Teen Fiction Book Reviews: A roundup of fantastic teen fiction

As ever there is a wealth of absolutely stunning Young Adult Crime fiction out there and I have been immersing myself in it for the past couple of weeks.. read on to find out more.

Eden Summer by Liz Flanagan (7th July 2016)

Eden Summer is a coming of age  mystery story that, through frequent flashbacks, slowly allows the reader access to everything that happened in a small, alternative Yorkshire town over the course of the summer.  It is sensitively written and the characters are great.  Jess' friend Eden is going through major trauma and, with Eden's boyfriend Liam, Jess is there all summer to support Eden.  Then... the unthinkable happens and Eden disappears, leaving Jess and Liam distraught and guilty. 

Eden Summer is a beautiful portrayal of loyalty, friendship and love.  It is rich with descriptive language that embeds the reader in the beautiful Yorkshire scenery and, above all it is a compellingly, beautifully, poignant read. Flanagan, has plotted this book so tightly; never revealing a thing until just the right moment to achieve maximum impact.   I loved it!
Just a word of warning though- you won't escape without having a wee cry to yourself.. so tissues ready folks!
Available on Amazon Kindle £7.59 or HB £8.24.Click here

Hide and Seek by Jane Casey (30th July 2015)
This is the third Jess Tennant mystery and it's great.  Set in Port Sentinel in the run up to Christmas, Jess becomes concerned about a missing school friend.  As usual Jess' uneasy relationship with local police chief Dan Henderson (her boyfriend's dad and her mum's ex-boyfriend), causes complications as Jess infiltrates herself into the case and risks everything to find her friend.
Hide and Seek explores the complexities of teen relationships, the vulnerability that can lead to abuse from predators and the uncertainty of emotional responses by adults and teens alike.  Jess is like a modern day Nancy Drew, but with none of the sickliness.  Her large extended family, as always, provide humour and the adult relationships are as convincing as the teen ones.  A thoroughly enjoyable mystery.
Available on Amazon Kindle £3.99 or PB £7.99 Click here

Frayed by Kara Terzis (7th June 2016)
Frayed is a haunting story that will stay with you long after
you've closed the book.   Ava, disturbed by the murder of her sister Kesley, is struggling to live a normal life. Then, bad boy Rafe, her sister's best friend, returns to town and Ava begins to realise that the Kesley she thought she knew was in fact someone very, very different.  Drawn into a group of girls who call themselves KARMA, Ava tries to discover who murdered her sister and soon discovers things she'd never have imagined in her wildest dreams.  A gentle romance, a thrilling denouement and a fantastic twist.  Be warned you will be shocked by the ending of this beautifully poignant story... I can't wait for the next story from this great author.Available on Amazon Kindle £7.59 or PB £7.99  Click here

In the Dark, In the Woods by Eliza Wass (21st April 2016)

This is a beautifully written story narrated through a powerful and unique voice. I found this chillingly believable and was drawn in from the very start.  Castley wants to be a normal girl doing normal things, but Father wants to keep her and her siblings in the dark, in the woods. This is scary and cultish and impressive in its ability to depict such  alien behaviour in an accessible way without sensationalising it.  It is a really good insight into those alternate psychologies that bubble beneath the surface and lead to this sort of extreme situation.  A very definite five stars for this one.
Available on Amazon kindle £4.99 or PB £5.99 or free on audio download trial Click here

My Favourite Manson Girl by Alison Umminger (June 2016)

Yes, the title refers to  those Manson girls and the book is as surprising as the title. Teenager Anna feels thoroughly unappreciated, neglected and unwanted .. so she swipes her mum's wife's credit card and hotfoots it to visit her  actress sister in LA .  Faced with the prospect of a summer with no money or phone, Anna accepts a job researching the Manson girls for her sister's ex boyfriend who hopes to direct a film on the subject.  However, her sister seems to be under threat and as she continues her research Anna fears she too may be in danger.  a fascinatingly honest and witty read.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm sure you will too.
Available on Amazon Kindle £7.99, HB £!2.78, PB £7.99.  Click here