The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan was written by Gia Cribbs.  It was published by Harlequin Teen in 2018.  

Publisher's summary:

No one wants me to tell you about the disappearance of Sloane Sullivan.

Not the lawyers or the cops.  Not her friends or family.  Not even the boy who loved her more than anyone.  And most certainly not the United States Marshals Service.  You know, the people who run the witness protection program or, as it's officially called, the Witness Security Program?  Yeah, the WITSEC folks definitely don't want me talking to you.

But I don't care. I have to tell someone.

If I don't, you’ll never know how completely wrong things can go.  How a single decision can change everything.  How, when it really comes down to it, you can't trust anyone.  Not even yourself.  You have to understand, so it won't happen to you next.  Because you never know when the person sitting next to you isn't who they claim to be... and because there are worse things than disappearing. 

Sloane Sullivan lives with Mark Sullivan, who isn't a relative at all, but he's been her constant companion for the last six years.  Sloane and her father were forced to go into the Witness Security Program after they witnessed a murder by mobsters.  Mark is the U.S. Marshall who was assigned to them.  After Sloane's father committed suicide, Mark felt compelled to watch over Sloane firsthand.  

Due to the continuing threats, Sloane and Mark have been forced to flee and change their names many times.  Sloane is now partway through her senior year in high school and has just arrived at her latest school.  She is desperate to make it to graduation so that she can be free of WITSEC, keep her current identity, and head off to college.

Sloane is shocked to find that she knows a student at her new school.  Jason was Sloane's best friend in childhood.  Sloane must decide whether to tell Mark the truth or keep Jason's presence a secret while hoping that Jason doesn't recognize her.

This book has several plot twists.  I guessed one of them very early in the story.  If you're knowledgeable about certain things, then you'll pick up on it, too.  Other twists took me quite by surprise.

This book starts out very suspenseful, and then it slows down.  For the longest time, the story focuses on Sloane's relationships with her three new friends.  That part goes on and on way longer than it should.  I would grade that part of the book as just overall good with some parts of it very good.

After that lengthy stretch, the story ramps up going into the climax.  The last one-third of the book is outstanding.  Just really, really good.  The book ends with a very satisfying conclusion.  If you decide to read this book, you won't be disappointed by the ending.  It's always good to know that.

The Perfect Place to Die by Bryce Moore

The Perfect Place to Die by Bryce Moore was published by Sourcebooks Fire in 2021.

Publisher's summary:

Stalking Jack the Ripper meets Devil in the White City in this terrifying historical fiction debut about one of the world's most notorious serial killers.

In order to save her sister, Zuretta takes a job at an infamous house of horrors—but she might never escape.

Zuretta never thought she'd encounter a monster.  She had resigned herself to a quiet life in Utah.  But when her younger sister, Ruby, travels to Chicago during the World's Fair, and disappears, Zuretta leaves home to find her.

But 1890s Chicago is more dangerous and chaotic than she imagined.  She doesn't know where to start until she learns of her sister's last place of employment… a mysterious hotel known as The Castle.

Zuretta takes a job there hoping to learn more.  And before long she realizes the hotel isn't what it seems.  Women disappear at an alarming rate, she hears crying from the walls, and terrifying whispers follow her at night.  In the end, she finds herself up against one of the most infamous mass murderers in American history—and his custom-built death trap.

With real, terrifying quotes in front of each chapter, strong female characters, and unbearable suspense, The Perfect Place to Die is perfect for fans of true crime, horror, and the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.

This is historical fiction set in Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.  

I don't have much to say about this book except that I enjoyed reading it.  This is a good book, but it falls a bit short of the compelling read of Bryce Moore's Don't Go to Sleep.

Don't Go to Sleep by Bryce Moore

Don't Go to Sleep by Bryce Moore was published by Sourcebooks Fire in 2022.

I used AI to create an image, seen at the left, that would be a better representation of what this book is.  I dislike the actual cover of the book and am certain that many of my readers, who aren't interested in teen fiction like I am, would ignore this review completely based solely upon the cover. 

Perhaps we shouldn't judge books by their covers, but I believe most of us do.  We can't help it.  I used the AI image on Facebook to draw the attention of series book fans, and I have placed it here for the same reason.

Here is what I put on Facebook on January 19:

I just read Don't Go to Sleep, a 2022 book written by Bryce Moore.  I used an AI image to evoke the atmosphere of the book.  I believe most of you ignore my YA posts, but this isn't one to ignore.  Please don't nitpick the faulty AI image.  I dislike the actual cover of the book, and it doesn't at all convey what the book is.

Don't Go to Sleep is an outstanding book.  I have no doubt that this book will be a top contender for the best book I read this year.  It's that good.

This book is set during late 1918 in New Orleans.  The deadly influenza is a looming threat, and an axe murderer is targeting Italian store owners.  17-year-old Gianna's family was attacked by the Axeman seven years before, and now Gianna has a strange psychic connection to him.  It's like Harry Potter's mental connection to Voldemort, and it's scary.  

I felt like I was reading a series book as I read this book.  It reads much like a May Hollis Barton or Blythe Girls book, except that an axe murderer is on the loose.  Gianna's family struggles to make ends meet as they worry that they will die of influenza or be killed in their sleep.  The book has some violence and murders, obviously, but fortunately, the author doesn't go into detail about the injuries.  (Note: I just read some reviews where they say that the gore is "intense," so your mileage may vary.  I thought it was fairly tame gore compared to other stuff I've read and nowhere near what it could have been.)

Publisher's summary:

It's 1918, WW1 is in full swing, and a Spanish Influenza outbreak is on the horizon.  In the midst of the chaos, families are being terrorized and people are being killed by a lone man with an axe.  As Gianna and her friend Enzo investigate the heinous crimes, she realizes she's connected to the killer in a way she could have never imagined.

Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans.  She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves.

It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood.  The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold blooded murder.  There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him.

Gianna enlists the help of her friend Enzo to investigate.  And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before.

As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.

These are the ratings I use for books: did not like, good, very good, excellent, and outstanding.  I don't often describe books as outstanding, so I have given this book my top rating that I use only for the best of the best. I already know right now that this book will be either my top read of 2025 or will be one of my top two or three favorite books of 2025. Around a year ago, I read That's Not My Name by Megan Lally. I felt the same way when I finished that book, and I do consider it to be my top read of 2024. I don't find many outstanding books.

I felt a constant sense of foreboding while reading this book. The influenza virus could strike at any moment, and the axe murderer is targeting Italians. It's scary. As I mentioned in my Facebook post, Gianna has a strange psychic connection to the axe murderer which is just like Harry Potter's mental connection to Voldemort. By later in the book, it becomes apparent that the murderer also senses Gianna and is gaining information about her, so it is terrifying whenever Gianna is asleep and experiencing the connection. This is why the book is titled Don't Go to Sleep.

The book has some violence. The climax of the story is harrowing and violent. To me, the violence isn't that bad. The author doesn't go into detail about the injuries, although I cringed at least twice. Even a bare minimum description of an axe injury is gross.
The actual violence isn't the scary part.  The fear and horror about what might happen is quite intense.  This is a very scary book.  Violence is near the lowest level of what you can expect from books like this.  I've read some YA zombie books that are far worse than what is in this book.

One reader feels that the violence is inappropriate for teens.  The violence is fine for teens—children, not so much.  I was sheltered enough as a child that this book would have caused me to have nightmares.  It's definitely not a book for young children.

I also noticed a few readers said that the main part of the story is boring.  Vintage series books are all boring by modern standards.  This book nails the vibe of vintage series books, which I loved.  I found every bit of the story to be intensely interesting, and I felt nervous about what would happen as I was reading.  I didn't want to put the book down!  I had to force myself to go to bed for the night, and then resumed the book the next day.

I love this book.

No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally

No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally was published by Sourcebooks Fire on January 7, 2025.

Publisher's summary:

Some secrets just won't stay hidden in this twisty new thriller from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Megan Lally!

To Brooke, image is everything.  She works hard to maintain perfect grades, perfect looks, a perfect life—especially after "the incident" that threatened it all.  Getting into her dream university puts her that much closer to a fresh start.  How can she say no to celebrating with all her classmates?

Hanging out with her crush by the bonfire is the perfect end to the night.  Except it isn't the end.  An old truck starts aggressively tailing Brooke and her best friend on the isolated road toward home.  Someone thinks they know the truth about "the incident," and they won't stop until it's all out in the open.  This terrifying drive is about to bring out Brooke's worst fears…if she survives it.

The book switches back and forth between "then" and "now."  "Then" is when "the incident" happened and is a gradual retelling of what happened that night.  "Now" involves what happens with Brooke and the unknown person who is harassing her about "the incident."

I found most of the backstory from months before to be tedious and overall uninteresting.  It was basically some mean girls and their backstabbing fights with each other.  Once "the incident" begins unfolding in the past, then that part becomes quite compelling.  The "now" part of the book is much more interesting, even though part of it is a little slow.  

Even though I found the early part of the book to be less interesting, I knew as I read it that there were clues that I needed to try to catch.  I had a suspicion about the direction the story would ultimately take, and I was correct.  As the book approached the climax, I went back to the early part of the book and reviewed a few scenes, which confirmed that what I suspected was almost certain to be how the book would play out.  

The structure of this book is very much like the television series Cruel Summer.  If you enjoyed Cruel Summer and like YA lit, then you should enjoy this book.  In particular, this book is reminiscent of the second season of Cruel Summer for several reasons.  By the way, if you watched the Nancy Drew television series on The CW network, the second season of Cruel Summer was filmed in the same locale.  In fact, the set for The Bayside Claw from Nancy Drew was used for the popular hangout in Cruel Summer.

In summary, the early part of the book is a bit slow.  The book becomes pretty interesting by around one-third of the way into the story.  The second half of the book is highly suspenseful and overall excellent.

If I Tell: A Murder Mystery Thriller about a Girl and a Serial Killer

If I Tell: A Murder Mystery Thriller about a Girl and a Serial Killer was written by J. W. Lynne, an independent author.  The book was published in 2022.

Publisher's summary:

My name is Jenna.

I'm sixteen years old.

And I think my dad is a serial killer.

On a muggy summer afternoon in Upstate New York, sixteen-year-old Jenna Cooper is swimming in a lake when a murdered girl is found nearby, pulled from that very same lake.  The next day, the body of another girl is discovered a couple of miles away.  Soon, more bodies are found.  All are girls in their teens or early twenties, and they were all killed in the same distinctive manner.

As police race to solve these horrible crimes, Jenna finds clues that make her wonder if her father might be the killer.  Although she is terrified to believe her dad could be a murderer, she is determined to find out the truth, no matter what it is.

But her quest for the truth is about to land her in a makeshift prison, at the mercy of a serial killer.  Will she find a way to escape or will she be the next to die?

If you like fast-paced murder mysteries with short captivating chapters, intriguing family relationships, jaw-dropping twists and turns, a dash of clean romance, and an ending that brings everything together, you'll love this riveting thriller that will keep you guessing until the final pages!

The book has an interesting premise, and I did enjoy it overall.  When I finished the book, however, I felt depressed.  The story just didn't do much for me.  There are several problems.

The book has way too many characters, and I quickly decided not to keep track of them.  That reduced my enjoyment.  Furthermore, the characters are all flat.  The text is flat.  The book is missing that something that makes a book compelling and really good.

The book has a good story, but I wanted more from it.  If the story had been fleshed out more with more feeling shown by the characters, then it could have been an excellent story.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Trilogy

The Good Girl's Guide to Murder Trilogy consists of these books.

1.  A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, 2020
2.  Good Girl, Bad Blood, 2021
3.  As Good as Dead, 2021

Publisher's summary of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder:

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself.  It was all anyone could talk about.  And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day.  She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her.  How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation.  But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent... and the line between past and present begins to blur.  Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

The first two books are really excellent books.  The third book is much darker.  The first half of the third book is very much like the first two books, except that Pip has PTSD from what happened at the end of the second book.  This is understandable.  However, I did not expect the story to take the turn that it does halfway through the third book.  Still, I greatly enjoyed reading the second half of the third book but as something quite different from what I read for the first 2 1/2 books.  

I don't like what happens when the story turns.  While I understand that the PTSD leads Pip into the situation, it doesn't fit the content of the first two books.  It's just off.  Many readers share my opinion, while other readers are fine with the turn in the story.

I read most of the second half of the third book, but I skimmed at times due to being uninterested in the extremely detailed descriptions of everything that Pip does in this part of the story.  I was still invested in the story although I was less interested.  I wanted to see if events would turn out the way Pip wants.  I'm being careful with my wording so as not to give anything away. 

Most reviews for this series are overwhelmingly positive.  The negative reviews are in the extreme minority.  It should be noted that many of the negative reviews suggest not reading the third book, feeling that the third book ruins the story.  I don't feel that way, at least not exactly, but the third book is quite a downer.

The third book is heavy, dark, and foreboding.  Like the other two books, it has a mystery.  Unlike the other two books, the culprit is blindingly obvious.  The point of the third book isn't to fake out the reader; it is to set up what happens halfway through the book.  Beginning halfway through, the book turns into a thriller with a protagonist acting a bit different from what she is in the first 2 1/2 books.  

The high point of this series is Pip and Ravi's relationship.  It's just precious.  

The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle

The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle was published by Sourcebooks Fire on April 6, 2021.  The book was previously published by Dunemere Books in 2018 as Sneaking Out under the pseudonym of Chuck Vance.

Publisher's summary:

Boarding school has never been more dangerous.

What if your roommate is a murderer? Or what if he's being framed and only you can save him?

Luke Chase made history as a child when he escaped a kidnapping. Now, all he wants is to be a normal teenager. So when he sneaks out to the woods one night to drink with friends and flirt with the new British girl at school, he's excited to feel some freedom.

Except the next morning, one of their teachers is found murdered—in the exact same spot where they had been partying. Soon, Luke's roommate and best friend Oscar is the #1 suspect.

As the evidence and list of suspects builds, Luke attempts to use his famous survival skills to find the killer and clear Oscar's name. But as Luke gets closer to the truth, the killer is getting closer to Luke.

The book is set up for a sequel, but since it was published over six years ago, I have my doubts as to whether a sequel will ever be released.  I wish that another book would be released, since I'd love to discover the solutions to the other two mysteries mentioned in this book.

I read through some of the reviews after I finished reading the book.  As usual, the one-star ratings were people complaining that they didn't know it was a young adult book and that they don't like the tropes of the genre.  If people would just avoid books with teenage protagonists, they'd avoid accidentally reading young adult books.  I am not sure how it can be an accident, since the teenage protagonist is a huge red flag.

This is a very good to excellent story.  I really enjoyed reading it.  The book has some flaws, but the story flows well and held my interest throughout.  I enjoyed Luke's investigation.  Several parts of the story were very suspenseful.  This is just a solidly good young adult murder mystery.

The Last Witness by Claire McFall

The Last Witness by Claire McFall was published by Sourcebooks Fire on January 7, 2020.  It was previously published under the title Black Cairn Point: Where Darkness Grows by Hot Key in 2015.

Publisher's summary:

From award-winning author Claire McFall comes a chilling psychological thriller about the sole survivor of a camping trip gone wrong and the truth behind that weekend, perfect for fans of Natasha Preston.

Heather agrees to go camping with Dougie and his friends because she's desperate to get closer to him, and a secluded beach sounds like the perfect place.  But the trip takes a sinister turn that brings Heather's plans to a violent end.

One by one, the group begins to vanish.

A year later, Heather knows she's just lucky to be alive.  And now, people are asking for answers, or else she will be the one to take the blame.  But the truth about what happened on that trip is far more terrifying than anyone knows…

A great pick for thriller readers looking for:

• paranormal suspense
• young adult horror
• mystery books best sellers

I had read the free sample on Amazon on a previous occasion and declined to read the book.  This time the sample seemed okay.  I still wasn't sure and looked at some reviews.  The reviews made the book sound really good, and the premise sounded interesting.  I decided to take a chance.

The book is much better once the young people arrive at their camping destination on the shore, which is shortly after the free sample ends.  The samples nowadays on Amazon are not long enough to make a decision.  They now strictly cut the samples at 10% due to the copyright law.  This is understandable, but with long books, I really need more than 10% to make a decision.  Many authors take forever to get the plot started.

The book switches between the present with Heather in a doctor's office being questioned and a retelling of what happened.  

I saw in reviews that only two teens came back from the outing and that three didn't.  I had no idea who came back aside from Heather.  The publisher's summary makes it sounds like something supernatural could be at play.  This vague information made me very curious.

The book is very suspenseful and interesting.  The story is creepy.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book up until the last chapter.  I'm not happy about how the story ended.  Even though the book is overall excellent, I finished the book feeling disappointed and displeased.  The ending ruined it for me.  

I have completely rewritten the end of this post several times, as I have struggled with how to convey information about how the book ended.

This is a spoiler and will likely cause most people who read this review not to want to read the book.  Honestly, I wish I hadn't read the book.  The book is fine until just the last few pages when the reader suddenly learns that the narrator was unreliable... that the entire book was not what actually happened. 

This was a waste of time.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book until the last few pages, when the author tears it apart.  Just, why?  I do not recommend this book unless you enjoy manipulation and deception.  

Campus Murder Club by Kristi Rose

Campus Murder Club was written by independent author Kristi Rose and was published on October 6, 2023.

Publisher's summary:

Step into a world of intrigue, suspense, and secrets as the Campus Murder Club takes you on a heart-pounding journey through a chilling cold case in Kristi Rose's thrilling young adult mystery novel.

College can be murder.

Nestled in the woods of a Pacific Northwest town, a prestigious college becomes the setting for a chilling murder.  When nursing student Jaime is brutally killed in her exclusive private all-girls room, the authorities quickly abandon her case, dooming it to the cold case files.  But fate has other plans.

Catching a killer can be deadly.

Five unsuspecting students receive cryptic invitations that thrust them into a dangerous game of cat and mouse.  Drawn together by an unknown hand, these citizen sleuths are about to embark on a perilous quest to unearth the truth behind Jaime's murder.

As they delve into Jaime's past, her journal emerges as the key to unraveling the truth, but it also puts their lives in danger.  With every corner filled with lurking peril, the stakes rise, forcing them to confront the deadly consequences of their pursuit.

Will they unmask the killer hiding in plain sight, or will they become the next victims in this deadly game of deception?

The book opens as follows:

The challenge came as a letter, stuffed among the magazines and flyers in their mailboxes.  There was no postage.  No address for the sender or recipient.  Just their names scrawled across the front in a thin, jagged cursive.  Inside was a single sheet of paper.  At the top was an image of a red splatter, the word murder, and a magnifying glass.  The paper could easily have been mistaken for a cheap advertising flyer, an old-school practice gone the way of the dinosaur as smartphones and tablets became the primary source for information and advertising. 

Is There a Killer Among Us?

Do you feel safe on campus?  In your dorm?  Nursing student Jaime Sullivan was raped then strangled in her dorm.  The campus police responded by adding a few extra patrols at night.  The Sheriff's Department has moved on.  Jaime Sullivan is an unsolved case.  Soon to be cold and forgotten.  How does that make you feel?

Who out there cares enough about those who no longer have a voice?  You?

But do you care enough to make a difference?

Come Thursday the 13th Journalism Building 9 p.m.

Five students respond to the letter.  These students were each chosen for a reason, and the author gradually reveals information about each student as the story progresses.  Clues about Jaime's final day and her death are gradually doled out as the students investigate.  The clues are steadily revealed, and the book never has any slow or uninteresting parts.  The book also contains multiple mysteries, which the reader won't see coming.  

The book is written in a mixture of third-person limited and third-person omniscient.  Sometimes the reader only knows one character's thoughts during a scene, and at other times, the reader knows the thoughts of more than one character at the same time.

The mysteries were fully solved at the end of the book, but the Campus Murder Club's future is left slightly open-ended so that a sequel is possible.

If you enjoyed One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, then you should enjoy reading this book.

This is an excellent book.  I was sorry to reach the end, but I felt quite happy about my reading experience.

Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison

Only She Came Back was written by Margot Harrison and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on November 14, 2023.

Publisher's summary:

A chilling thriller about an unlikely friendship between a true-crime fan and a former high school classmate suspected of murdering her influencer boyfriend, perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Courtney Summers.

On July 28 at 6:30 p.m., Kiri Dunsmore walks out of the desert wearing her boyfriend's sweatshirt, covered in his blood.  Dazed and on the verge of unconsciousness, she tells a cashier that he's still out there and most likely dead.  The disappearance of Callum Massey, a "survival guru" with hundreds of thousands of YouTube followers, rocks the nation.  And Kiri is a prime suspect.

Back in Kiri's hometown, true-crime fanatic Sam is completely hooked on the case—especially now that she recognizes the suspect as shy Katie from high school.  Although they didn't know each other well, that doesn't stop Sam from reaching out to befriend her old classmate.

But when Kiri starts to confide in her, Sam realizes there's more to the story than she had imagined.  Can she keep Kiri's secrets even though revealing them could put her where she's always longed to be—at the center of the story? 

The premise intrigued me.  The public is fascinated with true-crime stories, particularly when the case is unsolved.  This book offers up an unsolved case.  Callum Massey is missing.  He might or might not be dead.  His girlfriend Kiri might have done something to him, but perhaps she's innocent.  What's certain is that the reader doesn't know the whole story and that the mystery will gradually unfold as the book is read. 

The protagonist, Sam, is obsessed with true-crime stories.  When she befriends Kiri, she finds herself in a questionable role.  Should she be a real friend to Kiri, or should she post what she knows online?  In the end, Sam finds herself enmeshed in the case, resulting in dangerous consequences.

After the end of the story, the author, Margot Harrison, opens her acknowledgments with the following passage:

True crime is a fraught subject, for good reason—one that has always made me feel fascinated and queasy in equal measures.  I want to thank everyone who helped me navigate the quandaries of exploring our culture's fascination with murder stories in Only She Came Back.

This book has some strong similarity to the Gabby Petito case, and I felt a strong sense of déjà vu during the opening chapters of the story. 

The online reviews are lukewarm, with most readers giving the book 3 stars.  Many reviewers complain about the similarities to Gabby Petito. 

I don't use a number rating system, but I would probably go with 3-3.5 stars for this book.  Using my own description system, I will go with a rating of good to very good.  I enjoyed reading the book, even though some parts are a bit weak.

The Compound and The Fallout by S. A. Bodeen

The Compound duology was written by S. A. Bodeen and was published by Feiwel & Friends.

1.  The Compound, 2008
2.  The Fallout, 2013

Publisher's summary:

Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years.

The world they knew is gone.

Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe. Now, they can't get out.

He won't let them.

This is a pretty short summary, but it's really all that can be said in order for the book to be appreciated as intended.  I heard about this book via a thread of YA dystopian book recommendations on Reddit.  I opened up the free sample on Amazon and began reading. 

Something struck me as a little odd, and I'm sure that the author wanted readers to pick up on it.  This caused me to want to know more.  I was compelled to keep reading.

As soon as I finished the sample, I closed it and hit the purchase button immediately.  I opened up the Kindle app on my iPad and continued reading without pause.

Usually, I finish the sample and take a few minutes to assess whether I enjoyed the sample enough to purchase the book.  Sometimes I skim the first few reviews.  In this case, my decision came with no thought required.  It likely was the fastest I have ever purchased a book after reading the sample.  

I read the entire book in less than 24 hours and immediately continued with the second book.  I also read it in around 24 hours.

If you think you might be interested in reading The Compound, do not go looking for more detailed summaries, and avoid all online reviews.  Most importantly, stay away from anything having to do with the second book, The Fallout.  The publisher's summary of that book spoils the first book.

Just read the free sample found on Amazon, and make your decision based on how you feel about it.

In reflecting about my reading experience, the early part of the first book contains many mundane details, so it's not that exciting.  I didn't much mind, since I was focused on figuring out whether I was right about what I suspected.

The Compound and The Fallout are highly suspenseful books.  The Compound is overall outstanding, and The Fallout is excellent, just a step down from the first book.

Don't Let In the Cold by Keely Parrack

Don't Let In the Cold by Keely Parrack was published on September 6, 2022 by Sourcebooks Fire.

Publisher's summary:

A claustrophobic, high-stakes thriller that will have you fearing what waits out in the cold.

It was supposed to be just one night in the cabin: one night for Lottie and her brand new stepsister, Jade, to try to get along. When a solar flare causes a massive blackout—no power or cell signal—Lottie knows they've got a long night ahead of them.

Then, in the dark, someone else shows up at the cabin—a stranger named Alex, claiming to be lost and needing shelter from the coming snowstorm.  But later that night, Lottie spies him in the driveway talking to two mysterious men in a pickup truck, and she's sure he's lying about why he's here.

Before Lottie can find out more, a fire forces her, Jade, and Alex out into the blizzard, where they must rely on one another to get to safety—wherever that is.  In the remote, freezing Tahoe wilderness, they have to survive more than just the elements.  Soon it becomes clear that Alex's accomplices are hunting for all three of them, in a scheme that's gone too far and taken a chilling, deadly turn.

Lottie, Jade, and Alex end up on the run in a blizzard near Lake Tahoe.  Two men are out to get them for some reason, and they must survive the cold while staying away from their enemies.  

The book is harrowing and suspenseful, but it's also a story of personal growth.  Lottie and Jade intensely dislike each other since they don't want to be stepsisters.  Lottie also despises Alex, since she has good reason not to trust him.  These three young people are forced into the wilderness in a blizzard and must work together.  The best part of the story is seeing how the three teens gradually come together through adversity and learn to respect and even care about each other.  It's beautiful.

This is an excellent book.

What Happened on Hicks Road by Hannah Jayne

What Happened on Hicks Road by Hannah Jayne is a YA thriller published by Sourcebooks Fire on August 29, 2023.

Publisher's summary:

Those eyes.  Wide.  Ice blue.  A swath of blond hair illuminated in headlights.  Then, blackness.

Thump!

"We hit something."

Lennox Oliver is loving her new life in California.  For the first time, she feels normal.  She has friends, and a maybe boyfriend and best of all no one knows the truth about her past and what happened to her mom.

But everything changes the night after a party when a drive on the supposedly haunted Hicks Road turns deadly and Lennox hits something…or someone.

Her friends say it was nothing, at worst, a deer in the road.  But Lennox can't shake the vision of the girl in the headlights: bloody hair, wide, terrified eyes, lips parted in a scream.  When she goes out to investigate, there's a slight dent in the car, but that's it: no body, no blood.

Lennox wants to go to the police—but how can she?  She shouldn't have been driving, and as her friends remind her, there's no evidence that she actually hit anything.  All Lennox wants to do is go back to her boring, normal life.  But when a note saying FIND ME is slipped through her window, she fears that there was a girl she hit on Hicks Road that night …or she's slipping deeper into the illness that took her mother.

Lennox is an unreliable narrator, which is a bit annoying, simply because I wasn't sure which direction the plot would take.  

The reader knows that one of two things must be true: Lennox hit a girl on Hicks Road, or she imagined it.  So, which is it?

Years before, Lennox's mother was committed to a mental institution due to acute schizophrenia.  Lennox worries that she is developing the disease.  The reader has no way of knowing whether Lennox is mentally ill or whether something else is going on.

I had a suspicion that grew as I read through the story.  Once I was in the second half of the book, I felt like I was probably right.  I still had doubts, however.  I won't say anything else.

The book ends very abruptly right after the reveal of the true situation.  Some readers have complained about the abrupt ending.  When I was in the process of purchasing the book, I read one review that mentioned the abrupt ending.  The review started to mention why it was okay, and I quit reading since I didn't want to know anything.

For this reason, I knew as I read the book that it would end very quickly after the plot resolution, so I was prepared for a fast ending.  I wasn't surprised or disappointed in that.

After I finished, I realized that the abrupt ending was like what Christopher Pike does in many of his teen books.  Pike's books tend to end very quickly after the plot resolution, so What Happened on Hicks Road is the same style of book.  While Hicks Road isn't a Pike book, it does have some similarity to Pike in several ways.  I was okay with the ending.

The book is a bit tedious at times, simply because Lennox is such an unreliable narrator.  As my suspicion about the true situation developed, I found Lennox's narration to be far less annoying.  I was pretty sure that I knew where the plot was going, and I began to spot the clues that had been there all along.  The book also has some intriguing misdirection.

In my opinion, the early part of the book is good, and the second half is very good.

They're Watching You by Chelsea Ichaso

They're Watching You by Chelsea Ichaso is a YA thriller published by Sourcebooks Fire on January 3, 2023.

Publisher's summary:

When a secret society has you in their sights, it can lead to power, privilege... or death.

It's been two weeks since Polly St. James went missing.  The police, the headmistress of Torrey-Wells Academy, and even her parents have ruled her a runaway.  But not Maren, her best friend and roommate.  She knows Polly had a secret that she was about to share with Maren before she disappeared— something to do with the elite, ultra-rich crowd at Torrey-Wells.

Then Maren finds an envelope hidden among Polly's things: an invitation to the Gamemaster's Society.  Do not tell anyone, it says.  Maren is certain her classmates in the Society know the truth about what happened to Polly, though it's no easy feat to join.  Once Maren's made it through the treacherous initiation, she discovers a world she never knew existed within her school, where Society members compete in high-stakes games for unheard-of rewards—Ivy League connections, privileges, favors.

But Maren's been drawn into a different game: for every win, she'll receive a clue about Polly.  And as Maren keeps winning, she begins to see just how powerful the Society's game is—bigger and deadlier than she ever imagined.  They see, they know, they control.  And they kill.

The characters in this book are flat.  I felt nothing for any of them, including the protagonist.  Maren is worried about her missing friend, Polly, but I never cared about Polly in the least.  If I don't care, then why would I want to read the book?

I did find the story interesting enough that I ended up reading the entire book.  The story is decent but nothing special at all.  I would rate this book as overall good.  By "overall good," I'm saying that the book is either borderline good or good in some places but not others.  My feelings are lukewarm, even though I "overall" enjoyed the book.

That's Not My Name by Megan Lally - A Thrilling Debut YA Novel

Note:  This post contains no spoilers.  This is a deeply suspenseful book, and it's best not to read online reviews since many people are a bit careless with what they reveal.  Below is the publisher's summary, which only reveals information that the reader learns very early in the book.

That's Not My Name by Megan Lally is a YA thriller published by Sourcebooks Fire on December 26, 2023.

Publisher's summary:

It was a mistake to trust him.

Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there—or who she is.  A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives.  He's been searching for her for hours.  He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos.

He is her father.  Her name is Mary.  Or so he says.

When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, Drew thought they just needed some time to cool off.  Except Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the whole town are convinced Drew murdered his girlfriend.  Forget proving his innocence, he needs to find her before it's too late.  The longer Lola is missing, the fewer leads there are to follow… and the more danger they both are in.

This book is very suspenseful, and the reader will be kept guessing until the end.  Readers may have an inkling about part of the plot's resolution, but it's highly unlikely that they will guess the entire resolution.  I had a suspicion but wasn't sure.  I was shocked at the full reveal.

That's Not My Name has alternating viewpoints.  This is usually annoying in books, but it is quite effective in this case.  The alternating viewpoints between Mary and Drew move the plot forward steadily in an interesting fashion that keeps the reader engaged and guessing as to what is really going on.

There's no problem telling Mary and Drew apart because of their vastly different situations.  Mary can't remember anything about her past, and Drew is desperate to find his girlfriend, Lola.

This book has a newspaper article after the conclusion of the main action which is followed by an epilogue.  The newspaper article is interesting, and the epilogue is quite captivating and effective.  The epilogue satisfactorily wraps up the plot and is well worth reading.

I despise epilogues and consider the abomination at the end of Harry Potter Deathly Hallows to be the worst offender, but the epilogue in That's Not My Name is great.

I love Megan Lally's delightful descriptions.

Page 14:  His hair looks like it's thinking of going gray but hasn't committed to the change.

Page 49:  A motion light over the door flickers on, illuminating us and the driveway.  The darkness pushes back to the tree line and hovers there like a living thing.

Page 55:  Incredibly soft jersey sheets stretch across the mattress with a massive white fluffy down comforter that weighs a ton and smells like a good night's sleep.

One character is obsessed about sleuthing and uses that word repeatedly.  On page 109, another character thinks to himself, "Wannabe Nancy Drew over here probably thought she'd get me to confess and then backflip out the window or something."

I also wonder whether it's just a coincidence that one of the protagonists is named Drew.

This book could be turned into an excellent movie adaptation.

That's Not My Name is an outstanding book.