls, Hayden and Cassie. Both of the girls have a remarkable ability to see visions. Cassie sees the future, and Hayden can see the past when she touches an object. Both of the girls only have visions randomly.
The mystery comes into play when Cassie is kidnapped! Her friends are working hard to find her before it is too late.
I plan to purchase this book for my high school library. This book reminded me of Karen McManus' or Maureen Johnson's books. A fast-paced, clean mystery that will keep my students interested.
A few times, the switch between characters did not make for a smooth time transition, but overall, this did not take away from the book's enjoyment.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.
#youshouldhaveseenthiscoming #NetGalley
The novel is dual POV between two eleventh-grade girls, Hayden and Cassie. Both of the girls have a remarkable ability to see visions. Cassie sees the future, and Hayden can see the past when she touches an object. Both of the girls only have visions randomly.
The mystery comes into play when Cassie is kidnapped! Her friends are working hard to find her before it is too late.
I plan to purchase this book for my high school library. This book reminded me of Karen McManus' or Maureen Johnson's books. A fast-paced, clean mystery that will keep my students interested.
A few times, the switch between characters did not make for a smooth time transition, but overall, this did not take away from the book's enjoyment.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.
#youshouldhaveseenthiscoming #NetGalley
April 7, 2022
Language: R (63 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
Cassie has only told Audra and Brody about her visions of the future, but all of them worrying about what may or may not happen is starting to interfere with their high school and family responsibilities. Meanwhile, Hayden is using her visions of the past to extort her classmates, which is, admittedly, not the best way to make friends. As their lives and visions intertwine, prejudices will have to be set aside to save a life – or four.
Every piece comes slowly throughout this thriller, and the disjointed visions are a brilliant way to drive the action. Michelle introduces several moving parts that mostly get explained in the end, but it’s not all cohesive enough for readers to be able to untangle the mystery independently. I still have a couple questions, but the book was fun enough to read that I’m satisfied with the time I spent with Cassie, Hayden, and their friends.
Cassie’s father is Korean, and Hayden’s skin is described as “dark brown.” The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and alcohol, implied sexting, criminal activity (including blackmail and kidnapping), and innuendo. The violence rating is for gun use and mentions of murder and suicide.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Cassie has only told Audra and Brody about her visions of the future, but all of them worrying about what may or may not happen is starting to interfere with their high school and family responsibilities. Meanwhile, Hayden is using her visions of the past to extort her classmates, which is, admittedly, not the best way to make friends. As their lives and visions intertwine, prejudices will have to be set aside to save a life – or four.
Every piece comes slowly throughout this thriller, and the disjointed visions are a brilliant way to drive the action. Michelle introduces several moving parts that mostly get explained in the end, but it’s not all cohesive enough for readers to be able to untangle the mystery independently. I still have a couple questions, but the book was fun enough to read that I’m satisfied with the time I spent with Cassie, Hayden, and their friends.
Cassie’s father is Korean, and Hayden’s skin is described as “dark brown.” The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and alcohol, implied sexting, criminal activity (including blackmail and kidnapping), and innuendo. The violence rating is for gun use and mentions of murder and suicide.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
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April 9, 2022Fun paranormal suspense YA about two girls - Hayden and Cassie - who sees visions. Hayden can see past event, which she uses to blackmail classmates. Cassie's visions are of the future. When Cassie disappears, Hayden and Cassie's boyfriend (who Cassie visions say will fall in love) band together to find her.
Might read a little young for some adult readers, but I think teen readers looking for something that has the feel of Karen McManus (and older readers nostalgic for 2010's paranormal YA by authors like Kim Derting) will really enjoy this.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Jen Ryland Reviews
Might read a little young for some adult readers, but I think teen readers looking for something that has the feel of Karen McManus (and older readers nostalgic for 2010's paranormal YA by authors like Kim Derting) will really enjoy this.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Jen Ryland Reviews
February 19, 2024
ALRIGHTY MY THOUGHTS
I definitely do agree that this is very agggtm kinda vibes and it really was quite good and engaging, especially towards the end. I comparison to other books of read of the same genre it isn't necessarily as amazing but I still loved it. I really enjoyed the supernatural aspect of this and it's really made me want to get into some more YA books with this aspect. The FMC was really relatable and I loved her inner monologue. I do wish that there was some more of the dual POV between Cassie and Hayden, and I also feel like if you want to put a romance in a book like this then there needs to be some more time spent on developing it because it felt very instant.
Overall a solid read!!
I definitely do agree that this is very agggtm kinda vibes and it really was quite good and engaging, especially towards the end. I comparison to other books of read of the same genre it isn't necessarily as amazing but I still loved it. I really enjoyed the supernatural aspect of this and it's really made me want to get into some more YA books with this aspect. The FMC was really relatable and I loved her inner monologue. I do wish that there was some more of the dual POV between Cassie and Hayden, and I also feel like if you want to put a romance in a book like this then there needs to be some more time spent on developing it because it felt very instant.
Overall a solid read!!
June 26, 2022
You Should Have Seen This Coming by Shani Michelle is an amazing book with a mystery to be solved with sprinkles of friendship, love and a great deal of understanding what the right people can become to you.
April 11, 2022
A fast-paced YA thriller with suspense, mystery, supernatural powers, and a hint of romance...
Cassie can see the future (which can be both helpful and really inconvenient at the same time) while Hayden can see the past. While Cassie relies on her best friend Audra and (now ex-) boyfriend Brody to help her help others with her "visions", loner Hayden uses her visions to her advantage -- who wouldn't want to make some money, especially when it means taking a few privileged people down a peg or two? Cassie and Hayden don't really know each other that well and seem to be complete opposites in every way, but must depend on each other to survive when Cassie is kidnapped and Hayden is the only one with the gift needed to help find her. With the help of Brody and Audra, Hayden is on a mission to find Cassie before the worst happens. Because Cassie can see a future with her in it... And one without her.
Thoughts: The unique plot line had me hooked, and I liked Hayden's prickly character traits. Readers are treated to Hayden's backstory so we can understand why she's a modern-day Robin Hood with a bad attitude. Brody, while annoying at first, is actually kind of adorable; I love how he tries to take care of Hayden but at the same time can appreciate and respect her independence. I would've liked to get to know Cassie as a character better, though -- she was a bit underdeveloped, in my opinion, as a main character. And I felt like there was a lot of backstory that I was missing despite this not being part of a series. This story could've been "bigger", if that makes sense. I'm hoping it's the first of more to come because I enjoyed the story and would definitely pick up a book where Cassie and Hayden team up together to solve a mystery.
**Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**
Cassie can see the future (which can be both helpful and really inconvenient at the same time) while Hayden can see the past. While Cassie relies on her best friend Audra and (now ex-) boyfriend Brody to help her help others with her "visions", loner Hayden uses her visions to her advantage -- who wouldn't want to make some money, especially when it means taking a few privileged people down a peg or two? Cassie and Hayden don't really know each other that well and seem to be complete opposites in every way, but must depend on each other to survive when Cassie is kidnapped and Hayden is the only one with the gift needed to help find her. With the help of Brody and Audra, Hayden is on a mission to find Cassie before the worst happens. Because Cassie can see a future with her in it... And one without her.
Thoughts: The unique plot line had me hooked, and I liked Hayden's prickly character traits. Readers are treated to Hayden's backstory so we can understand why she's a modern-day Robin Hood with a bad attitude. Brody, while annoying at first, is actually kind of adorable; I love how he tries to take care of Hayden but at the same time can appreciate and respect her independence. I would've liked to get to know Cassie as a character better, though -- she was a bit underdeveloped, in my opinion, as a main character. And I felt like there was a lot of backstory that I was missing despite this not being part of a series. This story could've been "bigger", if that makes sense. I'm hoping it's the first of more to come because I enjoyed the story and would definitely pick up a book where Cassie and Hayden team up together to solve a mystery.
**Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**
February 1, 2022
In this high stakes YA thriller, a teen girl who sees visions of the past must use her gift to help save a kidnapped classmate! The pair, Hayden + Cassie, don’t start as friends but eventually they come into each other’s lives due to twisted visions and the race to save the day.
This book was pretty interesting, the plot moving quickly enough as the reader tries to piece together each clue on how to find the kidnapped girl. The one thing that fell through for me was the characters itself. I felt as if they weren’t fleshed out enough but I suppose pretty relatable for the high school audience. There were also a bit of cliche moments but what do you expect from a ya book haha.
If you are in The mood for a light thriller with a supernatural feel, this one is for you!!
Thankyou to Netgally + Swoon reads for the advanced readers copy ❤️🔥 check out this book when it hits shelves April 12, 2022 :)
🌟🌟🌟
This book was pretty interesting, the plot moving quickly enough as the reader tries to piece together each clue on how to find the kidnapped girl. The one thing that fell through for me was the characters itself. I felt as if they weren’t fleshed out enough but I suppose pretty relatable for the high school audience. There were also a bit of cliche moments but what do you expect from a ya book haha.
If you are in The mood for a light thriller with a supernatural feel, this one is for you!!
Thankyou to Netgally + Swoon reads for the advanced readers copy ❤️🔥 check out this book when it hits shelves April 12, 2022 :)
🌟🌟🌟
September 22, 2022
This book is a mix bag for me where as I enjoy the ending and I like the idea of this book, but it took so much set up at the start of the book to get to the action that I lost interest in this book at points so it took longer to read with that said I can't give it more then a 3 star rating but if you like a slow burn kidnapping book with a little twist then this book is for you.
February 16, 2022
YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING by Shani Michelle
★★★★★
Drink: McDonald’s Diet Coke
Okay hear me out - first of all I think we can all agree that McDonald’s coke is by far the best (seriously - what do they put in it?!). Second of all, if I was needing to find my missing friend and solve a mystery, I would just live off of that stuff, and I feel like Hayden would totally vibe with that too
Review: THIS BOOK!!!! I was so excited when I got the e-ARC and then for whatever reason couldn’t get to it for a little while. Once I finally sat down and started reading it I literally could not put it down and finished it in one sitting (oops)
The characters + the mystery + the romance = actual perfection. I loved the different POVs and getting to experience the mystery from different angles, I honestly don’t think I have ever read a story like that before.
If you loved the Good Girls Guide to Murder series then make sure to add this story to your TBR because I think you will love it as much as I did! Comes out on April 12th!
★★★★★
Drink: McDonald’s Diet Coke
Okay hear me out - first of all I think we can all agree that McDonald’s coke is by far the best (seriously - what do they put in it?!). Second of all, if I was needing to find my missing friend and solve a mystery, I would just live off of that stuff, and I feel like Hayden would totally vibe with that too
Review: THIS BOOK!!!! I was so excited when I got the e-ARC and then for whatever reason couldn’t get to it for a little while. Once I finally sat down and started reading it I literally could not put it down and finished it in one sitting (oops)
The characters + the mystery + the romance = actual perfection. I loved the different POVs and getting to experience the mystery from different angles, I honestly don’t think I have ever read a story like that before.
If you loved the Good Girls Guide to Murder series then make sure to add this story to your TBR because I think you will love it as much as I did! Comes out on April 12th!
April 25, 2022
Thank you for the early ARC access of this book!!
4⭐️ for me!
You Should Have Seen This Coming is a dual POV, YA mystery with fantasy aspects following our two main characters Hayden and Cassie. When Cassie goes missing, it's up to Hayden to work with Cassie's friends to find out what happened, and to try to save her before it's too late.
Hayden is a bit of a trouble maker, always sticking her nose in other people's business and profiting on it along the way. When she starts at a new high school, she quickly finds that most of the students don't like being blackmailed and knowing their secrets isn't exactly the perfect way to make friends.
While Cassie is able to see the future, Hayden has the ability to see someone's past once she touches one of their personal items. While this has been secret from everyone but her best friends, one afternoon changes everything when Hayden realizes there is someone just like her at this school... that is until Cassie disappears.
------------------
One of my favorite things about this book is Hayden's character arc! In the beginning I wasn't sure about Hayden. I found her to be a slightly annoying, unlikable character with a really bad attitude. I feel like understanding her background and where she comes from is essential to liking her character, and after getting to know her a bit though I really loved her character in the end! I definitely loved her POV, and found myself really engaged with the story in her chapters.
I really liked the mystery and thought it made sense in the end! This book is a very digestible story, and I was even rooting for the small romance. I did think that having Cassie's chapters once she was kidnapped were a little unnecessary because I didn't feel like they contributed much to her backstory or solving the mystery, so those chapters dragged a bit for me. I also found that I wanted more answers for the magical aspects- how did they get their powers? How did the one character find them?? No spoilers, but I was left with questions in the end. Overall though I really liked this book!
Recommend for YA mystery readers who are in for an easygoing time with a sprinkle of romantic tension!
Full thoughts in our Netgalley vlog on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUS1E...
xx
-Christine
4⭐️ for me!
You Should Have Seen This Coming is a dual POV, YA mystery with fantasy aspects following our two main characters Hayden and Cassie. When Cassie goes missing, it's up to Hayden to work with Cassie's friends to find out what happened, and to try to save her before it's too late.
Hayden is a bit of a trouble maker, always sticking her nose in other people's business and profiting on it along the way. When she starts at a new high school, she quickly finds that most of the students don't like being blackmailed and knowing their secrets isn't exactly the perfect way to make friends.
While Cassie is able to see the future, Hayden has the ability to see someone's past once she touches one of their personal items. While this has been secret from everyone but her best friends, one afternoon changes everything when Hayden realizes there is someone just like her at this school... that is until Cassie disappears.
------------------
One of my favorite things about this book is Hayden's character arc! In the beginning I wasn't sure about Hayden. I found her to be a slightly annoying, unlikable character with a really bad attitude. I feel like understanding her background and where she comes from is essential to liking her character, and after getting to know her a bit though I really loved her character in the end! I definitely loved her POV, and found myself really engaged with the story in her chapters.
I really liked the mystery and thought it made sense in the end! This book is a very digestible story, and I was even rooting for the small romance. I did think that having Cassie's chapters once she was kidnapped were a little unnecessary because I didn't feel like they contributed much to her backstory or solving the mystery, so those chapters dragged a bit for me. I also found that I wanted more answers for the magical aspects- how did they get their powers? How did the one character find them?? No spoilers, but I was left with questions in the end. Overall though I really liked this book!
Recommend for YA mystery readers who are in for an easygoing time with a sprinkle of romantic tension!
Full thoughts in our Netgalley vlog on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUS1E...
xx
-Christine
Read
November 16, 2021Chock full of eerie visions, secrets, and lies, You Should Have Seen This Coming is a suspenseful mystery with a supernatural twist that will have you racing to the explosive finish!
September 3, 2022
This was a fantastic read, I loved how their powers work and the mystery and the investigation was a really interesting!
March 20, 2025
I really didn't like it. The main character is unlikeable and makes really dumb decisions throughout the entire book, her love interest is just really unrealistically written in a cringe way (seriously, who 'smirks' and 'winks' that much??), and we barely get to see anything regarding the future-seeing girl because the kidnapping takes place immediately. Also, she doesn't have much of a personality. The whole thing was way too juvenile and being a YA doesn't give it an excuse. There are plenty of YA books out there that are written beautifully and do a great job of telling a story and pulling the reader in. This isn't one of those. I get this is a debut, but there were so many cliches used that were completely unnecessary and don't excuse the fact that it's a debut.
The dialogue was really cringe and unrealistic, with high school students saying shit like "well well well what do we have here" and "not so fast!" It just reads as something entirely inauthentic and not genuine. A lot of the plot is Hayden being like 'but where do my powers come from' and 'oh no was Cassie kidnapped because of me' over and over again. Also, the way that the powers were tied into the kidnapping made no sense. The kidnappers had a really weak (and frankly unfounded) motive. I thought this book would be more about investigating said kidnapping, but the 'investigation' in this book is a total joke. There's no research, no alibi-checking before confrontation, no nothing. It's just a bunch of running around and making people mad who obviously had nothing to do with the kidnapping. They mostly question other high school students, none of whom realistically give off 'devious' vibes, so it felt like a waste of my time. The only reason I didn't DNF was because it was a quick read with larger font and short chapters.
The plot in itself wasn't strong and the characters made bad decisions, and then the bad decisions were given really lame excuses. Cassie keeps having visions of herself being in danger on a specific day and when the day comes, there's multiple opportunities for her to be safe but she takes none of them and then, obviously, she is kidnapped. The reasons why we're stupid (who cares if your teacher is on a call?? Wait for her??). The adult characters are all dumb and unrealistic. Hayden's mom is lying about something the entire book and when we find out what it was, there was literally no reason that she had to lie about it?? She could've just told her daughter what was up and it would've saved a lot of headache. Also, she finds nothing wrong with lying outright to her daughter like that, meanwhile Hayden is the paying all the bills and being the adult. It was just frustrating especially because as the reader, I knew that it was not related to the kidnapping at all.
I think the concept of the book was cool but the execution was disappointing. Overall, it just made me cringe because of the poorly written teenagers and almost as poorly written adults.
The dialogue was really cringe and unrealistic, with high school students saying shit like "well well well what do we have here" and "not so fast!" It just reads as something entirely inauthentic and not genuine. A lot of the plot is Hayden being like 'but where do my powers come from' and 'oh no was Cassie kidnapped because of me' over and over again. Also, the way that the powers were tied into the kidnapping made no sense. The kidnappers had a really weak (and frankly unfounded) motive. I thought this book would be more about investigating said kidnapping, but the 'investigation' in this book is a total joke. There's no research, no alibi-checking before confrontation, no nothing. It's just a bunch of running around and making people mad who obviously had nothing to do with the kidnapping. They mostly question other high school students, none of whom realistically give off 'devious' vibes, so it felt like a waste of my time. The only reason I didn't DNF was because it was a quick read with larger font and short chapters.
The plot in itself wasn't strong and the characters made bad decisions, and then the bad decisions were given really lame excuses. Cassie keeps having visions of herself being in danger on a specific day and when the day comes, there's multiple opportunities for her to be safe but she takes none of them and then, obviously, she is kidnapped. The reasons why we're stupid (who cares if your teacher is on a call?? Wait for her??). The adult characters are all dumb and unrealistic. Hayden's mom is lying about something the entire book and when we find out what it was, there was literally no reason that she had to lie about it?? She could've just told her daughter what was up and it would've saved a lot of headache. Also, she finds nothing wrong with lying outright to her daughter like that, meanwhile Hayden is the paying all the bills and being the adult. It was just frustrating especially because as the reader, I knew that it was not related to the kidnapping at all.
I think the concept of the book was cool but the execution was disappointing. Overall, it just made me cringe because of the poorly written teenagers and almost as poorly written adults.
March 23, 2022
Ever wondered what would happen if you crossed Veronica Mars with That’s So Raven, and then sprinkled in a little bit of Elite and Pretty Little Liars? Read Shani Michelle’s You Should Have Seen This Coming — which hits shelves on April 12th — and you’ll get your answer.
This YA mystery has an unexpected supernatural twist, centering on psychic high school heroine Hayden. Her ability to see visions of the past whenever she touches an object, combined with a Robin Hood mentality and an acidic personality, leads her to a lucrative scam exploiting her classmates’ biggest secrets for cash (only the ones who deserve it, to be fair). She’s prickly, equipped with an endless supply of biting one-liners and only the desire to be left alone so she can focus on keeping her family afloat (aka just her and her mom, who also appears to have psychic gifts). That all changes when one of her classmates, Cassie — also a psychic, though she can see the future and doesn’t need to get up close and personal with anything to do it — is kidnapped. In order to save her, Hayden is forced to team up with Cassie’s broken-hearted ex and stuck-up BFF to track her down before it’s too late
If you’re a YA fan and dig a high school-set mystery, I think this is absolutely worth checking out. Michelle’s writing is solid and the plot is full of fun twists and turns. The low points for me were: 1.) establishing which characters have powers and everything that comes along with that (i.e. the origin of them, how it factors into the town, etc. — that aspect of the novel felt really under-baked to me), and 2.) Hayden herself, whose sassy retorts and clichéd “I’m not like other girls” personality really grated on me. Luckily there’s a good crew of supporting characters who kept me reading despite eye roll after eye roll.
Thanks to Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
This YA mystery has an unexpected supernatural twist, centering on psychic high school heroine Hayden. Her ability to see visions of the past whenever she touches an object, combined with a Robin Hood mentality and an acidic personality, leads her to a lucrative scam exploiting her classmates’ biggest secrets for cash (only the ones who deserve it, to be fair). She’s prickly, equipped with an endless supply of biting one-liners and only the desire to be left alone so she can focus on keeping her family afloat (aka just her and her mom, who also appears to have psychic gifts). That all changes when one of her classmates, Cassie — also a psychic, though she can see the future and doesn’t need to get up close and personal with anything to do it — is kidnapped. In order to save her, Hayden is forced to team up with Cassie’s broken-hearted ex and stuck-up BFF to track her down before it’s too late
If you’re a YA fan and dig a high school-set mystery, I think this is absolutely worth checking out. Michelle’s writing is solid and the plot is full of fun twists and turns. The low points for me were: 1.) establishing which characters have powers and everything that comes along with that (i.e. the origin of them, how it factors into the town, etc. — that aspect of the novel felt really under-baked to me), and 2.) Hayden herself, whose sassy retorts and clichéd “I’m not like other girls” personality really grated on me. Luckily there’s a good crew of supporting characters who kept me reading despite eye roll after eye roll.
Thanks to Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
April 11, 2022
A fast-paced YA thriller with suspense, mystery, supernatural powers, and a hint of romance...
Cassie can see the future (which can be both helpful and really inconvenient at the same time) while Hayden can see the past. While Cassie relies on her best friend Audra and (now ex-) boyfriend Brody to help her help others with her "visions", loner Hayden uses her visions to her advantage -- who wouldn't want to make some money, especially when it means taking a few privileged people down a peg or two? Cassie and Hayden don't really know each other that well and seem to be complete opposites in every way, but must depend on each other to survive when Cassie is kidnapped and Hayden is the only one with the gift needed to help find her. With the help of Brody and Audra, Hayden is on a mission to find Cassie before the worst happens. Because Cassie can see a future with her in it... And one without her.
Thoughts: The unique plot line had me hooked, and I liked Hayden's prickly character traits. Readers are treated to Hayden's backstory so we can understand why she's a modern-day Robin Hood with a bad attitude. Brody, while annoying at first, is actually kind of adorable; I love how he tries to take care of Hayden but at the same time can appreciate and respect her independence. I would've liked to get to know Cassie as a character better, though -- she was a bit underdeveloped, in my opinion, as a main character. And I felt like there was a lot of backstory that I was missing despite this not being part of a series. This story could've been "bigger", if that makes sense. I'm hoping it's the first of more to come because I enjoyed the story and would definitely pick up a book where Cassie and Hayden team up together to solve a mystery.
**Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**
Cassie can see the future (which can be both helpful and really inconvenient at the same time) while Hayden can see the past. While Cassie relies on her best friend Audra and (now ex-) boyfriend Brody to help her help others with her "visions", loner Hayden uses her visions to her advantage -- who wouldn't want to make some money, especially when it means taking a few privileged people down a peg or two? Cassie and Hayden don't really know each other that well and seem to be complete opposites in every way, but must depend on each other to survive when Cassie is kidnapped and Hayden is the only one with the gift needed to help find her. With the help of Brody and Audra, Hayden is on a mission to find Cassie before the worst happens. Because Cassie can see a future with her in it... And one without her.
Thoughts: The unique plot line had me hooked, and I liked Hayden's prickly character traits. Readers are treated to Hayden's backstory so we can understand why she's a modern-day Robin Hood with a bad attitude. Brody, while annoying at first, is actually kind of adorable; I love how he tries to take care of Hayden but at the same time can appreciate and respect her independence. I would've liked to get to know Cassie as a character better, though -- she was a bit underdeveloped, in my opinion, as a main character. And I felt like there was a lot of backstory that I was missing despite this not being part of a series. This story could've been "bigger", if that makes sense. I'm hoping it's the first of more to come because I enjoyed the story and would definitely pick up a book where Cassie and Hayden team up together to solve a mystery.
**Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**
February 20, 2023
Stars: 5/5
Overview:
Hayden sees the past. Just touching an object will occasionally give her flashes of the previous owner's memories. And if that memory happens to be a deeply hidden secret, then she has no problem making you pay for your crime, in cash.
Cassie sees the future, and it sucks. She will randomly wake up from dreams filled with disasters that she feels compelled to stop, and she would really like to stop watching her boyfriend fall in love with someone else!
But when Cassie tries to warn Hayden that her latest blackmailing scheme is a trap, she knows she's really in trouble. All her visions warn her of the upcoming kidnapping, nothing she does stops it. And it's all Hayden's fault!
Can Hayden's gift help her find Cassie before it's too late?
Review:
**I received a free advanced copy from the publisher and have chosen to leave a review**
I really liked this one! This is probably one of the first YA fantasy/supernatural mystery books that I have read and actually liked, and it was done SO well. This book is told in a dual POV, with about 75% of the book in Hayden's POV and the other 25% in Cassie's POV (as you may have expected since she is kidnapped pretty early on). YSHSTC reminded me a lot of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder but with a great magic system and supernatural elements thrown in.
This book was a super fast read for me; I think I was about halfway through in only a few hours because of all the twists and turns. Both of the MCs were equally interesting and especially fun to see in this form, especially because they were complete opposites. I highly recommend you go read this book RIGHT NOW!
If you are interested in more reviews and bookish content, follow me on Instagram @3am_bookmarks !
Overview:
Hayden sees the past. Just touching an object will occasionally give her flashes of the previous owner's memories. And if that memory happens to be a deeply hidden secret, then she has no problem making you pay for your crime, in cash.
Cassie sees the future, and it sucks. She will randomly wake up from dreams filled with disasters that she feels compelled to stop, and she would really like to stop watching her boyfriend fall in love with someone else!
But when Cassie tries to warn Hayden that her latest blackmailing scheme is a trap, she knows she's really in trouble. All her visions warn her of the upcoming kidnapping, nothing she does stops it. And it's all Hayden's fault!
Can Hayden's gift help her find Cassie before it's too late?
Review:
**I received a free advanced copy from the publisher and have chosen to leave a review**
I really liked this one! This is probably one of the first YA fantasy/supernatural mystery books that I have read and actually liked, and it was done SO well. This book is told in a dual POV, with about 75% of the book in Hayden's POV and the other 25% in Cassie's POV (as you may have expected since she is kidnapped pretty early on). YSHSTC reminded me a lot of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder but with a great magic system and supernatural elements thrown in.
This book was a super fast read for me; I think I was about halfway through in only a few hours because of all the twists and turns. Both of the MCs were equally interesting and especially fun to see in this form, especially because they were complete opposites. I highly recommend you go read this book RIGHT NOW!
If you are interested in more reviews and bookish content, follow me on Instagram @3am_bookmarks !
May 3, 2022
Hayden and Cassie both struggle with a version of psychic abilities. Cassie can see glimpses of the future and Hayden sees glimpses of the past. When Cassie is mysteriously taken, Hayden finds herself working besides Cassie's best friends to find her.
I like the premise of two gifted girls from different sides of the track colliding together in a race against time. I'll admit that I found the build up more engrossing than the climax. Hayden comes off as an unlikable character. Her rough exterior harbors a resentment against the rich and vicious. Some of her resentments and walls were slightly over the top but I appreciated watching her come to terms with her aggressive nature as she grows closer with Brody. I also liked how she stands firm against bullying but the novel portrays a sense of needing to know both sides of some stories.
Cassie's POV is limited. I enjoyed the suspense hers added to the plot. Even though she isn't all over the novel, I was impressed the author was able to give her the depth she had.
I did want more of the special abilities. Some readers may enjoy the fact this aspect isnt soaked into every page. I personally love the unique and obscure. I felt this lacked something more exciting. Maybe it was the climax that didn't hit the nail on the head for me. Maybe it was the character connection I wasn't able to establish fully. I did want a little something more though.
Overall, this was a likeable read. I could see young adult readers who enjoy mystery and magical realism together with a smidge of suspense. Thank you Penguin Teen for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I like the premise of two gifted girls from different sides of the track colliding together in a race against time. I'll admit that I found the build up more engrossing than the climax. Hayden comes off as an unlikable character. Her rough exterior harbors a resentment against the rich and vicious. Some of her resentments and walls were slightly over the top but I appreciated watching her come to terms with her aggressive nature as she grows closer with Brody. I also liked how she stands firm against bullying but the novel portrays a sense of needing to know both sides of some stories.
Cassie's POV is limited. I enjoyed the suspense hers added to the plot. Even though she isn't all over the novel, I was impressed the author was able to give her the depth she had.
I did want more of the special abilities. Some readers may enjoy the fact this aspect isnt soaked into every page. I personally love the unique and obscure. I felt this lacked something more exciting. Maybe it was the climax that didn't hit the nail on the head for me. Maybe it was the character connection I wasn't able to establish fully. I did want a little something more though.
Overall, this was a likeable read. I could see young adult readers who enjoy mystery and magical realism together with a smidge of suspense. Thank you Penguin Teen for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
February 25, 2022
Think psychic, sarcastic, Nancy Drew.
School blackmailer extraordinaire, Hayden is roped into helping Audra and Brody find their missing friend Cassie. Pretty basic concept, except Hayden has visions of the past when she touches things and Cassie has visions of the future. A future in which she sees herself get kidnapped and her ex Brody falling for Hayden.
This was so intriguing; I was hooked from the get-go. Loved the banter and Hayden’s sarcasm. The writing flowed well, great descriptions.
I loved that it was a mystery within a mystery, not only are you wondering who took Cassie, you’re also wondering how/what/where/when these powers came about.
The suspense was fabulous. I was turning the pages as if peeking around a corner to see if the monster was going to pop out at me.
One of my favorite parts was that there was no animosity between Cassie and Hayden over Brody. Cassie had the maturity to understand that Hayden wasn’t “stealing” Brody from her and that sometimes relationships just don’t work out and that it sucks, but it is, ultimately, for the best.
I just wish there was a bit more about the gifts, I’m assuming this will be a standalone, so we will never get to fully know how Hayden & Cassie got their powers, kind of a bummer.
I also felt the Hayden/Brody thing was kind of rushed towards the end, maybe a few more intense scenes with googly eyes while tracking down clues.
Overall this was a fun ride with twists and turns and witty comebacks!
Check it out, when it hits shelves, 4/12/22!
A big thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find the review for this book and others on my
Tiktok listed under Pickled Ponderings.
Do you like Romance Novels and want to hear more of my musings?
Check out my podcast, Turgid Tomes: A Tawdry Bookclub
School blackmailer extraordinaire, Hayden is roped into helping Audra and Brody find their missing friend Cassie. Pretty basic concept, except Hayden has visions of the past when she touches things and Cassie has visions of the future. A future in which she sees herself get kidnapped and her ex Brody falling for Hayden.
This was so intriguing; I was hooked from the get-go. Loved the banter and Hayden’s sarcasm. The writing flowed well, great descriptions.
I loved that it was a mystery within a mystery, not only are you wondering who took Cassie, you’re also wondering how/what/where/when these powers came about.
The suspense was fabulous. I was turning the pages as if peeking around a corner to see if the monster was going to pop out at me.
One of my favorite parts was that there was no animosity between Cassie and Hayden over Brody. Cassie had the maturity to understand that Hayden wasn’t “stealing” Brody from her and that sometimes relationships just don’t work out and that it sucks, but it is, ultimately, for the best.
I just wish there was a bit more about the gifts, I’m assuming this will be a standalone, so we will never get to fully know how Hayden & Cassie got their powers, kind of a bummer.
I also felt the Hayden/Brody thing was kind of rushed towards the end, maybe a few more intense scenes with googly eyes while tracking down clues.
Overall this was a fun ride with twists and turns and witty comebacks!
Check it out, when it hits shelves, 4/12/22!
A big thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find the review for this book and others on my
Tiktok listed under Pickled Ponderings.
Do you like Romance Novels and want to hear more of my musings?
Check out my podcast, Turgid Tomes: A Tawdry Bookclub
March 22, 2022
the vibes are: these deadly games x that’s so raven 🤌🏼
I’m really not kidding on these vibes, people.
I flew through this one due to the quick paced storyline and the way the author flipped back and forth between the dual POV of hayden and cassie so quickly. I loved how easy it was to follow (as most YA novels are), and how stressed I was getting waiting for the main characters to figure this shizz out.
the concept of the entire thing was quite well done, but I wish that the characters were fleshed out a bit more. yes, hayden and cassie were so similar in the way that they had their magical realistic “visions” that I wanted more of their internal connection - I wanted more about hayden’s mom, and cassie’s mom, and all of these people who suddenly have powers in this town?
instead, it felt more like an afterthought or a set up to a sequel that I probably won’t read.
the reasoning behind the thriller aspects of the plot, additionally, weren’t the strongest. I felt like the author decided to pick the most out of left field characters to be the bad guys, and then half-assed the reasoning behind why they did what they did.
to be perfectly honest, I still don’t know why.
thank you to netgalley and macmillan for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. this one is out april 12th!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: virginia moscato
I’m really not kidding on these vibes, people.
I flew through this one due to the quick paced storyline and the way the author flipped back and forth between the dual POV of hayden and cassie so quickly. I loved how easy it was to follow (as most YA novels are), and how stressed I was getting waiting for the main characters to figure this shizz out.
the concept of the entire thing was quite well done, but I wish that the characters were fleshed out a bit more. yes, hayden and cassie were so similar in the way that they had their magical realistic “visions” that I wanted more of their internal connection - I wanted more about hayden’s mom, and cassie’s mom, and all of these people who suddenly have powers in this town?
instead, it felt more like an afterthought or a set up to a sequel that I probably won’t read.
the reasoning behind the thriller aspects of the plot, additionally, weren’t the strongest. I felt like the author decided to pick the most out of left field characters to be the bad guys, and then half-assed the reasoning behind why they did what they did.
to be perfectly honest, I still don’t know why.
thank you to netgalley and macmillan for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. this one is out april 12th!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: virginia moscato
April 12, 2022
Do you like a little psychic powers mixed in with a good mystery and thrills? Then I can recommend your next read!
This story centers around two girls: Cassie, a girl who gets visions of the future (though they're not set in stone), and Hayden, a girl who can see the past when she touches certain objects. Hayden, who has had a rough upbringing, uses her skills for some less-than-aboveboard purposes. Their worlds collide when Cassie tries to warn Hayden about her schemes--and then Cassie sees a vision of herself being abducted. When it comes true, her friends rope Hayden into helping find her.
This YA debut has a little bit of everything -- teen angst, high school drama, blackmail, psychic powers, kidnapping, and maybe even a little romance! The story was well-paced and everything fit together. There were a few extraneous plot points, but they were resolved and not so out of left field that they didn't work in the story. Hayden, Cassie, Brody, and Audra were all intriguing characters, and the story was a good mix of typical high school drama and more serious stakes.
I really enjoyed this book, and hope others do too! I'd totally read a whole series of this with Hayden and Cassie teaming up to solve mysteries together.
TW: kidnapping, bullying, drug use (off page), threats, guns
This story centers around two girls: Cassie, a girl who gets visions of the future (though they're not set in stone), and Hayden, a girl who can see the past when she touches certain objects. Hayden, who has had a rough upbringing, uses her skills for some less-than-aboveboard purposes. Their worlds collide when Cassie tries to warn Hayden about her schemes--and then Cassie sees a vision of herself being abducted. When it comes true, her friends rope Hayden into helping find her.
This YA debut has a little bit of everything -- teen angst, high school drama, blackmail, psychic powers, kidnapping, and maybe even a little romance! The story was well-paced and everything fit together. There were a few extraneous plot points, but they were resolved and not so out of left field that they didn't work in the story. Hayden, Cassie, Brody, and Audra were all intriguing characters, and the story was a good mix of typical high school drama and more serious stakes.
I really enjoyed this book, and hope others do too! I'd totally read a whole series of this with Hayden and Cassie teaming up to solve mysteries together.
TW: kidnapping, bullying, drug use (off page), threats, guns
May 18, 2022
✰✰✰ / 5
This YA mystery brought something to the table I had never seen before, but ultimately it fell a bit flat. I really enjoyed the magical realism—with characters who could see the past, see the future, and feel others feelings. Our main characters, Hayden and Cassie, fit into the typical delinquent and popular girl categories, and their stories intertwine in an interesting way after Cassie is kidnapped. I enjoyed how their respective powers were used to advance and influence the storyline, though it was left pretty unexplained as to why they have the powers.
While I understand the whole team-up of Hayden, Cassie’s ex-boyfriend, and her best friend as an investigative team, I really think these kids went to far in trying to solve this case by themselves. The stakes felt both high and low—yes, Cassie was kidnapped and being held hostage, but the kids take days to investigate clues and kinda sit around a lot. They had the sheriff right there to help, yet they chose to keep all the evidence and information to themselves. They almost got killed for that.
Additionally, the characters felt a bit one-dimensional to me, and as a result a lot of the dialogue and inner-monologue was boring and had more telling than showing. It felt like a very basic and simple writing style. It wasn’t written badly necessarily, but it lacked the oomph that makes a book really shine. Overall it was a good YA mystery with some fun powers and a good twist ending, but nothing super noteworthy. I think this would be best suitable for a younger YA audience (though the Cassie POV chapters while kidnapped are a bit disturbing).
my book tiktok // my instagram
This YA mystery brought something to the table I had never seen before, but ultimately it fell a bit flat. I really enjoyed the magical realism—with characters who could see the past, see the future, and feel others feelings. Our main characters, Hayden and Cassie, fit into the typical delinquent and popular girl categories, and their stories intertwine in an interesting way after Cassie is kidnapped. I enjoyed how their respective powers were used to advance and influence the storyline, though it was left pretty unexplained as to why they have the powers.
While I understand the whole team-up of Hayden, Cassie’s ex-boyfriend, and her best friend as an investigative team, I really think these kids went to far in trying to solve this case by themselves. The stakes felt both high and low—yes, Cassie was kidnapped and being held hostage, but the kids take days to investigate clues and kinda sit around a lot. They had the sheriff right there to help, yet they chose to keep all the evidence and information to themselves. They almost got killed for that.
Additionally, the characters felt a bit one-dimensional to me, and as a result a lot of the dialogue and inner-monologue was boring and had more telling than showing. It felt like a very basic and simple writing style. It wasn’t written badly necessarily, but it lacked the oomph that makes a book really shine. Overall it was a good YA mystery with some fun powers and a good twist ending, but nothing super noteworthy. I think this would be best suitable for a younger YA audience (though the Cassie POV chapters while kidnapped are a bit disturbing).
my book tiktok // my instagram
March 12, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Hayden and Cassie are not friends. Hayden sees the past and uses her visions to blackmail her classmates. Cassie sees the future and uses her visions to help when she can. When helping Hayden gets Cassie kidnapped, Hayden must use her abilities to try and find Cassie before it's too late.
This was so much fun! This delicious fast-paced story hooked me from the first couple chapters. I devoured it! The POVs were easy to distinguish between which girl was narratoring which chapters. The transition between each girl was smooth. As a reader I found it easy to jump back and forth between girls.
I was completely hooked throughout most of the story. It wasn't until around the ending I started to lose interest. The entire story was interesting and a bit different, then it just flipped into the usual YA theatrics. I found near the ending to be just a bit too dramatic to for the story.
Overall, I recommend this one if you're interested in YA Mysteries. I would describe this one as a dark, psychic Nancy Drew.
Hayden and Cassie are not friends. Hayden sees the past and uses her visions to blackmail her classmates. Cassie sees the future and uses her visions to help when she can. When helping Hayden gets Cassie kidnapped, Hayden must use her abilities to try and find Cassie before it's too late.
This was so much fun! This delicious fast-paced story hooked me from the first couple chapters. I devoured it! The POVs were easy to distinguish between which girl was narratoring which chapters. The transition between each girl was smooth. As a reader I found it easy to jump back and forth between girls.
I was completely hooked throughout most of the story. It wasn't until around the ending I started to lose interest. The entire story was interesting and a bit different, then it just flipped into the usual YA theatrics. I found near the ending to be just a bit too dramatic to for the story.
Overall, I recommend this one if you're interested in YA Mysteries. I would describe this one as a dark, psychic Nancy Drew.
April 6, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an ebook version of this book early in response to a review.
Okay so starting off based on the cover I thought mystery, kidnapping, ransom.
The story starts off with two females Hayden who can see the past based on things she touches and Carolyn who can see the future. Hayden ends up being in trouble for "blackmailing" teachers and students when a student sets her up...Carolyn attempts to warn her but they don't see eye to eye. Next thing you know Carolyn sees the future of her kidnapping and then she's gone. Hayden gathers Carolyn's right hand woman and ex boyfriend and they begin an investigation to find her.
This book grabbed me from the first page. I love the psychic theme of the two women....there are a few triggers especially with the kidnapping of Carolyn. I really enjoyed this book and give it 4 Stars it would have been 5 but I don't like how predictable certain things were. I wish it wasn't so easy to tell "whodunit".
But, definitely read it. You won't be sorry!
Okay so starting off based on the cover I thought mystery, kidnapping, ransom.
The story starts off with two females Hayden who can see the past based on things she touches and Carolyn who can see the future. Hayden ends up being in trouble for "blackmailing" teachers and students when a student sets her up...Carolyn attempts to warn her but they don't see eye to eye. Next thing you know Carolyn sees the future of her kidnapping and then she's gone. Hayden gathers Carolyn's right hand woman and ex boyfriend and they begin an investigation to find her.
This book grabbed me from the first page. I love the psychic theme of the two women....there are a few triggers especially with the kidnapping of Carolyn. I really enjoyed this book and give it 4 Stars it would have been 5 but I don't like how predictable certain things were. I wish it wasn't so easy to tell "whodunit".
But, definitely read it. You won't be sorry!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2022
3.5 stars/5
First off, thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for a digital ARC of this book! It was a fun read that definitely kept me hooked. As a fan of science-fiction/fantasy, I loved the premise of a thriller with two characters who had visions: one with visions of the past, and one with visions of the future. Hayden and Cassie are two sides of the same coin, yet are complete opposites of each other, making it interesting to get the story from both of their points of view. I have read many YA thrillers, so it was refreshing to read one with a supernatural aspect to make it stand out a bit more. I also liked how while the story had a happy ending, it wasn’t crazy unrealistic. I think that this was great for a debut novel, and would be a great read for younger YA readers, or for someone looking for a more simple read.
First off, thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for a digital ARC of this book! It was a fun read that definitely kept me hooked. As a fan of science-fiction/fantasy, I loved the premise of a thriller with two characters who had visions: one with visions of the past, and one with visions of the future. Hayden and Cassie are two sides of the same coin, yet are complete opposites of each other, making it interesting to get the story from both of their points of view. I have read many YA thrillers, so it was refreshing to read one with a supernatural aspect to make it stand out a bit more. I also liked how while the story had a happy ending, it wasn’t crazy unrealistic. I think that this was great for a debut novel, and would be a great read for younger YA readers, or for someone looking for a more simple read.
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