I finished this book in one day. So hard to put down with all the twists! The characters were great. This author quickly became a favorite for me.
Thank you to netgalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holy crap!!!! I read this book in 3 hours, I could not put it down. And the unexpected twist at the end was the perfect thing to add to the story. All the characters were written flawlessly, kept to their character, and the story and plot flowed really well. I would buy this book for sure. I’m adding this author to my list of favorite authors.

My Whole Truth Read like an episode of a law show - we got to see all sides of a case, and see justice be fought for a survivor. I really enjoyed this young adult novel, a solid story about a girl who did all she could to protect herself from a boy that was attacking her. There were a few small surprises along the way, but the book ended pretty much like I’d predicted. I appreciate the diversity of these characters and I loved the faction group of friends - that tight-knit group of teens that protect each other, judgments aside. I really enjoyed this read, and recommend for anyone that loves a good case of law and order.

Loved this book, even when I was not reading it I kept thinking about it and couldn’t wait to pick it up again, hence I finished it in a day. Would definitely recommend to others and can’t wait to read other titles from this author.

Thank you Mischa Thrace and Netgalley for a copy of this title.
I honestly cannot tell you why I wanted to read this book - I simply cannot remember., but Boy I am so very glad I did. From the first page I was so hooked I blocked the entire world out to hear Seelies story. I loved the style, the characters, the feeling of the story., the twists and turns. This book really had ALL my feelings on high alert. The very last shock in this book was the acknowledgements page where I saw it was YA!!. I read a bit of YA and enjoy the rawness of this genre but I feel this could easily fit into AF as well
I haven't had the pleasure of being WOWED by many books this year but today I did. "My Whole Truth" is my #1 book of 2018 by far.
Read this book.

I enjoyed this young adult book. The opening had me hooked, then the story did seem to lull a bit. Some characters were believable, some had surprising issues, & some seemed pointless. Overall though I do recommend this book to someone who can keep an open mind

This book was an emotional journey of frustration, strength, bravery, and truth. The main character is attacked and kills her attacker (a popular boy with a judge father). She claims self-defense, but is tried for murder.
The novel chronicles her experiences through the justice system and aftermath of being attacked.
I loved the portrayal of friendship in this book and it also had good representation. I will be thinking of it for awhile to come. Highly recommended.

Seelie seems to be a normal teenager when the unthinkable happens: she is attacked by the older brother of classmate, and in self defense, she kills him.

Her mom seems out of touch with reality and seems to really only care about her restaurant, which only makes matters worse.

Seelie has a tight-knit group of friends, who she counts on daily, in her mom's absence. She has feeling for one (female), and a surprising truth comes to light about the lone male (Finn) of their group.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. Thank you to Flux/NetGalley/and the author for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Title: My Whole Truth
Author: Mischa Thrace
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary/Thriller(?)
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Format: eARC
Length: 242 pages
ISBN-10: 1635830249
ISBN-13: 9781635830248

Series or Standalone: Standalone

Literary Awards:
N/A

Themes: LGBTQ+?, Friendship, Parental Relationships
POV: Single 1st person
Tense: Present

Why I Read It: Provided for free through netgalley, saw the blurb and requested.

Reviewer: Nick Morgan

Review:

So, I was really excited for this book. The whole alleged murderer who definitely killed the guy premise is really interesting, if not unique. There’s a lot of interesting psychological stuff to explore there, besides the whole trial and community reaction thing.

But the book fails to deliver. Not only does that cover copy give away basically all the twists in the story, but the community reaction, and the behavior of the cops, and the character’s way out are cliché and cheaply handled. There’s pretty much no effort on the character’s part, or internal drive. She’s a main character, but not a protagonist in the sense of driving the story in any way. Her only two major decisions are both stupid and have no consequences.

The book does a terrible job handling the police aspects and the courtroom drama. The way the authorities act is nonsensical and probably even against procedure in most police departments and courts. They seem to be playing hack-sack with the idiot ball in order to allow for *stunning “reveals”. The first major reveal is clearly spoiled in the teaser and would be incredibly obvious even if it hadn’t been, and it’s very unbelievable that none of the authorities even suspected that it happened given the nature of the crime she is accused of and her behavior after.

The character’s friends are implied to be the most important aspect of the story, but their actions make no sense and are often very clearly rigged by the author for cheap melodrama. There was absolutely zero interesting stuff going on there, and that includes the so-called “crush” mentioned in the teaser.

In other reviews I saw a lot of criticisms about how the story handled the character’s relationship with her mother. I actually thought that this was not an issue, excepting only that like every other part of the story it was criminally-underdeveloped. The broad strokes were perfectly believable given the situation, but the author failed to add the detail work that makes it interesting.

There are two betrayals in the book, and both of them were bring because the author again failed to move beyond broad strokes. The first was out of nowhere and also forgiven waaaaaay to easily, in my opinion. I couldn’t believe the MC would get over it so quickly if at all. The second was not particularly surprising, but again, it felt like a massive authorial intrusion because the author did no build-up or support ahead of time, and in fact implied the character would feel almost the exact opposite way. Without going into spoilers, this part of the plot had a great deal of potential for very interesting character drama and some incredible nuance around friendship and also around the betraying character’s personal beliefs. It would have been not only very topical, which seemed to be the author’s goal with this story in general, but also very interesting to read and illustrative of a lot of the themes and issues around friendship in our society. An opportunity to actually show that the characters were as close as the author was obviously trying to portray them as. Both these plot points could have been masterfully-carved gems in the crown of this story, but instead were more likely really shitty repair welds in damaged antique jewelry that end up lowering the value significantly.

The depiction of the community response to the attack and subsequent killing was also disappointing. Very bare bones, and some incredibly odd behavior on the part of the school the character went to. Especially a particular teacher who says one thing and acts very differently. The one realistic aspect was how badly the administration was out of its depth in responding to having an accused murderer at school. That would have been a really cool thing to explore in the novel, but like everything else it felt under-utilized.

Overall, the greatest flaw of My Whole Truth was that the author failed to provide any depth to any aspect of the novel whatsoever, and that’s why its getting one of my very rare 1 1/2 star equivalent ratings. There are so many better novels touching on this subject matter out there, and no point in wasting your time on such a disappointing entry to the category.

Conclusion: 48/100 (More like an outline than a novel)
Premise: 7/10 (Interesting idea poorly executed)
Plot: 4/10 (Lots of plot holes, too predictable)
Setting: 6/10 (Well-drawn)
Main Character: 5/10 (Shallowly depicted and boring)
Technical 5/10 (Lots of technical mistakes in police and hospital procedure)
Suspense 4/10 ()
Supporting Characters: 5/10 (Shallowly drawn and no enjoyable)
Writing: 6/10 (Competent from a technical perspective)
Themes: 4/10 (Under-served and in your face)
Resolution: 5/10 (Boring and nonsensical)

Buy Or Borrow: Borrow if you plan to read it at all. It just didn’t feel good enough to be worth paying for.

I fell in love with this book at the first page! I became invested in the characters, wanting to know more and more as the book went on. I feel like it was very well written and really enjoyed the writing style. I really felt that I needed to know the whole truth that Seelie was keeping from us and towards the end what I thought was going to happen, did. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

First things first, it was truly refreshing to see a gay protagonist without it being a major focus of the plot - it was something she simply was. Another thing I loved was Seelie's relationships - with her mother, her friends, her lawyer - which were portrayed in a realistic and complex way. While I found the plot twists predictable and court scenes unrealistic, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from the author.

Super fast read. Read in under 24 hours! I enjoyed the pacing of this book as well as the story. The mom’s attitude and reactions didn’t feel believable, but it seemed to be written that way to emphasize the friendships and how important they were. I never understood why she called her small group of friends “the faction” and kept waiting for some sort of explanation. It never came. What happened to her was somewhat predictable but that didn’t detract from the story.

Imagine killing a classmate. Imagine it was self-defense. Now imagine going to trial over it and being accused of his murder. That’s this story in a nutshell, but there’s so much more to it. I can’t say much more without giving things away.... suffice it to say you may or may not be surprised at what comes to light.

WOW. What a ride.

This story will put you in your feels. There is seriously no other way to put it. You will be so sad and so infuriated and if you don't feel these emotions throughout this, then I'm just gonna go ahead and let you know that your heart is either nonexistent or has transformed into a cold, dark, black lump of coal and you really need to get that checked out.

Right off the bat, I loved that this started out after Seelie is attacked. This kind of leaves readers relying on Seelie's version of what happened, but keeps you feeling like there are still things left to be told (an accurate feeling, i'll add). Though we do get details later throughout the story about what happened in the barn, readers don't have to read the attack taking place, which I felt like was rather appropriate, considering there are no trigger warnings preceding this (there should be).

While the story focuses largely on Seelie's impending doom of prison time and a murder charge, it also spends time on other things, like the people in her life and the relationships she has with them, however weak and flimsy some of them may be. This really helped to make the story feel more realistic to me. While of course being charged with murder when you were merely defending yourself against an attacker would certainly take over anyone's life, a lot of this story has to do with the other things going on in Seelie's life as well.

The character's in this book felt really well planned out and written to me. The relationships between Seelie and her friends are real and raw and I won't spoil this, because it's definitely worth reading, but they go through shit, just like anyone else (albeit the murder charge). Seelie's mother is a rather upsetting character who is just as absent as she is a nuisance, and the fact that she finds Seelie responsible for what happened in the barn shows the reality that not everyone you love will always be on your side. The characters in this really made this story.

Well, them and the plot. Once again, I don't want to ruin anything, but this is a worthwhile read. From the synopsis alone, readers already get the gist of things, but the little details and plot bombs (they really didn't feel like twists, more like random spurts of information) really build what is going on here.

Overall... well let's just say I don't give five stars very often. This is a great story and I can't wait for it to be released so that everyone can have the chance to read it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flux for this advance review copy. This title is planned for publication in October 2018.

"My Whole Truth" by Mischa Thrace is a first-person narrative of Seelie (Cecelia) Stanton. When we meet Seelie, she has just been attacked by Shane Mayfield, the older brother of a classmate. Seelie killed Shane in self-defense, but with Shane's father being a judge in their relatively small town, Seelie finds herself facing murder charges.

The beginning of this book grabbed me, and if it had held me, it would have gotten a 5-star review. It is well-written in the voice of a 17-year-old girl who doesn't fit in with her classmates and has the typical teenage chip on her shoulder. She relies heavily on her three closest friends, but we only scratch the surface with them. Perhaps this is a result of the story being from Seelie's point of view, but I have read other books where I have gotten to know the secondary characters even through the main character's lens. Seelie also has an extremely acrimonious relationship with her widowed mother, who is portrayed as a workaholic who doesn't care about Seelie at all. Their lack of a relationship doesn't add anything to the story line. I would have liked to see it develop over the course of Seelie's trial.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Where I struggle with this book is Seelie's inability to confide in even her closest friends about what really happened to her. Throughout the beginning of the book, Seelie hints at the fact that she was sexually assaulted. I know it was meant to be this shocking twist, but I suspected early on that Seelie was going to wind up pregnant as a result. It's really the only way that she can be found not guilty since she didn't tell anyone and there wasn't any evidence collected. But I also find it hard to believe that the doctors and the detectives wouldn't have asked about whether there was a sexual assault. During trial, Seelie, admits that she killed Shane after he raped her, so I would assume his pants would have been undone. It should have been an obvious question, And when Seelie DID confide in one of her friends that she planned to get an abortion, it is the friend who is super religious and doesn't believe in abortion. And she doesn't tell the other two friends. For someone who claims these are the only people she can rely on, she doesn't give them much credit.

Seelie also finds herself to be a victim of bullying as a result of the charges. Shane was well-loved in the community, despite the fact that he had a history of being a delinquent. However, Seelie doesn't call the police when her car is vandalized, and the school administration doesn't do anything when either Seelie's locker or car are vandalized. When she and her friends confront the principal about it, he admits he suspects who it is but can't do anything unless they're caught in the act. Well, they could certainly keep an eye out! Another facet of the bullying appears to come from an English teacher who has lessons in class around developing arguments for and against a murder suspect in a fictional case. I find it hard to believe that any teacher would continue with a lesson like that when there is a student in a similar situation. It just seems hard to believe that the ENTIRE school is against Seelie, with the exception of her three friends.

FInally, there is a girl who was also assaulted by Shane, who leaves a note in Seelie's locker thanking her for what she did since Shane had hurt others in the past. When Seelie discovers who it is and approaches her about it, the girl tries to deny it, then tells Seelie the truth but swears her to secrecy. Seelie keeps her secret (because it's not Seelie's story to tell), but it never comes out after the fact. I thought it would end up being a part of the court case, to corroborate Seelie's story. I really didn't see the point in including it in the book at all.

All in all, this book quickly went from a potential 5-star down to 2. And I actually wouldn't recommend it for high-school-age readers because of the combination of elements. This would totally have been an R-rated movie, but even those require being accompanied by an adult. It would really bother me if I had a teenage child reading this without a parent.

My Whole Truth is a YA/Teen book that covers some dark subjects. Told first person from the view of 17 year old Seelie, the book starts with her calling 911 after being attacked by, and subsequently killing, a 20 year old former classmate. Without doubt, a great suspenseful beginning but that's where the novelty of this story ended for me. The main character is grossly undeveloped as is the story in general. Seelie has a turbulent relationship with her mother, which is a recurring theme in this story, however the author offers no explanation for it. Alot of the book is implausible and felt rushed.

I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this book is nothing short of amazing. I couldn't put it down and read it in a day. Seelie is a complex protagonist, one I was eager to follow, and the other characters are beautifully drawn as well, especially her friends. The friendship and high school struggles create interesting conflicts that underlie the drama, high stakes, and suspense of the main plot line. Beautifully written and kept me on the edge of my seat. A must read.

My Whole Truth was a young adult novel that touches on some heavy topics, such a death, violence, substance abuse and sexual assault. The author creates a gripping story about a 17 year old girl who is violently assaulted by a classmate and is forced to fight back in self defense or lose her life. She fights back and her attacker and just when she thought her nigthmare was over, turns out to be just the beginning. Cecilia has killed the son of a powerful judge who wants nothing more than to see her locked away for murder. The corrupt justice system does her no favors and what is supposed to be " innocent until proven guilty" begins to feel more like " Guilty until proven innocent".
This book was pretty intense. I knew it was going to go to some darker places but i wasn't expecting such violence and sadness in a young adult book. I think the author did a fantastic job on portraying a rough but all too real perspective. Our main character was more than a victim, she was a survivor who was plagued by confusion, guilt and anger at the events that happened to her.
The characters were realistic and had their own strengths and faults just like most teens do. I feel this book will be very relatable to some teens and highly recommend it but maybe there should be a content/trigger warning for those who have suffered similar traumas or abuse.

Overall this was a great novel from begining to end. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!!

My Whole Truth takes us on a journey with trauma survivor Seelie Stanton. After being attacked, Seelie contends with disfiguring injuries and post-traumatic stress. She also has to deal with some classic YA struggles such as a selfish mom who doesn’t understand her at all and fissures within her closest friendships. On top of all of this, Seelie faces a possible conviction and life-sentence for the murder of her attacker.
The guilt Seelie grapples with makes her a sympathetic and realistic character who you can’t help but cheer on.

One of the best aspects of the storyline are Seelie’s relationships. Seelie desperately needs her friends and family to help her through this tragedy, but these bonds are constantly put to the test. She and her mother have never seen eye to eye but her mother fails to support her even during the most difficult point of her life. She and one of her closest friends have an unrequited love that hangs in the balance while another member of their friendship circle may have had a hand in events leading up to the attack.

This novel’s plot is well paced as Seelie’s “whole truth” unfolds. There is an element of suspense and urgency as Seelie’s prolonged secrecy affects not only court proceedings and relationships with the people she loves, but also impedes her own recovery.

"My Whole Truth" is an intense novel dealing with a difficult subject: How far are you allowed to go to protect yourself?

I liked Seeley as a protagonist because her reasonings and decisions felt really human and understandable. The impact the events have on her are depicted very well, I liked how she managed to reclaim control of the situation by the end of the novel, and I really enjoyed her relationship dynamics with her friends, especially Lyssa.

I didn't really like that some issues between the characters were just glossed over by the end of the novel, and Seeley's mom remains rather one-dimensional, but I felt that Seeley's development as a character made up for those flaws.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this novel. It is intense, well-written, and features a great protagonist.

I always enjoy reading an authors debut novel.....thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book I’m exchange for an honest review. This was a fantastic book. Very easy to get into and a real page turner! Looking forward to seeing what Mischa Thrace comes up with next!!