I really had a lot of conflicting feelings about this book but in the end it was just an okay read for me which was rather disappointing.  I wasn't a fan of the first half of the book.  I just couldn't connect with the writing style and the many points of view.  I found myself getting rather bored but I continued and around the middle I started to get more involved with the story line as more details were revealed.  I found the twins, Hailey and Taylor and their secrets to be quite interesting and this is what pushed it up to three stars for me.

So, although there were many mixed emotions throughout this book, it turned out to be a bit lacking when it came to the thriller aspects.  I would recommend it to fans of YA mystery and true crime fans.

Beneath Her Skin was an interesting read. I didn't realise that it was a YA book when I requested it but I did quite enjoy it. I enjoyed the characters and would recommend this book. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

This novel leaves so much to be desired. I know it’s repackaged from the 2011 version of “Envy” but the publishers and writer would have done a better job by updating the language and timetable for a 2021 rerelease. (For example: “printing out Google maps directions for them to get where they needed to go”). 

I also found the ending of each chapter/section abrupt; ending it with a sinister comment or phrase seems unnecessary.  Some of the inner dialogue is also really snarky and unnecessary. 

<i>”Costco? Wow, that’s really sad, she thought. She hoped if she died her parents would at least have Subway cater a gathering in her memory.”

“As identical twins, the girls were genetic anomalies, not idiots. They knew that the dad’s sister would be Katelyn’s aunt. But now was probably not the time to point it out.”</i>

The whole novel just felt off, as an adult male was trying his hardest to write through the minds of teens. And the plot was very much ripped from the headlines themselves. The secondary plot (which overtook the primary about halfway through the book) left huge gaping holes all over the place. I have the second book in the series to review and hope that one clears some things up? Fingers crossed.

This book was just an ok read for me. It just didn't hold my attention.



Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in return of my honest review.

I’m really struggling with this book. I’m going to have to DNF because I just can’t get into the writing style. When I requested them, I didn’t realize that they’re YA. I’ve put it down and read another book and came back to it but it’s just not for me. I’m so sorry!!!

When a teen in a small town in Washington commits suicide, it hits the whole community, especially the girl’s classmates.  Twins Hayley & Taylor have knew the girl their whole lives, and while they weren’t exactly close, the twins definitely feel there’s something off about her death.  I realized after I started reading this book that it was previously published under the title “Envy”  in 2011 and was re-edited and re-released under this new title.  I’ve found that this isn’t all that uncommon for some author’s early works:  They publish version one, get stronger in their writing, better managers/editors, and often times want to give these initial books a second life.  I thought this one was good----maybe not up to the standards of Gregg Olsen’s more recent works, but I definitely liked the story and will be reading Book 2 in this 2-book series soon.

3 Stars

NOTE:  Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Olsen does it again - with a great mystery and solid plot - a definite page-turner with an interesting cast of characters.   The author definitely captures the angst of high school, the arrogance of privilege, and blends it with a pair of go-getter twins that will stop at nothing to solve the mystery.   Really enjoyed the characters, felt like I knew them. The mystery was interesting and the plot definitely engaging and I was happy to see that their adventures are to continue.

In the small, historic town of Port Gamble, a young girl, Katelyn, is found slumped over a clawfoot tub.  As the community grieves, friends and family close to Katelyn begin to question whether she really had an accident or if there was something more sinister at play.  This isn't the first time she has had a close brush with death, making the accident even more of a tragedy.

Katelyn's former friends and neighbors cannot rest until they discover what happened on the night that Katelyn died.  And Haley and Taylor Ryan are not the only ones in pursuit of the truth.  There is also a reporter in pursuit of the story, and someone who seems to be watching every move that the town makes.  There is enough tragedy and mystery in here for a real pageturner.

I've become a recent fan of Gregg Olsen books after reading "If you Tell."  I picked up the sequel to "Beneath Her Skin" ("Dying to be Her") and after realizing this was a series went back to read this book (the first of the series).  Overall I really enjoyed this book.  Beneath Her Skin was part mystery, part thriller, and with a supernatural twist.  And thankfully, this is the first of a series, which gives me a good next read--up next, "Dying to be Her!"

This is an YA fantasy thriller, which I realised after starting the book. Though this is not my favourite genre I could still enjoy it as a quick read. The story or the plot have nothing extraordinary, and the characters and dialogue befitting the genre. Fans of this type of books might like it.

Published: February 2, 2021
Bookouture
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Gregg Olsen has been a journalist and investigative author for more than twenty years. He is the recipient of numerous writing, editing, and photojournalism awards, including citations of excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists (Sigma Delta Chi), the International Association of Business Communicators, Washington Press Association, Society of Technical Communication, and the Public Relations Society of America.

“It had to be done.”

When a tragedy occurs in a small town, everyone is impacted. And when twin sisters Hayley and Taylor start getting clues about the truth, things unravel at lightning speed. Being a teenager is hard enough, but some secrets must be revealed at all costs.

This was an excellent story. It starts on a slower, sadder note. But as the story begins to fall together and the pieces begin to form, things start making sense. 

Katelyn died, and the town is left with nothing but gossip and speculation. Until Hayley and Taylor start realizing the story doesn’t quite add up. 

The characters in this book are all so well developed, and the traits they all possess are so spot-on for their age. Writing about teenage girls can’t be the easiest thing to do. Mostly to do it so believably. 

The pacing of this novel is quick, and once things start happening, everything unfolds at a break neck speed. I had figured out part of the twist right before it unraveled. But I never would have guessed the remaining pieces in this puzzle. 

There are so many layers to this story, and as they all start to make sense and begin to come together, it will leave you utterly speechless. Gregg Olsen has created the perfect storm of complicated characters, intense stories, and multiple layers that only add to the overall suspense.

I couldn’t read this fast enough. Just when I thought I knew the way things would turn, I was slapped with another small clue that changed everything. This story is fast-paced and complicated—all the way to the end. Once the twist hits and the pieces all connect, you will be left gasping for air. Secrets get uncovered, secrets get revealed, and more secrets are created. 

This is a brilliantly constructed novel. A dynamic game of cat and mouse, only we don’t know who is the cat and who is the mouse until it’s all over. This is a must-read for any true crime fan. The build is intense, but it is nothing compared to the free fall that leads us to the ending.

It’s Christmas Day when 15-year old Katelyn Berkley’s mother finds her dead in the bathtub, electrocuted by the family’s espresso machine. The coroner rules her death as accidental, but Katelyn’s childhood friends, twins Taylor and Hayley, believe it might be homicide. Possessing psychic abilities, they begin to decipher messages from the deceased girl that will lead to the truth. But someone out there is watching them. Stalking them. Katelyn’s death has reopened wounds from a tragic accident years before. What a nosy reporter uncovers about the past may put the twins in danger. The result is a story you won’t see coming.

Deceptive, unsettling, and deeply creepy, “Beneath Her Skin” serves as the latest proof that author Gregg Olsen isn’t capable of a bad book. Paranormal suspense isn’t my thing. Had I known that about this book going in, I’d probably have skipped it. But by the time I realized it, I was already hooked. The characters, of which there are many, are well-developed, vivid, and quirky.  Each of them raises suspicion. With the exception of the twins and their parents, that is. Yet, even they have secrets you’re anxious to discover. 

Moving along at a steady pace, the plot seems simple and perhaps predictable.  After being cyberbullied, Katelyn is found dead. Who was bullying her? Was her death an accident, suicide, or murder?  As compelling as the story is, it seems somewhat obvious.  But beware of how things seem.  “Beneath Her Skin” is a roller coaster disguised as a Sunday drive. Just when you think you’re cruising down a smooth straight stretch, the bottom drops out from beneath you.  Shocking only begins to describe it. The story isn’t what you think. Neither is the mystery.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Beneath Her Skin by Gregg Olsen.  I have read many of Olsen's books and the reason I enjoy his novels is because he ventures away to new ground in his novels.  Sometmes a stand alone and sometimes not.
This is a solid mystery and a quick read.
Fans will enjoy this one - 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it as it kept me guessing until the end, read it one sitting as couldn’t leave it down x

A girl dies from what it seems like a suicide. Her twin neighbours feel like there is more to this accident and start an investigation of their own while navigating relationships and avoiding a freelance journalist who is looking into their lives and an accident that happened 10 years prior.

I have to be honest and say that during the first pages, I could not get into this book. There was something that just wasn’t jiving. I took a break and decided to check the plot again, and found out that this is an YA mystery.

Once I could adjust my expectations and read this for what it is, this book became more enjoyable and I was able to fly through it. It was a light and delightful read, and I really think that 17-year-old me would have loved this series. As it is, it wasn’t a good match for me.

I wish I had seen more character development. Also, the way suspense was built didn’t work for me - a cliff-hanger sentence at the end of the chapter didn’t leave me wanting more.

I think that maybe what put me off from the start was the over description of and some of the suspense building choices. It also took me a long time to get used to the style and writing choices. Quite often a chapter would begin, and I would feel lost, reread the previous chapter in case I missed something, only to find the context many pages after.

I usually don’t rate a book mainly on my enjoyability, as to be fair to the author and with an understanding reader’s taste differs from one another. With that said, I would give this book a 3.5 star rating because even though it wasn’t for me, Olsen did a great job with his plot, creating an ambience and he played fair with the reader.


#BeneathHerSkin #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.  It was sn okay read, nothing really spectacular about it.  The twins were creepy but otherwise it didn't really thrill me.

As soon as I started reading this book I realised I had read it before, though quite a while ago. It's actually better suited to YA genre. 
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

This book had an interesting premise: two twins that are drawn to solve, what they feel, is an staged suicide of their acquaintance Kaitlin. As the story began I couldn't help but notice that there could be a more fuctional use of the voice from the antagonist which usually appeared at the end of the chapters. This could be easily fixed by following the principle of ”show, don't tell.” Thus the POV of the antagonist would be more intriguing by adding more atmospheric and detailed descriptions from his point of view. Due to this it was really easy to figure out who had done the murder and why since we meet the antagonist.

Something that didn't sit well with me too was how sudden the twins got involved in the crime. There was not a clear reason why they would be involved in this crime so, it was hard for me to keep reading a story that has the potential to be an ace but unfortunately, its foundations weren't as solid as they could be.

Beneath Her Skin by Gregg Olson was originally published as "Envy." I like this version much better and wish a cover had been included.

However, that being said the story is gripping and it's nice to see the twins use their psychic abilities to solve a murder.

Highly recommend.

So this was the first book I have read by this author and I have to say I loved it. I am really intrigued by the story of Hayley and  Taylor and can’t wait to find out more about what really happened with that bus crash. In this book we are following the possible suicide of their school friend. Hayley and Taylor don’t feel it was an accident and think something more sinister may have happened but how can they prove this when all they have is a feeling?

Beneath Her Skin by Gregg Olsen is the first in the Port Gamble Chronicles series.  It was originally released as "Envy".

It is a YA Paranormal novel.  That being said, I must have missed the YA part when I was checking out the book.  However, being in my 50's, I'm entitled to read what I want, and I've always enjoyed Gregg Olsen's true crime novels, so.....  I found I enjoyed this one too.

Taking place in small town Port Gamble Washington, the story is centered around twins Taylor and Hayley Ryan, who have a gift.   When an old friend "Katelyn" is found dead in a bathtub, electrocuted by a coffeemaker, the twins don't believe it was suicide.  Using their psychic telepathy to investigate further they soon discover more than they wanted, and not just about Katelyn.  The town has many secrets, and bullying is just one of them.

Olsen is a great author, and he did a great job on his first attempt at YA writing (even if I am too old to qualify).