Title: ALL EYES ON HER
Author: L.E. Flynn
Pub. Date: August 18, 2020
Publisher: Imprint
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 320
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
You heard the story on the news. A girl and a boy went into the woods. The girl carried a picnic basket. The boy wore bright yellow running shoes. The girl found her way out, but the boy never did….
Everyone thinks they know what happened. Some say Tabby pushed him off that cliff— she didn’t even like hiking. She was jealous. She had more than her share of demons. Others think he fell accidentally—she loved Mark. She would never hurt him…even if he hurt her.
But what’s the real story? All Eyes On Her is told from everyone but Tabby herself as the people in her life string together the events that led Tabby to that cliff. Her best friend. Her sister. Her enemy. Her ex-boyfriend. Because everybody thinks they know a girl better than she knows herself.
What do you think is the truth?
"Because somewhere along the line, we decided to equate quiet with good, which means loud became bad by default."I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.
All Eyes on Her was unlike any other book I've read before! The story is about a possible murder, but we only see the perspectives of some secondary characters, not the main suspect. Flynn has flipped it so that the people in the periphery are actually the ones telling the story. It was fantastic! Wonderfully written and utterly captivating, All Eyes on Her easily held my attention and I never wanted to put it down.
I loved how the author made everyone a suspect, or at least had them seem suspicious. People can think they know someone, but their interactions with them - - along with their perceptions - - might make them feel differently. For example, Keegan thought Mark was a saint that treated girls well, while Elle thought he was controlling and manipulative. They both saw the same person, but through very different lenses. Their relative positions to Mark, plus their personal experiences with him, shaped how they saw him as a person. It also affected how they saw his death, and whether or not it was an accident.
Additionally, we see that most people are morally gray. They will do things to "help" others, or because they think someone else "deserves" it. They let their opinions dictate their actions, and we see people get hurt because of a misunderstanding or false information. No one is perfect, and Flynn highlights people's imperfections in this book. Even the "good guys" have done "bad" things for the right reasons (or what they thought were the right reasons). They often felt vindicated and determined in the moment, only to regret and second-guess their decisions later.
I never knew who was responsible for what until the author wanted me to know, and even then there were two sides to every story. I was left making my own assumptions and conclusions about certain aspects of the story. Sadly, I'm not thrilled with the ending, despite most of the story's threads being wrapped up. There's too much we still don't know, and only one person with the all of the answers. That person isn't inclined to be 100% honest, so we're left wondering what the truth actually is. I wouldn't say the ending was unsatisfying, because it did follow the same pattern as the rest of the book, but I wish the conclusion had been more definitive.
The parents and adults in this book were mostly nonexistent. Tabby's parents just sucked.
I also really liked that the author used her characters to highlight how girls and women are seen in the world. There are all of these expectations and unwritten rules, and we get judged accordingly. It was nice seeing them stand up for themselves and each other. Definitely a Girl Power book! Additionally, if you're looking for a suspenseful mystery, All Eyes on Her will deliver! (★★★★☆)
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Laurie Elizabeth Flynn is a former model who lives in London, Ontario with her husband and children. She is the author of three young adult novels: Firsts, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick, along with Last Girl Lied To and All Eyes On Her, under the name L.E. Flynn. She is also the author of Wattpad featured series The Boys Tell All.
Her adult fiction debut, The Girls Are All So Nice Here, will be published in 2021. It has been optioned for a TV series by AMC.
When she’s not writing, you can likely find her hiking in the woods, perusing thrift stores for vintage dresses, or bingeing on reality TV.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway Details:
3 winners will receive a finished copy of ALL EYES ON HER, US Only.
I love the way that the on-lookers become the narrators. That is such a unique take on a crime story. It kind of reminds me of Lippman's Lady in the Lake.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of Lady in the Lake (although I love the title alone)! I really enjoyed seeing an outsider's perspective in this one. They can only make guesses about what happened, and their opinions were very varied. They've all had different experiences with the two people involved, so they already have certain loyalties and expectations. It was really interesting!
DeleteWhat a very cool premise!
ReplyDeleteYes! I thought the author told the story incredibly well! :)
DeleteDefinitely unique!
ReplyDeleteA joy to read and experience. <3
DeleteI agree about the ending - I didn't hate it, but I DID want a bit more of a conclusion. At any rate, I really loved this book. It kept me turning the pages for sure and I just loved all the girl power, like you said! Very good mystery.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Right? It was a decent ending (especially with her hypothetical nonsense at the end that just made me question everything I thought I knew), but I wish the ending had been more definitive. I wanted to know exactly what happened and how! Still very enjoyable overall. :)
DeleteThis sounds really good! I do sometimes hate endings like that- I tend to like my endings wrapped up nicely haha, at least most of the time- but otherwise this sounds great.
ReplyDeleteIt was an okay ending for the story, since it made sense and fit the overall narrative. However, like you, I like my endings nice and tidy! This one left me wondering if what happened actually happened, but no one is ever really going to know (unless the author decides to share later on down the road).
Delete