Standalone Book - No Series

YOUNG ADULT THRILLER

Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. A life with a stepbrother, a stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.

Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.

Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.

But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.

“Sometimes the outside is safer than the inside.”

Seriously, this book was amazeballs. Very, very good. Thriller, well-written, exciting, psychologically twists, with shockers thrown in just for kicks. I waited a bit long to review it after reading, and my brain isn't in a review mood lately, so forgive me for this being shorter than usual.

A key to this story was that not only was the mystery interesting, but the internal dilemmas for the main character was fascinating. The story explores the hope and dysfunction of friendships, secrets that have to be kept, lies that are told, and consequences. The small town where nothing is what is seems helps keep that mystery ambience up and active, helping propel the intensity of the mystery and its outcome along.

Kara Thomas’ writing style is well-suited to this type of story, and not only can you feel the realism of the relationships, the dialogue rings true. You end up actually caring about the teenage emotions and angsts.

I love when books like this dare to focus on darker aspects where things can go wrong with families, towns, suspicions and all these secrets start conflicting with each other. I was practically biting my lip through a few of these tense scenes and it was a difficult book to put down.

It’s not light or fun, but it’s good and well-worth reading.