Blog Tour (review): Before They Find Us by Michelle A. Hansen

My stop for this tour is a review.

NOTE: I received the book from the author through Xpresso Book Tours, in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw this cover (dark and all meaningful), and read the premise (death threats from a mysterious person), I knew I had to have this book. I really enjoyed reading it. It had a nice mystery/suspense factor that kept the story going until the very end.

The romance was a bit weird, but taking in account everything that happened, the characters' personalities and everything else, I think that it's believable.

Writing style:
Good, intriguing, makes the reader turn the page and ask for more.
Only downside is the need for a final proofreading.

Story line:
After Rebecca receives several text threats, it's like all hell breaks loose. She has to help clear the name of her best friend, Ryan, and in the mean time she meets lots of people, including some enemies she never thought she had.

Themes:
-Revenge
-Sacrifice
-Is telling the truth a good thing?
-The power of blackmailing
-The reality of love
-Best friends turned lovers, could it be?

Characters:
Rebecca(Beck) - being the only witness to a monstrous crime, Rebecca has nightmares since she was 11. The entire town hates her for blaming and sending to jail a 'good' guy. Even she begins to doubt herself until those text threats find her inbox. Then, after Ryan is framed for a school bombing, she decides to clear his name.
I could not believe how brave and resourceful Rebecca turned out to be. I didn't expect it from her, but it really did fit her character.
What I didn't like about her was how her mind strayed to other guys, when she was obviously in love with Ryan. True, she didn't believe there was a future for her and Ryan, but still.

Ryan seemed to be a bit of a wuss, letting/making Beck do everything on her own. Sure, he was wanted by the FBI for terrorism, and his face was everywhere, but I felt like he should've been more involved somehow. The ending put him in a different light. I liked how courageous he was in the spurt of the moment, and how protective he was of Beck.

Andrew was a cop, a friend of Rebecca's and had additional involvement that we weren't told until the end. I had expected a revelation of some sort about his reasons to hang around Rebecca so much, but what I got was not what I'd had in mind. I never believed him to be a traitor though. He was way too straight forward and predictable.

Jordan - I was glad Beck met him. He was a good friend, taken the circumstances. At one point of time I wished he'd become something more, since I wasn't sure Ryan was good enough for Rebecca. But then I was glad it didn't happen.
I really liked that he had style, without being gay.

Wade - now that guy was a total psycho. His reasons for helping out in the revenge of Mary Kay over Rebecca were ridiculous. I'm sure that without his help Mary Kay wouldn't have had the guts to do anything in the first place. He gave her strength to proceed, ideas and misplaced courage. He didn't feed her need for revenge, but he didn't do anything to stop her either.

All in all, Before They Find Us is a nice mystery/thriller/suspense novel. It isn't perfect, but it's quite enjoyable.

My rating is 3.5 stars, but I'm round it up:

Book details:

Before They Find Us by Michelle A. Hansen
Publication date: November 2013
Genres: Romantic Thriller, Young Adult

Synopsis:

I’m going to make you wish you were dead.

Just a text. Seventeen-year-old Rebecca Hales tries not to worry. Probably a wrong number. Not really meant for her, and definitely not related to the crime she witnessed six years ago. Right?

Then two states away, a bomb goes off in her best friend’s locker. Soon Ryan is labeled a terrorist and runs to the safest place he knows—Rebecca’s house in small-town Wyoming. It doesn’t take long for the FBI to show up asking questions. Rebecca lies, of course, and says she hasn’t seen him.

Now she’s neck-deep in it with him, whatever “it” is. The only way out is to return to Vegas, where Ryan is a wanted man. The city of lies and illusion tests Rebecca’s wits as she struggles to find the person who framed Ryan and why.

Is Rebecca’s text linked to the bombing? And what does it have to do with a six year old murder? Rebecca needs to find out before she loses Ryan—and her own life.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18810467-before-they-find-us?ac=1

Purchase:

--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Before-They-Find-Michelle-Hansen-ebook/dp/B00GXMLI28/ref=la_B006YJ8S0A_1_1_bnp_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389902951&sr=1-1

--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/before-they-find-us-michelle-a-hansen/1117540305?ean=9780615856810

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle A. Hansen was raised in southeastern Washington. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in English teaching from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and taught high school English for six years.

Michelle loves Pepsi and Doritos more than chocolate. She loves summertime and hates to be cold. She has had three near-death experiences. She’s addicted to office supplies and has an irrationally large stash of pens and notebooks.

Author links:

http://www.michelleahansen.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5448154.Michelle_A_Hansen

https://www.facebook.com/michelleahansenauthor

https://twitter.com/michelleahansen

Giveaway details:

Tour wide giveaway

Open INTL:

-- $25 Amazon gift card
-- Signed paperback copy of Before They Find Us
-- Before They Find Us charm necklace, bookmarks and signed postcard
-- Ebook copies of Before They Find Us & Painted Blind

 a Rafflecopter giveaway