I think the YA titles that I now read and enjoy are all pretty much either romances or thrillers – the sorts of stories that either wouldn’t appeal to a middle grade audience or really aren’t appropriate for younger readers. Here is a great example of one that falls into that second category, that appealed enormously when my attention was drawn to it on Twitter by its publicist and one that I gobbled up in a day. A story that doesn’t just hook you in but presents a seemingly impossible murder that isn’t so much a murder as more of an incredible resurrection, this is a book that twists and turns and will leave readers just as puzzled as I was until almost the end, when everything is explained in a way that I most certainly didn’t see coming and I’m sure others won’t either. In the small town of Saltcedar, everyone knows everyone else and so it is only right and proper that a year after three of its young residents disappeared, pretty much the whole town is turning out for a vigil to mark the anniversary, amongst them Nan, best friend of the missing girls. As she waits for things to get underway, Nan reflects on the events of the previous year – the police presence and intrusion of the journalists that have faded away as all hope of the girls reappearing has vanished, and looks over at the grieving families. Just as things get underway, they are brought to a sudden halt by shouting close by, throwing everything into confusion. Unsure as to what is going on, word very quickly goes round those assembled that Luce, one of the missing girls, has been discovered – something that Nan knows to be an impossibility as she killed the other girl a year ago. Reassuring herself that what is happening is a cruel practical joke, Nan is beyond shocked when she eventually finds herself face-to-face with Luce, who has no recollection of where she has been or what has happened to her. But with the possibility of Luce regaining her lost memory a reality, just what will Nan’s next steps be? And if Luce has come back from the dead, could the same happen to the other two girls? In any sort of murder story, we are used to the victim usually being killed very early on and the unfolding events being told by either the detective who investigates or someone close to the deceased. Here though, everything is turned on its head as we read the thoughts of narrator Nan, who claims to have murdered her three best friends as calmly as we might explain what we did at the weekend to a work colleague on a Monday morning. As we learn what happened a year ago in a series of flashbacks, we watch our protagonist deal with everything that is thrown at her and can only wonder at her cool detachment from reality and read on in the hopes of discovering just what went on before the shocking ending that ties everything together very satisfactorily. A cracking story for 14+ readers, this is one that fans of both murder mysteries and thrillers will really enjoy and is one that would be a perfect holiday read on the beach or by the pool where you are likely to be able to devote the time to it that you will undoubtedly want to.

You'd think your missing best friend coming back from the dead would be ideal, unless you're the one who killed her. This book was so gripping I read half of it in one sitting then couldn't get it out of my head until i finished it. Absolutely brilliant, full of really well done twists. The kind of book that you could read again and spot so many little clues and hints throughout it. And who doesn't love an unreliable narrator? A perfect summer night read that'll transport you the lake side, perfect for fans of We Were Liars.

I love Rory Powers writing style it just draws me deep into the story & it feels like I'm just completely immersed in this world with the characters! After reading & loving Wilder Girls I was ecstatic to see that another book written by Powers was coming out. A young girl, Nan has killed her three best friends & survived being found out in the year after their death with an intricate web of lies, believable behaviour and luck. Then on the year anniversary, one of the girls turns up alive again. The turmoil and stress of this girl remembering what happened and who tried to murder her is impossible for Nan and sends her into a downward, obsessive, overthinking spiral avoiding confrontation, conversations and panicking over everything she thought she'd gotten away with. The story unravels so many plot twists, turns and will make you gasp out loud. I thoroughly loved this book and am glad to have been able to read it, a brilliant tale of betrayal, love, obsession and paranoia. I adored that I genuinely couldn't figure out the complex answer before it was revealed to us it made for such a read that I really had to finish it in a couple sittings

Blog Tour Review The writing was engaging and drew me in right from the beginning. You were kept on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next. I felt that you couldn't trust the narration of the story, which made me want to carry on reading to see how it would all pan out. I enjoyed the Epilogue at the end. That finished it off well. The chapters were fairly short and kept the story moving. Each of the chapters was labelled "then" and "now". There were no dates or numbers. There was no pattern as to when you were going to go back in time. Even though you didn't know when the timeline would change, it worked well and came together nicely at the end. There was a good pace to the story, with lots of little things being said and situations added, which slowed the story down and kept you guessing as to what was going to happen next. There was an interesting flow to the story, created by the backwards and forwards in time as well as by the main character herself. Whilst the chapters flowed well together, there was a hesitancy created by the main character. She wasn't quite sure what was going to happen next and her uncertainty was transferred to you as the reader. It certainly made for an engaging read and I looked forward to picking it back up at each reading session, eager to find out what was going to happen next! The characters were excellent. As I have mentioned above, the main character is the narrator and because of her personality and past actions, there is a hesitancy about the whole story. This hesitancy results in the feeling of suspense and tension. The surrounding characters also had a suspicious air to them. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next as there were so many possibilities and different directions that the story could have gone in. Lastly the settings. There was a lovely map at the beginning so you could see where everything was. Whilst it was mainly a character focused story, there were some lovely descriptions of the surroundings. They breathed life into the story and added an extra layer to it. Overall an excellent read with lots of suspense and tension running through.

Kill Creatures is a sensational and unputdownable YA thriller that is destined to keep you in its clutches until the early hours. You do not want to miss this. Rory Power’s work always thrives in the liminal space between fantasy and reality with an interplay between the two that makes you question what you are reading. This lends itself incredibly well to this story which centres around unreliable narratives and the constant sensation of someone lying to you. As a reader you are doubting everything and that creates an unease and atmosphere that is like lightning in a bottle. If you cannot believe everything, you feel even more motivated to track down the truth. This is an impossible situation and you desperately want to figure it out. Like other great YA thrillers, there are plenty of twists and turns in store as Power weaves a twisted web for you to get lost in. There is a throughline of potential speculative elements and local folklore entangled in the story that is deeply fascinating and again lends itself to that blurriness and ambiguity that keeps you hooked. It feels like the town itself is a character with the spotlight increasingly weighing down Nan. That small-town community is brought to life with everyone knowing everyone else and subsequently their secrets. The interpersonal dynamics are crucial and Power gradually reveals the full extent of this. Everything feels like kindling waiting to spark and that fateful night is the foregone explosion that was always building. In this vein, Saltcedar Canyon is eerie, a reminder of the power of nature and maybe other elements. All of this is set up perfectly by that pitch. Nan killed the girls last summer, but now one of them has returned. Everything about this is irresistible and reels you in. I heard this and just had to read the book. It is a unique premise where you know from very early on that you are dealing with a narrative that is going to flip the script and make bold, interesting and unexpected choices. Power capitalises on this and delivers an arresting and enthralling story that constantly builds the tension with stakes that soar sky-high. We follow the two timelines of then and now, building towards a conclusion that seems telegraphed from the first page, but is everything as it really seems? There is also a thematic exploration of privilege and the tension between holidaymakers and locals that can boil over. The differing backgrounds of these characters has shaped them fundamentally and also causes plenty of clashes. Nan has always been an outsider, until she forged this friendship, but it is layered and complicated in ways that Power slowly shows to the reader. It is wickedly captivating reading with the way the jigsaw pieces start to fit together. There are relationships that develop and may spiral into obsession. It is so well-constructed and builds until the tension feels unbearable. Nan is at the centre of both timelines, evading the truth in the present and moving towards the unthinkable in the past. She is cold, calculating and manipulative with a voice that sends shivers down your spine. In stark contrast, her desire to belong is palpable and strongly defines her. All of this builds towards an incredible and explosive conclusion with an excellent sting in its tale. Power’s writing is exacting and sharp with a bite to it. Kill Creatures is going to be one of the YA books of the summer. It builds on its phenomenal premise to deliver a taut and thrilling read that keeps you in its clutches until the final page.