This was a fast and easy read with an intriguing premise — a teen girl wakes up on her birthday with no memory of the night before, only to discover she’s the prime suspect in her parents’ murder. It’s definitely a hook that grabs you right away, and I liked how the story wastes no time throwing you into the mystery.

The pacing is quick and the short chapters make it easy to keep turning the pages. I enjoyed the constant sense of urgency as Andrea tries to piece together the missing hours, and there are a few twists that kept me guessing for a while. The writing style is straightforward and very readable, which worked well for a story that’s all about momentum.

That said, I never really connected with Andrea as much as I wanted to, and some of the side characters felt a bit underdeveloped. A few of the reveals were a little predictable too, so while the tension was there, the ending didn’t quite pack the punch I was hoping for.

Overall, it’s a decent YA thriller that’s entertaining enough for an afternoon read, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

DNF3

I didn't love the author's writing style and found myself getting irritated by it ("my room was a baby shade of pink" who speaks like that? It's a shade of baby pink??).

The books started off great. The pace was quick and it pulled you in. Then it started to slow down and I felt like I was reading myself in circles. I figured out the whodunit about halfway through the book and then impatiently read to figure out how it would end. Could have easily been a 100 pages shorter.

So, so good! I recommend this as much as I can but I do wish it had gotten the attention I feel it deserves. However, with contemporary being the state it is in young adult literature, I can't say I'm surprised. I am hoping for a young adult renaissance soon and in the meantime can continue to encourage my readers to check out titles like this

Another murder mystery that I’ve read in the past week, except I didn’t find this one as enjoyable. Our main character Andi wakes up in a strange motel the day after her 18th birthday with no memory of how she got there. Within hours the news is reporting her dad dead, her mom in critical condition, and her brother missing. And the biggest gut punch of all, she the prime suspect.

Over the course of the book Andi tries to lay low at the motel and figures out her next move. Most of the book she spends going back and forth with Nate an employee at the motel on whether or not she should turn herself in. She never does but she kept on bringing it up time and time again. When police arrive at the hotel Andi meets Rita, who she remembers as her biological mom because through everything that’s been released to the media Andi learns she had never been adopted. But the added characters of her biological parents didn’t arrive until 75% through the novel and then everything wraps up in the course of 2 short chapters. That was just a no go for me.

I’m sure someone out there will enjoy this book with the slower pace and rapid wrap up it just wasn’t for me.

Full review to be posted soonish.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Started off intense. Then got a little bit slow for me.
Loved the premise of the book. Very interesting idea.

Skimmed through most of this one, as it was too predictable and the main character too unlikable. The plot was simple enough, but Andi’s decisions were irritating. The story went quickly and the writing was easy to get through, but it’s just a miss due to the MC

I ended up skipping to the end just to see the resolution of the story. Very unbelievable and really didn’t like the main character. Ending was a disappointment too.

Unfortunately I didn't finish reading this book. I wasn't as hooked as I'd hoped to be and just couldn't seem to keep going, despite the interesting premise. Thanks for the chance and I'm sorry that I didn't enjoy this book.

Wake up, covered in blood, no memory, and nobody believes you? It's been done. And apparently, the author was so done with it too, she couldn't even finish half of the mysteries and left so many questions unanswered (and not necessarily in a "let us wait until book 2" kind of way).

I love Hannah Jayne, and my high school students check out everything she writes. The Girl in the Headlines isn't as strong as her others, writing and plot-wise, but mystery-loving teens will enjoy the premise and the quick pace.

The Girl in the Headlines is an interesting read, It keeps you turning the pages as the plot unfolds, although there are times it was predictable it didn't take away from the whole reading experience.

Andi doesn't read well, at all. The setup is okay and the follow through was...okay as well, but I'm going to reiterate here: Andi is just not...very good.

Thank you for an engaging and gripping read! Review will be available on www.saharsblog.com and instagram.com/bookvsbaby

Honestly this book is just too frustrating for me. Andi makes dumb mistake after dumb mistake, and I can't bring myself to finish. I like the idea, but I just don't vibe with the sheer stupidity of the MC. There's a difference between a character being a teenager in a hard situation and therefore messing up, and making so many bad choices that it seems on purpose.

I’ve really enjoyed Hannah Jayne books before, and this one was good, but it wasn’t great. Parts of it felt very formulaic and predictable, and that made it less engrossing for me. Overall, I’d still recommend it, just not my favorite or first choice from this author.

3.5 stars
Trigger Warning: Mention of drug abuse, kidnapping, murder, betrayal, attempted sexual assault & media hysteria.

We begin this story confused with Andi as she discovers her whole line flipped upside down; her father is dead, her mother hanging on by a shred, her baby brother missing and her the prime suspect in all of this. Andi doesn't know who to trust, and we as readers begin to suspect we cannot trust her.

The unreliable narrator experience was handled well in my opinion that I was confused and frustrated with Andi as she tried to piece things together but lacked the knowledge. I will admit two things, though; I fell for the red herring & two Andi annoyed me as it felt repetitiveness with her struggle, and I know that it is realistic, and I know it was something I would do (saw a lot of my own reactions in her) but found it annoying still.

In the end, I enjoyed the story but not enough.

I enjoyed the who-done-it type vibes of this book where the person(s) responsible are yet to be seem and you have to get all the clues that point to who is responsible. An enjoyable read that I would recommend.

This book unfortunately didn't work for me. The twist was predictable, and the writing didn't book me.