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They All Had A Reason #1
They All Had A Reason: A rumor. A secret. A lie. A murder.
"Leathers skillfully shrouds the story and the cast in mystery." -- Kirkus Reviews
Sixteen-year-old Charlotte is convinced her life would be perfect if she could only get past the one obstacle holding her back: A girl named Bellany Silverfield, who seems to have it all -- beauty, popularity, power and the boy of Charlotte’s dreams. But when Bellany is murdered, Charlotte’s life doesn't get any better. In fact, it gets much worse. Charlotte worries that circumstantial evidence and rumors of motive will make her a prime suspect. She's forced to question the loyalty of her closest friends and to place her trust in a boy she barely knows. But one of these people is definitely lying to her.
What reviewers are saying:
"With ADHD I usually start a book and never finish it or take months to do so. However, with this book I didn’t want to stop. That ending was great! Just ordered the second book."
"This was a fun, suspenseful mystery. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to start book 2. Highly recommend."
"I kept sneaking in pages because I just had to know!"
"The killer...well you won't see it coming."
"I read this book in about two days and I haven’t been much of a reader for a long time. My attention span is virtually nonexistent so reading stopped being a hobby for me. Decided to try to get back into it with this book and I’m excited to get into book 2 immediately! I most certainly didn’t expect the way things turned out and that’s my favorite kind of ending!"
"This book kept my attention the whole way through. Didn't want to put it down. Definitely didn't guess the murder.. awesome job!!"
"I haven’t finished a book in a long time but I finished this one in 3 days and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series."
"It keeps you on the edge of your seat and questioning everything! I never had a moment where I lost interest in the story!"
"Right from the start it grabbed my attention and I couldn't get enough of it."
Sixteen-year-old Charlotte is convinced her life would be perfect if she could only get past the one obstacle holding her back: A girl named Bellany Silverfield, who seems to have it all -- beauty, popularity, power and the boy of Charlotte’s dreams. But when Bellany is murdered, Charlotte’s life doesn't get any better. In fact, it gets much worse. Charlotte worries that circumstantial evidence and rumors of motive will make her a prime suspect. She's forced to question the loyalty of her closest friends and to place her trust in a boy she barely knows. But one of these people is definitely lying to her.
What reviewers are saying:
"With ADHD I usually start a book and never finish it or take months to do so. However, with this book I didn’t want to stop. That ending was great! Just ordered the second book."
"This was a fun, suspenseful mystery. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to start book 2. Highly recommend."
"I kept sneaking in pages because I just had to know!"
"The killer...well you won't see it coming."
"I read this book in about two days and I haven’t been much of a reader for a long time. My attention span is virtually nonexistent so reading stopped being a hobby for me. Decided to try to get back into it with this book and I’m excited to get into book 2 immediately! I most certainly didn’t expect the way things turned out and that’s my favorite kind of ending!"
"This book kept my attention the whole way through. Didn't want to put it down. Definitely didn't guess the murder.. awesome job!!"
"I haven’t finished a book in a long time but I finished this one in 3 days and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series."
"It keeps you on the edge of your seat and questioning everything! I never had a moment where I lost interest in the story!"
"Right from the start it grabbed my attention and I couldn't get enough of it."
211 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2021
2384 people are currently reading
19223 people want to read
About the author
Michele Leathers
9 books342 followersMichele Leathers's books have climbed to the top of Amazon bestseller lists. Her novels are fast-paced and full of jaw-dropping twists that will keep readers guessing till the end. Michele Leathers received a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from North Carolina State University and is a full time writer. She's not ashamed to admit that she's addicted to Diet Pepsi, chocolate, and writing. She's a shrewd observer of people, always looking for ideas and inspiration for her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 608 reviews
February 4, 2021
I went into it blind, meaning I'd only seen the cover and the title before I started reading, and um... well...
This reads like one of R L Stine's Fear Street novels, entertaining... if you're 13 years old... Idk if this was a WattPad or Nanowrimo thing but... it was (sorry Leathers) a pretty annoying 170 pages. To someone in their 20s at least.
Logic, logic was missing. Who finds a dead body and does LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE but call the police, or at least call their mom? Who suspects their car was taken and doesn't report it or tell anyone? Who says 'Let's be in a FAKE relationship' but then actually kisses the other? Charlotte loses her car key and exactly the right person finds it to frame her? Was it really neccessary to have Quentin's mom's backstory be that she killed her husband? Also, can we lessen the girl drama a little? And what was up with that wrap-up? The story ends, good, we're done now, we know what happened, but noooo we need 2 more epilogue-esque chapters explaining what we already know happened but in greater detail?
Sorry... um... yea it's a no for me dawg.
This reads like one of R L Stine's Fear Street novels, entertaining... if you're 13 years old... Idk if this was a WattPad or Nanowrimo thing but... it was (sorry Leathers) a pretty annoying 170 pages. To someone in their 20s at least.
Logic, logic was missing. Who finds a dead body and does LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE but call the police, or at least call their mom? Who suspects their car was taken and doesn't report it or tell anyone? Who says 'Let's be in a FAKE relationship' but then actually kisses the other? Charlotte loses her car key and exactly the right person finds it to frame her? Was it really neccessary to have Quentin's mom's backstory be that she killed her husband? Also, can we lessen the girl drama a little? And what was up with that wrap-up? The story ends, good, we're done now, we know what happened, but noooo we need 2 more epilogue-esque chapters explaining what we already know happened but in greater detail?
Sorry... um... yea it's a no for me dawg.
January 19, 2022
This book was just… so bad. I stuck with it to see if the ending was worth it & made me want to continue the series but it didn’t peak my interest at all.
First of all, this book seems like a middle schooler wrote it. It would be bold to describe this book as a “young adult mystery”, it read like a tween book.
So many unanswered questions. So many unnecessary plot lines. I didn’t care for any of the characters at all, they were all unnecessary rude and absolutely stupid?! Even the adults. I have over 50 highlights of just ridiculous things said in this book. The writing style is cringey to say the least.
Here are some of my personal (least) favorites:
• “The last one? Tears begin to swell in my eyes. I look back down at the last cupcake. It’s destroyed, gone forever. Just like Bellany.”
• “Is he serious? He’s going to let us look inside? I can’t believe it! Wade’s a genius! All it took was reminding tattoo face about losing a loved one. Holy crap! Who would’ve thought this big guy had a soft side?”
• “Where did Mom find this guy? I can’t believe he wants me to lie. Does he use this same tactic with all of his clients? My eyes travel over to the diploma hanging on the wall. He received his law degree from some weird college I have never heard of. Yet he appears to be successful.”
• “The manner of death he chose was so . . . gruesome, violent, unthinkable! I can’t believe he was going to hold me down and let that train run over me! How could he? I was his friend!”
I could literally have a field day with this review over how horrible this book was. But that’s enough. I’m sure it’s fine and appeals to 10-12 year olds but as a “young adult” it just comes across as ridiculous. Do not recommend at all.
First of all, this book seems like a middle schooler wrote it. It would be bold to describe this book as a “young adult mystery”, it read like a tween book.
So many unanswered questions. So many unnecessary plot lines. I didn’t care for any of the characters at all, they were all unnecessary rude and absolutely stupid?! Even the adults. I have over 50 highlights of just ridiculous things said in this book. The writing style is cringey to say the least.
Here are some of my personal (least) favorites:
• “The last one? Tears begin to swell in my eyes. I look back down at the last cupcake. It’s destroyed, gone forever. Just like Bellany.”
• “Is he serious? He’s going to let us look inside? I can’t believe it! Wade’s a genius! All it took was reminding tattoo face about losing a loved one. Holy crap! Who would’ve thought this big guy had a soft side?”
• “Where did Mom find this guy? I can’t believe he wants me to lie. Does he use this same tactic with all of his clients? My eyes travel over to the diploma hanging on the wall. He received his law degree from some weird college I have never heard of. Yet he appears to be successful.”
• “The manner of death he chose was so . . . gruesome, violent, unthinkable! I can’t believe he was going to hold me down and let that train run over me! How could he? I was his friend!”
I could literally have a field day with this review over how horrible this book was. But that’s enough. I’m sure it’s fine and appeals to 10-12 year olds but as a “young adult” it just comes across as ridiculous. Do not recommend at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2021
************SPOILERS AHEAD**************
What can I say?
Let's start off with our main character, Charlotte. Charlotte is like that stupid girl in the movies who runs up the stairs to get away from a killer instead of out the front door. She was a bumbling idiot throughout the entire book.
Example: She records a conversation and plans to use said conversation against the speaker. When she is confronted by the speaker she tells her exactly what she plans on doing with the recording... Why!?! For that stupidity, she gets locked in a basement.
Then she finds a dead body and her first thought isn't, "maybe I should call the cops," No, it's "everyone will think I did it" and she just leaves it there! She just goes on pretending that nothing has happened.
Then you get random characters in the book who just don't fit... like Ace. I feel like he was way more interesting than the whole damn book but he just pops up randomly and at the weirdest times. Then there is a "rude blonde girl" who is known as that throughout the entire book. Like, why was she crying at the funeral... why did the author feel the need to include her in that scene and who was she to Bridger... Was Bridger doing drugs too and that's how he knew her? So many unanswered questions.
Next, Bridger is so quick to turn on his best friend. Not even a shadow of a doubt... And the funeral is literally the last time we hear from him.
I just think this book was poorly written and there was no depth to any of the characters.
What can I say?
Let's start off with our main character, Charlotte. Charlotte is like that stupid girl in the movies who runs up the stairs to get away from a killer instead of out the front door. She was a bumbling idiot throughout the entire book.
Example: She records a conversation and plans to use said conversation against the speaker. When she is confronted by the speaker she tells her exactly what she plans on doing with the recording... Why!?! For that stupidity, she gets locked in a basement.
Then she finds a dead body and her first thought isn't, "maybe I should call the cops," No, it's "everyone will think I did it" and she just leaves it there! She just goes on pretending that nothing has happened.
Then you get random characters in the book who just don't fit... like Ace. I feel like he was way more interesting than the whole damn book but he just pops up randomly and at the weirdest times. Then there is a "rude blonde girl" who is known as that throughout the entire book. Like, why was she crying at the funeral... why did the author feel the need to include her in that scene and who was she to Bridger... Was Bridger doing drugs too and that's how he knew her? So many unanswered questions.
Next, Bridger is so quick to turn on his best friend. Not even a shadow of a doubt... And the funeral is literally the last time we hear from him.
I just think this book was poorly written and there was no depth to any of the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2025
I received a free copy of, They All Had a Reason, by Michele Leathers, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book one of seven in the , All had a Reason series. Charlotte is 16, and thinks she has it figured out, then when her enemy dies, she rethinks this idea. What if she is a suspect, or the prime suspect? Being a teenager in high school is not always easy, so much emotions and peer pressure. This book is something else though. I don't know if I liked it.
September 6, 2025
Summary
The story follows Charlotte, a 16 year old protagonist, who is convinced that her life would improve once she overcomes the obstacle of Bellany, her best friends twin sister. But during Bellany & Bridger’s 17th birthday party, Bellany is found dead in the woods. While the police search for who could have murdered Bellany, Charlotte realizes a lot of people had motive, including herself.
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My Thoughts
This was a fast, twisty read for me! The kind of thriller you pick up to get you out of a reading slump. It’s more of a novella, being on the shorter side but I enjoyed that. The story didn’t have any filler material in it.
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I would like to give a huuugeee thank you to Netgalley & Michele Leather for providing me with an ARC of They All Had A Reason in exchange for my honest review.
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Medium
January 26, 2025
Wow. Okay. This wasn't all that bad.
When I first started reading this book, I didnt't have very high expectations. It was free with my kindle subscription so I thought why not give it a shot.
First of all, I just want to say how much I love the way this was written. It reminded me of chaotic thoughts that rummage through your mind like a fast car speeding on a highway. Which was infact suiting considering this is a thriller novel. It definitely kept me interested on what was going to happen next.
While the writing style was fun, I felt like there could have been more added to the plot. There was so many missed potentials that could have made it more crazy and nerve-wrecking. On top of that I felt like the romance was incredibly rushed to the point where I was confused when it happened.
Otherwise, its not the worst of books and I would read it again if im looking for a relatively quick read.
When I first started reading this book, I didnt't have very high expectations. It was free with my kindle subscription so I thought why not give it a shot.
First of all, I just want to say how much I love the way this was written. It reminded me of chaotic thoughts that rummage through your mind like a fast car speeding on a highway. Which was infact suiting considering this is a thriller novel. It definitely kept me interested on what was going to happen next.
While the writing style was fun, I felt like there could have been more added to the plot. There was so many missed potentials that could have made it more crazy and nerve-wrecking. On top of that I felt like the romance was incredibly rushed to the point where I was confused when it happened.
Otherwise, its not the worst of books and I would read it again if im looking for a relatively quick read.
July 2, 2022
This has big one of us is lying and pretty little liars vibes, it’s fun! Glad I got recommended this bc it was really entertaining! Obviously not some grand mystery masterpiece but it was an entertaining 8hrs of my life!
January 9, 2024
Huh. So, 10-year-old me would love this book and 10-year-old me could probably
write
this book. None of the characters feel real, from the way they act to the words that come out of their mouth. It doesn't help that they are shoved into a rather nonsensical plot which struggles with pacing and coherence. By the half way mark, it's more of a chore than a 'at least this is moving quickly' kind of experience. Not fun or engaging, it's an unfortunate DNF waiting to happen for those who are able to step away without having to finish everything they start.
Read
August 3, 2022No rating and no dates because this is a DNF.
DNF @ 12%
The writing style of this is so juvenile (I know it’s a high school girl but that’s really no excuse) and the characters are so FLAT. I think this author jumped on the high school mystery trend and it just fell flat for me.
DNF @ 12%
The writing style of this is so juvenile (I know it’s a high school girl but that’s really no excuse) and the characters are so FLAT. I think this author jumped on the high school mystery trend and it just fell flat for me.
October 29, 2024
please don't.
December 27, 2023
Booktok made me do it.
Deliciously bad and full of head shaking moments. However, I guess I could say that I was swept up in a teenager being setup for the murder of one of her classmates. I think I will check out the rest of the series.
Goodreads review published 27/12/23
Deliciously bad and full of head shaking moments. However, I guess I could say that I was swept up in a teenager being setup for the murder of one of her classmates. I think I will check out the rest of the series.
Goodreads review published 27/12/23
October 9, 2021
This book captured my attention from the title and the sound of high school teen drama. Reading this thriller, reminded me of the book One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus and Pretty Little Liars, etc. Michele Leathers’s series is in the same wheelhouse of the genre - YA Thriller and a revenge trope filled with rumors, secrets, and lies. We have our main evil Queen B - Bellamy who everyone loves and hates at the same time. She is very manipulative and even drove her mother away. If she doesn't like you, then she will make your life hell. On the night of her birthday party, Bellamy is found dead, or is she? Everyone becomes a suspect and must accept she is gone, however Charlotte who saw her body - isn't 100% convinced and determined to find out what happened to her. What Charlotte doesn't realize though is that she will open a big fat Pandora's box and everyone is not who they seem and she will find herself in the front running for the "main suspect" as someone is doing a great job at framing her and doesn't want the truth discovered. I was in two minds about the character Charlotte as I did like her and when she was with Wyatt - it was cute as they became a couple but I also found her so frustrating as she was quite naive and friends with the wrong type of people as they were quick to backstab her and paint her guilty. I am now looking forward to reading Book #2 especially when we were left with the shocking ending.
August 18, 2021
The execution of this book sucked. It seemed like a 5th grader wrote it. I’m disappointed I wasted my money on this even though it was at a huge discount, all books costing me $11. I have 0 desire to even read the other books. There was so much going on in the story that was irrelevant, and didn’t make sense. There were so many questions left unanswered. Why do we get Bellany’s perspective? Nothing in me ever wanted to know Bellany’s POV, she wasn’t in any way likable and continued to not show any likable attributes even when explaining herself, she’s just a psychotic sociopath. She had no real reason to do anything she did. Also what was the point of Gemma being a crappy friend if we never find out why? We also don’t know if any of Charlotte’s relationships are reparable (even though they shouldn’t be, Charlotte should snub everyone but Wade for life) Vivy being a drug addict was random and didn’t make sense and the rude blonde girl who never got a name was so completely irrelevant. I’ve read MANY terrible books but this one takes the top of the list landing at number 1. I don’t recommend. Honestly I’d even go as far as telling people to completely avoid.
Oh and Charlotte was an idiot
Oh and Charlotte was an idiot
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2022
getting through this book was ROUGH. it was written like a 15 year old had written it. i guess it made sense since the mc is in high school, but i’ve read many books as an adult and the mc was in hs and this one was just so hard to get through. i think maybe if i had read this when i was a teenager, i would have loved it, but as someone pushing their mid twenties, it was a no from me. the only reason i pushed myself to finish it was to get to the end and find out what happened to beth (i think that’s her name? i honestly don’t even remember any of the characters names) and to say i was utterly disappointed would be an understatement.
June 9, 2021
This was a really interesting book. Charlotte made me want to slap her sometimes but considering the situation I could understand. Bellany is a horrible human being. I was highly disappointed in Bridger and even Gemma. Wade surprised me in the best of ways. The killer...well you won't see it coming. This book had a little bit of everything. However, I do wish we had a little more closure between Charlotte, Bridger and Gemma but overall a great read.
August 17, 2023
This book pulled me in from the beginning. I didn’t know what to think. I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong lol. The author did a great job with the dynamics of each character. Bellany was a mean girl that was murdered on her 17th birthday. So many suspects, so many lies, so many twists. The perfect book lol
November 4, 2025
don’t even get me started
216p
216p
February 3, 2021
Twists and Turns
This wild ride certainly packs a punch and did not disappoint. From the very first page it draws you into a self centered teen world of friends, secrets, rumors, lies, boys, a party, deception, a murder, and then quite an extensive job to frame someone else. The story itself was great with a lot of twists and turns that will have you guessing until the very end. Some of it is a bit far fetched and frustrating as far as the main character doing investigating on her own while lying or withholding information from the cops. Also it was infuriating that while she is dealing with these allegations her mother leaves her alone to travel for work. Nope! If that were my daughter you better believe that I would be there every step of the way! And her friends all turn on her too. This book really takes you through a series of emotions as a friend, as a parent, as a human, and has an ending that you really don't see coming.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
This wild ride certainly packs a punch and did not disappoint. From the very first page it draws you into a self centered teen world of friends, secrets, rumors, lies, boys, a party, deception, a murder, and then quite an extensive job to frame someone else. The story itself was great with a lot of twists and turns that will have you guessing until the very end. Some of it is a bit far fetched and frustrating as far as the main character doing investigating on her own while lying or withholding information from the cops. Also it was infuriating that while she is dealing with these allegations her mother leaves her alone to travel for work. Nope! If that were my daughter you better believe that I would be there every step of the way! And her friends all turn on her too. This book really takes you through a series of emotions as a friend, as a parent, as a human, and has an ending that you really don't see coming.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
October 17, 2021
Nonsense
This story was so ridiculous. It almost felt like satire. The plot wasn’t believable. The writing wasn’t great. It just kept getting more ridiculous as the book went on. There are four more books in this series. I’m going to pass on those. I don’t even want to know what happens next.
This story was so ridiculous. It almost felt like satire. The plot wasn’t believable. The writing wasn’t great. It just kept getting more ridiculous as the book went on. There are four more books in this series. I’m going to pass on those. I don’t even want to know what happens next.
September 18, 2025
If you’re looking for a thought provoking book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, it isn’t this. But if you want a fun easy read that you can fly through then it absolutely is. None of the characters felt fleshed out enough that you could cling onto them and make an attachment, but enough characters to fill that void.
October 31, 2025
This has potential, but just wasn’t thought out well enough. Charlotte’s character is confusing. She’s so caught up in doing the right thing and knowing the truth with come out and she won’t get in trouble, that she starts withholding information and lying? That was honestly just stupid. But I will say that I didn’t see the ending coming and for that alone I gave it an extra star.
July 10, 2025
I don't know if I will continue on with this series. 🤔 The read was ok and quite quick but it didn't really hold my interest enough. It might have been too young for me.
March 17, 2021
This book was okay. I wanted to keep reading to find out who did it, so the author did a great job in that respect. However, there were many details or situations in the book that were not practical. I will say I didn’t really expect the outcome & I liked how it ended with a different persons perspective.
April 20, 2025
I just felt like the writing was so juvenile and mishmashed. The story was mid at best and the "romance" is just wtf. Charlotte acts like she is 12 with a crush and wants everyone and their mother to know she is seeing Wade. Idgaf.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2022
Don’t waste your time. The narrator is completely unlikeable, storyline is full of holes. The last chapter is the best part & that isn’t saying much.
December 29, 2021
3.5 "This sounds too familiar" Stars
So, I picked this book up because it was highly recommended in a FB group. This reminded me of Pretty Little Liars a bit too much. All the way through I just couldn't help constantly comparing the two, which is a not a good sign IMO. I wanted an original storyline. I wanted something that would constantly make me think. This did not do that for me.
So, I picked this book up because it was highly recommended in a FB group. This reminded me of Pretty Little Liars a bit too much. All the way through I just couldn't help constantly comparing the two, which is a not a good sign IMO. I wanted an original storyline. I wanted something that would constantly make me think. This did not do that for me.
November 11, 2024
Listened to this on audio and the narrator was so dry and emotionless, not to mention naive. I would like to think this would have been better if I had read it as opposed to listening to it.
January 2, 2021
Being accused of something you didn’t do is always hard, but even worse when it’s murder. This book kept me guessing until the end. Once again Michele Leathers, a master of suspense, surprised me with a great twist at the end. I didn’t see it coming... at all. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
September 14, 2025
So… story time. I requested this book because the description was right up my alley! I finally sat down to read it with the release only a month away, and I had this nagging feeling of déjà vu—like I’d read it before or at least something else by the author. Sure enough, I hopped onto Goodreads and, lo and behold, I had already marked it as Read.
Here’s the deal: when publishers pick up an indie author’s book, they usually just add their edition to the existing listing. But in this case, they created a whole new one, even though the original already had thousands of reviews. Normally, that wouldn’t bug me, but since the book wasn’t significantly revised or transformed, it feels misleading. It’s the same book… and, honestly, it’s still not good.
My biggest issue with it is that the writing is chaotic and not fluid at all. The content itself feels geared toward a younger YA audience—probably around an 8th-grade level—who might find the story engaging, but the prose is often clunky and difficult to follow. And that’s frustrating, because the book had so much potential. There were so many moments where I wanted to scream at it—not because it’s fiction (I get that), but because it’s grounded in the real world, and yet the teen characters were making choices they simply wouldn’t make. And here’s the thing: you can absolutely write outlandish scenarios, but you have to give them support, you have to explain the “why” so the reader can buy into it. This book skipped that step.
Overall, it just feels like a missed opportunity. With a publisher picking it up, this could have been the perfect moment for a heavy edit—to clean up the prose, smooth out the plot, and make the story flow better—while still keeping the heart of it intact. That kind of revision could have opened it to a much wider audience.
When I first read it back in June 2024, I had to borrow the only copy available in the entire Commonwealth through interlibrary loan, and I remember being disappointed. At the time, I gave it 2⭐️. Now, rereading and reflecting, I still stand by my critiques, but I do think I was a bit too harsh. So I’m amending my rating to 3⭐️—especially since it clearly has an audience that’s connecting with it.
I fortunate to receive a complimentary eARC from Sourcebook Fire via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
Here’s the deal: when publishers pick up an indie author’s book, they usually just add their edition to the existing listing. But in this case, they created a whole new one, even though the original already had thousands of reviews. Normally, that wouldn’t bug me, but since the book wasn’t significantly revised or transformed, it feels misleading. It’s the same book… and, honestly, it’s still not good.
My biggest issue with it is that the writing is chaotic and not fluid at all. The content itself feels geared toward a younger YA audience—probably around an 8th-grade level—who might find the story engaging, but the prose is often clunky and difficult to follow. And that’s frustrating, because the book had so much potential. There were so many moments where I wanted to scream at it—not because it’s fiction (I get that), but because it’s grounded in the real world, and yet the teen characters were making choices they simply wouldn’t make. And here’s the thing: you can absolutely write outlandish scenarios, but you have to give them support, you have to explain the “why” so the reader can buy into it. This book skipped that step.
Overall, it just feels like a missed opportunity. With a publisher picking it up, this could have been the perfect moment for a heavy edit—to clean up the prose, smooth out the plot, and make the story flow better—while still keeping the heart of it intact. That kind of revision could have opened it to a much wider audience.
When I first read it back in June 2024, I had to borrow the only copy available in the entire Commonwealth through interlibrary loan, and I remember being disappointed. At the time, I gave it 2⭐️. Now, rereading and reflecting, I still stand by my critiques, but I do think I was a bit too harsh. So I’m amending my rating to 3⭐️—especially since it clearly has an audience that’s connecting with it.
I fortunate to receive a complimentary eARC from Sourcebook Fire via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
May 4, 2021
Ok, this was..... interesting.
The first thing I noticed was the writing style - it really bothered me. The constant questions on every single page read like Charlotte's unfiltered stream of consciousness. Sure, some of it was necessary to convey how she felt about things, but I just found it very distracting. However, the last chapter proved that this is probably just a feature of Charlotte as a character, so I have high hopes for the next two books. I bought them in a pack on Kindle, so will definitely be moving on to those next.
The story itself was pretty well crafted, once it finally got going. The first 50% or so of the book draaaagggged on and on, but once we finally got past the reveal that the coffin was empty, things finally started to pick up.
I thought I knew what was going to happen, but my predictions were mostly wrong - except I knew Bellany had to be behind it somehow. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the big plot twist at the end and how it all panned out.
The romance was decent, although I was very disappointed about the missed opportunity for fake dating - it was RIGHT there. So close. I also could have done without all the Gemma/Bridger nonsense, it was mostly just annoying and didn't seem to provide much value to the actual story.
Overall, while I found the writing style and main character largely annoying and frustrating, I enjoyed the story enough to want to move on to the sequel. Maybe I'm just not the right target audience anymore, someone who's still in high school would probably enjoy it much more. Not great, but not awful either :)
The first thing I noticed was the writing style - it really bothered me. The constant questions on every single page read like Charlotte's unfiltered stream of consciousness. Sure, some of it was necessary to convey how she felt about things, but I just found it very distracting. However, the last chapter proved that this is probably just a feature of Charlotte as a character, so I have high hopes for the next two books. I bought them in a pack on Kindle, so will definitely be moving on to those next.
The story itself was pretty well crafted, once it finally got going. The first 50% or so of the book draaaagggged on and on, but once we finally got past the reveal that the coffin was empty, things finally started to pick up.
I thought I knew what was going to happen, but my predictions were mostly wrong - except I knew Bellany had to be behind it somehow. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the big plot twist at the end and how it all panned out.
The romance was decent, although I was very disappointed about the missed opportunity for fake dating - it was RIGHT there. So close. I also could have done without all the Gemma/Bridger nonsense, it was mostly just annoying and didn't seem to provide much value to the actual story.
Overall, while I found the writing style and main character largely annoying and frustrating, I enjoyed the story enough to want to move on to the sequel. Maybe I'm just not the right target audience anymore, someone who's still in high school would probably enjoy it much more. Not great, but not awful either :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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