I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas Nelson and Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.
The June Boys is the story of Thea, a girl whose father is accused of a terrible crime when there are an occurrence of several kidnappings in a town. Every year, three boys are taken on the 1st June and held captive for a month before being released. This so-called Gemini Thief has never been caught and Thea, along with her boyfriend Nick, have become involved in investigating ever since Thea's cousin was taken by the thief. Suspicion falls on her father and she must come to terms with the fact that the Thief might be someone close to home.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book and I went in fairly blind. It is definitely a thriller in terms of plot but the style is quite laid-back and at least for me, it didn't have a strong sense of tension the way a traditional thriller usually does. Having said that, I was very intrigued and engaged with the premise of this book. I found Thea to be a very interesting character and I felt I could both sympathise and understand the personal dilemmas she went through. My favourite sections by far though were the 'Elizabeth Letters' written by Aulus while he is in captivity, and these added that much-welcomed sense of danger and tension to the story.

As an audiobook, I found both the narrators were great. I will say that the Elizabeth Letters section does lose a little of the detail in audio format as the physical book has little doodles, asides and other comments with the way the letters are presented. However, this is a very minor thing.

In terms of the mystery, I wasn't necessarily shocked by anything that happened in this book. I think that was down to the more laid-back style. There were also some strong religious undertones to the whole thing which I didn't personally connect to much. Overall though, the June Boys is an intriguing YA thriller with a very unique premise and setting which was a breath of fresh air in the genre. I think it deals with the subject of kidnapping well and has some interesting exploration surrounding that topic. It is definitely worth checking out if you're sick of being disappointed by YA thrillers and want something with a bit more meat to it.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

This was wonder and dark and mysterious. I thought the characters were so well written and i loved the bonds between them. Some parts were a tad confusing when it was bouncing back and forth and i had to check back to make sure i was getting things right. But i didn’t guess who it was which is quite refreshing! It had me going throughout! I thought this was different and new and i really enjoyed it! I’m not typically a YA person but this was refreshing and so well written!
I also loved the narration! It added to the story nicely

The key difference between a mystery and a thriller: what we the readers know. Because the identity of the kidnapper is as much a question mark to us as it is to Thea, this book is firmly in the mystery category. Now, a good mystery should present us with an assortment of reasonable suspects. We should be constantly changing our minds about the criminal's identity. Personally, I had a guess pretty early on that didn't waver much and I was close to right. Honestly, the weakest part of this book was the supposed motivations for the various suspects. It does have it's strong points. Consider the investigation. Thea and Nick aren't succeeding where the police fail. We see the police and the FBI actively investigating at every turn. It's just that Thea and her friends are obsessing over details and find themselves privy to information that the authorities do not have. They only keep things to themselves until they are able to confirm it, and then they hand it over. Yes they are investigating but the ultimate responsibility always belongs to the authorities. That makes this plot less one of chasing after criminals and more of discovering secrets and questioning what you know about the people closest to you. This makes it more contemplative than the standard mystery. Stevens asks us to reflect upon the difference between fact and truth, between what we know and what we believe. This is compelling enough to keep us reading and leaves us with ideas to chew on after the fact.

**I received a galley of the audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Court Stevens tells the story of The June Boys through her story about the investigation into the criminal known as the Gemini Thief. On June 1, boys are taken from somewhere in Tennessee. They are kept for a year and the following June 30, they are released. They are typically unharmed, with no knowledge of who took them or where they had been kept. When Thea's cousin is one of the year's June boys, Thea decides to do her own investigation. This only becomes more urgent when one of that year's June boys shows up dead. 

Stevens tells the story primarily from Thea's perspective, though letters from one of the June Boys are also featured. This choice is interesting considering how Thea is tied to so many suspects and to some of the victims as well. Stevens manages to keep solid tension while still dropping clues for the reader and for Thea along the way. This skill is absolutely necessary for me to enjoy a thriller, but particularly for a YA thriller. 

There were multiple audiobook narrators for each character's perspective, and I always enjoy full cast audiobooks. I feel that this choice makes the story so much more accessible and also making it clear when perspectives are shifting. The various perspectives are useful in building and maintaining tension. 

As this book is a thriller, I find it difficult to discuss the actual content without spoiling anything and fully believe that this book should be gone into with knowing as little as possible.

Overall, I feel that Stevens was successful in having a solid YA thriller and feel confident recommending the audiobook as a way to consume the book.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I have always been an absolute sucker for true crime and serial killer novels. When I got approved for the ebook of this book, I totally forgot about it amidst everything going on with the global pandemic and it fell into the void of my Kindle library.

Then I got approved for the audiobook on NetGalley and I didn't waste this second chance.

The June Boys is one of this books that struggles with bipolar book disorder (BBD). Some parts of this story, I was staying up way past my bedtime with my speakers on full volume, enamored with every word from the narrator's lips. Other bits? I was confused and bored.

The Gemini Thief part of this book was well done and I really like the Elizabeth letters. The setting of Appalachia made my West Virginia soul sing and I adored the representation of mountain people and their lives. That was one of the highlights for me; the casually Appalachian parts of the story.

The biggest struggle for me was the whole castle situation and religious bits. While the epilogue was well done (if a bit preachy) and I understand that it's hard to write a book about Appalachia without touching on religion, it felt disconnected from the Gemini Thief plot and a wee bit like a side tangent.

Overall, a well written love letter to Appalachia and true crime with a dash too much of religion. If you can get past the religious side plot (or you're really into that), this might be a good fit for you.

I had heard some conflicting reviews of this book, and I wanted to see what I thought about it. This book felt more than a little messy though.

The characters were so boring to me. They didn't feel like "real" people. I listened to the author's interview at the end of the audiobook, and it seems like there was a lot of thought about what experiences she wanted the characters to go through and some general struggles she wanted them to have, but nothing about them felt right.

The plot was the thing I was most excited about, but it was a bit of let down in the end. I really wanted to enjoy this book, and the story seemed like it was going to be a solid "Criminal Minds"-esque kidnapping mystery, but the biggest disappointments for me and what kept me from enjoying it was the writing and the overall feeling or atmosphere of the book. At no point was I hooked or on the edge of my seat. I almost DNF'd the book after the reveal since I was like "Well, I guess I know whodunit," but I decided to stick it out through the resolution. I wanted more mysterious vibes. I wanted a cohesive plot and some investigative skills. This just didn't do it for me.

The June Boy has a very interesting unique plot to it. I Just couldn't get in to the audio. Those who are into young adult mystery, this book is for you.

he June Boys is a young adult mystery thriller about a series of kidnappings of boys that takes place over a decade only to see the boys released each June mostly physically unharmed (hence the name The June Boys). The book is told between two points of view: Thea, a high school senior who is desperate to find her missing cousin Aulus and Aulus as he writes his “Elizabeth letters” describing the day to day trials of captivity. 

The book opens with the first death related to the June Boys and Thea’s fear for both the well-being of Aulus and a new concern that the kidnapper (nicknamed the Gemini Thief) could be her own father. The reader follows amateur detective Thea through a series of false leads, red herrings and dead ends as she tries to solve the crime herself, find Aulus and clear her father’s name. Meanwhile Aulus describes the dire state of the June Boys as food  water become scarce. 

The June Boys is an engaging and twisty thriller that I highly recommend to readers of all ages. The audiobook is narrated beautifully and both Thea and Aulus’s voice come through clearly. There is a underlying theme of hope and being called to a higher purpose which adds an extra nuance to the story that many current YA thrillers lack. I was concerned that because this came from a Christian publisher that there would be a strong pro-religious undercurrent but it was subtle and acceptable to this agnostic reader. 

4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

* a copy of the audiobook of The June Boys was provided for review purposes by the publisher and Netgalley

The Gemini Thief is a serial kidnapper. Three boys are taken every year for the past decade; the June Boys. A year later the boys are released. When the body of one of the missing boys is discovered, the detectives and citizens assume the kidnapper has escalated. The boys are kidnapped, but never harmed or murdered. 

Thea Delacroix is a teenage girl who's cousin, Aulus McClaghen, has disappeared. She believes he was taken by the Gemini Thief. Ever since Aulus's disappearance, Thea has been investigating the identity of the Gemini Thief. Together with her boyfriend Nick and her best friends, Thea is determined to find the Gemini Thief and the remaining boys before it’s too late.

The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Thea begins to suspect her own father. He is eclectic and he has secrets, but could he be the Gemini Thief? It is unbelievable, yet not impossible.

The book also includes letters written by Aulus during his captivity; The Elizabeth Letters. He writes about the condition in which the June Boys are kept.

I enjoyed the audiobook and it's a good YA mystery thriller. I had some issues with it though.. The story is confusing and I had a hard time getting into it. The characters feel quite one-dimensional and lack depth, which made it difficult to connect with them. The FBI agent working the Gemini Thief case is sharing information with the underaged and highly involved group of friends who are investigating the case for themselves. The ending came out of nowhere. There are a lot of questions unanswered at the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for sharing this audiobook ARC in exchange my honest review.

Captivating, Astonishing and Surprising!!
There is a Gemini thief out there taking three boys and holding them as his captivates from June 1st to the June 31th of the following year. He can be anyone. He can be she. Your pervert uncle, your lovely father, your talkative mother, your creepy teacher or the salesman who tried to convince you buy bibles. The thief is smart, never leaving traces, keeping his identity disguised.

It was fresh, brand new, different approach, I love YA thrillers. And this book is one of the best examples of them

I don't read mystery books very often but I found this one quite enjoyable! The June Boys has left me intrigued to try other books by the author!

This book was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was really looking forward to this book but I struggled to always stay fully connected with the characters and the storyline. Yet, what helped are the narrators. They helped make this story come alive for me. If I had been reading it myself, I will admit that I probably would have stopped reading it. So when it came to this book, the audio version was better. In regards, to the ending was not a surprise to me as I did see it coming.

A very cool take on the kidnapped child genre.  I find it a little odd that none of the boys ever got any inkling that it was a woman and/or one they might know because didn't Ruby know many community children from working a tthe center?  unless I'm misremembering and the boys were mainly from out of town.  Overall a great book that I would recommend to my patrons.  Nice to see a main character with enough sense to be able to question her own father.  Usually we see characters that blindly defend their family without seeing obvious signs

The June Boys by Court Stevens is a really interesting YA thriller/mystery. Each year three boys go missing in Tennesse (they are known as the June Boys)  by the Gemini Theif and are returned the following year, seemingly unharmed. However, one year, that all changes. One of the captured June Boys is found drowned by the local police force and a murder investigation is opened. No one knows who the Gemini Theif is and speculation runs rife when the main characters (Thea Delacroix) dad is named as a suspect. Thea is adamant that she will find the thief, she has to find them because her cousin Aulus has been kidnapped, and she won't rest until he has been found, even if it means investigating her own dad.

I really enjoyed this story, it was well thought out and mysterious enough to keep me guessing. I listened to the studio and really enjoyed the narration. The story is told in different perspectives, using different formats. For instance, we have the story from Thea's perspective as well as letters written and read by Aulus (her kidnapped cousin). I would recommend to anyone who enjoys YA thrillers and mysteries.

Let me begin with saying that the storyline is absolutely brilliant. Each June the Gemini Thief kidnaps three boys and keeps them until the following June. They are then released completely unharmed. 
The story follows Thea as she attempts to solve this mystery, this mystery that has now claimed her cousin, Aulus as a Gemini victim. 
Thea is determined to solve this case with the help of her boyfriend, but unfortunately she starts to believe her father may have something to do with it. 
If I have to be completely honest, I did struggle with this novel. The castle was such an interesting and awkward part of the story as with the sporadic letters from Aulus himself. The letters were difficult to place within the timeline. 
I believe the author has potential, such brilliant ideas.

In Tennesse, the month of June is filled with fear for every parent of boys. The Gemini Thief takes three boys on June 1st  and releases them on June 30th of the following year. The boys are never harmed and always returned. No one knows the identity of the Gemini Thief,  it can be your neighbor, your teacher, or even your own family member. 

Thea believes her cousin, Aulus is the newest victim of the Gemini Thief. Along with her best friends, Thea must navigate through the bandwagon mentally of her small town to find Aulus, the other victims, and the identity of the Gemini Thief. 

Filled with twists and turns, this story takes the reader on a who done it journey where everyone has characteristics of the Gemini Thief. Every time I had a solid thought of who the thief was, another character is introduced that could also be the thief.  The ending is one I did not see coming!

This book is written from the POV of Thea with the Elizabeth Letters written by Aulus. I thought the female narrator was fantastic and the male narrator of the Elizabeth letters was good. It was easy to follow.

This was a good book, but it’s tricky to review because it’s not quite YA mystery and not quite Christian fiction. I definitely loved the blend of the two genres, and LOVED that it was the kind of book that, once finished, just left me feeling content (likely because of the more unexpected epilogue).

I will say the one thing that really kept this book from being 5 stars for me was not the story itself, but it’s kind of confusing beginning. I just felt like certain details could have been a bit clearer before jumping into the plot -like I didn’t even know what age group the characters were for far too long.

Outside of that, I really loved the mystery, I loved the way that the signs were pointing in all these different directions, I loved Aulus’ letters (which were filled with so much highly appreciated wisdom), and I loved the incredibly subtle Christian undertones which I think made this book one that could be enjoyed by just about anyone.

As for the audiobook, it’s not that it was poorly done or that the voice didn’t necessarily fit the character, however, there were definitely moments where I found the readers tone and intensity didn’t match the story and did a bit of a disservice to the book. There were some scenes that I listened to that just had me thinking, “I would be so much more into this if I could read this situation on my own the way it’s coming across from the page.” It was still an enjoyable audiobook and was WAY better than some others that I have listened to, but it never quite scratched surface of excellence which is unfortunate.

Nonetheless, I think this was a good read that I would maybe consider reading again one day. So, thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I received the audiobook to review and I love mystery /thriller audio books . Unfortunately I found this one quite hard to follow? Unsure if it was the story or the actual narration but I lost the thread of the story line constantly and was baffled by the ending. You are following Thea whose cousin was kidnapped in June with others by someone who kidnaps people some years in June , then releases them a year later unharmed . At the beginning of the story one of the kidnapped kids has been killed and the story starts from there . We learn about the main characters family and sets up her dad as quite unreliable . After that I mainly got a bit confused. I am going to pick this up as a physical book once it’s released so I can make more sense of it .

I received this and as an audio galley to listen to for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan for giving me access.

The June Boys had me sitting on edge to find out who The Gemini Thief is. Stevens did a great job at keeping the kidnapper/murderer hidden the whole time, having you suspect Thea's father. I really enjoyed it and the suspense that I felt while listening to it.

While listening to the audio format was slightly confusing and difficult to follow at times, it was still a great listen.

I was pleasantly surprised when reading this book. I was intrigued when I read other reviews stating that this book had a YA crime feel to it and they were not wrong. Let me tell you that is not a disadvantage, I loved it! The Elizabeth letters were a perfect touch and my favorite part of the book. I can usually figure out the ending in books since I've read so many but this one had me guessing! I was not expecting the reveal of the gemini thief as well as the reveal from the Elizabeth letters. If you want a fast read/listen on a new take on crime fiction, get this book:)