I am a big fan of @meganlmiranda’s thrillers and her newest novel, You Belong Here, is a fantastic novel that is hard to put down. The setting of a college in the Virginia mountains brought the nostalgia for my time at Appalachian State. The plot includes a locked door murder mystery, twists, secrets, small town vibes, & suspense. Megan did such a good job of making the threat to a college student feel real and it made me want to keep reading to find out what happens next!

This book is a perfect read for this time of year, when vacations wind down and school starts back.

Bekett Bowry fled her hometown following a tragic incident in college that left two people dead and her roommate mysteriously gone. She finished her senior year overseas and never looked back. Now her teenage daughter Delilah is determined to attend the same college and reconnect with her grandparents. Beckett hopes that her fears are unfounded and that the townpeople have forgotten the past and her ties to it. However when she receives a call from Delilah in the middle of the night and is unable to reach her she knows that is not the case. She frantically returns to Wyatt Valley to find and aid her only child.I have read other narratives from this author and she is a master at the unexpected. As a reader I never know or anticipate where the plot is headed. In this entry the author uses the dark academia and student hazing tropes deftly building the tension and suspense slowly unfolding the back story and history behind the events. Teasing the reader with snippets of what happened all those years ago and each character's role keeps the pages turning. A spooky story that would make a good Halloween read.

In standard Megan Miranda tradition, You Belong Here was a slow-burning plot full of simmering suspense and unending dread. Bracketed by the past and the present, the dual timelines crafted a tale riddled with uncertainty as the enigmatic truth slowly came into view. Taking place in a small college town filled with ghosts of the past, the dark academia setting felt like yet another persona alongside the handful of well-developed characters. Oozing with a collegiate feel but also plenty of foreboding, the campus came alive with each additional page. Yet again, Ms. Miranda created a locale that felt utterly real with its own distinct sense of place, which became just as addictive as the premise.

As for the rest of the cast, from the protagonists’ realistic mother-daughter dynamic to the handful of old friends and enemies that presented as believable red herrings, I found myself holding my breath much of the time. Suspicious in the best possible way, nearly every person in this spine-tingling premise received a heavy dose of my side-eye glances as I tried to work out the whos, whats, and whys. After all, I didn’t trust a single one of the characters—up to and including Delilah and Beckett. Were they hiding something from the reader? Or were they victims themselves? I’m going to leave it to you to find out as this story was too good to spoil in even the tiniest way.

All said and done, with a perfect mix of eerie small town vibes, intense unease, and palpable emotion, I was thrilled to fall head over heels for this dark, chilling ride. With a series of subtle clues that led to a domino-like fall of well-timed twists and turns, I was particularly pleased with the heart-pumping climax that shocked me but good. I mean, even her parents were hiding some delicious long-buried secrets. Complex but also easy to follow, the non-stop suspense spun tales within tales that ended with a shocking conclusion that I didn’t see coming. Haunting, atmospheric, and undeniably tense, I ate up every word of this dynamite, must-read tale of psychological suspense. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Megan Miranda, Marysue Rucci Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Megan Miranda will always be an auto-read author for me. This was filled with dark twists, a creepy atmosphere, and slow-burn suspense. All of the characters were highly suspicious, and I think that's what kept me going. This is told in the past and the present, has shorter chapters, and the dark academia theme is a genre I generally gravitate towards, but this just kind of fell a bit flat for me. I had trouble connecting with the story because I'm not usually a slow-burn reader, but I still recommend this book if that's what you're looking for. I will always read whatever Megan Miranda writes and can't wait to see what she delivers next.

Thank you, NetGalley and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books, for this eARC of You Belong Here.

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda was a good and suspenseful read. It did keep me guessing and overall I did enjoy this book. I did find it to be fairly repetitive throughout, but more and more books seem to do that lately. The repetitive nature of the book would not detour me from recommending the book just something that bugged me a bit while reading.

In general MM is an auto-buy for me because of the twists and turns she has in her books.

I received this book from Stimon Element and Net Galley as an ARC, and I was THRILLED!! This is one of those must read authors for me, so I was super excited! I really enjoyed this one! There were bits and pieces that left me confused, and I feel they could have been tied up to eliminate confusion, but overall, it was great!

I dig the academia-set thriller niche genre that has emerged as of lately. However, this one just didn’t do it for me as much as others have (I’m looking at you, Ashley Winstead). This book was pacey and kept me up reading past my bedtime, but I couldn’t help but feel like certain parts weren’t fleshed out well and/or were rushed at the end. Folks who are looking for a good page turner will enjoy it, but this won’t be a top book of the year for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you NetGalley, Marysue Rucci Books and Megan Miranda for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of You Belong Here.
This is a dark, twisty thriller set in a college town with connections to the past and present for the majority of the main characters. I enjoyed Beckett’s perspective as she seemed to be the most knowledgeable one in the group but that didn’t last long! Her relationship with her parents and peers was questionable . Not a true reliable character to be found! The setting contained some spooky elements which added to the drama. I went to a college that had tunnels to connect the buildings. This brought back some interesting memories and added a connection to the story.
This is a slow burn and I did lose interest for awhile but the short chapters and new pieces to the puzzle kept me wanting more. I enjoyed the ending where the truth was finally revealed. We certainly cannot leave the past behind. I enjoy most Megan Miranda stories and I look forward to more.

Mysterious. Flat. Plot holes. 2.75 ⭐️ Look, maybe I was distracted while reading this book but overall I felt like I was missing something this whole book. The ending was satisfying when all the pieces go together but the first 50% was missing something. I needed more of the backstory in the beginning to understand why Beckett was freakin out about her daughter so dramatically. In the end, I thought that’s what they were running from? That’s … not that serious 🧐
Thank you Net Galley and Simon Element for the ARC!

I really struggled to connect with this book. The characters didn’t grab me, and the plot just didn’t hold my attention. The pacing felt slow for most of the story, only picking up toward the very end. Honestly, while there were some good moments, I found much of it pretty dull and kept wishing it had been more engaging. I know some readers appreciate a slow build, but it just wasn’t for me.

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

Beckett fled the small college town she grew up in years ago after a deadly incident during her college years, only to return years later to drop her daughter off to that same school. Soon, strange things begin to happen, and as secrets start rising to the surface, she fears her daughter is in danger in this twisty, page-turning mystery.

This was a slow-burn packed with suspicious characters around every corner. It was descriptive and atmospheric, set in the mountains of Virginia, also lending a sense of claustrophobia being surrounded by wilderness in an isolated town. The narrative flows between past and present, gradually increasing the pacing of the story. The twists were unpredictable. However, the final reveal fell a little flat for me, and I felt that some things were left unanswered or hanging. The epilogue was done perfectly and was my favorite part. Overall, I enjoyed this one for what it was and give it three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Simon Element, for this ARC.

Wow!! The twists! This was such a fun thriller and I really enjoyed it from the very start until I finished it. In this book we follow Beckett a woman haunted by her past, returning to a place she once called home to send her daughter Delilah off to college. As she returns she finds herself back to a place with so many secrets and lies and a past she wished could have been erased. Now her daughter is missing and she is trying to piece together a puzzle of mysterious events that lead back to a night she has tried to forget but knows too well. A night that changed her life forever. A night all those years ago that changed the course she was taking. This book had a great deal of suspense and fun thrills and I also enjoyed the pacing of it as well. Full of deceit and mystery This book was so fun to read and it really did shock me at the end with the twists I was not expecting.i highly recommend this book if you enjoy a twisty thriller. I gave this one 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for the advance readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love a Megan Miranda book so much! The dynamic between mother and daughter was outlined and told so well! This is a definite must read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster
for this ARC. Beckett left her hometown and college campus after her roommate disappeared and two people were killed, never expecting to return but when her daughter, Delilah, decides that’s where she wants to attend she’s drawn back to the town and all the complicated history that remains. I really enjoyed this thriller and the dual timeline. All of the pieces slowly unraveling was intriguing. I did feel that the characters were a bit flat, there were just so many so I think the author didn’t have enough time to fully round them out. But other than that I really enjoyed this thriller. Megan Miranda is great at keeping the reader engaged and the big reveal/whodunit trope.

his one just came out and has the perfect fall vibe! As someone who lives for a good thriller, this one was a total win for me. Even though it’s more of a slow burn than a heart-racing ride, @meganlmiranda does such a great job of building a story layer by layer until you’re completely tangled in the mystery. This story follows a woman returning to her hometown—a tight-knit coastal community where the past never really stays buried. Secrets from years ago start bubbling to the surface, and the question becomes not just what happened back then, but how much the people around her really know... and what they’re willing to do to protect it. It’s less about shocking twists and more about character development, atmosphere, tension, and slowly peeling back the truth. If you’re into thrillers with a moody vibe, deep character dynamics, and that eerie small-town feel where everyone’s lying, you’ll love this. Thank you to @marysueruccibooks and @netgalley for the advanced e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that explores the pull of the past and the secrets that haunt a small town. With her signature blend of slow-burning suspense and layered character development, Miranda crafts a story full of tension and unease. The protagonist’s return home unearths long-buried truths, and the pacing keeps you hooked as the mystery unravels. While some twists are more predictable than others, the emotional depth and chilling setting make this a satisfying and compelling read. Perfect for fans of character-driven thrillers with a touch of nostalgia and unease.

I've read several books by Megan Miranda, but this one didn’t make my list of favorites. The story started off slow, but I liked the dark academia theme and found the plot interesting enough to keep going. I felt the pacing was uneven—slow at first, then it sped up, but the ending seemed rushed and a bit scattered. It didn't create a lot of suspense, but overall, I still enjoyed the book.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Simon Element | S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for my copy.

You Belong Here follows Beckett as she returns to the hometown that once turned its back on her after a tragedy in college—this time accompanying her daughter Delilah, who’s starting school there herself. The story unfolds with Miranda’s signature pacing: quick, compelling, and full of suspense.

While this wasn’t my favorite of her novels, it was a solid, engaging read that stayed true to her style. The twists kept me guessing, and although I didn’t feel deeply connected to the characters, I remained invested in how it would all play out. The ending, in particular, took me by surprise—and I appreciated that.

Overall, it’s a fast-paced, twisty read that will satisfy fans of Megan Miranda’s other works, even if it doesn’t top the list.

Thank you @marysueruccibooks @_simonelement for the gifted copy!

𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: You Belong Here
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Megan Miranda
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: July 29, 2025

🔹 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🔹
This story is a spooky, eerie tale of what happens when a college campus tradition goes bad and leads to haunting consequences. Miranda is so good at setting the scene and making you feel like you are there!

Beckett left behind her hometown/college town after a tragic fire led to the death of two locals, and police suspect her roommate, who suddenly disappears. It’s twenty years later, and Beckett must face her past as her daughter Delilah is starting as a freshman at the same college.

The mother and daughter dynamic in this story is so relatable as a parent. You feel Beckett’s worries as a parent leaving her kid at college, as well as her additional concerns from her past experiences here. When Beckett gets a strange dropped call from Delilah in the middle of the night, I put myself into her shoes and wondered what I would do as a parent in that situation!

I was casting suspicions on different side characters and didn’t guess who might have malicious intentions! I would have enjoyed learning more of the past timeline, of the Howling tradition, as that really intrigued me.

The ending surprised me; as I didn’t think Beckett would be where she was! When the story was over, I was left with lingering spooky vibes that the book had! I really enjoy Miranda’s writing style!

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🔹 Slow Burn Suspense
🏫 Dark Academia Vibes
🗝️ Mother/Daughter Relationships
🕰️ Interwoven Past & Present Timelines

➡️Instagram post on August 7th!

This is the first book in a while that I was sucked into so quickly. The writing style was perfect and the story was captivating! Megan Miranda is a fabulous story teller. When Beckett’s college-aged daughter goes missing from campus, I genuinely felt the nervousness as a parent. Megan does an amazing job having you feel like you are in the scene with the characters. I felt every emotion. I have enjoyed many of her books but I think this one may be one of my favorites by her!
Thank you Megan Miranda, NetGalley and Simon Element for the ARC edition to read for review.