What had drawn me to this book was the description "Silence of the Lambs for Teens". This sucked me in immediately. No there was no likeable villian like Hannibal Lector but this book was amazing! You will not want to put it down. Yes, there is some gore but it is totally worth it! It is deliciously twisted and dark. Must read for those that love mystery and horror.

When Ari wakes at the bottom of a well, she struggles to piece together her kidnapping. Alternating with the serial killer's voice, the story slowly unravels their stories.

I was extremely disapointed with this book. Ari came across as a 12 year old, not the 17 year old that she was supposed to be. She was a very weak character, despite the author trying to paint her otherwise. I also thought the serial killer was extremely unrealistic. The characters were just wrong, they lacked realism. Overall, a bust.

"I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review"

Until now, Ari was happy to spend her days pining for handsome, recent-arrival Stroud Bellows, fantasizing about their two-point-four-kids-future together. Safe in her small hometown of Dempsey Hollow. But now her community has turned very dangerous—and Ari may not be the only intended victim.

I was really excited to read this book when I read about it, but I have to say it did not live up to my expectations. I found the book to be a little slow and even though it was a short book it seemed to take forever to read. I am not sure if I didn't like the writing style or the story itself.
I did get into parts of the story and I was left wondering right up till the end who did it but the ending was a bit of a let down.
Now giving it some thought I think my main issue was I just couldn't connect with Ari and her story line. I found it really had to care about her character and I really don't know why that is.
I ended up giving this book 3 out of 5 stars due to the fact that it did leave me guessing and not many books do that to me anymore.

I struggled to get through this one. Twists were predictable and felt a bit dull. Narration style could have been much better but had some promise. I feel like I've read this book before except it was done better. In the end this wasn't for me.

"Blood Will Out" was a decent YA thriller which the publisher does absoluteky no favours for by comparing to "The Silence of the Lambs". There is no comparison, let's get that out of the way straight away. The plot revolves around a kidnapped teenage girl, but is also see from the point of view of her kidnapper (like in 'Silence of the Lambs'). The plot flicks back to the back stories of both characters, I thought the teenage girl's story was more interesting, it was a decent and engaging teen story focusing on her and her best friend, at the same time the reader wonders whether the kidnapper is stalking the girl? His backstory was in many ways more pedestrian and cliched. The novel does move into a different direction in the second half and amounted to a decent page-turner of a read for kids aged fourteen or thereabouts.

*through megaphone* <b>WHEN WILL THRILLER/HORROR NOVELS AND MOVIES STOP RELYING ON THE DEMONIZATION OF MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE</b>

Listen, I was <b>not a fan</b> of this book. This was seriously compared to Silence of the Lambs?? That’s a joke, right? Don’t talk to me or my son ever again.

Where do I even begin? The title of this book is freaking weird as hell. <i>Blood Will Out.</i> what does that mean??? I don’t understand. It’s not even a complete sentence. It’s not even a fragment. It means nothing. who is grammar and coherency? This title doesn’t know her

The worst thing about this book is the writing wasn’t bad! I wasn’t enthralled, persay, but I would say I was having quite an enjoyable time!! If this had been a contemporary about the adventures of Ari and Lynn I would have had such a good time! But noooooooo, the book had to ruin it with problematic content and a terrible and boring plot line.

First off, the incredibly boring plot. I told myself that if I got to chapter six and still, nothing had happened, I would stop reading. Guess what? <b>literally nothing happened</b>. Sure, we get flashbacks and back story, but I am not reading a horror/thriller novel to hear about romance and shopping. I am not reading a horror/thriller novel to hear backstory for the villain, no matter how scary it may be. I’m reading a horror/thriller novel for <b>action, and tension</b> but this book <b>literally had none</b>. Zero. Zip. Granted, I only read fifteen percent of the book, but if you are describing your thriller as “gripping” then there should be action starting on page twenty <b>at the latest</b>.

There was also this like, weird conversation between Ari and Lynn in one of the flashbacks and I was like ????
<blockquote><i> “’You’re a girl, for Pete’s sake. You’re supposed to live for shopping.
‘I’m not that kind of girl.’
‘Oh, really? What kind of girl are you then?’
‘The boring kind who’s boring.’”</i></blockquote>
THAT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN LOLLLLLLL Like seriously that is just, like, what? How does this contribute to anything? What does “the boring kind who’s boring” even mean?? If you’re going to give me a bunch of character info-dumping at the beginning of a book at least make it actually contribute to who they are as a person. I’m so. I don’t even know.

<b>trigger warning // homophobia and transphobia for the next few paragraphs</b>

I cannot wait for death. This book has a lesbian character, which is cool! Which is good! Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut. But. The d-slur is used seemingly out of nowhere in this novel, in this quote : <blockquote><i>”’Well, lookee lookee,’ said a smarmy voice. ‘Teen d*kes on a shopping spree.’”</i></blockquote> Which is, like, not okay? I mean, the character is obviously a creep and a bad person and the book acknowledges that, but at the same time the book never specifically challenges the use of a slur, it’s more of a general “oh yeah he’s the worst what a jerk,” and I wish that the use of a gross slur hadn’t been in this book at all, or at least seen as <b>specifically</b> not okay. Why even use slurs? Why not just, like, not? I’m so done.

But, also terrible is a little while later the same character says another crappy thing, but this time it’s transphobic. <blockquote><i>”’Do you feel like a man, Lubnick? Under those clothes do you look like a man?’”</i></blockquote> and I will say, again, that it is definitely established that the character is a creep and gross and a terrible human being, but the fact that this and the d-slur are never specifically challenged just doesn’t sit well with me, especially since it kind of came out of nowhere and my mind wasn’t prepared to deal with this kind of crap.

<b>end trigger warning</b>

Another thing that annoyed me in this book was the cultural appropriation. Listen, I’m not Japanese, but I am, like, 99.9% sure that white people aren’t supposed to wear kimonos. That’s cultural appropriation, buddy. And so why is Lynn purchasing what is described as a “tight kimono deal”? And planning to wear it to a dance? Wtf??

<b>trigger warning // demonizing of mentally ill people</b>

oh boy so this made me mad!! This book describes the killer (won’t say who for spoilers) as “insane” and “psychotic” and I’m honestly, like, so annoyed. Why in every single thriller novel is the murderer mentally ill? This is also true in movies. I’m so sick of thrillers demonizing mentally ill people, especially when <a href="http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/fixing-the-system/features-and-news/2030-new-study-mentally-ill-are-often-targets-of-violence">mentally ill people are actually more likely to be VICTIMS of violence, rather than perpetrators</a>. This pisses me off to no extent. I can’t even form coherent thoughts.

<b>end trigger warning</b>

In conclusion, sit. this. one. out. This was boring and crappy and problematic and not fun. I’m going to go watch Silence of the Lambs now.

Lovely twists and turns that had me guessing to the end.

The book flows between the kidnapper and the main character, Ari. it's always good to get the bad guys' perspective, however creepy they are!

I wouldn't say it was a YA Silence of the Lambs, the only similarity is the pit, but it was a good book, well written and I would recommend it.

Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and the author for letting me read an ARC.

"Blood Will Out" is a suspenseful thriller with great characters.

I really liked Ari because you could really feel her frustration with not being able to remember everything and not being believed. Her character felt really realistic and her actions and thought processes were believable. The chapters from the killer's point of view were fascinating and I loved how the author managed to give such a clear picture of their thought processes and motivations without giving away their identity.

The novel's twists were good too and I didn't really see the reveal coming, even though, in retrospect, there were some hints. I liked the narrow focus on Ari and the killer because it made the story feel really intense.

The ending was, in my opinion, the weakest part because I didn't really get the motivation for one of the minor characters because they were much less developed than Ari and the killer. But this is a mine complaint.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this novel because it has great writing, good characters, and an interesting plot.

I felt like Blood Will Out had so much potential that it just never lived up to. The flashbacks were well done but the misdirection that they lead the reader down was typical.
Overall I was just kind of bored with the story. There was no real high point and it was not a book that kept me wondering who the kidnapper was.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

On the surface of it, this is a typical YA novel about a kidnapping and escape and solving of a mystery. Ari awakens at the bottom of a cistern in the woods, and escapes but is plagued by memory blanks and a serious lack of awareness from the people her teenage self should be able to trust.

Some background:
The book is written from dual point of views: Ari's, and the kidnapper's. This was a great technique, and helped with story building as the reader was able to watch the progression of a serial killer as they developed. The parts of the story told from the killer's view point of view are very graphic and detailed, and show that the author has put a lot of thought and research into this book. The parts of the story told from Ari's POV come across as a little unsophisticated and basic. I like my thrillers to thrill me, and I feel like this book missed the mark a bit.

I feel like this book can be divided into three sections. The first was some background and world building, and then Ari awakes in the cistern. Good so far. Then, about 37% of the way through the book, she was still in the cistern. I get it, she's alone, and cold, and sore and can't remember what happened. I thought to myself, is this going to continue for much longer? Is it going to be another Room type novel? So for me, the first part dragged. It could do with being sped up a little (a lot) quite frankly. A third of the book where the main character doesn't move a lot is a chore to read.

The second part of the novel made me angry and I found it a bit unbelievable. If a teenager escapes in the condition Ari is in and tries to tell people what happened, I can't believe that everyone would try to pass it off as imagination and delusions. <spoiler>I find it curious that her parents just let her go along with her life the same as always, and take herself to school and wandering around the town with no supervision and a potential killer on the loose. Knowing how good her and Lynn's friendship was, why were her claims rubbished so badly? Why was the police chief so antagonistic, especially if it is being reported that his son's best friend is a potential victim?</spoiler> All of those things made me angry to read and made the story ring a bit less true in my mind.

The third part of the story is where the action starts to happen. I found the writing got better for me at this point. Grammatical errors were less and the story seemed to flow much better and was set at a better pace. This is the style of writing I associate with the Thriller genre. The unveiling of the killer was a surprise, and I can see that the author may be leaving the door open to continue with a sequel.

I also can't let it go without making some comment about the formatting of the book. It was <i>awful</i>. I realise that the novel isn't scheduled for release until next year, so I hope that there is time to fix the e-version. Chapters were not clearly marked, and there were random letters appearing at section breaks all the time. The beginning letter of each 'chapter' (or what I think it meant to be chapters) is obviously meant to be a decorative character, but it is just formatted badly and sits alone and bolded on a line with the rest of the text several rows below. There are also spelling and grammar errors which constantly jarred me out of my reading groove.

I did consider not finishing the book a few times, especially in the slow first section, but since it was an ARC, I continued. The story has potential, and there is still time to correct some of the things that irritated me about it. I think maybe YA me might have liked the novel a bit more when I wasn't so widely read and just getting into thriller and suspense. Having said that, there are books out there that do this subject better... if there is a sequel, I'm not sure I would read it.

* I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley to voluntarily review *

I just couldn't get into this – gave up at 10% in. I didn't find the characters believable, the story surprising or the prose interesting. Although I didn't think much of the author, top marks to the publicity team as the blurb was much more enticing than the actual book!

As a big fan of true crime I have to start by saying the author did a lot of research in order to craft the background and overall character development of the villain in this story and I have no doubt she pulled inspiration from the multiple literary works and actual serial killers mentioned in the story and I can appreciate and give credit to that, but the book itself is something that’s been done before.

I liked seeing the flashbacks that served as misdirection for who the culprit could be and that insight into the mind of a growing serial killer was well done, however when it flipped to the current plot and lead characters I was bored and sort of annoyed at the cliched police officers and the parents who must hate their child to have acted the way they did at some points in the book and that made the whole thing kind of drag for me where I wanted to just skip ahead to see who it was so I could stop reading altogether but that would be cheating so I kept going.

I’m not sure if there are plans for more and the ending suggests it’s a possibility but this is the end of the line for me with this series.

**thank you to netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

This is an example of YA horror done well. This book is creepy, very creepy. If you want just a murder mystery and chase between Ari to save herself and her friends, skip everything that is in italics. If you are a great animal lover, or hate creepy children who love murder, skip the italics. The killer's backstory is rightfully hard to read, and is what I would call horror, rather than the thriller the rest of the book is. The author got very graphically in the head space of a budding serial killer and it's like watching a good horror movie.
The mystery thriller of the rest of the book feels like a mix of Scream and Criminal Minds when it was still about the science of catching murderers. Ari researches famous real life killers, analyses how they caught and killed, and tries to apply the data to her situation. A well informed protagonist is an interesting one, and she does not just wander the book passively waiting to be murdered.
She and her best friend Lynn feel like real people and real teens. Their friendship is strong, and something to rely on in times of trouble. The boy Ari is interested in is not her priority, or strength, but Lynn is. Friendship in this book is stronger than romantic interest, and even though Lynn is a lesbian, there is no sign of the old trope of the lesbian in love with her straight friend. I really liked their bond; it felt like my own high school friendships.
A lot of the thrills come from the psychological horror, as Ari struggles to remember what happened to her, and what memories are real and can be trusted. The end of the book deals with the real consequences and damages of dealing with this kind of trauma, and reveals that not everyone is who we think they are, both good or bad.

I enjoyed this book, it's well written with a good fast pace. It was a good idea to leave the reader guessing who the killer was and it had a good twist at the end. This book gave good insight into the killer's mind, but sometimes it was a bit repetitive with the psychological traits of serial killers.

Read my 2-star review of Blood Will Out by Jo Treggiari

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2192861922

Well, that was graphic... horrifically so. Ummm, I’m not sure delving that far into the mind of a serial killer is good for any book marketed as a teen & young adult book.

I didn’t expect those kinds of graphic descriptions. Not my kind of book. Also, the whole part of the police and her parents not believing Ari or taking her seriously is a little ridiculous.

The good points first. It's well written. Well edited even in ARC form. This just feels like something I've read before. I think has been many books and movies done that closely resemble this story.

This is a really creepy little book that makes me want to not sleep for a week. Is it Silence of the Lambs for teens? No, because Silence of the Lambs had a lot of subplots and directions and complexities and this book is pretty straightforward with one storyline and no deviation or exploration. That’s not a bad thing, but the only thing it has in common with Silence of the Lambs is that there’s a girl stuck in a well. So it’s not Thomas Harris for Teens but it is really creepy and hard to put down.

I'm highly disappointed because I feel like this story had so much potential, but the writing was poor, at best, and all the flashbacks were very confusing.