I can't decide what I think of this book. I read it, which means it wasn't awful, but I wasn't gripped. That said it's the first book in a long time where I have really focused on what I was reading, I'm usually quite a quick reader and this took me longer than usual.
I didn't particularly take to any of the characters and didn't have any feelings positive or negative about them, perhaps this explains my reaction? Confusing. It was good but I don't know if I would read it again - a very vague review!

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Danya Kukafka for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

If, as has often been quoted, the greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and be loved in return, how (and by whom) are we taught and shown how to love?

Danya Kukafka’s debut novel “Girl in Snow” attempts to answer this question via an examination of art, character, and oh yes - a murder.

A young girl is found dead, neck broken on a local carousel. Her unexpected death causes ripples in the community. Lucinda was a popular high school student. Who could possibly have done such a heinous act?

The novel takes place over a short time span. It focuses on three characters - Cameron (Lucinda’s alleged stalker), Russ (a policeman assigned to the case) and Jade (the outsider who knows more than she realizes). Only Jade’s chapters are written in first person. Jade also writes a screenplay in her head periodically, serving as an internal monologue. All the characters are interwoven. The only thing unclear is the tightness of the circle. But that’s also part of living in a small suburb.

This is a novel full of art metaphors and flowery language. It’s clear that Ms. Kukafka is both an artist and a wordsmith. The language is read better in chunks, clause by clause, and should be slowly absorbed and digested. Emotions are conveyed through action more than thoughts. It is highly literary - a definite plus.

The many subplots could have easily become weeds, distracting from the main narrative. In fact, Lucinda herself almost becomes irrelevant. The weakest subplot, in my opinion, has to do with Russ. I understand having both an adult character and a member of law enforcement, but his story rings hollow to me.

Emotions run rampant both on and off the pages. There are parts that evoked in me an almost physical response. Although most subplots are resolved, it isn’t easy to read the mystery’s solution.

Thank you to Random House for allowing me galley access. I have been recommending this book highly and often. In fact, I even persuaded my local library to order it. Ms. Kukafka is absolutely one to watch.

I read about 20% of this book before I put it down. Maybe it's my age, but it seemed like the book was aimed at a high school/early college years audience. I wasn't really that interested in why a girl was killed, and who killed her, and the high school student characters didn't pique my interest. Sorry to abandon this book 1/4 of the way in, but it wasn't for me.

This was listed as a mystery/thriller; the brief description makes the book sound like it will be filled with exciting and interesting scenes. Instead, it plods along as a character study of the three main characters. While it does a good job of that, by the mid point, I was really beginning to wonder why there wasn’t more to the investigation. Other than the fact that a person of interest is pulled in for questioning now and then, not much is going on. In the end, the murderer is easily caught when someone comes forward and TELLS the police that they saw it happen. The police, for some strange reason, were not able to get any leads from the crime scene or from the people they interviewed. We are, however, privy to more and more of the daily lives and thoughts, about past and present circumstances, of these characters: Russ, a police officer who settled for his job and does not have what I’d call a good marriage; Jade, a loner, physically abused by her alcoholic mother, dumped by her male best friend and is now extremely defensive; and Cameron, who does not communicate well with others, and who seems to be OCD as well as somewhere on the autistic/asperger spectrum, .

There are also curse words—some that Christians won’t be happy with. I wasn’t. There was also a lot voyeurism, masturbation, stalking and sexual references because after all, what author today would write a book without throwing that in whether or not it adds to the plot in any significant way? Haven’t they noticed how many truly popular authors don’t write about sex or use curse words and have bestseller after bestseller?

I do give the author some points for the insight into the characters; however, I was disappointed that the book did not fulfill it’s potential, and truthfully some of the scenes were just plain icky. If you are looking for an edge-of-your-seat thriller/ mystery, this is not a good choice.

This is a brilliantly crafted novel. I very quickly fell in love with the main characters and found them not only believable but complex and intriguing.

The plot help my interest and kept me engaged. It's a fairly deep book, and as a result keeps your brain working, as you try to figure out not only who did it, but ways in which you can stop it being Strange but lovable Cameron.

I think it's all to easy to forget the complexities of being a teenager and this book is a gentle reminder of that. Definitely a book I would read again. :)

Cameron, Jade, and Russ have all been touched and shaken by the murder of Lucinda Hayes.

The boy who loved her, the girl who wanted her perfect life, and the officer who investigates her murder in the sleepy Colorado town. Danya wrote this book to show the fine lines of knowing and stalking, hating and liking, investigation and discovery.

This book wasn't much of a mystery that I was hoping for when I read the synopsis. With three very different perspectives shown throughout the book, I wish it would have shown her perspective so that you can see what really lead up to the murder and maybe even afterword.

Camerons perspective was a bit too creepy for my liking. I got goosebumps every time I read his portion because the thought of someone stalking you and you never really know it is a bit unnerving to say the least.

This book was nothing like I was expecting in terms of how the book flowed and the content. Unfortunately it just wasn't a book that I could really get into. I hope that maybe I can pick it up again at a later date to try and read it again from a fresher perspective.

I was so excited to read Girl in the Snow. The cover had me intrigued and the blurb sucked me in. I love mystery/suspense books so I dived in when I was approved.

The book is told in 3 different POV's. Two of Lucinda's friends/classmates and a cop. I thought this was going to make it an unique reading experience and give us more insight into what was going on.

It just confused the crap out of me. I had a hard time getting into Girl in Snow but then the 3 different pov's were difficult to differentiate from. At times I would be enjoying it immensely and then I would have to backtrack to figure out what was going on. Maybe Danya Kukafka written it that way. If so she succeeded.

I did enjoy the book when I could follow it or when it didn't start falling flat. The storyline was great and Lucinda's murder kept me engrossed until the end.

Lucinda Hayes is found dead one day, lying in the snow on the playground carousel. But who did it? Lucinda was a popular, well-liked girl, so it is a tremendous shock to the small town in Colorado. Could it be the boy who stalks her… and loves her? Could it be the “big boned” girl at her school? How about the school janitor, the foreign man who discovered her body? Or is it the sensitive, well-liked art teacher? You won’t be able to put down this book until you discover who murdered Lucinda Hayes!

Told by three misfit characters, Cameron, Jade and Russ, the reader is fed details little-by-tantalizing-little. Talk about suspense! And Danya Kukafka’s prose along the way paints some unforgettable imagery for the reader. This one can't be missed!

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I was really looking forward to Girl In Snow, but unfortunately I can't say I enjoyed it as much as I initially thought I would. This was actually the second time I picked up my copy, because somehow the first time I never made it past the first few pages. Because there is just something about the writing style that makes it quite hard to connect to it if you aren't in the right mood, making it hard to stay focused on the story itself. I do have to say things went a lot better the second time around and after getting used to the writing style Girl In Snow turned out to be quite a fast read. That said, I can't deny there was something about the way the story was written that didn't manage to convince me completely. Because I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one who felt slightly confused by the what, who and how in the beginning. Things did get better when more information is given, although I do wish Girl In Snow would have been more focused on the actual plot and less on the different characters. Unfortunately I was never able to connect to the three main characters or their POVs used to tell the story and the victim Lucinda for me lacks developments to properly care about her. That said, I did appreciate the descriptions of Jade and Cameron and their issues; they seem quite realistic. I wasn't sure about the credibility in general though or the way everything was connected... But Girl In Snow is a fast read and has quite a few twists you probably won't see coming. The memory loss of Cameron was an interesting touch as well.

The books started off great and had so much promise. Then is started to slow and I began to loose interest. So many different narrators made me confused as to who killed the girl but by 50% of the way through I really didn't care anymore and just wanted it to end. Then there was a chunk that was all about the sexual acts of these teenagers that did not progress the story at all and was actually really cringey. When you find out the killer it isn't a shocker at all and then the wrap up is boring as well. I could have done without the Russ storyline because it just slowed everything down and didn't add anything to it. I thought this would be a great book because it really had potential but in the end is was a huge disappointment.

3 1/2 Stars
While this novel showed promise, it just took too long getting to where it was taking us. The story is told in alternating chapters by three very different characters. Kukafka does a wonderful job fleshing out these characters, but I found their storylines to be on the boring side and just overall depressing.

This book is a slow character study along with a mystery. Cameron is a bit of an odd kid, I feel that he may have Asperger but it is never stated. He doesn't look people in the eye, and just seems off. Jade is abused by her mom, has bad skin and very angry, but she seems to understand Cameron. Russ is a cop who was Cameron's dad's partner before his dad was charged in a crime and fled the area (which took forever to find out and doesn't matter much). Russ doesn't really seem to like his job and although he seemed in love with his wife I got the feeling he didn't love her culture.

Well written this story slowly unfolds through 3 different perspectives and while the writing was really beautiful it dragged a little for me. I read some reviews that they felt that the reveal of who killed Lucinda was too quick and there was no reason but I found that there was compelling reason and liked the twist of who committed the crime. I also really appreciated the several chapters after the killer is revealed which helped tie things up with the characters and show what happens after mystery is solved which is something most crime stories leave out.

This is a really well written, interesting mystery by a new author who I am looking forward to reading in the future.

This book was well written and interesting but it wasn't something that I really cared for. The voyeurism was creepy and gave me anxiety. I liked the characters. I sympathized with Cameron and Jade and Russ. They are all sort of lost souls trying to fit in. The "twist" wasn't a huge surprise for me. I think some of the secondary characters were unnecessary. Overall I would rate it 3.5 stars. I would recommend this to people who enjoy this genre.

Girl in Snow was amazing. The story was captivating and it was just so well written, that it was hard to put it down. In fact, I didn't, I couldn't, I had to know what was going to happen. It was a really great book, and I highly recommend it!

Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka is about the murder of a 15 year old girl, Lucinda, and how the people living in her town are effected by her loss. This tale is also a whodunit as Lucinda's murderer is unknown until the end of the book. As you read you'll get to know some of Lucinda's classmates and their families as well as the local cop. This tale will leave you riveted. Read and enjoy!

GIRL IN THE SNOW is the debut novel by Danya Kukafka, while listed as a mystery /thriller I feel is more of a character-driven mystery with YA overtunes.

While this is the story of the murder of a small-town Colorado teenage girl, Lucinda Hayes, the novel focuses on three characters; Cameron who was obsessed with Lucinda, and stalked her, Jade who was jealous of Lucinda’s good looks and Russ, the officer assigned to investigate her murder.


“In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both.”

All four characters have deep dark secrets.

I must say that I found this novel slow moving…I was disappointed as I felt that the focus was not on the murder/police investigation, but rather in the heads of three strange characters. I was looking for more action and suspense to hold my attention. The prose is articulate, the pacing is slow, and the ending is predictable.


My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

GIRL IN SNOW by Danya Kukafka is an intense and pensive novel that allows you to see deeply into the lives and minds of the three main characters - Cameron, Jade, and Russ.

When the body of Lucinda Hayes is found, secrets are forced to the surface as the suspects are lined up. Cameron was always the strange one in town, the weirdo, who always stalked Lucinda from afar. Then there is Jade who had her own reasons to hope that Lucinda would simply disappear. And Russ, who is investigating the case, is in the uncomfortable position that his brother-in-law is also a suspect. But as the story unfolds and the seething darkness that underpins this murder starts to come to light, there are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing.

The overall plot is good, the characters are interesting and while I liked the idea of this novel, I have to admit that the pace was extremely slow-moving and this just didn't work for me and I found myself wanting to skip ahead at points. If you want a slower, character study type of story then GIRL IN SNOW by Danya Kukafka will tick all of those boxes.

3.5 Stars!

I was quite intrigued after reading the description for, GIRL IN SNOW. The mysterious death of a small town girl and the secret lives of three individuals connected to her. A socially awkward boy who was in love with Lucinda, a teenage girl who despised Lucinda, and the detective investigating her death.

The story is told from the perspectives of Cameron Whitley, Jade Dixon-Burns and Detective Russ Fletcher.

The principal of Jefferson High School has called an assembly to tell the students about Lucinda’s death. Cameron has quite a physical reaction to this news. In the days ahead, Cameron recalls this as the moment he lost her. After the announcement, speculation starts immediately. Some said she was sexually assaulted, others said she killed herself, the rumors run rampant. A lot of students are genuinely sad, while others like the drama….

Cameron tries to recall where we was when Lucinda died, but he can’t remember.

Cameron likes to play “Statue Nights”. He started playing this at age twelve. He believes that if he stands perfectly still he can’t be seen.

“The game of Statue Nights began with the Hansens, next door. Cameron would stand on the curb outside their house for hours, watching them eat microwaved food, and argue”

It’s wasn’t long before he started playing Statue Nights while watching Lucinda. Cameron has a lot of anxiety and often gets “Tangled“. Tangled is a word he uses to describe when he gets worked up about something.

Jade Dixon-Burns…… straight up hated Lucinda and doesn’t even try to hide it. Jade feels that Lucinda stole everything from her. She took her babysitting job but most importantly she stole Jade’s best friend. Jade is really irritated by the fact that Lucinda didn’t seem to notice who she hurts. Jade often says whatever pops into her head. She feels like she can’t even fake sadness over Lucinda’s death.

“faking shock is easier than faking sadness”

Interspersed thought-out the book is a screenplay written by Jade. “What You Want to Say But Can’t Without Being a Dick”, was about what she said to people vs. what she’d wished she said.

Detective Russ Fletcher is an officer with a sketchy past who is investigating the death of Lucinda Hayes. He’s been hearing rumors about Cameron Whitley and how he liked to follow and watch Lucinda. He has another connection to Cameron Whitley. The detective made a promise to someone years ago, a promise he intends on keeping.

“We’ve got a body“, are words that Russ hasn’t heard in all his years on the job, most of his career has been spent on things like speeding tickets…. small time stuff. He’ll soon find out that he’s connected to this crime in ways he’d never have expected.

When he asks Cameron Whitley where he was the night of Lucinda’s murder…

Cameron can’t remember.

We learn more about the inner lives of these three characters. There are quite a few people who may have had reason to kill Lucinda. Was it Cameron, who liked to watch her and can’t remember where he was when she was killed? Or Jade who so deeply despised Lucinda? Or could it be someone else? Cameron appeared harmless and I felt sorry for him. But harmless can also be dangerous. There’s a fine line between love and obsession.

While the mystery surrounding Lucinda’s death was intriguing, I didn’t feel connected to Lucinda herself, only as the victim of this horrible crime. It felt like more of a character study than a mystery or thriller. Quite slow at times, I found myself having trouble staying connected to the story. However, there was some really beautiful writing, including quotes that I want to remember forever. But it felt like there was quite a bit of extra writing, as well as a few extra characters, whose purpose I didn’t really understand.

All that being said, “Girl in Snow” was thought-provoking and interesting. I appreciated learning about the characters (some more than others). I especially enjoyed Jade’s chapters, learning about her life, her mother, and the experiences that helped define her. It was interesting seeing how her character developed over the course of the novel. I loved the addition of her screenplay. I had no idea who killed Lucinda, although I had my suspicions. So how everything played out was quite surprising.

All in all, I thought this was pretty good for a debut novel, though I wished there had been more focus on the plot and less on each individual character. The writing was still very good and I would absolutely read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* This book wasn't quite what I thought it would be and didn't really live up to my expectations. The novel is about the murder of a high schooler, Lucinda, but don't expect your typical mystery novel. The story is told from three different people's perspectives - fellow classmates of Lucinda's, Jade and Cameron and a police officer, Russ. I found the switching between perspectives a little confusing and it took awhile for me to work out how all of the pieces fit together. An interesting enough read, but didn't set my world on fire.

This book was....interesting. It took me a while to get through, and I'm honestly not sure if that was because I wasn't that into it, or if I was just distracted with life. In this book, high school student Lucinda is found dead on the local playground, and the search is on for her killer. The book is told from three different points of view - Cameron, the boy who was in love with Lucinda; Jade, a neighborhood girl who envied Lucinda; and Russ, one of the police officers investigating the case. I enjoyed the three perspectives, but overall I think I felt that their storylines were kind of stagnant. I was very curious to see who was the killer, though, which I think helped keep me engaged.