Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia Book Review

Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia Book Review

The lowdown from Goodreads

Publication Date January 3, 2017

Full of twists and turns, Everything You Want Me to Be reconstructs a year in the life of a dangerously mesmerizing young woman, during which a small town’s darkest secrets come to the forefront…and she inches closer and closer to her death.

High school senior Hattie Hoffman has spent her whole life playing many parts: the good student, the good daughter, the good citizen. When she’s found brutally stabbed to death on the opening night of her high school play, the tragedy rips through the fabric of her small town community. Local sheriff Del Goodman, a family friend of the Hoffmans, vows to find her killer, but trying to solve her murder yields more questions than answers. It seems that Hattie’s acting talents ran far beyond the stage. Told from three points of view—Del, Hattie, and the new English teacher whose marriage is crumbling—Everything You Want Me to Be weaves the story of Hattie’s last school year and the events that drew her ever closer to her death.

Evocative and razor-sharp, Everything You Want Me to Be challenges you to test the lines between innocence and culpability, identity and deception. Does love lead to self-discovery—or destruction?

Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia Book Review

Guys, this book is a great thriller. Mindy does a hell of a job & she tricked me, which is what I want in a mystery.

Peter

We have Peter, the new teacher in town who is married to Mary, a farm girl returning home to help her ailing mother, Elsa. Peter feels trapped in the small town of Pine Valley & it’s hurting his marriage. He didn’t sign up for this; I mean, he’s a vegetarian living on the homestead.

Hattie

Hattie is the girl you see around town, but she always leaves you wanting a bit more. After graduation, she is moving to NYC with Broadway dreams & her CVS paycheck- good luck, right? She’s smart, cunning & reserved, but she’s still a teenager finding her way. Then, she’s murdered in an abandoned barn.

Del

Del, the sheriff. He is determined to find Hattie’s killer & he happens to be best friends with her parents, Bud & Mona. The pressure is on & time is ticking. There’s only so many suspects in this small town, so he’s skipping lunch at Dairy Queen & starts knocking on doors.

Pine Valley

I love the residents of Pine Valley, MN & this town is the perfect backdrop for Mindy’s characters. The farmers are hardworking, the bloodlines are deep & the walls of the houses are thin. Mindy weaves all these details about each character, their histories with one another & their connection to the town, which makes the story all the more relatable.

THE VERDICT

This novel is smart, dark & well written. It’s the perfect read for any mystery lover & a book I would want by my side while traveling & I’m Really Into it. It’s out today!!! Check out another YouTube Review for Snowblind – another thriller we are Really Into!

Special thanks to Mindy Mejia, Atria/Emily Bestler Books & NetGalley for providing my copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

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About the Author: Mindy Mejia

Mindy Mejia is a Minnesota author whose debut novel, The Dragon Keeper, was published by Ashland Creek Press in 2012. Besides the occasional book review or blog entry, Mindy focuses on the novel and she writes what she likes to read: contemporary, plot-driven books that deliver both entertainment and substance. Her latest thriller, Everything You Want Me To Be, is on sale now.