Where Secrets Lie has a lot going on in a small novel. It just has too much side story going on to focus on what the author's message is for this book. It will find an audience, it was just too busy for me. The relationships are jumble and the missing person story should be more focused in on.

Full review to come on my blog but I LOVED this one. Spooky and atmospheric, full of complicated families and friendships, swoony and sexy from the jump. Don't miss this one when it comes out in April!

I heat blaring Switzerland a theme: here comes another let’s meet in the middle: it’s okay but not great reading experience.
Solid, twisty, thrilling young adult story including trigger warning, sensitive topics!

Ms. Gibson told a complex, heart pounding, action packed story via interwoven timelines: so we can gather the puzzle pieces about friendship trio’s relationship dynamics, their estrangement, their teaming up to solve the mystery behind the kidnapping of Teddy’s sister.

The heroine Amy Larsen spends her summer with River boys ( people call them with this name including her mother) : her cousin Ben and Ben’s best friend Teddy! Teddy and Amy’s sexual awakening, blooming intimacy ruined the untold rules of their threesome friendship.

Now their life changes with tragedy. Teddy’s sister is missing and the ex best friends come together to find her whereabouts even though it drags them into chaos because by digging up the mystery behind missing girl brings out the townies’ skeletons perfectly hidden in their closets. As the secrets come out, three of them finally realize they crossed the lines and put their lives in danger.

We are bombarded with so many triggering subjects during our read which may be a little compelling and exhausting. There are enough sensitive subject material in this book can be used for at least 3 books including mental health, child neglect, physical abuse, serial killer, domestic violence, homophobia , serial killer etc.

It could a little time for me to get into the story. I think the first %15 of the book was a little slow paced, you need to be patient enough not give up on this journey!

The characters are one dimensional and a little annoying to empathize with. Especially Amy acted like whining toddler/ spoiled brat : I want to scream at her face to shut the hell up too many times. River boys were okay. Neither I liked them nor I hated them.

Overall: after getting through first bump at the beginning, the book’s pacing gets better. The author dealt with so many sensitive topics at the same time which affected the credibility of the story a little bit but conclusion was well wrapped. I would give more stars if I feel a little sympathy for heroine.

It’s definitely solid three starred reading for me. I couldn’t connect with characters but mystery part of the story presented well and it was engaging. I still want to read more works of the author.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Simon&Schuster’s Children Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

this might just be a personal problem, but i literally could not get into this story. it was so boring and Amy was so dramatic and such a baby about everything that happened to her. which, honestly just got annoying after awhile.