Everything You Want Me to Be gently sets its hooks without you even noticing. Before you realize it the story line grabs hold and won't let go. The 3 perspectives give you the life of Hattie Hoffman, Peter Lund, and Del Goodman. Granted everything is focused on the last 6 months of Hattie's life, but each of these characters is living an empty existence. Hattie is the consummate actress. She is a chameleon in a young woman's body. Peter is a new teacher that is tethered in what has turned into a loveless marriage. Del is the sheriff who knows everyone but doesn't appear to be close to anyone.

Mindy Meija brings each of these characters to life. Hattie, the teenager, who thinks she has it figured out but in reality is as lost as any teenager ever born. What teen has ever known what love is, can be, or will be is showcased in Hattie's role playing to get what she wants. She's a child who thinks, like every teenager, that life is a certain way. Her fantasy is clouded by the hapless teacher, Peter. He is lost in small town Pine Valley. His wife, once vibrant but now sad and lonely, has turned away from him to embrace her roots. Peter searches for the contact he misses with his wife, stumbling into an online affair with Hattie. There is life in these individuals. Desperation to find what they think they are missing. The alternating perspectives give depth and vibrancy to both Hattie and Peter. Del's character has flesh and bones but he is there mostly to connect the gaps between Hattie and Peter. If there is a sequel Del is the anchor that will allow this to happen. The glue that is Del would be worth following into any sequel. Mindy Meija has me hooked as an author.

I wish to thank the Author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for this honest review.

I read books because I want to read that book and not because it has been compared to a book from another author. Having read Everything That You Want Me To Be, I am happy to state that this is a book that other authors should be looking to have their books compared with for the rest of 2017. Mindy Mejia has set a new benchmark and the standard is very high. Her style of writing captured my attention from the outset and the way in which the story was unfolded for the reader kept me captivated to the very last page.

I highly recommend this book as a must read title.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book starts with the murder of Hattie Hoffman. She is a high school senior in a very small town where everyone knows everyone. This murder shakes the town, as no one believes anyone a part of the community could have done such a thing.

Switching characters and time periods we are introduced to characters in this small town and start to get a glimpse into the real life of Hattie. Who is she exactly? depending on who she is talking to, she transforms into exactly who that person expects her to be. Does anyone actually know the real girl inside?

We also get flashbacks from Hattie's points of view. How she acted, what she said, and what she thought about her life leading up to the murder. What secrets she kept, and who she shared them with, if she shared them at all.

It was a very unique and interesting way to tell the story. I really enjoyed the multiple points of view. To be honest, this mystery kept me guessing right up to the end! It was very engaging and kept me intrigued. Usually, a reader thinks they have figured it "who done it" mid-story. I thought I had too, but I was wrong!

"Everything You Want Me to Be:A Novel" is a fast paced, thriller that I recommend. It is available on Amazon now.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read and give my honest review.

Happy Reading!

I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and kept me guessing.

“Everything You Want Me to Be.” The title of this book gives away a lot. Eighteen-year-old Hattie Hoffman, is dead—a murder victim—almost from the getgo of this story. Hatty is willing to say and do just about anything to please the people she’s with. She is the consummate actress, and we learn from the many characters who take turn narrating this book, that she is many different people, depending on who’s she’s with.

“Everything” is a suspenseful novel. In a way, I was hooked from the beginning because the book is well written and I wanted to find out who killed Hatty and why. But for me it fell short of being a great book. For one thing, the many narrators tell their parts of the story in a jumbled fashion, not in chronological order. At times this was confusing. I had to look back to see if this episode happened before or after what I’d been reading just before.

Many authors are turning to a “before” and “now”’ form of narrative, where they skip back and forth in time, and I think it’s being overdone. But this is beyond that, in that the narrators skip around in random order. For the life of me I can’t figure out how this adds to the story. If you’re looking for another Gone Girl or Girl on a Train, this book doesn’t quite measure up.

High school senior Hattie Hoffman is good at being good. The good student, good child, good friend, good actress, etc. So when she's found brutally stabbed to death after her opening performance at her high school play, no one can believe it. The question on everyone's mind is...

Who killed Hattie Hoffman?

The story is told from three points of view—Sheriff Del Goodman, Hattie Hoffman, and the new English teacher, Peter Lund. Just like any other small town, Pine Valley has its share of secrets. The story is told from the three perspectives back and forth over the last year. Showing us everything that happened leading up to Hattie's death and the aftermath.

Local Sheriff Del Goodman is a friend of the Hoffman's so he is even more invested in finding out what happened. He finds it hard to look his good friend Bud, Hattie's father, in the face as he tries to find who is responsible for this horrific act.

Hattie felt like she spent her life playing parts, molding herself into being what everyone wanted her to be. She was tired of being what everyone else wanted her to be. Playing all those different roles can be exhausting. Whether it was pretending to be fearless to ward off an older brothers teasing when she was little to pretending to be interesting in football or the other things her friends were interested in.

Deep down she just wanted someone to like her for who she really was. She kept putting on the show waiting for her real life to begin one day.

I am going to stop there. Not because I don't have a lot of thoughts about the book, but I just feel like saying much more than I have, would lead to spoiler territory. In this case, with this book, it almost does feel like the less you know the better. I was glad I didn't know much more than this before I started reading.

I thought this was a great read...an easy and entertaining read with some great twists and turns that made it hard to put the book down. I liked having no idea what was going to happen. Then all of a sudden I was positive I knew what happened! Oh I thought I was such a smarty pants.... but I was so wrong. This novel had complex characters that were able to bring out many different feelings in me as I read.

"Everything You Want Me to Be" is a compelling psychological thriller. Surprising and suspenseful with a strong character driven plot. I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to more from Mindy Mejia.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.

About: Everything You Want Me to Be is a fiction thriller written by Mindy Mejia. It was published on 1/3/17 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 340 pages. The genres are mystery, thriller, suspense, and fiction.

My Experience: I started reading Everything You Want Me to Be on 2/23/17 and finished it on 2/27/17. This book is a great read. I enjoy the thrill and the detective work. I like that this book has diversity, even though it’s incorrectly presented. Portia Nguyen is Vietnamese, not Hmong and she’s upset that her parents made her speak Vietnamese and not Hmong. Hopefully the finished copy of this book has since been corrected. I like the organization of this book and the multiple POVs. I like the twists and turns and the suspense in the story even though at times, readers can guess who the bad guy is, the author point the blame on someone else so the readers are forced to change their minds about the killer. These twists makes the read so much more fascinating.

In this book, readers will follow the point of views of Hattie Hoffmans, a people pleaser. Everyone loves her because she tells people what they want to hear including her parents, teachers, friends, etc. She likes acting and participates in school plays. She considers herself acting or play a role when she’s among her friends and people around her. Another point of view is Sheriff Del Goodman. He investigates the gruesome murder of a high school senior and finding himself in a tough spot because the girl is the daughter of his best fishing buddy. The third point of view is an English teacher, Peter Lund. He likes to read and discuss classics. He’s from the city but moved out to the farms because his wife, Mary Beth wanted to take care of her elderly mother Elsa. The supporting characters who play a big role in this book are Portia, Tommy, Mary Beth, Mona, Bud, and Winifred. I like Winifred and her gun. She has spunk!

I like reading this thriller. The reading is interesting because I get to read the happenings leading up to the girl being killed and the investigations after she was killed. I like following Sheriff Del’s thoughts. I like the honest truth about the waiting time of DNA test in reality vs TV. I like his banter with Jake, Del’s chief deputy. It’s interesting how acting can be twisted into manipulation. I don’t enjoy much of the curses because if it seems too farfetched for Del or Peter or Hattie, then of course it’s farfetched for the readers too. Overall, this book is still a great read and I highly recommend it.

Pro: twists, suspense, mystery, detective work, thriller, manipulation, diversity, romance, some humor, fast paced, page turner

Con: curse

I rate it 4.5 stars!

***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Mindy Mejia, publisher Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com

Good, well-written book. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I would want to read another one like it. Not original enough.

Fantastic! I’ve read many books in the suspense/thriller genre, and this is one of the best. EVERYTHING YOU WANT ME TO BE is an engrossing, character-driven mystery that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.

The story is about the murder of a Minnesota farm girl named Hattie, who dreamed of a career on the stage in New York after high school. Her acting talent allowed her to be all things to everyone. Was she a heartless manipulator, or simply a teenager searching for identity? Hattie tells us her story in the months leading up to her killing, and the chapters alternate with two other characters’ POVs, including the town’s sheriff investigating the shocking crime.

This was such a great book! I loved the complicated characters and suspenseful plot. The twisty ending was amazing. Even as unsettling as its subject matter was, the book’s last lines were haunting and lovely, and they got me choked up. Gah! I’m eagerly anticipating Mindy Mejia’s next book.

I don't read a lot of adult books any more, but I loved the premise of this one. And I'm so happy I requested it.

I loved that it was three POVs. I was completely wary of that when I started it, but it was a fantastic way to tell the story. I loved Hattie, the sheriff, and the teacher for various reasons and being in each of their heads was a unique experience. Each one sounded different and more importantly, felt different.

As for the plot, there's not much I can say without spoilers. It was twisty and delicious and kept me guessing until the very last page. I'm already looking forward to a reread.

**Huge thanks to Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for providing the arc free of charge**

He's not an evil man. Evil is simple. It's a child's explanation for why people do bad things. The truth is always more complicated and worth pursuing. Shakespeare pursued the truth in Macbeth. Of course, he threw in the witches and the bloodbaths to boost ratings"...But the underlying theme is desire. What happened to him-what could happen to any of us? --If we pursue our darkest desires? What do lose of ourselves when we cross that line? What does it cost those around us? He took what he wanted, regardless of the consequences, regardless of society's conventions of the mental anguish, or even of his own life. This is what makes Macbeth so timeless.

I. Loved. This. Book. It takes a circumstance and a desire that any of us can say, "I could never do that." It can be very dangerous to even go there. What you think you could never do in a weak moment becomes our folly. Could the situation been stopped? Maybe when we are at a strong place, but many of us are destroyed in weakness and by our temptations.

The narration is done by three key players. Hattie, Del and Peter. Hattie a High School student who is found murdered. Del the sheriff of Pine Valley, Minnesota who has known Hattie all of her life and his best friend is her father. Peter a High School teacher learning to adapt to life in Pine Valley from Minneapolis whose world has changed. His wife is now caring for her invalid mother.

You are brought in the current case with Del as he investigates Hattie's last day. He discovers a young girl that he did not know. Who struggled with who she was and what she became.

Hattie loved acting and studied people She became what everyone expected of her and thru a web site, she meant someone who got her and where her troubles began.

Peter loved his wife and wanted the relationship back from when they first fell in love. Peter supported his wife in the move back to her family and supported caring for his mother in law. The move isolated both of them that they found that they did not know each other at all. Knowing what is wrong and right and living with your guilt. He is guilt ridden character.

A character driven plot all the way through, you are caught up with each of these characters. A study of desires that undo us and those around us. It was not a celebration but a sad state of being undone by them.

A Special Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Hattie Hoffman was found murdered after the opening night of a school play she held a major role in. In addition to her performances on stage, many parts of Hattie's real life are all an act - best friend, girlfriend, student, actress, daughter... Who is the true Hattie Hoffman? It's difficult for Hattie herself to answer this question.

The events leading to Hattie's death and the identity of her killer are told in alternating views (Hattie; Peter, a teacher at her high school; and Del, the sheriff investigating her death) between the past and present. There aren't many options as to who Hattie's killer could be, but I thought I had it figured out and was wrong.

This book wasn't just about finding out who killed Hattie, it also dove into the complex world of a teenage girl, the pain of loss, difficult decisions, and dealing with the results of our actions.

Should this title be compared to Gone Girl? Nah, but it was still a good read.

Great book! Loved it! I think it would have crossover appeal to YA readers.

A fast read with a clean, bright style. One of the best thrillers I have read in a long time. I liked how this book had a point and a purpose and delivered it with ease. This book was gripping, intense, and unforgettable. Better than Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. I could not put this book down.

A well-formulated read that had me turning pages. Meija does a great job of shifting suspicion throughout the story, keeping the reader on her/his toes until the end.

Though I have no doubt that this will sell well, I found no likeable characters in it that I will miss. It seemed fairly predictable and left me with a loathing feeling. Sorry!

Everything You Want Me To Be
By
Mindy Mejia





What it's all about...

This book is about the residents of a farming community that is literally in the middle of nowhere. A high school senior is found dead in an old barn and the search is on for the person who murdered her. The girl is Hattie and she has secrets and a sexual connection to one of her teachers.

Why I wanted to read it...

Books like this...especially when they are well written like this one...are one of my favorite kinds of books to read. Hattie can't wait to leave and become an actress. Peter...her teacher...is in an unhappy marriage. Del...the sheriff...is a bit dysfunctional, too. He is friends with Hattie's parents and won't stop looking until he finds out what happened to Hattie.

What made me truly enjoy this book...

The writing is good...really good and the pace is fast. The characters are really interesting as they tell their stories.

Why you should read it, too...

If you are a reader who loves a fast paced well written mystery...you will enjoy this book.

Keeping secrets is not always a good thing. Lying to others in order to use them so that everything goes your way can be deadly.

This haunting story of secrets, love, manipulation, and murder is told from three points of view—Del, the small-town sheriff; Peter, the English teach caught in a marriage that is crumbling; and Hattie, the high school senior whose actions are inching her closer to death every moment.

These three characters are developed so well that you understand just what each one is going through. You truly get why the wrongs seem so right to them, you get why they do what they do, and your heart breaks when the inevitable happens.

Life in a small town is not the life that Hattie feels destined for. She sees a bright future ahead in New York City, a city of lights, opportunity, and action. She sees love with a man that she should not be involved with. Little does she realize the effects her plans of escape will have on her and on others.

Hattie’s confused and tormented thoughts are revealed through her own eyes as well as in her actions and the many parts she plays just to please others. But she no longer wants to fool people. She wants to live her life as she was meant to.

Finding her murderer is the focus of this small-town sheriff. So many times I thought I had figured out just who did it. I never did get it right, at least not until this person’s identity was revealed. This is one of those books that will stay with you long after you have finished it.

My Review: 5/5

When Hattie is found murdered, the whole town becomes involved. From the beginning we also are living in the small town, trying to solve the crime along with Del (the lead sheriff on the case).

I love murder mysteries, especially when the setting is a small town and twists are on every page. This one kept me guessing until the very end...a VERY good thing! When the book ended, I was stunned.

This book deals with so much more than the actual murder though. The author takes us back in time to learn just who Hattie is. And, honestly, we don't really find out who she is until the very end. She is an an actress who takes on different rolls, on stage and off. She can literally become someone different to everyone she meets. Is this a good thing...or bad?

This book really got me to thinking about the high school years, and even younger. There is so much pressure put on those age groups, would it be easier to just mold yourself to be someone different in every circumstance?

While parts of the book are creepy (with the English teacher), it is thought provoking and wonderfully written. It didn't give me the "ewwww" feeling I though I would have, but more of an insight into the complicated composure of a girl.

I loved this book. Not only is the story complex, told by different point of views (my favorite), it is gripping and one I could not put down.

***Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.