I'm not exaggerating when I say this is the twistiest thriller I've read so far. For being a YA novel, there was more domestic drama/tension than I had expected, which makes me think that it could be interesting to even readers who prefer adult thrillers. The only caveat being that there are moments when it veers into the Lifetime movie category, which is when its YA vibes may be too off-putting for some. Nevertheless, it's a fun read that's good for dreary, rainy days!

I was even more excited for this book after reading "How to Survive Your Murder" by @daniellevalentinebooks. Both books drew me in immediately and would not let me go until I finished them. Honestly, they still haven't let me go.

These are YA Murder mysteries, and sometimes I think YA gets judged too harshly. Both of these books were gripping, suspenseful, and Danielle Valentine is NOT afraid to brutally Murder a character for the sake of a twist or a jaw-dropping moment. Up until now, my favorite YA thriller author was Karen McManus, who I recommend to everyone, but I will absolutely be adding Danielle Valentine to that list.

This book has a web of lies that unravels all throughout the book and just like with "How to Survive Your Murder" Danielle Valentine throws an epilogue in there that leaves you with your jaw on the floor. I highly recommend checking this author out and pre-ordering this book for its June release.

Ate this book right up! There are many twists and turns and I found myself glued to my phone trying to finish this one. It’s an enjoyable and quick read!!

Thanks to Penguin Teen for sending me the ARC on NetGalley.
This was such a good book and it literally held my attention from the start! While reading it I had an hourlong roadtrip to the city, and not once did I take a break to scroll because it was just so good! I went to the city to visit family and could not put my book down at all while there! Which.. might be a bad thing, now that I think about it… Anyways, on the drive back home, I again kept reading and reading! And then when I got home I immediately sat on the couch and kept reading! And then I finished it. So, yeah, you should totally check out this book!

The mysteries were pretty obvious and I think the ya aspect put me off being a horror thriller I think it would have been more effective with adult characters. Some parts were enjoyable and left me guessing until the end but the parts that lull outweigh the excitement.

“She said that even strong people need to fall apart. And if you go too long without letting yourself do that, your body’s going to do it for you. We’re not made of stone.”

We follow two teenage girls who find themselves at the center of a chilling mystery. Olivia, who was born at the camp where a notorious murder took place, and Reagan, whose mother was accused of the crime, are both determined to uncover the truth. When Camp Lost Lake reopens and they start digging for answers, they soon realize that a killer is on the loose and danger lurks around every corner.

I enjoyed how we to experience the perspectives of both Olivia and Reagan and even got those flashbacks to the original Lost Lake murders from 16 years ago. I managed to guess a few of plot twists. Even though I had a hunch about what was coming, the overall pacing of the book still had me hooked and entertained. I felt like the inclusion of romance subplot didn’t need to happen as it took away from suspenseful moments in the story. I think the last twist at the end wasn’t needed.

This one was pretty satisfying as far as ya thrillers go. It gave the 80's horror/90's thriller/slasher vibes that I was hoping for. It had a great, satisfying ending. The twists were pretty good. The characters were vivid, the comedic relief moments were on point, and it had a good amount of build up and intensity. Definitely a recommended read for lovers of this genre!

"Two Sides to Every Murder" by Danielle Valentine delivers a gripping YA thriller experience with a captivating whodunnit plotline. The novel's dual perspectives, presented through the eyes of Olivia and Reagan, add depth to the narrative as they endeavor to unravel a mystery shrouded in secrets from 16 years prior. Valentine crafts a page-turner that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly flipping pages to uncover the truth. While some moments may be predictable, the overall journey is a delightfully engaging one. Fans of YA mysteries will find themselves thoroughly immersed in this tale of intrigue and suspense.

Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine
Pub date: June 4, 2024

When three people are murdered at Camp Lost Lake in 2008, the killer, Lori Knight, escaped, never to be found. This is the same night that Olivia’s mother had her, right at this horrific murder scene.

Now, Andie, Olivia’s older sister is set on reviving the old camp despite its grim history. Meanwhile, Reagan, whose mother has always been on the run, forcing them to always be in hiding, is heading to Camp Lost Lake to clear her mother’s name.

This, my friends, is a recipe for disaster and someone out there doesn’t want the truth to come out. They’ll stop at nothing to make sure that the secrets of Camp Lost Lake stay buried even if that means more murder!

This is such a twisty YA thriller with a tense narrative and suspenseful creepy atmosphere! I loved that it was told by both Olivia and Reagan, along with the 2008 flashbacks, giving the story a unique perspective from both sides of the story!

Such a fun romp through the woods in this creepy camp setting, suspecting almost everyone of murder and being wrong every time! I love a story that can still shock me!

My thanks to Penguin Teen for this gifted copy to review!

Despite the limited intellect and bone deep selfishness of every single character, thos was genuinely a propulsive and super fun read.

3 ⭐️ // Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me with this ARC.
I loved the idea for the plot of this book - murder mystery, with twists and turns and a whole lot of suspense! I couldn’t put this book down and finished in 2 days. I enjoyed the camp setting, the twistyness of the story for the main characters, and the surprises along the way. However, the overall concept was so good, but the execution was a miss. Characters felt underdeveloped, plot points felt rushed, and the time setting of 2024 / 2008 didn’t work as well. Overall, good story, but wouldn’t recommend.

After enjoying How to Survive Your Murder last year, I knew I wanted to request Two Sides to Every Murder, Danielle Valentine's newest YA thriller.

This is a book you could read in one sitting. It's less than 300 pages, filled with action, and very fast-paced. It took me a minute to familiarize myself with the characters and their family trees. I will say the ending lost me at times as there were a few eye roll moments, but overall I had a fun reading experience. The last few pages also helped with some extra darkness added in that worked for me.

In general, YA can be hit or miss for me, and while being in the heads of these characters felt very high school, I didn't think the dialogue was too cheesy (my typical complaint). I felt like this was a great book to switch it up between some darker psychological thrillers on my TBR.

Both books I've read by Valentine have been so cinematic. They are fun yet bloody and intense. If you've watched Totally Killer with Kiernan Shipka (Amazon Prime), that's how I envision these stories as I'm reading.

Rating: I liked it a lot! (3.5 rounded to 4)

Abandoned Camp. Secret Twins. Bow and arrow murders. Two Sides to Every Murder has a promising set up and premise.

Reagan goes to Camp Lost Lake to prove her mom did not commit the camp murders 16 years ago; Olivia is just there to help her older sister clean up the camp. Olivia has just learned that her dad isn't her dad and she has questions. Reagan and Olivia run into each other while running from the bow and arrow wielding Witch of Camp Lost Lake and it is immediately clear that they are identical twins. Family secrets are revealed and not one but TWO murderers is unmasked (I'm not even a little sorry about that pun.)

Overall, Two Sides to Every Murder delivered the suspense and thrills! The pacing was excellent and the cast was the just right size. As I was reading, I did not want to put it down (seriously, I almost called out of work to keep reading) and when I wasn't reading, my mind kept drifting back to the story. This was a fun ride and I really liked all of the characters. I highly recommend Two Sides to Every Murder!

This fast paced murder mystery definitely kept me guessing! The multiple POV's through the different timelines were great and gave you just enough to think you had everything figured out. My biggest critique is with the ending-- it all wrapped up a bit too nicely and the motive made very little sense. For the original murders, sure, it was a crime of fury and passion. But to murder the girls who no one knows about? What? And then the other bit with the bear trap dude felt like it came out of left field.

All in all it was an enjoyable, fast, suspenseful YA read.

Disclaimer: Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC. This review is my unbiased personal opinion.

This book was readable and intriguing. It reminded me of Friday the 13th and it hooked me. I liked the dual pov’s from multiple characters.

I do have a few things which didn’t sit right with me. The lackluster romance between the characters was off.. it was only there to check off trope boxes.

The motive for the murder was crazy but it didn’t bother me too much. However I expected a better ending to mystery besides what happened.

The book needed more mystery and horror. More people could have been missing and the leads had to find more clues. The story also needed less info dumping about random characters. I lost track of who each person was which resulted in me rereading pages.

Lastly, I was able to guess the plot twists early on, so it did ruin my fun. I would recommend this book to others because the book has potential. I give this book a 2.5 rating and might change it when I read it a second time.

I read this book in one sitting! This is my second book by Danielle Valentine and I am now hooked! She is a new auto-buy author for me! I loved her other YA book and I have started the adult one as well. Her writing style is captivating and I enjoy the twists (nothing groundbreaking but that is what makes it good). This book I did see some things coming, but was still so suprised by how it all came together. I enjoyed the different perspectives of the two main characters and how their stories intertwined. I love a good slasher book so if you enjoy that, YA books, and thrillers this is a book for you!

Overall I rate this one a 4/5!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest review

This book was hard to put down! If you like YA thrillers, this is a must read! I need to read more of Danielle Valentine's work now. Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really really enjoyed this book. The writing was easy to follow, and there was not too much information. Sometimes a book will overload info at the beginning but I felt like this was fairly easy to follow! I had no idea who the real killer was until the very end, and even the last chapter surprised me. I had fun reading this book. It was also a super quick read. I couldn't put it down once I started it, which is awesome. And I read it in a few hours. It is the perfect book to get you out of a slump or even just as a quick read. I would recommend it to my friends and family.

This was a really fun and fast paced book and I really enjoyed it. I would have read it a lot quicker if it wasn’t a digital copy I had, but I still enjoyed it. All the plot twists were surprising and interesting. I normally prefer books with only one pov, but the author did a very good job having multiple povs and it was a well done book. I definitely recommend it to fans of the murder mystery genre

Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you know me, you know I love a slasher set a summer camp. (*cough cough* Sleepaway Camp is the best horror film ever). This one certainly packed a punch and supplied twisty family drama which is always fun to read. The ending was a little out there and the motive was a little lame but I still found myself devouring the entire thing. Also thought death by arrow was an underutilized weapon of choice.

Sometimes I feel like I lack reading comprehension skills because I didn't get that Regan and Olivia were twins until the characters thought they were each other.