This book has one of those intriguing premises that hooks me immediately. When I see that a book is a multi-perspective novel about a murder that takes place in a small town, I'm always going to want to read it.

Since this is a mystery, there's very little I can say without giving the story away, but I will say that I absolutely loved this book. I raced through it because I was so desperate to find out what happened to Hattie. This book alternates between Hattie and two men that are very important in her life, Del, the sheriff who is tasked with solving her murder, and Peter, her English and drama teacher. My favourite part of this novel was the incredible way each character was developed. All three of these characters were interesting to read from and I loved each of them, especially because they were flawed and they felt like real people.

Hattie was the perfect character for this book to be centered around. She was a master manipulator, a fantastic actress, and full of secrets. As a reader, you always want to be drawn in by the protagonist and even though it's her murder that starts her novel, she was still a fully fleshed-out character and it hurt to know what was going to happen to her. She was intriguing and exciting and you wanted better for her life.

This book takes place over the course of a year, and jumps back and forth in time between the three characters. The past and present timelines come together seamlessly and while the plot of this novel is by no means unique, it's still fast-paced and entertaining to read. It's full of twists, but I did see a lot of them coming. However, I don't think the main point of this novel was the murder-mystery aspect of it, but the fact that it was a really interesting character study.

The writing in this novel is also one of the best things about it. Mindy Mejia is gifted at coming up with beautiful metaphors and sentences that forced me to re-read and really think about what was being said. Using Jane Eyre and Macbeth as important literature in this novel was perfect (and the reader will fully understand why these two were chosen as they understand Hattie better).

Overall, this was a great start to my reading year in 2017. I expect this novel to do really well, and I can guarantee I'll be reading all of Mindy Mejia's future works.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has affected my review in no way.

Life in Pine Valley, Minnesota is quiet and peaceful, some would even say that it was boring. That is until one spring day the body of eighteen-year-old Hattie is found in an old barn. Things like this just don't happen in Pine Valley and the whole town is buzzing with who could have killed Hattie. She was brutally murdered and it is up to Sheriff Del Goodman to find out who killed her and why. As more information is revealed you learn that Hattie was not the good girl that everybody thought she was. She had dreams and aspirations and was not willing to let anybody get in her way. Will the Sheriff be able to solve Hattie's murder before the whole town goes crazy with fear and rumors?

Everything You Want Me To Be is pretty much every parent's worst nightmare, especially if they are the parent of a teen. The title of the book one of the most accurate titles ever - almost heartbreakingly so. The book is told from three different viewpoints - Hattie's, Del's, and Peter Lund. Peter is Hattie's high school English teacher and was forced to move to Pine Valley to care for his wife's sick mother. The timeline jumps around a bit, leading up to the crime (Hattie and Peter) and after the crime (the Sheriff). Hattie has grand illusions of leaving Pine Valley for New York City but is hindered by her age and naivete. Hattie was like most teenage girls, she was extremely confident and possessed a self-assurance that many adults would envy. Peter Lund was a jerk. I thought he was a jerk from the very beginning, but he played such a big role in Hattie's life, he was important to the story. There were also friends of Hattie's that had huge parts in the story, like her friend Porsha and boyfriend. Ultimately, the killer is revealed and I wasn't that shocked. I hadn't figured out the killer, but it wasn't that shocking. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom line - I really enjoyed Everything You Wanted Me To Be. It wasn't the type of mystery that has you on the edge of your seat, but the complexity of the story and the characters really made it a gripping novel.

Details:
Everything You Want Me To Be by Mindy Mejia
On Facebook
Pages: 352
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: 1/3/2017
Buy it Here!

Mindy Mejia took a somewhat cliched idea of a student-teacher love affair and created a novel that became so much more in “Everything You Want Me To Be.”

The story begins with the murder of high school senior Hattie Hoffman in rural Minnesota. Told from three different perspectives, the chapters alternate between the investigating detective who is a long-time friend of Hattie’s family, Hattie’s English teacher Peter, and Hattie – piecing together the year leading up to her death.

To me, Hattie seemed like a sad, lonely little girl never being herself and unable to figure out who she even was. Killed too soon, Hattie’s insecurities were integral to her actions. She was never comfortable in her own skin and consistently tried to find different ways of acting out.

In the same vein, her English teacher Peter came to Pine Valley on a temporary basis because his wife Mary needed to take care of her mother with congestive heart failure. Having loved their life together in Minneapolis, Peter never imagined that Mary would want to make small-town life permanent, and thus began his own downward spiral as his marriage slowly crumbled around him.

Peter and Hattie were two desperate people looking for a way out of their own lives and by chance, found each other on an internet forum for art and culture in NYC. Although extremely unlikely that two people from the same tiny town in the middle of nowhere would find themselves in an online relationship through a website dedicated to culture in a city thousands of miles away, their relationship also developed so organically that it seemed almost inevitable.

The most successful aspect of this book is all of the twists and turns Mindy Mejia incorporates, making them feel like natural progressions in Hattie’s life. Every time I was sure I knew who the murderer was, a new development came up to dispute it. This was particularly impressive because the suspects never really differed. Overall, Mindy Mejia’s writing style combined with Hattie’s vulnerability made this a quick read that I couldn’t put down.

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From the beginning I had two or three suspects (the third one you probably wouldn't expect) so the only real question was what caused them to finally snap and murder Hattie.

The real mystery was who was Hattie Hoffman; as the title suggests she's everything you'd want her to be, the good student, the good daughter, the good citizen, she's also one hell of an actress, a bit crazy and maybe just a lost little small town girl. She will make you feel many emotions for her, you'll hope for her and her big city dreams, you'll be annoyed by her naiveté (she really is just a young teen), and you'll fear and be sad for her end (she really is just a young teen).

There is no right or wrong in this story it just is. People doing what they feel is right in that moment. You might agree or you might disagree (personally I was the latter,) but you will get caught up in the lives of these characters. You will want to know how it ends.

Like waking up in the middle of the night, trying to convince yourself that you might as well keep reading seeing as how you're already awake. I can not admit that I liked or really cared about these characters (with the exception of the sheriff, he kind of is the key to the mystery) but I did care about their stories and their actions and where it would all lead.

Question: How many secrets can be exposed during an investigation into a young girl’s murder?

Answer: As many as it takes to make a gripping and satisfying mystery.

Before anyone is aware of 18 year old Hattie’s grand plan to run away to New York City, her body is discovered in an old barn. Nothing about the case is simple. More than one person in Pine Valley has a good reason to make her disappear, and it is Sheriff Goodman’s job to bring events to light that are better left in shadow. As the reader travels through her last year of life, we begin to understand just how difficult his job is going to be.

I think what I appreciated most about this book is the headlong give-it-all pace and the surprising structure as the layers in the plot and characters are revealed. It is definitely one of those books that you just need another five minutes with…until it is late, late, late, or, if you’re lucky, you finish. Not that it is incredibly deep or complex, just a fun read and entertaining YA mystery thriller (mind the aggressive sex scenes for the younger set) from a writer who is professional, solid, and confident. Even when the events are a bit convenient, it is fairly easy to accept it and enjoy the ride anyway.

Read it today!

Thanks to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review. This review and others at annevolmering.com.

Well this book is one that grabs you on the first page! I was shocked that this writer started the story with the death and then we had the going back to the past with the victim and into the future to figure out her devastating death. I loved this, I Loved that Hattie had a voice throughout the book, she did not get left out, as a young beautiful vibrant yet immature girl. She lived through the story and that was done excellent. Some parts dragged a little for me and that had me putting the book down which usually doesn't happen. I am going to blame it on the Holidays and to much scenery talk! I'd call myself a country gal from KY but I don't look to the Tress nor the smell to make or break me on staying or going!

This was a first for me for this writer Mindy Mejia. She did a great character set up and built them up well and she had a Lot of characters, through out the book! I am glad on some we barely got the smallest of layers peeled back if not the story would have been way to long, Loved all the points of view and the shocking end was done very well. We knew it was coming but never a good clue into the who and why. I had several scenarios in my mind and one was pretty spot on and that we thought we had it figured out but the Neck jerk change was GREAT! Peter, oh Peter what a Dick are you, however I do feel sorry for you that you let the love of your life get away, yet was she the love of you life or did you love the idea of being with her and away from everything you had become to hate, what a very sad state you became and rather than take a stand you became a mess of a man and lost a lot, great storytelling with Hattie and Peter! Bud and Mona my heart and soul hurts for parents such as you, I could never imagine your pain! Your innocent daughter that chose to live in a life she built around herself that was all made up and then it became real very fast and she found herself caught in a very fast lane that wasn't drivable! Rather than live in today, lying to everyone she knew gets her into a lot of messes and in today that's a very good lesson to learn. I loved the mixed in MacBeth play and the crazy things that theories that could come with doing such a Play.

I Loved Hattie anyways I dont think you could not love Hattie because we all have faults, she was just to trusting in the end, I also felt sorry for her, she had great parents yet she decided not to talk to them, instead she lived in the made up world and that didn't work so well for her. I loved that small town people become comfortable in the environment and never fear the "this can happen to me" it can and does happen everywhere. Hattie was playing with fire and I know she knew that becoming intrigued with Tommy was a good idea but it was not a good idea in the mess she has with Peter, you cannot Use people. He had feelings as well, Portia pegged him early for her, to bad she didn't heed her thoughts later!

All in all its a great story put together very well in the timeline, you will get a wonderful ride from Everything You Want Me To Be....I would recommend this book to anyone, Well done Mindy, well done! Cant wait to read you again! Thanks to Net Gallery and Atria Books, Atria Emily Bestler Books for allowing me to review this Book! Until Next time folks!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: This book has been generating a lot of buzz and I knew it was one I just had to read - and it was so worth it...I really enjoyed it! It's one of those books that is utterly addicting and will have you thinking about it long after you finish reading the last page.

I loved the way this story was told. We have three points of view - Del, the local sheriff, investigating the murder; Hattie; and Peter, the English teacher, who is in the midst of dealing with his own problems. As the story alternates between these three characters, tidbits are slowly revealed as to what happened to Hattie, and we go back in time as well, to set the scene. It is so cleverly crafted that you get caught up in the drama that is the story and find yourself feeling quite sympathetic to these flawed characters, characters that tend to be quite manipulative and secretive at times. But, you find yourself getting attached to them, nonetheless.

The twists and turns that this book takes had me frantically flipping the pages, desperate to know what really happened to Hattie. I thought I had it figured out, only to find I had been misled! I loved the tension that slowly builds as the story progresses. It's as if the more we find out, the more tense the story gets.

This is a great read and I cannot wait to see what comes next for this author...she is definitely someone to keep an eye on!

Told from three viewpoints, Everything You Want Me to Be is a thrilling whodunit. Hattie, an aspiring actress, tells her story before she was murdered and left in a barn. Sheriff Del Goodman follows the trails left behind to try to catch Hattie’s killer. And Peter, a new resident of Pine Valley, has his own role to play in the story. The story has plenty of false trails, twists, and the classic small feeling that a tiny town brings to a book.

I won’t lie to you — this book may hurt you. I stayed up way too late because I couldn’t put it down and only got 4 hours of sleep. That next day was a real struggle, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate not knowing what Hattie did, who killed her, and why. Pick up this book for a cozy snow day read — it’s killer.

This is a good story of a seemingly "modern" girl named Hattie but while the writer is trying to take you somewhere, every time you get picked up movement stops. The last part of the book moves a little better but the 3 stars is because the first half or so crawled.

I was unable to finish the book. I lost interest while reading. Best of Luck to the author.

Hattie Hoffman is dead. Pretty, talented, brilliant Hattie has somehow gone from a lively eighteen year old hell-bent on moving to New York to nothing but a memory. Who would want to kill the girl who seemingly had no enemies? Everyone loved her. She was a promising young actress with an easy charm. Everyone liked her without her even trying... or was she more manipulative than she seemed, playing parts even when she wasn't on stage? She could be everything anyone wanted her to be... whether that was a loving daughter, a sweet and shy girlfriend, or attentive student. Figure out what someone wants and it's easy to get what you want out of them... and they're none the wiser. Is that wrong, or just clever?

The story is told from three perspectives: the sheriff, Hattie, and her English teacher. Sheriff Del has been a family friend of the Hoffmans for years and watched young Hattie grow up. Teacher Peter is new in town, having followed his wife there to care for her ailing mother, which is putting a major strain on their marriage.

We don't begin the story by knowing for sure the identity of the murderer, but for me the book wasn't about finding that out. It was more about getting there... discovering what happened in the year in Hattie's life before it was cut brutally short. Well written book of a good length. I read in two sittings and had a hard time putting it down the first time. If only we didn't need sleep! Easy to read and follow, but very addicting. My first introduction to this author, and very promising. I look forward to more by Mindy Mejia.

I was permitted to read an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Hattie Hoffman was a good girl and not the girl her family would have predicted would be found stabbed to death, so when the investigation starts into her murder they are blindsided by the truth left and right.

With twists and turns that I predicted and came out of nowhere, I don't want to say too much about this one. It is in the middle of the pack in the who dun it genre, it didn't stand out of the pack, but I would definitely read another from this author.

The one thing that stood out to me that I absolutely loved was that you heard some chapters from Hattie's point of view before her death. I loved seeing the before through her eyes and it was interesting hearing from the victim before she was a victim.

I definitely enjoyed this one, it read quick and it was actually nice to read during the holidays when life is crazy - to have a book suck you in and keep your attention is saying something!

Chat Review with Savannah and Angy

A few years ago I met Savannah within the bloggers community and we became instant friends. She’s not a blogger anymore but we are still friends and we keep talking about books and blogging and life in general. We are no so far away from each other, she lives in my neighbor country, Venezuela, and we plan to meet each other one day. Anyway, a few days ago I told her: OMG I know a book you’d like to read, and you can guess what she said about it, because here we are, chatting about it.

So, here I present you all, my dear friend, Savannah:

A: Hello *waves*

S: Hola. Greetings from Venezuela

A: So what’s up?

S: Starting this 2017 with an interesting, mind fuck read, Mindy Mejia is playing with my mind since chapter one.

A: I’m so happy to read this book, it felt refreshing to me *romance reader alert over here hahaha* but I agree with you, it was a mind fuck since chapter one.

S. I agree with you. She fulfilled the promise of the summary. This is a book “full of twists and turns” when I think I know something, she changes the game… don’t you think?

A: Yes, especially when it came to the suspect of the murder? I was like: It was this one, oh no, it was that one, and who was in the end? *chuckles* But yes, it was a great book full of twists and suspense.

S: Not only about the suspect, even with main character’s personalities. Hattie is the most intriguing character I’ve read ever (I think) and we’re talking about a teenager. She has so many layers and personalities inside her. It’s kind of scary thing.

A: I gotta admit I felt so related to her in so many aspects. Especially about acting out to make people happy. But I was never so calculating and diabolical as she was. WOW, that girl had me fooled half of the book.

S: Yes. She is a mastermind with that. (I almost drop a spoiler here) But the readers will be surprised to find how calculating and manipulative she is. But she didn’t fool to me. I always suspect of that kind of people.

A: *sigh* I know… But seriously, she was brilliant. I liked her, kind of *chuckles*

S: Of course. As character she’s impressive because is pretty hard tagging her as heroine or villain… you know?

A: Truer words ever. The constructions of the characters in this book was flawless indeed. For example Peter and the Sheriff Del. WOW, just as amazing as Hattie. Peter was one of my suspects… wait, is this a spoiler? Hahahah maybe it is, let’s just say he is a suspect 100% of the time but I refused to think he is guilty.

S: I’ll be honest: At the moment we’re doing this chat review I haven’t finished the book because I know would be so difficult for me talking about it and don’t drop a spoiler. Also I don’t want to finish because I’m enjoying it so much.

A: Well, my dear, I’m guilty too, because I haven’t finished either, and I’m dying to know the truth.

S: I am almost there, and again Ms. Mejia is playing with my mind. Because she showed two of my suspects but they’re not guilty, seemingly *wink*

A: Oh. My. God. I need to know, we better go back reading but let people know why everybody should read this book, even if they are not into thrillers :)

S: IMO if you want to start this year with something fresh, interesting, and compelling this book would be perfect for you. Sometimes I forget this is a YA book and it reminds me Gone Girl. Hattie is so Amy.

A: I agree with you, I loved the suspense in it, the incredible and believable story that has layers and layers, like you said, and to be honest, it makes me want to read more thrillers, because if they are as good as this book, I’ve been missing a lot in the literary world *wink*

S: Siiiii. Finally, new genres for Angy.

A: Before we go back reading, I think I’ll give my rating, even before finishing it. 5 stars for the murder, 5 stars for the investigator and 5 more stars for the murderer. *chichles* Kidding I know you hate this kind of ratings, but seriously, I’m blown away with this book. I’ll give 5 stars for it. How about you?

S: Mmmm… I am not in the mood of rating with stars anymore *wink* but I unquestionably recommend this book to everyone who wants to give a try to YA genre with a bit of suspense.

A: I can live with that *chuckles* Thanks my dear for reading this book with me, it was so fun, and stressing, but fun nonetheless. I am looking forward to buddy reading more books with you.

S: Awesome. Thank you so much for the invite. This was so fun, but we need to wrap up this and return our kindles for discover what the hell happened with Hattie and if our suspicions were right. Chao ;)

A: Adios, amiga. Que leas chevere. Hey, before you go, we need to listen the audiobook of this book. *evil laughter*

S: WHAT????? There is an audiobook of this book??? Why in the hell you didn’t say it before?

A: YES!!! Check the sample. It has three narrators and it sounds amazing. Can’t freaking wait to dive again into this awesome story.

https://soundcloud.com/simonschuster/everything-you-want-me-to-be-audiobook-excerpt

S: Mmmmm. Now, I have a problem, because I am not sure if I want to pause the read and wait for the audiobook… Decisions, decisions!

A: *evil laugh* Finish it and repeat it with the audiobook.

S: I haven’t done that with suspense books ever. Maybe in a couple of months. But enjoy the audio, the sample sounds great and they’re new narrators for us. I’ll be waiting for your audiobook review.

A: I’ll be listening to it and reviewing it, hopefully soon. Ok, my dear, we better go. Happy reading *HUGS*

S: Happy reading. And Happy New Year for all of your readers. Hope this 2017 brings us a lot of amazing books as Everything You Want Me To Be.

My Review:

I love a good murder mystery and Everything You Want Me To Be really fits the bill. Although it started out like a fairly straightforward CSI/Rizzoli and Isle’s style murder investigation story, it ultimately ended up being a lot more complex and fascinating than I was anticipating. Everything You Want Me to Be is a fast-paced psychological thriller that took me on a wild and unexpected ride. The main character is high school senior Hattie Hoffman who is found brutally murdered in the opening pages of the novel. Hattie lives in a small, close knit town where not much of anything ever happens so her murder completely rocks the community. The pressure is on local law enforcement to find out what happened to Hattie and to bring the murderer to justice, which is the focus of the bulk of the novel.

Highlights of Everything You Want Me to Be:

Hattie Hoffman: Hattie is a complex and well-drawn character. I never could decide if I actually liked her or not, but regardless, I found her to be a truly fascinating young woman. Even though the novel begins with her death, we go back about a year before that to follow the events that lead up to her murder. In taking that journey, the reader learns that Hattie is basically an actress in every sense of the word. She of course acts on the stage in plays, but the more we learn about her, the more it becomes apparent that she has no real sense of who she is and sees herself as acting out various roles all her life trying to make other people happy – the good daughter, the model student, the doting girlfriend – even if it’s at the expense of her own happiness. I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot, but it is unfortunately when she finally decides it’s time to figure out who she really is that Hattie sets into motion the chain of events that lead to her death.

Plot Twists: I love a mystery that is filled with plot twists, especially when the plot twists make sense and don’t seem contrived. In Everything You Want Me To Be, the author has woven together so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing the entire novel as to who the murderer was and what exactly had transpired the fateful night of Hattie’s death. I loved that I not only guessed wrong once or twice – I actually guessed wrong three times and each time was sure I had the right person. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, a new and equally plausible suspect would turn up.

Three Narrative Points of View: The story of Hattie’s murder unfolds from three different viewpoints through the eyes of Hattie, through the eyes of Del Goodman, the town sheriff and also a friend of Hattie’s family, and finally through the eyes of Peter Lund, Hattie’s English teacher and also one of the prime suspects in her murder. I know sometimes having so many different points of view can be confusing, but in this case, I thought seeing the story play out through these three sets of eyes really added a lot of layers to the tale.

MacBeth:

Hattie and her classmates are working on a production of William Shakespeare’s MacBeth at the time of her murder. When she turns up dead, one of her classmates claims that her death is a result of the so-called “MacBeth Curse,” where historically, people have often met with misfortune during productions of the play. While I didn’t believe for one moment that Hattie had lost her life because of a supposed curse, I did love the added mystique that the "MacBeth Curse" cast over the events especially once the news media got wind that the curse had been mentioned during the police investigation.

Themes: Speaking of MacBeth, it served a dual purpose in this novel. Not only is it the play Hattie was starring in when she was killed, but more importantly, it also shares major thematic elements with Everything You Want Me To Be, particularly regarding the dangers of acting on one's desires without regard for the potential consequences. I won't go so far as to call this a retelling of MacBeth, but there are definite similarities in that sense. Hattie going after what she wants no matter the fallout is very reminiscent of Lady MacBeth.

Anything I Didn’t Care For:

The only real complaint I had throughout the novel was that sometimes it felt like the whole “Hattie is playing a part” angle of the story was laid on a little thick. I guess it was because we’re reading the three different viewpoints coming to the same conclusion, but at a certain point, I just kept thinking “Okay, that’s enough. I get it.” That’s probably just me though. I tend to prefer story threads like that to be a little more subtle so that I can connect the dots myself and so reading it several different times was a little heavy-handed for me. That said, it didn’t remotely take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

Who Would I Recommend This Novel To?

Everything You Want Me To Be is a well-crafted "whodunnit." If you like a suspenseful read that will keep you guessing from start to finish, I would definitely say to give this one a shot! I probably would not recommend it to younger audiences since the discovery of the body and the murder itself are pretty graphic, but other than that, I think most audiences would enjoy it.



Rating: 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-galley of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This in no way affects my review.

Hattie Hoffman, a popular high school senior living in Montana’s big sky country, is found murdered inside an old barn. It’s a shocking crime that must be solved quickly by the local sheriff, Del. Del just happens to be best friends with Hattie’s father, so he is very motivated to find the killer.

As Del investigates the crime, he discovers many details about Hattie’s life that are surprising and shocking. He also has the unfortunate task of having to tell her family what he has discovered during the investigation. I was pleased to see that Del kept his objectivity throughout his investigation. He was a fair man and did his best to see that justice was done. He was my favorite character in the book.

The story is told through the eyes of Del, Hattie and an English teacher at the high school that Hattie attended. In reading each person’s perspective, readers are able to try and solve the crime, but it may not have really happened as it seems.

This was a great mystery/thriller and one that readers will not be able to put down! A great debut novel and one that will have you anxiously awaiting Mejia’s next book.

Thank you Net-Galley and Atria Books for allowing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Although Mindy Mejia's writing is strong and at times beautiful, the plot of this novel is too predictable to be captivating. Also, the ending was lacking. There was definitely something about Hattie's character development that felt incomplete. Not in the sense that because her character was killed therefore her development was interrupted. I mean that there were some things about Hattie and her life that were mentioned but weren't explored. For example, I didn't like that the only explanation for the fact that Hattie "acted" for everyone was because she was a dumb kid who didn't know how to really be herself with the people in her life. I felt that as a character development, this was pretty weak.

I actually give this book 3 1/2 Stars. I already knew what was going to happen to most of this story right at the beginning. I did continue to read because it did keep my attention. There is a little twist at the end but not much. This book is about the story of Hattie and the last year of her life. I did like that each chapter was a different character's point of view. I also like how the story went from the present to the past year and back again. This story was still good to read.