Following the small-town podcast storyline that is currently trending in YA literature, Mindy McGinnis serves up A Long Stretch of Bad Days. The main character, Lydia Chass, is the daughter of a powerful family in her small town. From the beginning of the book, I struggled to relate to Lydia. She is a hard to like character, which is tough since she is the character we follow throughout the book. In order to graduate on time, after a huge mix up with a disgraced school guidance counselor, she decides to tackle some of the unsolved mysteries of her town through researching the history and creating a podcast. A girl from "the other side of the tracks" Bristal Jamison also is close to not graduating. Lydia enlists Bristal to help with the project. After the pair begin to unearth town secrets, they latch onto the town's only murder, which was never solved. Both main characters can be alienating at times, which sometimes got in the way of following the plot. However, I really enjoyed McGinnis's early books, so I'm glad that I stuck it out to the end. It was an interesting addition to the newest set of podcasting, detective, female ya lit main character books.

Mindy McGinnis has yet to disappoint me and so I was excited to get my hands on this. A solid 3.5 star read for me. Great humor and I loved the idea of a long stretch of bad days plus several mysteries being discussed on a podcast.

I don't read YA nearly as much as I used to, but I am glad I picked up this Mindy book. I love the podcast element of the book and the unlikely characters working together. There are a lot of themes that we see in present day news make way in this book, and I enjoyed it! The underlying plot of a long stretch of bad days was just as unique and a very Mindy story!

A Long Stretch of Bad Days follows Lydia Chass, a cutthroat student who will stop at nothing to be successful. Once she finds out that her guidance counselor forgot that she needed a history credit to graduate high school, Lydia teams up with Bristal Jamison, the resident bad girl, to up the ante on her podcast and earn that credit to graduate, as well as stir up some drama with the history of their small town and the period known as the “Long Stretch of Bad Days”, which holds secrets Lydia won’t stop trying to uncover.
The clashing of personalities with Lydia and Bristal was honestly what I liked most about this story. Lydia sort of lives in denial about her guerilla tactics for success, whereas Bristal just lays everything out in the funniest way possible and owns her darker side. You also learn through them not to judge a book by its cover, and to take time to understand why people are the way they are. As well as the importance of taking all small town gossip with a grain of salt.
The mysteries of Denise Halverson and Randall Boggs are interesting, and I do like the twist at the end of the book with who murdered them (or not), but I felt like there needed to be more happening throughout the story to build more tension about who did it, how they did it, and why. I also wanted more character interaction with some of the secondary characters, like Kenzie, Lydia’s best friend, who seemed to only appear when there needed to be tension with Bristal and Lydia, and I feel like there were plenty of other ways to build tension with all three of them and that Kenzie could’ve been used in more interesting ways if she’d been fleshed out. And it might’ve made the mystery more intriguing to me, because I’ll admit that I was only truly interested in the last 75 pages. I wish there’d been more to the mystery threaded throughout to make the ultimate reveal so much juicier.
But overall, I did like this story and I recommend it if you’re down for a murder mystery immersed in small town politics, as well as some snarky & fun characters.

This was my first ever Mindy McGinnis book and I was not disappointed. It follows Lydia Chass, an ambitious rule follower who will do anything to achieve her goals, including teaming up with Bristal Jamison, who comes from a notoriously rough family. The two work on a podcast together to get the history credit they both need to graduate, and form an unlikely friendship while digging up the town's long-buried past. What starts as a story about a tornado, flash flood and the town's only murder becomes a touching story about the people who slip through the cracks, and how they are often "teenage-girl shaped".

McGinnis balances a lot here, creating two characters I found myself rooting for against all odds. Lydia has a lot of learning to do about privilege, and Bristal is a great teacher. They are funny, badass and smart, in ways that balance each other out. This is a book about a solving a murder, but its more about Lydia pushing her pre-conceived notions aside and letting her angry, sometimes mean, side out.. I liked it a lot, and I think teen readers will too. I do think its a little too mature for middle school readers, because of the heavy topics and a select few dirty jokes, but the lessons are important, and older teens should pick this up.

Ultimately, this would be great for fans of After Dark With Roxie Clark or even Sadie. I wish it wrapped up a little more at the end, but I really enjoyed it and thought it was a fast read. I'd totally read more about these girls making podcasts and solving mysteries.

I had some mixed feelings about how I was going to rate this one until the end. I loved Lydia and Bristol's friendship, and how different they were. I loved the excerpts from the podcast and the mystery that was surrounding that. Steven and his audiobooks is so cute as well. There were just a couple problems I had with the story in the middle of it dragging a little with nothing new to the mystery being added and at the beginning when the need for the historical podcasts is so present and then never talked about again. I also found it strange that Lydia was so focused on school and getting good grades but after the first couple conflicts at school, we never see her back there. I also liked the small town setting as well. Overall, this one was pretty good and the ending kind of redeemed some of the parts I didn't like for me.

I was super intrigued by the premise of this book and I heard great things about the author, Mindy McGinnis, even though I've never actually read one of her works. And I can see why she's popular: "A Long Stretch of Bad Days" is a very well-written book with a complex mystery and interesting characters. I really enjoyed Lydia as a protagonist - daughter of rich parents whose family more or less built the town and made it into what it is today. She struggles more and more with the pressure that comes with being part of such a family and dealing with the expectations of them, though I admit that her struggles felt very surface-level at times and I wished for a little more. She does get outshined by Bristal, the second big character, once she is introduced. She's a loud, unapologetic girl from the "bad side" of town, her family mostly known for being poor and criminals. I adored her and felt like her issues were handled in a deeper way. The development of their relationship once they start working on a podcast together really makes the book.

Said podcast is supposed to be an accounting of the titular long stretch of bad days, a week in the past of the town where not only a tornado destroyed huge parts of it but also a yet to be solved murder took place. It's an intriguing mystery, and Lydia and Bristal primarily want to find out the truth about the unsolved murder.
That they do actually find new information was a bit of a stretch considering they came by them very easily, as in, it's surprising that noone else seems to have found it before these two teenage girls, even with forces actively working against them. It also becomes more and more obvious what happened as the story goes on, and the final twist is very, very obvious so I was actually hoping it wouldn't happen. I read the exact same twist many times before.
Still, it's an engaging, fast-paced read that shines mostly through its characters and its commentary on class, wealth inequality and privilege. I admittedly was more invested in these themes than the actual mystery in the end.

Mindy McGinnis writes my absolute favorite young adult thrillers. This is a strong and shocking story following two small town girls uncovering a long buried secret. The podcast element was reminiscent of Sadie by Courtney Summers in the best way. I'm interested to know what the audiobook will be like because I see a lot of potential. Overall, I would definitely recommend this to readers who are looking for something fresh and fast-paced.

A solid mystery that subtlety explores issues of class and socioeconomic status.

No one else is doing what Mindy McGinnis is doing. Every book of hers is so different, often writing across different genres, but her last couple have been so strong. There's no focus on romance or high school drama in her books. Instead her books look at the people who are rarely present in books - the families from the "wrong side" of town, the ones who screw up, the ones who don't have money. Her books feel real and they are filled with fully formed characters. Often her characters are far from perfect - they are deeply flawed - but you can't help but root for them.

In A Long Stretch of Bad Days, McGinnis focuses on class discrepancies while distracting you with a mystery set in a small Ohio town. Two teens are trying to tell the story of a week in 1994 when the town was hit with several tragedies - including a murder and a missing person that everyone is fine to just leave unsolved. McGinnis asks who deserves justice? The person who was murdered was not well-liked and the missing person was a troublemaking foster kid.

The heart of the story is Lydia and Bristal's friendship. They shouldn't work - Lydia comes from old money and a powerful family. Bristal is from "the wrong side of the tracks" and her family is known for being in jail and getting pregnant young. But Bristal is the moral compass of this story, despite what society would force you to believe. I love that they formed a bond and they accepted each other for their flaws - sure they poke fun at each other, but you could tell from the beginning that they are laughing with each other not at each other.

Like all good mysteries, this one leaves breadcrumbs for you along the way. Ones you don't realize until the twist happens and then you want to go back and see what you missed. This has a satisfying ending, that despite all the darkness, offers hope.

Another win for McGinnis. I’m convinced she’s incapable of writing a bad book.

From childhood, Lydia had her life planned – a prestigious journalism program, preferably at an Ivy League school – and she’s been building her application for years. After learning she’s a credit short of graduating (drunkenschool counselor error), she’s allowed to use her local history podcast to fill the requirement. Bristal Jamison, from the other side of the tracks, is also short a credit, and Lydia invites Bristal to join her in the podcast. Lydia leads a privileged life and is profoundly unaware not everyone’s consists of sunshine and roses. Bristal’s family reputation is less than stellar, and she’s used to people assuming the worst about her (okay, some things might be true, but no, she’s not pregnant). Lydia’s blinders falling off makes for a fantastic character arc.

As the girls research and investigate the week their town was hit by a tornado, flash flood, and the discovery of the first ever murder victim, inconsistencies are uncovered. Then the threats begin – comments on their podcast, a brick thrown through a window, and a fire on the front lawn. Small towns always seem to have deeply buried secrets – and the surprising twist at the end confirms it.

This is a compelling mystery, but it’s also filled with humor and snark. Bristal steals every scene she’s in, and her podcasts are hilarious. As the story unfolds, Lydia’s layers are revealed – and she may not be the perfect student everyone believes.

If you enjoy cold cases, small town secrets, and mysteries combined with snark and humor, add this one to your list.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Unlike so many YA authors, Mindy McGinnis gets small town, rural characters right. Lydia and Bristal aren’t waiting around for someone to swoop in and save them. These two strong and smart young women find themselves in need of one history credit to graduate, after the adults who are supposed to be looking out for them, fail to do so for the sake of politeness and protecting secrets. In order to make up the credit they need, the girls embark on a journey to tell the story of their small town in a series of podcasts. Their work uncovers a web of secrets, lies, and deception that shine a light on the power of privilege and the danger of hiding the truth.

I want to thank NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.

I have enjoyed all the books I've read by the author. And she did not disappoint with this one. It is a great story with characters that you care what happens to them. It's a page turner that I didn't want to put down once I started reading it. If you like any other books by the author, you will love this one. Highly recommend!

Mindy McGinnis has been an auto-buy for me ever since I read The Female of the Species and fell in love with her raw, unrelentless prose. I’ve followed her across genres and never have been let down. This was my first time receiving an ARC for a McGinnis novel and so I was very excited. Now, McGinnis is known for edgy novels where batshit crazy things happen and I dig that. Perhaps because her latest novel last year was The Last Laugh (which was incredibly crazy and awesome), this novel was more of a slowburn thriller mystery. However, it did have the usual McGinnis quirky characters (we all stan Bristal and the cat Uneven Steven) so it was still a fun ride.

Every small town has its secrets, and Henley does too. Aspiring journalist Lydia and Bristal partner together when they both find out they’re missing a credit in order to graduate. They decide to do a podcast together that will have them investigate what exactly happened during the “stretch of bad days” when a tornado hit the town and a girl went missing. But trying to find out what happened during that time might end up being more dangerous than both teens had bargained for. The mystery was compelling and the characters were worth rooting for. If you love mysteries, small-town thrillers, and true crime podcasts, then this novel is for you.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Katherine Tegen Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This absolutely pulls you in from the very first page!

We meet Lydia a girl who has to place nice because she has a well known last name in the town who gets thrown into hot water because of people wanting to push things under the rug instead of confronting them head on. But then we meet Bristal, a fierce girl who takes no crap from anyone and is also stuck in the same boat as Lydia due to the school wanting to hide the problem instead of confronting it. So they're given a choice work together on a podcast about the towns long stretch of bad days or figure out another way to get a history credit. They find themselves not only learning more about the history of the town but also finding out about a missing girl that disappeared during the week of bad days. Truly it's an amazing read and I definitely did not see all the plot twists coming that appeared. Being from the town Henley is based on it was a nice mention of a couple of natural disasters that we did live through (just not at the same time and not the same year thankfully) It was also delightful to see names mentions of people who are big players in the real town of "Henley". Personally I would have loved a couple more hundred pages or so to get more of Bristal's backstory and more information about the missing girl. A wonderful read for anyone who's a sucker for a murder mystery but also has a love for history as well.

Every town has it's secrets and Henley is no different.

It's one of these secrets that will set Lydia, an aspiring journalist, on a path that will change the lives of everyone in town.

Partnering with Bristal, the town's outcast, they'll investigate the history of "a long stretch of bad days," a series of events that left it's mark on the town. But during their investigation, they'll discover a possible missing persons cover-up and shed new light on the dark events of the past.

Every family has an odd-ball, but Bristal has an entire family! I love them with all their oddities! They truly add life to the story that truly makes it unique.

I'd love to see a sequel, years in the future, where our heroines come together to solve another compelling mystery!

I eat up Mindy McGinnis's books like candy and this one was no exception! It had me stressed, laughing, all the emotions! I loved the characters and the banter.

Every town has it's secrets and Henley is no different.

It's one of these secrets that will set Lydia, an aspiring journalist, on a path that will change the lives of everyone in town.

Partnering with Bristal, the town's outcast, they'll investigate the history of "a long stretch of bad days," a series of events that left it's mark on the town. But during their investigation, they'll discover a possible missing persons cover-up and shed new light on the dark events of the past.

Every family has an odd-ball, but Bristal has an entire family! I love them with all their oddities! They truly add life to the story that truly makes it unique.

I'd love to see a sequel, years in the future, where our heroines come together to solve another compelling mystery!

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the ARC of this!

I have loved everything by Mindy McGinnis that I’ve read and this was no exception. I loved the true crime vibes, the opposites attract friendship, and the look at classism. Just a phenomenal read!

There’s no question that Mindy McGinnis is a talented author. Her YA books are thought provoking, entertaining, and contain a sort of chaotic chokehold that forces you to continue reading, manically flipping the pages until the very end. It’s quite a rush, and while this wasn’t my favorite from the author, it’s still a compelling read. The mystery didn’t seem as twisty as some of her past (although there is a twist near the end that was *chef’s kiss*), but I felt the discussion surrounding class and privilege, especially in a small town, is pivotal. If you’re looking for a fast paced read that will keep you glued until the final page, give this one a try.

I will read anything this author writes. I loved this book. I love Bristal and Lydia. I didn't see some of the twists coming. I didn't want to put the book down. This was the perfect YA mystery! I love books about podcasts. I highly recommend this one. Thank you to NetGalley and HaperCollins Children's book for this Earc in exchange for my honest review.