Such a great story !
A quick read but page turner. I was surprised to love it so much because it’s written in verse and I was expecting to not like it but I did.
We feel every emotion from the character.

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

I was under the impression that this was an epistolary work and I did not enjoy the scattered, freeform poetry, although that may be a testament to my particular tastes. It reminded me of Clap When You Land, and I didn't like that format either. I prefer to keep my novels poetry-free.

My one star rating is not a commentary of the quality of the subject matter the novel revolves aroud, it only reflects that the work did not suit my particular tastes and that I also did not enjoy the author's poetry.

I loved this book. What a surprise.
Highly recommend it to everyone who loves a good mystery book with so dense characters.

"I am in charge of who I am. I get to shape my own narrative."

One incredibly powerful and impactful novel in verse I have read in awhile. Families aren't always perfect. We truly do not know what goes on behind closed doors. Evil isn't inherently genetic. You have the choice to make yourself into whatever you choose, regardless of your environment. Bravo to my fellow School Librarian @paigeclassey for her debut YA Novel in Verse. This is one that will stay with me for a while. @west44books Thanks @netgalley for the Arc!

This book had a really unique story line and I was super excited to read it and was very grateful to receive an ARC of it!
I loved Maybeth and Lex’s and appreciate the representation of a single mom raising her daughter
I was a little confused by the formatting of this story as well as the fact that it is not a full length book. I feel like with some editing, if this were to be made into a longer book, it would be really interesting

I rec'd a free E-ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So ... Honestly ... This was great! The story is short, yet compelling. I feel like every page was purposefully written, and drove the plot forward.

I was actually quite surprised by the ending, but I like a bit of a twist!

Overall, this story was well-paced, had a good balance of information and action, and I would definitely read from this author again!

| This book was really surprising for me! With a first-person narrative and written in verse, Paige Classy showed that each line of this book was not written in vain.
| In his magnificent work, we meet Maybeth, a high school student who is currently lives only with her mother, receiving a visit from two police officers in her house, wanting to question them some information about Ed. Morris - her father. Faced with the fact that they suspect about her dad being a possible serial killer, Maybeth finds herself in a complicated situation, where she will have to weigh her love for his dad and the and justice for the truth.
| Being written in verses, the reading was really quick and the content was approached in a very interesting way to keep the reader curious and entertained. It is important to emphasize that the book addresses topics that It can be triggers for some people, so the need to check it before reading is crucial.
| I particularly felt that this book had a very positive impact for me, several phrases captivated me and were a reason for me to stop reading just to highlight them. The book conveys a very intense and extremely important message for all of us.

It was definitely worth every minute of reading!

I wanted to love this book. The hi/low format and verse writing is what drew me in. Quick reads are always a win in my book. However, this book felt unfinished. One moment, you’re reading about her turning over her information on her dad, and the next there is a massive jump in time. Although the author mentions closure in the situation with her dad after the time jump, the ending just feels rushed. The overall story is a great concept and I think if given a bit more substance, this could be at least a 4 star read!

Thank you to West44 for the ARC! This verse story was a quick read but it packed a punch. The author gets you invested right from the beginning, getting you in Maybeth's head and allowing you to experience events unfolding right alongside her.

“Her eyes say, ‘Remember me.’”
👩🏻‍🎓
It’s Maybeth’s senior year and she’s doing well. She’s on track to be the valedictorian and is working a part-time job. She absolutely refuses to end up like her mom: pregnant at 19 and working a dead end job after your ex-husband leaves. But when the police show up on her doorstep saying her father is wanted for investigation, Maybeth falls down a rabbit hole wondering what he’s wanted for and could that evil be inside her.
👩🏻‍🎓
I was asked by the author to read and review this honestly and I could not have better things to say about it. @paigeclassey has written a gut-wrenching YA novel in verse that held my attention from beginning to end. I teared up several times and my only complaint is that I wish I was longer! Fans of #book Sadie and the show Big Sky will love this one. This title releases by @west44books TODAY! Happy book birthday Paige! Thank you @netgalley for this ARC.

CW: murder, asphyxiation, death, serial killer

A fast paced short story told in verse that will it tugging at your heart strings as you follow along with are who are parents really who we are and how do we determine that for ourselves?

Thank you #NetGalley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I got into this book very quickly but by the end I was left wanting more. I understand this is Maybeth's story but I really wanted more depth and detail especially as things began to unfold It has a solid message and would make a good introduction to books in verse.

I love a collection that is a novella. The story these pieces share is incredible, I couldn’t stop reading.

Maybeth’s father hd been gone for years, so when the police show up to question her and her mother on his whereabouts, Maybeth can’t bring herself to believe her father could be the lead suspect in a string of murders. If her father is a murderer, what does that make her?

What a great first read of the new year. Quick, simple, quality characters and a plot that showed up. Maybeth was a well developed MC and was like any child trying to only think positively of her father. The whole time you could feel the weight of the question to stick by your family, or do the right thing. The book was written in a beautiful verse style and had a wonderful flow to it.

The book is absolutely breathtaking, I finished reading this one in one sitting though. One of my favorite books at this moment.

I really liked this. The way we could feel the main characters emotions because of what was going on in her life and the wanting to believe that what was happening was a lie, made of this a book everyone should read. Because, most people won't relate to what she is going through exactly, but we have all been there, in a place where we know that what other people are saying might be true but we will move mountains to try and prove them wrong so our life doesn't change drastically..

This copy was sent to me by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

One of my favorite elements of reading is the opportunity to live a variety of lives, without changing a single thing about who I am. I can put on a disguise and play the role of the main character, feeling what they feel, seeing what they see, knowing what they know. Recently I had the pleasure of stepping into the shoes and mind of Maybeth, a college bound teenager living a mostly normal life with her single mother, until they receive a strange visit from the police. This small town mayhem is Paige Classey's "Everything You Left Me".

Written entirely in verse, "Everything You Left Me" is a poetic juggernaut that lulls its readers into wondering how well they know the people deemed by society as "close to us", while simultaneously giving the gentle reminder that not all of those people come from our present circumstances. As Maybeth learns, the past doesn't always stay there. While Classey sews together a story packed with suspense and paranoia, main character Maybeth allows us a glimpse into her memories hidden away classically, in a shoe box. The story progresses, detailing each momento, but then the dots start.....connecting. What could possibly be in Maybeth's box?!

I absolutely loved this book. It was a quick and easy read which only added to the insurmountable, fast paced dread created by Classey's twist. This little debut that could, is a full blown champion.

Thanks again to Paige Classey, West 44 Books, and Netgalley for this arc. It was a ride well worth taking!

Everything You Left Me – Paige Classey – (2023)
This is a courageously written short story debut written in poetry verse. In the opening of this startling collection readers are introduced to Marybeth Morris who lives with her single mother in the small town of Jolene in an unnamed state. The police arrive at their door, searching for the whereabouts of her father Edward Leroy Morris. The police officers seem very cautious and decline to say what “crime” her father is involved in. Marybeth hasn’t seen her absent father since she was eight years old—and obviously something terrible has happened. As her mother lights a cigarette, she muses it must be related to a theft, maybe check fraud. But the truth is far beyond anything they could fathom or comprehend.
Marybeth remembers her father well and treasures the memories of riding in the cab of his eighteen-wheeler, the wonderful pink bicycle he gave her for Christmas. He told her how smart she was, and she would go to college with a “C”. Marybeth was in high school now, graduating at the top of her class. There was the keepsake box, under her bed, where she had kept all the postcards her father had sent her from the road. It was all she had left of him.
“But my heart cries:/donuts/the bike/college with a capital “C” baby girl/He called you/He loves you/He needs your help.”
In these searing articulate verses, Marybeth eventually realized that she would never be defined by the trauma and horror contained in her keepsake box. Not recommended for children, only YA readers (plus) due to the sensitive subject matter. ** With thanks to west44books via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

Thank you NetGalley and West 44 Books!

Everything You Left Me is written in verse which makes this a super quick read. This being such a clean and simple mystery it really is the perfect pallet cleanser!