Mallory is forced to leave her home. Spencer is struggling with what he thinks is expected of him. In a John Hughes type story, the two meet at the library and an unlikely relationship begins. Add to the many layered dynamics between the two kids at opposite ends of the teen social ladder is the mystery at the library. These things combined for a really good young adult book that provided a nice modern realistic edge that is missing in many YA books. Ms. Richards' writing felt very honest, for both what happened and her characters. I did feel that Mallory had much more depth than Spencer, but perhaps that was more due to their individual situations and my perceptions of them. Definitely a book that can be read and enjoyed by more than just a young adult reader!

We follow Spencer (library volunteer) and Mallory (runaway hiding in the library) as they try to figure out their own lives and how a dead woman appears in the library.

I did not like Mallory at all and really did not care for her at all. Since the book is heavily based on the reader having compassion on her it really impacted my reading experience.

This book read like a young adult contemporary with a random/unrelated mystery thrown in to make it more interesting and to cause tension for the two main characters.

If you are looking for a thriller I would not recommend this book but if you are looking for a mediocre young adult contemporary, I would recommend this book.

What You Hide
by Natalie D. Richards

SOURCEBOOKS Fire

Sourcebooks Fire
Teens & YA
Pub Date 04 Dec 2018


I am reviewing a copy of What You Hide through Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley:


Mallory left home out of necessity because it was not a safe place for her to stay. She ends up sleeping at her best friends house and spending the rest of the time at the library doing her online schooling as well as trying to figure out what comes next. She refuses to live in fear the way her Mother did.


Spencer volunteers at the library, community service for a stunt he pulled but he likes the work he does there, and it allows him to escape the pressure his parents pressure to excel at school at ice hockey at everything especially after he meets Mallory.


When there is a tragic death at the library, suddenly what was once a sanctuary turns sinister. Ghostly footprints, strange scratching sounds and scrawled messages on bulletin boards and walls. Mallory and Spencer don't know who or what is responsible but what they do know is they are not alone or as safe as they once thought they were.


I give What You Hide five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I was so excited for this story. I loved the premise and had enjoyed a couple of books from Natalie.

I liked Mallory and Spencer well enough. She’s in a rough situation and I did like how the book didn’t shy away from it. Spencer’s home life isn’t bad and he’s itching for something different. There was a spark between them, but it didn’t propel the story.

Plot wise it was boring. For me, there wasn’t any sort of suspense or tension. The thriller aspect of the story didn’t show up and I wasn’t quite invested in what was happening. Oh and the build up slash reveal slash ending left a lot to be desired.

Overall, it felt like 2 separate stories that didn’t quite mesh. I’m not sure what kept me reading, but I couldn’t stop.

**Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for providing the arc free of charge**

What is the purpose of this story, really? The only interesting thing is Charlie, Mallory's step dad. Mallory's mom is beyond plain and bland, and Spencer is a good guy who is interested in Molly.

So Molly ran away because she can't deal with her controlling step father. Luckily for her, she doesn't really have to live a street live... Oh! And there is a mystery in the library to solve!

At 30% I was just bored. I guess stupid mon will eventually leave controlling husband....

The editor who found this book worth publishing must be out of their mind!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this title.

Short and Sweet

After Mallory leaves her home because it wasn't safe she splits her time between her friends house and the library. Spencer volunteers at the library after a stunt he pulled required him to do community service. But when someone is found dead at the library, what seemed like a safe haven may be the exact opposite.Spencer and Mallory know that something strange is going on in the library, considering the unexplained footprints and writing on the library walls.

Characters

Mallory: Mallory has a difficult life and she decides to leave home to be safe and away from her stepfather, Charlie. Charlie isn't abusive but he is controlling and likes to keep tabs on Mallory. Despite all that she's going through Mallory is a strong character and I like that she cares about her mother and her safety even though she had to leave her behind. Mallory is pretty resourceful and I felt bad about the situation she was in.

Spencer: Spencer was a good character he usually tried to defuse situations by using humor. Spencer may seem like he has the perfect life but lately his grades have been slipping and he did end up breaking a window at the library which led to the community service. Even though it is community service Spencer enjoys being at the library it gives him time away from his parents talking about college and the pressure of ice hockey.

Romance

Mallory and Spencer: I liked the pacing of this relationship it wasn't instant. Mallory was wary of Spencer at first and trying to figure out why Spencer would want to help her, and she did have her guard up. I appreciated how patient Spencer was with Mallory and that he genuinely cared about her and wanted to make sure she was safe.

My Thoughts

~ I felt bad for Mallory she really had no place to go and she knew she couldn't stay away from home that long, but she needed to find an alternative or try to convince her mom to finally leave Charlie.

~ Spencer feels a lot of pressure at home his parents want him to go to a good college but Spencer hasn't spent time thinking about where he wants to go or what he wants to do.

~Mallory has been staying with friend but when she realizes that she can't anymore desperation kicks in and she begins to stay at the library.

~ When I got the book I thought that the focus would be on the mystery surrounding whats going on in the library but that isn't the focus and doesn't get solved until 80% through the book.

~ In the end I liked that Mallory finally realized that she had to do what was best for her considering time was running out on her making a decision about going back home or not.

~ The book kept my interest mainly because I wanted to know what was happening in the library but in the end I wasn't as satisfied as I thought I would be.

Overall

I enjoyed this book but I wasn't really fond of the ending I wanted a better ending for Mallory but oh well. There was a lot of suspense around what was going on in the library but the answers to what was going on fell flat for me. I finished this book feeling like I wanted more.

Tl;dr: What You Hide is a contemporary ya that has one interesting storyline, one that's meh, and one that doesn't, making it a bit of a muddle that never gels as a fully integrated read.

So, What You Hide--the good:

Mallory. She's a high schooler living with her controlling stepfather and pregnant mother. Mallory wants her mom to leave her stepfather, who tracks every move she makes and pretty much won't let her mother see anyone, do anything, etc. He's not physically abusive, but it does seem like he might be headed that way.

Mallory leaves school to escape with her mother, but her mother hesitates, then refuses to go when her stepfather suddenly comes home and Mallory decides that she has to leave for her own safety. She vows to return for her mother, and divides her time between the local library in the wealthy part of town and a friend's home until she can't stay with her friend any longer and the library has to adjust its hours*. Once that happens, she finds herself homeless and Mallory has to wrestle with either staying homeless or entering the state system and hoping that her mother will sign emancipation papers so she can live on her own, get a job, and try to finish high school.

Every option is terrible, frankly, and Ms. Richards doesn't shy away from this, painting Mallory as a determined young woman who is doing the best she can in a increasingly desperate situation. I loved that Mallory's mother did the best she thought she could, and how devestated Mallory was by her choices--parents don't always do what's best, people don't always leave bad situations, and it was such a brave choice to paint Mallory's life so honestly. By the end of What You Hide, I reallly wanted Mallory to be okay even as it became clear that even with her strength and determination she had a difficult path ahead of her.

The okay: Spencer. He's a bright guy living a great life in the richest part of town, but all the talk from his family about making college choices and planning his future leaves him cold. He's supposed to be funny but telling someone that a character is supposed to be funny isn't a good way to make them actually be funny, especially when Spencer's "witticisms" aren't even able to make you grin. Spencer is really just a collection of traits: smart but not doing well in school, good looking, the romantic interest. He's also adopted, but although that's sort of touched on, it's treated more as an afterthought. Spencer exists primarily to provide help to Mallory and be her love interest (that part of What You Hide is essentially instalove and doesn't work) and is never as interesting as he thinks he is.

The bad: There's a plotline involving a series of "mysterious/creepy" things that happen at the library after a random death and this plotline doesn't work at all. It's not mysterious--it isn't even interesting-- and Ms. Richards' attempts to tie all the storylines together doesn't work.

In What You Hide you have one fascinating story--Mallory's--diminished by how shoehorned it is into two far less interesting ones and, overall, it makes the novel just not quite work.

“Maybe there’s a book in here that will tell me what to do when all the smart choices feel wrong.”

I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Sourcebooks Fire. Trigger warnings: emotional abuse, threats, drug use, death.

Spencer is serving community service at the library, a punishment he suspects would have been worse if not for his wealthy adoptive family. The pressure is on for him to do well in school and hockey and get into an excellent college, but he doesn’t know how to tell his parents that he doesn’t want their life. Mallory has fled her home and her pregnant mother under threats from a manipulative stepdad, but her options are running out. The library is one of the only safe, free places for her to go. She knows that meeting Spencer, a cute volunteer there, should be the last thing on her mind. When a body is found in the library one morning, strange things begin to happen. There are black hand and footprints on the walls and floor, and a message scrawled over and over on walls and books: where are you? As the vandalism escalates, Spencer fears that Mallory will be a target, which means they need to find answers to the mystery before it’s too late.

What You Hide is a solid YA mystery/romance. I wouldn’t call it a thriller, but I’m a bad judge of what’s thrilling. The most frightening thing in the novel is not the mystery at the library, but the very real problems Mallory (and other teenagers like her) face in homelessness and abusive households. While they may be slightly glossed over for a younger audience and the sake of romance, the difficulties she faces in finding food, running water, a safe place to sleep, etc. felt very real, and there were moments where I was afraid for her. The novel stresses asking for help and finding resources for that purpose, and the only unrealistic thing is probably Spencer’s involvement. Most homeless teens don’t have a rich hero trying to help them (though Mallory has to do most of the saving on her own), but it’s a novel for teenagers, not a how-to manual.

The writing is good. Richards excels at place and character, and there was never a moment where I felt jolted out of the narrative. It switches seamlessly between Spencer’s perspective and Mallory’s, and they’re both well-drawn and -developed characters with realistic hobbies, reactions, and perspectives. I can relate to the pressure Spencer faces in making decisions about his future, but even he realizes that Mallory’s problems are on completely different scale. There are some touching moments between Spencer and his adoptive family (like a less dramatic This Is Us). There’s probably more romance than thrills, but it’s a relatively slow burn, so no complaints. The library mystery starts out interesting and escalates in a rather spooky series of events, but I didn’t care for the way it wrapped up. Of all the plot threads, that one has the loosest ending, but there’s significant thematic closure on Mallory and Spencer’s stories. It’s a quick and satisfying read, recommended for fans of the genre.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

What You Hide by Natalie D. Richards was the first book in a long while that I read in a single day. I loved delving into the relationship between Spencer and Mallory. I didn’t find it as thrilling as I hoped it would be; however, it was still quite the page-turner.

What You Hide does touch a bit on the topic of domestic violence. Therefore, I’m not sure if it will be a trigger for anyone going through a situation much like Mallory and her mother’s. I did think that Richards tastefully approached the topic, highlighted that domestic violence is not only physical abuse, and showed how it can also affect children.

Richard’s What You Hide is a page-turning story about Spencer, a boy from an affluent family that is having difficulty finding his path, and Mallory, a homeless girl desperately trying to get her pregnant mother out of a controlling relationship. They meet in the public library where Spencer is doing community service and where Mallory is doing online schooling and occasionally spends the night. However, weird things are happening at the library after a dead body is found.

While the story was definitely a page-turner, What You Hide wasn’t as suspenseful or thrilling as I thought it’d be, even after they found the dead body at the library. For me personally, I didn’t find What You Hide suspenseful or thrilling because the dead body that was found wasn’t directly related to anyone’s situation. There was the mystery behind the dead body, and then here was Mallory on the run from her stepfather and constantly trying to figure out a way to get her mother out of the relationship. It read like two different plots that just happened to coincide, and therefore, I didn’t find it as thrilling.

I found the relationship between Spencer and Mallory and Mallory’s growth in regards to her relationship with her mother and stepfather to be the focus of the story. I was definitely driven to read the story because of Spencer and Mallory more so than the plot. I found them to be very relatable characters despite how different their situations were. Their relationship was very slow developing, and I wish there was a bit more resolution for their relationship. However, I did enjoy the way the story ended for Spencer and Mallory individually.

I wouldn’t call What You Hide a particularly thrilling story. What Natalie D. Richards did manage to craft, however, was a page-turning contemporary story with wonderful characters and that has a bit of mystery thrown into it. I’d highly recommend checking out What You Hide if you enjoy YA contemporary stories.

Note: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed the newest book by Natalie Richards. This is my first book by her, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more.

This twisty mystery is told in the alternating viewpoints of Spencer and Mallory, two high school students from very different home and family lives, but these differences do not stop them from finding common ground. Spencer is completing community service at the library for property damage, and Mallory has just become homeless after running away to get away from her creepy, controlling step-father. The library becomes a safe space for Mallory and she meets Spencer, a boy who intrigues her, even while she’s going through a very rough time. After a dead body is found in the library and random notes start to appear, Spencer and Mallory are drawn closer and closer together.

Overall I would definitely recommend What You Hide to all my mystery fans.

I really enjoyed this new story by Natalie Richards. Told in alternating perspectives between Mallory and Spencer, this is a mystery but also a bit of a romance. Spencer is spending time volunteering at the local library after destroying some property when he meets Mallory, a runaway from a tough home life. The story is about many things, starting with Spencer and the community service hours he is doing to make up for his poor choice to break the library window while scaling it. Mallory's story begins as she is trying to get her mother out of an abusive situation. When things don't go as planned, Mallory is forced to leave and find somewhere to stay. The library offers her refuge and she meets Spencer. When a dead body is found and strange notes appear, both Spencer and Mallory are drawn more to each other. The story deals with the relationships between Spencer and his family and Mallory and her family. They are both from very different homes and the authors uses this juxtaposition to make their connection even stronger. Overall, I really enjoyed the mystery and it kept my interest! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

EXPECTED DECEMBER 4, 2018

3 STARS


TW: domestic abuse, homelessness, overdose

When I started What You Hide, it didn't take long for me to get hooked, between Spencer climbing things he shouldn't and Mallory dealing with the looming threat of her stepfather at home. There was a tension that sunk its teeth in and refused to let go, because here were two very different teenagers with very different lives, and I was invested.

Mallory in particular caught my attention, and my heart went out to her. At the beginning of the book, she flees home to escape the controlling, emotionally abusive clutches of her stepfather, and is forced to leave behind her pregnant mother in the process. It's heart-wrenching, honestly, watching her scramble to fend for herself, keep herself safe from Charlie's influence and maybe somehow find a way to protect her mother as well. She's determined but scared, and resourceful to top it off. It makes a compelling combination, which made her my favorite character.

Spencer I liked a little less, but only because Mallory affected me so strongly. He was well-meaning and playful, and acknowledged the privilege he had as a boy from a rich family. He just didn't have the depth Mallory did, though, and while I think Richards tried to make him likable and relatable in the ways he acknowledged his privilege and also struggled with the choices before him, I just didn't connect with him quite the same as Mallory. It didn't help that I felt like his struggles weren't half as rough as the ones Mallory's friend Lana was facing, and I almost feel like Lana would have been a more interesting character, but she was pushed well to the side for the most part.

And then the second half of the book rolled around, and I finished it off with mixed feelings.

On one hand, I really liked Mallory's arc and the conclusion it reached. It wasn't perfect, but it did feel realistic, and the Mallory at the end has a whole lot of spine to her, not that she wasn't courageous before. There was change, and it was amazing. Again, Spencer's arc was somewhat less satisfying to me, perhaps because I didn't connect, or maybe because it felt kind of trivial next to Mallory's arc.

But the resolution to the mystery really let me down. I came into the book thinking the mystery in the library would play a greater role, and that the solution would be much more believable and forceful. Instead, it felt more like a footnote than anything, and it broke me well out of the suspension of disbelief as I tried to figure out how on earth any of it was remotely possible. It felt like an incredibly flimsy solution, and like it had taken second place to everything else that happened in the story.

I'll admit I was also unhappy with the romance, too. Earlier in the book, I actually liked Spencer and Mallory's dynamic. It was cautious, as new friend dynamics can be, but had something of a genuine and curious feeling to it. As it shifted into a romance, though, I found myself more and more bored. Spencer spent most of his time thinking about Mallory, but Mallory spent most of her time thinking about the dire straits she was in, and it didn't seem like romance was even remotely relevant. 

Essentially, in this half of the book, things began to fall apart for me in a way that just couldn't knit itself back together, which was a disappointment. I really did want to enjoy it as much as I really enjoyed the tension and thrills of the first half, but the payoff wasn't even half as exciting as I was expecting.

That said, if you love thrillers with romance and want to read about characters coming together across very different walks of life, then What You Hide might just be for you! It comes out December 4 this year, so there's still time to preorder it or ask your library to get a copy! Go, go, go!

I feel a little bad about my three star rating on this title. After the publisher granting my wish to read it. But in all honesty, I didn't expect it to be as slow paced as it was.
Pacing is important to me, as a reader and this books pacing felt off, slow then fast, then slow again.

I can really appreciate what Armstrong has done with this title. It is confronting, honest and raw, three qualities that I can really apprecite within a book. I especially loved Mallory;s chapters, I felt she had the raw-er deal than Spencer, and she couldn't do anything about her situation. I guess neither could Spencer, but there was something that always drew me back to Mallory, wanting Spencer's chapters to end so I could get back to see what was going on in Mallory's life.

The writing style is great and so current, it is easy to read.

As a total book nerd, a library setting is what drew me to this novel initially.  Not only are there strange happenings afoot in the library, this book portrays teens dealing with real-life issues such as emotional abuse, homelessness, and unsafe home environments.

In the first couple of pages, I met Spencer and immediately loved his voice.  He possesses a wicked sense of humor, is a bit mischievous, and, as a senior in high school, is trying to figure out his future and where he fits in the world.  Mallory's situation is heartbreaking.  With a controlling and emotionally abusive stepfather who's made Mallory's mother practically a prisoner in her own home, Mallory chooses homelessness over staying in an unsafe environment.  It's obvious the author performed extensive research into available resources for people in these dangerous situations, and includes a hotline number in the author's note.     

Something I particularly admired is the way the parent-child relationships are portrayed.  In Mallory's case, the roles are nearly reversed.  As a level-headed teen with a talent for problem-solving, she senses the danger at home, researches options, and tries to convince her mother to leave.  With Spencer, he's dealing with his own issues in addition to helping Mallory, but eventually realizes he needs his parents' help, and is even encouraged by a friend to talk to them.  When Spencer's future plans don't line up with his parents' expectations, they keep an open mind and listen to his ideas.    

What You Hide is billed as a YA romantic thriller, but I'd describe it as more of a YA thriller/contemporary/coming of age story.  Maybe there's a bit of insta-love, but the romance ss adorable, and not the primary focus of the story.  Add this to your TBR today.  

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

Natalie D. Richards is a goddess in suspense/thriller. What You Hide was just as amazing as the rest of her killer books. What I love about this author is, she does add romance into her books, but it WORKS with the story, which is talent in itself.

What You Hide by Natalie D. Richards...Oh my goodness!!! Mallory knows something isn't quite right with her step-dad, but since he doesn't physically abuse her or her mom, it's hard to convince her mom he's doesn't have their best interests in mind. Mallory has to trust her gut and get out, but where does a teen go when she doesn't want to be found. The public library becomes her safe place and her hideout, but not for long. Once a lady is found dead in the library, her world crumbles even more. Then she meets Spencer, a good-looking rich boy with everything going for him, or does he? She needs help;he wants to help. Or is it the other way around? Trusting a man after all she's been through is going to be tough. Two different sides of the tracks collide and there's still the issue of the dead woman and her ghost haunting the library. Great read that keeps you reading til the very end. #whatyouhide #nataliedrichards #NetGalley

Sadly, I just couldn’t get into the story. I had such high hopes for it though! I ended up not even finishing it.

Mallory tries to get her mother to leave her creepy and controlling stepfather, but when her mother refuses to leave, Mallory sets out on her own. She ends up meeting Spencer (who is doing community service) at the library.

I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to find out who or what was making the noises in the library, what was going to happen with the stepfather, and where Mallory was going to sleep at night.

Natalie D. Richards is slowly becoming one of my go-to-authors.
Every time I get an arc of hers from Sourcebooks Fire, it pulls me right out of my reading slump.
Let's just say I have a weakness for ya thrillers....

What You Hide is the perfect spooky read for October.
It has just the right amount of mystery and romance while hitting on some serious issues, like teen homelessness. Oh, and the whole thing takes place in a library!

So there's two viewpoints, Spencer's and Mallory's.

Spencer was adopted into a rather wealthy family; star hockey player, aspiring rock climber, and serving his community service hours at the library where he broke an expensive window while he climbed it.

On the other hand, Mallory has to leave her family; with or without her pregnant mother. She can't live another day with her manipulative stepfather Charlie watching her every move. She enrolls in virtual high school and spends most of her days at the library.

Obviously, Spencer and Mallory meet at the shared location and quickly start up a witty, romantic banter with each other. Maybe it could become something or maybe they're in way over their heads.

When Mallory decided she has nowhere else to go, she sneaks into the library and crashes overnight in the bathroom. But that's not even the weird part, someone is leaving messages in the library; black soot, dark footprints, writings on the walls, and an intricate art display.... could the library be haunted?

The story unfolds over the course of about a month with alternating story line's that pick up where the last character left off. Not going to lie, I was a little put off by romance being tagged as a key part of this book, because that's not something I really enjoy reading. But with all the things that happen in the story, it definitely worked well. It was subtle crush between two teens in the same area, could have happened anywhere. Regardless, I enjoyed this book and pretty much every other book I've read by Natalie D. Richards!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC of What You Hide!

What You Hide hits shelves December 4th!

*review to be posted on goodreads mid-november*

This was a good read until it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Wow, it could have gone so differently...

What You Hide, according to its description, is a romantic thriller/mystery involving a girl with so many home problems and a heavily messed up life and a guy with a "wonderful" life who is so lost that he doesn't know anything except that he's definitely way past too far off the shore.

Mallory's problems were written in such a raw and realistic way that I couldn't help but go a bit crazy every time Charlie came into the picture. But that ENDING; I think I might cry out of frustration.

The message of the story! I suppose it's that people get help when they're ready(?) but I really don't know if this would be the best thing to spread because for asdfghjkl;'s sake the MC saved herself (yay), and her newborn sister's just going to be living in a toxic environment because no one's going to save her from that.

I don't. know.

And there was also the thing with the romantic relationship (nearly instantly) developing as one of the characters is going through 1234567890 things and as nice as they were together these dynamics create this awful kind of dependence that can't possibly turn out well.

Looking past those mini-rants, I definitely did feel a significant amount of feelings while reading What You Hide, and even teared up a bit at some point in time. While I can't say that this book in its entirety really promotes too many healthy things, I did have an interesting time struggling with it.

My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the lovely ARC!