Thank you to Simon Element and Netgalley for this ARC copy in exchange for my review. This is a solid 3.5 stars for me. You can never go wrong reading a Megan Miranda novel, and I recommend picking this one up. However, I just felt it was a little slow in the beginning and a bit rushed in the end. It seemed that almost every character was hiding secrets, lying, telling half truths, or keeping important information to themselves, which just made every situation worse. It definitely has a surprise that you won't see coming. I was just a bit confused by some of the actions of the characters and especially the ending.

I had no idea what to expect with this book. The plot started slow with a storyline that didn’t feel very intense, but as the book continued and more details were uncovered, it began to pick up pace and become more thrilling. The last 70 pages had me hiding from my family so I could figure out what happened. Overall, this was such a great summer read, and I’m grateful for the chance to read this ARC. Keep writing, Megan Miranda!

An ending I didn’t see coming, following an adventure of lies and secrets. I enjoyed the storyline and how it had me guessing at times. I would have liked a little more character development, and the ending was ok, but i was left with a lot of questions.

Megan Miranda’s You Belong Here is a chilling thriller that dives into how past trauma and hidden secrets shape people’s lives. The main character, Beckett Bowery, has to go back to her hometown of Wyatt Valley after two decades. It was once a place of tragedy—her roommate went missing, and two local guys died. Now, it feels threatening, especially since her daughter, Delilah, has secretly enrolled at Wyatt College.

Miranda does a great job of building tension in this quaint yet insular town, where old memories linger and secrets are everywhere. As Beckett reconnects with familiar faces, a complex mystery unfolds about what really happened on that fateful night. The story’s emotional depth comes from Beckett facing her guilt and worries, especially about her daughter’s safety.

With sharp writing and a steady pace, You Belong Here is a gripping mystery that weaves together the past and present, making it a must-read for anyone who loves psychological thrillers. Just be ready to watch your back in Wyatt Valley!

4.5 ⭐ This book REALLY intrigued me from beginning to end. First the cover was so catching I requested this ARC without reading the description, then I saw who it was by and got so excited when I was approved. This book took me longer to get through, but this had nothing to do with the book, every time I picked the book back up, I got hooked right away. I loved that this book follows a mother who left her hometown, but she came back when her daughter went to her alma Mater. I was so intrigued with all the little things that happened in the first few chapters that I just needed to know what happened. I will definitely be telling people to pick this book up because it was unique and just kept me wanting to know what the outcome of the book was going to be.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Megan Miranda's "You Belong Here" centers around Beckett Bowery, who never intended to set foot again in her hometown of Wyatt Valley. Her parents were fixtures at the local college, and the family deeply embedded in the community, until a devastating night shattered everything, leaving two men dead. Adding to the turmoil, Beckett's roommate vanished that same night, becoming a fugitive with everyone turning to Beckett for explanations she didn't have.

Decades later, Beckett has built a life far away, but her carefully constructed distance is threatened when her daughter, Delilah, secretly applies to and is accepted by the very college Beckett tried to leave behind. Despite Beckett's hopes that Delilah would find safety there, the secrets and long-held memories of Wyatt Valley cast a long shadow.

I must admit that "You Belong Here" took some time for me to get invested in. The initial chapters unfolded at a measured pace, and it was a bit of a struggle to fully connect with the characters early on. However, as the story progressed and the intricate web of past events and present anxieties began to unravel, the narrative did become more engaging. While it wasn't a book that immediately grabbed me, the author skillfully built a sense of underlying tension and explored the lingering impact of the past on the present. Ultimately, "You Belong Here" proved to be an okay read, offering a resolution to the mysteries it presented, even if the journey to that point wasn't entirely seamless.

What a roller coaster ride! A college town, long lost secrets.
A mom with a past that her daughter knows nothing about, and it’s all about to be exposed!

I’m a huge fan of this author and this book did not disappoint!

Beckett Bowery never planned on returning to her hometown of Wyatt Valley. Beckett's parents taught at the college and the family was part of the community, until one night when tragedy struck ending with two men dead. Beckett's roommate disappeared that night, on the run after the tragedy and everyone looked to her for answers.
Beckett hasn't been home in decades but that all changes when her daughter, Deliiah, secretly applies to the college and is accepted. She hopes she will be safe there but the town has a long memory.

This one was so mysterious and as always, the authors writing really drew me in. I loved the town setting and the various twists and turns the story took along the way, even though I had some idea where one was heading. Another enjoyable novel by the author.

I kept waiting for a big twist or reveal or something shocking at the end with Beckett's story from her past, but it never happened. I would've liked more at the end, maybe an epilogue with a glimpse into our character's futures.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book by Megan Miranda! I really enjoy this twisty and suspenseful story of a mother who has a past she has kept hidden from her daughter. When her daughter applies to and is accepted to the same college where her mother has left her demons behind at, things get difficult for them both. A middle of the night call sparks a mystery involving missing persons, a dead body and so many secrets. I really enjoyed this story and the only thing stopping me from giving it a 5 was the epilogue. It really just left me wanted to know a bit more about how things all concluded. Overall, this was a 4.5 star read for me! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

You belong here by Megan Miranda

Beckett Bowery once a student at Wyatt college, finding out her daughter who had applied to the same college, has the shock of a lifetime especially after this memory has housed all of her darkest memories that involved a fire set by her best friend claiming two lives who then vanished. When her involvement had come into question as well.

This story was ram rod hold on to your seats thriller where all the good stuff happens and you are reeling to figure out all the pieces to the mystery! I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster books for this Arc

I am obsessed with anything Megan Miranda writes and she is an auto read for me for sure! When I saw her new book, You Belong Here, out July 29th, I couldn't wait to start it.

Beckett Bowery’s life use to be all about Wyatt College. She lived in town, went to the picturesque college, and both her parents were even professors there. But once she left, she never wanted to go back. That is until 18 years later, her daughter Delilah, decides thats where she wants to go to college. It is Beckett’s first time back in two decades, and the reason she left still haunts her.

I loved the academia vibe of this one! This will be a perfect read for end of summer beginning of fall when students start to go back. In Megan Miranda fashion there was a twist at the end that I did not see coming! I really enjoyed this one, just not as much as some of her others. 4.5 stars!

Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I enjoyed it. A strong four stars.

I’ll never not love a Megan Miranda book and I’ll never not read one. She is one of my favorite mysteries authors. This book was nothing. Short of great and her twists and turns get me every time

You Belong Here brings all the suspense and I love it for that but the author nails the dynamic of a college town. You have the us vs them, students vs. townies, rich vs. poor. The plot, characters, and all elements reflect that dynamic and create an interesting book that you dont want to put down,

I have always enjoyed Megan Miranda's books, but this one just wasn't for me. I thought it was pretty boring and some of if didn't really make a lot of sense to me, like the howling parts and the parts in the past.

I've been a faithful Megan Miranda fan ever since reading All The Missing Girls, so naturally I jumped at the chance to request an ARC of You Belong Here. Once again, Miranda delivers the perfect thriller, complete with a decades old mystery, family secrets, eerie settings, and a few unexpected twists. I was hooked from the very beginning and absolutely flew through You Belong Here (as with all her other books). The perfect summer thriller to read right before going back to campus!!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Element for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

Megan Miranda really knows how to take you on a rollercoaster ride throughout a book. With this book I felt like there were moments it was a slow burn and then moments it was fast paced. I personally struggled getting through this one more than I have her other books in the past and that’s the only reason I couldn’t rate it higher. I think there was alot of personal preferences that this book didn’t meet for me but that’s not to say it won’t be a 5 star for others. The plot was predictable and repetitive in a lot of the book. The mother-daughter relationship was complex but they felt like real humans because of their characteristics and flaws. If you’re into campus type mysteries then this one is for you!

I received an advanced reader copy of You Belong Here by Megan Miranda, and I absolutely devoured it. This was a fast-paced, gripping read with Miranda’s signature atmospheric tension and layered storytelling. I was pulled in right from the start and found myself flying through the pages, eager to uncover the secrets buried in the town and its characters.

The ending was especially satisfying—twisty without feeling overdone—and wrapped up the central mystery in a way that felt earned. My only critique is the epilogue, which fell a little flat compared to the emotional intensity and suspense of the main narrative. It didn’t quite match the impact of what came before. Still, this was a fantastic read overall, and one I’d absolutely recommend to fans of Miranda’s previous work or anyone who enjoys small-town suspense with compelling characters and smart plotting.

Thank you to Megan Miranda, Simon Element, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would be lying if I didn’t say that Mothers didn’t lie to protect their children…. But at what cost would you lie about your past to save yourself just for it to come back and haunt your daughter?
Megan knows how to reel me in… time and time again her books always capture me and suck me in until I abandon all sense of time so I can fully submerge myself into her books. She never disappoints to take me on a journey that I can’t stop reading.