Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Michele Leathers’ “They All Had a Reason” is a YA thriller that leans hard into high school drama, fast-paced chaos, and a tangled web of secrets, lies, and revenge. It’s a story that is dripping with gossip, suspicion, and a murder mystery that turns an entire school on its head.

The story kicks off with the murder (or possible disappearance?) of Bellamy who is the school’s untouchable Queen Bee, feared and admired in equal measure. She’s the kind of girl who makes life miserable for those she dislikes, and Charlotte, our main character, has been in Bellamy’s crosshairs for years. When Bellamy turns up dead the night of her birthday party, Charlotte becomes a prime suspect despite being the one person who saw her body and isn’t convinced she’s truly gone. What follows is Charlotte’s descent into a nightmarish social spiral, as secrets are exposed and someone goes to great lengths to frame her.

There’s definitely fun to be had here, especially if you're in the mood for high-drama teen angst and relentless twists. The book reads like a Netflix YA thriller—fast, messy, and heavy on emotional stakes. The writing style reflects the frantic, scattered thoughts of a teenage mind, which gives it a breathless momentum but can also feel chaotic and unpolished. That tone might resonate with younger teens, but for older readers, it may come across as amateurish or melodramatic.

Charlotte is a bit of a mixed bag as a protagonist. She’s relatable in her fear and confusion, but also incredibly naïve and frustrating at times. Her loyalty to backstabbing friends and her questionable investigative choices make it hard to root for her completely. The romance subplot, particularly with Wyatt, feels rushed and underbaked as it’s more of a plot device than a fully believable relationship.

The mystery itself has some decent hooks and a twisty structure that keeps the pages turning. There’s no shortage of suspects, and the paranoia builds effectively. But the story doesn’t always hold together logically. Character motivations can be murky, decisions often feel implausible, and moments that should carry emotional weight fall a bit flat due to the lack of depth in the character development. There’s a lot of surface drama but not much beneath it.

That said, “They All Had a Reason” could be a great pick for younger teens or readers in a slump looking for something fast, twisty, and undemanding. It’s a book that feels like it’s trying to be edgy and mysterious, and while it doesn't always succeed, it certainly entertains in a pulpy, popcorn-thriller kind of way.

Overall, if you’re in your teens, love messy high school drama, and don’t mind a bit of implausibility, “They All Had a Reason” might be a binge-worthy guilty pleasure.

Unfortunately, this was the lowest quality book I’ve seen traditionally published. The writing was at a particularly low level, the main female character spoke like she was much younger, and characters were just forgotten after a few chapters. The ending was predictable, and unfortunately, this one was just not good.