Jennifer Donaldson

First, when discussing "I Know You Remember", I have to admit that I really hated the main character. Intensely. Ruthie was such a jerk (internally judging other people, hostile to her father's recovery from alcohol abuse and his new family, and overly apathetic to everyone's reactions when she disappears while searching for her best friend, Zarah). This slow burn mystery had me turning pages faster and faster as I got closer to the end. The jaw-dropping final quarter of the book blew my show more mind. Congrats to Jennifer Donaldson for writing a mystery that presented all the clues, but still left the reader baffled. Highly recommended. Probably an amazing reread as well. show less

Whelp. Jennifer Donaldson knows how to craft a twisty, utterly delightful YA thriller/mystery. I’m going to keep this review short and sweet, because I don’t want to give away anything, but suffice it to say, this book kept me guessing, and kept the twists coming all the way to the end. Ruth left Anchorage years ago when her parents split up. But after her mother’s death, she’s forced to return to move back in with her father and stepmother. She’s looking forward to reuniting with show more her former best friend, Zara, but the weekend she’s arriving home, Zara goes missing. Really. Awesome. Mystery. Nuff said!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. show less

This book is one clever, clever page-turner. From the first page, I found myself drawn to the story and its characters, yearning to understand how their lives would intertwine and, if not, what connection they shared that would make them co-narrators of this story. My desire to find out what would happen next was so strong that it felt almost physically impossible to put this book down. I can't put my finger on what it was exactly, but something about the writing really drew me in. Both show more narrator's voices were very strong and distinctive. Not only that, they felt like the realistic thoughts and reactions of the teenagers they belonged to and their circumstances. Its been far too often that the books I've read have featured teenage protagonist with voices that were either too mature or too immature. I think Lies You Never Told Me hit the perfect middle-ground, in which the narrators' voices were perfectly reflective of their age and mindset, which I greatly appreciated.

That being said, I also have to say that there were several instances in the story where I was looking for more than what I was given. If I'm honest, Sasha's story-line felt a bit off at times. The character is vital to story, but a huge part of her arc seemed almost unnecessary in a larger context, with little motivation seemingly being given for her actions. Certain aspects of the story likewise didn't seem to meet full closure by the story's end, which was a bit disappointing.

Overall, this book is totally worth the read if only for that one plot twist. I can't say it or even hint at it since its so good, but I gasped out loud once I put two and two together. The author did a truly fantastic job. show less

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I had so much trouble stepping away from this utterly compelling book. Although I did not enjoy the author's previous work, this plot-driven mystery pulled me in from the first chapter. I was pleasantly surprised show more by how much I was drawn in by the details of the Alaskan setting, especially given my own roots growing up in an isolated, Northern, small city. The political awareness that is obvious in this book was also surprising to me, given that from what I know of the author, she is a white woman, and I would say that oftentimes, thrillers are lacking in the political awareness that I would like to see in a book. All of that said - I did not see the ending of this book coming, and it was a shocking revelation. This was such a satisfying read. I would absolutely recommend it. CW for religious extremism, parents with substance use issues, disappearing girls, murder, threatening wildlife encounters, underage alcohol use, death of parents, death of teenagers, child abuse. No sexual content beyond kissing on the page, or sexual abuse or harassment. show less