Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC if this book in exchange for a review. This was a very interesting story that was well written and thought out. Such a sad situation, but the world can be an ugly place. Would definitely buy this book.

If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars because it was actually a pretty good mystery. Lots of suspense but unfortunately it was pretty predictable. I also wish we were able to learn more about the characters. They all felt very flat.

This was a roller coaster of a ride. It had many twists and turns. It was not a surprise what exactly happened but more why is happened. The characters were well written especially Clara. The perspective was through her eyes and before and after the crime. I enjoyed this novel. Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story is very nicely written. The division of the story into the present and past is not an annoying split. It ensures that you gradually learn more about what is going on without immediately giving away too much.

The writer has kept the mystery element in it in a good way. A number of times there was a twist in the story that I didn’t see coming, but unfortunately a lot of “discoveries” were reasonably predictable.

The characters are well described and you soon feel as if you know these people. Clara does not behave like a typical teenager. This is fine, but not entirely realistic on some points.

All in all it was a very enjoyable book that I went through very quickly and easily. And for thriller / mystery fans, I would definitely recommend it.

First, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this for review. I will provide an unbiased opinion in return. I believe this book was released in French last year and has now been translated.

Secondly, this cover pulled me in along with the synopsis. This follows Clara. Her next door neighbor, Griffin, has been found murdered in his own backyard. And now her sister, Emily, has been accused of the murder. But did Emily do it and why? It just so happens, Clara knows why. And she's here to tell us a story.

Next, this has very graphic content, so if you are at all opposed to that, this is not the book for you. However, I don't have any aversion to it so this didn't sway my view.

If we want to get technical, I DNF'd this book at 20%. I quit reading word for word. I skimmed the rest of the book. I read all the dialogue, and a lot of the important tidbits. I don't think I missed much by not reading word for word.

This seems like a book a high schooler would write. It doesn't have the fine tunings of an adult writing. It just seemed very immature. The writing was terrible. One minute we were at school, and then the very next sentence we were 1.5 years back in time. It was highly confusing. It was very choppy. It was all over the place. I can't say much without giving a ton of spoilers. It reminded me of reading terrible fanfiction back in my teenage years. It was very dramatic and highly unbelievable. The plot would have been okay if the writing wasn't so immature. If we got more in depth look at the characters, if we explored more about why these incidents occurred, it may have been better.

Overall, I had to give this 1 star. I was lenient even giving it that in my honest opinion.

What happened that night was a very compulsive read for me. I enjoy stories like this where you get alternating timelines and it all gets pieced together at the end. This book doesn't stand out to me but it was still a good read. I enjoyed Clara's journey through everything and finding herself and eventually learning the truth and coming to terms with what actually happened. Overall it was enjoyable and I would recommend it to others

Thanks to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for providing an advanced reader copy of What Happened That Night by Deanna Cameron.

When a novel begins with a disclaimer from the author about the content of the book, you know it might be disturbing to read and What Happened That Night lives up to the warning.

The novel is about the before and after events of a traumatic attack against Clara, the narrator of the novel and the events before and after a murder. The book is full of intriguing dualities that keep popping up throughout the book, from the different ways of viewing Griffin, Emily, and Clara, to the letters and gifts that Griffin sends. In most situations, we are trying to determine which is accurate, which is true.

What I found most interesting about the novel was when I realized there are three sides to the traumatic attack. There was Griffin’s viewpoint, the story that he told himself about what Clara wanted. He used this story to justify his actions and what followed. Clara’s viewpoint, the story she tells herself to try to make sense of what Griffin is doing and what Griffin will do afterwards. Finally, there is what actually happened, a brutal attack that left a teenage girl traumatized.

Having three daughters, this book was a difficult read. I found myself hoping that if something like this happened to one of my children, they would have the courage to come and talk to me and my wife. I also found myself hoping that we would be able to recognize the signs ourselves and take action.

Overall, though I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, Deanna Cameron handled this difficult subject very well and gave me time to build emotional connections with the characters so that I could empathize with the pain and horror of what they experienced.

If I had one wish for the novel, it would be to spend more time toward the end of the novel understanding Emily’s motivation for Griffin’s murder. For most of the novel, we are led to believe her motivation is one thing but when we learn it may be something else, I don’t feel that part of the story is ever fully explained and so it leaves me feeling the story is somewhat incomplete.

Trigger warnings: Rape, violent sex, gaslighting, abuse, murder, date rape

I usually don’t read many mystery books because I usually figure out the ending right from the start. But What Happened That Night was a wild ride that I didn’t see coming. The twist at the end was shocking I still can't believe it. This book had me up late flipping through each chapter to find out what would happen next Great book I would recommend to teens and adults.

It was a good old fashioned mystery. At first it was hard to understand how Emily knew her sister had been attacked. Aniston is great character and she really made the box for me as she played detective. A great YA summer read!

Clara Porterfield knows suffering like no other. Her older sister, Emily, was arrested for the murder of Clara's childhood crush--their neighbor and city golden boy--Griffin Tomlin. Griffin was found floating face down in his family's back yard pool after a Labor Day party. Clara and her family suffer through the aftermath of Emily's decision and only one person knows the reason behind Emily's choice--Clara. Emily's dad refuses to believe Emily killed Griffin, but Emily's mother believes she did it and wants to brush it under the rug. Emily and Clara's parent's were close friends with Griffin's parents. After Emily is gone and her parents split views, Clara finds refuge with Griffin's best friend, Kolby, and a girl that wears too much pink, Aniston. "Like Jennifer Aniston." The story unravels through the present and the past, a dual timeline. The events that led up to what really happened that night is dark, twisted, sinister, and heart wrenching.

When I first started to read this story, I knew I would be hooked. The story line was complex and it kept me guessing. I couldn't put it down. Every time I had thought I figured it out--why Emily did it--there was another small detail that would come up and throw a small wrench in it. I say "small" because it wasn't overdone. Cameron didn't keep throwing things in just to prolong the story. These little details piled into the bigger story and made sense.

Most of the characters were well put together, but a few had a couple flaws. Clara, the main protagonist, was a well put character. She had gone through something dark and it reflected. She had gone from a carefree teenager pining for her neighbor, into a reclusive shut in. Many people had seen the change but never asked what had happened. No one had gotten close enough to figure out why Clare had gone from outspoken to barely speaking. She quit drama and her job at a local ice cream shop. Her best friend became a stranger.

Kolby was supposed to be a bigger character in the story. For the most part, he was a great supporting character. I wish there was a little more to him. Kolby had been Griffin's best friend throughout the entire book. Even Kolby mentioned that he didn't know how he had become friends with Griffin. In a sense, Kolby reminded me of Bex. Bex had been Clara's best friend and she seemed to have some bigger roles in the story, but there wasn't much to her.

Griffin was what you could expect from the attractive, popular boy. He had girls falling at his feet and guys trying to become his friend. He had his parents and his brother, Brandon. Griffin had a very dark side that reflected through the story. He thought he could get away with anything he wanted because everyone loved him. Those that knew his dark side were scared of him.

Emily, Clara's sister, didn't have much background to her. I enjoyed that the author had glimpses of memories between Clara and her sister. Emily is a character you want to feel bad. As the story progresses, the more you find out about the beloved sister, Emily.

Throughout this story, there are so many troubling subjects brushed up against. The story was deep and believable. Most of the subjects are situations that actually happen. The story brushes upon rape, popularity, secrets, love, hate, and the aftermath of other people's decisions, as well as the twisted work of some. Every time a killer comes out, there's always someone swearing up and down that the person accused(or guilty) could never be capable of doing such twisted things. This story takes you into the mind of someone that had believed that. Not only about one person, but two.

Verdict: Overall, I liked this book. It was compelling. I would suggest reading this book. But please be advised, this can be a trigger. Read the Author's Note before you dive into the book!

Thank you @netgalley and #wattpad for providing me with an advanced copy of What Happened That Night in return for an honest review.
Pub Date - 9/17/19
This book was intriguing and definitely a page turner! For a teen Y/A i wasn't expecting it to be as in depth, plot wise!
Page turner for sure. Finished this in 24 hours which is always a good sign! I thought i knew why Emily did it but no! The plot twist got me. Creepy provoking read and I'm so glad i got the chance to review!
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I really was engrossed in "What Happened That Night". I almost didn't want to put the book down. This is the story of Clara and the aftermath of a tragedy that spiraled into another tragedy. Clara had a crush on neighbor and family friend Griffin. But something happened one night that changes everything for Clara, Griffin, and Clara's sister Emily. Now Emily is charged with murdering Griffin. Was it payback for what happened to Clara or something else? There is a definite mystery/thriller element to this novel. It also touches on potentially triggering topics such as rape, violence, domestic violence, threats of violence, etc. However it does not show any of these things in extremely graphic detail. Some parts were so implied I had to go back and re-read the passages. The reason this book really deserves the five stars (not just the amazing, twisty plot) is the way that it translates human emotion. It confronts biases and assumptions people can make against others that can be completely incorrect. The bad guys aren't always the ones that you assume would be the bad guys (or girls). I highly recommend this book. It is a page turner, keeps you guessing, and challenges you to confront your biases assumptions and expectations as well. Great job from author Deanna Cameron. I will keep my eyes open for future releases by this author.

I am in the minority in my opinion of this book by Deanna Cameron, "What Happened That Night". I was underwhelmed for most of the time I was reading and the book just felt like it dragged on. The main character Clara did not make me care about her the way she was written. Her relationship with Kolby, the best friend of the murdered Griffin, was unbelievable. Kolby, himself, was clueless. . The other side character of Aniston was more descriptive but she just came out of nowhere and seemed to solve a murder? I scratched my head a bit when a fell 17 year old is somehow able to solve a teen girls murder from miles away when people did not even know for sure if she was dead.
All in all, I would still recommend this for an older teen (with trigger warnings for rape) but for a 50 year old woman this just missed the mark in so many ways. The twists were just too hard to believe and I felt let down by the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

I was drawn to this book by the cover and the title which basically promised to provide me with a creepy story. And then, I was immediately shocked by the premise of the book and had to look back at the publisher to realize I've read this before. A quick glance at my old Wattpad lists confirmed I not only read this book but I loved this book (I have a detailed shelf for all my favorites). I was so excited to be able to reread this gem of a thriller that I read years ago.

What Happened That Night follows Clara's story as she is struggling to accept that her sister, Emily, murdered their neighbor and family friend, Griffin. Clara is also the only person who believes she knows Emily's motive. Throughout the novel, Clara fits together more puzzle pieces while dealing with her own personal trauma to help unravel the plot. The reveals to the readers are slow but there are plenty. It is hard to guess exactly what will happen in this book since there are so many moving parts and important characters that play a role in what had happen with Griffin and Emily. Clara's narration shows her struggle with events from her past and what her sister had done. Clara does not know the feel story so as she goes through her life the reader is discovering just as she is. There are also some parts of the novel that travel to the "before" of the murder that helps to bring clarity to what took place.

Through it all, Clara is able to make a new friend and find a spark with Kolby Rutledge. I love the slight romance in this book. I don't want to reveal to much but Kolby is pivotal to helping Clara accepts parts of herself she never thought she could. The secondary characters in this novel are all incredible and some surprising. The author keeps the reader guessing to the very end on so many details but it is incredibly satisfying to discover each new twist.
I loved this book when I first read it on Wattpad and I still love it now. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for their next YA thriller.

I want to start off by thanking NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this advanced readers copy.
I am writing this having just finished it and all I can say is wow!
This book turned out to be so much more than what I thought it would be. Deanna Cameron is truly brilliant.
This was such a thought provoking book and while incredibly emotional and tough, I have fallen in love with this book. There were times a lot of the things hit close to home and I had to take a minute to set this down and breathe.
The story of Clara and everything she goes through gave me all the feels. Sad for what she went through, being angry for her , and being just as confused. Although this may be a very tough read for some, I think it's definitely one to read, I can't wait to run out and buy a finished copy once this goes on sale.

This was definitely a little creepy but I liked it. In away it reminded me of the book Everything You Meant Me To Be.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT by Deanna Cameron in exchange for my honest review.***

Emily killed Griffin, the boy next door and Clara, her sister knows why. Or she thinks she does.

The premise of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT brought the book onto my radar, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC. Clara feels guilty, ashamed and angry for the secret she disclosed to Emily, as she’s at fault for the murder. Most readers will guess what would cause a sister to kill for her sister, I did. And I was both right and wrong. WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT is anything but predictable.

Deanna Cameron constructed an unexpected plot. Whenever I thought, “I saw that coming.” I was usually right before being wrong. Although some of the scenarios were unbelievable, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story.

Most of the characters had personality, but Clara’s was more nebulous. I wish, as narrator, she had been more fleshed out. The minor characters were filled with nuance. New friend Anniston, bedecked in pink, was a hoot, taking her role with the school newspaper way to seriously. She says she’s not trying to investigate why Emily killed Griffin, but she fooled no one. Kolby, Griffin’s best friend, was a good guy, but not too good to be true. Even Wilson, Emily’s boyfriend surprised me.

Until the very last page, I wasn’t certain about the reliability of Clara’s narration. I enjoyed how Cameron gave me enough doubt not to completely trust her.

WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT is a bit of a clunky read. I felt as if the book was 500, not just over 300 pages and I’m someone who loves long books. Cameron take a little too long to get into the plot with much telling and explanation vs showing. Aside from slow pacing, I didn’t experience many emotions reading WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, no tension or trepidation.

Still WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT is a great read and I recommend.