I read this a while ago and I struggled to write a review for it then, and I still do now. this book left me wanting more... It promised “this enemies-to-lovers thriller is packed with secrets, privilege and murder and will keep you guessing until the last page”. is the enemies to lovers in the room with us? I don't want to be mean but the trope barely registered as such and in a way did have me guessing until the last page if it would actually be what it promised. It was not a bad story, on the contrary, I enjoyed the YA murder mystery more than expected. But it still left me hanging with the character development (and also had me lowkey judging the mc's decisions, no spoilers but you will know what i mean if you read this). This just missed the mark for me!

Thank you Netgalley and Nancy Paulsen Books for the ARC t review!

This book felt like it was trying too hard to be on par with others in its category. I felt nothing for the characters and suffered through a majority of

I'm scared. This book is great i love a good ghost story and dang was this good. I would definitely recommend it to people who love a classic haunting ghost story

a thrilling, twisty enemies-to-lovers mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story follows 18-year-old Addie Blackwood, who is haunted by the death of her sister, Fiona. Though the police ruled it an accident, Addie is convinced that Fiona was murdered—by Thatcher Montgomery, the rich, charming boy who had a history with her sister. But when Thatcher is found dead in the same ravine, Addie’s suspicions turn in a new direction.

Forced to team up with Seth Montgomery, Thatcher’s cousin and Addie’s childhood rival, the two must work together to uncover the truth, even as their growing attraction complicates things. As they navigate family secrets, corrupt cops, and a dangerous conspiracy, the stakes get higher and the twists even more unpredictable.

The slow-burn romance between Addie and Seth adds emotional depth to an already fast-paced plot, making the mystery even more gripping. Quick YA mystery.

So...I read this in one sitting 😳 I could not put this book down! 5 ⭐️'s
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One year ago, Addie Blackwood's sister Fiona was found dead at the bottom on a ravine. The police say it was an accident but Addie believes that a boy named Thatcher killed her. But here's the catch: the Montgomery family has returned for the summer and Thatcher has just been found dead in the same ravine. So...maybe she's wrong 🙃
Now she teams up with her frenemy, Seth Montgomery, in order to find the real killer.


~~

This was such a fun read! If you are just dipping your toes into the mystery/thriller genre this is a great place to start. And if you are like me and you need to have some romance thrown into the mix then this is even more perfect.
I loved it and highly recommend it!

This was a good book and one I would recommend. I thought it was the perfect thriller and it allowed to be read it quickly.

Pagano's debut novel is a thriller with high-running emotions and a lot of secrets. It follows Addie a year after her older sister Fiona's untimely death that was ruled an accident, but Addie doesn't believe that story. Pagano does a great job at poking holes in the "official" story of Fiona's death and creating a compelling case that she was in fact murdered, as well as exploring Addie's emotions in the midst of all of it. We learn that Addie had a major argument with Fiona right before she died and has to carry the regret of what she said, as well as deal with the emotional fallout of realizing that her sister kept major secrets and made questionable decisions leading up to her death. I felt that Fiona's mistakes were depicted sensitively, in a non-condoning way without victim-shaming.

Also woven into the story are Addie and Fiona's intertwined lives with those of the Montgomery family. Addie suspects that one of the Montgomery boys, Thatcher, is the one responsible for Fiona's death, but then he himself dies under mysterious circumstances, so Addie has no choice but to team up with his cousin Seth to figure out what really happened to both of them. I found the dynamic between Addie and the Montgomery kids to be intriguing, and through flashbacks, Pagano delves into the complicated relationships between the sisters and the Montgomerys dating back to their childhoods. The Montgomerys harbor lots of secrets too, of course, which makes for some shocking reveals and a crazy plot twist.

I really enjoyed the suspense and twists of this book. I love a good thriller with unexpected twists and turns. This book was a great and entertaining read that kept me engaged and excited to continue reading. I thought that I knew how this book was going to end but I was definitely surprised.

I'm sorry. I wanted to love it but I don't think it was a good fit for me. I felt that it was a bit predictable. This would be a great read for teenagers, I think I would have loved it if I read it in my teens.

I enjoyed myself while reading this. I do wish it had a little bit more of a thriller element to it but I enjoyed the ride. It’s perfect for YA readers that are dipping their toes in this genre.

The author hooked me quickly and pulled me under. It was a simple fun and I enjoyed it. It won’t keep you up at night but it will make you question those around you and if you can truly trust them.

It’s like a dark twist to The summer I Turned pretty! I devoured it. Murder, mystery, lies, secrets and a deadly game of who done it. Don’t turn your back or you just may be next.

A year after her sister is found dead in a ravine Addie knows she was murdered but still no one will believe her. The family she holds responsible has come back to the island after the matriarch passes away. With their reunion many new secrets are uncovered and another murder. Addie is more determined than ever to find the murder while trying to keep her feelings in check.

This was a solid YA mystery for me, great complicated and flawed characters, a twisty mystery that I was not able to predict from the beginning and lots of good misdirection. I ended up powering through this book and would check out more from the author in the future. This is a great read for anyone who likes drama with their mystery, geared for older YA or adults with lots of discussions of sex and prostitution.

3 stars

Overall, this was a quick and read, but it didn’t quite blow me away. The story was a bit predictable, and I could see some of the twists coming from a mile away which took away some of the excitement. That said, it was still engaging enough for me to keep reading till the end.

Addie knows that her sister never would’ve committed suicide, but nobody is listening to her alternative theories of what happened to her sister. It’s been a whole year and she’s lost her sister, her friends, and she’s still grieving the loss of her mother from years ago When the family that she thinks is responsible for her sister‘s death reappears in their small town. Among the family members is Seth, the boy she last saw when she spent the night with him on the same night that her sister died. When another death of a young person happens in the town, Addie and Seth know that they need to figure out what has happened. As Addie investigates her sister‘s death, she also has to come to terms with some difficult truths about her own family and make choices about her life to come. I read this book in a day. It was definitely a page Turner and I changed my mind about who the killer was about as many times as Addie did. Definitely can’t wait to bring this one into my classroom.

The premise of the book drew me in, and I’m a sucker for genre-bending books (in the sense that I would consider this both a thriller and a romance). I had a feeling from reading the synopsis that there would be a romance involved as they tried to solve the mystery, but I am so here for it. I thought the book moved at a good pace, and kept the reader engaged through the end. I didn’t guess the twist until it was happening and had to put down the book for a few moments before proceeding - a sign, to me, that it was well-executed. I look forward to reading more books by MK Pagano!

This was a twisty YA thriller that I enjoyed very much. The writing kept me engaged, and I couldn't wait for the mystery to unravel. I look forward to more from this author.

This book was so well written. I loved the twists the story took. I was totally engaged throughout. I couldn't put it down!

This one didn't add anything to the deadly mysteries that are flooding the YA market. Rich privilege. Death of a ballerina prodigy sister on the cusp of stardom. Mysterious circumstances. And in this one, a rivalry between other sister and rich brother of the possible murderer. Lots of hatred... until these two fall in love. In between a lot of drama and questions.

It's not that it wasn't exciting at times, but as mentioned, it was derivative.

Girls Who Burn, what can I say? We have Seth, a rich boy, and Addie. Addie lost her sister a year earlier, and she wants to find out what actually happened to her. Cue help from her once rival, Seth.

I love the writing of this book. M.K. Pagano has a gift of writing as if she’s experienced everything she’s writing about. From descriptions of touch, feel, smell, etc. to descriptions of places, she knows what she’s doing. I’ll be on a lookout for more of her books.

The characters get confusing. Addie isn’t really likable, and Seth is questionable at times, too. But I think I was supposed to feel that way. The whole teenagers trying to solve murders trope isn’t one I’m a big fan of, but I didn’t hate it here.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

this was so thrilling and truly kept me guessing till the last page! I am excited to see where the author goes from here and see so much potential .