Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of All Eyes on Her by L.E. Flynn.

Confession. I started this book, got about 60% of the way through. Gave up. Started over. Finished.

I'm not like SO glad that I did, but I was able to refocus and bit got interested enough to see it to completion.

This is so similar to One of Us is Lying and other teen mysteries. Lots of different perspectives including newspaper articles, text messages and journal entries. It was sexy and sharp and full of cunning, beautiful young people. My problem was that it was so twisty, that I almost felt like we were spinning in circles? All the characters changed a bit too dramatically and everyone was in love with everyone else all at the same time, I can't keep these crazy kids and their drama straight! And also, go home, drink some water and go to bed. Sheesh, these whippersnappers and their dumb choices.

Three stars for a pretty okay teen suspense.

This book was terrific. The story was enticing and fast paced and the author really made the multiple POVs work very well. Highly recommend checking this one out.

This is one of those books that I loved but am kind of convinced otherwise because of all the emotions it made me feel towards the characters. Like, what?
Who are we suppose to root for here?!
We're not suppose to know; which is exactly why I liked it. While reading you're thoughts and opinions go everywhere, because you'll never know what the truth is. I'm a big fan of the idea that if you ask different people about one subject they will give you different stories; and that is exactly what this is, it's one side of each person's story. It's a great emphasis on how we're all guilty when it comes to quickly jumping to a conclusion or judgment towards a person.
And even when all the facts are on the table we still won't know the entire story.

All Eyes on Her is a story about a girl named Tabby and an accident(""?) involving her boyfriend Mark. You hear from others that know Tabby; her sister, her best friend, ex's, boyfriends best friend, classmates. Everyone except who this whole story is about. Tabby.

This book was so good! I love how its written in multiple POVs (with short chapters). Such a cool set up. It wasn't hard to follow who was who, which is great when there are more than a few characters.

Did Tabby do it? I STILL don't know! Honestly.....I kinda think she did, but I don't want her to have? With the plot being driven by the "golden boy who can do no wrong" and the "promiscuous girl with a temper" you WANT to root for Tabby! But.... did she?!

I really enjoyed it. The book pulled me in from the very beginning. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, and Macmillan Children's Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

All Eyes On Her is a complex and extremely thought-provoking YA thriller unlike any other. The writing is just immaculate, with a well-executed mystery at its core and plenty of intriguing twists and turns throughout.

Right from the start, Flynn wastes no time in setting up the case with the opening pages immediately to set the tone of the book. It’s evident that you’re going to have to figure out the puzzle yourself, as tiny pieces are revealed to you and that Tabby is a complex, mysterious, and notorious figure. A key message of the book is around our perceptions of people and how our loyalties and inherent biases can distort the truth. Flynn cleverly never really allows you to hear from Tabby herself, only through selected diary excerpts and text messages, which have a detached nature, so you don’t really get a glimpse into her true emotions until near the very end. Instead, Flynn utilises multiple perspectives to show you different sides of her, but you’re never quite sure which is truly Tabby. This method of story-telling forces you to re-evaluate your own preconceptions and constantly keeps you guessing. You can never really trust anyone, least of all yourself. That kind of reading experience is unparalleled, though the sheer lack of reliability is reminiscent of One of Us is Lying and All Your Twisted Secrets.

Flynn’s use of narration is really interesting and forms a key part of the plot. The use of multiple narrators allows you to see different sides of the story and how different characters interpret different events. There’s a really intriguing discussion around how we can all twist events to suit our own narrative and how this is often done in the media. The media becomes its own sort of character, a living breathing organism, that affects how people view Tabby and is in turn open to manipulation by other parties. Also, much of the novel is told through a second person narration, making you an active participant in the story and therefore making it so you can’t help but get involved and invested in the story.

The writing style felt detailed, vibrant, and intriguing, adding to the realistic feeling of the book. It’s so smooth and enveloping, you’ll fly through the book as you can’t help but get caught up in the tangled web. In addition to this, the feminist tones of the book were brilliant to see. Flynn doesn’t hesitate in calling out sexist double standards, particularly about girls being pitted against one another for male attention or how girls often carry a sense of shame for having abortion, reporting sexual assault or having sex, but boys can get off scot-free. There’s a more intense scrutiny of female behaviour and they’re more likely to be critiqued for in, which extends to media portrayals in which there is a polarised dichotomy of the cold-hearted killer or the sweet innocent victim. Flynn highlights how there is no room for moral ambiguity or complexity, instead showing how society often prefers to pigeon-hole.

The actual mystery is impressively well-constructed, with really interesting twists and turns that are genuinely surprising. Throughout, you’re constantly questioning whether Tabby did it or not. This leads to an intriguing and stimulating ending that may leave you with more questions than answers.

All Eyes On Her is a scintillating mystery that tears down patriarchal standards and leaves you pondering the world around you.

This is a mixed media book, and that is probably one of the things that held my attention the most. it's not totally an original story but it was one of those i finished in a day and couldn't put down. There are some trigger warnings though so be forewarned. I enjoyed it but didn't feel like it was anything spectacular.

"Because somewhere along the line, we decided to equate quiet with good, which means loud became bad by default."

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

All Eyes on Her was unlike any other book I've read before! The story is about a possible murder, but we only see the perspectives of some secondary characters, not the main suspect. Flynn has flipped it so that the people in the periphery are actually the ones telling the story. It was fantastic! Wonderfully written and utterly captivating, All Eyes on Her easily held my attention and I never wanted to put it down.

I loved how the author made everyone a suspect, or at least had them seem suspicious. People can think they know someone, but their interactions with them - - along with their perceptions - - might make them feel differently. For example, Keegan thought Mark was a saint that treated girls well, while Elle thought he was controlling and manipulative. They both saw the same person, but through very different lenses. Their relative positions to Mark, plus their personal experiences with him, shaped how they saw him as a person. It also affected how they saw his death, and whether or not it was an accident.

Additionally, we see that most people are morally gray. They will do things to "help" others, or because they think someone else "deserves" it. They let their opinions dictate their actions, and we see people get hurt because of a misunderstanding or false information. No one is perfect, and Flynn highlights people's imperfections in this book. Even the "good guys" have done "bad" things for the right reasons (or what they thought were the right reasons). They often felt vindicated and determined in the moment, only to regret and second-guess their decisions later.

I never knew who was responsible for what until the author wanted me to know, and even then there were two sides to every story. I was left making my own assumptions and conclusions about certain aspects of the story. Sadly, I'm not thrilled with the ending, despite most of the story's threads being wrapped up. There's too much we still don't know, and only one person with the all of the answers. That person isn't inclined to be 100% honest, so we're left wondering what the truth actually is. I wouldn't say the ending was unsatisfying, because it did follow the same pattern as the rest of the book, but I wish the conclusion had been more definitive.

The parents and adults in this book were mostly nonexistent. Tabby's parents just sucked.

I also really liked that the author used her characters to highlight how girls and women are seen in the world. There are all of these expectations and unwritten rules, and we get judged accordingly. It was nice seeing them stand up for themselves and each other. Definitely a Girl Power book! Additionally, if you're looking for a suspenseful mystery, All Eyes on Her will deliver! (★★★★☆)

All Eyes On Her kept me flipping pages, trying to figure out who knew the true story of what happened that day on the cliff. Who knows Tabby the best? Her sister? Her best friend, who also has her own secrets? The girl who hates her and knows what she's capable of?

I enjoyed the format of the book, as told from multiple narrators and from snippets of interviews as well as newspaper articles and blog posts. Through all of these side looks at Tabby, you are able to see the way that others see a young woman. One quote that stood out for me was: "Not everything is about a boy, you know. We're made up of more than the sum of their parts."

I imagine saying so is a spoiler, but this book leaves a bit to the imagination. If you don't like unclear conclusions, you may not like this one! On the other hand, it would definitely make a good one to discuss!

I loved Flynn’s first book, FIRSTS (lol), and was really excited to see her transition to mystery books as well! I’ve been into thrillers a lot recently and keep adding them to my TBR. Her first book in this genre was really good so I was more than ready to dive in to ALL EYES ON HER.

I was hoping to blaze through this story, as I had limited reading time over the last week or so, and her writing made that super easy to do! I always think thrillers are fast-paced for breaking reading slumps, but this had short chapters that immediately engaged me. I was so happy to binge this in basically one sitting!

The story centers around Tabby and Mark. At first it seemed like they had a tumultuous relationship but mostly teenager drama and nonsense. When he falls off a cliff during their late night walk in the woods, people are left wondering if that’s what really happened. It moved through multiple people’s points of view, like Tabby’s sister, her friend, and many others who had different perspectives on their relationship and what happened. There were texts, transcripts, and news articles too, which made it feel real. Flynn wrote it so the characters were speaking directly to you as the reader, like you were a cop asking them questions about Tabby.

The ending definitely surprised me but I’m not 100% sold on it. I can’t explain more without spoiling it, but I still think it’s very worth the (quick) read!

I’m so excited to read more by Flynn after this! All three of her books have been excellent reads, whether contemporary or mysteries, so I’m happy to read whichever genre she goes to next. According to her bio, she has an adult fiction novel coming in 2021 too!

First up a BIG thank you to the publisher/netgalley for allowing me to read this book. I was very hyped for it... sadly I can say that the book and I didn't work together. I had to give up after a while. While I loved the best friend/the sister, I HATED Beck's and Lou's, especially Lou was just hell to get through and made me just go to Netflix and watch some Nailed it while reading her POV. She is shallow, horrible, and dang that attitude. I get that she hates Tabby but this just goes beyond that.
And at times things just didn't seem to progress. I would have loved some more twists and turns. Maybe a sudden peek at the night without spoiling too much. Plus... maybe some Tabby POVs? Even just a couple of sentences would have been lovely, I get that isn't the point of the book, but I just missed it while I thought I wouldn't miss it.

I just find mysteries so freaking entertaining. I can't put the book down! I was so dialed in with this story and every time I thought I knew what was happening, I was taken down a different road. A couple goes on a hike and only one walks away with their life—and now she is being accused of murder. There was some great commentary on how the media portrays men vs women. Mark was hailed as an Ivy League swimming star, possibly on his way to the Olympics. However, Tabby was a jealous and stoic high schooler who dressed provocatively and slept with most of the guys at her school.  You never know what's going on behind closed doors. 

It was really clever that the book is told from everyone's point of view except for Tabby, the girl who is being accused. The reader is able to see different perspectives of who Tabby and Mark were as people and how they were together as a couple.  Most of the entries were from friends, acquaintances, and enemies—with news articles sprinkled in as well.

I would liked to have read short entries from random people in town giving their opinion as a sort of objective view of the situation, especially since the fact that they lived in such a small town was frequently being mentioned. Even an entry from the parents of the couple—how they were handling the case and the loss of their children. For the final entry, we are left with a major unreliable narrator: Tabby—can we trust her?

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

There's something about summer that makes me want to read thrillers and this one is a perfect example. We know that a teenage girl and her slightly older boyfriend (she's 17; he's 20) go hiking and he ends up dying. It could be an accident or it could be something else. We see all kinds of possible scenarios played out and even by the end of the book, we don't know for sure what happened. (I have my theory, but I feel like it's ambiguous and I love that.)

We hear pieces of the story from multiple narrators but mostly hear from three: Tabby's sister (Bridget) and her best friend (Elle), and from Mark's best friend (Keegan). We know that Bridget and Elle hated Mark and that Keegan hated Tabby. Everyone thought the relationship was bad; everyone thought he was bad for her, except for the people who thought she was bad for him.

This was just such a really fun story and if you're into true crime and/or thrillers, this is for you. Highly recommended.

One of my favorite genres to read is mysteries and thrillers. When I read the blurb of this book it automatically made me think of one I had read years ago called "Dangerous Girls" by Abigail Haas. It was about a group of friends who were together one Spring Break until one died and only one was singled out as the potential killer. The book followed a court trial and one by one secret were revealed and you wondered who the "real killer" was. It was a "you decide whose telling the truth" type of book. All Eyes on Her by L.E Flynn follows the same suit as we meet Tabby and Mark who are viewed as a perfect couple on the outside but behind closed doors, all is not as rosy as it seems and for many Mark was viewed as Prince Charming, however for a select few - they saw his true colors. The novel starts with his death and Tabby being singled out as the main murder suspect, but as the novel unravels - it seems more people than Tabby had a motive for his death and everyone has a story to tell but what is true and what is fiction? All Eyes on Her by LE Flynn was a fast-paced novel that has you hooked as you want to read to discover the "real truth" behind Mark's death. Perfect for fans of YA Thrillers/Mystery novels.

Tl;dr: If you read only one young adult title in 2020 make it this one!

All Eyes on Her is a searing look at gender roles, emotional abuse/manipulation, and how much and how strongly society judges teenage girls. All this and one cracking mystery--one where you, the reader, are left to think about who did what and why and (and this is the best part!) what role your assumptions about teenagers, gender, and society are.

To say I loved All Eyes on Her is an understatement because I *adored* it so much I read it twice and then begged to order as many copies as possible.* I also had more than seventy (83 to be precise) highlighted text portions and easily half a dozen notes. It's an easy read but astonishingly compelling and extremely thought provoking. One of the best books I've read in 2020 and if you loved Gone Girl or Sadie you will love this!

* I don't know why there isn't more marketing/publicity for All Eyes on Her! I haven't seen any promotional ads or...anything and for a book this smart and sharp, for a novel that asks so many questions, that grips you tight even as it makes you question just about everything, it needs and deserves the widest audience possible! This is so much better than Sadie, because it is about living teenage girls and how society and we (the readers) see and judge them.

So yeah, I loved this and if you're still reading, stop and go add and read All Eyes on Her. You deserve to read this outstanding book!

The delivery of this story was hands down the best part and super unique. We start the books kinda sorta already knowing what happened- happy(ish- supposedly) couple Tabby and Mark went on a hike, and only Tabby came back alive. And then the book unfolds from other people's points of view as if they are telling the story or being interviewed for something (maybe the police...), be it friends or family from both Tabby and Mark, or just random characters- they give their opinions, their memories, their speculations... And then there are news articles with facts, text conversations, public interviews and social media posts mixed in, and it is up to the reader to try and piece together what really happened between Tabby and Mark that day. The chapters are super short and easy to get into, sometimes just a page or two from whatever character's view, but all in chronological time.

Ok, this is basically all you are going to get out of me about this book since I don't want to ruin anything and the experience is the best part. I will say that I was equal parts intrigued, frustrated, confused and surprised when I reached the ending.

**Can I just say that this would make a fantastic audiobook if it has a full cast, one for each character!

All Eyes on Her is a young adult thriller that puts the reader in an investigative position, which I thought was fun and original! We start the story with Tabby telling us why she’s not guilty of killing her boyfriend, Mark. It then moves to other character’s perspectives of what they knew about the situation. I liked reading each character’s version of events. It gave me the opportunity to see the situation from so many different points of view.

The story is told through the multiple perspectives, but also provides chat messages, sections of diary entries, as well as newspaper articles. It really played up the social thriller genre with these entries and it was so easy to get into!

The characters are not easy to connect with, so don’t go into this book looking for your new literary best friend. Everyone is a bit backstabby and has secrets to reveal. Even with that, I found that the writing really made it hard to stop reading about the characters. I wanted to know each of their stories and the secrets they are holding.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was fast-paced with great writing and a plot that is easy to get into!

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend All Eyes on Her readers that enjoy fast-paced thrillers!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Plot:

Tabby and her boyfriend Mark go on a hike over the summer, yet only one of them,Tabby, returns from that hike alive. Told in fast-paced chapters from every character's points-of-view except Tabby, the alleged murderer, readers see the aftermath of what happened that night in the woods. Did Tabby push Mark off the Split into the creek below? Was someone else in the woods with them that night? There is only one way to find out…

Personal Opinion:

I personally fell into a small, short reading slump at the beginning of this month. This book was the PERFECT ook to pull me out of that slump. The short chapters that alternated between different characters were perfect for holding my attention. The book itself had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. The characters were great and multi-dimensional, and the writing style to me was very unique. I enjoyed the fact that I really felt that all of the characters were talking directly to me as if I was a part of the story somehow. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be adding it to my classroom library! People who enjoy writing from authors like Karen M McManus will enjoy this book. It is a great take on a mystery/thriller and I highly recommend it for grades 7 and up.

This story is told from the alternating perspectives of Tabby and Mark's friends. The reader never gets a chapter from Mark, so they are left to depend on his friends and other bystanders to hear his side of the story. Some chapters also feature text exchanges and the online stories from various news websites, along with their comments sections. Information is given out slowly, with the reader left to piece together large parts of the story themselves, largely depending on how different people saw the same event. Some characters are convinced that Tabby is a murdered and some are convinced that she may have been forced to defend herself against an increasingly aggressive Mark.

Tabby is the only one who knows the truth, and hers is a perspective that is only briefly shared with the reader. In chapters from each of their best friends and their siblings, the reader gets to know how Tabby and Mark acted towards each other and how everything led up to that moment in the woods. Parts of the story are missing, understandably since Mark's version is not represented and Tabby's story is told the way that Tabby wants it told. It creates a situation where the reader has a cast of potentially unreliable narrators, all twisting the story to meet their own needs. It's a thrilling mystery that utilizes the versatile nature of teenage friendships and relationships to make an already complicated situation even more complicated. Every person the reader meets had some role to play in what happened then and what happens next.

Why I liked it:
This story is much more complex than I originally thought it would be based on the synopsis. It is much more about the relationships that these teens had with each other and other people in the town than it is about what actually occurred when they were in the woods.

I appreciate that we see real emotional growth from some of the characters, as would be expected in a book that takes place over more than 12 months. At first it seemed liked the characters were going to be cast in somewhat stereotypical roles for the entirety of the novel, but the second half of the book is a turning point for several characters, most notably Bridget, Lou, and Kyla. They each get an arc that is more developed than I originally imagined for them.

What I would change:
I can't give too much detail without spoiling anything, but I will say that the ending lacked the resolutions that I was looking for. Also, it felt like some characters just fell by the wayside at the end (Beck).

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: All Eyes on Her

Author: Laura Elizabeth Flynn

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: Murder mystery, thriller

Publication Date: August 18, 2020

Publisher: Imprint

Pages: 384

Recommended Age: 16+ (murder, sexism, slight violence, language)

Synopsis: You heard the story on the news. A girl and a boy went into the woods. The girl carried a picnic basket. The boy wore bright yellow running shoes. The girl found her way out, but the boy never did….

Everyone thinks they know what happened. Some say Tabby pushed him off that cliff— she didn’t even like hiking. She was jealous. She had more than her share of demons. Others think he fell accidentally—she loved Mark. She would never hurt him…even if he hurt her.

But what’s the real story? All Eyes On Her is told from everyone but Tabby herself as the people in her life string together the events that led Tabby to that cliff. Her best friend. Her sister. Her enemy. Her ex-boyfriend. Because everybody thinks they know a girl better than she knows herself.

What do you think is the truth?

Review: For the most part this was an ok book. The premise is interesting and excitable. The book does well with the world building and the pacing is even for the most part.

However, the ending is open and that really left me with more questions than answers and the book didn't do well with the characters. It was an interesting way to write the book, but the characters were left very underdeveloped in my opinion.

Verdict: It was ok but was a bit confusing.

I’m at a loss for the perfect words to describe how great this book was. As I sit here, finished with the book but not yet done wondering about the story my mind feels so overloaded. All Eyes on Her is full whirlwind of gossiping emotions. It kept you guessing and flipping sides even after the story is over. It exposed the horrors of relationships, friends, family, and if you honestly really know them at all.

At first, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the story being told from everyone‘s POV except Tabby’s, however I loved it tenfold. It was so creative and well-crafted. I was so impressed with how L.E. Flynn weaved the story through others eyes. It made you constantly kept second guessing who to believe. I also really appreciated the fact that it wasn’t constantly past memories, the story still moved forward too. It was SO well written.

There are also so many surprises throughout the story. So many secrets. So many twists, turns and revelations. It was honestly hard to put this book down because you just needed to know who was guilty, who was cheating on who, and what gossip came next. I admit though, I’m a little peeved (in a the author really got to me way) at the end. It’s definitely not the ending I expected especially since there are still so many what-ifs. You’re left wondering and honestly still trying to guess, did she do it? All Eyes on Her is a haunting thrill ride and I devoured every second. This is honestly a fabulous mystery of a story that really dives in deep to the gut-wrenching side of friendships, relationships, and growing up.