This is my second Natalie D. Richards book (I've read two more since this) and I have to say I really enjoyed this one. Not as much as I enjoyed One Was Lost, but I loved the characters, the "mystery" kept me going, and I felt so much when reading this book.

I had a great time reading this book. It was just so fast and easy to read, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to learn more about Mallory and Spencer-and to find out what the heck was going on in the library! It was such a great read! 

At points, this book was extremely creepy. But at others, it was romantic. And it was really fun to have that dichotomy. Especially since as their relationship builds, it builds the tension when the scary stuff is going on! Loved it! 

I really enjoyed getting to know Mallory and Spencer. Mallory was is an awful place, what with her non-physical abuse stepfather. And Spencer is drowning in that pre-college time of life to make decisions for the future, and feeling like he's wasting the privileged life his adopted family has given him. 

And that ending! The pieces were pretty easy to put together, but they either were too scared to think logically, or they just didn't make sense. But then they did, and it made for a really satisfying ending. Loved where these characters ended up, the bright futures that they hold! 

This was another great book from Natalie D. Richards, and I just need to read We All Fall Down to have caught up to what's been currently published, yeah!

Being a librarian(ish), I loved seeing all of the details that ring so true to me. Being someone who works with teens in a public library, and has spent many hours worrying about "my" library teens, it was heartbreaking and touching to see the other side. Too often I've pushed food onto my kids, saying I want to get rid of the snacks so I don't have to store them, when really, I'm worried about their next meal. The part where Mallory goes to a program because it'll serve food? Bam, straight to the heart.

I loved the different threads to the story . . . adoption, addiction, homelessness, finding a sense of purpose. These are real issues our kids face, and they were tackled gracefully and artfully. I read this book as quickly as I could, eager to know the outcome and to see if I could solve the mystery myself.

My teens have met the author, and devoured her books after meeting her. I will recommend this one to them, too, as well as my co-workers.

Okay. Libraries. I love that! An author I have read before that I like, check. A story that kept me interested and was, wait, a romance? No, that isn't really a romance, but then again, it can be. It's dark, but not without hope. It's almost horror, so take note of that. It's a usual mix that creates a very different tale. Maybe more corpse bride style, but it's hard to say. 
My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

*book was archived or unable to be read due to formatting errors. Because of this, I unfortunately can not read or review the story*

The glimpse into an abusive situation was very realistic and well done. I am much more empathetic towards anyone in that situation or that has broken out of that situation than I was before reading this. I think this book brings to light what a difficult time women have getting out of these situations. I think this is a great conversation starter.

Fun mystery with a library setting. All is not what it appears to be! If you have ever dreamed of being locked in a library overnight, read this book!

I received this as an arc from netgalley for an honest review. I felt as though this was an interesting ya novel. At times it felt as though it was just meh but at other times I was shocked with how much I wanted to keep reading. I felt as though I could connect on some level with the main character within her family life but other times I could not because she made decisions I could not see myself making. She was hard to understand at times which is why I can say I enjoyed this novel I just wasn't amazed. I gave it a 3.5/5 stars.

This was a quick read for me but sadly not memorable in the least. The overall storyline was blah and underdeveloped. I did like our main characters but their relationship seemed a little too rushed. I was more interested in the mystery aspect and I'm not really sure how I felt about the reveal. The library setting was great I just wish they focused on the mystery more and it was a bit more hill house. I think I would have it enjoyed it more. 

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Posted to all links in my profile 3/11 plus.Dischord- Amazon posted 3/3/10) 3/11 post was edited for clarity and grammar.

2.5 stars - NetGalley doesn't allow for 1/2 stars.

What You Hide is a great concept that misses the mark. I applaud Natalie D. Richards for bringing subjects such as adoption, addiction, family violence and homelessness into the plot. However, other unnecessary tropes such as the romantic relationship between main characters Mallory and Spencer get in the way.

Should Mallory and Spencer have stayed friends helping each other through their respective challenges Richards could have gone deeper into the social conditions (mentioned in the first paragraph) she raised rather than glossing over them on a surface level.

Additionally, this would have left more time for the thriller/mystery parts of the story. Often there were unusual dealings at work that should have been flushed out more. Mallory and Spencer could have been at the center of solving or dying due to these threats but the book never hits the mark in this area.

Lastly, my issue is with the dialogue. I don't think it is authentic to teenagers. While I am not trying to paint a broad stroke over teenagers and their vocabulary, there is a certain way in which they speak to each other. Richards does nothing to emulate this in the interactions between Mallory and Spencer. It is not only more adult in tone, it is more intellegencia adult in tone. I don't know many adults who use some of the vocabulary and structure that Mallory and Spencer use in their dialogue. 

I do think this is a very original idea and could have been an amazing book that not only addressed social constructs but done so in truly captivating way. Unfortunately that didn't happen because Richards chose to focus on the wrong plot points.

Considering I work in a library, I was rather curious about how this book was going to play out. I was a little disappointed. Other reviewers have phrased it much better, but the dialogue wasn't really working for me in that none of the teens in the book actually felt like teens. Not much of the plotline really felt accurate in that respect either. The book itself was interesting and the mystery wasn't bad, but oddly enough it just didn't feel like a YA book. The author did touch on some important topics though, and for that reason I'll still recommend it to my teens when they come looking for a mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This was a great book. I will definitely pick up more by Natalie D. Richards!

Quick review for a quick read. A good story, but felt like I wanted a little more from it. Mallory and Spencer are two teens from different backgrounds dealing with their own respective trials in the beginning of this story. Spencer's dealing with living a life he feels unfifilled by, and is serving as a library aid while on probation for breaking the library window after a stunt gone wrong. Mallory is in a contentious domestic situation where her mother's pregnant and her mother's boyfriend is verbally and emotionally abusive. She ends up leaving the home and trying to make ends meet on her own while trying to figure out how to convince her mother to leave the boyfriend. Spencer and Mallory end up meeting at the same library, while observing a number of mysterious messages and discovering a dead woman's body in a mystery that ties them together for a short time. 

You may go into this book thinking it's a murder mystery or the book centering around the collective mystery/thriller aspect, but it really isn't. It's more of a contemporary drama with some mysterious elements. The mysterious elements take a back seat to the developing relationship between Spencer and Mallory. I'll admit I liked the teens' rapport and could understand why the two were drawn to each other. I could also appreciate the different contentious situations that the two are dealing with, even if their resolutions seemed a little quick for the build up the story had in the beginning. The mystery, on the other hand, was a bit underwhelming and not so much a thrilling aspect. It provided a few moments of contention, but it really wasn't a major focus of the story, only providing a parallel situation tied into the teens discovery, with unfortunate circumstances in tow. 

I liked the story for what it provided, but I don't think it's one of Richards's strongest stories in her bibliography. I would recommend it for those who like quick read teen contemporary dramas with tough situations, and who can appreciate slice of life stories with decent character chemistry.

Overall score: 3/5 stars.

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.

Meh.

What you hide is not a mystery book like I expected it to be. It's more of a contemporary / coming of age story adding a mysterious element to it. However the 'mystery' part of the book didn't really work for me. There wasn't much of a plot to begin with and I was really bored reading it so I was trying to read as fast as possible to get to the end and be done with it. 

I didn't really care for the characters even though I hated her mother and step-father. Anyway, What you hide wasn't an interesting read (at least to me) but I didn't hate it so that's why I rate it 2 stars instead of one...

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 Stars from the adult reading young adult. I do believe younger readers would enjoy this more.

Natalie D. Richards is a new-to-me author.

What You Hide hooked me from the start, especially watching Mallory try to convince her pregnant mother to leave her abusive husband. I empathized with Mallory, her story resonating in me, as she struggled with the injustice and her need to protect her mother, as her mother became a passive passenger to not only her own abuse but that of her daughter. Nothing but pure gaslighting, and it was as frustrating to read as it was realistic.

Mallory's mother is pregnant, believing she's making the right choice by staying with her husband, thinking she is also in a position with little choices. But as a mother, she is taking both Mallory and her unborn child with her on these decisions, proving adults and teens alike are not infallible. While I could sympathize in a been there done that manner, I was frustrated to read how easily she let her daughter go, believing the lies her husband was spinning. With Mallory so adamant, Mom should have taken stock in her protests a lot more.

A strong role model, determined and focused, Mallory runs away from home to stay with her friend, has to quit school because her stepfather works for the school district. Attempting to get her diploma with an online school, Mallory uses the library computer bank to study and connect with her classes.

Spencer is indulged by his affluent parents, lashing out by doing outlandish things because he feels pressured into making a decision on which college to attend. While I found the guy likable, he wasn't very relatable, outside of pressures to perform. He has whatever he wants and is treated with respect and unconditional love, so the juxtaposition to Mallory's life is jarring.

Using Parkour to scale the library, Spencer slips and takes out a window instead. His punishment is working in the library to pay off the costs of the window, which is where Spencer and Mallory cross paths.

There's something creepy happening in the library, told from both the perspectives of Mallory and Spencer. They become sidekicks and love interests while they solve the mystery together. Excuse my vagueness, as I don't want to create spoilers when it comes to the mystery aspects.

While I enjoyed Mallory, her characterization and backstory, I wished the entire novel was surrounded by her plight. I found the mystery lacking, not really sparking any interest in me. It did and didn't actually all fit together. It wasn't the driving-force for me, which is why I said at the beginning of my review how I felt this is a novel where an actual young adult would appreciate it more than those young at heart.

While the foundation of the plot is a good one to build from, I'm not sure the execution had it living up to its potential.

Young adult age-range: 14+ featuring violence and abuse.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/F Mystery
Triggers: Abusive home, teen homelessness

This is mostly a story about Mallory and Spencer's friendship.

Spencer has lived a life of privilege. His parents are pressuring him to choose a path to college, but Spencer feels a little like he's drowning. When he makes a questionable decision and ends up doing some property damage, he is required to volunteer at the library. It's there he meets Mallory.

Mallory is struggling at home. Her mom is pregnant but is with a man who is more than just a little controlling. He's scary and mean, abusive and threatening. While Mallory tries to get her mom to leave him, Mallory knows that no matter what, she needs to save herself.

The friendship that develops between Spencer and Mallory helps both of them figure out where they are going. They lean on each other and become each other's confidants. However, there is a strange mystery within the library and when someone ends up dead in the library, speculation runs wild.

While I enjoyed this story, it felt pieced together. There was the mystery that was underdeveloped, the friendship, which I would have liked to see more of, and the home life of Mallory, which I thought was the strongest part of the story and wished it had been more developed. I wanted more of Mallory's story. I thought that it felt very unfinished. Also, I wanted more from the ending. That, too, felt rushed and unfinished.

If you had to pick one word to sum up what it's like to be a teenager, I think the appropriate word would be angsty.

And I'm not only reflecting on my increasingly distant years as a teenager in selecting this adjective. 

No, I work with teenagers every day.

As the principal of an urban school, I constantly witness their angst and see the ramifications of their ill-advised hormone-driven decisions. 

And as much as I now — out from under the cloud of frustration and confusion and unexplained annoyance — can see how, for lack of a better word, silly, all of this angstiness is, when you're in the middle of it, it all seems to make sense.

When you’re a teen, everything seems like the end of the fucking world.

Even the smallest slight can piss you off to the point of severing life-long friendships.

And receiving a lunch detention from your 7th grade ELA teacher can upset you so much that you spend the entire double block crying in the hallway. #StillNotOverIt

One of the challenges of writing YA is depicting this angst in a way that makes it seem understandable, even though it often isn't... In a way that makes the issues that plague teens seem consequential, even though they often aren't.

In order for a YA book to really work, IMO, the author needs to make readers — many of whom are no longer teens themselves — really remember what it’s like to be a teen.  

This is a difficult feat to accomplish when dealing with one teenage protagonist.

It is a monstrously large challenge when dealing with two.

In writing this book, the author tackled the more formidable of these two challenges, establishing dual protagonists who, despite being about as different as two people can be, share two important characteristics: they’re both teens and they are both angst-ridden.

As the book opens, we meet Mallory. She was long raised by a single mother but, recently, her living situation has changed. Her mother has married a man named Charlie and gotten pregnant.

Mallory doesn’t have a problem sharing her mother with someone, but she does have a problem sharing her mother with Charlie. 

Since marrying her mother, Charlie has become controlling and aggressive. Mallory worries that his behavior is only going to continue to escalate and encourages her mother to leave, escaping to a battered women’s shelter. 

While her mother initially agreed to this plan, when Mallory arrives home early from school intent on putting the plan into action, her mother changes her mind and refuses to leave the apartment.

Though she’s loathe to leave behind her pregnant mother, Mallory simply cannot live under Charlie’s thumb any longer, so she heads out alone, resigning herself to do anything it takes to be free of Charlie — even if what it takes is living on the street.

Spencer, on the other hand, is living a very different life. He was adopted into a wealthy family as a baby and has enjoyed the privileges associated with affluence his entire childhood. 

Living a decidedly more carefree lifestyle than Mallory, Spencer divides his time between playing hockey and practicing his other favorite sport, rock climbing.

While out living life and making bad choices — as teens so often do — Spencer decides to scale the local library. Though he’s confident he will be able to mount the library and climb down undetected, things don’t go according to plan and he ends up breaking a massive, old window on an upper floor of the building.

Alerted to the presence of a problem by the alarm, police arrive and discovered Spencer, still atop the library, the obvious culprit. 

Fortunately for Spencer, his dad’s deep pockets allow him to get off with only some community service hours — which he will logically fulfill at the same library that earlier served as a makeshift jungle gym.

It’s at the library where these two stories finally come together. Mallory, unable to return home but having nowhere else to go, seeks shelter there and meets Spencer. The two have an immediate — and inconvenient — connection.

But before they have time to get beyond the flirty stage, something goes horribly wrong. A body is discovered in the library. And, as if that singular trauma weren’t upsetting enough, in the days following this grim discovery odd happenings start occurring — black smudges appear on the floors, weird writing suddenly covers the walls and an oddly ornate art display, for which not one takes credit is erected. 

With issues growing to the point of becoming subscriptions, it seems like our teen protagonists actually have something to be angsty about. Frustration and fear prevailing, they find themselves worrying not about the trivial trials of teenage life, but instead about their very survival.

When I received a copy of this book, I was rather optimistic. I mean, it prominently featured a library — which is basically nirvana for a reader — it was YA — a genre I enjoy — and, bonus points, it was set in Columbus, OH — my hometown. 

Unfortunately, as I read, this optimism faded about as fast as a high school quarterback’s athleticism post graduation. 

I wasn’t that far along on my journey through this text when I started to hit some serious stumbling blocks.

My first issue — the authenticity of the dialogue.

When I’m reading a YA book I, logically, expect the characters to sound like teens.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those people who go around dissing John Green books, saying that the dialogue is too high-brow for adolescents.

Teens can be smart and verbose and lexically deverse.

I know, because as a teen I was all of those things.

But even teens who know their way around the English language better than the average bear still have a... teenageness... to their speech.

For example, if Spencer were a real teen, he would never say, "the male ego is a heavy yoke to bear." 

He just... wouldn't. 

And because I don't believe a teen would say something like this, it made it difficult for me to see the teens central to this novel, who did say things like this, as anything more than fictional characters populating the pages of this book. 

And, because they were just fictional characters, I neither gave a shit about them nor did I give a shit about what happened to them.

Then I ran into some fallacies. 

Admittedly, these were inconsequential, but they were really nails-on-a-chalkboard level of annoying. 

For example, at one point in time, Mallory says," My mom is having a girl, so technically I'm a sister. Or will be soon."

Umm... Okay... I mean, I'm an only child, so maybe I'm not so clear on how this works... But, if you're a girl... And you have a sibling (of ANY gender) you are a sister, right? 

I mean, it would have been such a simple change!

"My mom is having a baby, so technically I'm a sister. Or will be soon."

There, fixed it.

Next came the believability issues. 

*Spoiler Alert*

I’m a reader. I’m willing to suspend disbelief from time to time. 

Like, this morning when I was reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green and I was totally willing to accept that *Another Spoiler* an alien statue could turn someone's insides into grape jelly.

But, in this novel, there were just too many unlikely coincidences.

Example - At the same time that Mallory happens to take refuge in the library, a drug addicted girl and her sister, who is nonverbal, also decide that that's a good hidey hole into which to climb. 

And then the sister dies. 

And then the remaining sister, despite being incredibly limited just keeps hiding out?

It's just too improbable.

*End Spoilers*

All of the aforementioned issues were obviously small… nitpicky, if you will. But there was, unfortunately, an inarguably large issue with this book as well — there was too fucking much going on. 

I, honestly, can’t even catalog the number of subplots and spin-off issues and blind alley ways that were present in this novel.

And, because there were so many subplots in this novel, it essentially lacked a through line.

It sucks because there were moments when I would get pulled into the story — invested in the characters and their struggles — but then there would be another fucking subplot.

I would be reading along thinking, “Oh, I’m really liking this Mallory / Spencer connection… I hope the next chapter delves further into it… Oh. Great. The next chapter is some unnecessarily vivid description of rock climbing… or hockey… or the library.”

It. Just. Didn’t. Work.

I walked away from this novel shaking my head and regretting the fact that it, in my eyes, didn’t reach its potential.

Ultimately, I wish that it could be re-written. Stripped down. Tidied up. Because, under all the extra bullshit, there is a good story here. It just never got the chance to shine.

This one earns a disappointing 2 out of 5 cocktails.

Whenever I read a book set in my hometown I feel like I’m in on some special secret #ImJustNerdyLikeThat. Do you ever read books set in or around the place where you grew up? Tell me about it in the comments, below.

More books. More books. More books. Want to see what my next read is? Follow me, here.

This book is unique and I enjoyed the writing and storytelling. Definitely something I would recommend to friends and students.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

While I was interested in reading this book (obviously since I requested it from Netgalley), I always get a bit nervous about reading YA thrillers or suspense novels-- heck let's just say thrillers in general, since I don't have the best track record of picking them. I should probably clarify before I write further, that I probably am weird with my thriller preferences as well. I'm still working on it, but I don't seem to always like what is popular and what I like isn't always liked by my friends, so please take this review with a grain of salt. 

All that said, I loved this book. 

The first chapter with Spencer climbing the library and getting in trouble had me worried I wouldn't like this one -- oh the privilege and disregard this one has -- but then the second chapter hits you out of left field and I was left going "What the actual--" because Mallory is dealing is a controlling and manipulative step-father and a pregnant mother who isn't ready to leave, BUT MALLORY DOES. 

Suspense builds around Mallory's situation, her just trying to live. There is also the mystery at the library which is just soooo creepy. Definitely thriller instead of mystery since there isn't any solving going on. 

Okay, let me backtrack to the characters. Spencer is an absolute gem. He is sarcastic and funny and an all around good guy just trying to do the right thing. He has his own problems too since he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. I think one of my biggest problems with this book is how we aren't ever told that him having problems and uncertainty in his life is valid. Not everyone's problems are equal, but that doesn't mean we don't have them. He's such a sweetheart. 
Mallory... I loved this girl. She is strong, resilient, and a planner. She tries so hard and doesn't always think about herself, which was heart-rending. She also isn't impulsive -- I like that she is cautious about who she trusts and yeah, she might hurt people with it, but considering her step-father I don't blame her! She's such a gift and I just wanted to hug her and give her food. 

There is a bit of a romance here as the two end up liking each other. This may at first seem unbalanced (super rich kid and homeless girl), but I think it is handled well. It also isn't the focus of the book, nor does it take over the story. The scenes that happen felt natural to me. There are no declarations of undying love nor desperate pleas of love. It... this book feels more like a snapshot into a time of change and conflict in their lives and what will happen later is still unsure of, much like life. The romance isn't the important part here, survival, figuring out their future, and the mystery of the library are the big points, which felt right. 

The suspenseful part, i.e. the mysteries in the library, actually didn't feel needed. It added some scary moments and a sense of uneasy over everything, but the conclusion of this story line... honestly, I'm currently undecided on it. Perhaps I'd like it more if more went on with it, because sometimes I forgot about the library having problems. Mallory's problems felt like a much more pressing issue. Yet, I don't see how else things could have been handled. 

Before I end things let me do a shout out to the good rep for libraries!! I love how things weren't just about books! Access to computers is brought up, the fact that librarians need to get degrees (although needing a Masters isn't brought up :[ ), and the librarian wanting to keep the library open for the people who need the services are all great things to be brought up! There were a few things I disagreed with, but as a librarian of course I would notice things. I just hope people reading this book will understand that libraries are indeed here for the people and are more than just books! 

So, would I recommend this? Heck yes! More so to people who like contemporaries than pure thrillers, but I think people who like both might appreciate this book. I will be looking up more books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.  Recently homeless Mallory has been hanging out at the library.  Rich kid Spencer is "volunteering" in order to avoid charges. In the novel What You Hide, together they find (and solve) the mystery of a nameless woman's surprising death in the library. 

Not a full fledged ghost story, nor a compelling romance, the scariest thing about this book was that homeless teen Mallory has few avenues to get the help she needs since her creepy and controlling stepfather has never actually gotten physically violent with her or her mother.  

This novel dances around substantive themes--homelessness, drug addiction, adoption, and trying to become the person you are meant to be.  However, it doesn't fully capitalize on any of these.  The murder and ensuing ghostly mystery are fairly tame.  

This novel would be a good introduction to YA for 11-13 year olds before they tackle grittier works like Courtney Summers' Sadie.

Well. This is awkward. I had a whole post planned about the issues of marketing a book correctly and outlining what this book SHOULD be promoted under, but when I went to link up to Goodreads, it appears that's been updated! So, kudos to the publishing team for clarifying the synopsis and genre category for the public, it's just unfortunate that my reading experience was rather different. I realize things are subject to change in the publication process, so I genuinely appreciate that the publisher obviously took feedback on board and made some changes because going in with a particular set of expectations and being met with something different is usually going to disappoint. 

On Netgalley, I saw a new addition under the 'Teens & YA' category (with no other subgenres listed) written by an author known for her YA horror (I've read and loved her previous book One Was Lost) with this eerie cover that makes you think of bloodshed. It was a no-brainer clicking into that entry. The original synopsis which is still on Netgalley for posterity is as below:

---

"Mallory didn't want to leave home, but it wasn't safe to stay. So she sleeps at her best friend's house and spends the rest of her time at the library, doing her online schoolwork and figuring out what comes next. Because she's not going live in fear like her mother.

Spencer volunteers at the library. Sure, it's community service for a stunt he pulled, but he likes the work. And it's the perfect escape from his parents' pressure to excel at school, at ice hockey, at everything. Especially after he meets Mallory.

Then there is a tragic death at the library. Suddenly, what was once a sanctuary turns sinister. Ghostly footprints, strange scratching sounds, scrawled messages on bulletin boards and walls... Mallory and Spencer don't know who or what is responsible, but one thing is for sure:

They are not as alone—or as safe—as they thought."

---

This sets up a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT mindset when viewing the book - the book's current Goodreads listing highlights immediately that it's a romantic thriller and of the various genres it's listed under, horror is nowhere to be found. The current synopsis also focuses on the romantic relationship with Spencer wanting to see Mallory and Mallory wanting to fly under the radar, but reluctantly falling for his charm. But the blurb that I read focused on Mallory and Spencer as individuals rather than their romantic arc; plus the entire section describing the events at the library goes from mildly alarming with sinister events to emphasizing how it terrifying it is with mention of death and ghostly phenomena.

I'm pointing this out because I want to make it clear that What You Hide isn't a bad book, it just wasn't what I was expecting. I felt let down because I went in thinking I was going to experience another chilling horror romp and be scared to sleep at night, but ended up with a fairly typical YA romance and more family drama than chill & thrills.

If you see this cover and think that it's going to be a horror story, then it isn't the book for you because there is hardly ANY of the ghostly shenanigans that's alluded to and in the brief few scenes where Mallory and Spencer are present when hauntings occur, they basically just run and hide. That's actually pretty sensible behavior I'm not used to seeing in teenage protagonists, but as a reader, it makes for a dull experience. I would think 'Finally, the action is getting started!' and then it would lead nowhere with barely a hint of an adrenaline rush. 

The romance is definitely not my cup of tea as I didn't feel the connection between Mallory and Spencer. I know teenage hormones run rampant, but Mallory's situation was so dire that I didn't quite believe her letting herself open up to Spencer and swooning over his good looks, or that Spencer would be so captivated by Mallory, especially when you consider that due to being homeless, she wasn't able to maintain her hygiene. I don't mean to be catty, it's not something I would have thought about myself and I certainly don't mean to judge, but Mallory herself brings up being worried about how she doesn't smell good and wearing dirty clothing. I just don't think a realistic teenage boy who's rich and handsome would be crushing on a girl in Mallory's circumstances. I would've loved for the book to focus on building a friendship between them first because friends-to-lovers would have been more believable and satisfying.

However the abusive home situation that Mallory has fled is the main heart of the book and I think the author handled it pretty well. It was genuinely hard to read the scenes with her stepfather, who came off as malicious and terrifying without straying into over-the-top moustache-twirling villainy. I feel like a lot of times, abuse is only recognized when it's brutal and physical, and the more subtle emotional stranglehold that Charlie wielded was painfully real and all the more horrifying in how nobody believed Mallory because she couldn't point to any bruises or broken bones. 

Overall, this wasn't the book for me and not one I would normally have picked up, but for readers who want a touch more gritty realism and darkness in their contemporary or enjoy coming-of-age arcs with teenagers struggling to deal with problems at home, this would hit the spot.