I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book with the expectation of having a bit of an ominous vibe from the narrator, but I was so wrong. Sure, I did feel that vibe to some extent but I was so much more please with the loving, warm feeling that this book radiated. How can a mystery book be warm? Well, let me tell you.

This book does not focus on investigations about the crime, but shows all its effects on the life of 17-year-old Seelie. I love her, how she stays strong despite of what she had to go through. She is far from perfect but her character development was amazing.

Another thing that I loved was Seelie’s group of friends. They were always there for her, the rock that she holds on to. But they weren’t perfect as well and that’s precisely what made me love them more. Along the way, their friendships were tested by problems and secrets. Nevertheless, their friendships prevailed and made them even stronger.

What I disliked in this book though was Seelie’s mother. Could you even call her a mother? She shows no sympathy for her own daughter. She even referred to Seelie’s situation as “legal drama” and cared more for her restaurant than for her daughter. What irked me the most is that they never patched things up. Seelie’s mother never tried to fix things with her daughter, and she’s the adult between them. Ugh! But whatever lacked in familial support, Seelie’s friends made up for.

Overall, this book is a great read. I became emotional at some parts because Seelie’s story just feels really raw and strong. And also, I love how the author mentioned different TV series, all of which were either my favorites or those I’ve really enjoyed.

“I need help,” seventeen year old Seelie Stanton whispers to the 911 operator after escaping her attacker. Brutally attacked while alone at work, Seelie saves herself and in the process kills Shane Mayfield, son of a well-connected family. When she wakes up in the hospital and is questioned by officers, Seelie isn’t even sure if Shane is living. All she knows is that she had to save herself. While one officer seems to empathize with Seelie, the other twists her words. Upon Seelie’s release from the hospital, she’s arrested and is being charged as an adult for murder. Seelie thought the loft of the barn was her worst nightmare, but really it was only the beginning.

THOUGHTS: Fans of thrillers will appreciate the mystery that the title implies. Clearly, readers do not have the whole truth from the beginning. Due to the graphic nature of her attack, this is recommended for mature high school readers.

Trigger warning: rape mentions

Oh where do I even start? My Whole Truth is heartbreaking, captivating and so so important. It perfectly captures sexism, rape culture and the corruption of the justice system. But despite the heavy topics, it wasn’t an entirely heavy read, mainly because Seelie has an amazing friend group. They aren’t perfect, neither is Seelie, but they’d go to hell and back for each other. They’re always there for her, no matter what. Even when some disagreements arise, they would never give up on each other.

My Whole Truth is definitely not for everyone, even though I didn’t find it very graphic, it’s still heavy. Knowing our society, it’s hard to stay positive while reading a story like Seelie’s. Just like her, I felt myself giving up hope so many times. But then there was Seelie’s lawyer, Cara, who’s smart, kickass and never wavers. She keeps believing in Sadie and never forces her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. She doesn’t know Seelie at the start of the book, but she’s ready to fight, just like her friends. In the end, she’s more like a friend or family than just a lawyer. Despite not having a great relationship with her mother, Seelie has found her family in her friends and Cara, which was beautiful to see.

Also the romance is adorable and I love it so much.

I honestly can’t say much more about My Whole Truth, except read it if you can handle it. I couldn’t possible do the book justice with a review, but I hope this mini review was enough to convince you.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Flux for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* 'My Whole Truth' is an action-packed novel that revolves around teenager Seelie Stanton. Seelie was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ends up having to defend herself when attacked by local lout, Shayne Mayfield. Unfortunately, Seelie has to use deadly force. Unfortunately, Shane was well connected in the community. As Seelie struggles to recover physically, she is thrown another curve ball in the form of a murder charge. I enjoyed the book and like the portrayal of the different characters. One criticism is that the trial scenario was not very realistic in its timings. 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

True rating 3 1/2 stars. This had a lot of good things going for it but with some fixing I feel like this could have been better. I felt like the mom relationship for one, was just there for stress. There was no resolution to that relationship and I could have just done without it. Some of the plot I found pretty unrealistic but overall it was an enthralling read that kept me interested until the end.

I am always a little leery about YA books because sometimes they're just too well... young. I did enjoy My Whole Truth though and will definitely be looking for more from Mischa Thrace.

The book covers a lot of what teens deal with today. It touches base on bullying, sexual harassment, LBGTQ, and self absorbed parents. Most of all though, it is about friendship and standing by each other which I think is a positive thing for Young Adults to read and enjoy and to see how a little kindness can go along way. I will be buying this for my teen daughter. She isn't into reading as much as I would like but I think she would enjoy this one.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced copy of My Whole Truth in exchange for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The ending to this one with stay with you long after you put the book down. The subject matter is a bit heavy to be considered YA.

Title: My Whole Truth
Author: Mischa Thrace
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Seelie Stanton has a mother who could not care less about her, but she has three best friends who have her back no matter what, so it’s okay. Even when the kids at school can’t stand her. She just sticks with her friends and minds her own business. Until Shane Mayfield shows up at her job high and attacks her.

Seelie never wanted to kill someone, but she had to kill Shane to save her own life. Now she’s being charged with murder, haunted by a night she never wants to speak of again.

Though her friends support her, most of the town turns against her. Seelie doesn’t want to think about that night, much less talk about it, but she’ll have to tell the truth about what happened—the whole truth—if she wants to survive.

The friendships in this book are the best thing. I loved the group’s interactions, even when they disagree, they still support each other. Seelie is a strong character, but she can’t see it for her grief and pain. A well-written look at a girl who survived the horrors of being attacked—only to face condemnation and hatred from those around her.

Mischa Thrace lives in Massachusetts. My Whole Truth is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Flux in exchange for an honest review.)

This book was intense. I feel like it was a well written account of what could happen when the victim is blamed for defending herself against a boy of privilege. I wanted a bit more in regards to the trial but I felt that the main theme of this book is that survivors deal with so much more than just putting on a brave face. I thought that the relationship Seelie has with her friends was really well done. Sometimes we forget that everyone is dealing with different things and that domestic or sexual abuse is something that people just don't understand unless they've lived it themselves. It is hard to speak out when you don't feel that those around you, especially the community you live in, believes you. Seelie was such a brave and female protagonist that learns not to give up, no matter how hard it is to keep going.

Wow the beginning of this book will have you picking your jaw off the ground and taking a deep breath . Seelie is brutally attacked by Shane mayfield the son of a well respected and connected local judge. While defending herself she ends up killing him. Because of his fathers connections with he legal and justice system. Seelie is attested for murder. The book chronicles her experiences during the trial and the aftermath of the attack. I felt like there was a lot thrown in this book almost to much at times

This is book that will linger with you long after the last page is read. I simply couldn't put it down even though the story is so emotional that you need a breather for a minute. It's an absolute must read in my own opinion but make sure to make plenty of time to read this beautifully written story. Happy reading!

For me, this book started off sensationally, but then came to a grinding almost-halt. The opening scene has the reader on the edge of her seat. After that, there seems to be a lot of whining about the character’s lousy mother. Granted, mom lives up to the reputation, but early on it reads more like a teen who’s mad for having to clean their room. But I hung in there. And it did pick up again. Still, the pace lags in many places.
Heads up: When reading about “the faction,” don’t wait for an explanation. It’s just what she calls her group of friends—nothing more.

The premise is good—a seventeen-year-old kills a bully, defending herself, and is then arrested for his murder. Except the details don’t add up. The author fails to make me understand why she would be charged in the first place. It seems highly unlikely based on the evidence. Still, it wasn’t so far-fetched that I stopped reading. (The whining almost achieved that effect, but not the criminal aspect.)

The writing is good, though I would have liked the supporting characters to be a little more developed. The main character is the underdog you want to root for. If you are bothered by foul language, same-sex attraction, and other mature (see warning below) situations, do not read this book. The first-person seemed an odd choice to me, as some of the narrative seemed beyond this high-schooler’s maturity level. But it worked quite well otherwise.

The entire story builds up toward the trial, so I found it rather strange that the actual trial seemed to run less than an hour long. I would have liked there to be more to the courtroom aspect. But then, this is not a legal drama. It’s the story of a victimized girl, who already was on the “lesser” side of society.

The ending was satisfying. No loose ends left hanging.

I give this book three stars* (with an asterisk for language and content.) Three seems a little low for the quality of the writing, but I just couldn’t go for four with this story. I would recommend this book for only mature teens or young adults. I think older adults would become bored with the pace and the prominent “high-school feel” of the story. A young reviewer would most likely give a higher rating.

Part mystery thriller, part coming of age story, My Whole Truth will have you on the edge of your seat while you read! This debut novel far surpassed my expectations. It was wonderfully written. The plot was gripping and the characters, engaging. While thrillers aren’t a genre I often reach for, I really enjoyed my time reading this book! My Whole Truth revolves around trauma, and touches on heavy topics such as rape and victim-blaming. I think these themes are incredibly important and I am glad to be seeing them more and more in YA stories. This book really succeeds in making the reader angry FOR our protagonist, and I think that was exactly what the author was going for. A strong and empowering read that I would highly suggest, even if this isn’t a genre you would commonly reach for.

Summary:

(From Goodreads) Seventeen-year-old Seelie Stanton never wanted to kill someone. She never wanted to be invisible in her own family, never wanted to crush on her best friend Alyssa, and she definitely never wanted to know how effectively a mallet could destroy someone’s head.

But the universe doesn’t care what she wants. Shane Mayfield doesn’t care what Seelie wants either. When the former high school basketball star attacks her, she has no choice but to defend herself. She saved her own life, but she can’t bring herself to talk about what happened that night. Not all of it. Not even when she’s arrested for murder.

My thoughts:

So, this one was hard for me. I adored Seelie and her friends even as I was pained by their fears and pains. I loved the way Alyssa moved forward, always, to support Seelie and how Finn moved toward Ashlyn. Mostly, I just loved the faction as a whole. That said, this book does not sugar coat crap. It’s hard hitting, emotionally draining at times and painful. Seelie couldn’t see herself the way her friends see her even before the attack. After, she felt like she wasn’t good enough for Alyssa, like she couldn’t ask her to be hers. She was afraid of the shift in dynamics and allowed her insecurities to get the better of her.

More often we see her fears of people coming close to her. Touch was hard for her after the attack. Victim’s guilt is a real thing. The bullying was incredibly hard to read (and sadly something that actually could happen) and the fact that she could not connect with her mother was painful. Honestly, this one was just really heart wrenching for me. Don’t get me wrong, I adored it, but while it is listed as a YA book, I would move closer to adult…. or I would have a fairly lengthy book discussion after reading about the issues brought forward in the book.

I loved the premise though, and the characters- flawed though they were. The writing had a good flow and I felt like Seelie was fairly relatable. While I disagreed with some of the things the characters did in this book, each move made sense for their character at that moment. For me, this is a four star book, with an extra one for creativity.

On the adult content scale, there were some major issues. As I said above, this is marketed as being YA, but I feel like it’s a bit heavy for young teens. Seventeen and above maybe? There’s violence, language, bullying, verbal abuse and assault. I would not give this one to my niece without knowing that we would have a book discussion afterwards. I give it an eight.
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and North Star Editions in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

'My Whole Truth' is Mischa Thrace's highly anticipated debut novel and it's a solid one at that! Firstly, I have to mention the synopsis - it has to be one of the most powerful and alluring I've ever laid eyes on so kudos to whoever wrote it. It's done its job and then some! Quite often a wonderfully engaging premise can, unfortunately, result in major disappointment for a reader, but I had no such issues here. Bottom line - this is a superb debut!

The story follows teenager Seelie Stanton and a series of unfortunate incidents that have the potential to change her life forever if the information ever comes to light. However, that is exactly what happens, and although her future is in serious jeopardy, she still can't bring herself to speak to the police about the night in question, but she may have no choice but to do so as the consequences of keeping shtum are simply too great.

Part mystery thriller, part coming-of-age novel - this is certainly an accomplished debut, and I loved it! The writing was excellent with a great flow to it which meant I flew through in one sitting, the plot is scintillating - you never quite know what's about to happen or who you can trust. The characters are so relatable even for me despite not being in the intended age range, and I can imagine young adults being able to sympathise/empathise even more. Each character is so well developed that you really care about them and what will end up happening to them in the end. Basically, there is so much to appreciate about this work that I could write an essay, and I still wouldn't have covered them all.

This is classed as young adult fiction, and the recommended reading age is apparently 14-18, and I would say that this is pretty accurate due to the exploration of a variety of different issues and the inclusion of mature content including sexual assault, depression, relationships and friendships, to name but a few. I am extremely excited for the promise and potential Ms Thrace has shown in her first published work. I'm absolutely positive that there's much more to come from this author, and I for one cannot wait to read her future books! A splendid read which I highly recommend to YA readers, readers of crime thrillers or those who appreciate well written, topical intelligent reads.

Many thanks to Flux for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and North Star Editions for letting me read My Whole Truth by Mischa Thrace for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

My first time reading that author and I don't regret it!

4 stars. I loved that it starts right away, you get into the story, it doesn't take 100+ pages for something to happen. But then I found too many pages at the hospital with not much happening.
I loved the way it's written, you feel a connection, you feel like you are inside the story with the characters. The story is about many issues teens have... depression, sexual assault, relationships, friendships, and how we don't always get along with our mother or how that person is too busy to care about/for you!

This is "for teens and young adults" yet I was interested in reading it! I am 34 and did enjoy that book! My opinion : not for teens under 14 or 15.

Review shared online on NetGalley, Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon when published.

** This book may be triggering for some people, there are a lot of violence triggers associated with this book. If you are going to read it, please be aware of this.

**Most of my reviews are spoiler free, in this review, I will be talking about a scene that bothered me a little bit which is a bit of a spoiler, but it a scene that you can deduct will happen from reading the synopsis of the book.

Overall, I found this book well-written and gripping, I read the whole thing in a day and a half. Seelie tells her story in pieces over the course of the book in a heartwrenching, deeply traumatic way. Sadly, parts of her story are shared by too many people.

Seelie's group of friends are interesting, and well-formed each with their own personalities and drives. They all have a moment in the book where they show who they are and aren't simply supporting figures in Seelie's story but it's clear that they all have their own story to tell even if it's not one that fits into the narrative being shared in this book. I would have like a little more development between Seelie and her mom because I feel like there was more there to hash out, but I truly think that's the editor part of my brain not shutting off as I read.

The plot was intense. Seelie's attack and her trip through the justice system made for a fast-paced, incredibly interesting read. There were parts that didn't quite ring true, pars that felt like they weren't in the right order, but I can ignore that for the overall story. I think this book is one that people should pick up. It's well-written and interesting.

** This is the part with the spoilers

There were a couple parts that pulled me out of the book. One was at Seelie's arraignment hearing, the judge says it's the case of the "State of Massachuttes versus Cecilia Stanton." When I first read that I was like "oh, the author must not be from Massachuttes," but she is. Massachuttes is a Commonwealth. A court case would be the Commonwealth of Massachuttes versus Cecilia Staton. I did have an ARC, so I'm hoping someone caught that before the final publication but it really bothered me. Also, there are several characters that say Seelie should get the death penalty, which Massachuttes hasn't used since the 80s, and the only person placed on death row in MA in the last 30 years was the marathon bomber who was tried in a federal court. I'm fairly certain that Mass doesn't have a death penalty statute. New Hampshire, where I live does, but I don't think Mass does.

The trial portion of the book felt rushed. The prosecution called very few witnesses, like comically few. The attorney asked the arresting officer question about autopsy reports, which should have been asked to a medical examiner. This part didn't feel researched enough to me.

** End of Spoilers

It just felt like this part of the book wasn't as researched as it could have been or should have been, which is the main reason this book got 3.5 stars instead of 5.

I do think this is a good book, I think it's a powerful book. It's flawed, but all books are. I think there's a good message and story worth telling in these pages.

Keep in mind the trigger warnings when looking into this book, but I think it's worth a read.

Until next time, Internet,

Deanna

This was a fairly good story let down by some rather repetitious storytelling and fairly flat character development.

When Seelie kills a man after he attacks her, she is forced into a trial by media (as well as school population), as well as coming up against the powoerful family of the man she killed. On top of that, her friendship group is changing and she is not sure how she will make it through.

And I’m going to say this, even though some might consider it a spoiler. Others may appreciate the warning. The attack on Seelie does involve her being raped. While this isn’t spoken about for quite a while in the book and I think it is sort of supposed to be a reveal, there are those who might find it triggering to suddenly get to that part of the book.

The thing that bothered me the most in this book is that when it came to the characters and their relationships, nothing ever changed. I know that is true to life, sometimes you just don’t get on with someone and that’s that. But in a book, I expect some kind of arc. This bothered me particularly when it came to the relationship between Seelie and her mother. I wouldn’t have minded whether they reconciled their differences a bit, or if Seelie had moved out in a huff, but it was just the same the whole book. There was also something that was revealed about one of her friends, and it never really came to much. I thought he was lucky that the rest of their group still considered him a friend at all, but instead, he kept expecting things of them.

I did really enjoy the relationship between Seelie and her best friend, Lyssa. Seelie’s crush on Lyssa wasn’t over-dramatic, but her fears about making a move and ruining the dynamic of their group rang true. I also liked the relationship that burgeoned between Seelie and her lawyer, Cara. At first, Seelie isn’t sure what to expect of a lawyer in her 20s who has a matching pair of heels for every outfit, but they develop a bond which turns into friendship after the trial.

Plot-wise, I thought this was a realistic depiction of the aftermath of such an assault. Things like a condition of bail being that Seelie return to school once her injuries have healed, even though everyone at school calls her a murderer, seemed especially likely. I did feel like there was some filler in there that could have been left out. The narration inside Seelie’s head often felt quite repetitive. Again, I’ve no doubt someone in Seelie’s situation would honestly have thoughts going around and around in circles, but it is not engaging for the reader.

Still, I think its valuable that these types of stories are beginning to be told more often, and I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this one.

My Whole Truth explores many dark and controversial topics but is such a powerful and emotional read. I was captivated and intrigued right from the opening scene and I could envision it being the opening scene of a good horror flick. The relationships are intense, real, and raw and I was caught up in them. Seelie’s thoughts, emotions, and feelings were portrayed so well, and really added to the intensity of the story and pulled you in. Very good read!

The opening scene is powerful. Seelie is brutally attacked by Shane Mayfield, the son of a well respected and connected local judge. In the throes of defending herself against Shane's vicious attack she ends up killing him in self-defense.

Yet, due to connections and pressure from Shane's father Seelie is arrested for murder. The story chronicles her experiences during the trial and the aftermath of her attack. While the story was interesting and dealt well with Seelie's feelings after the attack there were certain things that kept this from being a stronger read for me. I felt like there was a lot thrown into this book that was only explored on a very surface level. One of the biggest for me was Seelie's strained relationship with her mother. There was so much animosity and resentment between them but no real explanation was given for it.

I did enjoy the Faction which is the name Seelie and her group of close friends had given themselves. The friendship amongst them was strong, accepting, forgiving and a true lifeline for Seelie during her horrible ordeal. I also found it relevant that Seelie basically shut down after her assault. That is a very real response from survivors of assault. I enjoyed watching her come to terms with what happened to her and finding ways to slowly speak out and share all the details of her attack.

Overall, this was a well done YA novel. It started off strong and kept me turning the pages. I just personally would have enjoyed a bit more fleshing out of the back story and Seelie's life.