So relevant and really compelling. Character development was incredible. There were definitely a few issues I had with it, but overall the quality of writing and content was really good. ( )

God I love Kelley Armstrong's books so much. She never disappoints. Im official giving this book a 4.5. It was just so good.

Focusing on the aftermath of a school shooting this book touched on some difficult subjects but Armstrong handled it well. The horror and loss was so real that I had to sit aside the book on more than one occassion. School shootings are just such a horrible part of our reality and that realism made it all the more brutal and heartbreaking. Not to mention Skye's struggle to reconcile her loving brother with the monster that was accused of being a part of a school shooting. It seriously hurt.
The mystery was engaging and intriguing and I'll admit that especially in the beginning I even questioned Skye's sanity.
And now the characters. Unlike some in the YA genre they were all clearly teenagers rather than adults in teenage bodies. They were silly, had inside jokes, ate bad food and made plenty of mistakes. Skye and Jesse's friendship was just so pure and I loved it so much. It was a much needed respite from the otherwise dark story. Both struggled from the aftermath of the shooting in both similar and different ways and I can't help but wonder if things may have been different for them those three years after if not for the misunderstanding that led them to losing contact with one another. I also just really appreciated Jesse being a Muslim boy. It was well done in a way that brushed upon it throughout the story without the author throwing it in your face. It was all in the small details and conversations- a young Skye noticing his mom's hijab, Skye purposefully making sure Chris didn't out bacon on their pizza, etc. Im just always here for representation of any kind.

Overall- A really good, intriguing mystery that made me feel all kind of feelings. ( )

Interesting read that chronicles the “aftermath” of a school shooting and the effect on two teens, one the sister of the shooter, the other the brother of a victim. More a mystery/love story than anything psychological.

Trigger warnings: school shooting

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. ( )

Very good. Similar to The Hate You Give, but with more of a mystery element. Very similar to Stillhouse Lake. ( )

This is a unique look at a school shooting and its aftermath. Skye Gilchrist has just moved back to the school district where three years prior her brother Luka was involved with a school shooting. While Luka died, Skye remained behind to suffer the blame and guilt for being his sister and loving him. However, things started happening and Luka's guilt came into question. This is the story of how Skye faced her demons and pursued the truth, with the help of their friend Jesse Mandal who lost his brother in the shooting. It was an interesting if a somewhat unbelievable perspective on school shooting with an ending that was predictable. ( )