Oh my god. How did I let this one sleep on my Kindle for months when it was so gooood!

Disclaimer: I am not well read in the mystery/thriller department and to be honest, this is only my second book from this genre

What I want to acknowledge first is how this book managed to tackle heavy topics in a way that it was written beautifully.

There was no sacrificial element overall because the writing style, the character development, the balance of pacing - everything went well for this novel.

The suspense is also established right from the opening parts and I found myself being pulled in by the boom to find out what will happen with the best friends.

Intense, gripping, and beautifully written, I will Find you Again is a March title that you should definitely include in your TBR

Meodowlark is full of McMansions and good school full of ambitious and lonely teenagers. Chase is a driven overachiever and Lia is the future CEO and free spirit. They were best friends for years before falling in love with each other. When Lia disappears, Chase’s life is in shambles. She’s heartbroken and full of grief. As she searches for Lia shocking truths are discovered.

I don’t even know how to categorize this book. It dealt with some very heavy topics, but it did so in a fantastic way. I also really appreciated the resources listed in the back of the book. If I had to categorize this one, I would say suspense. It’s hard to say much about this one without giving spoilers.

This intense book was beautifully written and full of character development. The pacing was fast enough that you didn’t want to put it down, but slow enough that you savored each moment. I was in love with Chase and related to her so hard.

I will say if you are a hoping to share this book with the young adult in your life, that you read the pages in the back of the book first, so you know the triggers going in. Detailing them in this review would be a spoiler, but just be aware that this book discusses some topics that might be too heavy for some.

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, @simonteen, and Netgalley, @netgalley, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great book for someone still in high school. I felt like it was just a little too young for me and that I couldn’t really relate to the characters or the problems they went through as much just because it’s been so long since I’ve been in high school. I did enjoy the story and think that it would be an important story for teenagers to read, I just wasn’t quite the right audience for it.

Thank you to between the spines tours and Simon and Schuster for sending an ebook in exchange for review.

This book centres quite heavily around grief, mental illness/suicide and addiction/drug use so I would definitely make sure that these topics are something you feel prepared to read beforehand.

To be honest, I expected this book to be more of a thriller/crime fiction novel than it actually was, however I did still enjoy reading it and was drawn in by the unexpected ending.

I think that the difficult relationship dynamics within the book were extremely interesting and I liked the way that Lyu didn’t shy away from exploring the deeply flawed characterises of humans and portrayed a dark and angrier side of reality with an element of truth that hit quite deep. Overall, despite the book not aligning with the crime fiction vibes I expected, it was still a great read!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for this ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

In one word, this book was intense. I am not sure yet if that’s a good thing or not. While many will likely love it, I think it was too much for me. I also struggled connecting to the characters the first half of the book. Everything felt heavy, dark and depressing, but shallow, with the same emotions ruminating continually without much variation. Sadly, I likely would have DNFed it if it were not an ARC. I do push through to the end of those when I am blessed enough to be granted the reading opportunity. That said, the second half of the book was much better, and I enjoyed it more. However, that heavy feeling never dissipated. Its just me but I would have preferred some lightness here and there. Considering the cast and where the MC character is at, emotionally and mentally, I don’t think that would have been possible to keep the integrity of the story alive.

I will say that the story is well written. The author’s writing style is easy to read, and she wields her words well and understands pacing. The story is simply challenging to digest, the subject matter is hard, and that heavy feeling permeates every single page of the book. When things take a turn and the twist comes in part two, it helps to have the mystery to focus on. But it is still…a lot to take in. I found myself loving Hunter’s character in part two, she overshadowed Chase, the MC, completely. Hunter is my favorite, even more so in part two once we truly understand her purpose and motivations.

All in all, this novel was less a mystery thriller as I expected and more of an agonized study in grief and suicide. I think they need some trigger warnings about the suicide, the suicidal thoughts, the drug use. It would help to insert that at the beginning of the book so that those with sensitivities to these triggers can avoid it to preserve their mental health.

Thank you to Colored Pages Blog Tours, Sarah Lyu, and Simon and Schuster for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CW: Suicide, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt

Welcome to Meadowlark, a wealthy suburb out in Long Island. Meet Chase Ohara and Lia Vestiano, the overachiever and the free spirit. Chase and Lia are best friends, and love going out to Montauk, where they realize that their friendship is more than just friendship. It's first love. It's true love. Lia then disappears, and Chase experiences her life through her rough feelings, and Chase has to figure out how to remember Lia and herself in a different light.

This book was haunting. It's one of those books that you can't stop thinking about. The writing is stunning, and easy to read, but the subject matter is so hard. Everything is not as it seems. There are themes of high pressure to do everything right, and also a bit of generational trauma. Chase seems to be living her father's dream rather their own, and Lia seems to be exploited as an adopted Korean girl for her Italian mother's shows. Their romantic relationship was like a supernova. Burning bright and burning out quickly, but you don't just erase years of history and knowing each other. I couldn't put this book down!

CW: Drug Use, Mentions of Suicide, Depression, Anxiety

Representation: Queer, Lesbian, Sapphic, Asian, Anxiety

I Will Find You Again – Characters
There are three characters I’m going to go over here – Chase, Lia, and Hunter. There are other characters, but they’re more background/side characters than anything else, so I won’t detail them here1.

Chase
The first character from I Will Find You Again I’m going to talk about is Chase. Chase is our main character and the character from whose point of view we are being told the story. I’m not sure what to think of Chase. She reminds me a lot of Spencer from Pretty Little Liars – you know, the overachiever who keeps chugging along because it is what is expected of her. She’s got to be perfect, got to make the grades, etc.. But while I liked Spencer, I don’t know how I feel about Chase. She’s a good main character, I’m just not sure if I like her.

Lia
We don’t see much of Lia, but that’s OK. We learn enough about her over the course of the book to figure out whether or not we like her. Again, as with Chase, I’m not sure that I particularly care for Lia. She seems a bit on the whiny side – “look at me, I appear to have this great home life but it really sucks” kind of girl and that just bugs me. She was Chase’s best friend & her girlfriend. I like Chase better than I like Lia.

Hunter
Hunter is an interesting character and honestly, I think she’s the character that really makes I Will Find You Again what it is. This might sound odd, especially once you’ve read the book and understand who Hunter really is, but of the three main female characters, Hunter is my favorite. She is also a girlfriend of Lia’s… sort of. You’ll have to read the book to understand.

I Will Find You Again – Atmosphere
So the atmosphere in I Will Find You Again is basically just a run of the mill, upper-class community. There’s nothing particularly ominous about the town. Montauk will become a bit more ominous as the book goes on, but it isn’t at first. I think the most interesting thing about the atmosphere of this book is that it really isn’t creepy, ominous, or anything else you’d expect from a mystery/thriller novel, but it works. So I give it points for that because it absolutely works.

I Will Find You Again – Writing
I have to say, I very much enjoyed Sarah Lyu’s writing style in I Will Find You Again. It keeps the book moving, quickly but not too quickly, and it is easy to read and understand. You won’t be asking yourself what’s going on all the time because it’s not hard to keep up. Will there be times you’re a bit confused? Sure, but it is done in a way that is meant to set things up for later. So trust me when I say that if you are having trouble following the story, it’ll be explained later.

I Will Find You Again – Plot
This book has a plot that is absolute genius. I can’t really say much of anything about it without giving it away, but just let me say this – you won’t expect the twist that comes up, because I sure didn’t and I’m usually pretty good about figuring out what’s going to happen next.

I Will Find You Again – Intrigue
Being a mystery/thriller novel, I Will Find You Again would need to have some intrigue to it. And it does. Boy does it ever have intrigue. Trying to figure out what really happened to Lia is what will keep you reading this book. You’ll become invested in this mystery as Chase and Hunter try to figure all of this out. And again, you won’t see the plot twist coming!

I Will Find You Again – Logic
It’s a mystery/thriller. There is logic there, but it might be hard to spot at first. Things in this book don’t happen in a logical, chronological order because you need to bounce around to get to where you need to go.

I Will Find You Again – Ending
The ending to I Will Find You Again was satisfying. It didn’t leave more questions than answers and it didn’t leave anything open for a sequel because this book doesn’t need one2. I quite liked the ending myself.

Conclusion
I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu is a four-star read that will keep you entertained and wondering what’s going to happen next. I highly recommend this book to any fan of mystery/thriller novels, especially YA mystery/thriller novels.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and TBR Beyond Tours for sending me an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.


First and foremost this book needs trigger warnings at the beginning of the book for suicide, drug use and not the end. This is not a thriller at all. This is a book about suicide and grief and if I had known this would be the subject matter, I would not have picked this up due to my own mental health reasons.


However storywise I think this can help bring comfort and understanding especially if someone in your life struggles with mental health or if you lost someone to suicide.

Just please read the trigger warnings before you do.

I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu

This book - it tapped into something deep inside me. It called on all those emotions many of us feel growing up - no, just living life. The helplessness, the loneliness, the grief.

If you're struggling with depression, please remember - things do get better, but you have to ask for help. I know that isn't always easy and many of us suffer alone, but we don't have to be alone. It doesn't have to be overbearing or exhausting. You don't have to carry it yourself. It's something I've struggled with and I will never turn anyone away if they say they need me. Please - reach out.

I LOVED this book. It was a love story between two young girls who both felt so alone, in very different ways. It's a thriller where you are trying to figure out what happened to Lia. Chase, so overcome with her grief, rewrote history and you're trying to piece together what's the truth and what was her coping mechanism - right along with her.

Notable Quotes:
"I think about that Chase, the one people think they know. I used to feel like her, or more like her. Like I could do anything, be anything."

"I'm not Chase Ohara, future power broker, but just me, a girl alone, as lost as everyone else."

"Sometimes, I think there isn't enough air in this town. Not enough air in the world for a girl like me."

"I exist in that state of limbo between awake and asleep, a state of survival for me."

"Somehow, I imagine it'd be painless.
Somehow, it'd be over in an instant.
Somehow, I'd be free."

"Maybe I can finally be worthy of that love."

"For once I'm just Chase Ohara, and there's enough air in the world for someone like me."

Engrossing, fascinating and really dark. A very important story, well-written and with so much depth. The main character was the true highlight to me. I really have no complaints; this is one of the best YA books I've ever read. I hope this gets a lot of attention upon release, I will also make sure to recommend it to others.

High school senior Chase O'Hara, a biracial over achiever, excels at everything from sports to academics, but there is a cost. After her best friend and lover dies by suicide, she questions her struggles using illegally obtained drugs and participating in a test cheating ring.

I read Sarah Lyu's I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN immediately after reading an advanced copy of Emery Lord's ALL THAT'S LEFT TO SAY. These two YA novels are in conversation with each other as they both depict teens and the fallout of addiction--stories we definitely need.

I WIL FIND YOU AGAIN does not work as a mystery; that small part of the story falls apart almost right away. The book would be better served without because there's no payoff and it positions the book as a mystery, which it is not. In contrast, ALL THAT'S LEFT TO SAY is a mystery and its protagonist goes the distance to solve it.

Where I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN excels in putting the reader in Chase's POV as she mourns the loss of Lia. It becomes hard to say too much without spoilers, so I will be vague. There's a. big surprise that shows Chase in a new light--and reveals things that Chase has successfully kept hidden, even from herself. It's jarring. As we learn more about how Chase has managed (or not) the intense pressure she feels, it also becomes clear the damage done to young people who are under so much pressure to perform for their college applications.

I do recommend this book, more for a raw depiction of the pressure teens are under and the toll it takes. The book does need a head's up for suicide and self-harm.

I was super excited to receive this title!

I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu was an incredibly compelling, fast-paced thriller that will blow you away! Insanely engrossing… I was truly hooked from the first page to very last!

A great unputdownable page turner filled with suspense, intrigue and twist and turns.
Addictive and thrilling, this was a roller coaster of a read with many twists all of which I did not see coming. What I loved was how an ordinary situation… escalated into a heart-stopping, palpably tense, extremely fast paced and intense story that I could not put down!
Love this author's writing style.
A phenomenal story full of heartbreak, lies and disastrous secret.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow this book. The ideas and emotions around high school were all too relatable. I enjoyed that this was a very character-driven novel and the unreliable narrator was executed well. I was kept on the edge of my seat often throughout the story. It was an emotional rollercoaster. I gained a lot of perspective on mental health as well as how people may look okay on the outside but feel very different on the inside. TW: drug use, suicide, suicidal thoughts/ideation, depression. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this digital ARC!

3/5 stars! I don't really like when YA books say someone has met 'the love of their life.' I think that creates an unrealistic standard in contemporary books vs fantasy stories. This story got exceptionally dark exceptionally fast. I do think the mystery angle was very successful in this story. I wish there was a broader representation of diversity in the cast but it was a simple, enjoyable YA mystery tale.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

My experience of this book may have been colored by the fact that I was expecting more of at thriller, which is not exactly how I would classify it. I Will Find You Again is the story of Chase, a high-achieving high school senior, attempting to reconstruct what happened to her best friend and girlfriend, Lia. Chase is an unreliable narrator, which is both interesting and frustrating at times. The story is compelling, but ultimately sad. I do think this story will resonate with high school students who feel pressured to be perfect and achieve the impossible academically, as well as those who turn to pharmaceuticals to study more and sleep less.

This book really explains how a person feels when they are deeply depressed and I think that is something that should be talked about more. Not hidden away like it’s something bad.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah for my podcast Raise Your Words. Episode will go out after Thanksgiving. It was a lot of fun to talk about which Taylor Swift era the book was and talking about Lia & Chase.