We are all agreed that Ryan La Sala can do no wrong, yes? I can't wait to read his next book. Have a feeling it'll be just as trippy.

oh BOY. this freakin book. this book is INSANE in all the ways i wanted it to be and MORE. i adored the honeys, unexpectedly because my experience with horror (in all forms of media) is little to none and i'm a scaredy cat, but somehow... the spooks and WEIRD ASS VIBES that ryan la sala provides just hits some wonderfully right notes for me. it's also best to go into this book as blind as you can so you can just let it all unfold before your eyes (heh heh). also, full disclosure, i did listen to this audiobook after it got published, and MAN the production quality of that is SO GOOD. the narrator is spectacularly talented, and the added soundscape enhances the listening experience so well. highly rec this if you want to be transported throughout new york on the weirdest journey you've ever encountered.

In Beholder, “Athan” Bakirtzis is haunted by his inherited ability to see the past in mirrors, specifically the being taunting him from the inside. After a party is mysteriously slaughtered, leaving him as the only survivor, Athan must clear his name aided by Dom, a boy who seems to have all the answers.

This was a solid read! What worked the most for me was the writing and the horror. This book is compulsively readable; the chapters are short and punctuated by a taunting, tantalizing 2nd person perspective. I love this concept of an all-seeing and incomprehensible thing. Athan’s powers are a refreshing twist on typical oracular abilities, telling the past rather than the future. When the scares get going, the pace is breakneck and it’s impossible to put the book down. I’m very used to horrific descriptions, so nothing much fazes me, but there were still moments (particularly towards the end) that got under my skin. The horror is visual and visceral but it’s also psychological, which worked well for me.

Unfortunately, the characters aren’t the strongest, which is highlighted by how cringey the dialogue can be. Athan and Dom’s banter came across so forced that I had to put the book down. I really disliked Athan at times because of his constant flirting. But more than anything, the problem with the characters is that there’s not much there to like. The boys both have trauma and motivations, but there’s more to a character than just that. The times when Athan and Dom are most interesting to read about is when they’re engaging in shenanigans to get access to place they don’t belong—those scenes are the most charming. Honestly, a huge issue is that I didn’t buy their chemistry, which is a shame because it ends up being pretty important.

The actual plot was fun to follow and I really enjoyed the climax when the horror ramped up to its peak. It’s honestly a shame that the elements I really liked didn’t feature more prominently. Besides the 2nd person perspectives, there’s large parts of the book with not much horror and since I wasn’t loving the characters, it was less enjoyable. There are also moments where the 2nd person perspective captures interiority that broke the monstrous façade.

Overall, this is a great book to read by a flashlight over a couple sittings. I think the intended audience, teens would like it even more than I did, which is a win in my book.

What an intriguing book! It was a bit scary, had lots of secrets and mysteries, and it had likable characters. All set in the city giving it an urban feel with a hint of supernatural. I love these kinds of stories, and this one was no different. I was so curious by te MC's mirror powers, and I loved seeing them play detective. I played detective, too, but I was way less successful. Like with the author's previous book, I'm not sure I liked how the story ended but it somehow worked perfectly with the story. I think many will love it, I just pictured something else.

Ryan La Sala came to a library on Long Island and spoke a little about Beholder, which in turn made me request it for review immediately. I'm usually not one for horrors, just as Ryan La Sala isn't usually one for repeating genres (as his first horror was The Honeys) but I decided to give Beholder a chance. The story follows Athan, the sole survivor, and the key suspect, of a brutal mass murder at a New York penthouse party. Athan also has a hereditary power that allows him to rewind the reflection of an mirror. Something evil is compiling people to commit destructive acts, and it's up to Athan is discover the truth before it's too late. This book is well-written and incredibly unsettling. I never knew when I was going to turn the page and be completely shocked by the turn of events. I had no idea if anyone involved was going to make it out alive. And there is an additional perspective, written in second person, that just adds to the unsettling atmosphere. Now that I've finished, I feel like I have to do a second read-through to find everything I missed. That's the sign of a great storyteller. I can't wait to see what Ryan La Sala comes out with next. Highly recommend picking this up. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I was initially drawn in by the cover of Beholder, but quicky gained more interest from the synopsis. And it was a really fun time. I usually read books based in forests and rural areas, so it was fun to read a story in a city. I have a fear of mirrors and this one didn't help at all. I did love learning about some Greek mythology I didn't know about before. It was scary, thrilling, with twists and turns I wasn't expecting. The imagery was also really beautiful, and quite graphic for a young adult novel. I have already recommended this book to people and continue to recommend to those who love horror with a little extra twist.

So weird…and too repetitive/not enough escalation to the climax for it to have been a good read for me. I don’t understand why the ratings are so high. I sort of just wanted it to be done! I will say that the audiobook had very cool special effects/sounds/creepy vocals. I did enjoy that!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Ryan La Sala is always a garantee when it comes to peculiar book and immersive story, this one on aesthetic and beauty.

"What we can see, can see us!"
Chills, literal chills! It's starts creepy and besides some cute and nice moments, doesn't stop being creepy. That weird POV was definitely making me uneasy, because I couldn't figure out who exactly that was and why were they talking like that, and when we get to know it gets even more spooky! I loved everything about this unusual story! There's Pansexual representation! Well technically it's 80% queer, but Pan rep made me the most excited. Spider rep is also quite nice for us the creepy crawly lovers.
Demonic wallpaper, mirrors showing past and future, boys being boys, as in investigating strange deaths/murders and following the bloody trails, taking a break to flirt and sleep and then back to investigation. Athan and Dom were the best part of this odd book.
I love how the cover art is this huge eye and the spider made from mirror, that's already very creepy and then you get to know the backstory and it's delicious!
This queer YA horror with Greek MC is perfect for the spooky season and readers like me will definitely enjoy this chilling and fun book.

Ryan La Sala’s mind is unparalleled when it comes to creativity that both enthralls and terrifies. It’s a winning combination every time.

I will not write about the plot because, well, what could be said about this book without spoiling literally any of it? You need to learn how it unfolds at the same pace as Athan, the main character.

Each chapter, each page, each paragraph is filled with twists and turns. There is grief and beauty and sheer art in every word. I think about this book whenever I see intricate wallpaper, mirrors, and monarch butterflies.

People often joke about how things will change their brain chemistry, but I feel like Beholder did for me. But so have La Sala’s other books. There really is just something in their writing that is so gripping to me.

I loved this and someday, I’ll fortify my emotions enough to read it again.

While this is not my normal preferred genre, I have a lot of respect for a well written book. And there is no denying that the writing here is superb. La Sala jumps right into the action, throwing us into a world of high strangeness that is constantly shifting. The reader along with the characters must simply race along and hope that things come out right in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scholastic for this ARC copy to review.

This one blew my mind. Ryan has an incredible power to craft discomfort into the walls and let you sit in it, I loved so many things about this book. I truly don't know what to say about this book without avoiding spoilers, except to say it's an instant classic of the YA horror genre, and you need to read this and/or add it to your shelves immediately.

Okay so this reads like a particularly delerious Twilight Zone episode, but updated for the contemporary age. I couldn't believe what I was seeing as I flew through the pages (I ended up borrowing this book as I wasn't able to download it). Ryan La Sala is one of the greatest YA authors of our time and I cannot WAIT to see what they do next.

Ryan La Sala does it again. I loved the Honeys and I absolutely loved Beholder. I will never look at mirrors the same way again. I loved the characters and the family ties and the relationships that were formed. Love love love!

An inventive though sometimes confusing queer YA horror that truly only Ryan La Sala could write. I can't wait to see what else they do.

Beholder is so creepy and I loved it! This is one of those stories where I think the less you know, the better.
Athan carries his family's curse; If he looks into a mirror, or any other reflective surface, he can rewind time and watch the past.

La Sala's writing is lyrical. There were some sentences that struck me at my core. I previously read The Honeys, thought it was great, but I think Beholder is even better. This story spoke to me in more ways than The Honeys did, and I think it's so cool that one author can evoke these different emotions from the reader.

I keep repeating certain scenes in my mind -- I actually can't stop thinking about this book and I know I will be rereading it in the future.

In order to avoid spoilers, this is the type of review where the less said the better. Beholder is bizarre, chilling, and mesmerizing. You won’t be able to look away from the horrific events in this novel.

You may start out thinking this story is one thing, but I promise you’ll be wrong. When Athan gazes into mirrors he sees things other than his reflection – terrifying things. He’s also able to “rewind” time when peering into mirrors or reflections to discover what happened in the past. The imagery is vivid and occasionally disturbing, but it’s not done for shock value. It fits within the storyline and events.

That’s all I’ll say about this novel – just read it. I’d recommend Beholder to fans of Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone. I promise you’ll never look at mirrors or reflections in quite the same way – I know I won’t.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the publisher for an arc of this book.

The Yellow Wallpaper retelling with lots of mirror-horror I didn't know I needed but I'm so glad I got.

This is creepy and speculative and interesting! I can't wait to see more from Ryan.

CW: body horror, death, fire

Did Ryan La Salas's last book </i/>The Honeys</i/> grab me by the throat and not let up even though I screamed my safe word several times? Yes, yes it did! Now was I expecting the same bar to be set in this book, not even gonna lie a little yes I was expecting it. Did this story deliver that same feeling? Yes, it absolutely did just in a different way. The lyrical beauty and unique, strange storyline just drew me in and kept me coming back for more the entire book. It is so hard to even describe this book without spoiling it, so just go read it! This book definitely left a lasting impression on me as I thought about this story for quite some time after I finished it. If you like weird, bizarre acid trip-type books that leave you wondering is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide with no escape from reality then this is the book for you.

Many, many Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher, for this Arc!