Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC.

This was a darker novel than Sweet Valley High which I loved reading as a kid. Interesting read with some curious characters. The novel was a quick read, but might have a little too quick as I was left wanting to know more about the characters.

Even if it's well written I couldn't connect to the story and it fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Redemption that is the theme that plays out in this graphic,twist of a tale. Luke a guy who gets by on looks and tale tales finds his life through no fault of his own at the mercy of a band of kids. Luke a grifter looking out only for himself gets trapped in a storm pipe and is discovered by kids,who take orders from an oversized bully of a kid named Larry. As the trapped Luke tries to negotiate his way out the level of torment escalates. Lucy the youngest and yet the wisest of the group along with her brother Charley are two of the crew. It is Lucy who in the end sheds light on the real story of Luke’s ordeal and Charley who lives with his silence the rest of his life.

This one just didn’t come together for me. The characters, as other reviewers mentioned, were not likeable and the plot wasn’t as fully formed as I would like. Enjoyed the author’s previous work, but this one missed the mark.

A rip-roaring look at five days in the little town of Shoreline. Luke breezes into town like a hurricane, making as colossal an impact as one, in this speedily told snapshot of rights and wrongs and teenage morality.

3 stars

Spoiler free review:
I struggled in the beginning with this book. I really disliked every character and every decision they made. It was around a third of the way into the book when I realized I was SUPPOSED to not like every character. I was supposed to be appalled at how they handled these situations. Once that realization struck, I tore through the rest of the book in a few hours.

While it was a quick read, it wasn’t an easy one. The mental anguish Luke goes through while being stuck was tough to read. The kids were infuriating, but well written because they all felt real.

The finale was shocking but well done and felt like something that could really happen.

Overall, this was a good read if you’re looking for something that takes you for an emotional ride.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I will admit, I immediately requested this book because I saw Francine Pascal at the top, without even knowing what it would be about. I have loved the world of Sweet Valley for as long as I can remember. With that being said, this book is compared to The Lord of the Flies, a book I love, unfortunately I didn't see it that way. Although parts of it captured my interest, I found it hard to get into, and it took me awhile to finish, with that being said, I will still read anything Francine Pascal writes.