Two mysteries lie at the heart of Rocky Hirajeta’s fine novel. The first regards the identity of a killer, whom the protagonist, high school senior Natalie, witnesses disposing of a body in the river. But there is a deeper one, too, concerning the emotional and spiritual rut in which Natalie finds herself stuck after the death of her father. Not only is Hirajeta’s book beautifully written, it also captures the sense of desperation and longing that many YA novels miss.

I’m giving this 3.5 stars. I didn’t hate this book. It was a fast paced read and it was well written. I think the only thing that kept me from really falling into the story was how unlikely so much of it is. Not the story itself or what happens or who it involves, but more so the actions of individual characters throughout the book. It often felt like people (especially the parents) were consistently making decisions that people wouldn’t realistically.
Overall it was a good read and would probably be great for an in flight read since it’s a quick Inez

This is a brilliantly crafted (if slightly unrealistic at times) YA mystery/thriller, with a great depth of storytelling and characters; clever twists and dark secrets throughout make for a really enjoyable and easy read. Themes of grief, friendship and growing up bolster the story fantastically.

"What the River Buries" by Rocky Hirajeta is a gripping and suspenseful novel that keeps you on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Seventeen-year-old Natalie is struggling with her father's death. She retreats to the off-limits Acres, a woodland where she finds solace in photography and sketching. But one night, her peaceful refuge is shattered when she witnesses something she can't ignore. As a high school teacher this also would be a great novel for some of my older students who love a thriller. Hirajeta's writing is fast paced and suspenseful, with well-crafted plot twists. The setting of the novel is atmospheric and evocative, with an eerie and foreboding backdrop to the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Rocky Hirajeta for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was excellently written! I felt I was right there with the characters working out the mystery with them. There were so many twists and turns, it had me saying “one more chapter” over and over!

Though this is not a genre I read regularly, I must admit I did have a bit of struggle suspending my disbelief for some of what happens in this book. However, the author creates great tension and suspense mixed with easy descriptive language. He does a great job developing his complex main character, even if I did want to shake her by the shoulders several times. The resolution really ties in her motivations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Natalie is a 17 yr old girl that feels rudderless. One night as she visits in an abandoned area called The Acres, she stumbles upon a man discarding a body. it propels her into the middle of a mystery to figure out who the dead woman was, and who killed her.

Let me say that I didn't hate this book. I thought that the writing style was good and the pacing was okay. What I didn't like was how implausible the whole story was. It didn't feel authentic or natural. Knowing how implausible it all was, I couldn't keep my head in the story. I didn't think the parents would just jauntily agree to let their children investigate this murder. I didn't think the villain of the book would be so easy to find and just be so open about being the bad guy. There were too many things that kept me going "yeah, that would never happen" for me to enjoy this book fully, and that was my biggest problem with it.

Amazing debut novel!

The plot holds the readers' attention, and the characters are well-developed. I appreciate that the mystery of who the perpetrator was wasn't revealed too early in the book as this is an issue I have found in the past.

Hirajeta's debut novel is a captivating YA mystery that flips from poignant to thrilling and back again. The story was compelling and had me flipping pages, eyes wide and eager, but the lovingly crafted characters were what really made this memorable. Natalie, Marisa, and their companions are richly drawn, complex characters who felt as real as flesh and blood.

The prose was gorgeous and poetic at times, breakneck fast and thrilling at others.

I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to see what Hirajeta does next.

Book Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
What The River Buries
By Rocky Hirajeta
Pub date: 3/21/2023
Level Best Books

This debut novel is fast paced, descriptive with twists, turns, and deep relationships. I liked it a lot. There were a few niggles in some parts but nothing that was major.

Seventeen year old Natalie struggles with coming to terms with the death of her father, high school grades, and recently losing her job.

One night Natalie goes to her place of comfort to de stress. It’s an off-limits section of woods near the river. She goes there to sketch and unwind. This night is different because she stumbles upon a black masked tattooed man wrapping up a body in a tarp. She has her camera and snaps a photo alerting the man with the sound of the shutter. Natalie escapes to safety at her home. She realizes her sketchbook is missing from her back pack. But, mysteriously it is left on her doorstep with a threatening note to not get the police involved.
Natalie’s friend, Marisa, helps her try to get evidence but things get dicey as the girls uncover more details.
They must involve not only their parents, but the police to solve the crime.

Thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for this eARC to read for an honest review.

@netgalley @rockyhirajeta#netgalley #rockyhirajeta
#ya #thriller #suspense #bookstagram #bookreview

When Nat tries to take some photos in the woods at night, what she witnesses will put her and her loved ones in danger. This gripping, twisty thriller is fast-paced; trust me, you'll be holding your breath the entire last third of the book. The characters are relatable and feel real, the voices jump off the page, and the story will make you think twice about being in the woods alone at night. Highly recommend!

This book surprised me in the absolute best way possible. I really loved it, and I couldn’t stop reading! Finished it in a day.

I love when a book pulls me in from the start and makes me so desperate to know what happens that I stay up past my bedtime! This was well-written and suspenseful, without being gratuitously violent.
It had a YA teen sleuthing vibe which made for an easy read. Loved it!

This is going to be one of the top thriller books of the year. I loved it that much. This was a nail biter and I could not put it down.
I just reviewed What the River Buries by Rocky Hirajeta. #WhattheRiverBuries #NetGalley
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The pacing at the beginning was slow for me, but I liked the last third of the book. The one thing I really appreciated was Natalie's agency through the story. She took action and tried to figure things out and come up with solutions.

Rich story, atmospheric setting, and a troubled teen embroiled solving a mystery. So details this book threw sRich story, atmospheric setting, and a troubled teen embroiled in solving a mystery. So many details in this book threw me straight back to high school, but in addition to dealing with teachers, jobs, and friends, Natalie is also dealing with the death of her father *and* trying to make sense of what she saw in the woods one night. Full of twists and turns, What the River Buries is a fantastic read for those looking for YA filled with suspense!

What a fantabulous debut! I mean, WOW!! Seriously. This is, no doubt, one of the best debuts I have ever read. Excellent storytelling, well-paced storyline, likable characters (gives you Nancy Drew vibes), a mystery to keep you guessing till the end, multiple twists and turns, and a mind-blowing ending. Rocky Hirajeta, you are the BEST!

Natalie might be an amateur sleuth as this is her first case. But she's a gifted investigator. She crosses the line many a times, all right. Gets caught at times too. But what matters is, at the end of the day, she wants to bring justice to the woman who was buried in the woods.

There are so many twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end. Excellent character portrayal - I loved Natalie the best. The killer's identity is revealed halfway through but Natalie must find proof. This isn't as easy as it sounds, as they are hell bent on making sure Natalie doesn't find any.

I read this book in one sitting - it was THAT good. I enjoyed every bit of it - storytelling is simply brilliant. The mystery kept me guessing till the end.

The first novel by Rocky Hirajeta holds all the qualities of suspense the reader is looking for. The plot holds the readers' attention, and the characters are well-developed. Because of the mystery and the suspense, you'll want to keep turning the pages. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for copy to read and review.

I really enjoyed Rocky Hirajeta's debut novel. It was a fast paced suspenseful mystery, I was able to read it all in one session. Sometimes you just have to know what happened.

The author's writing style was very depictive and had a nice flow, I felt like I could picture the events of the story as they happened.

Natalie the MC was handed more than any 17 year old girl should have to deal with, I admired her spunk and determination.

I would definitely recommend giving this book a read!

Thank You Net Galley for allowing me to read a copy of this book!

I really enjoyed this book, if you liked the A Good Girls Guide to Murder series you will definitely enjoy this a lot! I loved the character development of Natalie (the MC) through the events from ferociously independent, and a little bit difficult, to a much more mature and well rounded person. Dealing with her fathers death was a heartbreaking subplot that was dealt with really nicely too. I would definitely recommend this book!