This book was unique. The plot and twists were truly something else. I read a lot of psychological thrillers but I didn’t see all the twists and turns that this book took. However, the twists and turns fit the story. Nothing felt too out there in this world. And, despite all of that, the ending fit.

It just feels like an author can throw whatever weird thing into the story to shift the scent of a murder or murderous rampage and it really not make sense but ultimately make it fit to make sense by the end. So this one has the hallmarks of a thriller-- a set of murders happening at a lake the summer that Olivia was born. There's also Reagan, returning to the camp just like Olivia to figure out what happened because her mother has been the accused murderer, an excellent archer, though Reagan doubts it.

As a new details emerge, there are new tragedies popping up because someone doesn't want to see anything resolved. Lots of twists and turns, a witch in the woods, and the biggest mystery is just how Reagan and Olivia are connected with it all.

Two Sides to Every Murder follows Olivia and Reagan, two teens whose lives have been defined by horrific murders at Camp Lost Lake. As preparations begin for the camp to reopen, both girls find themselves searching for answers. Unfortunately, this also means they find themselves targeted by a murderer who will stop at nothing to keep those answers hidden.

This is an enjoyable thriller. It lacks some of the uniqueness that made the author’s first book so interesting, but it was a quick read with some solid twist and turns. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA thriller, especially one with scary summer camp vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

3.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Danielle Valentine’s “Two Sides to Every Murder” delivers a classic camp horror thriller with a modern YA twist, bringing mystery and slasher vibes to the infamous Camp Lost Lake. Seventeen years after the notorious camp massacre, two girls—Olivia, born on the night of the murders, and Reagan, the daughter of the alleged killer—return to Camp Lost Lake to uncover buried secrets and confront their haunting connections to the past. But as they dig for answers, they realize that someone is willing to kill to keep the truth hidden.

Valentine’s choice to alternate between Olivia and Reagan’s points of view gives the story depth and suspense, allowing you to uncover layers of each girl’s troubled history and their clashing motivations as each tries to escape the killer as well as try to figure out the killer’s identity, all while avoiding death themselves. Olivia’s quest to uncover her real father’s identity and Reagan’s determination to clear her mother’s name give this horror plot an emotional center, blending personal stakes with the adrenaline of a survival thriller. The book also includes flashbacks to the night of the murders, gradually revealing the mysterious events of 2008, which add to the tension and keep you guessing.

The story is both fast-paced and action-packed, with plenty of twists to keep you turning pages. The atmospheric setting—a dark, stormy summer camp surrounded by mystery—amplifies the suspense. The setup echoes classic horror movies like “Friday the 13th,” complete with isolated woods, ominous legends, and the kind of constant dread that fans of slasher tropes will love. While I enjoyed Valentine’s writing, certain twists were predictable, and the mystery's conclusion was a bit simple. Nonetheless, the eerie camp setting and the tension between the characters make this book hard to put down. The horror elements were a bit too reliant on familiar tropes, though I did enjoy figuring out the different troupes as they appeared. That said, the suspenseful atmosphere, along with Valentine’s ability to blend YA mystery with horror, still make this a fun, immersive read—especially for those who love a good campfire story gone wrong.

If you’re a fan of thrillers with a classic horror twist, “Two Sides to Every Murder” will provide an engaging, one-sitting read. It’s perfect for YA thriller fans or anyone in search of a nostalgic yet fresh camp slasher that balances thrills, chills, and a dash of teen drama.

This story had such great bones. It had a good plot and some interesting ideas. Unfortunately, it got muddled up. The characters were barely distinguishable from one another and I had to often remind myself from whose persective I was reading. It became tedious at times. I was hoping for a haunting mystery set in a creepy woods. Instead, it was a bunch of “there’s the witch!”. “Oh! An arrow!”

Two Sides to Every Murder is a quick read. It starts with action and keeps going until the end. We follow Olivia and Reagan as they try to find the truth behind murders that happened the night they were born.

This definitely reads as YA, which is fitting. The writing is good and clear. The plot kept moving, though I didn’t feel like I really got to know any of the characters. I also didn’t like the romantic aspect. These people didn’t know their romantic counterparts. It just didn’t make sense to me. The last twist is also unnecessary. There was no build up to it, and we get no explanation.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

4.5 Went from 0-60 within a chapter and never stopped. This fast paced story had me on the edge of my seat suspecting everyone and gasping when the story unfolded. That ending? I need more

This book was so fun! Changing POVs are not usually my favorite, but this one was done SO well! There were several twists I didn’t see coming. And that ending! Awesome!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a galley in exchange for an honest review.

High drama and horror tropes—just add murder. Very fun story with some enjoyable melodramatic twists and turns. You can't beat a derelict summer camp for a setting! The characters were okay, maybe a little thin. Most of the plot twists were predictable but I did like them. I even liked the ending!

I do wonder if the book didn't subtly imply that Matthew and Andie were siblings. I love that little nugget that peeped from under the surface.

A good, quick read!

Four stars.

When I say what the 'heck' I mean literally what the heck! I quite literally never had what I thought was happening correct in my head, at the end ALL I could think about was all of the loose ends that were not cleared up, and iykyk about what happened at the end because I no doubt screamed! Andy, bless your soul, because you need it!

This book was good, had me hooked from beginning to end and I will be seeking out more books by Danielle Valentine because holy heck, I love a great YA suspense/thriller novel! The characters were so relatable (Don't know why because I'm 12 years older than them) but they were and I enjoyed the perspectives, the thought processes that were being shown with the writing, and the surprises that kept popping up. The fact that she wasn't afraid to harm the main characters I found VERY interesting, because some books seem unrealistic because somehow main character comes out unscathed, this was flawless.

When I first started hearing about this book I knew it sounded interesting! A camp with a dark history and what seemed to me as an urban legend witch shooting people with a bow and arrow and then dark family secrets??!! I mean sign me up!
Olivia was born during the Infamous Camp Lost Lake Murders and she grew up in a loving family. However, her life is turned upside down when she runs a DNA test and she doesn't see the DNA origins that she knew she should have had so she then runs a paternity test on her father and finds out her dad is not her dad. Finding out that information she immediately wanted to find out the truth and where is the best place. Camp Lost Lake.
Reagan has been hiding and moving most of her life, her mother was the one the public opinion was she was the one responsible for the Infamous Camp Lost Lake Murders. Reagan knows that her mother wouldn't commit those murders like everyone thought that she did so she wants to find proof her mother was not involved with the murders. Naturally, she returns to the site of the murders Camp Lost Lake.
Finally reopening Olivia and Reagan have the opportunity to return to Camp Lost Lake to try to find the information both of them are seeking. However, once they try to start looking for the information a big secret arises, and then when that secret is revealed there is one person who is dead set on that secret staying buried and will do anything including murder to keep it from coming out.
This was an intriguing story and was full of surprises! I loved it! Thank You Penguin Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

what's it about? ⬇️

The Camp Lost Lake Murders seventeen years ago changed the fate of the surrounding town and the survivors forever, but no lives were changed and defined more than those of Olivia and Reagan. Olivia was born in the middle of the tragedy and has lived her life being judged by that fact, and Reagan and her mother have been on the run from the law ever since that awful night, as her mother was seen fleeing the scene of the murders and found guilty of committing the crimes.

But now that Camp Lose Lake is finally opening back up to campers after all these years and Olivia's older sister is taking over running the camp, both girls have a lot of questions that need answers, and those answers can only be found at the camp. Even if that means Olivia has to lie to her family and Reagan has to take off without telling her mom where she's going to pull it off.

But when people at camp start dropping dead again, will the girls be forced to form an alliance to get out alive and figure out what happened in their dark shared past and what's happening now? Can they really trust anyone?

my thoughts? ⬇️

Okay, this book already had me intrigued by the short summary on NetGalley, but a short while through reading I fell even deeper in love with the concept and the twist comes along that you get to slowly piece together as you read the first quarter or so of the book. Reagan and Olivia were fantastic characters who were cunning quick thinkers and made for two incredible final girls--especially since there was so much evidence from their backgrounds and hobbies to explain why they handled things as cleverly as they did--and I loved going on such a crazy journey with them.

The twists and turns this story took were incredibly well written, the characters were all beautifully fleshed out, the stress Danielle Valentine built up as the plot really got rolling was insane, and genuinely it was just such a fun time.

Described by the author as The Parent Trap meets Friday the 13th, this book delivers on this and so much more! Highly, highly recommend.

based on your likes? ⬇️

If you enjoyed any of the following, I think this one will be great for you (and vice versa)!

🏹 The Counselors by Jessica Goodman - summer camp murder mystery, strong female friendships.
🏹 Summer's Edge by Dana Mele - summer vibes, a group of friends in peril, what's going on at the lake?
🏹 The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson - fourth in a series (kind of stands alone plot wise), summer camp murder mystery.

trigger warnings ⬇️

murder, death, blood, gore, violence, injury/injury detail, death of a parent, child death, police brutality, pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility, kidnapping, stalking, medical content, chronic illness, adult/minor relationship, grief, gaslighting, infidelity, toxic relationship, panic attacks, animal death, vomit.

3.5

this one took me a while to read, i wasn’t in the spooky mood whenever this came out but given it’s october i decided to pick this but back up and i really enjoyed it. i felt the pacing was really good & kept me engaged the whole time. I really enjoyed the characters as well as the relationships. The twist i felt was really good. I felt like the twist at the end wasn’t needed.

Absolutely thrilling. This mystery is full of suspense and turns that you don't see coming. I love the muliple point of view style and the time jumps.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on October 9th, 2024. Links provided.

While Olivia’s life seems flawless, everything starts unravels when she learns the man she’s calls dad isn’t her biological father. With her lineage in question, she is determined to seek the truth about her origins at the notorious Camp Lost Lake - where she was born admits the chilling Camp Lost Lake murders sixteen years ago. Meanwhile, Reagan has spent her life on the run, branded as the daughter of the suspected killer of the Camp Lost Lake murders. Convinced of her mother’s innocence, she is resolute in her quest to clear her name. With Camp Lost Lake set to reopen, both girls see a chance to uncover hidden truths. However, as they delve into the dark history of the camp, they realize someone is determined to keep the past buried, even if it means resorting to murder. Dive into this gripping young-adult tale of secrets and survival, where the quest for answers could cost both Olivia and Reagan everything, including their lives.

I absolutely loved (and devoured) this book! So much so that it makes me want to go back and change all of my recent five star reads to four stars because this book should be at the top of the list. I don’t even know where to begin explaining why this book was so enjoyable and memorable for me. The writing, the storyline, the character development, and the twists and turns were all so well crafted. I absolutely loved following the story with different points of view, including present day and past plot points. This was the type story that as soon as I finished, I wanted to create a character map and read it all over again so I could really appreciate the attention to detail the author provided in creating such a fun and interesting story. I also really appreciated the voices of the main characters. It has been quite a while since I’ve read a young adult novel/a book with high schoolers as the main characters that I’ve actually enjoyed it and didn’t find myself annoyed with decisions/actions of the young cast. But in this book, I felt the author really did an amazing job of having the main characters be true to their age while also being relatable, no matter how old the reader is. If you are looking for a fun, fast-paced, twists at every turn type suspense story, I highly recommend you do yourself a favor and read Two Sides to Every Murder!

Thank you to Penguin Group/Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Two Sides to Every Murder in return for my honest review.

This book is probaly for a youinger audience however I really enjoyed it! It was well-written and kept me on my toes! I will be reading more from this author. This book earned 5 stars!

I love a good YA thriller and this one hit the mark! I read it in a few sittings and devoured this dark twisty thriller. The dual timeline and summer camp setting keep me flipping pages. A great read if you enjoy summer capes, cold cases and twists!

Two Sides To Every Murder
Danielle Valentine
4⭐️

Pub Date: 6/4/2024

Okay this one really threw me in for a loop! Campground with history of murder, sounds pretty cliche. But add in some pretty twisted family drama, a witch who hunts people down, and a sprinkle of romance, they all tied up into an amazing YA thriller. Obviously since it's YA and it involves kids, I also felt the frustration of having to read about their questionable choices in life. The writing style was pretty slow in the beginning and I also got confused with some aspects. But it all made sense as you go on with the plot. I found myself holding my breath couple of times. The ending answered so much of my questions but it also ended kinda open-ish. Overall, the writing style was good, the plot was pretty solid. I never guessed who the actual killer was so it was really an enjoyable read for me.

Thank you @netgalley and Penguin Random House for a gifted digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.