Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

This is one of those books that is more about the journey than the destination. Although a bit predictable the story itself is so well-written and fun I didn't care. A quick read that grabs your attention right away.

Unfortunately, this was just too YA for me. I definitely prefer the lengths that an author can go to in an adult thriller more. Would likely still try another book by this author though. Will not be sharing as to not turn others off from trying this book!

Look, both of the YA murder books I’ve read by Valentine have been absolutely bonkers. I know they are ridiculous - and that’s why they work so. well.

Two Sides to Every Murder is like a 90s campy horror movie in the best way. It’s basically as if someone mashed up Scream and The Parent Trap, and I. am. here. for. it. Sure, you can’t think too hard about the plot (and the ending here was kinda mehhhh tbh). Yeah, the action is outlandish and over the top. And, of course, none of this would ever happen in the real world.

I do not care. I will keep devouring these books like popcorn as long as Valentine keeps writing them (and it felt like maybe this one was setting up a sequel …?)

You want some absurd, escapist, and addictive spooky fun? Definitely check this out!

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the ARC. Two Sides to Every Murder is out 6/25!

I rarely read YA but when I do, you can be sure it will be Danielle Valentine.
I loved that the publisher stayed true to the colors and font of How to Survive Your Murder which combined all the murder tropes into a campy (pun intended) rendition. The author also used the same voice, which fulfilled my expectation that this was going to be a gory, twisty, but sideways smile read.

16 years ago, the unthinkable happened at Camp Lost Lake, giving birth to the story of the person, most likely a woman, whose face was "misshapen, old, haggard, with green-tinted skin and long, stringy gray hair; and her eyes were black, sunken, surrounded by deeply lined, rubbery skin, her nose long, hooked, covered in warts..."

A witch, hunting down people at a summer camp? Yikes! But still, just as Camp Lost Lake is getting ready to reopen, two teens are searching for the truth about what happened - one for her bio father, the other to clear her mother's name. As their paths cross, the truth will come out. But not before more harrowing victims fall prey to the Witch of Lost Lake.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advance reading copy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Danielle Valentine for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Two Sides to Every Murder coming out June 25, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I was excited to get it. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book. I loved this book a lot more. I thought it was fast-paced and full of suspense. Most of the characters were interesting and had a lot of secrets. There were a couple things I didn’t like. I don’t think the romance parts were really necessary to the plot. It felt a bit sudden since they didn’t know each other and the switching was a little odd to me. I don’t want to give anything away. I wasn’t a fan of the added on ending either. It made things feel like it wasn’t an ending. I don’t know if there’s supposed to be a sequel. But overall, I loved the story and it held my attention.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA murder!

Danielle Valentine’s "Two Sides to Every Murder" skillfully intertwines the lives of two young women with a shared, tragic history, creating a suspenseful and engaging narrative. The story begins with Olivia, whose entry into the world is marked by the gruesome Camp Lost Lake murders. Fast forward seventeen years, Olivia’s seemingly idyllic life shatters when she learns that the man who raised her is not her biological father. Her quest for identity leads her back to Camp Lost Lake, the infamous site of her birth and the secrets it harbors.

Parallel to Olivia’s journey is Reagan’s, a girl whose life has been overshadowed by her mother’s notorious reputation. Raised in the shadow of public scorn and legal suspicion, Reagan’s formative years were spent evading authorities with her mother, whom she staunchly believes to be innocent. Reagan’s resolve to clear her mother’s name brings her back to the same camp, now reopening, where the original horrors took place. Valentine masterfully develops Reagan’s character, making her resilience and loyalty to her mother both poignant and compelling.

As both girls converge at Camp Lost Lake, the reopening of the site sets the stage for a tense and thrilling quest for truth. Valentine weaves a complex plot filled with twists and turns, maintaining a high level of suspense throughout. The dual perspectives of Olivia and Reagan add depth to the narrative, exploring themes of identity, justice, and the haunting grip of the past. The story’s conclusion ties together the disparate threads of mystery and personal discovery, cementing "Two Sides to Every Murder" as a gripping read that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This book was the perfect amount of creepy! It truly left me on the edge of my seat. The imagery the author depicted, was so vivid, I felt like I was there. It gave me the perfect amount of anxiety and fear.

ARC Review: Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine (June 28th)
Synopsis: Most people’s births aren’t immortalized in a police report—but Olivia was born during the infamous Camp Lost Lake murders. Seventeen years later, Olivia’s life looks pretty perfect . . . until she discovers the man she calls dad is not her biological father. Now she wants answers about her bloodline, and the only place she knows to look is Camp Lost Lake.

Most people don’t spend their formative years on the run with an alleged murderer—but Reagan did. In the court of public opinion, her mom was found guilty of the deaths at Camp Lost Lake, and both of them have been in hiding ever since. But Reagan believes in her mother’s innocence and is determined to clear her name.

Luckily for Olivia and Reagan, Camp Lost Lake is finally reopening, providing the perfect opportunity to find answers. But someone else is dead set on keeping the past hidden, even if it means committing murder.

Review: I really enjoyed this book. A lot. I thought it was really interesting and I read it in a single sitting. The book kept my attention the entire time. I absolutely loved it. It's the first thriller in a while thats managed to keep my attention so well. Definitely recommend it

If there is one thing I can expect from this author it’s a thrilling and fast paced book with a few unexpected twists. I enjoy how this gives me enough thrills to keep me on the edge of my seat but not too much to where it becomes sensory overload. The author is great at setting a vivid picture to make me feel like I was a part of the story.

Having the story told in both Olivia and Reagen’s perspective and the flashback of the story really helped enhance the buildup to the wild end. I, of course, never predicted the end, but I had one hell of a time trying to. This is the kind of book that both adult and YA thriller seekers would find enjoyment in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Camp Lost Lake was made famous after three murders took place. Olivia's mother was the head of the camp and she was born that night. When her much older sister decides to reopen the camp, someone isn't happy about the secrets that may emerge.

This book was hard to explain. Not because of the content. It's a pretty straight forward camp slasher fic. I just don't know how I felt about it. I figured out most of the twists fairly early. The pace seemed both very quick and very slow at the same time. It's not quite silly enough to be campy and not dark enough to be serious, if that makes sense. This book is in limbo in a lot of ways. I'd still say it's an entertaining read.

Sadly, this book felt flat for me. Some parts were just cringeworthy. I do enjoy YA books, but I just couldn't connect with this one, particularly due to the dialogue. Characters were dull and underdeveloped. The twists were predictable. Some parts just felt forced. The love triangle really wasn't needed, and it took away from the suspense. I have heard good things about this author, so I would consider picking up future books.

This book left me on the edge of my seat, so Olivia is on a mission to try to find out who her real parents are after she found out her father isn’t her dad after taking a DNA test, then there is Reagan who will do anything to try to prove to the world that her mom is not that serial killer who killed her whole family over 16 years ago.

This all sounds wild, but I promise you this book is JUST THAT. The things we find out about these two girls and how they connect, they both get the answers to everything they were looking for and it was not pretty. I will say this, the scenes in the beginning and what happens when the girls are off at the camp site was pretty gruesome, and I was LOVING IT!

The secrets that started to unravel, this book moved really quickly. I feel like we need another part because the ending left me with my mouth open, and I need this RESOLVED!!! LOL

"That’s what had made her do it. Those words. Calm down...How dare he tell her to calm down?"
Sigh, when will they learn?
One deadly night sixteen years ago at Camp Lost Lake, a man told a woman to call down, resulting in a triple homicide. The End. Ha! I'm kidding, (am I?)

Present day, two teenage girls are strangers living very different lives but, the fate of both of their lives was determined that night. Olivia, the daughter of the camp director, was born that very night but, recently discovered that's there more to her birth story and believes the answers can be found at the camp. Reagan, the daughter of the alleged suspect, has been living a life on the run and knows her Mom is innocent and that there must be evidence at the camp to prove her Mom's innocence. But if Reagan is right, the killer is still out there and isn't going down without a fight.

I started this book this very morning, I did not want to go to bed tonight without knowing the ending! While a few pieces of the story were predictable, it kept you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

I was excited to read this one, but unfortunately I'm in the minority and this one fell flat for me. This is a YA thriller in a camp setting told in multiple POV with dual timelines. I had a hard time differentiating between characters as some were very underdeveloped. I did really enjoy the last 20% or so of this book.
Thanl you Netgalley and Penguin group for the ARC

Thank you @prha for the complementary audiobook. And @penguinteen for the #gifted book.

The Parent Trap but make it a slasher. The way that I need this to be a movie asap.
I love slasher films and of course I was obsessed with The Parent Trap so this was the perfect combo for me.

Going into this I was excited but slightly nervous. I previously read How to Survive Your Murder and loved 99% of the book. The last 1% made me want to throw the book 😅 I’m still not over the ending honestly. But I’m starting to think the author likes to end the books with a bang.

What I love about this authors books is how they remind me of a 90s slasher. It’s the horror that I love and she does it so well.

This one has family drama, cold cases, long lost twins and a camp setting.

I loved the dual POV plus the flashbacks. The book is so fast paced (basically 24 hours) that you don’t want to put it down.

The audiobook was narrated by Valerie Rose Lohman, Alex Finke and Hillary Huber.
They did a fantastic job with it. I loved it and basically listened to the entire thing in a few hours.

I highly recommend it if you enjoy YA thrillers!

This was so interesting! I saw part of the plot twists coming— but it was still so so so worth it!! This kept me on edge and I couldn’t wait to see it all unfold.

I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing a follow up story, with the two MC’s digging deeper into an element from the end of the book.

Thank you so much to @penguinrandomhouse for my #gifted advance copies of Valentine’s newest YA horror novel, Two Sides to Every Murder! I was so excited for this one after loving Valentine’s previous two books! She has a voice that demands to be heard! The setting of a summer camp for a horror novel is a favorite of mine!! This is a fun, addictive, bingeable read that will be in a lot of young reader’s hands this summer! The main characters were relatable and I enjoyed reading their perspectives. It was slightly predictable, but nonetheless, a fast paced, entertaining YA read!

Probably one of my favorite books so far this year! I can’t wait to read more by Danielle Valentine.

I loved this fast paced, thriller story!

I was definitely kept on my toes and being wrong about what happened next. I cannot however fathom being Andie in that situation and not knowing where my other twin was. Is she hurt? Is she alive?

Reagan and Olivia. At least they came out of this gaining a sister and someone to go through the aftermath with. But Reagan!! What? This poor girl!!

And the ending. OMG.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

4.5/5!

I fell in love with Danielle Valentine’s writing back in 2022 when I read one of my favorite books, How to Survive Your Murder. Since then I’ve loved her adult release, Delicate Condition, and been eagerly waiting for this book to release.

This book is perfect for fans of the Fear Street series or Point Horror books! It felt like a nostalgic read set in modern times. I loved the flashbacks to the original Camp Lost Lake murders mixed in with alternating narratives from Olivia and Reagan. And the setting! Who doesn’t love a summer camp setting with a murderous background and an urban legend?

And that’s all you get! Seriously, it’s way too easy to spoil the plot to this one, so go in a bit blind and buckle in for a fun ride.

If you’re looking for a YA summer camp story, this one is chef’s kiss!