This one was a bit of a mixed bag...

On the positive side, the plot was interesting and fast-paced, and kept me engaged and guessing until the end.

However, this read like a second book in a series with an entire backstory that wasn't fleshed out enough, and really could have been a book on its own. On top of that, the main character was extremely unlikable. Flora was genuinely an awful daughter, sister, granddaughter, and friend. Last, what the heck was that ending?! Will there be another book? I hope so, because otherwise, what a crappy way to leave a reader hanging!

Through the course of reading You’re Next by Kylie Schachte there were many times where I had to stop reading and search online to make sure that I was not reading a sequel. I had to do this often because everything from character introduction to plot development felt like I was missing key pieces typically learned in the first book in a series. Even the story feels like the next chapter in Flora’s life.

Flora appears to me like a half-developed character, wherein we were supposed to learn more about her during her first foray into playing detective – something to which Ms. Schacter often alludes. All of the characters frequently reference that previous detective work. In addition, Flora constantly worries about this new mystery being her last chance to prove herself. Except, we don’t get any details of that key experience in Flora’s life until more than halfway through this mystery. Hence, you experience the story much as you do reading a sequel without having read the first book; you attempt to derive knowledge of the characters and the event they mention through context clues.

The unfinished tone of You’re Next is disconcerting but not the only fault of the novel. Its premise is a bit too far-fetched for comfort. It is most similar to “Veronica Mars” except there is no dad but rather a grandfather with ties to the CIA and uses his connections to provide Flora with evidence to further her investigation. Also, there is no witty banter, and Flora’s list of friends consists of one person. Plus, Flora is barely sixteen in this story and comes with all sorts of mommy issues. Flora does have a little sister who just happens to be a computer whiz who can hack into any secure site she wants.

To add to the list of grievances is the plot itself. Teens in a secret club willing to kill others in order to keep their secret sounds good until you understand what type of secret they are keeping. Once you gain the full picture, you start questioning the mental state of the teens involved. I have a teen now; I spent the last eight years observing teens thanks to my older son. The types of behavior and attitudes mentioned throughout the novel are unlike any teen behavior or attitude I’ve met or observed. These teens are not believable characters. They neither sound nor act in an authentic manner.

You’re Next disappoints me. I’ve read several other debuts under James Patterson’s YA imprint and expected Ms. Schachte’s debut to be equally impressive. With a premise and characters I didn’t believe and a general overall feeling that I was missing something, it was anything but.

WELL this was unexpected. Also I didn't realize it was a series?? So??? That was confusing. I definitely thought it'd be more murder-y and have a f/f romance, as opposed to largely being a thriller with an f/m romance, so that kind of threw me. I am intrigued by the next book, though.

I thought this was a well written, fast paced, YA thriller!! I wouldn’t have known it was the authors debut, just by reading! It was very well written, characters fleshed out well, and while some may not like the main character, Flora’s flaws, attitude, or whatever, I found her to be perfect in the way she was created! I think that this will do very well among the rest of the YA thrillers, if not better, as it offers plenty of thrills, chills, twists & turns, and shocks! It’s not as dark and disturbing as some adult thrillers, but isn’t so dull adults or those craving dark and demented won’t enjoy! I highly recommend to both the YA and us older thriller lovers!

Will make sure to buzz around on different platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of You're Next by Kylie Schachte in return for an honest review.

You're Next is a mystery thriller that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters are relatable and well-written. A story that is full of surprises that are sure to stay with you long after reading.

Unfortunately I could not get into this one. Ended up DNF.

The writing is not bad.... I will keep an eye out for this author but this one was just not for me

This novel was a bit juvenile for my liking. It had a good premise, but the characters I found to be way to childish. This definitely hindered my enjoyment.

I found myself extremely bored, although the novel was fast paced I just couldnt seem to care throughout it. This is of no fault to the author, it is a problem with me. I thought the book was aimed at higher aged YA, this definitely didnt read like such to me.

I enjoyed this book and found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. However, I do think it was a tad too long with a bit too much drama and confusion. I suppose I’m at an age where too much drama just puts me off in general and not liking the main character doesn’t help. I know this book is not targeted for people in their 30’s, so my gripes probably wouldn’t affect someone in the age range this is meant for. I found it hard to connect with the main character but the story was well written and interesting.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

I loved this book. The atmosphere was everything I wanted it to be. I loved the plot and the twist in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

You’re Next by Kylie Schachte is a young adult mystery/thriller novel. This one is sort of like a modern day Nancy Drew with a teenage protagonist who is determined to find out who murdered her ex-girlfriend.
Flora Calhoun is not a stranger to finding dead bodies. A few years before she had stumbled across a murder victim which led to her beginning to investigate crime. This doesn’t make Flora exactly popular among her peers but Flora has her one best friend and that’s all she needs.

When Flora’s old girlfriend calls her up and asks to meet she immediately agrees. Unfortunately though as Flora is on her way to the location she hears gunshots and when she arrives her friend is on the ground taking her last breathes. Flora vows to find out what happened as she begins to look into the last words she’ll ever hear her friend speak.

You’re Next really started off with a bang heading at a fast pace that kept the pages flying by. The lead is a typical teen that may do some questionable things but that only seemed to reflect her age in a realistic way to me.

The problem I found with this one though was the longer it went on it seemed to get a little repetitive to me. After getting going the story felt as if begin to drag and I questioned why it wasn’t a lot shorter as you seem to get pointed the right way fairly early but then stall out. Overall I’d give this one 3 1/2 stars, it would have made more if edited down instead of such a lengthy read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is my spoiler-free review of You're Next.

I first heard about this book on twitter and through my contact with Kylie, I was gifted an ARC. I'm not under any expectation to review it, let alone falsify my review for any reason.

I'm a huge Veronica Mars fan. I've written a lot of fanfiction in the few years since I first watched the show. This story is ripe with VM feels. This book was introduced by likening it to VM and all the way through, I felt the connection. It's not stealing anything from it, but there are more than a few similarities.

A teenage detective looking for the murderer of her loved one.
A mentor with knowledge and connections.
A friend who feels used and overlooked.
A heroine who often jumps without looking ahead.

But, these things don't feel like a carbon copy of Veronica Mars. Kylie makes them her own. And it works well.

The mystery really had me guessing all the way through. The reveal was dramatic, self-aware and human.

The characters shine. Flora is ripe with teenage angst, most of it understandable. But, she lets her emotions either lead her or block her from moving forward. It's an interesting main character and refreshing to see her that way throughout the book.

Cass is her best friend and the norm to Flora's crazy. But, you can tell Flora has rubbed off on her at some point.

Gramps is fun, in that he's that tough, hardened by a life of dealing with criminals, but soft with his granddaughters. His relationship with Flora is one of my favorite things. It's complicated, and they both know it.

I really liked the other characters too, but I feel listing anymore might result in spoilers.

The pacing was fast. There's not a lot of descriptions or setting up for scenes in this book. I'm not sure if that's more YA or Kylie's preference, but it felt really quick. I would have liked a little more, which is honestly why it's 4/5 and not 5. There were a few spots that I would have liked more information, more time to let stuff settle before moving forward. If fast is your thing, this might not be an issue.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Kylie's writing is simple and doesn't fog up the page with purple prose, which I'm cool with. But, it's talented in that simplicity. I think she has room to grow, too.

If you are into mysteries, hot-headed teens and teenagers with black eyes, I recommend this book. I also suggest having tissues handy. I cried a lot while reading it.

Thank you to JIMMY Patterson publishing for sending me an ARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book! It had good pacing, a great cast of characters, and an interesting mystery to be solved.
Right from the beginning, I really liked the relationship between Flora and her grandpa. Gramps is ex-CIA and he supports Flora in her detective work when her mother doesn’t. Even though they had their issues, their relationship was realistic and they both reached out to fix their problems.
Flora felt like a real person because her character was well-written and completely fleshed out. After Ava’s death, she wants to investigate, but her own insecurities about it are making her nervous to try. 2 years ago, Flora admits that she screwed up another murder investigation and made it worse for everyone, and she hesitates to look into Ava’s murder because of it. This insecurity followers her throughout the book, and she receives threats from an anonymous person about looking into Ava’s death, and the various clues that she uncovers. The insecurity also shows up as Flora and Cass’s (her best friend) friendship becomes strained. Flora knew that she had issues, and she tried (somewhat) to work through them, but it was what made her character so real. Flora is human, and she makes mistakes.
Flora’s relationship with her sister was an interesting one because they had other tensions weighing on them and Flora was afraid more for her sister than herself.
I liked Valentine’s character, and I went back and forth on whether or not I trusted him which was similar to how Flora felt about him.
The pacing of the book was really well done. Some parts felt frustratingly slow because they were, but it seemed to be deliberate and it didn’t hurt the story. It only served to further emphasis how Flora was feeling and coping. Other parts built up the intensity, and the tension in the book grew higher and higher.
The very ending was so unexpected and I’m desperately hoping there will be a sequel so that I can get answers! The mystery resolution made sense, but I would have liked to see a little bit more about what would have happened after.
Overall this was a really good mystery/thriller with a main character who was flawed and interesting.

Look out for my post/review of this book on my bookstagram page (@alli_the_bookaholic13) on July 7!

What I Didn’t Like:
-Is this a sequel? Nope, it’s a debut. But it FEELS like a sequel. References to “last time” are too frequent. I get that it’s trying to build hype and mystery, I get that we’re sprinkling the facts of “last time” as we go … but it didn’t really work. It just felt like a second book where I didn’t read the first.
-Voice is awkward at first. It took me 2-3 chapters before I was ok with it. The sentences are choppy and immature but Flora seems to be trying to convince us she’s smart and focused. It gives her a sort of “I’m a BIG girl” vibe.
-Details. There are details here that are confusing or incorrect. They’re absolutely not important to the story. They’re the little things that can bring you out of a story because they’re incorrect. Like making mac and cheese … once it’s that orange color, it’s done! You don’t have to keep stirring. Why are we focused on her continuing to stir it for five to ten minutes while someone is showering?
-Ending. I don’t want to ruin anything. I pride myself on spoiler free reviews around here. But let’s say that ending was NOT ok. Too convenient, too “easy”, and too unfair.

What I Did Like:
-Valentine. He’s a solid character with a backstory that makes sense. He improves Flora by giving her more personality and life every time he’s in a scene with her.
-Mystery. There are clues dropped along the way and you can try to piece them together along with Flora, which is always fun.
-Pace. For a book that is long (pushing 500 pages) this one moves pretty quickly. The shorter chapters and cliffhangers keep this one moving and keep your interest. The pacing is well done.

Who Should Read This One:
-Readers who like a solid mystery and don’t mind if things aren’t exactly realistic. You can suspend disbelief a little for a scary or thrilling story.

My Rating: 3 Stars. This one needed a little tightening, in my opinion, but it is still a decent mystery.

Flora has seen things that no young girl should ever have to witness. But people blame her saying she sticks her nose where it doesn't belong. Flora receives a call from her friend Ava asking her to come pick her up and to be quick. Flora isn't quick enough and when she arrives , she spends Ava's last few moments of life trying to save her while the police arrive. As Ava dies in Flora's arms, she leaves her with two last words; words that Flora insists on investigating even if it might cause her harm.

This book starts off a bit slow and it feels like you are laying catch up. I'm not sure if their was a previous book or if this is part of a series, but it alludes back to a previous murder Flora got swept up in and how she became an unofficial private detective at 16 years old. Once Flora begins figuring things out and deciphers the words Ava shared before she died, the book picks up. It is amazing to see the secrets that high schoolers will keep all for a bit of money.

This is a great book for those who love a teen detective story. This book definitely gave me lots of Veronuca Mars feels.

Flora us a teen who has fallen into the role of teen detective in her town, which most people dont appreciate. Flora struggles through out the whole book with trust and finding the truth hidden in plain sight.

I felt like Flora definitely has a bigger back story and this felt like it was actually a sequel that could be red as a stand alone.

<b> Thanks to NetGalley and Jimmy Patterson Books(an imprint of Little, Brown, and Company) for an egalley in exchange for an honest review. </b>

When teenage investigator, Flora Calhoun witnesses the death of her love interest, Ava McQueen she vows that she will find the person responsible. With the help of her best friend, her sister, and her ex-CIA grandfather, Flora gets closer to the mystery but may lose her life in the process.

This book read like a sequel in the series with a very elaborate backstory of the main protagonist who has a history of discovering the bodies of dead classmates and irritates the local police force. I could argue that Flora doesn't talk like any teen I know, but that would be taking away from the eccentric qualities of her character. It was a good read with its different storylines of political corruption and an underground fight club adding to the murder mystery.


Goodreads review published 08/06/20
Expected publication date 07/07/20

i had high hopes with this book and it turned out to be a slow dragged out story that did not manage to keep me engaged at all. I did not finish.

Thank you NetGalley and JIMMY Patterson Books for this digital ARC! I am so obsessed with this book!

You’re Next is an LGBTQ+ young adult thriller that follows Flora, a troubled teenage girl who witnesses the death of her ex and who then decides to investigate and bring the murderer to justice, despite the danger it quickly puts her and her loved ones in.

Flora, being a deeply problematic girl with a lot of issues related to her past, is a very compelling character and very easy to feel an attachment to. I also quickly became attached to the rest of the diverse set of characters surrounding Flora. The family dynamic between her sister, her grandfather and herself was so riveting I found myself easily drawn into their lives.

I was completely enthralled with this story and was unable to set it down. The writing was beautifully written, fast paced, intense, and heart-wrenching, with a tremendously shocking ending that I never saw coming.

I highly recommend this to anyone with a love of Nancy Drew/Sherlock type thrillers. I can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next!

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. It was a cool teen detective novel, very Veronica Mars. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.