Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A book whose usefulness I did not understand, starting with the title. If it wanted to refer to the strength of the blood bond, it completely missed the point. It is to all intents and purposes a supermarket novel, and I insist on the word supermarket, for young adults, in which teenagers behave like fools, but that is their privilege, while adults generally behave like foolish teenagers. It does have one merit, however: it is short.

the beginning of the book grabbed my attention, each short chapter ended with a bang, it was a quick read, the ending was a bit disappointing, not nearly as strong as the rest of the book

I agree that the ending was abrupt and lacking. Definitely could have used more substantial ending. Otherwise, not a bad story. Very entertaining.

Zack Bernard has a thing for crime shows, especially the forensic-investigation kind. So when his friend Ella goes missing, Zack can't help piecing together what he thinks is concrete evidence that could lead to her whereabouts. The problem is, it's all pointing toward his dad. He knows his dad is lying about not having seen Ella because Zack saw them together at the mall the day she disappeared. What he doesn't know is why. With the help of his friend Ayo, Zack tries to solve the mystery himself to avoid having to make the terrible choice between losing someone close to him and betraying his family.

I really enjoyed the characters and the idea of the storyline but wish it ended a little differently. It was still an interesting read and I think people who enjoy a good mystery will like this one.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of #ThickerThanWater
Pub Date: 29 Jan 2019

I liked this book, but I think it was too short and that the ending really fell flat. There was such a great build-up in the characters and then the ending was rushed. I want to know what happens next.

I think the author could have shown what happened at the cabin. Was there a stand-off? Does Zack's father lose his job? I actually thought that his sighting of the family car meant that his mother had picked up Ella. There just seemed to be a lot of missed opportunities after such a great story. There were so many ways the story could go with Ella's home life and Zack's both in disarray...