I have enjoyed Kendare Blake's other books as have my students, so I was excited to read this one. I think this book is a good fit for my students. They will relate to the small town life and elements, and the mystery of the killings definitely hooks the reader. I did not realize it was going to be a series until I was in the last chapter, and I didn't really think it was going to turn supernatural. I think I wanted it to be realistic and get explanations, but I think the supernatural element will be interesting to teen readers. I do sort of wish the cover was different. I think this would be a great book for my male students as it is sometimes hard to get male main characters in YA, and the small town elements would really make my boys relate. I think the cover might be a turn off though. Overall, I enjoyed it, and it hooked my interest.

It’s the summer of 1958, and the body count is mounting. Connecting them all is the lack of blood left in the bodies or at the murder scenes. When 15 year old Marie Catherine Hale is found at a murder scene, standing amongst the bodies but dripping in blood, she is taken into custody. Authorities have many questions for Marie, but she refuses to speak with anyone other than Michael, the local sheriff’s son.

YA novels are lacking in murder mysteries, and Kendare Blake’s (Amazon affiliate link) All These Bodies fills a hole in that respect. Adding to its uniqueness is the fact that the story, told in first person voice, is not told from the point of view of Marie but is instead told from Michael’s point of view. This is the set up for a great novel. Unfortunately, the book has a tendency to drag and the ending is lackluster at best – an ode to popular YA genres and a letdown for the story’s potential.

So creepy, graphic, and good! Would give to any horror or thriller fans. Vampires/ creatures/ supernatural are so not my thing as a reader, but I loved this. It was believable!

An excellent addition to the YA mystery genre. A recommended first purchase for public YA and HS collections.

I liked this book a lot. Being unfamiliar with the author's previous work but reading her forward in which she basically makes it seem as though she's trying her hand at more "realistic" true-crime-esque fiction with some supernatural elements did feel a bit misleading after I'd finished with the story. The supernatural aspect ended up playing a much bigger role than I anticipated, and I do feel that it was to the detriment of the story that this was the case. I feel that it would have been a better read had the supernatural elements been explained in some way, even if Marie's ultimate fate had remained the same due to her belief in the seeming unreality of what she'd been a part of.

The atmosphere and setting were wonderful, though, and overall I found it an intriguing piece of historical fiction to - no pun intended - sink my teeth into.

This book wasn’t at all what I was expecting. The whole thing is written as a recounting of events by the main character, Michael, which was an interesting choice as it means the book was plot-focused rather than character-focused.

Marie as a character wasn’t fully actualized. I do think this was a deliberate choice by the author to make a point about women’s stories.

She is whoever the men of the story want her to be: a villain, a pawn, a romantic interest, a means to an end. And that’s possibly the true horror of the novel.

I would recommend this book if you want to read something that will leave you pondering long afterward.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a step outside my recent reading slump where I was stuck in the Romance trope. Blake did it again with All These Bodies.
The story focuses on Marie Catherine Hale who is found at the scene of some gruesome murders all alone, covered in the victims blood. She has no wounds herself which begs the question of how she could commit the murders alone. Additionally the two victims Mr. and Mrs. Carlson are connected to the bloodless murders where victims are found completely bled dry. Which makes the reader wonder how it’s all connected.
Taken in to the station Marie will only talk to one person Michael the sheriffs son and a budding reporter. He quickly finds that the story may be deeper than anyone could have imagined. Delving into the paranormal and a long time mystery.
Being set in the late 50’s also changed the way the story ran as tech wasn’t quite what it is today. I loved the era and that it’s focal point was on a smaller town.
Overall, the book kept me guessing and made me wonder throughout I kept thinking I had it all sorted but I did change my thoughts a few times. I appreciate a book that keeps me on my toes.
I received the ARC from Netgalley for my honest review.

I loved the mysteriousness of this book. The way that it is told is haunting in its own way and I like the fact that it is narrated as a confession. I would definitely recommend this book to middle schoolers.

Bleak and subtle, this is a unique and atmospsheric thriller from a writer of dark tales. I'm a big fan of Kendare Blake's fantasy books, and was excited to see her take on a new genre. "All These Bodies" is historical true crime with teasing hints of the paranormal; BIG "In Cold Blood" vibes. The grizzly crime at the center of the story is investigated by a teen boy and inspiring journalist who is drawn to the story while also being drawn to the magnetic and mysterious young woman at the center of it. This book is both satisfying and unsatisfying in equal measure; the answers are always just within reach. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended for general purchase for YA collections.

This story was ok. The supernatural aspect made me slightly uncomfortable. The relationship between the two main characters was interesting. Looking at how you treat someone after they have done something horrible, especially if they had a horrible upbringing. Also, how far would you go if someone made you feel special and as if you belong.

I have to say I was expecting more. The book starts off strong but peters out - I'm fine with not really resolving the central issue if there's a good emotional climax, but I can't say this really landed it. The promise of the beginning never really pays off. I'm surprised to see this compared so strongly to the author's previous "Anna Dressed in Blood" - I thought that book really succeeded immensely in the very areas this one falls down in.

Fans of true crime and the paranormal will really love this one. It started out strong, but seemed to lag a bit towards the middle and end. I would've liked to have seen more interaction between Marie and the narrator. I saw another review where they said that character development was not a priority in this book and I could see that, but it would've been nice to have a little more background on Marie--maybe have a chapter from her POV? From when she was with the vampire?
Even with all of these nitpicky comments, I enjoyed this novel a great deal. It's definitely unlike the majority of other YA novels out there and I think it the darkness and forbidden romance will appeal to teen readers a lot.

This book was received as an ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books - Quill Tree Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love the story line of this book. An aspiring journalist is the son of the Sheriff and there is a murder taken place and the prime suspect will only talk to the journalist. A supreme story fallen into Michael's lap and at first he wants nothing to do with the case but, when Marie Catherine reaches out to him and feels that he is the only person she can confide in. My stomach literally dropped at almost every chapter I read. The book got more and more exciting by the minute and I was in high anticipation for each chapter. It was like I was running a marathon and all I had left was 100 meters to finish. A huge rush of adrenaline.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This was a really good book, fast paced and full of suspense. I picked up this book because the cover and description intrigued me. All These Bodies starts off with a bang and sucks you right in. I could not put this book down and read the whole thing in one sitting. I didn't even realize this was a YA book until I'd finished it, so it's not just for kids. Adults will love it too!

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books/Quill Tree Books for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Michael Jensen can't help being fascinated by Marie Catherine Hale. Found drenched in blood at the scene of a serial killer's latest murder, Marie is imagined to be the key to finding the killer- certainly it isn't this dainty young girl. She refuses to talk to anyone other than Michael. He sees his interviews with her as a chance to break into journalism and to break out of his hometown.

Kendare Blake is one of my favorite authors. One of my first years as a librarian I had the pleasure of hearing her talk about writing Anna Dressed in Blood and how she packed as many gory deaths as she could imagine into that one book. Since that time I have read her Antigoddess series and the Three Dark Crowns series. I have enjoyed all of them and All These Bodies was no exception! I really enjoyed the conversations between Michael and Marie and the way the mystery unraveled.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of mysteries and thrillers- and to those with a morbid interest in serial killers!

All These Bodies was a very gripping tale. Right away, from the first line, I was hooked, committed to finishing and finding out how the story ended. It has crime and compelling storytelling—I loved the format of the story, Michael Jensen reporting on it, essentially—and Marie was such a captivating character. I liked her, I wanted to like her, and then the ending—finding out the truth, you still root for her. Masterful. The plot was just twisty enough and three dimensional, as it included the town perspective of these crimes so you got a complete picture. Definitely recommend.

I will start by saying that if you like neat tidy endings, this is not the book for you. Kendare Blake is a master of leaving readers wanting more, and this is no exception.

The story of Michael and Marie Catherine Hale is wildly compelling. I was shocked by how fast I got through the book each time I sat down to read. While this is a book I normally would have finished in a single sitting, I specifically chose not to because it made me think and I wanted to sit with it. It isn't heavy on action but the intrigue, the storytelling, the clues, all leave you trying to puzzle out what happened along with Michael.

You cannot help but feel for Michael, Percy, and even Marie. The characters are real people with flaws who are doing their best. The ending is very interesting, and I wouldn't want to spoil it. I will be thinking about this book for a long time and will definitely be rereading once it is released.

One star deducted for Kendare Blake never giving me as much as I want from a story, just enough.

*3.5*
This book is very different to any book I have ever read before, and not in a bad way. All These Bodies follows a case of serial murders dubbed the Bloodless Murders; due to the fact that every body is drained of blood. But then more bodies are found, and in the middle of them stands a living girl, covered in blood that doesn't belong to her.

This book is EXTREMELY plot-centered. It's quite interesting to see considering the fact that the whole book is in first-person POV. I personally prefer at least a little bit of character work, which this book didn't have, but this book still had me hooked.

It gave me the same vibes as a classic, mainly due to the writing. The entire book was quite vague, which I really liked, but at the same time, I didn't like. If you're looking for a contemporary mystery novel, don't get your hopes up. This book revolves around conspiracies and unsolved mysteries.

At the same time, this book had me on my toes. There were so many times where I would just get super creeped out by a line that one of the characters said, or a plot twist that happened. It was well written. It reminds me somewhat of a case file or a transcript from an interrogation, which I feel was intentional.

Overall, this book was good. I didn't get very attached or invested as the characters weren't very developed, but if you're looking for a plot-heavy mystery/horror novel, this book is absolutely for you.

All These Bodies, for me was an ok book. The book was a very slow read I just couldn't sit and read it all so I dnf it.

Thank you Netgalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for allowing me to read this book.

Wow! This book was so easy to read and I could not put it down! I loved the main characters, Michael and Marie. I also loved Percy, Michael's best friend. He always protected Michael. I was so desperate to get to the end to find out what happened. The last chapter was kind of a jaw dropper for me. I really wasn't expecting that! I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a good thriller or mystery.

Thank you NetGalley for my copy!