Everyone knows the legend of Fairpoint Village, an abandoned beach resort. 25-years ago, a murder closed the place down and soon the ruins will be demolished for good. Eden has heard the lore about Fairpoint all her life. They say anyone who sets foot there will be cursed to die, and that has happened a couple of times over the years, when students daring to explore the ruins where killed.

Before the scheduled demo can take place, an overnight party is planned for the ruins. Eden reluctantly attends to assist her friend, Henry, with doing some filming. She's nervous about going, more because of the other kids that will be there as opposed to the lore of the ruins. Since Eden's Dad ditched town after taking part in a little white-collar crime, she's sort of been a social pariah.

Most concerning to her is being anywhere near her ex-best friend, Caleb. They were so close as kids, but since Freshman year, Caleb has barely given her the time of day. Unfortunately, the party night takes a horrifying turn and now more kids are dying. Is it the haunting of the ruins, or something much closer to home, that is now stalking these teens and trying to take them out one-by-one?

The 1st-book I read from this author, They're Watching You, was only 2-stars for me and I was hesitant to pick up anything from Ichaso after that. However, when I read the synopsis for this one, I knew I had to give it a shot. I'm so happy to report that We Were Warned ended up being a a very solid 4-star read for me. I can't even tell you how excited I was to be gripped by this one from the start.

It kept me entertained and guessing throughout. I thought the pace was great and I loved the character dynamics. There was a lot of drama, both with the kids and their parents, and I'm always down for that. My favorite aspects were the mysterious lore of this town and watching Eden have to work together with a group of kids who didn't necessarily start out as her friends.

I thought Ichaso did a wonderful job with the characters, particularly with Eden and Caleb. Their relationship was complicated from the start, and I felt like all of their interactions felt realistic. The way that relationship changed throughout the book, also made sense and felt organic.

Additionally, I really enjoyed Eden's growth as a character. The way she started to come out of her shell and started to assert herself more with her peers as she gained confidence. I did enjoy the conclusion as well, although certain aspects started to get a little muddled towards the end. Overall, I thought it was very well-executed.

Thank you, Tantor Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would highly recommend the audio format. The narration by Jennifer Jill Araya was fantastic!

Thank you to Tantor Media and Netgalley for the ALC of this audiobook 💚

Would be a 4.25 ✨

This was actually so much fun! It kept me guessing up until the last page and I loved the "is it paranormal or is it not" situation. It reminded me of "Clown in a Cornfield" and teen horror movies from the early 2000s in the best way possible. A small town murder mystery with a decades long urban legend and a curse? Count. Me. In.

The atmosphere is creepy and it had me STRESSED.

What keeps me from giving a 5 star is that the friendship group dynamics were so stereotypical (the jock, the kind and quiet guy, the popular girl, the comic relief, the brains). It didn't hinder my overall enjoyment but everything was so obvious that I didn't really care what happened in the friendship subplot. Everything else though! Full of twists and turns I didn't see coming and left me surprised

Highly recommend 💚

It's been awhile since I read a YA Thriller and this one did not disappoint at all. The was so riveting & packed with suspense in each chapter. I really appreciated the backstory with the curse. This was a fast paced read packed with intense and creepy vibes. Now I need to add @chelseaichaso adult debut So I Lied to my TBR list.

This was a good young adult mystery book. The interpersonal drama was very overdramatic, however, in the vein of young adult with high school characters this makes sense. Thought the premise of the book was good and loved the spooky elements to it and how not everyone was as it seems. The audiobook was very well done and enjoyed the narrator.

The plot and the concept were both really good and I did enjoy it. However the characters were where this book struggled. I didn't connect with any of them, most of the times I was just frustrated at their choices since they all seemed to be lacking some common sense with the decisions they made. I will say tho the romance was pretty cute and I didn't hate it but it just wasnt enough to get me to like the characters.

Like I mentioned the plot is good, I couldn't tell who/what was responsible during the book which was good.

I really like the audiobook narrator they did a very good job with the book.

Set in the town of Fairport, haunted by a curse stemming from the tragic story of a mother who allegedly murdered her son, the book follows Eden, an outsider who is pulled into a twisted investigation when a classmate’s death reignites fear and suspicion in her community. While working on a documentary about the case, Eden and her estranged friends are stalked by an unknown figure, leaving them to wonder if they’re being haunted by a ghost or pursued by a more earthly, malevolent force. This book does feature some bullying as well as some death scenes, including what seemed to be a suicide, so be aware of these content warnings before going into the book.

Ichaso’s writing is taut and engaging, skillfully building tension as Eden, already reeling from her father's criminal scandal, becomes entangled in the town’s sinister lore. As bodies start piling up, Eden realizes that the curse may not be just a story—and that her own family might hold disturbing secrets connected to it. The pace of “We Were Warned” is relentless, with each chapter bringing new clues, suspects, and hair-raising twists that keep you on edge, though the middle does meander a bit with some subplots needing more exploration. The mystery unravels in a satisfying way, with revelations that are difficult to predict, thanks to cleverly placed red herrings and suspenseful plot twists.

The romance between Eden and Caleb adds emotional depth, though it veers into familiar territory with misunderstandings and stereotypical high school dynamics. It starts off as almost a bully romance where Caleb, while never directly bullying Eden, was still friends with her bullies. However, Caleb and Eden’s relationship is mainly filled with misunderstandings, which are fortunately resolved quickly. Some characters, like the jealous “mean girl” who earns a bit of a redemption arc, was pretty trope-laden and one-dimensional, but they contribute to the story’s atmosphere. Eden’s journey with Caleb provides moments of tension and relief from the darker mystery at hand, even if some elements lean into YA clichés.

The supernatural elements, reminiscent of “The Ring” with the supposed curse, add a creepy layer as Eden and her friends are pursued through the eerie, beachy landscape of Fairport. The book’s mix of horror and mystery keeps you guessing about whether paranormal forces are at play, adding to its unsettling tone. The final reveal was a bit of a stretch, but Ichaso was still able to effectively craft an atmosphere that feels immersive and spine-chilling.

“We Were Warned” is a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining read with a well-woven mystery. Fans of Ichaso’s work, as well as YA thrillers with supernatural twists, will enjoy this atmospheric and twist-filled novel, where no secret stays buried for long.

Okayy, it might sound like I'm overreacting but trust me when I say that I haven't read a thriller this fast in ages!! I literally listened to the audiobook in two sittings & when I wasn't reading it the previous day, all I could think about was getting back to the Fairport Village and the lore in here to find out what was really happening!!!!

To back it up, we follow Eden Stafford who accompanies the film club student, Henry & the entire senior year of high school to spend the overnight in the creepiest resort in their small town, Fairport Village. Henry plans to capture the place as part of his documentary in which he wants to explain the lore and the deaths behind the place, and Eden acts as his filming assistant. It's said that anyone who sets foot in the resort is cursed & will face their death very soon. And when one of their students dies, everyone panics that they're cursed as well and Eden is dead set on finding out what's really happening & also to find a way to save themselves.

The resort and the lore surrounding it was creepy from the start, and the way the story is told to you sends shivers down your spine (trust me, listen to this on audio & you'll get what I mean)...I even had to stop at the halfway point on the first day cuz I cannot bear to listen to it at night🥶🥶 This unsettling vibe persists throughout the novel and keeps you on edge as well, and I was also amazed at the way the author was able to grasp my interest from the start till the finish line!!! And the chapters end in cliffhangers too making it so hard to put it down unless you don't want the answers immediately which will never be the case in this book cuz YOU WOULD WANT THE ANSWERS OR THE SUSPENSE WILL DRIVE YOU MAD!!

The characters were well-written & rounded too & extremely relatable if you think about the time when you were a teenager. They're not perfect in any opinion cuz who in their high school was?!! And that's what I loved about them cuz they were written realistically - flawed, whiny at times, jealous, but also incredibly headstrong when it comes to getting answers or doing things they're warned not to do!!! And Eden definitely has captured my heart by being strong & persistent throughout the novel by going after the mystery to find out whether the killer was a supernatural entity or a real person. She never stops even when faced with threats cuz she wants to find the truth about what caused the death of the person she trusted, and I liked this tenacious quality of her.

And I gotta admit I wasn't a fan of Victoria & Jameson at the start but they really redeemed themselves in the end imo & I did like this reluctant gang of mystery solving teenagers!!

And I gotta applaud Jennifer Jill Araya for bringing life into the story through her narration!!! The characters' pauses, tension, fear, mockery, & everything was perfectly executed by her and it was like I was compelled to keep listening to the audiobook bcoz of her wonderful narration. I gotta admit that I'm gonna be checking out more audiobooks narrated by her.

Overall, if you're looking for a YA thriller that has both supernatural & mystery combined with an incredible FMC & an amazing audiobook, you have to check this out!

Basically a 4* (3.75)
The plot twists were absolutely amazing and I wasn't expecting them at all but I find that something was missing in the book thus why the rating isn't higher
It was still highly engaging and I was always looking out to know more and more.

Everyone knows the legend of Fairport Village: twenty-five years ago, a shocking murder closed the place down. This year, the ruins will be bulldozed at last. But tonight, it's not too late to die.

Eden Stafford has to work with the high school friends who abandoned her after a scandal in order to find out who has been killing teens, including their friends, at a dilapidated resort on the eve of it being torn down.

I don't think I'm the target audience for this book, cause although I know the main characters are teens and act teen-ishly, they're all annoying ha. But weren't we all at 16? But for the good, you really feel that the high stakes are real- like everyone is disposable in this book and anyone could be picked off next.

Lots of twists at the end especially, make this a claustrophobic and atmospheric read- as long as you can put up with teenage whining lol

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This is one of the better YA thriller stories I have read in recent years. Great protagonist, who also narrates, and creative cast of characters. With this being a mystery, the author hooks the reader right away with the perfect creepy setting and legendary curse. As the plot unfolds and more students die from this "curse" it is intriguing to see who could have possibly been the culprit. The extensive list of characters is necessary for this mystery genre, but unlike other stories, it is believable and works well. Complete with a creative red herring I enjoyed this mystery and found it a hard to put down page turner. This story also has references to a decades old case which adds credibility to the legend of the curse and explains why this abandoned area is treaded on so lightly.

Recommended: Grades 7 + (some romantic vibes and murder)
Topics: curse, family, friendship, trust, flashbacks

#netgallery

This book was a solid three ⭐️ YA novel. I listened to this advance copy and I’d like the narration, very good! The Voice actors really brought the characters alive and they were able to bring that youthfulness that this YA mystery/thriller book needed. Solid three ⭐️ book.

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

Absolutely amazing, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time it was thrilling AND chilling. For all of my murder-mystery, small town loving readers you have to check it out.

The legend of Fairpoint Village is that anyone who steps foot on the property will die. What does Eden do? Try and help her fellow student Henry film a documentary at said village… Henry ends up dead. Now Eden and her frenemies are being stalked by a ghost picking off people one by one…

This one was not for me. It was okay. Not terrible, but also not great. Just okay.

I really wanted to like it more than I did. I really TRIED to like it. But honestly, it just wasn’t as compelling as I would have hoped. I think the way it was written was just lacking to me. The plot was fine. The characters were okay. But everything just felt so drab. I wanted more out of it.

Honestly, if this wasn’t an ARC, I would have DNFed in the middle of it. But I did stick it out and I did not see the ending coming. So at least there’s that.

The narration was very well done though!

Thank you to NetGalley for this audiobook ARC.

It was a good thriller with a compelling mystery and an amazing plot twist. The story was original and fast paced without feeling too rushed. I loved the characters and the plot. Perfect for people who want a fast paced YA mystery with a compelling mystery and great characters!

This was a mostly engaging ghost murder mystery with good promise. The town had a murder 25 years ago at the since abandoned beach resort. Now it is about to be bulldozed and developed, but legend has it that the ghost haunts the mansion and is after anyone who sets foot on the property. The plot starts out fast and gets the readers hooked, yet the pacing slows considerably here and there and honestly did not keep me engaged a few times. Some of the characters needed a little more development, but I felt that Eden and Caleb, the two main characters, were fine. The conclusion also felt a little rushed, but there were some red herrings that did keep me guessing. 3 stars because this was just okay for me, but I know murder mystery/haunted house lovers will enjoy this one.

⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book! I loved this thriller so much! This story was so creative and really well put together, the narrator did an incredible job and the writing was so well written. I kept craving this story when I wasn’t listening to it and I did not see that ending coming!👀 The only things I would change about this book is the main character, I feel like at times she could be really mean and insensitive to people after she would mention these sad stories of herself being bullied which kinda made it hard to feel sorry for her when she wasn’t exactly the nicest person either in these situations but eventually she did grow towards the end of the book. I loved this story and will definitely be reading more from this author! If you love YA thrillers I genuinely think you need to read this book, it’s now one of my favorite thrillers I’ve read in years! Thank you again to NetGalley for putting me on this amazing book!💕📚

I paused listening to Mayhem to keep listening to this because I was on the edge of my seat! 👏🏼

There are so many incredible YA suspense/thrillers coming out this year. I am happy this came across my feed for a giveaway. When I saw the audiobook on NetGalley, I quickly requested it, & I am DELIGHTED I did.

I love when books make me feel like I am apart of the group & helping solve the mystery. I could not sniff out the twists, every time I thought I had it figured it out, I was WRONG!

Read for…
- An adorable romance subplot
- Great suspense
- Scooby Doo Gang Vibes
- A very lovable FMC
- A small town with LOTS of secrets
- One of my favorite epilogues 👀

A major thank you to the publisher, the author, the narrator, & to NetGalley for the Audio Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, I think I quite liked this one...

"A legend carved of sand and stone, a tale rooted in ruin, a lore built on lies."

Thank you, Netgalley and Tantor Audio, for the ALC of this YA Thriller! This one caught my attention immediately! I didn't know what entirely to expect, to be quite honest, but I really loved the vibes. At one point, I couldn't fully decipher if it was going to be more of a "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Scream," or "Nightmare" type of story - and I was pleasantly surprised when it leaned more towards "IKWYD" with elements of "Scream." Kudos to Chelsea Ichaso, I really enjoyed your blending of themes that very obviously showed where your inspirations come from. It's a very nice homage to the genre, while adding your own elements of questionable deaths and a possibly supernatural component.

""I don't think curses work like the common cold..."

As for the narrator, they did a great job! I was sat and didn't find myself zoning out at all. I enjoyed her, and wouldn't mind listening again!

"It's real, she's gone. Another victim of the ruins."

I cannot even express how much I loved this one. It was the perfect blend of creepy and cute. I want to read everything by this author. The narration was perfect!

I love YA horror! Not sure why, but lately it is a nice palette cleanser from my psych thrillers.

I was engrossed in the story from the very beginning! I need to know what was going on. Was it a ghost killing students or a person? And why? Eden was a great, relatable, character to follow.
There were quite a few twists along the way.

I thought this audiobook was fast paced. I listened at 1.75x. The narrator was excellent, as usual!

Definitely recommend this book/audiobook!