Review: This is Our Story by Ashley Elston

Title: This is Our Story

Author: Ashley Elston

Publisher: Disney- Hyperion

Publishing Date: November 15th, 2016

Pages: 320
Audio Length: 8 Hours and 47 Minutes

Genre: YA Mystery
Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

 

Five went in. Four came out.
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. The River Point Boys are all anyone can talk about. Despite their damning toxicology reports the morning of the accident, the DA wants the boys’ case swept under the rug. He owes his political office to their powerful families.
Kate won’t let that happen. Digging up secrets without revealing her own is a dangerous line to walk; Kate has her own reasons for seeking justice for Grant. As she investigates with Stone, the aging prosecutor relying on Kate to see and hear what he cannot, she realizes that nothing about the case—or the boys—is what it seems. Grant wasn’t who she thought he was, and neither is Stone’s prime suspect. 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.

What made me pick this book up: 

Jenn actually suggested it to me.

What did I like about the cover: 

I love the colors and I love the way the shadows are on the wall and the one shadow has the head of the buck. I think it fits the book well.  

What made me read this book: 

Jenn suggested it. And it did sound like a good intense mystery.

What did I like the most: 

The story was great, I love reading whodunits. Especially when it's a group of friends like this, and it could be anyone. I love the story unfolding about why it could be this person or why it can't possibly be this person. All the clues are really interesting. 

I liked the characters for the most part. The MC wasn't annoying or crazy or whiny or anything, and the other boys seemed okay. 

I feel like most of this book was just okay.

Now I was listening while playing Sims during a readathon and I feel like I almost need to read it again, because I was rushing through it. 

What didn't I like: 

I figured out the who pretty quickly on. I don't care for mystery books where I can figure it out quickly. That's part of the reason it was only a 3 star read.

That and the pace wasn't that great. I felt like I was waiting the whole book for something intense to actually happen. This is another of those books that sure it's mystery but is more of a contemporary. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
I think so. Both Lying Woods and The Rules for Disappearing look good.

Just a meh read. It wasn't really a mystery.

“Either we all get out of this or none of us does. We all know the consequences. It's as simple as that.” 
― Ashley Elston, This Is Our Story

Ashley Elston lives is North Louisiana with her husband and three sons. She worked as a wedding and portrait photographer for ten years until she decided to pursue writing full time. Ashley is also a certified landscape horticulturist and loves digging in the dirt. Her debut novel, THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING was published by Disney Hyperion in 2013 and was a finalist in the Best Young Adult category of the International Thriller Writers Awards.
Out now: THIS IS OUR STORY
Coming Soon: THE LYING WOODS (November 13, 2018)

TEN BLIND DATES (Nov 2019)