Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will state upfront that Kelley Armstrong is an auto read author for me. I am all caught up on her stand alone novels under this name or a pen name. (I kind of wish she didn't use pen names). It doesn't matter to me if its a YA or Adult novel or a thriller or paranormal book. I am invested. This book is a YA suspense about students at a private STEM school funded and ran by a company that employees most of the student's parents. Just from that, I sort of knew what kind of trouble could be afoot in this book. The story is told from Blythe's perspective and involves her best friend Gabrielle, Blythe's younger sister, and close friend (possible crush) Tucker and his sister Tanya along with a few others. One day at school Gabrielle is found covered in blood in the principal's office as he lies dead beside her. She is taken away and no one is sure what happens to her but nothing is on the news and the whole episode feels strange. As the friends begin to investigate what happened to Gabrielle more and more things come up that make no sense. Are their friends hiding big secrets? And what does the company have to do with it? I found this book to be engaging and fast paced. I figured out some of what was going on but there were still some decent surprising moments along the way. If you like YA thrillers or just like Kelley Armstrong, this book is definitely worth a read.

Blythe Warren has always been the steadfast, responsible member of her adolescent friend group. Her best friend Gabrielle Harris is constantly teasing her about being not only the grown-up of their circle, but also about the way she mothers her own younger sister Syd:

QUOTE
[“]First you get a”--she deepens her voice–”<i>serious book</i> for yourself.” She points to the neurology text in my hand. “Then I help you pick a book for Syd.”

She gestures to the YA romance I’m holding with the textbook. “You’ll give it to her after you read it, telling yourself you’re vetting it, which is nonsense. You’re like one of those parents who reads their teen’s book in a desperate attempt to reconnect.”

“Ouch.”

“Truth,” she says, and then slings her unencumbered arm over my shoulder. “Don’t worry. If you start listening to her music, too, I’ll hold an intervention. For my own sake as much as yours.”
END QUOTE

So when Gabrielle starts acting weird at school, Blythe is naturally concerned, despite her own personal drama. Blythe has recently started dating handsome Callum Kilpatrick, in a perhaps misguided effort to smother her lingering feelings for her other best friend, Tucker Martel. Blythe and Tucker have agreed to keep their distance from one another after a recent incident seriously alarmed their parents. Tucker’s younger sister, Tanya, is giving Blythe the cold shoulder in the wake of it all. Complicating matters is the recent return of Gabrielle’s former best friend Devon Sharpe, who went away to California for a few months and came back completely changed, wanting nothing to do with their circle yet seeming unable to completely stay away.

Gabrielle’s change of behavior starts with small things, like trouble sleeping and difficulty focusing in class. But when she starts muttering about cameras always watching, Blythe tries to intervene, to little avail. After Gabrielle attempts to disable the security cameras in their high school, she’s sent to the vice principal’s office, culminating in a horrific act of violence… that Blythe almost immediately forgets.

Gabrielle is taken away for treatment even as Blythe’s memories of that fateful afternoon slowly come back to her. Worried not only for her friend but also for herself, Blythe reluctantly calls on the Martel siblings for help in tracking down where Gabrielle was sent to. But when Syd is the accidental recipient of a desperate message from Gabrielle, and is subsequently the victim of violence herself, a frantic Blythe will stop at nothing to uncover the secrets of their small town in order to protect her friends and family from further harm.

Alternating with Blythe’s narrative chapters are other main characters’, including Syd and Tanya. Tanya is similarly protective of her older brother, especially in the face of their mom’s departure and their dad’s weird attitude to his only son:

QUOTE
Dad has always had that counterfeit laugh and booming voice. He’s the lab’s HR manager, but he also manages PR, and the stink of insincerity wafts off him like cheap cologne. But when he speaks to Tucker, there’s a strained tone that smells like fear. Like saying “Nice doggie” to a snarling rottweiler. Which makes no damned sense. Tucker might have his wild side, his dark side, but <i>he’s</i> not the one their dad should be afraid of.
END QUOTE

While Tucker has no viewpoint chapters, he’s the compelling heart of this Young Adult thriller, as his motives and actions are constantly obscured and revealed as the novel progresses. All of these teenagers, as we soon learn, have damaging secrets that are somehow linked to their parents’ jobs at a cutting edge research lab. But who would go so far as to kill, not to make sure that those secrets stay buried, but to make sure that they all come to light?

Kelley Armstrong does her usual terrific job in crafting an immersively strange, utterly plausible environment, this time with extraordinary teenagers as her focus. Her characters are wonderfully believable and diverse, with a progressive message underpinning the plot threads, particularly in Tanya’s relationship with her dad. Someone Is Always Watching feels like the beginning of a blockbuster series, one I would absolutely continue reading.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Overall, this is a really fun, twisty high-school thriller/mystery. Parts of it were a little predictable, but other stuff surprised me, and I found the writing overall very engaging - I was never bored, or thought the plot was moving too slowly, and there was a good balance of action and detective work.

My main problem is that some of it felt a little TOO easy, or too quick. Without getting into spoilers there's a moment where Blythe is trying to jog a memory, and it just kind of... happens. Some of the answers are just too easy to get. Same with sneaking around some of the labs. Just some more challenge, or not always knowing exactly what to do, would have been nice.

I would also warn that there are characters with anti-social personality disorder symptoms, and while they make a point that psychopaths are not real, and that signs of sociopathy/psychopathy are, I cannot speak to how these issues are handled and what research was done, or if it was accurate. I personally thought they were good characters, and not demonized by the narrative, but I'd like multiple opinions.

Teen fiction is often my go to, curl up in a comfy chair, getaway and read the day away choice.

Someone is Always Watching is Kelley Armstrong's new YA book. And my latest teen read.
Blythe is our protagonist in this book. She’s part of a tightknit friends circle, that all attend a small prep school.

All’s good with them - okay, mostly good. Blythe and Tucker are taking a bit of a break. There’s an event alluded to between them, but it’s not spelled out until much later. And then Gabriella has a bit of a meltdown. Ok, it’s much more than a bit. The group is seriously worried - what the heck is going on?

I really liked the characters in this book. They’re all intriguing and all are very different. The interactions between the friends are really well written. There’s a lot of caring amongst the group. That caring is shown in the respectful dialogue that they have, and their actions. But then again, they’re all teenagers so we do see the flipside of that as well. The adults in the book are hard to gauge - within them who is telling the truth?

And of course the teens are going to investigate, right? I was pretty sure I knew how the plot was going to play out but Armstrong plants lots of red herrings along the way to the final who and why that kept me guessing.

And being a teen novel, we’ve got to have a romantic thread, right!? There’s lots of yes, no, maybe so, but it’s done well.

I've been a bit obtuse, as I don't want to provide any spoilers Teen flicks are also on my watch list. So, if you've enjoyed Outer Banks and Riverdale and the like, you'll enjoy Someone is Always Watching.

I'm so glad Kelley Armstrong loves writing - because I really enjoy reading her books!

Someone is Always Watching is a thought-provoking novel that follows a group of teenage friends as they uncover the secrets their families (and each other) are keeping from them. It's a quick, exciting read that felt very original to me!

I enjoyed this story, though (as I often find) I was a bit confused when differentiating the characters to begin with. With the exception of Gabrielle, Blythe and Tucker, they all seemed to blend together in my mind. As soon as I got further into the novel, however, I saw each character as the different individual they were! And I hugely enjoyed seeing their unique reactions to learning about their parents' betrayal as well as enjoyed discovering their different back stories.

Themes explored include trauma, trust, friendship and love, as well as paranoia which is brilliantly alluded to in the book's title! The family dynamics, particularly the fact that the parents of the teens are involved in something top secret with each other, are interesting to read about and help make the parental characters complex as well as believable.

Some of my highlights include:
Gabrielle! I thought she was a brilliant character and I'd have loved to see more of her. Though, on the other hand, I do think she was in the book the absolute perfect amount; having so much of her personality be a concept and quite mysterious worked excellently.
Blythe, nicknamed Bliss, was a lovely protagonist (though seeing elements unfurl through everyone else's POVs added more layers to the story. Callum's chapters were particularly fun to read).
Sydney's storyline, both with her friend and with her sister. I'd have loved to see more of her, especially near the end of the novel, and really enjoyed her parts.
The front cover! It's eye-catching and intriguing and perfectly matches the plot.

Blythe Warren has always been the good girl. Some might even call her boring. But when one of Blythe’s closest friends begins acting strangely, she decides to investigate and ends up discovering more than she could have ever imagined.
I enjoyed this book and ended up finishing it in a little over a day. Kelley Armstrong always writes the most amazing characters, so even though I found the ending predictable, it didn’t take my interest away from the story. I would definitely recommend this book to readers who love thrillers with interesting and unique characters.

At first, I thought this young adult book was really really young. The main characters voice was almost too adolescent to read. But then, in Kelley Armstrong fashion, the book flew by and the mystery pulled me in! Something about her writing style just makes her books so easily consumable. The mystery was good & the premise inventive.

I am a fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work so I was eager to dive into her newest YA novel. I found this book to be fast-paced and entertaining. I was able to guess some of the twists but there were others that kept me guessing until the very end which was great since I am always looking for a book that can keep me guessing. I liked Blythe and the rest of the characters and thought that they dealt with an impossible situation very well. The story was probably completely unrealistic but fun to read.

Blythe’s friend Gabrielle has a couple of breakdowns at school which has everyone wondering what is really happening. I enjoyed watching the pieces slowly fall into place as we learn the events that lead up to this event. Blythe, Tucker, Tanya, and Gabrielle have always been friends but after an incident, there is some attention between Tucker and Blythe. I couldn’t wait to see how things would work out.

I would recommend this book to others. This book had me questioning what was real as I tried to piece everything together. I think that readers who enjoy psychological thrillers will enjoy this entertaining read.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Tundra Books.

I love a good thriller and I am familiar with this author so I really was excited to see this book. The description of the book seemed really fun too so I signed up to try it.
I had a really hard time buying the premise of this book. One of the characters, Tucker, is considered this really horrible influence on everyone, but it just doesn't make sense the way he is acting in the book. There are other really inconsistent narratives, and while I think the idea is supposed to be that the narrator is possibly unreliable it just seems to be a bit too much. I was able to hold out and finish the book, but I wouldn't really recommend it.

Someone is Always Watching is a young adult mystery/thriller featuring a tight knit group of friends where nightmares seem to be a common problem. Gabrielle seems to be having some sort of breakdown over the cameras in school and how someone is always watching. Gabrielle’s friends are worried enough that Blyth sneaks in after school to see what the vice principal is saying to Gabrielle in his office. One concussion later and Blythe doesn’t know what happened but she remembers seeing a lot of blood. Tucker is always treated with suspicion of being a really bad guy. A history of rule breaking and violence came to a head when an act of violence happened at a party and Blyth is supposed to keep her distance but Tucker and Tanya are her best friends. Trying to find Gabrielle and the truth leads the friends to dark revelations and uncovers lies that will change their lives forever. Twisted and a little dark, the story is at times shocking and chilling with enough realism to make it a probability in this world we live in. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

Kelley Armstrong wrote a definite engaging thriller. And it is one of those books that I like because I was back and forth for many parts of the novel--is this a thriller or is this a sci-fi thriller? Yes, it's one of those, and I'm not going to tell anyone which it is.

The characters are compelling, especially the supposed perfect girl and the obligatory bad boy. But is everything and everyone what they seem?

Do yourself a favor, pick up Some Is Always Watching by Kelley Armstrong. Young adult through adults. You will not be sorry!

Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Books for the e-ARC. I can assure everyone--my opinions are my own. BUY THE BOOK! 😁

Another great YA read! I love that there are YA books that are suitable for both kids and adults. I loved the mystery in this novel. I loved the characters and how they worked through things. There was depth and a well plotted story, which keeps the reader guessing and engaged. I also thought the pacing was great on this novel...a perfect binge read!

Along the line, I must have missed that this was a young adult. I guess I just saw the name Kelley Armstrong and thought it would follow along in the same vein as Rockton or the Rip Through Time Series.

I could not connect with Blythe or any of the characters. The angst and the plot seemed contrived with a touch of “haven’t we been here before”.

I am not going to give up on this author. I seek out her new books, but, in the future, I will check twice for YA offerings.

Blythe starts to experience memory loss around the same time her best friend seems to commit murder - and things quickly begin to unravel.

This book has a great atmosphere to it, and I was tense all the way through. The ending wasn't the most satisfying, but I was still kept guessing all throughout!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

Right from the get go this novel is shocking, in such a good way! And then, you as the reader, are even a little bit confused about what is going on here.... some of the stuff I was able to figure out, but I read a lot of crazy novels like this and it was totally worth the slow unfolding. The only thing that was a bit too slow for me was finding out what happened between Blythe and Tucker months before! That too WWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY to long to spill that tea! Otherwise, super cool book and I really enjoyed it. The only reason why I gave it 4 stars (more like 4.5) is that the final chapter just felt sort of meh to me. Like, okay I have nothing else to write about here so we are done! I guess I just wish there had been a little bit more. Otherwise, such a great, enjoyable novel!

Someone Is Always Watching follows high schooler Blythe, who witnesses her best friend murder the vice principal but then mysteriously suffers from short term memory loss. Blythe and her friends investigate what’s going on in their town - which is conveniently owned and controlled by the company that all their parents work for - to see what’s going on to them and their friend.

I really liked the premise for this book - it’s not going against a single person, but something bigger and scarier. I liked the idea of something messing with people’s memories and their minds. But I didn’t love how it was done.

I didn’t love all of the characters, some annoyed me. I also got annoyed by one of the major plot points got revealed (not mentioning due to spoilers) that just felt so convenient. Also, when I read on kindle the formatting was off which made it more difficult and annoying to follow.

Overall I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t my favorite.

"Someone is Always Watching" by Kelley Armstrong is a thrilling suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The story follows the lives of a family in a small town, who become the targets of a stalker who is watching their every move.

As the tension builds and the threats become more sinister, the family members are forced to confront their own secrets and past traumas. The novel delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love.

Armstrong's writing is expertly crafted, with well-drawn characters and a tightly woven plot that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The novel explores the dark side of human nature, and the ways in which our past can come back to haunt us.

Overall, "Someone is Always Watching" is a gripping and suspenseful read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers. Armstrong has created a masterful work of suspense, with a satisfying and unpredictable conclusion. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end.

4.5 stars - Blythe witnesses her friend have a mental breakdown and murder the principal, but the next day her memories are spotty, and everyone seems shifty. And really, who can you trust when you can’t even trust yourself?

This was such a fun read, and it gave me so much more thematically than I was expecting. I found the cast of characters to be interesting, and I got sucked into their world. Everyone had a backstory, and the cracks in the friend group made it all the more interesting. As the book progressed, it took some turns I didn’t see coming, and it really delved into the threads that make us who we are as people.

Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, Penguin Random House Canada/Tundra Books, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is out now, so go pick up a copy!

This one got to me, I'm not going to lie, it freaked me out and had me questioning every time I had that feeling of what might be a memory but not quite remembering.

Blythe, Gabrielle, Tucker, Tanya... they're all students at the same private school owned by the company where all of their parents work, sounds convenient right? Well for these kids there's so much more to it than that.

Part of a program they never signed up for they have to work together to figure out what happened to Gabby that made her snap, where she went, and how to keep it from happening all while trying to stay alive and out of jail.

Twisted and dark with a story that drew me in all while keeping me guessing this book quickly showed me why people kept telling me I need to read Kelly Armstrong.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada Tundra Books and NetGalley for providing an advance digital copy of this book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING by Kelley Armstrong is a contemporary, young adult, psychological, suspense thriller focusing on the small town of Darlington Hills and a research facility owned by CMT.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from first person perspective (Blythe Warren) and several third person omniscient perspectives SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING follows in the aftermath of the so-called suicide of the local high school principal but from the outset everything is spiralling out of control, memories are erased, and the truth is definitely stranger than fiction.

Our heroine, sixteen year old Blythe Warren, is worried that something has happened to her best friend Gabrielle, who prior to the apparent suicide of the high school principal was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Blythe had followed Gabrielle to the principal’s office but her memory of what happened or why is non-existent except for small flash-backs that do not make sense. As Blythe’s memory begins to reveal something more sinister at work, her group of well-connected and close knit friends begins to unravel a secret closely connected to the CMT Research Facility, where all of their parents work.

Blythe, along with her sisters, and friends all attend a private and prestigious STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school, sponsored by the local CMT Research Facility but all is not well within the student body when Blythe begins to receive messages from an unknown sender, and encoded emails reveal an long term experiment that went horribly wrong.

SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, murder and mystery, memories and madness, twists and turns where nothing is as it seems, and people are not whom they claim to be. Kelley Armstrong invites the reader into a psychological thriller, an intense story of mystery and suspense wherein it takes a group of sixteen year old high school students to break through the veil of power and control. The thought-provoking premise is dark, gritty tragic and dramatic; the characters are flawed, broken and easily manipulated.



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