This book is jarring. You almost feel as if you are in two different stories as the plot weaves in and out of a science experiment that has turned horribly wrong. Nothing is what is seems and you learn that the real danger is much closer than what you think.

Rating: 2.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: blood, gore, murder, mention of suicide, kidnapping, gaslighting,

This was an easy read that was fast paced and interesting but the execution just didn’t work for me. This is definitely a psychological mystery though, which I’m not the biggest fan of. It focused heavily on the relationships between the main characters, which was fine, except when the POVs kept changing. Blythe’s POV was in first person and everyone else’s was in third. At that point just make them all the same because it wasn’t just Blythe’s story.

I felt like the author was telling more than showing which threw off the pacing of the story. So much was revealed in one go that it didn’t really leave a lot of the mystery element that I was looking for. The revelations for each of the characters were interesting but still predictable.

I think someone who enjoys YA psychological mysteries would enjoy this one, but it just fell flat for me unfortunately.

I LOVED IT!!!! WOW!! I literally sat up all night reading this. Every bit of each chapter really left you wanting more. I truly was guessing who Veritas was the whole book, maybe some may have found it obvious (I usually do) but I wouldn't have guessed. Blythe is a great character, she wants the best for everyone and that's not her fault like some of them make it to be. She just believes in the best. Tucker and Tanya are a great sibling duo. Their dad sucks. This book reminded me of a YA version of the Institute by Stephen King in some ways. Anyways, again, LOVED IT!

Someone is Always Watching by Kelley Armstrong, 368 pages. Tundra Books (Penguin Random House Canada), 2023. $17. lgbtqia
Language: R (203 swears, 37 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Blythe (17yo) and her friends have been together for years due to their parents’ jobs with CMT; they know each other and themselves. Until Gabi has a breakdown. Now Blythe is looking for the truth she never knew existed, unsure if she can trust her parents, her friends, or her own memories.
It’s the secrets that get you—secrets hidden from the readers, secrets hidden from the characters, and secrets hidden from both. The more we learn, the less we know, and it is incredible. The story that unfolds is convoluted in an intriguing way, and I loved every minute of it.
The majority of characters seem to be implied White. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, innuendo, and mentions of groping, STIs, drugs, pornography, nudity, orgy, and attempted sexual abuse. The violence rating is for blood and gore, gun use, attempted suicide, assault, murder, and mentions of physical abuse.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Another book I feel conflicted about, it has a very interesting plot and the concept is very unique and complex. The mystery really caught my attention and I was determined to read until the end to find out what happen.

However, I was left confused about some things regarding the memories. It took me a while to understand it. I also felt some parts feels dragging especially in the middle part of the story.

I really like getting to know the characters and the secret pasts each of them has. Some of them really caught me by surprise and made a good plot twist. Although, I wish there’s more depth to the side characters as well.

I don’t know if this is going to be a series or remain a standalone, if it is a standalone then the ending doesn’t feel very satisfying cause it left with some unanswered questions that I wish were resolved at the end of it.

Overall, it’s still a pretty good story. A dash of romance, strong friendship and unexpected twists makes this book quite enjoyable to read.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death, murder, sexual assault, mention of suicide, fire injury, suicide attempt and child death.

I received an advanced review copy for free through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!

3.5 stars. Not my favorite Kelley Armstrong book but also not the worst book I’ve ever read 😅 It was… interesting. A bit confusing at times with an unreliable narrator and multiple pov’s. It reminded me of a couple of her ya series, if you took the supernatural aspect out of them. I do enjoy Kelley’s writing and I’m sure this won’t be the last book I read by her.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so good. It had me on the edge of my seat from the very first chapter. I appreciated the pacing of this book, not too fast but not too slow, and admired how easy it was to get in to. I thought the premise was very interesting and only wished that we could’ve had more details on how the memory erasing/creating technology worked.

I've been a fan of Kelley Armstrong's writing for over ten years. Whenever I see one of her books it is an automatic read or buy for me.

This book begins with a tight friend group that is rocked apart by violence. One of their inner circle is found covered in blood, standing over their dead principal with no memory of how they came to be there.

This book was a fun and enjoyable read. If you are wanting an easy mystery/thriller type book to read, this is a good place to start.

Book Summary:

Blythe, Gabriel, Tucker, and Tanya are the best of friends. We all know how important a solid friend group is – especially for teens. Yet this group is unprepared for what is to come, as a rift forms between the two.

When Gabrielle is found, covered in blood, over a murder victim (who happens to be their principal), things go from bad to worse. Without any memory of how she got there, Gabrielle can hardly defend herself. Can the group trust anyone anymore? What about each other?

My Review:

As a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong, I knew right away I had to try her latest thriller novel, Someone Is Always Watching. It's always interesting seeing authors experiment with a different genre, and this is no exception.

Someone Is Always Watching is a teen drama/mystery/thriller, so naturally, it gets quite tense and complex at times. More importantly, it shows the power and fragility of friendship and how quickly things change.

Throw in the creepy nightmares, and you've got a compelling story. I read Someone Is Always Watching in one sitting and have zero regrets about it.

Highlights:
Thriller/Mystery
Romantic Subplot
Teen Thriller

Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this one. The writing was easy to read. It flowed really well. I loved the mystery of it. I really liked Tucker and Blythe. Honestly, this book took a turn and ended up where I would have never guessed. This is one I will recommend.

Three sentence summary:
Blythe and her friends, Gabi, Tucker & Tanya are a tight friend group but then a violent act causes a rift between Blythe and Tucker. Strange events begin happening after this rift including Gabi being found in front of their deceased principal and cannot remember what happened. Blythe and her friends begin realizing that they can't even seem to trust their own memories.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I don't think I have very much to say about this book. I didn't necessarily love the writing style but I thought the premise of the story was really interesting. (This is why I rounded up to 3 stars). I wouldn't call this book a thriller but it's definitely a YA mystery. There was a lack of character development but it kind of makes sense when secrets start unraveling.

Honestly, that's all I have to say. Will I forget this book before the month is over? Absolutely but it was a decent ride thanks to the interesting storyline.

I am not sure I would recommend this book or I wouldn't recommend this book. It's a good storyline with okay writing style but ultimately forgettable.

Armstrong's writing is both captivating and thought-provoking, as she skillfully weaves together a complex plot that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The characters are well-developed and relatable, adding depth and emotion to the story.

Great characters and interesting story. Lots of twists and turns kept me guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

An extremely original plot and propulsive storyline make this novel unputdownable! While this book suffers from the YA universal issue of extra precocious and mature teens, that is easily overlooked due to the fast pace and insightful writing of the story. The ending felt a bit rushed but the author was able to wrap up the story she meant to tell without worrying about every aspect of what would come next. Very successful either as a stand-alone or the beginning of a series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kelley Armstrong for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Someone is Always Watching coming out April 11, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Blythe and her friends — Gabrielle, and brother and sister Tucker and Tanya — have always been a close friends group. They go to the same high school, falling in and out of love with each other. But an act of violence has caused a fallout between Blythe and Tucker . . . and unexpected bursts of aggression and disturbing nightmares have become the norm in their lives.

The strange happenings come together in a shocking event at school: Gabrielle is found covered in blood in front of the body of their principal, with no memory of what occurred.

Fractures in their friendship, as well as in their own memories, start appearing, threatening to expose long-forgotten secrets which could change the friends’ lives forever. How can Blythe and her friends trust each other when they don’t even know their own memories?

I’ve read several books by Kelley Armstrong and I always love her writing. Overall, I thought this was a fun book! I wasn’t really expecting the twist part with the memories. I loved that the chapters were from the different characters’ point of views. I thought some of the writing was a little repetitive about people who were dead. The book was a little longer than I thought it’d be and I thought it could’ve been a little tighter without the repetition. But overall, I loved the plot and characters.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA thrillers.

The different POV kinda threw me off but other than that this was a good book. Had the perfect about of creep. Even a few parts had me afraid to walk out of my room without a light on. I really enjoyed it.

2.5⭐️

so some of this book was cool and the premise was definitely intriguing! I liked the characters and their relationships and that there seemed to be more and more layers to unravel.

I was confused for some of it because of some of the writing and then it felt kind of rushed.

Posted to Goodreads.

A good psychological thriller, easy to follow. It drew me in from the very beginning especially because it was so fast-paced. Like so many others have mentioned, it’s better to dive into the book without knowing too much ahead of time.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Deep, dark, foreboding. What if you aren’t who you think you are? That is the theme of this YA novel which explores psychotherapy that is intended, benignly, to ‘cure’ memories of children who have killed others, accidentally or intentionally, protecting them from the emotional trauma which would normally ensue. This is a novel about violence, extreme violence, and about those who care for both victims and perpetrators, about children traumatized by their own acts or the acts of other.

This was a surprisingly good young adult story that weaved together conspiracy and coming of age. I really enjoyed the pacing to keep me on my toes, wondering what was really going on, and questioning the surveillance happening at my own school where I teach. I enjoyed the story and will certainly be recommending this one to my middle school students looking for something high interest that isn’t terribly difficult to comprehend.