Kayla saw something at the party that she wasn't supposed to. But she hasn't told anyone. No one knows the real story about what happened that night—about why Kayla was driving the car that ran into a ditch after the party, about what she saw in the hours leading up to the accident, and about the promise she made to her friend Bean before she left for the summer.
Now Kayla's coming home for her senior year. If Kayla keeps quiet, she might be able to get her old life back. If she tells the truth, she risks losing everything—and everyone—she ever cared about.
Kindle Edition, 288 pages
Expected publication:
April 21st 2015
by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult
Kristine's Thoughts:
I received an advanced readers copy from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
This book was a quick and easy read for fans of YA. Not only was it easy to get through but it also dealt with a very relevant subject. As I was reading I was reminded of numerous stories on TV that were similar. Some of them were on the news and others on those news magazine shows. I remember watching a few and getting so infuriated over the way an entire town could turn a blind eye simply because someone brings pride to their town, specifically when it comes to sports. This story tackled this subject in a relatively successful way.
The story is told in two different time frames, Spring and Fall/ before and after the accident. This is a style that I really like and keeps the pages turning. I found myself more drawn to the Fall/after because I really liked how it showed the way that the students could so easily ostracise Kayla because of one person and how that one person determined the way everyone acted and treated her. This is real and typical in high schools and small communities. I also liked how Kayla struggled with what to do. It is so easy when you are on the outside to say what is the right thing but when you are living it it's much harder. I feel that the author did a good job at showing this.
My really big problem with this book is with the synopsis. It tells too much of the story which ruined the impact that the book would have had. It would have been so much better had I not already known what Kayla witnessed before the accident. A reader would be way more riveted if they didn't know in advance particularly because of the way the book was layed out. I liked the book but I think I would have loved it if there was more of a mystery around what happened. Unfortunately because of the synopsis, too much of the story is given away.
My recommendation would be to read it without reading the synopsis and you will enjoy it a lot more. I try not to read them when I can but I had read this one and it did impact my enjoyment and my rating.
About the Author
Kristin Halbrook is the author of Nobody But Us.
When she isn’t appeasing her sense of wanderlust, she lives in Seattle,
where gray skies and good coffee make ideal writing conditions.
Connect with Kristin
I'm so glad you mentioned to not read the synopsis to avoid being spoiled with the story. What's funny is, I looked at the cover, then immediately began reading your review, so I guess I lucked out this time lol! These type of stories make me so angry, but yet I can't get enough of them. It definitely happens alot within high schools, and small communities, and since it's a premise I've read before and enjoyed, I'm definitely going to pick this up. Thanks for sharing :)
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