While "What the River Buries" starts with a promising premise, I found myself losing interest as the story progressed. Despite the intriguing mystery surrounding Natalie's discovery, the pacing felt sluggish, and the plot lacked the necessary urgency to keep me engaged. Natalie's reluctance to seek help and her stubbornness became frustrating rather than endearing traits. Additionally, the killer's threats felt cliché, and the resolution felt somewhat predictable. While the novel has its moments of tension, it ultimately failed to sustain my interest throughout.

This book was okay. I enjoyed the pacing and the writing style overall, but I didn't enjoy how off the wall the story was. It made it hard to stay interested in the story despite wanting to root for the heroine. There's a lot of detail and the novel is very descriptive. The author also does a fantastic job of creating suspense throughout the story, however implausible it may be. Many of the character's reactions are inauthentic and almost seem laughable in certain points of the story. I think that the main character may have just been too young for this story. I think it would have been more realistic if she were in college/in her mid 20s.

Wow, this book kept me on the edge of my seat! It was so fast paced and the atmosphere the author created was perfect for this kind of novel. It was mysterious and eerie but it also had emotional connections with the characters. It was slightly predictable, however, it didn’t affect my enjoyment. Looking forward to reading more from the author in the future.

It was a fast paced suspenseful mystery So much so that I had to read it within a day because I needed to know what happened.

I didn’t realize this was YA prior to getting into it, but it does makes more sense now. I thought it was well-written, but overall the story and actions of the characters felt very implausible. Especially Natalie - there was so much that she said and did that I just felt would never actually happen in real life. This was a quick, easy read with a satisfying, albeit unrealistic wrap-up.

I enjoyed this read, but at times it wasn't believable that what happened in it, would happen in real life. But maybe that was the enjoyment of it. Overall I would recommend.

What the River Buries is the debut novel of Rocky Hirajeta. This was a fast-paced and intriguing ya thriller. There are so many twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end. Excellent character portrayal and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to all mystery/suspense/thriller readers.


Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

There were a lot of good elements in this book, especially the writing. I just found it hard to invest in the main character and the l plot was difficult for me. I didn’t feel invested in the main mystery as I felt it lacked personal stakes from the main characters (if she had walked away, would anything have happened?) Natalie’s lack of certainty about what she saw on some elements of the mystery and certainty on others was also a bit frustrating.

'What the River Buries' by Rocky Hirajeta has a promising premise but ultimately did not deliver the adrenaline fuelled story I was hoping for. Seventeen year old Natalie is mourning the death of her father and seeking to connect with him by going to 'The Acres', a spot they used to go together. On one such trip, which she repeatedly takes to take against the advice of her family and at the expense of her school work, she witnesses a figure disposing of a body in the woods, catching a glimpse of his distinctive neck tattoo. Panicking, she leaves behind her sketchbook which means she is easily identified and now in danger from this person who is clearly a murderer. So far, interesting stakes.

Following this point, I found I had to hugely suspend my disbelief as Natalie relentlessly ignores reason and follows the trail of clues to find out who the person in the woods may be. She continually puts herself in danger and commits a range of crimes herself, eventually also drawing her best friend into this dangerous pursuit. There are some fun moments of the novel which are more edge of the seat, like a certain break in, but I felt we found out who the neck tattoo belongs to far too early and there aren't any real twists or surprises.

A fine read but not really gripping enough to hold my attention beyond vague interest. 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐

What the River Buries by Rocky Hirajeta is a captivating debut novel that takes readers on a suspenseful journey through the life of seventeen-year-old Natalie. Since her father’s passing, Natalie has become a stranger to herself, withdrawing from her mother and struggling to maintain relationships with those around her. When she stumbles upon a horrifying crime scene one night in the off-limits Acres forest, her life takes an unexpected turn.

This author has done a commendable job of building suspense throughout the story. The initial encounter with the killer sets the stage for an intense and gripping plot that keeps readers hooked until the very end. The pacing is well-balanced, ensuring that there are enough thrilling moments to keep readers engaged without overwhelming them.

One aspect of this book that stands out is its atmospheric setting. Through vivid descriptions and rich details, Hirajeta brings the Acres forest to life, allowing readers to immerse themselves in its beauty and mystery. The author’s ability to paint scenes with words adds depth and authenticity to the story.

However, while What the River Buries is a solid read overall, it has some noticeable flaws. The major issue lies in many of the characters’ behaviors and reactions, which often come across as unbelievable or even laughable at times. Natalie’s assertiveness and authority over adult men may seem unrealistic for a seventeen-year-old girl, leading to moments that strain credibility.

Despite these shortcomings, it is important to acknowledge that this is Hirajeta’s first book. As such, it shows promise and potential for growth as an author. The writing style is strong and engaging, indicating that there is room for improvement as he progresses in his writing career.

Overall, What the River Buries offers an engaging plot filled with suspenseful moments. The atmospheric setting and well-paced narrative contribute to an enjoyable reading experience. While some character behaviors may feel unrealistic, especially given the protagonist’s age, this debut novel showcases the author’s talent and leaves readers curious about what he will produce in the future.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are my own.

I found myself reading this one in one sitting. I was sucked in by the gorgeous prose. I will say I wasn't completely sold on Natalie's actions in the book. But the author definitely has quite the knack for story telling. I'll be looking for more to read by them in the future.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't like Natalie for the majority of this book. I felt like she just kept making one dumb decision after another, to the point where I wanted to reach into the pages and shake some sense into her. The first 2/3 of the book were kind of tough for me to get through for that reason.
But then when it picked up, it REALLY picked up! I flew threw the last third, totally engaged, because I had to know how everything was going to play out. The ending was extremely satisfying.
2.5 stars, rounded up.

What the River Buries is a YA thriller and the debut novel of Rocky Hirajeta. Natalie, 17, goes into the woods at night on a photography assignment but she stumbles onto a scene that she shouldn’t have. The plot, itself, was just okay for me but that’s fair since I’m not the target audience. It is fast-paced but it stretched my willing suspension of disbelief just too far as I found Natalie’s actions just too hard to accept.

So, you may ask, why the four-star rating? Well, despite my reservations about the main protagonist, I read the book in one sitting because the prose, especially when discussing the woods, is beautiful even, at time, lyrical. Hirajeta has some serious writing skills and I would definitely look for more by him in the future.

I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review

This was just an an ok book . I found it was a little hard to get into and slow in parts but I think overall the mystery was good .
Thanks for letting me read and review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
A superb debut quality characters and writing throughout. A totally absorbing believable mystery engaging from first to last page, with a number of heart in your mouth scenes that had me holding my breath with the tension.
Totally recommended.

Deals with the question - what do you do when you witness a crime, but you can't trust anyone? Natalie sees something she wasn't meant to, and the killer knows she saw them. But things get worse when Natalie realises there's noone she can go to.

I spent a lot of the book screaming at Natalie for her choices. Some of them are really stupid. I understand her reluctance, but she gets increasingly desperate and makes some monumentally baffling choices that I couldn't always get on board with.

This is a cleverly plotted, atmospheric thriller. I loved the out of bounds woodland setting, the links to a local club and Natalie's friendships.

It kept me guessing for a long time and even when I knew who did it, I was invested in seeing how it ended.

A very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters. The suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. Worthy of your TBR list.

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

What the River Buries - Rocky Hirajeta

Thanks y Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

A well-wtitten, captivating, thriller. This story puts a mourning teenager, Natalie, directly in the path of a vicious murderer one evening, when she is out taking pictures for her photography class.

Natalie is threatened to maintain her silence and a lively game begins as Natalie attempts to discover more about the biggest threat she has ever encountered in her young life.

An enjoyable rollercoaster of a story, What the River Buries will have you reading (and biting your nails) long into the evening.

A teenager, who sees more than she wanted. A police department that is corrupt too the core. Murders, cover ups and more to boot.
A wooded area that is ‘off limits’, but used by teenagers for gatherings. A student trying to pass a photography assignment. A night in the woods, and something that can’t be unseen.

A tattoo, linked to a boxing gym, the members all have it. It’s location a give away.

An investigation into just what happened, to whom, and who by. Threats are made, and going to the police…

This tale is a slow burner that keeps you hooked just enough, to make you want to carry on reading just to find out what happens next.

The plot and characters entwine to form a picture of events and the locations that they happened in.

It just lacks the umph, that would have propelled it from being good, to being great. A real shame in my opinion, as it lays the groundwork so well.

Status: Completed

Rating: 3.9/5.0

I found this book a little hard to get into at first. I wasn't a big fan of Natalie trying to keep everything bubbled up inside and working to solve this mystery on her own. I felt that some of her actions were forced rather than natural and that turned me off from reading it.

I do believe it got better around the halfway mark. That's where we got our first twist at what we thought was happening wasn't what really was going on.

Overall, I think the author writes really well, but is hindered by the actions of their characters at the beginning.