A very intriguing novel that had me instantly engaged, They Called Me Wyatt is about a woman murdered on her birthday whose consciousness unexpectedly survives in the body of a 3-yr old boy. The central question - who killed Siwar - is so strong it carried me through the whole novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Natasha Tynes and California Coldblood Books for a free ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

The concept for this book is so intriguing and I am so happy that Natasha reached out to me to review her book!

When Jordanian student Siwar Salaiha is murdered on her birthday in College Park, Maryland, her consciousness survives, finding refuge in the body of a Seattle baby boy.

I don’t think I even read the blurb for this book, I totally went in blind and I am glad that I did. I was sucked in from the get-go, and the alternating chapters between Siwar and Wyatt's conscious keep the pages turning. It wasn't predictable, it felt really fresh, and at the same time still very interesting.

I have been umming and arring over stars but I reckon this deserves five for being so different. I didn’t once get annoyed whilst reading this which can often happen. There were no forced plots, everything made sense. It was really a great read for me.

I can’t wait for whatever may be next!

2.5 stars 

This book had a great premise, but it fell slightly short for me. I enjoyed reading about Siwar's background and her culture. Everything else just dragged a bit for me. I kept reading because I wanted to find out what happened to Siwar. There's a bit of a mystery surrounding why she died, but with the help of Wyatt (who is really Siwar) we are able to fill in all the missing pieces by the end. I did find it super hard to believe that the police would believe Wyatt when he said he only had information because Siwar had been reincarnated into him. 

I saw so many great reviews, prior to reading this one. The blurb didn't really pull me in, but I thought it was worth giving a try. It was beautifully written, but the plot just wasn't for me

I received an Advanced Readers' Copy electronic version of this book from the author, Natasha Tynes, and publishers, California Coldblood Books and Rare Bird Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is incredibly unique and unlike anything I've ever read before! Jordanian student Siwar's consciousness transfers to a boy born in Seattle the same day she is murdered. When a seizure in this young boy awakens Siwar, she must adjust to her new reality in this young boy, Wyatt. She finds that she's unable to communicate effectively with those around her to explain her story. Fast forward two decades, Siwar finds ways to make herself known to Wyatt and the story that unfolds is a thrilling adventure to attempt to uncover the truth behind Siwar's mysterious death.

Siwar and Wyatt's stories captivated me from the start and I found it difficult to put this book down! The general concept was fascinating, the cultural differences made the story complex and unique, the characters were well-written, and I can honestly say I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the killer was. If you're looking for a mystery/thriller that is different from anything you've ever read, this book is for you!

GoodReads review link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2751602300

This is definitely a unique book and one hard to categorise. Murder, mystery, coming of age, culture , identity and lots more are explored

I found the book initially a bit of a slow burner as but once the story picked up I found myself page turning sometimes with sleepy eyes as I read just one more chapter .

The book itself is divided into two parts . The first is written from Siwar’s viewpoint, a Jordanian living in America who died after falling from a building on her 25th birthday. Although I found this part slower to read it was fundemental in giving the reader insight into the rest of the story . After Siwars death her consciousness is transferred to Wyatt a baby who is born in America the same day as Siwar died.

Wyatt has always felt he was different as struggled for years with his uniqueness but when he is 25 he starts feeling Siwar’s presence in his mind. He feels so drawn to her that he makes it his mission to find out the truth of how she died. Was is suicide as the police at the time concluded or was it something more sinister???

Many twists and turns happen throughout Wyatts quest each unraveling another part of Siwar’s life story,

I loved the cultural aspect of the book. The contrast between living in Jordan and the United States is immense and something I’d never really considered before. Woman in particular have a very different life in Jordan. The writers understanding of the cultural differences definitely shows throughout the book.

I stood beside Wyatt in wanting to solve the mystery surrounding Siwar’s death and my instincts were totally wrong as the conclusion of the book left me speechless.

Overall a really unique memorable book , I will watch out for this authors next book as this was a fantastic debut novel.

Thank you to netgalley , Natasha Tynes and the publishers for my chance to read this fantastic book.

“Dying was not the worst part. It was what came after dying.”

“I look around me. Everything feels right now. I’m suddenly elated. I feel myself float. Images are flashing in front of my eyes. Memories. My life story. I’m getting lighter, lighter, lighter. This is it. This is my moment. This is my exit. Oh. Wow. Just Wow. It’s wonderful out there.”

Full review: https://literatureisliving.wordpress.com/2019/03/15/they-called-me-wyatt-by-natasha-tynes/

They Called Me Wyatt is exceptionally unique! Divided into two sections, this book brings a new, refreshing light to the mystery and thriller world. They Called Me Wyatt is about the death of Siwar, originally ruled a suicide, but those close to her think otherwise. Wyatt discovers his connection to Siwar and cannot resist her and the need to investigate her death.

I appreciated the multi-cultural perspective, the touch on cultural differences and discrepancies. It added depth and character to this story. I also enjoyed the the changing viewpoints throughout. I will have to say that there were a handful of spelling and grammatical errors so this did stick out to me as I was reading.

Siwar Salaiha desperately wants to become a writer. The life she wants is not in Jordan. Against the wishes and advice of her family and friends, she applies and gets into a university in Maryland. Here she is free to write and date and not be gossiped about by the entire town.

She is a good girl, a smart girl. A girl afraid of heights who supposedly committed suicide on her 25th birthday by jumping off the roof of the restaurant.

At the same time she dies, a baby boy in Seattle is born. And somehow her consciousness is now sharing space with a baby. A baby that can't talk, that can't ask for help. 

Years later that baby, Wyatt, is turning 25 and through a series of events is made aware of Siwars death and the coincidence of their birthdays. He is forced to acknowledge that there is someone else inside his head and that person wants answers about her death.

This was a good story. The characters were okay. The ending left me unfulfilled. There were quite a few grammatical errors that were pretty significant and I hope those have been addressed. 

Good Story, not so great execution.

NetGalley/ June 11th 2019 by Rare Bird Books

I really enjoyed They Call Me Wyatt- Siwar’s story pulled me in and kept me wanting more.

This book is a unique take on a sort of reincarnation mixed with murder with some Jordanian culture thrown in to top it off. Wyatt & Siwar finish strong & I recommend this book for anyone looking for something different in the thriller genre. Natasha Tynes is a force to be reckoned with - I’m a fan!

"You really can’t understand the Middle East if you don’t put yourself in Arab women’s shoes. It’s all about the hymen."

I’ma just say this right now – They Call Me Wyatt is eye-opening as hell and this is unlike anything else I’ve read. At no point did I find a character to be bland or off-putting AND I got my white ass educated when it comes to life as an Arab woman. Essentially, this is a cracking little read and here’s the main reason why:

This shit is from the point of view of a dead person and from her new human vessel, Wyatt.


Ok, let me rewind a little bit. Siwar, a woman that you’ll fall in love with, dies on her 25th birthday after being pushed from a roof. On the same day, Wyatt is born and Siwar’s consciousness moves into his infant body only to awaken on his third birthday.
This part. This part right here is what gets me excited mainly because I’m low-key interested in reincarnation.

After many, many medical procedures, Siwar was pushed to the back of Wyatt’s mind until he reaches his 25th birthday. Determined that it wasn’t a suicide, Wyatt becomes irrationally obsessed with the death of a woman he’s never met and is set on finding her killer.

This is the kind of story that will stick in your mind and you’ll quickly notice similarities when it comes to the two characters; Wyatt is terrified of heights and you can only presume Siwar would be as well with, you know, the death thing.

This is actually one of the first books I’ve read where real life things turn up. Peppered throughout the story were everyday brands you’d see in life which makes this a much more relatable read than anything else I’ve held in my clammy hands.

It does come with its downsides though. My irrational pet peeve about this book? LEGO being called Legos. It kills me every time.

This will be published on my blog on the 28th May: https://shitbookreviews.com/?p=235

Siwar, an immigrant from Jordan moves to the US to attend university. On her 25th birthday, she is pushed off a roof and murdered, but her consciousness survives in the body of a Seattle baby boy, Wyatt.

22 years later, Wyatt is in university, has an affinity towards the Middle East, and a fear of heights. When he learns of Siwar's death through his girlfriend, he becomes obsessed with Siwar and investigates her death, which has been erroneously ruled a suicide. He feels a deep connection to Siwar, and thinks he can solve the mystery.

I was lucky enough to be given an ARC of this book by the author, Natasha Tynes, and I finished it in 24 hours. It pulled me in immediately with it's original premise and the compelling character driven story. This book sits in the middle of genres - fiction, mystery, and supernatural. I found it very informative and educational on the Middle East & Arab customs and way of life. This is the type of story that stays with you when you're finished reading - I'll miss Siwar, Wyatt, Hoda and Krista.

Natasha Tynes did a beautiful work in the story with an original plot line and gray, and compelling characters.
It is about 25 year old Siwar from Jordan who wants to live her life in freedom, she is brave and a bit dramatic but she doesn't shy away from what she wants and feels the need to fight for everything she deserves. When she is tragically killed on her 25th birthday itself, her consciousness gets trapped in the body of a new born baby, Wyatt, who was born on the same day. Being trapped in his mind, Siwar experiences her second chance at life but she can't rest until she finds her murderer. By the help of Wyatt or by manipulating his decisions she finally remembers what happened and gets justice for herself.
I loved how the story was portrayed through the characters. But it was also very confused at times. The voice of Wyatt grew and became more mature as the time went, but the narrative grew more confused and edgy. Sometimes the side characters were proud of what Wyatt did and sometimes they weren't supportive. Even Wyatt was not very clearly portrayed and the tone was quite hazy. The question of who did it kept the book driving forward and the pages turning. It was confusing and indefinite but it was also unique and captivating.
I am grateful for getting a chance to read the advanced copy of this book.
My rating : 4/5

4.5 rounded up to 5 🌟 A novel of so many facets and faces, supernatural and a bit futuristic. Beautiful in its complexity of thought and plotting, yet very easy to read and down to earth.

I was hooked from the very first chapter: the amazing story of Sriwar aka. her murder mystery unfolded slowly, carefully, with ease and wickedness. I cannot really write mkre without giving out spoilers. Truth is I really feel the need to talk about this noe and its implications.

First of all, there is the Jordanian- Arab world with all its restrictions for women versus the Land of the Free, the USA where freedom is like magic. Then there is the life and hopes of young Sriwar with its cliches and dreams. Last but not least, the supernatural element of a conscience residing a living body, two conscience in one so to say. Well this was mind blowing.

Many thanks to Natasha Tynes and Netgalley for inviting me to read and review this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Siwar Salaiha is a student from Jordan who is living in Maryland, working toward her dream of becoming a writer. On her 25th birthday she is inexplicably murdered. But even more shocking, she finds herself “reawakening,” as her consciousness is trapped inside the body of a three-year-old boy named Wyatt. Frustrated and fueled to learn the identity of her murderer, Siwar uses Wyatt over the years to unravel the case that was never solved.

This novel was a quick read and has the most unique concept of any book that I have read this year so far. I had no problem suspending my disbelief at the plausibility of this situation, and joining Siwar and Wyatt for the ride. The characters were both equally interesting to me - a great deal of background is given about Siwar’s life in Jordan and Wyatt’s unique struggles, such as his speech delay, kept me wondering what would ultimately happen with him.

Overall, I really enjoyed the storyline, but there were a few things that didn’t quite work for me. There are sections of the book that are really well executed, that immersed me in the story and in the world of Siwar and Wyatt. However, there are other sections that I did not connect as well with - for example, Siwar’s narrative from inside Wyatt at times. There are also portions of the book where I felt that there is too much “telling” and not enough “showing” going on, too much direct explanation when it is not always needed.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley, California Cold Blood Books, and Natasha Tynes for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own. They Called Me Wyatt will be released on June 11th, 2019.

This is what I knew before starting this book: Jordanian Siwar Salaiha moves to the US to study and suddenly she is murdered, but turns out her spirit survived inside baby boy Wyatt.

Being that said, I immediately wanted to read this story and definitely wanted to solve the mystery myself!

I absolutely enjoyed this one, I got immediately invested in the story from page one and found the story refreshing, original and unique.

It was a pleasure to read this one! And I definitely recommend it!

Siwar Salaiha is a college student in her 20s in Maryland, enjoying her life as an immigrant from Jordan and experiencing new things. Or at least she was, before she fell to her death on the night of her 25th birthday. Siwar's consciousness remains alive, however, and she wakes up in the body of a toddler boy named Wyatt. Because of his speech delays, Siwar's attempts at communicating with Wyatt's parents repeatedly fail. Siwar knows her death was no accident, and it most definitely was not a suicide, as the police wrongly determined. After a medical procedure, she remains dormant in Wyatt's body, awakening every now and then when she can, trying to get his attention as he ages. Can she get Wyatt to understand and communicate, and bring herself to justice?

They Called Me Wyatt is a murder mystery unlike any I've ever read before. The plot and storyline is so original and unique. I couldn't read fast enough to satiate my desperation to know what happens next. I devoured this book! This novel also delves into Jordanian culture, what it means to be an immigrant, identity struggles and the need to fit in, family, and love and women's issues. I loved learning about Jordan and the city of Amman.

The one part that bothered me about this book was a detail that may be a spoiler, so I won't reveal it, but I will say that it is about the ending. It was satisfying, but it did feel a bit rushed.

Overall, an excellent read and definitely recommend if you enjoy murder mysteries with ordinary citizens attempting to solve cases that the police couldn't. 4/5 stars

This book intrigued me from the moment I read the synopsis. A murder mystery solved by the murder victim is certainly a unique perspective.
So this book starts with Siwar, and essentially cuts straight to the last few moments of her life, we learn more about her story in the latter chapters of the book; flashbacks, or related storylines. What is particularly strange, is to hear Siwar’s thoughts whilst Wyatt is just a child – adult opinions coming from a child’s viewpoint and Wyatt’s parents’ relationship nearly entirely takes away from what this book is truly about. This seemed to take up a relatively large portion of the book – for what it was.
However the mystery is gripping, particularly in that Siwar, Wyatt, and the reader all want to know what happened and are discovering this story at the same time. I would’ve liked a more obvious set of clues because although I like a surprise, looking back I still can’t make much of a path and the culprit came entirely out of the blue. However I’m here for the story as a whole which is compelling, gripping, and vibrant.
This book doesn’t just focus on the murder, but also on Siwar’s struggles as a Jordanian woman in the US, feeling like she should belong in the US but is someone who will always be seen as an outsider. Though whilst living in Jordan she wanted the thrill the US seemed to offer, the relaxed attitudes towards friendships and relationships.
Part of the charm of this book is the narrative, particularly later on when Siwar’s voice can only prevail when Wyatt is weak – i.e. drunk or tired, and her influences become not so subtle. It is in these moments that you realise how flawed each member of the cast is, yet this is something I love in a book – no one is perfect and I love seeing more authors do this.
Overall I’m awarding this a rating of 4/5; the voice was a bit of a love/hate for me, it came across strange in places and sometimes limited the range of what the reader saw, but it was unique and provided a gripping and exciting new perspective on the classic murder mystery. This book also explored much deeper social issues seamlessly, and provided an extremely satisfying conclusion. It’s a quick read too – in both length and in that you won’t be able to put it down!

A murder mystery with a twist! This novel is fast-paced with a unique concept that pulls you right in. I enjoyed the characters and their distinct voices, and I found the overall plot interesting as well. I loved how the author exhibited extreme culture differences throughout the chapters and also used the concept of déjà-vu in the second part of the novel to show the connection between Siwar and Wyatt. I would recommend this novel for anyone looking for a good mystery/thriller (plus the author is super nice and responsive!).

It was a great read! Natasha gave us insight into the world of women in the middle east. Their kinds of traditions and roles. What they really have to do to fight for their rights. It was a little slow in the beginning for me, but it picked up after Wyatt turns 25, and he starts investigating. I liked the glimpses you get of Siwar's life, and her relationships. She is an interesting woman, wanting more out of life. I liked that about her. She was passionate, and creative.

This is a very strange book of the kind I don't think I've read before. I was very intrigued by the synopsis given I'm from a middle eastern background but not from the same country as the main character, Siwar. I found the beginning a little long as the first part of Siwar's story (and her background) dragged on, but I quite enjoyed how the story was set out. From Siwar's family life and childhood, waking up in baby Wyatt's body to what happens later. I felt sorry for Wyatt once he realised why he'd grown up feeling different from others.

This reminds me of Sarah Pinborough's book 'Behind Her Eyes' which is also mystery mixed with the supernatural and also done very well. Another aspect I enjoyed was Natasha's integration of Arabic words and the culture. I love it when authors do this as I feel it educates readers on a small scale.