This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie week and I decided that I wanted to share my ten favorite YA mystery & thrillers since it’s a genre I’ve loved my entire life, my go to whenever I have a slump to break and because one of my all-time favorites is releasing this month and I’d never give up an excuse to hype it up.
Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig: A twisty turny debut with well developed characters, believable teen voices and much ship. The pacing was excellent & it kept me guessing until the end + put Roehrig on my auto-buy list immediately. If you haven’t picked this up yet, DO IT NOW.
The Darkest Corners
by Kara Thomas: I will honestly never be over this book. Completely brilliant and compelling story with an ending I never saw coming. It wasn’t even on my list of possibilities for how the big reveal would go and that is the first and only time in my life that has happened. The voice is also great.
The Fixer & The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: This duology has everything I love – political intrigue, a snarky MC reminiscent of Veronica Mars, unforeseeable twists, a cast of well developed + heart stealing characters PLUS a life ruining ship. It is the literal best. It will also completely ruin your life and nothing makes me saltier than knowing I will never get a third book.
I Hunt Killers
by Barry Lyga: The son of a serial killer tries to hunt down someone replicating his fathers crime – what about that doesn’t sound amazing. I Hunt Killers is excellently plotted, dark af with A+ characterization. The entire series is great, but this first book is definitely my favorite.
Trouble is a Friend of Mine
by Stephanie Tromly: This novel is comped as Veronica Mars meets Sherlock and it is 100% accurate. It’s clever, perfectly plotted and kept me on my toes the entire time and the characters stole my heart.
Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson: Holy shit this book. If you have not read it yet, drop everything you are doing and fix your life IMMEDIATELY. It’s been months since I read it (in one sitting because it’s impossible to put down) and I still think about it regularly. If you like your thrillers dark af with an unreliable narrator and fantastic writing, this is the book for you.
Heist Society
by Ally Carter: This isn’t a particularly clever mystery, but it’s FUN. I loved the voice and the character/group dynamics are well done (plus I am all about the ship.)
Trust Me, I’m Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer: While on the tropey side with easily spotted twist, I highly enjoyed this story. The MC is very reminiscent of Veronica Mars and the fast pace kept me engaged.
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes: This book is genius. The writing is brilliant – with complex characters and an MC with a backstory that will intrigue and horrify you, I couldn’t put it down.
White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig: Hello, let me introduce you to the best YA thriller of 2018 (possibly ever, don’t @ me.) This story is fucking genius. The characters are brilliantly and realistically rendered, and the ship will make you die of feels. It’s fast-paced and the plot is genius with every twist perfectly timed. Caleb has the rare talent of perfectly blending normal, every day teen emotions and interactions with the high stakes terror of hunting down a killer in a way that doesn’t feel forced and seriously I cannot rave about this enough IT RELEASES THIS MONTH MAKE SURE YOU BUY IT
