Beckett Bowery has avoided Wyatt Valley like the plague. After her daughter decides to attend the local college she is forced back into the hometown she tried so hard to forget. Wyatt Valley isn't like most other college towns, its history is seeped in tradition. However, all of that ended two decades ago with death and a disappearance. Trying her best to support her daughter's choice Beckett attempts to hold her anxieties at bay. But the past refuses to be ignored and Beckett is once again thrown into the chaos that surrounds the town and the college... can she keep her daughter safe or will her secrets be revealed?

Megan Miranda writes such intense, stories full of secrets and betrayal which is why I will read absolutely everything she writes. I love her ability to paint stories of seemingly normal experiences and people that always take such a dark turn. "You Belong Here" is no exception to Miranda's brilliance and I am already grasping at the clutch for her next novel!

I read this book and thought there were parts very interesting. Other parts were not my favorite, like the constant switching. There were some nice twist that I did not anticipate.

This one was not for me and I didn’t really understand the game with the tunnels that they all seemed to play and why it was so important. It was a little too redundant for me and didn’t keep me entertained as it too me way too long to get through.

4/5 Stars – A Gripping, Emotional Journey

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda is a beautifully crafted blend of mystery, family drama, and emotional depth. From the very first page, Miranda draws you into a world filled with tension, secrets, and unexpected twists. The setting is atmospheric and almost feels like another character, contributing to the book's hauntingly immersive tone.

The protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and grappling with past decisions is relatable and poignant. The slow-burn suspense keeps you hooked, and while some twists might be predictable for seasoned mystery readers, they’re still satisfying. The emotional stakes are high, and Miranda does an excellent job of exploring the complexities of relationships and identity.

While not quite perfect (there are a few pacing lulls), You Belong Here is an engrossing read that showcases Megan Miranda’s strength as a storyteller. Fans of emotional thrillers will find a lot to love in this one.

I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Twenty-plus years. That's how long it's been since Beckett Bowery has been back to her hometown, the place she lived in the tension of being a town person and a college person. The place where her roommate disappeared and two local men died, leaving her unwelcome at her college.

Now her daughter is enrolled there, and the Beckett realizes the past will never let her go.

This is Megan Miranda at her best: telling a story with a claustrophobic, wooded backdrop for a tale of secrets that feels very atmospheric and spooky. I absolutely loved it.

I was beyond thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this new Megan Miranda book and it did not disappoint! Beckett thought she has escaped the small college town where she grew up her senior year of college after a terrible tragedy befell their sleepy college campus. Now 18 years late her daughter decides she wants to attend the same college bringing up old memories of things best left in the past. When her daughter disappears on the night of a local college tradition Beckett is worried her past has finally caught up with her. I really enjoyed this thriller and was surprised by all the twists and turns. This will make a perfect beach read over the summer when it comes out!

I liked this; I didn't love it. The author can tell a good story, and I was hooked pretty quickly. The Virginia mountain setting added to the story, and I'm a sucker for old secrets on a college campus. Unfortunately, I felt the story got a little bogged down by the end, but even still, I appreciated the tale and how it was told.

Solid story, several twists, well told. Recommended. Will I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I felt like this book was a bit slow, up until the last 30 pages, and then everything happened at once. Some of the twists were kind of easy to guess too. It was entertaining, but i don't think I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a fast paced thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Megan Miranda’s You Belong Here Now is an electrifying, edge-of-your-seat thriller that delivers everything fans love about her work—sharp twists, eerie atmosphere, and simmering tension. Set in a small town with a dark past, the story unravels secrets that refuse to stay buried, keeping you racing through the pages. Miranda’s pacing is impeccable, her characters unforgettable. I absolutely loved it—this one cements her as one of my favorite authors. A total must-read for thriller lovers!

This book was crazy. No line was unintentionally written. I’m sure if I reread it I would find things I missed. Usually when reading a book like this I have at least one question unanswered. That isn’t true with this book. It is fast paced all the way to the end.
Thank you to Marysue Rucci Books and Megan Miranda for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Megan Miranda, Simon Element, & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

A slow-burning thriller that takes place on a college campus in a semi-rural area in the Virginia mountains. The setting was atmospheric and lent to the creepy, mysterious vibes throughout. The story is told through our main character Beckett's thoughts in the present, and 20 years ago when she was a student at the small-town college where her parents also worked. After a horrible event that left her roommate missing and 2 others dead, Beckett left everything behind to start fresh. She ends up in London, meets Trevor, and has a daughter, Delilah. The present-day story starts when Delilah decides to go to the same college her mother left behind. Delilah goes missing, bringing Beckett back to the town she wants to forget. While Delilah returns, a dead body is found that forces Beckett to face the dark secrets of her past. This brings a host of other characters to the scene, including an old friend of Beckett's, one of the original detectives, and those close to what happened in the past. Trevor, while not in a relationship with Beckett, returns to help find Delilah.

While the novel was a slow-burn overall, I felt the ending was rushed. I had some difficulty grasping the involvement of the leading players who ended up involved in Delilah's disappearance and the dead body. I also wish there was more clarity surrounding what happened to Beckett and Trevor in the aftermath. I enjoyed the writing style, but found Beckett's inner dialogue to be repetitive and over-the-top. While this is most likely to illustrate her anxious personality surrounding the events of the past, it just didn't work for me. She seemed self-important and was not likable. The storyline with her parents also seemed to be a little underdone; I wish there was more there, because it felt like an afterthought to thicken the plot.

I enjoyed the college setting and how it highlights the unique mother-daughter relationship during this phase of life. That said, I wish the traditional hazing "game" was called something different. It just didn't seem to fit well.

Overall, it was an entertaining read.

Megan Miranda’s new novel has all the twists and turns I needed for my vacation read! The story was interesting and gripping.

This slow-burn mystery takes place in a small college town in the mountains of Virginia. Beckett Bowery fled her hometown of Wyatt Valley after a tragedy during her senior year of college. Decades later, she’s forced to confront the past when her daughter earns a full scholarship to the very place she’s kept her distance from all these years.

I couldn’t get enough of this book! It kept me on my toes from start to finish. I loved the mysterious aspect of Beckett’s past and trying to piece it all together. Then the events of the present had me so unsettled, I felt like I was being watched. I was constantly wondering who I could trust.
Megan Miranda describes the setting so perfectly, I found it easy to get lost in this book and feel like I was there.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for my eARC.

If you’re looking for an eerie mystery with twists and secrets that refuse to stay buried, check this one out 📖

Enjoyed this book, Didn't feel predictable and the setting reminded me a lot of my college campus. Was an easy thriller that didn't require much thought and felt like an escapist read. Loved!

I don't do well with slow burn, let me start my review by saying this is likely personal preference!

I only made it 8% 🤦‍♀️ I just have no interest in anything that's going on. I will try to read it at a later date, I'm a mood reader and this just isn't doing it for me.

I'm not putting the stars low, because like I said this is likely me! I will update with a review when I read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Element for this eARC of You Belong Here, by Megan Miranda. Thriller is not my favorite genre but I was HOOKED with this one, from the very beginning. You Belong Here follows a mom, Beckett, whose daughter, Delilah, decides to attend college at her alma mater. The story begins at college drop-off and you soon learn that Beckett has a complicated past with the college, including that her parents are retired professors there, and growing up in the town that the college resides. So many different characters from Beckett's past come out of the woodwork, and you do not know who to trust. No spoilers but this was a captivating story, with twists until the very end! I could not put this one down. 5 stars!

This was my first experience with Megan Miranda's work, and it exceeded my expectations. The narrative seamlessly wove together Beckett's past and the complex mother-daughter relationship between Beckett and Delilah. "You Don't Belong Here" was utterly captivating, making it challenging for me to put the book down at night. The author's skillful storytelling transported me to Wyatt Valley, immersing me in the college town's atmosphere. I feel fortunate to have received an advance review copy. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity

Megan Miranda is an author I really enjoy. I was so excited to receive this book as an ARC. It had a bit of a slow start. A mother’s history of her college roommate disappearing leads to a struggle when her daughter gets a full scholarship to that same school. Overall a good read. Not my favorite from this author but still good.

Megan Miranda is one of my absolute favorite authors. I was super stoked to get her next book. It always goes right to the top of my TBR!

This book is about a woman who's trying to outrun. Her past. Two young men died during her senior year of college. The whole town thinks she was involved somehow bc her roommate/ best friend was involved. She transferred schools and never came back even though her parents were faculty members and lived down the street.

20 years later she is back when her daughter applied to that same college. She kept the secret from her daughter in hopes of never having to rehash those memories. Now she has no choice. Early one morning she gets a dropped phone call from her daughter. She tries frantically for hours to get a hold of her before she decides to drive all the way to the college to find her. When they finally find her things don't add up. A body is found 24 hours later, and she goes from a missing but found 18-year-old, to a suspect. And so does her mom.

This book was super good. Really enjoyed seeing all the bread crumbs left behind. At one point I was sure I knew who was and all signs pointed to it, then it turns out to be someone else! I don't want to spoil it for anyone. So please read this book to find out!

Thank you netgalley for this Arc and exchange for an honest version

4 Stars
Rating Breakdown:
Characters: 4 stars
Setting: 4 Stars
Plot: 4 Stars
Themes: 3 stars
Emotional: 3 stars
Enjoyment: 5 stars

"You Belong Here" follows our main character Beckett as she is forced to revisit the past when her daughter begins attending the same college where a tragedy occurred decades before. Beckett quickly finds her past unraveling and secrets that were once buried are now coming to the surface. Acting fast, Beckett is forced to confront the very thing she ran away from, but how far will she go to protect her family?

This was everything I love about a thriller! Megan Miranda is the queen at writing tension. Right from page one there is an atmosphere of suspense that is consistent until the last page. Many moments had me looking over my own shoulder and double checking my doors were locked. The plot was fast paced and addictive. I never knew what was coming next. The writing was great and formulated in such a way that it was easy to become the character and live out this wild ride with her. The setting was written with rich detail making it easy to become immersed into this sleepy unassuming college town. We have a vast cast of well written characters that are fully flushed out. They were relatable and realistic. This kept my heart hammering inside my chest. Must read for fans of fast, twisty thrillers! Trust me, you will not be able to put this book down.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this eARC!