Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for And Then There Were Four by Nancy Werlin! Today I will share a mini-review with you, and some “tips” for if you ever think your parent might be trying to kill you 😉 And of course, a lovely giveaway, thanks to the folks at Penguin!!
And Then There Were Four by Nancy WerlinPublished by Dial Books on June 6th 2017
Pages: 352
Format:ARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review
New York Times bestselling author Nancy Werlin returns to YA suspense with this page-turner mystery for fans of Lauren Oliver, Neal Shusterman, and Lois Duncan
Let s not die today. Not even to make things easier for our parents.
When a building collapses around five teenagers and they just barely escape they know something strange is going on. Little by little, the group pieces together a theory: Their parents are working together to kill them all. Is it true? And if so, how did their parents come together and why? And, most importantly, how can the five of them work together to save themselves? With an unlikely group of heroes, sky-high stakes, and two budding romances, this gripping murder mystery will keep readers guessing until the last page."
Things I Enjoyed:
- I liked the characters; they all had tough lots in life, but they were all fiercely trying to survive and even grew to become friends, which I appreciated. They were all very different and well fleshed out, which I find very important in a thriller/mystery story. I need to care about the welfare of the characters, and in this case, I did.
- It was pleasantly twisty! I was definitely kept guessing throughout the story, and I was wholly unsure of how it would end. Definitely a page turner!
- I also really enjoyed the focus on relationships in the book. Between the friendships, romances, and of course, the caregiver-teen relationships that are a main focus, there was a lot of variety to enjoy.
Things I Didn’t As Much:
- While some of the plot lines were actually sadly believable, a few weren’t. There were a few things here and there that had me thinking “no way, this couldn’t happen”. Luckily, I was invested enough for it not to hamper my enjoyment too much.
Bottom Line: While there needed to be suspension of disbelief, the plot was so exciting that I had to keep reading anyway. I genuinely cared about the outcome for the characters, and it’s definitely a strong addition to the YA thriller genre.
Dos and Don’ts if Your Parents May Be Planning Your Demise
Here are a few handy “tips” for if you ever start to think “hmm Mom and Dad have been really eyeing up my bedroom a little too much lately…”
- DO start working out. If you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t been training to fend off an attack and/or run away from one. You’ll need to start, ASAP.
- DON’T eat anything they offer you. Stick to sealed grocery store products. Sure, you might think you can trust old Betty at the diner, but do you really know who your parents have on their payroll?
- DO hit up the ATM. Assuming you’re still using their credit cards, they’ll have a very easy way to trace your movements. Hopefully you’ve got some cash on hand, friend.
- DON’T trust too easily. Let’s face it, that’s a good way to get yourself killed. Be wary, be vigilant.
- DO take public transportation. It’s much harder to mess with an Uber or a random bus than the car that probably sits in their driveway.
- DON’T ignore your gut feelings. If you feel like someone is watching you and/or trying to attack you… maybe they are. At least check it out before dismissing it.
- DO know your surroundings. Familiarize yourself with any new locations. Find exits, and keep an eye out for shady characters heading in your direction. Or hell, not even shady characters, because your actual parents may want you dead, so who knows how low they’ll sink?
I’m really excited for this one. It sounds great to begin with, but then add in the parents? I can’t wait to see how that plays out. Thanks for hosting! PS: love the dos and don’ts list!
Ooh parents trying to kill their kids kinda reminds me of Runaways . Although I’m sure this is plenty different. Glad to hear the characters are done well. such a cool premise.
Solid tips for surviving homicidally crazed parental units too. “Do know your surroundings” totally makes me think of that Jason Bourne movie (the third one?) where he like knows where all the CCTV cameras are going to be and he like walks this guy through how to be invisible in the crowd lol. that’s so awesome ha ha.
Gah!! I can’t believe I haven’t read this yet. I really really wanted to read it before it came out and didn’t get to it and now—- ughhh. Well, I’m putting on my NEXT shelf. I’ve been meaning to read another book by this author ever since one of her books was my first ever (and only) audio book read. Glad you liked it and I LOVE your rules!!
You dos and don’ts list cracked me up. Loved it! And I am totally excited to read this one. I could use a little suspense in my life.
Sam @ WLABB
Great dos and don’ts list. I think this book will be fun to read and leave conveniently around the house where my teens, if they are struck with a moment of looking away from their phones, may find it… Good to get them wondering especially as summer vacation starts.
Sounds like a great twisty story!
I love the theme! Makes me think of the rules in the movie Zombieland. 🙂
Ah, fun! Sounds like The Runaways, a bit- which tells me I’ll like it. In that situation, I’d totally be the first to die. I trust WAY too easily. 🙂
I’d love to read this. And you’ve got me very curious about the things you don’t think could really happen. Thanks for sharing!
Ooooh! I would love to read this. I like PLENTY of twisty things! And parents trying to murder their children? That’s totally new! Thanks for the heads up!
This sounds really interesting! Your list of what to do if you think your parents are trying to kill you made me chuckle.
All of them on list are sound advise. I’d love to read this book. Thanks for this chance.
haha I love your list! Some good advice there. Despite some unbelievable aspects in the book, I really do want to read this one too. Glad it was mostly good!
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
And Then There Were Four sounds really mysterious and creepy. I’d love to read it.
Lol, that advice is pretty funny! Hopefully I won’t have to be using it anytime soon 😛
I’m glad you enjoyed this one. YA thriller/mysteries aren’t really my style (especially when it’s like… well, this), and I do think I would have some believability issues with it as well. Nevertheless, awesome quick mini-review!
Guess I’ll have to make sure my kids never read this post. Just in case I get stabby sometime in the future. LOL!