Wow! This is a fantastic book! So much intrigue and drama. The ending was a complete surprise! The characters are relatable and genuine. I found myself routing for the characters. Their struggles were crazy. A definite must read! ( )

Oh my god a million pages of rich teenagers being like, 'I'm so bad, I have so many secrets, if everyone knew...' and the secrets are that they like, lied to their parents or KISSED someone. That plus the ridiculous way the kids 'forget' and 'remember' are two of the worst parts of an overall bad, boring book. ( )

Ooh, another book by Caroline George! And totally not me making grabby-hands at it!

I picked this book up simply to knock out a reading challenge prompt. While it fulfilled that function, this YA murder mystery wasn't really match for me. The story is a bit tedious and fraught with teenage insecurities, and not in a good way. ( )

I was first introduced to this author in her book titled Dearest Josephine. A fascinating, touching, love story that takes place in 1821 and 2021. It’s innovative, full of love, wit, and warms your heart. It made me want to check out this mysterious coming of age story I couldn’t resist reading.

The story begins with your basic teen group of friends that dabble at being intimate, making out, alcohol, parties, raging hormones, social awkwardness, heightened emotions, and physical changes all blended well with a unique summer came mystery. Things get crazy, and the kids join forces in hopes of finding out what happened to them. This talented author does a great job of capturing the difficult transition of growing up and the struggles of remembering, as they try to solve the puzzle.

The event took place at a summer camp where best friends Darby, Morgan, Eliza, Spooner and Cyrus go. No one (in this group of kids from a variety of backgrounds) can remember exactly what happened to them. They all get frightened and think the worst when the police discover a body floating in the water near the camp. They remember bits and pieces of the camp, but the rest is foggy. What had happened? They didn’t kill anyone, did they?

I enjoyed how the author sprinkled clues throughout this story, through several characters, so the reader could try to figure out who did what, along with the teens. Would they ever find out why this entire group of best buds have memory loss? It kept me guessing, why could they not remember?

I like how the story was told through Darby and Eliza’s POV’S, the author tackled a few tough subjects interwoven in a clever and unexpected mystery. Below are a few lines that give you a peek at a few themes.
” It’s okay to be broken – and your mistakes don’t make you less than or unlovable.”

Another theme that stood out was the fact that nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. No one measures up to their Instagram posts! This author includes discussion questions to get your book club discussion rolling. There is much to talk about.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a digital copy of this book by the publisher/NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/ ( )