This format was really engaging! I was a little nervous when I read it was written in an interview format but I felt like it helped make the story flow faster and I still was able to envision the story as it unfolded. It was a bit predictable in terms of the events and outcome but it was still an entertaining read.

This was an interesting read! It was narrated by 4 teens that go into the woods for a camping trip and leave with their friend (the fifth member on their trip) murdered. It kept me guessing until the very end! The only thing I didn’t like… there was a lot of talk about Bigfoot, which I found very bizarre.

I’m going to start this review off by saying that I think my age is really going to affect the rating I give it.

I’ll start with what I really liked about this book. I LOVED the format. Not only is this story told from the viewpoint of 4 friends of a girl who went missing the night before, it’s also told from their perspective of being questioned by the police investigating her disappearance. Each chapter starts off the question from the police and then it’s each friend’s viewpoint of their answer to the question. The way this weaves the story together is really interesting, especially as you begin to see how everyone remembers their truth slightly different because of their perspectives at the time. It kept me engaged the entire time, and I was pretty hooked from the start.

The only reason I’m not giving this a higher rating is because the characters come across as *very* juvenile. However, I realize that this is a YA book. I think I’ve just been on such a stretch of YA books that don’t really feel like YA that it made it a little bit difficult to connect to the characters. Regardless of that fact, I still think this is a book worth checking out even if you’re older.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

Five teens go camping in the woods. Only four return and are under investigation.

TELL ME WHAT REALLY HAPPENED by Chelsea Sedoti was fast-paced and benefited greatly from the way it was written - first-person interview accounts of the night in question.

Each chapter was headed with an interrogation question and what followed was four different points of view on what really happened. I COULD NOT PUT THIS ONE DOWN and the chapters seemed to fly by!

Each of the characters and POVs was very unique and made it easy to keep their stories straight, and the whole setting of a camping trip gone wrong was devourable.

How everything wraps up is where it falls one star short, but the journey was a wild one nonetheless!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: April 04, 2023

3.5 stars

The story follows eye witness recounting of the night when one of the group goes missing. 5 teenagers decide to go for an overnight camping trip to a secluded area in the forest. Two siblings, Petra and Nolan, Petra’s best friend Maylee, Maylee’s boyfriend John and her other friend Abigail take a last minute trip to go camping and the night ends up with chaos and sadness when Maylee goes missing.

The story is told from the POV of a police interrogation of the remaining 4 characters. The story is intriguing in how it shows just how flawed eye witnesses can be and how their own personal beliefs can taint what they are experiencing.

The story kept you turning pages, but ultimately was a let down at the conclusion for me. I was hoping for something more than what I got. A nice read but wouldn’t read it again.

In theory, I would have loved this one. Unlikable teenagers being secretive? YES PLEASE!

Sasquatch lore interspersed...eh, but could be interesting.

So there are stories about the woods and Salvation Creek and over the years many people have gone missing. When/if they've been found, the surrounding circumstances were very strange. Of course, this group of five teens are going into these woods for a random camping trip planned by their lead bully/BFF, Maylee. When only four of the group come home, each has a wildly different story explaining their trip and what they knew about Maylee's movements.

The way the story is told is something I like, alternating points of view from the four, but the characters themselves just don't all work. Petra, Maylee's best friend, is the prime example. She was such a charicature, it was absurd. And no way, given her father's position on the police force, would she have offered up all the information that she did because some of it made her look insanely guilty - and for someone who repeatedly presents herself as such an expert on police procedures, surely she would have known talking like all of this would not look good for her, or any of them. She was completely obnoxious and ridiculous. Petra rambled more than anyone and it was just so unlikely.

The whole Sasquatch angle was so riduculous because of how much it seemed like it was going ot be important ot the story and it fell just as flat as everything else. Petra's half/step-brother (can't remember which) Nolan is obsessed with Sasquatch and guess what? He ends up being the one who kills Maylee, because he THOUGHT SHE WAS A FUCKING SASQUATCH THAT WAS EATING MAYLEE.

The story alternates among various points of view and we are to believe that the four surviving teens (Nolan, Petra, John {Maylee's boyfriend}, and Abigail [Maylee's former friend]) would just freely talk and ramble and go on and on, knowing they are suspects in Maylee's disappearance. Except John. He does the smart thing and does not answer many questions. Of course, this makes him look guilty. He's not.

So here's what really happened when Maylee disappeared - she invited her ex-friend Abigail to help her stage her disappearance because she wants to be an influencer and wouldn't it be such a huge draw to be the girl survived a few days alone in the woods and eventually returns to civilization? As stupid as that sounds to a normal functioning human being, we also have to accept that this is part of our culture today. No matter HOW absurd it seems.

In the course of the teens all being interogated, Maylee's body is found, the story all comes out, and I was left dumbfounded, asking myself why I wasted time and what just happened.

The concept was intriguing. I love unreliable narrators and multi-character viewpoints. Those are sure-fire ways to catch my attention.

But Petra and the Sasquatch nonsense ruined what could have been a really good book.

I tried so desperately to get into this book, unfortunately it fell so short for me. I wasn't a fan of the format it was in. I would have liked the questions of the interviewer instead of "pause".
I picked up quickly what Maylee was doing and why early on, and that she had help. It wasn't surprising just from the characteristics of Maylee.
It honestly appalled me on how she used Nolan and well everyone especially him though. I wasn't a fan of Petra either, she was such an unlikable character that it really took away from the story as well. Abigail just wanted a friend and Maylee used that against her. John he was just clueless really. Then the influencer angle, although not surprising because that is our world these days but just the length someone would go through to obtain it. It's unfortunate that this is what kids strive for now. I did like that angle up until the end.
I struggled from the beginning until the end. It was just disappointing in all.

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti is a super fun YA mystery. I loved how the entire book is told through first person police interviews. As the interviews continue, you get to know each character through their words and the perspectives of the others. It was eye-opening to find out the truth of what happened and see how all their stories converged. These teenagers came across as realistic, aggravating and compelling. If you enjoyed Jennifer Lynn Barnes or Maureen Johnson, this book is going to be for you.

Eh? YA thrillers are typically my favorite, but I just wasn't very impressed with the story. I liked how the story was told through the police interviews of each character, but don't feel like I got to know the characters as much as I would have if it were more of a narrative storyline that went between their different points of view. We only got to hear what they admitted to & were saying out loud to the police, not their internal thoughts.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had a lot of potential but ended up falling short for me. I really liked the interrogation premise and different personalities of the kids. The use of inherent bias and micro aggressions was subtly placed in a way that if you weren't paying attention, you'd miss it, and a good representation of how they weave there way into life. And the author wrote the teenagers really well; I absolutely imagined them answering this questions in this manner and could visualize their personalities. ⁠
Where this one fell short was in two ways. One was the repetitiveness of the interrogation. I hoped that there would be more mismatched stories and tension that built up the story. And in the end it made sense why it was repetitive because the ending was incredibly anti-climactic, why was my second issue. I don't want to say too much and give anything away, but it was that feeling that you read 400 pages and it just...ended with no 'wow' or 'that's sneaky' or literally any of the feelings you expect when you read a thriller.

DNF @ 25% - the format of this style is just not for me. I appreciate how the author is using a younger tone for a younger audience, but that doesn’t always work when the teenagers are going through adult situations. additionally, the numerous characters are really two dimensional and hard to keep apart from one another. I would recommend this to a middle grade-early YA readers, but that’s about it. thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Sedoti does an excellent job of weaving together a tricky plot and keeping the suspense high throughout the entire story. I also appreciated the way she developed the characters - each one felt unique and fully fleshed-out, with their own motivations and flaws. My only criticism of this book is that some of the twists and turns felt a bit predictable. However, I found the themes of memory, truth, and identity also added a deeper layer to the narrative that I really enjoyed.

Tell Me What Really Happened is a fantastic read for anyone who loves a good YA mystery or thriller., It's definitely worth picking up if you're looking for a fast-paced, thought-provoking book perfect for the YA lover in your life.

It was so easy to fly through this one. Every chapter, you get closer and closer to the answer, but also with more questions than you had before. It was a very fun guessing game. Written in interview style, four teenagers on a camping trip are being interviewed by the police after they come back claiming their friend is missing. Each one has a unique relationship with the missing Maylee and each one has something (or a few things) to hide. Of the four POVs, John and Abigail were my favorites. Petra, a cop’s daughter, was sooooooo snarky and for the most part, it was funny, but it got to be a little much at times. Nolan, the conspiracy theorist, was absolutely bizarre, which was frustrating on occasion, but he was a really unique character. It did feel a little repetitive at times since you have four characters going over the same parts one after the other, but I thought each POV was different enough to really show their own perspective. The ending was not one I saw coming, but I was hoping for something a little more jaw dropping. It certainly wasn’t a bad ending by any means. Overall, this was a quick, intriguing read that I think fans of YA mysteries and unreliable narrators will get a kick out of!
TW: teenage drinking, mentions of car accidents, racism, gun violence, bullying, death

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

What happened to Maylee out there in the woods?

I loved the format of this book. Each chapter tells you the question the police are asking, and then the responses given by each of the teens who was in the woods with her. As you piece the story together, you discover that the story is really simple. However, the fun is in figuring it out because everyone has different perceptions of what was going on. There are some attempts at addressing diversity and police treatment told through the viewpoint of a Black character, but it felt superficial to me. I struggled with finding Maylee sympathetic and as the book went on, the back and forth of it all started to drag. Overall, I was disappointed by the time I got to the end.

Still, if you Iiked books like A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, you may enjoy this one.


A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I received an ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The first thing I can say is this book is unique! I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers, but I have never read one in this format. Written in the form of interviews with the main characters, the pace is fast and exciting. Personally I loved the repeated details from each person as you can see exactly how differently people can interpret the same situation.I did not find it unnecessarily repetitive but just the opposite. These characters made me think of the cast of The Breakfast Club camping instead of in detention. We have the popular girl, the social outcast, the overachiever, etc. Although this is actually a YA novel, I think it offers great insight and nuance into issues facing most people these days - social media, exploring sexual orientation, cliques, cancel culture. The exact occurrence that solved the mystery, so to speak, was a little anticlimactic, but the circumstances surrounding it were anything but. I would have liked the book to continue further into the characters' reactions after they all learn "what really happened." Sequel, perhaps?

Having enjoyed Chelsea Sedoti’s other books and also having taught As You Wish in my novel studies high school class, I was excited to read her next book, Tell Me What Really Happened. Right from the start this book did not disappoint. The structure immediately grabs the reader’s attention as it is told from the unique perspective of law enforcement interrogation interviews of a group of teens who went on a camping trip that led to the disappearance in the woods of one of their friends.
One of the highlights of the novel is the meticulous development of the different characters as the teens slowly reveal more of their hidden personalities and agendas throughout the interrogation process. . When it is revealed that not all characters went on the camping trip for the reasons readers were first led to believe, some great plot twists developed and compelled me to fly through the chapters.
The abrupt ending is the only thing making this a four star rather than five star book. It felt rushed after such careful build up. While the ending made sense and certainly contained some surprises, there was more that could have been done to provide closure to the issues demonstrated in each character’s personality and the way they each related to what “really happened.”
Overall, this was a fast paced read that kept me wanting more until the end.

BOOK: Tell Me What Really Happened
AUTHOR: @chelseasedoti
RATING: 2/5 stars
GENRE: Fiction/Thriller/Suspense
PUBLISHER: @sourcebooksfire
PUB DATE: 4/4/23
THANK YOU @netgalley and @sourcebooksfire for gifting me an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of this book in exchange for my honest review.
HOWEVER, I’m RAGING right now…..Can someone tell me what happened? That’s what I want to know.
SYNOPSIS: “I started thinking I should have just stayed home and read all weekend. Though, I’d just finished a book I really loved, and you know how sometimes you don’t want to start a new book because you’re still stuck in the world of the last one? No? Never? Gosh, you’re missing out.”
^^This story is told from an 8-person point of view that gives a nice feel in understanding the entire tale.
WHO. DONE. IT?!!! Four teenagers plan a last-minute camping trip to Salvation Creek, hours away from home...all on their own. Maylee, Abigail, Petra, John and Nolan decide to spend a weekend, camping in nature, completely away from civilization and cell phone service. Maylee disappears…then she winds up dead.
REVIEW: This thriller is told in an 8-character interview style. I never expected to be one to like this style, but discovered with Daisy Jones & the Six and this book that I absolutely LOVE IT. For me, you get to know the character’s behaviors and personalities very well this way.
Maylee has gone missing and each of her other 4 teen friends in the group are being interrogated by police following their short camping trip. Their relationships interweave and you discover how close (or unclose) they are. After arriving and pitching their tents at the campsite, things begin to unravel, and friendships and connections aren’t what they seem on the outside. This was a gripping story, and the interview style had my eyes racing from beginning to end with each page. And I’m not giving away any spoilers, but with as entranced as I was in this story, I was VERY much upset with how it ended in the last few pages. This went from a 5-star to a 2 star for me right up until the very end. I’m SOO disappointed.
#TellMeWhatReallyHappened
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Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti is different. Maylee, a senior in high school has gone missing from a camping trip. She requested that her best friend, Petra, join in on the impromptu trip to Salvation Creek. She also invited her boyfriend, John and another friend, Abigail. Petra talks her stepbrother Nolan into coming along on the adventure too.
Each of the campers are being interviewed by police officers separately and their answers are the story. It's an interesting technique and I like it. The story develops along the way as the different characters take turns recollecting what they have been through in the past hours. I'm being very careful to comment as I don't want to ruin the story for readers.
The author actually touches on several topics including biracial and a bisexual relationship, racial prejudice and profiling, law officer's children, social media, conspiracy theories, poor self-esteem and more. All issues for adolescents and teens. It's a bundle of things but it works. (There is raunchy language.) I feel personally that this book could lead to healthy discussions with peers or parents, teachers, etc.
I received the advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher. This is my own unsolicited opinion of it. It is certainly conversation worthy. If you are an adult and want a look at what some teens around you may be dealing with in part, take a look at this book. I feel it is representative of the voices of some teens.

I had to put this book down several times while I was reading it. I had such a hard time putting it down that I needed to take mandated breaks. I loved that the story is told through interviews, it felt like, as the reader, we were trying to solve the case alongside the characters. I'm a sucker for an unreliable narrator and I truly had no idea where this book was going until the end. I was suspicious of everyone, even myself, and I wasn't even there. Highly recommend if you need a quick read to suck you in!

Five friends go camping for a weekend, only one doesn't return. Which friend is to blame? Tell Me What Really Happened, by Chelsea Sedoti, is a YA Thriller/Mystery that will keep you engaged through the entire read.

It took me a bit to get used to the writing format, I've never read anything like interrogation logs before, but once I did, I couldn't put the book down. It was so interesting to read the different interrogations and seeing how people interpret things differently, and really made you wonder if anyone was lying or trying to mislead the police.