Review: It Ends With You | S. K. Wright (ARC)

This review is spoiler free.

“That’s the trouble with my situation – so many lies, all stacking up like a house of cards. I know that one day it will come toppling down on me…”

Published: 2018, by Atom.
Pages: 384
Format: eBook/ARC from Netgalley
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Contains: Violence, Death, Murder, Blood/Gore, Bullying, Drugs/Alcohol, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Prison, Underage Relationships, Anger, Suicidal Thoughts

I received a copy of this book from Atom through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

‘It Ends With You’ follows the events of those closest to popular school girl, Eva, after her body is discovered in the local woods with fatal stab wounds. All fingers point to bad-boy boyfriend, Luke, who has the motive, means and opportunity to carry out the murder. He claims he’s not guilty, but who else is there?

I first requested this book on Netgalley late last year, it waiting patiently on my Kindle until now when I finally had the chance to pick it up. From the blurb alone, I’d hoped it would be the darker YA Thriller I wished many of the other popular titles would have been and needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

‘It Ends With You’ is the fast-paced, gripping mystery of my dreams. Countless of popular Young Adult titles explore the thriller genre, but many lack the gritty brutality of modern crime. This book glosses over nothing. The writing within is honest, brutal and descriptive, exploring the crime and mindset of the perpetrator in detail. Although, the characters are teens, their narratives aren’t shielded from gruesome content in the slightest.
With around eighty short chapters in total, the story moves at a grippingly fast pace, keeping you invested in the mystery to the abrupt ending. Although, the open ending was a little disappointing, feeling unfulfilled once completing the book, the overall mysterious aura the book emits remains.

However, the characters were lacking throughout the story. Although, one of the main devices used throughout this book was the fact that none of the narrators were reliable, that did cause a distance between the readers and them. There was nothing admirable about any of them, each having a quality that you just couldn’t invest in. As a reader, I love being able to connect and relate to my characters, yet by the time you reach the end of the story you still find yourself with more questions than answers; you still know nothing about any of them.

Overall, I deeply enjoyed this book. It’s a lot darker than most popular YA Thrillers at the moment, and I found myself compelled to continue reading until I finished it.

4/5