March Read: What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

 

I've read a few Shari Lapena novels and they always keep me dangling until the last few pages.   This novel, her latest (on sale July 30), kept me completely engaged and unable to put it down. 

The small town of Fairhill, Vermont is a place where you leave your house unlocked and there's never any crime. Until one early morning when a farmer, driving his tractor into one of his fields, discovers a horrible scene: a naked young woman-dead, lying in the field. 

That dead young woman is Diana Brewer, a senior at the local high school. Her single mother works the night shift as a nurse in the next town over, and Diana spends nights alone at their home. Word quickly spreads, and the first suspect is Diana's boyfriend, Cameron. What were they doing together the night before, and why does Cameron lie? Diana's best friends Riley and Evan are devastated Diana's dead--and murdered. The town quickly become filled with a whole lot of people who have secrets to keep; secrets which point at many of them as potential suspects. Will they lie to protect themselves, or fess up and help uncover Diana's killer?

Shari Lapena usually writes thrillers that involve couples, and this was a bit different from her usual in that it centers around a murdered high school student. As police investigate, there's plenty of people who have things to hide that may tie directly to Diana's death, or may have contributed to her murder. It was hard to tell who would be revealed, and the reveal at the end is a bit of a twist that you may or may not see coming. Another twist is that Diana's spirit is "hanging around", and she's confused as to what happened. She has big gaps in her memory, and is slowly understanding she's dead and that someone killed her. Her flashbacks also give a bit of a red herring aspect to the plot because what she remembers may not necessarily be accurate. Plus, she's dead! 

Definitely one theme in this thriller is the endless harassment and sexualization young girls have to endure, even in a small town. Being called a liar, or not being believed at all, are things Diana has to endure. People always going out of their way to protect themselves instead of standing up for truth. 

If you're a Shari Lapena fan, this won't disappoint. If you're new to her novels, and you like thrillers--Heather Gudenkauf fans I'm talking to you--grab this novel for you summer read when it arrives in stores and libraries July 30th. 

A HUGE thank you to Pamela Dorman Books/Viking for a chance to read this thriller a few months before publication. 

Rating: 5/6 for a thriller that keeps you on your toes guessing who the guilty party is--and also, the effect of murder on a small town and how it completely changes the lives of those left behind. 

Available July 30th in the U.S. in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

Whenever I look through the children's and YA fiction sections at my local bookstore, I find myself having a hard time not buying one of everything. I have to remind myself that I didn't win the lottery, and I have to pay my bills and buy food. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure I'd be spending a big chunk of change on books. Yes, I do use my library, but I also (as I've said before) buy books every month week. I bought Ghost last year and it sat on my shelf until this month. One of my book groups will be discussing it next week. I love reading a book for a group discussion and  ticking it off my backlist reading challenge. 

Ghost is a quick read, and I quickly became a fan of Jason Reynolds. Ghost is a young boy named Castle Cranshaw, and he can run. He found that out one night when his father, drinking heavily, tried to shoot Ghost and his mother. They fled and his father went to jail. Now Ghost and his mom have a new normal, and that new normal is tough for Ghost. He's bullied at school for pretty much everything: how he looks, what he wears (his mom buys clothes bigger so he can grow into them), what he eats (french fries at lunch so he has money to buy sunflower seeds after school). He doesn't really have any close friends, and feels isolated. Until one day he sees some kids practicing at a track, and his life takes a big turn. 

Ghost's life doesn't automatically become better just because he's given a chance to be part of a track team. He still struggles between doing what's right and doing what's wrong, and not letting his emotions and frustration guide his choices. Coach is tough on Ghost, but that's what Ghost needs. His mom is hard working and striving to make life better for both of them, but that leaves Ghost alone all week and he's very conscious of not creating extra demands on his mom. All of this is bundled up inside Ghost, who runs to find relief and escape. 

You get quickly invested in Ghost, and will find yourself cheering him on. He's a good kid who reacts and hasn't yet learned how to deal with frustration and anger. Yes, your typical teen. We've all been there, right? But Ghost has a whole lot of difficult emotions to work through and a whole lot of stereotypes to deal with as well. 

Ghost is the first in The Track Series. I was excited to see this, and plan on reading about all of the track team members. I'm sure their stories will be just as compelling as Ghost's story. There are discussion questions at the back of the book for book groups--I'm sure my group will have some interesting things to say about Ghost. 

Rating:  4/6 for a compelling story about one young man's choices, working through emotional turmoil, finding a positive outlet and believing in yourself. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

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Ghost by Jason Reynolds