At around 30%, I LOVED this book.

The first 30%, however was one of the most confusing and horribly choppy writing I’ve read in a book. I truly almost DNF’d this book because I was worried the rest would continue with the weird writing style and confusing characters. This is the reason I rated this book 4 stars in an otherwise 5 star book.

Luckily, this book picked up significantly and seemed like someone completely different started to write it. It was chilling, claustrophobic, and suspenseful. One by one the group starts to die by an unknown killer. Where were their parents?!

This book had multiple point of views. At first, it was confusing but I started to pick up who was who. While I found that the killer wasn’t all that twisty, based on something that was said throughout the book (I won’t spoil it), I still started to fall for the red herrings. The ending was NOT expected and further pushed the horror aspect of the story.

I am so glad I stuck with this one as I ended up enjoying it immensely! Highly recommend.

I really liked the concept of this book, but it just fell a bit flat for me. The writing of this story confused me quite a bit as it just kept jumping back and forth between people’s points of view and I couldn’t figure out whose point of view it was. The writing was also a bit choppy, and switched between the present and the past, which was quite confusing. Other than that, I liked the story and found it to be a pretty good horror/ mystery book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC.

I love the cover and the idea behind it. unfortunately it didn't give me what I was looking for in a horror. there's a lot of descriptions that I feel are unnecessary. I usually love reading multiple posts of view but for some reason I just couldn't follow along with this one. over all I enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer is.
thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this arc better late than never I suppose

I requested this book because of the interesting synopsis. I will admit that I struggled with this one. The writing was so broken up, and I feel like the plot was not as strong as it could have been. The idea behind the book was good, but I feel like it could have been written better. I will read more from this author to see how they progress with their novels.

Thank you Net Galley ARC

I dare you to read this at home alone at night, next to a dark window. It was so spooky, I wanted to stop before the next gruesome death, but I couldn't put it down until the end!

I hate when I can easily guess the culprit of a whodunit, and by now it's hard to find mysteries I can't guess. But Jones masterfully drops clues and misdirection that led me right into his trap. I did guess the culprit at one point, but immediately fell for the misdirection Only in retrospect can I see the clues that gave me a fair shot at unraveling the mystery, and it all makes perfect sense.

Never Have I Ever by Hawker Jones, I really like this book except for the fact I thought they were way too many people in the book but a Halloween horror story is right up my alley and with the teens trying to figure out who is texting them and why was something I really enjoyed. It a small town in Michigan, eight friends and a killer or at first a potential killer on the loose. I do want to mention I really was surprised as to who the culprit was and think I may be losing my discernment because that has been happening a lot lately. As far as this book goes, I would definitely recommend it for a fast fun horror story.#NetGalley, #HawkerJones, #NeverHaveIEver,

I found the premise of this to be so exciting but the writing itself was so choppy I couldn't get into it.

This book wasn't my favorite read. The writing was very choppy and all over the place. The writer spent so much time on description that I got bored getting to the plot of the story. It felt as if a teenage girl had written it.

Wow! What a good YA whodunit! Absolutely loved this read- couldn't put it down!
Teen games and secrets! Everyone has them! You can't trust no one

Once captivated into the story it took you for a thrill ride. By far one of the best reads. Kept me on the edge of my seat the more I read!

Set in the small town of Willow Creek, Michigan, "Never Have I Ever" transforms a classic party game into a deadly challenge when eight teenagers receive anonymous texts demanding they reveal their darkest secrets. As players begin dying one by one, what starts as a threatening game evolves into a fight for survival.
The Good
Engaging Premise
The novel's central concept cleverly modernizes classic teen horror tropes by incorporating social media and text messaging into its narrative framework. The "Never Have I Ever" game provides an effective vehicle for exploring themes of secrets, trust, and teenage relationships.
Pacing and Suspense
The story hits its stride around the halfway mark, maintaining a gripping momentum through to its conclusion. The gradual unveiling of secrets creates genuine intrigue, while the mounting body count adds urgency to the narrative.
The Challenges
Character Overload
The early chapters suffer from introducing too many characters too quickly, making it difficult for readers to keep track of the large cast. This initial confusion eventually settles, but it creates a rocky start for readers.
Language Inconsistencies
A notable issue appears in the novel's vocabulary choices. The author's use of advanced vocabulary (particularly in the first fifth of the book) feels forced and unrealistic for teenage characters. While linguistic variety is admirable, the sophisticated word choices often break character authenticity and may alienate readers.
Plot Structure Issues
The narrative struggles with maintaining consistent character involvement. Key characters like Hikah inexplicably fade into the background after strong initial presence, while new characters appear late in the story with little explanation. The reveal of the killer's identity lacks proper foundation, leading to a conclusion that feels more confusing than satisfying.
Romance Elements
The romantic subplots tend toward the superficial, though this may be appropriate for the young adult target audience. These elements, while potentially appealing to younger readers, might feel underdeveloped to more mature audiences.
Writing Style
The author demonstrates skill in creating atmosphere and maintaining suspense, reminiscent of classic young adult horror series like Point Horror. The writing is generally polished and accessible, though occasionally marred by vocabulary choices that don't align with character voices.
Final Verdict
"Never Have I Ever" is a mixed success that will likely appeal to younger readers who enjoy thriller elements and don't mind some narrative inconsistencies. While the novel shows promise in its premise and ability to build tension, it struggles with character development and plot coherence.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Recommended for:

Fans of young adult thrillers
Readers who enjoy social media-integrated storytelling
Those nostalgic for 90s teen horror

May Not Appeal To:

Readers seeking complex character development
Those who prefer tightly plotted mysteries
Adults looking for sophisticated thriller elements

The novel ultimately reads like a modern take on classic teen horror, complete with both the genre's strengths (suspense, high stakes) and weaknesses (plot holes, character inconsistencies). While it may not satisfy more demanding readers, it provides enough thrills to entertain its target young adult audience.

The premise is promising. The execution is messy. I received a free eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC of this book.

The premise of this book sounded really interesting and it started out decent. Minus the fact that the author used at least 4 words in the first 19% that even I had to use my kindle dictionary for, and that teens, especially 3 or 4 separate ones, are highly unlikely to use. I get wanting to change up the words so you aren’t over using them, but they need to make sense for your characters. These just didn’t and so it felt a bit pretentious and alienating at those moments.

After that the first 40% or so was intriguing, but then it just started to drag out and become a bit convoluted.

Also, in the beginning Hikah was involved with the texts and then all of a sudden she was just a side person not part of it at all. Also, another random person is brought in at the last bit in passing.

Once we find out who the killer is it just makes no sense. Then two other side characters are randomly there, who knows why, and the ending just felt like a mess.

Never have I ever by Harker Jones
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I love horror and YA so was really looking forward to reading this book, I was hoping it was going to be like ‘scream’ crossed with ‘I know what you did last summer’ and ‘pretty little liars’ and the description it should have been, that and the cover really drew me in. Sadly thats where the excitement ends. It’s 3rd person written, which I personally struggle with, so it took me a lot longer than usual to read. That coupled with the fact that it was overly descriptive to the point it ruined the flow of the book for me. Not much happens for the first 3rd of the book, unfortunately it was really slow to get to anything that made me want to continue.
I’ve never DNF’d a book in my life and I don’t intend to start now, that being said I was close to putting it down. I loved the concept, not so much the execution. I pushed through and it does get better.

It’s set during the autumn and Halloween which helps set the scene for the creepy things that happen. There’s a lot of mentions of secrets and lies to be unravelled and honestly that’s what kept me reading. The twists were good and the secrets revealed throughout were decent too. The author builds enough suspense to make the conclusion worth waiting for.

It brought light to teenage angst and the struggle to fit in with your peers and showed us just how fragile the teen ego is. Overall I enjoyed this read once I got past the first 30% the more I read the more I enjoyed it.

I read this and then took a step back having not realized that it was YA. So while I don't typically read YA, horror or otherwise, they definitely read differently meaning YA's typically don't have as much depth and characters to easily follow along. However, in this book there were a lot of characters and didn't seem like too much was going on and also didn't get any feeling of dread that I should from a horror book.

I enjoyed the story - it reminded me of the Point Horror series from my youth. In the first few chapters it felt like there were too many characters and it was difficult to keep up. I also found the story lines of teenage crushes and love interests a little shallow and juvenile though I appreciate this is tailored to the intended market. I also liked the way the secrets unravelled. There was good sense of drama - the injection of pace from about half way through that carried through to the end was particularly successful, as was the ending.

I struggled to follow this book. I love the cover and the premise is great, but the style didn't work for me. If the synopsis sounds interesting to you, give it a go. It's YA.

I had trouble following the multiple POVs which usually isn't a problem for me, but the character descriptions here are sort of info dumps and then action and my brain forgot who we were on by the time we got into the action. This could be a me issue. So, don't let my struggle stop you from giving this a go.

2.5 Rounded Up because ARCs aren't final drafts.

I was really excited to read this book, based on the synopsis it sounded everything I love. Unfortunately I struggled so hard with the beginning, and it didn’t get any better. My biggest issue was the fact that we had so many POVs but they were all the same, I couldn’t distinguish between them.

Story: In the small town of Willow Creek, Michigan, a group of eight teenagers find themselves entangled in a deadly game of "Never Have I Ever." After receiving anonymous texts daring them to confess their deepest secrets, the game takes a sinister turn as the players start dropping dead one by one. With each death, the stakes get higher, forcing the remaining teens to question their friendships, trust, and darkest secrets.

My Thoughts:

Engrossing and Suspenseful: Jones expertly weaves a tale of mystery and suspense that will keep you hooked from start to finish. The fast-paced narrative, coupled with the chilling atmosphere, creates a sense of tension that lingers long after you turn the final page.
Compelling Characters: The characters are well-developed and complex, each with their own hidden secrets and motivations. Their interactions are realistic and believable, adding depth and authenticity to the story.
Unique and Innovative: The use of the "Never Have I Ever" game as a central plot device is clever and original. It provides a unique framework for exploring themes of trust, betrayal, and the consequences of our actions.
Well-Written and Polished: Jones's writing is polished and engaging, making the story easy to read and follow. The descriptions are vivid and evocative, creating a strong sense of setting and atmosphere.
Overall:

"Never Have I Ever" is a thrilling and suspenseful young adult novel that will appeal to fans of the genre. With its engaging characters, unique premise, and fast-paced narrative, it's a must-read for anyone looking for a thrilling and unforgettable read.

I decided to give this book a try knowing it was a YA novel. I enjoy a good horror/slasher movie and the synopsis. I thought my pre teen son might enjoy it after I read it. Unfortunately I don’t think he would make it thru it. I found it hard to understand the story line and where it was. There was way too many characters to keep track of. I found it too be all over the place. The author should have stuck more to one character.
I unfortunately wasn’t a fan at all