I am a big fan of this author and was excited to read her latest novel. This book fulfilled and exceeded all of my high expectations! Ichaso created a deeply atmospheric setting where I was instantly immersed in the abandoned beach resort. I loved the parallel plot points of the murder twenty years ago with the supposed "accidental" death in the current timeline. I also loved the suspense of being followed by someone who knows the truth, similar to "I Know What You Did Last Summer." I was on the edge of my seat and enjoyed every thrilling page!

The story begins in a small town haunted by a murder from twenty years ago, along with a curse that won’t let go—this YA mystery grabbed my attention right away! When a group of teens starts investigating the death of a classmate, they soon realize the dark truths surrounding the crime are far more dangerous than they could have imagined.

The plot is fast-paced, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I couldn’t put it down, and just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist hit me out of nowhere! YA thrillers always pull me in, and this one was no exception. With plenty of secrets, tension, and even a touch of romance, this book is everything I love in a suspenseful read.

The narration was top-notch! Jennifer Jill Araya did an amazing job bringing the story’s suspense and tension to life. She perfectly captured the eerie mood of the setting and conveyed the emotions of the characters with such authenticity. From Eden’s inner struggles to the haunting atmosphere, Jennifer’s voice made everything even more intense and immersive. With her ability to switch between different voices—male and female, young and old—each one felt distinct and real, making the story come alive.

If you’re into fast-paced YA mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, this is a must-read (and must-listen)! It’s a gripping page-turner that will keep you hooked until the very last twist. I highly recommend We Were Warned to anyone who enjoys creepy small towns, shady characters, a suspenseful vibe, and a group of teens working together to unravel a town’s dark secrets.

Twenty years ago, a brutal murder shut down Fairport village. A mother was accused of killing her son, and before she could stand trial, she took her own life in jail. Ever since, the abandoned property has been plagued by eerie whispers - some say Mrs. Blackmore's spirit still lingers, cursing anyone who dares to trespass.

Eden never expected to be part of the story. But when she helps a classmate film a documentary about Fairport's haunted past, she ends up at the ruins on the same night as the senior party. What should have been a night of legend hunting and cheap thrills ends with one of their classmates dead. The police are quick to call it an accident, but Eden knows what she saw.

After that night, something feels off. Eden can't shake the feeling that she's being watched - and she's not alone. Her former friends feel it too. If they want to survive, they need to uncover the truth about what really happened at Fairport Village. But after everything they've done to her, can Eden trust them? Or will they leave her to face a killer alone?

This book was creepy, intense, and impossible to put down! I absolutely devoured it, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. The eerie atmosphere, the slow-building dread, and the constant sense of something lurking in the shadows had me hooked. Chelsea Ichaso once again delivers a YA thriller packed with tension and twists that kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page. Overall, I gave this book 5 stars and HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you love fast-paced mysteries with high stakes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up

This book really kept me guessing until the end. I didn't see that ending coming.
The author weaves a complex story, where every person could be guilty. There are a lot of characters to get to know. New people were constantly popping up! The author did a great job crafting a creepy atmosphere. I enjoy thrillers that involve old mansions on cliff-sides!

I found Eden to be a likable character. I think young readers will find her relatable. Her budding romance with Caleb was woven throughout the story. Some of Caleb’s dialogue was a bit stilted, but he was still an enjoyable character.

If you are looking for a compulsive YA thriller with a touch of romance, then I recommend picking this book up!

3.5 rounded down

Eden Stafford, rejected by her peers because of a family scandal, reluctantly attends a party for local high school seniors at an abandoned resort that is shrouded in a dark deadly local lore. When a student unexpectedly dies at the party, Eden suspects foul play, but the death is ruled a suicide. Feeling like she is being stalked by a stranger, Eden is forced to team up with her former enemies to uncover the truth about the resort. She must decide if she can trust them or risk facing the killer alone.

It is a good YA thriller with fun twists and insufferable characters. I found this plot and setting to be really engaging, and the twists to be exciting if not slightly rushed when revealed. I predicted some of this but definitely not all. I read this quickly as the mystery kept me wanting to come back, and it was fun trying to figure out if this was going to be a realistic mystery or a supernatural occurrence. However, the relationship between the two main characters was so annoying. I hate a "will they/won't they" romance, especially when it interrupts my thriller books! There is a way to write teenage characters who are more likeable than they were in this book. And with that being said, the adult characters might have been worse. This was my first Chelsea Icasho book, and while it didn't blow me away, I liked it enough to come back to this author in the future! If you are a fan of Karen McManus, you will likely enjoy this one too.

This was a delightfully spooky YA thriller. I love murder mysteries with paranormal elements woven in during the story.

Eden Stafford goes to a party in an abandoned beach resort where a horrific murder happened 20 years ago. Another murder occurs and she and her friends start being stalked by a dark ghostly figure.
This was a great story that I hated to put down.
Thanks NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for this eARC that will be released March 2025!

I really enjoyed this book. I am definitely not a youth but the YA aspects and characters of this book were still intriguing. I loved the paranormal and haunting aspects of the book and the romance behind the main story was good as well.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

This started fairly slow for me but did build on the pacing towards the 25% mark. I really enjoyed the friendship group dynamic and the writing style. I really love a small town mystery type book and this had all the hallmarks of that! There was just something missing for me for it to be REALLY good, but it’s still a quick, enjoyable YA thriller!

We Were Warned is a gripping YA thriller that delivers suspense and intrigue from start to finish. The pacing is spot-on, keeping the tension high, while the eerie atmosphere and compelling mystery make it hard to put down. The story masterfully keeps you guessing about the killer’s identity until the very end.

That said, I would have loved more insight into the adult characters earlier in the book, as their backgrounds felt like a missing piece of the puzzle. Additionally, I wish the FMC had been able to fully uncover the answers to her lingering questions by the end. Despite this, the novel remains a chilling and addictive read that thriller fans will enjoy.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Fire for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

We Were Warned by Chelsea Ichaso is a thriller about deaths at an abandoned village.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The grounds of Fairport Village have seen death.  In the 1800's, a plague struck the area. Years later, the area was built up.  Twenty-five years ago, Nicolas Blackmore was murdered, apparently by his deranged mother, although she never admitted it, nor was the weapon found.  Before killing herself, she cursed anyone that would trespass on the land.  It is said she haunts the Village, which has become a ruin with recent plans to be bulldozed.

Ten years ago, Fairport high senior class held the first over-nighter on the grounds of the ruins.  Farah Palmer did not survive that night.  Two years ago, Esther Lamb was dead on the site.  There was a note attached to her body that said that "they had been warned".

Eden Stafford is working with Henry De Rossi on a documentary about Fairport Village before the ruins are bulldozed. Although she doesn't really want to be there, she needs the money Henry promised.   The pair soon realize that another over-nighter of kids from school are there, among them the bullies that have made Eden the butt of their jokes since her father had cheated a number of co-owners of a cleaning company, and then run away. 

But when another body is found dead on the site, police rule it as a suicide.  Eden and her group of tormenters know this isn't true, and they will have to work together to find the murderer, because they are being watched.  But Eden doesn't know who to trust.

 
My Opinions:
Yes, this is definitely aimed at the YA crowd, sappy teenaged romance and all.  But the story was still good.

The premise of the story was very good.  It was very atmospheric, very creepy.

The characters could have been a little deeper, their backgrounds were a little under-developed.  I did like both Eden and Caleb, but the others were somewhat shallow (both in the writing, and their personality).

Even though it has been many decades since I have been a member of the YA crowd,  I still read quite a number of books aimed at those readers, and I try to rate them fairly.  This was a fast and entertaining read.

Eden lives near an abandoned beach resort where several teens were found dead over the years. Now, one of Eden’s classmates ends up dead at the resort, and Eden fears her classmate’s death was not an accident. What is really going on and who will end up dead next?

This was an enjoyable YA mystery thriller. I liked the writing and the story was fast-paced and entertaining. I liked the creepy atmosphere and the mystery. I liked the main character but a lot of the side characters got on my nerves. The ending was crazy and very unbelievable. Overall, this was an entertaining read and I look forward to reading this author’s other books.

I think YA mystery/thriller fans will enjoy this book.

3.5⭐️

Creepy, fast-paced, and full of twists, We Were Warned is a fun YA thriller with plenty of suspense. When Eden gets stuck at the abandoned Fairport Village during a party, a student ends up dead—fueling rumors of the town’s deadly curse. Now, she and her worst enemies have to work together to figure out what really happened before they’re next.

The eerie setting adds to the tension, and while some twists were easy to guess, the mystery kept me engaged. A solid read for fans of spooky thrillers!

Thank you Chelsea Ichaso, Tantor Audio, Sourcebooks Fire, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

After reading and loving The Summer She Went Missing last year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Ichaso’s newest novel! I love a good YA read and this definitely hit that mark. I was hooked from the start and couldn’t put it down. I loved the local lore and the creepy house that it all stems from. This book definitely had me guessing on who the killer was and I honestly didn’t see the reveal coming. Eden was so sassy, I loved her little quips and her banter with Caleb was chef’s kiss. There were some questions that were left unanswered that I wished would’ve been addressed, but that epilogue I so enjoyed and how it tied things together.

Overall, I really enjoyed this YA thriller and can’t wait to read more from Ichaso!

I feel that Chelsea ichaso just gets it. This book I was so excited to read, a ghost, a town curse and bodies piling up! This follows Eden and her group of friends/nemesis's as they navigate the Blackmore curse. The story has love, horror; and a surprise twist that will leave you speechless.

“People sometimes say to live life with no regrets, but I’m not sure I agree. I want to keep looking ahead, to learn to forgive myself and others. But part of forgiving myself is accepting that I made a mistake. So I think it’s okay to have regrets. We pick up and move ahead, stronger and better versions of ourselves because of them.”

Over twenty years ago, the Blackmore matriarch murdered her son in a chilling case that rocked the town of Fairpoint. Now, the Blackmore curse hangs like a spectre over the town, condemning anyone who steps on the property to death. Since the first murder, two more women have died at the Blackmore mansion, and fear of the “curse” is reignited when another high school student is murdered. Eden Stafford, a high school senior turned social pariah after her father was the subject of a townwide scandal, is thrust into the mystery surrounding these murders. She was one of the last people to see one of the latest victims, her classmate Henry, alive. The other witnesses include the same kids who abandoned and ridiculed her after her father’s wrongdoing. Now, the unlikely crew is forced to band together to solve a decades-old mystery that threatens to take even more lives if they cannot get to the bottom of what (or who) is plaguing Fairpoint. As they work together, the teens must come to terms with dark family secrets, tragic loss, intense feelings, and a town and history they no longer recognize.

Unlike a lot of mystery-thrillers catered to young adult audiences, this book did not shy away from danger and incredibly high stakes. The deep-rooted uncertainty that the characters would actually be okay raised tension and made the novel nearly impossible to put down. The book isn’t without its lighthearted moments, though. A burgeoning romance between Eden and Caleb (one of Eden’s former friends turned bully turned reluctant ally) is a slight disruption to the narrative’s progression, but often a pleasant one (I mean, who doesn’t love a good friends-to-enemies-to-lovers subplot). Despite my appreciation for this developing relationship, some of the characters and side plots were underdeveloped, even those that were supposed to drive a lot of the mystery. Additionally, the pacing was at times inconsistent, lagging in the middle, but a desire to know the truth of the Fairpoint murders drove me just as it drove our main cast of characters. There were multiple jaw-dropping moments, and a shocking final reveal, but some explanations and character motivations were lacking in the final pages. Despite some bits of this plot murkiness, this twisty YA novel is an enthralling and haunting story that truly puts the “thrill” in “thriller.”

We Were Warned by @chelseaichaso

This is one of my favorite YA thriller authors. I read Dead Girls Can’t Tell Secrets about 2 years ago and loved it! So I was very excited when I found out she was writing another book!

This is was such a good pace thriller and the twist at the end 👌🏼 I really like the spooky seeming of the ruin and the rumors of it! Eden is the talk of the school gossip and made a target after a scandal. She attends a party at the ruins and things start to happen, like dead classmates. Skeptical about trusting Caleb, Eden and Caleb start to find out if it really was an accident. Will they be next or will they find the killers?

💭QOTD: Are there any haunted places near you?

Ratings:
⭐️: 3.5/5
📖: 368
📚: YA mystery/ thriller
✏️: 3/4/25

Thank you @netgalley , @chelseaichaso , and @sourcebooks fire

Ichaso is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA writers due to the creepiness and compelling narrative of her work.

We Were Warned is spectacularly spooky, creepy from start to finish and a wonderfully twisted mystery-thriller. This was a read that I felt tense during and was incredibly hard to put down.

I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of young adults who are trying to work through their rocky history together and distrust of each other to solve the mystery.

Caleb and Eden are particularly refreshing and I believed the romance subplot and cheered for them.

I didn't suspect the murderers. I did, however, enjoy their method of using supernatural appearances (black hooded figures stalking other characters) as a mask.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eden Stafford is dealing with a ton of personal drama when she gets roped into a party at the creepy, abandoned Fairport Village, a place with a dark history of death and curses. Things go south fast when someone ends up dead, and Eden has to team up with her long-time tormentors, including Caleb, the guy who made her life miserable. The suspense and mystery were fun, and I liked the idea of uncovering dark secrets, but some of the characters and twists didn’t hit quite as hard as I hoped. Still, it’s a solid, entertaining story if you’re in the mood for a quick, spooky read!

Thank you NetGalley! Typical Young Adult novel that I enjoy. I really felt for the main character and her struggles. This was my first book by this author