Thanks NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of this book. This book was not my favorite and the three stars is rounded up from 2.5. Most books I read have a point. Boy meets girl, being a good person is always rewarded, a murderer has a reason. I have no idea what the point is of this book. We know right away that Angel kills Birdy for sleeping with Angel’s boyfriend Miles. Please keep in mind that these are high school students. We find out that Angel’s mom is divorced and goes out a lot. The dad is in the picture as a manual laborer. Angel and her sister are often over at their maternal grandmothers. My question is why did she do it? I was fully 70%+ into the book before the murder takes place, and even then, there is no grisly telling of the story. Birdy is found washed up on the beach in a 55 gallon drum. The end of the book finishes neatly with what happened to the central characters. I was left feeling disappointed. Am I to believe that you can kill someone and only get 5-7 years? Do you get to move on, go to college, and be ok? Your family has no issues? Not my favorite

This type of book is the hardest to review. It doesn't really fit into a genre. I didn't hate it, but I really didn't like it. It was very "meh" for me.

As the synopsis states, you immediately find out that a teenager was murdered and that Marie's sister was one of the killers. The rest of the book is kind of a picture into family dynamics and high school life.

I am obviously in the minority with this one, and that is OK. Most people really liked it.

I listened to the audiobook and have no complaints with the narration- well paced, clear, etc...

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

One has to know the mind of a teen in order to have written this story. The people within the pages are those that explore relationships, those of mothers and daughters, those of sisters, those of friends, and tragiclly those that involve love and its lack of relationships that provides the continuum of this tale.

At the beginning, we learn of a young teenager being murdered, and as the story progresses, we learn of the circumstances, the background of the families, and the area in which they live. It is a story of rich versus poor, the have versus the have nots, jealousy and the repercussions of what can and does happen when that tug between the emotions boils up under the surface and comes to fruition.

The story is mainly about four girls. We learn early that Angel is the murderer, Carol is Angel's mother, and Birdy the murdered victim. Marie is the youngest of Angel's sister and from her we get a retrospective on the before and after effects of this murder. Carol is divorced and we don't hear much of her former husband although he is present after the homicide.

Both Birdy and Angel love the same boy, Myles and while Myles encourages both girls, the intensity of their jealousy and eventually hatred of one another build up to the point of the murder of Birdy and Angel being arrested. If you know the psyche of teenage girls, you recognize the seizing desire and turmoil rolling over the girls.

This is also a story about the search for love, for acceptance, for the ability of knowing when someone is being used. Will the young Birdy be held responsible, and the social communications may be the final stone in Angel's grave? We all remember those emotions that as teens we were ill equipped to control. The lack of parental oversight often lends to the problem and exacerbates it.

This was certainly an intense story that flows together to a momentous conclusion in which it seems as if no one wins.

Thank you to Stewart O'Nan, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the audio book of this story due out on March 15, 2022

This wasn't a hit for me, despite rave reviews I saw on Goodreads. Especially as an audiobook, I found it really difficult to keep track of who the focal character was at a given time-- there were no clear breaks or shifts. Maybe it would have been better as a book instead of an audiobook? I appreciate the character development in this story, but I wished more had happened. Also, while I know that HS girls can be crazy (I teach them and was one, so I know), this seemed a little ridiculous. I don't know....overall I was left feeling disappointed.

A teenage love triangle gone wrong is at the heart of this multi-perspective story of a murder.

The description of this book promises "incredible momentum" which I think is a bit of an over statement since most of the book is very even keeled and anti-climactic. Much of it (the descriptions of their interactions at work, their family situation, the sibling relationships) could just as easily have been an episode of Dawson's Creek had the murder not been addressed at the beginning. The intriguing part for me is that despite the pretty mundane lives the girls are living, the way it's written manages it to make it a very compelling read, and the narration is really good! I would definitely read more from this author!

4.3 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The writing is <b>VERY GOOD</b>, with realistic characters and a tense and engaging plot!

You'd enjoy this book if you enjoy reading contemporary small town/school life, drama/thrillers like "One of Us Is Lying", "We Were Liars", and "The Female of of the Species".

I had a very personal reason to love this book because it is set in the small town where I work so I enjoyed how descriptive it was. The title is "Ocean State" is perfect since is perfect since it almost reads like a travel guide of how descriptive of the setting and lifestyle in "Little Rhody"

But, I think many readers will find it as unputdownable as I did.

Since I couldn't put it down, besides reading the book and listened to the audiobook all day totally absorbed in the lives of these girls and women and their dynamics with their relatives, friends, frenemies and lovers! The story is told from four characters POV and the narration was excellent!

I recommend it!

I found this to be an ok, strait-forward read. The narrators were excellent and the story had a nice flow to it, holding my interest for the entirety. The descriptions of the characters were outstanding and their actions were infuriating. There are a lot of discussion topics in this which book clubs could discuss at length. I liked that there were four different narrators, giving us different perspectives of the very complicated situation. I was hoping for a little bit more suspense and some more”wow” moments, but overall this was pretty not bad and will appeal to a broad audience looking for something a little different in the fiction genre.

This was a pretty good one. I.liled the narrator. Thank you for allowing me to review this title Netgalley.

Good characters and story. Quick read/listen. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Ocean State is a slow, windy book with lush prose, but unfortunately, bits of the plot fell apart midway and I found it difficult to follow and stay engaged through parts of the book. Still, it was an enjoyable read and I am glad to have read it.
I listened to the audiobook version of Ocean State and thought the narrator was ok, though was a bit flat in voicing these characters, though that could be in part of the cool and somewhat detached narration style of the writing.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a great job. This was a easy, quick, straight to the point story. I liked it.

In a town in Rhode Island, a high school student is murdered. You quickly find out who did it and why. Told in alternating POV’s, we learn about Carol the mother of two daughters; Angel, the murder, and her younger sister Marie.

Marie’s testimony is recounted who explains what unfolded in Autumn of 2009. In a nutshell, Angel and another girl Birdy are in love with the same boy. This book shows what can happen when both girls collide.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

This one was pretty good. It did a decent job building up suspense and tension in a couple ways, and for the most part, it did keep my interest. The pacing felt a bit odd at times, and this is definitely one of those books where what I would consider the “real ending” was good but where the epilogue/final piece was a bit too long and drawn-out without feeling like it really added too much. All in all, this was a fun little story interlude.

I happened to start this during a month where I was having trouble getting into books. And I was hoping this one would get me out of that rut. But it just put me in it more. It didn't feel like a thriller, I didn't know what was happening. I stopped and put it down after several chapters.

Do you want to read an edgy family drama with a slice of murder? How about a suspenseful drama that takes place in Rhode Island, if so, do your self a favor and read this book.

I think the characters were really interesting and I loved the ambition of approaching the mystery from so many perspectives; however, this one as an audio book does miss the mark for me. The narrator had great pacing and was easy and enjoyable to follow along with but the same ambition that I admire for taking on so many perspectives also made it extremely easy to get the characters and storylines mixed up. I think if the chapters would have been broken down in a different way or if there was a slight break and a clearer marker of which character's perspective we would be hearing from next, it would have made a really big difference for me.

"When I was in the eighth grade my sister helped kill another girl. She was in love, my mother said, like it was an excuse. She didn't know what she was doing. I had never been in love then, not really, so I didn't know what my mother meant, but I do now. "

From the first lines of this short novel we know that a girl has been murdered and that the younger sister did not understand why this happened.

Ocean State takes place in 2009 in the blue collar town of Ashaway, Rhode Island (actual RI town). What follows these jolting first sentences are the events that led up to this event and the fallout that resulted.

The story is told from the POV of (4) female characters though a series of flashbacks and internal thoughts. Carol is a divorced single mother who works as a nurses aide while trying to raise her (2) teenage daughters. She is a woman who doesn't always make the best decisions. She drinks a bit too much and seems to jump from one man to another. Her daughters: Angel 16, is in high school - she is popular and hot-tempered. Marie 13, adores her older sister but, she is lonely and has no real friends. She is bookish and feeds her emotions with food. Birdy is a petite, brunette and is the high school girl who was murdered.

Myles is the good looking, popular, jock that Angel has been dating for three years. Myles comes from a wealthier Rhode Island family and will soon be off to college. Angel by contrast works at CVS part time and has no college plans. Deep down Angel knows that their relationship is not a forever one. Myles has been seeing Birdy on the side and Angel eventually becomes aware of it. The sad thing is that both Angel and Birdy are in many ways quite alike, both crazy about a boy who isn't really worth fighting over.

Ocean State is a well-written and deep character study that gets to the heart of teenage jealousy and love triangles. It's a story that focuses more on what led up to this tragedy and the aftermath of those left to sort it all out. I found it hard to care about most of the character except for 13 year old Marie who I felt quite sorry for. This novel is quite different from any of the author's previous books but, it was extremely well written.

I began listening to the audio book, narrated by Sara Young, who sounded like a teen which was appropriate for most of the characters. However, I quickly became annoyed with the narration after she repeatedly mispronounced "Chariho", the school district and regional school the teens attended. I felt like the audiobook narrator should have taken the time to research the correct pronunciation of places, since the author felt it important enough to use all actual Rhode Island places in this book. I ended up switching to the eGalley making this short novel a combo read/listen. This book isn't really a mystery but, it is a very good story. I love the way this author has a real talent when it comes to describing the details of small town life and regular everyday people and their situations.

Rating - 4/5 stars
http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2022/02/book-review-ocean-state-stewart-onan.html

Ocean State is referring to Rhode Island and the story is based in a small blue collar coastal town of Ashaway.

This YA story is characters based and full of family drama. I went into this story with high expectations as it was highly praised.

Story starts with us knowing that a murder took place and who was responsible.

Characters:
Myles Parrish ~ spoiled rich boy
Angel Oliviera~ Myles and Angel are the “in” couple on campus
Maria Oliviera~ Angel’s thirteen year old sister
Carol Oliviera ~ Single mother of Angel and Maria.
Birdie Alves ~ A tiny, dark-eyed Portuguese-American who finds that she too is in love with Myles.
Story is a quick, sad read. I liked Maria but found Myles, Angel and Carol all annoying.

I know I am not the target audience for YA/Teen stories but as a High School Guidance Counselor, I
enjoy a good YA story that I can to share with my students. Many stories have great messages; in this
case, I believe there are a lot of things to discussion. My only negative in reading this genre is that
many YA stories follow a formula. ~ Excessive sex and profanity, bulling, drinking/ drugs, and suicide (in
this case murder). ~

This was my first Steward O‘Nan novel. I realize he has written many novels!!!!
Link to his “Ocean State” web site
https://stewart-onan.com/

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 15, 2022.

Ocean State is categorized as a thriller/suspense novel, but it does not meet the threshold of expectation for the genre. While the stories of the people are interesting and the depth of their struggles are beautiful and easy to identify with, the novel falls short of suspense or thrill.

I received an audiobook ARC of this, and I believe the story would have been easier to follow if there were clear signals at the beginning of each chapter as to who the narrator was for that section. The narrator used no variation of inflection or tone for the various narrators either. That could have contributed to the slow feel of the story also.

Overall, I enjoyed the story once I adjusted my expectations toward a story about humanity rather than expecting to be shocked, frightened, or thrilled. I'd really give it 3.5 stars, but I'm happy to round up to 4 with the caveat that the rating is for the story itself outside of genre expectations.

The Ocean State story is a perfect illustration of why parents fret so much about their children ... no matter the ages. This story is about a high school couple, Angel and Myles, who commit a criminal offense, and the events that follow. Due to the ages of the high-school characters and a younger sister who is one of the narrators of this story, I would recommend Ocean State as a YA novel.

In Ocean State readers are immediately presented with the story of how the lives of dating high schoolers, Angel and Myles, turn quickly tragic. Readers see a lot of this story through the eyes of Angel’s younger sister, Marie. It is interesting how we may see Marie actually has a better grip on the situation than her older sister.

In Ocean State, we see how high school matters of the heart can turn dangerously possessive. We also see the ramifications for the two young lovers after the third person in the relationship is murdered right in the very beginning of this story.

Through Marie readers can see a valuable warning and that is: What you do today, may very well determine the rest of your life.

This novel moves quickly and sometimes the multiple narrators can be a bit challenging. Since I listened to the audio version, I slowed down the narration speed here and there. However, Ocean State is an engaging story and very much worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow. Ocean State was gripping right from the unique opening, where we are immediately told something that would be the climax of the story for most books in this genre. I have a soft spot for the type of story where we are immediately told the “ending”, then rewind to the beginning and the characters show how we got there. This makes the book more character-driven than plot-driven and distinguishes it from most thrillers, but I surprisingly found it just as addictive as top books in the genre. Of course, there is also the fact that we learn part of the ending from that first line, not the full picture.

The fast pace is kept up with multiple perspectives: 13-year-old Marie, who is introverted and spends her time carefully observing every move of her beautiful and popular older sister; Angel, the older sister being observed by Marie as she revolves her life around her long-term boyfriend Myles who she loves desperately and is afraid to lose; Birdy, the story’s victim and Myles’ poorly-kept secret girlfriend; and Carol, the mother of Angel and Marie who navigates life as a single parent with good intentions of procuring a better life for her family while sharing her eldest daughter’s obsession with being loved.

I am usually not a fan of adult books with plots centered around teenage girls behaving irrationally over a boy (which this book takes to the ultimate extreme). To me, that theme belongs squarely in the YA genre, and even then, does a bigger cliché exist? However, O’Nan challenged the norms of the trope by weaving in complex, adult themes and well-written characters that makes it immediately obvious that the book is much more than that, and specifically keeping the male characters out of the spotlight. The characters all felt realistic, and while I may not have agreed or empathized with their actions, I could follow them, which was crucial to this book. I connected most with Marie but all the female characters were written with a depth and complexity that kept me interested in seeing how each of their stories unfolded. I felt mostly unsympathetic towards the other characters, which was probably by design. This is probably the best example of women-written-by-men that I have ever seen.

I enjoyed listening to this book on audio and thought the narrator (Sara Young) did a great job; she was the perfect level of expressive without over-acting, which was perfect for this dramatic book.

One thing I would have preferred is if the chapters were shorter and the POVs were better distinguished. I had trouble distinguishing whose perspective we were hearing at times. I don’t think I would have had this issue if I was reading a print copy or ebook.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of crime fiction, thrillers, or anyone in the mood for a quick and dramatic read.