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THROUGH OUR TEETH by Pamela N. Harris

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins (QuillTreeBooks) for the earc (Sept 16)

Hope Jackson is dead, and those closest to her: Liv, Kizzie, and Sherri team up to prove that she was m*rdered---that she didn't jump. As their plan draws out, Liv begins to second guess whether Brendan---Hope's ex boyfriend---is guilty. Then, the bodies start dropping.
What started as a way to get Brendan to confess turns into a m*rder mystery that takes place in an unfinished house.
THROUGH OUR TEETH is a locked room thriller with flashbacks to help tell the story. With its multitude of secrets, drama, and d*ath this book had me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out the whodunit before the final, mind-blowing reveal.
This book was gripping and shocking. It left me bewildered, especially when it seemed like everything was said and done---tied up and solved. I did guess part of the reveal, but that was basically as it was playing out. THROUGH OUR TEETH discusses very graphic topics that may be triggering for some, so check triggers or what not before reading.

4.25⭐️
I really enjoyed this YA mystery! It melted me intrigued throughout to where I read it all today. One big thing that kept it from being a 5⭐️ read was that it came off like an older person trying to sound younger. The language that was used in the dialogue was a bit too much to where I think in some teens will find it corny but it’s not so bad that it’ll turn them off completely. What solidifies that thought (and what made it even more engaging as a 47 year old) is all the references to culture/ entertainment from the late 80’s, early 90’s. It seemed a bit implausible that that many teens would be “in the know” about such things but it was fun.

I did figure out the culprit and twists well before they were mentioned but it wasn’t overly in your face and it was well constructed as it didn’t come out of thin air.

This book comes out September 16th 2025 so get it on your TBR or on order for school libraries as it’s sure to be a great addition.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Quill Tree Books and imprint of Harper Collins Children’s through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Through Our Teeth wasn't the book for me. I did like the writing style, but I couldn't connect with the characters. I originally was interested in this book because of the synopsis. The story was interesting but not the execution . I think other people might like this book, just not me..

I pride myself on figuring out a book before I get to the end. This time I was way off which means this was a great read. I enjoyed it and was thoroughly entertained. Themes in this book include mental illness, friendship, family and community. I don’t normally read mystery books and wouldn’t have enjoyed reading this book if that was all it was. It was much more than that. The character development was great, they were all believable and mostly lovable even with their flaws. There were a couple of great friendships in the story, everyone needs a friend like Kizzy. Mental illness was explored and I found my empathy increasing as I got deeper into the story. Overall a good book, does more than it says on the cover. Honestly I picked the book for the cover and now I really don't understand the cover in relation to the book.

Thank you Harper Collins for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.”

This book was quite the thrill ride! It follows the main character, Liv, as she and her friends grapple with the sudden death of their close friend, Hope. But they all can't help but wonder if Hope's death was a suicide or a murder? Liv and her friend Kizzy decide to investigate by interrogating Hope's ex-boyfriend, who they suspect murdered Hope. Their interrogation goes completely sideways when they have to drug and tie up the ex. Then some of their friends show up uninvited to the location of the interrogation, and a big storm knocks out the power trapping the group of friends in a McMansion. Soon, friends start showing up dead in this McMansion, and Liv isn't sure if she's next. All she wanted to do was find out what happened to Hope, and now her life is on the line. This book has twists and turns, and kept me guessing. A definite page turner!

Through Our Teeth didn’t land for me. The dialogue felt like it was written by a millennial trying to imitate Gen Z. The plot also felt disjointed. There were a lot of characters—too many, really—and most didn’t add much to the story. Kizzy, Brendan, and Liv had backstories tied to Hope’s final days, but then you had Asher, Dayvon, Coko, Sy’rai, Jace, etc., all thrown into the mix, which made things feel cluttered. The pacing was another issue. It was slow—painfully slow. I kept swiping, waiting for the unraveling to begin, hoping for that aha moment where things would finally click. But it never came.

And to be honest, the book itself wasn’t what I expected. Based on the ‘Bound Galley Letter,’ I went in anticipating a completely different story.

By the end, the story still didn’t connect with me. The characters lacked the depth needed to make me feel for them—there was no real emotional pull, nothing that made me want to root for them or mourn with them. The climax had some intrigue, but by the time I got there, I was just ready for the book to be over.

One thing that did feel realistic? These kids were not afraid of jail. That tracks with Gen Z. I enjoyed Harris' writing style and would pick up others by her, but this one didn't land for me.

I love YA thrillers, and the genre is notably lacking in popular black main characters, so I was so excited about this book. And I did like the idea behind the format of this book, but in the end I felt like it was underutilized. There weren't enough flashback chapters for me to feel completely in it swapping timelines, but it also made it so that the timeline swapping WAS the reveal of the twists instead of the characters coming to terms with it in the present. I still enjoyed the book overall, it was a twisty little time that I read very quickly and had fun with, but I wish there was either more flashbacks, or fewer flashbacks.

Book Review: Through Our Teeth by Pamela N. Harris

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Hey, hey, my favorites 😁💚. #annieethebookiee is back with another book review. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Through Our Teeth.

Through Our Teeth is a gripping exploration of family, identity, and the complexities of growing up. Pamela N. Harris weaves a narrative that is both thought-provoking and poignant, with characters that feel real and relatable. The author does an excellent job of balancing emotional depth with moments of lightness, making this an engaging and multifaceted read.

While the pacing was a bit slow at times, the story's emotional payoff and the well-developed characters make it a worthwhile read. If you're looking for a book that tackles complex themes with heart, Through Our Teeth is definitely worth checking out.