READING: This is Our Story by Ashley Elston

Publication date: November 15 2016
Published by: Disney-Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult, Crime, Mystery, High School, Suspense 
Rating: 

No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The boys won’t say who fired the shot that killed their friend; the evidence shows it could have been any one of them. 

Kate Marino’s senior year internship at the district attorney’s office isn’t exactly glamorous—more like an excuse to leave school early that looks good on college applications. Then the DA hands her boss, Mr. Stone, the biggest case her small town of Belle Terre has ever seen.

As Kate gets dangerously close to the truth, it becomes clear that the early morning accident might not have been an accident at all—and if Kate doesn’t uncover the true killer, more than one life could be on the line…including her own. 

Definitely a page turner that will have you sitting at the edge of your seat until the very end. 

However, I felt that it is one of those crime-mystery books that is more concerned with everything surrounding the murder and the amount of suspense built around it, rather than the actual murderer. That's why we get almost zero info on the boys' lives and backstories because they really don't matter, as far as the reader is concerned any of those boys could have done it. Motive is also something that was unknown to the reader until the very end, more like a very hasty explanation as to why that guy murdered his best friend. I think that there was so much untapped potential in the story, especially Grant's relationship with his friends, which would have given a much darker side to the story, outlining a clear villain (or not) and a more holistic view and understating behind the murderer's actions. I would have also liked more info on the female lead, Kate, and why teenagers are allowed to assist with murder investigations (?)

It's gripping and very entertaining, don't get me wrong, but it could also have been wicked and shocking and scandalous. But it wasn't.