They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

My newest review is for the thrilling new novel by Jessica Goodman, They'll Never Catch Us.  This book combines cross country and murder mystery....I mean, how could I not like this one?!?!  I love a good mystery and this story doesn't disappoint.  It is fun and fast-paced and will keep you guessing as you try to unravel what has happened to Mila Keene.  If you are a fan of such writers as Kara Thomas and Karen McManus, you will enjoy this novel from Goodman.

They'll Never Catch Us is the story of the Steckler sisters, Stella and Ellie.  These two sisters are the stars of the Edgewater cross country team, a town and a team with a dark past.  Edgewater has moved on from this past and the team is focusing on bringing home a state championship.  With the addition of Mila Keene, a transfer student who is one of the best runners in the region, things look promising.  But when Mila goes missing during an early morning run, questions start swirling.  Is the old Deadwater killer back?  Did Stella, with her violent past, feel the need to eliminate her biggest competition?  Goodman does a fantastic job of creating suspense and mystery as the story unfolds.  If you are looking for a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you can't go wrong with They'll Never Catch Us.

From Amazon: 

**A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**

From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us, comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team—until a teammate’s disappearance throws their lives off course.
 
"An utter page-turner. Goodman's voice is razor-sharp and keenly precise. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn!" —Tiffany D. Jackson NYT Bestselling Author of White Smoke and Grown

Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and she keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course.

The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. At first, Ellie and Stella view the new star athlete as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been looking for a friend to share her secrets. Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong--she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted.

With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.
 

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

My latest read is White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson.  If you have ever read my reviews before, you probably know about my feelings for Jackson's writing.  The author of such incredible books as Allegedly and Monday's Not Coming, Jackson is one of the best YA authors of the time.  With her newest novel, she does something new, taking a dive into the world of horror.  In doing that, she is also able to keep some of the psychological thriller elements that often make her novels so memorable.  If you are a fan of hers like I am, White Smoke will not disappoint.  

Mari has a troubled past and is all set up for a fresh start.  Her mom is recently remarried, has accepted a new job in a new town, and has even been given a home to live in free of charge as she completes her job.  But Mari's new little sister isn't the easiest to live with and the new home isn't what it is cracked up to be.  Renovated in a run down part of Cedarville, the new house seems to take on a life of its own.  Mari eventually discovers that the city of Cederville and the house itself has a dark history.  While trying to keep her sanity amid the growing chaos that surrounds her, Mari starts to understand that the Sterling Foundation, her mom and step-dad's new employer, isn't the generous and well-meaning group that it appears to be on the outside.  The house itself is closing in on Mari and her family and she must find a way to survive when it seems like the odds are increasingly growing against her.  

This one continues to build the suspense and creepiness as the novel progresses.  It culminates in a twist that Tiffany D. Jackson has come to perfect.  If you are a fan of Jackson's or just a fan of horror, this novel should be right up your alley.   

 

From Amazon: 

The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.

 

Once A Runner by John L. Parker, Jr.

Okay, so it has been a while since I have done one of these.  Life has been busy and I just never found the time, so here goes the first of two new book reviews.  The first is for John L. Parker, Jr.'s Once A Runner.  You will often see this one described as the best running book ever written.  And while I haven't read them all, I think you would be hard pressed to find one better than this.  I am not a runner myself, but my son is and he has turned me into a student of the sport.  Even though it was fictional, this novel gives some great insight into the training and mental state of elite level runners.  

 Once A Runner is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a star collegiate runner at Southeastern University in the 1960's.  He dreams of breaking the 4:00 barrier in the mile and is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish this goal.  Amid growing discontent among the athletes and athletic department policies, Quenton spearheads a protest.  And as the face of this protest, he faces the most severe consequences, indefinite suspension.  This means no more running for the university he has so proudly represented.  But his good friend, mentor, and Olympic gold medalist Bruce Denton gives him an alternative.  Go live by yourself in the woods and train like you have never trained before.  In preparation for a race against the world's best miler, Quenton takes Bruce's advice and pushes himself to the limit in the hopes that he will find a way into the race that could change his life.

This story is fun, heartwarming, and inspiring and would be a fantastic read for anyone who likes a good story.  You don't have to be a runner to find yourself rooting for Quenton Cassidy as he sprints down the homestretch!

 

From Amazon: 

The undisputed classic of running novels and one of the most beloved sports books ever published, Once a Runner tells the story of an athlete’s dreams amid the turmoil of the 60s and the Vietnam war.

Inspired by the author’s experience as a collegiate champion, the novel follows Quenton Cassidy, a competitive runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school’s athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes’ protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team. Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life against the greatest miler in history.

A rare insider’s account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners, Once a Runner is an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one individual’s quest to become a champion.