YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Seven friends. One killer. You can run, but you can’t hide…

The winter hike is meant to bring their nature group together.
Emily, the sister who never lets her hearing loss hold her back.
Lauren, the sister who always feels a step behind.
Morna, who doesn’t get on with Lauren.
Ben, whose feelings for Emily border on obsession.
Dan, the quiet newcomer to the group.
Kai, who isn’t just on the hike to enjoy the wildlife.
And Alec, the one who knows all their secrets.

As the sun sets, a gunshot rings out on the nature reserve.
One of the seven is dead. And one of their number killed them…

Have this on NetGalley and desperate to read it. Can I wait until 29th? Maybe...

I'll join for this one

First quarter. There’s a number of characters hiding something. We’re being told little, which is infuriating but it certainly makes me want to know more.

I'll start this as soon as I finish my current read. I'm 65% through so I should finish today (barring interruptions)

Second quarter (view spoiler)[ He might be infuriating, but the guy did not deserve that. There’s at least three clearly hiding something. (hide spoiler)]

Up to ch 8: Ok so far weve met all of the characters, there's some suspicious activity and a history of discord amongst the group. So far I'm interested, though I already can't stand Alec...

Up to ch 16 - Honestly that was the only person that could have been killed off. (view spoiler)[I believe it's Kai but I admit that Ben does look a bit suspicious, especially after he talked about having something hidden in his trunk that he doesn't want his mother to see. We'll see where this goes.

Would have loved to learn what Alec knew about them though (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "Second quarter [spoilers removed]"

He was obnoxious and not self aware at all haha

Dee Dee wrote: "Up to ch 16 - Honestly that was the only person that could have been killed off. I believe it's Kai but I admit that Ben does look a bit suspicious, especially after he talked about having somethin..."

(view spoiler)[ You're right, there was a clear attempt to set up a number of the characters to seem suspicious. (hide spoiler)]

Finished. Review on home page. (view spoiler)[ While the situation with Dan was definitely not something to surprise us, I'm amazed the rest of the group were so caught up in their own dramas that they didn't see anything untoward. (hide spoiler)]

At 48% in (view spoiler)[ Kai is also too obvious and since Dan is the only one that isn't being jumpy he's my new vote (hide spoiler)]

At 57% (ch 24) - How could they (view spoiler)[LEAVE EMILY OUT THERE BY HERSELF?! (hide spoiler)] I'm livid!

Hoping to join in tomorrow or today if I'm lucky. But I just saw this on NetGalley and color me confused as this book hasn't been released yet and still looks like it's been redone and will be republished in March, so confusing?!?!?! Can't say I've seen NetGalley do this so soon if this is just the paperback copy, but then why change the name??

https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...

Oh I forgot to update. I finished it last night. I'll post my final thoughts in a bit

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Hoping to join in tomorrow or today if I'm lucky. But I just saw this on NetGalley and color me confused as this book hasn't been released yet and still looks like it's been redone and will be repu..."

That's odd...

Karen wrote: "Finished. Review on home page. [spoilers removed]"

I'm not. They were all so (view spoiler)[ridiculously self absorbed that he could have killed Alec right in front of them and they wouldn't have noticed. (hide spoiler)]

That ending though...(view spoiler)[I knew I didn't like the way Lauren treated her sister and blamed her for everything, but to be so disgustingly jealous as to want to kill her??? Ew. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I found this to be a very easy, simple thriller. I enjoyed it even though it didn't really *surprise* me.

First Quarter- (view spoiler)[A super unlikeable cast but Alec is proving the hardest to bond with. His drunken outburst has spooked the others as it seems they all have something to hide. (hide spoiler)]

Second Quarter- (view spoiler)[I didn't anticipate Alec's death but little occurred, aside from it and lots of arguing, in this quarter. I wonder if Dan is really innocent? Only Emily seems sure. (hide spoiler)]

Third Quarter- (view spoiler)[secrets are revealed and I was surprised to find the sisters' grandmother in the group. Even in their own perspectives, each character is speaking super cryptically, which is a little annoying to read. My money is on Lauren as the killer. (hide spoiler)]

Fourth Quarter- (view spoiler)[I was right but didn't guess all the twists. This has been left open-ended but I doubt I'd read a sequel. (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "Second quarter [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I didn't like Alec at all but was quite surprised abd sadenned by his death. (hide spoiler)]

Dee Dee wrote: "Up to ch 16 - Honestly that was the only person that could have been killed off. I believe it's Kai but I admit that Ben does look a bit suspicious, especially after he talked about having somethin..."

(view spoiler)[They all hid so much from the reader and each other that my suspicions were on all of them at some point in the book. (hide spoiler)]

Dee Dee wrote: "At 57% (ch 24) - How could they [spoilers removed] I'm livid!"

It was super sad to read her struggles. Hers was the only likeable character, for me.

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Hoping to join in tomorrow or today if I'm lucky. But I just saw this on NetGalley and color me confused as this book hasn't been released yet and still looks like it's been redone and will be repu..."

That is odd. I noticed two titles but assumed one was a US and on a UK title, or something?

23% (view spoiler)[This is a bit dry so far and everyone seems dull. Not sure what to expect yet… wondering if whatever happens will all be the result of what Alec said!?! Won’t be surprised. (hide spoiler)]

52% (view spoiler)[Alec being killed is not shocking at all. None of these characters even seem to like each other so it’s easy to imagine them unraveling even more. (hide spoiler)]

79% (view spoiler)[Why is this supposedly the most exciting part of the book and I’m so bored. They’re just traipsing through the woods and they all have secrets. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[Lauren’s hatred of her sister was always obvious to me. Her having killed his wife and using that to turn him against her sister though was kinda evil villain brilliant. But dang this story was a drag. And the end was less than exciting especially since nothing was ever really ‘solved.’ (hide spoiler)]

Dee Dee wrote: "Up to ch 16 - Honestly that was the only person that could have been killed off. I believe it's Kai but I admit that Ben does look a bit suspicious, especially after he talked about having somethin..."

(view spoiler)[I was convinced Ben had a dead girl in his trunk. He was always talking about his girl problems lol I just assumed too much apparently. Just a stalker not yet evolved into a serial killer lol (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "Finished. Review on home page. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I think everyone having their own secrets may have been the only thing that makes all this worth it for me. Plus Lauren being a bit more evil and devious was a nice twist. (hide spoiler)]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "79% [spoilers removed]"

Agreed!

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

Yeah, there were some interesting reveals at the end but nothing to make this boom really stand out for me