Wow. My head is spinning. It's very rare that I read a young adult thriller book so I was excited to read this one. It was so good. It was easy to read. Very fast paced. The twists and turns were very shocking but not outlandish. It had me on the edge of my seat.

Becca is trying to figure out what happened to her best friend. There are so many secrets and lies that get uncovered.. There are scary exes, awful parents, tragedy. There was even romance in this book that I wasn't expecting. I enjoyed it a lot. Highly recommend this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wise Wolf Books for the ARC.

I loved that this was more romance than thriller.
Didn't care for the amnesia plot, it felt weird. But I did enjoy the story overall.

THE LIARS BENEATH is a young adult dark thriller and romance about high school student Becca, whose best friend, Rose, dies under suspicious circumstances. Rose's brother, Ben, wants to investigate what really happened, and from there, secrets in this small Iowa town are revealed. Will definitely keep your attention.

Heather Van Fleet did an amazing job at keeping me guessing throughout the entire book. I was flip-flopping back and forth between who I thought did what. I was able to guess a few details before they were revealed but for the most part, I was surprised. Another thing I really enjoyed was the time shifts from the present to the past. It gave a better insight as to who Becca, Ben, Rose, Travis, and Adam were before Rose’s death.

I received this book as an ARC (advanced readers copy) through NetGalley and Wise Wolf Books in exchange for an honest review.

To begin, if you’re a lover of YA with a little thriller and romance mixed in, this is it. Overall, I liked the plot - even though at times it felt much more immature than I think it’s meant to be intended. However, it really picked up 1/3 of the way through and I ended up finishing this book in 2 days because the writing flowed so well. I felt like the characters were well developed for the most part (Ben was a favorite for me 😍), but I immediately knew what angle the story was taking midway through. It didn’t ruin the book for me, though. I’d say add this to your book list if it fits the genres you typically like - it was a winner for me 👍🏻

I know my students will enjoy this book. There’s mystery, death, love, action. It’s fast paced, tends to spell things out, and for those reasons I know students will enjoy reading it.

I found Becca irritating, and boy that girl cannot catch a break. I’m going to be honest, I found the book predictable and lacking a cohesive storyline. I liked the attempt at the multiple time lines, but I felt like we didn’t really know Rose, but we were supposed to through those nuggets. It all seemed disjointed, and while I could predict that final plot twist, and found it laughable that it actually happened, I know that I am not the intended audience for this novel. That is why I would still purchase it and recommend it to students at school.

You think you know...
When you think you've got it figured out, more flabbergasting stuff is thrown at you spinning it all around!
Definitely a good suspenseful thriller!
This book pulled me in right away and I couldn't and didn't want to put it down until the mystery of Rose's death is all out there. Becca and Rose's brother Ben are getting closer to uncovering truths that are terrifying and uncomfortable but must be brought to light to have the whole picture and clear up all the nasty rumors surrounding Rose and her death.
This is a great gripping tale that will have your jaw dropping more than once.

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Becca Thompson is still reeling from the death of her best friend, Rose. Ben, Rose's brother, is right there with her, although he is determined to find out exactly what happened surrounding the suspicious circumstances of his sister's death. He is not convinced that the small Iowa town's rumors of "she got what she deserved" are true. He asks Becca for her help in uncovering the truth, and after some convincing, she agrees. Their investigation sets them both on a collision course with tough truths about who Rose really was — and with each other.

I enjoyed this book so much. Young adult thrillers are very hard to get right, in my opinion, and this book did it right. To start, the mechanics of this novel were amazing. I didn't notice a single typo, and the author's writing style is straightforward in advancing the plot and characters, but also incorporates figurative language and other descriptive tools to really pull the reader in. I was hooked from the very first page. The relationship and romance that blossoms is believable, respectable, and had me grinning from ear to ear at some moments. I don't always enjoy the "friends to lovers" trope, but this book did it in a way that had me rooting for the two characters.

Perhaps the only criticism I have of this novel is that some of the big reveals were a bit predictable. I can say I was not expecting the very last turn present in the last few chapters, and that I was very grateful the author included an epilogue to soothe my fears that all had been lost.

Overall, this is an amazing YA thriller that explores important themes of grief, abuse, and learning to trust again. I enjoyed this book so much and will be looking for Van Fleet's next release.

Trigger warnings: this book explores heavy themes, including grief, abusive relationships, teacher/student relationships, pedophilia, and teen pregnancy.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book before publication! This review has been crossposted to my Instagram, Goodreads, and Storygraph.

It was a struggle to get through some of the editing (or lack of editing) errors for word usage, grammar, and the like. I did my best since it's a pre-release from NetGalley and I'm hoping that it was put out for advanced readers before the final edits. I could not, however, get through my general dislike for the book. The main "heroine" is a twit and it was far more romance than thriller. It will probably be the perfect read for some, but it ended up on my DNF list.

Thank you Netgalley and Wise Wolf Books for the chance to read an advanced copy of The liars beneath by Heather Van Fleet. Normally I love YA thrillers, but this one was just a bit over the top. I enjoyed some of the mystery plot, the romance between Becca and her best friend's brother Ben, but some of the storyline was just too much for me, and I saw every twist coming. I think teenagers who loved 13 reasons why will enjoy this one.

When Rose, Becca’s best friend tragically dies, she is left with questions and confusions. Unable to quite believe that Rose committed suicide, she finds an unlikely friend (& more) in Rose’s brother Ben.

As Ben and Becca find out more and more about Rose’s death, the situation becomes increasingly more dangerous. Another person close to Rose has been murdered, threatening Becca and Ben.

However, the truth about what happened and what is to come is darker and more complex than any one expects.

This is a pretty solid YA book! I found it kinda hard to get into, but ended up reading it all in one day so it definitely picks up! I would recommend this book if you are into YA thrillers & mysteries, but it is a bit intense as some parts.

It does have a few instances of student/teacher relationships which is a bit heavy, so just be warned of that.

I enjoyed this one! It did keep me guessing all the way through. Sometimes I figured it out and others I was like “oh, didn’t see that coming!” I find flashbacks can sometimes be irrelevant to the story but they worked in this case. The only thing I find frustrating is that a lot of these things could have been solved if Becca had just told her parents the truth instead of lying to them.

Overall this was a solid YA mystery/thriller and I’d definitely recommend.

I was able to get an ARC from NetGalley. This was a solid novel, with generally believable characters and plot. It wasn't over the top "thrilling" but kept my attention. I would recommend to students who like a quick read centered on a grief-stricken teen trying to make sense of her world.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I'm not sure what to think of this one, well thats not true. I did like this one. The story opens with Rose dying, and everyone thinks its either a suicide or an accident. Rose's older brother Ben, doesn't believe for a second that she killed herself. Neither does Becca, Rose's best friend who has fallen apart since Rose's death.

Ben and Becca team up to find out exactly what happened to Rose.

Its a good character driven novel, although at some points I didn't really like Becca. However, looking back, you have to realize that Becca is grieving for a majority of the novel and that can really REALLY mess a person up. especially when you are young.

Then there was Rose, oh Rose, she really wasn't all that Becca thought she was and at times, I found her really unlikable in the story of her.
Still a good book!

The Liar's Beneath, will definitely keep your attention. This was an easy read that flowed nicely between chapters. The character development was on point and this was definitely not a slow burn.

I love books that get straight to the point and don't play around with a plot or lead you in one direction and then come out with a twist that is far fetched. This book had perfect balance. I did not guess what was going on although I did have suspicions (I was wrong) and the ending left me satisfied.

I also loved that this was a suspenseful thriller but also had a little romance involved.

This story circulates around Becca. Becca recently lost her best friend to a tragically and unexpectedly . Enter Ben, her best friends older brother .

Becca has her own issues and resentment toward Ben. Becca believes that Ben abandoned his sister when she needed him most but when Ben asks Becca for her help uncovering the truth about what happened to his sister, how could she say no?

Some secrets are not meant to be told, how far will Becca go to find out the truth and maintain her best friends reputation?

Tune in January 27, 2022 to find out!

Seventeen-year-old Becca is mourning the loss of her best friend, Rose, after a tragic accident. While Becca just wants to wallow, Rose's brother is hellbent on proving it was no accident. The rumors swirling throughout their tiny farm town paint a terrible picture of drug abuse and possible suicide. As Becca and Ben search for answers, they receive vague threats to let it go, or else there will be consequences. But they know they can't stop until they find justice and put the rumors to rest.

Readers will really enjoy the chemistry between Ben and Becca. The way the two of them use insults and banter to hide their true feelings paints an angsty picture of teenage pining. Working and trying to grieve together while solving the mystery forces them to confront their mutual adoration.

While there are some charming moments and surprising twists, the overall plot is predictable. There aren't many named characters throughout the novel, and the villains are made clear very early on in the story. While a few details are surprising, it's not enough to keep the readers in the dark about where it's going.

I rated The Liars Beneath three out of five stars. The plotline and twists were okay, and Becca was kind of insufferable and had absolutely no sense of self-preservation. But there was enough intrigue that I couldn't put it down, so it's the kind of book readers will enjoy once, but it's not the kind of novel they'll want to read over and over again.

Lastly, consider the content warnings. Themes include drug/ alcohol abuse, physical abuse, SA, grooming, suicide, and murder.

I would say the type of readers who will love this book are anyone who enjoys Lifetime drama movies. It feels a little over the top the way they do, but all of us love a little guilty pleasure drama, right?

This one is a standard small-town mystery with a YA slant. 17 year old Becca Thompson looks into the mysterious circumstances surrounding her friend Rose’s suicide. What was the secret Rose kept hidden from her best friend? Was her death really a suicide? And if not, who was responsible? Unless you’re a complete neophyte to the genre, you’ll have guessed the answers to all of these questions long before their respective reveals. There’s an angst-ridden romance at the heart of this story which, while also typical of the genre, is well-executed. Less so the book’s conclusion that sets up a potentially tragic outcome, only to have it all get conveniently swept away through a series of fortuitous events. A fine novel for novice younger audiences, but more seasoned readers may have their patience tested.

This book starts out a bit slow as you get to learn the characters and the storyline. It follows the main character Becca as she grieves the loss of her best friend, Rose. Rose’s brother, Ben, has questions as to how Rose died, was no one other than Rose herself to blame for her death as the police thought? The book flips back and forth between the past and the present. Through the past passages, you learn a lot more about Rose and the other characters. This young adult thriller had many intriguing twists and turns and was overall a great book.

2/5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Becca is a 17 year old farm girl whose best friend, Rose, just died of apparent suicide. She's devastated and grieving, and that is only exacerbated by Rose's brother's return to town. Becca has had a crush on Ben for years now, but when she tried to make her move 2 years ago, Ben rebuffed her. She's hated him ever since. Ben always viewed Becca as his little sister's friend... until that night 2 years ago when he realized he had feelings for her, but wasn't nearly good enough to be her guy.

Now years later, they're both struggling to believe that Rose died by suicide. Surely something else must be going on. From here, Becca and Ben strive to figure out what could have happened to Rose that night while also struggling with what they feel for one another.

This book..... didn't do it for me. I felt uncomfortable with how romance-heavy it was. I mean, Ben-- your sister just died for goodness sake. Stop thinking about kissing her friend and focus on grieving in a healthy way. The mystery itself was *fine*. Nothing too horrible; nothing too special. But it did seem to have entirely too many twists and turns that just didn't really make sense or feel necessary. I wanted to know how the story would end, but I didn't really enjoy the journey to get there.

**SPOILERS*****

I also had a hard time suspending my disbelief at just how ridiculous everything is. Rose gets into an affair with Becca's ex-boyfriend's dad (Leaf)? But gets knocked up by Becca's ex? Because he was blackmailing her??? And this all just goes unnoticed by every single person in town?

Plus let's not forget Leaf trying to kill Becca and then just... running away? And then her getting beaten up several times for a warning? And her ex's best friend just randomly getting killed? And Ben getting amnesia?

It's all just too absurd, even for a YA novel

This book had me on the edge of my seat! I absolutely couldn't put this down. I loved the dynamic between Becca and Ben, I could feel the tension in that spot deep in my chest. Every page had twists and turns and dove deeper and deeper into Roses death. Definitely putting on my reread shelf.

I read this ARC via Netgalley.

When Becca's best friend Rose is found dead, she knows it wasn't a suicide, despite what the police said. Rose's brother Ben is also suspicious, plus he knows a few things Becca doesn't. Though Ben and Becca butt heads, their relationship veers into flirting. Then Becca discovers secrets Rose was keeping, involving Travis, Becca's ex, and Becca finds herself in dangerous situations trying to uncover who killed Rose.

This story had a great pace that didn't let up. The circumstances around Rose's death were a bit murky at the start, especially with the steamy push/pull of Becca's attraction to Ben taking center stage. I struggled to trust Ben fully throughout and there were many other suspects. Becca's insistence on putting herself in dangerous situations frustrated me, especially in the second half of the story. There were a few flashbacks and Rose felt like a major character despite being dead, which was interesting.

Content advisory: Strong language, <spoiler>date rape, teen/teacher relationship</spoiler>, teen drinking and drug use, murder and gore.