This one got an ‘okay’ from me.

I think the issue here is in my expectations. I expected something extremely suspenseful and mysterious. I got a middling YA romance with messaging on family and strength.

I simply didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped.

Our main characters never really breathed for me. And our ‘mystery’ had a rather disappointing reason behind it all.

Unfortunately, not for me.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

What You Hide talked about familial issues and had lots of tension between characters that left my heart pounding. The problem was that I didn't feel too connected to the mystery at the library. Though there are enough scenes to leave you on the edge of your seat, the amount of scenes that tie into the creepiness going on at the library compared to the romance building between the characters and Mallory's family struggles leave the reader feeling a bit misled. Regardless, the characters are solid and it remains a good thriller. I honestly felt a bit mixed up after finishing the novel.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I love a good suspense and being a librarian, the library setting was attractive to me. It ended up being nothing I expected, in a good way. The struggles felt authentic, the plot realistic and intriguing, and the characters that you’d root for. And the description of library inner workings? Brilliant!

If there is anything I’d have liked differently in this book, it would probably be more in-depth character development and a bit more mystery/suspense. I wouldn’t necessarily sell this to the teens at my library as a thriller, but rather a book that explores serious social issues with a dash of mystery. Overall, can’t wait to buy this for the library and encourage my kiddos to read it :)

The story had me at parts but I have to say I was disappointed. I was expecting more. It just fell flat for me. Still a good effort.

Spencer was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, maybe adopted on a silver platter? Whichever analogy you prefer haha. His family live in Fairview, they're wealthy, happy and have the stereotypical perfect family dynamic. Spencer has the whole world in front of him for the taking, his opportunities are endless, he just has to reach out and take one, but he feels like something is missing. He doesn't WANT the whole world given to him on a platter, he wants something more, but he's not sure what it is. So one night while out for a run, he decides to scale the public library, because, you know, why not? He accidentally puts a hole in an expensive window, he gets off light though, community service to be served at the library he climbed.

Mallory is in one of the worst situations possible, she lives with her pregnant mother, and her creepy step-father, and she needs to get out. Her step-father, Charlie, keeps tabs on them, he goes through their phone records, he knows all of their friends, he stopped her mother from working, she's not allowed to eat processed meats or drink soda, she's under his thumb and Mallory can't take it anymore. He even works at her high school, so there's literally no getting away. She organised with a women's shelter for her an her mum to go there, but her mum backs out at the last minute, leaving Mallory no option but to leave on her own. Finding herself homeless, and with twenty dollars to her name, she takes refuge in the library in Fairview, because it's highly unlikely that Charlie will find her there. She stays after closing time, hiding in the toilets so she can have some shelter for the night, and pilfers crackers and cheese from the staff room just so she has something to eat.

It's the library that brings Spencer and Mallory together, two people from completely different worlds, one with everything and one with nothing. They form a tentative friendship which begins to blossom into something more, however, Mallory's secret hiding place is put under a spotlight when an unknown woman is found dead and again when strange messages start being left all over the place, on books, walls, doors, everywhere. With one simple phrase "Where is she?"
Can Spencer save Mallory from taking the blame? Can he save her from her crappy life? Can he save himself from a life that he doesn't want?

So I picked up this book under the impression that it was going to be a mystery with a dash of romance and a little coming of age, however, what I got was a coming of age story, with a romance, and a tiny dash of mystery. That's okay though, because the story itself was incredibly engaging, learning about Spencer and Mallory and seeing the contrasts between their lives was fantastic. The coming of age part was done incredibly well because we have the rich boy with everything anyone could ever dream of, who feels like something is missing in his life, he doesn't just want to become a carbon copy of his parents, he wants something more out of life. He loves to rock climb, he wants to help people, but his fear of disappointing the parents that he never asked for is too much. He loves them with everything that he is, and after meeting Mallory he comes to the reaslisation that it could have been so much different for him. All it took was a different person coming in to choose him, and he could've been in Mallory's shoes.

Mallory, I just want to hug her and give her some food. She's out on her own and she feels so trapped, she has no idea what to do because Charlie will find her. She can't even stay at the women's shelter by herself because that's not where teens stay, and Ruth the woman who Mallory spoke to on numerous occasions, could only offer to send her to a house for teens, which Mallory wasn't ready for. She's constantly worrying about her mother and unborn sister, terrified that Charlie will do something to hurt them because of her. She has the weight of the world on her shoulders and no one she can go to.

I love how this book didn't romanticise teenage homelessness, it showed the grittiness of it, this sixteen year old girl lived in the same clothes for days on end, she tried anything she could to stay in shelter, skipping between 24/7 businesses so she felt safe. She had virtually no money and couldn't afford to feed herself anything but granola bars she got from the dollar tree. She was accosted on the street by men who felt they were entitled, she felt terrified for herself, but didn't want to ask anyone for help. I feel like this really gave the reader a look into the reality of homelessness, the homeless are not charity cases, they just want to be able to help themselves.

The mystery was a very back seat part of this story, it was intriguing though, dirty footsteps being found around the library, the messages being left, and how was the assailant getting into locked rooms? It was done well, but was definitely not the forefront for this story, I love how it all tied up in the end. I did feel that the Charlie story-line was a bit rushed to tie up loose ends, but overall, I felt satisfied with the character's growth over the course of the book. It really was a true coming of age story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ghost library murders. I mean, do I really need to say anything else? Some of the best YA I've read all year and I can't wait until someone I know reads this too so we can gush about it together. This will be a perfect chilly December weekend read.

Mallory and Spencer are going through major life changes. Spencer doesn't want the rich life his parents have laid out for him. He got caught scaling the library's walls and now has to volunteer at the library for community service hours. Mallory ran away from home and spends nights hiding in the library. Her stepfather is verbally abusive and manipulating to her mom and after a failed escape attempt, Mallory decides to take charge of her own life and get out of their toxic apartment. Both Mallory and Spencer meet and a friendship and eventually relationship bloom.

The only complaint was the mystery since I was hoping for a paranormal twist. Other than that this was an entertaining read centered on two individuals who are trying to figure out their paths in life.

I really wanted to like this book, but the writing was so slow that I completed lost interest in all of it.

Its too bad because I really did like her previous book. Its a shame.

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! It was definitely a book that kept you thinking! I would definitely recommend this book to fellow readers. Thank you!

4.75/5 stars!

I really loved this book! It was definitely nothing like what I was expecting! As a reference, I prefer to read more fantasy/paranormal/magic types genres, so this was something that I don't reach for often in bookstores. I was really intrigued by the summary alone, as it felt that it was something different ut felt like it had potential to be great if executed properly. As you can probably tell, my expectations were blown out of the water! I've never read anything by Richards, but this was fantastic! SourecbooksFire has impressed me again!

I absolutely loved the dynamic between Mallory and Spencer, 2 people who are from completely different worlds but still face their own demons. Mallory is in an emotionally broken home, which a stepfather who wants nothing but to control every aspect of her and her mother's life. Mallory leaves after a confrontation with her stepdad after a failed escape attempt with her mother, and then said mother chooses to remain with Charlie, the stepdad. Mallory takes to the streets after not being able to continue living with her best friend and tries to somehow make a plan to survive and convince her mother to leave. She goes to the library frequently to find alternatives for school, pass her newfound time, and find out who exactly Charlie is.

Spencer is the adopted son in a rich family, goes to a private school, and practically has life made for him. One night he decides to climb the outside of the library in the middle of the night to ease his mind, except he accidentally breaks a $4k window in the process. He doesn't try to run from police, and his father writes a large enough check and settles for community service at the public library. Spencer frequents the library on weekends and after school, doing what regular volunteers at the library would do. One day though, he finds himself in front of a girl his age who is asking about information on alternative schools and who seems to be very tense. Little did he know this girl would soon open his mind and allow him to come to terms with everything he has always felt in his home, all while making him feel things he probably wouldn't have had he not been a worker for the library.

I thought this story was absolutely beautiful, combining the topics of abuse and self identification, and just a hint of romance as our two main characters begin to see that there's more to their stories than they each initially believed. I cried at one point in this book, and that's a feat in and of itself. I can't rememberthe last time I shed a single tear during a book as it's been years... This one actually made me gasp and shed some tears.

I did take off only a quarter of a star because I felt more could have been added to the ending. A few more chapters or even an epilogue would be great as I felt that this ending just left with so much more wanting to be desired. I wanted to know more about what happens after the scene with Charlie and the mom, I also wanted to know more about what happens after a certain phone call in the second to last chapter. I guess I just wanted there to be more! A few more chapters would be much appreciated as it feels that the story does end there.

I definitely recommend picking up this book! It was absolutely amazing in every way, shape, and form! If you want something completely different that the fantasy and magic genres that are flooding the YA genre, I defiitely recommend picking this up! You won't regret it, I swear!

I accepted and reviewed this ARC, which was recieved for free by the publisher through NetGalley, voluntarily. All opinions in this review are my own and are in no was biased.

When Mallory can no longer live with her controlling step-father, she makes plans to go with her mom to a safe house. At the last minute her pregnant mom changes her mind and Mallory leaves without her. Mallory navigates being homeless with friends helping her along the way. This is a well-written novel and I’m thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I love this book. I read the whole book in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down, It is an exceptional, well thought out story, very entertaining. It has believable, true to life characters and the writing has a pleasing flow. The author has a wonderful talent for establishing the relationships of all the characters. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Advanced reader copy provided by Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review

What You Hide really has an interesting premise and that's what got me to request for the book. However, upon reading it, I found it difficult to push through, which surprises me considering the fact that I tend to finish mystery novels within a few days. What You Hide was a special case. It is quite a slow-paced book and it isn't exactly that heavy with the mystery. It takes a while for you to figure out the answers, in my opinion. When I found out the plot twist, I felt that the book kind of fell flat and I was disappointed and underwhelmed. Perhaps it is because I found the book to be leaning a bit more towards the relationship between our two protagonists. The relationship in itself was something I couldn't easily like for I found it too sudden. Although I do like their friendship, I could not feel the blossoming romance in between them just as well.

In spite of that, I still liked the characters of the story, especially Mallory. Mallory's strength is something I look up to and respect. Spencer and his compassion gives me hope that there are still people out there who genuinely care for others. The book in itself really tackles the hardships of homelessness, abuse, and domestic violence and it is such an enlightening and eye-opening read on these experiences. Abuse and domestic violence can come in many forms and to have a book providing a voice for those who experienced such experiences and events can mean great things.

Note: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Natalie Richards' work, so I was pleasantly surprised when I was granted an ARC via Netgalley. I wasn't sure what to expect from What You Hide but was hoping for a little bit of romance mixed in with some mystery. Instead what I got was a little bit of romance mixed in with a coming of age story. The mystery in this was seriously lacking and not nearly as compelling as Richards' other works. When the "mystery" was finally revealed, it fell completely flat. It wasn't what I expected but not necessarily in a good way.

Additionally, the romance between Spencer and Mallory felt completely forced and had no substance. I couldn't even understand what the two saw in each other as they hardly interacted and then suddenly were super into one another. It felt like a lot of telling, rather than showing the romance build between the two. I didn't find it believable.

All in all if you're reading this expecting a mystery or thriller, I'd suggest reading one of Richards' older works.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I really liked this one, I really liked Mallory’s character and I loved how thoughtful Spencer was. This book explores problems that many people have in their lives and I’m so proud of Mallory for standing up for herself in the end. So glad I read this

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book
This book was just ok for me .
It read more like a romance than mystery or thriller.
It still was a good reaf

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of WHAT YOU HIDE by Natalie D. Richards in exchange for my honest review.***

5 LUMINOUS STARS

When Mallory’s mother won’t leave her controlling, emotionally abusing husband, the teen decides to leave without her. Spencer, a privileged boy doing community service at the library encounters Mallory, realizing she needs help. He hasn’t figured out she’s sleeping at the library, but knows that someone, or something is lurking in the walls of the old building. Charcoal footprints appear overnight, writing on the walls asking Where Are You, sounds of inconsolable sobs haunt the halls, and a dead, unidentifiable young woman. A ghost? Mallory? Another homeless person? Or something more sinister.

I’ve enjoyed Natalie Richards’ books since her debut 6 MONTHS LATER in 2013, but WHAT YOU HIDE blew me away. It’s by far her best book in terms of plot, writing, complex characters and social issues. Richards seamlessly weaves together different types of domestic violence, class/privilege, race, substance abuse, adoption, family, siblings, friendship, mystery and a little romance into a story I just couldn’t put down. Mallory and Spencer grabbed my heart. I rooted for them as individuals and as a couple. Romance wasn’t the center of the story but a byproduct of the friendship that developed between them. The ending was unique and imperfect, yet satisfying.

While Mallory’s chaotic and unsafe home life was tough, she was never a victim. Stronger than her mother she made a resourceful plan to escape which let me know she would eventually triumph. Independent, she wasn’t so stubborn not to know when she needed help. Richards avoided the trope of a helpless character keeping the secrets of her distress from everyone who wanted to assist.

WHAT YOU HIDE will appeal to a wide variety of readers who will be very satisfied with this gem.

Well, SOURCEBOOKS Fire. You surprised me.

This. Book. Kept. Me. On. The. Edge. Of. My. Seat. The. Entire. Time.

And I can't say it was only due to building suspense. It's usually hard to write a good romantic suspense because it's not that realistic to imagine yourself developing genuine feelings for someone new while you're in potential danger. Fear and love don't really sail in the same boat.

Well, in WHAT YOU HIDE they do, and rather safely. Thanks to helpful red flags and twists in the story their sail is rather entertaining.

Spencer and Mallory's slow-mo attraction was almost impossible to anticipate because...that's right...there was a dead body found in the town library. And who knows where that came from? Made me speed through the entire book in one night just to see where it would go.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the chance to read this copy in exchange for my honest review.

What an AMAZING story by Natalie D. Richards this is her best novel yet. My heart broke for Mallory and I flew through each chapter just dying to find out what happened next. This book ended to soon and I was hoping for a happier ending but it was definitely a GREAT read. I can't wait to read her next book

*4.5 stars*

A fast read that asks the question of what it means to be a hero and how heavy the world can weigh on a person before they reach the point of asking for help.

“What You Hide” begins at a crossroads for both Mallory and Spencer who find themselves questioning where they are in their lives and what the future may hold when they meet at the local library. After a few run ins and missed opportunities their new found friendship is confronted with mysterious happenings within the library walls and when a body is discovered they find themselves working to uncover just what they’re made of.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that at when you think a certain plot point is going to go in one direction it does a 180 and really forces the book to become something else and less cliché especially when dealing with these specific themes it could have easily gone off the rails into something we’ve seen a hundred times but with those few changes it really offered something fresh to the story.

I really loved the back and forth between our two leads as they have very different things happening in their lives and different upbringings to influence their perspective of the world but still manage to come together to offer that new insight into the others problems and that willingness to listen or to be a distraction made their entire journey so great to read.

The use of foreshadowing is done so well in this book with all of these subtle details that don’t really mean too much in the moment but on a larger scale provide perfect symbolism for Mallory’s story and what she was fighting for while trying to get her life on track for both herself and her growing family and just that little parallel speaks volumes and bookended this book perfectly and though it might not be as much as a thriller as one expects reading the synopsis it’s a very well done contemporary and that should be celebrated.

Also as a side note I have to thank this book for giving a fellow Ohioan a new restaurant to try!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**