I was fortunate to receive a Netgalley ARC of Don’t Say a Word by Amber Lynn Natusch in exchange for an honest review. Kylene Danners is back in a second installment of this FBI-based mystery/thriller series, this time simultaneously working to clear her father’s name (who had been arrested in the previous book) and help rookie FBI agent Cedric Dawson break up an underage prostitution ring in her hometown.

Natusch did a great job of creating a believable teen FBI protagonist in Kylene. There were some moments that felt a little heavy-handed, such as Ky’s comment that “My death would have been a welcome exchange for a state football championship in a town where the sport was practically a deity.” However, this was nicely balanced out by moments that seemed to capture a genuine high school experience, as when Ky reflects on how she is dealing with a breakup, suspects a less-than-friendly teacher, or deals with the social ramifications of being spotted at her “boyfriend’s” house overnight. I would have appreciated a little more rounding out of characters (Ky’s best friend, Tabby, is described as “the poor girl” a few too many times for my taste), but the suspense of the case, along with the romantic tension of the love triangle between Kylene, Dawson, and Ky’s ex-boyfriend, AJ, made this a page-turning read. Having not read the first book, I was also pleased by how easy it was to get to know the cast and feel decently at ease with the plot up to this point.

I am not generally a police thriller reader, so while this book wasn’t my exact cup of tea, I can’t deny enjoying the hijinks involved in the pursuit of justice, and I kept thinking of students who would probably gravitate toward the series, particularly a few of my reluctant readers. With hints of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum mixed with high school drama, Don’t Say a Word would be a good purchase for libraries looking to diversify their thriller section.

Natusch is a whiz with words and Don't Say a Word is a wonderful sequel. Being pulled into an FBI investigation as a teenager? That was basically my dream life and I love being able to read about it. Ky is a heroine that I'm happy to follow around and part of me wants to be like her. You do not want to miss out on this series.

This one starts off shortly after Dare You to Lie.  Kylene is recovering from the ending and has started back up at school.  She ends up pairing up with Agent Cedric Dawson despite their "complicated relationship" - in other words, they really don't like each other.  

Again, I get a Veronica Mars vibe that I absolutely love about Amber's writing, without it feeling like a direct copy.  I loved the flow of the storytelling - at no point did I feel like it was stalling or too slow.  We slowly learned different things about the prostitution ring or we had a complication in one of the relationships.  The story didn't feel predictable, and really there were a lot of suspects - some of them almost too easy.  At no point did I suspect who the leader of the prostitution ring was.  In fact, it was almost sad who the villain was in this one - or at least he wasn't the one I was rooting for (or even suspected).

As for relationships, Kylene is stuck between wanting to get back with her ex, AJ, and pretending to be interested in Cedric (who goes undercover and pretends to be her ex from).  I have to say, I'm not big on AJ - I definitely wasn't shipping that relationship.  There was nothing wrong with AJ as a character, but I'm hardcore on team Cedric!  Although I have to admit, I really don't like the name Cedric - makes me think of an 80-year-old white man lol.  Anywho... the tension between Cedric and Kylene is to die for!  I love their hate relationship and I'm rooting for the long-game where they get together in book 3 (for real!).

Overall, I enjoyed Don't Say a Word and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in Hometown Antihero.  Thank you again TBR and Beyond, Amber, and Tor Teen for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

And the Hometown Antihero series continues with Don’t Say a Word. I gotta say that it took a little bit of time for things to pick up, but there was a huge puzzle to solve around the prostitution ring. Dawson and Kylene make such a dynamic team and came to love their “partnership” instantly. Amber lovedddddd dangling these two in front of us, makes me curious to see what will come of these two. I’m an unapologetic romance reader, of course I’m going to want to more 😉

With everything that she endured in Dare You to Lie, she’s still dealing with the aftermath and it’s definitely taking a toll on her. And now that she’s pulled into getting to the bottom of something else, there wasn’t really a chance for her to really sit and just digress.

As I did in the previous book, I was still constantly frustrated with the people of Jasperville that talked her down. But Ky is such a strong-headed heroine that she’d never back down. As she would normally fly off the handle, she kind of held off sometimes especially when Dawson was around. He was such a great buffer to her tendencies and I just loved the constant support he gave her.

By the end, Dawson and Ky’s partnership is really solidified and you can start to see Dawson’s harsh exterior crumble a bit when it comes to Ky. These two are seriously so close to losing it and exposing that they do actually care for one another. As to what capacity it is, we won’t know yet for sure.

I stayed up late in the night finishing this book in one-sitting. I had some moments where I felt like I needed to look over my shoulder and double-check to see if my front door was locked. Probably wasn’t the best idea to be reading this in the middle of the night, but I couldn’t stop.

Amber took us on yet, another wild ride with some major mystery and suspense of who was behind all of this. And bringing us one step close to freeing her dad from prison. I NEED that day to come, soon. It’s killing me because I want nothing more to have her dad out of there.

A great edition to this series and I’m definitely looking forward to what Amber has in store for us! I hope Tor Teen keeps this series on because it's unbelievably epic and will different bring a different set of readers to this genre.

I was so happy to receive this ARC of Don’t Say A Word. Ever since finishing Dare You To Lie I had been looking forward to the sequel. This series quickly became a favorite in the YA mystery/thriller genre and I hope we get many more Kylene Danners books.

So we start almost immediately after the events of Dare You to Lie and get started on a new mystery right away. This new mystery is also connected to the bigger overall mystery of the series and our favorite fed, agent Dawson is in town to solve this case. Dawson goes undercover at Ky’s high school and pretends to be her ex-boyfriend.

The Danners-Dawson duo is AMAZING and one of the reason I loved this sequel so much. Amber knows how to write witty, sarcastic, badass characters and these two are setting off fireworks when they work together. They’re on opposite sides of Kylene’s dads case but we get see a partnership grow between them while they work on the missing girls case.

I thought the missing girls case was really intriguing and it all came together wonderfully. There are quite some suspects and I couldn’t figure out what was happening exactly. Amber makes you doubt everyone although I was pretty sure about who it wouldn’t be. And while I was mostly right, I was still surprised right up until that fateful moment. I also liked how it was connected to Ky’s dad and I can’t wait to see how all of that will turn out.

Like I said, this was one hell of a YA mystery/thriller and on of my new favorites. As a huge Veronica Mars fan, I’d highly suggest this to all my fellow marshmallows, but even if you’ve never even heard of VM, this might be a book for you. We get the suspense, the wonderful characters and just a hint of romance. And might I add, this is how you write a love triangle!!

The characters in this series are what makes this more than just a good mystery/thriller. I’m so invested in all of them and truly hope everyone makes it out alright. And to be honest, I’m not 100% sure about that haha.

Kylene is our Veronica Mars main character and I love her a lot. She one hell of a bad ass girl and super sarcastic. Even though basically the whole town has a not so great opinion of her, she keeps doing what she thinks is right. And if you ever have a problem, this is the girl you want in your corner. While she does Muay Thai and knows how to shoot a gun, she isn’t an unrealistic supergirl and definitely gets into trouble every now and then. She slowly learns that she can open up about her emotions and weaknesses to her friends, although she isn’t completely there yet. I’m expecting to see more of that in the next novel.

Tabby and Garrett are two of those wonderful friends and I really enjoy them. I feel like we didn’t see nearly enough of Garrett but whenever he popped up you could see the amazing friendship he and Kylene have. They truly love each other as friends and I’m so happy there is no romance there. Tabby is another great friend and I love her bubbly and optimistic personalty. She also a romantic and I hope my ship involving her sails by the end of the series 😉

We see a bit more of AJ in this one and he was a joy to read about. I really liked getting to know him better, he’s a pretty decent guy and he has a lot of history with Ky. Agent Dawson plays a big role this time around and I definitely feel different about him than I did in Dare You To Lie. The banter between Ky and Dawson is so much fun and brings a light-hearted tone in between the darker mystery parts.

Content Warning:
Murder, Prostitution, Human Trafficking, Violence,
Underage Sex (implied), Adult Relations with a Minor,
Bullying, Retaliation, PTSD, Revenge Porn

Diversity Rep:
None that I noticed. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, TBR and Beyond, and Tor Teen for this free copy.All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I know I’m totally late in posting this review, and I appreciate you all being patient with me! I will say that this is a sequel, so if you haven’t read the first one – like I didn’t – you may want to. A lot of what is being referenced in this one will make sense from the first one. But it was still easy enough to infer what happened. On to the review!

Characters:
Kylene Danners is still recovering from the events of what happened to her in the first book. Honestly, it was so much that I’m surprised that she’s even still remotely functioning properly. You can tell that she’s suffering from some PTSD, and rightly so if you know what happened to her. There seems to be more to this case than she thought – and while it’s not the main case of her father being wrongfully accused of murder – there are girls disappearing from the school and nobody is saying or doing anything about it. Except for her. The author mentioned that she was inspired by Veronica Mars for this book, and I think you can totally see that with Kylene’s character.

Cedric Dawson is a rookie FBI agent that somehow knows Kylene (remember, I didn’t read the first one) and is undercover at her school as her ex-boyfriend. I do think there was something going on between them, although I don’t think that’s entirely appropriate? He’s an adult and she’s still in high school after all. He’s a sarcastic asshole, but that seems to work out with Kylene because she can be the same.

The Plot:
Kylene is dealing with the fallout of the events of the first novel. You would think that her actually saving people from a drug dealer – even though he died in the process – would make people realize that she’s a good person but no. Because this same person was an all star football player for the school, they all hate her because they don’t see themselves winning the championships anymore.

Priorities, right?

So besides that, apparently there is a prostitution ring going on in the high school, and almost all of the girls that were involved in have mysteriously disappeared. Nobody is saying anything. Nobody is doing anything. It seems like nobody really cares. But Kylene does. And she’s going to figure out what’s going on. Who’s the person in charge and can she save any more girls from this cruel fate?

My Likes:
The friendship between Kylene and Tabby is great. I love that they are there for one another. I love that there’s no competition for no reason between them. They just support one another. I mean, Tabby’s dad may not allow her to hang out with Kylene outside of school because of what happened, but Tabby knows that her dad is wrong.

I also think that Kylene and Dawson actually work well together and I love their dynamic for the most part. I love working partnerships like this and they each play to their own strengths. Idk, I just really liked it.

My Dislikes:
Literally how almost every single male treats Kylene in this novel is atrocious but believable. I hate it so much honestly. It kind of reminds me of that Buffy episode where she defended herself from being sexually assaulted and the coach said that it’s her fault because of what she wears. The swim coach. I freaking hated that mentality but it’s so prevalent that I wouldn’t have been believable if Amber didn’t include it in there. It just made me so ANGRY.


OMG just thinking about that episode is making me angry.

Final Thoughts:
I personally haven’t watched Veronica Mars yet, but I totally can see how Veronica Mars fans would like this one. Kylene is an interesting character, and I do think that she is extremely smart. I’m curious to see if there are any other mysteries or cases that she will end up solving. I’m kind of surprised that she doesn’t want to be an attorney, but maybe that’s because she’d rather be a Special Agent. I think that would fit her better. Being out in the field rather than behind the desk doing research or in the courtroom.

My review is non-spoiler for both books but I have to say that if you like first book then you will love this second one. If you haven’t pick up the first one, then you need to go out and get it because if you are fan of Veronica Mars than this series is for you.

Don’t Say a Word pick up where Dare You To Lie left off, we find Kylene dealing with the aftermath of events that happen in the first book. She is still trying to find the evidence to free her dad from prison but Ky gets a phone call from girl who is really scared about missig girls and she doesn’t trust the police or FBI to help. The girl will only work with Ky which causes Ky to ask Dawson for help on trying to find out what happen to the girls and try to get the girl “Jane” out before something happens to her. The only way Dawson can help Kylene is by going undercover at her school as her ex-boyfriend from Columbus which doesn’t suit well with Ky’s other ex-boyfriend AJ.

Seeing all of the relationship developments between Dawson and Kylene was fun to read because they have certain kind of chemistry and sexual tension between them. Ky and Dawson make a really good team, even though they do a lot of bantering with each other they don’t lose focus on the case and how important it is to solve it.

I really love this series and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery, thrillers and Veronica Mars than this book is for you.

Don't Say A Word picks up right after the outcome from the first one and was just as good!

Ky might have solved some things that are happening in her town but still hasn't figured out how to get her father out of prison for a crime he didn't commit. She is finding out that more people in her town are in on things than she realized and when she gets a call from a girl about a sex ring she can't help but get involved.

Agent Dawson has enrolled in the High School as Ky's ex-boyfriend and she is struggling with the fact he is not really her boyfriend and her feelings that could still be there for her real ex-boyfriend. Dawson does his best to keep her out of harm's way and just wants her to be his cover but Ky doesn't seem to know the words STAY when things start happening.

She ends up into the thick of things and in a lot of trouble and I enjoyed every minute. They figured out who was behind the sex ring but still don't know who the AD is and Dawson and Ky want to find who it is for their own reason and will work together to try and figure who is behind everything. 

I really like Ky because she is so sassy and full of snark though sometimes she needs to think before she acts! I am not a fan of the love triangle the author is trying to create because I am #teamdawson all the way. I think because I feel like I know more about him than I do AJ. To me AJ is just the ex though don't get me wrong he seems like a nice guy. I love her friend Tabby she is so bubbly and the total opposite of Ky and cracks me up sometimes.

I really enjoyed this one and I can't wait to find out who what is going to happen next and who the AD is!!! I would highly recommend this one and the first book

ALN never ceases to amaze me with her ability to keep me stuck in the pages from start to finish.

This book MUST be read after Dare You to Lie as it starts off exactly where that book ended. Plus, there is an underlying plot that continues on through this series and while Natusch does a great job of rehashing that information quickly without too much backstory, it's still best read in order.

Kylene and Garrett are both recovering from their almost deadly demise as the hands of Donovan. Kylene can't escape the hatred her fellow classmates have for her, even if she was almost killed. If anything, they hate her even more for hurting their football team.

While Kylene is juggling the typical high school drama, she is trying to find who DA is and how he's behind all the secrets and coverups in her hometown. She's brought down the drug prescription ring but she's fallen upon a new problem - prostitution. With this new development, Agent Dawson isn't leaving town any time soon and now they really have to play the role of their lives to find any answers.

There is a lot going on in this story but ALN does a great job of blending and moving each piece smoothly into the overall plot line. Ky is a high school student and ALN reminds her readers of that with the typical high school banter amongst her peers. But she doesn't get too cheesy with everything and interjects the perfect amount of humor and whit into the story line. Natusch truly knows how to provide the right amount of suspense, with a hint of romance and humor mixed in.

ALN delivers the twists and turns into this story as the right moments and keeps readers on their toes. The list of culprits is pretty large and while I saw a few things happen before they did, I had not expected the big twists and turns in this story. I was excitedly surprised by certain scenes and loved how this story line panned out.

I am anxious to know that there is possibly more to this series with that ending and cannot wait to see what ALN brings us next.

As I'm typing this, I've actually read Don't Say a Word twice. I was really lucky to get the ARC in March and read it right away. For this tour I needed to read it again, so I could grab some of my favorite quotes. I'm happy I decided to reread this story again, because it's so good! Don't Say a Word was just as good, if not better the second time around!

The sequel basically starts where the Dare You to Lie ends. We're in the middle of the aftermath of the events that took place during homecoming night. I won't go into too much detail, because I will end up spoiling the first book. You really do need to read the first book before reading Don't Say a Word.

Kylene is still trying to solve her father's case when something else lands right in her lap. There are girls disappearing and let's just say not in the greatest circumstances. Dawson is back in town to solve the case and will be going undercover at Kylene's school. To help solve the case, they even pretend to date.

If you're looking for a book filled with sarcasm, suspense and a plot that leaves you on the edge of your seat, definitely pick up this series. Besides the cases the characters are working on, there are other things happening. It's clear that the town they're in is really messed up and we see day to day high school life. There is even an aspect of romance in this story, that leaves you wanting more. That being said, I love that the love story didn't take over the story. There is definitely some tension there, but the author never lost sight of what was really important.

I've noticed that when I read thrillers I love trying to figure out who is behind all the crimes going on. In Don't Say a Word, I was not able to figure out who it was. There were plenty of suspects, but the author really knew how to make me doubt the suspects. I definitely see that as a talent, if you're able to leave a reader guessing until the end.

Even though Don't Say a Word does have an ending, there are still plenty of loose ends that need to be addressed and I can't wait for the next book! If you love books with amazing characters, a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat, a town with a lot of issues and lots of sarcasm, definitely pick up this book!

**Disclaimer: I received a free eARC of Don't Say a Word by Amber Lynn Natusch from Macmillan/Tor-Forge through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to them for this opportunity.

Don't Say a Word by Amber Lynn Natusch is a YA mystery thriller set in a small town in Ohio.  It is due to publish on September 17th of this year.  It is the second book in the Hometown Antihero series.  I gave it three stars on Goodreads.



Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Kylene Danners’s ex-FBI agent father is in prison for murder and she’s hell-bent on getting him out. But trying to investigate in the small town where a defensive lineman is a hero no matter who he tries to kill and the girl who gets him locked up is public enemy number one is dangerous. Dark secrets are everywhere in Jasperville—the kind Ky can’t walk away from.

When rookie FBI agent Cedric Dawson returns to town to finish an open investigation, he goes undercover at her high school—as her ex. Determined to keep her from interfering, Dawson’s plan backfires after Ky gets an anonymous call about missing girls officially labeled as runaways—runaways that didn’t really run away at all.

Because dead girls can’t run.

And they don’t say a word.

The summary of this book as it was presented on NetGalley, sounded really interesting and that was why I requested it.  Unfortunately, it in no way indicated that it was a sequel to a book that already existed.  If it had, I probably wouldn't have requested it, but I didn't know that so I did.  Then I was granted permission to read it, and I realized, rather quickly, that this was a sequel.  Normally, if I accidentally picked up a sequel, I would set it aside and not read it.  However, because this was a NetGalley book, I felt obligated to read it.  So I have to acknowledge that part of my low rating was because it was a sequel and then even then it's probably higher than I would have given it because I didn't want to be too harsh simply because I hadn't read the first book.  And the author does try to give enough information about the first book without completely rehashing the story, so I was able to piece together some stuff about the previous story because of that.

So, aside from the fact that I hadn't read the first book, this was definitely interesting.  The protagonist wasn't my favourite but she was definitely an interesting character.  Her thoughts and struggles felt realistic for someone in her position, and watching her deal with the aftermath of the trauma was definitely a fascinating part of this book.  Her interactions with her friends felt realistic and I felt for her in the dynamics of the town where most people seemed to hate her for what she had done.

The mystery was interesting.  It was like a smaller mystery that fit into a greater one that also connects to what happened to her father.  This particular mystery dealt with an under-aged prostitution ring featuring lower class, desperate girls from the town, but overarching it related to a big bad.  I felt that the story wrapped up the smaller mystery well but was disappointed it didn't come to a conclusion with the bigger mystery.  Additionally, I was sold on the father in jail aspect and how Kylene wanted to free him.  However, this book didn't really deal with that all that much.  It was mentioned and some progress was made, but I felt like it was supposed to have a bigger focus in the story and it didn't really.

The romance in this story was interesting, but ultimately I could have done without it.  It felt like padding or fluff that wasn't really necessary.  However, I can see some readers being way more invested in it, probably those who had read the first book.  Personally, I was team AJ, but I really could have skipped over it and the book probably would have been the same.

I think that's all I really want to say about this book.  I don't want to say don't read it, but I want to clarify that if you're interested you should really read the first book before this one.  That being said, if you're interested in the story (and you've read the first book) make sure to check it out when it comes out on September 17th.

1 star.

*

Don’t Say a Word has a wonderful beginning, but things quickly go downhill as the story progresses. The novel has been (mistakenly?) marked as a possible standalone, yet there is some context missing if the reader jumps right into it without having read the previous installment—which happened to be my case. The fast pace and writing are pretty engaging, but the plot execution is a bit of a mess.

Amber Lynn Natusch creates an intricate mystery story here. There are a lot of players involved, and the perspective of a teenager trying to solve a crime is as fun as it is really messy. Kylene’s arrogance often reaches the point of stupidity and the lack of development regarding the investigation on her father doesn’t help matters.

I disliked this. The writing is pretty solid, but the plot development and execution is a mess. Disclaimer that when I requested this as an ARC, it was marked as a standalone. While you can follow along without having read the previous book, which is what I did, there are still pretty big chunks of story missing. Natusch does a good job at playing catch up, but quite a few significant plot points don’t translate from one book to another. And the main one regarding Kylene’s father, which seems to be brought over from the first book, gets almost no development throughout the entire novel.

Kylene is… so arrogant. I’m sure this perfectly describes a lot of teenagers out there, but having her as the only POV character here made things difficult for me. She thinks she’s smarter than everyone else and, during several occasions, she says so to other more competent characters. The fact that she’s presented as the only person capable of solving crimes while the Sheriff and the FBI Agent in the story aren’t capable of investigating things by themselves is… odd, to say the least.

And the love triangle! That involves said 23-year-old FBI Agent! And Kylene, the 17-year-old high school student, plus her also teenage ex-boyfriend. That is SUCH a weird choice to make ESPECIALLY when one of the plot points in the novel is about an adult committing statutory rape, and Kylene outright calls him a pedophile in her head—which also isn’t good as the girl who is raped is around 16-17 years old and this misrepresents the definition of pedophile and pedophilia and that can cause harm to real life victims of childhood sexual abuse.

So, yeah, Don’t Say a Word is really not the book for me. I’m sure lots of readers will have fun with it, as there is a lot of tension of the danger and romance kind with the mystery and the love triangle. I just really couldn’t connect to Kylene and the direction the plot took didn’t work for me.

As with most books in a series, I highly recommend you start with the first book: Dare You To Lie. Otherwise, like me, you may be a little lost at the beginning of this book.

Kylene and FBI agent Cedric Dawson are working together to unearth some secrets. Dawson, the FBI agent, goes undercover as Ky’s old boyfriend. He is focusing on discovering why girls are ending up dead at the high school and he needs Ky’s help.

Kylene is obsessed with finding out who framed her dad, an ex-FBI agent. Even though he warns her from prison to leave everything alone, she is in need of Dawson’s help.

The story moves at a good pace, but again, I highly recommend reading the first book in this series in order to get the most out of this book.

What Concerned Me:
News Flash: Read the first book in this series – Dare You to Lie -(Hometown Antihero, Book 1)

What I Liked Best:
The characters were interesting and the pace was consistent. Plus the various subplots helped to keep this story moving.

And for those who like a bit of romance, look for that too in this book that’s sure to capture teen readers' attention.

This is the 2nd in an edgy series starring Kylene Danner, whose ex-FBI agent father is in prison for murder. Ky's determined to prove his innocence and will do whatever it takes, no matter the risk ... and risks abound.

I love the antihero as the main character. It has you rooting for her, but questioning her decisions as well simply because of how her hometown views her. I love that it is not a fantasy story as I think there needs to be more realistic fiction!

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Tor Teen for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So I kind of stepped into this book not knowing it was a sequel. I wish I would have read book one first just so I could keep up with the back story. The author did a pretty good of explaining but just for myself I would have liked it.

This book had a lot to it. It kept you on your toes guessing who the killer was throughout the whole book and did a great job of casting suspicion on pretty much everyone you meet. It was pretty suspenseful which kept you reading for the who done it ending.

Ughhh... there is a love triangle. Normally, I may not mind it but I just don't think this book needed one. Especially, when there is kind of an age difference between her and one of the other characters. Kylene could be bothersome at times. She's a 17 year old teen girl who you forget is just a teen.

This book would be perfect for those who like mysteries and suspense.

I received this arc from netgalley and then realized that it was a sequel. So I read the first book before I read this one.
The story is gripping. It kept me reading until 2 am the first night. The author did a great job casting suspicion on the various suspects. I didn't trust anybody by the time the culprit of the particular crime they were trying to solve was revealed. I'll be honest. I still don't. Even the characters I really want to trust are seeming shady. I really enjoyed the story very much. And I wouldn't mind having a walk around Natusch's brain. I'd sure like to see what it looks like in there.
Now...the problems.
I have a love/hate relationship with Kylene. She's strong and determined and sassy and I admire that to a degree. But. And I'm sure this is not going to be popular, but here goes. Kylene is the kind of feminist that has destroyed and disgraced feminism. Her "boyfriend" attempts small, affectionate gestures and she threatens to kick him in the groin. He's trying to hold her hand, or nuzzle her cheek, and she goes nuts. And somehow it seems rational to not only touch his most personal body parts, but to inflict as much damage on them as possible? I dare anyone to explain how that makes sense to me. Strong women can be strong while maintaining their femininity, and without belittling anyone who happens to be male. It's disgusting.
Something else that I noticed about this author in both this book and it's prequel is that she has a tendency to use the same phrases a little too often. Across characters. Case in point..."sooner than later." Which sounds wrong to my central states ears in and of itself, but it definitely gets over used.
Lastly..the romance is pretty good. With one little problem. Yep. The dreaded love triangle. (Seriously, though. A hormonal teenager or a put together, bright, fierce, and intelligent man? Duh.)
All in all, I'd say this is a pretty good choice if you're looking for a mystery novel to keep you on your toes and get you deeply embroiled in small town drama and beyond.

I really liked the first book in this series, but it's been a struggle to invest myself in this one. I think part of the problem is that my brain didn't immediately remember everything that went down in book 1. A small flashback scene or recap might have been helpful to remind me what was going on (I mean, admittedly, I am not the young adult this book is geared toward. My brain could use a boost!).

On top of that, I felt like the pace of this one was very slow. I still appreciated Amber Lynn Natusch's writing and she most notably has a gift for the kind of engaging dialogue that I love: smart, witty, and sharp. In fact, it was the dialogue, and Kylene's personality (and the little bitty sparks that fly between her and Dawson) that kept me on the line for as long as I was. But in the end, it wasn't enough. I just wasn't able to get into it, so I'm calling a DNF at 35%.

It is entirely possible that this is just the wrong book at the wrong time. I may circle back to try again when my mood aligns better for a storyline like this. In any case, I do sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

First and foremost thank you for this opportunity!

This book started out with many tropes and things I disliked. So I decided to read first 100 pages and if I wasnt into it I would DNF it.

This book picked up so fast, there were very unique twists and turns. It did not end the way I thought it would, although some twists and turns were predictable it was still a top notch thriller.

I would recommend this book for beginners to the genre especially. It eases you into everything and isnt overly creepy.

Wow, I am happily blown away by Don't Say a Word. What a fast-paced whirlwind of a thriller. Admittedly, I did not realize at first that this was the second book in the Hometown Antihero series. However, this book was done in such a way that you can read it without reading the first book. Which is a huge plus for me. That being said, I will definitely be picking up the first book... and the next book in the series when it releases.

As a main character, Kylene was well written and I loved her sarcasm and wittiness. I genuinely looked forward to her role in this book. The supporting characters were great too! Each character was done well and easy to tell apart from each other. There were so many believable traits and quirks and a general sense of ease between them. Nothing felt forced or awkward. Which is surprising with the bit of love triangle that was hinted at. Not to mention the facade that Kylene had to keep throughout a majority of the story.

Now, the story line was killer. (Hah, that was a good unintentional pun!) It was fast-paced and easily kept the reader engaged. I felt like there were multiple story lines at play that intertwined beautifully. Needless to say, it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. There was just enough detail that the reader could easily paint a picture of what was going on. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.