This book was so fun! If you can call a book about teens getting murdered fun. So maybe fun isn’t the right word? Either way, it is engrossing and pulls you in right from the start. It reminds me of Pretty Little Liars (you know, in the beginning when it was still good, sorry!) or Riverdale. A teen drama centered around a mysterious murder with the teenagers trying to solve everything.

It was so suspenseful and kept me guessing the entire book. Every time our main character, Rufus, would bring up a new theory I was all on board until it was proven wrong again. This is not one of those books where you guess who did it right away and then spend the rest of the time waiting for the characters to catch up. The answer to the mystery evades you until the big reveal when everything finally falls into place.

Aside from the mystery, this book has an adorable romance. I just fell in love with the characters and would love another book dedicated entirely to them navigating life after the murder ordeal. Overall this is a fantastic, un-put-downable mystery that you should definitely add to your TBR!

Thank you so much to Feiwel Friends and NetGalley for sending me a copy for review!

Characters are too thinly drawn and without enough distinguishing characteristics to make them wholly interesting. I appreciated the representation and the diversity, but just having a black protagonist or a gay protagonist or what have you doesn't make up for giving them personalities and stories.

I'm always looking for good mysteries for my library, and I'm always looking for stories that feature LGBTQ+ characters...so I was excited when this one had both.

Like Roehrig's [book:Last Seen Leaving|25036310], [book:White Rabbit|34499210] is more than just a mystery. Unfortunately, the pieces of this story just didn't feel like they fit together. It felt like the author had a really good idea for a mystery and a really good idea for an LGBTQ+ romance and decided to just smush them together. There's a lot of relationship flashbacks and enormous 180's in the romantic story line (though I did enjoy some of the drama there), and the mystery story line isn't particularity exciting--characters keep dying and there are few twists and turns...Rufus and Sebastian just keep driving around and talking to the same people over and over, who reveal tiny bits of information each time. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two boys, and I wish there was more Lucy--she is definitely a character who didn't get near enough page time. Just kind of underwhelming overall.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of WHITE RABBIT in exchange for my honest review.***

4.5 STARS

When Rufus’s half-sister April calls for his help, he doesn’t expect his ex Sebastian to offer a ride. Rufus REALLY doesn’t expect to find April passed out with a knife in her hand, next to her dead boyfriend. She swears she’s innocent and needs Rufus’s help to find the real killer. What could possibly go wrong?

WHITE RABBIT by Caleb Roehrig delightfully grabbed me from page one with Rufus’s sardonic voice, a plot that left me guessing and imperfect main characters I couldn’t help but embrace. Diversity fit seamlessly into the characters without being part of the storyline including race and mental illness. My only criticism is the minor characters, especially the bad guys, were a bit one-dimensional, so much so I couldn’t empathize with the killer(s)’ motives. April and Rufus’s dastardly father was particularly loathsome and cruel.

Roehrig’s writing never quit and the fast pace didn’t allow me to breathe. I highly recommend WHITE RABBIT to mystery and thriller lovers.

I've enjoyed both of Caleb Roehrig's books, and I'll purchase this one for my classroom library when it's released. I love that he features diverse characters and LGBTQIA+ characters without the plotline being centered on coming out - his characters are who they are, and it's not the sole defining factor of who they are (which is a request many of my LGBTQIA+ students are looking for in the books they read). The mystery in this one was strong, and although it was a little rushed (it had to be, with the entire book taking place in the span of 12 hours) but well-plotted out.

4.5 stars

TW: sexual assault, rape, homophobia, descriptions of violence, murder, drug use. 

White Rabbit is going to be the YA thriller of 2018. I'm calling it now. This murder mystery kept me on the very edge of my seat the entire time I read the book, and even up until the very end, I still had no idea who the killer was or how the book would conclude. A thriller in every sense of the word.

I'm not exaggerating when I say you won't see any part of White Rabbit coming. Just when you think you've figured out who the killer is, your theory is ripped apart and you have to sit there trying to figure out a new one all over again. 

White Rabbit is just so clever: the plot takes place over the course of one night, but nothing ever feels rushed. The protagonist, Rufus, is dragged from one dangerous situation to another as he investigates the murder of rich kid, and the prime suspect being his half-sister. Meanwhile, he's struggling with the fact that he and his mother may lose their home, while also spending the entire night with his ex-boyfriend who dumped him in a cruel way. We also get little flashbacks to the beginning of Rufus and Sebastian's relationship, which was one of the highlights of the books for me. There's a lot of going on plot-wise, but each issue is given enough page time, and nothing ever feels like too much.

I absolutely adored the characters, particularly the MC, Rufus. Rufus has so much on his plate, from worrying about his mother, to his horrible father intent on ruining them, to the bullying he deals with because he's gay, to his violent episodes.  He takes so much on his plate, and you can't help but feel for him, especially as the night progresses. His ex-boyfriend, Sebastian, was another character I loved, and trust me when I say you will ship these two like crazy. Sebastian is deeply closeted, and still struggles with what to label himself. The rest of the characters - all of whom are suspects -  are both loveable and hateful and (probably) guilty, but you can't help but like them. Well, at least I did. But my favourite character was Lucy, Rufus best friend, because she's supportive, loving, fun and incredibly positive.          

As the novel focuses on a murder mystery, the book still discusses some really important topics, including coming to terms with one's sexuality, understanding that it's ok if you don't have a label for yourself yet, thinking that bullying is just fun and games until you find yourself the victim, and what it's like being poor surrounded by rich teenagers. Roehrig talks about these issues in a frank, in-your-face manner - it's uncomfortable, but that's the point. Despite the fact that the book is about a murder, it also teaches some valuable lessons about bullying and privileged rich white kids.   

White Rabbit is such a compelling, unputdownable mystery novel. Everything about this novel, from the characters, to the story, to the writing, was remarkable. I highly recommend this intriguing book. You really won't know what hits you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go buy Caleb Roehrig's other mystery, Last Seen Leaving.

This was a did not finish for me. I had trouble getting into the story and it just didn't hold my interest like other books that share similar story lines. I'm sure this book has an audience, and I will gladly recommend it to students who are interested in murder mysteries.

I wasn't a fan of the dense prose and I had a hard time warming up to the characters, but the strength of the mystery kept me reading to the end. It's remarkable to see a teen murder-mystery-thriller with a gay couple at the center and I think having more genres that incorporate LGBT characters is important. Any fan of Pretty Little Liars and stories of that kind will eat this up.

3 1/2 stars

White Rabbit begins with our protagonist, Rufus, in the middle of an awkward conversation with his ex-boyfriend, Sebastian. After he gets a call from his estranged father's daughter (technically, his half sister), he is embroiled in a whodunnit, running around town, trying to figure out who set up his half sister for murder.

This book fits the YA thriller: a little bit of romance, suspense, creepy characters.. It all felt a bit rushed (it takes place in one night), and parts were also a little contrived. The repetitive "ex-boyfriend" and "sister" stuff was a little annoying, but overall, I would recommend this to my students. I was very excited to keep on reading to find out who the killer was. I didn't care so much about the Sebastian-Rufus stuff, but I enjoyed the mystery.

I knew I wasn't going to like this one from the very first page. Something about the author's writing just seems forced and inauthentic.

3.5 Stars
This is definitely a page-turner, one that will not only have you guessing until the very end, but also constantly pointing fingers thinking, “You did it! No you did it! Ahhh!! Who did it?!?!” Caleb Roehrig definitely has a talent for the mystery/thriller and while it may be hard to believe that all of this happens over the course of one night, I think that’s what ultimately makes it all the more thrilling (seriously, everything happens so fast). Throw in the complexities of teenage relationships, both romantic and familial, and you have a winner.

The book was okay. It wasn't the most well written but it also wasn't bad. But I thought the characters were just unlikable with maybe the exception of Rufus best friend Lucy. She was fine. Also the whole plot was a little all over the place? But it was an okay read. I saw it through to the end.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. A coming out, coming of age story, mixed with extreme family drama, and a lot of murder. Are parents really this absent in so many families?! It was a fast-paced page turner that I'm sure will be interesting to some teens but was filled with a lot of stereotypes and typical reactions.

Fun novel! I liked how it took place all in one night, even though that sort of hindered real development for the main character, Rufus. But Roehrig made WHITE RABBIT a suspenseful, engaging whodunnit book and it had a GREAT, authentic voice at its heart!

Rufus just wants one day of semi-fun, something he hasn’t had since his ex-boyfriend, Sebastian, wrecked his heart. But then, Rufus gets a call from his sister, April, saying she needs help, right at the time Sebastian finds him and asks to talk. Sebastian and Rufus rush to find April, but when they do, they get a shock: April is covered in blood with a knife in her hand and the body of her boyfriend, Fox, dead beside her. April promises them she didn’t do it and doesn’t know what happened. They strike a bargain to clear her name, and suddenly, Rufus is back in the company of his ex with a murder to solve…and all he wanted was a nice party on the Fourth of July.

WHITE RABBIT is already one of my top 2018 reads. The pace enters a break neck speed from the first page and doesn’t stop until the end. The whole story takes place in only a number of hours or a couple of days, and each second is used masterfully. The mystery plot has a fantastic build, and though I eventually suspected the right person, there were still plenty of twists and turns that left me gasping in surprise.

As well done as the mystery is, the personal relationships might even top that as my favorite part of the novel. Rufus and Sebastian’s relationship is filled with great romantic tension, and Rufus is immediately relatable in the beginning of the novel as a character who is struggling to get over a break up and just wants some peace and quiet. I also love the dynamic between Rufus and his family. He and his mom are close, which partially motivates him to help April out, as she offers much needed money for him in exchange. Moreover, April is a strong secondary character, equally frustrating and surprisingly kind at different moments.

Caleb Roehrig’s latest continues to support his status as a must-read author. WHITE RABBIT is a thrilling mystery with breathless pacing, swoony romance, and an incredible adventure.

2.5 stars.

This was my second most anticipated release of next year (first being THE APOCALYPSE OF ELENA MENDOZA, which I've already read), but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.

One word I have for this book is rushed . This whole book takes place in the span of less than 12 hours, so I found a hard time connecting with the story, or any of the characters for that matter, so therefore, I just didn't care about any of the deaths or the ending.

But what I did like was the diversity. This book features a gay male in a thriller who is also dating a black man, who is potentially, bisexual.

All in all, I wouldn't not recommend this one, I just think that my hopes for it were too high.

I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to students who are looking for a thriller or a crime novel. It will definitely keep their interests.

White Rabbit is another fast-paced, action-packed thriller from the author of Last Seen Leaving. Caleb Roehrig delivers up another satisfying mystery with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing chapter after chapter.
While readers may be attracted to Roehrig's novels for the adrenaline rush, they're likely to stay after becoming invested in his characters. In White Rabbit, the author gives us the type of diverse cast that today's YA readers are looking for in their fiction. The main character Rufus is a great example. He's a complex teen with a lot on his plate. He struggles will anger-management issues, he's recovering from being dumped by his boyfriend, he's dealing with his family's financial struggles, but none of these problems drive the narrative. Coming to his half-sister's aid in the middle of the worst night of her life does drive it. And what a wild ride it is!

I basically devoured this book. Once I picked it up, putting it down was excruciating. WHITE RABBIT hooks you in from the very beginning and you're racing to figure out who didn't do it, just like Rufus and co. This isn't just an action-heavy book, though; it has some really nice character moments and I really did fall in love with Rufus and his ex boyfriend Sebastian. I can't say I loved the other characters, but I did enjoy finding out about all their terrible misdeeds and trying to figure out who was lying and why. I greatly enjoyed Roehrig's debut, LAST SEEN LEAVING, but WHITE RABBIT definitely topped it as my favorite of his works. I highly encourage you to check it out when it becomes available next year, particularly if you enjoy mysteries (although the character interactions are great, so even if mysteries aren't your thing, I still highly recommend you check it out). I can't wait to see what Roehrig writes next.

Wow! What a great book this one was, it's not often you get a book that so skilfully combines LGBT themes with a chilling murder mystery, this story delivers on what it promises and is very nicely written.I enjoyed it a lot.