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The June Boys
The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Your father, your mother, your best friend’s crazy uncle. Some country music star’s deranged sister. Anyone.
The Gemini Thief is a serial kidnapper, who takes three boys and holds them captive from June 1st to June 30th of the following year. The June Boys endure thirteen months of being stolen, hidden, observed, and fed before they are released, unharmed, by their masked captor. The Thief is a pro, having eluded authorities for nearly a decade and taken at least twelve boys.
Now Thea Delacroix has reason to believe the Gemini Thief took a thirteenth victim: her cousin, Aulus McClaghen.
But the game changes when one of the kidnapped boys turns up dead. Together with her boyfriend Nick and her best friends, Thea is determined to find the Gemini Thief and the remaining boys before it’s too late. Only she’s beginning to wonder something sinister, something repulsive, something unbelievable, and yet, not impossible:
What if her father is the Gemini Thief?
The Gemini Thief is a serial kidnapper, who takes three boys and holds them captive from June 1st to June 30th of the following year. The June Boys endure thirteen months of being stolen, hidden, observed, and fed before they are released, unharmed, by their masked captor. The Thief is a pro, having eluded authorities for nearly a decade and taken at least twelve boys.
Now Thea Delacroix has reason to believe the Gemini Thief took a thirteenth victim: her cousin, Aulus McClaghen.
But the game changes when one of the kidnapped boys turns up dead. Together with her boyfriend Nick and her best friends, Thea is determined to find the Gemini Thief and the remaining boys before it’s too late. Only she’s beginning to wonder something sinister, something repulsive, something unbelievable, and yet, not impossible:
What if her father is the Gemini Thief?
Audible Audio
First published March 3, 2020
95 people are currently reading
8645 people want to read
About the author
Courtney C. Stevens
8 books899 followersCourtney “Court” Stevens grew up in the knockabout town of Bandana, Kentucky. She is a former adjunct professor, youth minister, Olympic torchbearer, and bookseller at Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN. These days she writes coming-of-truth fiction by night, is the community outreach manager for Warren County Public Library by day, and runs a hobby farm named Fable Stables whenever there is time. Fable Stables has four dogs, six goats, twenty chickens (give or take), and three babydoll sheep on order. She's humbled by the tiny fleet of novels with her name on the spine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 677 reviews
November 30, 2020
What an astonishing, captivating, complex, dark, dazzling, deep, dreary story!
After you read its blurb you may imagine how a book’s story can affect you so deeply and put your emotions everywhere. Not easy to read, absorb for every reader!
There is a Gemini thief out there taking three boys and holding them as his captivates from June 1st to the June 31th of the following year. He can be anyone. He can be she. Your pervert uncle, your lovely father, your talkative mother, your creepy teacher or the salesman who tried to convince you buy bibles. The thief is smart, never leaving traces, keeping his identity disguised.
I loved balanced, honest, genuine relationships and deep bond between the characters. All of them were well-rounded and relatable characters. I loved Thea, Nick, Aulus, Gladys and Tank.
At some parts the story moved back and forth too many times which was a little confusing so I went back to read some pages again to make sure I didn’t get any wrong assumptions. But this is brave, dark, unique, gripping book questioning everyone’s motives and confuses the hell of you. This one also killed my spider senses and I couldn’t find the identity of this vicious, terrifying thief.
It was fresh, brand new, different approach, I love YA thrillers. And this book is one of the best examples of them.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for sharing this incredible book’s ARC COPY in exchange my honest review. For a long time this brilliant author’s “Four Three Two One” is on my tbr list and I should get this book into my hands sooner because I enjoyed her creative writing.
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After you read its blurb you may imagine how a book’s story can affect you so deeply and put your emotions everywhere. Not easy to read, absorb for every reader!
There is a Gemini thief out there taking three boys and holding them as his captivates from June 1st to the June 31th of the following year. He can be anyone. He can be she. Your pervert uncle, your lovely father, your talkative mother, your creepy teacher or the salesman who tried to convince you buy bibles. The thief is smart, never leaving traces, keeping his identity disguised.
I loved balanced, honest, genuine relationships and deep bond between the characters. All of them were well-rounded and relatable characters. I loved Thea, Nick, Aulus, Gladys and Tank.
At some parts the story moved back and forth too many times which was a little confusing so I went back to read some pages again to make sure I didn’t get any wrong assumptions. But this is brave, dark, unique, gripping book questioning everyone’s motives and confuses the hell of you. This one also killed my spider senses and I couldn’t find the identity of this vicious, terrifying thief.
It was fresh, brand new, different approach, I love YA thrillers. And this book is one of the best examples of them.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for sharing this incredible book’s ARC COPY in exchange my honest review. For a long time this brilliant author’s “Four Three Two One” is on my tbr list and I should get this book into my hands sooner because I enjoyed her creative writing.
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May 4, 2020originally read: 04/03/2020 - 04/05/2020
*re-read: 05/01/2020 - 05/03/2020
*re-read: 05/01/2020 - 05/03/2020
January 7, 2025
The Gemini Thief is a serial kidnapper who has haunted the state of Tennessee for the past decade. Every year, without an apparent pattern, three boys are taken, kept for a year and then released.
When the body of a missing boy is discovered, however, it is assumed that the Thief has escalated. He has never killed before. Was it an accident?
Either way, authorities and citizens alike become desperate to get the bottom of the mystery.
Thea Delacroix has been hunting the Thief ever since her cousin, Aulus, disappeared.
Not everyone believes she is correct that he is one of the Thief's victims, but she knows in her heart it's true. Aulus would not have left of his own volition.
Unfortunately for Thea, she begins to suspect her own father could be the culprit. His eccentricities definitely make it possible for him to be the one everyone is searching for.
What should she do?
The story follows Thea and her closest friends as they investigate her father and follow leads in an effort to find the missing boys.
Interspersed throughout the narrative are letters written from her cousin, Aulus, during his captivity, called The Elizabeth Letters.
Through the letters we get a glimpse of how dire the situation is for the boys remaining within the Thief's grasp.
A couple of things to note: there were some pretty series formatting issues with the e-ARC that I read.
Particularly during The Elizabeth Letters, text was so jumbled, it was hard to tell what was supposed to go where.
With this being said, it made this one a little hard to rate.
I am sure those issues have been cleared up in the final copy, but I personally haven't read a final copy.
Overall, I thought the writing was strong and it did build in intensity.
There are aspects that are hard to read. It is dark and the author doesn't shy away from showing the desperation of the captured boys.
I also wouldn't say it is uplifting, however, there is a message of hope, higher power and meaning. In my opinion, it was a solid YA Mystery/Thriller, nothing ground-breaking, but a good story.
While not for everyone, I personally enjoyed it.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Regardless of the formatting issues, I did have a good time reading The June Boys.
When the body of a missing boy is discovered, however, it is assumed that the Thief has escalated. He has never killed before. Was it an accident?
Either way, authorities and citizens alike become desperate to get the bottom of the mystery.
Thea Delacroix has been hunting the Thief ever since her cousin, Aulus, disappeared.
Not everyone believes she is correct that he is one of the Thief's victims, but she knows in her heart it's true. Aulus would not have left of his own volition.
Unfortunately for Thea, she begins to suspect her own father could be the culprit. His eccentricities definitely make it possible for him to be the one everyone is searching for.
What should she do?
The story follows Thea and her closest friends as they investigate her father and follow leads in an effort to find the missing boys.
Interspersed throughout the narrative are letters written from her cousin, Aulus, during his captivity, called The Elizabeth Letters.
Through the letters we get a glimpse of how dire the situation is for the boys remaining within the Thief's grasp.
A couple of things to note: there were some pretty series formatting issues with the e-ARC that I read.
Particularly during The Elizabeth Letters, text was so jumbled, it was hard to tell what was supposed to go where.
With this being said, it made this one a little hard to rate.
I am sure those issues have been cleared up in the final copy, but I personally haven't read a final copy.
Overall, I thought the writing was strong and it did build in intensity.
There are aspects that are hard to read. It is dark and the author doesn't shy away from showing the desperation of the captured boys.
I also wouldn't say it is uplifting, however, there is a message of hope, higher power and meaning. In my opinion, it was a solid YA Mystery/Thriller, nothing ground-breaking, but a good story.
While not for everyone, I personally enjoyed it.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Regardless of the formatting issues, I did have a good time reading The June Boys.
February 24, 2020
I have read and loved a few Courtney Stevens books in the past so I expected to feel the same about this one, but that was so not the case. This was.. extremely disappointing :( The story was SO hard to follow and I kept tripping myself up because it is told in a somewhat nonlinear format but I didn't realize that until right at the very end and it was so damn confusing. I also feel like the ending had no grounding in the plot and came completely out of nowhere (not in a good way). Honestly y'all I desperately wanted to love this one but so much of it just.. didn't make sense and I am SAD.
February 17, 2020
Well, that's disappointing.
Part of the reason this was so difficult to read is because of the same issue that multiple other readers stated in their reviews-the formatting of this e-arc is almost unreadable. There are random pictures inserted in the middle of words, creating a jumbled mess and disrupted flow.
The story itself started out strongly, but proceeded to slog in the middle, with an ending that left too many unanswered questions and seemed to pull a reveal out of thin air. I think the idea behind this story is stellar, and I would happily try another book by this author, but I think overall this one just wasn't for me.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
Part of the reason this was so difficult to read is because of the same issue that multiple other readers stated in their reviews-the formatting of this e-arc is almost unreadable. There are random pictures inserted in the middle of words, creating a jumbled mess and disrupted flow.
The story itself started out strongly, but proceeded to slog in the middle, with an ending that left too many unanswered questions and seemed to pull a reveal out of thin air. I think the idea behind this story is stellar, and I would happily try another book by this author, but I think overall this one just wasn't for me.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
March 13, 2021
"You don’t owe your truths to everyone."
What the hell just happened here? My thoughts in this book are literally everywhere. And after two weeks since I read this book, they still are.
Where do I even begin talking about this book? Every year, the Gemini Thief takes three boys from June 1st until June 30th the following year. The June Boys are held captive for 13th months until they are released, unharmed. But things seem to change, when our main character, Thea Delacroix, has reasons to believe that this year a 4th boy has been kidnapped; that boy being her cousin, Aulus. The story is only getting started when one the boys turns up dead, and Thea and her friedns are more determined that ever to find out who the Gemini Thief is; but she might not like what she finds out when her father becomes a prime suspect.
"The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Your father, your mother, your best friend’s crazy uncle. Some country music star’s deranged sister. Anyone."
I loved the mystery aspect of this book. The cover screams fanqtsy to me, but nope this is a mystery book. And a pretty damn good one. I was hooked from page one and I needed to know who the Gemini Thief was. There were so many times through out the book when you thought you know what was happening but the next moment the author was like no and dropped some twists on you that made you go crazy.
This book is told between Thea's POV and also some letter called the Elizabeth letters which I found very interesting. I love books that have such things. It always brings a new layer to the story and the Elizabeth letters did that here too. And there was a thing that the was send about them in the author's note at the end that just made me love this aspect of the book even more:
"The Elizabeth Letters were written to Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted June 5, 2002, by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Ileen Barzee and rescued by officers nine months later, on March 12, 2003."
Tell me this doesn't make the book more interesting. Just tell me. I'm waiting.
The ending had me shocked, I did not expect that too happen. For the last 20% of the book I think, I was simply on the edge of my seat needing to know what was happening, needing answers.
I liked the characters in this book, but I just didn't really felt connect with any of them, to be honest. They were alright, just not a cast of characters that I actually liked. The only character I can say I liked is Aulus, but he is also the only character I can't really say much about because it would give a lot of the plot away.
I really liked this book, I was so entertained while reading it and I feel like this would be a great introduction to other people to the world of murder mysteries.
"Monsters don’t always look like monsters on the outside, and maybe they’re not always monsters."
What the hell just happened here? My thoughts in this book are literally everywhere. And after two weeks since I read this book, they still are.
Where do I even begin talking about this book? Every year, the Gemini Thief takes three boys from June 1st until June 30th the following year. The June Boys are held captive for 13th months until they are released, unharmed. But things seem to change, when our main character, Thea Delacroix, has reasons to believe that this year a 4th boy has been kidnapped; that boy being her cousin, Aulus. The story is only getting started when one the boys turns up dead, and Thea and her friedns are more determined that ever to find out who the Gemini Thief is; but she might not like what she finds out when her father becomes a prime suspect.
"The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Your father, your mother, your best friend’s crazy uncle. Some country music star’s deranged sister. Anyone."
I loved the mystery aspect of this book. The cover screams fanqtsy to me, but nope this is a mystery book. And a pretty damn good one. I was hooked from page one and I needed to know who the Gemini Thief was. There were so many times through out the book when you thought you know what was happening but the next moment the author was like no and dropped some twists on you that made you go crazy.
This book is told between Thea's POV and also some letter called the Elizabeth letters which I found very interesting. I love books that have such things. It always brings a new layer to the story and the Elizabeth letters did that here too. And there was a thing that the was send about them in the author's note at the end that just made me love this aspect of the book even more:
"The Elizabeth Letters were written to Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted June 5, 2002, by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Ileen Barzee and rescued by officers nine months later, on March 12, 2003."
Tell me this doesn't make the book more interesting. Just tell me. I'm waiting.
The ending had me shocked, I did not expect that too happen. For the last 20% of the book I think, I was simply on the edge of my seat needing to know what was happening, needing answers.
I liked the characters in this book, but I just didn't really felt connect with any of them, to be honest. They were alright, just not a cast of characters that I actually liked. The only character I can say I liked is Aulus, but he is also the only character I can't really say much about because it would give a lot of the plot away.
I really liked this book, I was so entertained while reading it and I feel like this would be a great introduction to other people to the world of murder mysteries.
"Monsters don’t always look like monsters on the outside, and maybe they’re not always monsters."
Read
May 24, 2020
Many thanks to Allison at Thomas Nelson for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
No rating because I just wasn't feeling this one right now. I probably will pick it up again at some point.
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[10/17/2019] - thank all that is good and holy. they changed the cover
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omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg
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July 26, 2022
This is a Young Adult Suspense Mystery. I listen to the audiobook, and the narrator was good. The mystery/suspense parts of this book was good, and I always felt the characters where developed. I just felt the police or FBI could have solve the serial kidnapper before all this got this bad. The twist and turn did get me, and I did not see it coming. I felt the answer was just to easy, but I guess sometimes the sample cases is the hardest ones to solve for the police/FBI. I did enjoy reading this book. I was kindly provided an e-audiobook of this book by the publisher (Thomas Nelson and Zondervan) or author (Courtney C. Stevens) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
Want to read
January 20, 202001/18/2020 I’m here because Nilufer said
dark and dreary
and other beautiful dark describing words and I’m just—*gothic heart eyes*
March 6, 2020
“The Gemini Thief could be anyone.”
representation: black side characters, ermmm i think that's it
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
✧·ﾟ: ✧·ﾟ: 2 . 5 s t a r s :·ﾟ✧:·ﾟ✧
I received an e-arc from netgalley, but since hearing that the arc is quite different to the finished copy, I decided to wait and listen to the audiobook and I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed the female narrator, but the male narrator who was supposed to be narrating a teenagers voice sounded like a 45 year old man, which was weird. I also can't imagine how reading the ARC would have gone, seeing people having so many issues with the formatting of it and how jumbled the content seemed to be, however, the finished copy was still super confusing because of one main thing. There's two parts to the story, the first part being the main character Thea's narration of what happens when her and her friends try to investigate the kidnappings and find her missing cousin, and then there's letters placed sporadically throughout the novel from the perspective of her missing cousin, and in these letters, a character called Tank appears and he's also in the main story as well, so it seems that he's in two places at once which is impossible and hard to comprehend. Basically, even though we see letters throughout the entire book, these letters only take place towards the end of the main story, if that makes sense. So Tank isn't actually in two places at once. He's in the main story in the beginning, and then involved in the letters towards the end of the story. I have no idea if what I just wrote made any sense at all haha but hopefully that clears things up for some readers who are currently super confused like I was!
The mystery itself of who the Gemini Thief actually was, I thought was done really well! It had me on the edge of my seat and constantly guessing and I kept changing my mind on who I thought it was!
Buuuuuut that's where the positives end for me unfortunately. I didn't really enjoy any other aspect of it. It was confusing, the characters overall seemed quite flat and one-dimensional and I found myself not really connecting to any aspect of the story. Quite disappointing, but A+ for the mystery aspect!
trigger warnings: captivity, starvation, kidnapping, guns, gunshot wounds, blood, family members being imprisoned.
Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas Nelson for the review copy!
representation: black side characters, ermmm i think that's it
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
✧·ﾟ: ✧·ﾟ: 2 . 5 s t a r s :·ﾟ✧:·ﾟ✧
I received an e-arc from netgalley, but since hearing that the arc is quite different to the finished copy, I decided to wait and listen to the audiobook and I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed the female narrator, but the male narrator who was supposed to be narrating a teenagers voice sounded like a 45 year old man, which was weird. I also can't imagine how reading the ARC would have gone, seeing people having so many issues with the formatting of it and how jumbled the content seemed to be, however, the finished copy was still super confusing because of one main thing. There's two parts to the story, the first part being the main character Thea's narration of what happens when her and her friends try to investigate the kidnappings and find her missing cousin, and then there's letters placed sporadically throughout the novel from the perspective of her missing cousin, and in these letters, a character called Tank appears and he's also in the main story as well, so it seems that he's in two places at once which is impossible and hard to comprehend. Basically, even though we see letters throughout the entire book, these letters only take place towards the end of the main story, if that makes sense. So Tank isn't actually in two places at once. He's in the main story in the beginning, and then involved in the letters towards the end of the story. I have no idea if what I just wrote made any sense at all haha but hopefully that clears things up for some readers who are currently super confused like I was!
The mystery itself of who the Gemini Thief actually was, I thought was done really well! It had me on the edge of my seat and constantly guessing and I kept changing my mind on who I thought it was!
Buuuuuut that's where the positives end for me unfortunately. I didn't really enjoy any other aspect of it. It was confusing, the characters overall seemed quite flat and one-dimensional and I found myself not really connecting to any aspect of the story. Quite disappointing, but A+ for the mystery aspect!
trigger warnings: captivity, starvation, kidnapping, guns, gunshot wounds, blood, family members being imprisoned.
Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas Nelson for the review copy!
March 25, 2021
Every June, on the first day of the month, a boy is taken. Every June, on the last day of the month and a whole year later, a boy is given back.
This concept intrigued me and yet I remained a little underwhelmed by its execution. The finger was pointed at the correct perpetrator a little under halfway into this book, which led the focus to remain upon his capture. I would have preferred more mystery to feature as I found the early fear of the unknown to keep this an engaging and atmospheric read.
Protagonist, Thea, is at the heart of both this small town society and the investigation. I liked her character's fearlessness in the face of the accusations flung in her direction. Her grit and determination resulted in the revelation of truth and she was my favourite aspect about this book.
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Courtney C. Stevens, and the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for this opportunity.
This concept intrigued me and yet I remained a little underwhelmed by its execution. The finger was pointed at the correct perpetrator a little under halfway into this book, which led the focus to remain upon his capture. I would have preferred more mystery to feature as I found the early fear of the unknown to keep this an engaging and atmospheric read.
Protagonist, Thea, is at the heart of both this small town society and the investigation. I liked her character's fearlessness in the face of the accusations flung in her direction. Her grit and determination resulted in the revelation of truth and she was my favourite aspect about this book.
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Courtney C. Stevens, and the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for this opportunity.
February 23, 2020
”Careful with that hope,” he said.
“Careful with that doubt,” I retorted.
I was worried about this one after reading reviews, but I actually ended up enjoying The June Boys. The story is like a darker Nancy Drew. A large cast of characters with a few main ones. One being a victim whose POV is shown mostly through letters, and the other being the one trying to solve the Gemini kidnapping whodunit. The start is a bit of an info dump, and the middle is a bit of a drag, but the last third of the book is entertaining and it outweighs any of the negatives for me. It’s real life scary and emotional and I loved that.
While I do agree with other reviewers of the ebook copy, the formatting was quite a bit distracting. I think certain parts of this story were confusing and less impactful because you’re distracted by images of paper. I’d love to see what these notes actually look like in the final book, because I think they will be a cool addition and have the intended effect!
Monsters don’t always look like monsters on the outside, and maybe they’re not always monsters,...
If you’re looking for a YA thriller that’s like a Nancy Drew and Criminal Minds love child, then I highly recommend this story.
Available March 3rd!
*ARC
“Careful with that doubt,” I retorted.
I was worried about this one after reading reviews, but I actually ended up enjoying The June Boys. The story is like a darker Nancy Drew. A large cast of characters with a few main ones. One being a victim whose POV is shown mostly through letters, and the other being the one trying to solve the Gemini kidnapping whodunit. The start is a bit of an info dump, and the middle is a bit of a drag, but the last third of the book is entertaining and it outweighs any of the negatives for me. It’s real life scary and emotional and I loved that.
While I do agree with other reviewers of the ebook copy, the formatting was quite a bit distracting. I think certain parts of this story were confusing and less impactful because you’re distracted by images of paper. I’d love to see what these notes actually look like in the final book, because I think they will be a cool addition and have the intended effect!
Monsters don’t always look like monsters on the outside, and maybe they’re not always monsters,...
If you’re looking for a YA thriller that’s like a Nancy Drew and Criminal Minds love child, then I highly recommend this story.
Available March 3rd!
*ARC
March 2, 2020
The June Boys is simultaneously devastating, captivating, and edge-of-my-seat thrilling; I read it on the heels of a book I absolutely loved, and not only did it not disappoint, it held it's own.
So the blurb pretty much captures what's going on here - every year (mostly), three boys are taken from rural areas in the Southern US, held for a year by the anonymous Gemini Thief (minor quibble; he changes about halfway through the book to Welder but apparently has also been that all along), and then returned. Thea's cousin has been taken, but as a fourth; and she's doing her best to both find him and prove he's another victim.
First and foremost, the writing is just delicious. I read maybe a sentence of this book before requesting the galley, and I'm happy to report the quality is consistently fantastic throughout. Each word feels well-chosen, polished and placed in order, but so organic that when the whole thing comes together it feels like it's found the place it was always meant to be. There's a really luscious quality to this book, and I could happily re-read it right now just for the pleasure of those beautiful sentences.
The story itself captured me too, it's not just a work of art with beautiful sentences saying nothing that ever matters; no, the emotional factors at play here feel real and raw, people bouncing off each other and finding comfort in turns.
This is a fantastic book, and I had a wonderful time. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
So the blurb pretty much captures what's going on here - every year (mostly), three boys are taken from rural areas in the Southern US, held for a year by the anonymous Gemini Thief (minor quibble; he changes about halfway through the book to Welder but apparently has also been that all along), and then returned. Thea's cousin has been taken, but as a fourth; and she's doing her best to both find him and prove he's another victim.
First and foremost, the writing is just delicious. I read maybe a sentence of this book before requesting the galley, and I'm happy to report the quality is consistently fantastic throughout. Each word feels well-chosen, polished and placed in order, but so organic that when the whole thing comes together it feels like it's found the place it was always meant to be. There's a really luscious quality to this book, and I could happily re-read it right now just for the pleasure of those beautiful sentences.
The story itself captured me too, it's not just a work of art with beautiful sentences saying nothing that ever matters; no, the emotional factors at play here feel real and raw, people bouncing off each other and finding comfort in turns.
This is a fantastic book, and I had a wonderful time. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 13, 2020
I received an advance reader copy of this book to listen to in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
3.5 stars.
June Boys was a highly suspenseful story about The Gemini Thief who was kidnapping and holding boys in a bunker for just over 12 months, sometimes leaving them to starve for days upon days. The Gemini Thief could be anyone around you - family, friends, strangers...
When a boys body is discovered, the fear grows that he/she might now be killing these boys and not just kidnapping and holding them somewhere.
Thea has been searching for the Gemini Thief. Her cousin disappeared and is most possibly one of the Gemini Thiefs victims. Thea is worried and scared he could be dead and suspects her own father of being the thief/killer.
The story is fascinating and gripping and makes a perfect YA thriller. The story jumps back and forward with the Elizabeth letters mixed into the book. This was quite hard to follow at times and for this I rated the book 3.5 stars.
***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
3.5 stars.
June Boys was a highly suspenseful story about The Gemini Thief who was kidnapping and holding boys in a bunker for just over 12 months, sometimes leaving them to starve for days upon days. The Gemini Thief could be anyone around you - family, friends, strangers...
When a boys body is discovered, the fear grows that he/she might now be killing these boys and not just kidnapping and holding them somewhere.
Thea has been searching for the Gemini Thief. Her cousin disappeared and is most possibly one of the Gemini Thiefs victims. Thea is worried and scared he could be dead and suspects her own father of being the thief/killer.
The story is fascinating and gripping and makes a perfect YA thriller. The story jumps back and forward with the Elizabeth letters mixed into the book. This was quite hard to follow at times and for this I rated the book 3.5 stars.
March 21, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The June Boys was a wild ass ride. Beyond crazy and I honestly didn't know who was the actual suspect until the very end. Heck, my mind is still blown from it all. The Gemini Thief definitely kept my on my freaking toes/sitting on the edge of my seat throughout the entire thing.
Ugh, it was so freaking good. I loved getting to meet all the characters throughout this book. Then there's the twists and turns in each chapter. Seriously, don't fall into the convenient trap because I almost did multiple times. It was slowly starting to kill me because I was second guessing myself and everyone in this damn book.
In the end, definitely enjoyed everything about this! So happy I got the opportunity to read this book and I look forward to another book by this author!
The June Boys was a wild ass ride. Beyond crazy and I honestly didn't know who was the actual suspect until the very end. Heck, my mind is still blown from it all. The Gemini Thief definitely kept my on my freaking toes/sitting on the edge of my seat throughout the entire thing.
Ugh, it was so freaking good. I loved getting to meet all the characters throughout this book. Then there's the twists and turns in each chapter. Seriously, don't fall into the convenient trap because I almost did multiple times. It was slowly starting to kill me because I was second guessing myself and everyone in this damn book.
In the end, definitely enjoyed everything about this! So happy I got the opportunity to read this book and I look forward to another book by this author!
March 4, 2020
When Thea's cousin Aulus comes up missing she wonders if he is part of the June Boys who the Gemini Thief has taken captured. As the mystery starts unfolding Thea starts to feel like maybe her dad has something to do with it. Thea will do anything to find out who has taken her cousin.
The story was a good concept. I liked the beginning but I felt like I never connected with any of the characters and I felt the story start to drag for me. It took me a little longer to get through the book. I just want to say thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this ARC for an honest review.
The story was a good concept. I liked the beginning but I felt like I never connected with any of the characters and I felt the story start to drag for me. It took me a little longer to get through the book. I just want to say thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this ARC for an honest review.
March 6, 2020
It is my privilege and pleasure to welcome you to The June Boys. I hope you wreck your brains wondering “Who is the Gemini Thief?” and “Will Thea find the boys before they die?” and when you reach the end, I hope you are deeply satisfied by the answers I’ve written for you. Books are supposed to be entertaining.
But sometimes books are more than just entertainment. They certainly were for me. There’s no good reason for a middle class white kid who grew up in rural Kentucky to have been lonely—but I was. Books helped me reconcile my identity and loneliness. I can’t tell you my relief to discover I was 1/3 Anne Shirley, 1/3 Jo March, and 1/3 Iggie Threadgoode. I needed those girls, those characters, and I never forget them when I set out to write.
In The June Boys, you’ll meet characters experiencing various types of captivity. They’re stuck. Some because they’re grieving. Some because they’re obsessed. Some because of abuse. Some because they desperately need to know “Why bad things happen?” Some are physically trapped. Unfortunately, that reality extends beyond fiction. Readers, some of you feel stuck in your houses, your relationships, your futures, your finances, your loneliness, your jobs, your spinning brains and wild emotions. You want something to change or maybe even someone to rescue you. As these characters go to war with their captivity, I hope and pray that you might also do battle with yours.
I brought my stakes to The June Boys. You’ll bring yours. Reading is a collaboration of our imaginations. And whether you’re reading for entertainment or answers, I hope you understand your existence in the world makes my world better. If no one else thanks you for that today, I will. Thank you for being you.
Now, go be kind, loving, revolutionary humans who change the world!
But sometimes books are more than just entertainment. They certainly were for me. There’s no good reason for a middle class white kid who grew up in rural Kentucky to have been lonely—but I was. Books helped me reconcile my identity and loneliness. I can’t tell you my relief to discover I was 1/3 Anne Shirley, 1/3 Jo March, and 1/3 Iggie Threadgoode. I needed those girls, those characters, and I never forget them when I set out to write.
In The June Boys, you’ll meet characters experiencing various types of captivity. They’re stuck. Some because they’re grieving. Some because they’re obsessed. Some because of abuse. Some because they desperately need to know “Why bad things happen?” Some are physically trapped. Unfortunately, that reality extends beyond fiction. Readers, some of you feel stuck in your houses, your relationships, your futures, your finances, your loneliness, your jobs, your spinning brains and wild emotions. You want something to change or maybe even someone to rescue you. As these characters go to war with their captivity, I hope and pray that you might also do battle with yours.
I brought my stakes to The June Boys. You’ll bring yours. Reading is a collaboration of our imaginations. And whether you’re reading for entertainment or answers, I hope you understand your existence in the world makes my world better. If no one else thanks you for that today, I will. Thank you for being you.
Now, go be kind, loving, revolutionary humans who change the world!
January 10, 2020
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was really looking forward to this book, because the synopsis sounded so amazing. Therefore, I was extremely disappointed when I found myself struggling. It wasn't that far in when I realised, that this wasn't going to be the book I thought it was going to be. One of the most off putting things, was that there was actual formatting issues with the book. There were some pages with illustrations inserted into the story, but they didn't show properly, with bits cut off or in random places. I think that I would of enjoyed the book more if these images had been displayed properly.
Another issue I had in regards to formatting, was that there were sections in the novel that consisted of letters that a character had written. I did enjoy some of the letters, however, a lot of writing in the letters were in a jumbled order and it was extremely hard to read them. There were also gaps in the writing and sentences talking about one thing, would suddenly start talking about something else. It was extremely distracting and snapped me out of the story. It was very difficult to get through the whole book.
A big part of whether I enjoy a book or not, depends on the characters. The characters in this were quite disappointing, they didn't really have anything unique about them or have any likeable qualities. I didn't form any attachment to any character, which is quite unusual for me. The only character that really stood out to me was Tank, I liked him the most, as he seemed to have a bit more about him compare to the others.
Another reason Tank stood out though, was because he was a poc, and while I love diversity, it didn't really work for me here. It just felt really forced every time it was pointed out how he's viewed differently because of his race. Like when something happens and Tank begins to get angry in front of a room of white officers and his friend reminds him to keep a lid on his anger because he's black. And then it makes a point of saying that he doesn't ever need reminding of this fact. And then later on, someone basically compares people coming to terms with someone they know being accused of being a murderer, to those same people coming to terms with Tank being black because they live in the South.
The story itself wasn't as entertaining as I thought it would be and didn't have me hooked like most thrillers do. There was a lack of build up and suspense, so in the end I wanted to just hurry up and find out who the Gemini Thief was, because I wasn't enjoying it. It all felt very anticlimactic and I wasn't really that impressed with who the thief turned out to be, it was just quite underwhelming. And once I found out who it was, there were certain things that didn't make sense. The Gemini Thief was such a great idea, but it wasn't executed that well unfortunately.
I was really looking forward to this book, because the synopsis sounded so amazing. Therefore, I was extremely disappointed when I found myself struggling. It wasn't that far in when I realised, that this wasn't going to be the book I thought it was going to be. One of the most off putting things, was that there was actual formatting issues with the book. There were some pages with illustrations inserted into the story, but they didn't show properly, with bits cut off or in random places. I think that I would of enjoyed the book more if these images had been displayed properly.
Another issue I had in regards to formatting, was that there were sections in the novel that consisted of letters that a character had written. I did enjoy some of the letters, however, a lot of writing in the letters were in a jumbled order and it was extremely hard to read them. There were also gaps in the writing and sentences talking about one thing, would suddenly start talking about something else. It was extremely distracting and snapped me out of the story. It was very difficult to get through the whole book.
A big part of whether I enjoy a book or not, depends on the characters. The characters in this were quite disappointing, they didn't really have anything unique about them or have any likeable qualities. I didn't form any attachment to any character, which is quite unusual for me. The only character that really stood out to me was Tank, I liked him the most, as he seemed to have a bit more about him compare to the others.
Another reason Tank stood out though, was because he was a poc, and while I love diversity, it didn't really work for me here. It just felt really forced every time it was pointed out how he's viewed differently because of his race. Like when something happens and Tank begins to get angry in front of a room of white officers and his friend reminds him to keep a lid on his anger because he's black. And then it makes a point of saying that he doesn't ever need reminding of this fact. And then later on, someone basically compares people coming to terms with someone they know being accused of being a murderer, to those same people coming to terms with Tank being black because they live in the South.
The story itself wasn't as entertaining as I thought it would be and didn't have me hooked like most thrillers do. There was a lack of build up and suspense, so in the end I wanted to just hurry up and find out who the Gemini Thief was, because I wasn't enjoying it. It all felt very anticlimactic and I wasn't really that impressed with who the thief turned out to be, it was just quite underwhelming. And once I found out who it was, there were certain things that didn't make sense. The Gemini Thief was such a great idea, but it wasn't executed that well unfortunately.
May 19, 2020
The June Boys captivated me until the end. Once I was hooked to the story and mystery, I couldn't put it down! I needed to know what was going on. And now that I've finished it, I can't say the "who did it" really surprised me but this book was one wild journey and I just loved it.
If you're wondering, The June Boys is a story about three boys being kidnapped on June 1st every year (or every couple of years) and are being released after a year of captivity by "the Gemina thief". We don't know who is doing it or why but after the abduction of her cousin, Thea is determined to get to the bottom of it. When all proof is pointing toward people she loves, she doesn't know who to trust.
I cried toward the end and the twist revealed concerning Aulus was heartbreaking and I just wanted to take him in my arms to give him a hug. The poor guy clearly needed one after everything that happened.
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
If you're wondering, The June Boys is a story about three boys being kidnapped on June 1st every year (or every couple of years) and are being released after a year of captivity by "the Gemina thief". We don't know who is doing it or why but after the abduction of her cousin, Thea is determined to get to the bottom of it. When all proof is pointing toward people she loves, she doesn't know who to trust.
I cried toward the end and the twist revealed concerning Aulus was heartbreaking and I just wanted to take him in my arms to give him a hug. The poor guy clearly needed one after everything that happened.
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
June 21, 2020
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I'll be honest. I had to drag myself through the first half of this book. It wasn't bad, but it just lacked that oomph that made me want to continue picking it up and making it apart of my day. Court Stevens is a great writer, and she made this story based on true events. That's difficult to do, so for that I give her props. I do think that the first half of the book lacks what the second half of the book has: intrigue.
I understand that the first half was designed to introduce the reader to the characters, their backstories, the history of The June Boys, and all other necessary information to become hooked on this story. But I must have missed my bait because it didn't hook me. Yeah I was somewhat interested in who the Gemini Thief was and why they had been taking boys for ten years. I wanted to know where Aulus was and how he disappeared. I wanted to know all of the information that I assume all other readers want to know, but not to the point where I couldn't set this book down until I figured it out. No.
After I got to the halfway point, things started to heat up. Thea got closer to figuring out the case and more suspects and information ruled out suspects along the way. And wow was it a twist that I didn't see coming, but since I wasn't that invested it went more like "Oh okay that's who it is."I feel like I didn't care much because I wasn't invested in the characters at all. I cared about the plot and who The Gemini Thief was, but that was it.
There was also a lot of details and things that made this story confusing. I didn't understand a lot of detail that was added. I still don't understand the point of the castle and why it was so important. I don't understand how Constance just came back. I don't understand a lot. But that's fine, my questions can just be questions.
I would recommend this book to people simply because I think the idea is good and because Court Stevens is a great writer. I would be interested to see if anyone agrees with my opinion that the first have lacks and if they are confused by a lot of the details.
Pre-Review
I'm sad that I wasn't into this until about halfway through the book. It blossomed from there and became something I was interested in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I'll be honest. I had to drag myself through the first half of this book. It wasn't bad, but it just lacked that oomph that made me want to continue picking it up and making it apart of my day. Court Stevens is a great writer, and she made this story based on true events. That's difficult to do, so for that I give her props. I do think that the first half of the book lacks what the second half of the book has: intrigue.
I understand that the first half was designed to introduce the reader to the characters, their backstories, the history of The June Boys, and all other necessary information to become hooked on this story. But I must have missed my bait because it didn't hook me. Yeah I was somewhat interested in who the Gemini Thief was and why they had been taking boys for ten years. I wanted to know where Aulus was and how he disappeared. I wanted to know all of the information that I assume all other readers want to know, but not to the point where I couldn't set this book down until I figured it out. No.
After I got to the halfway point, things started to heat up. Thea got closer to figuring out the case and more suspects and information ruled out suspects along the way. And wow was it a twist that I didn't see coming, but since I wasn't that invested it went more like "Oh okay that's who it is."I feel like I didn't care much because I wasn't invested in the characters at all. I cared about the plot and who The Gemini Thief was, but that was it.
There was also a lot of details and things that made this story confusing. I didn't understand a lot of detail that was added. I still don't understand the point of the castle and why it was so important. I don't understand how Constance just came back. I don't understand a lot. But that's fine, my questions can just be questions.
I would recommend this book to people simply because I think the idea is good and because Court Stevens is a great writer. I would be interested to see if anyone agrees with my opinion that the first have lacks and if they are confused by a lot of the details.
Pre-Review
I'm sad that I wasn't into this until about halfway through the book. It blossomed from there and became something I was interested in.
March 3, 2020
I think I have unexpectedly found one of my favorite books of the year! The June Boys took me by surprise. When I was reading The June Boys, I didn’t feel like a reader: I felt like Thea’s friend. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it.
The Gemini Thief kidnaps young boys on June 1st and returns them alive on June 30th of the following year. This has been going on for a quite a while in the Tennessee and Kentucky area. This year, Thea’s cousin Aulus was kidnapped. Thea is understandably devastated. She and her group of friends spend their senior year of high school trying to figure out The Gemini Thief’s identity in an effort to get their friend back. By the time May arrives, Thea is beginning to suspect her father is The Gemini Thief.
All mystery/thriller fans need to have The June Boys on their radar. I am usually able to guess the culprit well before the big reveal. Not in this case! That’s not to say the author didn’t lead a trail of breadcrumbs, so to speak. She did, but she was very clever about it.
The book is also narrated in first person by two different adolescent narrators, Thea and Aulus, which was a great choice for this story. Instead of exhibiting overblown teenage angst, it instead enhanced the narrative by filtering events through the eyes of two young, inexperienced people. It was so refreshing! The June Boys would not have been the same if Ms. Stevens had chosen a detective to be the narrator. I felt like I was part of Thea’s gang of friends, sifting through information and trying to separate the wheat from the chaff.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started The June Boys, but now Court Stevens is on my radar. I will be reading more of her work!
*Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*
The Gemini Thief kidnaps young boys on June 1st and returns them alive on June 30th of the following year. This has been going on for a quite a while in the Tennessee and Kentucky area. This year, Thea’s cousin Aulus was kidnapped. Thea is understandably devastated. She and her group of friends spend their senior year of high school trying to figure out The Gemini Thief’s identity in an effort to get their friend back. By the time May arrives, Thea is beginning to suspect her father is The Gemini Thief.
All mystery/thriller fans need to have The June Boys on their radar. I am usually able to guess the culprit well before the big reveal. Not in this case! That’s not to say the author didn’t lead a trail of breadcrumbs, so to speak. She did, but she was very clever about it.
The book is also narrated in first person by two different adolescent narrators, Thea and Aulus, which was a great choice for this story. Instead of exhibiting overblown teenage angst, it instead enhanced the narrative by filtering events through the eyes of two young, inexperienced people. It was so refreshing! The June Boys would not have been the same if Ms. Stevens had chosen a detective to be the narrator. I felt like I was part of Thea’s gang of friends, sifting through information and trying to separate the wheat from the chaff.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started The June Boys, but now Court Stevens is on my radar. I will be reading more of her work!
*Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*
April 25, 2020
This is my first book by Courtney Stevens so I didn't know what to expect.
The Gemini Thief is a person who has been kidnapping young boys in the state of Tennessee for the past 10 years.
Thea's cousin, Aulus is missing and all clues start to feel that her dad has to do with the disappearances. Thea with the help of her friends will try to discover who is the Gemini thief before it's too late for the boys.
I must start by saying that it was super difficult for me to read this e-arc because of the format.
In my opinion, the story seemed a bit slow to me. Halfway through the book I only cared about Aulus and his friends. The main characters were disappointing as I never felt a connection to them.
The best and strong part of the book was the ending, it was unexpected and entertaining with a lot of plot twist that made me cry at 3 a.m. in the morning.
3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Gemini Thief is a person who has been kidnapping young boys in the state of Tennessee for the past 10 years.
Thea's cousin, Aulus is missing and all clues start to feel that her dad has to do with the disappearances. Thea with the help of her friends will try to discover who is the Gemini thief before it's too late for the boys.
I must start by saying that it was super difficult for me to read this e-arc because of the format.
In my opinion, the story seemed a bit slow to me. Halfway through the book I only cared about Aulus and his friends. The main characters were disappointing as I never felt a connection to them.
The best and strong part of the book was the ending, it was unexpected and entertaining with a lot of plot twist that made me cry at 3 a.m. in the morning.
3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2020
This book had such a strong start. As a fan of criminal minds, I loved the mental aspects of this thriller. I really enjoyed the concept of this book and was really enjoying this. However, the middle section of this book felt like a bit of a slog and was pretty slow. Not a whole lot happened. I also felt like the big reveal of who had done it felt almost too surprising, like there weren't enough clues to help the ending make sense. I found it a bit hard to connect with the characters which didn't help with that slower middle part as well.. It wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't my favorite either.
March 11, 2020
1.5 STARS
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS based on premise, I’d give five stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS based on characters, I’d give four stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS for plot, I’d give three stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS on writing, I’d give two stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS on execution or my enjoyment of the book, I’d give one star.
I think I got my Courtneys mixed up when I ordered Courtney C Stevens’ latest book because I was expecting the quality of a Courtney Summers novel.
I kept waiting for THE JUNE BOYS to become more interesting and to make sense, which never happened. Because the overall story wasn’t terrible and I liked the narrator, I upped the rating to two very generous stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS based on premise, I’d give five stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS based on characters, I’d give four stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS for plot, I’d give three stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS on writing, I’d give two stars.
If I was rating THE JUNE BOYS on execution or my enjoyment of the book, I’d give one star.
I think I got my Courtneys mixed up when I ordered Courtney C Stevens’ latest book because I was expecting the quality of a Courtney Summers novel.
I kept waiting for THE JUNE BOYS to become more interesting and to make sense, which never happened. Because the overall story wasn’t terrible and I liked the narrator, I upped the rating to two very generous stars.
June 14, 2020
meh.
This wasn't thrilling at all. Boring/one-dimentional characters, and the whole kidnapping thing didn't have that much agency/high stakes at all. And Don't get me started on the "Castle", the most irritating plot line ever!
This wasn't thrilling at all. Boring/one-dimentional characters, and the whole kidnapping thing didn't have that much agency/high stakes at all. And Don't get me started on the "Castle", the most irritating plot line ever!
February 23, 2024
How can she be so calm when her father potentially has been a kidnapper for a decade!?
3.5/5
3.5/5
May 5, 2024
2.5 ⭐
held so much potential but the thoughts all got muddled together and made it a bit hard to read. I love Court's newer releases a lot so I'm sad this one was a bit of a flop. I think it could be a really incredible novel if there would have been just a bit more editing.
held so much potential but the thoughts all got muddled together and made it a bit hard to read. I love Court's newer releases a lot so I'm sad this one was a bit of a flop. I think it could be a really incredible novel if there would have been just a bit more editing.
March 2, 2020
Thea's cousin, Aulus, disappeared a year ago. The police said runaway, but Thea knew better. Aul was take by the Gemini Thief/Welder. Thea, her boyfriend, Nick, her best friend, Gladys, and friend, Tank, decided that they would study the case and find Aul. The Gemini Thief started taking boys in 2001. One June 1st, three boys disappear. They're kept in an underground bunker until June 30th of the following year and then released. The boys didn't see their captor's face because they wore a welders mask. There is a dormant year or two and then it starts over. The boys taken became known as June Boys. Things change that year when a child was found dead and dumped off the road. This boy had a key chain in his mouth. There were only two keys like that made. Thea had one. Aul had the other. Thea's father had given them the keys. This changes everything and Thea needs to start looking into her dad and everyone around her.
"The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Your father, your mother, your best friend's crazy uncle."
Thea's father had been going to Canada for the past ten years. But that was a lie. He was actually building a castle after being told by a higher power that he needed to. None of it made sense and he became obsessive about finishing it. He makes a good suspect, especially when Thea and Nick find a receipt from the night the boy was dumped. Nick's sister, Dana, is an FBI agent and she's involved in the case. While she doesn't tell the kids everything, she does share some details with them. She sees all the research they've done and they know the case well.
The book takes place late May into June. Some chapters are "Dear Elizabeth" letters that Aul is writing. The Welder left them and the boys have no food or water. They realized that the Welder isn't coming back and they are going to die underground somewhere and never be found.
The June Boys is a pretty dark book that makes you realize that you don't know everyone around you. Who can you trust? People aren't all good or all bad.
I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher for my copy for review.
Warnings for kidnapping, death of a child, absent parents, mental issues, starving and dehydration, talk of suicide.
"The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Your father, your mother, your best friend's crazy uncle."
Thea's father had been going to Canada for the past ten years. But that was a lie. He was actually building a castle after being told by a higher power that he needed to. None of it made sense and he became obsessive about finishing it. He makes a good suspect, especially when Thea and Nick find a receipt from the night the boy was dumped. Nick's sister, Dana, is an FBI agent and she's involved in the case. While she doesn't tell the kids everything, she does share some details with them. She sees all the research they've done and they know the case well.
The book takes place late May into June. Some chapters are "Dear Elizabeth" letters that Aul is writing. The Welder left them and the boys have no food or water. They realized that the Welder isn't coming back and they are going to die underground somewhere and never be found.
The June Boys is a pretty dark book that makes you realize that you don't know everyone around you. Who can you trust? People aren't all good or all bad.
I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher for my copy for review.
Warnings for kidnapping, death of a child, absent parents, mental issues, starving and dehydration, talk of suicide.
November 23, 2020
Thea is just your typical teen- a sweet boyfriend, a slightly nuts dad, a couple of best friends, and adults who love her dearly. Oh, and there's that castle her dad is building, too.
But the Gemini Thief also exists, A serial kidnapper who takes a group of boys and holds them captive from June 1st to June 30th the following year. They call them the June Boys, and the Gemini Thief is a pro, having alluded authorities for nearly a decade.
Now Thea's cousin is one of the June Boys and she's determined to find him.- but she has reason to believe someone in her life is the Gemini Thief, and the further she looks into it, the closer to home it hits.
"Careful with that hope,” he said.
"Careful with that doubt,” I retorted.
The June Boys is a compulsively readable mystery, with captivating prose and a twisty plot that will have you second guessing everything you know.
The audiobook was such a quick, easy listen that had me on the edge of my seat.
But the Gemini Thief also exists, A serial kidnapper who takes a group of boys and holds them captive from June 1st to June 30th the following year. They call them the June Boys, and the Gemini Thief is a pro, having alluded authorities for nearly a decade.
Now Thea's cousin is one of the June Boys and she's determined to find him.- but she has reason to believe someone in her life is the Gemini Thief, and the further she looks into it, the closer to home it hits.
"Careful with that hope,” he said.
"Careful with that doubt,” I retorted.
The June Boys is a compulsively readable mystery, with captivating prose and a twisty plot that will have you second guessing everything you know.
The audiobook was such a quick, easy listen that had me on the edge of my seat.
March 18, 2020
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with this ARC for review!
If you're looking for a mystery that won't scare you and leave you afraid in your own home then this is a perfect pick! Typically that is just what I need, I need an interesting twist and low scare factor bc I ~have an anxiety disorder~ already and don't need more reasons to be scared every second.
This didn't have that interesting twist for me though, there wasn't space for us to guess who it could have been because the narrative dragged us from suspect to suspect without giving us enough information about the other people. I'm sure you could have guessed the twist but it would have been just that, a guess.
If you're looking for something not too hard to get through, pick this up. Maybe listen to the audiobook!
If you're looking for a mystery that won't scare you and leave you afraid in your own home then this is a perfect pick! Typically that is just what I need, I need an interesting twist and low scare factor bc I ~have an anxiety disorder~ already and don't need more reasons to be scared every second.
This didn't have that interesting twist for me though, there wasn't space for us to guess who it could have been because the narrative dragged us from suspect to suspect without giving us enough information about the other people. I'm sure you could have guessed the twist but it would have been just that, a guess.
If you're looking for something not too hard to get through, pick this up. Maybe listen to the audiobook!
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